Different..............

Well, I am living at a friends for now and wondering what's my next step.
I enjoy the couple I live with and they are very nice. Only thing is, that I truly miss being so close to family. We are within a few miles, but yet too far for me. Since my car hasn't work this past week, I rarely have seen them. Just a weird feeling.
The couple I live with needs help at night. Usually can have Friday or Saturday off, but the gentleman has worked 11 days in a row, so it has been hard to do anything else. This is the first time I have missed a grandchild's music concert.
I haven't written, because I haven't been able to do my usual baking and sharing the goodies.
Anyway, just wanted to update things around here.

Missing a lot!

Wow! Haven't been on in a while and everyone writes, so I am sorry if I haven't read your blog for a bit. Just wanted to let everyone know that I am living at a friends and am unable to get online as much.

So, Happy Thanksgiving to all and hoping to get on this coming Friday!

Turkey day, here we come!!!

Sourdough Half and Half Bread

Sourdough Half & Half Bread

By Rita Davenport

2/3 cup powder milk

2 cups warm water

1 package active dry yeast

3 cups whole wheat flour

3-4 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup starter

¼ cup molasses

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon baking soda

In a large bowl, combine milk powder and water. Stir in yeast. Set aside to soften 5 minutes. Stir until yeast dissolves. Stir in whole-wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour and sourdough starter. Beat until thoroughly combined. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place free from drafts. Let rise 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size. Stir down dough. Stir in molasses, salt and butter; set aside. Add baking soda to 1 cup remaining flour. Stir into whole-wheat mixture. Gradually stir in enough remaining all-purpose flour to form a medium-stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Clean and grease bowl; set aside. Knead dough 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place kneaded dough in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place fee from drafts. Let rise 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size. Generously grease two 9”x5” loaf pans; set aside. Punch down dough. Shape into 2 loaves and place in prepared pans. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place free from drafts. Let rise about 2 hours or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375˚. Bake 45 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped with your fingers. After 30 minutes, if loaves are golden brown, cover with a tent of foil to prevent further browning. Turn out of pans. Cool top side up on a rack. Makes 2 loaves. *Glenda’s note: I use only 1 teaspoon salt instead of 1 tablespoon. Also I make into 2 round loaves and bake on cookie sheet that has been greased with cornmeal sprinkled on.

Peanut Butter Fudge

RECIPE BACKSTORY
We have always like peanut butter fudge and my grandmother made the best. She sent (back in 1970) me her recipe and in it, she wrote to add enough canned milk to make the mix good and runny. This is where I never could get it right. So, when peanut butter chips came out I made mine like the chocolate fudge from the marshmallow creme jar, but add extra peanut butter. And now we have pb fudge for Christmas every year, since 1991. Also put on my other blog: http://mymomsfilebox.blogspot.com/2009/11/peanut-butter-divinity.html, the recipes of my mom's and grandmother's recipes.


INGREDIENTS
3 cups sugar
3/4 butter
2/3 cup canned evaporated milk
1 package (10 ounces) peanut butter chips, Resses' brand
3 tablespoons peanut butter, creamy kind
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS
Stir together butter, sugar, and milk in heavy 3 quart saucepan.
Bring to full boil stirring constantly.
Boil 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Remove from heat.
Gradually stir in peanut butter and peanut butter chips until melted.
Add marshmallow creme and vanilla and mix until well blended.
Pour into greased with butter pan, 9"x13".
Cool at room temperture, cut into squares.
Makes about 3 pounds of candy.

Sourdough Sam's - donut's

Ok, here it is the best donuts, I have ever made! This recipe comes from my Sourdough Cookbook, by Don and Myrtle Holm. I have been making these since the 80's.. Enjoy!!!!

Sourdough Sam's
1/2 cup sourdough stater
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking power
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg yolks or 1 whole egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
Sift dry ingredients, stir into liquid, roll out, and cut, with donut cutter. Then heat some oil to 390 degrees and fry. Makes 17 donuts and holes. Dust with granulated sugar or a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, or powered sugar in a paper bag.

