Wedding Muffalettas

We are in full wedding mode with the special day only a few weeks away. Right now, I'm trying to get all of the breads made. One roll recipe will be turned into a Mini-Muffaletta Appetizer. This recipe is based on Lion House Roll recipe. I did tweek it to make it food storage friendly. I found this recipe on

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com and www.dealstomeals.blogspot.com

Lion House Rolls
3 ½ cups warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1 Tablespoon salt
3 Tbsp. egg powder plus 3 Tbsp. water
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter or 8 Tbsp. butter flavor shortening
10-12 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

1. Place the warm water, yeast and dash of sugar in the bottom of your mixer. Stir it around and let it sit for 5 minutes. It should start to rise and get all bubbly.

2. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix for 30 seconds. You want to add this much flour, before you add the warm water and powdered milk and eggs.

3. Add the sugar, salt, softened butter (not the melted butter)or shortening and the eggs. Mix for 1 minute.

4. Add the flour 1 C at a time, until the dough scrapes the side of your mixer clean. Mix on high for 8 minutes. This much mixing really improves the texture and elasticity of the dough. I have also noticed, if I don't mix it long enough the dough doesn't rise as nicely.

6. Let the dough rise, in the mixer for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

7. Punch the dough down (I just turn the mixer on for about 5 seconds) and divide it into 6 equal parts. Shape each part into a nice round ball and let them rest on the counter top. I always spread a little of the melted butter on the counter top, before I set the dough on it. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Letting dough rest for just a bit before it's shaped makes a HUGE difference when you are trying to shape it. Let's just say it cooperates better.8. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a nice round circle. You want the dough to be about 1/2-3/4 of an inch thick after rolling it out. Pour a bit of butter in the center....I said it was no dieters delight...you see now what I mean
9. With a pizza cutter, cut the circle into 8 equal triangles. Start from the fat end and roll each triangle up. Place on a large, sprayed cookie sheet.
10. It works best to place them in 3 rows, 8 rolls deep. They like to be about this close together.
11. Place them in a warm 170 degree oven, and let one pan rise for about 20 minutes. Don't let them get too tall. Once they start to touch each other, they have risen enough. You will definitely want to cook one pan at a time. Just set one pan on the counter to rise. It will rise more slowly than the pan in the oven, but it will be just the right amount of time to get the other pan cooked and your oven empty and ready for the second pan.

12. Turn your oven up to 350. Leave the rolls in while the oven increases in temperature. Bake for about 15 minutes.
13. When the rolls are still hot, I brush them all over with more of the melted butter. Delightful! Happy Holiday baking!
Alternative Shaping:
Pull and roll the dough into balls and place thirty rolls on a cookie sheet (5 rolls by 6 rolls). Let them rise on a cookie sheet until the balls begin to touch. Bake at 350 degrees on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes. Butter tops after roll are out of the oven.

To make them into Muffalettas we will halve the rolls and add a tablespoon of olive salad mix, ham, mortadella, mozzerella,Genoa Salami, and provolone. Place the top back on the sandwich and butter the top. Cover with aluminium foil and place in 350 oven until cheese melts.

Bridal Shower Scones

My dd2 is having her bridal shower tomorrow. It's going to be a Mad Hatter's Tea. It's been so much work. I hope and pray that it is all Jessica dreams of. She wanted Scones for the tea, so I whipped up these little gems. I divided this dough in half and rolled out and cut into 15 squares which I further divided in triangles. They are light and fluffy.

Scones

1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. powdered milk
1 tsp. vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 egg


• In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter. Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened. Mix in the raisins.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut into 12 wedges, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom.

Cranberry Orange
I took this basic scone and added 1/2 cup craisins and 1 Tbsp. orange extract, 1 tsp. orange rind.

White Chocolate Macadamia

to the basic scone dough add 1/2 bag white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup macadamia nuts.

Apple Spice

1 medium apple, chopped with a splash of lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. cinnamon.

