Cranberry Walnut Bread

When I'm ready for some Jacked-Up Turkey Sandwiches, I make a loaf of this delicious bread in my bread machine. Make the necessary adjustments for making some to bake in the oven.

8 1/2 oz. warm water (1 c. + 1 Tbsp.)
2 1/2 c. bread flour
2 Tbsp. dry milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 tsp. bread machine/fast rise yeast (or 2 tsp. active dry yeast)
3/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Add warm water to pan. Add bread flour, dry milk, sugar, salt, and cinnamon to pan; tap to settle dry ingredients. Place butter into corners of pan. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add yeast. Lock pan into bread maker and being mixing.

When alert sounds, add cranberries and walnuts.

When done, remove bread from pan and cool on rack. Slice after cooling.

Jacked-Up Turkey Sandwich

My friend Cheri makes this delicious sandwich in her restaurant (PawPaw's Sweet Shop and Cafe, downtown Garland). I've come up with my own version of it.

1 slice cranberry walnut bread, cut in half
fat free cream cheese
Granny Smith apple slices (thin)
fresh spinach
deli-sliced turkey

*I bet this would be wonderful at Thanksgiving with some leftover turkey...!

Italian Herb Bread

This recipe is from a bread machine cookbook.

8 1/2 oz. warm water
2 3/4 c. bread flour
1 Tbsp. dry milk
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. bread machine/fast rise yeast

Add water to pan. Add flour, dry milk, sugar, salt, cheese, and seasoning to pan; tap to settle. Place cut pieces of butter in corners of pan. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add yeast. Program machine for BASIC/SPECIALTY.

*I haven't tried making just the dough in the bread machine then baking it in the oven, so I'm not comfortable giving any suggestions on how to do that.

*Makes a great panini! Brush slices of bread with butter or light olive oil and put in skillet. Fill with mozzarella cheese, portobello mushrooms, fresh basil, tomato slices - whatever sounds good - and brown on both sides of sandwich. Press down while grilling with a grill press or a heavy skillet.

Cheese Bread

*This is a recipe for bread machines.

1/2 c. warm water
1 large egg
2 c. bread flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. bread machine/fast-rise yeast
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese, frozen

Add water and egg to bread pan.

Add bread flour, salt, and sugar to pan. Tap pan to settle dry ingredients, the level ingredients, pushing some of the mixture into corners. Cut butter into four pieces and place into corners of pan.

Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add yeast. Lock pan into bread maker.

Program for BASIC/SPECIALTY and desired bread color; press start. When alerted, add frozen cheese to dough.

When done, remove from pan and cool 15 minutes before slicing.

Makes a 1 lb. loaf.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

(See photo below with Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe.)

2 c. Bisquick
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
generous dash of Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix together Bisquick, milk, and cheese; dough will be sticky. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto baking stone or greased baking sheet.

In small bowl, mix butter, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Generously brush tops of unbaked biscuits.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.

Serves 8.

Southwestern Cornbread Salad

1 6-oz. pkg. Mexican cornbread mix
1 bottle Ranch salad dressing
1 small head lettuce, shredded
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 15-oz. can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 8-oz. pkg. shredded Mexican blend cheese
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
5 green onions, chopped

Prepare cornbread as directed on package; cool and crumble. Set aside.

Layer a large bowl with half each of cornbread, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, corn, cheese, bacon, and onions. Spoon dressing evenly over top. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, and top again with dressing.

Serve immediately or cover and chill for a few hours.

*This salad presents beautifully in a trifle or other large glass bowl, but it tends to get soggy if left overnight. When I know the whole thing won't be eaten at one meal, I prepare each serving bowl separately, saving the leftover ingredients to make fresh salads the next day.

*The original recipe calls for Romaine lettuce, but I use whatever I have on hand. I love adding fresh spinach to it.

Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread

1/2 c. margarine, softened
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
4 overripe bananas, mashed
2 c. all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease loaf pan.

In large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in vanilla and banana.

In smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips, if desired. Pour into loaf pan.

Bake for one hour, or until bread tests for doneness.

*I like to sprinkle walnuts and/or chocolate chips on the top before baking.

*I recently tried this with chopped peanuts instead of walnuts and it gave a great flavor! I also sprinkled some Pampered Chef® Sweet Caramel Sprinkle on top, which gave it a nice crunch and sweet, flavorful crust.

Tip: When your bananas start to turn brown, peel them, wrap them in foil, and freeze them. When you get ready to make your bread, take four out of the freezer, unwrap them, and place them in a bowl to thaw. They will not look appetizing, but they're perfectly fine. You can make your bread whenever you want and not have to wait for the bananas to be just right.