Annie's Saint Lucia Buns

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Annie made these Lucia Buns for us on Saint Lucia Day. But she did have to start them the day before. They were really delicious. One of the details I came up with in the end to take care of a little hitch in the kit-along. Annie started making these at about 11:45 at night. I know this because while I was rather soundly sleeping I began hearing the sound of someone slowly approaching the third floor, and then slowing approaching the bed. Now because I know Annie, I suspected that it was her in search of some ingredient she couldn't find. Luckily Riley did not panic, because he can really come flying out of bed when he's asleep and thinks someone is threatening him. She couldn't find the saffron. So I told her where I thought it was, and that was the last we heard of her. I would highly recommend starting the buns earlier than midnight.


So early in the evening of the day before you want the buns in the morning get started. Then, after the dough has risen once, form the buns, cover them with a dampish tea towel, and leave to rise over night. This works well in our house in the winter, as it gets very cold at night - a bit like a refrigerator.

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
4 crushed cardamon pods

Put into a glass dish for about 50 seconds. Then let sit to melt the butter. Remove the cardamon pods and add:

1 tablespoon yeast
2 teaspoons sugar

Stir just a bit, and leave for about 5 minutes to proof.
Mix the yeast mixture and the milk mixture with:

1 scant pound of flour

Knead until it is not sticky, and then leave to rise for about an hour or so.

Mix mix together:

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp ground cardamon

Then add this mixture to the risen dough.
At this point you can form the dough into the lucia buns.
There are many shapes that you can chose from.
Put them on parchment paper on trays, cover with damp tea towels and leave to rise over-night.

In the morning heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Make an egg wash with 1 egg yolk and a dab of water, and brush onto the risen buns.
Sprinkle with some perl sugar if you like, and if you have some.
And if you like put on some raisins. Annie mistook dried cherries for raisins, and that was tasty.
Bake for 7-8 minutes. It all depends on how big your buns are.

frosting:

1 egg white
1/4 cup sugar

Beat with an electric mixer until very white and foamy.
Brush onto the buns as desired.

Riley's Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

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Riley is actually a very good cook. He just doesn't cook all that often.
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Whisk together:

* 2 cups flour
* 1 Tb baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* grated nutmeg
* 2 tsp Lemon zest or to taste…

Whisk in another bowl:

* 2 large eggs * 1 cup buttermilk * 2/3 cup sugar * 1/2 cup melted
butter (vegetable oil will work if you are desperate, but be prepared to be under- whelmed) * 1/4 tsp Vanilla…

Mix wet with dry ingredients quickly, don't over mix*. Then throw in some
blueberries, about 3/4 cup, and barely mix. Fill paper lined muffin tins (12 large or 24 medium) and bake at 400 degrees about 12-15 minutes, checking every few minutes after the first ten. When bamboo skewer comes out clean they are done!

*This is one of those recipes where you can tell if it was over-mixed, so be gentle.

Should keep about 15 minutes if you have eaters lurking about, or til next morning if you hide some.

Carol's Favorite Individual Banana Nut Bread Muffins

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1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup local organic honey
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (3 heavy ones)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Cream the butter. Add the sugar and honey and beat until creamy and light. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in the bananas. Sift together the dry ingredients and blend into the mixture. Fold in the nuts. Butter a muffin pan and spoon in the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist but clean.

Gramma's Cottage Cheese Pancakes from Molly Whitcomb

I title these Gramma's because it's my girls who love these pancakes. I don't know if I've ever eaten them, as cottage cheese is never in my house. The girls loves staying over at Gramma's and having her make these for them at breakfast. One day recently, when poking around Mom's kitchen looking for something, I noticed that she had three recipe cards in the cupboard. This was one of the recipes I found.

Combine in a blender:
... 1 cup cottage cheese
... 4 eggs
... 1/2 cup flour
... 1/4 cup oil
... 1/3 cup milk
... 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cook as for pancakes or waffles. Also makes wonderful crepes.

Mom's Waffles

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4 eggs, separated
... beat the egg whites
... beat the yolks
Add to the yolks 2 cups milk
Stir together:
... 3 cups flour
... 1 tsp salt
... 2 tsp sugar
... 4 tsp baking powder
Mix the dry ingredients with the milk mixture.
Fold in 2/3 cups melted butter.
Fold in the egg whites.

Poached Egg on Toast with Hot Milk from Molly Whitcomb

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This is one a my favorite breakfasts. When I was a child I only got this for breakfast when I was sick. Somehow it seems my mother thought a sick child should eat an egg. I remember once, when I was maybe in the first grade I told my mother that I was sick. She said I could stay home, but I would have to eat a fried egg. I went to school. It was winter, and I had to walk about a mile, but nothing was going to get me to eat a fried egg. Maybe that was my mother's way of seeing if we were really sick. But the poached egg was another thing all-together. Later that year, not much later, I got the chicken pox. I stayed home quite a while, and I got poached egg on toast with hot milk. I remember it was still very cold outside when I was finally well enough to go back to school. I had been given a present of a big new box of crayons and I was taking it to school. On the way I went through a woods on a hill and I fell and my crayons went all over the place, but I bet I made sure I found everyone of them before continuing on my way. I loved crayons - I still do.

1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 buttered piece of toast (I like wheatberry best)
a pinch of salt
a dash of pepper

Put the milk in a small pan and start heating it up.
Make the toast and put it into a soup plate.
When the milk is getting visibly warm add the egg and salt and pepper.

Continue heating and when it gets foamy put a lid on it.
At this point you need to keep a careful watch on the pot, as the milk can boil over at the drop of a hat. If this should happen, add a bit more milk to replace what is now all over the stove, and a bit more salt and pepper.
When the egg is done to your likeness, turn off the heat, and using a pan cake turner, put the egg on the toast.
Then pour the milk over it and enjoy.

Jane's Waffles from Joan Jensen

Mom would serve these on Sunday mornings with lots of whipped cream and strawberries.  Seemed like it took hours to make them, but heaven when they were ready!

4 eggs, separates

2 cups milk

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsps sugar

4 tsps baking powder

2/3 cup melted butter

Beat the egg whites, and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks, then mix in the milk.

Combine the dry ingredients and add to the milk mixture.

Fold in the melted butter.

Fold in the egg whites.