Provident Pearls

Provident Pearls are little nuggets of wisdom that can help you live a better life. I received these from an online friend and it has given me so much food for thought as well as action.

Today's Provident Pearl is:

You can make your own dryer sheets easily with pieces of flannel cut to fit into a ‘wipe’ container. Add some fabric softener and keep sealed. Pop one in each load in the dryer – fewer chemicals and huge savings.

This is my project for the day. I have a leftover baby wipe container from when the boys were in diapers. I picked up a white flannel baby blanket from a garage sale. I will be cutting the blanket up and putting the "flannel sheets" in the wipe container then pour over the fabric softener.

Sourdough Biscuits

Today I had way more starter than I needed. That happens when I don't make bread regularly. The problem is that we just don't eat many sandwiches, so I need more ways to use up this excess starter. We ( and by we I really mean I like sweet breakfast over savory) so the pancakes are great for me, but I would have a revolt in the person of dh if we had pancakes every day. Enter these biscuits. I have a great biscuit recipe, but extra great recipes are always welcome. I really didn't expect this to be a great recipe. I was pleasantly surprised. Try it and I think you will be very happy with the results. I fed my starter the night before to get prepared to make these biscuits this morning.

Sourdough Rolled Biscuits

1 cup of starter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of soda
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tablespoons of cooking oil, or melted butter or shortening
1 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder

Mix starter and oil. Stir dry ingredients and add to starter and oil. Roll mixture on floured board until 1/2 inch thick. Cut biscuits, let rise for 15 minutes. Bake at 425ºF. for 15 minutes.

Mom's Best Brownies

I try to make a dessert a couple of times a week. It keeps us out of the stores when the dessert cravings hit. I save money...who can go to Walmart and just buy 1 thing? My ingredients are are simple, and purchased on sale where possible. I control what is in my food, and it helps me rotate through my food storage. Enough reasons to try? How about these are the best darn brownies ever! It's not fancy, it doesn't need to be. I don't find the need for icing, but you could of course try the chocolate icing on this blog. These are quick to make and bake during supper, or afternoon snack time.

Mom's Brownies

3/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 eggs (2 Tbsp. egg powder and 4 Tbsp. water)
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (any nut will do)

1. Melt the shortening and butter and whisk in the cocoa. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
2. Beat the eggs with water and a pinch of salt until they are foamy. Gradually add the sugar. Beat in the vanilla and the cooled chocolate mixture, then flour and baking powder. Stir in the walnuts.
3. Grease a 13 * 8 inch baking pan, and pour the batter into it, spreading it evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean. The brownies should still be moist and slightly sticky when they come out the oven, they continue cooking as they cool and will achieve the right texture.

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday
Hamburgers, Chips, Moos Shakes (from Everydayfoodstorage.net)

Monday:
Ham and Noodle Casserole

Tuesday:
Spaghetti, corn

Wednesday:
Zuppa Toscana (olive garden copycat), salad, breadsticks

Thursday:
Turkey Pot Pie, Salad

Friday:
Pizza, Salad

Saturday:
Fried Rice, Potstickers, Salad

This week for dessert I made the Lemon cake and will probably make scratch brownies later in the week. They are both so simple and good. The ham casserole recipe was torn up. It was bland so Rachel happily took the leftovers to feed the boys. I'll stick with potato and ham recipes. Neil will be home Saturday, so the menu is for him.

Simple Lemon Cake

I try to bake some kind of dessert at least once a week. It's not usually elaborate, but of course it must be delicious. Since both Neil and Logan love lemon flavors, I try to make something lemon a few times a month. This cake is so good. It's not super sweet, but it is moist, delicious and tender.


Simple Lemon Cake

1/2 cup butter, margarine, or shortening
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Soften butter and cream with sugar, then add lemon rind and eggs. Add flour and milk. Bake for 45 mins in a moderate oven,

After removing from oven, pour the following mixture over the surface and leave to cool in the tin.


1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar.

Put in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour over cake.