Playing with Fillo (Phyllo)Dough

Last of the strawberry season, the quarts were only $1.99, I bought 3 of them thinking I would make some freezer jam, but forgot to buy the Sure-Jell, so this is what I made from them.

Needed to use up the strawberries and had some extra Fillo dough, so I kinda remembered this recipe I saw in one of my cookbooks (they are in storage). I started playing with the dough on a cookie sheet, when 1/2 done I remembered it should have been in a 9x13" pan, for the depth. Anyway, I am buttering the dough layer by layer and adding a sprinkle of sugar here and there. On one layer I sprinkled some cinnamon. About what I thought would be the middle layer I put some half-cut strawberries on, then more Fillo layers, more butter and a little sugar. One layer I did put a drizzle of honey. Baked this in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. About 1/2 hour later, the most scrumptious dessert came out.

It was great, but next time I will put less sugar and more honey.

Doesn't it make your mouth water?

Hamburger Buns

These are the best wheat hamburger buns I have made, hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we have!

2 cups water (warm, 110˚)
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon lecithin, liquid type (can use 1 extra tablespoon oil, if you don't have lecithin)
small pinch of Vitamin C powder (add this if you are using the lecithin)
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons molasses
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups white flour
2 tablespoons flaxseeds
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yeast (2 pkgs. yeast)
Mix yeast in with wheat flour. In large mixer using dough hook, add all the ingredients, except flours. Slowly add flours and mix until dough forms large ball. Finish kneeding on counter or pasty sheet, may need to add extra flour, for about 5 minutes. Put into oiled bowl and let rise until doubled. Punch down and roll into a rectangle. Cut with a 3 ½ inches circle cutter. I was able to cut out 14 hamburger buns. Put onto two greased cookie sheets, let rise. Put into preheated oven at 350˚ for about 20 minutes. Cool and cut in half for hamburger buns!

New Blog

Received a recipe file box of my mother's and thought I would try and bake or cook most of the recipes in it and blog about them. There are clippings and handwritten recipes galore, many memories. Some I don't remember her making. I guess I am more like her in that way, I collect so many and don't get the time to make the recipes up. Oh the memories of sitting at my granny's kitchen and writing the many wonderful recipes with Aunts, cousins, granny and my mom. Some of the stories I will tell about as I make the different dishes. Anyway, hope to give it a try. Here is the blog page: http://mymomsfilebox.blogspot.com/!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin and Spinach Soup with Beef

1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
2 quarts regular-strength chicken broth
½ pound boneless beef chuck, fat trimmed, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 ½ pounds Hubbard squash or banana squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½ -inch cubes (about 10 cups)
2 large (about ½ pound) carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
½ pound spinach, tough stems and wilted leaves discarded, rinsed well and drained
Salt and pepper to taste

In a 6-8 quart pan, stir butter, onion, and celery over medium-high heat until onion is limp, about 5 minutes. Add broth and beef; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add squash and carrots; cover and simmer until squash and beef are very tender when pierced, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut spinach into ¼ inch wide strips.
With a slotted spoon, lift out about ¾ of the squash and coarsely mash. Return mashed squash to pan along with spinach. Bring to a boil; then simmer, uncovered, until spinach wilts, 3-4 minutes. Skim and discard fat. Ladle soup into bowls. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 6-8
Per serving: 15 calories, 12 g protein, 5 g fat, 18 g carbo, 126 sodium, 21 mg chol.
Sunset Magazine Feb 1991

Things I change:I cook the beef by itself in water -2 hours, until it almost falls apart.

I don't mash the squash, I leave it cubed.

Love,love this soup!

World Bread Day 2009

How could I not bake bread today after reading this blog!

I noticed it last week and have been thinking of what to bake.

Finally yesterday, I have decided to bake our special rolls.

