Juniata's Whole Wheat Quick Bread

My Grandmother, Juniata, (pronounced: june-e-atta) was way ahead of her time when it came to eating real food.  She was a big fan of using local, fresh ingredients. She was very knowledgeable about vitamins and minerals and what foods were sources of these nutrients.  My Grandmother understood the benefits of whole grains and minimally processed ingredients.  I can remember eating my first "fresh" egg when I visited her at around age 8.  She raised chickens and every morning she just walked outside and got an egg from one of the hens!  Wow!  More about my Grandmother to come... for now won't you try this very simple but very tasty & healthy quick bread?  You'll be so glad you did!

Juniata's Whole Wheat Quick Bread
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a loaf pan.  Stir buttermilk, molasses, and baking soda together, in a large bowl, with a spatula or wooden spoon.  It will get a little foamy.   Stir in the salt and flour.  Put into buttered loaf pan and bake for 45-55minutes.

In my pantry links you will find the brand "Grandma's" molasses.  Grandma's molasses will work just as well.  The blackstrap variety will make the bread darker and contains more potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium --also less sugar and sodium.  Both options are healthy and taste great.

Banana Bread

Yes, I know, everyone has a recipe for banana bread.  It's easy to make and a great way to use up those overly ripe bananas that we frequently seem to have.  But...I have to say....this is the BEST banana bread recipe.  It is one of my most requested.  People always comment that it is so much better than other banana breads they have tried.  I'm not bragging -- it's my Grandmother's recipe.  She was an amazing cook and baker.  I will tell you more about her real soon.  This recipe doubles very easily and the bread freezes beautifully.  Try it!!

My Grandmother’s Banana Bread


½ cup whole milk
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 cup mashed bananas (usually about 3 medium or 2 large)
⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose, ½ cup white whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan (metal or glass). Cream butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs and bananas and mix until blended. In a small bowl, with a fork, wisk flour, salt and soda together. Add flour mixture and milk to the banana mixture in a couple of batches, ending with milk. Mix until blended. (This recipe turns out the same whether mixed by hand or machine.) Bake for about an hour until a tester (knife or toothpick) inserted in center comes out clean.

Irish Soda Bread

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This is the best irish soda bread you will ever taste, I promise!  This is also the easiest recipe I have ever made and I think everyone should try it.  Let me know if you agree with me!

Irish Soda Bread

From a McCall's March 1996 recipe

3 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup raisins

1 teaspoon anise seed

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place a piece of parchment on a baking sheet or spray a baking sheet lightly with cooking spray.  Set aside 1 teaspoon of flour.  Also, set aside a couple more tablespoons flour for kneading at the end. 

Sift three cups of flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large bowl.  With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors fashion, cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in raisins and anise seed, toss until raisins are coated with flour.  Pour in buttermilk; stir with fork until dough comes together.  Knead in bowl 8-10 times, with your hands, sprinkling a little flour onto dough to keep it from sticking to your hands.  (This can also be done on a lightly floured kitchen counter.)   Transfer dough to parchment lined baking sheet and pat into a 6-inch round (does not need to be exact).  Sift remaining 1 teaspoon flour over the top of the loaf.  With a serrated knife, use a sawing motion to cut 1-inch-deep by 4-inch-long X across top of loaf.  This part is optional. (I actually forgot to do it in this example!)  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until bread is golden and sounds hollow when top is tapped.  Cool on rack.

Here are pictures of the steps:

assemble the ingredients..

sift the flour, sugar, baking soda & salt..

cut the butter into the flour mixture...

this is what they mean by "coarse meal"...

stir in the raisins and anise seed...

stir in the buttermilk....

the dough comes together...

ready for the oven!