Sweet Frugal Life

Being Frugal Doesn't Make Life Any Less Sweet

Easy French Bread Recipe

By: Sweet Frugal Life18 Comments

I can’t wait to show you how to make French bread at home!

Have you been wondering how to make French bread at home?  This easy French bread recipe is where you should start!  I turn into my kids favorite person every time I make it!  It is soft and light and tastes perfect as a side for soup or pasta.  You must try it!

Easy French Bread Recipe

To make this easy French bread recipe you will need the following ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. yeast
  • 3 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 5 1/2 cups flour

First, in a stand mixer gently mix the water, sugar and yeast together.  Let it stand for 10 minutes until yeast is dissolved.  It should be frothy and bubbly.

Next, add the rest of the ingredients.  Make sure to add the flour slowly, mixing it in as you go.  You might need a little less flour or a little more. 

I add a little flour and then mix for a minute and then add a little more until the dough looks right.  The dough will be done when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl when mixing and be slightly sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a tea towel.  Place it in a warm spot and let it rise for ten minutes.  After rising gently punch the dough down in bowl.  Do this for two more times for a a total of 3 punch downs and 30 minutes of rising time.

Split dough in half and shape into two loaves.  Place them on a greased baking sheet to bake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes.  Once it’s done cooking brush with butter to make the crust soft. Slice and serve.  ENJOY!

Have you ever made homemade French bread?  It is so fun!  And this recipe is easy to make ahead and freeze for later!  Sometimes I freeze the dough in a freezer bag, and then let it rise, shape and bake later.  Other times, I make the bread and freeze it after it’s baked!  Whatever works best for you!

Soft French Bread Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. yeast
  • 3 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 5 1/2 cups flour

Instructions
 

  • Mix the water, sugar and yeast together. Let it stand for 10 minutes until yeast is dissolved. It will be frothy and bubbly.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients. Make sure to add the flour slowly. You might need a little less or a little more. I add a little flour and then mix for a minute and then add a little more until the dough looks right. You will want it to pull away from the sides of the bowl when mixing and be slightly sticky.
  • Place the dough in a bowl and cover. Let it rise for ten minutes and then gently punch the dough down in bowl. Do this for two more times for a a total of 3 punch downs and 30 minutes of rising time.
  • Split dough in half and shape into two loaves. Place them on a greased baking sheet. I will usually freeze half the dough in a freezer bag to use for another dinner.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Once it’s done cooking brush with butter to make the crust soft. Slice and serve. ENJOY!

In Conclusion

You can easily make homemade French bread yourself!  Let me know if you try this recipe.  I would love to hear how it worked for you….and I might just come over and sneak a few bites ;).  Happy baking!

Related Recipes:

Liked what you read?  Pin it for future baking!

easy french bread recipe

how to make french bread - homemade french bread recipe

Enjoy this easy French bread recipe, you will love it!

Easy Huckleberry Muffin Recipe

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

The best Huckleberry Muffin Recipe.

I am so excited to share my easy Huckleberry Muffin Recipe with you!  These are our favorite muffins and I look forward to making them each year with our newly picked huckleberries.

Have you ever had a huckleberry?  It is one of my favorite treats!  They grow in the wild here in Idaho and we love picking them as a family each summer.  The best way to describe a huckleberry is it’s very similar to a blueberry, only more purple and smaller.  They are also the perfect mixture of sweet and tart.

Huckleberries are considered “gold” where I live.  Every summer, around the end of July, we head up to the mountains with buckets and spend a few hours picking berries. 

It always takes a little bit of hiking and searching to find the best picking spot, but once you find that perfect place, you are in heaven!  The unwritten rule in Idaho is to never tell anyone where your huckleberry picking spot is….because you want to save it for yourself!  If someone gets to your spot before you do, it’s such a sad day!

We love to use huckleberries in syrup, pies, jam, and muffins.  But, they are also wonderful to eat plain!

How to Make Huckleberry Muffins

I usually flash freeze our huckleberries after picking them, similar to this method I use for freezing strawberries.  The flash freeze will preserve the fruit so I can use them throughout the entire year.

My favorite part of this easy huckleberry muffin recipe is that I can use my frozen huckleberries to make it, no thawing required!

I also really love the crumb topping on these muffins.  It gives them an extra flavor and crust, which is to die for!

When cutting your butter into the topping ingredients I recommend you use a pastry cutter, it makes this step so quick and simple!  This is the pastry cutter I use.

Easy Huckleberry Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 30 mins

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup frozen huckleberries

Topping

  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions
 

  • Cream butter and sugar together in large mixer.
  • Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
  • Mix together well.
  • Add flour, salt, and baking powder.
  • Mix gently, just until ingredients are mixed together.
  • With spoon, stir in huckleberries.
  • Pour mixture into prepared muffin tin. Leave each cup 2/3 full.

Topping

  • Mix flour and sugars together in a small bowl.
  • Use a pastry cutter to cut in butter.
  • Sprinkle over each muffin cup batter.
  • Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly brown.

If you don’t have any huckleberries in your area, you can easily substitute blueberries in this recipe and the muffins will still be amazing!  But, if you ever get a chance to try a huckleberry, try it!!  You will love them!

Want More Easy Recipes?

If you are looking for even more recipes you might love my very own recipe book, Mel’s Home Cooking.  It has 65 of my favorite, easy, family friendly recipes!  Make sure to grab it here!

