Easy Hamburger Buns
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/
1 TBSP dry active yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP salt
5 TBSP oil
6-7 cups all purpose flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water, let it stand until foamy. Combine yeast mixture with sugar, salt, oil and flour. Let stand for 10 minutes, then mix for 8 minutes. Allow dough rise until double in size.
I like to make sure they are consistent in size, so I use a food scale. For a nice large bun, I portion 3.5 oz balls of dough, then 2 oz. for a child size hamburger. Form into a nice ball as if you were making rolls and place on a baking sheet. Then smash the rolls down with the palm of your hand. They may spring back up, so wait a few minute then smash them again. Cover with greased plastic wrap and allow them to rise for about an hour.
Bake at 350 F for 18-20 minutes (20 minutes is perfect in my oven). This recipe makes approximately (15) 3.5 oz. buns.
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These are soft, fluffy and perfect for hamburgers. I’ve tried several hamburger bun recipes and finally found this winner of a recipe. Thanks to my friend Kristen and Backyard Farming for this fantastic recipe!
Hamburger Buns
Sweet and Spicy Apple Muffins
Sweet and Spicy Apple Muffins
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/
¾ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup plus 2 TBSP sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground all spice
½ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup apple juice*
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup grated apple*
¼ cup chopped apple (1/4 inch pieces)
Mix all dry ingredients, then fold in all wet ingredients. Fill greased muffin cups two thirds full. Bake at 375° F for 20-22 minutes. Freezes well. Best to eat the day they are made or freeze for later use. If left out for more than one day they tend to get crumbly.
*
I juice 3 apples and use the juice in the recipe and the apple pulp for the grated apple- works great this way.
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It is challenging to find great dairy/egg free muffins but this one is so good. We love the subtle flavor the cinnamon, all spice and cloves add. My daughter begs for these muffins plus they are an easy snack to take on the road or have for a quick breakfast. Recipe adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance.
Banana Bread
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup soft whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium or 2 large)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 TBSP cooking oil
1 TBSP water
1 TBSP lemon juice
Grease 3 mini loaf pans; set aside (when working with egg free recipes it is important that the loaves be mini as the dough does not have enough leavening to lift one large loaf of bread but does fantastic with a mini loaf or cupcakes). In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. In another bowl, combine the bananas, sugar, oil, water and lemon juice. Add banana mixture all at once to dry mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).
Pour batter into your prepared pan. Bake at 350° F for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pans and continue to cool on wire rack until completely cooled. Freezes well.
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I have been looking for a dairy/free banana bread recipe to replace my all time favorite banana bread. I love the banana bread that my mom made when I was young but when I tried to convert it to be dairy/egg free it was awful. I recently stumbled upon this recipe and it was easy to convert and it turns out to be my husband’s all time favorite banana bread now! My daughter couldn’t get enough of it too. So this recipe is now becoming the family favorite. It’s quick and easy and freezes well.
Original recipe published in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook and also featured on the Dinner Inspiration blog. I have modified this recipe to be egg free.
Pumpkin Bread
7.5 oz. canned pumpkin
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil*
1 TBSP water
1 cup sugar*
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life chips)
Beat together pumpkin, applesauce, oil, and water. Then add sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Then mix in spices, flour and chocolate chips. Bake in muffin cups or in fluted pans at 350° F for 20-25 minutes. Freezes well.
*For a reduced fat option, you can cut the oil to 1/4 cup and add an additional 1/4 cup applesauce. These are still very tender and moist and my husband can't tell the difference!
*I have reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe and still find this bread very sweet. However if you would like them sweeter, you can increase the sugar to be 1 1/2 cups.
*****
These are so moist and taste amazing, the mixture of spices are perfect! Because this recipe does not contain eggs, do not double the recipe and be sure to bake as mini bundt cakes or muffins (instead of one large loaf). I personally get the best results using a metal pan like the one pictured below. If I use my silicone muffin cups, then the bread is a little too moist and they take an additional five minutes to bake. Both taste great, but I prefer the metal tins. Here is the original recipe containing eggs. 
