Ciabatta

Biga starter

1 cup flour
1/8 t. Yeast
1 cup water (105-110)

Mix all, cover and let sit for 8-24 hours.

Add the rest:
2 cups flour
1 1/4 t. Salt
1/2 t. Yeast
1/3 cup warm milk
1/3-1/2 cup warm water (105-110) F

Mix well and cover for 1-2 hours. Dough should be wet. Take out a sheet of parchment and spread with olive oil. Pour the dough out and stretch the sides and fold the ends toward the center. Take plastic wrap and cover with olive oil and then cover dough and let rise for 30 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with flour.

Transfer to baking sheet. Bake 450 for 15 minutes, turn over and bake 10-15 more minutes.

shepherd's pie

Stew:

2 -3 lbs lamb or beef, cut into pieces
1 can tomato paste
3 cloves of garlic
Onion, grated
1/2 cup of diced carrot
1/2 of bay leaf
Flour
1 can beef broth
Splash of red wine

In a pan, fry lamb and flour with olive oil until brown. Add salt, pepper, tomato paste, garlic and grated onion. Add beef broth and wine. After 1 and a half hours add carrots. Start to make mashed potatoes. See below. When the meat is tender, add flour to thicken and add peas. Place stew into bowls and top with mashed potatoes. Serve.

Mashed potatoes:
Peel and cut up 5lbs potatoes
Boil water
Cook for 25 minutes, drain
Mash and add salt, pepper, 1 stick of melted butter and 1 cup warm milk

Candied Walnuts

In a frying pan, dry toast nuts. Set aside.

In a small pan heat, over medium low heat add
1/2c. Brown sugar
Dash cinnamon and cloves
1 t. Vanilla
2 T. Butter

Turn off head and add

2 T. Cream or half and half
Dash of salt

Spread over the nuts and mix of well. Let cool before storing.

Coconut Ice cream (non dairy)

1 can coconut milk or cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1-2 t. Vanilla
1 T coconut oil

Whip egg and sugar. Add the rest. Place in the ice cream maker. I have also made this ice cream with frozen raspberries.  You can also add coconut flakes. The coconut oil adds a lot of flavor.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2 small heads of Broccoli, cut up
2 small potatoes, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 T. Flour
2-3 T. Butter
1 cup milk
32 oz. Veggie or chicken broth
Dash nutmeg
Cayenne (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a stock pot,simmer diced potatoes, carrots, and broth with garlic for 10 minutes. Add broccoli. Take out some carrots and potatoes. Blend until smooth. Add carrots and potatoes, butter, milk and cheese, sift flour into the pot. Simmer a few ceremonies and serve.