Banana Nut Bread

Banana bread is always a favorite of our family. Bananas are available all year round, and an excellent source of potassium in your diet. I use four small loaf pans instead of two large ones because these small loaves are an excellent gift for my friends who don’t bake. Some bakers freeze bananas before mashing them for loaves. If your bananas get too ripe before you can eat them, place them in a plastic bag and place them in the freezer. Use ripe bananas for an intense flavor in this loaf.

¾ cup/ 175ml butter, softened

2 ¼ cup/ 560ml sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ cups/ 375ml mashed ripe banana (3-4 medium)

2 tsp/ 10ml vanilla

3 cups/ 750ml all-purpose flour

2 tsp/ 10ml baking powder

1 tsp/ 5ml salt

¾ cup/ 175ml buttermilk or soured milk

1 cup/ 250ml chopped pecans and/or chocolate chips

Icing- 1 ½ cups/ 375ml icing sugar

1-2 tbsp/ 15-30ml milk or lemon juice

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Blend in banana and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter/sugar mixture, alternately with buttermilk, just to combine. Fold in pecans and/or chocolate chips.

Pour into four small greased loaf pans. Bake @ 350F/ 180C for 40 to 50 min. or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing for pans to cool.

Combine icing and drizzle over warm loaves. Sprinkle with more chopped pecans if desired. Enjoy!

Favorite Easter Paska

Traditionally, my Oma, Mother and Aunties would make Paska every year for Easter. I have continued making this Easter bread and experimented with many recipes to find my favorite. Most good recipes are large and yield a large number of loaves; this gives me the opportunity to share them with many friends who don’t bake with yeast. This recipe is not in my cookbook From Oma’s Kitchen.

4 Tbsp / 60 ml granular yeast

1 cup / 250 ml warm water

2 tsp / 10 ml sugar

15 eggs, at room temperature

4 cups / 1 L sugar

1 cup / 250 ml butter, melted

3 cups / 750 ml milk, warm (half - potato water if available)

Zest and juice from 1 orange and 1 lemon.

12 drops lemon oil (optional)

1 Tbsp / 15 ml salt

20 cups / 5 L all-purpose flour

Combine first three ingredients and set aside to soften. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy, gradually add sugar. Add melted butter, warmed milk, citrus zest and juice, salt and lemon oil when available.

Place 5 cups / 1.250 L flour in a very large mixing bowl. Make a well in flour and pour egg mixture onto flour. Add yeast mixture and beat together with a wooden spoon. Add 5 cups / 1.250 ml flour three times to make soft dough. (total 20 cups / 5 L) Set aside to rest for 20- 30 minutes.

Knead dough to make it smooth. Place dough in a large bowl, cover and let rise to double in a warm place. Punch down and let rise again.

Shape into balls or place into Bundt pans; let rise to double and bake.

Bake @ 325F/ 160C for approximately 40 minutes. Allow to cool on cooling racks. Ice when still slightly warm.

Drizzle with soft icing made with icing sugar and orange juice and decorate with colored sprinkles. Enjoy! Loaves can be frozen with or without icing.

Makes 10 loaves.

White Bread ( Bulki )

2 Tbsp. / 30 ml Yeast

½ cup / 125 ml warm water

2 Tbsp. / 30 ml Sugar

2 Tbsp. / 30 ml Salt

2 Tbsp. / 30 ml Butter

2 cups / 500 ml potato water

1 1/2 cups / 375 ml water

1 Tbsp. / 15 ml lemon juice.

10 - 12 cups / 2.5-3 L all-purpose flour

Add yeast to warm water where sugar has been added. Set aside 10 min. Combine potato water with reg. Water to make warm liquid. Add yeast salt and butter. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Let rise 15 - 20 min. and knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double. Divide into 4, shape each section and put into loaf pans. Let rise until light. Bake 425 F for 10 min., turn oven down to 375 F for 25 min.

Holiday Cookies

These cookies are a favorite with family and friends. Prepare them ahead of time, freeze them, and hope your children won’t find them before the holiday arrives. They also look festive for any occasion. This recipe is not in my cookbook, From Oma’s Kitchen.

2 cups / 500 ml butter, softened

½ cup / 125 ml cream cheese, softened

1 ½ cups / 375 ml sugar

1 tbsp / 15 ml vanilla

4 ½ cups / 1.125 ml all-purpose flour

1 tsp / 5 ml salt

Red jelly or jam.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy, gradually add sugar. Beat in vanilla. Add flour, one cup at a time until thoroughly mixed. Mixture should cling together, knead and form into a ball. Divide into 4 pieces and roll out one at a time.

Flour surface for rolling dough, roll out to 1/8 inch and cut into designs with cookie cutters. Cut small hole or design into half the cookies. Place on parchment covered baking sheets.

Bake @ 350F / 180C for 10 to 12 minutes.

