Corn Toaster Cakes

When we lived in New Hampshire, Thomas' Corn Toaster Cakes were readily available, right next to the English muffins in the grocery store. We can't find them here in New Mexico and Bill has been longing for them. When he ordered a couple of packages online for almost $20 I knew it was time to find a recipe. 

This is my variation of what I found on Food.com. That recipe includes optional dried orange or lemon rind, which we haven't tried yet. We are still enjoying the nostalgic taste of the cakes without the rind. Give us time...

Fresh out of the oven

 

Place in a large bowl and warm slightly in microwave to melt the coconut oil:

2 cups milk

1/2 cup coconut oil

Add and beat:

2 eggs 

1/4 cup honey

Optional: 2 tbl. of dried orange or lemon rind

Sift together:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 cups cornmeal

2/3 cup granulated sugar

6 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Stir the sifted ingredients into the milk mixture until just mixed. Spray a muffin top pan (I got mine from Amazon) with Pam. Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of batter into each well for the correct size cake to fit into a standard toaster. 

Bake at 375 F for 10-12 minutes. Remove from pan to cool. Yields 2-1/2 to 3 dozen.

These can be frozen. Remove from freezer and toast lightly in the toaster. Spread with butter.

Muffin top pan

TKO’s Unusual Cornbread

This recipe comes  from my friend, Tom, who lives in British Columbia and who also gave me the recipe for Tallerone, which appeared on this blog in 2008. He also sent along this link to a fascinating article called The Real Reason Sugar Has No Place in Cornbread. If you read it, you may want to make this cornbread in a heavy black iron frying pan.

Tom says:

Somewhat cake-like, fine textured, moist.

Oven 400F

9x9” cake pan, oiled

Dry ingredients

1 C corn flour

½ C cornmeal

3/4 C flour (unbleached all-purpose, whole wheat, bread flour, whatever) 

2 T sugar (optional)

1 T baking powder

½ t salt

Wet ingredients

2 eggs

½ C oil

1 C yogurt (I use thick “Greek” style; others use buttermilk)

1/3 cup “milk” (cow, soy, rice, almond, oat, whatever)

½ C green onions, diced/chopped

Add drys to wets

Bake for about 45 minutes

Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

From the files of my sister, Auntie Bucksnort. 

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50-65 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. 
   

Even better the second day.

Hot Buttermilk Cornbread

It's a long road to Pie Town from our house. Along the way we always take photos of
the Very Large Array (in the far distance) on the Plains of San Agustin. 

This recipe comes from the novel, Pie Town, by Lynne Hinton (Morrow, 2011).

2 cups buttermilk
3 cups creamed corn
2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbl. baking powder
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup olive oil
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
8 oz. diced green chiles

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix all the ingredients together except the cheese and chiles.

Pour half the batter into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Place the chiles on the batter then sprinkle on half the cheese. Pour in the remaining batter. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.

Bake about one hour. Serves 12.

My note: The part about this being Hot Buttermilk Cornbread? I can only guess that's because it should be served warm. In the book, it was especially good when served with Oris's Famous Cowboy Beans.

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Muffins

Fall is the perfect time for pumpkin recipes. When I looked around online for pumpkin muffin recipes, the ones I found called for tons of sugar; some even started with a cake mix. However, I wanted some nice substantial muffins that were not too sweet or filled with preservatives from a mix.

I found my recipe the old-fashioned way--in a book that was sitting on my shelf! This is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1989), [with my changes in brackets].

I've tried this now with pumpkin, and with sweet potato. Both ways make a delicious muffin.

1-3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
[1/2 tsp. salt]
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves

1/2 cup [you can use as much as a cup] canned pumpkin [or cooked, mashed sweet potato]

1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil

1/4 cup chopped nuts [toasted pecans]

Mix in a large bowl the egg, milk, oil, and pumpkin. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients and the chopped nuts, just until mixed. Lightly grease muffin cups, fill 2/3 full. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.

