bread — Giving Up on Perfect

Monday Morning Mmmm: Parmesan Knots

8:19 pm ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food

Remember when I said I was going to start sharing more healthy recipes with you this year? Yeah, I don’t really know what to tell you. I blame Pinterest, but clearly someone else is to blame because time and time again, I tag, pin and otherwise bookmark recipes for appetizers, desserts and breads. Finding a main dish recipe in my collection is darned near impossible!

Granted, I did start a soup board on Pinterest, but I haven’t tried any out yet. I’m the only person in my house who eats soup, so it’s low on the family priority list.

All that to say – surprise! This week’s recipe is for bread!

But it’s gooood bread. And super easy. And kind of looks fancy, so you can pretend to be real gourmet during the week, if you want. (Then again, if your family inhales and/or plays with their dinner like mine does, perhaps “fancy” isn’t what you’re looking for at all. If that’s the case, just focus on the “good” and “easy” part.)

As part of my “it’s a new year, so I’d better start doing all those things I should’ve been doing all along” phase, I’ve been making dinner every single night instead of relying on eating out every few days. I enjoy cooking, but since we’re rushing around more often than not during the week, we usually forgo bread with our meal. With this quick recipe, though, you can add it in pretty easily. If your family is a big fan of the carbs like mine (go figure), I’m sure they’ll thank you!

Parmesan Knots
Source: Real Mom Kitchen

1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or whatever temperature your biscuits call for). Roll each biscuit into a rope (or, as we called it in our house, a snake), and tie it into a knot. Mix together oil and spices. Dredge each know in oil mixture and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Now that I’ve made these, taken photos, served them to my family and enjoyed one (okay, fine, TWO) myself, I realize that the original recipe said to bake the rolls first, then brush on the oil mixture.

I suspect the rolls might have a slightly different texture that way, but the taste should be the same. And since I thought they tasted like Pizza Hut breadsticks, I say that taste is pretty good! But . . . um, yeah . . . I’ll try baking first and basting second next time. Just to see the difference.

And I know there will be a next time because about 2.3 minutes into dinner (and 2.3 bites into her roll), my daughter asked, “When are you going to make these again, Mommy? Can we make them on Tuesday?”

Do you make bread on weeknights? Or is that something you reserve for the weekends (or “fancy” dinners)?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, Works for Me Wednesday, I’m Lovin’ It and Foodie Friday. It will also be linked to Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home Cooks.

Taggedbread, cooking, food, monday morning mmmm, recipes 8 Comments

Monday Morning Mmmm: Snickerdoodle Bread

4:43 am ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food

Remember the snickerdoodle cake? If you haven’t tried it, you should. It is so good that my friend Erin and I have debated whether or not it’s appropriate to eat snickerdoodle cake for breakfast.

I know. Of course it isn’t! And if you don’t think I said that immediately, well, then I guess you know me pretty well. *sigh*

Not to worry! I found a solution. Are you ready for this? Snickerdoodle Bread. Bread, which (as it happens) you can make into muffins, which are a Perfectly Respectable Breakfast Food.

Of course the funny part of this whole snickerdoodle situation is that I made one loaf and a dozen muffins – and the bread turned out way better. I forgot to set the timer for the last few minutes of the muffins baking, and I left them in the oven too long. They didn’t burn but they were practically impossible to get out of the pan. Exhibit A:

Now, before you ask, of course that fork was just there to pry the delicious, slightly overcooked muffins out of the pan. Of course I wasn’t using it to scoop muffin parts out of the pan and eat them standing at the stove.

Don’t judge me.

Luckily, I baked the loaf of bread to snickerdoodle perfection. And it, as it happens, was a perfectly delightful dessert on the evening I made it.

When did bread stop being bread? Never mind. Don’t answer that. Because honestly, I don’t even care. Bread for breakfast, dessert, midday snack – it’s all good, if you ask me. (And no, I don’t need you to remind me of my ridiculously short-lived attempt at eating fewer carbs several months ago. No, I don’t.)

Snickerdoodle Bread
Source: Crumbs & Chaos

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 package cinnamon chips
1 tbsp flour

2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray two loaf pans (or two muffin pans or four mini loaf pans or, well, you get the picture).
Mix together butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream, and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture and cinnamon chips to batter. [The original recipe said to coat the cinnamon chips with a tablespoon of flour. I didn't, and it turned out just fine.]

Pour the batter in the two pans (or four or whatever). Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle it over each loaf. Bake 15-20 minutes for muffins, 35-40 minutes for mini loaves and 60-70 minutes for full-size loaves (or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).

How do you feel about bread? Good breakfast food? What about dessert? Midday snack?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, Sweet Tooth Friday, I’m Lovin’ It and Foodie Friday. It will also be linked to Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home Cooks.

Taggedbread, cooking, food, monday morning mmmm, quick bread, recipes, snickerdoodle bread 27 Comments

Monday Morning Mmmm: Ultimate Banana Bread

4:37 am ByMary @ Giving Up on PerfectFiled UnderRecipes & Food

About a year and a half ago, I decided to use some bananas well past their prime to make a loaf of banana bread (instead of just tossing them and cursing my wastefulness as usual). I used my mom’s recipe, which I know – from much eating experience – to work quite well. But somehow, my bread turned out terribly. It was dry and gummy – gross.

As I tend to do when facing any problem, I wrote a blog post about my banana bread issues. And you all had some great suggestions. I dutifully tried some of them the next time I attempted banana bread. I’m sorry to tell you: It didn’t help.

So when I saw a recipe for Ultimate Banana Bread when perusing a food carnival, I decided I’d give it a try. Am I ever glad I did! It was SO good! I overcooked one of the loaves a tad bit, so the end pieces were a little dry. But that is most definitely my fault – and something I can fix next time.

Ultimate Banana Bread

3/4 cup butter, softened
1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Streusel Topping Ingredients:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp melted butter
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter and cream cheese (with an electric mixer).Add sugar, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking power, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture and mix. The dough will be really stiff, so don’t be alarmed by that! Stir in mashed bananas. Spoon batter into two greased loaf pans. Mix streusel ingredients together and sprinkle streusel over each loaf. Bake for one hour or until toothpick (a really long toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean.

Finally, I’ve mastered the art of banana bread. It’s a baking miracle! (Too dramatic? Then you underestimated the sadness of my previous banana bread experiences.)

Have you mastered any recipes lately? Do you like banana bread? And what do you think: If you eat streusel-topped bread with a fork, is it really a coffee cake?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, Sweet Tooth Friday, Foodie Friday, Friday Firsts and Food on Fridays. It will also be linked to Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home.