Homemade Doughnuts

From the I Do cookbook for the Bride & Groom

1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup hot tap water
3 1/2 cups flour
Glaze

In small bowl, sprinkle yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar over 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit until dissolved, about 5 minutes.
In mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, salt, shortening, and hot tap water. Cool to lukewarm.
Add yeast mixture and 2 cups flour. Beat 1 minute. Gradually add remaining
1 1/2 cups flour and mix well. Dough will be sticky. Flour hand and scoop dough into greased bowl. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
Place dough on floured surface. Sprinkle top lightly with flour and gently pat to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with doughnut cutter (dip in flour with each cut).
Place doughnuts on greased and floured cookie sheets. Cover and let rise until very light, about 1 hour.
In fryer or saucepan, heat oil to 350 degrees. Place each doughnut carefully in the oil and fry each side until brown. Drain on paper towels.
While still hot, dip in glaze of choice and set on rack. Allow to stand until glaze is dry.
Makes 1 dozen.

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla exract

Combine ingredients and mix until smooth. Dip each side of doughnut.

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In saucepan, combine butter, milk, corn syrup and vanilla. Heat to melt butter. Add chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Turn off heat and add powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth. Keep warm. Dip top of warm doughnut in glaze.

Candice's Cinnamon Rolls

2 c. hot tap water
3/4 c. sugar
Stir to dissolve. Add:
4 tsp. yeast
Let sit to dissolve and begin to bubble. Add:
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter, softened
6 c. flour
Knead until all of the flour is incorporated. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Roll dough out on a floured board into a rectangle 15 in. by 10 in. Spread on:
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar, loosely packed
sprinkle with cinnamon liberally
Starting on the long side, roll into a log. Slice into 12 rolls and place on a greased jelly roll pan. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. After removing from the oven start making frosting.
Frosting
2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3-4 Tbsp. milk
Whisk together until smooth and spread over slightly cooled cinnamon rolls.

Grandma Carver's Meat and Gravy

1 1/2 lbs. stew meat
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 c. water
salt and pepper
Dissolve bouillon in water and combine with chicken soup. Put meat, onion, and soup mixture into a Crockpot and cook for 6 hours. Remove meat from gravy and set aside. Combine 1 Tbsp. flour and 2 Tbsp. water and whisk until smooth. Whisk into gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the meat on the side or return to the gravy.

Killer Mashed Potatoes

6-7 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, chopped
Boil potatoes in a large pot of water for 25 minutes or until they can be easily crushed with a fork. Drain. Mash with a potato masher.
Add:
4-5 Tbsp. butter
3/4 c. cream
Salt to taste
Cream together with an electric hand mixer. Enjoy!!

Quick Half Whole Wheat Bread

2 1/2 c. hot tap water
2 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
2 1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. oil
3 c. whole wheat flour
3 1/2-4 c. white flour

Combine water, brown sugar, and honey in a Kitchenaid mixer; stir to dissolve. Add yeast and let soften. Add salt, oil, wheat flour and 2 c. of white flour. Start mixer and continue adding flour until dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Let the dough knead 8-10 minutes. Grease 3 bread pans. Pour about 2 tsp. of oil onto a counter and spread evenly. Shape loaves on oiled counter and place in greased pans. Turn on your oven for 30-45 seconds until it begins to warm. Let loaves rise in warm oven for 20-30 minutes. When doubled in size, turn on oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. DO NOT preheat oven, just turn it on and bake. Recipe can be double using a Bosch mixer.

Candice's White Bread

3 c. hot water
3/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter
8 c. flour

Combine water, sugar and yeast. Let sit until bubbly. Add salt, butter, and flour. Knead for 10 minutes or until it cleans the sides of the bowl. Cover and let rise 1 hour. Shape into 3 loaves and put into greased loaf pans. Let rise 30 minutes or until double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread from The Best of Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library: Baking

2 1/2 cups white or wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large)
4 eggs
1 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two medium loaf pans and dust with flour.
In a bowl mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in bananas and then eggs until completely mixed. (Mixture will be lumpy.) Stir in nuts. Add the flour mixture and stir until well blended.
Pour batter into loaf pans and bake for 40-60 minutes or until a toothpick that is inserted in the center of loaf comes out clean. Turn loafs onto a wire rack for cooling.