Saturday, January 24, 2009

Orange/Blueberry Muffins

Orange/Blueberry Muffins (one of my very favorite muffin recipes ever!)

Sift together:
5 cups flour
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt

Cut in 1 cup margarine to dry ingredients. Mix together in another bowl and add to dry ingredients:

1 cup orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
4 beaten eggs
4 tsp. orange rind
Fold in 3 cups of blueberries.

Bake at 375F for 12 minutes, then bake at 325F for 12 more minutes. Cool slightly. While the muffins are still warm, dip tops in melted butter, then orange juice concentrate, and then into sugar. Let cool. Makes approximately 4-1/2 dozen. Can be frozen in a Ziplock freezer bag for up to a month.

Whole Wheat, Whole Grain, and Flaxseed Bread

Whole Wheat, Whole Grain, and Flaxseed Bread

Using a Kitchen Aid or similar mixer (you can also use a large bowl and a whisk), place approximately

4½ cups White Flour
4½ cups Whole Wheat Flour
3½ tbsp. Flaxseed
4½ tbsp. Cracked Wheat or Whole Grain Flour
2/3 cup Sugar
2 tbsp. Fast-rising yeast (the kind you can just mix into the flour)
2 tsp. salt

and mix using the Kneading attachment. Let sit for a few minutes (maybe three or four).

Add slowly, pouring into one side of the bowl and letting the attachment pick it up gradually:

2 cups warm water (almost hot)

Mix together separately and then add to the flour mixture slowly:

2 cups Warm Water (almost hot)
2 Eggs
½ cup Oil

Continue to let mix until mixture begins to blend together and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. At that time, decide if you need more flour and add only

½ cup flour at a time (up to approximately 2 cups total)

until the mixture has pretty much all pulled away from the bowl.

Pour out onto surface and shape into a flat ball. Place in a large greased bowl, turn over (so that the greased bottom part is now on the top) and cover with a tea towel. Let raise for approximately 1 to 1½ hours.

Cut into five equal pieces and proceed to flatten each one like a rectangle. Roll up lengthwise from one side and pinch the edge to hold together. Pinch the pieces in the ends together and then place them on the underside of the loaf when you place it in a greased loaf pan. Let raise for approximately two more hours and then when it’s ready, bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 47 minutes. Immediately turn bread out on its side and place it on a baking rack to cool.

Enjoy!