Breads

Corn Bread with Parsley and Basil:

1 cup of cornmeal
½ cup of all- purpose flour
½ cup of oatmeal
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp of salt
2 tbs of poppy seeds
2 tbs of chopped cilantro
2 tbs of chopped basil
3 eggs well beaten
1 cup of scant milk
4 tbs of cream
4 tbs of butter melted

Heat oven to 400*

Mix cornmeal, flour, oatmeal, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds in a large bowl stir in herbs. Add the eggs and enough milk to form a thick batter, beat well with a wooden spoon, then stir in the cream and melted butter. Grease well an 8 or 9-inch iron skillet, then pour in the batter and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Then cut into triangles and put into a napkin wrapped basket to keep warm and serve.

Rosemary Bread:

1 package of instant yeast
2 lbs of white flour
1 tsp of salt
½ cup of finely chopped rosemary
2 ¼ cups of warm water
4 tbs of olive oil
½ cup of raisins
1 egg slightly beaten

Makes 2 loafs
If you are using instant yeast sprinkle over the flour, salt and rosemary and stir well, then add a little warm water and mix well until frothy then add the olive oil and mix well with a wooden spoon. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes or use the dough attachment of a food processor until it is very pliable and elastic, then form into a ball.

Rinse out the bowl, oil it lightly and return the dough to the bowl, and cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for 1-½ hours. Then punch the dough down and knead in raisins, then cut in half and shape dough into 2 rounds, let rise again on oiled baking sheets for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 425* Using a knife slash the top of the loaves in a form of a cross, then brush the tops with egg and bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, until the bread sounds hallow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve with herbed butter.