Hard Boiled Eggs

Ingredients

2-6 Large Eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vinegar

Instructions

Place Eggs in pan with with cold water that covers them plus an extra inch of water. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vinegar. 

Bring water to a rapid boil. Turn off heat and let eggs sit in hot water, on the burner, for about 14-16 minutes. [See notes about timing.]

Pour out hot water and fill with cold water to stop eggs from cooking further.

Notes

If you are making more eggs, make sure that there is enough room for them and enough water covering them so they will cook evenly. 

Timing: These instructions should result in eggs with a lightly cooked yellow center when large eggs are boiled in a heavy bottomed pan at sea-level on a stove whose burner does not cool immediately after turning it off. There are many factors that affect the cooking of eggs, so you have to fine-tune to your own tastes and for your own situation. 

Brockville Shortbread Cookies

This is a non-traditional shortbread recipe. Cookies are a bit lighter and have a slightly more 'cookie-like' texture than traditional shortbread. I'm not a big fan of shortbread and this recipe is not a big favorite either. My family likes these and so the recipe is here for when I have to make them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup soft butter
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour + 2 tbsp all purpose flour

Directions

• Cream 1 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium for 3 minutes. 
• Add 1/4 cup icing sugar and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until completely mixed.
• Add 1/4 cup brown sugar and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes
• Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Continue mixing until thoroughly mixed
• Add 1 1/2 cups flour in 1/2 cup increments
• Add 2 tbsp flour and mix dough thoroughly
• Line a 20x15" cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Split dough into 12 equal size balls
• Place balls equally spaced on cookie sheet
• Flatten balls and shape into round cookies
• Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes
• Carefully shift parchment with cookies on to a flat surface and cool for 2-3 minutes then carefully place cookies on wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes

Notes

In the picture shown, eight cookies were made according to the recipe and after they were formed, the remaining four cookies worth had chocolate chips added. 

Basic Home Cookie Recipe

This is a basic recipe for cookies similar to the base for a 'Toll House' chocolate chip cookie.

Ingredients

Moist Bowl

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/4 lb shortening
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Dry Bowl

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. For the 'moist bowl', combine 1/4 lb shortening, 2 tbsp milk, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar in a mixing bowl and beat on high for 2 minutes.
3. Add egg and vanilla to mixing bowl and beat until completely mixed (about 30 sec). 
4. For the 'dry bowl', combine 1 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in another bowl and mix dry ingredients thoroughly. 
5. Add flour mix to first bowl, about a half cup at a time and beat until all flour is mixed and mixture is consistent (same) all the way through. 
6. Add flavorings or other ingredients and mix with a spoon until evenly distributed. [For instance, add about 7/8 cup of chocolate chips to make chocolate chip cookies. See notes below.]
7. Put parchment paper on to cookie sheet and distribute approx 1 1/2 tbsp balls about 3 1/2 inches from center to center: 
8. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10 - 14 minutes until golden brown. 
9. Depending upon ingredients, amount of cookie dough and cooking conditions this recipe makes from 18 to 24 cookies about 3 inches in diameter. On an 16-18 inch wide cookie sheet cookie dough can be measured out to about 2 tablespoons before cookies touch. 
10. Let cookies sit on the parchment covered cookie sheet outside the oven for about 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack for about 15 minutes -- about as long as it takes to bake another sheet of cookies. 

Notes

Add about 7/8 cup of chocolate chips to make chocolate chip cookies. 

How long you bake and the exact temperature depend upon a number of things:

Lower temperature and longer time for chewier cookies. About 350 degrees is the lowest to go, about 390 is the highest. 

Changing the ratio of brown sugar to white sugar makes cookies chewier with more brown sugar, more crispy with more white sugar. You need at least about 1/8 cup of brown sugar to make sure the cookies can rise properly. 

Substituting a third of a cup of the flour with rice flour makes a slightly grainy richer flavored cookie. 

Less flour yields chewier cookies. You can go down to 1 cup for very soft cookies. 

More flour yields drier cookies, up to about 3 1/2 cups for very stiff cookies. 

Adding another egg will make chewier cookies. 

Flavourings: 

To make spice cookies, add 1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. 

