Raisin Banana Bread Food

CHEWY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the brown sugar and butter, mixing until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. In a blender or food processor, pulse the raisins, vanilla extract and eggs until no large chunks remain. Fold the raisin mixture into the creamed butter and sugar until fully combined. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.
• Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and portion on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake in batches if necessary. Bake just until the edges start to brown, 12 to 14 minutes (don't overbake; the cookies may look slightly underdone when removing from the oven). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to fully cool.
• The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

RAISIN PECAN OATMEAL COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.
• Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

MARGARET'S RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease and flour the insides of three empty 15-ounce cans. In a medium heatproof mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the raisins and baking soda. Set aside to cool. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Stir in the bran flake crumbs. Lightly beat together the egg and oil, and stir into the flour mixture. Stir in the cooled raisins and water. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cans, filling about three-quarters of the way up. Bake on the lowest rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes and run a knife along the sides of the can to remove. If packing as gifts, just wrap in the can!

RAISIN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine 4 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, and salt in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add to the flour/butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Combine the raisins and 1 tablespoon flour and then add to the dough and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.
• Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough out to 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. You will see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch cutter and then cut in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Brush the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the outsides are crisp and the insides are done.

CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Mix one batch of the White Pan Loaf dough according to instructions given in recipe.
• Place the just mixed dough in a clean bowl lightly dusted with flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature (75 degrees to 77 degrees) for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until it doubles in volume. (An indentation made by poking your finger deep into the dough should not spring back.)
• While the dough is rising, place the raisins in a bowl or a plastic container and fill with warm water to come just below the top of the raisins. (If you use too much water, you will rinse away the natural sweetness of the raisins.)
• Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface. Gently deflate the dough and pat it into a rectangle that is about 3/4 of an inch thick, and about 6 inches by 12 inches in size. The short sides should be the top and bottom edges.
• Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, and sprinkle it evenly over the dough.
• Drain the raisins and toss them with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Spread the raisins evenly over the dough and gently press them into it.
• Starting at a short side, roll the dough into a log. Roll the dough tightly, keeping the skin of the dough slightly taut, and tucking in any raisins that fall out, but don't stretch the dough so tight that the skin tears. Seal the seam of the log gently but tightly using the heel of your hand against the surface of the table, or pinch it shut with your fingers.
• Place the loaf in an oiled or buttered 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the loaf has risen almost 1 inch above the sides of the pans.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Place the loaf pan on the center oven rack. Using a plant sprayer, mist the loaf 8 to 10 times, then quickly shut the oven door. Spray the bread again after 2 minutes.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer, until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. The crust may color quickly because of the cinnamon and raisins in the dough; watch carefully and cover the top of the loaf loosely with foil if it is browning too fast. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and place the loaf on a rack to cool. Let cool completely before slicing, or the bread will fall apart. This bread keeps well for at least 2 days.

CINNAMON-RAISIN RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Bring the rice, cinnamon, a pinch of salt and 3 1/2 cups of the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepot set over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is just tender, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar, vanilla, egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk in a medium bowl until smooth. While whisking constantly, slowly add about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolk mixture until smooth and then whisk back into the pot. Stir in the raisins.
• Simmer the pudding, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Remove and discard the pieces of cinnamon stick.
• Pour the pudding into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate, if desired. Serve at room temperature or cold, sprinkled with freshly ground cinnamon.