Recipe - Yeast Risen Donuts Baked as Bread - What happens?

This is playing with my food.  I know, Mom said, Never.  In this case, I'm being "creative" with recipes.

The recipe is from the treasure trove of Bread Machines I have gotten over the last decades.  I was paging through and noticed one for Yeast Risen Donuts.  If you roll this out to 3/8 of an inch, cut them out to donut shapes, shape, fry and decorate with cinnamon sugar, you will have some great treats.

I have been saying that Donuts are nothing more than a Brioche Roll recipe that has been tweaked.  This one is proof of that.  It has an extra blast of sugar in the recipe to make it into a sweet-er bread.  The resulting flavor is like an old school restaurant dinner roll.  Very soft and fluffy.  It added about an extra 10g or 1/3 ounce of sugar to each roll from the standard bread recipe.

Dinner tonight will one of these with a slap of Grapefruit Curd or Homemade Mango Jelly (I haven't decided) and some peanut butter.  The side dish will be a Plantain cooked in a skillet with butter, cinnamon, and sugar.

I had a 20 mile cycling workout today in the heat.  Don't judge!  :)


Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup Butter or Margarine, softened. 
• 1 egg, scrambled (Sorry Vegans, it's for flavor and texture)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast 
• 3 Cups All Purpose Flour (Plus more if this is thin like mine was)

 Process:

• To proof the yeast, mix milk, water, butter, and scrambled egg.  Temperature should be about 105F or 40C.
• Add yeast to that container and allow to proof.
• Add Ingredients to the bucket of the bread machine, or to the mixer with a dough hook in order listed.
• Mix your dough as needed with the dough hook or the dough cycle in the bread machine.
• To make rolls, divide dough into appropriate size (about 80 grams or 3 ounces each) and roll out or place dough into greased bread pans.
• Bake at 400F until golden brown.
• Enjoy.
  
  No, really, enjoy.  They were wonderful, even nostalgic.

Rack the McNab Dog has always been tough to feed. Pancreatitis and Allergies do not help.

Please eat your food?

I find myself saying that constantly, for the last almost 15 years.  

Rack, The McNab SuperDog has historically not been a morning feeder.  In fact I believe to this day, that he stunted his growth by not wanting to eat as a puppy.  

He went through his "Prime Years" at around 40 pounds.  Most McNabs are 45 to 55 pounds and I never even got him above 42.  

We got into a "feedback loop" years ago and it calcified into this routine.  I am famously an early riser.  I would wake early enough to get to the park for a workout at sunrise.  Since I have been an athlete since I was a teen, it has served me well.

With Rack, getting him fed and walked, has been a trial.  I never was able to just put a bowl of food down and he'd eat.  I think this is how I ended up with him.  He was left at a vet's office for 39 days and was never picked back up.  Slow Motion Abandonment.  To this day, he loves the Vet, no matter which one, I think they fussed over him.

We went through a slow adjustment process of different foods.  His original diet has shifted over the years but it served him well in his prime.

He had Pancreatitis more times than I care to mention.  This is, I believe, what we are going through right now.  The symptoms seem to fit well.  Loose stools, disinterest in food, low energy, there are more.

He's eaten better than most people.  I've developed a fair amount of knowledge of Nutrition for my own Training Regimen.  It works, I'm constantly amused at the reaction of medical personnel when I explain to them that my resting heart rate is in the low to mid 50s and if I am dehydrated it will sneak up to 60 and I panic.

Long story.  You try doing three marathons a week on a bicycle in Florida temps and humidity.  (Sips some iced tea)  

When I say "Hydrate" I know what I mean.  I bring half a gallon to drink on the trail and it rarely comes home with me after a 2 hour workout.

Pancreatitis in a dog is helped by a lean diet.  The protein has to be prepared so that the fat content is as low as possible.  Boiled ground beef in his case.  I shifted his original diet to boiled beef along with the same tried and true veg to fill out the dietary requirements.

He also has an allergy to grain which manifests itself in an ability to turn poultry into soft serve poo.  No chicken/turkey.  Beef only.  Pork is problematic with dogs.

So he's on "A Prescribed Diet".  

When dogs get older, they have a lower protein diet.  So I developed one.  Vet approved.  

But the same diet over and over is boring.

Waking up at dawn got earlier and earlier to allow for all of this.  I'm now getting up at 4:45AM just to get some food in his stomach, then a mile walk.

That walk is getting slower.

I have always allowed him to direct the walk, a McNab is known to be an incredibly intelligent creature.  If you can't train a McNab, you can't train a dog.  

Rack has a mental map of where the neighborhood is laid out.  Certain walks are on certain blocks at certain times of day.  There is a cul-de-sac near me that is well planted with mature trees and since it is Furnace Hot in August in South Florida, he pulls to go through that street at the 5pm walk.  Other walks are more flexible.

However lately, his historically two mile walks at 530 after putting some food in him, are being truncated in the middle.  His choice, not mine.  He heads back at to the house after a mile.  

He knows where he's going.  In fact yesterday he dragged himself home after a half mile total because that was it, he was done.

But this food thing?  It is difficult.  You have to be flexible.  I don't like pampering, after all, I have a freezer crammed with ingredients to make the next three days of dog food.  The result is that I just keep putting food down in hope he won't be avoiding it all day.

Part of my own Nutritional Obsession is that I make a lot of food from scratch.  There are a lot of recipes for breads, cakes, cookies on here.  In fact, I need to locate my recipe for a cake mix.  Adding two tablespoons of the right dark cocoa to a single layer of white cake mix turns it into a very dark chocolate cake.

This all gives me an excuse to point to the ignored dog food bowl when he's begging for the Cheese Tax when I am cooking for my own needs.

You aren't getting mine in favor of your own.  

