Zucchini patties

We had a bunch of garden squash to use. These were really good.

Zucchini Patties



INGREDIENTS:
2 cups grated zucchini
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, eggs, onion, flour, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and salt. Stir well enough to distribute ingredients evenly.
2. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop zucchini mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.

Fresh Lemonade

Tart, sweet & refreshing! This is a yummy recipe from allrecipes.com

Best Lemonade Ever



INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups white sugar
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.
2. Remove seeds from lemon juice, but leave pulp. In pitcher, stir together chilled syrup, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups water.

Tyler Florence Swedish Meatballs

These were seriously SO good. Super moist & the gravy was delish!! I didn't have black currant jam, so I used Simply Fruit Blueberry Jam, I used vegetable stock instead of chicken just because I had some to use & I didn't use allspice or lingonberry jam since I didn't have any.

Lena's Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberry Sauce
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Prep Time: 30 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 50 min
Level:
--
Serves:
about 60 meatballs
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
1 pound each ground beef, pork, and veal (or all beef if you prefer)
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons salt
Few grinds black pepper
2 teaspoons ground allspice
3 pieces white bread, crust removed, torn and soaked in whole milk
Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 tablespoons black currant jam
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Lingonberry jam, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Remove the onion to a plate and cool. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, egg yolks, heavy cream and onion. Add salt, pepper and allspice. Squeeze excess milk from the bread and add it to the bowl. Mix gently with your hands or wooden spoon.

With a bowl of cold water standing by, form meatballs about 1-inch across. Dip your fingers in cold water, from time to time, to keep the meat from sticking to your hands.

Melt the remaining butter in the saute pan and once the foam has subsided add a layer of meatballs. Do not overcrowd the pan. Shake the pan once in awhile, to keep the meatballs round. Brown all of the meatballs, in batches, removing them to a large oven safe dish when cooked. Put the dish in the oven for about 20 minutes, being careful not to overcook them.

Cook's Note: you may need to wipe out the pan between batches as it can get kind of gnarly.

To make the sauce: Pour off most of the fat from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk to dissolve the flour into the fat. Pour in the chicken stock, and stir to loosen the bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer, stirring, until the liquid is reduced and the mixture starts to thicken to a sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and the black currant jam. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

To serve, spoon a couple of meatballs onto each plate along with a spoonful of sauce, and serve with the lingonberry jam on the side.

Fudge Sauce & Butterscotch sauce

I made these 2 sauces last night for our banana splits. They were so good! The fudge was super thick and creamy, just how I like it. I've never made butterscotch before. It was really easy and good. These recipes are from allrecipes.com

Butterscotch Sauce II
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, milk, corn syrup and butter. Warm over low heat until smooth and butter is melted. Do not boil.

Hot Fudge Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed
milk
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet
chocolate
2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, chocolate and butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.

Banana Bread Cobbler

I know the title of this recipe sounds like it could be a hit or miss recipe, but I'm telling you you MUST try this recipe from Bake or Breaks blog. It is AMAZING. Especially if you like bananas or banana bread. So unique and delicious. Matt said it's the best dessert he's ever had. We had it with vanilla ice cream. My camera wasn't charged when I made it, so I don't have a picture.

Banana Bread Cobbler

March 31st, 2010 · No Comments

Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe from Southern Living.

Streusel topping

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup uncooked regular oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Stir together brown sugar, flour, and butter until crumbly. Stir in oats and pecans. Set aside.
Filling

1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 medium bananas, sliced
Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease an 11″x 7″dish.
Whisk flour, sugar, and milk just until blended. Whisk in melted butter. Pour into prepared pan. Top with banana slices and streusel topping. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Oh my, these were SO good. I beat together 8 oz of softened cream cheese, 3/4 c powdered sugar, the zest of half a lemon and the juice of half a lemon. Then I cut open each strawberry and piped in some cream cheese mixture and then dipped them in chocolate bark coating. YUM!

Migas

I love Migas, so I decided to try to make them a couple of weeks ago. They turned out really good. I chopped up some corn tortillas and some bacon and cooked them together in a skillet. When the bacon was crispy I added some beaten egg and a couple of tablespoons of my favorite salsa. I cooked them like you would scrambled eggs. Then right before they were done cooking I added some grated sharp cheese. DELISH!

