No-Knead Crusty White Bread Recipe from King Arthur Flour a BIG Winner with Me!

Delicious toasted and slathered with butter and homemade strawberry jam!

This is a recipe from the King Arthur website.  I came across it and though it sounded promising.  I was not disappointed!  It has the simplest of ingredients and directions.  It appeals to me because you store it in a 5-6 qt. container in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Also it makes 2-4 loaves of bread!  You just pull off the amount of dough you need and let it rise and bake.  Wonderful flavor and crusty and chewy too.  Yum sums it up!

Ingredients for No-Knead Crusty White Bread:

3 C. lukewarm water (about 105 degrees F)
6 1/2 -7 1/5 C. or most accurate of all 32 ounces unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Instant Yeast

The liquid/flour ratio is important in this recipe.  If you measure flour by sprinkling it in a cup and leveling it off, use 7 1/2 cups.  However if you measure flour by scooping the cup into the flour then leveling it off, use 6 1/2 cups.  The most accurate measure is by weight and 32 ounces is the perfect amount of flour!  I got the chance to use my new kitchen scale for the first time and it work out perfectly!

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl or large plastic container with a tight fitting lid.  I used a big ice cream bucket!  Perfect! Just stir everything together with a big wooden spoon until combined.  It will make a very sticky rough dough.

Bread dough in an ice cream bucket!

 

Note:  If you choose to dirty up your big mixer use the beater blade and medium speed for only 30 to 60 seconds.

Cover the dough in the bucket or 5-6 quart container and let rise for 2 hours at room temperature.  Next leave covered and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 7 days.  The longer you leave the tangier it will get.

When you are ready to bake sprinkle the top of the dough with flour.  Grease your hands and pull off 1/4, 1/3, or 1/2 of the dough.  Round into a ball and place on a piece of parchment paper.  Sprinkle with a bit more flour and cover with saran or a kitchen towel for the rise.  Let the loaf warm to room temperature and rise until doubled.  One to several hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Place the pizza stone or pan you plan to bake on into the oven.  Place a cast iron skillet on the bottom rack of the oven also.

Just before baking slash the top of the bread.  Slide the bread on the parchment onto the hot pan or stone.  Quickly pour at least 1 cup of water into the hot cast iron skillet and quickly close the oven door.  Bake 25-35 minutes until deep golden brown in color.

This would make 4 nice bread boules for soup I am thinking!

When done remove and cool on a rack,  When cold store in an airtight bag. 

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.

Easy as 1-2-3 Parker House Yeast Rolls, Light as a Feather and Delicious

Delicious and Easy as Pie!

If I only make one yeast roll recipe again for as long as I live this will be the one.  It combines many of my favorite elements into an easy, light as a feather, moist, delicious and forgiving yeast roll!

The recipe from the King Arthur Flour website combines instant mashed potato flakes in the recipe for the soft feather light characteristics of potato bread.  It uses the one bowl dump the dry then the wet ingredients and allows for a 7-8 minute knead on a dough hook from your electric mixer.

The rolls are easy to form and rise beautifully.  Just a great great recipe and dinner roll!

Ingredients for Parker House Rolls:

3 C. all purpose flour (I used King Arthur)
3 T. sugar
1 1/4 t. kosher salt
3/4 C instant potato flakes
2 1/2 t. instant yeast
1 C. warm milk
1 large egg
3 T. soft butter
3-4 T. melted butter for tops

Compile all of the dry ingredients in a large mixer bowl and whisk together.  Add the egg to the warm milk and whisk.  (The milk needs only to be warmed enough not to be cold and not cook the egg!)
Add the wet mix and the butter to the dry ingredients and mix together to form a shaggy dough.  I used the dough hook.  Then knead with dough hook for 7-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.  I added a little additional flour so  the dough did not continue to drag the bottom of the bowl as I had an extra large egg!

HELPFUL HINT:

This step is borrowed from the English who lave long used heavy pottery type bowls warmed and used to enhance the rise of bread dough.

Use a heavy bowl and fill with very hot water,  next empty and dry the bowl quickly.  Butter the bowl well and turn the ball of dough into it coating on all sides with the butter.  Cover and let rise for 90 minutes.

