Jean's Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Why don't I make muffins more often?  Whenever I make them, I ask myself that...  Such a delicious snack to have on hand, they freeze wonderfully!  My sister-in-law submitted this recipe to our family cookbook, they are sooo good, super moist!  I think you probably can't go wrong with chocolate, ever!  Chocolate and bananas?  Yummm!

Jean's Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
5 lg. ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. mini chocolate chips
1-1/2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 375°.  Mix all ingredients, except flour and chocolate chips.  Gradually add flour, stiring lightly.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour 1/3 full into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Make about 2 dozen muffins.

Hark To Bounty Popovers

I have memories of me and my friends walking about a mile to a little restaurant called Hark To Bounty, I'm sure they just loved us.  A bunch of probably 10 year olds would walk in and order a pop knowing that these delicious popovers were served with every order.  So we would take up a table, order and drink our pops, eat our fill of popovers and (hopefully) leave a meager tip...  Sad the say Hark To Bounty is no longer, but their popovers live on!!  The best method of making popovers is in what is called a "custard cup", it's a small glass dish.  One popover per dish.  You can purchase actual popover pans, I have had them, but much prefer the size and shape using custard cups.  In this case I just used regular cupcake pans and made what I call mini popovers.  Serve with honey-butter for the perfect combination!  If you do mini ones like I did, watch closely, the baking time is cut almost in half.

Hark To Bounty Popovers
12 eggs
4 c. milk
2 T. margarine, melted
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt

Combine eggs, milk and margarine.  Slowly mix in flour and salt.  Batter will be slightly lumpy.  Grease 15 glass custard cups (or use popover pan).  Fill 2/3 full.  Bake for 45 minutes.  When done, slit a small opening in each popover to let out steam.
WW PointsPlus™ = 6 pts. per popover

Monkey Bread (bread machine)

I think everyone has made Monkey Bread, there are many, many recipes to be found, often using frozen bread dough.  This is basically caramel rolls without rolling (I believe I have mentioned that I take the easy way out if possible :).  The bread is nisu bread, for you non-Finnish people, that translates to sweet bread.  I'm not crazy about the lack of flavor you get when just using a basic bread dough.  By the way, you can use this dough to make nisu breads also, or if you want to put the time into it (groan), you can make real caramel rolls or cinnamon rolls.

Monkey Bread

Bread Machine Nisu
1 c. warm milk
4 T. margarine
3 eggs
4 heaping c. bread flour
1-2/3 c. sugar, divided
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cardamom (optional)
2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp. cinnamon

Add ingredients in order listed to bread machine (using 2/3 c. sugar), run through dough cycle.  Meanwhile, combine 1 c. white sugar with cinnamon.  After cycle is completed, cut into chunks, roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture and drop in single layer in greased 9 x 13-inch pan.  Cover with cloth and let rise until double, about 45 minutes.

Caramel

1/2 c. margarine
1 c. brown sugar

Put ingredients into saucepan, stir and bring to boil, boil 1 minute.  Pour over bread chunks.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes, or until golden. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then dump out onto cooling rack.  Yields 15 servings.
WW PointsPlus™ = 10 pts. per serving

Banana Bread

Otherwise known as "the best banana bread you'll ever eat"!  Honestly, it's awesome!  This bread is super moist!  Unlike many banana bread recipes, you don't need buttermilk (as you can see, just a bit of butter:).  You won't have to put those over-ripe banana into the freezer to wait until you remember to purchase buttermilk.  This is what I did in the past, usually to have the bananas be long forgotten, only to be tossed next time the freezer was cleaned out.  When my kids see the bananas getting dark, they start watching for banana bread.

Banana Bread

1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 stick butter
3 to 4 ripe bananas

Preheat over to 350°.  Mix together bananas and melted butter, add remaining ingredients.  Put into greased bread pan, bake for 1 hour or until toothpick poked into center comes out clean.  Let stand in pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing to cooling rack to cool.
WW PointsPlus™ = 74 pts. per loaf

Blueberry Bread Supreme

This was the last of my Upper Michigan Blueberries.  I'm not sure how I will survive the next couple of months until they are once again in season.  My parents live on Lake Superior in Northern Michigan, blueberries are plentiful come August.  I am fortunate I have a husband and a couple of kids (not all) who actually enjoy picking, I will be honest, I really don't like it at all......  I usually manage to stay out of the patches.  I am also fortunate that those that pick will share!

Special memories:  blueberries actually grow in and around my parents yard/property.  I think every grandchild has come to Grandma at some point of their toddler life with a fist full of berries, proudly giving them to her and proclaiming that now she can make a blueberry pie.  The amazing part is, Grandma always manages to make a blueberry pie, using that fist full of berries........

Blueberry Bread Supreme

2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1 c. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. blueberries
1 c. pecans, finely chopped

Mix dry ingredients together.  Beat egg; add sugar, mixing well.  Stir in melted butter and buttermilk.  Blend in dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.  Fold in blueberries and nuts.  Pour batter into greased 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on rack.
WW PointsPlus™ = 77 pts. per loaf

Orange Rhubarb Bread

First fresh rhubarb recipe!  I love rhubarb, my stalks seem to be short and fat this year, it's been a strange spring.  I'm happy the two nights of frost we had a couple of weeks ago didn't harm them.  It killed my lilac buds, it doesn't look like we will have a single bloom :(.  This is a new recipe.  Very, very  moist, must be the sour cream.  I will be making this again!

