Recipes from Family & Friends

 

I love to collect recipes from my friends and family. Whenever I open up my cookbook and use a recipe that was given to me, I feel once again close to that person, I think about them and sometimes I might even say a little prayer for them.  Sometimes a family recipe will bring me closer to an ancestor I have never met. Some might think I have to many recipes, but to me, I could never have to many. And besides each one is a memory of someone whom I love and respect.                                                                

One recipes I am sharing today is for my basic

dough recipe. If I need something quick and easy, this is the one I use. I use it for cinnamon rolls, pizza crust, sloppy joe bread, just about anything I need a quick dough for.

I needed a dish to take to a potluck, and this is what I came up with. I had saw a bread bowl on Pinterest, and wanted try my had at making one. I didn't like the recipe so I used my recipe instead.  These reminded me of the salt dough baskets made in the 70's, but I wanted it edible. The recipe made one large basket, or two small ones.

Pizza Dough/Cinnamon Roll Recipe

 

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp. sugar

1 Tbls. yeast

1/4 cup oil

1/2 salt

4 cups flour

 

Stir sugar into warm water. Sprinkle yeast over water. Let sit until bubbly...DO NOT STIR. 

When bubbly stir in remaining ingredients. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rest for 15 minutes. Form into pizza crust or rolls. Let rise 15 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.  For cinnamon rolls add 1/2 sugar.

 



 To make bread baskets, spray an oven safe bowl liberally with oil. I like Pyrex bowls best, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Place on a sturdy baking sheet.

Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. cut into strips, 1/2 to 1 inch wide. Following pictures lay dough strips on bottom of the bowl and then begin weaving.  Over under over under...
Make sure the dough strips touch each other. Continue until bowl is covered. for the rim, take two long strips and twist them together, OR three  and braid together. Place rim  piece around bottom of bowl and press to edge.


Make an egg wash from one egg and brush over dough.

While letting rest for 15 minutes, place a piece of
wax paper on bottom of the bowl and then place a
heavy object on top of paper to help the bowl remain flat.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes.  Because the dough thickness and size of bowl vary.  Watch closely until golden brown.

The following recipe comes from my Family Recipe Book. We all call it Michaele's  Spinach Dip. It is the same recipe that comes on the package of Knorr's Vegetable soup mix, but since Michaele introduced our family to it, it has become Michaele is my former Sister-in-law. Although she is no longer my sister-in-law, she is still the mother of my wonderful niece and nephew. So the recipe will always remain in my family cook book, and gratitude for her will always be in my heart

Michaele's Spinach Dip

1 package Knorr's vegetable soup mix

1 box frozen chopped spinach thawed and well drained)

1 can water chestnuts, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

    
Mix well and chill, serve with bread, crackers or vegetables.