This summer I only had a couple of days where I found time to look around at the local garage sales. During my first day of the season where I was able to find that kind of time I came across a yard sale where everything was half price. It was the last hour of their sale, so the gal there was trying to get rid of everything as quick as possible. I thought I’d help her out if I could find anything I wanted. I saw some toys I didn’t want to clean up off of my floor (I’ve learned to look at toys in a whole new light than I once did), some woman’s clothing too large for me, and a table covered in miscellaneous items. On this last table I found my grand prize. A bread machine marked $4. I asked the lady if it worked. She said it did, so I asked why she was getting rid of it. She said she found out she is allergic to wheat and only eats spelt bread now. I thought to myself that you could probably make spelt bread in it, but instead decided to buy it. I thought, “Well, at least I won’t cry too hard if she is lying—it’s only $2.00!” When I got home my husband found a link online where I was able to read about how to work my bread machine. I gave it a try and… it did (does) work! About a month after that I found a second bread machine at a thrift store for $4.00, which I also bought. I figured that way I would have a back up if the first one broke. What I didn’t think of is that way I’ll be able to make enough pizza dough for four pizzas at once! That is what I have been doing ever since. So, needless to say, the following recipes are ones I have been using all summer with my bread machines.
My Favorite Pizza Dough
1 1/4 cups warm water (110° to 115° degrees F)
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet or 1/4 ounce) quick-rising active dry yeast or bread machine yeast.
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
Pour warm water and yeast into bread machine bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then add remaining ingredients. Set your bread machine on the Dough setting and start it. Prepare a big mixing bowl with about 2-3 tablespoons of oil (I use rice bran oil) in the bottom. When your bread machine has finished process (about 1 1/2 hours later) take dough out and shape into a smooth ball by stretching the outer surface and tucking the sides underneath the bottom of the ball. Place the ball, smooth side down, in the bowl, turn to coat the ball all over with oil, and rest it seam side down in the bowl. Cover bowl tightly with saran wrap to prevent moisture loss and set aside in a warm place for dough to rise until doubles in bulk, about an hour and ten minutes.
After dough has risen gently press on it with your fist to expel air. Then either divide ball into two parts or transfer bowl to refrigerator. You may leave your dough in refrigerator for up to 36 hours punching dough down up to 4 times before your yeast will be exhausted. If you have refrigerated dough, let sit out until it has reached room temperature before stretching dough for pizza.
Preheat oven for 30 minutes to 500°.
Generously oil bottom of a 14 inch cast iron skillet, then place dough into pan and carefully pull and stretch until it reaches the edges of pan.
At this point I place 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until butter is melted. Then using a pastry brush I brush a generous amount of butter on the entire spread of pizza dough, add mozzarella, any toppings desired, and a little more mozzarella on top. Place in oven on the very bottom of your oven for 8-12 minutes. You know it’s done when you use a spatula to lift it to check the bottom of the dough and it is slightly browned. Place on cutting board to keep it from burning in the cast iron skillet and slice!
Have fun!
Fast White Bread
1 cup very warm (115° to 125° F) water
2 3/4—3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) quick-rising active dry yeast
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of butter
Place water and yeast in bread machine bowl, let sit for about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and either use your dough setting (if you want to bake in oven, as I usually do) or use your white bread setting (usually the first setting, sometimes called the “basic” setting or something similar). If using your dough setting wait until your bread machine finishes (about 1 1/2 hours), then take dough out and make it into a somewhat smooth ball before placing it in a bread pan. Set in a warm place to rise for about an hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°. When the dough has risen to about twice its size, place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350° and bake until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. I would check it after about 28 minutes, because my loaves are often done around that time.
There’s nothing quite like fresh bread out of the oven with a dallup of butter and a generous spread of raw honey!
Precooked Lasagna noodles
1 pounds extra-lean ground beef
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4-6 ounces finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg
One 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese
One 16-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
Preheat oven to 350°
Brown meat in a heavy frying pan add a bit of salt, black pepper, and maybe some garlic powder (you can also leave it un-spiced if you wish).
Add the egg to the ricotta and blend together.
Now assemble the ingredients in a shallow casserole approximately 9”x13”. Pour a little sauce on the bottom and on it place a layer of noodles. Over this spread half of the ricotta mixture, half the meat, and half the mozzarella. Spread on about one-third the sauce. Layer another row of pasta and repeat. Top with pasta, the remaining sauce, and the Cheddar cheese.
Bake until the sauce bubbles around the edges, about 30 minutes.
This can be assembled ahead of time and baked just before serving, or it can be frozen before or after baking. I usually make about 4 casseroles and we eat one fresh; I refrigerate one unbaked for that same week, and freeze the other two unbaked. If you store it frozen or unfrozen, cover it with plastic wrap, not aluminum foil. Foil can react with the tomato sauce, shedding gray flakes over the lasagna.
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