I've decided to hop back on the wagon this month for blogging and what better way to start off than with a post about budgeting and cooking from the freezer?
Today was a baking/cooking for the freezer day here. I have cooked the following for later eating:
15 cinnamon applesauce oatmeal muffins
9 buckwheat pancakes
12 hamburger/sandwich buns
12 small yorkshire puddings
Pizza dough - enough for 2 large or 3 medium sized pizzas
Tomorrow I will be making:
Homemade 'poptarts' - external link (US measurements)
Pasties (with whatever fillings I have on hand)
Biscuit/scone dough - external link (US measurements)
I had to stop baking today because I've ran out of flour! We are having a curry tonight (homemade) made with leftover pork roast. We are also having onion bahji's, naan bread, rice, and red lentils. I'm cheating and using a tikka masala sauce I bought while it was on sale for the curry.
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
Pizza Crust
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup (236 ml) warm water (between 110F-120F or 44C-48C)
2 1/2 cups (380 g) bread or plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Let stand until creamy (~5-10 minutes). Stir in the flour, salt, and the oil. Stir or knead until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
*If freezing: Separate into separate dough balls (1 for each pizza) if desired, then wrap and freeze. Thaw completely before shaping and baking.
*If not freezing for later use: Preheat oven to 450F/230C/Gas mark 8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Separate into smaller portions for smaller pizzas.
Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan. Spread out with hands. Spread on sauce and toppings and bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup (236 ml) warm water (between 110F-120F or 44C-48C)
2 1/2 cups (380 g) bread or plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Let stand until creamy (~5-10 minutes). Stir in the flour, salt, and the oil. Stir or knead until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
*If freezing: Separate into separate dough balls (1 for each pizza) if desired, then wrap and freeze. Thaw completely before shaping and baking.
*If not freezing for later use: Preheat oven to 450F/230C/Gas mark 8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Separate into smaller portions for smaller pizzas.
Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan. Spread out with hands. Spread on sauce and toppings and bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
Cinnamon Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
Recipe courtesy of SparkPeople
1 cup (90 g) old fashion rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup (236 ml) milk
1 cup (135 g) whole wheat flour (plain flour works as well)
1/2 cup (85 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (118 ml) unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. white sugar
raisins or nuts (optional)
Soak the oats in milk for about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 400F/205C/gas mark 6.
Grease muffin tin.
Combine the oat mixture with the applesauce, brown sugar, and egg, and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl measure and whisk the dry ingredients together.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Add nuts or raisins if desired.
Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough. Spoon muffin mixture into muffin pan.
Combine the cinnamon and sugar and top each muffin with some of the mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.
Remove from pan, cool and enjoy.
These can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for a quick breakfast.
*The cinnamon can be mixed in with the dry ingredients and the white sugar may be omitted if desired.
1 cup (90 g) old fashion rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup (236 ml) milk
1 cup (135 g) whole wheat flour (plain flour works as well)
1/2 cup (85 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (118 ml) unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. white sugar
raisins or nuts (optional)
Soak the oats in milk for about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 400F/205C/gas mark 6.
Grease muffin tin.
Combine the oat mixture with the applesauce, brown sugar, and egg, and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl measure and whisk the dry ingredients together.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Add nuts or raisins if desired.
Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough. Spoon muffin mixture into muffin pan.
Combine the cinnamon and sugar and top each muffin with some of the mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.
Remove from pan, cool and enjoy.
These can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for a quick breakfast.
*The cinnamon can be mixed in with the dry ingredients and the white sugar may be omitted if desired.
Yorkshire Pudding
Recipe courtesy of 'The best of Mrs Beeton's Easy Everyday Cooking'
100 g (4 oz, by weight) plain flour
1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
1 egg, beaten
300 ml (10 fluid oz, 1 1/4 cups) milk, or half milk and half water
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Grease either a baking dish or muffin tins and place into the oven to preheat with the oven.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg. Stir in half of the milk (or all of the milk if using a mixture of milk and water), gradually working in the flour.
Beat vigorously until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, then stir in the rest of the milk (or the water).
Pour the batter into the baking dish or muffin tins and bake for 40-45 minutes (muffin tins only take about 35 minutes) until golden brown and well risen.
100 g (4 oz, by weight) plain flour
1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
1 egg, beaten
300 ml (10 fluid oz, 1 1/4 cups) milk, or half milk and half water
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Grease either a baking dish or muffin tins and place into the oven to preheat with the oven.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg. Stir in half of the milk (or all of the milk if using a mixture of milk and water), gradually working in the flour.
Beat vigorously until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, then stir in the rest of the milk (or the water).
Pour the batter into the baking dish or muffin tins and bake for 40-45 minutes (muffin tins only take about 35 minutes) until golden brown and well risen.
Buckwheat Pancakes
Recipe courtesy of Hodgson Mill
1 cup (130 g) buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup (236 ml) milk
2 tbsp (55 g) butter
Mix dry ingredients together. Heat frying pan or electric griddle. Melt butter. Add to the dry ingredients the egg, milk and melted butter. Mix well. Pour 1/4 cup (~60 ml) of batter for each pancake onto the frying pan or electric griddle. Cook for 1-1 1/2 minutes, turning when edges look cooked and bubbles begin to break on the surface. Continue to cook for another 1-1 1/2 minutes until both sides are golden brown.
*If freezing these, allow to cool completely on a wire rack, then stack, placing a piece of waxed, greaseproof, or parchment paper between each. Place these into a container or a bag and freeze. To serve, remove needed amount from the freezer and place into a toaster to re-heat.
1 cup (130 g) buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup (236 ml) milk
2 tbsp (55 g) butter
Mix dry ingredients together. Heat frying pan or electric griddle. Melt butter. Add to the dry ingredients the egg, milk and melted butter. Mix well. Pour 1/4 cup (~60 ml) of batter for each pancake onto the frying pan or electric griddle. Cook for 1-1 1/2 minutes, turning when edges look cooked and bubbles begin to break on the surface. Continue to cook for another 1-1 1/2 minutes until both sides are golden brown.
*If freezing these, allow to cool completely on a wire rack, then stack, placing a piece of waxed, greaseproof, or parchment paper between each. Place these into a container or a bag and freeze. To serve, remove needed amount from the freezer and place into a toaster to re-heat.
Hamburger or hot dog buns
Hamburger or hot dog buns
Makes 12 servings
1 cup (236 ml) milk
1/2 cup (118 ml) water
1/4 cup (55 g) butter
up to 4 1/2 cups (700 g) plain flour
1 1/4 tsp (~7 g) yeast
2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
1 1/2 tsp (~9 g) salt
1 egg
In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm, between 110F-120F (44C-48C) (if you don't have a thermometer, stick a clean finger in the mix, you want to be able to hold it there for about 4-5 seconds, but no longer).
In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cups (270 g) flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture, then add the egg.
Add just enough flour to form a loose dough, I added 3 doses of 100 g flour each time, for a total of 570 g flour used. This will vary based on the ambient humidity. The drier it is, the less flour you need, the wetter it is, the more flour you need.
Once the dough has pulled together (and by this point your arm will feel like it will fall off from stirring!!!), lightly flour a clean kitchen counter or table, dump the dough ball out onto the floured surface and knead for about 5-8 minutes.
Make the dough into a log (remember your play dough or clay from primary school!) and cut into 12 pieces. I use a pair of clean scissors to make this easier. They don't have to be exactly the same size, after all, that's one of the charms of homemade bread!
Shape the dough into round balls and place on a greased baking sheet (or use greaseproof or parchment paper). *** Please be sure to grease even the greaseproof or parchment paper, these things like to stick! Flatten each ball slightly. Cover and let rise for 30-35 minutes. This step can take as long as an hour or so, depending on the temperature where they are rising and the humidity.
I placed the two pans of dough balls into the oven (turned off and cooled from when I was baking earlier) on the two top racks, then I put a baking dish under those on a third rack (the floor of the oven works fine, so long as there isn't a heating element down there!). Boil some water in the kettle, pour the water slowly into the baking dish, slide the baking dish into the oven and close the door. The heat and humidity from the boiled water will make the dough rise quicker, even with a cold house. Be sure to place a towel below your oven door, the humidity can run down the front of the door onto the floor. Great way to clean an oven door though!
Anyway - after the dough has risen, bake at 400F/205C/gas mark 6 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
For hot dog buns: Shape each of the 12 pieces into a 6 inch by 4 inch rectangle (or close to it, doesn't need to be exact). Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly and pinch the edges and ends to seal. Let rise for 20-25 minutes. Bake the same as the hamburger buns.
To make onion rolls (my favourite!): add 2 tbsp dried minced onion and 1/2 tsp onion salt to the flour mixture (reduce the salt in the recipe to 1 tsp (~6 g)). Brush with egg and sprinkle dried onion over the tops and bake as normal.
Makes 12 servings
1 cup (236 ml) milk
1/2 cup (118 ml) water
1/4 cup (55 g) butter
up to 4 1/2 cups (700 g) plain flour
1 1/4 tsp (~7 g) yeast
2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
1 1/2 tsp (~9 g) salt
1 egg
In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm, between 110F-120F (44C-48C) (if you don't have a thermometer, stick a clean finger in the mix, you want to be able to hold it there for about 4-5 seconds, but no longer).
In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cups (270 g) flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture, then add the egg.
Add just enough flour to form a loose dough, I added 3 doses of 100 g flour each time, for a total of 570 g flour used. This will vary based on the ambient humidity. The drier it is, the less flour you need, the wetter it is, the more flour you need.
Once the dough has pulled together (and by this point your arm will feel like it will fall off from stirring!!!), lightly flour a clean kitchen counter or table, dump the dough ball out onto the floured surface and knead for about 5-8 minutes.
Make the dough into a log (remember your play dough or clay from primary school!) and cut into 12 pieces. I use a pair of clean scissors to make this easier. They don't have to be exactly the same size, after all, that's one of the charms of homemade bread!
Shape the dough into round balls and place on a greased baking sheet (or use greaseproof or parchment paper). *** Please be sure to grease even the greaseproof or parchment paper, these things like to stick! Flatten each ball slightly. Cover and let rise for 30-35 minutes. This step can take as long as an hour or so, depending on the temperature where they are rising and the humidity.
I placed the two pans of dough balls into the oven (turned off and cooled from when I was baking earlier) on the two top racks, then I put a baking dish under those on a third rack (the floor of the oven works fine, so long as there isn't a heating element down there!). Boil some water in the kettle, pour the water slowly into the baking dish, slide the baking dish into the oven and close the door. The heat and humidity from the boiled water will make the dough rise quicker, even with a cold house. Be sure to place a towel below your oven door, the humidity can run down the front of the door onto the floor. Great way to clean an oven door though!
Anyway - after the dough has risen, bake at 400F/205C/gas mark 6 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
For hot dog buns: Shape each of the 12 pieces into a 6 inch by 4 inch rectangle (or close to it, doesn't need to be exact). Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly and pinch the edges and ends to seal. Let rise for 20-25 minutes. Bake the same as the hamburger buns.
To make onion rolls (my favourite!): add 2 tbsp dried minced onion and 1/2 tsp onion salt to the flour mixture (reduce the salt in the recipe to 1 tsp (~6 g)). Brush with egg and sprinkle dried onion over the tops and bake as normal.
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Refrigerator Cookies
(this was originally a GF recipe, but they work with plain flour as well)
225g plain flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
100g butter
175g caster sugar (granulated works as well)
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract/flavouring
1 beaten egg
Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl. Rub in the butter. Squish it between your fingers in the flour, it's actually quite fun in my opinion. Add the sugar and mix. Add the vanilla and egg and mix into a dough. Here is where you can add chocolate, nuts, dried fruits, etc. if you want.
Bake at 190C/375F/gas mark 5 for 10-12 minutes. If baking from frozen, you may need to add an extra minute or two. Let them cool a bit on the tray before trying to get them off, or bake them on the tray with parchment paper/greaseproof paper. The paper makes it so much easier to transfer them off the pan!
The original recipe says to shape into a long roll about 5 cm diameter and wrap, then refrigerate overnight. I end up just rolling little balls of the dough and baking some, then freezing the rest of the cookie balls on a cookie sheet. Once they're frozen, toss them into a bag or container and then you can just pull out as many as you need (or want) and bake away without waiting. That is, *if* you can resist eating the frozen dough like I always end up doing...
225g plain flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
100g butter
175g caster sugar (granulated works as well)
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract/flavouring
1 beaten egg
Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl. Rub in the butter. Squish it between your fingers in the flour, it's actually quite fun in my opinion. Add the sugar and mix. Add the vanilla and egg and mix into a dough. Here is where you can add chocolate, nuts, dried fruits, etc. if you want.
Bake at 190C/375F/gas mark 5 for 10-12 minutes. If baking from frozen, you may need to add an extra minute or two. Let them cool a bit on the tray before trying to get them off, or bake them on the tray with parchment paper/greaseproof paper. The paper makes it so much easier to transfer them off the pan!
The original recipe says to shape into a long roll about 5 cm diameter and wrap, then refrigerate overnight. I end up just rolling little balls of the dough and baking some, then freezing the rest of the cookie balls on a cookie sheet. Once they're frozen, toss them into a bag or container and then you can just pull out as many as you need (or want) and bake away without waiting. That is, *if* you can resist eating the frozen dough like I always end up doing...
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