Favorite Recipes

French Bread
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2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. dry yeast
1 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. oil
6 cups flour
1 egg, beaten

In a large bowl combine water, sugar, and yeast.  Let stand for about 5 minutes or until foamy.  Stir in salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour.  Stir vigorously.  Add remaining 3 cups of flour and mix well.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Stir down.  Repeat this process 5 times, which will take one hour.  

Place dough onto a floured surface.  Knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled; divide in half.  Roll into two rectangles about 9X12 inches long.  Roll up from long side.  Moisten seam with a small amount of water and pinch to seal.  

Arrange both loaves lengthwise on a large, well-greased cookie sheet.  Place seam side down.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes.  Glaze with beaten egg (brush on very gently).  Use a very sharp knife to gently make 3 diagonal gashes in the top of each loaf.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove to cooling racks and cover with towel (this keeps the crust soft).  Serve warm.  Makes 2 loaves.





Ashley's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter/shortening (I do 1/2 of each)

1 1/2 cups of sugar
3/4 cups of brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp os salt
1 1/2 tsp of baking soda
3 tsp of vanilla
1 bag of choc chips

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes




Catalina Salad

1 bag salad greens (spring mix and baby spinach are good)


1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 can kidney beans

little bit of Catalina dressing (light is just as yummy)

handful of chili cheese Fritos

 
 
 
 
Yummy Granola (easy and versatile)



1 cup honey
1 stick butter
6-7 cups old fashioned oats
3-4 cups cereal **
cinnamon
any boosters you like

Melt honey and butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven.
Add in remaining ingredients. Mix well!
Feel free to mix in other boosters: wheat germ (I use about 1/4 cup), coconut, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc. Note: Original recipe adds in other ingredients after baking, I add them in before.


Divide between 2 baking sheets and bake at 250 for 20-30 min. (I bake 15 min, turn and mix up a bit, then go 8-10 minutes more.)

Let cool completely. If there's any left after the kids get home, store in an airtight container.

Eat as a snack, mix into yogurt, eat as cereal with milk. Y-U-M!




Best Banana Muffins

(from Allrecipes.com)

3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Combine mashed bananas, sugar, egg, butter.  In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients; fold into wet banana mixture.  Stir gently and the muffins will be tender.

Scoop into greased 12-ct muffin tin.  Bake at 350 degrees for 16-20 min. 

These are glorious, easy, cheap muffins.  I make them ALL the time.  Here are my changes to the recipe:  I use 1/2 cup sugar instead of 3/4 cup.  I use 1/4 cup canola oil in place of the butter.  And if I have ww flour sometimes I sub half for some of the white flour.  TRY THESE!