Perfect Pizza Crust

This recipe comes from a website Serious Eats and is based on a Cook's Illustrated recipe.  It's similar to a previous version I used to make but uses less yeast and has rest period of at least 24 hours.  The dough definitely gains a lot of flavor during the cold rise so don't skip this step.

Use your food processor and make the sauce first, rinse out quick and then make the dough.  I've used bread flour and white whole wheat flour in the recipe and they both make a great dough.  Makes two 13-inch crusts.  The sauce makes enough for 4-5 pizzas so freeze the extra for next time.

• For the dough:
• 3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour, plus more for work surface (see note)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces; see note)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• For the sauce:
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 
  
• 1. 1.
     For the dough: In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes.
  2. 2.
     Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
  3. 3.
     For the sauce: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. 4.
     To bake the pizza: One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to second highest position (rack should be about 4 to 5 inches below broiler), set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Shape each half into smooth, tight ball. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray; let stand for 1 hour.
  5. 5.
     Coat 1 ball of dough generously with flour and place on well-floured countertop. Using fingertips, gently flatten into 8-inch disk, leaving 1 inch of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using hands, gently stretch disk into 12-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch. Transfer dough to well-floured peel and stretch into 13-inch round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by 1 cup mozzarella.
  6. 6.
     Slide pizza carefully onto stone and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat step 5 to shape, top, and bake second pizza.

Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread

1/3 cup butter (melted)

2 1/2 cups warm water (not above 120 degrees)

1/3 cup honey

1 Tbls plus 1 1/2 tsp active-dry yeast

6-7 cups white whole wheat flour, divided, plus more if needed

1 Tbls sea salt (Celtic brand)

In bosch mixer combine melted butter, water, honey, flour, salt, and yeast (make sure to add yeast on top of flour).  Knead in mixer for 5 minutes. Add more flour if needed, dough should pull away from sides of mixer but still be slightly sticky and wet.  Cover and let rise until double, about 30 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour dough out onto well oiled cast iron pizza pan or cookie sheet pan.  Separate dough into 3 equal portions.  One at a time, spread dough into a rectangle and roll up, shaping into a baguette and tucking ends under.  Place 3 loaves on pan, cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until double in size.  Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown or until bread sounds hollow when tapped.  Remove from oven and brush with butter then cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Aebleskiver

Our new favorite breakfast treat!  There's a special pan you will need to cook these.  I like the cast iron one.



Aebleskiver

2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
2 Tbls. sugar
2 Tbls. melted butter

Heat the pan and brush a little butter in each hole.  Use a small cookie or ice cream scoop to place batter in each hole.  When the sides start to look a little done (just like a pancake) use a wooden skewer to turn the aebleskiver by lifting a little on the side and letting it drop back down into the pan to cook on the other side. When done, lift out with a wooded skewer or toothpick.  Baste pan with butter again and continue cooking batter.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry sauce, jam, syrup or whatever you like.  You can also stuff yummy things into the center of the aebleskiver while they are cooking like apples, jam, chocolate, etc.  Just be sure to put it in right after you drop the batter into the pan.

Cheese Puffs

Think cheesy cream puff (without the cream).  Great little appetizer, addition to soups and salads, or just to snack on.  From Food Network.

Ingredients

1 cup milk

1/4-pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 extra-large eggs

1/2 cup grated Gruyere, plus extra for sprinkling

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg over medium heat, until scalded. Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, Gruyere, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick.
Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4-inch high onto the baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of Gruyere. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown outside but still soft inside.

Banana Bread

I'm usually not a fan of banana bread as I think it tends to taste a little pasty, but this is one recipe that doesn't.  I think the spices, pudding and chocolate chips set this banana bread recipe apart from the rest, at least for me.  I like to make this recipe as muffins, bake for 15-20 minutes.

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, optional (I usually don't add the nuts)
3/4 cup chocolate chips, optional
3 very ripe large bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup vanilla pudding (I just use a pudding snack pack)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a large, 9x5 loaf pan (or use two muffin tins with paper liners) and set aside.  Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, nuts and chocolate chips together in a large bowl and set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, pudding, eggs, butter and vanilla together.  Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky.  Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.  Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 70-75 minutes.  Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then turn out and let cool on a wire rack.

Pizza Dough

If you want to up the game on pizza night, this homemade dough will do the trick.

