banana millet muffins.

I found out a secret recently. I've had millet sitting in a jar on my counter for the past 6 months with no idea how to use it. I cooked it for a pilaf once and it turned into mush, so I kind of gave up on it.

But. How could one give up on this little nutrient-packed whole grain so easily?

Folks, I have discovered millets place in my world. It belongs in my baked goods! I've thrown millet into pumpkin chocolate chip muffins with lots of success, and this morning I tried them in these banana muffins. And they're good. No, they are GREAT. I may have eaten 2 in a row...or 3? With half whole wheat, little sugar, and whole grain millet, they are practically doing my body a favor (or at least I'll let myself believe that).

This recipe makes 12 muffins, but they freeze well so I'm doubling the recipe next time!

Banana Millet Muffins

3 or 4 mashed bananas

1/4 cup white sugar

1 slightly beaten egg

1/3 cup oil (i'm trying applesauce next time)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour - half whole wheat, half white

1/2 cup millet

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and oils together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Combine wet and dry ingredients, adding the millet after everything is mixed. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes.

moms wheat bread.

this is the bread i grew up eating.

unfortunately i can never get it to taste like my moms bread because she always used freshly grinded wheat flour. there is just no beating that.

i know i'm not the only one who grew up with buckets of wheat in the basement, right? do people still do this?

this bread recipe is simple, straight-forward, and is fairly accepting of additions/tweaks. i dialed the sugar back a bit last time i made it because i don't want to oversugar my 39 weeks baby baby (i'm sure baby gets enough sugar from the halloween candy i've been eating this week), and it tasted great. next time i might to try to replace some of the sugar with honey.

moms wheat bread

1/2 cup warm water - mix in 1 T. sugar and 1 package yeast. Let rise for about 10 minutes.

Mix together in large bowl:

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup melted butter (margarine)

Add yeast/water mixture from above and 2 cups warm water. Stir together.

Add 4 cups wheat flour and 4 cups white flour (I usually put in about 3 cups flour at first,

then keep adding more until it gets to the right consistency.) Knead for about 5-10 minutes

(OR put it in your Kitchenaid)

Lightly grease with oil the large (clean) bowl you mixed the dough in.

Let rise until doubled.

Punch down and divide into 2 loaves. Put into greased bread pans.

Let rise to size of loaves you'll want. it will only rise a little bit more while cooking.

Bake 350-375 for 30-40 minutes.

After I take the loaves out of the pans, I put them on a wire rack to cool and butter the tops of the loaves so the crust isn't tough. Plus, butter.