Bread

From The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham

Makes 12 biscuits

I halve this recipe, works great.

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. sugar

1-1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/3 c. butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Use an ungreased baking sheet.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir the dry ingredients with a fork to blend and lighten. Slowly add 1 cup of the cream to the mixture, stirrring constantly. Gather the dough together ; when it holds together and feels tender, it is ready to knead. If the dough seems shaggy and pieces are dry and falling away, then slowly add enough additional cream to make the dough hold together.

Place the dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 1 minute. Pat the dough into a square that is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 12 squares and dip each into the melted butter so all sides are coated. Place the biscuits 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly browned. Serve hot.

From Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking

Serves 4

4 large anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste

1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh oregano

1/4 tsp. minced Calabrain hiclies or pinch of redpepper flakes

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

8 slices country-style bread, each 1/3-inch thick

1/3 lb. whole milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

3 eggs

2 Tbsp. milk

In a small bowl, stir to combine the anchovy paste, oregano, chilies or red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Spread one side of 4 bread slices with the anchovy mixture, dividing it evenly. Top with the mozzarella, dividing it evenly, then with the remaining bread slices.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or a griddle over moderate heat. When it is hot, lightly oil the griddle if it is not nonstick.

One at a time, dip the sandwiches in the egg bath, coating both sides. Set them in the skillet or on the griddle. Cook, turning once, until the bread is well browned on both sides and the cheese is molten, about 3 mintues per side. Cut in halves or quarters and serve immediately.

From Michael Chirarella’s Casual Cooking

Serves 6 as a first course or side dish or 4 as a main course

4 c. peeled and diced butternut squash (1/2-inch dice)

1/2 c. plus 2 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage

seat salt, preferably gray salt, and fresly ground black pepper

1/2 lb. Burssels sprouts, ends trimmed, then thinly sliced lenthwise

1/2 red onion, sliced onion-soup style (halved lengthwise, then sliced thinly)

3 Tbsp. sherry vinegar

Panzanella croutons (recipe below)

1/2 c. fresh Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the squash with 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Add the sage and salt and pepper to taste and toss again. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until the squash is tender and lightly caramelized, about 30 mintues. Let cool.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until they are tender but retain a touch of crispness, about 3 mintues. Drain.

To make a vinaigrette, soak the onion in the sherry vinegar for about 15 mintutes to mellow it, then whisk in the remaining 1/2 c. plus 1 Tbsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the croutons, the squash, and the Brussels sprouts. Add the vinaigrette and toss. Add the parsley leaves and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.

Panazanella Croutons

Makes 4 to 4/12 cups

1/4 c. butter, herb butter, or olive oil

6 c. crust-free cubed day-old bread

6 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the bread cubes in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams. Pour the butter (or oil) over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Immediately sprinkle with the cheese and toss again while warm to melt the cheese. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 15 mintues. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Adapted from cooks.com

Makes two pans of 12 rolls

2 packages yeast

1/2 c. warm (not hot) water

2 c. lukewarm milk

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/3 c. soft butter (plus extra for kneading)

2 tsp. salt

1 egg

5-6 c. all-purpose flour

Filling

4 Tbsp. soft butter

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cinnamon

Icing

6 Tbsp. butter

3 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3-6 Tbsp. hot water

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/3 c. butter, baking powder, salt, egg, and 2-3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle (I usually use 5 1/2 - 6 cups). Turn dough onto a well buttered board. With buttered hands, knead dough until smooth and elastic.

Transfer dough to greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Line two 9x12 pans with parchment paper and spray paper and pans with nonstick spray. Roll 1/2 of dough into a 12"x10" rectangle. Spread with 2 Tbsp. of butter (if it's not soft enough, I just melt it and smear it around). In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle half over dough. Roll up beginning at wide side. Pinch side to seal. Cut into 12 slices and place slices evenly in pan. Wrap tightly in foil. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 48 hours. (To bake immediately, cover and let rise until double.)

Heat over to 350F degrees. Remove foil. Bake 30-35 minutes until lightly browned.

Mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add hot water 1 Tbsp. at a time until icing reaches desired consistency. Spread over warm (not hot) rolls.

Makes an 8x8x2-inch loaf

1 c. flour
1 c. corn meal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¼ c. sugar
pinch or two of cayenne pepper (to your liking)
1 egg
1 c. milk
½ c. oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cayenne. In a small bowl, beat together egg, milk, and oil. Stir egg mixture into the flour/corn meal mixture and stir just until blended. Pour batter into a greased 8x8x2-inch pan and bake 20-25 minutes until bread is lightly browned and pulled from edges of pan. Serve hot with butter.