The Obama Campaign Family Cookbook
BREADS
Table of Contents
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
Submitted by Rebecca S from Wilson, Wyoming
I learned to make bread thirty years ago using this recipe which came from a restaurant in my college town, Pullman, Washington, home of Washington State University.
Heat 2 cups milk to scalding, while milk is heating, set up:
A = One large bowl containing :
4 T brown sugar
2 T Salt
2 T molasses
4 T butter, cut in small pieces
2 T sesame or poppy seeds
B = One bowl containing :
1 large egg, beaten
C = One bowl containing:
1/2 Cup warm water sprinkled with 2 T dry yeast and 1 t sugar
Pour milk in bowl A and stir until butter melts and all ingredients are well blended. Add egg from bowl B. Add bowl C and blend well.
Stir in 2 cups stone ground wheat flour, adding enough to make it the consistency of pancake batter. This should make the bowl half full. Cover bowl and set in a warm place about one half hour.
Remove cover, add 5 cups unbleached white flour, adding a little at a time, kneading as you add. Dough should be soft, semi- elastic, non sticky dough. Place dough on a lightly floured board. While dough rests, wash, dry and liberally oil bowl. Knead dough briefly to firm it, place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise 1 hour.
Remove cover, punch down and knead gently until dough stiffens, 6 - 10 turns.
Oil two bread pans, (it might make 3) divide dough, shape into loaves and place in pans.
Cover and let rise until double. Then lightly brush tops with one well beaten egg.
Bake at 350 for 35 - 40 minutes. Yields two large loaves.
I REMEMBER
By Joan K., Osage Beach, Missouri
I am a 56 year old white woman raised in California and now living in the middle of the conservative Midwest. I remember the exact place and instant in time when JFK, RFK, and MLK were assassinated. These moments in time are frozen in my thoughts just as much as 911 still haunts me.I remember being a young, hopeful college student who walked, among hundreds, to protest the Viet Nam war. Many proponents of the war approached us as we carried signs and walked through streets and malls proclaiming that if we left Viet Nam the communists would be at our heals and on our soil.
I remember living in a country that was respected world-wide as the land of opportunity. Gas was 25 cents a gallon. Houses were less than $30,000.00 and people lived the American Dream.I grin as I remember my father wearing red, white, and blue starred and striped tennis shoes resembling the American Flag during an extensive trip to South America. My dad was offered money and goods for those shoes but he clung onto them in pride of the United States.Those earlier days of my life is when politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties disagreed on the floor but still respected and befriended one another when the curtain came down. Republicans and Democrats respected each others beliefs and the right to say them. I remember the pride we all took when man actually launched a rocket into space and then to our disbelief, man walked on the moon. The entire world was glued to their black and white television sets. Classes stopped to watch each and every space launch. Our hopes and dreams were real and larger that Mount Everest. During the 60’s the vast majority of our vehicles were American. When Honda introduced their first car on United States soil it was a tiny, inferior product. Now look at the relation between foreign and American cars.
Many years have passed since those earlier days of my life. I have seen the slow erosion of the United State’s status in the world. Nowadays when Americans travel to foreign countries our lives are at stake. Many foreigners look at us as “The Ugly American”. This was not always true.
The policies of our government have allowed the unions to weaken throughout the years. Workers are not protected as they were 40 years ago and our precious jobs are being sent to China, India and the like. Our free trade agreements have become a one way street to foreign countries. We have become a nation of consumers and not providers. The wealthy have become wealthier and the poor poorer. The middle class is all but disappearing. Healthcare has become a critical problem. Medicare monies have been channeled to other places and there is a huge doubt that Medicare as it is will still be viable for our children.
Lately, I have seen the most precious of our gifts from our forefathers, the Constitution, being ignored and misused by our current President Bush. Waterboarding, even though classified as torture, has been endorsed by our current war mongering politicians including McCain. Where is Habeas Corpus? People being held without reason, without defense, and without any rights in faraway prisons. Wiretapping, and behind the doors deals have eroded our world-wide and self image.
Then, out of the clouds of despair has come hope. Hope in the form of a biracial skinny, kind man who is the new example of good in this world. When Barack Obama graduated from law school he could have secured any number of lucrative jobs paying in the triple digits. Instead Obama chose to enter the throes of the poor and challenged to help the oppressed for a mere $10,000.00 a year. Obama has brought forth a new hope to millions of people in the US and world-wide.