This is another recipe I got when I was in high school and still make it to this day. My mom always made the 'Sweet Rolls' in the 1950 series Betty Crocker book, it makes 1 dozen at a time. She always made 2 dozen for us and a dozen each for the neighbors at Christmas time. They all knew when I would come to borrow a cookie sheet that they would get a pan of rolls back. So I have always tried to pass this tradition on wherever I live, the neighbors love it. My grandchildren expect these rolls every Christmas, and when I dare try something new, they say, "GRANDMA, where are our rolls?"

Here they are, hope you enjoy the recipe! It makes enough to share.

Where would we be without Zorra, to keep us making breads? Thanks for sponsoring this day Zorra!

Easy Refrigerator Rolls

4 packages dry-yeast

4 cups water water

1 cup sugar (* see note)

1/2 cup shortening (can use 1/4 cup shortening and 1/4 cup butter, or 1/2 cup butter)

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

12-14 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water let sit about 5 minutes to proof.

Stir in sugar,salt,shortening and eggs.

Sift flour. Mix in flour with hand until dough is easy to handle.

Turn onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic.

Place greased-side up in a greased bowl.

Cover with damp cloth, place in refrigerator.

In about 1 hour, shape into your favorite kind of rolls (I like the knot kind).

Let rise.

Heat oven to 400 degrees, bake 12-15 minutes.

After brown, and out of oven, brush lightly with butter.
Makes 4-6 dozen, depending on type of roll you make.

The original recipe says it makes 8 dozen rolls, if you like super little rolls, you can probably get that many.

Sometimes I make them big enough for sandwiches, other times small for dinner rolls.

*note: you can make this recipe using 1/2 cup sugar, instead of the whole cup.

**I did make this without 1 cup of sugar and used 1/2 cup, still tastes great! More like bread than sweet bread.

Don't know why when I blogged this, that Oct 8 came up. Must learn more about blogging.

A Treasure

Here is an article about my father- Glenn Utterback. I was excitied to find it among the recipes from my mother's recipe file box. What a treasure to me!

I received this box yesterday from my sister and read every recipe in it. It makes me remember all the times my mom baked from these special recipes during the holiday seasons. I will be adding the recipes to the group, 'My Best Recipes" on facebook.

Back to the article, it says: "Glenn Utterback, who will soon be resigning as Cubmaster of Santa Fe Springs Pack 553-C, due to a job transfer to the Azusa area, was given an appreciation party at the home of the Hugh Hartleys at .... L...... Ave, Friday evening. Over two dozen adult leaders and parents of the pack were in attendance and Utterback was presented a plaque from the pack attesting to his popularity during the time he served as Cubmaster as well as in other roles during the life of the pack. He was also presented a wrist watch by interested parents who wished to show him their personal appreciation for the time he'd given the Cub Scouts.

His wife, Emma, who has served as den mother of the Den 2 for the past two years also received a gift."

I am so glad to have found this and remind me of my father as a Cubmaster, it is nice to know that others cared for my parents. We moved to Azusa back in 1959, so this article is from that time period. I can remember when we put on a little skit that was done as a small movie. It was in the backyard of our house and my mother painted on huge cardboards the scene of a western general store, the cub scouts all had parts and even I got to be in it. Everywhere my older brother went as a scout, I got to tag along. Sometimes I wonder if he minded me being active in his scouting program. That was a time when I liked being the younger sister.

Anyway, my father and mother were both active in the scouting programs for both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. I am hoping some of the pictures show up of these scouting days.

Grandkids and grandma in the kitchen!

Last Saturday around 3 p.m. my granddaughter remembered we were going to a church potluck, where we were suppose to make a dish and share it for different contests.

The dinner, I thought started at 6:30 p.m. So we pulled out one of Seth's cookbooks, each found a recipe we wanted to try and got started.

Kalene started first with the recipe, 'Vanilla Rings'. As she was pounding whole almonds into ground almonds, Seth got his ingredients together. I went to the store to buy some yogurt as we were actually out. They did an awesome job, all by themselves and both of their cookie batches came out so delicious!

