flour | Not Just Sunday Dinner

Syrup Sweet Bread

I have heard stories of my daddy’s homemade doughnuts all of my life. He was a cook in the Army before he met my mom. After they married, he would make doughnuts at my grandmother’s house on the weekends for the entire family to enjoy. Apparently, he was tired of making doughnuts by the time I came along because the only doughnut memories I have are Krispy Kreme.

Syrup Sweet Bread is another legend in our family. My mother, aunts, and uncles rave about my grandmother making it. As the story goes, my grandmother would leave the fields in the afternoon and go to the house to make Syrup Sweet Bread. When it was done and still warm, she would take it back to everyone working in the fields. I can imagine that this was a wonderful treat and a welcome break.

I loved my grandmother’s cooking, but I never had the privilege of trying her Syrup Sweet Bread. I think there are a few versions of her recipe, but here’s mine. My version is slightly sweet, and I like to serve it for breakfast. My favorite ways to serve this are warm with a pat of butter and homemade apple butter or simply drizzled with a little syrup over the top for extra richness.

Like all recipes, I’m sure this recipe will not appeal to everyone. I think that maybe you have to acquire a taste for sorghum and cane syrup. My kids don’t care for it, and my friends that were not raised eating it don’t seem to like it. I think my first solid food may have been biscuits with syrup. Greg and I both consider it a treat, and we love this old recipe. I hope you do too.

Syrup Sweet Bread

Author:

Amye

Ingredients

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ c. syrup (sorghum or cane)
2 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
¾ c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set aside. (8 x 8 baking dish will work also.)
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon, set aside.
In another bowl combine the syrup, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Pour into the prepared skillet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Heirloom Carrot Cake

Heirloom-Carrot-Cake

Okay, folks, I have heard, and I have listened. Some of you want a change from keto, low-carb and gluten-free recipes. I have been doing this recipe sharing thing for more years than I even planned when I started. During that time, I have found that change is essential. I love hearing from you, and though I know that every recipe will not appeal to every reader, whether I share keto or not, I want to share recipes that you want to try in your own kitchen. Since I have readers that are enjoying the new recipes I will try switching it up. Let’s see if alternating weeks from keto, low-carb, gluten-free to delicious mouth-watering southern recipes will work. As always, I welcome your comments so please let me hear from you!

With Easter coming up I thought I would share one of my Aunt’s Carolyn’s best recipes. When I was growing up this cake was always on the dessert table at my grandparent’s house. It was one of her specialties, and if you didn’t get a piece of cake quickly, then you might just miss out. Unlike most carrot cakes, this cake has no nutmeg, no pineapple, and it does not have cream cheese frosting. If you are a fan of German Chocolate Cake, then you know what I mean when I say it has that rich, caramelly pecan and coconut frosting that you know so well.

This cake gets better with time. Because of that, I suggest that you bake and assemble the cake 24 to 48 hours before serving.

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Heirloom Carrot Cake

Course Dessert

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. granulated sugar
4 lg. eggs room temperature, separated
4 tbsp. hot water
2 1/2 c. self-rising flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. grated carrots
1 c. chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
In a small bowl mix the dry ingredients and set aside.
With an electric mixture beat the oil and sugar. Add egg yolks, mixing well. Add hot water and mix.
Add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in carrots and nuts.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into cake batter.
Divide batter among the three prepared cake pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick.
Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.

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Coconut Pecan Frosting

Course Dessert

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar, milk and egg yolks. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened. Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
Place one cooled cake layer on cake plate and top with ⅓ of the frosting. Top with 2nd layer and top with ⅓ of the frosting. Then top with the 3rd layer and top with the final ⅓ of the frosting.

Caramel Blonde Brownies

caramel-blonde-brownies-3

I really hate to admit to you guys that I have started yet another diet. You know from following me that I have been a yo-yo dieter all of my adult life. When the cook in the house is on a diet though, the whole family goes on a diet. We have been eating healthier for 3 or 4 weeks now, so that is an accomplishment! With my track record, I am taking it one day at a time.

While looking through old recipes, I found this in my drafts. I had the recipe and picture on here with the description of the recipe but nothing else. So, this is for those of you that are not counting calories or carbs or anything at all. Here is a terrific brownie recipe!

