Jean’s Cuisines Winter 2025
During the frigid days of winter, I enjoy baking bread for my family and friends. It warms our home and fills it with aromatic scents of spices and fruits. The following recipes are a few of my “go-to” favorites. Each of these recipes can be split into mini loaf pans to share, freeze, or have ready for your next meal.
Over the years, I have sometimes substituted honey for sugar, I’ve also used Agave syrup. When using Agave, I’ve found that the ratio is to use about 40-50% less of the recipe’s sugar, just like honey. Both substitutes are sweeter than sugar. While both are good substitutes, honey is the most structurally like sugar. While I don’t use these substitutes every time, they do work and our family and friends like them, which is what matters most, as we cozy up together on these cold winter days to enjoy a slice with a cup of soup or by itself.
Dough-On-The-Go
⅓ cup butter unsalted
½ cup warm milk
1 egg
⅓ cup white sugar
3 ½ cup bread flour
½ tsp salt
1 package or 2 ½ tsp yeast
Optional ingredients to add: parmesan or cheddar mixes, minced garlic, onion flakes, cinnamon, ginger, etc,
Directions:
A bread machine is the way to create this ‘on the go’. Set the machine to the ‘dough’ setting. Soften the butter in the microwave for 40 seconds. Layer the ingredients in the bread machine in the order of the recipe. When adding the flour, spoon it in the measuring cup, so as not to pack it. Move a spoon sized scoop of flour to the side and drop the yeast into the center. The dough setting typically goes for 90 minutes. Let it process.
While the dough is mixing, add one of the optional ingredients. Once the dough is complete, remove and roll out on a lightly floured cutting board. This is the opportunity to create croissants, biscuits, rolls, bread sticks, cinnamon rolls or more. Once the dough is formed, let it rise, 1-3 hours. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 11 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Substitute options for the recipes could be ⅓ cup canola or avocado oil instead of butter and 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp agave instead of sugar.
A-Z Bread
3 cups bread flour
¼-½ tsp salt
1 tsp soda
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs, room temperature
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups using any combination of the following of the A-Z ingredients
apples (grated), applesauce, apricots (chopped), bananas, carrots (grated), cherries, dates, figs (pitted and chopped), honey (omit sugar) or marmalade (omit 1 cup sugar), peaches, raspberries, raisins, yams, pineapple (crushed), yogurt (plain or flavored) or zucchini.
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients, sift and set aside. Mix the wet ingredients and cream well. Add the A to Z ingredients. It will be very thin. Add the dry ingredients, mix well. Pour into two well-greased loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Banana-Zucchini Bread
3 cups bread flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar
¾ cups oil or substitute with ½ cup applesauce
1 ½ cups shredded zucchini
3-4 bananas, mashed about 1 cup
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add zucchini and bananas. Grease two loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Potato Bread
Can be made in either a bread machine, or traditionally
1 ¾ cup warm water, plus a tbsp
½ cup oil
2 cups Instant Potatoes (buds or flakes)
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
3 ¾ cups bread flour
4 tsp yeast
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees or ready a bread machine for ‘fast/quick bake’. Mix water and yeast, set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in the bread machine canister or a medium bowl, mix well. Add water and yeast. Place in the bread machine and let it process and bake.
If baking in the oven, cover the dough allow to rise for 2 hours. Once dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl and place on a lightly floured cutting board. Fold over to create a loaf and split into two equal sizes. Place dough in two greased loaf pans and let rise for 30 – 45 mins. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.
