Courier Cookbook Breakfast Treats

Who doesn't love waking up to the aroma of fresh breads, rolls and pastries warm from the oven? These breakfast sweets also freeze well so you can defrost on a daily basis.

BANANA BREAD

Submitted by Melissa Johnson

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups sugar

½ cup stick margarine or softened butter

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium). Or for more banana flavor, use up to 6.

½ cup buttermilk (regular milk works too)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill flour is a great gluten-free substitute)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Directions:

Place the oven rack to a low position so that the tops of the pans are in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottoms only of two loaf pans or mini loaf pans with shortening.

Mix the sugar and margarine in a large bowl. Stir in the eggs until well blended. Add the bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt just until moistened. Stir in the nuts and pour into the pans. For a sweeter twist, pour half the batter into the pan, add a layer of brown sugar, and pour the rest of the batter on top.

Bake 8-inch loaves for about 1 hour and 9-inch loaves for about 1 ¼ hours (mini loaves take 30-45 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or the top is "bouncy."

Cool for 5 minutes, then loosen the sides of the loaves from the pans, remove the loaves from the pans and place them top-side up on a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 10 days. Makes 2 loaves.

CINNAMON ROLLS

Submitted by Siegrid Rickenbach

Adapted from The Ambitious Kitchen

"The best cinnamon rolls you will ever eat! Worth the effort."

Ingredients:

Dough:

¾ cup warm milk

2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise or active yeast (1/4-ounce package yeast)

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

¼ cup butter, melted

3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

¾ teaspoon salt

Filling:

⅔ cup brown sugar

1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup softened butter

Frosting:

4 oz room temperature cream cheese

3 tablespoons room temperature butter

¾ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Warm milk to around 110 degrees by microwaving it for 40-45 seconds. Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Stir in flour and salt until a dough begins to form.

Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball and be slightly sticky. If it is sticking to the bottom of the mixer, add in 2 tablespoons more bread flour.

Transfer the dough ball to a well-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.

After the dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 14x9 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ¼ inch margin at the far side of the dough.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the buttered dough, then rub the brown sugar mixture into the butter.

Tightly roll dough up, starting from the 9-inch side and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough. Cut off about an inch off the ends of the dough roll.

Cut into 1 inch sections with a serrated knife or floss.

Place cinnamon rolls in a greased and parchment-lined 9x9 inch baking pan or a 9 inch cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and towel and bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges. You want to underbake them a little so they stay soft in the middle. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting. Makes 9 cinnamon rolls.

To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.

CHERRY TARTS

Submitted by Karen Sherlock

Ingredients:

1 can cherry pie filling

½ cup margarine or butter

3 oz. cream cheese

1 ¼ cup sifted flour

Directions:

Cream margarine/butter and cream cheese.

Slowly add the flour and combine.

Roll into almond-sized balls. Press into a tart or muffin pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Do not brown.

Fill with pie filling.

Makes 30-36 tarts.

ORANGE BLOSSOM COFFEECAKE

Courtesy of "Easy Entertaining With Marlene Sorosky"

"Melt-in-your-mouth crumble cake."

Ingredients:

Streusel

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. grated orange peel

Cake

2 ½ sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ⅔ cups flour (plus a little for altitude)

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup buttermilk (or milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar)

¼ cup thawed frozen orange juice concentrate

½ cup melted orange marmalade

Directions:

Butter a 12-cup bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Make the streusel by stirring together brown sugar, cinnamon and orange peel. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Mix in eggs one at a time beating well after each.

Add vanilla and beat for 2 minutes.

With the mixer off, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour in buttermilk and orange juice concentrate.

Mix at low speed until incorporated.

Then turn the mixer to medium speed for 30 seconds.

Spread half of the batter into the pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel and marble it through the batter with a knife.

Top with remaining batter and top that with the remaining streusel. Swirl streusel lightly into batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

Invert on rack. Cool for 15 minutes and spread marmalade on top. Let it set before digging in.

Next week, we will explore the world of pizza from dough to toppings. Send your favorite recipes to editorial@lhvc.com.