Fail Proof Pizza Dough

This is our favorite pizza dough and cheesy bread that is not whole wheat
Fail proof pizza dough 
For variety add Italian seasoning to the dough while kneading.

Whole Wheat Bagels

I found this wonderful recipe on The Well Floured Kitchen. Follow the link for beautiful pictures that go along with step by step instructions. If using a mixer that is stronger than a Kitchen Aid double or triple the recipe and freeze.

4 Cups (16oz) White Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/3 Cups (11oz) Water
2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Instant Yeast (or 1 package active dry yeast)
2 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed (optional)
3 Tbsp. Brown sugar or honey (if using honey add more flour)
1 Egg beaten with a splash of water (for toppings) 

Toppings: Oats, Sesame Seeds, Dried Onion (optional)

If you are using packaged yeast, you will have to proof your yeast first using 1/4 cup of the water and a pinch of the sugar.  Otherwise add flour, water, salt, yeast, flax seed and sugar to the mixer bowl and stir until it comes together.  At this point if it seems too dry, you can add a tablespoon more water.  This dough should be more dens than a regular bread dough.  Knead at least 5 minutes in the mixer, or 10 minutes by hand. Allow to rise until almost doubled, about 1.5-2 hours.  Dump your dough onto the counter. Cut it into the desired number of pieces: 8,10,or 12. Take each piece of dough and try to gather the sides up, while rolling it gently into a ball on the counter. Place each dough ball  onto a waiting sheet pan. After you finish the last one, return to the first and use your finger to punch a hole in the middle of it.  You can gently pick up your dough and swirl it around your finger until the hole in the middle is a decent size. Now cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.  Preheat your oven to 425°.  Fill a wide deep saucepan with a few inches of water and 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Allow to come to a gentle boil.  Drop in about 5 bagels at a time.  Cook about 90 seconds on one side, flip and cook another 90 seconds on the other side. While they are cooking, you must heavily grease your sheet pan.  Even when I use a silpat, I find they need a little extra coconut oil.  These bagels are sticky business! Before you put them in the oven, if you want any toppings brush them with a beaten egg and sprinkle with the topping.   Bake about 10 minutes on one side and then flip with a spatula and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Don’t worry the toppings won’t fall off.  If you would like them darker, bake a few minutes more. Slice before freezing.

Soft Pretzels

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 T sugar
• 1 package fast acting yeast
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 2 T vital wheat gluten
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda (Snippet’s notes: Do NOT put this in the mix. It is for the boiling water!!)
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt

1. Combine the water, salt, yeast, flour, butter and sugar.
2. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil.
4. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Line 2 cookie pans with parchment paper.
7. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
8. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8-12 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope.
9. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.
10. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
11. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds.
12. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula.
13. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.
14. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Honey Whole Wheat Pretzels

• Adapted from Food Network
• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 package fast acting yeast
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 4 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda (Snippet’s notes: Do NOT put this in the mix. It is for the boiling water!!)
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt

1. Combine the water, salt, yeast, flour, butter and honey.
2. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil.
4. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Line 2 cookie pans with parchment paper.
7. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
8. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8-12 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope.
9. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.
10. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
11. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds.
12. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula.
13. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.
14. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Overnight Whole Wheat Waffels

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup oatmeal flour (grind oatmeal in a food processor or wheat grinder)
1/2 tsp salt 
1 T Sugar
2 tsp yeast or 1 pkg of yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
3/4 cups almond milk (or milk)
1/4 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon (opt)
2 egg whites

Combine the first three ingredients in a medium sized bowl, stir to combine.  Add sugar and yeast to warm water, let stand until frothy.  Warm almond milk until no warmer than 110 degrees.  Add liquid ingredients and oil to flour mixture. Mix well with a wire whisk.  Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter over night. In the morning mix the vanilla, baking soda and cinnamon (opt) into the batter.  Beat the egg-whites until soft peaks form. Lightly fold the egg-whites into the batter.  Cook according to your waffle makers instructions.
Makes about 9 round waffles.
We enjoy serving these with thawed mixed berries. Way yummy! 

Multigrain Bread

Don't confuse 7-grain hot cereal mix with boxed, cold breakfast cereals that may also be labeled "7-grain." Our favorite brands of 7-grain mix are Bob's Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills. Leftover bread can be wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 days; wrap with an additional layer of aluminum foil and the bread can be frozen for up to one month.

