Healthy Fall Muffin and Breads

Whole Wheat English Muffins: 1 cup milk; 2 tbsp. honey; 1 tsp. salt; 3 tbsp. butter; 1 envelope yeast; 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour; 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour. Scald milk, stirring in honey, salt and butter. Cool to lukewarm. Measure 1 cup warm water into bowl and dissolve yeast in that. Add milk mixture to yeast mixture, then stir in whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour until a soft dough forms. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough and knead on floured surface for 2 to 3 minutes. (You may also do this with your mixer and dough hook.) Put into greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; divide into halves. Pat to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out 3 inch rounds with floured cutter. Let risse on ungreased cookie sheets until double, then bake on medium hot greased griddle until well browned on each side, about 5 minutes per side. Cool on racks; split, toast and serve.

Blueberry Barley Muffins: 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour; 1 cup barley flour; 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 3/4 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. cloves; 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 1 2/3 cup buttermilk; 1/2 cup honey; 2 beaten eggs; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1 Tbsp. cinnamon; 3 Tbsp. sugar or fructose; 1/2 cup blueberries. Combine dry ingredients: flours, baking powder, salt, cloves and soda. Add honey, eggs and oil to buttermilk and stir all at once into dry ingredients stirring by hand until moistened. Add blueberries to batter and fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon and fructose mixture and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Did you know: Barley is excellent in reducing cholesterol numbers. Add barley to soups, stews, or make it into cereal and watch your cholesterol numbers go down.

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins: 2 eggs, 1 cup honey; 1 cup canned or mashed pumpkin; 3/4 cup vegetable oil; 1 1/3 cup unbleached flour; dash of salt; 1 tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. cinnamon; 1/2 tsp. allspice; 1/2 cup raisins; 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Beat eggs well; add honey, oil and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in raisins and nuts; fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Cheese Muffins: 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour; 1/2 cup wheat germ; 4 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1 cup milk; 1 egg; 1 Tbsp. honey; 3 Tbsp. softened butter; 2 cups grated sharp cheese. Combine dry ingredients; stir in milk, egg and honey. Add softened butter and cheese and stir until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Apricot Bread: 1 cup unbleached flour; 1/2 cup whole wheat flour; 2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. soda; 1 tsp. salt; 1 cup oats; 1/2 cup chopped nuts; 1 1/4 cup milk; 1 cup dried apricots; 2 eggs; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 3/4 cup honey. Stir first seven ingredients together. Place milk, apricots and eggs in blender; whirl until apricots are chopped fine. Pour over dry ingredients, add oil and honey and mix until all particles have been moistened. Place in a well greased loaf pan and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Poppyseed Bread: 1 cup milk; 1/4 cup honey; 1 Tbsp. salt; 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter; 1 Tbsp. poppy seed; 1 cup warm water; 2 pkgs. yeast; 4 1/2 cups unbleached flour. Scaldmilk; stir in honey, butter and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Soften yeast in warm water, add cooled milk mixture and mix well. Add poppyseed and flour, stirring to mix; then beat 5 minutes (dough will be sticky). Cover and let rise until tripled, about 1 hour. Stir down and turn into two greased 1 pound loaf pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Turn out onto wire racks and brush with butter.

Cranberry Bread: 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour; 1/2 cup whole wheat flour; 1 cup honey; 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. salt; 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped; 1/4 cup butter; 1 Tbsp. orange zest; 1 egg; 1 cup chopped nuts. Sift together dry ingredients; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Combine honey, egg and orange zest and mix with dry ingredients. Stir just until moist and carefully fold in cranberries and nuts. Turn into a 9x5 inch well greased and floured pan; bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.