Sennebec Hill Yeast Bread

I first made this bread in 1990 and it won ribbons at two separate fairs that summer.  I like it very much toasted for breakfast or used for grilled sandwiches.  I personally like the 7-½ inch size bread pan because the slices are smaller and just the right size for me.

SENNEBEC HILL BREAD

• Servings: One 9-inch or two7-½ inch loaves
• Print

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1-1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 Tblsp. fast acting dry yeast*
• 1/2 cup dry milk
• 1/4 cup dry oats
• 1/4 cup wheat or oat bran
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 3 Tblsp. Oil
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/2 cup rye flour
• 1-½ to 2 cups all-purpose flour

*The fast acting, “Instant“ or “Quick Rise” yeast is especially formulated to be used mixed with the dry ingredients and can withstand the hot water.

Grease one 9-inch or two 7-½ inch loaf pans

In the large bowl of a mixer, place whole wheat flour, salt cornmeal, yeast, dry milk, dry oats and wheat/oat bran.

In a two-cup measure, place the water, molasses and oil.  Heat this mixture to 130 degrees F.  Pour this into the large bowl with the flour mixture.  Beat with a paddle beater on medium speed for 3 minutes.  Add egg and beat for 30 seconds.  Remove paddle beater and insert dough hook.

Add rye flour and then all-purpose flour gradually while beating for 6-½ minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.  Don’t use any more flour than you have to – dough may be a little sticky because of the molasses.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Punch down dough and form into one 9-inch loaf or two 7-½ inch loaves.  Place in pans, cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Bake 9 inch loaf for approximately 45 minutes and 7-½ loaves for approximately 35 minutes until tops are browned and bread sounds hollow when tapped.  Cover tops with foil if bread is browning too quickly.

Cool on wire racks.

Yield:  One 9-inch or two7-½ inch loaves 

Frontier Bread

I first made this bread in 1989 and for some reason did not make a note of the source.  It won a ribbon at the county fair that year and is a good, hearty bread – wonderful toasted.

This recipe will make a 9 inch loaf.  Since I wanted two large rolls for another dish, I used 1/3 of the dough for the rolls and the remainder for a 7-½ inch loaf.

• Servings: One 9-inch loaf or one 7-1/2 inch loaf plus 3 rolls
• Print

1 cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tblsp. fast-acting dry yeast*
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ cup dry buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water (130 degrees F)
2 Tblsp. canola oil
3 Tblsp. honey
1 egg plus one egg yolk, room temperature  (reserve egg white for topping)
2-3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 Tblsp. cornmeal for sprinkling in pan
Reserved egg white mixed with 1 tsp. water
1-½ Tblsp. sesame seeds

*I use Fleischmann’s Instant Dry Yeast, “Quick Rise” in Canada.  This yeast is especially formulated to be used mixed with the dry ingredients and can withstand the hot water.

In large mixer bowl combine 1 cup of whole wheat flour with cornmeal, yeast, baking powder, dry buttermilk powder and salt until blended.

Heat water and oil to 130 degrees F and add to dry mixture along with honey and egg plus egg yolk.  Beat 3 minutes with a paddle beater at medium speed.

Insert dough hook and beat for 6-½ minutes longer, gradually adding all-purpose flour until dough is elastic and smooth.  It will still be a little bit sticky because of the honey.

Place in a greased bowl …

… cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.  Punch down dough and let rest for 10 minutes.

Form into loaf and/or rolls and place into greased pan which has been sprinkled with cornmeal.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Brush the top of the loaf with the egg white/water mixture.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake @ 375 degrees F 12-14 minutes for the rolls, approximately 12 minutes for the rolls, 30 minutes for the 7-½ inch loaf and about 45 minutes for the 9 inch loaf.   Remove from pans to a wire rack to cool.  

Delicious fresh and warm with a dab of butter or toasted to enjoy with your morning coffee.

Crispy Corn Muffins

My oldest daughter mentioned she would like to have some old-fashioned green beans, potatoes and ham for supper.  I thought this might be a good time to make some Crispy Corn Muffins to sop up the “pot likker.”

I used one pound of green beans with stems removed and broken, one medium onion cut into quarters, 6 small red new potatoes, halved, and a cup of cooked ham.   Put everything in a big pot, covered with water and cooked on medium heat about an hour until the vegetables were tender.

Added some salt and pepper to taste and the entree was finished.

The corn muffins were an invention of mine back in the early 1980s when my teenage daughter kept pestering me to make corn muffins crispier.  This technique satisfied her and she makes them this way now for her own family.

• Servings: 12
• Print

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 Tblsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tblsp. additional cornmeal for muffin tins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Oil cups of a 12-cup muffin tin.  In each cup place 1/2 tsp. of cornmeal, then pick up the tin and rotate to cover the bottom and up the sides of the cups.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg, then add the sugar, oil and milk, whisking until smooth.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup of cornmeal, the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to the egg mixture and stir just until all of the dry ingredients have been absorbed.  Divide among the 12 prepared cups in the muffin tins.

Bake @ 400 degrees F for 15 minutes until tops are just starting to brown.

Remove muffin tin from oven and immediately with a knife loosen around the edges of each muffin, then use a tablespoon to move the hot muffins to a baking sheet.  Return the muffins to the oven to bake for an additional 5 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Remove muffins to wire rack to cool slightly.  Best when eaten while still warm. 

This wasn’t my southern husband’s favorite version of cornbread, but the rest of us loved it.