Sweet Potato Biscuits

This biscuit originates from the Deep South and is soft, moist, and slightly sweet.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole wheat flour                                        1/3 cup oil

1-3/4 teaspoons baking soda                                 2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt                                                       1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Pinch nutmeg                                                             1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, soda, salt, and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl mix the oil, honey, yogurt, and sweet potato.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 400^o Oil 2 flat baking sheets.
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients so that they are moistened. Turn the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead 5-6 times incorporating any loose fragments of dough and creating a soft, pliable dough.  Pat or roll the dough into a square which is 1/2” thick.  With a 2” round biscuit cutter or glass, cut the dough into circles and place on the baking sheet 1” apart.
5. Bake for 15 minutes until brown, firm to the touch, and the biscuit comes easily off the pan with a spatula. Remove the pans from the oven and place the biscuits on wire racks to cool.  Makes 21.

 

 

Apple Spice Muffins

       James was a young man who began hanging out at the bakery, but soon began volunteering to help when he saw we were in a pinch for workers.  He was a man of imposing size and strength, well over six feet tall with a husky, muscular frame.  To add to this vision of his size he had a large bush of hair growing out six inches on the top of his head and a large bushy beard to match.  Walking down the street, I am sure many were wary of him.  Yet, despite his size, he was gentle, soft-spoken, and reflective in his demeanor, and because of his friendliness and wit everyone liked him.  James seemed to have a lot of free time in the day and I never knew his profession, and I didn’t ask.

INGREDIENTS

2-1/3 cups whole wheat flour                              1/2 cup honey

1-3/4 teaspoons baking soda                                   1/3 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon salt                                                       1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 teaspoons cinnamon                                              1/4 cup apple juice or water

½ teaspoon nutmeg                                              1 large egg, beaten

1/3 cup raisins                                                            1-1/3 cups chopped apples

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl mix the honey, oil, yogurt, apple juice and beaten egg.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 400^o Lightly oil 12 muffin cups.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix so the dry ingredients are moistened and the batter is homogenous.
4. Mix in the raisins and chopped apples. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups so they are 3/4 full.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the muffins are firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and take the muffins out of the pan to cool on a wire rack.

 

Helen and the Pumpkin Pies

I do not recall if Helen grew up on a farm, but when it came time for Thanksgiving and the baking of many pumpkin pies, she suggested we make the pies from scratch with fresh pumpkins.  I had never done this before, but was intrigued by the idea, so I arranged to purchase pumpkins used for baking from Ted, the fruit dealer.  We cut the pumpkins into large pieces, scraped out the seeds and webbing, and baked the slices on trays in the oven.  It was a lot of work and the pies we made tended to “weep” a bit with water on the surface of the pie as the fresh pumpkin was so moist, but the result was delicious.  Helen was very happy, and we felt good about what we had done that day.  I had learned something new.

Pie Crust

Single Crust for a standard 9” pie pan

Filling

1-2/3 cups pureed pumpkin (1 15oz. can)           1 cup reduced fat dairy or soy milk

1/2 teaspoon salt                                                       2/3 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon                                            1 tablespoon molasses

1/2 teaspoon ginger                                                  1 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves                                     2 eggs, beaten

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the pumpkin in a bowl and mix in the salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. In a separate bowl mix the honey, molasses, oil, beaten eggs, and milk. Add the liquid ingredients to the pumpkin and mix thoroughly.
2. Pour the pumpkin filling into an unbaked pie shell with a high fluted edge. To create a fluted edge on the pie crust, press the crust against the thumb and index finger positioned on the inside of the edge with the index finger of the other hand.
3. Place the pie in a pre-heated oven and bake for 10 minutes at 450^oF and then reduce heat and bake at 325^oF for 45 minutes until the filling is set. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a rack to cool.  Serves 10.

 

Note:  Two tablespoons arrowroot powder can be substituted for the eggs as a binder.

 

Pumpkin Bread

This bronze-colored loaf is moist and spicy and appropriate for the fall.

INGREDIENTS

 

1 cup honey                                                            3 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sweet molasses                                      2 teaspoons baking soda

1/3 cup oil                                                                1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt                             2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 cup water                                                          3/4 teaspoon ginger

1 large egg beaten                                                 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 15oz. can (1-2/3 cups) pureed pumpkin      3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

Optional: 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the honey, molasses, oil, yogurt, water, beaten egg, and pureed pumpkin.
3. Pre-heat the oven 350^o Line two 8”x 4” loaf pans with wax paper and trim off the excess.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir so that all the dry ingredients are moistened and the batter is homogeneous. Mix in the raisins and walnuts if desired.  Spoon the batter into the pans so they are ¾ full and smooth the tops.
5. Bake the loaves for 65-70 minutes until firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and take the breads out of the pans to cool on wire racks.  Each loaf produces 15 slices.