Hope that we can steer this country in a new direction--towards education, peace, and prosperity. I feel hope stirring inside me so like the days of my youth.
FIRED UP AND READY TO GO CHILE CHEESE CORNBREAD
Submitted by Joan K from Osage Beach, Missouri
Ingredients
½ Cup butter
2/3 Cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 15 oz can cream style corn
4 oz can green Chile peppers
½ Cup+ shredded cheddar cheese
½ Cup+ shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 Cup flour
1 Cup cornmeal
4 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (or pinch)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Lightly grease 9x13 pan.
In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together. Beat in one egg at a time. Blend in corn, cheese, and Chile peppers.
In a separate bowl stir flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mix to corn mixture. Stir until smooth. Pour mixture into greased pan.
Bake 1 hour or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
PUMPKIN BREAD
Submitted by Cyndy W from Denver, Colorado
This is my mother's recipe, and is our all time family favorite. Every Thanksgiving
and Christmas sees several loaves around - but they never last long. It has a
wonderful cake-like consistency.
3 1/3 C. white flour (variation: 1 C. whole wheat flour & remainder white)
3 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 C. cooking oil
4 eggs
2/3 C. water
2 C. (one 16 oz. can) canned pumpkin
1/2C. chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350°.
Sift dry ingredients. Make well in center and add remaining ingredients.
Mix until smooth. Pour into greased loaf pans (sizes below).
A rectangle of parchment paper for the bottom of the loaf pans is also helpful.
Bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Important: let cool at least 1/2 hour before removing from pans. This recipe works at
any altitude. Freezes well.
Loaf pan sizes for this recipe:
2 large (5x9 1/4) or
3 regular (4 1/2 x 8 1/2 ) or
7 mini (3”x 5 3/4) start watching for these to be done at 45 minutes
IRISH BREAD
Submitted by Ina H from Missoula, Montana
A proud Irish Catholic Democrat who supports Barack Obama! Original recipe from the Dougherty family in Ireland, passed on to the McCann family. It combines a scone recipe with soda bread.
Mix together:
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons shortening
2 eggs
Stir in, alternating:
3 cups milk
6 cups flour
7 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
Add: 2 cups raisins
Pour into 1 large or 2 small well greased loaf pans.
Let stand 20 minutes before baking.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 70 minutes.
HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS
Submitted by Ernesto S (husband of Carolee F) from Santa Fe, New Mexico
I sent you my submission for bizcochitos and my husband wanted to submit a recipe too! He won 3rd Place in 2004 and 2nd Place in 2005 at the Santa Fe County Fair for these Flour Tortillas!
4 cups flour
4 Tablespoons lard
2 Teaspoons salt
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 & 1/2 cups warm water
Mix all ingredients well.
Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
Heat up a cast iron griddle, also called a comal.
Pull off balls of dough and pat with a bit of flour
Roll out tortilla and then lay it on the hot comal.
It takes just a few seconds to cook. Flip to cook the
other side.
Get the butter and forget the diet!
THE PEOPLE'S FRENCH BREAD - BECAUSE BREAD IS REVOLUTIONARY!
Submitted by Kay R from Salida, Colorado
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon good quality, salted butter
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm (not hot) water
6 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 package active dry yeast
** Note instructions to preheating of oven and preheat extra loaf pan or shallow baking dish
Directions:
Measure the sugar, salt and butter into a large bowl; pour boiling water over and stir until butter is melted. Add 3/4 cup cold water and cool to lukewarm. Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in the 1/4 cup warm water and sprinkle yeast over. Let stand 10 minutes, then stir briskly with a fork. Add to lukewarm water mixture and stir. Stir in 2 cups flour and beat until smooth. Then, gradually add 4 cups remaining flour to form a stiff dough, working in the last of the flour with a rotating motion of the hand.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 - 10 minutes. Place dough in lightly greased warm bowl; grease top of the dough by turning it over once or twice in the bowl. Cover bowl with waxed paper, then a clean towel. Let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down risen dough. Turn onto lightly floured board, cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Divide dough into two portions. Shape into loaves by rolling each portion into a 7" x 16" rectangle. Roll up lengthwise as for jelly roll. Seal the edges well and taper the ends to form an oblong. Place on greased baking sheets, seam side down let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven and empty loaf pan. Brush the loaves with a mixture of slightly beaten egg white and 1 Tbs. water. Then with sharp knife make diagonal slashes across the tops every 2 1/2" or 3".
