Make Ahead Pizza Dough also known a Slow Ferment Pizza Dough

Loved the crisp bottom crust uncommon in a home oven!

Every once in a blue moon I will click around to several blogs, one being Orangette.  I saw this Pizza dough, had everything on hand, so gave it a try.  Easy to stir up, very little mess, and easy to handle dough.  So far a winner.  It is great to keep in the refrigerator 5 days or so (actually 6 days) before using and I like that too.  I love to mix up things in advance!

So when Friday rolled around I called my husband and told him not to stop for Pizza as he often does on Friday nights as I had it covered!  Plus my Pizza's are always DELUXE!

This pizza was topped with sauce, pepperoni, fresh ground chuck, mushrooms, black olives, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella. YUM.

Ingredients for Slow Ferment Pizza Dough:

2 C. bread flour
2 C. whole wheat flour
2 t. kosher salt
2/3 t. instant yeast
1/2 t. sugar
1 3/4 C. water

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir together until there are NO dry bits.  Tightly cover and store in the refrigerator.  The next day pull it out and knead for about a minute until it is smooth and elastic.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days untill you want to make PIZZA!

About 2 hours before you will be ready to make the pizzas pull the dough out of the refrigerator.  Use a spatula and remove the dough to a lightly floured board and divide it in half making 2 smooth balls of dough.  Cover and leave 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the dough is easily stretched.

45 minutes before baking the pizzas select either option one:  for metal baking sheets place them about 6" from the broiler.  Or option two place pizza stones or baking stones on the lowest oven racks.  Heat the oven to it's hottest setting.  NOTE:  I used pizza stones on the lowest 2 racks and set my gas range to 500 degrees F.

Next tear 2 nice sized sheets of parchment paper.  Place on a cutting board or cabinet or the back of a baking sheet or if you are lucky a pizza peel!  Stretch one portion of dough to 12" or so.  I just pressed it out with my fingers and the heels of my palms.  The dough worked very easily.  Then repeat on the second parchment with the second dough. 

Add the topping you have selected and you are ready to bake.  Open the oven, slide out the lowest rack and slide the pizza ON THE PARCHMENT onto the hot stone from off the peel or baking sheet or whatever you have used.  Pull out the next lowest rack and repeat sliding your pizza onto the second hot stone.  Close the oven and bake 8-10 minutes.  Reverse the pizza stones from their pack positions and bake 5 or more minutes until the desired bubbly cheesy pizza happens you like.

YUM,

When you remove the pizzas let the sit a few minutes before serving.  Yield 2, 12" pizzas.  These were do again pizzas and we will do them again!!

NOTES;  These bake beautifully on the parchment and slide right off.  The pizza roller cutter did not even tear.  I did not get a speck of anything on the 2 pizza stones and did not even have to wash them.  WIN WIN!  The second pizza we just cooled and slid on the parchment onto a plastic bag to freeze for another day.  Another Win!

FONDUE Birthday Dinner for 6 with Steak, Chicken, & Orangr Dreamcicle Cake

All set for a fondue birthday dinner for six.

Our oldest grandchild turned twenty last week and asked Grandma for a Fondue  birthday dinner.  So after a hunt for what was left of our 60's fondue pot!  Success, I found it.  Easily I set up a large flat tray with the heat source, the stand, and the pot with lid.  Ours is stainless steel, ideal for a meat based cool.

THE MENU:

Beef, Chicken, and Shrimp Fondue
Baked potatoes
Vegetables with dip
Homemade sour cream vanilla bread
Orange Dreamcicle Cake

There were some contamination issues to solve as you need to ensure the participants NEVER handle the raw chicken, shrimp, or beef.  This was easily solved by me loading long bamboo skewers by threading the steak accordion style and the chicken securely on the skewers and pushing it an inch up from the pointed end.  This was dome well ahead of time and the skewers placed in a long glass baking dish, covered with plastic wrap, then refrigerated until about 30-40 minutes prior to cooking.  I removed it to bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.  Just remember to remove the cooked meat with your fork from the skewer onto your plate.  Do not put the hot skewer into your mouth please!

