Dark Brownies

Dark Brownies

This is a nice recipe for dark homemade brownies!

Yield:
1 9x9 pan of brownies!

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter (melted)

1 1/2 c sugar

3 eggs

3/4 c cocoa (I used Anthony's brand)

1/2 c flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c water (approximately)

1/2 c chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 c nuts (optional)

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Cream together butter, sugar and eggs.

3) Add to mix cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, salt, and water.

4) Stir until thick. Do not be tempted to add more liquid.

5) Add in desired amount of chocolate chips and nuts.

6) Scoop into greased 9x9 pan.

7) Bake for 35-45 min until desired consistency.

8) Eat warm with vanilla ice cream or allow to cool!

Dill Pickles

 I was given fresh cucumbers from my neighbor and fresh dill from another neighbor. I made my first pickles! Another neighbor said they were the best she's ever had in her life!

Yield:
Approx 6-8 quarts of pickles

Brine Ingredients:
8 1/2 c water
2 c vinegar
1/2 c pickling salt
2 tbsp sugar

Pickle Ingredients:
lots of cucumbers cut into rounds or spears
heads of dill
garlic
basil leaves
mint leaves
peppercorns

Directions:
1) Sanitize the number of jars you think you will need.
2) Prepare the brine by mixing the salt, sugar, vinegar, and water together. Make sure the salt and sugar dissolve.
3) Load jars with 2 heads of dill, one sliced clove of garlic, two basil leaves, two mint leaves, and a tsp of black peppercorns.
4) Stuff each jar full of cucumbers leaving a half-inch headspace.
5) Bring the brine to a boil. 

6) Add brine to each jar leaving a half inch of headspace. Make more brine as needed. 

7) Wipe the rim of each jar clean and close them finger-tight.

8) Hot-water bath the jars at a full boil for 15 minutes.

9) Remove jars from water bath and place on towel to finish sealing.

Apple Butter Bagels

I decided to make some bagels using some of last year's homemade canned apple butter.

Yield:

Approx. 20 bagels

Ingredients for dough:

2 c apple butter or apple sauce

1/2 - 1 c water

2-3 tsp yeast

7 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil

Other Ingredients:

8+ cups water

1/2 c sugar

1 egg

toppings such as course salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion flakes, etc.

Directions:

1) Add 1/2 cup of the apple butter, the olive oil, and enough water to bring it up to 1 cup. Mix thoroughly and add the yeast. Mix and let sit for five minutes.

2) Add the flour, salt, remaining apple butter, and the mix together in a large mixing bowl.

3) Knead on low for five to ten minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water as needed to get a firm, soft dough (heavier than you would a normal loaf).

4) Place dough in lightly-greased bowl and cover. Allow to rise 30 minutes to an hour or until doubled.

5) Place on un-floured surface and shape into balls of approximately 100 grams each. Poke a hole in each and spin around your finger to expand.

6) Allow to rise for only 30 minutes.

Water Bath:

7) Dissolve 1/2 cup of sugar into about 8 cups of water into a pot.

8) Bring boil to medium simmer.

9) Place formed bagel gently into water. Allow to cook one-two minutes on the first side, flip, and then cook one minute on the other side.

10) Remove from water and place on dry towel to drip. 

11) Place bagels on oiled parchment-lined baking sheets.

Top and Bake:

12) Brush each bagel lightly with a mix of egg and water.

13) If desired, add other toppings.

14) Bake in preheated oven at 400°F for 20-30 minutes or until browned.

Gluten-Free Starter

A starter used for gluten-free sourdough recipes!

 Gluten-Free Starter:

50 g oat flour

50 g millet flour

100 g cold water

Directions for Starter:

1) Mix all ingredients.

2) Let sit for several days. Each day feed with 20 g millet flour and 20 g water.

3) When starter is healthy and bubbly, move forward with the dough.

Gluten-Free Bread

 Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Milk-Free Bread

This is a really good recipe for those intolerant to a lot of things. Made it for someone to enjoy bread. It even tastes like a nice loaf of bread. This is a take on a recipe from Let Them Eat Gluten-Free Cake. I made alterations. 

