Party Pretzels

 

Ingredients:

4 to 4 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 pkg. active dry yeast

2 T. sugar

2 1/2 T. salt, divided

1 C. milk

1/2 C. water

2 T. vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten with 1 T. water

Vegetable cooking spray

Coarse salt, Parmesan cheese, poppy, sesame or dill seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl thoroughly mix 1 1/2 cups four, undissolved yeast, sugar and 1/2 teaspoons salt.
2. Heat milk, water and oil to 120 to 130 degrees.
3. Add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at low speed of an electric mixer.
4. Increase speed to high, beat an additional 2 minutes.
5. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
6. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
7. Place in a bowl coated with vegetable cooking spray.
8. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Punch dough down. Divide dough into 12 portions.
10. Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope.
11. To make pretzels, curve ends of each rope to make a circle; cross ends at top.  
12. Twist ends once and lay down over the bottom of the circle.
13. Cover shaped pretzels; let rest in a warm, draft-free place for 5 to 10 minutes, until risen slightly.
14. In a large pot bring 2 quarts of water and remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil; reduce heat to simmer.
15. Place 4 to 5 pretzels in water; cook 20 seconds, turning once to cook both sides. 
16. Remove and drain on a wire rack.
17. Repeat with remaining pretzels.
18. Place pretzels on baking sheets coated with vegetable cooking spray.
19. Brush with beaten egg mixture and sprinkle with desired toppings.
20. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 35 minutes or until done. 
21. Cool pretzels on wire rack.  
22. Serve with various spreads or dips, if desired.

Tip:

If you are looking for Pretzel Buns, but are having a hard time finding them in the store, try using the recipe above, but instead of shaping them into pretzels in Step 10, shape them into round buns.  We did this and they were quite good.

Microwave Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

3 T. butter
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 T. water
1 t. cinnamon
1 can refrigerator biscuits
1/2 C. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In 8 inch round glass dish combine: butter, sugar, water, and cinnamon. 
2. Microwave on high for 1 minute. 
3. Stir as soon as butter is melted. 
4. Stir in nuts. 
5. Separate biscuits. 
6. Cut each into quarters. 
7. Place into sugar mixture. 
8. Stir carefully to coat each piece. 
9. Push biscuits to outside of dish and place a custard dish in center upside down. 
10. Cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. 
11. Remove custard dish and let stand 2 minutes before pulling sections apart. 

Tip: dump sticky buns onto a serving platter, put round plate over buns upside down then turn over. Remove custard dish afterwards.

Crockpot Beefy Potato Taco Casserole

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
2 cloves garlic minced
1 oz. packet taco seasoning
10.5 oz. cheddar cheese soup
4 C. potatoes sliced
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1 C. beef broth

Directions:

1. Brown your ground beef with garlic and drain.
2. Place your potato slices in the bottom of a slightly greased 4-quart crock pot.
3. Spread your ground beef evenly on top of your potatoes.
4. Sprinkle your taco seasoning on top of everything.
5. Spoon your soup evenly on top.
6. Sprinkle your cheese evenly across the top of everything.
7. Gently pour your beef broth evenly around your crockpot.
8. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-2.5 hours.
9. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Kimchi

Ingredients:

1 medium head Napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)

1/4 C. iodine-free sea salt or kosher salt 

Water, preferably distilled or filtered

1 T. grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)

1 t. grated, peeled fresh ginger

1 t. granulated sugar

2 T. fish sauce or salted shrimp paste, or 3 tablespoons water

1 to 5 T. Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

8 oz. Korean radish or daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks

4 medium scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

1. Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. 
2. Cut the cores from each piece. 
3. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
4. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. 
5. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. 
6. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. 
7. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. 
8. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
9. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. 
10. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. 
11. Meanwhile, make the spice paste.
12. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. 
13. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water and stir into a smooth paste.
14. Stir in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy; set aside until the cabbage is ready.
15. Combine the vegetables and spice paste. 
16. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. 
17. Add the radish and scallions.
18. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.  The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
19. Pack the kimchi into a 1-quart jar(s). Press down on the kimchi until the brine (the liquid that comes out) rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. 
20. Seal the jar.
21. Place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 5 days. 
22. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid.
23. Check the kimchi once a day, opening the jar and pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. 
24. Taste a little at this point, too! 
25. When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. 
26. You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two. 

The Original Fantasy Fudge

 Ingredients:

3 C. white sugar

¾ C. margarine

⅔ C. evaporated milk

1 (12 oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips (3 C.)

