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!

Pork Fried Rice with Toasted Walnuts

Fast Fry and Delicious.

Last week I cooked a double batch of rice intending to make fried rice this week with the excess.  While looking at fried rice recipes I thought the one from Epicourious looked the most tasty so I adapted!  I love toasting walnuts in a 200 degree oven for 10 minutes and adding to stir fry dishes and they were delicious with this!

Ingredients for Pork Fried Rice with Toasted Walnuts:

12-16 ounces lean pork (Place chops or steaks in the freezer 40-60 minutes ahead to firm up for easy slicing and for removal of bone or fat, I have also used cutlets or loin roast.)
4-6 T. peanut or grape seed oil
2 lg. beaten eggs
1 red onion diced
1 bunch green onions with tops sliced on the diagonal about 1/4"
1 T. fresh ginger grated (I keep fresh ginger wrapped in the freezer, then peel and shred what I need and return the unused portion to the freezer, works great!)
2 t. sugar
2 T. hoisin sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. rice wine vinegar
1/4-1/2  t. toasted sesame oil
4 C. cold cooked rice
1/3 C toasted whole walnuts, toased as above outlined

Slice the pork thinly with a sharp knife and set aside.

Heat half of the oil in the wok.  When oil is shimmering and hot add the eggs and leave for 10 seconds then turn.   Lightly scramble for 1 minute and remove to paper towels to drain and set aside.

Everything goes back into one pan!

Add the rest of the oil to the wok and when hot add the pork and fry until browned.  Add the onions and cook another minute.  Mix the sugar, sauces, oil, vinegar, and ginger in a small bowl then stir in well.  Add the eggs back in breaking them up as you stir.  Toss in the cold rice and stir well until everything is well coated.  Serve in flat bowls dividing the toasted walnuts atop each serving.  Yield 4 servings.

This was served with a seafood salad and sliced apple for dessert.  My husband was a happy hubby.  He remarked he has lived long and is in reasonably good health because he eats well?  Well that, the grace of God, and good genes I say

Asian Radishes and Cooking Greens

Small Asian Radishes from Harry's Garden

Friday I had made plans to go buy eggs and tomatoes from Harry and Carole Brown.  As usual he loaded me up with many additional goodies including Asian Radishes which upon tasting my husband LOVED and so did I and I am not usually a radish fan!  He also gave me a huge bag of greens and Carole gave me her recipe for the way she fixes them.  The cooking time can vary depending what texture you prefer.  I simmered these all afternoon for a very succulent and tender dish which we loved. 

The greens were a combination of Kale's, Turnips, and Collards.  They were just wonderful and had big flavor.  Much more than I would have ever dreamed!

Beautiful just picked greens!

Carole's Ingredients for Cooking Greens (as best i remember)

Grocery sack of greens
1 to 3 strips thick cut bacon diced
1 diced onion
1 large clove garlic chopped
1/4-1/2 t. red pepper flakes
8 -9 C. water
3 T. beef bouillon granules or 9-10 cubes
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Washy and de-vein the leaves being sure to tear out the tough main stems and veins.  Roll handfuls of leaves and slice roll about 1" thick and then cut once through the middle.

In a very large kettle cook the bacon until not quite crisp then throw in the onion and garlic and stir well.  After a minute or so add all of the greens, water, pepper flakes and bouillon.  Simmer over low heat 3-5 hours or all day if it suits you!  About 1 hour before serving time add the vinegar, salt and pepper.  Today I am serving the greens with home fries, and pork chops and an apple pie for dessert.

I served the greens in a side dish with an extra splash of balsamic vinegar along with the home fries and pan fried pork chops.

To prepare Asian Radishes for a Veggie Tray:

Peel, slice longways, and let stand is very cold water or in the refrigerator until serving time.  Veggie trays I often serve right when my husband comes home from work.  He always wants to munch on something at that time and it keeps him out of the chips and crackers!  Today we had the Asian radishes paired with carrots, celery, and cold blanched asparagus with a buttermilk dip.

