Easy whole wheat bread

This yeast bread fixes up in a snap. It also slices well and freezes well. It is especially good for toast in the morning. Make it first for hot bread with dinner and keep the rest in the refrigerator or freezer for future meals.

NO KNEAD WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

3 cups flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package dry yeast
 2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup brown sugar
 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 cups whole wheat flour

Mix together flour, warm water, sugar, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat until very smooth. cover and let rise in warm place until light and bubbly, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Mix hot water with brown sugar and melted butter. Cool to lukewarm. Add to first mixture and add whole wheat flour. Mix until smooth, but do not knead. Place dough in 2 greased loaf pans and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped.

Cool pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully remove loaves to rack to finish cooling. Brush tops of loaves with melted butter.

Pie Filling Cake

When I was writing my cook book in 2009 I could not find my 1976 church cook book. That was the year I was married and that was the first cook book I used. Many of the recipes I had written in other places so I was able to put them in my own book. This is one recipe I didn't have until I found it in a box in the garage last month. Can't wait to have an occasion to make this again.

Pie Filling Cake

1/2 lb. butter or stick margarine

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1, 21 oz. can pie filling, flavor of your choice

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating in one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder. Stir into creamed mixture a little at a time. Place 3/4 of the batter into a greased 7 1/2 inch baking pan. Spread fruit filling over batter. Spread remaining batter to cover fruit. Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes. Serves 10 to 12.

Cookie Jar Cookies

BLONDIES

1/2 cup stick margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts

In a 3 quart pan, melt margarine. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Cool slightly; beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix baking powder and salt with flour, add to pan, mixing well. Fold in nuts. Pour into greased 9X13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool. Cut into squares.

Walnut Cookies

1, 18 1/4 oz. yellow cake mix
2 cups dry oatmeal
 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, oats and sugar. Beat in oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir in nuts and cinnamon. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to rack or brown paper sacking to cool. Makes 6 dozen

Favorite Banana Bread

Sweet quick breads are a great way to make sweet treats for the holidays. They are easily made ahead and frozen. I wrap mine well and keep in the cold garage. When I had a screened in porch I kept them in a cooler out there. I usually cut mine in half at least. I like to put out trays of a variety of flavors when I have guests over for a meal or even when it's just light refreshments. I alternate slices of different colors, usually pumpkin, chocolate and banana.

Banana Bread
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry oatmeal
1/2 cup stick margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2 over ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in oatmeal. In a large bowl cream margarine and brown sugar. Stir in bananas then eggs until well blended. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until just blended. Pour into a well greased  9X5X3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350F for one hour or until testing done. Poke a toothpick into center of loaf and if it comes out clean or just with just a couple of crumbs sticking to it, the loaf is done. Cool in pan on a wire rack about 30 minutes. Remove from pan to rack to finish cooling before wrapping for storage.

I always use stick margarine for this recipe so the flavor of the bananas is predominant. Butter could be substituted for the margarine.

FRUIT CAKE THEY WILL EAT

Prepare your favorite pound cake recipe or use a pound cake mix. Stir in 1 cup of halved red and green candied cherries to the batter before baking. OR use 1 cup chopped candied fruit mix.

Easy Cookies

My occupation has become very demanding and I am not finding energy for my usual holiday baking.
Here are a couple of short cut cookies I plan to make. They make small batches. I have a small household and don't want a lot of leftovers after the guests have gone home.

I use 17.5 oz. packages of sugar cookie mix and follow the directions on the package for cut out cookies. I then frost and decorate them. That's the fun part of cut outs and the flavor of the mix is just fine.

I'll make a batch of this easy frosting this weekend. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 months. I'll use a lot for Christmas but have enough for cookies for Super Bowl party and for Valentine's Day cookies.

2 cup shortening
1/2 cup dry non dairy creamer
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
32 oz. confectioner's sugar
1/2 to 3/4 cups water

In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, dry creamer and vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar. Add enough water until frosting has the desired consistency. Store in the refrigerator. Bring the amount needed for your batch of cookies to room temperature. This spreads easier at room temperature. Food coloring can be added to the batch before spreading. Holiday colored sprinkles stick well to this frosting.

I use a 17.5 oz package of sugar cookie mix prepared according to the package directions. At the end I stir in 2 teaspoons lemon extract and 1 cup chopped pecans. I then bake them according to package directions for drop cookies.

These are fun red and green cookies:
3/4 cup butter
1, 4 oz. package pistachio instant pudding mix.
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup shelled pistachios or chopped almonds
Candied red cherries cut in half

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and pudding mix. Stir in flour. Fold in nuts. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Flatten to 1/2 inch with bottom of a greased drinking glass. Press a cherry half in the middle of each. Bake 10 to 13 minutes until lightly browned on the edge. Remove to a wire rack or brown paper sacking to cool. Makes 2 dozen.