Country Loaf Bread

I finally found a homemade bread recipe that my family will eat! I have been having the worst luck with bread. I almost gave up. But yesterday I made Country Loaf Bread from "Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook" which I got from the library.

My husband (who is my pickiest eater) usually turns his nose up at any homemade bread. This one he said was ok but that he would really like it if it were toasted. I asked him if I toasted the bread if he would like it for sandwiches and he said yes. And that, my dears, makes this recipe a keeper.

I made a few small changes to the recipe. I only made half because I only wanted one loaf. If no one liked it, I didn't want 2 full loaves hanging around. And my husband is really funny about his bread. He doesn't want it if it's ever been frozen, so making ahead and freezing it isn't good. I didn't go through the whole dough making/kneading process. I just dumped it all in my bread machine and put it on the dough cycle. Then I did the rest from there like normal. I think next time I will add just a smidge more salt and maybe a touch more sugar. But overall, the results were good.

Let me share. Here it is.
Country Loaf Bread
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2 packages active dry yeast
2 C. warm water
1/2 C. sugar, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 C. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
6 C. all purpose flour

In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add 1 tbls. of sugar and stir. Set aside for 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together the remaining sugar, eggs, oil, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and half of the flour, mixing well. Gradually stir in the remaining flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 min. or until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a well greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and set aside to rise in a warm draft free area until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When dough is properly risen, an imprint will remain when you press lightly with your fingers.

Grease 2 9x5x3 loaf pans. Punch dough down and divide it in half. Place the dough on a floured surface. Roll each half into a rectangular shape. Beginning t the narrow edge, roll up the dough, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Place the loaves seam side down into the prepared pans. Brush the tops lightly with oil. Cover the loaves and set them aside to rise again until almost double in size. Bake at 350 on the lower rack of the over for 30-35 min. or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove at once from the pans. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Yield: 2 loaves

Our Favorite Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are so good and are a family favorite. They keep very well. And despite the toppings, are sturdy enough to stack in a cookie jar all together and not get mushed up.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. sugar
1 egg
1/4 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/3 C. baking cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
16-18 large marshmallows
Icing
6 Tbls. butter
2 Tbls. baking cocoa
1/4 C. milk
1 3/4 C. confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat into creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, cut marshmallows in half. Press a marshmallow half cut side down onto each cookie. Bake 2 minutes longer. Remove to wire racks to cool.

For icing, combine the butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool slightly, transfer to a small mixing bowl. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla; beat well. spread over the cooled cookies.

Pretty Flower Cupcakes

(this is a Betty Crocker recipe)

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
Few drops food coloring, any color
24 JET-PUFFED marshmallows
24 JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1/4 cup colored sugar or colored sprinkles

Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for 24 cupcakes; cool completely. Pierce cupcakes with wooden skewer or large fork at 1/4-inch intervals. Stir boiling water into dry gelatin mix at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Spoon 2 tsp. of the gelatin over each cupcake. Refrigerate 3 hours. Tint whipped topping with food coloring; spread about 2 Tbsp. of the whipped topping onto each cupcake. Cut each large marshmallow crosswise into five pieces with clean kitchen scissors to resemble flower petals. Arrange five of the petals in flower shape on top of each cupcake; place a miniature marshmallow in center of each group of petals. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tsp. colored sugar.

Store in refrigerator.
Yield: 24 servings

Pumpkin punch

This is such a cute idea. I got it off of my Google home page. I bet it's really good too. I think I may let the kids do this later in the month for an activity.

Ingredients

• 1 L apple juice
• 11 ¾ fl oz pineapple juice
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 apple
• 1 tbsp whole cloves

Form little balls from the apple using a melon ball scoop. Place the apple balls into a bowl. Spike each ball through the center with a clove. Combine the apple juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, apple balls and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat. Give it a quick stir and allow it to heat for only a few minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it cool (unless you want to serve it warm).

Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 C. Italian dressing
1 can cr. of chicken soup
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
12 0z. fettuccine, cooked and drained

Place chicken and salad dressing in a resealable container. Chill chicken for 8-10 hours. Transfer chicken and marinade to a slow cooker. Cook on med. about 4 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker. Shred chicken. Add soup, cream cheese, broth, thyme, basil, salt and pepper to liquid in slow cooker and mix well. Add chicken to the slow cooker. Cook on High until heated through, about 10 min. Serve over the pasta.

~~This and the following 2 recipes came from "Grandma's Kitchen"

Italian Chicken Sandwiches

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tbls. vegetable oil
1/2 C. chopped onion
2/3 C. water
1/4 C. tomato paste
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. each dried oregano and garlic salt
1 C. chopped green bell pepper
1 loaf Italian bread
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

Chop chicken to yield about 3 cups. Heat vegetabel oil in a large skillet over med. heat. Cook chicken and onion in hot oil, stirring frequently, until chicken is browned, about 5 min. Combine water, tomato paste, basil, oregano and garlic salt and mix well. Stir into chicken mixture in the skillet. Add bell pepper and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickend, about 2 min. Preheat broiler. Cut bread diagonally into 2 1/2 in. slices. Cut the slices in half horizontally. Arrange bottom halves on a baking sheet. Spoon equal portions of the chicken mixture on each slice. Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Broil just until mozzarella is melted. Top with the remaining bread slices. Serve immediately.

Spiced Plum Muffins

2 C. self rising flour
2 C. sugar
1 C. chopped walnuts
2 tsp. allspice
1 C. vegetable oil
2 (4 oz.) jars plum w/ apples baby food
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin cups w/ liners. (I don't like liners and will just grease my muffin tins.) Combine flour, sugar, walnuts and allspice and mix well. Combine vegetable oil, baby food and eggs in a medium bowl and stir to mix well. Add to flour mixture and mix gently. Fill muffin tins half full. Bake muffins until edges pull away from the sides. ~ 12-15 min. (This time is based on doing mini-muffins. I will be doing regular sized ones and will just have to adjust accordingly.)