Spicy Chicken Nachos with Pepper Cheese Plus Taco Seasoning Recipe

We have been gifted with a half dozen or so packages of prime cheeses from Wisconsin and several varieties are pepper cheeses.  Just the thing for adorning a big platter of chicken nachos for an easy one dish supper for the two of us.

This weekend I saw again them being made in TV and thought I would roll out my homemade taco seasoning and sear some chicken to start things rolling.      thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/04/hot-ooey-gooey-tex-mex-cheese-dip-taco.html 
 (This is the link for the taco seasoning recipe.)

Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Nachos:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 t. taco seasoning
2 T. butter
2 t. chili powder
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies
8 oz. shredded pepper cheese
corn chips
2-3 diced green onions
2 seeded diced ripe tomatoes
2-3 T. canned or fresh sliced peppers, optional
1/4 head shredded lettuce
sour cream

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet, cast iron if you have it.  Mix the taco seasoning and chili powder and season all sides of the chicken.  Sear the chicken all over then reduce the heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes until done.  Remove the chicken to a platter and just let it sit a few minutes while you pour the Rotel into the hot skillet over the drippings and stir to loosen the bits in the pan.  Reduce the heat to a simmer.  Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return it to the pan with the tomatoes and chilies (Rotel).  Simmer 10-15 min.

Line a large serving platter with corn chips of your choice.  Ladle half of the hot chicken over the chips.  Next place a layer of half the shredded cheese.  Repeat layers with chips, chicken, and cheese.

Top the layers off with green onion slices, diced tomato, pepper slices, shredded lettuce, and sour cream.  DIG IN!  Pass lots of napkins!

This should serve 3-4 unless you have 2 starving men!  Or pass with small plates and forks as an appetizer or snack.  Serve as a dinner salad or a main dish. 

Spicy Wet Burritos

We like a bit of seasoning to jazz up dinner on occasion and these Spicy Wet Burritos with Pinto Beans and sliced fresh tomatoes did hit the spot.  This recipe made 7 medium burritos but you may easily double the recipe.

Ingredients for Spicy Wet Burritos:

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 diced onion
salt
pepper
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. chili powder
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chili's
1 can re fried beans
1 pound shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese
1 can enchilada sauce
8 large flour tortillas

Brown the beef and onion together and season with salt and pepper.   Add the cumin, chili powder, and tomatoes with chili's and stir to combine.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes or so to meld the flavors.  The mixture should be thick and not at all watery.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a medium baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat the re fried beans over low heat and add one half of the cheese stirring until melted. 

Remove the large flour tortillas  from their package and place the whole stack in the oven for one minute to warm.  Remove them and spoon about two tablespoons of the bean and cheese mixture in a strip across the upper one third of the tortilla leaving a 1" margin on either side of the mixture.  Place about the same amount of the meat mixture atop the beans spreading evenly. 

Fold both sides of the tortilla in and fold the top down.  Continue folding down until the burrito is formed.  Start lining the completed burritos next to each other snugly in the prepared dish.  When you have filled all of the burritos pour the enchilada sauce over the top and cover with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until heated through and bubbling with melted cheese.  Serve and enjoy!

I yielded 7 when I made these and two made an adult serving.  This was great with a fresh tomato salad and pinto beans along side.

Good and Easy Basic Stir Fry Sauce with Options

Stir fry supper from the vegetable drawer with chicken and beef.

This sauce is adapted from one I had seen on food.com and made my own as you too can do!  Just tweak it to suite what's in your families taste and what is in your refrigerator.  Last night I rummaged through my vegetable drawer and came up with celery, carrots, red onion, 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, zuchinni, a sweet red pepper, and garlic.  There was about 1/2 pound of chicken and a pound of sliced steak I had left uncooked from our Sunday night fondue.  When stir fried and combined with this easy sauce it became a great dinner for two.  I did not make a starch because it made plenty of veggies and meat for a meal!