Related Articles:

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Pin For Later:

huckleberry muffin recipe with crumb topping - what to do with huckleberries

quick huckleberry muffin recipe - the best recipe for huckleberries

I hope you enjoy this easy huckleberry muffin recipe!

How to Make Easy Beignets

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Enjoy this quick beignet recipe, for the non baker!

My kids and I wanted to try to make beignets the other day.  We have been having an “Around the World” summer and knew beignets would be perfect for our stop in New Orleans!

Our Around the World summer began when I was trying to come up with something unique, original and fun to do with my kids over summer break.

After brainstorming a few ideas I came up with the idea of “Around the World Summer”.  From the comfort of our home we will be “traveling” to a different country each week. 

During our “travels” we will learn a little bit about each country through movies, games, food, activities and crafts!  It’s been a really fun way to spend our summer.  A few weeks ago we decided to stay in the United States and traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana. 

And that is when I knew we needed to make beignets.  My kids are always drooling over Tianas beignets when they watch the Disney movie, “The Princess and the Frog”.

My mom motto is to always keep things cheap and easy!  I knew these one ingredient beignets would be perfect for this activity!

quick beignet recipe - how to make easy beignets

How to Make Easy Beignets

The first step to this quick beignet recipe is to gather all of your ingredients, which is only a three things (I told you this was easy!).

Ingredients Needed:

  • One can refrigerated Pillsbury Pizza Dough
  • Canola Oil
  • Powdered Sugar

Quick Beignet Recipe

1.  Roll out pizza crust.

Open your refrigerated Pillsbury Pizza Dough and roll out the crust.  This is as simple as taking the dough out of the can and laying it flat.  Done and done!

2.  Cut dough into squares.

Next, use a pizza cutter (or any kind of knife) to cut the pizza dough into squares shaped 2″ by 2″.  I just eye balled this part, they don’t need to be perfect (we are doing easy remember!).

3.  Heat oil over stove top.

After you cut your beignet squares it’s time to heat your oil.

Pour canola oil into a large skillet.  This is another step you can eye ball.  I tried to fill the skillet about 1/4 full of oil.

Next you will need to heat the oil over medium-high heat for several minutes until hot.

Do a quick test to ensure the oil is hot enough by sprinkling a few drops of water onto it.  If the oil bubbles and pops, the oil is ready.  If it doesn’t bubble and pop let it heat up for a few more minutes.  It is really important the oil is hot before the dough is put into it.

4.  Cook beignets in hot oil.

Once your oil is hot, add beignets one square at a time to the oil.

Cook each dough square for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.  Flip it over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.

5.  Sprinkle with powder sugar.

When the beignet is done cooking, transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Last, sprinkle with powder sugar and let it cool slightly.  These are best eaten warm!

That’s it!  See how easy these beignets are!  You’ll be enjoying your yummy pastry in no time!

Quick Beignets

Enjoy warm, delicious beignets with very minimal prep work.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can refrigerated Pillsbury pizza crust
  • canola oil
  • powder sugar

Instructions
 

  • Take pizza crust out of can and lay flat.
  • Cut 2" by 2" squares into dough.
  • Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • When oil is hot, add beignet dough to pan and cook until golden brown.
  • Once cooked moved beignet to a plate lined with a paper towel.
  • Sprinkle with powder sugar.

Related Recipes:

Mock Champagne Recipe

Light and Fluffy Pancake Recipe

Easy Pizza Recipes You Must Try!

 

Pin for future easy baking:

how to make tianas beignets - beignet recipe from princess and the frog

easiest beignet recipe - how to make beignets at home

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial about how to make easy beignets.

 

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

You will love this Easy Banana Bread Recipe!

I had a few bananas starting to brown this morning and that mixed with the cloudy skies out my window put me in the baking mood!  I decided to whip up some of my Grandmas Easy Banana Bread Recipe!

My sweet grandmother shared this Banana Bread Recipe with me years ago, and we have been loving it ever since!

There is just something so sweet and special about making a recipe that I know has been made for generations.  I’m going to be keeping this recipe close to my heart and can’t wait to one day share the recipe with my own grandchildren.

It only takes a few minutes to whip up this quick bread…..and honestly only a few minutes to eat it till it’s gone……

This recipe is the best way to use up bananas that are turning brown or even frozen bananas!  Just pull the bananas out of the fridge, let them defrost for an hour or two, smash them up and plop them into the mixer.

Grandmas Famous Banana Bread Recipe

This Banana Bread Recipe has been loved for generations.  It is quick to make and delicious to eat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 12 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Shortening
  • 2 Eggs
  • 3 large Mashed Bananas
  • 2 1/4 cups Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Instructions
 

  • In large mixing bowl beat sugar, shortening and eggs on high for 3 minutes.
  • Mash bananas and add to mixer. Mix well.
  • Add flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.  Mix just until combined.
  • Pour in a greased loaf pan.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Keyword Banana Bread, Bread, Quick Bread

See how easy?  The easiest!  And it is so delicious and moist!  I hope this recipe becomes a new favorite in our home, like it is in ours.

 

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Light and Fluffy Pancake Recipe

Soft French Bread Recipe

 

Pin This Recipe For Future Reference:

homemade banana bread recipe

moist banana bread recipe

Let me know if you make this Easy Banana Bread Recipe!

Terms and Conditions

Disclaimer