Homemade Bread Crumbs

So, I was going to make my Swedish meatball recipe today and realized I had no bread crumbs. I am 12 miles from the nearest grocery store, and the roads aren't all cleaned up, so I improvised. One can make their own bread crumbs, we used to do it all the time at the restaurant. So, I thought I'd provide you with these very easy directions to make them.
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Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Ingredients needed:
4-5 pieces of bread, any kind without seeds will work

1. Break bread pieces into small pieces and place on a sheet pan.
2. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes until dried out & crunchy.
3. Remove from oven, let set for a minute.
4. Place bread pieces in blender or food processor and let them go until desired consistency. If you want coarse crumbs, stop sooner, but mostly the fine crumbs are what is wanted, so just process until they are fine.

Should make about a cup of crumbs. So just toast as much as you need or they can be stored in an air-tight container for future use.
This is also a good way to use up end pieces of bread or bread that is getting old.

Taco Shells

This is another church/family recipe that has been around ever since I can remember. This is my preferred tortilla.
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Ingredients needed:
3 cups white/wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
½ cup shortening
approx. 2 cups lukewarm water

1. In medium mixing bowl, mix 3 cups of flour with 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ cup shortening.
2. Add approximately 2 cups warm water.
3. Mix dough until sticky.
4. Let set for one hour.
5. Roll dough into 2 inch balls, roll out, place on medium temp griddle, cook until shell starts to bubble, flip over, cook for another 15 seconds, then place in warmer. Repeat until all shells cooked.

Makes about 1 and 1/2 dozen shells.
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Variations:
As with the pizza dough, you can use straight wheat or straight white flour. I have grown up on half of each and like it that way best.

ENJOY!!

Coffee Cake

This is another family recipe that has been around a long time. A staple during the holidays.
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Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Ingredients needed:
Dough:
2 pkg. dry yeast
½ cup warm water
½ cup warm milk
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
½ cup shortening
4 ½ to 5 cups flour

Filling:
Stick of melted butter

1lb finely chopped walnuts
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk

2 cans poppy seed filling

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water, stir in ½ cup milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 ½ cups of flour. Beat until smooth.
2. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.
3. Put dough on floured counter. Knead until smooth and elastic.
4. Place in greased bowl, flip over and cover with towel. Let rise until dough is double in size.
5. Punch dough down, shape, cover and let rise until double again.
6. Make nut filling at this point. In small bowl, mix finely chopped walnuts, sugar and milk. Mixture should be sort of thick, but spreadable. May need to add a little more milk.
7. Split dough into four equal portions. Flour a counter and begin to roll into a circle until dough is about ¼ inch thick.
8. Spread butter on dough with basting brush. Spread poppy or nut filling.
9. Roll up into log and tuck ends in.
10. Place on light colored greased cookie sheet.
11. Cover with towel, let rise until double in size.
12. Place in middle of oven, bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until browned medium on outside. When you touch it, it should bounce back when it is finished and sound hollow.
13. Brush butter on top of loaves promptly after pulling out of oven.

Serve warm or cold! Makes 4 loaves.
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Variations:
You can use whatever you want for filling, the two listed above are the family favorites and we never seem to deviate!

ENJOY!!

Pizza Dough

This is a recipe that my family has used ever since I can remember. I have no idea of where it originated, but it is delicious. I prefer homemade pizza to any you can buy from a chain any day!
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Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Ingredients needed:
5 cups white/wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 pkg. yeast

1. In large mixing bowl, mix five cups of flour with 2 tsp. salt.
2. In separate bowl, mix two cups warm water and 1 pkg. yeast.
3. Add water to flour mixture, mix together with hands until sticky.
4. Grease large bowl that won’t melt and place dough inside.
5. Set on top of preheated oven, let rise for about an hour.
6. Roll dough out to fit pan. Spread on pan lined with cornmeal.

Makes 2 to 3 large pizzas depending on how thick you like your crust. Add desired toppings and bake until cheese melts.
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Variations:
You can use all wheat or all white flour, but I grew up using half of each and that is the way I like it best.

ENJOY!!