I purchased a sirloin steak and placed it in the freezer for 45 minutes in order to partially harden it for slicing.  Next using my husband's filleting knife I trimmed the fat and sinew then sliced off long slender pieces just right to thread on the skewers and to ensure quick cooking.

Next I partially thawed a boneless skinless chicken breast and sliced 1/2"-3/4" pieces.  Cleaned and shelled shrimp can be done the same way.

Ingredients for Fondue Meat Course for Six;

1 1/2 pound Sirloin steak
1  pound boneless skinless chicken
1 pound cleaned shelled shrimp
3-4 C. peanut or grape seed oil
1 stick butter
1 t. salt
Sterno (heat source)

Prepare the meat and shrimp as indicated above and refrigerate.  This can be done a day ahead.
30-45 minutes before eating bring the prepared meat and shrimp to room temperature.  Combine the oil, butter, and salt in the metal fondue pot and heat to 375 degrees F. on the stove.  Light the Sterno and situate it under the pot stand.  Carefully carry the hot pot of oil to the stand.  You are ready to cook.  Each skewer will take from 1 to 3 minutes to cook based upon your liking.

The Sauces are a wonderful addition.  We especially like to dip the steak and chicken into a Horseradish Sauce.  Combine 1 C. sour cream, 2-3 T. horseradish, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Garlic Butter is also delicious, especially for the shrimp and chicken.  Combine 1 stick of melted butter with 1-2 cloves smashed garlic and let it meld at last an hour ahead.  1-2-3 Spicy Tomato Sauce  is made by combining 1 1/2 C. spicy hot catsup, 3 T. vinegar, 2 t. celery seed, and 1 clove smashed garlic.  Chill and remove the garlic pieces prior to serving.  It is GREAT with everything. We also set the A-1 Steak Sauce and the catsup on the table for the plain Jane's!

Emily's Dreamcicle birthday cake.

The cake, veggies and dip, and yeast bread links are listed her if you would  like to see how they are made.       thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/07/orange-dreamcicle-cake-and-birthday.html

Make your own Ranch dressing mix.

thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-best-homemade-ranch-dressing-recipe.html

Delicious yeast bread, make in or outside the bread maker. always good.

thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2013/11/sour-cream-vanilla-bread-best-bread.html

Happy Birthday Sweet Emily.

Watermelon Pops

Summer is here in Indiana and the watermelons are sweet.  This is the second one we have had and both were as sweet and juicy as they can be!  Somewhere, and I can't remember where, I saw the melon cut in a grid and tried it.  The light bulb came on and "Why didn't I think of that?" flashed across my brain!  You get an "icicle" of a slice of watermelon and a nice little square of rind to hold on to!  Handy to pop into your mouth with little muss or fuss.

Just halve the melon.  Place half cut side down and slice across one way at 1 1/2 (or thereabouts) inch intervals.  Than repeat slicing the opposite direction.  AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!  Simple and ready to serve. 

If I am making it ahead of time I store in an extra large plastic bag with the rind ends all pointing out away from the center of the bag.  Easy as can be.

Coney, "Chili Dog" Time! Summer's Here! Grill up some Sausages & Hot Dogs and top them with this AMAZING Coney Sauce!

Smells great too as it's simmering away!

My husband grew up in a little town, Washington, Indiana and has talked about a little mom and pop stand there that sold the most delicious coney's ever.  I have heard about how everyone went there after school (in the 1960's) and there were long lines and so on and on and on......They were known as Kramer's Famous Coney's.  Check them out on Facebook to see what is up!

