Chocolate Chunk Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup softened unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional )

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Slowly beat in the

eggs and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Drop

by tablespoons onto un-greased pans. (Use a silicone cookie sheet if available)

Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are browned.

Pizza Dough

Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups bread flour

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:  

In the large bowl add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor). If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

Mochi

Ingredients:

1 lb box of mochiko
2 1/2 c of sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 c water
1 can coconut milk (12 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
Food coloring (if you like)
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients, and slowly mix in the wet ingredients.
Once everything is mixed, pour it into a 9x13 greased pan.
Cover with aluminum foil
Bake for an hour at 350.
Wait an hour then cut how you want.
Cover the pieces in corn or potato starch.


I would cut them into nice shapes and make them all different colors but the husband and kids would eat the pan in seconds so its not worth the effort.

Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup tap water

1 large egg

3 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

3 tbs sugar

6 tbs butter

2 tbs dry milk

2 1/2 tsp dry yeast

1 large egg beaten for brushing on top.

Directions:

Throw all ingredients into bread pan in the same order there layed out. According to your machine directions put in on the dough setting.

When beeper goes off place dough on a board and squeeze out the gas.

Divide into 20 or so balls. Cover with a damp washcloths and let sit for 20 minutes.

Roll out ball into a wedge shape. Starting with the widest side, roll up the wedge loosely towards the point.

Place on a greased baking pan with the point downward. Spray with water lightly. Let rise until almost double in size, about 30 or 40 minutes.

Brush rolls with the beaten egg and bake in a 350 oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Yogurt

The first time I made this, it was with powder milk and a bad starter. I thought maybe I should stick to buying yogurt from the store. After I gave it another go, it came out great. Using fresh milk and a good starter makes all the difference. This recipes is an easy way to make homemade yogurt.

Ingredients:

1 gallon whole milk

1/2 cup regular store yogurt or your homemade yogurt. ( make sure it's fresh )

Directions:

Scald milk over med heat . Then cool until you can hold your pinky there for just 10 seconds. Add the yogurt and stir once. Cover pot and wrap in a blanket or a couple of beach towels and put in a cooler. The mixture should not get cold. Let it sit for 6 to 8 hours. Don't move or touch the pot during this time.

When the yogurt is set, put into refrigerator for 4 hours. You can add fruits or granola, or just eat it plain. My daughter is a sweet freak so we add some raw sugar to her bowl.

Eat and enjoy!

If you like Greek yogurt then you can do as I do. Strain the yogurt after the 6 to 8 hour wait. You can do this by using a strainer propped over a deep bowl and lined with a muslin or cheese cloth for 2 to 4 hours depending on how thick you want it. Or hang it. ( I use a banana/fruit basket)

If you don't have these then experiment with what you have. I have a friend that uses her skirt slip. I use a piece of fabric that is very thin and strains great.