Orange Nut Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup oil
Grated peel or one orange
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar in bowl.  Beat eggs in large bowl.  Add milk, orange juice, oil and grated orange peel.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture, mixing well.  Stir in nuts.  Pour into greased 9-inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until wood toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Makes one loaf.

Two Zucchini Breads

If you're wondering what to do with that extra zucchini from your garden, try one of these.

Deseret Zucchini Bread


Combine and beat together:
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups zucchini, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a separate bowl, stir together:
3 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Add dry ingredients to egg mixture.  Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired.
Pour into two well greased 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch loaf pans.  Bake one hour at 325 degrees.

Nell's Zucchini Bread


3 eggs beaten well
1 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine above ingredients and beat until foamy.  Combine 3 cups flour, 2 teaspoons soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg.  Fold into egg mixture and beat well.  Fold in 3 cups grated zucchini and one 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained.  Add one cup chopped nuts, if desired.  Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Buttermilk Scones

Mom found this recipe in Sunset magazine.  The recipe's title is "Buttermilk Scone for Two," but she wrote the following on her typed index card:  "I like to double or triple this and make smaller biscuits, baking them for a shorter time.  I think it needs more buttermilk than what it calls for."  The following is the original recipe:

1 cup flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon soda
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
3 Tablespoons currants
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 1/2 Tablespoon sugar

In a bowl, combine flour, 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar, baking powder and soda.  Add butter; rub with your fingers to form fine crumbs.  Stir in currants and orange peel.  Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk.  Stir with a fork until dough holds together.  Pat dough into a ball, knead on a lightly floured board five or six turns.  Shape dough into a smooth ball and place in a greased 8 or 9 inch cake or pie pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, then, with a sharp knife, quickly cut a cross 1/2 inch across top of scone.  Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes longer.  Serve warm.

I made the scones using Mom's alterations and the results were delicious.

Poppy Seed Bread

1 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Cream butter and sugar together until creamy.  In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together.  Alternately add dry ingredients and sour cream, a few tablespoons at a time.  Add vanilla.  Beat egg whites to moist peaks and fold into batter.  Bake at 350 degreed for 45-50 minutes.  Makes 4 small loaves.

Apple Nut Loaf

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup grated apples

1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sifted flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 1/2 Tbls. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:  3 Tbls. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream sugar and shortening.  Add eggs and apples.  Combine sifted flour, soda, salt,  orange rind and nuts in a separate bowl.  Add to apple mixture.  Stir in buttermilk and vanilla.
Pour into a greased and lightly floured loaf pan and sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar topping.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour, or until it tests done.

I found two versions of this recipe, both being quite similar.  One called for only 1/2 cup of nuts and the other had no orange rind.  I combined the recipes and used the orange rind and a full cup of nuts (I used walnuts).  Mom wrote a note on one of the recipes to "top with cherries, nuts and citron for a Christmas loaf" as an option.

Aunt Ethel's French Bread

Ethel was married to Kenneth Shields, my grandmother Annie's youngest brother.  Ethel was what we refer to these days as  "a foodie."  Many of Mom's best recipes came from her Aunt Ethel.  This French bread is a real winner.  It is easy to put together, raises quickly, and has a nice smooth texture.

1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbls. yeast
2 cups hot water
1 Tbls. salt
3 Tbls. sugar
5 Tbls. melted shortening
1 egg, separated
6 cups flour
Sesame seeds (optional)

Combine warm water and yeast.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Combine hot water, salt, sugar, melted shortening and 3 cups of flour.  Beat until smooth.  Add egg yolk and yeast mixture.  Add 3 more cups flour.  (I used the dough hook on my Kitchen Aid for kneading in the last 3 cups of flour.)  Cover and let rise for one hour, punching down every 10 minutes.  Divide dough in half.  Shape each half into a loaf about 12 inches long.   Place on greased cookie sheet.  Cover and let rise 30 minutes.  Brush with a beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.  Slash each loaf diagonally about three times.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.