To make chocolate chip cookies add 3/4 cup to 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips depending upon taste. We normally add about 7/8 cup. 

To make peanut butter cookies, cut back shortening by about 4 tbsp and add about 1/4 cup peanut butter. Peanut butter cookies take longer to bake and are very fragile when they first come out. Let them cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes longer, carefully transfer to the cooling rack and let stand a bit longer -- about 20-30 minutes. 

Country White Bread

An honest loaf

This recipe produces delicious artisan-style bread. It has a thick, crisp, beautifully browned crust and a soft center with excellent cell structure and just the right chewy resistance to be deeply satisfying without being annoying. This recipe may not be for novices. See the notes before attempting.

Ingredients

Country White Bread

Starter

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups White Bread flour
• 1/4 cups Multi-grain Bread flour

Dough

• Prepared Starter (from ingredients above)
• 1 cup warm water
• 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups White Bread Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

• In a large bowl, mix starter ingredients together until completely mixed and sticky. 
• Cover with plastic wrap and leave it overnight or for about 10-16 hours. 
• Once starter is ready, stir the bubbles out with a spoon

  

  Starter rested overnight

• Stir in the 1 cup of water, 3/4 tsp yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, 3 1/4 cups of flour, and the 1 1/2 tsp salt to make a sticky dough. Let stand for 15 minutes and then work it for a minute or two until it is smoother and ready to knead. 
• Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Add flour as needed and work until it is a soft spongy dough.
• Lightly oil another large bowl, put the dough in and turn to make sure there is a sheen of oil on the dough. 
• Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let rise until about doubled. How the bread rises depends a lot on temperature and humidity. It can take as little as 40 minutes or so or as long as 90 minutes or more.
• Split the dough into two portions and gently form them into two loaves being careful not to lose two much air. 
• Store one loaf in the fridge for baking in the next day or two. 
• Place lightly dusted parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Gently place the remaining loaf on the sheet, seam-side down.
• Cover the bread gently with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let rise for 40 to 90 minutes until proofed dough will spring half way back when poked gently with your finger. If it dents and springs right back it is not ready. Be careful because when it dents and won't spring back at all it is over-proofed and your bread will fall and be heavy. 
• 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven with covered casserole dish or dutch oven to 450 °F.
• When ready, carefully (dish is very hot) and gently (you don't want your dough to fall) shift the loaf into the heated dish. 
• Slash the bread with a lame, if you have one, or a very sharp knife or razor blade. 
• Cover dish and bake the bread for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. 
• Remove lid and bake for another ten minutes or so until crust is nicely browned. 
• Remove the dish from the oven, and dump the loaf out of the dish on to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes. 

Notes

There are a number of things you need to know that are not explained here. If you are not familiar and comfortable with making bread, you should study up online to learn how to knead properly, how to do 'the poke test', etc.

There are a lot of variables that affect timing and so you need to learn to recognize when things are in the correct state.

You can experiment with types of flour, but should stick to flour made especially for bread. All purpose flour does not have enough protein.

Instead of the 1/4 cup of Multigrain flour in the starter, you can use all white bread flour if you prefer. 

If you can't leave the starter overnight, let it set for at least 2 hours. The longer it gets to set the better the flavor will be.

For the first rise you can let the dough rise slowly in the fridge if you need to. If your dough has been refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature before shaping; it'll warm up and rise at the same time.

The dough you saved in the fridge is ready for that last 40 to minute rise but because it is cold and has to warm up, you need to give it about 30 to 60 minutes longer. The 'poke test' is your guide to when it is properly risen.

