Nettie's Multi-Grain Bread

The secret to the most nutritious and tasty whole grain bread is always in the freshness of the flour and other ingredients.  That is why I have, over the past 3 - 4 years, developed a supply of different grains that I like to grind for use in my breads.  The tools I have found to use for bread making have really facilitated the large amount of bread required by a moderate sized-family like mine. 

The grinder I use is called the Diamant, and while it is a big, non-electric grinder, it is versatile enough that it is designed to be able to motorize, which Paul has done for me with a nice big 1hp motor.  I used it without the motor for several months, so I am EXTREMELY thankful not to have to spend 40 minutes grinding every time I make bread!!

If you aren't sure about spending so much on a grinder, or you don't need as much bread every week, an excellent choice would also be the smaller, electric Nutrimill .

For mixing the dough, I started out trying to use my regular sized Kitchen-Aid, but it was not up to the task in terms of the quantity of dough I was making, nor does the Kitchenaid motor have the required torque to deal with whole grain doughs, so I eventually upsized to the Bosch which I absolutely love.  There are a variety of models - I have a small kitchen, but a big family, so I got the Concept 7 model; there's also a nice little compact model, as well as the original Bosch Universal Kitchen System, and all the accessories are available at the above link.  You should know - I receive no kick-backs from the links I provide - I try to simply refer people to where I've been happy with the service.  Lehman's is one of my favorite places to find high quality non-electric products; and I have also purchased Bosch accessories and bread making supplies from, and highly recommend, Pleasant Hill Grain Company.

Mill a canister (6-8 cups) of wheat in your grain mill.  Set aside.  Turn on oven to 175 - 190 F.  Place dough hook and splash ring or lid on the Bosch bowl.  Mix all of the following in the Bosch bowl on speed #1 until well mixed.

• 6   cups Hot Water
• 2   Tbsp.  salt
• 3/4  cup Brown Sugar or Honey
• 3/4  cup Canola or Olive Oil
• 5   cups hard wheat flour, golden or red
• 2   cups multi grain cracked cereal mix
• 2   cups high gluten flour, or 1/2 cup Vital Wheat Gluten and 1-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1-1/2 cups Carnation milk powder
• 4   Tbsp. SAF Instant Yeast

Let this mixture stand until foamy and bubbly - at least 15 minutes, and no more than 30 minutes.  Then add more fresh milled flour (about 6-8 more cups of flour) until sides begin to clean, changing speed to #2 when dough becomes stiffer.  Begin kneading time when sides are just about cleaned.  Let the Bosch knead about 9-11 minutes. 

Place dough on an oiled counter, let the dough rest 10 minutes and then divide dough in half, then divide the halves into halves or thirds, depending on the size of your loaf pans.  I use a scale to make sure there is approximately the same quantity of dough in each pan. This recipe usually makes 4 large loaves or 6 small loaves. 

Using a rolling pin, roll out each lump of dough to a thickness of approximately 1 inch; fold in half or thirds and then roll up; punch rolled dough down into prepared loaf pans, (I spray mine with Pam cooking spray, or oil with Canola Oil) tucking the ends under and rounding to form a neat loaf shape. 

Place pans in warmed oven to rise, and turn oven off.  (I always like to use the time while the dough is rising to clean the mixing equipment and counter.)  When dough has at least doubled, anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, turn oven back on, to 335 - 350 F.  There is a range here because tastes vary in crust darkness.  Also, if you are using dark pans rather than light pans, you will find that the crust gets darker more quickly.  I use dark pans, and because the oven is already relatively warm when the baking begins, it heats up faster, so my routine is 335 F for 35-38 minutes.  Loaves should be lightly browned - leaving them in either too long, or at too high a heat, will produce a dry loaf and a darker crust.  Every oven is different so this is one of those areas where you just have to experiment and see what works best for you!  Let loaves cool completely on a rack.  Slice and enjoy!

And do e-mail me if there is anything I can clarify!

Nettie's Quick Biscuit Mix


Combine all dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Cut in shortening.  Store in tightly closed container in cool place.  Use as you would for recipes that call for store-bought biscuit mix. 

Nettie's Quick Biscuits


Heat oven to 450ºF.  Stir ingredients until soft dough forms.