If there is one hint I can give is Yogurt.  It is why I make so much of the stuff for my own uses.  He likes it too.  If he is ignoring his food, a tablespoon of yogurt smeared on top changes it into something good.

Not boring is good.

Which is where I am today.   He had Pancreatitis.  I solved that by mixing his normal food 50/50 with white steamed rice.  That bored him more so I added Yogurt to the top.

Since he actually ate the 7 ounces of his diet mix and it only took 2 hours to do so, I filled the bowl again and am going to paint the top with the whey from the top of the yogurt container.

I suspect it's going to be a tough "last year" fighting Pancreatitis.

Since I found my cake mix recipe, I guess I have an afternoon tax.  I'm off to the kitchen to feed Rack again and my own need for Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Buttercream Icing.  Real Buttercream icing, none of this "Bettercream" crap you get in the markets these days.

I'll get off that soapbox.  I have baking to do.

Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe - And A Cheese Pizza That Came From it

What we have here is one cheese pizza. 

But this is more about recording the Pizza Crust Recipe.  Basically the book that I discovered languishing in a rather large box of recipe books has some more gold to mine.

This recipe will make one crust worth of dough.

If you want an authentic 1970's flavor for your pizza, you want this sauce.  It is what I remember from "Back In The Day" for what a Pizza Sauce should taste like.

Accept no substitutes.

The recipe was officially a recipe for a Calzone.  Since a Calzone is a pizza crust folded over and baked with the goodies inside, I decided to make this into a pizza.

Good call.  It came out thick and savory. 

The recipe was a vigorous rise and if I had rolled it out completely, it would have filled the entire cookie sheet.  I was going for a quick lunch, so I did not get this as thin as I could have.

Great flavor in the crust, more like a Sicilian Pizza than a Cracker Crust.

I baked this pizza at 400F until "done" which was about 14 minutes.  Next time, I will make it at a lower temperature for longer to try to get a crispy bottom.  

Calories are about 1100 for the entire crust but you won't eat all of that in one sitting will you?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water  (4 oz)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
• 1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour (10 oz)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/8 teaspoon Dry Yeast (I measured a tsp, then guessed at 1/8)

Process:

• I used a bread machine to create the dough on the dough cycle.
• This can be made in a mixer with a dough hook.
• Add all ingredients in order presented.
• Use the dough cycle on the bread machine or use the stand mixer with a dough hook to get the proper consistency.
• Allow the dough to rise to double size, or wait for the bread machine to beep.
• Roll dough out on cookie sheet and proof for one hour in a "warm place".
• Add Sauce and Cheese and "normal" toppings.
• No Pineapple, please, that would be icky!
• Bake pizza at 375F for about 14 minutes, or "Until Done".

Quick Sourdough Bread Recipe - Fixing the Bread Machine's Recipe

I promise I'll keep my text brief.  

The resulting bread had a crispy crust, a soft crumb, and a tart flavor.

When I was making this recipe, it came up much too dry.  So I started adding back in water.  Usually for a 1 1/2 pound loaf, you don't need to add in as much water as I did, but at the end I added in 2 extra ounces of water.

It could be measuring error.  Too much flour could cause a dry and ragged dough. I don't think so.

So the "fixed" recipe is what I have below, and that is the picture we have of the rolls.  I also used Greek Yogurt which may well explain why it was a dry dough.

Ingredients:  

• 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt - I used Greek yogurt, therefore water is adjusted
• 2/3 cup warm water - plus 2 extra ounces or 4 Tablespoons
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Margarine or Butter, softened
• 3 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoon yeast

Process:

• Add the ingredients in order to the mixing bowl with the dough hook.
• Alternately add this to the Bread Machine Bucket.
• Either use the Bread Machine's Bake cycle.
• Or the Bread Machine's Dough cycle - My Preferred method.
• Allow the dough 1 hour to proof and rise in a warm space.
• Bake at 400 for up to 22 minutes.
• The Original Recipe is below however I recommend using above text recipe because it was wonderful and raised properly.

Basic Buttercream Icing Recipe

Weird huh?  I keep throwing recipes up here?  I needed a good simple Buttercream icing recipe.  This is one that doesn't need cooking, and can be done with a hand mixer, although your arm may get tired.

When you need 3000 calories a day for all the training you do on the trails, an extra cupcake is not a big deal.  In case you need a good, basic, simple cake or cupcake recipe, I've got you covered!

Oh and Buttercream can be made vegan by substituting Margarine and nut milk in.

The trick with Buttercream Icing, Frosting if you prefer, is that you do things gradually.  Loosey-goosey.  It is not baking, it is more "combining ingredients" and if you think that it is done, then great, it is!  If you think it is too tight or too firm, add more liquid, too loose, add more sugar.  

Remember, add your ingredients gradually!

Ingredients:

•     2 sticks of butter, at room temperature, softened
•     3 to 4 cups of confectioners sugar, sifted
•     1 teaspoon of vanilla extract - other extracts can be substituted such as peppermint if desired
•     2 to 3 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream or Milk
•     Optional - for chocolate icing, melt separately 3 squares Baker's chocolate
•     Optional - pinch of salt

Process:

•     Cream your butter well with a mixer.  The more you cream the butter, the more fluffy it will be
•     To the creamed butter add in slowly 3 cups of sifted confectioner's sugar.  
•     If a sweeter icing is desired, add up to 4 cups, however I found it to be perfect with 3 cups.
•     Add to the icing base 2 to 3 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream or milk.  I recommend 3 Tablespoons heavy cream.
•     Add to the icing base any flavoring such as your chocolate, vanilla, or peppermint at this time.
•     Mix well to incorporate as much air as possible.
•     This will be very stiff in the refrigerator so chill only when needed.
•     At room temperature, this icing will be soft and creamy.

