Hippo Soup

Inspired by http://www.handmadecharlotte.com/healthy-hungry-hippo-soup-recipe/
Submitted by Marcia Van Camp

I saw this online and went out the same day to make little hippos because I though they were so cute. I am excited to try other animals like an octopus perhaps!

Ingredients:
1 package of frozen bread rolls (I used a generic brand that had 12 rolls)
Black eyed peas
Black beans
Butter
Soup of your choice

Directions:
1. Allow the dough to thaw.  I let mine thaw in the bag, but the link above shows another method

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

3. Make the hippos!  Basically, as I made each piece I would stick it onto the paper.  You could forma  complete hippo or do all the bodies, then all the heads, etc.

In general you want, 1 larger elongated shape for the body, a round ball for the head, 2 smaller round balls for the face, and 2 tiny balls for the ears.  I didn't measure anything exactly, I just tried to make them look somewhat proportional. You could decide to make small hippos or big hippos, mine were about 3 inches long from back to front.

If it gets sticky, use some flour.

4. Let the dough rise to able double it's size. I took a while making my hippos so some were on the rise while I was making the rest, but that is ok.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. At this point, I brushed them with butter but the original directions have you brush them after they bake.

and bake the hippos for about 15-20 minutes.  I ended up using 2 baking sheets because I wanted to have room and I was worried they would rise and stick together.

6. Allow them to cool and then cut slits for the eyes and nostrils.  Add the beans and voila!

Notes:
*I used La Madeleine's tomato basil soup because it is so tasty.

*I didn't feel like cooking the beans so I just used uncooked beans, and then we just took them out when we ate.

*If you decide to store them in the freezer or fridge, just don't set them on top of each other because they might come apart.

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread
Submitted by Marcia & Casey Van Camp

Poppa Van Camp showed me how to make this and it was delicious!

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (we used light)
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla (extract is fine)
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar (white)
3 cups flour (all-purpose)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon (ground)
1 tsp. allspice (ground)

Directions:
1. Beat eggs until foamy
2. Add oil, brown sugar, zucchini, vanilla and granulated sugar.  Mix lightly
3. Stir in flour and the remaining ingredients
4. Pour mixture into 2 loaf pans
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean

Notes:
To prepare the zucchini, wash them off and cut off the ends.  Chop them into medium/large pieces and put them in a food processor.  They do not need to be grated more than a few seconds because you want to get them finely chopped but not squishy.

Puff Biscuits

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup flour
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and milk
3. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 pinch of pepper
4. Gradually stir in the flour so that it does not clump...a whisk helps!
5. Get a cupcake pan. Take a small section of a paper towel and dip it in vegetable oil, and coat each of the 12 sections evenly with oil. This will help the lil' guys puff up!
6. Pour the batter into the sections, about half way
7. This makes about 24 puffs total

Notes: Even if the puffs are cold and you want them the second day, they are still so good! You can eat them cold with jelly or toast them...they are not as puffy the second day but they are yummy!

Blueberry Bars

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp
From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blueberry-bars/detail.aspx

These are so so delicious! Jessica Hubbard Stacy made some and they tasted like a cloud made out of blueberries!










Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons cream cheese softened
1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.

To make the crust:
Cream shortening, sugar, one egg, milk and almond extract in a large bowl
Mix in flour and baking powder, stirring constantly
Spread crust evenly in baking pan
Top with blueberries.

To make the topping:
In a medium bowl, beat two eggs, and cream cheese until smooth.
Stir in powdered sugar and almond extract.
Spread over blueberries.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
Cool in pan before cutting.

Mills Inn Brown Soda Bread

Submitted by Marcia Brisson from Jared Gillins
From The Irish Heritage Cookbook, ed. Margaret M. Johnson

Ingredients:
2 cups coarse whole-wheat flour or 1 cup each wheat bran and old-fashioned oatmeal [I did the whole-wheat flour option]
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cold butter
2 cups buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, stir the flours or wheat bran and oatmeal, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and sugar together. With a pastry cutter, 2 knives, or your fingers, cut or work the butter into the dry ingredients to the texture of coarse crumbs [you can also do this pulsing in a large food processor]. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. With a wooden spoon, mix until a soft dough is formed.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead lightly, just enough to form a large ball. Flatten slightly. With a sharp knife, make a cross on the top. Place the dough in the prepared pan and bake until the bread is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes.