Well anyway, he ran into a friend who married a gal from Washington and she has given him the reported "secret recipe"!  He is so excited and brimming with anticipation that he actually called last night on the way home from work to ask if he could pick up anything I needed in order for me to serve them up for supper tonight!  Wow.  I sure hope he likes them.  Talk about pressure!  And a big Thank You out there for this recipe!  I am excited to try it!

Easy every day ingredients!

Ingredients for Coney, "Chili Dog" Sauce:

2 pounds ground chuck
1 C. water
1 diced onion
15 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato sauce
1 C. Old Fashioned Oats
1 T. salt
1T. sugar
1T. chili powder
1/2 t. celery salt
sprinkle black pepper
dash of Worcestershire sauce

Combine chuck, water, and onion in a large skillet and brown.  DO NOT DRAIN.  Stir in  the remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 2 hours.  Serve over grilled or otherwise cooked dogs or sausages on fresh buns of your choice.  Could make some great nachos too!

Week night dinner is served, sliced up a couple of apples for dessert and watched TV!

Easily can be doubled or tripled for crowd!   One pound should be enough to sauce 6 to 10 dogs depending on how much you use per sandwich!  This recipe should make 12-20 chili dogs. I added extra chili powder and a couple of shakes of hot sauce so make it your own.  If it gets thick stir in more water.

Also freezes quite well!

Serving suggestions:  Chips to scoop up any sauce that drips! Cole Slaw and Potato Salad with Lemonade or beverage of your choice.  Make some ice cream ahead and freeze into ice cream sandwiches using your favorite home made cookies! 

Russian Tea Cakes/Mexican Wedding Cakes, Whichever You Call Them They Are DELICIOUS

Little Bites of Delicious.

The first time I tasted these I was maybe 8-9 and it was my first year of 4-H up in Hamilton county.  The recipe was in my first year cooking book and we made them as a group "FOODS 1" meeting with our leader Ruth Sproat.  I was hooked and have made them ever since.

Since all of the oatmeal cookies disappeared yesterday I made up a batch of these.  Doubting they could have been improved upon but experimenting just the same I substituted 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste* for 1 teaspoon of vanilla and was very pleased!  The rich deep intensity of the vanilla just packs a little more WOW into these heavenly bites.  This is a small batch of cookies only yielding 28 cookies and I doubt they last the weekend!

Ingredients for Russian Tea Cakes/Mexican Wedding Cookies:

2 sticks room temperature butter
1/2 C. sifted powdered sugar + more for rolling the warm cookies after baking
1 t. vanilla bean paste*  (or use 1 T. regular vanilla)
2 1/4 C. flour
1/4 t. kosher salt
3/4 C. finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the flour and salt beating just to blend.  Add the pecans just until incorporated.  Gather the dough into a firm ball and cover snugly with plastic wrap and chill 1-2 hours until firm.

Remove the chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to soften slightly.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment or use sil-pat  baking mats then set aside.

Pinch off lumps of cookie dough and roll them into balls the size of an English walnut and place 2" apart on the prepare baking sheets.  Bake about 10-11 minutes until set, only the undersides should lightly brown.   Leave them in the pans to cool slightly for 4-5 minutes then while warm remove to a pie plate of confectioners sugar and roll to coat well.  I use two tablespoons to roll and remove them to a rack or paper towels to cool.  Yield about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

HELPFUL HINT:
*Vanilla bean paste is a product I order from King Arthur Flour Co.  It is a suspension of vanilla bean caviar, about the consistency of honey.  One teaspoon of vanilla bean paste = the caviar of one vanilla bean or three teaspoons of plain vanilla extract.  It adds delightful depth and flavor to whatever you are making.

Oatmeal, Flax, and Walnut Cookies and Trail Mix, Change Up Old Recipes and New

Trail Mix.

Oatmeal, Flax, Walnut,  & Raisins make these Oatmeal Cookies!