Cut the dough in half and butter a clean work surface lightly.  Pat or roll the dough into a 8" x 12" rectangle.  Butter the top of the dough.  Cut the rectangle in half longways forming two 4" x 12" rectangles.  Fold over longways about 1/4" from the edge.  Cut into 4, 3" portions and place side by side longways in a buttered 9" x 13" pan.  Do the same for the remaining strip of dough then repeat with the other half of the remaining dough.  Cover and let rise one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Brush tops of rolls with melted butter.  Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until browned and serve warm.

Yield 16 rolls.

Dill & Onion Rye Bread Made on the Dough Cycle of My Bread Machine.

It has probably been three months now that I have had a yearning to make rye bread but have resisted because I have tried to avoid bread in general on my diet.  But Sunday is around the corner (My free day.) and I am thinking of amending my diet a bit to the Alton Brown diet just because I love variety and I think I can keep going with a bit of diversity.  I will talk more about this soon.  But for today I made the bread and it smells like heaven in this house!  This is a hearty, rustic loaf with crisp crust and yet a little chewy and, the onions add to the delightful texture with a slight almost pop and you enjoy the pungent flavors!

I used the bread machine set on the dough cycle and then baked it on a pizza stone in my oven as I have many times.  I always get a good result using this method.  I just am feeling a little lazy and this worked for me today!

Ingredients for Dill & Onion Rye Bread on the Dough Cycle of the Bread Machine:

2 room temperature eggs added to warm water (80 degrees) to equal 1 1/3 C. + 1 1/2 T. liquid*
2 T. olive oil
1/4 C. honey
3 T. dry milk powder
2 t. kosher salt
2 1/4 C. bread flour
1 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. rye flour
4 T. rye bread improver, optional (available through King Arthur Flour)*
3 T. caraway seeds
1/4 C. dried onion flake
1 T. dry dill weed
1 T. active instant yeast
* If you do not use the bread improver do not use the additional 1 1/2 T. water.


Place these ingredients in the order listed in the bucket of your bread machine.   BEFORE YOU ADD THE YEAST USE A CLEAN TABLESPOON AND RAKE IT END TO END LIGHTLY THROUGH THE DRY INGREDIENTS TO FORM A SHALLOW FURROW.  Then sprinkle the yeast evenly end to end in the furrow.

Close the bread machine and set on the dough cycle.  

Sprinkle a large pizza stone or baking pan with 3-4 T. cornmeal.   After the dough cycle is finished shape the dough into a somewhat flattened ball and place it on the prepared pan.  Cover with a clean tea towel and set in a warm place to raise until doubled in volume.  About 2-3 hours.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  After if has risen slash the top with a serrated knife.  Bake 30-35 minutes until done.    Yield 2 pound loaf.

Sourdough bread from my "NEW" 1847 Oregon Trail Starter AND I Resume "The Slow Carb Diet"

Adaptation of The Doctor's Sourdough Bread.

It's Friday evening at 9:30 PM. and I took my jar of sourdough starter out of the refrigerator and set it out to come to room temperature at around 4 PM.  I had also saved the excess potato water from Brian's mashed potatoes Wednesday evening in a clean mason jar and set it out at the same time.  I just finished adding a cup of the potato water and a cup of bread flour and stirring it well, using a glass or plastic bowl, not metal.   Now it is sitting in my gas oven alone but for the pilot light covered with a clean damp tea towel.  For the record I am using water that has been through our reverse osmosis filtering system and King Arthur bread flour.  More in the morning!

Saturday morning and as I read on I need to add 2 C. warm potato water and 2 1/2 C. bread flour and just to give her a kick I also added 1 T. sugar and 1 T. apple cider vinegar and mixed well.  It says to leave again overnight  in a warm place covered with a damp cloth.  Until I get home from Church Sunday it can stew away.

I also took 2 cups of the starter after feeding and before adding the ingredients above put a cup in each of two mason jars and deposited them in the deep freeze for another day long term or to share.  There was one more cup of starter left and I returned it to the refrigerator for another day short term.

