Norwegian Christmas Bread (Julekake)
from Barbara Moody (Steve's mom)

1 cup milk, scalded
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cardamon
1/2 cup warm water (105 deg. F.-115 deg. F.)
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 cup mixed candied fruit
1 tbl. flour
4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tbl. sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1. Pour scalded milk over butter, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and cardamon in a bowl. Stir until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Sprinkle yeast over water and stir until dissolved. (Do not mix yeast with water in a metal bowl.)
3. Toss raisins, nuts, and mixed fruit with 1 tbl. flour, and set aside.
4. Add about 2 cups flour to the milk mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in dissolved yeast, egg, and the fruit-nut mixture. Beat in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
5. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 min. Form into a ball and place in a buttered bowl. Turn dough to bring buttered surface to top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (about 80 deg. F) until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
6. Punch down dough and turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half and shape each into a round loaf. Place on a buttered cooking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until the dough is doubled, about 1 hour.
7. Bake at 350 for 25 min. Brush tops with softened butter and sprinkle with a mixture of the sugar and cinnamon. Remove loaves to wire racks to cool.
   Note: This is a part of our traditional Christmas Day brunch every year. Steve bakes this on Christmas Eve day. I love it that our children are experiencing a part of his family's Norwegian heritage.

Cornbread from Lisa Peacock
12 pieces (8 or 9 inch square pan)

1. Grease the pan with "Pam" type spray.
2. Blend together in order given in a 2 cup measure:
   1 cup buttermilk
   2 eggs
   3 Tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
   4 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter, or oil
3. Thoroughly blend dry ingredients in a separate bowl:
   2 cups cornmeal (can substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour)
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   1 teaspoon salt
4. Blend liquid ingredients into dry ingredients with a wire whisk just until evenly mixed.
5. Pour into greased pan and bake 25 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until knife comes clean out of center.

Bran Muffins from Lorna Grooten

1. Stir water into bran, let stand 5 minutes:
   1 1/2 cups wheat bran
   1/2 cup boiling water
2. Place in blender, blend on high 3-4 min.:
   1 cup apple juice
   1 egg
   1/2 cup honey
   1 cup whole wheat grain
3. Add and blend briefly:
   1 1/4 tsp baking soda
   1 tsp salt
   Optional add-ins:
   1 cup dates
   1 cup raisins
   1 cup walnuts
   1 cup coconut
   1 cup blueberries
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
   Note: If you do not have the whole wheat grain, substitute 1-1/2 cups of wheat flour. If you do use flour instead of the wheat grain, you do not have to use the blender.

Low Fat Apple Muffins from Laurie Moody

2 egg whites, beaten
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup applesauce
1 large apple, chopped
2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Topping: 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chopped nuts, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (sprinkle on before baking so it will settle into the top of the muffin.

1. Stir milk into beaten egg whites, and gently mix in remaining ingredients.
2. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and add topping.
3. Bake at 400 deg. for 20 minutes.
   Note: If you bake in foil muffin cups, you do not need to grease the pan and they come out very easily. They do stick to paper muffin cups though.

Low Fat Blueberry Muffins from Laurie Moody

2 egg whites, beaten
1-1/3 cup skim milk
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

1. Stir milk into beaten egg whites, and gently mix in remaining ingredients.
2. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
3. Bake at 400 deg. for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar as soon as you remove from the oven.
   Note: If you bake in foil muffin cups, you do not need to grease the pan and they come out very easily. They do stick to paper muffin cups though.