Category: Breads, Pasta, Potatoes, Starches

Pilot Bread

Thanks to Cousin Sue for telling me about this Alaskan Staple.  Pilot Bread, also known as Survival Bread, Ship Biscuit or Sea Bread is something with a a shelf life of 2 years when stored in airtight containers.  Commercial containers of Pilot Bread could last for up to 30 years. Here is a recipe (modified slightly) from the Internet.

Ingredients

  • 4 C Flour
  • 1 TBL Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Water (approx 2 C)

Step by Step

  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. Stir together flour and salt
  3. Add water only until mixture starts to clump together
  4. Roll flat and shape into a rectangular sheet
  5. Use a butcher knife or pizza cutter to cut the sheet into 2×3 inch crackers
    ALT: Use a round biscuit cutter to make circles.  Roll the remainder flat and repeat until finished.
  6. Use a toothpick to poke a crosshatched series of holes to allow for easier breaking
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  7. Put the squares on a dry cookies sheet and bake at 350º for 20 minutes
  8. Turn off oven, keep door closed, and let the bread completely dry out before removing it
  9. Store the survival bread in a baggie for a month or two, or a completely airtight container for many years.

 

 

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 can (12 oz) raw pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix – see note at bottom)
  • 2 oz canola oil
  • 2 TBL buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 oranges – juice and zest
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • spice mixture (see below)
  • 1 TBL baking soda
  • 3 C AP flour

Spice Mixture

  • 2 TBL Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground clove

Step by Step

  1. Combine baking soda, sugar, salt and AP flour
  2. Combine spice mixture into flour mixture
  3. Mix together all other ingredients in separate bowl
  4. When combined, fold wet and dry ingredients together
    Do not overmix
  5. Pour into greased baking dish (ramekin, pie tin or bread pan)
  6. Bake at 340º for 50 minutes

NOTE:  If all you can find is pumpkin pie MIX, eliminate the spice mixture, sugar and salt from this recipe.

 

Sweet Potato Gnocci

Any potato can be used, but the sweet potato has a deeper flavor than white.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 Peeled and boiled sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 C cane syrup
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp alspice
  • 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 C ricotta – drained and set onto a paper towel
  • salt
  • white pepper
  • 2 C AP flour
  • 2 TBL EVOO

STEP BY STEP

  1. Put all into a food processor
  2. Have a container of chicken broth available
  3. Process ingredients drizzling in broth until the dough comes together into a ball
  4. Remove it to a floured surface and finish by hand
  5. Roll into a thick rope
  6. Cut off pieces about the size of a golf ball
  7. Roll into a thinner rope about the diameter of your thumb
  8. Use a bench knife and cut off one inch pieces
  9. Using a fork, press and roll creating the traditional gnocci groves
  10. In water that is at a light boil, drop in about 8 at a time
  11. Let them cook until they start to float to the surface (2-5 minutes depending on size)
  12. Remove them and set onto a paper towel

CREATE YOUR BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

  1. Put a stick of butter into a skillet over medium heat
  2. Add a bit of sage, parsley and oregano
  3. Once completely melted, add 1 TBL of EVOO
  4. When it starts to brown (first around the edges) add your gnocci
  5. Cook and toss until well covered.
  6. DO NOT LET YOUR BUTTER BLACKEN or it will turn bitter and ruin the dish
  7. Serve on a plate topped with crumbled feta cheese

 

 

Pitas from Scratch

INGREDIENTS


  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 2 C bread flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 
1 C lukewarm water
  • 1/4 C yogurt
  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 2 tsp sugar
    TOPPING FOR FINAL RISE (Step 7)
  • 1 TBL olive oil to coat bowl
  • 1 TBL coarse salt

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix and knead the dough ingredients for at least 5 minutes together to make a soft, smooth very slightly sticky dough.
  2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
  3. Preheat the oven to 500°F, with a baking stone on the middle rack.
  4. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces, and shape each into a ball.
  5. Cover, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and let rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Roll balls into 6″ flattened circles and cover with a damp cloth to rest for 10 more minutes.
  7. Place pitas on the hot stone.
  8. Bake for 3-4 minutes, until puffy. Turn them over, and bake for one more minute.  The key is to set the top and bottom so the inside has a chance to expand.
  9. Remove from the oven, and place on a rack to cool.
  10. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
  11. Once the pitas are cool, separate the two sides of each to make 16 thin rounds. These will become your pitas.
  12. Brush rough side with oil or butter, and sprinkle with salt

Cinnamon Rolls and Monkey Bread

Cinnamon Rolls and Monkey Bread

This is my own recipe.  Others will be similar, but this one will serve your well.  The batter is the same.  The difference is how the bread is assembled.  The first ten steps are the same.  The difference starts at Step Seven.