In the recipe that Kalene chose, she decided to add melted chocolate on top. What a great idea and it made the cookies.

I haven't tasted a sugar type cookie with ginger in it before, Seth's were a light type with just a little crunch as they cooled off. 'Grantham Gingerbreads' is the recipe Seth chose.

I decided to make a bread that I needed to enter a recipe for Bread Baking Day, 'Lemon Poppyseed Braid'. Post is below this one.

When we got to church, we found out the dinner started at 6 p.m., but lucky for us there were others who were late and plenty of food. Everyone was glad I brought bread as only two others did and this helped to be spread around, same with the kids bringing cookies. We must have chosen the right recipes as we didn't take anything home, yeah!

I think everyone who brought a dish should have won, everything was great! Very filling night.

Recipes:

Vanilla Rings

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup ground almonds

3 cups flour

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl, or use a food processor on a low speed, until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the egg, then the vanilla extract, almonds, and flour.
• Put the paste into a decorating bag fitted with a star-shaped tip.
• Pipe 2-inch rings on to a greased baking sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.

Recipe by: Deborah Gray

Book: the baker’s bible

Grantham Gingerbreads

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 stick butter or margarine

1 ½ cups superfine sugar

1 egg, beaten

• Preheat oven to 300˚F.
• In one bowl, sift together the flour and the giner.
• In another bowl, beat together the butter or margarine and sugar, then beat in the egg.
• Stir in the flour mixture and combine well.
• Roll the dough into a walnut-sized balls.
• Place the balls on a greased baking tray and bake for about 40 minutes until crisp, hollow, and lightly browned.

*Note: These round puffy gingerbread cookies should be “hollow and slightly dome-shaped, with a pleasing fawn tint.”

Recipe by: Deborah Gray

Book: the baker’s bible

BBD #23 “Something You’ve Never Made Before"

This is my granddaughter's hand, giving this recipe a thumbs up for the recipe I chose for the BBD #23 hosted by Nick of imafoodblog.com. Thanks Nick and group for hosting this month. Will be making this bread again.

Slightly sweet, flavored with lemon, and full of poppy seeds, tender delicious bread! Here is the bread I decided to make for the BBD #23. It took me way too long to figure out which bread I wanted to try, that I have not made. Well an opportunity came up for a church potluck, so got out one of my grandson's cookbooks and went to work. Here is what I baked and it did win a prize for using whole grains!

Lemon Poppyseed Braid

1 egg

½ cup lemon yogurt (the store was out of lemon yogurt, so I used plain and added to 2 tablespoons of juice from a lemon.)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ tablespoons poppyseeds

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup unbleached bread flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 ½ teaspoons yeast

Glaze or egg wash:

1 egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons water

• Beat egg with yogurt, butter, sugar, poppyseeds, and lemon zest.
• Sift together the flours, yeast and salt.
• Stir all of the ingredients together to get the flours wet. You may need to add more unbleached flour, (as I did, almost another 1 cup).
• Knead the dough by hand until soft and not too wet.
• Put dough into a well-greased bowl and let rise for about 1 hour.
• When the dough has doubled in size take out of bowl and knead onto a lightly floured surface.
• Cut dough into 3 equal pieces and roll into a rope, about 14” long.
• Braid the three ropes into a braid and put onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (Can use a greased cookie sheet.)
• Cover dough and rise until doubled, about 30-40 minutes.
• Brush top of dough with egg-water wash.
• Bake bread in a preheated oven 350˚F until golden, 25-35 minutes. Make sure dough is done in middle, use the toothpick method to check.

Orginal recipe by: Deborah Gray of the baker's bible

My Daughters' Wedding

Haven't taken a chance to write about my daughters wedding. It's almost two months now. I don't write much, because I don't know how to express my feelings well. But here goes.

It was beautiful!!! A nice day and we didn't see any rain until we were almost home.

