Orange Bread

Here is a recipe for orange bread (makes 1 - 9 x 5 inch loaf):

-  1/2 cup softened butter

-  1 cup white sugar

-  2 eggs

-  1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

-  1 tablespoon orange zest

-  1/2 large chopped orange slices (peel and rind removed)

-  2 cups all purpose flour

-  2 teaspoons baking powder

-  1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauce:

-  1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

-  1/8 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Cream together butter and 1 cup white sugar.  Add in one egg at a time.  Mix in 1/2 cup orange juice, orange zest, and orange slices.  Combine, flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir in until well blended.  Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.  

When loaf is almost done baking, heat 1/4 cup orange juice and 1/8 cup white sugar in a small saucepan over low heat.  Heat until sugar is dissolved.  Pour into loaf pan once bread is done cooking and let absorb into the bread for 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove bread from pan and serve.  Enjoy!

Banana Nut Bread

Here is a recipe for banana nut bread (makes a 9 x 5 inch loaf):

-  2 eggs, beaten

-  1/3 cup buttermilk

-  1/2 cup vegetable oil

-  1 teaspoon pure vanilla (or vanilla extract)

-  1 cup mashed banana(s)

-  1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

-  1/2 teaspoon salt

-  1 teaspoon baking soda

-  3/4 cup granulated sugar

-  3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

-  1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and coat a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Mix together beaten eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and mashed banana.  Add in flour, salt, baking soda, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar.  Mix well.  Fold in chopped pecans.  Pour batter into loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.  Cool and serve.  Enjoy!

Homemade Croutons

Here is a recipe for homemade croutons:

-  1/2 or 1 loaf of French bread (depending if you want to make a lot of jut enough for a dish for the family/friends and bread should preferably be homemade)

-  softened butter

-  pesto seasoning (which includes dried basil, garlic powder, and dried parsley)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Cube 1/2 to 1 loaf of the French bread and place on foil lined cookie sheet.  Spread softened butter on one side of each cube of bread.  With the butter side up, sprinkle the bread cubes with the pesto seasoning well enough to coat each piece.  Place in your preheated oven for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly bowled.  Remove and let cool.  Serve on a salad, or place in a food processor and make your own bread crumbs!  Store any remaining croutons in an air tight container at room temperature.

*On a side note, you might be asking, "why didn't she turn over the bread crumbs half way through baking, or after 20 to 25 minutes, spread with butter, sprinkle with the pesto seasoning, and bake longer?!"  Personally, I don't think it is necessary.  I think the croutons come out just fine and taste great the way I instructed above.

Zucchini Bread

Here is a recipe for zucchini bread (makes 2 loaves...standard size):

-  3 large eggs

-  1 cup vegetable oil

-  1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

-  1/2 cup light brown sugar

-  2 cups grated zucchini

-  3 teaspoons vanilla extract

-  3 cups all-purpose flour

-  3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

-  1 teaspoon baking soda

-  1/4 teaspoon baking powder

-  1/2 teaspoon salt

-  1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two loaf pans (I used two 9 x 5 inch pans).

In a small bowl, make flour mixture by combining flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk together and set aside.

Place eggs in large mixing bowl and whisk or use a hand mixer to beat eggs.  Add in vegetable oil and sugars (granulated and light brown).  Mix with spatula or large spoon then begin stirring in grated zucchini and vanilla extract until well blended.  Add flour mixture then fold in chopped walnuts.  Pour batter evenly into the two loaf pans and bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour.  The bread will be done when you stick a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.  Let cool and serve.  Spread some butter on it while its warm!  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

Here is a recipe for pumpkin bread:

-  1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin purée or 2 cups of you own homemade purée

-  4 eggs

- 1 cup vegetable oil

-  2/3 cups water

-  3 cups granulated sugar

-  3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

-  2 teaspoons baking soda

-  1 1/2 teaspoons salt

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degree and use cooking spray to coat 2 (9 x 5 inch) loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin purée, eggs, vegetable oil, water, and sugar.  

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger.  Once combine, mix the dry ingredients into the wet (pumpkin) mixture,  stir until well blended.  Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Place in your preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes or when you insert a toothpick in the center of each loaf, it comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack.  Serve and enjoy!

We ate this warm and spread some butter on it and it was really good!

Here is the link:http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Downeast-Maine-Pumpkin-Bread/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=pumpkin%20puree&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1