Refrigerator Dough

This is a great dough. It can be used for SO many things. We make Cinnamon Rolls with it and it works great. I also like to make it for a pizza dough. My mom likes to make scones from it. It stays for about a week in the fridge and a month in the freezer. It can be doubled if you want A LOT of dough to work with.

1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water (between 110 - 115 degrees)

Mix the 3 together and let the yeast activate.

1/4 cup potato flakes
1/2 cup hot water

Mix together until the potato flakes are dissolved.

1/3 cup sugar (if making a savory dish like pizza only use 2 tbsp sugar)
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg

Mix the above ingredients with the potato flakes as much as well as you can. There will be chunks of shortening and that is okay. Add the activated yeast mixture and mix until incorporated.

3 to 5 cups of flour

Slowly add 1 to 2 cups of flour into the rest of the mixture. Stir in another 2 cups of flour. Add the other cup until the dough is easy to handle. Don't add too much flour you want it to be soft, but not sticky. Turn the dough out onto the floured countertop. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, for about 5 to 10 minutes. Use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your countertop.

When dough is finished, place in a large Ziplock bag and put in freezer or fridge for later use.

You can also use it that day. Just place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise till double in size. Prepare dough and let rise a second time and bake.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

Here is one of my favorite muffin recipes EVER! I am a big fan of lemon if you can't tell. I use this recipe in class as well. Most kids like it, but find it to be a little different with the lemon. I will convert them to lemon yet!

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 cup frozen raspberries

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, oil and extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raspberries. Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees for 22 -25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Makes 6 muffins (I always half my recipes for my classes, I don't like to see wasted food).

Italian Cheese Bread

First off let me tell you that I should be in bed! I just can't seem to get there, it is a new episode of Top Chef, and I want to watch it! I so miss my recording feature. I guess I will stay up till midnight.

That out of the way, here is a go to recipe for me. I call this my idiot proof recipe. No matter how much the kids try, it is REALLY hard to mess this recipe up. Even if you don't have the time to let it rise completely, it still works. It is so easy and very tasty.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp yeast
1 cup warm water (you want it to be about 105 degrees)
1 tbsp oil

In a bowl combine the first 3 ingredients. Combine water and yeast and let set for about 3 minutes. Add oil to water and yeast mixture. Combine the liquid and flour mixtures. ADd additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Put in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes. Place on a greased 12 inch pizza pan and pat into a 12 inch circle. Let raise for about 5 minutes.
Brush the top of the dough with 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing.
Sprinkle with (combined):
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
a pinch of pepper

Sprinkle with:
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into pieces and ENJOY!!!

Mom's Rolls

I must say thank you to my mother for teaching me all I know about cooking. It is because of her love of cooking that I think I have such a great love of it also. Here is her roll recipe that I made today. They were REALLY good!

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (softened)
2 cups of warm water
1 cup of warm milk
2 tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
6 - 8 cups flour

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs and mix well.
Add water, milk, yeast and about 3 cups of flour. Mix well.
Add salt and 3 more cups of flour. I like to use my bosch mixer for this and at this point add a little bit of flour at a time until it cleans the bottom of the mixture twice. Knead well in the mixer for about 2 minutes. You don't want the dough to stick to your fingers, but still soft.

Let the dough sit and rise until doubled in size. Pinch of balls of dough, based on how big you want the rolls to be. Place them on a parchment lined sheet pan. Cover with clean towel and let double in size.

Bake at preheated 350 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.