Monkey Bread allegedly gets its name because monkeys tend to clump together at night, so all you see are the tops of little monkey heads. Anyway, that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.

YEAST SPONGE

  • 3 TBL honey – optional:  granulated sugar
  • 2 TBL yeast
  • ½ C warm water – more or less

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 2 C AP flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 C granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

1 extra C AP flour for Step 4 –  Set aside

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 1 C warm lowfat milk – more or less
  • 1 TBL
  • 2 TBL Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®
  • 2 TBL yeast
  • 6 TBL softened butter
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Egg white set aside for later use

FILLING

  • 1/3 C granulated sugar
  • 1/3 C dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 C heavy cream
  • 1/4 C Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®
  • 3 TBL softened butter
  • OPTIONAL:  Crushed Pecans
  • OPTIONAL:  3/4 C raisins or Craisins

FROSTING – OPTIONAL

  • 2.5 C confectioner sugar
  • 2 TBL softened butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • whole milk – 1 tsp at a time

Alternately, you can use Pillsbury biscuit dough and cut each biscuit in quarters (half and then half again)

STEP BY STEP

  1. PREPARE YOUR SPONGE IN A SMALL GLASS BOWL
    • Combine sugar, yeast and warm water
    • Set aside for 15 minutes
    • If it does not get puffy and bubbly, throw it out.  Your yeast is too old.
  2. COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH
    • Mix 3 C of your flours
  3. INITIAL COMBINATION OF WET AND DRY
    • Add your sponge and wet ingredients to the dry ingredients
    • Mix to combine
  4. SPOON IN DRY INGREDIENTS
    • Add your reserved flour spoon by spoon until the ball is formed and firm or until all the flour is gone.   The ball should be a little on the wet side
    • Add pecans or raisins – refrain from adding both
    • Knead by hand for 5-7 minutes more
    • Shape and put into greased bowl.  Cover bowl with plastic, and let dough rise for 30 minutes
  5. REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT
    • This gives a chance for all of the flavors to completed combine
    • Alternately, let rise 4 hours on the counter
  6. NEXT MORNING PREPARE YOUR FILLING
    1. In Bowl #1 combine half your sugars plus half your CinnaSugar plus 1 stick melted butter.  This should be very wet.
    2. In Bowl #2 combine the rest of your sugar, and CinnaSugar  – leave dry – do not add melted butter
  7. DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO CREATE
    1. Decide if you want MONKEY BREAD or CINNAMON ROLLS

STEP BY STEP FOR MONKEY BREAD

The first SEVEN STEPS are the same for both recipes.

  1. Roll dough into a long tube
  2. Put the melted butter solution into a large mixing bowl.
  3. Put the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a paper bag.
  4. Cut off pieces of the tube and roll them in a ball so that you have a ball just about the size of a really big grape… you know the kind.
  5. Put the balls into the butter bowl
  6. Once all balls are cut, toss them to coat all balls evenly.
  7. Drop into the bag containing your cinnamon mixture and mix to cover
  8. Prepare 1 shallow VERY WELL GREASED baking pan.
    • Ideally a bundt pan is used, but not everyone has one of those handy.  You don’t want to use a deep baking dish though, or they will not cook all the way through.
  9. For an extra coating, melt together ½ C brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and 2 TBL butter
  10. Pour evenly over into bottom of your pan.  Sprinkle crushed pecans
  11. Put the balls into the pan
  12. Spoon half remaining wet mixture over top
  13. Sprinkle half dry mixture over top as well
  14. Squish the balls a bit to make sure they are all evenly distributed
  15. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place or the warming tray of your oven until doubled in size (about an hour)
  16. Preheat oven to 350º and bake 30 minutes
  17. Spoon remaining wet mixture over top
  18. Sprinkle dry mixture over top as well
  19. Bake another 10-20 minutes – or 190º internal temperature
    • pull out if top starts to blacken
  20. Invert onto a serving plate and let cool 10 minutes.  Serve with forks

STEP BY STEP FOR CINNAMON ROLLS

The first SEVEN STEPS are the same for both recipes.

