Cranberry Walnut Bread

An easy breakfast, dessert, or snack option

‘Tis the season for baking. Cue that sugar high.

Or not. Our version of Cranberry Walnut Bread is sweet, but not overmuch. So you can eat it without fear of bouncing off the walls.

Of course, you may want that bounce, especially during the holiday season. In which case, have seconds. But don’t forget your crash helmet.

Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich

This legendary dish is the perfect home for leftover turkey

Thanksgiving dinner is grand. But then come the leftovers. Turkey again?

No worries. Give those stray slices some swagger in this scrumptious sandwich.

The Kentucky Hot Brown (aka Hot Brown, aka Louisville Hot Brown) is an open-faced turkey sandwich smothered in tangy, cheesy Mornay sauce.

It’s quick and easy to make. So you can get out of the kitchen in plenty of time for those Black Friday sales.

Welsh Rarebit

An open-face toasted cheese sandwich, extra savory

Welsh Rarebit – a/k/a Welsh Rabbit – is comfort food with savor. It’s quick and easy to make too, so it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner. Or maybe a midnight snack.

Fast and flavorful, this dish will put a twitch in any bunny’s nose.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

For splendid sandwiches and terrific toast

Is anything better than homemade bread fresh from the oven? The aroma (and flavor!) can be irresistible. And making it is easier than you might think. Hands-on time is only a few minutes—and the flavor payoff is major.

Plus, homemade bread contains no preservatives or additives. So if one of your New Year’s resolutions is to eat healthier, baking your own bread is a great way to start.

But be warned: Once you taste homemade, you’ll never be happy with store-bought loaves again.

Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls

Easy and flavorful, these fluffy buns could be a meal in themselves

When was the last time you had a really good dinner roll? One with a golden crust and a pillowy, yeasty interior? With enough butter-kissed flavor that piling more butter on at table is an indulgence, not a necessity?

If you buy dinner rolls at the supermarket, it’s probably been a long time since you’ve had one that’s really worth eating. Fortunately, however, making your own is quite easy. And although it takes a while for the dough to rise, your hands-on time is only a few minutes.

So for your next dinner party or holiday meal (these are a natural at Easter), why not surprise your guests with a basket of fresh, homemade dinner rolls? They’ll disappear in a hurry, guaranteed. Just remind everyone to save some room for the rest of the meal.

Skillet Jalapeño Cornbread

Great with chili or soup—or all by itself

Cornbread is a New World original. Long before Europeans landed in the Americas, corn (maize) was a food staple here. Native Americans prepared corn in many different ways—including grinding it into a coarse meal and baking it.

Nowadays, we usually make cornbread as a “quick” bread (i.e., one that’s leavened with baking powder). The modern version is also richer, often including milk and/or eggs.

Cornbread is pretty tasty stuff as is, but it’s even better when you add some zesty jalapeño peppers to the mix. Jalapeño cornbread pairs perfectly with spicy chili or hearty soup. And it makes a terrific snack all by itself.

Best yet, it bakes in 30 minutes or less. So you can whip up a batch and let it bake while you finish the rest of your dinner preparations.

Fresh hot bread for dinner? You’ll be a hero!

Beer Bread

Perfect when you need a tasty loaf in a hurry

Baking bread doesn’t get much easier (or more fun) than this. No messing with yeast, no kneading, no rising time. 

And you get to use beer in it! So this bread smells delightful when baking—and tastes deeply delicious when you bite into it.

Even people who don’t like beer love Beer Bread. Best of all, this bread is equally tasty for breakfast toast or a mid-day sandwich.

Really, can life get any better?

Irish Soda Bread

Make This Easy Bread as Plain or Fancy as You Want

In the US, we tend to think of Irish Soda Bread around March 17th — Saint Patrick’s Day.  The rest of the year?  Not so much.  Which is too bad, because it’s easy to make.  Not to mention tasty.  And its flavor blends well with the simplest meal or the fanciest dinner.

