Recipes from our members

Today we pay homage to the bread bakers, the stuffing makers, the turkey basters, and all who create the tastes and memories that enliven our traditions on Thanksgiving and holidays throughout the year.
Here at the Fellowship, we are lucky to have many wonderful cooks. We look forward to the time when we can gather together and share food with one another. Until that time, let us enjoy a few favorite recipes shared by some of our members. Click this link to be transported to food heaven…

Swedish Limpa Bread
Recipe Contributed by Donna Brynteson

My mother would frequently make Swedish Limpa bread when I was growing up.  It’s a dark, slightly sweet rye bread without the caraway seeds used in German rye bread. She would always make it for the bake sale at Our Saviors Lutheran church which we attended. Before the sale even happened, people would call my mother and ask her if she was making her Limpa. She would get orders and it was all sold out before the sale even took place. I don’t remember what a loaf sold for but I guess it didn’t matter.

My mother never used swear words, but when she was kneading this bread I occasionally heard one! The dough can be very sticky and frustrating to work with, but with practice and repetition, you figure it out and it’s worth it in the end!

Recipe Ingredients

1 quart buttermilk
1 pint water 
2 pkg yeast
1 tsp soda – in milk
2 Tbsp. salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 rye flour (about 4 cups) and 1/2 white flour (about 5 cups) 
1/2 cup shortening (I use oil)
1/2 cup molasses 

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.  
2. In LARGE bowl mix 2 cups of the white flour, brown sugar and salt. 

3. Heat milk until warm to touch, add soda. 

4.  Mix milk, dissolved yeast, molasses and oil to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer.  Keep adding flour alternating rye and white.  When it gets too thick to use the mixer, mix with a spoon.  Knead on floured surface until elastic.  

5. Let rise until double.  Punch down and shape into 5 or 6 loaves.  My mother always used round tins, so I have too 😊. Just doesn’t taste the same otherwise!   

6. Bake at 350°F (convection oven), 375°F regular oven, 30-35 minutes.

French Bread (makes 2 loaves)
Recipe contributed by Alisa Burrous

1. Pour a cup of boiling water into the bowl of a standing mixer to warm the bowl.
2. Pour 1 cup of cold water and 3/4 cup cold milk into a 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, and microwave the liquid for 1 minute.
3. Empty the hot water from the mixing bowl and pour in the warmed water/milk mixture. Sprinkle on top of the warmed liquid:
   1 tablespoon yeast
   5 teaspoons sugar
   2 teaspoons salt
   2 tablespoons olive oil
4. Let stand 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
5. Add 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour. Mix with the mixer’s flat blade attachment until all the flour is moistened.
6. Add 2 more cups of all-purpose flour. Mix with the flat blade attachment until mixture is sticky, then switch to the dough hook. Mix on medium low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes, until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl.
7. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and place in a draft-free location for 90 minutes for the first rising. (I place mine in a cold microwave with the door shut.)
8. Remove dough from the bowl onto a floured surface and shape into a flattened rectangle. Sprinkle additional flour onto the dough as needed to shape it. Roll into a French loaf shape, and cut in half. Work each half into a loaf shape, approximately 12-14 inches in length, and cut 5 slits into the top of each loaf. Make sure the bottom and sides of each loaf are floured a bit so they don’t stick to the pan.
9. Place the loaves into a 2-loaf perforated French bread pan, and cover with a cloth.
10. Place a pie pan filled with water on a lower shelf of your oven. Begin preheating the oven to 400°F. The loaves will rise a second time during the time it takes your oven to preheat.
11. Bake the bread for 12 minutes at 400°F. Decrease the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 12 more minutes.
12. Remove the finished loaves from the oven and place the bread pan on a cookie sheet. Brush the loaves with butter while still in the bread pan. Wonderful served warm; store wrapped or in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Sweet Potato Soufflé
Recipe contributed by Wendie and Jim Highsmith

With or without marshmallows? Depends on who you ask. Jim says, “yes;” grandson Zach, says, “no.” So, we do half and half. 