  1. On a floured surface, roll dough into a kind of flat rectangle
  2. Fold the rounded sides toward the center, and roll again
  3. Repeat one more time.  You should now have a nearly perfect rectangle.
  4. In Step 6 above, combine both mixtures into a single mixture.
  5. Spread mixture over your rectangle leaving about 1/2 inch dry edge
  6. Roll into a tube starting with the side opposite the dry edge.  Roll as tightly as possible 
  7. Use egg wash on the unbuttered edge to seal the roll
  8. Using dental floss, cut the tips off
  9. Cut into half, then half again
  10. At this point, you will have four rolls. Estimate thirds and cut each of the four rolls into thirds – so you have twelve equal pieces
  11. Place (cut side down) into a well-greased 9×12 baking dish
  12. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place or the warming tray of your oven until doubled in size (about an hour)
  13. Preheat oven to 350º and bake 15 minutes
  14. Remove and sprinkle CinnaSugar over top
  15. Bake another 10-20 minutes – or 190º internal temperature
    • pull out if top starts to blacken
  16. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Serve frosted or not
  17. OPTIONAL:  FROST THE CINNAMON ROLLS
    1. Combine sugar, butter, vanilla and orange zest
    2. Add milk ONLY until consistency will spread easily
    3. Spread over each roll and serve warm

FROSTING

  • 2.5 C confectioner sugar
  • 2 TBL softened butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • whole milk – 1 tsp at a time

 

 

 

 

 

Sicilian Bread Soup

INGREDIENTS

  • Abot 4 C Left-over pieces of rustic bread.  Basic white sponge bread will be a disaster if you try to use it.
  • 6 cloves whole garlic
  • To taste: red pepper, salt, pepper
  • 2 TBL EVOO
  • 1/2 C carrot
  • 1 C onion
  • 1/2 C celery
  • 1 can peeled tomatoes
  • Basil leaves
  • Chicken stock
  • Scallions
  • Romano Cheese or Parmesan Cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Saute onion in EVOO
  2. Add carrot and celery
  3. Add garlic
  4. Add red pepper, salt and pepper
  5. Add tomatoes – crushed or broken apart
  6. Cut bread into 1 inch pieces – about 4-6 C of it – and add to pot
  7. Add basil chiffonade
  8. Add 4-6 C of chicken stock
  9. Simmer 90 minutes
  10. Stir every 15 minutes
  11. Top with scallions or basil
  12. Top with cheese
  13. Drizzle with EVOO

This is also called Pappa al Pomodoro and was originally a peasant dish in Italy.

Hasselback Potatoes

This dish takes its name from Hasselbacken, Sweden where it was first served.
The potatoes turn out crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

INGREDIENTS

  • Two regular baking potatoes – Russet
  • Cream cheese
  • Sliced Swiss cheese
  • Drizzle Sauce
    • 4 TBL butter
    • 1 TBL EVOO
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 Strips of bacon
  • 1 Stalk chives
  • Sour cream

You will also need two wooden mixing spoons with long handles (or chopsticks or skewers_

STEP BY STEP

  1. Melt Drizzle Sauce in a small sauce pan – set aside
  2. Wash potato then dry it
  3. Cook medium potato in microwave for about 90 seconds.
  4. Let cool, then rub potato with oil
  5. Put potato on a cutting board, and place a spoon handle on each side of the potato
  6. Cut 1/4 inch slices (or less) through the potato.  The spoon handles prevent you from cutting the potato all the way through.
  7. Put potato on a baking sheet in a little foil “boat”
  8. Stuff slices with a bit of the cream cheese
  9. Baste liberally with the Drizzle Sauce, getting some sauce into each of the accordion folds
  10. Salt outside liberally
  11. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes
  12. Baste
  13. Bake another 20 minutes
  14. Meanwhile, cook the bacon till crisp
  15. Steam broccoli if that is your side
  16. Chop the chives into small pieces. . . just keep busy
  17. At about 38 minutes, baste again and put a slice of Swiss cheese on top.
    The cheese will melt and become real messy – that’s why they are in a boat
  18. Serve as soon as the cheese starts to brown
  19. Top with sour cream, bacon and chives

 

Lady Fingers

This is just a nice soft little cake that can be used to make a trifle or even your version of Hostess Twinkies.

