Pumpkin Pecan Loaves

Pumpkin Pecan Loaves
Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Glaze:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin, oil, eggs and water; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in the pecans.

Spoon into two greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

For glaze, combine butter, sugars, and cream in a saucepan. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Cool for 20 minutes. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle or spread over cooled tops of loaves.

Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

Black Olive Focaccia Bread

Black Olive Focaccia Bread

This bread is fun and easy to make. Your family will be impressed and they will love you forever!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried or fresh rosemary
1 can (3.8 ounce) sliced black olives, drained
2 cups warm water

Extra olive oil, coarse sea salt and rosemary for sprinkling

Directions:

Place all the ingredients together in a stand-up mixer bowl, except the warm water.

Using a dough hook attachment, mix all the ingredients together while slowly adding the water. Mix the dough until it comes together and forms a sticky ball.

Place the dough ball inside a lightly oiled clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place a clean towel over the plastic wrap and let rise and double in size for about an hour or more.

Oil an 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll baking pan.

Deflate your dough and place it on the baking sheet. Using your hands to push, pull and press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Once finished, cover the pan with a towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.

Use your fingertips to make dimples in the focaccia dough.

Drizzle olive oil over the dough and spread with a brush. Sprinkle rosemary and coarse sea salt over the top of your bread and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a pale golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing bread.

Down East Maine Pumpkin Bread

Down East Maine Pumpkin Bread
Recipe by allrecipes.com

It's pumpkin time, and do we have a great tasting recipe for you!  This pumpkin bread is moist, delicious and easy to make!  Serve this bread the day after it's baked.

I make this bread with Trader Joe's organic canned pumpkin.  It's the best!  I also use 3 cups of flour, verses 3 1/2 cups.

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour three (x3) 7x3-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, and sugar until well blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients, then stir into pumpkin mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pans, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a rack; then turn loaves out onto rack to cool completely.

263 calories

French Baguettes

French Baguettes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast, or 2 packages
2 teaspoons sugar

3 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar together.  Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast is activated and begins to foam.

Gradually add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture.  Kneading the dough for 5 minutes.  Use a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook if you have one, if not, do it the old-fashion way and use your hands.

Turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes more.  Form the dough into a ball, and place it in an lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with a dishcloth for 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide it in half.  Shape into 2 baguettes by making a rectangle out of your dough, then folding the top and bottom towards the middle, like an envelope, and sealing the seam with your fingers. Keep repeating the folding and sealing, stretching the rectangle lengthwise as you go, until the dough is about 12 to 14 inches long and 2-inches wide.  Fold and seal either end to round.  Flip seam-side down and place on a lightly greased sheet pan or baguette pan

Cover with a dishcloth and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

With a sharp knife, cut a slash down the length of each baguette, or score the tops of the loaves, making deep diagonal slits 1/2-inch deep.

Bake the baguettes for 8 minutes, and then brush with olive oil.

Bake the baguettes for another 8 minutes.

HINT - Place a pan of water on the lower rack of the oven while baking the bread.  

Rosemary - Garlic Focaccia Bread

Rosemary - Garlic Focaccia Bread

This recipe will make the best rosemary - garlic focaccia bread you've ever tasted.    

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary, crumbled
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt for sprinkling

Directions:

In a bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water and proof for 15 minutes.

Stir in 4 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Mix well, and form into a soft, slightly sticky dough ball.

Transfer to a lightly-oiled clean bowl, turn to coat, and let rise, covered in a warm place for 1 hour.

Knead dough down and press with lightly-oiled hands into a well oiled 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan and let rise, covered loosely for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Set oven rack in center of oven.

After 30 minutes, dimple dough with your fingers in places.

Drizzle, and spread 3 tablespoons olive oil over dough; sprinkle with rosemary and minced garlic.  YOU CAN MAKE A MIXTURE OF THE OLIVE OIL, ROSEMARY AND GARLIC AHEAD OF TIME AND REFRIGERATE UNTIL NEEDED.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt over dough.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until pale golden.

Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting bread.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

8 to 10 servings

Italian tested and approved!