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B R E A D S

OATMEAL BREAD

1 cup oats
2 cups milk, scalded
1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Flour

Put oats in large bowl and cover with milk; stir. Let stand till lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast into hot water. Let stand a few minutes, then stir till dissolved. Add yeast mixture, molasses, ginger to oat mixture. Stir in 4 1/2 c. unsifted flour. Cover and let rise till double in bulk; about 1 hour.

Knead down on floured board and put into 2 greased loaf pans. Let rise till double. Bake in 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Combine dry ingredients and add to zucchini mixture and mix well. Pour into 2 greased 8x4x2 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bread tests done.

ZUCCHINI BREAD
Grandma Landenberger's recipe

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup nuts, optional
3/4 cup raisins, optional

Beat eggs until light and foamy; add oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Mix lightly. Add dry ingredients. Stir in nuts and raisins.

Pour into 2 greased and floured 9x5x6 inch loaf pans (or one 10" Bundt pan) and bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until done.

BREAD PUDDING

1 large loaf, day-old Italian bread
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick margarine or butter, cut up
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups milk

Leave bread out all day to let bread harden. Break it up in bite-sized pieces and put in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Drain really good pressing with spoon to get water out, or squeeze small chunks with your hands and let water drain out in the sink. Put squeezed bread chunks back into pot and add eggs, sugar, vanilla, margarine, cinnamon and milk. Mix well.

Or if you want a shortcut, use fresh Italian bread. Do not soak in water. Put in pot and add eggs and milk. Mix around to coat all the bread and then let sit for 10 minutes. Add sugar, vanilla, margarine, and cinnamon. Mix well. Then proceed to the next step.

Pour into an oblong greased cake pan. (I use a Dutch oven; cover handles with aluminum foil to protect them from heat.) Sprinkle some cinnamon over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Can add a can of sour cherries.

EASY GARLIC BREAD

1 large loaf Italian bread
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 or 4 cloves garlic, or more depending on your penchant for garlic, pressed or minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together butter and garlic. Slice Italian bread on the diagonal in 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces. Butter generously with garlic butter on both sides. Lean bread slices on the edges of each other on a cookie sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until edges of inner bread start to brown. Serve immediately.

BRUSCHETTA
Great accompanient for pasta
(from a recipe I found and improvised)

1 pound fresh Italian plum tomatoes
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese

Wash, seed and chop the tomatoes. Mix tomatoes with oil, salt, basil and garlic and let stand at room temperature until shortly before serving. When ready to serve, chop the cheese into small pieces and add to tomato mixture. Split a French baguette, spread bruschetta on bread, and toast it under the broiler until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Slice the bread and serve. It does keep overnight but is best served shortly after being made.

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