Jeanette’s Cinnamon Rolls

1 cube butter

3 c. hot water

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 c. powdered milk

1 c. evaporated milk

1 T. salt

2/3 c. sugar

1 1/2 T. yeast

1/4 c. water

1 T. sugar

9 to 11 cups of flour

cinnamon and sugar

Melt butter in the 3 cups of hot water in a large mixing bowl.** Combine yeast, 1/4 cup water, and 1 T sugar and let sit. Meanwhile add to the mixing bowl eggs, powdered milk, evaporated milk, salt, and sugar. After yeast starts to get bubbly, add to the mixing bowl. Add flour to make a soft dough, about 9 to 11 cups. Mix thoroughly. Let rise until double. Punch down and knead. Let rise for 15 minutes. Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Butter dough. Sprinkle liberally with sugar and cinnamon (don't skimp on this part). Add brown sugar, raisins or nuts if desired. (be careful Roll up into long roll. Cut 1 inch thick slices and place on greased cookie sheet 1/2 inch apart. Let dough rise nice and high. Bake at 360 for 15 to 20 minutes.

Buttercream frosting

1 cube butter softened

1 big squirt of vanilla - I like lots, but you can add to taste

powdered sugar - about half a bag or so

a little milk to make it nice and creamy - usually about 1-2 teaspoons and you can use the leftover canned milk from the rolls.

Mix with a hand mixer until light and creamy. Frost cinnamon rolls when they are cool.

If you like the bottom of the rolls caramelized, melt butter on baking sheet, then sprinkle with brown sugar. Place rolls on top of this to rise, then bake. When done, turn pan over and let the caramel drip over the rolls for a few minutes before removing pan.

**I use a bosch mixer and it makes this recipe so much easier.

Diana’s Granola

 

Mom's granola is low in fat, high in roughage and very, very dry. The proportions in this particular recipe could feed a small African country for six months, but it stores well in the freezer for years of nutritious cereal.

 

35 cups rolled oats

4 cups bran

1 or 2 cups brown sugar

4 cups powdered milk

3 cups ground popcorn kernels* (save unpopped, but browned, kernels and grind into powder)

9 cups wheat flakes

7 cups barley flakes (or any other grain flakes)

 

Put dry ingredients in a large pan and bake in oven at 200° for a few hours--or overnight for a crisp toasted flavor.

 

Then add:

4 cups raisins (white or golden are best)

3 cups sunflower seeds

Eye of newt and toe of frog

1 or 2 cups protein powder

And any other nuts, dried fruit (apple, banana, pineapple), powders (a little dry yeast) or shredded reading material that you like.

Mix all and serve with milk or water (use water for trips because the granola has powered milk in it).

 

*One of the first dry cereals used in America by the Indians was Pinole which is ground, browned white flint corn. Mom uses popcorn because she can't find white flint corn and says it doesn't taste any different.

Dad's Omelet’s

Dad's early morning effervescence is usually best expressed in the kitchen. All the noise he makes (from clattering pots and pans to the high pitched whirr of the blender) is generally forgiven by the first bite.

 

Get your eggs out and let them get as close to room temperature as possible.

 

In separate small bowls, get your "fillings" ready:

Grated cheese

Chopped onion

Mushrooms (canned or sautéed)

Chopped ham

Bacon bits

Chopped olives

Crumbled sausage

Green pepper

Chopped tomato

Etc. Etc.

 

In a non-stick omelets pan, heat bacon grease or butter on medium/low heat. In a small bowl crack and beat 2-3 eggs. Pour into pan and tilt to enable full egg/pan-coverage. Then A) Add the "fillings" when the egg is nearly done. Fold the egg in ½ and let it sit for another minute or so, or B) Flip or turn the egg (over sink to avoid accidents) to cook both sides before adding "fillings".

 

While the first omelets are cooking, you will have cracked and beat more eggs into the bowl so that when the first omelets is done, the next can be started right away. Serve with bacon or sausage, toast and OJ.

Diana's Homemade Yogurt

 

Making yogurt might not be pretty, but it's a real thriller, and it tastes out of this world!

 

1 gallon milk

1 small container plain yogurt

Sugar (to taste)

Fruit or crushed berries (optional)

 

Put milk in large pot on stove and heat on high till it almost boils. Let cool to med warm, then add the container of yogurt (culture). Pour mixture into a gallon jar. Wrap the jar with a towel and set it on a heating pad, on low. Let sit overnight. Add sugar (to taste) and crushed berries or your choice of flavors. Can be made in a quart jar for a smaller batch.

 

Variations:

*Yogurt Milkshake

Put yogurt, a little orange juice concentrate and two bananas/strawberries in a blender then top off with milk and blend. Omit the milk and add ice for a thicker smoothie-style drink.

*Yogurt Smoothie

Crush blackberries (or any fruit) with a little sugar and blend with yogurt and ice cubes for thickness. Milk can be added if desired.

*Sour Cream Substitute

Use yogurt straight from jar without adding sugar.

 

Dennis’ Pancakes & Syrup

These pancakes are made from scratch--and they're the best. You can cut this recipe in half, but why would you?

 

Pancakes

Mix together:

2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

 

Then in two separate bowls, separate yolks and whites of:

3 eggs

 

In bowl with yolks add:

2 cups milk

4 Tbsp. cooking oil

 

With a hand mixer, beat the whites to stiff but not dry and then beat in milk, yolk and oil mixture till blended (Don't mix the yolk, milk mixture first or the egg whites will not stiffen up). Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients all at once and stir with minimal strokes. Add the egg whites and, again, stir as little as possible. There will be some lumps, but they will take care of themselves. When a drop of water sizzles on the griddle, it's ready. Pour in ¼ cup batter for each pancake.

 

 

 

Homemade Syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup water

1 tsp maple (or vanilla) extract

 

Mix sugars and water together and bring to boil then quickly down to simmer, stirring often. When thickened to desired consistency, take off heat and add maple extract. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Diana's Oatmeal

 

Rolled oats

Milk

Honey or sugar

 

Pour raw oats into individual bowls, cover with milk and honey. Serve.

Dennis’ Cinnamon & Raisin Oatmeal

 

Rolled oats (not quick oats)

Raisins

Butter

Cinnamon & sugar (dedicate a spice shaker to a 2/3 sugar & 1/3 cinnamon mix)

Milk or cream

 

Slowly add oats to a pot of boiling water. Bring to boil again then turn down to medium-low and simmer. Watch carefully so it does not foam over. Cook about 5-6 minutes till done. Add a handful of raisins (either while cooking or after). Remove pan from heat and let stand for a couple of minutes. Add a pat of butter and let it melt. Add cinnamon/sugar mixture and cover with milk.

Milktoast

Milk

Toast

Sugar

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

 

Heat milk in a saucepan to hot--but not boiling. Put toast in a large breakfast bowl and sprinkle with sugar and spices. Pour milk over seasoned toast and enjoy--or not, depending on how you feel about soggy bread.

Melanie's German Pancakes

3 eggs

½ cup flour

½ cup milk

butter

 

Heat oven to 450º. Melt butter in dish. Blend eggs, flour and milk in blender. Add butter to batter. Pour in oven-proof dish and cook 20 minutes.

Daisha's Difficult and Dangerous Egg McCluffins

The secret ingredients:

Bread of some description (bagel, english muffin, biscuit, crumpet or even just plain bread)

Butter or Margarine

Eggs

Cheese (your fav)

Salt & Pepper

Non-stick spray

Optional: Meat (sausage, bacon, ham, etc)

 

The method:

Coat a microwave safe bowl with non-stick spray and crack an egg into it. Scramble well. Place the bowl in the 'wave and cook for 1-2 minutes (depending on the wattage). Meanwhile, toast and butter two pieces of bread. When the egg is done, put it on one piece of bread and cover it with thin slices of cheese. Add meat here, if so desired. Finish off with salt, pepper and the other piece of bread. Pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so if the cheese stubbornly refuses to melt. Enjoy.

Grandma Anna's Whole Wheat Pancakes with Sunflower Seeds

This is a fantastic recipe that will take you back to Spring Break at Grandma's house in Orange County. For the full effect, serve with pure maple syrup and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

2 cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup raw wheat germ

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Pinch of salt

3 eggs

3 ½ cups buttermilk (+/- to desired consistency)

2 cups raw sunflower seeds

In large bowl mix first five dry ingredients, make a well and beat the eggs in the well. Add buttermilk, stir until the dry and wet ingredients are mixed. Add sunflower seeds and stir. (This mixture can be stirred as much as needed, with whole wheat stirring is not detrimental to the batter). Cook in cast-iron skillet or griddle coated generously with olive oil for approximately 2 1/2 min or until bubbles form on top, turn and cook for about 1 min. Serve with pure maple syrup, other fruit syrups, butter or sour cream.

Dennis’ Biscuits 'n' Gravy

The Biscuits:

4 cups flour

2 T. baking powder

4 t. sugar

1 t. cream of tartar

½ t. salt

½ cup (1 cube) butter, margarine or shortening

About 1 ½ cups milk

Preheat oven to 450°

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add 1 ½ cups milk all at once and stir until well blended. Knead in a large bowl (or turn out on a floured surface) 10 - 14 strokes. Dust your hands with flour first, and knead as little as possible for the softest biscuits. Roll the dough out ½ inch thick and cut with floured cutter (about the size of a wide-mouth Mason jar lid). Do not twist as you cut. Place them on ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Before putting them in the oven, brush tops with a little butter to make them brown better. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. When they are done take them off the baking sheet and place in a covered bowl to keep them warm while you proceed. If you leave them on the baking sheet, the bottoms will become hardened. Put 3-4 eggs on the boil for later.

The Gravy:

½ cup (1 cube) butter

½ cup flour

About 8 cups milk

Optional:

1 onion

1 lb. meat (Italian sausage, kielbasa, ham, hamburger, etc.)

1 can mushrooms, sliced

Put chopped onion and crumbled sausage in a frying pan and brown. Add a can of sliced mushrooms. When this is done put it in a bowl and set aside. Put butter in a larger pan and melt. Add flour. Blend flour and butter with a whisk until smooth and let it cook over medium heat till slightly brown (to remove raw flour flavor). All at once, pour in milk and stir long enough with the whisk to ensure no lumps--at least a minute. Turn up the heat a little and stir often to keep it smooth. As it thickens, you decide whether you like light, medium or heavy gravy. If it's too thick, add another cup of milk and keep heating till it is the right consistency. Turn the heat down to low and add the bowl of meat and onion mixture, stirring well. Continue stirring occasionally while it simmers on the lowest heat setting and you work on your toppings.

The Toppings:

3-4 boiled eggs, sliced

Cheese, grated

½ can olives, sliced

1-2 tomatoes, chopped

Salt and pepper

Optional toppings for the adventurous: minced onion, pepperocini, bacon bits, bell pepper, green olives, croutons, pickles or parmesan cheese.

You'll have turned the heat under the boiling eggs off by now. Pour off the hot water and cool them quickly with cold water (makes them easier to peel and eliminates the gas that turns the yolk dark). Put each of your chopped, grated or sliced toppings into their own bowl. Add a handful of the shredded cheese to the gravy and blend it in well.

Now you can stop pushing everyone away and let them eat. Recipe may be cut in ½ for smaller portion.

Heavenly Blintzes

This recipe goes great with homemade ice cream and blackberry jam.

Sift:

1 ½ cups of flour

Re-sift with:

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

4 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Beat:

4 eggs

Add and beat in:

1 1/3 cups milk

2/3 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine dry and liquid ingredients and stir with minimal strokes. Heat a skillet then add a few drops of oil, coating pan thoroughly. Add batter then tip pan to ensure blintz covers the whole bottom of pan. Adjust the amount of batter to desired size. Cook over moderate heat.

For sweet/dessert blintzes, cook both sides till golden brown then add ice cream, fruit, syrup etc., fold over and serve quickly.

For savory blintzes (cheese, meat or vegetables) brown only on one side then turn it out onto a paper towel, cooked side up. Add your filling, fold and lay blintzes side by side in skillet (to which you have added ½ Tbsp. oil and ½ Tbsp. butter) seam side down, and fry till golden brown, turning once.