Hot recipes that make a cold day better

What could be better these cold days than starting the day with a hot cereal and ending it with a bowl of hot soup or stew and some hot bread? I have had several requests for quick hot breads. Here are some of my favorites. I hope that you find something you can make and enjoy. Take care…I’ll be seeing you around…Agnes

Polenta:

1 envelope dehydrated onion soup mix

1 ½ cups cornmeal

4 ½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons melted butter

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine onion soup mix, water, and salt in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Whisk in the cornmeal and stir constantly while cooking over low heat for 10 minutes or until very thick*. Set oven on 375 to preheat. Brush a 1 ½ quart baking dish with melted butter. Sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese in the bottom of the dish. Drop mixture by spoonful into dish or shape into large balls between palms of hands. Brush with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes and serve with gravy or a sauce. * Can be poured into a buttered pan, chilled and cut into squares, fried in butter and served with most anything, especially honey.

Plain Cornbread

2 cups self-rising corn meal (White Lily)

2 eggs, slightly beaten with 1 cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons melted shortening

Put shortening in a cast iron frying pan and heat. Mix all other ingredients together and pour the hot shortening into batter and stir to mix. Add more milk, if needed. Pour batter into the hot pan and bake in 425 degree oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Mexican Cornbread:

Make the above recipe, reducing buttermilk to ½ cup, add: ½ cup minced onion; 1 large can creamed corn; 2 tablespoons (more or less) minced pickled jalapeño peppers that have been deseeded; 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar; ½ cup sour cream and don’t forget the melted shortening. Mix well and bake in greased muffin pans.

Corn Bread:

(Aunt Maggie’s way)

Aunt Maggie made this recipe but reduced the amount of milk so that she would have a batter that would hold its shape when dropped. She would heat about 3 inches of fat till hot and drop the batter in the shape of little patties and fry, turning only once. They were delicious. Sometimes she would sprinkle with powdered sugar or put a little bowl of honey for dipping.

Biscuits

2 and ¼ cups self-rising flour

¼ cup butter + ¼ cup Crisco

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly butter a baking sheet and set aside. Using a wooden spoon and mix butter and Crisco. Gently work in flour and milk. Make a good dough and turn on a lightly floured surface. Flour hands and flatten dough. Fold dough into thirds twice and press out. Repeat and flatten dough to a ¾ inch thick rectangle. Cut with a large biscuit cutter and place on prepared pan. Gently reshape the scrapes and cut into biscuits. Bake until biscuits are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits: Make the above recipe, adding ½ cup sugar and ½ to ¾ cup raisins. Press dough in a buttered 9 x 13 pan. Use a spatula and cut 3 biscuits across and 4 down. Bake in a 400 degree preheated until light brown. Cool for about 15 minutes and top with a powdered sugar glaze.

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls-makes approximately 32 rolls

2 cups water

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

3 tablespoons butter

•Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium pot; stir in oats and butter; return to a boil; boil for one minute stirring constantly; remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees

2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)

1 tablespoon sugar

•In a 2 cup measuring cup, stir together 2 packets of yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let yeast mixture sit for 5 minutes-the mixture will bubble up to the top of the cup

4 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (may take a little more)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

•Whisk 4 cups flour, salt and sugar to remove any lumps.

Beat oat mixture, yeast mixture, and flour mixture with a mixer until smooth. The dough will be sticky and slightly wet-turn it out onto a floured surface; knead adding flour as needed till dough is smooth and elastic-about 5 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl; cover; and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down; divide in half; shape each portion into 16 1and 1/2 inch balls; place evenly in lightly greased pan or turn half the dough into Cinnamon Rolls or Doughnuts. Cover and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes or till doubled in bulk; bake in 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden brown

(After second rising rolls may be refrigerated overnight-let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking or freeze after second rising for up to a month; thaw overnight in refrigerator; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking) From my email Buddy…Tipper

Tips:

•Using a good self-rising flour or corn meal will help save time preparing and clean-up.

•Wrap leftover breads in plastic wrap and then put in zip lock bag. Freeze or refrigerate.

•Both biscuit and cornbread can be split, buttered or not, and toasted.

•Split biscuits, butter and use to top fruit cobbler. Sprinkle top with a little sugar.

•Rolls can be substituted for small sandwiches.

•Leftover biscuit and cornbread can be frozen for dressing.