Munchies that pack a little extra punch are always a good thing!  This crunchy, salty, sweet, tart, chewy, and chocolate trail mix really hits all the notes!  Ground flax seeds push the nutritional score for oatmeal cookies with walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and the less processed old fashioned oats even higher and also ups the fiber ante.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/08/oatmeal-cookies-cinnamon-clove-pecans.html   is the link to my basic recipe which I adapted by using walnuts and adding 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flax seeds.

Yesterday afternoon I got busy and made up the cookies for my husband to take to share with all of the gunsmiths at Paducah Shooters Supply where he is visiting today!  Not only is this his favorite cookie but he loves to share them with his friends.  I had already packed up the majority of them when I thought to take the picture.  My bad.

I admit to having slacked off my ongoing diet after Christmas while I have been fighting this crazy cold and enduring the winter doldrums.  But even then, I drink no calories.  I up the non starchy vegetables and try to stay away from the "white stuff".  My biggest obstacle is no good tomatoes!  Thus my staple and favorite meals of eggs and tomatoes and everything else with tomatoes runs amok!

Ingredients for Trail Mix:

1 C. cashews
1/2 C. walnuts
1 C. mixed nuts
1  1/2 C. combined of your favorite dried fruits like bananas, blue berries, apricots, cranberries, cherries, raisins etc.
1 C. chocolate chips or mixture of M & M's, dark chocolate chunks etc.

Stir altogether and enjoy! I like to have things like this around when I feel weak willed and need just a little something special.   A tablespoon or two of this and I am good to go.   Way better than a binge on something unexpected!

Crystal's HOT Buffalo Chicken Dip with Celery Dippers, My Holiday Find and Favorite!

My niece Crystal brought this most yummy dish to our family Christmas celebration.  When I tell you it is SO delicious we all stood around the table, celery sticks in hand in unison diving into the delicious hot bubbly dish of spicy chicken and cheese!  Believe it!

Kudos go out too to Mike and Julie for the hot pizza's they brought that had a whole banquet table of little kids eating and clamoring for more and to Chris and sons for the vat of diced fresh fruit they (the table of little kids) scarfed down after the pizza!  I thought what a good idea although unplanned at the time to have something little kids could really love and dive into! 

Ingredients for Crystal's Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip with Celery Dippers:

8 ounce Philly Cream Cheese at room temperature
2 cans drained and flaked premium chicken (Save the broth and refrigerate or freeze for use in other recipes.)
1/2 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/2 C. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1/4 to 1/2 C. Hot Sauce, to taste  (We got a hot pepper sauce assortment for Christmas so we tasted as we went!)
Washed, cleaned celery cut into 2-3" lengths and chilled for dippers
Crackers or other assorted veggies of your liking.

Butter a deep 9" pie plate and set it aside.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all of the ingredients using slow speed on the mixer until just combined.  Or, if you prefer a coarser texture combine everything but the chicken then flake it with a fork and blend into the mixture by hand.  Taste and adjust hot sauce as needed for desired heat.

Smooth into the prepared pie plate.  Bake 20 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature along side dippers. Cover and refrigerate any left over and reheat in a microwave for a quick snack.

Crystal doubled this recipe using a 9" x 12" baking dish o serve at a party of 30 or so adults along with with other appetizers. 

Chip Beef Dip/Spread (Another Oldie but Goodie!)

This is a really old old recipe that many of our family members make from different sources.  I remember as a young married living across from the A & P in Broadripple in Indianapolis and they made this dip.  We bought it so often the deli lady told me how to make it.  My sister has a similar version marked from our ex-sister-in-law so it has been around for sure.  It is really good though, I can remember my sisters and I, the three of us  polishing off a whole batch in our youth!

Ingredients for Chip Beef Dip/Spread:

2 C. sour cream
8 ounces softened Philly cream cheese
3 green onion sliced with tops very finely
1 jar dried beef
1/8-1/4 t. garlic powder
1/8-1/4 t. Worcestershire sauce

Beat the cream cheese and sour cream together until fluffy.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve.  Refrigerate in a sealed container any remaining or if not serving immediately. .  It just gets better.  Today we tried with some of the new "cracker" chips.  Also very good with crunchy vegetables or to stuff celery.  Yum!  Sometimes on weekends I make this up with veggies and meat and cheese and stash in the refrigerator so we can fend for ourselves mid-day or if the kids come by early.