Yield:
1 medium loaf of bread

Gluten-Free Starter:

50 g oat flour

50 g millet flour

100 g cold water

Gluten-Free Flour Blend:

285 g potato starch

250 g millet flour

75 g tapioca flour

15 g xanthan gum

75 g lentil flour

Dough Ingredients: 

350 g gluten-free flour blend

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1 c cold water

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp honey

150 g active gluten-free starter

Directions for Starter:

1) Mix all ingredients.

2) Let sit for several days. Each day feed with 20 g millet flour and 20 g water.

3) When starter is healthy and bubbly, move forward with the dough.

Directions for Bread:

1) Mix all dough ingredients in stand mixer.

2) Mix at medium speed for 5-10 minutes to ensure a thorough mix of ingredients.

3) Place dough in lightly-oiled pan to rise for 2-3 hours until doubled.

4) Lightly flour surface with coarse oat flour and shape. Knead gently.

5) Place dough in banneton or other shaped container dusted with coarse oat flour or cornmeal.

6) Allow to rise 3-4 hours.

7) Carefully transfer to parchment paper and score the top with a lame or sharp knife.

8) Place in pre-heated dutch oven at 500°F for 30 minutes. 

9) Lower temp to 450° and bake uncovered an additional 30 minutes.

10) Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Soft Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls

Soft Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls

I was awake early in the morning and decided I may as well bake! I came up with this recipe.

Yield:
16-20 medium-sized rolls

Dough Ingredients: 
2 cups warm milk
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter melted
1 tbsp honey
3 tsp yeast
5 cup unbleached flour

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter melted

Glaze Ingredients (you may want to double the portion):
1 stick cream cheese
1/2-3/4 cup powdered confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp milk as needed

More Ingredients:
melted butter for brushing

Directions for rolls:

1) Mix the warm milk, honey, and yeast together. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

2) In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar,  and salt.

3) Add the melted butter and milk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix with chopstick or spoon until dough forms. 

4) Knead gently in your hands until ball forms, but do not over-knead like you would for bread.

5) Set in greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 30 minutes.

6) Flour surface and flatten dough to a rectangular shape about 1/4 inch thick.

7) Brush most of one stick melted butter on dough. 

8) Mix cinnamon and sugar, then sprinkle it evenly across the dough.

9) Roll the dough up and cut into 16 equal pieces.

10) Place the rolls in a casserole pan, brush with remaining butter, cover, and let rise for about an hour.

11) Place in preheated oven at 400 degrees F. Add water to a pan under the rolls to add humidity to the oven.

12) Immediately turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Bake for approx. 30 minutes or until browned on top.

13) While it is baking, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and creamy. Add milk as needed to get good consistency.

14) When the rolls are done, smother with the glaze and enjoy!

Pie Crust

  

Pie Crust

Getting a pie crust to be flaky can be tough, but not impossible. The secret (without using actual croissant dough) is to use cold ingredients, cold water, and frozen butter and then work quickly.

Use this recipe with your favorite pie!

Yield:
2 pie crusts, or one bottom and a top crust


Ingredients:
2 1/4 c flour

2 sticks (1 cup) frozen butter

1/4 c sugar (if you use liquid sweeteners, you may compromise the texture)

1 tsp salt

1/4 c water (more or less until dough forms ball)

Directions for Preparing the Dough:
1) In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse a couple times to mix.

2) Cut the frozen butter into medium chunks. Add butter to the flour mix and pulse several times until the butter is mixed.

3) While the food processor is running, slowly add the water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to gather in a ball.

4) Finish packing the dough into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

5) Set the dough in the refrigerator for a minimum 45 min to an hour or up to two days in advance. The point is to have cold dough. Any more than 2 days and you will start to lose texture and color.

Directions for Forming the Dough:
1) Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter for five minutes. Cur the dough piece in half (weigh each half if you want them exact).

2) On a floured surface, and working quickly, take one of the halves, and roll it out to about an inch wider diameter of the pan you will be baking it in.

3) Wrap it loosely around a rolling pin to transfer it to the pan and unroll it.

4) Lightly fit the crust to the pan. If it rips, use some of the extra from the sides to fill in the holes.

5) Cut the edge of the dough so that it leaves enough to be tucked on the edges.

6) Shape the edges using any fancy method you prefer. 

7) Poke some holes in the base of the crust.

8) Place the crust in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before adding pie filling.

9) If you are using the other crust as a topper, use the rolling pin trick to place it on top of the pie before crimping the edges.