By Andy Bedwell
Let’s wind down from the hustle and bustle of the holidays with some quick breads and delicious muffins.
Banana Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup pecans, chopped
3 large bananas, mashed
1 ¼ cup Crisco oil
3 eggs, beaten
Combine all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Andy’s Note: These are so moist! They are absolutely wonderful with your coffee in the morning. Also, I love to see them in my freezer when I need a quick snack.
Blueberry Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon
ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
1 ¼ cups Crisco oil
2 pints blueberries
1 ¼ cups pecans, chopped
Combine flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and sugar. Add eggs and oil, stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in blueberries and pecans. Spoon batter into lightly greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes. Let this stand overnight before slicing.
Andy’s Note: I like to decorate with fresh blueberries and brush with an apricot glaze.
Cinnamon Monkey Bread
2 cans of Pillsbury Grand Flake biscuits and cut each raw biscuit into quarters.
2 cups white sugar
4 tablespoons cinnamon
½ cup butter, melted
Monkey Bread Icing
3 teaspoons butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
3 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Melt one-half cup butter. Pull apart bread dough pieces and quarter the biscuit dough into four pieces. Dip each ball into the butter; then dip in the cinnamon mix. Place each one in a bunt pan or 9×13 pan as well and just layer. Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Andy’s Note: This recipe is in memory of my Aunt Dot Thomas. She was one of the best cooks in Etowah County. Dot was known as Gran to her grandchildren and great-grandchilden. Monkey Bread was one of the family’s favorite breakfast dishes at the Brunson and Thomas gatherings. They recall waking up early to the sweet cinnamon aroma during the holidays. Gran always made extra Monkey Bread icing because every bite of Monkey Bread MUST be dipped in the sweet white icing.
Please stay safe everyone. Etowah County is in high risk of COVID this morning.
Happy Cooking, Andy
Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” can be purchased at The Messenger newspaper located at 1957 Rainbow Drive.