Definitely on the top of the "Comfort Foods" list - try the recipe today!

It is now almost two years ago that I first posted the Homemade Beef Stew Recipe. Comments have been pretty unanimous – “Just like grandma used to make!” And that makes me very proud – my own grandma taught me to cook and bake and I will always be grateful for that.

This recipe is perfect for this time of year – I would most definitely place it at the top of the “Comfort foods” list. Add homemade biscuits or freshly baked bread – and you have a winner!

Here are the recipes – enjoy and please continue sending me your comments and experiences!

Great Homemade Beef Stew

Click on the picture to get the recipe and step by step directions, complete with photos

Prize Winning Tea Biscuits

These tea biscuits will go great with your Homemade Beef Stew! Easy to make and they always turn out

 Homemade White Bread

Making your very own,m delicious homemade bread is not as difficult as you may think - try this recipe and directions - it will go great with the Beef Stew!

]]> http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/great-homemade-beef-stew-recipe.html/feed 0 http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/apple-raisin-bread-pudding-recipe.html http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/apple-raisin-bread-pudding-recipe.html#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:41:10 +0000 Hanna Trafford http://www.mama-knows.com/?p=6625 Let’s say you have bread in your kitchen that is a bit dry and a few apples in your fruit basket that are no longer the greatest for biting into; Here is what you can do and create a great tasting dessert for your family!

Apple Raisin Bread Pudding:

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter (4 melted, 2 cold, plus a bit more, softened for baking dish
• 5 cups of milk
• 6 large eggs
• 1-12/ cups of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons of grated orange zest
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• About 1 lb. of bread, day old buns of baguette, torn into small pieces
• 2-3 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup of raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish
3. In a large bowl, whisk together milk,. eggs, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and add bread
4. Cover with plastic wrap and weigh down with another bowl
5. Let stand until bread is soaked through – about 20 minutes
6. Fold in apples, raisins and 4 tablespoons of melted butter
7. Pour into prepared baking dish
8. Dot top of the bread pudding with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter
9. Bake until pudding is set and lightly brown on top – about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
10. Serve warm and it is great when you add vanilla ice cream or fresh whipping cream

Hope you will enjoy this recipe – please send me your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

Incredibly delicious Cinnamon Loaf - fresh and warm, straight from the oven - talk about comfort food!

I am very happy to share this recipe with all of you – as my new friend Selina Joyce from Alberta, Canada shared it with me. Joyce enjoys visiting my website and was kind enough to take some time to send me a personal note,letting me know how much she enjoys what I do and telling me her story. I very quickly discovered that we have a lot in common – especially when it comes to creating special family moments and future heirlooms. Very much like Joyce, I have also created personal cookbooks – full of handwritten recipes and stories attached to them and gave them to my sons. Some of the recipes had to be literally re-created, since both my grandma and my mom cooked as you would say “from their heads” and I have learned to do the same. Joyce sent me this Cinnamon Loaf Recipe – it comes from her grandmother, who used to make it for her when she was a little girl. Grandma passed away at a beautiful age of 105-1/2 and I totally understand why this recipe became so special – the Cinnamon Loaf is not only delicious beyond belief – it also fills the house with incredibly comforting aroma of cinnamon and vanilla.

Thanks you Joyce – and we are all looking forward to more recipes from you!

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Loaf:

Ingredients:

• ¼ Cup of Shortening or Butter (I used butter)
• 1 Cup of Sugar
• 2 Cups of Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
• ½ Teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla
• 1 Teaspoon of  Salt
• 1 Cup Sour Milk (To sour fresh milk, just add a  tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice)
• 3.4 cups of raisins (optional)
• Vanilla Sugar (optional)

As I always say - it is a great idea to prepare all your needed ingredients first - it really makes cooking or baking much easier - and you won't forget to add a thing!

Cream sugar and butter first, then add eggs and beat until fluffy - it only takes a few minutes

Mix your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add them alternately with milk to creamed butter and sugar.

Mix until thoroughly blended.

Adding mixed dry ingredients alternatively with milk - I used wooden spoon, since I didn't want my raisins to get chopped up by electric mixer

Put half of the mixture into loaf pan that you have greased with butter and lightly floured to prevent sticking.

Sprinkle about 1/2 the topping over the batter.

I chose to use half of the cinnamon/brown sugar mix after putting the batter into baking pan and the other half on the top - you can do it either way

Add rest of the mixture on top and swirl through with a spoon or a butter knife.

Sprinkle with vanilla sugar if desired

I used glass loaf pan to be able to take picture showing the cinnamon mixture half way in the batter

Alternatively, you can put all the cinnamon.brown sugar in after the first half of batter, top with remaining batter and swirl with a spoon of butter knife. I chose to create a bit of a cinnamon.vanilla crust, that is why I topped the loaf with remaining topping.