White Cake Mix - From Scratch Because The Box is Shrinking

I bake, a lot.  So I have been collecting recipes to replace Boxed Mixes as well as for things that I need to have in the house.  When you have a calorie budget of 3000 calories a day to support your athletics, you have to prepare.

Recently the common "Boxed Cake Mixes" got "shrinkflationed".  They went from 15 ounces to 13.33 ounces.  Or so.  

No.  Just, No.  That. Is. Greed.  

F. U. Betty.

Especially when the recipe for making a Boxed White Cake Mix is so easy that you can keep it in a jar, on your counter, for up to a year.  

After that, you are on your own, although I have had "some success" adding Baking Powder and Baking Soda to a mix and reviving it.  Salty, but it can "work".

Just use the stuff, you will enjoy it, and this particular mix is what you probably have in your kitchen already.


Instructions:

• Add the ingredients to a bowl.
• When ready to use, bake at 350F/180C for 20-25 minutes.
• The cupcakes in the picture took me 22 minutes in a "calibrated oven".

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups cane sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

To make the 12 cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350F/180C
• One batch makes one layer of cake or 12 cupcakes of 2 Oz/56g each.
• Yes, I measured with a gram scale.
• Add the mix to a large mixing bowl.
• Add 1/2 cup milk.
• Add 1/2 cup neutral oil (I cheated and used olive oil).
• 2 large eggs, scrambled.
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Mix well, pour into cupcakes or your baking pan.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick put into the middle comes out clean.
• A cake pan will take longer, 25-35 minutes.

Two Ingredient Bagels Benefit From Boil Before Bake

 You can tell when I am intrigued by a recipe or a process.  It unlocks my inner analyst, and I start getting precise with how I make the baked good.

In this case, Boiling.  If you boil a bread dough in an alkali like baking soda or lye, you end up with a Pretzel once baked.  If you cook a bread bun about 3 oz/85g after boiling, you get a rather nice Pretzel Roll.

For a Bagel, I brought up 32 ounces of water, measured, to a full boil in a narrow pot.  To that water I had added a measured tablespoon of honey. (Metric below)

The result once baked is a proper chewy crust on the bagels.  If you don't boil them, this recipe will give you something a bit odd and very crunchy on the outside.

You Must Boil These Bagels.

The one shaped like a "C" was boiled 45 seconds per side.
The bagel shaped like a "O" was boiled 30 seconds per side.

The resulting difference?  Visually nothing.

However, I have just finished that "C" with some cream cheese.  I have to say it was one of the best Cinnamon Raisin Bagels that I have had years.  It was precisely what I wanted. 

So do your boils for 45 seconds per side and see if it's right for you!

Ingredients:  

Boiling liquid:

• 32 ounces (1 liter) of water.
• 1 Tablespoon (14g) of Honey.

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels:

• 1 cup (236ml) All Purpose Flour
• 1 ounce (28g) Raisins (or to taste)
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) Cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) Baking Soda
• 3.25 ounces (92g) Yogurt or 5 ounces (142g) Greek Yogurt

(If you want plain, leave out the raisins and the cinnamon and choose your own add ins or none if you like, I won't judge!)

Process:

• To a mixing bowl add Flour, Raisins, Cinnamon, Baking Soda.
• Mix your dry ingredients a bit.  A Fork will do nicely.
• Add your Yogurt to the bowl and begin to mix the dough by hand.
• (Yes, I use my hands, do wash yours before you begin.)
• Continue mixing the dough until it is an even consistency.  My resulting dough was like a "Play Doh" or a soft modeling compound.  It should not be sticky.
• Form the bagels.  Take 1/2 of the dough and roll it out into a snake/cylinder.
• Attach the two ends together to form the traditional Bagel shape and set them aside.
• Repeat with the second bagel.
• Bring your Honey and Water up to full rolling boil.
• Carefully place your bagel into the boiling water for 30-45 seconds per side.

Baking:

• Set your air fryer to 360F/180C and 11 minutes.
• Place your bagels into the air fryer bucket.
• Cook your bagels for 5-6 minutes and flip to the second side.
• When 9 minutes have elapsed, inspect the bagels. 
• If they are done, remove from heat, otherwise, you still have 2 minutes on the clock!
• The bagels in this picture above were baked for 10 minutes.
• Enjoy.

Homemade Yogurt plus Homemade Self Rising Flour equals Two Ingredient Bagels in the Air Fryer.

I'm bending the definition of two ingredients.  

Since I am not afraid of making things from scratch, and that includes ingredients, I'm defining the recipe differently.

Homemade Yogurt plus Homemade Self Rising Flour equals Bagels.

Sort of.  Mrs B back at the Bagel Place in Cherry Hill, NJ back in the day would chuckle at these and say it's a nice try.  They "suffice".  They are not the best but they are certainly good in a pinch.

I am using Homemade Yogurt.  The original recipe calls for Greek Yogurt and works well with that.  Since Homemade Yogurt has a higher amount of liquid in it, the Greek Process makes something more like Cream Cheese than what you're used to out of a tub, you cut it back.

I find that either:
5 Ounces of Greek Yogurt or 3.25 ounces of Homemade Yogurt can be used.

Furthermore, if you have Self Rising Flour around, use it.  1 cup.

Since I don't keep the Self Rising Flour on hand, I take 1 cup All Purpose Flour and add 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda.

That is the recipe, it makes two bagels.

Air Fry at 360F for about 13 minutes flipping at 5 minutes.

I wanted Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, and apparently that is something that the bagel shop we go to in Florida does not do any more.  

I guess Cinnamon Raisin Bagels have "Aged Out"!

To make Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, add about a teaspoon of Good Cinnamon to the dough, and 1 ounce of Raisins.  Knead all the ingredients together.

Kneading.  This starts as a dry mix, but as you knead the dough together, it gets wetter.  If this gets to be too wet, dust with flour.

