English Muffin Bread
This one is a Meyers family favorite. Also known as English Toasting Bread, it’s a good bread for slicing and toasting for breakfast or brunch. It’s a yeast bread that doesn’t require kneading, and you spoon the sticky dough into the pans. For it’s sheer simplicity, it’s a great recipe to try for a first yeast bread. The bread works equally well with active dry yeast or instant yeast.
We love this toasted with butter, cinnamon, and sugar, and my boys ask for it as a snack with just a little butter or jam smeared on top. It’s a good thing the recipe makes two loaves, because it never lasts long around our house!
[Updated April 15, 2009]
Equipment
stand mixer with paddle attachment
2 loaf pans, 9-inch x 5-inch, greased and sprinkled with cornmeal
plastic wrap
Read more
Irish Soda Bread
According to Wikipedia, the Irish first began making soda breads in 1840 when bicarbonate of soda was introduced to Ireland. This is the Meyers’ family Irish Soda Bread recipe, but the recipe is not entirely traditional since it includes baking powder. My mother-in-law makes this every year for St. Patrick’s Day, and we have continued the family tradition.
Because the dough requires only minimal mixing and shaping, I do this all by hand. You can use a stand mixer and dough hook, just take care not to overwork the dough or the bread will be tough.
[Updated March 13, 2009]
Equipment
large mixing bowl
wooden spoon or silicone spatula
2 (8-inch) cake pans Read more
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
I grew up on my mother’s and grandmothers’ Southern cornbread, and I’m devoted to it. Southern cornbread has no sugar and is cooked in a cast iron skillet, which renders a lovely crunchy crust. You can eat it by itself with butter or apple butter, or you can eat it with beans or chili and spoon either on top of a slice.
This is another recipe that I’ve played around with. Many cornbread recipes call for 1 cup cornmeal and 1 cup all-purpose flour. However, all that extra flour seems to detract from the corn flavor in my opinion. So I split the difference and I like the results. Read more
Oatmeal Cream Scones
Sunday mornings we have a fresh hot breakfast instead of the usual eating on the run. Most of the time we have some pancakes or waffles or muffins, but today I had a craving for scones since I hadn’t made any in a while. I’ve been hooked on scones since my first taste of one at a little tea shop in Australia many years ago. These are nice cream scones with lots of toasted whole oats and some dried cranberries, and my family devours them.
[Updated November 24, 2009.]
OATMEAL CREAM SCONES
Makes 8 scones.
Equipment
baking sheet
small bowl
food processor with blade attachment
3 or 5 quart mixing bowl
silicone spatula
parchment paper Read more
Pecan Pancakes with Butter Pecan Syrup
“Decadent” is the only way to describe these. The syrup is rich and thick and so easy to make. This is a great one for a Sunday brunch. I’m partial to White Lily Self-Rising Flour for pancakes and biscuits. Maybe it’s my Southern upbringing, but that soft winter wheat just seems to make the best, lightest pancakes.
Equipment
mixing bowl
griddle
small nonstick pan Read more
Mom’s Zucchini Bread
I always loved the smell of this baking when I was a girl. I don’t know where my mom got the recipe, but it is a favorite. The bread is moist and flavorful.
[Updated August 22, 2009]
Equipment
stand mixer with paddle attachment
medium bowl
2 (9×5) loaf pans
wire rack Read more
