I’d love to know the results others have seen with this glaze.  I appreciate your comments.

1 package active dry yeast

1  tsp sugar

1 1/3 c warm water

3 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1  tsp salt

3 tbs olive oil

3 tbs cornmeal for the pan

a little more olive oil for the pan

Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand for about 10 minutes until it’s foamy.  If using a food processor install a metal blade into work bowl.  Mix flour and salt then add yeast mixture while mixing until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl easily.  Add the oil and knead for about another minute.

If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl add more flour 1 tbs at a time until dough stops sticking but remains soft.

Roll dough on a floured surface into a circle, rotating and turning (wedging) often and using enough flour to prevent sticking.  If the dough resists wedging let it rest for a few minutes before trying again.

Oil pizza pan or stone lightly and thoroughly then sprinkle lightly with cornmeal to prevent sticking.

Toss or roll dough and place on pan, pull out towards the pan’s edges and squeeze to make a crust.

Top with your favorite sauce, cheese and/or other toppings then bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until dough reaches your desired level of doneness.

Butternut Squash Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 sweet or white potato (optional, I used a sweet potato)
6 cups veggie stock
Nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve with a swirl of sour cream or yogurt.

Cooking time is about 40min

2 parts Westside Creamery Mint Sweet Tea Ice Cream

1 Part Westside Creamery Coconut Key Lime Sorbet

1 shot of rum (preferably dark)

Splash of club soda (optional)

Fresh mint (optional)

Mix all the ingredients in a blender add mint in blender or use as a garnish, add club soda if more volume is needed to fill the glass or you prefer a thinner shake.  Pour into a ceramic tumbler, enjoy.  Life is good.

Note:  do not add rum if serving this shake to under age children, add more rum if you are on vacation, it was a bad day at work, it’s the weekend, Jimmy Buffet music is playing, you’re on a tropical island, you wish you were on a tropical island, the sun came up today…

Horse Hair Decorated

This sig’ recipe is for all of us non-technophiles and first timers.

1)  Relax, and crack open a cold beer.
2)  Pour 3 1/2 gallons of water into a bucket.
3)  Stir in a tablespoon of sodium silicate and/or soda ash.
4)  Mix in 17 lbs of XX saggar or 9 lbs. OM 4 ball clay* and put the bucket up on a table.
5)  Finish your cold one and wait a day (20 hours).  This time factor (20 to 24 hours)  is very important.  If you wait any longer all the particles will settle to the bottom and you won’t have workable terra sig.
6)  Siphon off the top 1 gallon.**  (This includes the little bit of water off the top)  This top 1 gallon is your terra sig.  You can use immediately or store it for several years. Dump the rest.  It’s just dirt!  “Release it back into the wild.”
7) If you want, you can sieve it to get the little specks and cat/dog hair out. (200 mesh –or as fine of sieve as you can lay your hands on.)

That’s it.   Dip it, spray it, brush it.

* OM4 ball clay seems to produce a foamy mess on the top but don’t worry about it.
**If the finished 1 gallon of sig isn’t fine enough for some ungodly reason, then stir just that 1 gallon up again, and let it sit for a couple of hours to let the big stuff settle out. Then pour the thin liquid off the top and throw away the bottom 1/2 inch.

Terra Sig–Application and Polishing

Apply terra sigillata to bone dry clay.
Use only enough sig to bring up nice satin shine.  Caution, more than 3 painted layers of sig may start to crack and peel off in later firing processes.  Do not stone burnish a pot before applying the terra sig or it will flake off in the various firings.

Brushing
Put the pot on a banding wheel.  Coat a soft glazing brush with sig.  Spin the pot and apply an even coat onto the pot as it spins.  Buff the pot.  Repeat if necessary.

Dipping
Pots can be dipped into the terra sigillata and then allowed to absorb before polishing.  The dipping process is repeated with enough time allowed for water absorption.

Spraying
Sometimes the terra sigillata is sprayed onto the pots using a Paasche “H” airbrush with a #3 or #5 tip.  The pot is placed on a banding wheel and several coats are sprayed on taking care not to cause runs.  The pot is then buffed and the process is repeated until the desired level of shine is achieved.  (Usually 2 or 3 times).  A regular glaze sprayer can also be used successfully.

Polishing and Buffing
Before all color of water has been absorbed, buff/polish the sigillata surface with soft tee-shirt cloth, pantyhose or soft plastic. Take care to apply only enough pressure to bring up a shine but not to remove the terra sigillata. Metal/stone burnishing objects can be used but are not recommended.

1 wheel Brie cheese, about 8 ounces

Brie Baker

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place Brie wheel in a brie baker. In a small bowl, combine peaches, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread mixture over Brie. Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until peach mixture is just starting to bubble and cheese is softened throughout. Serve warm with French bread and/or crackers.

Makes 8-10 appetizer servings.

Miso - Ginger Soup

1 Tablespoon grated ginger (more or less to taste)

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

7 tablespoons Miso

2 green onios, finely sliced

6 large shiitake mushrooms, steamed

1 teaspoon nut butter

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Wisk together the broth, water and miso, heat gently to a simmer, add the remaining ingredients while simmering.   Do not boil.  Enjoy

Ingredients

Fancy Mac & Cheese

• 4 cups Macaroni
• 8 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
• 1 package GimmeLean Sausage Substitute
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk
• ½ cups Half & Half
• 2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
• Salt & Pepper (to Taste)
• ½ cups Grated Gruyere Cheese
• ½ cups Grated Fontina Cheese
• ½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
• 4 ounces, weight Chevre (soft Goat Cheese)

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry GimmeLean until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste. (Do not undersalt!)

Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and soysage and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot.

Melt butter in heavy very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until just tender, about 6 minutes. Add minced thyme, reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are golden, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine; stir until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over onions and sauté until soft and brown, about 10 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup wine; stir just until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool. (Can be prepare 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap Brie, cut away only top rind of cheese, leaving rind on sides and bottom intact. Place brie in small baking crock, rind side down. Place box on baking sheet. Top Brie evenly with onion mixture. Bake until cheese just melts, about 30 minutes. Transfer Brie in crock to platter. Surround with baguette slices.

2. Set aside.

3. Heat a large pan of water and bring to a boil.

4. Add the ravioli and cook until it is tender.

5. Drain and rinse briefly to prevent the ravioli from sticking.

6. Drain again.

7. Combine the ravioli, basil, pepper, salt, oregano, garlic and tomato sauce.

8. Spoon half of the mixture into the baking dish.

9. Sprinkle with half of the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

10. Top with the remaining ravioli and cheeses.

11. Bake in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until heated through.

12. Sprinkle with bell pepper and garnish. ]]> http://www.futurerelicsgallery.com/blog/baked-ravioli-with-cheese/feed 1