Sandwich cookies with jelly or jam.These cookies freeze well. Enjoy!

Delicate Pink Cupcakes

Delicate in pink, these cupcakes are a hit with children and teenagers, especially for birthday parties. I made them for my granddaughter, who was involved in a high school bake sale raising money for their grad celebrations. This recipe is not in the cookbook From Oma’s Kitchen.

1 cup / 250 ml butter, softened

1 ¼ cups / 310 ml sugar

4 drops pink food coloring

3 eggs, large

2 tsp / 10 ml vanilla

2 ½ cups / 625 ml all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp / 7 ml baking powder

½ tsp / 2 ml baking soda

½ tsp / 2 ml salt

1 cup / 250 ml milk

Juice of ½ lemon.

Icing: ½ cup / 125 ml butter, softened

3 cups / 750 ml icing sugar

¼ cup / 60 ml coffee cream or milk

1 tsp / 5 ml vanilla

In the large bowl of the mixer, cream the butter, sugar and food coloring until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, soured with the lemon juice. Beat well to mix. Fill paper lined muffin cups ¾ full.

Bake @ 350F / 180C for 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks and cool completely before icing.

Icing: Beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add icing sugar and enough cream or milk to make a smooth icing. Add vanilla and apply to cupcakes.

Enjoy! Makes 18 cupcakes.

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS

Blueberries are one of my favourite fruits—they are sweet and luscious on cereal or baked into loaves, cakes or muffins. A few kilometres west of our home is an organic blueberry farm—situated on acreage that is surrounded by a forest of trees. The owner tells me that the hawks in the trees protect the ripe blueberries from small birds which would ordinarily feast on his crop. He does not use sprays—instead buys beetles and lady bugs to take care of the aphids. His blueberries are the best and folks come from near and far to enjoy them. I always freeze allot of berries for baking in the winter. I got this recipe from a friend Michal who lives in Ontario. If you have a good recipe you would like to publish on my blog, please send it to my email address - selmat@telus.net.

Topping
2 tbsp / 30 ml granulated sugar
2 tbsp / 30 ml all-purpose flour
½ tsp / 2 ml cinnamon
2 tbsp / 30 ml butter or margarine

Batter
¼ cup / 60 ml butter or margarine, melted
b cup / 170 ml granulated sugar
1 egg
½ tsp / 2 ml grated lemon rind
2 cups / 500 ml all-purpose flour
2 tsp / 10 ml baking powder
¼ tsp / 1 ml salt
b cup / 170 ml milk
2 cups / 500 ml fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries
　
Grease large muffin tins or line with paper cups.
For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly.
For batter, cream butter or margarine and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg. Add lemon rind. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately to creamed mixture with milk, stirring just to combine. Do not over mix. Fold in blueberries.
Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling to top. Sprinkle with topping. Bake in 375 F oven 25 to 30 minutes or until firm to touch. Cool on rack.

Makes 12 large muffins

Cream Cake

This cake is moist and tasty when iced with a butter icing, and also great for strawberry shortcake or trifle. (Recipe can be doubled.) I have added orange zest to the cake and orange juice to the icing to give a luscious citrus flavor. Lemon would also be a wonderful variation. This recipe is in the cookbook From Oma's Kitchen.

2 eggs

1 cup / 250 ml sugar

1 cup / 250 ml whipping cream

1½ cups / 375 ml all-purpose flour

3 tsp /15 ml baking powder

½ tsp / 2 ml salt

1 tsp / 5 ml vanilla

Beat eggs, sugar, and cream together until batter is smooth. Add vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add to first mixture. Pour into a 9 x 9" baking pan.Bake @ 350F / 180C for 40 - 50 minutes.

Variation:

Orange cake - add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh orange rind to the cake batter. Then ice with icing made with icing sugar, cream or orange juice, plus 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh grated orange rind.

This recipe can be made into cupcakes. Adjust baking time to 20 minutes (less for smaller cupcake).

Honey White Bread

Many people love eating a piece of homemade bread with butter and strawberry jam for breakfast, lunch or as a night snack. I enjoy making yeast breads and rolls and have found this recipe so simple that any novice can make it. This recipe is not in the cookbook From Oma's Kitchen.

1 cup / 250 ml warm water

3 Tbsp / 45 ml granular yeast

2 tsp / 10 ml sugar

3 cups / 750 ml warm milk

1 cup / 250 ml water

½ cup / 125 ml butter, melted

¼ cup / 60 ml liquid honey

4 egg yolks

2 Tbsp / 30 ml salt

2 Tbsp / 30 ml lemon juice

10-12 cups / 3.5-4 L all-purpose flour

……

1 egg white for glazing

Dissolve yeast in a small bowl with warm water and sugar. In a large bowl, mix warm milk, melted butter and honey. Blend and add egg yolks, yeast, salt and 3 cups / 750 ml flour and blend well. Continue add flour, a few cups at a time until dough does not stick to the bowl. Flour should be mixed in gradually. Let dough rest, covered with plastic for 15 to 20 minutes. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.

