Pancakes

We love pancakes. Rick always hated pre-made mixes for pancakes, so I made them homemade most every time. The recipe I use is from my red and white check cookbook that I have had for many, many years. The pages are well worn. 

  

I use an electric griddle similar to this one to make my pancakes on. It is a good investment, I use it for a lot of cooking.

ingredients

• 1cup all-purpose flour
• 1tablespoon sugar
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 1beaten egg
• 1cup milk
• 2tablespoons cooking oil

directions

1.In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.

2.In another medium mixing bowl combine the egg, milk, and cooking oil. Add egg mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just till moistened (batter should be lumpy). {I always lightly beat the egg alone first, then with the other liquid ingredients then add to dry}

3.For standard-size pancakes, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet. For dollar-size pancakes, pour about 1 tablespoon batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes on each side or till pancakes are golden brown, turning to second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and edges are slightly dry. Serve warm. Makes 8 to 10 standard-size (4-inch) or 36 dollar-size (2-inch) pancakes (8 servings).

I always us White Lily unbleached bread flour for this.  

I also sometimes use an equal amount (or double the amount) of melted butter instead of oil for my pancakes. I love the buttery flavor.

The other day I was on Pinterest, and I found a recipe for iHop pancakes. I will be trying it and will share it here. I haven't used it yet but may soon.

Pinterest iHop Pancake recipe

IHOP pancakes

1 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Baking soda
pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/4 c. sugar

Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder,and salt. Mix the egg with the buttermilk and add to the flour mixture, stirring only until smooth. Add the melted butter and sugar. Fry on a greased griddle. Serves 4. 

This is a link to the post the recipe came from:

http://cookinupnorth.blogspot.com/2011/11/ihop-pancake-recipe.html?m=1  

Homemade white bread

This recipe is my new favorite, and I love to make this bread often. I love it better than my bread machine bread. It is just as easy too! Not a lot of work to it at all! You can make bread! Please don't be intimidated!

First, let me say you don't need any fancy equipment either. It is easy with a bowl, wooden spoon, measuring cups and spoons and loaf pans. Seriously, that is all you have to have to make bread. It is easier if you have a kitchen aid or other stand mixer with a dough hook though. It helps with the kneading, which only takes about six minutes. Not difficult or time consuming at all!

  

This is ALWAYS in my refrigerator!!  It keeps very well! 

 *  *  *
                                     


White Bread

Makes 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS

3 cups luke-warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

1/3 cup oil

1 Tbsp. salt

6 - 7 cups White Lily Unbleached Bread Flour  (unbleached ground white wheat flour can be used and you can use regular all-purpose flour with success as well.) I always use White Lily Unbleached Bread Flour and for this recipe, about 7 cups. Kroger and Walmart both carry it in the baking isle.

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. Let sit 10 minutes. Add the oil. Add the dry ingredients starting with 6 cups of flour. Mix all together. Knead the dough thoroughly until all ingredients are incorporated, and dough is smooth, elastic, very slightly sticky, and pulls away from the bowl (6-10 minutes). As you knead the dough, you may add more flour as needed, and repeat the process until dough reaches the desired consistency. 

Cover the bowl of dough with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (an hour or more depending on how warm your kitchen is.) You may speed up this process by placing the covered bowl inside the oven with the oven light on, and another bowl of warm water sitting on the lower rack.

*

Punch the dough down, divide and and form into 2 loaves. Place the dough in 2 greased bread pans. (I use 9" pans.) Cover and let rise till the top of the dough is an inch or two above the bread pans.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the baked loaves from their pans immediately, and place on a cooling rack. Slice, and serve warm with butter and honey.

Store in an air-tight bag. Baked loaves AND bread dough freeze well. 

This bread also makes most excellent french toast. You will find my recipe for french toast in this blog. 

I believe in giving credit where it is due, and this recipe comes from Pennies and Pancakes Blog. Here is a link.  http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.com/2012/09/grandmas-country-white-bread.html#.Ubnolm_AfcA

**some pictures are mine, some are from *Google images

Homemade Saltines

So I am out of crackers. I thought: if I can make buns, I can make crackers. So I did! 

And here's how I did it:

4 cups bread flour (White Lily)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Stir together and add:

3/4 cup shortening (Crisco)

(Cut in with 2 knives or pastry blender)

1 1/3 cups milk

Stir together until dough forms a ball. Divide into 4 sections. Roll out each section, one at a time, very thin 1/8 to 3/16 inches thick. Cut crackers with cookie cutter, biscuit cutter or pastry wheel. 

Place crackers on ungreased cookie sheet (I used my pampered chef pizza stone). Prick dough with fork several times each piece and sprinkle with salt. 

Bake at 375 degrees 12 to 20 minutes until golden brown.  Store in an air tight container. 

Yum! They are good. Didn't take long at all! 

Hope you try this and let me know!!