1 1/4 cups bob's red mill 7 grain cereal
2 1/2 cups boiling water
4 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 T salt
3/4 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
1/2 cup rolled oats for coating the loaves

Instructions

1. Place cereal mix in bowl of standing mixer and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour. Whisk flours in medium bowl.
2. Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter, and yeast and stir to combine. Attach bowl to standing mixer fitted with dough hook. With mixer running on low speed, add flours, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough forms ball, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; cover bowl with plastic and let dough rest 20 minutes. Add salt and knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, 3 to 4 minutes (if it does not clear sides, add 2 to 3 tablespoons additional all-purpose flour and continue mixing); continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes. Add seeds and knead for another 15 seconds. Transfer dough to floured work surface and knead by hand until seeds are dispersed evenly and dough forms smooth, taut ball. Place dough into greased container with 4-quart capacity; cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and pat into 12 by 9-inch rectangle; cut dough in half crosswise with knife or bench scraper. Follow illustrations 1 through 3 below to shape loaves and coat with oats; cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. (Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle.) Bake until internal temperature registers 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire rack before slicing, about 3 hours.

36 slices
2 points each

Yummy whole wheat pizza

One recipe of "Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust"
One recipe of "Uncooked Pizza Sauce"
1 lb shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
25 slices turkey pepperoni
20 large olives sliced
tomato's diced
bell peppers
onion
4oz can mushrooms
2oz Ham lunch meat
1 cup pineapple tidbits

This makes two pizza's. One is a supreme and the other ham and pineapple.
20 slices
3 points per slice

Pizza Crust

2 T white sugar
1 T active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 C White flour
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

Directions

1.Combine all of the ingredient into a mixer and kneed until smooth. Drop dough onto counter and cut into 2 thick pizza crusts or 3 thin crusts. Or 2 thin crusts and 8 bread sticks.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. When the crust has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Cook crust for 7-10 minutes. Prepare pizzas as desired.
3. Cook for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

EZ Bread

I have found my favorite homemade whole wheat bread!

I came across the recipe here
http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2009/03/11/making-homemade-bread-the-food-storage-recipe-challenge/food-storage-recipes
I enjoyed her tutorial.

I always double this recipe and make two loafs at a time.
I have found that this bread is wonderfully sweet with a little tang to it. It is as soft as she clams and makes amazing sandwiches.

I have also made this bread (keep in mind I double the recipe) with half the amount of brown sugar 1/3 cup and 1 Tbsp vinegar. The wheat flavor is stronger. This bread is wonderful either way!


EZ Wheat Bread recipe (I double this recipe)

1 1/4 cup warm water
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup honey or 1/3 cup sugar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp nonfat non instant dry milk
1 Tbsp butter/margarine/oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup potato flakes (NOT potato pearls)

If using a kitchen aid mixer, mix ingredients in order listed. If using a Bosch, add all of the dry ingredients first then add the liquids.
I incorporate the butter into the dough after all of the other ingredients have been mixing for 5 or so minutes. Cut the butter into 1/4 in pieces and push them into the dough then continue to kneed until the dough is supple and stretchy. If the dough breaks when it is pulled on its not ready. The kneeding process can take between 15-20 minutes. Form into a smooth round ball and place in an ungreased bowl. Cover and let rise until double, 1- 1 1/2 hours. Remove from bowl divide in half and shape into rounds. Let them rest on the counter covered by large bowls for 15-30 min. This allows the dough to relax. Shape into loafs or rolls. Let rise again covered until double, 20-30 minutes, and bake 375 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the pans, the bottoms will sound hollow when lightly tapped. Brush the tops with butter and cool on a cooling rack.

Busy People's Bread Recipe

Sponge: 3hours
Dough: 1 1/2 hours to rise 3/4 hour to proof.

Sponge:
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 c 110* water

3-4 T honey
1 1/4 C tepid water

4 1/2 c whole wheat flour
6 T milk powder

Dough:
1 C warm water
1 C whole wheat flour
1/3 C soy flour
1 T salt
2-3 T butter
1 C raisins (opt)

To make the sponge

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, and the honey in the other water measure. Put liquid ingredients into kitchen aid bowl add flour and milk powder, mixing to make a stiff dough. Knead briefly, about 2 min- long enough so the dough has the strength to hold in the gas, but not so long that the gluten in fully developed. Cover the kitchen aid bowl with a plate or plastic rap and put the sponge in a cool place to rise for 3 hours, about 70*. Steam the raisins about 5 minutes, allowing them an hour or more to cool before you add them tot he full dough.

To make the dough

Pour the water measure into the risen sponge. It works best to mix the water into the sponge with your fingers then use the kitchen aid to knead in the flours and salt. Add water or flour as required to make the dough soft, but not excessively soft. Continue kneading to make a smooth, ELASTIC dough.
Half way through kneading you can gently tug and pull a piece of the dough out flabby-thin, The surface will still be plenty rough, with little craters all over; the dough will tear easily
When the dough is fully developed, it will pull into a paper-thin sheet, smooth and bright, very elastic.
Before the dough is fully developed, knead in the cold butter that has been cut into small pieces, then the raisins.(opt)
Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in the bowl. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. after about and hour and a half, gently poke the center of the dough about 1/2 inch deep with you wet finger, if the hole doesn't fill in at all or if the dough sighs, it is ready.
Press the dough flat and divide in two. Round it and let It rest until relaxed, then deflate and shape into loaves. Let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until they arch over the tops of the pans. Bake 45 minutes to an hour. at 350*

Basic Whole Wheat Bread

2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup 110* water
6 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cup tepid water
2-4 T honey
2-3 T butter

Dissolve yeast in the 1/2 cup water and the honey in the other measure of water. Pour them into the warmed kitchen aid bowl. Add the flour and salt. Add flour or water if more are required.
If you want really great bread-best flavor, best rise ,best keeping quality-knead the dough for about 20 minutes without adding more flour. The dough should remain soft and should become elastic and smooth. Work in the butter after the gluten has really begun to develop- about halfway through kneading.
Toward the end of the kneading, it will become lustrous, utterly supple and elastic, It should actually be white, with brown bran flecks clearly visible against the pale gluten.
Form the dough into a smooth round ball and put it into a big lean bowl to rise. (do not oil the bowl). Rise in a warm draft-free place. At 80* this will take 1-2 hours at 70* about
1 1/2-2 1/2 hours.
For best results, do not wait until it sighs deeply when ti is poked. Gently press out all the accumulated gas, make the dough into a smooth round again, put it back in the bowl. Let is rise as before. The second rise will take about half as long as the first, at the same temperature.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Keeping the smooth top surface(gluten film)carefully unbroken, deflate the dough by pressing it with wet or floury hands from one side to the other. Cut it in half (if not halving the recipe) and form each part gently into a round ball. Let the dough balls rest, covered with the inverted rising bowl, until they soften, usually 10 min or more.
Shape into loaves and let rise once more. They should take 30-45 minutes for their final proof.
There are two baking options. The first provides at slightly thicker darker crust, the second is thinner and more soft.
First preheat oven to 425*. After baked for 10 minutes turn the temperature down to 325*. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. Or until the bread tests done. If they slip out of the pans easily and if you thump their bottoms with your fingertips they should sound hollow.
I like to brush the top crust of the hot bread with butter. Yum, Yum.

Overnight Started Bread

Sponge ingredients

1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 C 110* water

2 C whole wheat flour
6 T powdered milk
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C cold water

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let it sit for 3-4 min
Add the liquids to the bottom of you kitchen aid bowl. Then add the dry ingredients. Knead for 2-3 minutes. Cover and leave in a cool room until you are ready to make the bread 12 hours later.

To make the dough

1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 C 110* water

2-4 T honey
1 C warm water

2 tsp salt
4 C whole wheat flour

More water as needed
3 T butter

Mixed the sponge and the sweetened water together. Your fingers do the best job. Next, incorporate the yeast into the mixture. Mix in the flour and the salt. Is there enough water in it. If it seems stiff add a small about of water at a time. Up to as much as a half a cup. But, be very careful not to water log the dough. Add the butter half way through kneading.
The dough should only take about 10 minutes to attain supple perfection.
Let the dough rise twice. The second rise will take half as long as the first.
To shape loves, press the dough flat and shape into two rounds let them rest until relaxed. Proof about 45 minutes in a very warm draft-free place.
Bake at 350* for 45 minutes to an hour.