Bread Recipe #9 - Gooey Caramel Monkey Bread

Invite all the "monkeys" in to share in this simple and sweet treat. I found it difficult to stop picking a chunk off here and there as I walked by. This would make a great breakfast dessert (don't you have dessert at every meal??) for your family or overnight guests. Ingredients: 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 4 cans (10 count each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, 10 tablespoons butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar. Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 12-cup fluted tube pan (bundt pan). Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in a 1-gallon resealable bag. Seperate dough into biscuits; cut each into quarters. Add biscuits to cinnamon/sugar mixture in bag (I found adding a few at a time, shaking, then adding more, works better than adding them all at once). After all biscuits are well coated, place in prepared pan. Sprinkle any extra sugar mixture over biscuits. In a 1-quart saucepan, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour over biscuits. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack before inverting on serving plate. Pull apart to serve. Makes: 12 servings Presented by Jessica Walker on bettycrocker.com. "Rolling in the dough!"

Bread Recipe #8 - Cornmeal-Chive Drop Biscuits

Need a quick addition to your dinner/supper? These are very simple to mix up, bake, and enjoy. Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup cold butter, 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon chives, grated Parmesan cheese (optional). Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl mix flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter until thoroughly mixed in. Stir in buttermilk and chives just until moistened. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 2 inches apart onto a GREASED baking sheet. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over each biscuit, if desired (my addition, not in the original recipe). Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm (with honey, syrup, jam, jelly, butter, etc). Makes 6 biscuits. "Taste of Home" magazine, December/January 2013, Greendale, WI, pg. 61, submitted by Angela Buchanan, Longmont, CO.

Bread Recipe #7 - Raspberry Breakfast Braid

This is a fairly simple recipe that could be made for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day morning. Other berries can be substituted for the middle. Ingredients: 2 cups biscuit/baking mix, 1 package (3 ounces)cream cheese, cubed, 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed, 1/3 cup 2% milk, 1 1/4 cups fresh raspberries (if using frozen, drain well), 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/4 cup vanilla frosting (I made a glaze of 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and enough milk for drizzling consistency). Instructions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the biscuit mix in a large bowl. Cut in the cream cheese and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8-10 times. On a greased baking sheet, roll dough into an 18x12 inch rectangle. Spoon the raspberries down center third of dough; sprinkle with sugar. On each long side of rectangle, cut 1-inch-wide strips about 2 1/2 inches into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across raspberries; seal ends. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly. In a microwave-safe dish, microwave the vanilla frosting on high for 5-10 seconds or until of desired consistency; drizzle over pastry (or mix glaze ingredients together and drizzle). "2013 Taste of Home Annual Recipes", Reiman Media Group, LLC, Greendale, WI, pg 93, presented by Tressa Nicholls, OR. "Rolling in the dough!"

Bread Recipe #6 - Lemon-Thyme Bread

My first bite into this bread left me thinking that the thyme was overpowering (maybe need to cut back a little), but after a few more bites, I decided the combinatin was right. The lemon peel is a good combination with the thyme and the icing further complements the finished product. Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme (1 tablespoon, if using dried), 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (1/4 teaspoon dried), 3-4 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh from a lemon is preferred). Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and sour cream. In another bowl, combine the flour, thyme, lemon peel, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter/sugar combination, beating well after each addition. Transfer to prepared pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely; sprinkle with confectioners' sugar or make icing as follows: In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, thyme and 3-4 teaspoons lemon juice to achieve a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled bread in desired pattern. "2013 Taste of Home Annual Recipes", Reiman Media Group, LLC, Greendale, WI, 2012, pg. 91. "Rolling in the dough!"