For rolled biscuits:  Turn onto surface dusted with flour or biscuit mix.  Knead 10 times.  Roll dough 1/2 inch thick.  Cut with 2-1/2 inch cutter.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

For drop biscuits:  Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.


Baking Powder Biscuits with Variations
(I don't know where I got these recipe variations, or I would give credit where credit is due.)

• 2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 6 Tbs unsalted butter, frozen solid
• 1 cup cold buttermilk (plus extra tablespoons, if needed)

Extra ingredients:
I used: 2 oz bacon (cooked and crumbled) (the recipe calls for 2 oz, or 4 thin slices of prosciutto but you can't get good prosciutto around here), 4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

Other options: 2 medium garlic cloves, 2 Tbs minced sun dried tomatoes packed in oil plus 2 tsp of the oil, 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, and 1/2 c up crumbled feta cheese

The last option: 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2Tbs each chopped fresh dill and tarragon
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. with a fork, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Using the large holes on a box grater (don't know what this means so I just used my cheese grater, lol) coarsely grate butter intot he dry ingredients; mix quickly with fingertips to blend evenly. Mix in extra ingredients, if using them.  Then stir in buttermilk with fork and mix until dough just comes together. If necessary, add extra droplets of buttermilk over any dry patches.

At this point, the recipe called for turning the dough out on a floured surface, rolling it to a thick disk 6 inches in diameter and cutting in half, then cutting each half into five parts. Then you shape the parts into "rounds" and place in a round cake pan that's been sprayed with nonstick spray. I sprayed a 9x13 pan and basically just picked up small roundish sections of the dough rolled into balls and popped them in the pan. I cooked at 450 for 15 minutes. mine turn out looking a lot like those ones you get at Red Lobster, kind of rustic and non-pretty. They tasted great though!

White Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
(I don't know where I got these recipe variations, or I would give credit where credit is due.)

This is a very adapted version of Peter Reinhart's dough using white whole wheat flour. There are a few corners that I'm in the habit of cutting with this dough, all reflected in the following recipe instructions.

• 4 1/2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups water, ice cold
• a few tablespoons chopped herbs (optional)
• Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. By hand stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed. Add the herbs. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl (to me it looks like a tornado). Add a touch of water or flour to reach the desired effect. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky.

Transfer the dough to a floured countertop. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and mold each into a ball. Rub each ball with olive oil and slip into plastic sandwich bags. Refrigerator overnight.
When you are ready to make pizza (anytime in the next few days), remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before making the pizza. Keep them covered so they don't dry out.

At the same time place a baking stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (you can go hotter, but I like the results I get at 450). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal and get ready to shape your pizza dough. Uncover or unwrap the dough balls and dust them with flour. Working one at a time, gently press a dough round into a disk wide enough that you can bring it up onto your knuckles to thin out - you should be able to pull each round out to 12-inches or so. If the dough is being fussy and keeps springing back, let it rest for another 15-20 minutes. Place the pulled-out dough on the prepared sheet pan, and jerk the pan to make sure the dough will move around on the cornmeal ball-bearings (you don't want it to stick to the pan).

Add your toppings (less is more!) and slide the topped pizza onto the baking stone. Bake until the crust is crisp and nicely colored. Remove from the oven. I always finish with more freshly grate parmesan and a small drizzle of good quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.

No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

I've been making bread the Nettie way (above) for about 10 years now, and have always been happy with it.  But I did wonder how or if I could ever make the kind of artisan loaves you see in the bakery.  I was so intrigued when I saw this video on Youtube, and had to try it.  AMAZINGLY, it worked beautifully! 

• 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

   1. In a large bowl, stir the flour, yeast and salt together.  Add the warm water and stir until blended.  The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

   2. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

   3. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

   4. At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.

   5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.


Yield: One 1 1/2-pound loaf.
Adapted from The New York Times.

Spinach Cheese Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cup water
• 2/3 cup Canola oil
• 3 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 cups whole wheat flour
• 10 cups bread flour
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 TBSP salt
• 2/3 cup Turbinado or Honey
• 3 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup active dry yeast

Mix dough in Bosch mixer until it reaches the proper consistency, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from mixer and divide into loaves.  Allow to raise in warmed oven 30 minutes or until doubled.  Bake at 350° 35-40 minutes.  Cool on wire rack before slicing.

