I gave this a 4 because I had to make several changes to make it flavorful. 1.) We are not big salt fans, but it did need extra salt. 2.) It needed a dab of sugar. 3.) It needed either butter or EVOO. I used butter. Here is what I plan to do next time: a.) 2tsps salt instead of 1.5. b.) Add 1tsp sugar - use it to proof the yeast c.) Add 1.5 tsps EVOO d.) Score the bread before the second rise instead of after. e.) Skip the egg wash. Instead, preheat oven to 500, add the bread, add 1cup water to small pan to create steam. Lower the temp to 450 and bake for 12 mins at 450 then rotate the pans and bake for another 15 to 25 mins until the bread reaches an internal temp of 200degrees. This should yield the crispy crust that we prefer at our house, without the egg wash. Note: Based on other recommendations, I also tried the accelerated version, where the bread is left to rise 10 mins, then shaped, scored, and immediately washed with a whole-egg wash, then left to its final rise. This method worked pretty well, but it resulted in too fine of a crumb, whereas I prefer more holes and a looser crumb for Frend Bread. It really needs the full first rise and the full second (shaped) rise to make that happen. The full two rises also add flavor due to the fermentation time.

Reviewed On: Jan. 5, 2012

This was my first time making banana bread, but due to this recipe, it turned out great. However, it did take 1hr 25mins to cook. That may be because I didn't measure the bananas, just used four medium to large ones so maybe that worked out to more than the 1.5C of bananas called for in the recipe, and also because I used a glass loaf pan. But the extra cooking time didn't dry it out at all. It was delicious.

Reviewed On: Nov. 29, 2011

The biscuit recipe as written was okay. I made modifications which I felt were improvements both in taste and for health, but I didn't consider the mods in the rating. Here are the modifications: 1.) substituted grapeseed oil for shortening 2.) substituted whole wheat flour for white flour 3.) added a tsp of garlic 4.) added 1/4 C of cheddar cheese. 5.) Whenever I add cheddar cheese, I slightly decrease the salt since the cheese has salt - but not everyone would agree with the need to decrease the salt in that case 6.) Instead of dropping them, I divide the dough into the number of biscuits, then roll each lump of dough into a ball. Then I flatten each ball somewhat so it's similar to a biscuit shape. This results in a more uniform shape than a drop biscuit, while eliminating the need to roll them out with a rolling pin. OBSERVATIONS:. A.) Using grapeseed oil, I find the baking sheet does not need to be oiled. B.) With the whole wheat and the extra cheese, they need the full 15 minutes to cook. C.) The best part is the leftovers, which toast nicely after being split the next day. Update 2012-01-08: Tonight I ran out of whole wheat flour so I used All Purpose flour. Since they were going to be used with butter and jam, I didn't add the garlic or cheese. However, I still used the grapeseed oil. What a difference compared to shortening! They were great! Light and crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and much more flavorful.

Reviewed On: Nov. 16, 2011