Bonnies Basic Bread Recipes

SUPER EASY BREAD RECIPE FOR BEGINNERS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Pour the warm water into a large bowl.
• Slowly stir in the yeast until it is dissolved.
• Add the salt, sugar, and milk to the bowl. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Mix in the shortening and the first 2 cups of flour. The shortening will continue to integrate into the dough while kneading, so it may be small lumps at this stage.
• If needed, begin adding more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes. Add small spoonfuls of flour as necessary, until the dough is soft and smooth (not sticky to the touch). You may not need all of the flour, or you may need a little more. Keep the surface floured to prevent the dough from sticking to the board and your hands.
• Put the dough in a greased or buttered bowl and turn the dough over so the other side is also greased.
• Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot, such as an oven with the light on, for about 1 hour, or until doubled.
• Punch down the dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes.
• Form the dough into a loaf (here are some helpful tips) and set it gently into a greased bread pan .
• Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes, or until doubled. If your kitchen is chilly or drafty, place the pan in a cool oven with the light on for this step, or you may not get a proper rise. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Score the risen dough by cutting three slashes across the top with a sharp knife. While not essential, this step controls the direction in which the bread expands as it bakes. (If you forget to do it, the bread will taste the same.)
• Place the bread in the oven and bake for about 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Turn out the loaf of bread and let it cool completely on a rack or clean dish towel before slicing.
• Serve and enjoy.

BONNIE'S ITALIAN STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the meatballs:
• Pour the milk over bread and soak to soften.
• Place the meat in a mixing bowl and add the cheese, EVOO, fennel, crushed red pepper, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and crumble into crumbs as you add it to the meat. Combine the meatball mix and roll into 2-inch balls. Place the meatballs on nonstick baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray and roast until browned but not fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.
• For the stew:
• Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and bay, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir until fragrant. Add the beef stock and tomatoes, then break up the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the basil, potatoes and meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat back to medium, partially cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the green beans and cook 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Serve, or cool completely and store for make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium-low flame, partially covered, stirring occasionally (or reheat in a 325 degree F oven) until sauce is bubbly.
• To serve, top shallow bowls of stew with cheese and an extra drizzle of EVOO.

EASY MILK BREAD

Steps:

• Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and sprinkle the cornmeal all over the inside of the pan. Tap out any excess.
• Add the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and yeast to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set the dry mixture aside.
• Add the milk and butter to a small saucepan and attach a candy thermometer. Turn the heat on low and bring the mixture up to 125 degrees F. If the mixture gets too hot, let it cool to the correct temperature before continuing.
• Pour the warm liquid over the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to mix until the dough comes together, but is still shaggy. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is soft and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes. Form the dough into a log and transfer it to the prepared loaf pan, seam-side down. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm area until it's puffed up and almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake the loaf until the top of the bread is golden and the internal temperature is 190 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

AUNT HOLLY'S BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash the bananas in a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. Bake in a buttered loaf pan until a toothpick stuck into the bread comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Slice and serve.

BANNOCK

Steps:

• Measure flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir to mix. Pour melted butter and water over flour mixture. Stir with fork to make a ball.
• Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface, and knead gently about 10 times. Pat into a flat circle 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
• Cook in a greased frying pan over medium heat, allowing about 15 minutes for each side. Use two lifters for easy turning. May also be baked on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

BONNIE'S BEST BANANA BREAD - BONNIE STERN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• In a small bowl combine bananas with buttermilk and baking soda.
• In a medium sized bowl beat butter with brown sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
• In yet another bowl combine flour with baking powder and salt.
• Add flour to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk/bananas beginning and ending with flour.
• Transfer to a 6 cup/1.5L loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

GRANDMA BONNIE'S CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add remaining sugar, 1/4 cup oil, egg, and salt; mix until combined. Scrape paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook. Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading for about 3 more minutes.
• Add a bit of oil on the dough and roll the dough in the bowl until all sides are coated. Cover with a towel and let rise until at least doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Punch down the dough and transfer to a floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle. Pour melted butter onto the dough and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon to taste. Add pecans. Roll up lengthwise and cut into 12 rolls. Transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and let rise for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown in color, about 15 minutes.
• While the rolls are baking, combine powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla for topping. Add 1 tablespoon milk and mix to a pourable consistency, adding more if necessary.
• Remove rolls from the oven. Immediately pour topping over top and sprinkle with pecans.

BONNIE BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches, or 2 round pans, 9 x 1 1/2 inches; lightly flour.
• Beat sugar, butter/margarine, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt alternatively with milk on low speed. Pour into pan(s).
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes if using the rectangular pan, 30 to 35 minutes if using the round pans, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool rectangular pan on wire rack. Cool round pans 10 minutes; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
• TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Mix all ingredients except vanilla in 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Heat to rapid boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Place saucepan in bowl of ice and water. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

BASIC HOMEMADE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water; let stand until bubbles form on surface. Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Stir oil into yeast mixture; pour into flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half. Shape each into a loaf. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours., Bake at 375° until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped or has reached an internal temperature of 200°, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.