Add 1/2 cup water to the hot loaf pan (will create steam) and place baking sheets in oven.
Bake in a preheated hot oven 400F for about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake 20 minutes longer (when tapped, bread should sound hollow). ENJOY!
GRANNY'S FLOUR BREAD
Submitted by Ms. Mary from North Carolina
My granny was a special southern lady. At her house we would have a bread and
dessert with all meals. My childhood was wonderful with my grandparents and I
wouldn't trade one moment with them. Here are a few that were a must in our home. I am sure they will be handed down in our family for generations.
Ingredients:
2 Cups self rising flour
3/4 cup of water
1/8 cup of Lard (I have used less depends on your taste)
Granny used a dough board she would put the flour on it and make a well in the center she would take a small amount of lard and put in the middle of flour. She would slowly add the water in the middle and mix until well mixed.
Grease an iron skillet with bacon grease. The key to this recipe is to cook on low heat in an iron skillet. Make sure the skillet is hot before you put the dough in it. Cook on one side then turn over and cook on the other.
Serve with any kind of greens or instead of biscuits for breakfast Yummy.
We never used a knife to cut it she would break it in pieces and put in the bread basket or you can take it to the table on a lovely bread plate.
7-GRAIN FRIENDSHIP BREAD
Submitted by Sheryl W from Redmond, Washington
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C buttermilk, whey, or skim milk
2 T butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 t salt
2 T sugar
3 C bread flour
1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C vital wheat gluten (optional)
2/3 C 7-Grain Cereal
2 t active dry yeast OR 3 t rapid rise yeast
This recipe can be prepared according to machine instructions in any 2-lb bread machine using the Standard cycle.
For handmade dough:
Combine liquid, butter, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and let stand.
When liquid ingredients have reached room temperature, add dry ingredients and knead well.
Allow to rise twice for 30 minutes each rising, punching down between, in a warm oven (gas oven with the pilot light on, or a conventional oven set to the lowest
temperature for one minute and then turned off again) covered with a cloth. After the second rising, turn the dough out onto a floured countertop and form
either two oval loaves or one large round loaf. Place loaves on a parchment-lined pan with room for the dough to double in volume.
Slash the top of the loaf or loaves with a sharp knife. Cover with cloth again and allow to rise once more in a warm oven for 40 minutes.
Remove the dough while preheating; bake in a 350F oven for 20-30 minutes until a crunchy golden brown crust forms.
Serve fresh out of the oven to friends.
SWEDISH LIMPA RYE BREAD
Submitted by Joan D from Missoula, Montana
During the 70's, my husband and I lived in Saranac Lake, NY (near Lake Placid, site of the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980) and being rather low on cash, but having many good friends, we traded LOTS of recipes. This one for Swedish Limpa Rye Bread came from a friend who also did quite a bit of spinning, weaving and knitting. As a lover of 'rye' bread, this fast became one of our favorites. Goes exceptionally well with Liptauer Cheese Spread (see the 'next' edition of the Obama Cookbook).
Ingredients:
1 pkg. active dry yeast 2 Tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup warm water 1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 cup stirred medium rye flour
1/4 cup light molasses 3 Tablespoons caraway seed
1 Tablespoon salt 3 1/2-4 cups sifted reg. flour
1- 2 Tablespoons of cornmeal
Soften yeast in warm water.
In large bowl, combine sugar, molasses, salt and shortening.
Add 1 1/2 cups hot water and stir 'til sugar has dissolved. Cool to luke warm.
Stir in rye flour; beat well.
Add softened yeast and caraway seed; mix well.
Stir in enough reg. flour to make a soft dough - Cover. Let rest 10 minutes.
Knead on well-floured surface 'til smooth and satiny (about 10 minutes) (Think of it like the old days of ironing, a kind of mindless activity.)
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl - turning once to grease surface. Cover, let rise in warm place 'til double (90-120 minutes). Punch down and then turn out on to lightly floured surface; divided in two portions. Shape each into a smooth ball.
Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Pat down in 2 round loaves.
Place on greased baking sheets which have small amount of the cornmeal spread on them.
Cover and let rise in warm place 'til double.
Bake in moderate oven, 375 degrees about 30 minutes.
Place foil over tops for the last 10 minutes if necessary.
Bread is done when if you tap on top with a 'knuckle', the bread sounds hollow.
For soft crust, brush with melted butter. Cool on rack.
Makes 2 loaves.
JALAPENO CORN MUFFINS
Submitted by PhillyLady4Obama from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Here's a recipe for folks who may not have a sweet-tooth but may enjoy some savory corn
bread. These muffins go perfect with chili or soup, which may be the draw in the cold
weather!
Ingredients
2 8 1/2-ounce boxes cornbread mix
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup low-fat milk
8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 7-ounce cans corn, drained
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
Heat oven to 400° F
Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin pan with vegetable cooking spray.
Combine the cornbread mix with the eggs and milk until just moistened.
Stir in the cheddar, corn, and jalapeños.
Pour batter into each muffin cup (fill each ¾ full), and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until the top is golden
and springs back when lightly touched.
Butter the muffins when removed from oven. Let muffins cool before individually removing from pan.
OAT SANDWICH BREAD
Submitted by Kiki A from Tucson, Arizona
Okay - I make a lot of this, and the extra is for small twist roll like loaves, again, to keep the kids away from the real deal so they will have sandwich bread for their lunches.Good for Saturday or Sunday mornings between family, chores, garden, church, chatting w/neighbors or whatever you do when not chained to a desk or some such (also makes you feel more productive when you are lost on the Obama blog!). I picked up this recipe during a New Hampshire winter over 30 years ago, house sitting, sewing, feeding other folk’s animals, and scoring some extra time at home with my then two-year-old who is now overseas working on her dissertation in Geography/Development studies. It is the bread, really! She can bake/cook circles around me now, though!
Need: two oiled bread/loaf pans, and cookie sheets for the little breads.
Scald 3 cups of milk (I used powdered milk to avoid waste and cholesterol)
Have 2 1/2 cups of oats in a LARGE bowl something that won't get too hot on the bottom if placed someplace warm to rise, like the stove top. Pour the scalded milk over the oats and ad 3 tsp salt, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup molasses - mix gently and let this cool down just enough to not exterminate the yeast.
In a tea cup or something, dissolve 3 TBS or packages of yeast in 1/3 cup warm water (less than 115 degrees!). Add this to the Oat mixture with 1/2 cup of wheat germ, quinoa, or something to boost the protein, and 1 cup of whole wheat flour, and 1 or two slightly beaten eggs. Fold until will mixed. This is a sponge (I think).Cover with a damp towel and let it rise for 30-60 minutes depending on the weather.
Punch down and fold into the punch another 4-5 cups of any flour you like. I do this by punching from the edges inward, a cup or so at a time.
Turn onto well floured hopefully cool, clean smooth surface and knead for 10-15 minutes adding flour as you go - it should get less sticky and start to tear/bubble on the surface. Return to bowl and let double in bulk - 30-90 minutes depending on weather. Repeat kneading process again adding flour as you go, but not too dry. I have no idea how much flour it takes - seems to be different every time, but expect to use at least another cup during the kneading process.
Cut into three equal pieces with a large sharp knife. Cover two of the pieces with the damp towel and let rest.
Cut the third piece into 4-6 equal pieces and each of those into 3 pieces. Roll each of the three pieces into strands about as fat as your thumb, pinch at one end, braid, and pinch the other end.Place these on a cookie sheet and cover with a damp towel.
Knead each of the two loaf pieces for about ten minutes, shape into loaves and put in pans, covered with towel. Let rise for about ten minutes. Place loaves on bottom shelf and cookie sheet w/rolls on top shelf of slightly warm oven. Turn temperature up to 350. The rolls should be done in 15-25 minutes. Take them out, let them cool, and make available for anyone lurking around the smell or the bread. A little honey helps.
When the loaves have cooked about 45 minutes, brush the tops with milk, butter, or egg white depending on what kind of crust you like. Do it again at the very end, when they are completely risen, and almost done. Should look like bread at about 1 hour. Tap bread out of pans a rack to cool, cover with towel. You can slice both loaves after about 30 minutes, or leave them whole and slice as you go. I put one in the freezer in a bread bag, tucked tight but sliced.
