Super Amazing Fantastic Banana Bread

Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 11/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 4-5)

If you like nuts/are not allergic to them, you may add 1/2 cup of walnuts to the dry mixture before combining. Dredging the nuts in the mixture will help them to not sink to the bottom of the pan.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan (or mini-loaf pans).
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas, vanilla, and vinegar until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan (until about 2/3 full)
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes (for 9x5; check at 45 for smaller loaf pans), until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Icing (Okay, so I know that this will sound really weird, but just trust me)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• water
• powdered sugar

Directions

• Combine butter with enough powdered sugar and water to make a thin-ish icing. Spread over warm banana bread.

Remember, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me! :)

Rosemary Rolls

Ingredients

• 12 Rhodes Rolls (or any frozen rolls)
• 1 1/2 T butter
• 2 dashes rosemary
• Finely ground sea salt (I really love Real Salt) 

Directions

1. Prepare rolls according to package, but stop before you bake. Meaning--let them rise, but don't bake.
2. Because the rolls take a long time to rise, wait until they have completely risen before performing next steps.
3. Put butter and rosemary into a microwave-safe dish and microwave until butter is melted. Mix.
4. Brush risen rolls with the mixture, making sure to spread an even amount over each roll. 
5. Using about a teaspoon of salt total, sprinkle each roll with a bit of salt (probably a pinch).
6. Bake according to package directions, normally 350 degrees  for 30 min. or until golden brown.

I hope you enjoy these. I made these for dinner tonight, and they were a big hit with the husband! :)

Adapted from Buttered Rosemary Rolls at ThePioneerWoman.com. I basically just simplified the recipe and didn't add as much butter.

HUGE Biscuits!

• Ingredients
• 
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

These biscuits are GREAT! Very tasty! This recipe can make 6 to 12 biscuits, depending on how big your cookie cutter is. You can also cut them in a variety of shapes; I used my heart-shaped cookie cutter to make these the last time. They were baked with love... Get it? ;)

French Bread

PREP TIME	25 Min
COOK TIME	40 Min
READY IN	2 Hrs 40 Min

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. (Make sure to add flour a little bit at a time; if you add too much at once, the dough will not rise as well and be really heavy-tasting)
  
• On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
• Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. (Flour works, too.) Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
• With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. (I didn't have to cover it with foil. My loaves baked perfectly.) Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.

This recipe is so good... I'm never buying French bread from the store again. This recipe, at least for me, makes two large loaves. Happy Baking!

modified recipe from Allrecipes.com