Cherry Hazelnut Scones

These are a fun breakfast treat (or a snack!). I really like them served warm with jam and clotted cream, which are both nice additions to the drier texture of scones.

You will need:

• 3 c flour
• 1 c sugar
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground nutmeg
• 1/4 t ground ginger, scant
• 1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into pea size pieces
• 1 c dried cherries
• 1/2 c toasted chopped hazelnuts
• 1/2 c cream

Then you will…

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, citrus zest, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
3. Add in the butter and use your fingers to mix into the dry ingredients until a coarse meal forms.
4. Mix in the cherries and hazelnuts.
5. Mix in the heavy cream and combine it to form a dough.
6. Form the dough into a 1-inch thick circles.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 18 minutes, just until lightly golden on top.

Banana Raisin Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is one of my favorite comfort desserts. This version has lots of raisins and banana, which makes it fruity and creamy and extra yummy. I used some leftover challah after I made a brunch french toast, but it would work with almost any type of bread you have lying around.

You will need:

• 4 c cubed day-old bread
• 2 banana, sliced (and cut larger slices in half)
• 1/2 c raisins
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 c milk
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 T bourbon (optional)

Then you will need…

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place bread cubes along with the raisins and banana in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a medium mixing bowl,  beat together eggs and sugar. Add milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and bourbon (if using). Blend well.
4. Pour egg mixture  over bread and stir. Allow to rest 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Evenly spread the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish.
6. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Cinnamon Pecan Buns

I found this recipe in a Cooking Light awhile back, and it has been sitting in the back of my mind since then. It’s not a quick-to-pull-together recipe since it rises several times before baking. You will need a total of 2 hours of resting time to pull off this recipe, so plan ahead! The result is plate of sweet, sticky cinnamon rolls with crunchy pecans and caramelized glaze. Yumm!

You will need:

• 3/4 c  skim milk, warmed (100° to 110°)
• 1/4 c + 2/3 c sugar, divided
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 pkg (2 1/4 t) dry yeast
• 1/4 c water, warmed (100° to 110°)
• 1/2 c egg substitute
• 7 1/2 T margarine, divided and melted and cooled
• 4 c flour
• 3/4 c dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 T hot water
• 1/2 c finely chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 T ground cinnamon

Then you will…

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the milk, 1/4 c of sugar and 1/2 t salt.
3. Stir yeast mixture into milk mixture. Add egg substitute and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter; stir until well combined.
4. Mix in about 3 3/4 cups of the flour, stirring until smooth.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding enough of remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
6. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 minutes.
7. Punch dough down and turn over in bowl; lightly coat with cooking spray. Cover and let rise another 45 minutes.
8. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
9. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons hot water. Whisk until smooth.
10. Scrape sugar mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly over bottom of pan.
11. Sprinkle sugar mixture with pecans and set aside.
12. In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup of the sugar and cinnamon to create the filling.
13. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat dough into a 16 x 12–inch rectangle.
14. Brush surface of dough with 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
15. Beginning with a long side, roll up dough jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 16 slices.
16. Arrange slices, cut sides up, in prepared pan. Lightly coat rolls with cooking spray; cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
17. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
18. Uncover rolls and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
19. Let stand 1 minute; carefully invert onto serving platter. Glaze will be very hot!

Cheddar Apple Bread

Cheddar Apple Bread is a version of beer quick bread. Here you substitute beer for hard cider and pair the cheddar with tart apple.

You will need:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 c shallot, minced
• 1/2 c apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled and shredded and squeezed in paper towel to remove extra moisture
• 3 c flour
• 3 T sugar
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 c sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 bottle (12 oz) hard cider
• 1 T butter, melted

Then you will…

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small non-stick pan, heat the olive oil. Cook the shallot and apple together, over medium heat,  for 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
4. Add the shallot mixture, shredded cheese and hard cider.
5. Stir just until moist.
6. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes.
7. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the loaf, and bake an additional 25 minutes until golden brown.
8. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Cinnamon Apple Bread

This is a sweet fall bread that will fill your house with the smell of baking apples and warm cinnamon. I only put the cinnamon sugar on top but, if you wanted an extra treat, you could pour half of the batter in the bread pan and sprinkle in an extra layer of cinnamon sugar in the middle of the loaf.

You will need:

• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 3 t cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t ground cloves
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1/4 c applesauce
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c sugar
• 3 T brown sugar
• 2 apples, peeled and chopped

Then you will…

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a bread pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, 2 t cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves.
3. In a second medium bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly – about 30 seconds.
4. Whisk in the oil, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth.
5. Whisk in the sugar until well combined.
6. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until flour is barely combined.
7. Gently fold in the apple. Pour batter into prepared pan.
8. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the bread batter.
9. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until loaf is golden
10. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.

Rosemary-Honey Bread

The other day I noticed I had a very large amount of honey in my house, and I wanted to use some. I also felt like it had been awhile since I’d make a fresh bread that wasn’t fruit-based. This is a variation on a bread recipe I found through Epicuriou that is sort of like a honey wheat bread, so you could use it for sandwiches or just to snack on after toasting! At the end of this recipe, you will have two loaves – perfect for sharing.

