SHEPHERD PIE

4 cups prepared mashed potatoes (cheddar mashed are great for this)

1.5 lbs. ground beef as lean as possible so you won’t have to drain

1 chopped onion

¼ cup worcestershire sauce

1 envelope brown gravy mix (or 1 jar prepared gravy)

1 cup water (if using envelope gravy)

1 TBL ketchup

8 oz. frozen peas with carrots

½ cup grated cheddar (optional)

Brown beef with onion and worcestershire sauce.

Add in envelope gravy and water (or jar gravy), ketchup, salt & pepper to taste.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in frozen peas and carrots.

Put into a greased 9x9 dish.

Top with mashed potatoes.

Sprinkle with cheese if using.

Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

LUNCH LADY CAFETERIA ROLLS & CINNAMON ROLLS -- NO ELECTRIC MIXER NEEDED

Makes 48 rolls (1/2 recipe in parentheses)

3 cups warm water (1.5 cups water)

2 TBL + 1½ tsp yeast (1 TBL + ¾ tsp. yeast)

1 TBL sugar (1/2 TBL sugar)

¼ cup butter, melted (2 TBL melted butter)

¼ cup milk (2 TBL milk)

2 eggs, slightly beaten (1 egg)

1 TBL + ¼ tsp salt (½ TBL + 1/8 tsp salt)

10 cups all-purpose flour (5 cups AP flour)

⅔ cup sugar (1/3 cup sugar)

¼ cup shortening (2 TBL shortening)

6 TBL melted butter mixed with 2 TBL honey (3 TBL butter + 1 TBL honey)

1. Add yeast and sugar to warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until nice and bubbly.

2. Mix the melted (cooled) butter, milk, eggs and salt. Add to yeast mixture.

3. In a large bowl combine flour and sugar. Stir until combined

4. Using your hand to crumble shortening into flour/sugar until it is barely noticeable

5. Pour liquid yeast mixture into flour mixture

6. Using a large wooden spoon, stir until well combined.

7. When dough starts to come together, ditch the spoon and use your hand to knead the dough for approx. 2 minutes until it comes together in a nice ball. (this will be a little sticky so you may want to have a little flour ready to dip your fingers in)

8. Place dough in a warm area, covered, until it doubles in size. (about 2 hours) or quick rise in your oven (While mixing the dough heat the oven to 170 degrees, then turn off and put covered dough in. Dough will be doubled in 15-30 minutes.)

9. After dough has doubled in size, punch it down and knead with your hands one more time for 2 minutes. If dough is a bit sticky sprinkle it with flour as needed.

10. Grease two (15x10x1) jelly roll and form dough into 2 inch balls*** and place 24 onto each pan. (or you can fit 12 rolls in a 9x13 pan)

11. Cover and allow to rise until almost doubled again (about 1 hour). or quick rise (pans top of the oven while it is preheating and this step usually only takes 15-20 minutes).

12. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes until 185-190 degrees. (12 minutes was perfect)

13. Brush with butter/honey mix or plain butter!

***you can roll like Lion House rolls by rolling out to 1/2'' thick on a lightly floured surface. Spread with softened/melted butter. Cut into strips, using your finger and thumb as "L" shape to measure then roll up. Lay seam side down on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

CINNAMON ROLLS

1/4 batch of Lunch Lady Cafeteria Roll Dough for 12 rolls in 9x13 pan

1/2 batch for 24 small rolls or 12 large rolls in jelly roll pan

3 TBL butter, softened

1.5 TBL Cinnamon

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

For Frosting: (for 12 rolls)

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 tablespoons cream, milk or evaporated milk

For Cream Cheese Frosting: (this is for 12 rolls)

4 TBL butter

4oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups powdered sugar

2 TBL milk (I like a thicker frosting so I usually skip this)

1/8 tsp salt

Roll dough out into a large rectangular shape about 20" long and 12-15 inches wide. You want it to be about 1/4 inch thick with your hands spread butter evenly over rolled out dough.

Sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Don’t measure this, just try to get the entire surfaced lightly covered. Probably is no more then 1 1/2-2 TBL cinnamon.

Sprinkle with white sugar, (If you do this after the cinnamon instead of before you can see how much you are sprinkling against the cinnamon) It is approx. ¼ cup sugar.

Roll dough gently, yet as tightly as you.

Slice into 12 large cinnamon rolls. Place on a lightly greased 9x13 pan. If you are planning to bake in the morning, cover and place them in the fridge (do not use stone or glass pans as they could break when placed in the oven in the morning if still cold) If you want to bake them now, just cover and let them set in a warm place while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. They need to rise for 20-30 minutes.

Bake for 13-15 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown on tops and edges.

Let cool completely before frosting.

FUDGY BROWNIES

1 cup butter, melted

3 cups white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan and set it aside.

3.  In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract together.

4.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Set the wet ingredients aside.

5.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

6.  Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

7.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

8.  Spread the brownie batter evenly in the greased baking pan and bake it in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. (37 minutes was perfect)

9.  Allow it to cool before cutting.

Store in an air tight container on the counter or freeze in a freezer friendly zip lock bag

MEXICAN BROWNIES

2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon (canela)
1/4 teaspoon pequen chili powder or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.

2. Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

3. Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt, and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. I had to do 28 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack before slicing.

CREAM CHEESE BANANA BREAD or MUFFINS

1 large egg

½ c light brown sugar (packed)

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup honey greek yogurt (plain, or sour cream works too)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large bananas mashed (about 1 cup)

1 cup bread flour (I've only used AP flour)

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Filling:

1 large egg

6 ounces cream cheese

⅓ cup granulated sugar

2½ Tbs flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F

2. Spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan and flour, set aside

3. In a large bowl mix all filling ingredients using hand mixer or whisk, and set to side.

4. In another large bowl mix together egg, sugar, oil, greek yogurt, and vanilla, and using a hand mixer, mix until smooth.

5. Add bananas and stir to incorporate.

6. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

7. Gently stir the dry mix to the wet, folding it in and stirring until just combined, don't over mix.

8. Put about ⅔ of the bread mixture into prepared loaf pan.

9. Put filling mixture over top, and carefully smooth over with a spatula.

10. Top with remaining bread mix and smooth over the top.

11. Bake about 50 minutes, until top is golden, and center is set. If top is getting too brown, and center is not set, tent foil over the top.

12. Allow bread to cool for 10-15 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack.


TO MAKE 12 MUFFINS:
In standard muffin tin put:
1 medium cookie scoop of batter
1 TBL + 1 tsp filling
1 medium cookie scoop of batter
Bake at 350 20-25 minutes (23 minutes was perfect)

Notes:

Baking times will vary based on the bananas you use and their moisture content. It will also vary by climate, elevation, etc. So keep an eye on the bread rather than the timer. The toothpick trick will not work well because the cream cheese will never set up completely. Instead, give it a jiggle, and see if the center wiggles much. Bread will keep at room temp for a week, or in freezer for up to 6 months if packaged appropriately.

FRESH PASTA

2 cups all-purpose or extra strong type 00 flour, if using freshly ground flour, have an extra 1/2 cup on hand depending on the hydration rate of your particular flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

Makes about 1 pound.

Instructions

To Make Pasta with a Stand Mixer

Place all ingredients in the bowl of the mixer fitted with the dough hook. 

Mix until a cohesive dough is formed and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 

The dough should be just slightly sticky. Add more flour by the teaspoonful if needed, but keep the dough as soft as possible. 

If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little flour.

Knead for another 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let it stand for 20 minutes.

To Make Pasta by Hand

Mound the flour on a clean work surface. 

Make a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides.

Break the eggs into the well. 

Add the salt and olive oil and gently mix together with a fork.

Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well, but try to maintain the integrity of the wall as long as possible. 

Usually this finally gives way into a shaggy mess when about half of the flour has been mixed in.

With your hands or a bench scraper continue working the dough until it comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little flour.

Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Cooking and Storing the Pasta

To cook the pasta fresh, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. 

Add the fresh pasta and cook for approximately 2 minutes. 

Fresh pasta reaches the al dente stage very quickly, so be ready.

To store the pasta, let the strips dry for several hours, turning them as necessary to dry thoroughly. 

You may also dry them in your food dehydrator for 2-4 hours at 135°F. 

When they are dry, place them in airtight packages.

If you don't have a way to dry them, flour the strips well to keep them from sticking, place them in freezer-safe bags, and freeze them for up to two weeks.

PIZZA SPAGHETTI BAKE

8 ounces spaghetti noodle

3 eggs

¼ cup milk

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon crushed garlic

1 tub cottage cheese (optional be I love it)

2 ½ cups spaghetti sauce

3 cups shredded mozzarella

3.5 ounce package sliced pepperoni

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the spaghetti noodles in salted water according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain well.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk eggs, milk, parmesan, oregano, garlic & cottage cheese.

Stir in spaghetti noodles and quickly toss until all ingredients are combined.

Pour noddle mixture into a greased 9×13 pan.

Pour the spaghetti sauce on top of noodles.

Top with half of the pepperoni.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the pepperoni and top with remaining pepperoni.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Let the pizza spaghetti cool for five minutes before serving so all the yummy cheesiness doesn't fall apart.