Yield 3 cups.

Doing Pie and Cookie Dough Today! Christmas Buffet Menu.

5 pie crusts

Today I have made up my recipe for 5 single crust pie crusts (or 2 double and a single)  because I am making two very special people their favorite pies to send with my husband in the morning when he leaves for work.  He can deliver them for me and they will still be nice and warm.  That sounds like a great Christmas surprise to me!  I have the pastry made up and patted out into 5 disks and wrapped in waxed paper then dropped into a plastic bag  and stashed into the refrigerator.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/07/cherry-pie.html   thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/11/canning-apple-pie-filling-my-revision.html     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/05/raisin-pie-and-primary-election-day.html

Home canned apple pie filling

I will use my last can of homemade Apple pie filling for one pie and then I am making an very old fashioned Raisin pie.

Raisins simmering

   

Snicker doodles

Next this morning I am making up a batch of Snicker doodles    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/08/old-fashioned-snickerdoodles.html   then a recipe of sugar cookie dough  thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2013/12/baking-christmas-cookies.html   and a batch of dough for painted roll out cookies.   thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2013/02/painted-hearts-cut-out-cookies-for.html   I will bake the Snicker doodles today and store the made up cookie dough to bake off tomorrow after my marathon trip to both the butcher and the market.

Since I have been troubled with bad knees I was counting the days to the injection appointment.  But, the injections bother me about a day and a half but then I jump up and feel 30 again for awhile!  Today is my first feel like 30 day.  Thus the reason I have postponed the marketing.

Planned Christmas Buffet:

This Christmas I am planning a buffet to be left out and enjoyed at will.  The ham for Thanksgiving was such a hit I am repeating it.   thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2013/03/baking-whole-ham-for-easter.html    I also ordered several pounds of the butchers delicious homemade potato salad (yes I did!)  But I will throw together some baked beans.  Thinking of a huge, maybe 4 pound platter of fresh strawberries and some chocolate ganache for dipping!  Then our other "likes" include a platter of ice cold shrimp cocktail, a cheese ball with crackers, assorted bread. thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/12/old-fashioned-persimmon-pudding-my.html   Assorted beverages on ice and maybe a bit of hot buttered rum!    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/11/hot-buttered-rum.html

Spiced Pecans

Some spiced nuts, and of course veggies and dip.  Dessert will be Christmas cookies and a batch of Christmas rice crispy treats with red and green holiday sprinkles!  Then maybe, just maybe, I will do up a persimmon pudding with whipped cream for good measure.  

Raisin and Apple Pies

Monday Morning 7:30 AM:  The pies have finished baking and are packed for Brian's deliveries! 
Since they are still hot I dropped a cooling rack into the bottom of each of two large tote bags.  Next I covered the rack with a clean tea towel and put the aluminum pie plate in a second aluminum pie plate to sturdy up the base.  Then I rolled 2 additional clean tea towels into cylinders and used them as bumpers to keep the pie from sliding.

Tucked away to travel

The last step was to tear, fold, and enclose two ample sheets of fresh aluminum foil for the pis to be covered with when cool. 

Granddaughter says, "If I had 3 thumbs I'd give them all THUMBS UP for this snack!" Now I'd call this Peanut Butter Fruit Dip a HIT.

Self contained snack to go works great for young and old to eat now, take along, travel or just sit on a bench and enjoy!

This day has been a slower day and I got to finish up some things I have wanted to do so I got busy and made a trial batch of this dip to take as a snack for Kate when I picked her up from the school today.  She just loved it so I thought I would share!