Alternate Measures

Starter			Amount
	Item	Measure	x1	x1.5	x2
	Water	cup	1	1.5	3
	Yeast	tsp	0.5	0.75	1.5
	Flour	cup	1.5	2.25	4.5
Dough
	Water	cup	1	1.5	3
	Yeast	tsp	0.75	1.125	2.25
	Sugar	tbsp	1	1.5	3
	Flour	cup	3.5	5.25	10.5
	Salt	tsp	1.5	2.25	4.5

Finished Bread

Close up of crust

Cell Structure

Closeup of Cell Structure

Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter

Topping

• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Butter a 9x12 casserole dish
• Melt the 1/4 cup of butter and the 1 1/2 tbsp of butter

Cake Batter

• Sift together 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon (all the dry cake ingredients) into bowl, then sift again into a second bowl. 
• In the empty bowl, beat the egg
• Mix in the 1/2 cup milk
• Pour liquid into bowl with dry ingredients and mix
• Add 1/4 butter
• Gently mix batter until just smooth
• Pour batter into casserole dish

Topping

• Mix all the topping ingredients together -- 3 tbsp sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 3 tbsp flour, 1 1/2 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• Sprinkle topping on top of cake batter

Baking

• Bake at 450 degrees for about 10-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Notes

• Baking time can be highly variable depending on factors like the dish you use to bake it in. Larger and shallower takes less time than taller and deeper. Once you have measured the time in your own kitchen it will become more predictable, but it might still vary within a minute or two. The Corning casserole I use consistently takes just about 18 minutes. 

The finished cake was made without pecans this time:

Alfredo's Noodles

This recipe is usually done as 'Fettuccine Alfredo', but I prefer linguine when I have a choice. In the picture here, it is done with De Cecco spaghetti. This recipe makes four appetizer/first course sized portions. To make a meal of it, add Caesar Salad and garlic bread.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb noodles (best with linguine)
• 1/4 lb salted butter
• 1 cup heavy (35%) cream
• 2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Fill a 2 quart bowl with very hot water and set aside
• Cook noodles according to directions (see notes)
• While noodles are cooking, melt the butter and warm the cream
• Empty bowl, drain the noodles and place in the warm bowl.
• Add cream, butter, pepper and 1 1/2 cups of the parmesan and toss to coat the noodles. 
• Serve quickly
• Use remaining half-cup of parmesan to top the served noodles.
• Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Notes

• This is a simple dish, so the quality of the ingredients make a big difference. In particular, use high quality noodles and for the Parmesan use real freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. 
• Failing to use proper heavy cream will mess up the dish. The cream is needed to emulsify the butter. 
• It is important to have everything ready and to work quickly and surely. If you move too slowly, the dish will end up too cool. 
• If the ingredients are too hot, or you move too slowly, the sauce will separate. 
• It is best not to improvise with this unless you really know what you are doing. All the ingredients, including the black pepper are important to achieving the proper flavor. 

French Toast Recipe

A classic. It is surprising how often this dead simple recipe is not properly followed. I am afraid to order it in restaurants because they almost always mess it up. Once you get the hang of it, this takes only about ten minutes.

Ingredients

• One egg
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt.  
• 2 slices day old bread
• butter to taste
• icing sugar to taste
• Maple syrup to taste

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg and mix in 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla and pinch of salt. 
2. Mix in 1/3 cup milk. 
3. Cut each slice of bread in two
4. Soak pieces of bread in mixture. Place pieces in bowl one at a time and flip to completely cover the bread. Repeat by re-soaking each piece until all liquid is absorbed. It is usually absorbed after 2-3 soakings. 
5. Cook in pan on medium heat until golden brown. 
6. Cover liberally with butter. Sprinkle icing sugar to taste and add maple syrup to taste.
7. Enjoy!

Notes

This does not magically create bacon. You will have to do that separately on your own. 

Classic Banana Bread

This is my version of the classic banana bread recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 3 over-ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Grease 4x8-inch loaf pan with butter.
3. Beat egg in medium size bowl.
4. Peel and add the 3 bananas, mash until smooth. 
5. Stir in the 1/4 cup melted butter.
6. Add 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder and pinch of salt and stir until mixed.
7. Stir in the 3/4 cup sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla. 
8. Add 1 3/4 cup flour and stir just until mixed. 
9. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Cool loaf on wire rack -- about 20 minutes. 
11. Slice loaf and enjoy!

Notes

• You can omit the baking powder if you like. It will make a slightly denser loaf. 
• Original recipe this is derived from only calls for 1 tsp of vanilla. You can cut back to that if you wish. At 2 tsp, this is already plenty, so don't add extra vanilla!