Traditional

INGREDIENTS

  • lady-fingers3 eggs  – separated
  • 1/2 C granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1 TBL melted cooled butter
  • 6 TBL corn starch – sifted
  • 6 TBL AP flour – sifted
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mark your parchment with three inch lines
  2. Turn paper over so you are not cooking on pencil
  3. Wipe parchment paper with melted butter
  4. Cream together egg yolks and half of your sugar
  5. Add vanilla
  6. Sift together corn starch and flour
  7. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites
  8. Add the rest of your sugar and salt to egg whites
  9. Continue to beat until soft peaks – not firm or stiff
  10. Combine by hand the yolks and whites
  11. Sprinkle flour mixture into the egg mixture
  12. Put into piping bag and pipe into three inch fat sausages
  13. Bake at 400º for about 12-15 minutes
  14. Let them cool, and then they are ready for whatever use you would like
  15. If you plan to use them just like this, sprinkle them with powdered sugar

Easy but Not Too Quick

    • Simple Shortcake
  • 1 C AP flour
  • 2 TBL cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • scant salt
    SIFT TOGETHER ABOVE INGREDIENTS
    MEANWHILE, CREAM TOGETHER THE FOLLOWING
  • 4 TBL softened butter
  • 1/4 C room temp sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
    Add wet ingredients to the dry, then gently mix
    Line a 9×9 glass baking dish with parchment paper and then spray
    Pour mixed ingredients into pan
    Bake for 30 minutes at 350º
    Let cool 5 minutes before removing
    Cut into 1/2 x 1 inch rectangles

    • Prepared Strawberries
  • 1 large grocery-store box of strawberries (1 quart)
    Stem removed and halved
  • 1 C sugar mixed with 3 TBL corn starch in 1 C water
  • Heat to nearly boiling
  • Add strawberry gelatin or Jello
  • Pour over strawberries
  • Let rest 30 minutes
    • Yogurt Cream
  • 1/2 C heavy whipping cream – beat until it starts to thicken
  • 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt – Greek is thicker
  • 2 TBL granulated sugar
  • 2 TBL brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
    • Basic Whipped Cream Topping
  • 1 C COLD whipping cream – beat until it starts to thicken
  • Add 2 TBL sugar and continue beating
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
    • Assemble
  • Put down a thin layer of yogurt cream on the bottom of a CLEAR dish
  • Stand shortcake rectangles up on end surrounding the sides
  • Add a layer of strawberries, then a layer of yogurt cream
  • Add a flat layer of shortcake, yogurt cream and then strawberries
  • Top the strawberries with the remainder of the yogurt cream
  • Add strawberries or blueberries in a decorative pattern on the top

 

 

Healthy Alfredo Sauce

This is a really easy recipe, fairly healthy, and you will get restaurant quality Alfredo sauce.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 TBL shallot or onion – minced
  • 2 TBL butter
  • 2 cloves garlic – minced
  • 2 TBL AP flour
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 C Parmesan cheese
  • 1 C milk
  • 1/2 C light sour cream

STEP BY STEP

  1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan
  2. Add the minced onion/shallot and garlic
  3. Immediately add the flour and stir until it is well combined and starts to cook
  4. Add 1/2 of the milk – Stir to dissolve clumps
  5. Mix the egg yolks, Parmesan in with the milk
  6. Heat mixture over medium-low heat
    – DO NOT BRING TO A BOIL – Maximum 200º
    – As soon as you see a couple bubbles form, it is done
  7. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the sour cream)
  8. At the last minute, add the sour cream

Top pasta with your choice of grated cheddar, diced chicken, parsley, bacon pieces, sauteed mushrooms, peas, etc

 

Mini French Toast Medallions

Olive Garden BreadsticksIf you eat at Olive Garden, you know that you receive an unlimited supply of breadsticks.

Take them home and you will have a great breakfast surprise.

