Savory French Bread Slices

This is a Taste of Home recipe, and it's a keeper.

½ cup butter, softened

¼ tsp celery seed

¼ tsp paprika

1 loaf (20 inches) French bread, sliced

Combine butter, celery seed, and paprika. Spread between bread slices and over top. Wrap bread tightly in foil. Bake 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Open foil and bake another 5 minutes.

Zibulnikas

(Cottage Cheese Buns with Green Onions)


I served these at our Jewish Hannakuh dinner for the gourmet club. They take a little practice to get the tops twisted shut, but they are a different approach to a dinner roll. The recipe listed below is the low-fat version. You can, however, very easily make them even better by using the full-fat variety of ingredients.  You must start these about 8 hours or more before you plan on serving them, as the cottage cheese takes a minimum of 4 hours to drain before making the filling. Recipe is from Healthy Jewish Cooking, by Steven Raichlen.

2  cups  low or non-fat small curd cottage cheese (be sure to get small curd)

The night before, or at least 4 hours ahead of time, place the cottage cheese in a fine mesh strainer, or one lined with cheesecloth or paper towel (coffee filter?), over a bowl. Cover and refirgerate until ready to use, at least 4 hours or overnight.

FOR THE DOUGH:
1  pkg  dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp)
1  tsp  sugar
1  cup  warm water
3-1/2  cups  flour, plus extra for rolling out
1-1/2  tsp  salt
2  Tbs  oil, plus oil for the bowl
1  egg, lightly beaten

Combine yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl or coffee cup. Stir to mix.Let stand until the mixture is foamy, 10 minutes.

Place the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Add yeast mixture, remaining 3/4 cup warm water, oil, and egg. Process in short bursts to obtain a dough that is soft and pliable, but not sticky. Add additional flour if needed. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and knead a few minutes by hand.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

FILLING:
Well-drained cottage cheese
1/2  cup  low or non-fat sour cream
1/4  cup  egg substitute, or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1  bunch  scallions (green onions), trimmed and finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

2  Tbs  egg substitute, or 1 egg white, beaten with a pinch of salt for glazing
1  Tbs  butter

Combine the well-drained cottage cheese, sour cream, egg substitute, scallions, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir to mix. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be highly seasoned. Set aside.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a ball; cover with plastic wrap and let rst for 5 minutes. Flatten each ball with the plam of your hand. Then, using a rolling pin, roll into a 6" circle.

Place 3 Tbs of filling in center of each circle.Lightly brush the edges with water to help seal the dough. Now start lifting up the edges forming pleats. Slightly raise the dough off the counter so the filling sinks down. Doing this will help keep the filling where it belongs. Now gather up all the pleats and twist them in a circle, forming a beggar's purse or old fashioned money bag. Pinch or twist to seal in the filling. Arrange the rolls on a non-stick cookie sheet,  lightly sprayed with PAM. Loosly cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap. Let rise until soft and puffy, about 30 minutes or so.

Brush the Zubulnikas with the egg glaze. Place a little dab of butter on top of each bun. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until puffed and golden, about 30 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Have napkins handy, as the filling can be very juicy.

Sausage Bread

2  pkgs  dry yeast
2  cups  warm water
1/2  cup  sugar
7  cups  flour
1/4  cup  shortening
2  tsp  salt
2  eggs, beaten
2  lbs  bulk sausage, cooked, drained, and rinsed
1  lb  Mozzarella cheese, grated
5  Tbs  fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2  eggs, beaten
1  egg, beaten, optional
1 - 2  Tbs  parsley flakes

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, half of the flour, shortening, and salt. Work in remaining flour. Cover with towel and place in a warm spot to raise until doubled (takes about 2 hours).

Roll out to about 8x10-inches, on a floured countertop.

Mix together, cheeses, eggs, and parsley. Spread on top of dough, keeping 1-inch away from all edges. Sprinkle cooked sausage over all. Roll up along the long edge side, tucking in the ends as you go. Put on a greased pan. Brush top with beaten egg (optional).

Bake @350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Goes great with spaghetti.

Crusty Canoes

I made this recipe all the time when I was raising my kids. Uses up those left-over hot dog buns. I think the recipe came from Momma D's Italian Cookbook.


Left-over hot dog buns
Butter or margarine, room temp
Chives
Parsley

Combine butter (as much as needed for the number of buns you have), chives, and parsley. Spread the mixture over each cut-side of bun, and then cut them in half length-wise.

Bake @350 for about 15 minutes.

Stuffed Bread

1  loaf  Vienna bread, unsliced
8  oz  Swiss cheese, sliced
1-1/2  sticks  butter or margarine, melted
2  Tbs  poppy seeds
1  tsp  seasoned salt
1  tsp  prepared mustard
1/2  tsp  garlic salt
1  Tbs  onion, chopped
2  small  cans  sliced mushrooms

Cut bread diagonally one way, being careful not to cut all the way through the bottom. Now cut the other way, creating a criss-cross pattern. Place on heavy foil, large enough to cover loaf completely.

Add the poppy seeds, seasoned salt, mustard, garlic salt, and onion to the melted butter.

Stuff cheese and mushrooms into the diagonal slices of bread. Drizzle the butter mixture over the top. Wrap completely with foil. Bake @350 degrees for about 30 minutes or longer.

Bacon Bread

1  lb  Hickory smoked bacon
3/4  cup  green pepper, chopped
3/4  cup  onion, chopped
1  tsp  oil
2  tubes  buttermilk biscuits
1  cup  shredded cheddar cheese
1/2  cup  butter or margarine


Cook bacon until crisp. Drain grease and crumble bacon. Set aside. In the same skillet, sauté onion and green pepper in the teaspoon of oil. Cut biscuits into quarters. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add onion, green pepper, cheese, bacon, and butter.

Spray a 10” tube pan with non-stick spray. Place the entire mixture into this pan. Bake @ 350° for 30 minutes. Immediately invert pan onto plate and serve warm.

Bisquick Cornbread

 This is a sweet cornbread.

 2  cups  Bisquick
 6  Tbs  yellow cornmeal
 1  cup  sugar
 2  eggs
 1  cup  milk
 1/2  cup  melted butter



Combine Bisquick, cornmeal, and sugar in bowl; add eggs and milk. Mix until blended, but don't over-mix. Add melted butter. Mix gently and pour into greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Bake @350° for 35-40 min.

Auntie Anne's Pretzels

The same soft center, crispy bottom, and buttery taste as Auntie Anne's in the mall.


1-1/2  cups warm water
1-1/8  tsp active dry yeast (1-1/2 pkgs)
2  Tbs brown sugar
1-1/8  tsp salt
1  cup bread flour
3  cups all-purpose flour
2  cups warm water
2  Tbs baking soda
1  stick butter (melted), for dipping
Coarse salt (Kosher) to taste

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbs baking soda.

After dough has risen, pinch off chunks of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be. Rolling them into thin ropes is the hardest part of this recipe. I found that
rolling them on a Silpat baking mat helps to make a smooth rope.

Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in oven at 450° for about 8 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with kosher salt, and eat while warm.

Optional Toppings

FOR CINNAMON-SUGAR PRETZELS:  Stir 2 Tbs honey into melted butter. After baking, dip the pretzel into the butter. and sprinkle with a mixture of 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Do this to both sides of pretzels.

FOR PARMESAN PRETZELS:  Brush on the melted butter and sprinkle with a mixture of 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp garlic salt. Serve with marinara sauce.