Ingredients for Basic Stir Fry Sauce:

1/4 C. soy sauce
1 1/4 C. water
1 T. grated fresh ginger  (I always keep this on hand in my freezer and it grates easily frozen.)
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
1 t. sesame oil
4 t. cider vinegar
1 T. sugar
2 T. dry sherry or 2 T. rice wine
3 T. cornstarch

You may want to try adding:
 
pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
juice of a lime, optional
pinch of cilantro, optional
1-2 t. peanut butter, optional

Combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT the cornstarch.  Whisk together in a large 2-4 cup measuring cup or bowl.  Place the cornstarch in a small dish.  Saute the meats and vegetables you have chosen. Just before it is time to add the sauce whisk in the cornstarch and cook together until thickened.  Serve hot!

You may also want to try adding an optional ingredient.  I added the red pepper flakes.

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.

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! 

Mongolian Beef and Onions

Mongolian Beef and Onions over hot cooked rice.

This is probably my favorite Asian dish.  The first time my husband was ever in the hospital our middle son Mike took me out of the hospital for supper to the best Chinese eatery in town and introduced me to this dish.  This recipe is for those who LOVE cooked onions and a slightly crisp crust on their thinly sliced steak.  Yum! I do and here is how I make it at home.

Ingredients for Mongolian Beef and Onions:

2 t. vegetable oil
1 t. grated ginger
1 T. chopped garlic
1 good pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 C. oil for quick fry
1 pound flank steak very thinly sliced diagonally then in halves or thirds uniformly
4-5 Tablespoons of cornstarch
2 large sweet onions, peeled, halved, then sliced
1 bunch of green onions sliced 1/2", separate the whites and add to slices then set the greens aside
hot cooked rice or noodles

Prepare the onions and set them aside for now. 

Heat the 2 t. of oil over moderate heat and add the ginger, red pepper flakes, and garlic.  The oil should NOT be too hot as not to scorch.  Quickly add the soy sauce and water and stir together.  Dissolve the brown sugar in the warm sauce stirring well.  At medium heat boil the sauce 3-4 minutes then reduce to the lowest simmer.  After it thickens slightly remove from the heat. 

The sauce.

Using a plastic bag combine the sliced steak and the corn starch shaking until well coated.  This should sit at least 10 minutes or as long as overnight. 

Heat one cup of oil in a wok or enough that the meat is mostly covered when it is added to the hot oil.  Saute for just 2 minutes.  I did this in 2 batches.  Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon onto paper towels.  Pour the oil into another container straining for use latter. 

The slightly cooked onions.

Place the wok back over the heat and add the onions saute for 3- 4 minutes.  Dump the meat back into the pan and heat 1 more minute.  Add the sauce and cook 1 minute.

Sliced onion tops.

Stir in the sliced green onion tops and spoon over hot rice or noodles,  Discard any remaining sauce. 

Mmmmm supper.

Yield 3 servings.  Enjoy!

Smoked & BBQed Boneless Pork Loin with Herb Rub, Hash Browned Potatoes, & Fried Apples for Sunday Dinner. Old family recipies shared.

Lean moist slices of herbed and smoked pork loin.

Last week I hit a bonanza upon finding and buying a whole boneless pork loin for $1.60 something per pound! Saturday morning I cut two roasts and a portion sliced thinly for stir frying and froze two of the three.

Brine for loin roast.

Next I prepared a BRINE of 2 quarts water, 1/2 cup each of sugar and kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns and heated until the salt and sugar fully melted.  After cooling completely I added the brine and the loin roast together in a gallon zip lock freezer bag and set in a glass dish in the refrigerator overnight.

Brian had agreed to fire up the smoker out of doors to smoke it a day ahead of serving.  I prefer always to do that and store in the refrigerator overnight before slicing when cold.  Then I sauce it and reheat for serving.

Herb mix for chicken or pork.

Ingredients for Her Rub for pork or chicken:

1 T. sage
1 T. rosemary
1 T. salt
4 cloves finely minced fresh garlic

Pat meat dry.

