Whole Wheat Bread

This is the same recipe I've been using for years, but makes four loaves instead of two.  (The family likes this so much, and it's so easy that we've only bought bread once or twice since I bought my new mixer a year ago).  It freezes well.  I also use the dough to make fry bread for Navajo Tacos.

6 cups  (900 g) whole wheat flour
2/3 cup (108 g) vital wheat gluten
2 1/2 TB (22 g) yeast
5 cups very warm tap water
2 TB salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 1/2 TB lemon juice
4-5 cups (~700 g) whole wheat flour

Mix together first three ingredients in mixer with dough hook.
Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute.
Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Add salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute.
Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup.
Beat (knead) for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl.  This make a soft dough.

Preheat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off.  Turn dough onto oiled counter top.  Dived, shape into 4 loaves, and place in oiled bread pans.  Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes until dough reaches top of pan.  Do not remove bread from oven.  Turn oven to 350 and bake 30 minutes (30 minutes from the time you turn the oven on).  Remove from pans and cool on racks.  (for soft tops, lightly spray them with water, oil, or butter)

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

This is really an adaptation of my moms peanut butter cornflake cookies.  I like to call them granola bars, and pretend they are a healthy.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats
1- 1 1/2 cups cocoa crisp (or Rice Krispies, puffed millet, etc)

Mix oats and cereal together in large bowl.  Heat sugar and honey just to boiling.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.  Pour over oat and cereal mixture.  Mix, and spread in 7x11 pan lined with buttered wax paper.  Press firmly in pan.  Cool, cut, and serve.  (Sometimes I wrap them individually, sometimes I store them in a tupperware container).

Macaroni & Cheese

slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

My girls love this mac & cheese, and Dakota tolerates it.  We have it for lunch frequently.  Sometimes I use half pepper jack cheese and half cheddar, but the kids prefer plain cheddar.  My kids don't like pepper (or at least the looks of pepper) so we add it to our individual servings.

1 3/4 cups water
3/4  cup milk
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp dry mustard
hot sauce to taste
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1 TB butter, cut in small chunks
Ground pepper to taste

Bring water, 1/2 cup milk, macaroni, and salt to a simmer in large skillet.  Cook at vigorous simmer stirring often, until the macaroni is tender.  Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, cornstarch, mustard, and hot sauce together in a small bowl.  Stir into skillet.  Continue to simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Off the heat, stir in the cheese one handful at a time.  (You can add a little water to adjust the consistency of the sauce if needed).  Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.