Favorite "quick" bread recipes?

[Katie Nell]

I am one of those people that feel a meal isn't complete without bread! Hate me if you will, low-carbers, but that's just how I feel! A lot of times I will just buy a good rustic loaf from the grocery store, because I don't generally have time to make bread when I get home from work, esp. yeast breads. But, I'm wondering if there's some good quick bread recipes out there that I could whip up when I get home from work and bake while I'm doing the rest of the meal? I tried a Honey Oatmeal Bread recipe from Eating Well recently, and it was okay- obviously, it was low in fat, but it was definitely lacking something. Any favorite recipes out there?

[Katie Nell]

Answering my own question... how dorky! Anyway, I was just snooping around on King Arthur's website and came across quite a list of quick bread recipes, some sweet, but not all. http://kingarthurflour.com/shop/recip...

[Jcooks]

beer bread
irish soda bread

[LauraB]

I tried these cornmeal biscuits with cheddar and chipotle the other day (skipping the green onion step) and I thought they were great - tender, but the cornmeal gave them a bit of crunch.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...

[k_d]

I use Mark Bittman's 60 minute bread from his quick cooking book. Basically, it's about 3 cups flour, 2 teaspoons SAF yeast, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1.25 cups of water. You mix in a food processor and only let it rise for as long as it takes to heat your oven to 425. The full method is in his book. I have made it many a time to accompany Italian-style entrees when I've forgotten to pick up a loaf.

[kittyfood]

Or cornbread. My basic recipe (not authentic Southern):
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons oil or melted butter

Sift dry ingredients; mix wet ingredients separately and mix into dry. Scoop into 8 x 8 inch greased pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

You can add all kinds of flavorings like herbs to the batter, or a little ground black pepper and a touch of cayenne, or some diced green chiles . . .

Sarah C

[revsharkie]

I'm not sure why that's "not authentic southern." It's pretty much the same as what my Okie mom taught me how to make, that she learned from her Okie mom.

[revsharkie]

Just plain old baking powder biscuits.

[El Puerco]

Katie, I understand your love of bread. Due to a recent "overmaking" of dough, I had dough sitting in the fridge and was able to make an impromptu pizza last Friday and (what I call) Snausages on Wednesday (cooked sausages, wrapped in dough, then baked). As a bread addict, I'm sure a little bell is going off in the carb-loving part of your brain. I'm not sure how long dough will keep, but 10 days seemed on the edge.

My other suggestions are flat breads, tortillas, roti, or anything that uses baking powder instead of yeast to rise. IMO, the internet is better than any cookbook.

[shanagain]

The one I almost always use calls for a cup of shortening, but in the interest of going a little more mainstream-acceptable I pulled this one from one of my old "community" cookbooks:

Angel Flake Biscuits

1pkg yeast
1/2 C lukewarm water
3 C flour
3 T baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 T sugar
5 T shortening
1 C buttermilk

Mix yeast, water and sugar. Mix dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Add buttermilk & yeast mixture. Can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Roll out to 1/2 to 3/4" thick and cut into desired shapes. Let rise for up to an hour on a greased cookie sheet, or bake immediately - good either way. Bake at 400 for 12-20 minutes.

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Here's the one I use:

1pkg yeast
2T lukewarm water
1 C shortening
5 C flour
4 T sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
2 C buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients & cut in shortening. Dissolve yeast in warm water and mix in buttermilk. Add dry to yeast mixture. Roll dough about 1/2" thick and bake at 400 for 20 minutes on lightly greased pan. (Dough may be kept in refrigerator.)

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So basically it seems you can either let them rise, or you can use the dough immediately. (I usually let them rise a bit, but not long.)

[shanagain]

I do have a yeast bread suggestion - if you google Rick Curry Brother's Bread (he was on Sara Moulton's show, so you can find it on foodnetwork as well) he has a wonderful, basic recipe that I adore. I'm recommending it because he does a slow rise in the fridge overnight and the 2nd rise is actually done in the oven - you don't preheat the oven, you let the oven temp. and dough come up together.

It seems that you'd be able to make the dough the night before, pull it out and pop it in the oven while you're prepping dinner. (And don't skip his advice on spritzing the loaves with vinegar, it's fabulous.)

Incidentally, I recall his saying that bread should never be eaten straight from the oven, you should always try to let it sit for at least a day to let the flavors fully come together. (Sacrilege!)

[Katie Nell]

I watched this episode too, not that long ago in fact (I love Tivo)! He was very intriguing and I considered getting my dad his cookbook. Thanks, I had forgotten about it- I will check out the recipe again!

[shanagain]

He was intriguing, all the way around, wasn't he? (He'll make you think about throwing your dough hook out the window, at the very least.)

I have a recipe for "angel flake biscuits" which are basically a biscuit with the addition of yeast, if you're interested let me know and I'll dig it up. They're very light and fluffy - not at all like a regular biscuit.

[Katie Nell]

Definitely, I didn't really say it, but I'm interested in any kind of a bread-type recipe, i.e. biscuits, grissini, etc. Doesn't have to be a "loaf" of bread, you know what I mean?