Monday, April 30, 2012

Updates and a New Recipe!

So an update on the hot cross buns. They worked! Mom like them, said they were really good. Maybe not spot on, probably due to the fact that, I, unlike Freihofers, don't use crap ingredients. Just real stuff for me, and... no preservatives. And here it is as promised a really great pizza crust recipe!

Pizza Crust


2 pkgs yeast or 4 1/2 tsp
2 Cups warm water 105-115 degrees
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil

Use a large bowl (12 cup or more)  Put yeast in the bowl and add warm water and sugar. Mix it around and let it get frothy. This should take about 10 minutes or so. Add 2 cups of the flour and still till it is smooth and well mixed.  Add another cup of flour and continue to mix.  Add fourth cup of flour, continue to mix then add the last 1/2 cup of flour. When your dough is all combined, add oil, and mix.  Knead for 5 minutes, or until it's smooth. Take a good look at the dough, is it smooth or does it look lumpy? If its lumpy keep kneading. If it's still sticking to your hand add a little oil. Once it's smooth, let sit to rise until doubled in volume. Some place warm is best, on stove if its warm or on a radiator. Once its risen, punch it down and divide. You can get 3- 12" pizzas out of one recipe. Divide in two for 2- Sicilian crust pizzas.  Drop some oil inside of a Ziploc and place your portioned dough into the freezer. Take out in the morning and put into the fridge to thaw for dinner. Take out a couple of hours before baking to let warm and rise again. Try not to work the dough to much.

Note: To do my mixing and kneading, I use a Kitchen Aid mixer. I start with the paddle to incorporate all flour and oil then switch to the dough hook to knead. Still knead about 5 minutes, keeping and eye for the smooth dough.  Some mixers can not handle dough, keep an eye on your machine as not to burn out the motor.

Bake at 425 degrees, on a greased  cookie sheet.

Recipe Courtesy of:   Pirma! Recipes of Choice by Laurina Filippini Holte

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Hot Cross Buns & Chores. Is your Satuday this exciting?

So I'm boldly going into the world of yeast breads. Very slowly, but I'm still venturing. Dipping my toe in, I guess. I was never very good at it, but I've made progress with the rising and the proofing, so I feel that it's time to make a go. I worked on the hot cross buns for my MIL last night. She remembers the original Friehofers ones. No icing crosses, and come to find out, they are pretty much a cinnamon bun with raisins in it, and a sugary top. I think I made a pretty good stab at it last night. K said that the sugary top was right, just needed more sugar, and they weren't bad, but more raisins and more cinnamon.  So I'm going to take a few down to Mom's and see what she thinks of them. 

I'm beginning to be a pro at pizza dough, I've got a really great, simple, dough that I'll make sure that I share the recipe for. It's super easy and it freezes well and, It works out to be so much cheaper then getting a pizza in. Well today is a chore day, aren't all Saturday's chore days? At least in my house then are. I'm needed in the yard and at the wash machine. So off I go!!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Favorite Things Friday

Vacation..nuff said.





(minor p.s. These are from our phones. Not our real vacation photos)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Sick, Vacation, Easter, Birthdays. I think that's it...

Well, It's been a super busy spring. Super-super busy, and it's only mid- April. Since last I posted (cough--beginning of March) I got a job! and got sick! and went on vacation! So really it's not like I was ignoring you blog world, well ok, I was totally ignoring you. I had bigger fish to fry.

So quick update---
I got a job-- I'm working at a local preschool. 4 hours a day, so it won't stop me from making tons of yummy treats for farmers markets. The kids are awesome, as are my co-workers. So it's fun to get out and meet people again.

Subsequently I got sick---
Those places are nasty germ laden cesspools of bacteria and virus'  I got a horrible GI bug that knocked me on my butt for 4 days. And then the DH got it so we were down for a week here. That sucked.

Right after that we went on Vacation....
TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was my first time, and I walked around Magic Kingdom squealing like an eight year old, for 15 1/2 hours. To tell the truth, there wasn't a lot of squueeing at 12:30am, but I was really tired. They were quite inside squees.  

We also went to Universal, which means 
HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!!!!
Just as excited about this as I was about Disney. And it was SOO worth it. HPLand was freaking spectacular. The ride was theee best roller-coaster I have ever been on. And Butterbeer... I don't even know what to say.   Creamy cream soda. SO EFFING GOOD!!!! oh and I bought a wand, Yes you read that right, this 32 year old lady bought a magic wand. Don't hate. It rocks. 

After an awesome vay-cay  we were home again and then it was my MIL's birthday, Easter, and yesterday was my DH's birthday.  

So really, I wasn't ignoring you, I was hopping around the country and celebrating everywhere I went. Now though, its back to reality and there will be more regular posts. I'll try to get some pictures up, so you can share in the magic with me. Thanks for coming back after all this time, see you soon!