Pecan Bread

Date tried: 12-07-09
Recipe from: Thrifty Fun online
Submitted by Mother Crumb

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease a 9"x 5" loaf pan.
Combine all the ingredients except the nuts.
Gently mix together without over beating.
Add nuts.
Put in pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Test with a toothpick to see if its done.
Turn out on a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
This has a great texture and flavor.

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins (With Cream Cheese Frosting)

Recipe by The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond
Submitted by Marcia Brisson
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/10/moist-pumpkin-spice-muffins-with-cream-cheese-frosting/









Ingredients
Muffin Ingredients:
1 cup All-purpose Flour
½ cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
½ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons Butter - Cut Into Pieces
1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree
½ cups Evaporated Milk
1 whole Egg
1-½ teaspoon Vanilla
½ cups Golden Raisins (optional!)
_____
Topping
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Nutmeg
_____
FOR FROSTING:
¼ cups Softened Butter
4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
½ pounds Powdered Sugar
½ teaspoons Vanilla

Muffin Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
3. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla.
5. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins.
6. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.
7. Pour into a greased muffin pan—(fill halfway - this is enough for 12 muffins)
8. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.
9. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.

Frosting Directions:
1. To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped.
2. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!
3. Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.
__________

This is a great recipe but be sure that the muffins are completely cool before frosting them. The frosting is really rich so I would probably cut it in half or double the muffins.

FOCCOCIA

obtained from the House of Bread in Salt Lake City, Utah. Submitted by Alisha Brisson Stamper

1 1/2 C warm water (99 degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast or 1 T + 1.5 t
4 C unbleached white bread flour
1/4 C olive or canola oil
1 T sugar
1 T salt

Optional:
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground rosemary or thyme
1/2 C sundried tomatoes
3 Tbsp black olives drained and sliced

Prepare a starter: In a liquid cup, pour in the warm water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved and set aside for five minutes to allow it to proof.

Add the flour and salt to the starter. Then add the oil and begin to mix on a mixer for 5 minutes. Add additional water or flour as necessary to get a pliable dough. Add the herbs, olives and/or tomato to the last two minutes of mixing time. You do not want to pulverize the olives or tomato.

Put the finished dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for one hour. Punch down and place on a lightly floured surface and divide into four equal pieces and shape into a flat round. Lightly poke the dough several times with your finger tips. Brush with olive or canola oil. Place the dough on a sprayed baking sheet and let the dough undergo a second rising for 15 minutes.

Place the baking sheet into a preheated 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until nice and golden brown.

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NOTES

I normally use olive oil, and no olives. I only cook it for 15 minutes—you still want it to be soft to your finger (don’t burn your finger though, it is hot), but a sweet reddish brown. Once out of the oven, wrap the ones you are not eating in foil immediately, this helps it stay moist.

I don’t mix with a mixer, I use a wooden spoon. The dough is ready when it just barely grabs at your hand. I usually add a little water and then a little more flour.

When poking the dough with your fingertips you want to be just hard enough that you do not go through the dough. I normally put some nails marks into it. I like my little finger marks all over, it gives it the right texture.

Banana Bread the Brisson Way

From: New York Times Cookbook
Perfected by Mom, submitted by Alisha Brisson Stamper

1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
1 large egg
4 tsp lemon juice
2 c. flour (one cup regular flour, one cup whole wheat flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed bananas (2 or 3 whole bananas)
Optional: 1/2 c. walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream shortening and sugar.
Beat in the egg and lemon juice.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a sifter.
Fold into the batter, add bananas.
Stir.

Put into a greased loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes.
Turn out onto a cooling rack and let cool.

Delicious when warmed and topped with butter.