One egg Brioche

Brioche bread

For a 1-pound loaf:

1/2  cup whole milk

3  tablespoons salted butter, cut into pieces, pieces preferably at room temperature

2  tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

3/4  teaspoon sea salt (Kosher works well too)

1  jumbo egg, preferably at room temperature, lightly beaten

2  cups + 2 tablespoons  all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon granulated dry yeast, NOT rapid-rise (1/2 packet)

 Step 1  As directed, cut the butter into pieces.  

~ Step 2.  In a 1-cup measuring container, heat milk until steaming.  This is quickly and easily done in the microwave oven.

~ Step 3.  Add the sugar, salt and butter to the milk.  Set aside until the butter has melted or is almost melted.  If the milk is steaming and the butter is at room temperature, this will only take about 2 minutes. 

Using a fork, briefly whisk these wet ingredients together, so they are uniform in color and add them to the bread pan.

~ Step 4.  In the same measuring container and using the same fork, lightly beat the eggs.  Add/pour the beaten eggs to the wet ingredients already in bread pan. 

Always remember:  when you are making bread in a bread machine:  always add the wet ingredients first!

~ Step 5.  Add/shake the flour into the bread pan on top of the wet ingredients.  Do not mix or stir!

 Step 6.  Using your index finger, make a small indentation on top of the dry ingredients (but not so deep that it reaches the wet layer).  Add the yeast to the indentation.

Note:  It is important to keep the dry yeast away from the wet ingredients until it is time for machine to knead them together, because the liquid ingredients will prematurely activate the yeast.

 Step 7.  Insert bread pan into bread machine and press down until it is "clicked" securely into place.  Close the lid and plug the machine in.  Press and select the first cycle for "white bread".  Press the loaf control button to select "2-pound loaf".  Press the crust control button and select "light crust".  Press "start".  Depending on the make and model of your bread machine, and the size of loaf you are making, the entire baking process will take about 2 1/2-3 hours.  Walk away.  Do not lift the lid to check in on the process.  The moment the timer signals the bread is done:

Carefully open the lid of the bread machine.  Using pot holders or oven mitts, remove the bread pan from the machine, using its handle to lift it from the machine.  After cooling in the pan turn the bread pan at about a 30-45 degree angle and gently shake/slide the loaf out onto its side.  Turn the loaf upright and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.  If the kneading paddle remains in the loaf after it is removed from the pan, I find it best to cool the loaf completely before removing it.

Green Pea casserole

Green Pea Casserole

2 Tbls. butter

1C chopped onion

1C chopped celery

1C chopped green pepper

1(16oz) can green peas-drained

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1(8oz)can water chestnuts

1C soft bread crumbs

Melt 2 Tbls butter in a saucepan over low heat; add onions, celery, and green

pepper.  Cook over low heat until veggies are tender.  Remove from heat.

Add remaining ingredients except bread crumbs.  Stir well.  Spoon veggie mix

into a lightly greased casserole and top with bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 for

30 min.  Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Colored deviled eggs

Cook as many eggs as you will need. Cool and peel. Slice lengthwise and remove the yolk to a small bowl. Mix your yolks whichever way you like. I like Miracle Whip, a touch of milk, salt, pepper and a sugar to taste. Mix well. Sometimes I am ambitious and will pipe the yolks into the whites to look fancy. 

Sprinkle with paprika to add a bit of color to the yolk. (optional)

Coloring for eggs:

Add 1 tsp vinegar and 20 drops of desired color into 1/2 cup of warm water. Leave egg in cup until desired color is met.  The longer you leave in the solution the darker or brighter the color. I prefer pastel for Easter.


 

Home made ice cream

1 1/4 cup of milk (your choice, 1%, 2% or whole. I use 1%)
2 cups half and half (I use fat free, but it's your choice)
3/4 up sugar
2 beaten eggs (or 1/2 cup egg beaters) You can leave the eggs out.
1/8 tsp. salt
1 TBL. vanilla

Mix eggs and milk until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into ice cream freezer until a soft serve ice cream.  Store in air tight bowl in freezer. It freezes to a very hard consistency. Makes 1 1/2 quarts.

Other variations I use:
1 jar of marchino cherries quartered, use the juice instead of the vanilla, and add some malt flavoring if you like. My husband likes pecan's added. Both the pecans and cherries are added during the last 10 minutes or so. Mmmmm

Chocolate syrup and malt, to your taste and omit the vanilla.

Use your imagination there are so many yummy combinations.

School Butter cookie

Our elementary cook gave me this recipe in the late 70’s early 80’s. She never did say how long she had been making them, but they were the school’s favorite. The cookie is no longer made at the school. Everything is now made in a factory. Gone are the days of home cooking in school. Now everything is full of preservatives and no flavor. So sad.   But the memories of these cookies will always be there. The recipe posted is just 1/4 of the original recipe, I had to cut it down or feed the whole neighborhood! :)

1 pound of butter

1/2 pound of brown sugar

1 TBL. Vanilla

1 1/2 teas. salt

5 1/4 cup a.p. flour

Cream butter, vanilla, and brown sugar together until well mixed. Add flour and salt and mix at slow speed until flour is slightly incorporated, then  up to med to mix well. The dough is quite thick so the mixer may lag unless you have a good size mixer.

Line a 9 x 9 cake pan with waxed paper or foil and pat dough into the cake pan.  Refrigerate for an hour or so. Slice into half and then slice as thin or as thick as you would like the cookie to be.The dough does freeze well!! Another way to do this is to roll into logs instead of the cake pan method. The cake pan is what the original baker did so that is what I did or tried to do. :)

Bake at 350º for 10 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Thickness of cookie will determine the time to bake. If you use airbake cookie sheets it will take around 18 minutes to bake.

Grashopper cake

Grasshopper fudge cake

1 box white cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons mint extract

3 egg whites

12 drops green food color

2 jars (16 oz each) hot fudge topping

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

5 drops yellow food color

Thin rectangular crème de menthe chocolate candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F for shiny metal or glass pan (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

2. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mint extract and the egg whites. Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir 3 drops of the green food color into reserved batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.

3. Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan 1/4 turn; repeat cutting for swirled design.

4. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

5. Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining 1/2 teaspoon extract, remaining 9 drops green food color and the yellow food color until blended. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.

Potato soup

Cheesey Potato soup

1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 carton (32-oz)  chicken broth **(I use salt free stock)

1 cup water

3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups) **I use 4 ounces, 2 ounces of each, cheddar and american cheese

Garnish:

1/4 cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours.

In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.

This recipe can be made on the stove top also.

**Used to cut fat and sodium.