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Straight to the Point Recipes and Cooking Tips

October 06, 2022

Cinnamon Sugar Quick Bread

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Creaming Method

Muffin Method


Notes: I'm not sure how discernible it is from the photos above, but I wanted to mention that the top photo was made using the creaming method and the bottom photo was made using the muffin method. In short, the difference between the two methods is the creaming method involves mixing or creaming together the fat and sugar before adding the remaining ingredients and the muffin method combines the wet ingredients separately from the dry ingredients then combining the wet and dry ingredients together. The resulting crumb is very different. The creaming method will produce a more moist and cakelike crumb while the muffin method will be a little drier and closer to "regular" bread. This is because creaming the fat and sugar allows for air pockets to be created, which helps it rise and changes the texture of the bread. I prefer the creaming method, but both methods are delicious to me. Both sets of instructions below can be applied to almost any quickbread recipe I post on this blog. 


Ingredients: 

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine softened (1 stick) 
  • 1/2 cup white sugar 
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed 
  • 2 eggs  
  • 1 cup buttermilk, milk, or almond milk 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 2 tsp baking powder 

 

 

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture: 

  • 1/2 cup white sugar 
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon 

 

 

Easy Glaze 

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar 
  • 1-2 Tablespoons milk 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional 

 

Instructions (Creaming Method): 

  1. Preheat oven to 350. 
  2. Grease and flour a loaf pan and set aside. 
  3. In a large bowl cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar. 
  4. Mix in egg and buttermilk. 
  5. Mix in vanilla extract. 
  6. Mix together flour and baking soda and add to batter. 
  7. Stir JUST until flour is combined. Be careful not to over stir. Batter will and should be slightly lumpy. 
  8. Mix together cinnamon and sugar and set aside. 
  9. Add half of the batter to the pan 
  10. Sprinkle on half of the sugar mixture and swirl batter with a knife and then smooth it out. 
  11. Top with the remaining batter. 
  12. Sprinkle on the remaining cinnamon sugar and swirl with a knife and smooth out. 
  13. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  14. Remove from oven and let bread cool. 
  15. When pan is warm to the touch, remove bread from pan and let bread cool completely. 
  16. Mix together milk, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to create a thick but pourable glaze (may need more or less milk) 
  17. Drizzle glaze over cooled bread. 
  18. When glaze has hardened, slice bread and serve. 

 

 

Alternate Directions (The Muffin Method): 

  1. Combine liquid ingredients (milk, eggs, extracts, oil/melted butter) in a medium sized mixing bowl 
  2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 
  3. In a smaller separate bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon (and other desired spices) 
  4. Carefully pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mix until just combined. The batter may be lumpy. 
  5. In a greased and floured loaf pan, pour in a little more than half of the batter. 
  6. Sprinkle about two thirds of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the batter in the pan. Try to sprinkle it in an even layer. 
  7. Pour the remaining batter into the pan. Gently spread the top layer of batter so that it will be even.  
  8. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of batter. Try to sprinkle the sugar evenly.  
  9. If desired, use a clean skewer or butter knife to gently swirl the cinnamon sugar and batter. Be careful not to overmix.  
  10. Place pan in the oven and bake for 55-70 minutes. Begin checking the bread for doneness after about 55 minutes.  
  11. Remove bread from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. 
  12. Remove bread from pan and place on cooling rack. Allow to cool completely  
  13. Add glaze, if desired. 
  14. Enjoy. 

