2 ¼ cups flour ¾ cup sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp grated nutmeg 2 eggs ¾ cup milk 1 Tbs. vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla extract   Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a medium size bowl and stir until well blended.  In a separate container, whisk together eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and beat until smooth.  Use a donut batter dispenser (see note below) and fry in 2 inches of oil 365° to 375° F., about 2 min

Fastnachts 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 sugar ¾ tsp. ground mace or nutmeg 1 cup sour cream (room temperature) 2 eggs (room temperature) 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. baking powder Vegetable oil for frying Cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar for topping  In a medium size bowl, combine oil, sugar, sour cream, and eggs and beat with a whisk for two minutes.  In a separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder and stir until thoroughly combined.  Add egg mixture and

Making pizza dough at home is worth the effort! Basic American Pizza Crust Makes two 12”-14” medium-thick crusts, or three smaller ones.   1 pkg. active dry yeast 1 tsp. brown sugar ¾ cup warm water ½ cup cold milk 1 tsp. salt 2 Tbs. olive oil 3½  to 4 cups bread flour (or all-purpose)   In a medium size bowl, stir to dissolve yeast and brown sugar in warm water; let stand for about five minutes.  Stir in cold milk, salt and olive oil.  One cup at a time, add 3 cups of flour,

Strawberry Cream Scones--use the good china! If I were going to choose a recipe to teach to a newbie baker an I had less than an hour, I would definitely choose scones as my ideal recipe: easy to make, infinitely versatile, using simple ingredients and prepared with ordinary equipment. AND you get to eat them, warm with butter, within forty-five minutes or less. What's not to love? Vintage pastry blenders Some people might take exception to the "ordinary equipment" part, sin

Use my Quick Puff Pastry to make these other simple but delicious treats! Cheese Puffs Great with soup or chili! • Cut out shapes with cookie cutters • Sprinkle with finely shredded or grated cheese • 375° F. for 15 minutes Garden Cream Cheese Appetizers Light, crisp and savory puff pastry appetizers • Roll out puff pastry dough and spread with garden vegetable cream cheese, or make your own by mixing minced onion, carrot and celery with softened cre

Need a quick sweet treat to spoil your spouse or thank a co-worker? These puff pastry Chocolate Bites are just what you need! You can use frozen pastry sheets, but why not make Homemade Puff Pastry to show you really care? Makes 24 bites, so you can give away the good looking ones and keep a few "seconds" to sample yourself! 1 batch of Quick Puff Pastry 24 small squares of chocolate Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray 24 mini muffin-pan cups with veget

Bouchée comes from the French for "mouth" and  these tiny pastries will disappear in just a couple of bites! Ingredients 1 batch of Quick Puff Pastry Large and small cookie cutters of the same shape Egg wash (one whole egg beaten with a tablespoon of water) Filling of choice (pudding, pie filling, etc.) Whipped cream Preheat oven to 400° F. and line a baking sheet with parchment or cooking spray. Roll pastry sheet out to about 9” x 9”. Use the larger of your two cookie cutter

This year, in addition to my usual Zoom programs and group demonstrations, I started offering one on one and small group classes at the Bethany House, our monastery's guest facility. You can learn more HERE . Recently I gave baking lessons to the children of one of my former students: scones for her son and pizza for her daughter. It was their Christmas present, and we had a grand time! (Photos used with parents' permission) I also have classes in basic breads and braids, din

These breakfast treats are a  great addition to a special breakfast or brunch. You can use my Quick Puff Pastry or the frozen sheets in the grocery store (but my pastry is better, and yours will be, too!)  1 batch of Quick Puff Pastry  ¼ cup shredded cheese 4 large eggs Salt, pepper, garnish (parsley, chives, etc.) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. You can also use cooking spray or a silicone baking mat.  On a lightly floured surfac

2 packages active dry yeast ½ cup warm (110° F) water 1 cup milk (skim, 2%, or whole milk all OK) 1/3 cup shortening, melted and cooled to lukewarm ¼ cup sugar 1½ teaspoons salt 1 cup mashed potatoes 2 large eggs, beaten 6 to 6½ cups all-purpose flour Proof the yeast by mixing it in a small bowl with the warm water and allowing it to develop for five minutes.  Heat milk in a saucepan, but do not boil.  Add sugar and salt, mix well and cool to lukewarm.  Pour into a five-quart

These herbed drop biscuits mix up in five minutes and bake in about 15, so they are great weeknight recipe that pairs well with soups, stews, and casseroles.

2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup (one stick) cold butter 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ½ cup minced fresh chives 8 oz. bacon, cooked crisp and chopped (about 1 cup) 1 cup sour cream  Preheat the oven to 425° F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet and set aside. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium size bowl whisk together until blended. Work the butter into th

This Tomato Bacon Galette is a great way to use up garden produce in August. Crust 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 4 -6 tablespoons ice cold water Filling 3 large heirloom tomatoes (about 1½ pounds) 3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs 1 cup of quartered zucchini slices 3 or 4 strips of cooked bacon, chopped 1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion 4 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled 1 egg, lightly

Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt¼ cup (½ stick) cold butter cut into slices 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (2 tsp. dried) 2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (1 tablespoon dried) ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (¼ teaspoon dried and ground) ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil) ¾ cup crushed tomatoes  Preheat oven to 425° F. and lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch cake pan.  In a medium

If you can make cinnamon rolls, you can make these savory pesto spirals. 1 batch of basic white dough or dinner roll dough, risen once. Pesto, either homemade (see recipe below) or from a jar        Punch dough down, and knead lightly for one minute.  Lightly oil a 14" pizza pan; set it aside. On a lightly floured surface,  roll the dough out into a rectangle about 24" x 18".  Spread on the pesto, leaving a 1" border.  Starting from the long side, roll up jellyroll style and

Fresh herbs and ricotta cheese spiral through this flavorful loaf.   DOUGH 2 cups warm water  ¼ cup olive oil 2 pkg. dry yeast ½ cup stone ground cornmeal 1 tsp. salt 5 to 5 ½ cups bread flour   FILLING 1 cup ricotta cheese                ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves ½ cup fresh parsley leaves     ½ cup fresh basil leaves 1 cup snipped chives  salt and pepper   NOTE: All herbs should be loosely packed when measured.               Put water into a large bowl.  Add yeast

Sweet puff pastry treats to share with family and friends.

You'll love the aroma and the taste of this herbal bread.

Cheddar Chive Drop Biscuits--quick, easy, and delicious! Cheddar Chive Drop Biscuits 2 cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free baking mix ½ tsp. salt 1 Tbs. sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives ½ cup vegetable shortening 1 cup milk ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar   Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stir dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl.  Cut in vegetable shortening using a pastry blender or two knives.  Add milk and stir until just blended.  Drop by tabl

Homemade Bagels are a little more work, but totally worth it! Bagels   Dough 1 ½ cups warm water 1 package active dry yeast 2 teaspoons brown sugar ½ teaspoon salt 3½ cups bread flour (see note)   Boiling Water 3 tablespoons of honey   Baking Egg wash Toppings like poppyseed, sesame seed, onion flakes, etc.   Place the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl and add the yeast and brown sugar. Stir to dissolve and allow to develop for 5 to 10 minutes