This Sweet Potato Soufflé recipe was passed to us by Dodie, Jim’s mother, a consummate Unitarian Universalist, by the way. Each holiday season, our family prepares it, preferably when together. This year, it will be prepared in Maryland, Utah, and Colorado and shared during our zoomsgiving by three generations.   

Peanut Butter and Fudge Brownies with Salted Peanuts
AKA “Lake Austin Brownies”
Recipe contributed by Debbie Lane

INGREDIENTS

Brownies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips work great)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1  1/2 cups sugar
1  1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Frosting

1 cup chunky peanut butter 
1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache

7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

For Brownies

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 13x9x2 inch baking pan with foil, leaving long overhang, butter foil.
2. Place 3/4 cup butter in heavy large saucepan. Add both chocolates, stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, vanilla, and salt, then eggs, 1 at a time. Fold in flour, then nuts. Spread in prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack to cool

For frosting

1. Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter and 1/4 cup butter in medium bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar, salt, and nutmeg, then milk and vanilla. Spread frosting over brownies.

For ganache

1. Stir chocolate and 1/4 cup butter in heavy small saucepan over   low heat until smooth. Drop ganache all over frosting; spread to cover. Chill until set, about 1 1/2 hours. 
2. Using foil as aid, transfer brownies to work surface, cut into squares. 

Current Cream Scones
Adapted from Tassajara Recipe Book
Recipe contributed by Robyn and Chris Rathweg

Preheat over to 400°F
Sift together: 
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

Grate in:
5 Tbsp. butter (frozen or very cold)

Add and stir in:
1/2 cup currents

In separate bowl, beat together:
2 large eggs
5 Tbsp. cream (or milk)
5 drops vanilla

Set aside 1 TBSP of mix for glaze.
Stir wets into dries.
Gently work together, knead briefly.
Shape into circle about 3/4″ to 1″ thick on cookie sheet.
Brush with reserved egg/milk mixture.
Sprinkle with coarse crystal sugar.
Cut into wedges and separate on baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly brown on top.
Serve warm with jam.   Enjoy!

Options:

Use almond or lemon flavoring instead of vanilla
Instead of currents, add:
Slivered almonds and candied ginger
Chocolate chips
Walnuts and dried cranberries
You can use part whole wheat flour, just add extra milk so scones are not dry.
Omit sugar on top and add dried herbs for savory scones to serve with soup or stews.

Grandma Swason’s Oatmeal Bread
Contributed by Setzke Family

This dense bread is delicious with soup or as a snack.

Combine and cool to under 140°F:

1 c oatmeal*
2 c boiling water
½ c molasses
2 tsp salt

Dissolve yeast in water then add to oatmeal mixture

1 package dry yeast
½ c lukewarm water (~120 degrees)
5-6 c flour*
* for GF bread, use GF certified oatmeal and GF flour blend with xanthum gum

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add flour gradually to other ingredients mixing as you add – this dough stays stickier than most bread. Turn onto a floured board & knead until smooth. Turn into a greased bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and leave in a warm place 1 hour or until doubled in size (if doing GF version, it won’t rise as much). Punch down. Shape into loaves, place in greased bread pans and bake for 50 minutes or until browned.

Go-to Drop Biscuits
Contributed by Setzke Family

This variation on the Joy of Cooking recipe is Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and can be vegan. A little crumblier than regular flour, but still delicious! Shared at the bread service in 2019.

Whisk together  thoroughly:
2 cups all purpose or GF flour blend with xanthum gum
2 ½ tsp baking soda
½ to ¾ tsp salt

Cut in with a pastry knife until the largest pieces are the size of peas:
5-6 T cold, unsalted butter or margarine

Mix in EITHER:
¾ c milk or dairy free milk like rice or almond for vegan version
and 1 egg
OR
1 cup milk or rice milk

Optional: add crushed garlic, Italian spices or other seasonings

Preheat oven to 450°F. Drop biscuit sized scoops of batter in either a greased muffin tin or on a greased baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes.