Whole-Wheat Bread * how to proof yeast * how to knead bread dough Whole Wheat Bread 2 packages (or cakes) yeast ½ c. warm water 1/3 c. honey 3 c. whole-wheat flour 1 Tbsp salt 1/4 c. shortening 1 2/3 c. warm water 3 1/2 to 4 c. bread flour or all-purpose flour Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 c. warm water and add honey. Mix, then set aside to proof (about 5 minutes). In a very large bowl, mix whole-wheat flour and salt. Add shortening and 1 2/3 c. warm water and mix well with a fork. Add yeast mixture and mix well again. Add three cups of bread flour (or all-purpose flour) and mix first with t ..read more

Grilled Cheese * how to use a broiler Grilled cheese ready to broil, before (left) and after (right):   Leave the oven door propped open a few inches while the broiler is on: Butter the skillet and the bread. You can put cheese on both slices or just one: Flip one slice onto the other: Welcome to the Real Life Cooking Podcast. I’m Kate Shaw and this week we’re going to learn how to make grilled cheese two different ways: under a broiler and in a skillet. I made grilled cheese for myself today and realized that not everyone knows how to do it. It’s really easy, so let’s go over it. Let ..read more

Cranberry Coffee Cake * how to make substitute buttermilk Cranberry Coffee Cake 1/2 c. half and half 1 tsp lemon juice 2 c. flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 c. butter 1 c. sugar 1 egg 3/4 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 tsp almond extract 2 c. frozen cranberries (do not thaw), plus a few handfuls more for topping 2 Tbsp Turbinado sugar or other large-crystal sugar Grease and flour 9×9 pan. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, mix half and half with lemon juice and set aside. (You can substitute 1/2 cup buttermilk for the half-and-half/lemon juice mixture.) In a medium bowl, mix f ..read more

Cream Cheese Tarts 8-oz package cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 c. sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp vanilla 6 vanilla wafers 1/2 can (21 oz can) cherry pie filling Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers. Put one vanilla wafer in each. Mix the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy, then add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Spoon the mixture into each cup on top of the vanilla wafers. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. The tarts will deflate and form a dip in the middle. Spoon cherry pie filling into the dips. Chill. You can double this recipe to m ..read more

Double Chocolate Cookies * cooking with cocoa powder Double Chocolate Cookies 1 c flour 1/3 c cocoa powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 c plus 2 Tbsp butter 1 c sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 c chocolate chips 2/3 c. walnut or pecan pieces (optional) Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, blend well. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Dough will be thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix in well. Bake on lightly greased baking sheets at 350 Fah ..read more

Corned beef and cabbage * how to prepare cabbage Corned Beef and Cabbage about 2 to 3 lb piece of corned beef brisket one cabbage, cut into chunks 1 lb carrots, scraped and cut up 1 onion, diced (optional) some potatoes, peeled and cut up (optional) peppercorns (optional) Place the meat fatty side down in a very large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer about one hour per pound of meat. Add peppercorns if you’re using them. Add water as needed as it steams off. About half an hour before the meat is done, add all vegetables except the cabbage. Ten ..read more

Chocolate Butterscotch Cracker Cookies * how to make butterscotch Chocolate Butterscotch Cracker Cookies saltine crackers 1 c butter, unsalted 1 c light brown sugar 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz, or about 2 cups) 1 c M&M candies (optional) 1 c chopped nuts (optional) sprinkles (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and grease. Place crackers all over it in a single layer, touching. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and stir constantly while boiling for about f ..read more

Sugar Cookies * coloring dough * rolling out and cutting cookie dough * coloring sugar Sugar Cookies 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 c. butter 3/4 c. sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla food coloring (optional) cinnamon candies (optional) sparkle sugar (optional) Mix dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar, then add egg and vanilla and blend well. Add a generous squirt of food coloring to the butter mixture and blend it in well. It should be really green (or whatever color). Add flour mixture to bu ..read more

Cranberry relish * cooking cranberries Cranberry Relish (small amount) 1/2 c. orange juice (or apple juice) 1/2 c. brown sugar 2 c. fresh cranberries 1/4 tsp allspice Combine ingredients in a saucepan and heat to a boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Cranberry Relish (large amount) 1 c. orange juice 1/2 c. white sugar 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon 12 oz fresh cranberries Dissolve sugars and cinnamon in juice over medium heat. Stir in cranberries and simmer 10-20 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Just putting the ..read more

Mashed potatoes * Cream Cheese-Garlic Mashed Potatoes * what “water to cover” means * parboiling Cream Cheese-Garlic Mashed Potatoes 2 ½ lbs baking potatoes, peeled and quartered 4 oz cream cheese, softened 1 stick salted butter, softened 1 ½ tsp sugar ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp salt 1 tsp pepper about 1/4 c. milk Boil potatoes until tender. Drain. Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit. Add all other ingredients to the potatoes and beat until fluffy. Add the milk last so you can adjust the amount; the milk is just for consistency. The potatoes should be creamy enough that they won’t dry out in the o ..read more