Putting some of the cinnamon.brown sugar mix on top and adding vanilla sugar will create a delicious crust - but you can put all the mixture after first layer of batter and then just swirl with a spoon or a butter knife.

Bake at 350 F for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

In the oven - let the baking begin and let that wonderful aroma fill the house!

Cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack and cool

This is now definitely one of my favourite recipes!

This Cinnamon Loaf tastes incredible – especially when you serve it still warm !

Hope you enjoy this recipe and thank you again Joyce! I will be happy to post your recipe, please send me your favourites – your input is very welcomed and much appreciated!

Cranberry Walnut Bread

• 2 tablespoons of butter – room temperature
• 2 cups of flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of orange zest
• 1 cup of fresh orange juice
• 1 cup of fresh cranberries
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Butter and flour 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan
3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside
4. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until creamed
5. Add egg and beat well
6. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until combined – dough will appear dry
7. Reduce speed to low, add orange zest and orange juice
8. Fold in cranberries and walnuts
9. Spread batter in prepared pan and smooth top evenly
10. Bake until toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean – 50 minutes to 1 hour – tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly
11. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack
12. Cool completely before slicing

Easy to make and great tasting - try this recipe today!

The reason this banana bread is so good must be that I use bananas what started to turn dark – sometimes almost black! When they do turn like that, they may not look great, but let me assure you that they are so sweet, you don’t even need to add sugar! I add maple syrup to the recipe – it really give it a very nice flavour. The recipe is very easy to put together, the baked bread will keep nicely for about a week in a closed container and you can serve it for breakfast with butter and your favourite jam or even for dessert!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of sugar

1-1/2 cups of raisins

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup of maple syrup

at least 1 cup of mashed bananas ( usually double that)

Directions:

Here is what my bananas looked like:

These were starting to turn dark - not good to eat but great to make sweet banana bread

I use a little electric gadget to masher the bananas up, but you can easily do it with a fork  - its OK to have little pieces of banana in the bread

You don't have to use electric mixer to mash your bananas, fork will do just fine.

As I always say, get all your ingredients measured up and ready to start combining them – it saves time and you won’t miss anything!

I developed a habit of organizing all my ingredients before starting to combine them - it works really well and you won't miss anything that belongs in the recipe

Comnbine the dry ingredients first, then add raisins and mix them in as well

in another bowl, combine all other ingredients, nix them up and add to dry ingredients

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, all others in another bowl and then mix everything together

I fill two smaller pans with the batter – the bread will rise quite a bit while baking and if you fill your loaf pan too high, it can start dripping over the edge and drip to the bottom of your oven.

Remember not to fill your loaf pan(s) too high - the batter will rise while baking and you don't want it to run over the edges and start dripping into the bottom of your oven

Preheat your oven to 350F and bake your banana bread on the centre rack for about 50-60 minutes

Bake your bread at 350F on centre oven rack for about 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. You can check it by inserting a toothpick or a thin knife into the centre - if it comes out clean, your bread is done!

Looks good, smells great and tastes awesome!

Hope you enjoy this recipe – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

Sverre’s Norwegian Pizza Championships Story:

With over 250,000 visitors during its four days duration, the annual Gladmat-festival is Norway’s largest food festival and has been a decade long tradition. One of the biggest events, with over 400 spectators this year, was the Norwegian Pizza Championship.

Sverre Bech-Sjøthun’s pizza, judged by, among others, the director of Norwegian Institute of Culinary Arts, came in 3^rd, only one point from 2^nd place, so this is a real treat:

The objective of this recipe was to come up with a pizza that is not overly complicated to cook, yet offer a real gastronomic experience. The result is a pizza with exceptionally crisp, slightly “chewy” and tasty crust, and where the cheese and toppings enhance rather than compete with each other. The toasted hazelnuts add a nice flavor and texture in the finish, while parsley brings freshness to it all.

Note that I am being very particular in my description, but don’t get scared by the level of detail – I just want to make sure that you don’t miss anything. The dough, for example, is made in under 10 minutes, and the total time is approximately 40 minutes including prepping and watching the sauce reduce, so you’ll have plenty time to enjoy a glass of wine – or crack open a cold one while you cook.

Pizza with Fennel, Gorgonzola and Porcini Recipe

Dough (enough for 3 two-man pizza)
Note: Made the day before

The key to getting the perfect crust is long fermentation time, as it gives you optimal development of flavor: enzymes will break down the complex carbohydrates in the flour to simpler carbohydrates.

In other words, we’re trying to release sugars trapped in the complex starch in the flour. Some of this becomes “yeast food”, while most become available to the palate as flavor and to the crust as color (caramelization). This caramelization of the crust is what gives you the ultimate crunch as well as a flavor and texture of the crust one simply cannot achieve with short fermentation.

