Griddle Cakes

~ Father's Day Breakfast ~

Recipe from:
~ Joy of Cooking ~

Ingredients:

Sift before measuring:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Resift with:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

Combine:

• 1 to 2 beaten whole eggs
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups milk

Mix the liquid ingredients quickly into the dry ingredients. 

Test griddle: let a few drops of cold water fall on griddle. If the water bounces and sputters, the griddle is ready. If the water just sits and boils, the griddle is not hot enough. If the water vanishes, the griddle is too hot.

Cook about 2-3 minutes before turning. When bubbles appear on surface, but before they break, lift the cakes to check brownness. Turn and cook until done.

Makes about fourteen 4-inch Cakes

~~~♥~~~

Happy Father's Day!

Lazy Summer Dinner

 My husband put together these lovely pepper and onion shish kabobs...
They looked so pretty I just had to take a photo.

Oh my, don't they look even prettier on the grill!

Can you tell that I was VERY hungrily waiting to eat these?

We were planning on having corn on the cob with this meal,
but we forgot all about it until we were already eating.
It was delicious even with out it.

Homemade Pizza

Our neighbor gave us a gallon sized bag of pepperoni 

and load of mozzarella cheese. 

So, we decided to make pizza

You want quick and easy no-kneading artisan bread crust?  

We use this recipe when making pizza.

It's a breeze!

Five Minutes a Day for Fresh-Baked Bread 

This recipe makes 4 1-pound loaves. You can double or half it. You can use a KitchenAid mixer. I mix mine by hand in a large bowl.

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups warm water 
• 1 1/2 T. yeast 
• 1 1/2 T. salt 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour 
• 5 1/2 cups unbleached flour 
• whole wheat flour to sprinkle on peel 

Mixing and storing the dough:
1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit). Add the yeast and salt with the water in a 5 quart bowl.
2. Mix in remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, or kitchenAid with dough hook.
3. Cover, not airtight, and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (about 2 hours) unlike traditional artisan bread, it will not hurt the dough to sit longer than this.
4. The dough can be used immediately but it will be easier to handle if you refrigerate three hours first. It can now be put in the fridge for up to 14 days.

When you are ready to bake: 
5. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (about the size of a grapefruit) piece. If making pizza - Place your ball of dough on to a greased pizza pan or cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Dust with flour as needed (cooking spray is also handy) to roll-out or press-out with hands.  (After rolling, let the dough rest for just a few minutes before adding toppings.) If making bread - Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pan for 40 minutes.
6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place an empty broiler pan on the bottom rack and adjust shelves so that they will not interfere with the dough as it rises during baking (Broiler pan is not necessary for pizza.)
7. For bread, sprinkle loaf liberally with flour and slash a cross, scallop or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using serrated bread knife. Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before slicing.
8. Put bread in oven. Pour 1 cup HOT tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until deeply brown and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time. For pizza, I skip the hot water and I bake my pizza for 18 minutes at 450 degrees.
9. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Double this recipe using The “6-3-3-13” rule: 6 cups water, 3 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons yeast, and then add 13 cups of flour. 

~~~♥~~~

Recipe for the perfect Artisan Five Minute Bread 

 Easy to follow instructions for mixing and storing the dough 

Your family is sure to love it!

Cottage Garden

~ Garden Lettuce ~

It has been such a treat to cut lettuce from the garden.

It has no bugs, and because my husband planted it in a raised planter box, 

no snails have attacked it.

~ Pink Poppy ~

Flowers and vegetables grown in his greenhouse nursery

Morning Walk Along the American River

I  L-O-V-E  mornings!

My husband and I walk 5 miles to and from Starbucks every morning.

Our route takes us along this American River bike path.

 We share one cup of coffee -
The dark house blend with 3 raw sugars and about 4 Tsp. half and half.
(I figure that is about 140 calories - 70 calories a for each of us.)

(You may notice that the cups look different - one brown, one green ...
The photos are from two separate mornings.)

Coffee, coffee, coffee!
It is so energizing!

This does not even feel like exercise!

 I thank God for this lovely time I get to spend with my darling husband.
~~~♥~~~

Blueberry Blessings

 

~ Enjoying fresh blueberries from the backyard ~

Have a lovely Sunday!

No Time Like Summertime!

 

 Breakfast by the pool...

Soaking up the sunshine...

Lots of playtime with the family...