I keep 6 ounce paper cups to place a few tablespoons of dip into and drop it down into a plastic sandwich bag with a freshly peeled and sliced apple and a folded napkin for a tidy and complete take along snack,

It would also be great with any other fruits, salty pretzels, or graham crackers!

Makes a light and fluffy dip that does not stick to the roof of you mouth as does plain peanut butter.

Ingredients for Peanut Fluff Dip:

4 ounces soft cream cheese
6 ounce jar marshmallow fluff or cream
1/2 C. peanut butter

Beat all together with an electric mixer until fluffy and well combined.  Serve as a dip or spread.  Yield about 1 1/2 cups of dip.  Can easily be doubled! Store covered in the refrigerator until time to serve.  It will not last long I predict!

Deep, Dark, & Crisp Kale Chips with Sesame and Salt

The next time I will sprinkle with the sesame seeds a few minutes before I stop the toasting of the leaves for added flavor

I have had several people tell me these are good and encourage us to try them and I am certain as well that many of you have perhaps seen or heard about them on TV.  Last week my best friend Diane confided to me that her husband Doc Dave had made them and they really thought them good...so off I went on a mission for kale!  They also sent me a recipe they used from thefamilydinnerbook.com written by Kirstin Uhrenholdt from which my version had been adapted.

Using scissors made short work of removing the heavy veins.

After washing and drying the leaves thoroughly I used a pair of scissors to cut out the tough stems starting at the top of the leaf and cutting down toward the thickest part.  After reading some of the comments from a nutritionist who had massaged coconut oil into the leaves rather than using olive oil I decided that would be my course.  I love coconut oil and the benefits I see from it.

Ingredients for Kale Chips:


2 bunches of kale washed, dried, and stems removed

2-3 T. olive, grape seed, or coconut oil

a sprinkle of coarse salt, of salt substitute, garlic powder, black pepper, sesame seeds, wasabi,  crushed red pepper, etc. (all optional to your  liking and tastes.)

cooking spray for pans

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and spray cooking spray across 2 sheet pans with rims.  Tear the kale into desired pieces.  Place them into a large bowl and massage the oil into the kale.  It is important that every bit gets covered.  Happy kale is crisper!

Kale dressed and ready for the oven!

Place kale in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Flip with tongs part way through the time.  The kale will turn a very deep and dark green and crisp.  Do NOT let it get brown!  When the kale is done sprinkle with desired seasonings and munch away.

My Commentary or 2 cents worth:

While these are not potato chips!  They are not bad at all and I will make them again.  They are crisp and light and have a not too green taste complemented by the sesame and salt.  I did use salt substitute on half and sea salt on the other half for comparison.  This is for my hubby.  Yesterday was his one year anniversary from heart surgery and I am feeling very Blessed to have him. The heart folks have told us salt is the #1 factor in high blood pressure so I try to reduce where it is feasible.

A couple of weeks ago I underwent my first stress test and while the results were fine they did stress diet and exercise.  The doctor was most happy when I told him we eat home made fresh made and almost nothing "prepared" out of a box.  His comment was he believed prepared foods play a large part in the ills of the day!  I agree along with the contamination of our air and water.

We live in a part of the country with a much higher than the normal cancer rate so we try to do better than the norm by having a reverse osmosis water system as well as filters on the shower to remove chemicals from being absorbed through the skin.

Sorry if I am on my soap box again!

Dehydrating Apples for Cinnamon Apple Chips, My Husband LOVES These!

These are ready to be stored away or served as they are, tart, sweet, and crisp!

Since I have gotten home from visiting our twin Grandsons and found my husband under the weather I have started preparing one of his favorite treats.  He bought me a dehydrator several years ago and these are by far his favorite treat derived for it's use!  Dehydrating apples can also be done in your home oven.

Last November was my first time fixing apples cored and sliced and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.  Here is the posting foe complete directions should you wish to try this too:    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/11/crispy-cinnamon-apple-chips.html

Washed and cored apples in ascorbic acid bath.

