Raisin Brown Bread

Or as I call it, Boston Brown Bread. Except you all know me and it did not leap off the page as written into my baking pan because of the way that I am. Interestingly, it was a fairly straightforward recipe for me that became more challenging through the realization that I needed to go to the grocery store!

From a site called "Eat Better America" and the citation has faded because it's been in my cooking binder forever and also it's a recipe my mom found in the first flush of no yeast bread searching. I'm been pretty consistent with Bisquick based breads and recently, due to laziness/lack of time, the Pillsbury Grands pop-open tubes are yeast free. I buy them regularly because of the convenience. It's not a loaf of bread and doesn't make sandwiches the same, but it'll do. (orrrr it'll do, donkey, it'll do, muttered in a Scottish accent--thanks, bro, for that one!)

Anyway, this raisin brown bread is "created in Colonial times and also called Boston Brown Bread, this authentic dark bread is made with cornmeal and molasses. Originally, it called for rye meal, which was available at that time. If you really like rye, use 1/2 cup rye flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour in addition to the all-purpose flour. Whole Grain serving: 1/2."

As fits it being yeast free, it's a very dense bread. The molasses gives it flavor, as do the raisins--or in my case, cranberries. But without further ado...

1 c all purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c whole-grain cornmeal
1 c raisins
2 c buttermilk
3/4 c molasses
2 t baking soda
1 t salt

Let's pause here and recap what happened in my kitchen yesterday...i glanced over this and was like, yeah, I can do this. Plus it'll use up the semi-expensive molasses I have barely touched except in poaching bagels. But wait...I used up all my cornmeal (i tried polenta...that did not work). Eh, just substitute another half cup of the other flours, the thing on the recipes says you could try rye flour so obviously there's room for change. Raisins to cranberries, check. Buttermilk...hm, but I have two cups of skim milk...add some vinegar, got it. (Safe for me vinegar, too. Have i mentioned that before--it can't be apple based? Or rice?) Great. And then at the very end, I have my general failure of I have lots of baking powder but not soda. GRRR!

Savior: http://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/ingredient-substitutions-00420000003012/?subsid=e Ingredient substitutions! And here's where it gets tricky--for baking soda, 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/4 cornstarch + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Well, I don't have cornstarch, but you can use flour. Nor do I have cream of tartar...but you can apparently use vinegar or lemon juice to add acidity. Great. So I used all my substitutions for my 2 t baking soda--baking powder, vinegar, and flour. It was like I was in science class, btw, particularly when I added the vinegar and it all started bubbling. Should I have started cackling like a mad scientist?

Onwards.

Heat oven to 325F. Greast 2qt casserole dish with shortening or cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat all ingredients with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Pour batter into dish.
Bake uncovered about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Immediately loosen sides of bread with metal spatula and unmold bread; cool on wire rack.

And I just discovered that 1 serving is only 90 calories! Makes me feel better when I'm chowing down...good thing I don't know what 1 serving is! Plus with the changes I made, it could be different. 

It's one of those recipes that I bit into and I immediately understood how people used to eat just bread and butter for meals. In fact, that is what I ate for lunch yesterday. All those historical novels where bread and butter is a meal...it feel into place. 

And now I'm probably off to breakfast on bread and butter now.