• For the dough: 
• 3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour, plus more for work surface (see note)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces; see note)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• For the sauce: 
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1. For the dough: In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes.
• 2. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
• 3. For the sauce: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• 4.To bake the pizza: One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to second highest position (rack should be about 4 to 5 inches below broiler), set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Shape each half into smooth, tight ball. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray; let stand for 1 hour.
• 5.Coat 1 ball of dough generously with flour and place on well-floured countertop. Using fingertips, gently flatten into 8-inch disk, leaving 1 inch of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using hands, gently stretch disk into 12-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch. Transfer dough to well-floured peel and stretch into 13-inch round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by 1 cup mozzarella.
• 6.Slide pizza carefully onto stone and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat step 5 to shape, top, and bake second pizza

Another simple recipe:

Friday night is usually pizza night at our house and this recipe is quick, easy and delicious.  It came with my favorite pizza pan, the Lodge Pro Logic 14-inch pizza pan.

3 cups bread flour, divided
1 packet active dry rapid-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large mixing bowl, mix half cup of the flour with yeast and salt.  Dissolve honey in lukewarm water and add to mixture.  Add olive oil and in the bowl of a mixer, or using a wooden spoon, mix for 3 minutes.  Mix in remaining flour (dough should be only slightly sticky).  Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth, approximately 5 minutes.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise 10 minutes in a warm place.  Punch down and divide in half.  Allow to rise for 10 additional minutes and punch down and spread one of the halves by hand or roller onto your Lodge Pizza Pan.  Add toppings of your choice and place in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

*My usual lazy method for making this dough.  Add yeast, honey, olive oil to the water.  Let yeast rise for a few minutes and then add into the flour and salt.  Mix in bosch for a few minutes and then let rest in bosch for about 20 minutes.

Mormon Muffin

If you're from Utah you probably know what these are.  Here's the link to the actual recipe http://www.rainbowgardens.com/muffinrecipe.html.

2 cups boiling water
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups All Bran Cereal
2 cups 40% Bran Flakes
1 cup walnuts (chopped)

Directions:
Add soda to boiling water and set aside.  Whip shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs slowly.  Mix well.  Add the buttermilk, flour, salt and mix again.  Add the soda water very slowly.  Gently fold the cereals and the walnuts into the mix.

Spoon 1/8 cup into greased muffin tins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.

Muffin mix must sit in the refrigerator over night before baking.  Muffin mix will last one week, covered and refrigerated.  Yields 3 dozen muffins.

Easy Homemade French Bread

So easy and so delicious!  Takes a little time but well worth it.  It makes two large loaves.  I use this for french toast, garlic bread, sandwich bread, etc.

Easy Homemade French Bread

½ cups Warm Water
2 packages (7g Packet) Dry Active Yeast

2 cups Very Hot Water

⅓ cups Oil

3 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Salt

6 cups All-purpose Flour

Preparation Instructions

1. Combine the warm water and the dry active yeast. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the hot water, oil, sugar, salt and half of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon.
3. Add yeast mixture and stir.
4. Add the remaining flour and stir. Leave spoon in the dough.
5. Let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Stir and let rest for 10 minutes again.
7. Repeat rest and stir process three more times (for a total of five times).
8. Divide dough in half.
9. Turn out one half on a floured surface. Press out to a rectangle. Roll up (like making cinnamon rolls) and place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the other half.
10. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
11. With a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal slashes across each loaf. Brush with egg white.
12. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread or Muffins

*Great as a bread, but I like to make this recipe as muffins. Cook muffins for 20 min.
Makes 24 muffins.

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin (I use Trader Joes canned pumpkin, it tastes better than the Libby's)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla pudding (Ijust use a vanilla pudding pack)
4 large egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Belgian Waffles

Belgian Waffles
Recipe courtesy Wayne Harley Brachman, Retro Desserts, Harper Collins Publishers, 2000

2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
Nonstick vegetable spray for coating waffle iron

Preheat a waffle iron. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk, milk, eggs, and melted butter. Mix together just until combined (DON'T OVERMIX THE BATTER!). The batter should look slightly lumpy.
Spray the waffle iron with the nonstick vegetable spray. Pour 1/2 cup of the batter or the amount recommended by the waffle-iron maker onto the waffle iron; bake as directed by the manufacturer.

*Substitutions -
1 cup cake flour - 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons (I would use cake flour, I thought they tasted better)
1 cup buttermilk - 1 Tbls lemon juice and add regular milk to make 1 cup