There are several things I have done to make it an easy operation as it is a start and stop project.  It takes 6-7 hours in the dehydrator after initially preparing the apples and giving them a soak in a mixture of water and ascorbic acid.

Supplies needed to make Cinnamon Apple Chips, my way:

Apples (I go to a local orchard and get fresh local grown fruit.)
1/2 pint regular mouth jelly jar
top from an empty Parmesan cheese shaker jar
sugar
cinnamon
apple corer
ascorbic acid
water
gallon size zipper plastic bag
3-5 pounds of apples
dehydrator or oven (if using the oven you also need metal cooling racks and a pan on which to hold them.)

I prepare a bath of ascorbic acid  using 6-8 cups of water and a teaspoon of ascorbic acid for each cup of water in a large pan or bowl.  Next wash and core all of the apples you have selected and drop each one into the ascorbic acid.  I use a mandolin to slice the apples into thin slices but you could use a paring knife and slice by hand or a food processor.  Again I return the slices to the ascorbic bath.  They need to stay submerged in this bath for at least 5 minutes to help prevent discoloration.

Slices of Johnathon apples as they drain.

Next I put 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in the jelly jar and fit it with the shaker top of the cheese shaker.   Mix well.

Try not to have the slices touching.

Drain the apples into a large colander and layer them a rack at a time sprinkling with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  I only sprinkle the top side of the apple slices.  At this point I place all of the remaining apples waiting to be processed into a gallon sized plastic bag and stow them away in the refrigerator until it is time to load them into the dehydrator.

For extra crunch add very fine bread crumbs or ground nuts to the cinnamon sugar mixture before sprinkling the apples.

After the racks are full either set the dehydrator at the fruit setting or your oven at it's lowest setting.  (Usually 175 - 200 degrees.)  Check after 3-4 hours.  The time depends on the amount of moisture, the variety of apple, and the humidity as well an the equipment you are using.  They should be dry and a bit crisp but not so dry the shatter.  Store in an airtight container.

I consulted the Ball Blue book last year before my first attempt and there is additional information in the above provided link.

NOTE;  FOR ADDITIONAL CRUNCH OR FLAVOR ADD FINELY GROUND BREADCRUMBS OR FINELY GROUND NUTS TO PLAIN SUGAR OR THE CINNAMON SUGAR MIXTURE BEFORE YOU SHAKE IT ONTO THE APPLES.

Taco Dip Fast, Fun, & Delicious Every Single Time I Make It!

I love the ceramic dish my Granddaughter's painted with big triangular corn chips and our names!

This Mother's day has been lovely and such a relaxing time.  Partly because we had an easy meal and nobody had to do a lot because we all did a little!  Brian grilled burgers and roasted carrots on the grill.  Joel and Julie brought the chips and Mike and Julie brought dessert.  I made the dip!  One of my favorite dips!  It is easy, fast, and downright yummy.

Ingredients for Taco Dip:

8 ounces room temperature Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 C. sour cream
1 bottle taco sauce
i can black olives
1/2 jar of pepperonchini
3-4 sliced green onions, optional
1 diced tomato
4 ounces shredded cheese
Corn Chips for scooping up the dip

Using an electric mixer beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.  Spread this onto a large flat serving dish.  I used the large decorated dish the granddaughters made me one Christmas.  It is decorated with big triangular corn chips with all of our names on painted on them. (Really cute girls!)  Next spread the taco sauce across the top of the cheese and cream layer.

I usually stop with the sauce just before the edge but it really doesn't matter!  Next add a layer of sliced black olives and a layer of sliced pepperonchini.

Top these layers with diced fresh tomato and shredded cheese.  You are ready now to scoop and enjoy!  Yield 12 - 15 servings.

Perfect Deviled Eggs the Easiest Way I Know!

A sprinkling of paprika makes a tasty and pretty garnish.