I have adapted the recipe somewhat but it did beautifully!  It yielded four one pound loaves.  I will give you the recipe the way I made it but the original directions as well as the starter can be found at the following link:    carlsfriends.net/source.html

Adaptation of The Doctor's Sourdough Bread:

1 C. Sourdough Starter
2 C. Warm Filtered Water (90-95 degrees)
2 C. Warm Milk (90-95 degrees)
1 T.  Butter, Melted and Cooled
1 Scant Tablespoon or 1 Pkg. Active (I used Instant ) Yeast*
NOTE:   I purchase yeast by the pound and not by the package so I always use a scant tablespoon when replacing a pkg. of yeast.
1/4 C. Honey
7-9+ C. Bread Flour
1/4 C. Oat Bran
2 T. Sugar
2 t. Salt
2 t. Baking Powder

3 Evenings before planned bread baking perform paragraph 1 above.  Next day perform paragraph 2 above.  The third day proceed as follows:

The following morning mix the butter with the warm milk and stir in the yeast whisking until it is dissolved.  Add the honey and continue whisking until it too is dissolved.  Add 2 C. of the flour and the oat bran stirring together well.  Sprinkle the sugar, salt, and baking soda over the mixture.  Gently press it lightly into the dough with the back of a wooden spoon.  Cover with a damp towel and allow to stand 30-50 minutes until it is bubbly.

At this point I emptied the mixture into a large (7 quart) stainless mixer bowl, although the recipe continues by hand.  Using the dough hook starting a low speed add the flour to the dough UNTIL THE DOUGH CLEANS THE SIDES OF THE BOWL AND FORMS UP THE HOOK.  Just increase the speed to medium and sprinkle the flour a bit at a time until the sides stay clean.

Either turn onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or knead by machine for 3-5 minutes until it has a silken texture.  I machine kneaded 5 minutes.  Meanwhile generously butter 4 one pound bread pans, 9" x 3"and set aside.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form into loaves.  Place each formed loaf into a prepared pan.  Cover and let rise in a warm place 2-3 hours until doubled in size.  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and place a pan with 3 cups of water in the bottom of the oven as it heats.  Bake in a hot oven 400 degrees for 20 minutes then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 20 minutes more until thoroughly baked.  Remove from the pans and cool on racks.  Butter the tops of the loaves if you wish to prevent hard crustiness..or not!  Yield 4 one pound loaves.

When cool you may wish to double wrap and freeze as I have done for later use.   The rule of thumb as I have been taught is baked goods are good for up to 3 months in the freezer when wrapped well.
Too recap I have 1 C. fresh sourdough starter in the refrigerator that will need to be fed weekly, 2 mason jars each with 1 C. starter frozen for long term keeping, and 4 loaves of sourdough doubled wrapped for the freezer.

My Diet:

And by the way, I resumed my diet of a couple a years ago, THE SLOW CARB DIET, a week ago Monday.  I will have to have both knees replaced in the foreseeable future although not immediately and it will be in my best interest to "lighten my load" Ha Ha.  This is my thinking anyway!  On this diet you can have anything and I do mean anything you want one day a week .  Restrictions are the other days.  I will be enjoying this bread on Sunday next.  If you are interested in this diet  (IT WORKS FOR ME) here is the link    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/09/slow-carb-diet-how-to-lose-20-pounds-in.html     It was originated by Tim Ferris who also sells his book and has lots of info and recipes and support on his own website. 

1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter from Carl Griffith

Clearly this sat awhile before I reconstituted the sourdough starter.

November 14, 2011 it came.  I had read about a sourdough starter and sent off for it.  It arrived and has sat in the envelope on my counter at the end against the tile until I resurrected it per Carl's directions 3 evenings ago.  He has a brochure available on line telling the historic nature of the starter and how to use it.  carlsfriends.net  is the link to the information as Carl passed away in late 2000 and a group of his loving friends continue his tradition of giving away at no charge with directions for reviving and using the starter at no charge.

Summary of the History:

It is given is that it started west in 1847 from Missouri.  Presumably with the family of Dr. John Savage's daughter, one of Carl's great grandmothers.  It came west and settled with them near Salem, Or.  Doc Savage's daughter met and married Carl's great grandfather on the trail and they had 10 children.  The tale and the starter have been passed parent to child since then.  Carl learned to use the starter in a basque sheep camp when he was 10 when they were setting up a homestead on the Steens Mountains in southeastern Oregon.  The bread was baked in dutch ovens on an open campfire.  People at that time had no commercial starter for their bread so it has been exposed to may wild yeasts for our enjoyment.