Wash and dry the meat or poultry and set aside.  Mix the rub ingredients and sprinkle over the entire surface of the meat.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Seasoned herb mix.

To smoke a 4 pound pork loin place in preheated smoker preheated to 225 degrees F. and slow cook approx. 8-9 hours until it tests dome with a meat thermometer.  Cool, wrap snugly, and refrigerate overnight.

Add sauce.

Slice in thin slices with a sharp knife.  Add your favorite sauce, cover and reheat in the oven for serving.

Home hash browns.

Home Hash Brown's:

Peel and dice fresh russet potatoes.  Cover with salted water and boil until tender.  Drain and set aside.  20 minutes or so before serving time heat 3-4 T. oil in a cast iron skillet.  Toss in the dry cooked potatoes.  Salt and pepper and pan fry until edges are brown and crisp.  These are an old fashioned hash browned potato as served by my Mother at home many tears ago.

Luscious fried apples.

Fried Apples:

6-8 cooking apples peeled and cored and thick sliced.  I like Gala or Johnathon apples for this.
1/4 C. bacon grease
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
juice of 1 lemon

Juice the lemon into a large bowl and slice the apples into it.  Add water to cover.  This inhibits browning.  Drain and dry the apples.  Heat the bacon fat in the skillet and add the apples. sugar, salt, and cinnamon.  Cook over medium low heat until tender and serve warm.  These are very like the fried apples served by my Grandmother and my Mother and is a old family recipe.

Hot corn bread.

I also threw together a big pan of cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet and served with soft butter and honey to top off a golden dinner!

Easy Polish Sausage and Kraut Served with Fried Potatoes

Easy dinner plate with Fried Potatoes, Polish Sausage and Kraut.

A couple of days ago I stopped in at the butcher shop for bacon and an Easter ham.  Our butcher specializes in all kinds of fresh sausages he makes daily.  He was introducing a fresh made Polish sausage and I bought a pound remembering I had sauerkraut already and my husband loves these dishes!

Ingredients for Polish Sausage and Kraut:

4 C. sauerkraut
1 pound Polish sausage in link form
1 t. caraway seed
3 T. sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the kraut, caraway seed, and sugar in a casserole with a cover. 

Top with the sausage and place the lid atop all.  Bake 45 minutes.  Remove the lid the last 15 to brown up the sausage.

Ingredients for Fried Potatoes:

4 C. sliced Russet potatoes
1/2 C. diced onions
1/4 C. peanut oil
salt
black pepper

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the oil.  Dry the potato slices and place them into the heated oil, add the onions, salt and pepper them as desired.

Stir then cover and reduce the heat to medium.  Turn with a spatula in 8-9 minutes and continue cooking and turning.  These will brown and are ready to serve when tender.  Cooking time will vary depending on quantity and desired browning.  I start them a hour before serving time and just turn to simmer and keep warm if they are ready before I am!  Yield 3 servings.

Ham and Potato Casserole is a great use for leftover ham, Gratin De Pommes De Terre St Jambon as adapted from Julia Child

Tender slices of cooked potatoes, ham, and a bit of cheese is a creamy sauce.

This is a recipe with NO flour"gluten" free which is not the case with many recipes for scalloped or Au gratin potatoes.  We are working on cutting back a bit on the "grain" in our diets and it seems logical to me when a recipe such as this one..... is so delicious.... to go for it instead!

Julia Child gives a recipe using sausages in her THE FRENCH CHEF COOKBOOK.  I have adapted this recipe using ham for our family.  We loved it and it is much lighter and more flavorful than using flour as a thickener. 

This casserole served four as a main dish fro supper.

