Breads

Life member Pam Curren was faced with a decision: Either live without her favorite bread, which a generous friend had been baking for her weekly, or learn to make it herself. Luckily, she loves to bake bread and quickly learned the recipe. "To me, bread is therapy you can eat," she says. Pecans or toasted hazelnuts can replace the walnuts, if desired.

Plan to start this bread at least one day ahead because the starter needs to sit from 12 to 24 hours before the dough is made. Triple-cream cheeses are extra rich and creamy because of their high butterfat content. Good choices are Explorateur, Brillat-Savarin, Pierre Robert and St. André.

Molasses lends this whole wheat bread an appealing sweetness.

These moist, sweet gems taste like individual coffee cakes. For variation, make these larger in a Texas-style muffin pan or as small tea breads in a mini muffin tin.

These moist, sweet gems taste like individual coffee cakes.

Zucchini bread doesn’t have to be sweet. This rendition teams the squash with olives and Parmesan cheese. Serve it the same day it’s made, as a savory appetizer, a quick bread for brunch or an accompaniment to the main course.