Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

This morning, in celebration of not having anything to do (well, if you don't count the three papers due before December 1), I woke up and felt that something special needed to happen for breakfast. It was cold in the apartment because it actually got cold last night outside. So this something would need to fill me up with delicious goodness and the apartment with residual heat.
My mom loaned me one of my favorite cook books of hers: Muffins and More. The banana muffin recipes that I posted are from this book- and honestly, I have yet to go wrong with any of the recipes. Here is what I made this morning:

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
*the original recipe is for muffins, but I didn't feel like cleaning up muffin tins afterwards

MUFFINS:
1 1/2 cups - all-purpose flour
1/2 cup - white sugar
3 tsp - Baking POWDER
1/2 tsp - Salt

*Mix together and make a "well" in a medium-sized bowl

1 - Egg
1/4 cup - Milk
1/4 cup - cooking oil
1 apple - peeled, cut into small pieces or shredded

*Mix together and add to the flour mixture

Grease a 9x9 pan (or 12 muffin tins) and set oven at 400F
*Scoop batter into pan, or fill muffin tins 3/4 full

TOPPING:
1/2 cup - Packed BROWN sugar
1/4 cup - flour
1/4 cup - butter at room temperature

*Using a fork, pastry mixer, or hands, mix all together until crumbly.
*Sprinkle on top of coffee cake/muffin batter

*Bake for 20-25 min or until slightly browned on top

I'm not going to lie: when first mixing this up, it did not seem like enough liquid. The batter initially felt really dry. However, the apples release a fair amount of liquid once they start baking, so just trust the proportions. Because the batter was so thick, I think it is easier to make a coffee cake out of the batter, but that is just my opinion!

Wheat Bread

This is the whole wheat bread recipe I have used for years. I very carefully paid attention to what I do and how much of everything I use, so I hope this works. Let me know how successful or unsuccessful the adventure unfolds for you. Scott's first attempt was not as he wished. I hope I have cleaned up the problems with recipe.

Here it is:

Mix together and let proof:

2 cups warm milk or water

2 TBL sugar

1 TBL yeast

Add:

4 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup dried milk if using water

1/3 cup honey

Mix well until dough becomes sticky and develops some gloss.

Let set 20 minutes (or longer if you become busy--it really doesn't mind. Bread was invited by God to accommodate the unpredictable needs of small children--or large children)

Mix in:

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 TBL salt

2 - 2 1/2 cups white flour—dough should be slightly sticky

Turn out onto a well floured counter—let set 10 minutes

Knead until smooth – working in no more that 1/4 cup flour

Let rise until double – 45 minutes and form into 2 loaves or

2 doz large rolls

Let rise and bake at 370°F

Variation:

I have started adding about 1 1/2 cup cooked 10 grain cereal—it adds a

wonderfully nutty flavor. The dough will require about 1/2 cup additional flour

and will be a little more difficult to knead as it will be stickier. Do not add too much flour, or the bread will be really heavy.

Pumpkin Muffins

Here are the pumpkin muffins that should be made each fall. It makes 5 dozen, so there is plenty to share :) or maybe not.

Pumpkin Muffins

Stir together in a large bowl:

2 cups flour

2 cups white sugar

1 tsp soda

1 tea salt

1 tea baking powder

1 tea cinnamon

1/2 tea nutmeg

1/2 tea ginger

Add the following—stirring well:

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1 – 15 oz can of pumpkin

5 eggs

Mix in—stirring well:

2 pkgs of vanilla instant pudding mix

Lightly grease muffin tins

Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes

This makes 5 doz mini muffins – I have not used regular sized muffin tins.

Frost with cream cheese frosting after cooled.

Orange Rolls

As I made these for a church activity, I wrote the recipe--it has slight changes from the original recipe in Bake in Style, Duncan Style. I used buttermilk and it really softened the dough. You can use the same dough for kolaches.

Orange Rolls

Mix in a large mixing bowl and let set until bubbly:

2 pkg yeast

1 cup warm water (105°F)

1/2 cup white sugar

Add:

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mashed potatoes (I put both in a blender and blend until smooth)

1 TBL orange zest

Add: 4 cups flour and beat until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes

Add:

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 TBL salt - beat until smooth

Add: approx 3 cups flour (dough will be soft and somewhat sticky)

Let rest 5 minutes and the knead gently—the dough is to be softer than bread

Let rise 45 minutes.

After rising – punch down and let rest 5 minutes while you melt 1/3 cup butter (don’t cheat and use margarine)

Roll the dough out in a rectangle that is 8 inches wide and however long. Spread the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/3 cup orange juice concentrate, 1/4 cup white corn syrup, and 1 TBL orange zest.

Roll up the dough and cut (quickly so you don’t lose too much of the filling) and place slices in a 10/15 brownie pan that has been well greased with shortening—do not use spray oil stuff.

Let rise about 30 minutes and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes—rolls should just be taking color. Frost while warm so frosting melts into the rolls.

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

This recipe is almost as good as the chocolate chip one that Stacy posted--almost meaning it does not contain chocolate :) It is wonderfully spicy and moist.

Zucchini Pineapple Bread

3 eggs Mix together in a bowl

1 cup Crisco oil

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup pineapple tidbits

3 cups flour Mix in a separate bowl and add to other

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon mixture

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup walnuts

Grease and flour the pans Bake at 350 45 – 50 minutes for a loaf pan

Chocolate Sauce that will permanently change your life

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

¼ cup cocoa

1-cup sugar

½ cup whipping cream (I use the whole Half pint)

2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp vanilla

Measure cocoa, sugar, cream, syrup, butter and salt into a heavy saucepan, about 1 ½ quart size. Stir until blended. Bring to a boil over moderate high heat. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Nut Bread (Mom's)

I've been waiting for Mom to jump on here and put this one up herself but she's a little computer challenged ;) so I'm just going to add this before we forget. It really is a great one. The zucchini/chocolate may sound like an odd combination, but really what you end up with is a very moist and delicious quick bread. Or muffin! The loaves make great gifts, the mini muffins make for a lazy and quick snack(no inconvenient cutting involved, just pop in your mouth!). My kids love these.

Mom's Choc Chip Zuke Nut Bread

INGREDIENTS/DIRECTIONS

3 eggs - beaten until light
Add: 1 1/2 cup sugar(I do more like 2)
3 tea vanilla
1 cup oil (I cut the oil to 2/3 cup and added another cup of zucchini)
Mix well

Add: 2 cups grated zucchini (I add almost 3 cups)

Add: 3 cups flour
1 tea salt
1 tea soda
1 tea baking powder
3 tea cinnamon (I also add some allspice and nutmeg)

Add: 3oz pkg instant chocolate pudding mix (I never have this on hand so I don't put it in personally)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup choc chips (I add almost 1 cup )

Grease and flour the muffin tins or mini loaf pans(I find it doesn't work to try to make a larger loaf than the minis). Bake at 325 or 350 for 20min and check to see if done. I find the mini muffins are done at 325 and 20ish mins, the loaves take around 10min more. To check to see if they're done, take a toothpick and insert into center. If there's batter on it when you pull it out, isn't done! Also you'll notice the edges brown. Most times the entire top of my loaf is brown. Don't worry, it probably isn't burning.