Day 27- Baking & Bread Helps—Recipe share

bread

I’m a homemade bread and sweets kind of girl! Its an unfortunate thing considering my hips are living proof. But, alas, I cannot cave in and buy already prepared sweets and I have a blast creating some fun new recipes for our sweet cravings.

I’m often asked how often I make bread and desserts. Typically I make bread once a week and desserts maybe twice depending on the occasion. No, we do not have dessert after every meal. My breads may be a few loaves of fresh bread, a big batch of crescents, or sometimes my easy drop biscuits. You can find my biscuit recipe here.

One of my biggest tips for making breads of any kind is to…

Be patient and let them rise!

I am not the most patient person in the world and I learned really quickly that my impatience is my worst enemy in the kitchen. I got so frustrated when my breads were dense, heavy, and hideous looking. Finally, I convinced my momma to help me make a batch one day when she came to visit. Right away I knew what I was doing—-not letting it double in size on either of the rising steps. Needless to say, I am figured it out and we are loving the results. Might I add, grilled cheese on 2 thick slices of homemade bread is divine, and I won’t mention FRENCH TOAST!!

Enjoy our bread recipe and a few Bar desserts that are easy to prepare and easy to love!

bread (4)

Homemade bread

Put 2 1/2 cups milk, 1 stick of butter, 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 c. sugar, and about 1/2 c. honey in a saucepan on medium heat. Allow the butter to melt slowly making sure you pull off heat when butter is almost melted. Use a fork to continue melting the butter.
In a separate bowl mix with a spoon 3 cups flour and 2 heaping Tablespoons yeast. Hollow a hole and crack 2 eggs into the hole.
Pour milk mixture over eggs with the mixer already going. Mix for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in 4-5 cups flour and work it into a ball. Add more flour if sticking to hand. Knead for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes).
Punch down and put into bread pans or make into cinnamon rolls or sticky buns. Cover and let rise again.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes for bread (20-25 minutes for cinnamon rolls).

When bread comes out of the oven use 2 T of butter and just rub on the top of all loaves to seal them.

short bread bars

Shortbread bars

14 T butter
1/4 c. sugar
Cream these.
2 c. flour
Dash of salt
Stir in.
Batter will be thick. Spread on 9×13 ungreased pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. You want them slightly golden around edges, but just barely.
Make the frosting before bars come out of oven.
Frosting:
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter (cut in)
2-4 T milk (don’t let it get too runny)
Dash of Salt
3/4 tsp. almond flavor
Frost and cut immediately after removed from over to avoid crumbling and breaking.
Chill in fridge before serving. Serve alone or with fresh cut berries.

dream bars

Dream bars

1 1/2 packages graham crackers, crushed

1 stick of butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 bag butterscotch chips

1/2 bag chocolate chips

Coconut or any other toppings you desire

Preheat your oven to 350 and put your stick of butter in a 9×13 pan in oven until melted. Once it is melted, put your crushed crackers all over the bottom of the pan, pour your sweetened condensed milk over top and sprinkle the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut, nuts or whatever on top! Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges.

Come back tomorrow for some soup recipes! I just grabbed 3 out of the box to share!

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