A more complete history can be found given at the link given above.

Through the years I have had several sourdough starters and enjoyed them very much.  All had been purchased commercially.  I am truly excited about this as when I reconstituted it as directed it has the most pleasing sour aroma of any I have ever used.  Perhaps because of all of the natural wild yeast?  At any rate it came together perfectly as directed.

The starter came dried and in a small zip lock bag.  To reactivate you dissolve the dried starter in 3/4 cup  warm water (90 degrees) and add 3/4 cup white bread flour and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a glass or plastic container, NOT METAL.  Also you want to be sure to use a filtered water of some sort without the chemicals of treated tap water.

Place the bowl, covered with a damp towel in a warm place (About 85 degrees F. like the oven with the light or pilot light on.) for up to 48 hours.  It will get bubbly from the fermentation because it has come to life!

Next mix 1 cup warm (95 degree F) water, add 1 cup of flour, and 1 tablespoon of dried potatoes or use potato water instead of the dry potato flakes. NOTE:  I made Brian mashed potatoes last night for supper so I poured the water off of the potatoes and into a glass measuring cup and left it to cool and used for this step.  Again cover and let sit in a warm place until bubbly again.  (I left covered sitting on the counter until this morning.)

Next I stirred well and stored in a one quart mason jar in the refrigerator until I am ready to use.  It Is natural to become somewhat lumpy and for a liquid to form on top.

I love the prospect of it's history, I love what I have read of Carl Griffith, and the starter has pleased me very much!  Stay tuned for sourdough bread and recipes!

Birthday Dinner for our 19 year old Granddaughter. Alfredo, Lazagna, French Bread, Cake, and more..

Emily asked me to make the these dishes for her birthday dinner last weekend for this "Sunday's Dinner" and I have it about wrapped up.  I made her and Infinity Scarf with a little bit of cash tucked into it and found a pretty box and made a silk bow for her gift.  Here is the link to make the scarf:     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/11/sew-infinity-scarf-or-circle-scarf-in.html

She wanted pasta with Alfredo sauce, salad and home made ranch dressing, home made bread, my 3 layer devils food cake and strawberries.  Since everyone does not like Alfredo I also made my version of Old School Lasagna.

To tell you the truth I got so caught up in getting this dinner for 10 on the table I didn't get half of the photos taken that I should have and it is basically all gone so there is not even enough to make up a pretty plate.  But it did turn out beautifully and I will share the recipes and just be a bit light on photos!

I will use these all again as my "standards" because they turned out perfectly!

Ingredients for 2 loaves French Bread:

5 1/2 t. instant yeast
5 T. sugar
2 C. warm water 110-115 degrees F.
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
5 C. bread flour
1/4 C. cornmeal
1 egg yolk+1 T. water beaten

Using an electric mixer and dough hook add the yeast. sugar, and warm water to the bowl and mix 2 minutes to dissolve.  Add the salt and flour turning the mixer to low until the dough starts to come together.  Turn the speed to medium-high and mix until the dough comes away from the bowl and crawls up the dough hook.

Take a large heavy glass bowl and fill with hot water. Dump the water, dry the bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of soft butter or olive oil and grease it entirely.  Place the ball of dough into the warm buttered bowl and turn once to coat all sides.  Cover with plastic wrap and set in a quiet place until doubled in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

When doubled heavily flour the work surface.  Divide the dough in half.  Pat the first half into a 3/4" rectangle and roll tightly starting on the short side and tuck under the ends.  Spread half of the cornmeal on the baking sheet and place the formed loaf atop.  Repeat for the second portion of dough and place it 3" from the first loaf atop the bed of cornmeal.  Sprinkle the remaining cornmeal between and next to the loaves.  Cover the loaves with a clean cloth and set to raise until doubled, about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Place a large flat oven proof pan on the bottom shelf of the oven and fill with water.  I use a cast iron skillet and 1 quart of water.

When the dough has risen cut slashes with a sharp knife and brush loaves with the egg and water mixture.

Bake 45 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven, cool, slice, and serve.  Yield 2 loaves.

I ALWAYS make my lasagna the night before and refrigerate covered with plastic wrap overnight.