In our church we are sealed for time and eternity, so we go to our temples and have the ceremony there. Very special, very sacred, very peaceful. It is just a special feeling inside, not that all marriage ceremonies are not special and beautiful, they are. I love how you know that you are seal to your spouse always, and because of this sacredness, you strive hard to stay married and work on your relationship with your spouse. In the ceremony Michelle cried tears of happiness and we all felt the spirit there. She is a good example to her nephews and nieces and cousins.

The reception was at our church building and the lady who was in charge of decoration did a fabulous job! It was magical and beautiful!!!! Words cannot describe it all, so hopefully the pictures will.

As I drove to my house to finish and pick up the cake, I started to panic. It was hot and steamy out side and I was worried the frosting on the cake would melt. So we packed each tier carefully and away we went. Whenever I make wedding cakes I finished them at the reception, in case the decorations fall from the driving. Well we didn’t get home early enough from the wedding ceremony, so I was rushed and got to the church as the reception was starting. A few people suggested to hurry up and get in the reception line as the mother-of-the bride should do. But how do you hurry the decorations on the cake. I did my best and one of the corners of the bottom tier fell off, so I had to ‘glue’ it back together with more frosting and toothpicks. Any way for all that panic, Michelle thought the cake looked great!

At the reception there were lots of guests and things went well. She looked lovely and we all liked the tux, Alex chose to wear. They both are a good looking couple and are very happy.

It was sad to see them leave for their honeymoon, as I realized I won’t see her everyday, anymore. She now has her own life to live. So to me it is a happy day and a sad day. I hope and pray the best for them and that they will strive to live a great married life!

(By the way, no one ate the toothpicks, as luckily it was the last piece of cake to be cut.)

I want to thank all who helped by taking these pictures: Sarah, Julie, Joey, Cynthia, and Seth. (I also took some.)

Berry Crumble Cake

Jamie,

Made this a couple of weeks ago and forgot to put in on my blog. Didn't have plums right away, so made the 'Plum Crumble Cake' with berries. Oh my gosh! Delicious!!! Thanks for your recipe. Only difference is that I used 1 cup blueberries and 1 cup raspberries! Can't wait to try with the plums. I enjoyed how you tasted a coffee cake, yet the crispy bread crust.

What mixture of the two! We really enjoyed it, for the recipe go to:

http://lifesafeast.blogspot.com/2009/07/jamie-and-clare-bake.html

Very easy to make, hope all of you try it!

BBD #22 Sweet Breads

Almost forgot to post my bread for this months BBD. It is hosted by Stefanie on this blog:

http://stefanie-herberth.de or link to this month bread is: http://stefanie-herberth.de/2009/07/anouncing-breadbakingday-22-sweet-breads/

As most of you know I enjoy this group of people and all the different types of breads from around the world. Everyone is such great bakers and I enjoy reading their blogs. Hope you will too and begin to bake some breads! Thanks, Stefanie for hosting this months Sweetbreads.

In my family, at the holidays we make delicious sweet rolls, so I thought I would try and find a new raisin bread recipe that we could eat for breakfast or snack time. As I am living with my oldest daughter for a bit, I went to the local library and check out some new bread books. One I came across is called: Prairie Home Breads. I found a raisin bread that sounded like what I wanted. Hudson Flour Company is from here and the story that went along with this recipe was great! So here is the recipe, I adapted it just a bit.

The Miller’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread

2 cups milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons dry instant yeast

1 ½ cups raisins, plumped in 1 cup warmed apple juice and drained (save juice)

2 large eggs

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and warm (100 degrees). Remove from the heat and add the butter so it melts.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer or another large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, and unbleached flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and yeast. Using the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon, then beat in the eggs, saved juice and warm milk until you have a soft dough.

3. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough adding the raisins for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary. Or turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

4. Grease 2 loaf pans, (9-by-5-by-3-inch) and set aside. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Shape the dough into a loaf and place in the prepared an. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when lightly tapped on the bottom; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register 190 to 200 degrees. Cool in the pan or on a wire rack.