Nettie's Health Nut Granola

I'm going to put down here what I did last time, but this recipe can be made with infinite variations, depending on your taste for fruits, your preferred ratio of rolled cereal to cracked cereal (I like a lot of cracked cereal in my granola, as it makes it crunchier), what kinds of nuts and seeds you are able to find, etc.  You can also use a variety of different sweetening agents, depending on your tastes, as long as you keep the quantities approximately the same.  The last time I made this, I used dried cranberries with orange flavoring in them, and the sweet spice mix, and that makes for a great sort of Christmas-Holiday flavor.  You can switch to cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger and use raisins and dates for more of a fall twist... etc.  The possibilities are limited only by our imaginations! :)  So use this recipe the way I use most recipes, as a jumping off point.  The only thing to remember is, keep the ratio of dry to wet ingredients the same, otherwise, the specifics are up to you! 

• millet
• amaranth
• sesame
• sunflower
• almond
  
• pumpkin
• flax
  

* Multi-grain rolled cereal, much like oatmeal but with different grains, and multi-grain cracked cereals,
 can be found at health food stores and some supermarkets, or bought in bulk from Walton Feed or Bob's Red Mill.
** Use a variety of dried fruits for interesting taste: raisins, dates, cranberries, cherries, apricots, apples, peaches, etc.  The more tart the fruit used, the nicer a foil it is for the coconut and other sweetening agents. 

Granola mix:
In a large bowl, combine rolled and cracked cereals, milled flaxseed, coconut, and nut/seed mix. Stir until blended well. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, oil, honey, molasses, salt, vanilla and sweet spice. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. DO NOT boil.  Pour syrup over dry mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until syrup coats all ingredients.  Spread mixture in 13 x 9 x 2-inch pans or on large cookie sheets with raised edges.  Make sure the granola is spread about 1 inch deep across the pans, as this will help it bake more evenly and quickly than if it is spread deeper.  Bake in preheated 300-degree oven 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  For crunchier texture bake 7-10 minutes longer.  Cool on racks.  Stir in the dried fruit that has been chopped into bite sized pieces.  You can put this into containers and keep in cool dry place for up to 6 months.  Do not refrigerate.

Yield: About 24 cups.

Nettie's Coconut Milk Scones

• 4 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/3 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven.  Stack two baking sheets together and line the top baking sheet with parchment paper. (This prevents the bottoms of the scones from over browning during baking.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a small measuring cup combine the cocount milk and vanilla extract. Add the coconut milk mixture to the flour mixture (adding more coconut milk if necessary) and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then divide, and pat the dough into two circles that are about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut each circle in half, then cut each half into 4 pie-shaped wedges (triangles).  Place the scones on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then turn your broiler on high. Sift confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar heavily over the tops of the scones and place them under the broiler. Broil for just a few seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns golden brown. Make sure to watch the scones carefully as the sugar will burn very quickly.   Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 16 scones.

Tammy's Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

(This recipe comes from Tammy's Recipes -- and if you love to cook, you need to subscribe to her blog!)

Description:
A soft and fluffy homemade cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting on top

Yield:
12 large rolls
Ingredients:
Dough Ingredients:

1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1/4 cup gluten
4-5 cups all-purpose flour, divided*

Filling Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter (not too hot)
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins, optional

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine and stir ingredients in order listed, adding about 3-4 cups of flour. Knead dough and add additional flour as necessary to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead dough for 5-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

2. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease both sides, and cover with a clean towel. Set dough in a warm place to rise until double in size. If you have a bread machine, you can use the dough setting in place of steps 1 and 2 here.

3. Punch dough down and then cover and let dough rest for 10 minutes. If using raisins, boil them for a few minutes in some water, then drain. (This makes softer, plumper raisins.)

4. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle about 12 inches by 20 inches. Spread with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle raisins over, if using.