In its original form, Irish Soda Bread was quite plain.  But over the years, bakers have made additions to the recipe.  Nowadays, you’ll see elaborate versions that include butter, eggs, and sugar.  Even the plainest loaves sold in the US now commonly contain raisins (or currants) and caraway seeds. 

So today’s post is a twofer:  We present both a simple version of Irish Soda Bread, and a more elaborate alternative.  One of these is sure to appeal.

But be warned:  It’s tough to choose.  You may decide to do what we did — and make both!

Easy No-Knead Homemade Bread

Shape this Versatile Dough into a Sandwich Loaf or a Boule

Do you shy away from making homemade bread?  Afraid it will take too much time and effort?  A lot of people feel the same way.

Well, fear no more.  Because with surprisingly little effort, you can make a loaf of bread that’s better than any of the commercial packaged stuff you buy at the grocery store.  One that even rivals the pricey artisan bread sold at specialty bakeries. 

When I say a “little effort,” I mean it.  This recipe will take you about 10 minutes of active time.  No proofing the yeast, no kneading (though you do have to let the dough rise for a few hours). 

The result is a yeast-forward white bread with superlative flavor.  You can use it to make sandwiches, yet it’s crusty enough to serve at your fanciest dinner party. And the same dough works equally well as a loaf or as a rustic boule.

Once you taste it, you may never bother with store bought bread again.

French Toast

Perfect for Brunch

Mother’s Day is this weekend — which means it’s time for a festive brunch! 

And no brunch munch seems more special than French Toast.  It’s rich and satisfying, yet not over-the-top heavy or filling.  It also pairs exceptionally well with fresh berries, which are in season right now.  Add some powdered sugar, maple syrup, or whipped cream, and you’ve got a dish that’s long on both flavor and eye appeal.

Best of all?  It’s a snap to make!  So what are you waiting for?

Christmas Stollen

A Traditional Holiday Cake — or Is It Bread? 

‘Tis the season for Christmas cakes. You know, like fruitcake, panettone, and Stollen. All three are sweet, and all three typically contain candied or dried fruits. Stollen (like fruitcake) also contains nuts, but Stollen has a more breadlike consistency.

Dresden is synonymous with Stollen, and Dresden Stollen is often quite hefty. Loaves can weigh upwards of 4 pounds, and typically are covered with white icing. But Stollen is baked throughout Germany in all sizes and shapes. And almost every family has its own recipe.

This recipe has been in my family for generations. It probably arrived from Germany with my great-great-grandmother. It’s a bit less rich than the typical Dresden Stollen, and can be baked either in a loaf pan or free form on a baking sheet. It’s delicious plain or dusted with powdered sugar (or iced, if that’s your preference). And although the dough takes several hours to rise, actual hands-on time is only about half an hour if you knead the Stollen in a stand mixer.

Rich & Easy Bread Pudding

Eggy Goodness Lurks Beneath a Crisp Crust  

Bread pudding is right up there on my list of comfort foods.  Lots of smooth custardy carbs sharpened by raisin and cinnamon highlights.  A touch of dark rum (some prefer bourbon) to provide a bass note.  Maybe a bit of powdered sugar on top for extra decadence.  What’s not to like?

Well, all that great flavor does pack a few calories.  And my scale groans a bit if I overindulge.  So bread pudding is an occasional treat for me (and, I suspect, for many of us).  Which means when we have this dish, we want it to be really, really good.

Fortunately, Mrs. Kitchen Riffs — who is the dessert supremo in our household — has a deft hand when it comes to mixing up a batch of bread pudding.

Make that a mean batch of bread pudding.

Fast Homemade Croutons

The Kitchen Riffs household rarely buys croutons.  Store-bought croutons usually are too dry and crunchy and often have a weird aftertaste.

Besides, I never want more than a handful or two of croutons — and then only occasionally.  So the half-used package ends up shoved to the back of a pantry shelf, only to be discarded six months later.

Still, sometimes a salad or a soup cries out for a crouton garnish.

Well, no need to make a special trip to the store.  There’s an easy, quick solution that uses ingredients you probably have on hand.