1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream

1 C. chopped walnuts, optional

1 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Line a 8x8 pan with aluminum foil.
2. Mix sugar, margarine, and evaporated milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. 
3. Bring mixture to a full boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from the heat and add chocolate chips; stir until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is thoroughly combined. 
5. Stir in marshmallow cream until incorporated. 
6. Mix in walnuts and vanilla.
7. Transfer fudge to the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread out and flatten. 
8. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

Tteokbokki – Spicy Korean Rice Cakes

 

Ingredients:

1 C. rice cake (dduk/tteok) for tteokbokki (5-6 oz.)

2 t. Korean spicy bean paste (gochujang)

2 t. sugar

1 t. soy sauce

3/4 C. water

Sesame seeds (optional)

Sesame oil (optional)

Directions:

1. If your tteok/dduk is frozen, defrost by soaking in cold water for a few minutes and drain.
2. Add water, gochujang and sugar to a pan and bring to a boil on medium high heat.
3. Add the tteokbokki tteok to the gochujang water and lower the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until broth is reduced and sauce is thick.
4. For extra flavor, sprinkle some sesame seeds and/or a swirl of sesame oil.

Bathtub Cleaner

 Ingredients:

1/4 C. baking soda

1 T. liquid detergent

Vinegar

Directions:

1. Combine baking soda and detergent.
2. Add vinegar to give it a thick, creamy texture.

Easy Ham and Swiss Pie

 Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. cubed fully cooked ham

1 C. shredded swiss cheese (4 oz.)

1/4 C. chopped green onion or chopped onion

1/2 C. Original Bisquick mix

1 C. Milk

1/4 t. salt, if desired

1/8 t. pepper

2 eggs

1 tomato, sliced

1 green bell pepper, cut into rings

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Grease 9-inch pie plate.
3. Sprinkle ham, cheese, and onions in pie plate.
4. Stir Bisquick, milk, salt, pepper, and eggs until blended.
5. Pour into pie plate.
6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool 5 minutes.
8. Garnish with tomato and bell pepper.

Rice Krispies Treats

 Ingredients:

3 T. butter

10 oz. Jet-Puffed Marshmallows (about 40) or 4 C. Jet-Puffed Marshmallows

6 C. Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

Directions:

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat.  
2. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add cereal.
5. Stir until well coated.
6. Using bettered spatula or wax paper, evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray.
7. Cool.
8. Cut into 2-inch squares.
9. Best if served the same day.

Homemade Vapor-Rub

 Ingredients:

1/2 C. olive oil, coconut oil, or almond oil

2 T. beeswax pastilles

20 drops of Eucalyptus Oil

20 drops Lavender Oil

10 drops Rosemary Oil

Directions:

1. Melt beeswax with oil of choice in a double boiler until just melted.
2. Add the essential oils (use half the amount for a baby version or dilute with canola oil before using).
3. Stir until will mixed and pour into some type of container with a lid to store.  Little tins work well, as do small jars.
4. Use as needed to help sooth coughing and congestion.

Crustless Crab Quiche

 Ingredients:

8 oz. imitation crab meat, chopped

1 C. low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

1 C. onion, chopped

4 large eggs

1 C. evaporated skim milk

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. dry mustard

1/8 t. pepper

1 dash paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (375 degrees for glass pie plate)
2. Spray 9" pie plat with non-stick spray.
3. Combine chopped crab, onion and cheese.
4. Press into pie plate.
5. Beat together remaining ingredients except paprika and pour over the crab.
6. Sprinkle with paprika.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients:

Muffins:

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3 bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

3/4 C. white sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/3 C. unsalted butter, melted

1 t. vanilla

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. nutmeg

Crumb Topping:

1/3 C. packed brown sugar

2 T. all-purpose flour

1/8 t. cinnamon

1 T. butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 
2. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin liners
3. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
4. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter. 
5. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. 
6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
7. For the crumb topping: In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 T. flour and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. 
8. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles wet sand. 
9. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
10. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. 
11. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Easy Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

1 C. warm water (110 degrees F.)

2 1/4 t. Active Dry Yeast (1 packet)

1 t. granulated sugar

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. garlic powder

Directions:

1. Place warm water, yeast and sugar into bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attachment attached.
2. Mix gently then let sit until doubled in size, about 5 minutes. 
3. With mixer on low, add flour, olive oil, salt and garlic salt. 
4. Scrape sides of bowl and let mixer knead dough for 5 minutes. 
5. Dough should clean the sides of the bowl. Add sprinkles of flour or water if needed to get the bowl cleaned while kneading. 
6. After 5 minutes of kneading, remove dough from mixing bowl with floured hands, and transfer to a floured countertop. 
7. Fold dough over itself a couple times then form into a round ball.
8. When ready, place dough onto a pizza pan, pressing or rolling to a 12 inch round, or larger for a more thin crust. 
9. Spoon pizza sauce of your choice over dough leaving a 1 inch border around edges. 
10. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and toppings of your choice. 
11. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes, until crust is cooked through. 
12. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.