Squash Tacos

This is one of my family's favorite dinners. You just saute' yellow squash and some diced onion in a little butter (about 1 T). Then when the squash is almost done put in some fresh corn and cook for just a couple of minutes. Serve it on corn tortillas with some grated sharp cheddar cheese & salsa. SOO good!

Shrimp Pasta in a Foil Package

This was an easy, fun & yummy dish from Pioneer Woman...

Shrimp Pasta in a Foil Package

Ingredients
½ cups Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
3 whole 14.5 Ounce Cans Diced (or Whole) Tomatoes
½ cups White Wine
2 pounds Jumbo Or Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 pound Linguine, Uncooked
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time. Pasta should still be very firm.
In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Dump in the tomatoes and wine. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for ten minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare a large parcel of heavy duty aluminum foil. It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish.
Throw the shrimp on the top of the pasta sauce. Throw the drained pasta over the top, then pour the whole dish onto the foil. Tightly wrap the foil into a parcel.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm until serving.
Open the foil parcel right before serving. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the top. Squeeze on lemon juice, if desired.

I made these 3 Giada (from the Food Network) recipes for father's day. The chicken was easy to make and very good. I think next time I will experiment with some other spices on the chicken. The salad wasn't my favorite. The chicken & veggie dish were big hits.

Roasted Citrus-Herb Game Hen

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008


Ingredients

2 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) Cornish game hens
1/4 cup olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons orange zest, from 2 medium oranges
2 tablespoons lemon zest, from about 3 lemons
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons Marsala wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup dried cranberries or currants
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Directions

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Rinse the game hens and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, shallots, orange zest, lemon zest, thyme, mint, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons of the zest mixture over the skins of the game hens. Place the remainder of the zest mixture under the skin and into the cavities of the hens. Using kitchen twine, truss the legs together. Place the hens in a shallow 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken stock, Marsala wine, lemon juice, orange juice, and cranberries. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the leg juices run clear. Remove the game hens and set aside. Place the flour in a small saucepan. Whisk in the pan juices. Bring the juices to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in the butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

To serve, remove the kitchen twine and place the hens on 2 serving plates. Drizzle with the citrus-herb sauce.

Cook's Note: Reserve 1/4 cup of the citrus-herb sauce for the Crouton Salad.

Crouton Salad

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008


Ingredients

1/2 (8-ounces) loaf rosemary bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes* see Cook's Note
Olive oil, for drizzling
3 cups packed arugula
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup Citrus-Herb Sauce, see Roasted Citrus-Herb Game Hen recipe
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the bread on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until toasted. Set aside to cool.

In a medium salad bowl, mix together the cooled croutons, arugula, and pine nuts. Add the Citrus-Herb Sauce. Toss well until all ingredients are coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

*Cook's Note: You can also use olive bread or any plain rustic loaf in place of the rosemary bread.



Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Vegetables

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008


Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
2 tablespoons pitted small black olives, such as kalamata, halved
2 tablespoons halved pitted green olives
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt for seasoning, plus 1/2 teaspoon
Freshly ground black pepper
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, ends trimmed and discarded, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 yellow summer squash, ends trimmed and discarded, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In a medium skillet, heat remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the warm vegetables to the oil mixture and toss until coated.

Transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Caramel Bars

I LOVE these bars. Chewy chocolate caramel goodness!

Caramel Bars


INGREDIENTS

* 32 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
* 5 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup rolled oats
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup butter, melted
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together the caramels and heavy cream, stirring occasionally until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in the melted butter until well blended. Press Half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Reserve the rest.
3. Bake the crust for 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the caramel mixture over the top and then crumble the remaining crust mixture over everything.
4. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 12 minutes, or until the top is lightly toasted. Cut into squares while it is still warm.

Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

These potatoes from Our Best Bites are awesome!!


Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
www.ourbestbites.com

1 1/2 lb. fingerling (or other very small potatoes), washed; try and pick the potatoes that are as bite-sized as possible
2 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp. coarse-grain or Dijon mustard
2 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Rosemary (be sure and strip the needles from the stem before chopping them)
About 5 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
Coarsely-ground black pepper
Kosher salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is heating, combine olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, mustard, and some black pepper. Set aside. When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Drain, return the potatoes to the pan, and then toss with the mustard mixture.

Now...this is where the beauty of this recipe comes in. You can either do all of this ahead of time and then refrigerate the potatoes until you're ready to finish them off or you can do it all at once. Either way, you're not going to spend more than 30 minutes making these beauties and they're so elegant that you could seriously serve them at the fanciest dinner party. So...if you're making these right now, preheat your oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. If you're saving them (for up to 6 hours), line the baking sheet and spread the potatoes out evenly and then cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until you're ready to bake them.

When you're ready to bake these guys, sprinkle with Kosher salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the skins are browning and sizzling. For fancy presentation, place the roasted potatoes on a platter, scrape those delicious bits off the foil sprinkle them over the potatoes, and then garnish with a few sprigs of rosemary.

Buttermilk Waffles

These waffles from Sisters Cafe are very very good! Matt likes them with half the cinnamon, but I like the full amount of cinnamon.

Buttermilk Waffles
Submitted by Mindy

1 stick butter, melted
2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs until fluffy. Beat in everything else just until smooth.

Cute baby shower favor idea

I threw a shower for a woman a couple of months ago and she asked if she could bring a favor for everyone. She brought the cutest favor! She put candy in the bottom of a small plastic pot. Then she cut out some fabric into a diaper shape with pins on the side and inside the diaper she put this poem, flower seeds and these flower candies she made. It was so cute.

Potato idea

My husband grew these beautiful multi-colored potatoes in our garden this year. We had small blue, red and white potatoes. I made mini twice baked potatoes with them keeping each colored flesh separate and added different mix ins to each one. They were yummy & fun to make.

Orange and Raspberry Cake

This cake is...AMAZING!! Light, refreshing, creamy, unique...AMAZING! My husband tried it and said this is good, then a few minutes later I looked over and his piece was completely gone and I said oh you did like it and he said that was SO good (he's not really even a sweet person!). Then my friend Cristina said she's not really an orange cake person, but she loved it! It's a nice refreshing orange flavor, not artificial at all since you use fresh orange instead of an orange box cake. I almost didn't use the fresh raspberries, but I'm so glad I did. It really added to the cake.

Orange and Raspberry Cake
Giada DeLaurentis

Cake:

* Butter, for greasing the pans
* Flour, for dusting
* 1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
* 1 large orange, zested, about 1/4 cup
* 1 1/3 cups no pulp orange juice
* 3 egg whites
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Frosting:

* 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/3 cup creme fraiche
* 1 pound powdered sugar
* 1/4 cup raspberry jam
* Water, as needed
* 1/4 cup raspberry jam
* 1 (6-ounce) container fresh raspberries

Directions

For the cake: Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of 2 nonstick, 8-inch round, baking pans. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cake mix and orange zest. Mix for 20 seconds at low speed until the zest is incorporated. Add the orange juice, egg whites, and vegetable oil. Blend at low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 to 32 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.

For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and creme fraiche at high speed until smooth, about 10 seconds. With the machine running at medium-low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add the raspberry jam and increase the speed to high. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable, adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed.

To assemble the cake: Arrange 1 cake layer, flat side up, on a cake stand. Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting on top leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread 1/4 cup of raspberry jam on top of the frosting. Arrange the other cake layer on top. Using a spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with fresh raspberries. Cut the cake into wedges with a slightly wet knife and serve.