Now I am really hungry - and feeling a bit of empty nestness, as no more children are home and this brings back some wonderful memories, both of my kids and my Nana!
KENTUCKY BEATEN BISCUITS
Submitted by Jan R from South Carolina
Beaten biscuits are very small short flaky biscuits served at room temperature and normally served with thinly sliced country ham as a filling.
* My grandmother and her mother before her….used a washing machine ringer attached to a wooden board to “beat” the biscuits. These biscuits take forever to make but are so yummy! This recipe has been in my family for generations. These were a must serve item at Kentucky Derby parties….Kentucky Country Ham on Beaten Biscuits and Kentucky Mint Juleps!
4 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (heaping)
1 Tablespoon sugar
¾ cup lard (cold)
1 cup milk
Mix dry ingredients – rub in lard (Crisco) with finger tips (I use a pastry cutter)– add milk and knead well before rolling.
*Roll until dough pops and is smooth. (the dough will eventually make a popping noise)
Cut with beaten biscuit cutter. (approximately 1 ½ inch diameter)
Prick with fork (be sure the fork sticks through the dough until it hits the bottom of pan).
Bake in a slow oven at 350 degrees until light brown.
Recipe yields 6 dozen. Biscuits can be stored in the freezer.
*SADIE’S BREAD RECIPE FROM KENTUCKY
Submitted by Jan R from South Carolina
*Sadie was a lovely African American woman who earned her living by cooking for folks in the early to mid 1900’s.
1 package yeast
¾ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cup lukewarm water
½ cup lard (Crisco)
6 ½ cups sifted flour
Put yeast, sugar and salt in water until dissolved. Add shortening – stir until soft.
Add flour, spooned in slowly (mix with fingers until all ingredients are mixed) on a pastry board and knead thoroughly. Place in large bowl and cover with cloth. Let rise until doubled in size.
Knead again. Shape loaves and put in bread pans. Butter tops of loaves. Let rise again.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Reset oven to 325 degrees and continue baking for 30 minutes.
(if loaves start to brown too much cover with aluminum foil)
Yields 3 loaves.
THE LOAF AND LADLE ANADAMA BREAD
Submitted by Anita M from El Cerrito, California (Formerly of Durham, New Hampshire)
The Loaf and Ladle, 9 Water Street, Exeter, NH (603-778-8955) is the BEST homemade soup and bread "tavern" in New Hampshire (in my humble opinion!).
Barack stopped there on the campaign trail last winter for a round table discussion. Wish I could have been there!
3/4 cup corn meal
4 1/2 cups water
2 packages dry yeast
2 Tablespoons oil
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 Tablespoon salt
8-10 cups bread flour
corn meal for pan and top of each loaf
Simmer 3/4 cup corn mean in 2 1/2 cups water until it bubbles and becomes thick. Add the rest of the water to cool the mixture to lukewarm. Mix in the yeast, oil, molasses and salt. Work in enough of the flour to make a rather stiff dough. Let rise in an oiled bowl, covered until doubled. Punch it down and form four long loaves. Grease two cookie sheets and sprinkle with corn meal. Place the loaves lengthwise on the sheets. Cover the loaves and allow to rise again.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the loaves with a whole egg wash and sprinkle cornmeal on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when thumped.
Enough people have been startled by the long shape of the Anadama as we bake it, that I suspect it is not always made that way. There is no reason that I know of why we do, or why you can't bake this recipe in loaf pans.
(Makes 4-1 1/2 pound loaves)
Editors note: This recipe is published with the kind permission of the current Loaf and Ladle owners, Meredith and Andy.
2 HOUR ROLLS
Submitted by Nonny from Wolsey, SD
Cream:
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup shortening
Add: 1 Cup boiling water & beat
2 beaten eggs
2 Pkg. yeast dissolved in 1 Cup Warm Water
1 Tbs. salt
6 Cups flour
After mixing boiling water and creamed mixture, add eggs.
After yeast is dissolved, mix in mixture, add salt and flour.
Mix all ingredients together. Let rise for 1 Hour.
Shape rolls in desired shapes and let rise another hour
Bake in hot oven 350 degrees for 15 min. or until lightly browned.