INGREDIENTS for preparing two breadsticks

  • Take-home left over breadsticks
  • One egg
  • 2-3 TBL buttermilk (or whole milk)
  • 2-3 TBL of melted butter
  • 2-3 TBL of canola oil2016-04-24 08.59.18
  • 2-3 TBL granulated sugar
  • 1 TBL Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Using a dry paper towel, brush the outside of the breadsticks.  Most of the butter will remain, but most of the garlic will be brushed away.
  2. Cut medallions about 1/4 inch thick – discard the tips
  3. Mix all of the above ingredients (except the breadsticks) together in a large mixing bowl
    – when adding your milk, melted butter and canola oil, whisk continually to emulsify the fats
  4. Toss the bread medallions in the mixture
  5. Allow to soak for about five minutes
  6. Toss again and soak for five minutes2016-04-24 09.02.02
  7. Toss again and soak for five minutes
  8. Lightly grease your skillet
  9. Place each soaked medallion in the skillet
  10. Let cook about 5 minutes then flip each one
  11. Let cook about 4 minutes then flip back to the original side
  12. Let cook about 2 minutes, then place on plates
  13. There is no need for butter because we added it into the batter2016-04-24 09.05.37
  14. Simply serve with hot mashed fruit, syrup or honey – depending on your tastes.

 

 

Potato Fondant

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Idaho potato per person
  • 1 stick butter
  • Salt, pepper, EVOO

STEP BY STEP

  1. Peel potato
  2. Cut two sides off so that you have a “steak”
  3. Season potato
  4. Pour about 2 TBL EVOO in a cast iron fry pan
  5. Fry in EVOO at about 365º until both sides are a golden brown
  6. Add a stick of butter to the fry pan and reduce heat to about 350º
  7. Monitor butter. It will foam, and should turn brown (beurre noisette) but should not blacken (beurre noir)
  8. When adequately browned, add 1-2 C chicken stock
  9. Add a sprig of rosemary and thyme and several cloves of garlic
  10. Simmer for about an hour
  11. Baste occasionally
  12. Cut on the bias and serve

Potato Latkes – Potato Rosti – Hash Browns – Potato Pancakes

I started researching the difference between American Hash Browns, Jewish Latkes and German Rösti, but the bottom line is there really isn’t a whole lot of difference.

  • Hash Browns: A traditional staple in America that you would get at Mel’s Diner. Shredded potatoes fried until browned.
  • Latkes: A Hanukkah potato that is grated (or spiralized) mixed with egg and onion slivers, and then pressed into small loose pancakes and then fried.
  • Rosti: A German/Swedish grated parboiled potato that is pressed into a slightly larger pancake and then baked. Most of the rösti recipes that I reviewed had rosemary in them.

The end result is very similar.

PLEASE READ: The key to successful deep frying is temperature. As long as bubbles are going out, oil cannot be going in. Too cool and the oil will seep into whatever you are frying. Too hot and it will burn, but still not be cooked inside. As soon as the bubbles stop, get it out of the oil. Use a submersible or candy thermometer to monitor temperature closely and keep your temperature as closed to 365º as possible. If you do it right, very little oil will be absorbed.

INGREDIENTS FOR PANKO POTATO LATKES

  • 1 lemon
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 3 Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (grated)
  • 1 small sweet onion (grated or minced)
  • 1/4 C flour – Bluebird Flour if possible
  • 1 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 C yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TBL potato starch (use corn starch if you have no potato starch)
  • 1/4 tsp pepper or Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
  • Peanut or grapeseed oil for frying – both have a high smoke point
    Alternatives are olive oil and/or schmaltz.

This recipe is adapted from ToriAvey.com.  CLICKING HERE will give you a page of quite extensive instructions and a lot of good information and history about latkes.  I recommend you visit Tori’s web page and read about latkes, then stop back here to print out this brief recipe summary, that makes a smaller amount than Tori’s recipe. (Internal Link)