Pineapple Pecan Quick Bread

• This is a Pillsbury recipe. I made a couple of adjustments to the measurements, reflected in the amounts below. The glaze was the perfect finishing touch. Makes 2 loaves. 
• 
  
• 2  cups sugar
• 1  cup margarine or butter, softened
• 4  eggs
• 3  cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon soda
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1  to 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel (or 1 tablespoon dried lemon peel)
• 1/2  teaspoon lemon or pineapple extract (vanilla works, too)
• 1/2  cup chopped pecans
• 1  (20-oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained, reserving 3 tablespoons liquid
• 
  
• GLAZE
• 1/2  cup grantulated sugar
• 3  tablespoons reserved pineapple liquid
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8x4 or 9x5-inch loaf pans. In large bowl, cream sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking powder, soda, salt, buttermilk, lemon peel and lemon extract; mix until smooth. Stir in pecans and pineapple. Pour into prepared pans.
2. 
   Bake at 350°F. for 50 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. In small bowl, blend all glaze ingredients; spoon over hot breads. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

*****

Check out some other great pineapple recipes on Food on Friday: Pineapple.

Georgia's Special Cornbread (Wheatless)

This is the cornbread that Georgia served with her Pinto Beans. It was a wonderful meal! This is a good recipe for those with wheat allergies.

2 cups cornmeal

1/3 cup melted shortening

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbl. sugar

1/2 tsp. soda

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 can cream style corn

1 can chopped green chile (or substitute fresh or frozen)

1 cup grated cheese

Mix the first 7 ingredients as for cornbread.

Add corn and chile.

Grease a large iron skillet.

Pour in half the batter, sprinkle with half the cheese, add the remaining batter and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Bake at 500° for 25 minutes or until done. Note: That's a really hot oven, and I confirmed the temperature with Georgia. Just watch carefully that your cornbread doesn't burn.

Banana Date Bread

Here is another favorite recipe from the Pickity Place cookbook.

3 - 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup chopped dates

2 tbl. lemon juice

3/4 cup shortening

1 - 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Sift dry ingredients together.

Mash the bananas and add the lemon juice to them.

Cream the shortening and sugar, add the eggs and beat thoroughly until very light and fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk.

Fold in the bananas, dates, and nuts; mix well.

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350° for one hour, or until done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on wire racks.

Orange Bread

This is a very flavorful bread--the aroma is great! The recipe comes from Maine's Jubilee Cookbook, published in 1969; I've added my own glaze.

1 orange

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk [you may substitute plain yogurt. ~CZ]

1 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 - 1/4 cups flour

Put the raisins and the orange, peeling and all, through the food chopper. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add the soda to the buttermilk, then mix all ingredients together in the order given. Add the raisin-orange mixture last.

Bake in a well-greased loaf pan at 350° for one hour or until done.

Drizzle while warm with a mixture of 1/2 cup powdered sugar stirred together with just enough orange juice to make a thin glaze.

Let cool completely before slicing.

Grape-Nut Bread

I am a fan of Grape-Nut cereal, and I must come by that honestly. When we first moved back to New England from the west coast we discovered that people there loved Grape-Nuts, especially in Grape-Nut Pudding. I have to admit that I never quite "got" that pudding, but this bread (from Maine's Jubilee Cookbook, published in 1969) is a very tasty way to eat your Grape-Nuts.

1/2 cup Grape-Nuts cereal

1 cup sour milk (if you don't happen to have any, use this method)

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 to 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbl. melted shortening

1 tsp. vanilla

Soak the Grape-Nuts in the sour milk for 10 minutes. Sift together the dry ingredients. Mix the egg, vanilla, and shortening. Add the egg mixture to the sour milk. Add the sifted ingredients and mix well.

Pour into a well-greased loaf pan. Let rise for 20 minutes before baking. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Date Nut Bread

My mother used to make date bread around Christmas time. It was wonderfully moist and dark and so good when spread with cream cheese. This version comes from my old edition of the Boston Globe Cook Book, which was given to me by my brother-in-law Warren, a printer for the Globe for many, many years.

1 (6 - 1/2 oz.) pkg. dates

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cups sugar

1 egg
4 tbl. softened butter

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup chopped nuts

Cut up dates, add baking soda and boiling water. Set aside to cool.

Add sugar, egg, and butter to cooled date mixture; beat well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Bake in a greased loaf pan for 55-60 minutes at 350°. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Note: I have been finding that these quick fruit and nut breads slice more easily the day after baking, although it's hard to wait that long!

