Favorite Recipes

I don't usually share recipes on here. I get most of my recipes online, so I guess I figure if you're looking for something new to make, you'll find it, same as I do! However, today I am making exception to this because I've got two AMAZING recipes that I just can't keep to myself. I'd hate for you to go through life and never find these keepers!!

The first one is for pumpkin pancakes. We frequently have breakfast for dinner around here and I made these one night last week. I'm not kidding you when I say it was DEAD SILENCE as everyone chowed down. That NEVER happens! Seriously, my kids have NEVER been so caught up with eating that they forget to talk!! Not with cake or cookies or anything! It was just amazing to me....silence....who knew 3 kids could achieve such a magical dinner experience?? :) On to the recipe:

Pumpkin Pancakes with Yogurt

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin, canned

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, adding yogurt, milk and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter onto a preheated, oiled griddle, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes slowly over a low-medium heat for approximately 4-6 minutes, flipping after 3 minutes.

I did make a few changes to this: I only used 1/4 c sugar and I used Dannon Lite and Fit vanilla yogurt (because it's what I had) so I left out the vanilla. Mmmmmm...I'm tellin' ya--DELICIOUS! Next time I think I'm going to add some pecans.

----------------------------------------------

I've been making all of our bread for almost a year now, and this next recipe is BY FAR the BEST, BEST, BEST basic bread recipe I have found. It's easy, it's tasty, it's got a good crust but not so hard that my kids can't bite through it. It's not crumbly, it freezes GREAT, it makes three loaves at a time so I'm not making bread every other day, it makes great sandwiches, great toast, and it's great on it's own just as a side for dinner. So perfect. If you like baking bread or just want to try it, this is a winning recipe--TRUST ME.

Christy Dalling's Wheat Bread

Ingredients:
4c warm water
1/4c honey
1/4c sugar (you can use all honey or all sugar, if you like)
1 1/2 Tbsp yeast
1/3c canola oil
5tsp salt
8 or more cups flour (I used 6c wheat flour, 2+ cups bread flour)

Directions:
Dissolve honey, sugar, and yeast in warm water. Let this mixture sit 3-4 minutes, until bubbles form at the top and everything is dissolved. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with a dough hook). Add canola oil, salt, and 4c flour. Mix 2-3 minutes.

Add 4c flour, and mix until dough pulls away from the sides and is cohesive. Flour a large work surface and pour out dough. Knead with hands until dough is elastic and a large ball. Place in a large bowl that has been greased or sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a damp towel or piece of plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 40-60 minutes.

Turn out dough and divide into 3 for large loaves, 4 for smaller loaves. Shape each section of dough into a loaf and place in a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-40 minutes or until tops are golden brown and loaves sound hollow when you tap the tops or test with a toothpick.

Allow loaves to cool 2 minutes in pan and then turn out loaves to cool completely. Wrap any loaves not being used immediately securely with plastic wrap and place in zip-top bags in the freezer.

Makes 3-4 loaves.

I use all honey in ours and not quite so much salt. I've used all different amounts and types of flour (bread, all-purpose, wheat) with this recipe and it's always fantastic.

If you want to make something especially yummy, add 1 c chopped walnuts, 1 c chopped craisins and the zest of 2 oranges to the dough. Makes GREAT ham sandwiches and I'm soooo making it at Thanksgiving for sandwiches with leftover turkey. Of course it's great as toast for breakfast, too!

---------------------------------------------------------

We will now return to our regularly scheduled programming....