Furthermore, a real bagel is boiled before baking.  That gives that shiny crust we all know and love.  If you do nothing, the crust will be crispy and even hard.  I used Olive Oil and it was approaching the right consistency but I am open to suggestions.  

Maybe I will boil them next time.  With Honey or Malt Syrup.  Hmmm.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Self Rising Flour or 1 cup All Purpose Flour Plus 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda.
• 5 ounces Greek Yogurt or 3.25 ounces "Regular" Yogurt.

Process:

• To a bowl add 1 cup flour.
• Add 5 ounces Greek or 3.25 ounces "regular" yogurt.
• Knead, by hand, the mixture until the yogurt has been incorporated.
• Optional - This will make a plain bagel.
• Optional - Add Ins are 1 tsp Cinnamon plus 1 ounce Raisins.
• Optional - Coat or Roll the bagels in Sesame Seeds.
• Egg Wash or Coat the Bagels with Olive Oil or Butter.
• Divide the dough in half.
• Roll out the dough into a long thin cylinder and attach the tail to the head.
• Or roll the dough into a ball and push a finger through the middle and stretch to get the traditional hole in the middle.
• Bake in Air Fryer at 360F/180C for 13 plus minutes.  

Greek Spice Mix Recipe

This business of having a blog since 2009 can get rather involved.  If I need a recipe, I check here, then all on my computer in the recipes folder, then on my external server.

Since I did not find the recipe I needed, it is time to publish this.  I did later find it splattered all over my drives so my annoyance is your reward.

This particular spice mix is flexible.  It originally came from a recipe to make Gyro meat.  One pound each of Lamb and Ground Beef, plus the spices, and you get something pretty close to what I have had in a Greek Restaurant.

However, since I have all sorts of people who find this blather that I call a blog, the recipe has been used in different ways.  

I can vouch for this spice mix being excellent on Air Fryer Chicken Parts.
It is excellent on Roast Pork.
It is excellent on a burger.

Since it works well with "milder meats" it would work well with Tofu also.
That's one for the vegan readers that come here.

The recipe is an old standby for me, I keep this in a jar on the counter.  When I am looking for something different, I sprinkle it on the raw protein, then cook.  

It's also good on veg like white rice.


Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Thyme
1 teaspoon Ground Pepper

2 teaspoons Paprika
2 teaspoons Minced Garlic or Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Oregano
2 Tablespoons Dried Onion or Onion Powder


Process:
Mix all ingredients into a jar.
Shake to mix.
Use on your food as a rub or mix in as needed.

Soap Making. A Smaller Batch And Reformulated Recipe To Battle Dreaded Orange Spots

Recipe "after the jump".

I originally intended just to give the recipe so I have it available for later.  It turned into a narrative.  This is not an exhaustive set of instructions.  Standard Internet Warranty Applies - This is at your own risk, Ramblingmoose.com is not responsible if you rush through and miss a step or burn something with Lye.  I used this process a number of times and I have made my own soap for years.  It works for me!

After all, I sometimes run with scissors!



I have a cut down cereal box that works beautifully as a Soap Mold.  It will easily hold 50 ounces of soap with my old "Standard Recipe".  But dollar store brownie molds or old plastic yogurt containers work as well.  Plastic and Silicone for molds are what I recommend.

The problem was "Dreaded Orange Spots".  It happens when a host of issues effects your soap.  Old ingredients, Environmental problems, humidity attacking the soap.

I had made enough soap that friends had enough on hand and told me that they didn't need any.  I enjoy making the recipe, it reminds me of when I was in high school and got a 99.6% of theoretical return on my Chemistry lab experiments.

The teacher couldn't do it that well and just let me act like a teacher's aid in those classes.  Yes, I was a nerd, still am.  A Jock and a Nerd?  Go figure!

Anyway, this recipe has a few features.

1). It makes 10 bars of soap.  Regular sized soap in a mold.  See picture.  This way they will get shared, but not overwhelm my friends and family.

2). It is a little less Olive Oil, a little more Coconut Oil.  That will make it harden much faster and as such it won't sit on my dining room table for months absorbing everything in my house.  I was able to unmold and use that soap the next day.

3).  It was a fast warm process soap.  The batch went from liquid to "vanilla pudding" in under 4 minutes with the stick blender.  Saved my sanity.

4).  I think it is a little more astringent.  All soap I make has Shea Butter for moisturizing.  This is my preference.  Since my skin is dry, I wanted to tailor it to clean but not dry out my skin.  I do a lot of DIY on the car and my sports equiment.  Skate Bearings and Bicycle Chains get grease all over the place and I am constantly washing up.  This helps.

"Dreaded Orange Spots" or "DOS" happens in older soap.  I don't use preservatives so here in South Florida, it can be a problem.  The last two bars from my last personal batch were getting soft again from the humidity.  It was a couple wet weeks and I got the beginning of DOS.


So I made more.  With Cedar Oil.  I made the batch for myself, and I wanted Cedar.  My choice.


The disclaimer - Use at your own risk.  Lye can cause burns.  I know, it has burned my fingers before.  Use Proper Protection.  I use a stove hood that vents outdoors, rubber gloves, and I dispose of anything that comes in contact with full strength lye.  Plastic for caustic substances, stainless for the oils and soap, silicone or paper for molding the soap.  I use a large "waste" glass jar to mix ice water and Lye.  Making Soap makes dangerous chemicals and can make caustic gases.

But the recipe is nice.  I used my first bar this morning in the shower, and have since I made the stuff.  I rather like this recipe and will make more from it.  

Recipe - Make Plain Yogurt In The Microwave

I'll keep my lecturing to the end and keep it brief.

If you buy Yogurt, consider making your own.  You can do it simply and quickly.  If you use a microwave to warm the milk, your favorite pre-school child could do it.

