Pierogi time!

I have often had requests to make Pierogi's for people.  I have also had requests for our family recipe.  Since a more people have extra time on their hands and are looking for new recipes I thought I would share this one. 

Pierogi Dough
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Warm water enough to make a soft dough.

Mix all ingredients together.  Add water while mixing until you get a soft dough consistency.  Cover and let set 20-30 minutes.  Dough will become very stretchy.

Break dough into smaller amounts.  Roll thin onto a well floured surface.  Cur with a biscuit cutter or glass.  Place about a teaspoon or so of filling into center of circle.  dab a small amount of cold water on circle and seal.  Allow filled pierogi to dry on top.  Drop in salted boiling water for a few minutes.  Peirogi's will float.  Remove them from the water when they float.  Place on a cloth.  they can be used immediately or frozen for later use. 

Filling:
You can use any filling that you like.  These are the fillings I use.

Potato and cheese:
Peel potatoes.  Boil potatoes until soft as if making masked potatoes.  Mash potatoes (DO NOT add milk or butter just the potato)  Add cheese to hot mashed potatoes and mix well.  You want this to be stiff.  Sometimes I add chopped cooked bacon to this.

Sauerkraut and bacon
Cut raw bacon in to small pieces and cook. Drain off the grease but save it.  Add sauerkraut to cooked bacon using some of the bacon grease lightly fry the sauerkraut and bacon together.  You want enough grease to keep the sauerkraut from sticking to the pan ant to add flavor but not be greasy tasting.  Place in a paper towel lined bowel and chill.

My newest flavor

Potato and cheese, sauerkraut and bacon.  I use a little of both of the above filings in my pierogi.  This has become a very popular flavor.

Pierogi's can be fried in butter or boiled and add butter sauteed onions to serve. 

Let's talk bread

What do you all think.  How about a nice easy bread recipe?  This is a great Artisan bread recipe that I have used for a few years.  Super easy and really good!

Bread Recipe
Ingredients:

3 cups lukewarm water
1 Tablespoon granulated yeast
1-1 1/2 Tablespoon salt
6 1/2 cups flour

Instructions:
In a large bowl (5-6 quart) mix water, yeast and Salt.  Dump in the flour and mix until all the flour is mixed in.  This will be a wet rough looking dough. Cover and let rise 2 hours or so.  At this stage you can refrigerate to use later or continue directly to the next step.  Put a little flour on the top of the dough.  Cough should be stretchy (if not add a couple tablespoons of water and let it absorb into the dough.  This should help.)  Cut off about a 1 lb chunk.  Gently form dough into a ball.  I do this by gently tucking all edges underneath the dough to form a ball.  Let dough rest on a pizza pan covered in cornmeal.  Let rest about 40 minutes-60 minutes or so.  Can rest up do 90 minutes.  Preheat oven to 450 with a metal pan of water position 4 inches or so underneath the rack you are going to use to bake the bread.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Bread should be brown and crusty.  DO NO cut until completely coll to prevent bread form being tough.

I use my cast iron or a stone at times to make this.  If using a stone make sure the water is 4-5 inches from the stone to prevent braking.   DO NOT use a glass baking dish for the water as it may easily break.  Dough keeps well in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  This recipe was adapted from https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/10/22/the-new-artisan-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-is-launched-back-to-basics-updated/

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Taco Bake

What is your favorite recipe to make??  I don't really have a favorite. I have a few that we tend to go back to time and time again.  One of our favorites is a Taco Bake!  We like it better than taco's and it is filling and versatile.  Only takes about 30 minutes to make.

Taco Bake
1 can re fried beans
1 can black beans
1 can tomatoes with chilies
1 lb ground meat
1 pack taco seasoning
cheese

Taco toppings of choice
Flour or Corn Tortillas or tortilla chips

Instructions:
Cook ground meat.  Add taco seasoning according to directions on the package.  Add black beans.  Cook for a minute or 2 to heat through.  Add tomatoes with chillies.  Cook to desired consistency (you want it to have some juice but not be to juicy).  In the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish (sprayed with non stick cooking spray) spread the can of black beans. Top with ground meat mixture.  Add cheese and bake on 350 until hot.  Serve with taco topping of choice and tortillas.
 This also works well as a dip with the chips.

Other serving ideas:
in eggs for a south western egg dish
on a salad for a taco salad

This dish also freezes well.  I often make one batch and put it into 2 smaller pans and freeze one for later.

This is my baby Chewie.   He is 7 and loves to sleep on his back.  I have no idea why.

Ok everyone.  Help me help you.  What are you looking for?  What would be most helpful?  Kid friendly items?  Adult friendly meals?  Use up what is in your pantry type meals?  Crafts ideas to keep you busy?  Let me know and I will try to help you brainstorm.

Hello Everyone and Welcome!

Hello everyone and welcome to my little corner of the world.  There is no time better than now to try to spread a little happiness and joy.  Times are rough and we are all stressed.  Some more than others.  But let us all have a safe place to share ideas to keep us from being bored.  New recipes to help us feed our families with what we have on hand.  Things to keep us busy.  Things that make us smile.  Craft ideas for young and old.  I just want this to be a place to hopefully laugh, love, live and heal a bit.  So join me in this journey into our new "normal".  We can and will get through this together.  It takes a village.  Let's create a positive one here at the Smiling Place!