Food processors make many chores so much easier and making Deviled Eggs is at the top of my list. The perfect deviled egg at my house has a filling that is smooth, creamy, and seasoned just right. Not, dry and lumpy with bland flat flavor!!

HELPFUL HINT:
The first step is to try NOT to use the freshest eggs you can find.  When hard cooked very fresh eggs will be way harder to peel.  I look through the dates on the egg cartons at the grocery and try to select the ones that are the oldest but still within the safe to use dates.  Or, I just buy the eggs ahead and save them back a week or two in anticipation of preparing them.  Many times you know ahead of time if you plan to make them for a reunion or gathering.

Next cover the eggs with about an inch of water, that I salt, and bring to a boil over high heat in a covered pan.  As soon as it comes to a boil turn the heat off, leave the lid on, and set your timer for 15 minutes.  After  15 minutes drain the eggs and cover with cold water.  Drain again and peel under running water.

Please understand that you will need to taste the egg filling and tweak the seasonings until you like them and they are "just right" for your family.  I never measure these ingredients.  I taste so I am estimating and tasting as I make these.  So please understand I am estimating the ingredients based on how much I estimate using for this number of eggs.  Please taste and tweak!


Ingredients for Perfect Deviled Eggs:

6 peeled hard cooked eggs cut in half
1/4 - 1/3 C. Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise ( I prefer Miracle Whip for this.)
1- 2 t. sweet pickle juice or sweet pickle relish  ( I like the relish best.)
1/4 - 1/2 t. yellow mustard
pinch of salt
pinch of celery salt
pinch of cracked black pepper
paprika if desired for garnish, optional

Lay the halved egg whites onto a platter and set aside for now.  Place the yolks of the eggs into the bowl of the food processor and add all of the remaining ingredients beginning with the lesser amounts.  Depending on the size of the eggs you very likely will need to add a bit more wet ingredients.  If the amounts I have suggested are not quite enough, by all means add a little more until you get them "your way"!

Cover and pulse until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  If still too dry add a small amount more wet ingredients.  Pulse again until smooth.

Spoon the filling into the empty egg whites and garnish as desired.  My kids love paprika but olives, fresh dill sprigs. and tiny pickles are all quite nice as toppers.  If making ahead cover well and refrigerate until serving time.

Note:  Many people use a pastry bag to place the filling and that is another option.  I like the looks of these, probably because that is the way my Mother and her Mother did them.  It is just how ever you would like them! 

I usually consider 3 halves a serving because our crowd loves these.  Yield 12 pieces.

Almond Shortbread Baked in a Skillet, So Easy, So Good!

You might have to hide this to keep it from disappearing before dinner!  It is that good and that easy.

This recipe became a new favorite with me at first bite.  It is crisp on the outside and a little chewy at the center with the aroma and flavor of almond.  The toasted almonds on top with a sprinkling of sugar makes a just perfect combination, even more so than I had expected!  This is truly a find and it could not have been any easier to make.  I saw Trisha Yearwood make it the other morning on the foodtv channel.  She adapted it from a cookbook she wrote called, Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen.  My hat is off to her for this one!

Ingredients for Skillet Almond Shortbread:

1 1/2 C. plus 2 T. sugar divided

3/4 C butter melted (1 1/2 sticks)

2 lg. eggs

1 1/2 C. sifted flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. almond extract

1/2 C. sliced almonds with skins

nonstick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 10 " skillet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  (I used the foil with one side no-stick finish.)  Set aside.

Melt the butter and mix it with the 1 1/2 C. sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Sift the flour and salt into the batter.  Add the flavoring and stir the batter together well.  Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and spread evenly.  Batter will be very thick.  Top with the almonds and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

Bake until slightly browned on top, about 35 minutes.

 Cool the shortbread in the skillet completely. After cool lift out in the foil and slide off onto a platter.  Slice using a long sharp knife into wedges to serve.  Yield 10-12 slices.