Orange Rhubarb Bread

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
grated orange peel of 1 whole orange
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sour cream
1-1/2 c. finely chopped fresh rhubarb
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, optional

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, orange peel and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in rhubarb.  Add walnuts it desired.
Transfer to 8 x 4-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for approximately 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
WW PointsPlus™ = 69 pts. per loaf

Garlic Bread Sticks (Bread Machine)

This recipe is a very basic bread recipe that I tweaked a bit.  I make these very, very often.  As I have mentioned, bread is a must with every dinner.  If the plan is for soup, these bread sticks will be part of it.  I think sometimes a couple of my kids have a little bit of soup with their bread sticks....  It's typical for someone to ask "how many can we have?"  I tend to take the easy (lazy) way to do things if possible, as in this case.  I don't bother shaping, I just flatten dough into a jellyroll pan, spread with butter and cut into strips with my pizza cutter.

Garlic Bread Sticks

3-1/4 c. bread flour
1 tsp. salt
2 T. butter
3 T. sugar
1 T. garlic salt
11 oz. water
1-1/2 tsp. yeast
extra butter

Add all ingredients to bread machine.  Set to dough cycle.  Shape into whatever size bread sticks you choose, or flatten into jelly roll size pan and cut into strips with pizza cutter.  Liberally coat top with softened butter.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
WW PointsPlus™ = 52 pts. whole recipe

Braided Onion-Potato Loaf

Another bread machine bread...  This was my first time with this recipe, I found it in a magazine.  I actually just used leftover mashed potatoes and just boiled the onion in water by itself.  We loved it!  The potato makes it very moist and it was still moist the next day.  Typically we don't just love "next day" bread from the bread machine.  Next time I will make two loaves instead of one.  This ended up being a pretty big loaf.

Tip: dried vs. fresh herbs equals 3 - 1.  Example: recipe calls for 1 cup fresh, you can use 1/3 cup dried.

Braided Onion-Potato Loaf

1 lg. Yukon Gold potato, pealed and cubed
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 c. warm milk
1 egg
2 T. butter
1 T. honey
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (I used dried, see tip above)
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 c. bread flour
1 pkg. (2-1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast

Topping

1 egg, lightly beaten
additional Parmesan cheese

Place potato and onion in a small saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Drain water and mash until potatoes are smooth (about 3/4 cup); set aside.  In bread machine pan, place the milk, mashed potato, egg, butter, honey, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, flour and yeast in order suggested by manufacturer.  Select dough setting.  When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide into thirds.  Shape each into an 18-in. rope.  Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  Uncover; brush top with beaten egg.  Sprinkle with additional cheese.  Bake at 350° for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.
WW PointsPlus™ = 73 pts. whole loaf, not including topping

Honey Buns

This recipe has been become a traditional bread at Holiday meals.  Having just celebrated Easter, they were once again served.  Their sweetness makes them a good match with a salty ham dinner.  Sometime we call them "Sticky Buns" because they do leave your fingers a little "sticky".  Another easy bread machine throw together.  The dough is very easy to work with, forms well.

Honey Buns

1 c. milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk, reserve white
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 T. honey
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3-1/2 c. flour
2-1/4 tsp. yeast

Put all ingredients into bread machine, run through dough cycle, let rest in bread machine for an additional 10 minutes.  Shape into buns, place into well greased 9 x 13-inch pans.  Frost raw buns with glaze.

Glaze

1/3 c. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
1 T. honey
1 egg white

Mix all ingredients and drizzle onto uncooked buns, let rise for 30 minutes, until about double in size.  Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
WW PointsPlus™ = Buns 78 pts. per recipe - Glaze 15 pts. per recipe

Rye Bread (Bread machine)

I would be terribly lost without my bread machine, it might not be my moms home baked, but it sure is close.  My sister Kristin used this recipe in her bakery.  I honestly could say that I have never had a better tasting rye bread, it's super moist!  I often change things up a bit, this recipe can be made using your bake cycle without any problems.  In this case I used the dough cycle and baked like flat bread, another time I may drop on a pan and bake as buns.  Don't let the sauerkraut scare you, my kids don't even know it's in there....

Rye Bread (Bread machine)

3/4 c. water
2 c. bread flour
1 c. rye flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 T. brown sugar
1-1/2 T. molasses
1-1/2 T. margarine (can use butter or oil)
1 c. sauerkraut drained and chopped (food processor works best)
1 T. caraway seeds
1/2 T. yeast

Add to bread machine, choose your cycle.  If you do as I did and use the dough cycle, spread on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.

Non bread machine directions:
Dissolve yeast in water, mix all ingredients, let rise 30 minutes, shape into dome style loaf.  Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.  This is for one loaf, can be doubled, tripled, etc. with ease.
WW PointsPlus™ = 44 pts. whole loaf