SETUP

  • Place a cooling rack near your oil with a newspaper beneath it to catch the drips.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Peel the potatoes, then grate them using a food processor.  If you don’t have one, use a hand grater.
  2. Place grated potato into a bowl and immediately cover with cold water and squeeze juice from one lemon and 1 TBL salt into the water.  Mix well.
  3. No need to clean the grater.  Grate the onion and put into the water with the grated potato.
  4. Drain the potato/onion mixture and place in the center of a clean tea towel.
  5. Let rest for 5 minutes, then pour through a colander.  Let drain for 20 minutes.  If you are in a hurry, continue straight to Step 6.
  6. Firmly squeeze all excess liquid from the shreds.
  7. Place potato/onion mixture in a large bowl and separate the shreds with a fork.
  8. Mix flour, beaten eggs, potato starch and pepper
  9. Fold panko into the potatoes and mix well.
  10. Pour peanut oil in a cast iron skillet to a depth of 1/8 inch and heat to 365º – You should use a thermometer to assure correct oil temperature.
  11. Put 3 TBL of the mixture into your hand and squeeze it into a fairly flat disk.
  12. Lower the disk carefully into the hot oil.  The latke can break apart easily, but if you can get them into the oil, they should be OK.
  13. Shape each subsequent latke just before it is slid into the oil.  Don’t fry any more than five at a time.  Don’t crowd the pan.
  14. Fry until brown and crispy (about 3-5 minutes per side)
    NOTE: If your latkes are not holding together, stir 2 tsp potato starch and 1 tsp beaten egg till the batter holds its shape.
  15. Remove the latkes to drain using a metal spatula, and place on the wire rack.
  16. Serve within 10 minutes of frying them.  Always serve latkes hot and fresh if possible. The longer they sit, the less crisp they’ll be.
  17. If you can’t do this, leave them on the rack to cool. When ready to serve, place in 375º oven for 10 minutes until heated through.
  18. Serve latkes with applesauce and/or sour cream, if desired.

Serving Options

  • Horseradish mixed with sour cream
  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Slices of smoked salmon
  • Cherry tomato salsa

NOTES

  • Latkes are traditionally cooked on Hanukkah, along with other fried foods, to commemorate the miracle of the menorah oil in the Jewish Temple.
  • Chremslach (singular: chremsel) is the Yiddish word for a fried pancake. Potato chremslach are often mistaken for latkes. They are similar to latkes, with one major difference. Instead of shredding the potatoes, as we do with latkes, the potatoes are mashed and made into a thick batter before frying. Chremslach often appear on deli menus as “potato pancakes.” Latkes are thinner and more crispy due to the shredded texture of the potatoes. Chremslach are thicker and fluffier.
  • The perfect latke is crispy on the outside while hot, soft and fluffy in the center. It’s aromatic and salty and oniony and delectable. A well made latke is nearly impossible to resist.
  • This recipe is summarized/adapted from ToriAvey.com.  CLICKING HERE will give you a page of quite extensive instructions.  There is also quite a bit of information and history about latkes.  I recommend you visit Tori’s web page and read about latkes, then stop back here to print out this brief recipe summary.
Simple Potato Pancake

  • 1/2 C left over mashed potatoes
  • 1/2 C grated russet potatoes
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 C cheddar cheese
  • garlic, salt and pepper to taste
  • Form into loose (not tight) patties
  • Fry in hot oil until browned

 

ANOTHER RECIPE BRIEF – IRISH POTATO PANCAKES

  • Make your Creme Fraiche
    • 1/4 C Sour Cream
    • 2 tsp whole grain mustard
    • 1 tsp Fresh Chives
    • salt and pepper
  • Prepare your mashed potatoes
    • 1/2 C mashed potatoes
    • 1 TBL butter
    • 2 TBL Half and Half
    • Put ingredients into a pot
    • Heat, melt and blend
  • 1/2 C grated russet potato
    • Squeeze out as much water content as you can
  • Make the batter
    • Add 1 egg (beaten)
    • 1/4 C Half and Half
    • 3 TBL AP flour
    • scant baking powder
  • Combine all ingredients
  • Add salt and pepper
  • Butter a cast-iron skillet
  • Drop by spoonfuls onto hot skillet
  • Flip when edges are brown
  • Plate and top with a dollop of Creme Fraiche
  • Add a thin slice of smoked salmon
  • and garnish with chives

 

NOTES FROM CHOMPIES

  • 1 C Fresh grated potato
  • Chopped onion 1/2 C
  • 1/2 C masa meal
  •  (or flour)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp canola oil
  • 2 eggs
    • Rest 10 minutes
  • Create patty and put into 1/4 C hot canola oil
  •  

Simple Baked Potato

INGREDIENTS

  • Idaho Russet Potato
  • Butter or EVOO
  • Salt

STEP BY STEP

  1. Rinse your potato well and then dry it
  2. Poke a lot of holes in it using a fork or a corn cob holder – See notes below.
  3. To crisp up the skin, brush it with butter or EVOO, and then sprinkle with salt
  4. Bake at 400º for 50-60 minutes.  Really large baked potatoes should go about 70 minutes.
  5. Your choices for toppings include serving with butter, sour cream, chives, steamed broccoli, and bacon.  Use your imagination.

NOTES

  • If you don’t poke holes in your potato, the steam cannot escape and 215º is the hottest that your potato will get inside.  With holes poked, the inside of the potato will get closer to 300º and caramelization of the sugars can occur, so it will taste better and be fluffier.

Mashed Potato Hash Browns

2016-04-09 08.03.40INGREDIENTS

  • Old mashed potatoes
  • Butter and EVOO (for frying)
  • 1-2 eggs per person

REMINDER: Keep the handle of your pan pointed to the back of the stove to avoid an accidental spill or burn.

This recipe will actually work with old scalloped potatoes, hashed browns from another morning, and baked potatoes. I would probably draw the line at potato salad.

CLICK EITHER IMAGE FOR AN ENLARGEMENT
2016-04-09 08.13.13
STEP BY STEP

      1. Put at least 1 cup of leftover mashed potatoes on a cutting board (or a clean counter)
      2. Cut them into fairly large pieces (about the size of a regular marble)
      3. PREHEAT the butter and oil in your skillet to a medium high heat
        – If you put mashed potatoes into cold oil, they will become greasy
      4. Put mashed potatoes into your skillet and let them brown
      5. Handle or flip them AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE because they will fall apart otherwise
      6. As soon as they are to your liking, plate them and fry your egg
      7. Put 1-2 egg in a skillet and let them cook on the bottom just a bit
      8. Flip them carefully to avoid breaking the yolk
      9. Plate them on top of the potatoes and serve

 

NOTE: You can eliminate steps 7 and 8 if you use an egg poacher or poach the egg in a pan of simmering water

Pita – Middle Eastern Bread

pita

  • 6 C AP white flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 2 TBL sugar (for flour)
  • 1 tsp sugar (for yeast)
  • 1 TBL yeast
  • 2 C very warm (not hot) water
    1. Mix 1 tsp sugar, yeast and half of your water in a small bowl.
    2. Set aside to bubble 10 minutes
    3. Mix flour, salt and 2 TBL sugar in a large bowl
    4. Stir yeast mixture into flour
    5. Add more water to flour to form a soft dough that is slightly sticky
    6. Pour dough into a floured surface
    7. Knead about 10 minutes adding more flour to the surface as necessary.
    8. Dough ball should be smooth and should bounce back when you press a finger into it.
    9. Lightly oil top of dough and let rest until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes
    10. Punch dough a few times to get rid of built up air bubbles inside
    11. Divide into half, then half again – You should now have four pieces
    12. Divide each piece into thirds – You should now have twelve pieces
    13. Form each into a smooth ball, cover and let stand about 10 minutes
    14. Roll into 8 inch rounds about 1/8 inch thick
      – For a more authentic ekmek, flatten it with your hands and then pound it with your finger tips until flattened
    15. Place on ungreased pan at 450º for 8-10 minutes
    16. These will puff up and the center should be hollow.

Bread Bowl

This is the perfect presentation for chili, spinach dip.  A filling suggestion from the Feb 2015 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine is at the bottom of this recipe.

  1. Bake a loaf of bread.  Any flavor!  Here are a few of my recipes:
    – French Bread Loaf
    – No Knead Honey Bread
    – White Bread
  2. When you make it, make sure it is more firm than a bit soft.
    It will need to stand up on its own during the baking process.
    Alternately, put the loaf into a greased ramekin to give it a nice flat base.
  3. Bake according to directions.  Internal temperature should be 195 – 200º
  4. Cut a nice wide circle around the top of the loaf creating a bowl shape.
  5. Remove the cap, and then pull out the insides.
    Keep the insides for bread pudding, croutons, etc.
  6. Fill with chili, spinach dip, or other desired filling
  7. For a cold brunch recipe, see below.
  • Layer the bread bowl with salami, cheese, spinach, sliced turkey and cooked peppers.
  • Pack everything nice and tightly in the bread bowl, then put the cap back on.
  • Wrap in foil, then put into a square muffin pan and weight it down creating kind of a panini
  • Refrigerate overnight
  • To serve, slice it like a cake

Pita Bread

  • pita2 TBL sugar
  • 1 TBL yeast
  • 2.5 C lukewarm water
  • 6 C AP white flour (or half AP and half wheat flour)
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 TBL EVOO
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 2 TBL sugar
  1. Create a sponge
  2. Mix 1 C flour and 1 C water and your sugar and yeast
  3. Mix well and set
  4. Set in warm place to proof (about 10 minutes)
  5. Stir yeast mixture, oil, and enough warm water into half of the flour mix to make a soft sponge
  6. Add flour, sugar and salt until the dough is just slightly sticky
  7. Knead dough in bowl, adding flour as necessary until it is smooth and resilient (about 10 minutes)
  8. Lightly oil top of dough and cover
  9. Set in warm place to rise until double (60-90 minutes)
  10. Punch dough down, knead briefly on floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces
  11. Form each into a smooth ball, cover and let stand at least 10 minutes
  12. Roll into 8 inch rounds about 1/8 inch thick
    Must be thin enough that the heat penetrates to allow it to expand with steam and split internally before the dough cooks
  13. Place on cornmeal dusted baking sheet and let rise for 10-15 minutes
  14. Bake at 500º oven for 2 minutes on bottom rack
  15. Flip and bake another 2 minutes
  16. These will puff up and center should be hollow

If too pale place under the broiler briefly.  Cool on a board covered with a towel to minimize the sweat below the pita.  When cooled store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or freezer.

Alternately:
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat
Brush lightly with oil
Lay pita into hot skillet and cook until bread begins to puff up and bottom has blisters (about 3 minutes)
Flip, and cook 2 more minutes
Flip again and cook 30 more seconds

 

Grandpa’s Layered Buttermilk Biscuits

Note the layers that you get by folding.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 C Flour (Spelt or other high-protein)
  • 1 TBL sugar
  • 2 TBL dried milk
  • 1 TBL Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Salt
    – Sift together dry ingredients
  • 1 egg
  • 12 TBL COLD butter in tabs
  • 1 1/2 C COLD buttermilk
  • 2 TBL melted butter for layers

IMG_6286

For Drop Biscuits, you can just mix the ingredients and drop them into rustic piles.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Pulse the butter with half the dry ingredients in a food processor.
  2. Add the COLD buttermilk and mix briefly using your hands – or better yet a bench scraper – DO NOT OVERMIX or biscuits will be tough.
  3. Roll flat, fold in thirds and repeat a total of FOUR TIMES – Folding, but not kneading.  Brush each layer lightly with butter before folding.
  4. Your final mat should be about 9×12 inches.
  5. Cover and let it rest in the fridge for an hour
  6. Put on floured surface and cut the edges of with a VERY sharp knife.
    – If using a circle cutter DO NOT TWIST the cutter. This will crimp the edge and flatten your biscuits,  Cutting the edge off also affects how well the biscuit layers can rise and separate.
  7. Cut the remaining mat into squares.
  8. Put on baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart.
  9. Brush lightly with melted butter or spray with spray shortening
  10. Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes – Turn tray around about halfway between cooking
 

Biscotti – COLLECTION

Biscotti is essentially twice-baked bread usually served with some kind of toppings on top.

Practically any bread can be baked, sliced, and baked again, then topped to create a tasteful biscotti.

  1. Mix dough recipe to the left and bake for 35 minutes at 300º – for nearly round biscotti, wrap the dough in parchment paper in a roll, then staple the ends of the paper.  Bake as directed.
  2. Cool 10 minutes, then cut into 3/8 inch slices.
  3. Put onto a baking tray and then bake at 300º for 25 minutes.
  4. Be creative with toppings.

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Another good biscotti is using hazelnuts.

  1. Boil 2 C of water, then add 1/4 C baking soda.
  2. Boil 2 C hazelnuts for 3 minutes – you will get a lot of foam and black water.
  3. Dump nuts into colander and rinse.
  4. The skins will rub right off.
  5. Bake the hazelnuts at 350º for 15 minutes.
  6. Chop for this recipe.
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