Chocolate Chip Challah

2 1/2 cups 110° water  

1 packet active dry yeast

1/4 cup honey

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs

3 teaspoon salt

8 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 beat egg

1 tablespoon melted margarine (not hot so it doesn't cook the egg)
1 tablespoon honey mixture 

In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water.
Beat in sugar, oil, 2 eggs, and salt.
Add chocolate chips.
Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens.
Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed.
Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 & 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

Punch down the risen dough and dump it onto a floured surface.
Divide it in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky.
Divide each half into thirds and roll into long ropes about 1 inch in wide.
Pinch one end of the three ropes together and braid, when you get to the end pinch them together to close your braid.
Grease two baking sheet and place 1 finished braid on each sheet.
Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Beat the remaining egg, butter and honey mixture and brush over each braid.

Bake at 375° for about 35 minutes on the middle rack.
The bread should have a hollow sound when you tap the bottom.
Transfer the bread to a cooling rack for at least 45 minutes to an hour before slicing.

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Crock-Pot Potatoes

4 lbs potatoes peeled and chopped
3/4 cup water (or chicken broth)
1 cup butter cut into tablespoon servings
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic salt
1 1/4 cup warmed milk

Place the potatoes, water (or broth) butter, and garlic salt into the Crock-Pot set on high for 4 hours.
When it finishes cooking mash the potatoes in the water.
As you mash the potatoes slowly add the hot milk making them as creamy as you like.
Put the Crock-Pot to warm and it can sit for up to an hour as you cook the rest of your meal.

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Going to Seed

Things you need to know to keep your herbs and lettuce producing the best tasting leaves. One of the things to keep in mind is that you need to cut off the flowering tops as soon as you see them, so they don't go to seed. Stress can cause them to go to seed in a few week's so read up on your herb and lettuce and see if the sunlight is to much, and make sure there isn't over crowding in the area. Don't over water, every other day is okay, every day maybe a tiny bit but not to much you can drown them. Pick from the top and let the big guys do their job and catch some rays. Last but not least make sure you pick and harvest regularly this will keep the plant in production mode and it will keep producing leaves instead of flowers. Flowers are a plants way for dropping seeds to reproduce. If it drops the seeds the plant will start to die off, and there goes your fresh lettuce and herb supply. If you need to preserve the herbs you can find ways to do so here on Preserve Herbs. 

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Feta Pesto

2 cups fresh basil
3 tablespoons Feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup 100% extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt

Place basil, both cheese and pine nuts into food processor and pulse.
Slowly add in the olive oil until smooth.
It's good for about a week in the fridge.

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Crock-Pot Pepperoni Pizza

11 oz Pizza Dough

1/3 cup Pizza Sauce

1/2 cup sliced pepperoni

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon corn meal

1 tablespoon olive oil

Brush bottom of Crock-Pot with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal making sure it coats evenly.

Place dough in the Crock Pot pressing it to the sides.

Spread sauce over dough evenly.

Then top with cheese and pepperoni or what ever you like.

Sprinkle with a little bit more cheese on top.

Cover and cook one and half hours on low until edges are brown.

Remove pizza, cut and serve.

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Pizza Dough

3 1/2 to 4 cups flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 envelope instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Mix the water, sugar and yeast, give it 5 minutes to let the yest foam.

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and using a bread hook mix. *You can also use a fork in a regular mixing bowl.

While the mixer is running, add the 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball.

Too sticky, add additional flour a tablespoon at a time.

Too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time.

Until it forms in a solid ball.

Place the dough onto a lightly floured kneading space and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

Oil a clean dry bowl with remaining 2 tsp oil, then place dough in.

Cover with plastic wrap, place in a warm place and let it double in size (about an hour depending on room temp).

If it has doubled, (& it and it sinks when you touch it) place it on a floured surface and knead it about 2 times.

Then divide it into 4 triangles.

Form those triangles into balls and place them on a plate and cover them with plastic wrap to let them rest for 10 15 min.

Done.

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Peach Schnapps Ice Tea

2 ice tea bags
2 tablespoons Agave
1 peach sliced
3 cups water
3 (2oz) shots Peach Schnapps
24 oz canning Jar
Ice

Slice the peach and place in the bottom of your canning jar.
Pour 4 cups hot water over peaches.
Then add tea bags, agave and schnapps.
Let steep till room temperature about 30 min.
Add ice and shake till chilled.
Strain into serving glasses, it makes 2 drinks.
Serve and enjoy.

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