Biscuits

August 13, 2017
Serves 5d
Equipment
Round Cutter
Prep time
25m
Cook Time
15m

This is a recipe for biscuits that does not include dairy for those with a dairy allergy. If you are ok with dairy, jsut substitute real butter for the alternatives used in this recipe.

Biscuits
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Biscuits
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450
  2. mix dry ingredients together
  3. mix in shortening (not very much mixing here - leave it clumpy)
  4. slowly add coconut milk …continue mixing lightly.
  5. on a floured board, fold dough carefully over itself half at a time about 7-8 times (this makes the layered flakes)
  6. push down to 2/3 inch thick
  7. use a biscuit cutter, and cut straight down without twisting (to ensure the sides are not sealed and the biscuits can rise in the oven)
  8. place on a greased baking sheet in the oven at 450 for 12-15 min
  9. brush with butter flavored shortening when done
  10. serve!
Recipe Notes

This recipe eliminates any Dairy, soy, or corn from a standard recipe. Baking powder contains corn starch, and i substituted as seen above.

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Pizza

August 13, 2017
Serves 1 Person
Equipment
Pizza Stone
Pizza Peel
Prep time
3m
Cook Time
10m
Pizza
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This is my recipe for making home made pizza. The kids and grown up's all love it. The trick to getting this right, is practice and trial and error. This is a guide that works in my kitchen for our tastes. Tweak it to yours as needed. The Recipe is for a Neapolitan / NY style Pizza. I'm don't make the rolled out bar pizza cut in squares you see in Chicago. I love that too, but just order it out if that's what we want. I believe this style of pizza to be more true to original authentic pizza style's from Italy.
Pizza
Print Recipe
This is my recipe for making home made pizza. The kids and grown up's all love it. The trick to getting this right, is practice and trial and error. This is a guide that works in my kitchen for our tastes. Tweak it to yours as needed. The Recipe is for a Neapolitan / NY style Pizza. I'm don't make the rolled out bar pizza cut in squares you see in Chicago. I love that too, but just order it out if that's what we want. I believe this style of pizza to be more true to original authentic pizza style's from Italy.
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  2. I prefer to make the dough one day prior to making the pizza. This allows time for gluten and flavor to develop. When Finished mixing the dough, immediately refrigerate in a ziplock bag (skip the oiled bowl rise). leave extra space in the bags, as it will rise in the fridge, just slower.
  3. 90 minutes prior to making pizza, take the dough out, and cut into baseball to softball size balls on an oiled sheet. Use the tuck under method, so there is always a smooth surface on top of the ball. Use a bit of oil if you must on your hands.
  4. Preheat oven with stone on lower rack to 550 (convection setting if you have it) 45 minutes prior to cooking. The stone needs this time to properly heat up.
  5. Once ready, prep all toppings. I say no more than 2 per pizza, or the cooking gets off time.
  6. dust the pizza peel with cornmeal.
  7. Gently take one of the balls of dough, and dust both sides with flour. Next, (this takes a lot of practice) in the air, using your fists/fingertops underneath in the center of the ball, start to stretch it out, keeping it moving around in circles and moving your fist to where it needs additional stretching. If the dough does not stretch easily, let it rest another 15 min. the goal here is to make sure you leave a rim for the crust, but thinner in the middle while maintaining a circle shape. Once the dough is about the size you want, place it on the cornmeal dusted peel. Add the sauce, cheese and toppings, making sure to leave an inch of crust. wipe off any spills so the crust is clean. For toppings, a good bet is always, fresh Motz, fresh basil, and a few crushed san Marzano tomatoes. (Pizza Margherita) Also, Fresh sausage (pre-cooked), Prosciutto, or whatever you like will work. Don't add too many toppings, or the cooking time will be off (dough will burn before toppings are done)
  8. Take the pizza peel, and move it gently back and forth, making sure the entire pizza will slide. If so, open up the oven, and slide it on to the stone (this technique also takes a good bit of practice). Turn the pizza 180 degrees after 5 minutes to even out the cooking. Do not open the oven any more than necessary. When cheese is melted and crust is just beginning to brown, take it out. Add a dash of oregano or dried basil, and let the pizza sit for 10 minutes before cutting in to it.
Recipe Notes

A couple of additional Tips
1. When using Fresh Mozzarella, slice it, salt it, then place between two or three paper towels with a heavy weight on top. This will take some of the moisture out so it doesn't form puddles on your pizza.
2. For a BBQ pizza, use BBQ sauce instead of tomato sauce, and grilled chicken and red onions
3. Buy whole milk motz if not using fresh motz, and shred it yourself. the pre-shredded stuff has potato or corn starch to keep it from sticking. That's not what you want on pizza.
4. Clean off any burnt cornmeal from the stone b/w each pizza. it will stick to the next pizza, and add a burnt flavor.
5. Caputo '00' Pizza flour is imported from Italy. it can be purchased on the internet in 9, 12, 20, or 55 pound variants. its superb flour for pizza dough.
6. If using Fresh Yeast, the percentage is 1.5%
7. Always prep your toppings in advance of cooking the pizza's. This will make everything go smoother. Grill the sausage, cut the basil, shred the cheese, prep the sauce, etc....