The word “brownies” alone makes my mouth water. These Caramel Blonde Brownies are extremely easy and marvelous! The melted caramel combined with chocolate and the brown sugar oat crust and topping is simply fantastic! Cool completely for easy cutting.

Caramel Blonde Brownies

Author:

Amye Melton

Serves: 32

Ingredients

1 (13-oz.) pkg. vanilla caramels, unwrapped (about 48 caramels(
3 tbsp. milk
1⅔ c. all-purpose flour
1⅔ c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1¼ c. packed brown sugar
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 c. butter, melted
1¼ c. semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Instructions

In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the unwrapped caramels and the milk. Cover and cook the mixture over low heat for about 15 minutes or until caramels melt, stirring the mixture occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and butter until well combined. Reserve about 1 cup of the oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan to form an oatmeal crust.
Bake the crust in a 350° F oven for 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven.
Spread the melted caramel mixture evenly over crust in pan. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.
Return to 350° F oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is golden.
Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool well. Cut into bars.

Plum Cobbler

plum cobbler 001

If you have plum trees, then you know the incredible struggle of every plum on the tree ripening in a matter of days. I have been up to my ears in plums for the past week.

My mother made tons of jellies and jams every summer. However, my mother was one to cook breakfast every morning. We would eat jellies and jam on those warm homemade biscuits that she always made. I, on the other hand, only cook breakfast occasionally.

After a few attempts, I have a plum cobbler recipe that we have enjoyed. This cobbler is quite simple and delicious. It reminds me of a cobbler my grandmother made when I was growing up. The hardest thing about this cobbler is chopping all of the plums. Serve with vanilla ice cream for a special treat!

Plum Cobbler

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

8 cups pitted and sliced fresh plums
1 c. light brown sugar
½ c. granulated sugar
pinch salt
2 tbsp. amaretto, (optional)
3 tbsp. cornstarch
Topping:
1½ c. self-rising flour
⅓ c. granulated sugar
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cubed
½ to ¾ c. heavy cream
1 to 2 tbsp. coarse sugar for topping
Vanilla ice cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375℉.
In a large bowl combine the plums, sugars, salt, amaretto, and cornstarch. Spoon into a 9 to 10-inch cast iron skillet.
In a medium bowl combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter and using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and mix gently. You are looking for a wet, sticky dough. Add more cream a tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.
Drop the dough on top of the plum mixture. (It is messy, but I do this with my fingers.). Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake until golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbling, 30 to 45 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones

Apple=Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones

Spring is a busy time for many. We are ready to be out of the house after those cold winter days. Yard work always awaits, and those outdoor projects that we have put off all winter need to be tackled.

Greg and I recently spent three days putting metal siding and a metal roof on an outdoor building. I’m sure we could have hired a professional to do it in a third of the time. However, we did not kill each other in the process, and we have a good feeling of accomplishment!

On these busy days, it’s nice to have something on hand for a quick breakfast or even a snack. These scones are a great savory treat that my family loves. Everything is better with bacon and cheese and these great with a cup of coffee on the go.

Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ c. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1½ c. grated Cheddar cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into 1-inch pieces
¾ to 1½ c. buttermilk
1 lg. egg
2 tbsp. water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl on low speed. With the mixer running, gradually add the cubes of butter until the mixture is crumbly and studded with flour-butter bits about the size of small peas. Add the grated cheese and mix just until blended. (This can also be done by hand: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Gradually cut in the butter with pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles small peas. Stir in the cheese.)
Add the green onions, bacon, and ¾ cup of the buttermilk to the flour and cheese mixture. Mix by hand just until all the ingredients are incorporated. If the dough is too dry to hold together, us the remaining buttermilk, adding 1 tbsp. at a time, until the dough is pliable and can be formed into a ball. Stir as lightly and as little as possible to ensure a light-textured scone. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured flat surface. Pat the dough into a ball. using a well-floured rolling pin, flatten the dough into a circle about 8inches wide and ½ inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 to 10 equal wedges, depending on the size scone you prefer.
Whisk the egg and water in a small mixing bowl to combine. Brush each wedge with the egg wash. Place the scones on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer sticky in the middle. Serve warm.