basics...homemade bread

2 cups lukewarm water

1-2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp yeast

5-6 cups flour

2 tsp salt

1-2 Tbsp softened butter

Pour warm water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar. Sprinkle in yeast. Do not stir. Let sit about 10 min until yeast is dissolved and bubbly. Add 5 cups of flour, salt and butter. Mix until combined. Knead, adding 1/2 -1 cup more flour if necessary. Shape dough into a ball, cover and let rise until double in size (1-3 hours depending on warmth of location). Punch dough down and divide into two equal pieces and place into greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise again until double. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 min. Remove from oven, let sit in pans for a few minutes. Take yummy warm bread out of pans and smother with butter and honey or jam or cinnamon sugar, etc.

Oh my, oh my. I have to say in the world of homemade bread it doesn't get much better than this. It is easy, relatively quick and so, so good. I got this delicious recipe from my friend, Christie. For a much better (and more entertaining) tutorial click here. Thanks girl...you really know how to speak my language.

basics...the baked potato

baking potatoes (russets)

olive oil

kosher salt or garlic salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Scrub potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Prick each potato with a fork a few times. Rub each potato with olive oil (the amount is up to you, just don't over do it) and sprinkle with choice of salt and pepper.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 40-60 min, or until tender. Let sit a minute or two and make a slit across the top of each potato and push ends together to open nicely. Top with butter and sour cream...and anything else that sounds good.

Sometimes the simplest, most basic things are the BEST! These potatoes are so versatile. A baked potato bar makes a great meal. The skin gets nice and crisp and flavorful...it's almost better than the insides!

classic gingerbread boy cookies...

1 cup butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1 egg

4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In a mixer cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg. Cover and chill for at least one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment or silpat. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes and place 1-2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min. Let cool. Decorate. Store in an airtight container.

These are soft, chewy and have just the right amount of spice to make the perfect gingerbread cookie. This would be a fun weekend project with the kids! You can go as detailed or as simple (like I did) as you like with the decorating. I personally love cinnamon red hots on my gingerbread cookies...I didn't have any, though. Still delicious!

snowball cookies...

1 cup butter, room temp

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

powdered sugar (for rolling cookies in)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Add flour and salt and stir to combine. Fold in chopped nuts.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Placed on greased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 min. Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar while still warm. Roll in sugar again when cool.

I believe the real name for these is wedding cookies. I've never had or seen these at a wedding. We call them snowball cookies. That is what they look like, after all...

Again, a very easy recipe. You do have to plan ahead a little and take your butter out of the fridge early in the day (as with any cookie recipe...this step really does make a HUGE difference.)

Santa will love them!!! So will you.

peppermint bon bon cookies...

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter (room temp)

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg (room temp)

1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

red food coloring

1/2 cup crushed candy canes

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Combine crushed candy canes and granutlated sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Cream powdered sugar, butter, shortening, egg and extracts. Add flour and salt. Mix until combined. Divide dough in half of the dough (making it as pink or as red as you like). Use a Tablespoon to measure out dough and roll into bon bons. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-9 min.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with candy canes while hot. Let cool completely.

Twelve days and counting...

If you are looking for a new cookie this year, look no further. These little morsels are full of peppermint goodness and can be popped right in your mouth...what's not to love?!?

These are a must every Christmas at our house. These are one of the cookies we leave for Santa because they are his (and Mrs. C's favorite!!) They come together quickly which is always a bonus...especially at this time of year, and they are yum-my.

pan cookie bars...

1/2 cup butter

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

1 cup chocolate chips

Icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp peanut butter

2 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and peanut butter and mix well. Stir in soda, salt, flour and oatmeal. Press into a 9x13 in baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Bake 20-25 min or until golden brown. Remove from oven and drizzle with icing.

Cool completely. Cut into squared and serve.

These were a different twist on the usual pan bars. They were so quick and easy to throw together and they disappeared quickly!

Put on your June Cleaver pearls and whip these up for a great after school snack (after the vacuuming is done, of course!)

apple cider donut holes...

2 red apples (I used Honeycrisp)

2 1/2 cups apple cider

3 1/2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 Tbsp shortening

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

Core and chop apples (do not peel). Combine with 1 1/2 cups cider in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until softened, about 8 min. Uncover and continue cooking until the apples are tender and the cider is almost completely reduced, about 5 min. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Measure the sauce; you should have 1 cup. (Boil to reduce further, if necessary) Let cool.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Beat 2/3 cup sugar and the shortening in another bowl with a mixer on medium speed until sandy. Beat in the egg and yolk, then gradually mix in the applesauce, scraping the bowl. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and vanilla, and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix to a sticky dough; do not overmix.

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper (I used my silpat on a baking sheet and covered with plastic wrap) and pat into a 7x11 inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Mix remaining cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Cut the chilled dough with a 1 inch cutter (or just cut into small pieces and roll into balls)

Slip 3-4 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to the paper towels to drain.

Roll in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temp.

I debated for a long time (a good month) whether or not to make these. I had never made donuts before, and was intimidated. Plus, I was turned off by the thought of grease splattering all over my kitchen.

I have to say...I am so glad I made them!!!

It seems like a bit of a process, but really is very easy. The biggest trick was to keep the dough very cold. I even stuck it in my freezer for a few min in between frying. As for the splattering oil...it didn't happen. Bummer. That means I'll just have to make them again. And again. And again.

At least again next Halloween!

Recipe from the Food Network magazine (Sept- Oct issue)