Butter Sprtiz Cookies

When we cleaned out Grandma Steamboat's house, we found lots of cooking gadgets that
a)didn't look like kitchen gadgets,
b)we didn't know what to do with
c)looked like some kind of musical instruments that were missing from some museum

One of those gadgets happened to be a cookie press. It was in its original packaging from Ben Franklin (yes, Ben Franklin did sell household items before it became a craft supply.)Grandma Steamboat told me that cookies actually came out of the small holes on these metal plates that were interchangeable. Yeah right!!!

Well, I was pleasantly surprised to see these beautiful little cookies that look nothing like the design on the plate. We used this easy cookie dough and formed all kinds of shapes, some familiar, some not so familiar. I enjoyed making these cookies. There are no more to try so I guess my family liked them. The actual taste of the cookie is very similar to a Chinese almond cookie but just a little lighter. Try it. You don't need a cookie press. They are good in small little balls too.

1 Cup powdered sugar
2 sticks butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 Cups sifted flour
sprinkles, colored sugar,chocolate(melted for dipping) for decoration.

Preheat oven 350 degrees
In a mixer with paddle attachment, add sugar and butter. Mix until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extracts and mix to incorporate. Sift together baking powder and flour. Add flour mixture to the ingredients in the mixer and combine until formed into a ball. Using the cookie press, press mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets. Top with the sprinkles or sugar. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until firm but not dark brown. Edges should be light brown. If you desire to dip them in chocolate. Melt chocolate of your choice in a double broiler, and add some sugar. Dip and let cool on wax paper.

Submitted by Kahiliopuanaluahine Moikeha.

Our Quick Pizza Dough

We wanted pizza one night and we really didn't have the cash to call Pizza Hut, so we went online to find a quick pizza dough recipie. We found this one and made adjusments to feed all 8 of us. We each made our own pizza and they were really big. It can be made for calzones too. That was really good. The kids had a blast.

6 3/4 all-purpose flour- we used bread flour
3 packages fast acting yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

We used our bosch machine, but you can do it with 2 bowls and knead by hand.
Combine 2 1/4 cup of the flour, yeast, and sugar. With the motor running, add 2 cups hot water (130 degrees F), and turn the motor off. Add the oil, 3 3/4 cups of the remaining flour, and the salt and process the mixture until it forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if it is too dry, or more flour, 1 tablespoon at time, if it is too wet. Knead the dough by processing it for 15 seconds.
May be used immediately, but for better flavor it is best to let it rise once. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it is double in bulk, and punch it down.

We baked it on the bottom rack in a 400 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. We put our toppings on and then put the pizza back in for another 10 minutes or so. They were perfectly crunchy, but just right.

The dough is just the right taste to make a dessert pizza also. That is our next activity. Maybe some apples, cinnamon, brown sugar- like a baked turnover? We will let you know how it goes.

Our Favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter


1. Set oven to 350
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and an egg in a mixer until smooth.
4. Add the peanut butter to the mixer.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer.
6. Mix until smooth.
7. Using your hands, roll it into 1/2 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.
8. Take a fork and press lightly on the ball. (cross)
9. Place in oven for 12 to 16 minutes.
10. ENJOY!!!

They're really good, we love them.
Submitted by the Moikeha Children (da gang of 6)

Our Wheat Hamburger buns

Yesterday, we made wheat hamburger buns. They were wonderful. The kids are out of school this week. We planned to go to the Aquarium and the Zoo, but will put that off until Saturday. Everyone just wanted to stay home and watch a movie. We recommend the movie Akeela and the Bee. The kids walked around the house the rest of the evening spelling everything.
Here is the recipe for the bread we made yesterday. I just formed it into hamburger buns.

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 3 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup bread flour
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 10 cups bread flour

1. In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, stir together 1/2 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup bread flour, and yeast. Let grow for about 5 minutes. It will bubble almost immediately.
2. Measure oats, 4 1/2 cups warm water, whole wheat flour, salt, 2/3 cup sugar, and 2/3 cup oil into the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with a dough hook for 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed slightly, and begin adding bread flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Humidity determines how much flour you need before the bread pulls away from the edge of the bowl. It is normal for the dough to be sticky.
3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Shape loaves, and place in greased 8 x 4 inch pans. Let rise until dough is 1 inch above rim of pans, usually 1 hour.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until tops are browned. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Good luck to those of you who are paddling across the channel!!!