Pizza Dough

1 package active dry yeast or fresh yeast

1 teaspoon of honey

1 cup warm water, 105 to 115 degrees F

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing

 

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and hone in ¼ cup warm water

 

In a food processor, combine the flour and the salt.  Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining ¾ cup of water and process until the mixture forms a ball.  (The pizza dough can also be made in a mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook.)

 

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes loners.  The dough should be smooth and firm.  Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours.  (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled).

 

Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 oz. each.  Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball.  Repeat 4 or 5 times.  Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute.  Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour.  At this point, the balls can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Doughnuts

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 pound of prepared pizza dough

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

 

Instructions:

 

Pour vegetable oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches.  Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 375 degree F.

 

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to ½ - inch thickness.  Using a floured 2 inch cookie cutter, cut out doughnut rounds, using a floured 1-inch cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of each doughnut.  Gather the dough scraps and re-roll to cut out more doughnuts.

 

Whish the cinnamon and sugar in a medium bowl to blend.  Set the cinnamon-sugar aside.

 

When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the doughnuts until they puff but are still pale, about 45 seconds per side.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain.  Cool slightly.  While the other doughnuts are still warm, add to the bowl of cinnamon-sugar and generously coat each 2 times with the cinnamon-sugar.  Serve warm.                 

Rum Cake

Cake: 1 cup chopped nuts
1 – 181/2 oz. package yellow cake mix
1 – 3 ¾ oz package vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
½ cup cold water
½ cup Wesson oil
½ cup rum

Glaze: ¼ lb butter
¼ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour bundt cake. Sprinkle bottom with nuts. Then mix rest of cake ingredients together and pour over nuts. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Prepare glaze in sauce pan by adding butter, water and sugar, bring to roiling boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat add rum.

Prick cake after removing cake from pan and spoon glaze over cake.

Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze

Cake:

1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

1 - 9 inch prepared graham cracker crust

2 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

2 lemons juiced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

In medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add milk, lemon juice and zest.  Mix until smooth, pour mixture into crust.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

I also put this in a regular pie crust like you would for cream pies, and garnish with whip topping.

Beef Stew

• 2 pounds stew beef
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.  Pour over hot biscuits.

Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck
1 (6-ounce) package pepperoni, finel chopped.
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup minced fresh mushrooms
1 cup italian bread crumbs
1 teaspoon basil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Lined rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over pan; spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl, combine ground chuck, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, and basil. Add beaten eggs, stirring to combine. Shape mixture into 2-inch balls. Place on prepared rack, and bake for 28 to 3 minutes, or until meatballs are no longer pink in the center.

These are good plain, or add you favorite spagehetti sauce, and put on subs or mix with you favorite pasta.