5. Roll dough into a log, starting at the longest side of the rectangle. Pinch edges and ends to seal. Slice into 12 slices. We use a clean strip of dental floss for this step. Just slip the floss under the dough and bring both ends up, crossing over the top and pulling tightly in opposite directions to cut the dough.

6. Place the rolls, cut side down, in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 20-30 minutes, until almost doubled in size.

7. Bake rolls in a pre-heated oven; if using a glass baking dish, bake at 350 degrees; if using a metal baking dish bake at 375 degrees. After 15 minutes of baking, lay a piece of foil loosely over the tops of the rolls, to prevent them from getting too browned on top. My rolls usually take at least 18-20 minutes; check the rolls (I check in the middle, between rolls) for doneness before removing from oven. :)

8. After taking dish from oven, cool rolls on a wire rack. If you wish to eat them warm, you can spread frosting on them while they're still in the dish. :)

9. To make the frosting, cream butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Mix in vanilla and then powdered sugar.

Additional Notes:
*Additional ingredients for a softer bread: Add a pinch of citric acid and about 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger. You can also mix about 1 teaspoon of soy lecithin in the warm milk. These dough enhancers will make softer rolls that don't get dry as quickly. :)

Banana Pecan Bread
This banana bread is so fun to make -- the whipped banana cream plus the chunky mashed bananas make a super-moist loaf.  You can always replace the pecans with walnuts if you prefer; you can ALWAYS add chocolate chips or dried fruit... but make it at least once just the way the recipe says, it's superb.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 overripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cups (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 9x5" loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture.  With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together for a good three minutes; you want a light and fluffy banana cream.  Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated; no need to overly blend.  Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.  Give the pan a good rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out. 

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Don't get nervous if the banana bread develops a crack down the center of the loaf - that's no mistake, it's typical.  Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even browning.  Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then turn out ont a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.  Toast the slices of banana bread, dust with confectioners sugar, and serve.

Nettie's Pineapple Nut Bread

Last week I was trying to figure out how to make something for snack time at Church, and wanted to make banana bread.  BUT I had no bananas.  I did, however, have Pineapple, and out of this circumstance grew the following extremely healthy fruit-nut-granola bread!


Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix cider vinegar with evaporated milk and let stand.  Cream together sugar, melted butter, and eggs.  Add vanilla and soured milk mixture, mixing well.  Fold in crushed pineapple and juice.  Add flour, flaxseed, soda, and salt.  Mix well.  Fold in Nettie's Health Nut Granola.

Pour into four 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inch greased loaf pans, or two 9 x 5 x 3 inch pans.  Bake smaller loaves about 1 hour, larger loaves about 1-1/4 hours or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes.  Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans.  Cool completely before slicing.  Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.  Because of the granola and nuts in the recipe, slicing was a little crumbly when the bread was fresh; however, the loaves sliced particularly well after coming out of the freezer and standing till about half thawed. 

Delicious when spread with butter and warmed in the microwave for about 10 seconds!  Enjoy!

Harvest Loaf (with Nettie Optionals)

This is a delicious pumpkin loaf with lots of spice flavor - it's a holiday favorite that always gets rave reviews!  My mother has made it for years, ever since I was a little girl, so it is a definite "comfort food" treat during the winter.  Brings back lovely memories! 

• 1 3/4 cups Flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts

Sift together dry ingredients.  Cream butter, gradually adding sugar.  Add eggs and beat until creamy.  Add dry ingredients and pumpkin alternating, starting and finishing with dry ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips and half of the nuts.  Pour into one prepared loaf pan.  Sprinkle top with remaining nuts.  Bake at 350F for 65-76 minutes; cool.  Then drizzle with spice glaze.
 

***For an interesting alternative, try replacing the pumpkin with canned cranberries (not the jellied kind, the whole berry kind), and leaving out the chocolate chips or better yet, use white chocolate chips! 

Nettie's Pumpkin-Oat-Cran-Chocolate-Chip Muffins

This is my 2007 version of the pumpkin muffin.  I can't believe how great they are.  I can't make them often enough for the family!  I have to double this recipe to keep them around for a while.  (I haven't tried this with white chocolate chips, but I have a feeling I will make that switch for a Christmas treat!)

