GOODNESS FROM THE KITCHEN

CREAM-CHEESE AND CRAB SPREAD

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
1 6-oz pkg frozen crab meat, thawed, drained & chopped  (reserve 2 tbsp liquid)
2 tbsp finely chopped green onion, white part only
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of hot-pepper sauce
1/4 cup unblanced almonds
Bread rounds or crackers

In a small bowl beat and mix the cheese, reserved crab liquid, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper sauce until creamy. Stir in crab meat. Turn into greased shallow 3 cup baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake uncovered in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot as a spread on bread rounds. Makes 30 to 40 appetizers.

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SNOWFLAKE BISCUITS

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp butter
3/4 c milk or water

Sift dry ingredients together; cut in butter. Add liquid (milk is better). Flour the surface, roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness, cut out with biscuit cutter, and put two together. Let stand 10 minutes in your tins on the table. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.

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BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk all at once and stir just until the dough follows fork around the bowl.
Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on lightly floured surface and cut with biscuit cutter.  Place on greased baking sheet; brush lightly with melted butter, and bake in a pre-heated 475 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

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GOLDEN CORNBREAD

3/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup white flour
1/3 cup sugar
5 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tbsp salad oil

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the egg, milk and oil. Mix thoroughly. Fill well-greased shallow pan 3/4 full. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes. Serve hot with lots of butter and honey.

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ORANGE BREAD

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup orang juice
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3 Tbsp grated orange zest

In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. In a small bowl mix orange peel, orang juice, oil and egg; stir into flour mixture until just moistened. Stir in raisins and nuts.
Spread in a well greased 9x5 loaf pan.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, for 50 minutes, or until tests done.
Cool and remove from pan. This bread is especially good when served with cream cheese and orange marmalade.

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NUT BREAD

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Cream sugar and eggs together. Add milk. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to wet mixture. Then fold in chopped nuts. Let stand 20 minutes in greased bread pan to rise. Bake in 350 degree for about 45 minutes.  This will make two loaves.

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BANANA BREAD

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream shortening and sugar together. Beat eggs and add to mixture. Add crushed bananas. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to wet mixture, a little at a time, stirring in well. Fold in chopped nuts. Bake in well greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for about an hour or until tests done. This bread will stay moist if wrapped. Very good with cream cheese, butter or peanut butter.

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DUTCH STICKY BUNS

1 pkg active yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk, scalded
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/4 cups sifted flour
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped raisins
2 tbsp currants
2 tbsp finely chopped citron
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp brown sugar

Soften the yeast in warm water. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Add milk to sugar and salt; mix thoroughly and cool to lukewarm. Add one cup flour and mix until smooth. Stir in yeast. Add remaining flour gradually, mixing well.

On a floured surface, knead dough until smooth. Put dough into a greased bowl and grease top of dough. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Punch dough down and roll into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Brush with the softened butter and spread evenly with a mixture of raisins, currants, citron, 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up as for jelly roll and cut into slices, about 1 inch thick.

Place slices, cut side down, in a buttered 13x9x2 in pan. Cover and let rise until doubled. Sprinkle top with remaining brown sugar. Bake at 375 degrees in pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.

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OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS BREAD

2 pkg yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3 1/2 cups flour
FRUIT NUT FILLING
1 egg
1 tsp water
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Dissolve yeast in warm water, stirring well.  Set aside. Scald milk; pour over butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl, and stir until butter melts. Cool to lukewarm. Add yeast, vanilla, eggs and 2 1/2 cups flour, stirring until smooth. Gradually add remainder of flour, stirring until a stiff dough is formed.

Turn dough out onto floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).  Place doughed in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free of drafts, about 45 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 10 times. Roll into 20x12 rectangle.

Spread FRUIT NUT FILLING evenly over dough leaving a 1" margin. Roll up lengthwise; seal and place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Shape into a horseshoe. Cover and let rise in warm, draft free place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
Combine egg and water, beating until frothy; brush over surface of dough; sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

TO MAKE FRUIT NUT FILLING: Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp softened butter, 1/2 cup candied red cherries, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup raisins, 1/2 cup green cherries and 1/4 cup slivered almonds. Mix well.