The reason that everything is measured in weight is that the flour has different density depending on handling, transport etc. Weight is thus the most accurate measurement.

 Ingredients:

• 12.5g (o.4oz) fresh yeast, crumble in:
• 400g (14oz) cold water (fridge cold)
• Dash of good olive oil is added
• 600g (21 oz) unbleached all-purpose wheat flour added
• Dash of Maldon added

Directions:

Salt should not be in direct contact with yeast. Salt kills yeast (which is why it makes such a good preservative).

Knead the dough until you get smooth dough that clear the sides of the bowl, but not the bottom. You will notice that the dough will change consistency after 5-7 minutes, from really sticky to “silky smooth”. I prefer to use a hand mixer and dough hooks rather than my hands as they will transfer heat to the dough, and this is not desirable.

Sprinkle some flour on the dough and use a dough scraper to loosen it from the bowl, then add a little bit of olive oil and rotate the dough until it is all covered. Cover with plastic wrap, then set to rise in the refrigerator for at least a day, but up to 3 days.

Alternative 1:

Divide into 3 equal pieces (using a scale), put the dough in a food-grade 5 liter plastic bag or zip lock covered with a little oil (the bag needs to be big to allow the dough to rise). Put one in the fridge, while the other two are put in the freezer and stored for later use for up to 3 months. The frozen dough is set to rise in the refrigerator the morning before serving.

Alternative 2:

This dough also makes the most amazing rustic bread. Spread with either cheese or dip in some good olive oil (or The Cannery’s Lobster Oil!) with balsamic vinegar…

2 hours before making the pizza: take the dough out at room temperature, and place on a sheet pan dusted with a bit of flour – preferably Italian durum wheat (semolina) as it doesn’t burn as quickly as all-purpose.

Gently press the dough into a disc, as circular as possible, then lift the disc and form it gently to a roughly ½” thick disc. Make sure the sheet pan is still evenly coated with flour, then put the dough back on the sheet. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap (I tend to split the plastic bags that already have oil on them)

Minimal processing and pressure (don’t you dare use a rolling pin, as this will completely de-gas the dough) throughout the process ensures a very light, airy and crispy crust. Gluten is the protein that gives the dough the elastic springiness that often forces you to squeeze out all the gas with your rolling pin – allowing the dough to rest and not work it too much relaxes the gluten, thus making the dough incredibly easy to handle.

40 minutes before making the pizza: Preheat the oven as hot as possible. Most home ovens go to 230C to 250C (450 to 550F). If you have convection oven, use convection, but only turn the fan on after you’ve put the pizza in the oven, or you’ll end up blowing out all the hot air when you put the pizza in it.
Just before baking: If you think the dough need more shaping, gently lift and pull the edges to the desired shape – again NO rolling pin, as this will “deflate” the dough and make the crust dense. Spread the sauce, cheese & toppings.

Into the hot oven, bottom shelf for 4-10 minutes. It’s done when the cheese has a nice, golden color and the crust golden with darker caramelization. Slide the pizza onto a grill or wood chopping board and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. The grill or wooden chopping board ensures that no condensation forms under the crust while resting, and the crust will stay crisp.

Tomato Sauce:

Sauce (enough for at least 3 pizza)

Ingredients:

• 800 grams (30oz) tomatoes on the vine
• Olive oil for sauté
• 4 Shallots, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced / pressed
• 1 tablespoon Marjoram
• 2 tablespoons Oregano
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper (taste)
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoon salt (taste)

In a large sauté pan (about 24cm), sauté the minced or pressed garlic and chopped onion in a bit of good olive oil until they are shiny, but not brown – the garlic will be bitter if it turns brown.

Meanwhile, give the tomatoes a criss-cross cut on top and blanch in 1 liter of water for about 20 seconds, but stay alert – if blanched for too long they’ll get soggy and difficult to handle – remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon or a spider immediately when you see the skin just start to peel off in the water. Put into ice water to stop cooking process immediately. Remove skin.

Cut tomatoes in half; remove stem, wet core and seeds. The seeds have a bitter taste, so we want to discard the seeds, but the core of the tomato contains by far the most umami, so we want to keep that. Pass the core through a sieve over the sauté pan with the onion.

Chop the outer flesh of the tomato and add to the sauté pan. Add the herbs and spices and let it reduce for 15-30 minutes, until you get a slightly thick consistency, like a slightly chunky ketchup. If a smoother consistency is desired, you can use a blender, since the tomato seeds are removed, and you don’t have to worry about the bitter aftertaste the seeds would give otherwise. Blending the sauce makes it easier to spread on the dough.

The flavor will develop further if you let it sit in the fridge for a day. Leftovers can be put in a freezer for up to a month.

