One of the best tips I got on how to make bread is to knead the bread until the dough feels as smooth as a baby’s behind. When you knead bread you are working the yeast through out the dough and gently breaking down the wheat fibres to promote good rising of the dough. Knead too short of a time…..poor rising….knead to long of a time…..poor rising. The trick is to stop when that lump of dough feels as smooth as a baby’s behind!

By the way, do you realize that you’re missing the data in the right-hand column, including the information on your savings and debt reduction so far (amount originally owed, amount paid, amount still owed)?

Mr. T’s pierogies – I pity the fool who doesn’t like my cheese and potato pierogies. I can see him on the box now holding up a plate of them.

Made me laugh so hard I cried I’ll leave the typo there LOL.

The other nice thing about making food yourself is the fact that you know exactly what has gone into the food. You can control your diet that much better. People at the turn of the century didn’t each much worse than we do now they just had to make it themselves rather than buying it in a box.

Be careful with how much liquid gets added. The pasta can go from too dry to too wet in a blink. Also, fresh pasta only needs to be cooked for a few minutes. Be careful not to overcook.

You can also easily freeze fresh pasta. Once it dries, which only takes about 15 mintues depending on the humidity level, roll it up into little nests and put in a freezer bag. It should last about a month.

Happy cooking!!

Another good bread recipe to start with is the no knead bread recipe from the New York Times a while back. Takes some planning, since it takes well over 24 hrs til it’s done, but pretty much you just let it do its thing, and then eat tasty bread.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html

What I would suggest, and only suggest – I’m not an expert, is when making your items use:
1. Whole Grain Flour (Wheat) – say away from enriched & bleached.
2. Substitute table salt with Sea Salt.

I always thought it would be fun to get with a friend or two and make this stuff together in bulk over a glass of wine. But sadly, my friends are store buyers – I’m like a hill billy in comparison. Wish we lived closer!