Aunt Kathy’s French Bread

1 Package active dry yeast
2 cups warm(105 to 115* F) water'
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsps. salt
5 1/2 to 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup of the warm water in large bowl of electric mixer. Add sugar. Let stand until yeast is soft (about 5 minutes).

2. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups water and salt. Add 4 cups of the flour. Mix to blend; then beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).

3. Gradually beat in about 1 cup more flour to make soft dough.


4. Turn dough out onto a board or pastry cloth floured with some of the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup flour. Knead until dough is springy and small bubbles form just under surface (10 to 15 min.) adding just enough more flour to prevent dough from being sticky.

5. Turn dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

6. Punch dough down; knead dough lightly into a ball. Cover with inverted bowl and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape as directed to make one or more of the following variations.

Baguettes: Divide dough into three equal portions. Shape each into a slender oval loaf 16 to 18 inches long by rolling the ball of dough under palms of hands to elongate it. Place in greased baguette pans or well apart on a large, greased baking sheet. Let rise until puffy but not quite doubled (20 to 25 minutes). Preheat oven to 450 F. Make 3 diagonal slashes, about 1/2 inch deep, down the center of each loaf- makes 3 loaves. Bake for 25 to 30 min.

Pain de Brie: Divide dough into two equal portions. Shape each into a ball, then roll under palms to make a plump oval about 5 by 9 inches. Place well apart on a large greased baking sheet. Let rise until puffy but not quite doubled (25-30 minutes). Preheat oven to 425 F. Slash each loaf from end to end making 5 or 6 slashes in each. Makes 2 loaves. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Aunt Kathy’s Ham Rolls Continental

Roll, secure with toothpicks, and place in a baking dish:
6 ¼ inch thick slices of ham
6 Swiss cheese slices
Broccoli spears
Melt:
2 T. butter
Add and cook until tender:
1 C. raw onion rings
Blend in:
2 T. flour
½ t. salt
½ t. dry mustard
¼ t. basil
dash pepper
Add and stir until thickened:
1 C. milk
Pour over ham, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serve with hot rolls and orange Jell-O salad.

Aunt Kathy’s Muesli

Stir together:
4 C. uncooked oatmeal
½ c. sugar
1 C. raspberry yogurt
1 C. half and half
Add:
1 C. blueberries
1 C. raspberries
1 C. blackberries
1 C. sliced strawberries
1 grated apple

Aunt Kathy’s Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

Blend on high speed for 4 minutes
In blender:
1 C. whole wheat
1 C. milk
Add & beat 4 more minutes:
½ C. more milk or buttermilk
Add & blend:
½ C. oil
2 eggs
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Aunt Kathy’s Wedding Punch

Guava Juice
Squirt or Fresca

Aunt Kathy’s Blue Cheese Dip

Combine:
1 large cottage cheese
1 large creamed cheese
1 pkg. crumbled blue cheese
Fresh minced garlic
Fresh minced onion
Good with pretzels!

Aunt Kathy’s Spinach Dip

Combine:
2 pkg. chopped frozen spinach
1 C. sour cream
1 C. mayonnaise
1 pkg. Knorr’s dried vegetable soup base
1 can chopped water chestnuts

Hollow a large, round French Bread, saving chunks to cut into bite-sized squares.
Fill bread with dip place on tray.
Put bread chunks around outside of bread.
Eat with toothpicks or fingers.

Aunt Kathy’s Guacamole Dip

Combine in blender:
2 medium avocados, mashed
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. salt
1 ½ T. grated onion
chopped tomatoes
chili powder
Tabasco

Aunt Kathy’s Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sauté:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic in
2 T. oil
Add and simmer one hour:
1 can chicken broth
2 cans beef broth
1 can water
2 10 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 4 oz. can green chilies, diced
1-2 roasted red peppers, diced
2 cans corn, drained
2 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 dash hot sauce
2 C. cooked chicken, chunked
Serve in soup or pasta bowls
Top with:
shredded cheese
sour cream dollop
tortilla strips
sliced avocado
wedge of lime
sprig of fresh cilantro

Aunt Kathy’s Overnight Buffet Salad

Layer twice in a 9 x 13 baking dish:
1 large bunch spinach, chopped & dry
1 head red lettuce, dry
1 10 oz. pkg frozen peas
3 C. chopped green onion
4 hard boiled eggs, grated
½ lb. crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
Combine and spread over salad:
1 double pkg. Ranch dressing mix
2 C. mayonnaise
½ pt. sour cream
1/2j pt. plain yogurt
Garnish with:
tomato wedges
green pepper rings
olives
hard boiled egg wedges
Cover & chill.

Aunt Kathy’s Pie Crust

Mix in pie plate:
1 ½ C. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
Combine and add to flour:
½ C. canola oil
2 T. milk
Stir together and push into sides of pan to form crust.

or mix in a bowl , make into a ball and roll between Saran.

Aunt Kathy’s Chicken Crepes

Crepes:
Mix Together:
3 eggs
1 C. milk
3/4 C. flour
1 t. sugar
¼ t. salt
Cook individual crepes in a small buttered pan turning once.
Filling:
Melt:
4 T. butter
Add & cook for 4-5 minutes:
1 chopped onion
¼ pound sliced mushrooms
2 C. cooked chicken
1 pkg. cooked chopped spinach or broccoli
Add:
½ C. Swiss cheese
½ C. Parmesan cheese
Dash garlic powder
Put filling on crepes, roll & place in baking dish.
Sauce:
Cook together over low heat:
½ C. butter
4 T. flour
Salt and pepper
2 C. chicken broth
2 C. cream
Pour sauce over crepes.
Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees.

Aunt Kathy’s Chicken Enchiladas

Roll together:
corn tortillas
cooked chicken
Monterrey and cheddar cheese
green onion
Pour over top:
green tomatillo sauce
Sprinkle on:
grated cheddar cheese
Serve with:
sour cream
homemade guacamole
fruit salad

Aunt Kathy’s Baked Chicken

Roll in flour and brown quickly in butter or oil:
10 boneless chicken breasts
Place in a 9 x 13 baking dish & sprinkle with:
paprika
Combine and pour over chicken:
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced or
1 can mushrooms, drained
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2/3 C. water, chicken broth or sparkling cider
1 T. minced onion or dry onion soup
1 C. sour cream or plain yogurt
Salt & pepper
Basil and/or parsley, optional
Cover with foil.
Bake one hour at 350 degrees.
Good with Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Wild Rice

Aunt Kathy’s Dinner Party Beef Stroganoff

Brown slightly in butter, leaving inside rare:
2 lbs. filet mignon, (beef tenderloin) cut cross grain in 1 1/2" thick slices 2 inches long
Sauté in same drippings:
1 C. chopped onion
Add:
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lb. fresh mushroom, sliced
Remove from pan.
Add to pan and stir until smooth:
3 T. flour
2 t. meat extract paste (bouillon soup paste)
1 T. catsup
1/2 t. salt
pepper to taste
Gradually add, bring to a boil and let thicken:
1 can beef bouillon
Before serving add:
1/4 C. water
1 T. snipped fresh, or 1/4 T. dried dill
1 1/2 C. dairy sour cream
Add beef and mushrooms until heated through. Serve over rice mix:
1 1/2 C. cooked wild rice
4 C. cooked white rice

Aunt Kathy’s Pears Helene

1 pear half
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
chocolate sauce topping