Hint of Orange Holiday Buns
TRADITIONAL

This recipe, more commonly known as Hot Cross buns, provides an excellent accompaniment for the holiday table. With these rolls so rich with butter, eggs, and a hint of orange, you won’t have to worry about leftovers!

1 1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp salt
2 Tbs active dry yeast or 1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast
3 large eggs (room temp)
6 cups bread flour (approximately)
1/2 to 1 cup currants
1 Tbs grated orange peel

• Heat 3/4 cup of juice & pour over butter, sugar, cinnamon, & salt in mixing bowl, set aside until lukewarm.
• Warm remaining 1/2 cup juice in separate bowl, cool to warm (105-110 F)  and add yeast, mix well until dissolved and set aside 5-10 minutes to proof.
• Add eggs to butter mixture and blend well, add 2 cups of flour 1 cup at a time and mix well, add yeast mixture when foamy and mix well.
• Add currants and orange peel and continue to mix adding only enough of remaining flour 1 cup at a time until you have a smooth dough that begins to pull from sides of mixing bowl,  approx mixing time should be 6-8 minutes by mixer or 10 minutes by hand.
• Place dough in large greased bowl or bucket, cover and let rise in a warm draft free area until doubled in size, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Gently punch down dough, shape into 2-3 oz rolls, place on baking sheet with parchment paper, cover with oiled plastic wrap and rise for 30-45 minutes until almost doubled.
• Bake in preheated 375 F oven 15-20 minutes or until done, remove from sheet immediately and cool on rack.
• For shiny golden crust mix 1 egg with 1 TBSP water and brush rolls just before baking. For shiny clear crust mix 1 egg white with 1 TBSP water and brush rolls just before baking. For soft crust, brush rolls gently with milk before baking or with butter right after they come out of oven.

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Sweet Potato Walnut Bread
TRADITIONAL

This recipe is a country cousin to the classic banana bread many of us have come to enjoy. Try it toasted with morning coffee, schmeared with cream cheese, or eat it plain with a cold glass of milk. Enjoy!

1  1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4  cup sugar
1/2 ts. baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (can substitute with pecans)
15 oz. can candied yams
1  1/2 sticks melted butter
2 large eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp fresh lemon zest

• Bring all ingredients to room temperature, place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F.
• Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 5 inch bread pan on bottom and all sides and set aside.
• Mix all the dry ingredients together except the nuts and whisk together until thoroughly combined.
• In a separate bowl, discard liquid from yams and mash them, beat with a mixer to remove the stringy fibers, add the melted butter, lemon zest, and vanilla to the yams and stir until combined, add eggs to the yam mixture and stir until well combined.
• Pour the yam mixture over the dry mixture, pour the nuts over the yam mixture, fold the ingredients til just combined (don’t beat or over mix) until no more white flour shows.
• Pour batter into loaf pan and bake 40-50 minutes until toothpick or cake tester inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and run a knife around edges to remove loaf from pan, transfer loaf to cooling rack and wait 15-20 minutes before slicing.

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Bruschetta
VEGETARIAN

1 lg organic garlic clove, crushed and minced
4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
6 lg tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fresh organic basil leaves, minced
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
6 slices crusty Italian bread halved
parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together except the bread and cheese. Preheat broiler. Arrange the slices of bread on a baking sheet and broil 5 inches from the heat until lightly browned. Turn and browned on the other side.Ý Add tomato mixture to bread, top with cheese and broil to melt.

This can also be served cold. Put tomato mixture and parmesan in bowl and serve bread or crackers on tray along with bowl of bruschetta.

Recipe submitted by Diane Sellers.

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Foccacia bread
VEGAN

1 med baking potato, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 tsp rapid rise yeast
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/4 tsp salt (may add more for flavor)

Grate cooked potato. In food processor pulse yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup warm water, cover and set aside 20 min. or until bubbly. Add remaining ingredients. With paddle in mixer, blend until mixed, switch to dough hook, knead 5 minutes at medium speed. Transfer to oiled bowl, cover and let rise 1 hour. Press dough flat, in 2 halves on sheet pan, let rise 45 min. Dimple dough with fingers, put on desired toppings. Bake at 425 for 23 to 25 minutes. Makes two loaves. Enjoy!

Recipe submitted by Pete Weikel, Jr. of Stadium Bistro in Tacoma

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Seasoned Butter

Place a stick of softened, unsalted butter in a bowl and whisk in desired flavorings. (1 Tbs grated citrus rind or 3 cloves garlic minced with 1 Tbs chopped chives or 1 Tbs cinnamon, honey)

Transfer butter onto sheet of waxed paper. Fold edge over butter and roll into log lengthwise.

Twist ends of wax paper in opposite directions to seal.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.  Serve with warm bread.

Recipe submitted by Diane Sellers.

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1 1/2 gluten free baking mix (recipe follows)
1 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 T. Bobís Red Mill aluminum-free baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter

Combine baking mix, turbinado, cornmeal, baking powder, and sea salt in a bow. Whisk together milk, eggs, and melted butter. Combine all ingredients together and stir until combined, but donít over mix, let batter sit for 15 minutes and stir again. Divide among 15 muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe submitted by Mary Waluciewicz,
Food Services Manager at Marleneís.

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Whole Wheat Banana Bread

1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup pure maple syrup

Cream together with electric beaters, then add

2 eggs

One at a time, beat in:

2 med very ripe bananas
2 Tbls non fat milk or soy milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend well

In sifter, combine:

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbls cinnamon

Sift twice and add to wet mixture.

Add 1/2 chopped raw nuts and/or cranberries if desired. Pour into 1 loaf pan that has been greased and floured on the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 60 minutes. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes then invert onto platter. Let cool another 15 minutes before slicing.

Great variation: substitute cooked pumpkin for bananas. Reduce flour to 2 cups and use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon.

Recipe submitted by Julieanne Cherbas
of The Cherbas Center in Tacoma.

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