This adapted recipe comes from the book: Prairie Home Breads

by: Judith M. Fertig

The orginial recipe:

The Miller’s Cinnamon and Raisin Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter

3 to 3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten (available at health-food stores and grocery stores)

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dry instant, rapid-rise, or quick yeast

2/3 or ¾ cups raisins, plumped in hot water and drained

2 large eggs, beaten

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and warm (100 degrees). Remove from the heat and add the butter so it melts.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer or another large bowl, combine 3 cups of the flour, the brown sugar, gluten, cinnamon, salt, and yeast. Using the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon, beat in the raisins, then beat in the eggs and warm milk until you have a soft dough.

3. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary. Or turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

4. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan and set aside. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Shape the dough into a loaf and place in the prepared an. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when lightly tapped on the bottom; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register 190 to 200 degrees. Cool in the pan or on a wire rack.

Book: Prairie Home Breads

by: Judith M. Fertig

Moving

It has been very hard to move after 16 1/2 years. But for now living with my oldest daughter until the end of this month. Very weird to be an empty nester. Haven't got back into the swing of things. It has been nice to be with Cynthia, while her children are visiting their dad. The hardest part is to have your things in storage and when I go to bake, I don't have the items needed to do so. I would be scrapbooking, but again everything is in storage. I bought some yarn to crochet a new tote bag and do some reading, to keep me busy. Have also been helping Cynthia re-do some of the rooms in her duplex. It has been fun to meet some of her neighbors.

Will be making some raisin bread soon, so will get that recipe up.

Am missing the grandchildren and McKenzie and Michelle.

Just haven't been in the mood to blog, hopefully soon!

BBD #21 Pizza

Probably won't have time to make my pizza in the next two weeks, so I made it today. We all loved how the dough turned out!!! Even my son, who has to have pizza his way, loved it!

Can't wait until fresh tomatoes from my neighbors garden come in so I can make the sauce from scratch, but for now I did use canned goods. It still turned out delicious. This months' BBD is from the lady who started the Bread Baking Day, Zorra.

http://kochtopf.twoday.net/stories/4124192/

Thanks Zorra, I have had so much fun entering and seeing all the different types of breads, from all over the world!

(I love how the dough looks, when rising.)

Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

½ cup sourdough starter, freshly feed

1 cup spelt flour

1 ½ - 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large bowl, put warm water in. Sprinkle yeast over water and add sugar. Let proof 5 minutes. Add sourdough, oil, and salt, whisk, thoroughly. Add spelt flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add all-purpose flour and stir with wooden spoon until somewhat sticky. Sprinkle some flour onto a counter top and pour out the dough onto this. Start adding more flour and knead for about 5 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky. Rest for about 10 minutes. Start kneading again for about 7 more minutes, adding a little flour at a time, so that it is not too sticky. Put dough into a greased or oiled bowl and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Grease a large pizza pan or cookie sheet. After dough has doubled in size pour onto floured counter top and knead for about 1 minute. Start rolling this dough to fit onto your greased pizza pan and then spread out to fit the pan.

Preheat oven 475˚. Put the pizza dough without toppings in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Take out just before the dough turns a slight brown. Now add toppings (or recipe below) of your choice and cheeses. I did add pineapple and fresh spinach, very different, very good! Bake for another 10-12 minutes until cheese melts and sides of dough are brown. I usually have different types of grated cheeses that equal 8 ounces or about 1 cup. (Mozzarella, jack and Colby cheddar, along with more Parmesan)

Pizza Sauce

1 can (14.5 ounce size) diced tomatoes (could use 1 pint of home-canned tomatoes)

1 can (8 ounce size) tomato sauce

2 fresh cloves of garlic sliced and diced

¼ to ½ chopped onion, to equal about ¼ cup

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon of each: Parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, and oregano

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Put all this into a small saucepan and cook and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the sauce is thick to spread on the dough.