Cream Cheese Banana Walnut Bread

¾ c. butter, softened

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

3 c. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 ½ c. mashed bananas (1 ¼ lb. unpeeled bananas, about 4 medium)

1 c. chopped walnuts, toasted

½ c. shredded coconut, toasted (optional, or can use more if desired)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. 

Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning, if necessary. 

Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Jean's Corn Bread

1 egg
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. milk
¼ c. flour
1 ¼ c. corn meal
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. bacon drippings or vegetable oil

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together in bowl. In small bowl, mix egg and milk and beat with fork. Combine dry ingredients and milk mixture together and add bacon drippings. Pour into iron skillet (or cake pan) greased with shortening and floured. Bake for 20 minutes.

I don't care for sweet cornbread, and this--my aunt's recipe--isn't sweet. Whenever I come across a recipe that calls for a Jiffy cornbread mix, I use the dry ingredients from this recipe instead. That way I can avoid the sweet wang that Jiffy has. This is also the cornbread I use to make dressing for holiday dinners.

Makes 8 servings.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 5 points per serving

Cheese-Garlic Biscuits

2 c. Bisquick

2/3 c. milk

1 c. shredded white cheddar

Dash of garlic powder

Additional milk for brushing

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Stir Bisquick, milk, cheese, and garlic powder until soft dough forms. Drop by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Brush tops with milk.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 c. sugar

1 ½ c. warm water

1 c. white bread starter

1 Tbsp. salt

½ c. corn oil

6 c. Pillsbury bread flour

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam. Let rise overnight (at room temperature). Punch down and pour onto floured surface and knead a few times.

1 stick butter, divided, softened (one half stick for filling, 2 Tbsp. for tops, 2 Tbsp. for icing)

½ c. brown sugar

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix sugars and cinnamon together. Roll out dough into a rectangle. Spread ½ stick of softened butter on top of the dough (reserve 4 Tbsp.). Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the butter. Roll up and slice. 

Place rolls in sprayed cake pan and spread 2 Tbsp. butter over the tops of the rolls. Cover pans with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise about 4 hours or until doubled.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

+/- 2 Tbsp. hot water

Whisk icing ingredients (except water) together. Add water, a little at a time, until icing reaches desired consistency. Pour over warm rolls.

White Bread Rolls

1/3 c. sugar

1 ½ c. warm water

1 c. white bread starter

1 tsp. salt

½ c. corn oil

6 c. Pillsbury bread flour

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam. Let rise overnight (at room temperature). 

Punch down and pour onto floured surface, knead a few times and cut into two equal parts.

Shape as desired. Place in sprayed pans. Brush tops with corn oil. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise another 4-6 hours or until doubled. Loaves tend to take a little longer to rise.

Bake at 350 degrees. 20-25 minutes for 9 x 5 in. loaves. 12-15 minutes for rolls.

This recipe is from my friend Rexanne.

Homemade Cracked Wheat Bread

¾ c. cracked wheat

1 c. hot water

¼ c. butter, melted

¼ c. honey

¾ c. milk

½ c. flax seed

½ c. sunflower seeds

2 ½ c. white bread starter

2 c. whole wheat flour

3 ½ c. bread flour

1 ½ tsp. salt

In a medium bowl, pour hot water over cracked wheat. Add melted butter, honey, milk, flax seed, and sunflower seeds. Mix well. Cool to lukewarm and stir in the starter.

Stir in the salt and the flours, 1 cup at a time, beginning with the whole wheat and then the bread flour. Turn out and knead 10 minutes. 

 

Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise overnight. 

The next morning, punch down and shape into three loaves. Transfer to greased 9 x 5 in. loaf pans, cover, and let rise again until dough reaches top of pans.

Bake loaves, one at a time, in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until baked through. Cool on racks in pans for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto racks to cool completely.