Cheese

• 100g Jarlsberg
• 100g mozzarella (ideally buffalo)
• 50g Gorgonzola

Topping

• 1 Small fennel, finely sliced length-wise (julienned), sautéed in oil until just soft
• Porcini in small chunks, lightly browned in butter
• 100g Entrecote (rib eye), raw, in thin strips on top of the cheese

 Before serving, sprinkle on top of the pizza (in this order):

• 50g Hazelnut, chopped and toasted
• Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Put the hazelnuts in a plastic bag and use your knife-butt to crush them – make sure most have an even size. Toast in a dry pan, continuously tossing the nuts so they won’t burn. Pass to a small bowl and shake it gently. The smallest bits will sink to the bottom of the bowl, and the larger bits will come to the top. Use the larger bits and discard the dust and the smallest ones.

I hope you will enjoy this incredible recipe – let me know if you tried it and send me your comments, suggestions and pictures if you can!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1 package (1/4 oz.) of active dry yeast
•  1/2 teaspoon of granulated white sugar
•  3- 1/2 – 4 cups of all purpose flour
•  1/4 cup of light brown sugar
•  1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
•  1/2 cup of candied fruit and peel mix
• 1/4 cup of raisins or currants

Egg wash: 

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon of milk or cream

Glaze: 

• 1/2 cup of confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan or in the microwave heat the milk until lukewarm .
2. Add the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and stir to combine.
3. Set aside for about 10 minutes or until the yeast is activated and is foamy.
4. Meanwhile in the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the flour, brown sugar, spices, and salt. 
5. Once the yeast is foamy, add to the flour mixture and beat to combine.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. With the mixer on low, gradually add the butter, mixing until the butter is incorporated and the dough comes together. With the dough attachment, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). 
8. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and, by hand, gradually knead in the candied and dried fruit. 
9. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough once, so the top is lightly greased.
10. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and place in a warm spot to rise until it has doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).
11. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, and divide into 12 equal pieces. 
12. Form each piece into a small round ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet (Place three buns to a row, four rows altogether. They should be spaced so they have enough room to double in size.) 
13. Make an egg wash of one beaten egg with 1 tablespoon milk, and brush the tops of the buns with the wash.
14. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and place in a warm spot until almost doubled in size (about 30 – 60 minutes).
15. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F .
16. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash again and, with a sharp, lightly greased knife ,make a cross in the tops of each bun. 
17. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the buns are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.



Hope this recipe will turn out well for you, please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated

The recipe was adjusted and perfected over the centuries – the bread was originally made without butter and was pretty dry and hard. I like to serve it warmed up with butter and sometimes homemade jams for breakfast, but it is great as a snack as well anytime.

If you want to know more about this traditional baked goodie, here’s a great article on Wikipedia about Stollen.

Traditional Christmas Stollen Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 -1/2 cups of milk
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 3/4 cup of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 5 -2/3 cups of flour
• 1 ounce of active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup of candied citrus peel
• 1/2 cup of candied cherries

Directions

1. Scald milk.
2. Add sugar, butter, and salt, and cool to lukewarm.
3. Add 2 whole eggs, and 2 yolks.
4. Mix.
5. Add to 3 cups flour and yeast in food processor.
6. Process and let rise until double.
7. Add cardamom, raisins, citron, and cherries, and rest of flour.
8. Process and put on floured board and knead.
9. Let rise in greased bowl.
10. When risen, cut into 3-4 pieces.
11. Roll each into an oval, butter, and fold in half lengthwise.
12. Put on greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise until double.
13. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.
14. Remove to rack.
15. When cool, frost with white butter frosting and decorate with candied cherry halves and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Hope you have enjoyed this recipe, please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup of eggnog
• 2 teaspoons of rum extract
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 2 -1/4 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease bottom only of a 9×5 inch loaf pan, or three 3×5 inch loaf pans.
3. Blend together the eggs, eggnog, rum extract, sugar, vanilla and butter.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
5. Add to eggnog mixture and stir just enough to moisten; pour into prepared pan.
6. Bake bread in large pan for 40 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Breads baked in the smaller pans require 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Cool for 10 minutes, and remove from pan. Cool completely, wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.

Hope you have enjoyed this recipe – please send in your comments, suggestions and experioences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated

…

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 -1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest
• 1 -1/2 cups of fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup of pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup of margarine, softened
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup of orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Stir in orange zest, cranberries, and pecans.
5. Set aside.
6. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar, and egg until smooth.
7.  Stir in orange juice.
8. Beat in flour mixture until just moistened.
9. Pour into prepared pan.
10. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the bread springs back when lightly touched.
11. Let stand 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
12. Wrap in plastic when completely cool.

Hope you have enjoyed this recipe, please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated