Crusty French Bread

This is one of our favorite bread recipes and you can experiment and add ingredients for a greater variety.

[Mix in sun-dried tomatoes, freshly minced garlic, cheddar cheese or other herbs or ingredients for variety]

Ingredients

2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

5 -5 1/2 cups bread flour

Directions

Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees) and sugar in large bowl; allow yeast to proof or foam (about 10 minutes).

Add salt, oil, and 3 cups flour; beat for 2 minutes.

Stir in 2 cups flour to make a stiff dough.

Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place in oiled bowl, turn dough to coat all sides, cover and let rise until doubled.

Punch down and divide in half.

Shape dough into two long slender loaves.

Grease and sprinkle with cornmeal either a french bread pan or large cookie sheet.

Place loaves in pan and cut diagonal gashes on top of each loaf (I use scissors).

Cover and let rise until doubled.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Note: You can sprinkle or spray water on the loaves during baking if you want a really crunchy crust.

By PCrocker on October 07, 2004

Food.com

Parmesan Pasta, with a hint of lemon

Melt butter.
Sprinkle a coat of parmesan over butter and add some lemon pepper.
Cut up red (or green or yellow) peppers and saute them in the butter mixture.
Spread over pasta.

Yum!

Simon's creation

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

One of the dressings my mom emailed me. Quite tasty!


Olive garden salad dressing

Olive Garden Salad Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise (Miracle Whip works better, says mom--I'd use less than 1/2 c next time)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or one clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sugar (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Another great use for the Olive Garden salad dressing is as a marinade for vegetables or even meats that you might like to grill. So you can see the Olive Garden salad dressing can be used in more than one way.

Be sure to serve this recipe with the Olive Garden Salad Mix.

Red Berry Vinaigrette

My mom started making a few salad dressing recipes. A couple days ago I decided to follow suit. Wow! I think I agree with her; I don't know that I'll ever go back to store-bought dressings.

Here is a delicious Vinaigrette. It calls for Raspberry, but I had strawberry. Voila! Delectable and delightful.

Red Raspberry Vinaigrette OR Strawberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 (10 ounce) jar seedless raspberry jam/ strawberry

Directions

Combine the olive oil, rice vinegar and raspberry jam in the container of a blender. Process

until smooth. Store in a jar in the refrigerator.

For smaller quantity half the recipe

1/8 c olive oil

1/2 c rice vinegar

5 oz jam (1/2 c?)

I think I want to try this with apricot jelly too.

Spinach and Orzo

Prep and cooking time: 20-30 min



orzo

spinach
garlic
fresh ground pepper
salt
parsley
basil
milk/water
sundried tomatoes (softened by soaking in olive oil (sped up by microwaving 30sec)

feta


Directions:
1. Cook Orzo pasta

2. While orzo cooks, another pan saute thawed spinach with one large minced garlic clove in olive oil. Put in a dash of parsley and basil. Add a TINY bit of milk or water if needing extra moisture. Grind a little pepper over the top and put a pinch of salt. Add sundried tomatoes and saute a little more.

3. Put spinach over orzo and top with feta.




My inspiration from a few different recipes  (Treasure Cave feta recipe and )
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mediterranean-orzo-salad-with-feta-vinaigrette-10000001065540/


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/greek-orzo-with-feta/


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/orzo-with-feta-and-tomatoes-recipe/index.html


http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orzo-Feta-and-Tomato-Salad-with-Marjoram-Vinaigrette-108235

Apple Pie

Delicious Apple Pie.

I used three kinds of apples and the apple pie recipe posted on an earlier upload, with the pumpkin pie crust recipe.

Pumpkin Pie for fall

*Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe with the easiest crust ever!
(Makes one 9-inch deep-dish pie crust)

Crust:
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1/3 c vegetable shortening
2-3 T cold water

COMBINE flour and salt in medium bowl; cut in vegetable shortening until crumbly. Sprinkle with water; blend until mixture holds together.

SHAPE dough into ball; place on lightly floured surface. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Line pie plate with pastry. Turn edge under; crimp edge as desired.

(I rolled between two sheets of wax paper and then took off the top sheet and using the bottom sheet flipped the crust into the pan)

Note: to make two crusts, double all ingredients, follow procedure above and divide dough in half.

No need  to pre-bake crust. Simply dump in pumpkin pie filling.



LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE

3/4 c sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t cloves
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin
1 c evaporated milk (can make your own using powdered milk--see previous entry)
1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shell


MIX sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell

BAKE in preheated 425 degree F oven for 15 min. Reduce temperature to 350 degree F; bake 40-50 min or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.