Banana Bread - Tricia N, Wausau

2c        All Purpose Flour
1t         Baking Soda
1t         Ground Cinnamon
1/2t      Ground Nutmeg
1/4t      Salt
1/2c     Butter
3/4c     Brown Sugar
1t         Vanilla
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
2          Eggs Beaten
2 1/3c  Mashed Bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and almond extract, mix well and then add mashed bananas.  Stir banana mixture into flour mixture just to moisten.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack.
 

Scratch Pizza Dough - Jim S, Wausau
(for those who can't throw their dough in the air and make it perfectly round)

3 cups flour
3 Tbl white, refined sugar
1 tsp salt
1 package dry yeast w/ 1/4 t sugar

In a ceramic coffee cup (not steel), combine the yeast and ¼ t sugar with one cup of very warm water.  Let this cup sit in a warm spot.  While the yeast is brewing, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir.  When the yeast is foamy on top, pour it into the mixing bowl and stir the mixture vigorously with a fork until all the ingredients are blended.  You may need to add more water or flour, depending on the texture.  Don't get the mixture too wet.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured surface.  Knead the dough with your hands for 5 or 10 minutes, or until the dough takes on a silky texture.  Place the dough in a large, oiled mixing bowl and cover the bowl.  Let stand in a warm place (80 – 90 degrees) for 1 ½ to 2 hours and let it rise to at least twice it's original size.  Using an oiled rolling pin, roll the dough out on a flat surface that has been dusted with flour and corn meal.  You can roll the dough to the size and shape your desire.

Place the dough on a large, oiled pizza pan. This is the tricky part and may require two people – one to quickly (and gently) lift the dough with two hands and the other to slide the pan under the dough.  If you were able to do this without tearing the dough then give yourself an award.  Now you can place your sauce, toppings and cheese.

Cook at 425 for about 20 minutes.

Hint:  When you roll out the dough, make it a couple inches larger than your pizza pan.  This will leave extra dough over the edges that you can curl up into a hearty crust.
 


 

 

 

Home  Recipe Index