Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins

A nice pot of thick, creamy broccoli soup on a rainy day just screams for a bread or muffin.  How could it be wrong with bacon and cheddar cheese in them.  

 

I chose these muffins because the cheddar cheese and bacon in them paired perfectly with the bacon and cheddar cheese soup in the Cream of Broccoli Soup made today.   

Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins

• 6 thick slices bacon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbs white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tsp dried chives
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin pan.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, chives, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Combine the egg, milk, cream of mushroom soup and vegetable oil. Mix into the dry ingredients and stir together just to moisten.

4. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans and bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

 

Yields: 12 muffins

Zucchini Bread

One of the fastest growing and maturing plants in the average person's garden is the zucchini.  Mid-summer brings the beginning of the countless number of zucchini from the prolific plant.  This squash can go from the size of a small cucumber to the size of a baseball bat overnight.  Many don't know the zucchini is often referred to as a vegetable but is actually a fruit.

The zucchini can be found with both edible green or yellow skins.  However, you will need to seed the squash when preparing to for food.  The zucchini most probably originated from Italy in the mid-19th century.  Roughly translated, zucchini means "diminutive squash."

Each year I try and come up with different recipes for the zucchini because you can only make so much of the commonly baked zucchini bread.  For example, I have made 'mock' apple bars, cream of zucchini soup, or stuff them with marinara sauce to name a few.  It seems every year more and more people come up with different uses.  

My mom used to make endless loaves of zucchini bread each summer.  You could find loaves in our freezer at any time of the year.  This is her recipe.  I have, however, made a minor adjustment to it by adding the mini-chocolate chips in place of nuts.

Zucchini Bread

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups zucchini; grated

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup walnut halves; chopped or mini-chocolate chips

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1.  Beat eggs, oil, and sugar.  Add in zucchini.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet.

3.  Add the nuts or chocolate chips.

4.  Pour into greased and lined loaf pan.

5.  Bake 325 degrees for 55-65 minutes.

Mango Banana Bread

I made this bread this morning because my mangoes and bananas were going overripe.  I am a big fan of any types of fruit bread - banana, blueberry, raspberry, or zucchini.  Now, I have another to add to the list.  

There is something about a warm loaf of breakfast bread right out of the oven with a cup of piping hot coffee to start the morning.  Satisfying and relaxing while there is no activity in the house.  Both the dog and cat were sleeping in the sun and it was peaceful.

Make a loaf of this bread, sit back, have some coffee and relax.  Enjoy your morning!

Mango Banana Bread

2        cups flour

2        teaspoons baking soda

1        teaspoon baking powder

2        teaspoons cinnamon

½       teaspoon salt

¾ - 1  cup sugar

½       cup canola oil

¼       cup butter or ¼ cup margarine, melted

¼       cup nuts, chopped (optional)

1        teaspoon vanilla

2        cups ripe mangoes, chopped coarsely

1        overripe banana, chopped

3        eggs, beaten

½       cup raisins (optional)

½       cup shredded coconut (optional)

1.  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2.  Make a well in the middle and add other ingredient. Mix thoroughly.

3.  Pour into a greased loaf pan and let stand for 20 minutes.

4.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour or until nicely browned and the "skewer test" comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.

Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia

One of my favorite types of cooking has always been making fresh bread.  Any type of bread will do.  I love the smell of yeast and rising dough.  I can still remember cutting out a section of one of my mom's magazines that covered the making of simple breads.  The same basic recipe but different variations. 

In the beginning I used to knead the dough by hand and there was something satisfying to hold the dough in my hands and work it.  But as the years went on (and the fact I bought a Kitchen-Aid) I started to do the kneading using the machine.  Nevertheless, I still love making bread. 

Though this process takes many hours to complete, the end results are WELL worth it.  I would highly recommend at least trying to make bread just once, you won't be sorry!

Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; plus 1/3 cup for adding during mixing
3/8 teaspoon instant yeast
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons room temperature water
3/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil; divided
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary; chopped
6 cloves garlic; peeled and halved
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel (or sea salt)

1.  Mix the dough:  In the mixer bowl, with the paddle attachment on low speed, combine the flour and yeast. With the mixer running, gradually add the water, mixing just until the dough comes together, about 3 minutes.  It will be very soupy.  Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is transformed into a smooth, shiny ball, about 20 minutes.  If after 20 minutes the dough is still a bit wet, you will need to add additional flour slowly until dough starts to come together and pull away fromt the side of the bowl.  Ad the sugar and salt and beat until they are well incorporated, about 3 minutes.
2.  Let the dough rise: Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough into a 1-1/2 quart bowl, lightlygreased with cooking spray or oil.  The dough will look like melted mozzarella.  Lightly spray or oil the top of the dough.  Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap.  With a piece of tape, mark the side of the container at approximately where doubled the height of the dough would be.  Allow the dough to rise at about 80F for about 4 hours or until it has at least doubled.
3. Shape the dough and let it rise: Coat the sheet pan with a heaping tablespoon of the olive il.  Pour the dough onto it - it will be thin enough to pour but very stretchy.  Coat your hands with a little of the remaining olive oil and spread the dough as thin as possible without tearing it. Let it relax for 10 minutes, then spread it to almost fill the entire sheet, trying to maintain the bubbles in the dough.  If the dough is still very elastic and resists stretching, allow it to rest for anouth 10 minutes.  Cover the pan with a large plastic box or greased plastic wrap and allow to rise until one and a half times it original volume, about 1 hour.
4.  Preheat the oven:  Preheat the oven to 475F for 1 hour before baking.  Have an oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on it before preheating.
5.  Sprinkle on the toppings and bake the focaccia: Uncover  the dough and drizle the remaining olive oil evenly over it.  Sprinkle evenly with the rosemary.  Scatter the garlic by tucking it into the dough.  Sprinkle with salt.  Place the pan directly on the hot stone or hot baking sheet and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the top is golden.  Remove from the oven and drizzle with extra olive oil, if desired.

White Thyme Bread

We had this bread with the Burgundy Beef Stew I made last weekend.  Great crumb and very moist, even after 4 days in the refrigerator.  The addition of thyme to this bread give it great flavor but it can certainly be omitted or replaced.

White Thyme Bread

1 package active dry yeast, DO NOT USE QUICK RISE

½ cup warm water, 105-115°
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
3 eggs; beaten
1 teaspoon dried thyme

1. Dissolve yeast in water until foamy, add honey. Let rest for 5 min.
2. Add butter, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat on low till mixed. Beat in enough dough to start to form elastic ball. Then beat on high for 2 minutes. Add eggs and thyme  Mix until combined.
3. Let rise 45 minutes, then punch down dough.
4. Grease pan and put dough in and let rise additional 30 to 40 minutes until doubled. Brush top with egg white or milk and sprinkle some additional thyme on the top of the loaf.
5. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.  If you tap the bottom of the loaf pan and it sounds hollow, the loaf is done.