Grandma’s Cinnamon Bread
February 10, 2013
My first grade son was recently asked to write up a favorite family recipe to share with his class. The minute I heard this my mind began scanning the many recipes that he might deem worthy. While selecting just one recipe seemed daunting to me, he quite simply stated, “I will share the recipe for Grandma’s Cinnamon Bread.” The special bread that my mom makes for him when he stays at her home.
This made me think, it is the children of the family that ultimately decide which recipes will live on. Perhaps this is because in childhood every moment seems larger than life. The meals we eat, the people who prepare them for us, the experiences we have in our youth become the foundation of our life. In truth, if I think of my own favorite family recipes, they are the ones fell in love with as a child, the Swedish Cardamom Bread at our holiday table, my grandmother’s Royal Danish Soup, or my mother’s spaghetti sauce that I could never get enough of. Now matter how much I might enjoy a new recipe that I develop or come across as an adult, they never hold the same place in my heart as those I loved as a child. And also, without the enthusiastic blessing of my children, the recipe never will become a new family favorite.
Grandma’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread is a not too sweet bread with a perfect cinnamon spiral through the center. It is delicious on its own, but my favorite way to eat it is toasted with butter. It also makes a special French Toast. The recipe makes two loaves. The bread freezes well. If you slice the bread first, it is easy to grab a slice to toast for an easy breakfast.
So, what is your favorite family recipe? Tell us in the comments below and leave a link if there is one! This post was submitted to Yeastspotting.
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Giftable Granola
December 20, 2012
Granola is a hot item in our house these days. Though its name may be the butt of jokes in some circles, granola deserves credit for being not only full of healthy whole foods, but also incredibly tasty. Perhaps if Santa had to choose, granola might end up on the nice AND the naughty list.
Giftable Granola is my favorite granola recipe. It is sweet with a touch of salt and packs an endearing crunch. It tempts as a mid-day snack and turns a bowl of fruit and yogurt into a great morning. The recipe is incredibly flexible, so feel free to add your own favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. The granola keeps for weeks in a sealed container, but not at our house. This batch is mostly being bagged up and given to friends, an antidote to the ever-present indulgence that is December. Make a batch of this now for gifts, or save the recipe as a kick-off to your New Year’s resolution. I think you will love it.
Thanksgiving Menu Guide
November 15, 2012
With Halloween behind us, we are officially hurtling towards the Thanksgiving. For me that means it is time to get serious about meal planning. While Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy time-honored dishes, each year I like to try something new as well. Here a a collection of special occasion-worthy recipes from My Pantry Shelf that my family loves. What is your favorite dish to make for Thanksgiving? Tell us in the comments below. Feel free to add a link to your recipes.
appetizers
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese Yogurt Dip
sides and salads
Acorn Squash Rings with Apple Glaze
Brussels Sprouts with Garlicky Bread Crumbs
Chipotle Black Bean and Butternut Squash Salad
Forbidden Rice and Green Onion Hearth Bread
Orange Quinoa with Almonds, Olives, and Feta
Roasted Beet and Hazelnut Salad with Feta
Stuffed Winter Squash with Rice and Sausage
dessert
drinks
brunch
Strawberry Shortcakes
July 11, 2012
Could there be a more classic summer dessert than a strawberry shortcake? Probably not. So when I finally got my hands on a lug of gorgeously fragrant, deep red strawberries from a local farm, all I could think of was making this simple dessert to showcase these berries.
Since there are only three simple components to a strawberry shortcake, it is essential that all three elements can sing on their own. Most recipes call for a cream scone, but I prefer a buttermilk biscuit not only because it reduces the overall fat in the recipe, but also for the lovely tang that the buttermilk provides. This recipe makes buttery, flaky, beautifully browned biscuits. Split them open and dollop them with cream which has been whipped into a soft, velvety mixture. (Do not pour in cream, turn on your mixer to whisk and then leave the room to mediate a sibling squabble, oh no, do not. You will make butter. Trust me.)
Last are the strawberries. This dish is best with fresh sweet summer berries. Pick ones that are small and red to the core, preferably from your local farmers market and not shipped to the supermarket in plastic boxes. There is a huge difference. Depending on the size of the strawberries, halve or quarter them and dust with a bit of sugar. As the strawberries sit they will gently weep and make a beautiful pink syrup. Scoop the berries and their syrup onto the pillow of whipped cream and top with the other half of the biscuit. Simple and delightful.
The last time we made these was the 4th of July, so we tossed in some blueberries as well to go with the red, white, and blue theme. My son insisted that the dessert would benefit from the option of Chocolate Pudding as well. He was right. We went with the self serve model, allowing each person to create their own shortcake dessert from bowls of whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries, and chocolate pudding. For a more formal approach, serve the assembled shortcakes.
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Apricot Almond Bran Muffins
June 19, 2012
Muffins can solve many problems: a hungry house full of weekend guests, a last minute snack for preschool, quick and easy breakfasts through the week (from the freezer), or as I recently found myself, with double my usual number of hungry children running underfoot. While not all muffins hold well enough to serve after they have been left to cool, these muffins are still moist and flavorful hours after they have cooled or even reheated from the freezer.
Apricot Almond Bran Muffins are adapted from a recipe in Supernatural Everyday by Heidi Swanson that I have come to love. If you are seeking a super dense. chewy style of bran muffing, this is not the one. Though this recipe is whole grain with a healthy dose of bran, the texture is incredibly light and tender. The taste of butter is unmistakable. I added apricots to take advantage of the beautiful fruit found at the market. Almonds, always a friend of the apricot, flavor the muffin and add a crunch to the top. Make these for a crowd, or just for a few and freeze the rest. They reheat beautifully.
My Pantry Shelf 