Place dough in a greased large bowl, cover with plastic and a towel; allow rising in a warm place until double in volume. Divide dough into 4 portions, place in 4 greased large loaf pans, and cover with plastic and let rise to double. Brush with egg white before baking.

Bake @ 350F / 180 C for 45 to 50 minutes. Enjoy!!

Lemon Loaf

Lemon is a refreshing aroma and taste of the season.

Finding a good recipe using lemon the flavor takes patience and means often making many samples. Sometimes the origin of a good recipe may be a decrepit piece of scrap paper, battered, splattered and stained. Or it could be found in a repertoire of Martha Stewart’s array of cookbooks and magazines. I stumbled upon this one in one of my many cookbooks.

This Lemon Loaf is a favorite of our family; the pungent aroma and taste of fresh lemons delight the palate.

Baking the batter in four small pans instead of two large ones allows us to enjoy fresh loaves from the freezer on an ongoing basis. These smaller loaves make an excellent hostess gift for those of us who don’t bake and they can be used as a sweet treat at teatime.

Although, I normally use only butter in most of my baking, I do look for ways to make desserts lighter. Yogurt mixed with vegetable oil makes a healthy moist product and you don’t even need an electric mixer to make this loaf. As they cool on the wire baking rack, glaze them with sweetened fresh lemon juice. After removing them from the pans, drizzle thin lemon icing over the loaves. This final touch makes them almost too good looking to cut into. This recipe is not in the cookbook - From Oma's Kitchen.

3 cups/ 750ml regular flour

4 tsp/ 20ml baking powder

1 tsp / 5ml salt

2 cups/ 500ml plain vanilla yogurt

2 cups/ 500ml sugar

6 large eggs

1 Tbsp/ 15ml grated lemon zest (~ 2 lemons)

1 tsp/ 5ml pure vanilla extract

1 cup/ 250ml vegetable oil

……

Glaze: 1/3 cup/ 75ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/3 cup/ 75ml sugar

……

Thin Icing: 1 cup/ 250ml icing sugar

3 Tbsp/ 45ml lemon juice

Method: Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C.

Grease 4 small or 2 large loaf pans.

Into a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Into a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ones. With a spatula, fold vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it is all incorporated. (Be patient, it will become smooth) Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 45-50 min. or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For large loaves, increase baking time.

Glaze: Microwave sugar and lemon juice together until sugar is dissolved. When loaves come out of oven, pour glaze over them.

Let stand for 10-15 minutes, remove from pans.

Combine icing sugar and lemon juice, pour over warm loaves.

Enjoy!!! These loaves freeze well.

Jam Jams

This recipe is the best one I have found for taste and texture. I make them for Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, and Thanksgiving using cookie cutters to match the occasion. This recipe is in the From Oma's Kitchen Cookbook.

1 cup / 250 ml butter

1 cup / 250 ml brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup / 75 ml corn syrup

1 tsp / 5 ml vanilla

4 cups / 1 L flour

2 tsp / 10 ml baking soda

½ tsp / 2 ml salt

½ cup / 125 ml milk

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in syrup. Sift flour with baking soda and salt. Add to batter gradually with milk to make stiff dough. Chill 4 to 24 hours. Roll out thin using as much flour as necessary. Cut with the cookie cutters of the desired shapes. Cut a small hole design in every second cookie. Cookies should be about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter.

Bake @ 375EF (190EC) 10 minutes or until light brown.

Cool, spread with your favorite jam and stick two cookies together, one with and one without a hole in it. Place in containers and freeze. When serving dust with icing sugar.

Mom's Piroshki

A tasty, fruit filled pocket. You can use any fruit in season including berries, apples and cherries. These delicacies are an excellent addition to lunches, picnics or barbecues. This recipe is in the From Oma's cookbook.

3 ½ - 4 cups / 875ml - 2 L regular flour

1 tsp / 5 ml baking powder

½ tsp / 2 ml salt

½ cup / 125 ml butter

½ cup / 125 ml lard

1 cup / 250 ml milk

Filling:

Fresh blueberries (or other fruit)

1 cup / 250 ml sugar

½ cup / 125 ml flour

½ tsp / 2 ml cinnamon (optional)

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter and lard into flour mixture with a pastry blender as for pastry. Add milk and knead lightly. Roll out very thin, cut into squares and fill with fruit (apples, blueberries, raspberries, rhubarb etc.). Pour ½ tsp (2 ml) filling over fruit on each square. Bring the four corners of the square to the center and press together to close. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets. Brush with cream.

Bake @ 400EF (200EC) for 20 minutes or until golden brown