You will need:

• 2 1/2 c warm water
• 2 packets (4 1/2 t) active yeast
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 7 c flour (plus a little extra for kneading)
• 2 1/2 t salt
• 1 T dried rosemary, roughly chopped
• 3/4 c honey

Then you…

1. Mix together the water, yeast and olive oil in a medium to small bowl. Allow to rest 5 minutes or until yeast is dissolved and foamy.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and rosemary.
3. Make a well in the middle and pour the yeast mixture into the well.
4. Slowly work the liquids into the flour. Then mix in the honey.
5. Lightly flour a counter top, and knead the bread just until well-combined and not sticky.
6. Place the dough in a well-oiled, large bowl and turn the dough to coat with oil.
7. Cover with a warm, damp cloth or with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until 1.5 times original size, or about an hour.
8. Punch the dough down.
9. Spray to 9×4 inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
10. On your lightly floured surface, knead the dough once more for about 5 minutes.
11. Divide the dough in half and shape into loaves. Place each loaf into one of the prepared pans.
12. Cover once more and allow to rise another 15-20 minutes.
13. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
14. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when you tap it.
15. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

Grilled Flatbreads

The June Bon Appetit had a series of recipes for a Mediterranean grilling party that caught my eye. When I was home for the 4th of July, I adapted the menu for an amazing outdoor feast. This grilled flatbread recipe was incredibly easy and resulted in some of the most delicious hot and toasty bread I’ve had in awhile. They were slightly charred from the grill and crispy on the outside, but they were also still tender on the inside. One note: when kneading the dough, be sure to have plenty of extra flour on hand, as it can start out a bit on the sticky side!

You will need:

• 2 c warm water (105º-115º)
• 1 envelope active dry yeast (1/4-oz)
• 1 T olive oil plus more for brushing
• 5 c all-purpose flour
• 1 T salt plus more for seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper

Then you will…

1. Pour warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast into the water and let sit until the yeast dissolves, approx. 5-10 minutes.
2. Mix in the tablespoon of olive oil and of salt.
3. Stir in the flour until dough forms.
4. On a well-floured surface, knead the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth. Add more flour as needed by spoonfuls for a soft but still slightly sticky dough.
5. Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume. This will take about 1 hour.
6. Turn dough out onto a floured workspace. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll into balls and space 2″ apart. Cover with the kitchen towel and let rest another 15 minutes.
7. Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Lightly spray several cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.
8. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll out into a 9″ round or stretch into a long rectangle of thin flatbread dough. Place on the prepped cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil or lightly spray with the non-stick cooking spray. Season with a touch of salt and pepper.
9. Working in batches, place flatbreads seasoned side down on the grill. Lightly brush the other side with olive oil and season as well.
10. Grill until lightly charred in spots and cooked through, abut 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side.
11. Transfer to a work surface and cut into serving-sized pieces.

Zucchini Pineapple Breakfast Bread

 

When I brought the morning glory bread to work, I also made some of this zucchini pineapple breakfast bread with me. I had several zucchini in my fridge from my farm share that I wanted to use up, and this was another big hit. This particular recipe does make two loaves, so you will be able to have one for yourself and one for coworkers/friends, or just freeze the second one for later!

You will need:

• 3 c flour
• 1 t salt
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c sugar
• 2 c grated zucchini (~ 1 1/2 medium zucchini)
• 2/3 c vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained

Then you…

1. Preheat oven to 325. Lightly coat two 9×5 loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until light and foamy.
4. Add the sugar, zucchini, oil and extracts to the eggs and whisk until well blended.
5. Add the zucchini mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Fold in the drained pineapple.
7. Pour the batter evenly into both prepared bread pans.
8. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Morning Glory Nut Bread

 

There was a bakery on my way to school that made “morning glory” muffins that I loved as a special treat. They were full of carrots and nuts and other goodness. The other day I made a breakfast bread version and brought it into work, where it lasted 5 minutes. This is a low-fat version of the childhood muffin that I’m sure you will like too!

You will need:

• 1 1/3 c flour
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 c grated and peeled apple (~1 medium apple)
• 1/2 c grated carrot (~1 medium carrot)
• 1/2 c shredded zucchini (~1/2 of 1 medium zucchini)
• 1/4 c toasted and chopped pecans
• 1/4 c raisins
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1/4 c buttermilk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Then you…

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat an 8×4-inch bread pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir in the apple, carrots, zucchini, raisins and pecans.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk and eggs.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the well in the center of the flour mixture.
7. Stir until just combined.
8. Scrape batter into the prepared bread pan and bake roughly 50 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing.

 

Apple Pecan Coffee Cake

There’s a cinnamon coffee cake that you can get at one of my favorite coffee shops near home. The other morning I was missing home, so I thought I’d mix up a coffee cake of my own with some apples I recently got through my farm share. In my hunt for ideas, I adapted the following from a Deen family recipe. I think you’ll really like this one!

You will need:

• 1 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 t almond extract
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• Scant 3 1/4 c flour3 apples, diced
• 1 c pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 c powdered sugar
• 2 T honey
• 2-3 T milk

Then you…

1. Preheat the oven to 325 and lightly grease a Bundt pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the oil, eggs and sugar.
3. Whisk in the extracts, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
4. Whisk in the flour until well combined.
5. Gently stir in the chopped apples and nuts.
6. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for approx. 90 minutes (tester in middle should come out clean).
7. Allow coffee cake to cool in the pan for an hour before removing and cooling completely.
8. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar with the honey and milk. Adjust the milk amount until the glaze is a drizzling consistency.
9. Drizzle to taste!

NOTE: May be refrigerated for up to 3-5 days (if it lasts that long!)