Ingredients for Old School Lasagna:

1 chopped onion
2 T. olive oil
5 cloves diced garlic
1/2 C. chopped fresh basil
1 large jar prepared red sauce
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds ground round

salt pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound Parmesan cheese
1 pound lasagna noodles cooked and drained

Add  the olive oil to a large kettle and saute the onion until tender, add the garlic and ground round and brown.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add the red sauce, diced tomatoes, and basil and simmer 20 minutes.

Cover the bottom of a 9" x13' deep baking dish with sauce.  Add a layer of 4 noodles overlapping.  Add a layer of sauce and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.  Sliced or shredded. Then a 1/3 of the Parmesan.  Repeat noodles, sauce, and cheese until you complete 3 layers ending with the cheese.  Refrigerate overnight covered with plastic wrap.

Remove plastic and tent with foil and bake 1 hour 15 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven .  Let rest 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Yield 12 servings.


Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce:

1 1//2 C. whole milk
1 1/2 C. heavy cream
1 C. shredded Parmesan and Romano cheese, (I like half and half.)
1/2 t. salt
5 egg yolks

Heat the milk and cream to a simmer but do not boil.  Turn off the heat.  Whisk in the cheese.  Beat the egg yolks with a fork until smooth and add 2-3 T. of the hot cream and mix well, add 2 more T. cream to temper the yolks then stir the yolk cream mixture back into the hot cream.  Turn the heat back on low and bring back to a simmer.  Season to taste and let cool a bit to thicken.  Pour over 1 pound of hot, drained, cooked pasta and serve.   Yield 4-6 servings.


The 3 layer cake is at this link:     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/08/brians-red-devilsfood-birthday-cake.html

Frying Yeast Donuts at Home

Last week I mixed up Grandma's Yeast Donuts and they have happily sat sealed in a plastic bowl in my refrigerator until today.  I have not been inclined to finish them what with unexpected as well as expected guests and lots of family activities!  Here is the link to my recipe:      thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2014/06/grandmas-yeast-donuts.html

Today after a nap I got the bowl of dough and left it to sit about an hour to come to room temperature.  Next half of the dough was easily rolled to about 1/4" and cut into the traditional donut shape.   Then I rolled the second half and placed the shaped dough onto a well buttered cookie sheet and covered with a clean tea towel.

They were doubled in size in 45-55 minutes and ready for the fry!  The lower portion of my cast iron dutch oven seemed a good vessel in which to fry so I poured grape seed oil to a depth of 3" and lit the flame.  (I just like grape seed oil but any good oil is fine.)

It took a little time to preheat the oil but then it did do a beautiful job.  The frying went very quickly at 350 degrees F.  Perhaps taking a minute and a half at the most per side.

Then they were a beautifully puffed golden brown.  As they finished I placed them on a second cookie sheet with a cooking rack placed inside to rest.

While warm using powdered sugar and a sieve they were generously sprinkled with powdered sugar then turned and sprinkled again to perfection!

Yield one dozen large, delicious, warm old fashioned yeast donuts.

Grandma's Yeast Donuts

Yes....I have been missing for a while!  I have traveled a bit and done some fun things!  I was lucky enough to see my grandsons graduate from nursery school and visit my Mother and son.  It was a lot of fun but I am paying now as my knees feel like buckets of bolts!! Looking forward to my shots in a couple of weeks and I will be 35 again for a while.  Chuckle.

My daughter-in-law Julie gave me this recipe of her late grandmother's.  I have intended to make it for sometime now and have just hunted the recipe for the "how to" of it.  I am going to call Brian and have him stop for some good oil for the frying of these but for now I will get it started and leave overnight as the recipe indicates.  I like that a lot!  I am giving this recipe exactly as it was given to me.

Ingredients for Yeast Donuts:

1 pkg. active dry yeast (I am using a scant tablespoon of instant yeast)
1/4 C. warm water
3/4 C. scalded milk
1 stick butter
1/4 C. sugar
1 t. salt
2 beaten eggs
4 C. sifted all purpose flour

In a big bowl combine the yeast and the water to soften.  Let sit about 5 minutes.  In a separate bowl combine the milk, butter, sugar, and salt.  Cool to lukewarm before adding to the yeast.  Add the beaten eggs and milk mixture to the yeast and mix well.  Add half the flour and beat until smooth.  Add the remaining flour and mix well.  Grease a large bowl well with oil and turn the dough into it making sure the dough is entirely coated. 