Variation with Stevia
7.5 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP applesauce
1/4 cup oil
1 TBSP water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. pure powdered Stevia
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life chips)
Whole Wheat Molasses Bread
Version 1 using 100% whole wheat flour
2 3/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 TBSP dry active yeast
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses*
1 1/2 tsp. salt
8 - 8 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the oil, honey, molasses, salt and 5 cups of the flour until well combined. Allow to rest 20 minutes. Then, knead in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is just barely not sticky, and knead for about 10 minutes. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with a towel to let it rise until double (about an hour). Turn on the oven to 375, punch down and form into two loaves and place into greased bread pans. Allow to rise for ONLY 10-11 minutes, then bake for 32-35 minutes.
*If you are avoiding molasses or don't have any on hand, you can substitute an extra 1/4 cup of honey for the molasses.
Version 2 using a mixture of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour
2 3/4 cup warm water
4 tsp. dry active yeast
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses*
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all purpose flour
6 – 6 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the oil, honey, molasses, salt and 5 cups of the flour until well combined. Allow to rest 20 minutes. Then, knead in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is just barely not sticky, and knead for about 10 minutes. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with a towel to let it rise until double (about an hour). Turn on the oven to 375, punch down and form into two loaves and place into greased bread pans. Allow to rise for ONLY 9-10 minutes, then bake for 32-35 minutes.
*If you are avoiding molasses or don't have any on hand, you can substitute an extra 1/4 cup of honey for the molasses.
*****
Thanks to my dear friend Heidi for this great recipe. It’s challenging finding a 100% whole wheat bread recipe that is still soft and moist and this is by far the best 100% whole wheat bread recipe I have ever had. Heidi’s famous for this bread and for good reason! Plus it’s egg and dairy free!
Occasionally I prefer to lighten it a little and reduce the amount of whole wheat flour from the original recipe. Version 2 lists the modifications needed for changing the types of flour.
Waffles
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
3 TBSP sugar
2 cups water
3 TBSP oil
¼ tsp. vanilla
Mix all dry ingredients, then in a separate bowl mix all wet ingredients. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly mix in the wet ingredients. Mix with a fork until well combined (will be slightly lumpy).
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My old waffle recipe called for ¾ cup of butter! They tasted great but were just to fattening. These are dairy free and lower in fat and taste great. I usually make a large batch, then store in the freezer for a quick breakfast. Just microwave or toast them and serve with your favorite pure maple syrup.
It's nice to have a few favorite recipes, like this one, that call for all shelf stable ingredients.
Peter Reinhart’s Bagels
Note: These bagels are as close as I have found to authentic bagels found in local ma and pa bagel shops. They are so chewy on the outside and so soft and tender on the inside. They do take some time to make but they are worth the wait. I like to start the batch in the evening of day 1 and then bake them the following morning, however the time frame is flexible. If you are looking for a quicker bagel recipe, this one is a great alternative.
Sponge
1 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cups unbleached bread flour (Lehi Roller Mills AP flour works well)
2 1/2 cups warm water (105 - 115 F)
Dough
1/2 tsp. dry active yeast (heaping tsp.)
3 3/4 cups unbleached bread flour (Lehi Roller Mills AP flour works well)
2 3/4 tsp. salt
1 TBSP honey
To Finish
1 TBSP baking soda
Cornmeal for dusting
Day one
1. To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the water and allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes. Mix in the flour, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for about 2 hours or until is has doubled in size.
2. To make the dough, in the same mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), add the additional yeast to the sponge and stir. Then add 3 cups of flour and all of the salt and honey. Mix until the ingredients form a ball, slowly working in the remaining 3/4 cup flour to stiffen the dough.
3. Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for at least 10 minutes (or for 6 minutes by machine). The dough should be firm, stiffer than French bread dough, but still pliable and smooth. If the dough seems too dry and rips, add a few drops of water and continue kneading. If the dough seems tacky or sticky, add more flour. The kneaded dough should be pliable but not be tacky.
