I’m The contest has closed and a winner has been announced but you can still enjoy this great recipe!
This is part 2 of the giveaway announced last week. Gooseberry Patch has allowed me to review one of their newest cookbooks, The Christmas Table. In the previous post, I reviewed the cookbook and shared a recipe for Chile Rice Casserole. In this post, I will share a recipe for Colonial Brown Bread and give some more details for the giveaway of this spectacular cookbook.
Colonial Brown Bread with Strawberry Jam
Colonial Brown Bread is made without yeast. Instead, the leavening comes from buttermilk and baking soda which creates a chemical reaction and some little explosions as the batter bakes. Don’t let the word explosion frighten you. The force isn’t great enough to blow up your kitchen or even mess up your ovens. It just the right amount of force to cause the bread to rise some, but yet leave a dense texture that makes it prefect for a hearty breakfast bread.
Serve warm Colonial Brown Bread with lots of butter and good jam.
The bread is very similar to Boston Brown Bread that I used to make in pound tomato cans and give as gifts. My recipe for Boston Bread Brown calls for raisins and gets steamed rather than baked into a loaf. It also calls for molasses. Brown sugar sweetens this bread. I used dark brown sugar, instead of light, to compete with the sturdy taste of whole wheat flour.
The preparation couldn’t be easier. Mix all the ingredients, except buttermilk, in one bowl. Add buttermilk and divide in two loaf pans. Bake until done and you’re rewarded with two loaves of bread.
Thick slices of slightly sweet bread.
This bread doesn’t contain yeast so the baking aroma isn’t going to be as spectacular as the yeast bread that you let rise, punch down, knead for 10 minutes, rise again. But, it’s a lot easier and quicker to prepare and bake. It’s a quick bread and that’s what it is. Quick.
Quick bread!
Less time from mixing bowl to mouth is a good thing.
Y’all come see us!
Colonial Brown Bread
adapted from The Christmas Table, Gooseberry Patch
yield: 2 loaves
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (use a light baking flour such as White Lily)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt (or substitute one level teaspoon table salt)
4 cups buttermilk
Mix all ingredients, except buttermilk, in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to break up the brown sugar and make sure it mixes well. Add buttermilk and mix wet and dry ingredients well. Pour in 2 greased and floured loaf 9 x 11 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove from loaf pans. Serve warm.
And now……..the second half of the giveaway. Be sure to read the previous post and follow the directions for entering the giveaway. There’s even ways to increase your chances by earning additional entries! Next, leave a comment below stating the number of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks you own. And that’s it!
The winner will be announced Friday, June 8 in a blog post that will be published on that day. Stay tuned!
Gooseberry Patch furnished me with two copies of The Christmas Table in exchange for providing a review of the product. All comments and opinions are mine. Are you kidding? No one else would claim them.
You might also enjoy:
Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Biscuits
Laura Lane says
I probably have a dozen.
velva says
I do not own any of the Gooseberry Patch cookbook series (sigh).
The brown bread is proof that bread can be made simply with good basic ingredients.
Velva
Mary Gardner says
I do believe I have at least 5 of them.
Robin @ Simply Southern Baking says
Hmmm….I own so many Gooseberry Patch cookbooks that it’s hard to count them! I’d say I probably have over 40.
jacquie says
i don’t have any gooseberry cookbooks and it looks as though i am missing out on a little treasure.
the bread looks wonderful ….
Lisa says
Just received my free copy of this book in the mail yesterday for my Sauerkraut Balls recipe and i will definitely be trying the Brown Bread recipe…luv the book 😀
Kathryn McIntire says
I have 6 of your great cookbooks!
Connie Ward says
I currently don’t own any gooseberry patch cookbooks. But since I have a birthday right around the corner I am hoping that one will be under the birthday tree for me.
Wendy says
Gooseberry Patch books are my favorite. I just got my copy of The Harvest Table and can’t wait to start finding new favorite recipes in it.
Carol Baize says
I have 3 books and wearing them out! The bread recipe looks so good i can’t wait to try it!
Alicia Som says
Sadly, I do not own any. I own zero! I’m hoping to change that though!! These sound amazing, I truly need a cookbook like this, I’ve begun eliminating processed foods from the house, and I really need some good wholesome recipes!!
jean says
I dont own any, but hope to in the furture
Lisa says
It wouldn’t be Christmas without Gooseberry Patch!
Mary Gontjes says
I own five (5) of these awesome cook books, but I want more..more..more.
The brown bread looks so YUMMY…
Sara Cannon Voges says
I own 5 GBP cookbooks! I used to have more but 3 months ago we had a house fire and lost them all.
Carol Hagen says
I LOVE these cookbooks and have many of them and would love to add this one to my collection.
Carol Ann Gregg says
I love catching up the the Gooseberry Patch on Facebook so it would be great to get their new book “The Christmas Table.” But, in the meantime I am going to try the Colonial Brown Bread from the book it looks and sounds delicious.
I also plan to make your recipe for Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Biscuits. They sound devine. I will be subscibing to you blog to get more of you great recipes.
Marlene Stratton says
I don’t have any Gooseberry Patch cookbooks!
Jo Anne Hayon says
I <3 Gooseerry Patch-way back when they had their country catalog. I own many GBP cookbooks & <3 them-especially the seasonal ones!
Laurie T says
I don’t have any GBP cookbooks, yet … but this Christmas one would be a wonderful start!