Apricot-Nut Bread

1/2 cup dried apricots*

1/2 cup water

2 cups sifted flour

3 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 egg

1 cup sugar

2 tbl. melted butter

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Soak apricots in water for half an hour; drain and chop.

Sift dry ingredients together.

Beat egg, add sugar and mix well. Add butter and orange juice.

Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients; stir in apricots and nuts.

Bake in greased bread pan for 1 - 1 1/4 hours at 350°. Slice cold and spread with butter.

*But think of all the substitutions you can make--prunes, dried cranberries, raisins, etc.

Oriental Spice Muffins

This recipe is from The Tassajara Bread Book. Take the time to make these delicious muffins for breakfast--you will be glad you did, and your kitchen will smell wonderful.

"As the Shakers said, work is a gift to the person doing the work..." ~Edward Espe Brown, author of The Tassajara Bread Book.

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup oil

1/4 - 1/2 cup honey or molasses

1 - 1/2 cups milk

Combine the dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Fold quickly wet and dry together, just until the flour is moistened.* Spoon into a greased muffin tin.

Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.


*Lately I've been folding in a couple of cups of raisin bran cereal before spooning the batter into the tin.

Hawaiian Bread

This recipe comes from a delightful old cookbook in my collection, called Blue Ribbon Recipes; County Fair Winners (Favorite Recipes Press, 1968). It's a real treasure, because it is filled with the very best recipes of the best cooks.

One No. 2 - 1/2 can of crushed pineapple, undrained

One 10 oz. pkg. of flaked coconut

4 eggs, beaten

1 - 1/2 cups sugar

4 cups flour

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. soda

Combine all ingredients in the order given, with dry ingredients sifted together. Pour into 2 well-buttered loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes at 325° or until done. Cool on rack.

Indian Fry Bread: Low-Fat Version

The August 2009 issue of New Mexico Magazine has a great article on Indian tacos, including this low-fat version of Indian "Fry" Bread which is made without frying.

I've made these a couple of times now and they are an absolutely delicious substitute for flour tortillas. Just fold them up with some cheese, taco meat, tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa inside and you have yourself a meal.

Please check out the whole article (Indian Summer Celebration), which includes frying directions, just in case you want to try the more authentic and higher calorie version of this Southwestern classic.

3 cups unbleached flour

1 - 1/2 tbl. baking powder

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 - 1/8 cups warm water

Mix ingredients together, knead well for 4 or 5 minutes, adding flour as needed. You should end up with a soft and pliable dough which is no longer sticky. Cover and let rise for 1/2 an hour.

Shape the dough into 8 small balls. Roll out to 1/4" thickness, using your hands or a rolling pin, until each piece is 6" to 8" in diameter. Cook on a hot ungreased griddle for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until browned.

Zucchini Bread

You can't ever have too many zucchini recipes, especially when your garden starts producing armloads of the stuff!

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups grated fresh zucchini

1 cup coconut oil 

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup golden raisins

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350˚ for one hour.

Yorkshire Pudding

1 - 1/2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs, well beaten

1 - 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup shortening or beef drippings

Mix the flour and salt. Gradually stir in the eggs combined with the milk. Beat until smooth. Pour the batter into a shallow pan containing the melted drippings. The batter should be 1/2" deep.

Bake in a 400˚ oven for 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve at once.

Pumpkin Bread

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, unbeaten

2 cups sifted flour

1 1/2 txp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. each: Salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup water

Combine the sugars, pumpkin, oil, and eggs; beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, add to other mixture and beat well. Stir in the raisins, nuts, and water.

Spoon into a well oiled 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan. Bake at 350˚ for 65 to 75 minutes until done. Cool thoroughly on a rack.

Roman Meal Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 scant tsp. salt

3/4 cup Roman Meal cereal

2 eggs

4 tbl. oil

Buttermilk

Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat the eggs with the oil and add enough buttermilk to make 2 cups. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry mixture just to mix (don't beat). Spoon onto a hot waffle iron. Serves 5 to 6.

Cranberry Bread

This recipe comes from Allrecipes

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup margarine, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 egg 3/4 cup orange juice

	Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in orange zest, cranberries, and pecans. Set aside.
	In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in orange juice. Beat in flour mixture until just moistened. Pour into prepared pan.
	Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the bread springs back when lightly touched. Let stand 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Wrap in plastic when completely cool.