Photos

What you need

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• 

Greased Loaf Pan

• Grease 4x8-inch loaf pan with butter.

Mashed Banana with Egg

• Beat egg in medium size bowl.
• Peel and add the 3 bananas, mash until smooth. 

Ready to Pour

• Stir in the 1/4 cup melted butter.
• Add 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder and pinch of salt and stir until mixed.
• Stir in the 3/4 cup sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla. 
• Add 1 3/4 cup flour and stir just until mixed. 

Ready to Bake

• Pour into loaf pan

Bake Loaf

• Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool on rack

• Cool loaf on wire rack -- about 20 minutes. 

Sliced Loaf

• Slice loaf

Enjoy

• Serve

Brockville Bagel Recipe

Brockville Bagels

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp liquid honey
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tsp traditional yeast (Fleischmann's)
• 2 large eggs separated: 2 yolks for the dough, 2 whites for egg wash
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

• 4 1/2 cups white bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup sesame seeds (or poppy seeds)

• 16 cups of water
• 1/3 cup honey

Directions

Separate egg yolks into a large mixing bowl and the egg whites in a smaller bowl large enough to dip the bagels one at a time. Whisk the egg whites slightly and set aside.

Whisk the 2 egg yolks together 1/4 cup of the warm water, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 3 tbsp grapeseed oil. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cup of warm water and sprinkle the 3 tsp of yeast into mixture. Let mixture stand for about 7-9 minutes (yeast should float to the top). 

Once yeast has floated up, sprinkle 1 tsp salt into the mixture and stir.

Add flour in batches so: Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and mix. Add another 1 1/2 and mix, finally add the last 1 1/2 cups to form into a stiff dough. You may need to add 1 or two tbsp of flower if dough is too sticky. Knead the dough until it is smooth -- about 12-15 minutes.

Once dough is smooth, place in bowl and cover to allow it to rise for about 30 minutes. Dough should have risen to be about 1 1/2 to 2 times original size.

Once dough has risen, put 16 cups of water and honey in a large pot and set it to boil.  Pot should be wide enough to float three bagels in a triangle next to each other. The one I use is 10 inches across and three just fit. 

While the honey water is coming to a bowl, divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into ropes about 11 inches long and then form them into bagel (donut) shapes.

Once all the bagels are formed, line two 15"x10" baking trays with parchment paper and set the oven to preheat to 425 degrees.

Place one or two clean dry kitchen towels on the counter near the honey water. You need enough area to drain the bagels after boiling.

Boil the bagels in batches of three. Boil for about 45 seconds on one side, then flip and boil for another 45 seconds. Place boiled bagels on the towel to drain.

Once all the bagels are all boiled, pour the cup of sesame seeds into a shallow dish.

Start with the bagels you boiled first and dip each in bagel in egg wash and then coat with sesame seeds. Place coated bagels on to the parchment lined trays. 

Bake bagels at 425 degrees for ten minutes, then flip each bagel and bake until golden (about 8 more min).

Place finished bagels on wire racks and allow them to cool for about fifteen minutes.

Notes:

The salt is optional.

Grapeseed oil is my 'goto' oil for cooking but you can substitute canola or whatever you have. 

You can substitute whatever sweeteners you like. Just make sure you adjust slightly for moisture by adding or subtracting flour. 

Note that this dough is quite hard to work, If you can, use a dough hook or breadmaker to knead the dough.

When forming Be careful to roll the ends together well enough so they will stay put during boiling and baking. A so-so join will come apart in the boiling water.

Comparison with Montreal Style Bagels

These bagels are intended to be similar to Montreal Style bagels. They are, like Montreal Style bagels, sweet and chewy with a golden glossy surface and an interesting texture. 

The recipe is different from commercial Montreal Style bagel recipes:

• It is tuned for an ordinary kitchen. 
• It does not rely on a wood-burning brick oven. 

Brockville Style bagels differ in the following ways: 

• Cell structure is finer, more even and delicate.
• They are less dense.
• They are not quite as chewy and 'ropey' as Montreal Style bagels. 
• They are slightly smaller. It's less of a committment to eat one. 

Crust, Crumb/Cell Structure