Pizza Dough

6 cups flour
1 1/2 TBS yeast
1 1/2 TBS salt
1 TBS sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 cups water

Put 2 cups flour in a bowl with other dry ingredients. Mix in 1 1/2 cups water and put remaining 1 1/2 cups water in a sauce pan with butter and heat on low to melt the butter (you do not want it to boil). As soon as the butter is melted add it to the rest of the dough and mix in slowly. Then add the remaining flour until it is the consistency that you like, then need it for 2-3 minutes. Then let it rise for an hour. Punch down the dough and let rise for another hour. Quarter the dough and shape each ball into pizza crusts. Place on a greased pizza pan or divide and freeze. Add toppings (sauce, cheese, meat, veggies, etc.). Cook at 400-degrees for 20 minutes or until the bottom crust is golden brown. (This recipe will make four half meals or two full meals).

family favorite Buttermilk waffles

Buttermilk Waffles (from taste of Oregon cookbook)

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Beat eggs well. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth. Batter will be thin. Bake ina waffle iron until golden brown. Serve with your favorite syrup, whipped butter, or fruit sauce.

Pavlova Deluxe

Servings: 8

"A special meringue is created in a spring form pan that bakes up into a beautiful nest for this gorgeous dessert. When the meringue is cooled, it's filled with a lightly sugared whipped cream and spoonfuls of exotic passion fruit."

Ingredients:

• 6 egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
• 4 passion fruits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease interior of 8 inch spring form pan and dust lightly with cornstarch.
2. Beat egg whites, preferably in a glass or ceramic bowl, until stiff and glossy. Make sure egg whites have absolutely no contact with grease (fresh or residual), or even a speck of yolk. Combine cream of tartar, white sugar, and cornstarch; gradually beat in to the egg whites. Sprinkle vinegar over egg white mixture, then fold it in very gently.
3. Pile meringue into prepared pan. Spread to the sides leaving a slight depression in the center. Place in preheated oven. Close the oven door, and immediately turn oven down to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. Open oven door, but leave meringue in the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove meringue to a draft free spot. Very carefully remove rim of spring form pan, and allow meringue to cool completely. There may be a slight sinking in the center. Carefully remove meringue from pan base, and place on serving platter.
4. Whip cream, vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar until thick and firm. Gently spread over the meringue.
5. Remove the pulp from the passion fruit, and spoon over cream. If using kiwi, peel and slice the fruit; arrange slightly overlapping slices in a pleasing design. Chill until serving time.

Chewy Soft Pretzels

Chewy Soft Pretzels Makes 8 pretzels

Dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
7/8 to 1 cup warm water

Topping:
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tlbs. baking soda
Coarse salt
3 Tbls. butter, melted

Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl and beat until well combined. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth, and quite slack. Lightly flour the dough and place it in a plastic bag; close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets by spraying them with vegetable oil spray, or lining them with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into eight equal pieces. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 cup warm water and the baking soda, and place it in a shallow bowl or pie plate. make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved; if it isn't, it will make your pretzels splotchy.

Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28 to 30 inches long), and twist each rope into a pretzel. dip each pretzel in the baking soda wash (this will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they're golden brown. I only bake one baking sheet at a time and let the other rest while the first is in the oven.
Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you've used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that's what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in a oven or microwave. (King Arthur flour recipe)