4. Immediately divide the dough into 12 pieces for standard bagels, or smaller if desired. Form the pieces into rolls.
5. Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for approximately 5-20 minutes. Lightly mist 2 sheet pans with spray oil.
6. Shape the bagels. Poke a hole in a ball of bagel dough and gently rotate your thumb around the inside of the hole to widen it to approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The dough should be as evenly stretched as possible (try to avoid thick and thin spots.)
7. Place the bagels 2 inches apart on the pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been sprayed lightly with oil. Let the pans sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
8. Place covered pans in the refrigerator overnight(they can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days).
Day 2
(any time during the next day will work as the bagels can stay in the refrigerator for up to two days)
9. Preheat the oven to 500° F with the two racks set in the middle of the oven. Bring a large shallow pot of water to a boil (the wider the pot the better), and add the baking soda (the baking soda will help darken the outside of the bagels). Have a slotted spoon nearby.
10. Remove the bagels from the refrigerator and gently drop them into the water, boiling only as many as comfortably fit. After 1 minute flip them over and boil for 1 more minute. While the bagels are boiling, mist the sheet pans with spray oil and sprinkle with cornmeal (without cornmeal dusted on the pans, the bagels will stick to the pan and will be very difficult to remove. With the cornmeal, the bagels slide right off the pans). If you want to top the bagels with toppings, do so as soon as they come out of the water.
11. When all the bagels have been boiled, place the pans on the 2 middle shelves in the oven. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, then rotate the pans, switching shelves and giving the pans a 180-degree rotation. (If you are baking only 1 pan, keep it on the center shelf but still rotate 180 degrees.) After the rotation, lower the oven setting to 450° F and continue baking for about 5 minutes, or until the bagels turn light golden brown.
12. Remove the pans from the oven and allow bagels to cool before serving. Freezes well.
*****
We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these! I love bagels because they are easy to make and are so versatile. They are perfect for sandwiches, toast, or a snack. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and they make an easy breakfast option. Bagels freeze well and it is easy to thaw only the amount needed. These take longer to make than the bagels I have been making for the past several years but these are worth the wait. The dough is pretty stiff so it’s easy to work with and easy to form into perfectly shaped bagels. The recipe is long and seems complex but they really are simple to make and taste heavenly! Recipe adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart. Yield: 12 large or 24 miniature bagels.
Philadelphia Soft Pretzels
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oil
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (11 ounces)
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (11 ounces)
5 cups water
1/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 TBSP water
Sea salt
Combine water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the salt, oil and flour. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on a low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 445° F. Bring 5 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
In the meantime, divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 18-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto a Silpat lined cookie sheet (or a greased cookie sheet).
Place the pretzels into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula and place on a cooling rack. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the sea salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving. Freezes okay for 2 weeks. Reheat before serving.
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Recipe adapted from Alton Brown from the Food Network. We have loved these pretzels! They are tender and chewy on the inside and dark golden on the outside- they remind me of the pretzels you can buy from a street vendor. If you don’t have the time for the extra step of boiling pretzels, we also really like these Soft Giant Pretzels that are quick and easy.
For an egg free recipe, you can brush the pretzels with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt. 
Breadsticks
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 ¼ tsp. dry active yeast
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP salt
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
Combine warm water, yeast and sugar and let stand 5 minutes. Add salt, olive oil and water. Knead for about 10 minutes until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a bowl lightly coated with oil. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (about 1 ½ hours).
Shape into breadsticks, then top with melted butter and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 425° F for 15 minutes.
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I love to dip these in a marinara sauce! The breadsticks or dough freezes well. Dough can also be used for pizza's. Recipe courtesy of The Joy of Cooking.
Pizza Dough
1 1/3 cups warm water
Giant Pretzels
4 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
2 ¼ cup warm water
4 ½ tsp. sugar
2 ¼ tsp. salt
5 cups all purpose flour
2 TBSP olive oil or butter
Coarse salt
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and salt. Stir in flour, ½ cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes (dough will still be slightly sticky). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down and divide into 18 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 14 inch rope; twist into a pretzel shape. Place on greased baking sheets. Brush with olive oil or butter; sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.