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Basic Dough for Pizza or Bread

August 13, 2017
Serves 6 Pizzas
Equipment
Mixer
Scale
Prep time
20m

Standard recipe for basic dough. The recipe calls for using a scale, based on the fact that there really isn’t any such thing as a ‘cup’ of flour. Every cup would be different. So, to ensure a consistent result, a scale should always be used for bread of any kind. All recipes for dough or bread on this site will use a weighted measurement.

This recipe can be used for 2 loaves of Italian Bread or about 5-7 pizza’s.

Basic Dough for Pizza or Bread
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Basic Dough for Pizza or Bread
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. mix the flour and salt together in a mixer.
  2. Prepare yeast mixture by adding either the sugar or honey to the warm water along with the yeast.
  3. stir well and let sit for about 2-3 min.
  4. Then, using speed 2 on a mixer with a dough hook, add the water to the flour/salt mixture. let it mix together for a few minutes until it's an even consistency.
  5. Once all the dry flour is incorporated into the dough, add the oil, and keep mixing at speed two for another 5-7 minutes. (It's important to wait until the water and flour get mixed together before adding the oil) . After 5-7 minutes of mixing/kneading with oil, the dough should develop a nice soft pillow like consistency.
  6. Put dough in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap for 2 hrs. It should double in size or more. (alternatively, cut dough in two equal parts put in ziplock bags and refrigerate for up to 5 days)
Recipe Notes

The percentages above, can be scaled up and down according to how much flour you use. Some mixers can handle 1000g of flour, some can't. if yours cannot, then scale down to 800 or 700g of flour, and use the percentages for all the other ingredients. it's simple once you get the hang of it.

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Home Made Bacon

August 12, 2017
Serves 100 slices
Equipment
Smoker and Curing Salt
Prep time
30m
Cook Time
3h 0m

This recipe will explain my method for making home cured and smoked bacon from a pork belly. It’s great because you can adjust the flavors to your liking. add honey, more or less maple syrup, more or less pepper…etc. each change will make a subtle change in the final bacon that is smoked. There are no ‘real’ measurements in this type of recipe, as the critical ingredient is trial and error and seeing what works for you. Here is what what works for me….

Home Made Bacon
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Servings Prep Time
100 Pieces 30 min
Cook Time Passive Time
3 Hrs 7 days
Servings Prep Time
100 Pieces 30 min
Cook Time Passive Time
3 Hrs 7 days
Home Made Bacon
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
100 Pieces 30 min
Cook Time Passive Time
3 Hrs 7 days
Servings Prep Time
100 Pieces 30 min
Cook Time Passive Time
3 Hrs 7 days
Instructions
  1. mix all ingredients of cure into a big bowl and stir very well. Cut pork belly into shapes that will fit in gallon storage bag place the pork bell in the bag fill each bag with cure mix, leaving enough for additional bags. (usually 2) double bag the Pork Belly to prevent leaks place on a cooking pan in fridge for a week, flipping over once a day.
  2. After a week, take out of the curing bags and rinse with cold Water , thouroughly removing all salt and such. re-season with Black Pepper (i use a decent amount) Prepare smoker at about 250, with apple or fruit wood. Once you have a clean smoke, place pork bellies in smoker until internal temp is 155-160 degrees. Place on cooking sheet until cool Bag them and refrigerate Slice against the grain, and cook as you normally cook bacon (sheet in oven is best)
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Bread Machine _ White Bread

August 12, 2017
Serves 1
Equipment
Bread Machine
Prep time
4h 0m

White Bread Recipe for Bread Machine

This recipe is what works in our bread machine. It makes a perfect loaf of bread. You can set the time forward, and it will delay start. Usually it’s 3:45 minutes total time. it only takes about 5 minutes to put the ingredients in the pan, and then it beeps when done. It’s so easy!

 

 

 

Bread Machine _ White Bread
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White Bread Recipe for Bread machine
Servings Prep Time
1 Loaf 4 Hours
Servings Prep Time
1 Loaf 4 Hours
Bread Machine _ White Bread
Print Recipe
White Bread Recipe for Bread machine
Servings Prep Time
1 Loaf 4 Hours
Servings Prep Time
1 Loaf 4 Hours
Ingredients
Servings: Loaf
Instructions
  1. Put items in the machine pan, in the exact order listed above. Zero out scale after each ingredient. Dig a small crater for the yeast.
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