Ingredients for Ham and Potato Casserole:

3 1/2 C. sliced previously boiled potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 C. diced onions, previously cooked in 1 T. butter
2 - 3 C. cooked ham cut into bite size pieces
lightly buttered baking dish with 2+" sides
3 eggs
1 1/2 C. light cream
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 1/2 C. shredded cheese of your choice
1 + 1 T. butter separated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Arrange the layers of potatoes, onions, and ham in baking dish ending with potatoes.  Blend together the beaten eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a bowl pouring over the layers.  Sprinkle with the cheese and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter.  Bake in the upper 1/3 of the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the top has nicely browned and is bubbling.  Yield 4 servings.

This was served as a main dish for supper with sliced fresh tomatoes and fruit salad.

I will thank God every day I am able to do what I do. Gingersnaps, Banana Bread, Ribs, & Slaw

Every fall I always make Gingersnaps and this is my mot favorite recipe!

This 1-2-3 banana bread is as easy as it gets!

Yes, I was feeling all toasty and made my banana bread     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2014/10/1-2-3-banana-bread.html and baked ginger snap cookies yesterday.      thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/12/gingersnaps.html 

Mmmmm!  Need I say more?

That feeling continued today as I heard Brian out doors with the big leaf blower going! But then as I cleaned up my mess from having put BBQ ribs in to slow cook    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/08/slow-cooker-country-back-ribs-with-just.html
and shredded cabbage for Cole slaw I heard my cell phone and it was a weather alert!  Winter Storm warning. NO, I am not ready for this! Not yet!

Oh gees!  The days have already been so grey.  That is bad enough but for the early cold and now snow before Thanksgiving.  Uncommon her but not unheard of.  And then all of the illness and hard times that have befallen those I love.

So much for my pity party.  Get on with it and rejoice in so many things! Not in any particular order.

1. I live in the USA.  While I strongly disagree with the direction things are currently headed we still are a wonderful nation and have been so very blessed.  I will remember to thank God every day for this and for those who guard and protect us all.

2.  My wonderful husband and family.  I will thank God every day for every one of them.

3.  Clean air and water.  I will thank God every day for this.

4. Food and our home and Molly.  I will thank God every day for this.

5. Prayer.  I will speak with God every day through this.

Psalm 71:18  Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.   (KJV)

French Oven Beef Stew

Luscious and delicious this French Oven Beef Stew was perfect on the evening of our first hard frost.

Paula Blanchard was the wife of Michigan's Governor James J. Blanchard and donated this recipe to the Historical Mackinac Island Cook Book in 1980.  I have adapted the recipe somewhat but have made it many times over the years as a standby.  I love that you make it in one dish in the oven, it simmers all day, and it is delicious!

Easy one pot meals herald the fall season and coming of winter.

Ingredients for French Oven Beef Stew:

3 pounds beef stew meat cubed (recipe asked for 2 pounds)
2 onions cut in eights
3 stalks celery in 1" dice
4 large carrots in 1" dice
1 can undiluted tomato soup (recipe called for 1 C. tomato juice)
1/3 C. quick tapioca
1 T. sugar
1 T. salt
1 t. pepper (recipe asked for 1/4 t.)
1/2 t. basil
2 potatoes cut into 1" chunks
1 can beef stock
NOTE:  You may as I did substitute a 2 1/2 pound bag of frozen stew vegetables for all of the listed vegetables.  Skipping the add potatoes step.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Brown the chunks of beef.

Brown the meat.  combine beef, onions, celery, and carrots in a covered dutch oven.  (Or the frozen stew vegetables.)

Adding a 2 1/2 pound bag of frozen stew vegetables really makes this a Quick Fix meal.

Combine tomato soup, stock, tapioca, sugar, salt, pepper, and basil and pour over the meat and vegetables. 

Soup, stock, tapioca, and seasonings are whisked together.

Cover and bake 2 1/2 hours. (I just cooked 3 1/2 hours and skipped the add potatoes.)

Add the potatoes and return to the oven in covered casserole for an hour longer.  Yield 6-8 servings.

What a nice warming dish for a cold dreary fall day!  Baked a batch of Cinnadoodles to have for dessert!    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/09/cinnadoodles-great-new-cookie.html