Ingredients

"Seed Yogurt".   Always buy yogurt with live cultures.  It's better for you anyway.  Yogurt will grow from old yogurt. Plain yogurt of your favorite brand.  Sugar free and unflavored.

Sugar.  Common table sugar.  About a tablespoon per quart will do nicely.

Milk.  I typically get 2% but I have done this from powdered milk and from whole milk.  Your choice.


Instructions

Keep in mind, this could always fail and your container could end up being a container of spoiled milk.  Check it every 12 hours or so.  It should smell like yogurt, not like the dumpster behind the dairy.

Find yourself a very clean jar to make this in.  I use a quart mason jar but you can use anything else that is appropriately sized.  It should have a lid and fit in the microwave.  I have a gallon of the stuff brewing in my kitchen right now.

Put that jar in the microwave and warm the milk to 90-100F or 35-39C.

Add a tablespoon of common sugar per quart.

Check the temperature of the milk to make sure it really is in that temperature band.  Too hot or too cold and you will kill the seed yogurt. 

Add 2 ounces, 56g of yogurt to the quart jar.

Stir vigorously and cover the jar.

Allow the yogurt to brew for about 48 hours.  This should be done in a warm room or any appropriately warm place like in the oven with the light on.  My kitchen was 76F/26C.  

After 48 hours, check your yogurt.  It should have jelled and taste tart.

Refrigerate and eat promptly as you would any other plain yogurt.  I have 4 ounces of plain yogurt with an ounce of (mango) jelly, a half teaspoon of lime juice, and a packet of sweetener (saccharine).


Semi-Comedic Back Story.  Once upon a time, I worked with Sue.  She should have been named "Karen" because she sat across from me and complained about everything.  I mean constantly.  One day I brought in for lunch some yogurt I had found at an ethnic grocery.  Mango, since I truly enjoy them and am looking forward to Mango Lassi Season.

Sue saw that and made the comment "You do know you could make it yourself, don't you?".  

Despite her being a bit snide about the way she said it, she was right.  I basically used the process she described and have been doing so the majority of my life.

Sue may have been a Karen, but she was right about the Yogurt.  

Oh and if you really want flavor and your on-hand jelly isn't your favorite, I put some Tang in it today and ended up with a Creamsicle.  Helps to have (big) kids around sometimes.

Happy Birthday, Old Man, Here's Your Cake

Since I am the baker in the friend group, I was elected to make a birthday cake.

I have a bullet proof recipe.  It is from the Great Depression and I have featured it on my blog before.  The Buttercream frosting is, again, bullet proof.  They both are on the same link.

Who knows who is using this in a commercial environment since it is so simple that you could hand the ingredients and the recipe to a child and they would make it work.  It tasted like the dark chocolate cakes you can pick up in many places from The Big Boy bakeries all over the US, and I would wager elsewhere.

Weird recipe list since there are no eggs and it uses vinegar.  It's actually a vegan cake but it is one of the best cakes I have come across.

On the other hand, since it used my dark cocoa that I happened to have on hand, it was a thirsty beast.  I added extra milk to that Buttercream recipe to get it soft and smooth like we like it.  In fact instead of using two tablespoons of milk on the icing, which was above the original recipe, I used three tablespoons and it came out creamy and fudgy.

So the frosting is not vegan but "vegetarian", I the butter in the Buttercream was the real stuff.  I'm not vegan or vegetarian, so I'd say you can always figure out a substitute.  Margerine?  Coconut Oil?  Dunno.  The icing faithfully following the recipe was amazing!

But it was on the small size since I used a single amount of the recipe.  

When I made it later for the person's party, it was doubled.  My Bundt Cake Pan is rather large.

After all, he joins the rest of them.  Senior Citizen.  Dead Flowers and Black Balloons.  Sort of suits since that cocoa was the Ghirardelli's Extra Dark and tasted wonderful.

If you really want to try this, and you should, get the good cocoa.  The stuff that we are all used to just does not have the flavor you want. 

Oh and double the recipe.  You will get two layers for the cake.  You will thank me later!

Degreaser recipe, safe for many uses.

Degreaser.  I use a lot more of this stuff than most folks.  So this allows me to make it for pennies, and use what I need.

When I saw the pile of black grit on my floors, I knew it was time to clean up the bike chain.  It worked well and even got the black grit that was ground into the tiles.

Three ingredients.  Vinegar, Soap, Water.

Some recipes add baking soda but you don't want that.  It will neutralize the vinegar and all you end up having as an active ingredient is the soapy water.  Vinegar will help cut your grease.

As for the bike?  I used this stuff on my chain and used this as an excuse to refurbish the rear derailleur.  When I went on my next workout, everything was working great!


Ingredients are both in a ratio and volumes.  

Ratio:

• 1 part Blue Dawn Dish Soap
• 4 parts White Vinegar
• 12 parts Water.

Volume:

• 1 ounce Blue Dawn Dish Soap
• 4 ounce White Vinegar
• 12 ounce Water.

Yeah you didn't expect me to make the math difficult either for you or me.  Double it or scale it down.  It "should work" just the same.  Shake well before using.

Oh and standard internet warranty applies:

Use this at your own risk.  Just because it worked on my bike doesn't mean it will work for you.  Test it out first and decide because you are a big enough person to be able to judge for yourself.  I'll make and use more of this stuff but I am not responsible for anything you ruin with this mix.

When I used it, I used it as a soak on the derailleur, and as something to wipe things down like the chain.  I'm pleased with what I got but everything I worked on was pretty non-reactive.

Rack, after 14 years, you are still weird. Old Dogs, New Tricks.

Ok, this may be your Ceremonial 14th birthday, but I could use a little slack.

We will never know if it is today or even a different month.  Part of the mystery of sharing your life with a Rescue Dog is having to figure things out on your own terms.  Both of your terms.  As far as it goes, this day mystery is a minor and forgettable one.  It is today because I say it is.  Maybe next year it will be a different one.