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup  buttermilk, plain yogurt, or soured milk (1 cup milk and 1 TBSP lemon juice, let sit for at least 10 minutes)
• 1 cup  canola or safflower oil
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cup whole wheat or spelt flour (may use all-purpose flour, but these were made with freshly ground spelt.)
• 1-1/2 cup  oatmeal that has been finely ground in a blender
• 1-1/2 cup  granulated white sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup Ultra Gel
• 3 teaspoons ground Sweet Spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cup  dried cranberries
• 2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the milk and egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in the craisins and chocolate chips. Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough when baked.  

Fill the muffin cups with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let sit in pan for 4-5 minutes until slightly cooled before removing to cooling racks.  

Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease or paper-line muffin cups.

COMBINE flour, Ultra Gel, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and ginger in large bowl. Combine butter, pumpkin, eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture, stir just until moistened.  Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.  Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Ole Corn Muffins

In your mixer, cream

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs

Add:

1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies
1 large can creamed corn
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded jack cheese

(or one cup shredded chedder/jack mix)

1-1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 cup fresh ground popcorn (it makes cornmeal)
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup ultra gel

Mix gently.  Fill each sprayed muffin cup 3/4 full.  Bake muffins in a preheated 350° oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.  (Less time in the oven for mini muffins - go with a standard baking time for any other mini-muffin recipe you use.)

Allow muffins to sit in pan on wire cooling rack for 5 minutes before removing.  Cool on rack after removing.

This is a recipe that will not stand up well to substituting.  Also, don't leave out the ultra gel.  It is the secret ingredient.


Blueberry Muffins

This recipe does not require a standing mixer, but when making the batter, be sure to whisk vigorously in step 2, then fold carefully in step 3. There should be no large pockets of flour in the finished batter, but small occasional sprays may remain. Do not overmix the batter. These muffins are great unadorned, but for an extra flourish, give them a dip in sugar by following one of the variations.

Makes 12 muffins

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 1/4 cups sour cream (10 ounces)
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries , preferably wild



1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.



2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Whisk egg in second medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 2 or 3 steps, whisking to combine after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 steps, whisking just to combine.



3. Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and gently toss to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds (small spots of flour may remain and batter will be thick). Do not overmix.



4. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake until light golden brown and toothpick or skewer inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, and cool 5 minutes. Serve as is or use one of the sugar-topped variations.


STEP BY STEP: Don't Overfill Your Tin


Correct Dough Portions: This batter is thick and heavy and should be mixed just until it comes together. Some small sprays of flour will be visible in the raw dough. Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the dough into a greased muffin tin. For moist, delicate muffins, don't overfill the cups.

Baked Muffins: Perfectly baked muffins have high domed crowns that do not spill over onto the top of the tin.

Lemon or Ginger Glazed Muffins

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest or grated fresh ginger
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

While muffins are baking, mix lemon zest or grated fresh ginger and 1/2 cup sugar in small bowl. Bring lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; simmer until mixture is thick and syrupy and reduced to about 4 tablespoons.
6. Remove muffins from oven onto wire rack, stand upright, and cool 5 minutes. After muffins have cooled, brush tops with glaze, then, working one at a time, dip tops of muffins in lemon-sugar or ginger-sugar. Set muffins upright on wire rack; serve.

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

While muffins are cooling, mix sugar and ground cinnamon in small bowl and melt butter in small saucepan. After baked muffins have cooled five minutes, working one at a time, dip tops of muffins in melted butter and then cinnamon-sugar. Set muffins upright on wire rack; serve.

The Berry Best Muffins

• 1 c. butter
• 2 c. sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4 c. flour
• 1 c. milk
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 - 5 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or cranberries

If frozen, partially thaw. Berries should be well rinsed, drained and well dusted with flour.

Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Blend thoroughly. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to first mixture. The batter will be very thick. Blend well. Fold in berries. Grease muffin tins. Because batter will need to expand over the rim, it is best to grease or oil muffin tins beyond rims of cups. So that muffins will take on a mushroom shape, heap batter above rim of muffin tins. This should produce a beautiful shape. Sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes of baking, turn oven temperature down to 375 degrees and bake and additional 15 to 20 minutes until muffins are done in center and a rich golden brown on top.