Store the cake in a plastic container in the refrigerator. Allow the refrigerated cake to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cakes

I've been wanting to try this recipe for a long time. I made them this week for my friends birthday. They are seriously SOO SOO good! Peanut butter and chocolate, you just can't go wrong!!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cakes
adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus melted butter for brushing
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cacao), chopped
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 425°. Brush four 6-ounce ramekins with melted butter. In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon of the flour; dust the ramekins with the cocoa mixture, tapping out the excess. Transfer the ramekins to a sturdy baking sheet.
In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter with the chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.
In a bowl, blend the peanut butter with the 1 tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar with the eggs and salt at medium-high speed until thick and pale yellow, 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the melted chocolate until no streaks remain. Fold in the 1/4 cup of flour.
Spoon two-thirds of the batter into the prepared ramekins, then spoon the peanut butter mixture on top. Cover with the remaining chocolate batter. Bake in the center of the oven for 16 minutes, until the tops are cracked but the centers are still slightly jiggly. Transfer the ramekins to a rack and let cool for 5 to 8 minutes.
Run the tip of a small knife around each cake to loosen. Invert a small plate over each cake and, using pot holders, invert again. Carefully lift off the ramekins. Dust the warm cakes with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.

Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls) with Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe

I love fresh spring rolls and they are surprisingly easy to make. This recipe is really good. You can use whatever fillings you like. In mine I used grilled shrimp, carrots, lettuce, cilantro and basil.

Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls) with Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe
http://rasamalaysia.com/vietnamese-spring-rolls-goi-cuon-with/
For the grilled pork:

1 lb pork chops, loin, butt or shoulder. Sliced thin.
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil

Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe

1 cup (8 oz) hoisin sauce (if sauce is thick, add about 1/4 cup warm water to reach desired consistency)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 Tbs rice vinegar
2 garlic, crushed
1 minced thai chili, or more for desired spiciness

For spring roll rice paper assembly:

About 10 rice paper wrappers
Lettuce
Cucumber, cut into long slices
Fresh herbs: mint, cilantro, basil, vietnamese coriander, balm or perilla
Bean sprouts

Method:

1. In plastic bag, combine all ingredients for the grilled pork. Let marinade for about 20 minutes. Grill both sides of pork for about 2-3 minutes, or until desired texture.
2. In blender, combine all ingredients for the hoisin peanut dipping sauce. Blend until everything combines smoothly together. If it is too thick, continue adding warm water until desired consistency.
3. In bowl of warm water, dip each rice paper wrapper for about 3-5 seconds (depending on rice paper thickness). Do not over soak your rice paper wrapper! Place on work service and allow rice paper to soak up water and become gelatinous and pliable (about 30 seconds to 1 minute, again, depending on the thickness rice paper).
4. On top 1/3 side closest to you, lay lettuce on the bottom for added strength to the wrapper. Then place meat, herbs and other vegetables. Roll up spring roll about 1/3 way through, then fold in the sides. View step-by-step photographs of spring rolling here.
5. Serve with hoisin peanut dip.

Another thing to do with the bread!! - Rolls

I decided to try making rolls with this bread recipe that I LOVE! I just took it through the second rise and then plopped hunks of the dough in roll shapes onto a cookie sheet with some olive oil on it. I sprinkled fresh parmesan cheese on top and baked them at 350 for about 15 mins or until golden. YUM!
No-Knead Bread
Jim Lahey at the Sullivan Street Bakery via Mark Bittman at New York Times

Yields one 1 1/2 pound loaf

3 cups bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 c cool water
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water, and stir until blended; dough will be sticky. Add a little more water if you need to make it sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at room temperature, out of sunlight, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles and it's a little bit darker of a color. Use lightly floured hands to pull the dough off the edges of the bowl and tuck the edges in to make it a round ball. Make sure there is a light coating of flour all over the ball of dough, not too much, just enough so you can pick it up without the dough sticking to your hands.

3. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Fold towel over to cover dough and put it in a draft free place to rise. Let it rise for 1-2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. A half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 475°. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes (I ended up only baking mine 10 minutes extra), until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Crockpot Roast

I wanted to try a new recipe other than the lipton onion soup crockpot roast recipe that I always use. This roast had such great flavor!

I put a chuck roast in the crockpot. Then in a bowl mixed 1 t black pepper, 4 cloves garlic (minced), 6 T balsamic vinegar, 1/2 c soy sauce, 4 T worchestershire sauce, 1 t dry mustard. I poured it on the roast & cooked it for 8 hours on low.