We have gone through a number of scares. 

You were a terrified dog when we got you.  Your first walk was across the street on your belly to meet up with the neighbors.  I think you realized that we weren't going to allow you to fail, we simply had no other option.

With a fearful dog, you plan every activity and make sure that there will be success at the end of it.  These neighbors were perfect for that.  Lisa was the older lady who treated everyone with kindness, Bill her son did not fall far from that same bottle brush tree.  The tree is there, Lisa is gone, Bill moved on.

You are now one of the longest residents of this town.  People don't tend to stay long in South Florida.  I've been here myself two weeks shy of 20 years which is longer than I have lived anywhere else.

The thing about having a herding dog is that you have to keep their bodies and their minds active.  I mean, Truly Active, in capital letters.  You can do that as long as you give them long walks, I give you upwards of 6 miles a day.  10K may sound like a lot but it isn't really, especially spread across four walks. 

Luckily for you, I am an endurance athlete.  It is keeping us both alive.

Truly Active means you have to be able to find New Things.  Greeting New People is a major plus, and in a Resort Town near a shopping area is a plus as well.

You have never been a Morning Person.  Too bad, I am.  When you live in a hot climate, you have to be.  There really isn't a winter, it never freezes here.  We get you out before 10 and after 5 daily because you're wearing a black fur coat.

That works well with my own schedule.  Just not yours.  We notice that you eat your food faster at lunch and dinner than you do  before dawn.  It can't be helped.  I just have not figured out why you have to pick mouthfuls of food and pick it all back up after standing on it at 5:30AM.  You don't do that any other time of day.  That meal can take as long as 45 minutes and you are slowing me down from my own routine.

Bizarre.

You don't like being home alone.  Most dogs don't.  I have not figured out how you know when I am coming home after a workout, but you seem to have.  There you are standing at the door, smiling and wagging and waiting for the routine to begin.

It is all about The Process with a McNab.  I walk in the door, you greet me, and immediately after, you go to the back door and ring a bell to be let out.  It is The Process that is important.  Coming home means Greet, Bell, Sniff the Air Out Back.  Lunch is Eat Quickly, Get Ball of Cookies, Ring Bell, Go Out Back. 

If you could figure out how to open the sliding door it would be easier.  I guess that's not happening, sliding doors need thumbs and that is a lot of heavy Hurricane Glass to get past.

It isn't really separation anxiety although science has proven that dogs do have that.  You are only alone for about 5 hours a week plus whatever time it takes to run to the market. 

You taught yourself how to ring that bell at the back door.  There is a string of Elephant Bells that I got for my sister's wedding.  You get your snoot in the string and give it a too gentle shake.  We know you enjoy that because it's like that dog talking buttons, it makes you smile.  You ring that about every hour in the morning, less at other times of the day.

Going for a walk is more strangeness.  "Go get your leash".  You'll walk to the door then immediately back to me.  "Where is your leash".  Back to the door.  It's like playing tennis.  SERVE!

We get the leash and loop it over your head.  You taught yourself to put your foot through the loop on the side strap that snaps under your belly.  You use that trick assertively.  As the foot waves in the air until you realize we noticed, which can be as many times as you need to get your point across.  A couple dozen times when you are excited is reasonable even if it does look strange.

You don't bark aimlessly at a leaf falling in the yard like many, you have a purpose.  If I am sitting here, I tell you that I know about it, you quiet down.  But not completely.  Deliveries become a Discussion. 

"Yes, I know there's someone here, they're bringing us things". 
"GRUMBLEGRUMBLE!" 
"I know, they're here, calm down." 
"Grumble. Grumble?"

A dog that has learned how to process inflection.  I wish that the talking buttons had been a thing when we got you, but that was a different time.

"Moan"  as you sit down.  I swear you are learning the art of friendly discourse even if the hardware in your body won't allow for it.

You are older, you did not get deaf, you are the poster child for selective hearing.  Deliveries sometimes miss you, other times you are startled into action by someone dropping a box at the door which will mean you'll complain about the intruder long after they've left the premises.

You have been bitten, had and survived cancer, and walked thousands of miles each year.  Your first year meant that you never had a problem with the Vet as it is comforting to you. 

I think you made it this far because I have a tailored diet to get past food allergies and pancreatitis bouts that put you in the shelter in the first place.  I think we may have gone through Pancreatitis yearly.  I don't want to think about what hell you went through in your first year, there are still echoes of it in your personality, but I will say that the food issues probably put you there.  A piece of chicken the size of a thumbnail will turn you into a soft serve dispenser.  It's just easier to make your food from a proscribed recipe that is carved in stone.

As you got older, I did have to adjust that diet using spreadsheet to reduce the protein you take in.  You are due for another visit to the vet for a blood test to see if everything is working.

With all the strangeness and weird quirks I'd do it all over again.  At 14 years old you are closer to the end than the beginning.  Dogs only very rarely make it much past this to 20 years.  The breed is not well known, but the McNab breeders seem to think that 16 years is reasonable with expert care.

I'm doing my best to be that expert carer you bizarre and weird dog.  I'd do it all over again.

Toasted Pecan Bumper Brownies - Right Sized For Your Pleasure

This started at the park when I had the last Right Sized Brownie on the bumper of the Jeep at a water stop from the previous recipe.  I repeat the recipe below the SHORT narrative. 

See, I realized that I needed Toasted Pecans in this Brownie.  Sure they are great without, but I personally can afford the extra 30 calories each Brownie since Without they are 110, With they are 140, and my workouts burn 1000 calories per hour and my workouts are typically 2 hours or more.

Right Sized Toasted Pecan Brownie Recipe:

Toasted Pecans:

1. Measure out 40g, 1.4 ounce of chopped Pecan pieces.
2. Warm a skillet over low to medium heat.
3. Add the Pecans to the skillet. 
4. Stir, Shake or Jiggle the Pecans frequently as they will toast FAST!
5. I cook my Pecans for about 3 minutes on the heat and then test for flavor.

