Bacon-Cheese Pull-Aparts

INGREDIENTS

1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 (16.3-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers Refrigerated Original Biscuits
1 (2.1-oz.) pkg. precooked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 oz. (3/4 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (4 medium)

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 11×7- or 12×8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat egg and milk with wire whisk until smooth.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Gently stir biscuit pieces into egg mixture to coat evenly. Fold in bacon, cheese and onions. Spoon mixture into sprayed dish; arrange biscuit pieces in single layer.

Bake at 350°F. for 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into squares.

Thanks You Pillsbury!

Dark Chocolate Orange Shortbread

From Two Peas and Their Pod


2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
Zest of 2 oranges (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/3 cups flour
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped into tiny pieces

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 2 9 inch cake pans.

2. Place the sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Rub the zest in with your fingers. In the bowl of a mixer, cream together butter, sugar/orange mix, salt, and vanilla.

3. Chop chocolate. You want the pieces a little smaller than chocolate chips.

4. Beat the flour and the chocolate with the butter mixture, until well combined.

5. Divide the dough in half and press in prepared cake pans. Make sure each pan is even. Smooth the surface and prick the dough with a fork.

6. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Remove and loosen the edges with a knife.

7. Wait five minutes, then carefully place the shortbread out onto a clean work surface, all in one piece.

8. Using a pizza wheel or knife, cut into wedges. Do this while it is still warm so you can cut it. Transfer wedges to a cooling rack.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

9 cups whole-wheat flour
4 teaspoons salt
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup honey

Sift together 3 cups flour, salt, and yeast. Combine milk, water, butter, and honey in a saucepan and heat over low heat until liquids are warm (butter need not melt completely). Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes. Add remaining flour a cup full at a time until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and allow to rest 10 minutes. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in large greased bowl and turn to grease all sides of dough. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about one hour.
Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf. Place into greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk, about one hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.

Corn Bread Ear Sticks

Purchase an iron mold shaped like little ears of corn in flea markets or kitchen supply shops, or look in grandma’s kitchen wherever she keeps her bakeware - there just might be one there already! Grease lightly and preheat in a 425 degree oven. You will need:
3/4 cup Flour
3/4 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1/4 cup Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Eggs
1 cup Milk (or Buttermilk if you prefer)
1/4 cup Shortening
Sift dry ingredients together. Add milk, eggs, shortening, and beat until smooth. Pour into preheated and greased molds and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Irish Potato Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup white flour

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Add salt and butter to mashed potatoes and mix well. Add flour and mix until dough-like, adding extra flour if necessary. Roll out 1/2-inch thick circle, transfer to a baking sheet, and cut into 6 or 8 wedges without separating. Bake in oven until golden brown. (Variation: Cook on griddle!)

Yield: 6-8 wedges

Braid Bread

4 1/2 cups white flour
1 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 packages of dry yeast
1/4 cup butter, softened or melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/4 cups very warm, not hot, water
2 tbsp. molasses
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

In large bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Add butter, eggs, and water and beat by hand or with mixer until all ingredients are combined. Then add another cup of white flour. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Divide equally into three bowls. In the first bowl, add and beat in 2 tbsp. molasses and 1 1/4 cups of wheat flour. In second bowl add in 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal. In third bowl add in the remaining 1 1/4 cups of white flour. Knead each batter on slightly floured board about 5 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic, bouncing back when poked. Grease all three bowls, place doughs in them, cover with damp cloths and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Punch down. On lightly floured board, divide each dough in half, roll each half into a rope about 15 inches long. Braid together the white, corn, and wheat rope. Tuck the ends under and repeat with three remaining ropes. Place in greased 9×4 inch loaf plans. Cover with damp cloth over waxed paper, let rise again until doubled, about an hour. Heat oven to 350. Bake 25-30 minutes, until cornmeal braid is light brown on top. Baste with 2 tbsp. melted butter. Return to oven 10 more minutes. Loaf should be hollow when tapped. Let cool for 30 minutes.

Rosemary Cheese Biscuits

2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
pinch cayenne pepper
1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, chilled
1/2 cup milk (or more if needed)
2-3 Tbs. dry sherry

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the flour, cheese, baking powder, salt, rosemary and cayenne.
Cut the chilled butter into pieces and mix into the flour mixture, crumbling the dough.
Add the milk and sherry and quickly mix the dough just until the ingredients are moistened.Lightly knead the dough inside the bowl a few times to form a ball, and place
on a floured surface. Roll out the dough with floured fingers ( or a floured rolling pin ), to about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut out rounds with a cookie cutter or jelly glass and place them on a baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Serve warm in a festive basket.

Makes about 15 to 18 biscuits.

Simnel Cake

Ingredients
110g/4oz butter or margarine
110g/4oz soft brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150g/5oz plain flour
pinch of salt
½ tsp ground mixed spice (optional)
350g/12oz mixed raisins, currants and sultanas
55g/2oz chopped mixed peel
½ lemon, grated rind only
1-2 tbsp apricot jam
1 egg, beaten for glazing
For the almond paste: (Marzipan)
125g/4oz caster sugar
125g/4oz ground almonds
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp almond essence

Method
1. To make the almond paste: place the sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Add enough beaten egg to give a fairly soft consistency. Add the almond essence and knead for a minute until the paste is smooth and pliable. Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and reserve the remainder for topping of the cake.
2. Preheat oven to 140C/275F/ Gas 1. To make the cake:cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well incorporated and then sift in the flour, salt and spice (if using) a little at a time. Finally, add the dried fruit, peel and grated lemon rind and mix into the mixture well.
3. Put half the mixture in a greased and lined 18cm/7in cake tin. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise. Bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool.
4. When you are ready to decorate the cake, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 3. Brush the top of the cooled cake with the apricot jam. Divide the remainder of the almond paste into two; roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and form 11 small balls with the other half.
5. Place the circle of paste on the jam and set the balls round the edge. Brush all the top with a little beaten egg.
6. Return the cake to the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or long enough for the almond paste to brown.

Ostara Cheese Scones

2 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups Grated cheddar cheese
3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup Butter
1/3 cup Milk
2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all dry ingredients, stir in
cheeses and toss well. Cut in butter. Combine eggs and milk, add to
flour mixture and gently knead to form a stiff dough. Cut dough ball
into halves and pat each half into an 8" diameter, 1/2" thick circle.
Cut into wedges, place wedges on a baking sheet and bake 15 to 17
minutes, until lightly browned.

Ostara Hot Cross Buns

3 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
¼ cup melted butter
¼ tsp. salt
1 large egg, well beaten
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp.allspice(optional)
¾ cup raisins1 package
(1 oz.) dry yeast

Combine all ingredients except eggs and yeast and mix well. Dissolve
the yeast in a ¼ cup hot water. Add yeast and eggs to the rest and
mix well. Cover with a cloth and allow the dough to rise in a warm
spot until it has nearly doubled. This will take about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Shape the dough into round balls about
3 inches across and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet or
jellyroll pan. After five minutes, remove buns and cut into the dough
about ¾ of an inch down, slicing equilateral crosses into the tops.
Return to oven. Allow to bake for another fifteen to twenty minutes.
Remove the buns from the oven and drizzle on the frosting.

Frosting

2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp. Milk
2 cups orange juice

Mix all ingredients and drizzle onto hot cross buns.