Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Tea Bread

I love this time of year with all the fresh fruit and vegetables coming into season. Sadly not everyone in my house enjoys it as much as I do. Some are not big fruit eaters and others avoid veggies like the plague, even sadder are the few who call rhubarb red celery. 

Yes, rhubarb looks like celery, and yes, out side the U.S. it is considered a vegetable, but according to a U.S. court in 1947 it is a fruit and in my book and fruit worth eating. 
I don't remember the first time I had rhubarb, but I remember the first time I enjoyed it, and enjoyed it so much it left me craving for more. 

Growing up in Southern California, Knott's Berry Farm was a part of my life. 

In those day's it was wonderfully old fashion with Ghost town, General Store,and the Birdcage Theater,

the Goldmine, burro rides,

and Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant.

It's not quiet the same today as it was then, back then all the food was fresh and tasted like your grandma had made it. There was no take out or fast food and the menu was always the same. You had a few choices and one was a side dish with you chicken dinner. 

Feeling experimental and loving cherries, one night I ordered the cherry rhubarb compote. It changed my feelings for rhubarb forever. The sweet tartness of the cherries was only enhanced by the tart flavor of the rhubarb, and I could not get enough. Finding others who shared my cravings has never been easy. When we moved in to our first house in Washington state and I noticed two rhubarb plants I knew it was my time to try to sway my families feelings about the beautiful, tart, red, celery like stuff. I have tried to sneak it into all sorts of things, but I am always found out, until this recipe. The trick is to chop the rhubarb up small and use the smaller tender stalks. Like and tuna salad sandwich without mayo, this bread would not be the same without the rhubarb. It brings a tart, moistness to the bread, that in my opinion can not be duplicated. So enjoy! 

Ingredients:

2 eggs

½ cup oil

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup finely diced fresh rhubarb

¾ cup finely diced fresh strawberries

1½ cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Beat eggs until thick and foamy, slowly adding sugar, oil, and vanilla; 

beat about 3 more minutes. Mixture should be foamy and thick.

Gently fold in rhubarb and strawberries.

In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients. Sift into rhubarb and strawberry mixture and stir gently, just until blended. Do not over mix.

Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at °350 for about 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. 

Top with powder sugar glaze.

Pumpkin Bread

Another recipe from my mother. I just typed it up, the rest is all her...
This bread makes a a great gift for the holidays. It can be made in any type of loaf or cake pan, but is fun and cheap made in cans.  Medium bean cans work well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Eggs
• 3 C Brown Sugar
• 2 C Pureed Pumpkin
• 1 C Vegetable Oil
• 2/3 C Milk
• 4 C Flour
• 4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
• 2 tsp Cinnamon

METHOD: Beat eggs, add brown sugar, pumpkin, oil and milk. Mix well. Add Flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, soda, cloves and cinnamon- mixing well.

Pour into clean and greased cans (large fruit cans work well).

Bake at 350* for 60 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in cans 10 min.

Removes from cans and cool thoroughly on wire rack. Wrap in wax paper and then foil.

Store at least overnight before serving. Best if stored in freezer for at least one week. Makes 4 Can loafs.

I'm just going to add a few notes from personal experience: This bread really expands as it bakes. Only fill the cans 1/2 way. Also, make sure to place a cookie sheet underneath them when they bake. The cans have to be greased REALLY well with Crisco, don't skimp. Last, when I've made this in the past on my own, it makes at least DOUBLE what is says. This may or may not be human error on my part, but be prepared none the less.

Basic Bread

After my cookie recipe, this bread recipe is the second most common one I am asked for, so here it is. Once you get the basic recipe down the possibilities are endless. I use variations of this recipe for wheat bread, cinnamon rolls, baked apple fritters, deep fried scones, and the list goes on. Use your imagination, but don't give up after the first try it takes a little practice.

Important information I learned from the 3 women who taught me to make bread. Their memories live on every time I bake a loaf of bread -
Grandma Cope always said, "Good bread dough feels like a babies bum when you pat it". I learned from Grandma Farrer that, you need to learn the sound the dough makes when kneaded with a dough hook. There is a rhythm to it as it is being kneaded, if made right. From Sister Palmer, use water and oil to make bread except on special occasions.


In your mixer bowl, add in this order without stirring
2 Tbs of yeast
2 1/4 C really warm water (not hot)
2 Tbs sugar.
Let ingredients rest for 5 mins. Once the yeast has grown, while mixing slowly,add
3 C flour (whatever kind or combination of flour you want)
Next add
1/2 to 1 C sugar (or any kind of sweeter you want i.e. - brown sugar, honey, molasses)
1/4 C oil or melted butter
2 tsp salt
2 C flour.
If using a hand mixer, start to knead by hand.
Once all this is added in mix or hand knead until all is smooth.
Slowly add
1 to 2 C flour until dough is easy to handle. Do not add too much flour.
Knead for 8 to 10 min if using a dough hook with your mixer. If kneading by hand, knead for 10 mins. Dough should have the firmness of a babies bum.
Let dough rest covered in an oiled bowl for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size. Punch down dough and let rest for 10 more min. On a floured surface, shape dough into loafs or rolls and place on lightly greased baking sheets or loaf pans. If desired, you can also place on a baking sheet lightly dusted with corn meal. Let dough rise for 45 mins to 1 hour or until double in size.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 25 to 30 mins, or until golden brown and sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of a loaf. Let loafs rest on cooling rack for at least 30 mins before slicing.
* this for Elder Porterfield -
I use vegetable oil to make the bread and to fry scones. Never fry in canola, it is too gummy after frying and messes up your pans