Brownie recipe:

Note:  I measured everything with a gram scale.  I have one and it works well, however typically volumes are used.  Maybe next time, huh?

I followed the recipe below faithfully and got some wonderful treats.  It fell together in about 10 minutes.  Cooked in 15.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (42 grams) whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (29 grams) Cocoa Powder (sifted if needed)
• 1/16 teaspoon salt (nobody has one of those, I eyeballed "half" of a 1/8 tsp)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons (65 grams) coconut oil or unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (about 50 grams, out of shell)
• 1/4 cup (43 grams) chocolate chips, plus extra mini chips for the top

How to make them:
9 Brownies as in the picture are 40g/1.4 oz each.

1. Prep your pan: Line cupcake pan with 9 cupcake papers.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil or butter with the sugar and vanilla.
4. Once blended, mix in the egg until just combined.
5. Combine everything: Add the dry mix to the wet bowl a little at a time. Stir gently until almost no flour is visible. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Preheat the oven: Set it to 350°F (175°C).
7. Pour and top: Transfer the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top for extra gooeyness.
8. Cook for 12 to 20 minutes. The top should look set with a thin crust.
9. A toothpick in the center will come out a bit wet. The edges should have soft crumbs.
10. Cool before serving: Let them cool completely in the pan. They’ll continue to firm up as they sit.

Hillbilly Pie (Poor Man's Pie) - Direct From All Over The Web To My Kitchen

This recipe is just too simple not to try.  It came to me on Facebook.  However when I researched it, I just got dozens of hits with the same recipe.

How about that, must be good, so lets try it?

Think of this as a "Butter Bomb".  I will make it again but I will cut the butter back, most likely by 1/2.

I had a can of Peach Pie Filling on hand and since I am the only one in the house who likes Peach Pie, I used it.   Excellent!

Verifying the recipe, I also found comments that said that fresh fruit can be used on this in more than one place.

If you want it to be Vegetarian or Vegan, use Margarine and nut milk.  From a dietary standpoint, the Hydrogenation process that turns oil into Marge is not the best for your heart, but you knew that already!


Hillbilly Pie (Poor Man's Pie)
A simple, comforting dessert that’s easy to make and oh-so-delicious. Perfect for when you want a homemade treat with minimal effort!

 Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup self-rising flour (See Tip at the end if you don't have any)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 (12 oz) can fruit pie filling (cherry, apple, peach, or your favorite)

 Instructions:

•  Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the butter in an 8x8-inch casserole dish and let it melt in the oven while preheating.
  
  
•  Mix the Batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together self-rising flour, sugar, and milk until smooth.
  
  
•  Assemble the Pie:  Remove the casserole dish with the melted butter from the oven. Pour the batter evenly over the butter—do not stir!
  
  
• Add the Filling: Spoon the fruit pie filling evenly over the batter. The filling will sink slightly as it bakes, creating delicious layers.
  
  
•  Bake:  Place the dish back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and cooked through.
  
  
•  Cool and Serve: Let the pie cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm, either on its own or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Servings: 6–8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

 Tips:
No Self-Rising Flour? Substitute with 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Try New Flavors: Experiment with different fruit fillings to find your favorite combo!

Right Sized Brownies Recipe. Not Too Big, Not Too Small!

205+72+400+126+153 = 956

956 /  8 = 119.5

What that blather is about is a calorie estimate for a "right sized" brownie.

See, I needed a snack, that was between 100 and 200 calories.  I needed something that I would look forward to in the middle of a very intense workout.  I needed it to survive being in a closed Jeep Wrangler sitting in summer heat outside in a park in South Florida summer.

Brownies!

I also wanted a simple recipe.  Got it!  See below.

The realization was that all I needed to do was to cut the recipe into 8 pieces, put the batter into cupcake papers, and bake. 

12 minutes at 350F/175C and test with a toothpick.  That should be early, close the oven and retest in a wee bit.  When it is done, is when that toothpick comes out reasonably clean.  You probably will want to account for different oven "speeds" and adjust your cook time.

And finally, these were good.  I mean Gooooood.  I don't know what the common vegetarian/vegan substitutions are for eggs, so this is "conventional".  Martha Stewart to the rescue - this link suggests Banana/Applesauce/Yogurt at 1/4 cup per egg.

As always with substitutes, Your Mileage May Vary!

For each cupcake paper, use 1/8 of the batter.  In my case, it worked out to be 42 grams or 1.4 ounces.  It's also 3 tablespoons level and measured off the top of my head.

Also, this is a shameless copy of a recipe I put out about a month back.  I used an air fryer to cook it and while it was awesome, this method is more to my needs.

Note:  I measured everything with a gram scale.  I have one and it works well, however typically volumes are used.  Maybe next time, huh?

I followed the recipe below faithfully and got some wonderful treats.  It fell together in about 10 minutes.  Cooked in 15.

They. Were. Excellent!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (42 grams) whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (29 grams) Cocoa Powder (sifted if needed)
• 1/16 teaspoon salt (nobody has one of those, I eyeballed "half" of a 1/8 tsp)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons (65 grams) coconut oil or unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (about 50 grams, out of shell)
• 1/4 cup (43 grams) chocolate chips, plus extra mini chips for the top

How to make them:

1. Prep your pan: Line cupcake pan with 8 cupcake papers.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil or butter with the sugar and vanilla.
4. Once blended, mix in the egg until just combined.
5. Combine everything: Add the dry mix to the wet bowl a little at a time. Stir gently until almost no flour is visible. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Preheat the oven: Set it to 350°F (175°C).
7. Pour and top: Transfer the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top for extra gooeyness.
8. Cook for 12 to 20 minutes. The top should look set with a thin crust.
9. A toothpick in the center will come out a bit wet. The edges should have soft crumbs.
10. Cool before serving: Let them cool completely in the pan. They’ll continue to firm up as they sit.

