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.