Chill several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.  Take out a good hour before handling.  Turn out onto a floured surface and divide in half.  Roll half of the dough 1/4" thick.  Cut out and place on a well greased cookie sheet and leave to rise 35-45 minutes or until doubles in size.  Fry in deep hot fat turning once.  Drain on paper towels and roll in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar while warm.  Best served warm. 

Now the dough has been made and is safely tucked and covered in a very generously buttered bowl in the refrigerator.  I will fry them up sometime over the weekend.  I will post the results.   (Probably with sticky fingers.)

Quick Cherry Pie and Classic Rich Bread

This is the type of yeast bread recipe that is wonderful to have in your bread making portfolio.  Unbelievably easy with a stand mixer and dough hook, basic ingredients from your larder, and makes 2 beautiful and fragrant loaves.  One for today and one to share or to freeze.   This recipe comes to me from one of my favorite blogs, The Iowa Housewife.  Written by two sisters and always a great read whether they are sharing photos, stories, or recipes I always enjoy them.  Here is a link to visit them.     iowasue.blogspot.com/2014/04/classic-rich-bread.html

Ingredients for Easy and Delicious Classic Rich Bread:

5 1/2  C. bread flour
1 T. instant yeast
1/2 C. sugar
1 t. salt
1 C. whole milk
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. soft butter (1 stick)
2 lg. eggs

Heat the milk and water in the microwave to 120-125 degrees F.  Place all but 1 cup of the bread flour and the rest of the ingredients into a large stand mixer bowl.  Using the paddle attachment turn on low speed and slowly add the milk and water mixture.  Let this mix for 2 minutes.  Change to the dough hook.  Add the remaining cup of flour and knead for 6-7 minutes.  (If you are making this by hand knead for 8-9 minutes,)  Cover the bowl and let rest in a warm place for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile  generously butter and flour 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2" x 4 1/2 " and set aside.

This makes a wonderful dough, very easy to handle.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and divide the dough in half shaping into loaves about 1 pound 13 ounces each.   Place the dough into the prepared pans.  Spray a large piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and lay it greased side down over the loaves.  Let rise covered in a warm place until the center of the loaves rounds above the rim of the pans in the center about 1".  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  After the dough has sufficiently risen bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.  Cool and remove from the pans.   Yield 2 loaves of bread.

Instructions for Quick Cherry Pie:

I am almost ashamed to tell you how effortless this was!  I thawed a previously made disk of pie crust from the freezer and thawed it and rolled it.   Next I dumped in a can of cherry pie filling.  Lastly I rolled the scraps from the trimming of the pastry and cut out hearts.  Place the hearts atop the cherries and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 40 minutes until brown and bubbling.  Cool and slice into 6 servings. 

Ellen's Hawaiian Bread

Every once in a while I stumble onto what I take at the time to be a treasure and it has happened again yesterday.  I cannot recall how I came across this, just that happily I did!  The recipes are called Home Cookin' From Ellen's Kitchen and I knew immediately from reading her recipes that I was bound to try most of them with enthusiasm!  Ellen lives in Oklahoma and looks to be just a wonderful baker as the breads and cookies are as tempting as they can be.

The first recipe I choose was her bread machine Hawaiian bread.  I as she does, occasionally like to throw everything into the bread machine and set it on the dough cycle.  Much as she has done in this instance.  Unlike the last recipe for Hawaiian bread I tried this calls for real pineapple juice and a pinch of ginger.  Way to much for me to resist!

You can savor all of Ellen's recipe at her blog,    dillsalittlegoatfarm.com/recipes.htm

Ingredients for Ellen's Hawaiian Bread:

1/2 C. water @ 110-115 degrees F.
1/2 C. pineapple juice
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 T. soft butter
3 C. flour
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 T. instant potato flakes
1 t. salt
pinch of ground ginger
1 T. yeast


Place all of the ingredients into the bucket of your bread machine in the order listed above.  Select the dough cycle.  Allow the machine to complete it's cycle.

Traditionally Hawaiian  bread is made in round form.  Ellen says she generously butters a round 9" cake pan to help control it.  However you choose, butter generously  the vessel of your choice.  Place the dough into/onto the pan, cover, let rise for about 45-50 minutes til double. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake approx. 30 minutes til golden.