If you give these a try, let us know how they turn out. They're dangerously easy to make.

Air Fryer Brownies? Here is the recipe!

 

Everything was new once.  I once microwaved a chicken.  It actually came out well done but I can't say I would do it again.

I once had a Curry Chicken recipe that I really would love to find for that same microwave again but this was a time long past and a lost recipe.

Every new cooking fad has a peak.  The Air Fryer is having its moment right now and I find it to be amazing.

Worse comes to worse, this will bake well in the conventional oven, same time and temp.

Anything frozen, chicken parts both thawed and frozen, pork parts, fish sticks and fillets.  All have come out wonderful and wholesome.

This is an online recipe that I shamelessly stole.  The "pan" is my silicone liner that I oiled and poured the batter into.

Note:  I measured everything with a gram scale.  I have one and it works well, however typically volumes are used.  Maybe next time, huh?

I followed the recipe below faithfully and got some wonderful treats.  It fell together in about 10 minutes.  Cooked in 15.

Whenever you cook in an air fryer, I find that I have to check frequently and make sure the internal temp comes up to the correct level for meats.  I used a toothpick for the brownies and we have enjoyed them.

They. Were. Excellent!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (42 grams) whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (29 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder (sifted if needed)
• 1/16 teaspoon salt (nobody has one of those, I eyeballed "half" of a 1/8 tsp)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons (65 grams) coconut oil or unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (about 50 grams, out of shell)
• 1/4 cup (43 grams) chocolate chips, plus extra mini chips for the top

How to make them:

1. Prep your pan: Line a small cake pan or air fryer-safe dish with parchment paper.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil or butter with the sugar and vanilla.
4. Once blended, mix in the egg until just combined.
5. Combine everything: Add the dry mix to the wet bowl a little at a time. Stir gently until almost no flour is visible. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Preheat the air fryer: Set it to 340°F (170°C).
7. Pour and top: Transfer the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top for extra gooeyness.
8. Air fry Cook in the air fryer for 14 to 20 minutes. The top should look set with a thin crust.
9. A toothpick in the center will come out a bit wet. The edges should have soft crumbs.
10. Cool before serving: Let them cool completely in the pan. They’ll continue to firm up as they sit.

If you give these a try, let us know how they turn out. They're dangerously easy to make.

Old Style Pizza Sauce - Like Back In The Day, Youse Know?

How about an Old Style Pizza at home?
I mean with a real, (mostly) naturally sweet sauce.  You know from a Pizza Parlor "down the way" that has a giant pot of the sauce perfuming the neighborhood as you get closer to it?

You may not have had one since the 1970s, but this sauce is it.  It's exactly how I remember it.


No this pizza sauce is not Vegan.
It is not Vegetarian.

It can be made either way, but while good, it won't be quite the same.


I take a cue from Mom here, and I get a pound of Stew Beef and brown it in the pot before we start this sauce.  Then add the ingredients to the pot and reduce. 

I have not tried it with meatballs but the flavor will be similar.  Just brown the meatballs and let the sauce cook it.

You will end up with some Braciole once you scoop it out, and if you have some extra sharp Provolone and some Amoroso Rolls, you are now having one of my favorite sandwiches from childhood.  Kaiser or a Hard Roll will work, as will Linguica or a Cuban Roll.

The recipe has Anchovies in it. You can leave that out but I would strongly suggest preparing it as is.  You will want that "Umami Bomb".



Ingredients:

• 1 can San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz)
• Half 24 oz bottle tomato passata (or strained Roma tomatoes)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• Less then 1/8th red pepper flakes
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Three anchovies rinsed and patted dry
• 1 Tsp salt

Ingredients at the end:

• 2 Tsp oregano
• Tsp basil
• 1 tsp sugar

Process:

• Process anchovies and can of tomato’s in food processor or blender until smooth.
• Add to pan with passata, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.
• Rinse out tomato can with minimal water and dump water into pan - the object is to get the tomatoes out of the can so you don't have to boil a LOT of water down in reduction.
• Reduce for hours low and slow simmer until thick and will cut with the wooden spoon in the pan.
• After you remove from heat, add oregano, basil and sugar and stir in.  
• Let cool and store.

Three Ingredient Pizza Crust for One Serving.

While my pizza sauce recipe tastes like I remember out of a pizza parlor of the good old days, my crusts are never that great.

Lately my crusts have been a 12 inch tortilla with all the toppings.  Kind of an Italian Quesadilla.  Sure, it lowers the calories to 1000 per pie, but it is missing "something".

When I saw a recipe promising a Three Ingredient Pizza crust, I had to try it.  I downloaded it, and followed the directions and ... Meh.  A floppy crust.

But it was fresh and I could make it in under 15 minutes.

So here ya go, it's pared down to be a single 7 inch pizza crust.  If you want a full sized pizza (12 inch or so) double this recipe.

The plus to all of this is that it is dead simple.  Hard to go wrong if you have the ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup or 52g of All Purpose Flour
• 1/3 teaspoon (about 1.5g) of Baking Powder
• 1/3 cup of 90g of Plain Greek Yogurt.

Process

• To a mixing bowl, add the Flour and Baking Powder.
• Whisk the ingredients together.
• Fold in and mix the Greek Yogurt until it makes a dough ball.
• You may want to add a little extra Flour for the correct consistency.
• Roll the dough ball out to a crust on floured surface.

Cooking

• Preheat to medium, an appropriate skillet with a little olive oil.
• Add the rolled out crust to the skillet and cook until toasted.
• Flip and repeat until both sides are lightly brown to taste.
• Add the toppings and bake.