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August 17, 2022

Sweet Potato Bread - Sweet Potato Muffins

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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup of white sugar 
  • ½ cup of brown sugar 
  • ½ cup of butter (1 stick) 
  • 2 eggs 
  • ½ -¾ cup of mashed sweet potatoes 
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour 
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder 
  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda 
  • Pinch of salt 
  • 1/3-½  cup of milk 
  • Roughly 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
  • Roughly 1 teaspoon of nutmeg 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • Optional: 1/3 cup of vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream 

 

 

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare either loaf pan or muffin pan by spraying with nonstick spray or with butter and flour to prevent bread from sticking. 
  2. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into chunks. Place cut sweet potatoes in an even layer into a pot and add just enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil until soft. Once soft, remove from heat, drain, mash, and allow to cool. 
  3. Combine white sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter.
  4. Add eggs to sugar and butter mixture. Mix well. 
  5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 
  6. Add the flour mixture and milk to the egg mixture, alternating between the flour and the milk  
  7. Add cooled mashed sweet potatoes to the batter 
  8. Add vanilla extract 
  9. Pour batter into baking dish of choice and bake for 40-50 minutes or until check with a toothpick and the toothpick comes out clean.
  10. Remove from oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing.
  11. After 10 minutes, remove from pan.
  12. Serve and enjoy.
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August 17, 2022

Baking Tip: How to Tell if a Cake or Bread is Finished Baking

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Tips: How to check a cake or bread for doneness.

There are a few ways to check a cake or bread to see if it is finished baking. The most common and certain way is to use a long toothpick, skewer, or butter knife. You stick the skewer near the middle of the cake or bread and remove it. If the skewer has raw batter on it, then the cake needs to bake a little longer. If the skewer is clean or has a few cooked crumbs on it, the dish is done.

Another way to check if a cake is done is to gently give the baking dish a little shake. Most cakes and breads become firm when they are fully cooked. If you notice the center still looks wet and jiggles, then the cake needs more time to bake. I don't recommend doing this until the cake or bread has been baking at least three-quarters of the time suggested in the recipe. For example, if I'm following a recipe that suggests I bake a cake for 60 minutes, I would start checking the cake around 45-50 minutes. The reason for this is that every oven is different, so cook times vary. If I bake banana bread in my toaster oven, which is larger than most toaster ovens, but smaller than a traditional oven, I'd have to adjust both my cooking time and temperature to get desirable results. 

For the really brave and experienced, you can gently touch the top of the cake or bread near the center with your clean hand. If it jiggles or if you get a little batter on your fingertip, the cake needs more time to bake.

There are obvious visual cues to indicate doneness, like a burnt crust. If the sides of the cake or bread begin to pull away from the pan while it is still in the oven, then it is probably done and most likely overcooked. 

With time and practice, you can eventually be able to just look at the cake and smell it to be able to tell when it is finished baking. Personally, I use a combination of visual cues and a butter knife or toothpick to check my cakes and breads. 

I hope you find these tips helpful!
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April 15, 2022

Creamy Grits

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Cheese grits with beef bacon

For me, grits can be hit or miss. Everybody makes them differently, some people opt for sweet grits and others prefer savory. I'm on team savory. Some people say that there is no such thing as "quick grits" I disagree. I find that most people tend to have grits that are a little watery for my tastes. Some people use water, some use milk and some use chicken broth.

 

You can always follow the instructions that might come on the package, but I like my way better. Adding the grits to the water and milk immediately instead of waiting for the water the boil makes a difference in taste and consistency. Here is my take on quick grits that come out creamy and delicious. 


This recipe makes one serving. To make more, for every 1/3 cup of grits, use 1 cup of liquid. For instance, if you want to prepare 3 servings of grits, use 1 cup of grits and 3 cups of liquid (water, milk, or broth.) 


Ingredients 

  • 1/3 cup (4 tablespoons) of grits 
  • ½ cup of evaporated milk (or regular milk) 
  • ½ cup of water 

Optional 

  • Salt to taste 
  • Butter to taste 
  • Cheese to taste (I either use a Mexican blend or a 3 Cheddar blend of shredded cheese)

 

Directions

  • Add grits, milk, and water to a small pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Allow grits to boil for 2-3 minutes. 
  • Stir, reduce heat to very low, and cover the pot with a lid.  
  • Allow grits to simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  • Add seasonings to taste 





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