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Thanks to Heidi Vawdrey for this great recipe. These have become a staple in our home- I make them every week.
Easiest French Bread
1 tsp. dry active yeast
1 ½ cup water
2 tsp. salt
3 ½ cups flour
Combine yeast and water, then mix in salt and flour. Knead until dough forms into a smooth ball. Let rise 2-3 hours. Punch down, form dough into a loaf. Let rise 30 minutes, then bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes.
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Recipe taken from the "How to Cook Everything" cookbook.
Tortillas
Flour tortillas
http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cups warm water
2 TBSP oil (can reduce to 1 TBSP)
Combine flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine (or mix by hand). Combine warm water with oil and gradually mix in. Pulse just until a ball of dough forms, then remove from food processor and knead for 10-20 seconds (knead only enough to combine the dough. Tortilla dough will not roll out well if gluten is developed. It does not need to be kneaded like bread dough, think of the dough more like a biscuit dough that just needs to be well combined).
Divide into 6-8 rounded balls (a little smaller than a golf ball) and allow dough to rest for 30 minutes under a damp cloth. Flour surface and roll into a thin tortilla. Roll dough into an even oval shape, turn 45 degrees, then roll into a larger oval, turn 45 degrees and roll into a nice round shape. If you don’t get the tortilla thin enough after your three rolls, repeat rolling dough into an oval shape, then turning 45 degrees until you get a 9 inch thin round shape.
Preheat a large skillet to medium heat (this could take 5 minutes or more), then cook each tortilla for 1 minute (20 seconds on one side, then flip and cook for 20 seconds, flip once more and cook for an additional 20 seconds). The tortilla should bubble a little and should have light brown spots. Store warm tortillas under a dry cloth while the others cook. Freezes well.
*****
I've gone through a dozen rolling pins over the years and have finally found my favorite- a wooden dowel from Home Depot! We met a women from Mexico that had been rolling out tortilla's since she was 3 years old (yes, this is her recipe- isn't it the best?). Her favorite rolling pin was the handle of a broomstick her husband cut off and sanded for her.
I bought a 1 1/4 inch dowel and cut it 14 inches long and lightly sanded it. It's perfect and has made tortilla's, pie crusts, sugar cookies, etc. so much easier to roll out!
I prefer to roll the tortillas as I cook them. I roll them out next to the stove and immediately place on the hot pan to cook. While the tortilla is cooking, I roll out the next tortilla. If you are making tortillas for the first time, it can be helpful to work as a team with two people. Have one person rolling the tortillas and the second person standing at the stove, flipping the tortillas. Once you are used to rolling the tortillas, it is easy to do alone.
Here is a great youtube video that shows how to roll out the dough into a nice round shape.
Chewy Soft Bagels
2 cups milk, scalded (or water)
1 TBSP dry active yeast
½ cup warm water
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt
¼ cup safflower oil
3 cups white flour
3 cups wheat flour
¾ tsp. baking powder
Scald milk, set aside and allow to cool. Dissolve yeast in warm water, then add sugar, salt, warm milk and oil. Mix together, then add half the flour. This will make a soupy mixture called a "sponge." Cover and let rise 40 minutes. Add remaining flour and baking powder. Knead until dough forms a smooth ball. Pat into 9x15 rectangle, cut into bagels using a bagel cutter or a large cup. Let rise 30 minutes. Boil in water for 30 seconds on each side, then drain on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with toppings (cinnamon sugar, cheese, etc.) then bake on cookie sheet at 400 F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Freezes well.
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These are perfect for sandwiches or just to snack on. From the freezer they stay light and chewy. For a dairy free recipe, water or rice milk can be used instead of scalded milk. Recipe adapted from Making the Best of Basics: Family Preparedness Handbook.
If you have more time, this other bagel recipe is fantastic! Because they rest in the refrigerator for a day, they have more time to develop a better flavor.