If you choose to shape into rolls, bake at 375 degrees f. for 12-15 minutes until golden.  ENJOY!

PS:  I put this in to bake while I ran to pick up my granddaughter from school.  YOU JUST CANNOT IMAGINE HOW WONDERFUL IT SMELLED AS I DROVE INTO THE GARAGE!

Pizza Dough Bread Sticks

This yielded about a dozen 10-12" bread sticks per half batch of dough.

Hot and Crisp from the Oven.

It flashed in my mind that the other half of the unbaked pizza dough in my refrigerator might make good bread sticks.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2014/01/easy-and-fast-pizza-dough-to-make-at.html     I had mixed the dough up 4 days ago and used one half of it for a large (half sheet pan sized) pizza.  The remaining dough was intended to be made up and frozen when the bread stick light came on!

To make these delicious (Best I have ever made.) light, and crisp bread sticks mix up the pizza dough as directed.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  The dough is incredibly easy to handle after refrigeration.   Just flour the rolling pin and board you are rolling onto well.  Pat and roll until about 14" thick then slice about 1/4" wide strips.   I used a pastry cutter and the fluted edge.

As you can see I used a perforated bread stick pan that was lightly floured and they did not stick a bit.  A pizza stone or parchment paper would be my next choices.

I twisted the bread sticks and lay them in rows.  Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown.  Check the bottoms too just to be sure they are not browning too quickly.  Cool on a rack.

Helpful Hint:  For an added treat these are scrumptious dipped into home made ranch dressing.  I like my ranch dressing a little on the tart side and I add the juice of half a lemon to every batch I make up.  Yum, what a game day treat!

Easy and Fast Pizza Dough to Make at Home and it Keeps for Days in the Refrigerator

This recipe yields 2 pizzas made in a half sheet pan.

When the boys were home I made up and froze pizzas all of the time.  When I was growing up pizza parlors were not on every corner as they are today!  In fact the only pizza I ever had until I was probably a senior in high school was a make at home with a Chef Boyardee boxed mix.  That was a popular thing to do in those days.  Two couples would get together at some one's home and make pizza from the Chef's mix adding our own special touches!  They were good too!  The secret was to pre-bake the crust maybe 15 minutes or so before adding a multitude of additional toppings. 

Then the other day I saw Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) making pizza for her family and I got a yen to make pizza too.  So I have adapted her recipe for the pizza crust.  I especially like this version because it keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  That makes it very handy indeed.

Make the dough up with the mixer.

Ingredients for Pizza Dough:

1 1/2 C warm, not lukewarm water
1 t. instant yeast
1/3 C. olive oil + more for oiling the bowl
4 C. flour
1 t. kosher salt

Place the warm water in a bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top.  Leave it sitting undisturbed and place the flour and salt into the mixing bowl.  Using the paddle attachment give the flour a few whirls at the lowest speed.

Oil an additional large bowl well.

Pour the oil into the water and yeast and stir well.  With the paddle attachment running on low speed  drizzle the liquid  into the flour mixture until it forms a sticky ball of dough.  Oil your hands and form into a ball and place it in the prepared bowl turning once until coated lightly. 

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. to preheat about 20 minutes before baking.

I intentionally made up the dough days in advance to see how it kept and how it would handle.  So, on the 3rd day I pulled it out.  divided it in half,  rolled it on a floured board, flipped it onto a buttered half sheet pan and using a regular unopened can of black olives, and rolled it to fit.  I partially baked the crust for 7 minutes and removed it from the oven.

Use your own home made pizza sauce, store bought pizza sauce, or marinara sauce.  I used about 3/4 C. of Ragu spaghetti sauce as the is what I keep on hand because my husband prefers it over anything else.  Spread the sauce evenly over the partly baked crust and add any other ingredients you like.  I used about a forth of a pound of ground chuck I had cooked and drained, a cup of sliced green olives, a cup of sliced pepperoni, and a pound or so of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes until the crust has browned and the cheese has melted and is bubbly.

Cool 5-8 minutes before cutting.  Makes 6 large slices or 8 medium slices.  Delicious!

Note:   I plan to shape and partially bake the second crust and freeze it for another day.  I only planned to keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.