Easy Breads

I am a huge bread fan.  The fresher the better.  Throw in some seeds and nuts.  I just could eat it all day long if I let myself.  I don't really buy storebought bread as the kinds that I like and feel are wholesome are usually a bit more expensive than I can stand to pay.  Matt and I both have this compulsive attitude of : why spend so much more on something I could do myself with a little bit of effort?!  Besides, making bread is really rather fun.  Its rather magical to turn a pile of powders and milk into something so tasty!  Plus, the house is all warm and smells delightful.  What is not to enjoy?!

I was typing these up for my sister to encourage her to bake with my little four year old niece so I thought, what the heck, I'll post them...I already typed 'em.  I already wrote up the recipe for my favorite quick, go-to bread stick/pizza dough in an earlier post, but here are a couple other quick breads I use when I am craving some great bread-y goodness and don't have time or ambition to make a real honest to goodness loaf.  Sometime I will type up a few of my favorites of those as well.  All in due time...

Baking Powder Biscuits

1 C    whole wheat flour

1 C    white flour (or other flour of your choice)

3 t      baking powder

1 t      salt

1/4 C Earth Balance (or shortening of your choice)

3/4-1 C milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Stir together all dry ingredients.  Add the shortening and mash it into the dry ingredients until the margarine is well broken down into small bits and mixed throughout the dry ingredients.  Stir in the milk starting with 3/4 cup and adding a little more at a time as needed until you get a nice sticky dough.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.

Basic Cornbread

1 C     whole wheat flour (or half-and-half with white if you prefer)

3/4 C  cornmeal

3 T      sugar

3 t       baking powder

1/3 C  applesauce

2 t       vegetable oil

1 C     milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Mix together all dry ingredients.  Add in remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.  Pour into a baking dish (we use a 9inch pie plate) and bake for about 20 minutes or until it has achieved your desired level of golden.