Popcorn

I don't know about you, but I love popcorn.  Not microwave popcorn, and not that popcorn in the movie theaters now, but that delicious popcorn back when we were younger....made with coconut oil....before some ijits decided it wasn't good for us.  Pffftt.  For the few times that people go to the movies a year, why didn't the CPSI stuff it?1

Anyhow.

I buy five-gallon tubs of coconut oil for my dog and for baking.  My dog's coat is GORGEOUS, by the way.  I usually just use the coconut oil in place of the fat in my breads, but I know some people use it as a replacement for every fat in their lives.  I am much too fond of butter for that!

But popcorn....oh yes, that's something I could enjoy....

Heat three tablespoons of oil (your choice!) and three kernels of popcorn in a large pot over medium-high heat.  When the fat is melted and the kernels pop, move the pot off the heat, pour in one-half cup of popcorn, cover, and wait thirty seconds.  Move the pot back to the medium-high heat, tip the cover so the steam can escape (but not the kernels!) and let pop (you don't have to shake!!!) until popping slows to about two seconds between pops.

Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, add butter and salt and ENJOY.  I actually add the butter and salt in the pot (off the heat), cover, shake and then pour into a bowl, but you do it however you want.

Don't forget to floss afterwards (those darned kernel skin pieces get between my teeth!).

Pizza crust

My family loves pizza.  We have it every Friday and WOE to me if I even suggest that we eat something different (because it's say, 100 degrees in my kitchen).  I have a standard pizza crust recipe, but what I really wanted to share is this technique.  Again, nothing I invented, but I love it!

While reading through a Rachael Ray magazine, I ran across an article on cooking pizza crust in a skillet.  I would have normally skipped right over it, because there are six of us in the family, and my 12" skillet just won't cut it.  HOWEVER, my parents had recently given us a HUGE skillet, approximately 16" wide.  You know that movie Tangled, where Rapunzel keeps hitting people with a frying pan?  My frying pan would kill you...if I could lift it, that is.

ANYHOW.  This method is just to pre-cook the crust.  Our family doesn't particularly care for crusts that are "decorated" and tossed into the oven raw.  

I get my pizza crust all ready to go, stretch it out to about the right size, and heat up my pan - "screamin' hot" as Rachael would say.  Put in the dough, cook until golden brown, then flip.  You can either use tongs or flip it in the air.  That's fun, but you do run the risk of dropping it on the ground...just brush it off and continue cooking!  As I continue cooking the crusts, I do turn down the heat a little, so they don't burn. This method has the added benefit of allowing you to have the oven on (I set it at 550F for pizza) for much less time.  I will really appreciate this come summer!

As for the pizza crust - it's so simple.  I put mine in the food processor, but you could do it by hand, bread machine or stand mixer, I'm sure.

4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 cups water

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 1/4 tsp yeast

Mix flour and salt in bowl of processor.  Mix the water, oil, and yeast, then add to the flour and salt.  Mix until a good texture - smooth and just slightly sticky.  Put in a lightly oiled bowl and let rise until double - about an hour or so.  It makes four crusts.

Decorate your pizza and cook each at 550F for 5-10 minutes, or until it's as brown as you want.  

My favorite toppings?  I do love a veggie pizza, but I also enjoy a BBQ chicken pizza with onions and pickled banana peppers.  What's your favorite? 

Cheeseburger pizza - yes,
that's ketchup and mustard, and yes,
it's delicious!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Whole Wheat Bread

Oh now, don't roll your eyes when you read the title!  I know, I know - most whole wheat bread is heavy and dense and only good as a doorstop.  I am telling you, this recipe is different.  My whole family loves this and eats it all the time - my husband even thought it was half-white, half-wheat.  It's light and fluffy, but still holds its shape.

About ten years ago, I started reading about whole wheat versus white bread, and what I read was enlightening.  I had no idea that when wheat was milled and sifted, most of the nutrition was taken out and certain vitamins put back in to prevent diseases such as beri beri (a deficiency of B1).

I decided that I wanted to grind my own wheat and get all the nutrition that God put in it!  Again, don't roll your eyes!  I researched, saved for, and bought a WhisperMill (now called the WonderMill).  Of course, the real trick is finding a source for wheat berries.  I usually find some sort of Amish store, buy 50 lb bags, and store them in 5-gallon buckets with Gamma lids.

Now, to figure out what kind of wheat berries?  Red?  White?  Hard?  Soft?  Red is more strongly flavored, white less so.  Hard wheat has enough gluten to make bread, while soft is better for pastries.

Anyway, all this to say that this bread recipe works with all types of wheat (except soft!) - red or white, store-bought or home-milled.

This is not my original recipe, this comes from the Bread Beckers.  I use my Zojirushi, but I bet it would work in all sorts of bread machines.  It is a large loaf, so I think you'd need to make it in a 2-lb machine.

1 1/2 cups very warm water
2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3 cup honey (meh - I just dump it in...you might measure it the first time then eyeball it)
1/3 cup oil (or butter or coconut oil...I've found coconut oil increases the shelf life TREMENDOUSLY)
4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp yeast

Add everything to your machine, then I guess you can use your whole-wheat setting.  The "official" recipe says to set one of your "homemade" settings as follows:
Preheat - 18 min
Knead - 20 min
Rise 1 - 45 min
Rise 2 - 20 min
Rise 3 - off
Bake - 45 min
Keep warm - off

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.  If you start making your own bread, keep your eyes open at yard sales and thrift stores for a bread slicer.  They're really expensive when they're brand-new, but I have found three at thrift stores for $3 each.