Vermont Cheddar Cheese Bread

When I think of this bread I think of avocado sandwiches…

Ham, or chicken…

And then my mind goes to the baloney that we would oogle at when we went to the store… the one where it already has the cheese in the baloney…

I remember as a kid always wanting Mama to buy some… and thought what a treat it would be to have cheese already mixed in…

I finally got over that obsession when I seen some that the cheese was moldy and the “meat” looked good as new…

Ok… I completely ruined my train of thought…

Just make this bread…

Don’t think of moldy cheese or slimy baloney…

Mix together everything but the water….

Mix in the water

Bake…

 Print Recipe

Vermont Cheddar Cheese Bread

Makes four 1 pound loaves

3 cups of warm water

1 ½ tablespoons yeast

1 ½ tablespoons salt

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

6 ½ cups of bread flour

2 cups of cheddar cheese (sharp is the best)

Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, cheese and flour

Add water.

Mix till all the flour is moistened

 Cover (not airtight or you will have an explosion on your counter) and allow to rest at room temp until dough rises and collapse.. About 2 hours

You can then shape and bake the dough, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate the dough in a covered (again not airtight container) up to 7 business days

 On baking day, shape loafs to desired size and either place on a well oiled sheet of wax paper or a well flour dusted towel

Allow to rest one hour (40 minutes for non refrigerated dough)

On a well preheated pizza stone bake at 450 for about 25 minutes..

Allow to cool before eating the whole loaf by yourself.

Haggy Housewife's Holiday

Growing up Thanksgiving and Christmas was something “other” people did…

Once I got married I was determined to celebrate them….

But as a lazy person, I had a hard time coming up with my own traditional dinner…

It is a work in progress, but these are the Haggy Housewifes holiday side dishes…

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole Printable Recipe

I could eat this every week… but I like to save it for special times…

Like when the sun sets in the west..

And the ants stop invading my sugar bowl.

Yorkshire Pudding Printable Recipe

Don’t make these any time ahead… they will fall flat and become nasty lumps… but when fresh they are to die for…

Pumpkin Roll Printable Recipe

I’ve tried countless recipes for pumpkin roll…. None of them looked like what they sell in the deli… and since I have this obsession with having my food look as good as they taste… this roll was a battle for me..

One day… I was extra lazy… and decided instead of finding a plastic container for the rest of the canned pumpkin that was left over… I would double the recipe..

Not only did it work wonderfully… I didn’t have to find a spot in the fridge to shove 2/3 cup of pumpkin…

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Printable Recipe

DH loves tart sour stuff…

No thanks.. but this is far better than the canned stuff

Classic Green Bean Casserole Printable Recipe 

My oldest daughter loves this casserole..

I stay away from it,  I would rather over do it with calories with mashed potatoes

Cheeseball Printable Recipe

My oldest son could live off of chips, cereal, hamburgers and cheese ball…

I get to slip in onions

Candied Carrots Printable Recipe

These are the best…

Another dish to save for special occasions

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts Printable Recipe 

This is the only way to make brussel sprouts… loaded up with butter and salt… how can you go wrong?

Click here on a step by step guild on how to go completely insane 

I am not a stuffing person..

( do we see a trend here?? Unless I like it, I don’t bother making it from scratch?) my DH and a few of the dozen kids are…

Click here for a instructional print out on how to buy stuffing.

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Cheese crackers…

The best of both worlds… cheese and crackers…

I wonder who thought of them, really…

I bet you anything it was a lazy person… who got tired of placing the cheese on the crackers… who just wanted to shove a whole handful in their mouth…  “Why not make a cracker that is both?”

Tada! A lazy mans snack…

Let’s make that snack…

Cheese… beautiful cheese…

Butter… gorgeous butter..

Salt

Pepper

Mix those together until creamy-ish

Dump in your flour

Mix till everything is crumbly like so..

Add water, a tablespoon at a time till dough comes together in a soft ball.

Plop it in a plastic bag and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes

Cut in half for easier handling

Roll out… the thinner the better…

If you have one of  those fancy scallop cutter thingys… use it  and then with a fork , indent in the middle of cracker

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes

Store in airtight container for up to three days if they last that long…

 Printer Recipe

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cold water

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, cheese, salt and pepper.  With mixer on low-speed, slowly add flour.  Mixture will become dry and crumbly.  Add two tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time.  Beat until mixture just comes together into a ball.  The mixture may take an extra teaspoon of water, but don’t add too much.  The dough should be moist but not wet.

Wrap cracker dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (an hour is better).  The dough can also be frozen for future use.

While dough chills, place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease two baking sheets with oil and set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough very thin, about an eighth of an inch thick.  Dot center of cracker with a fork, or the end of a paint brush.  Place crackers on prepared baking sheets.  The pieces can be close together as they won’t expand much when baking.  Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until fragrant, golden brown, and crisp.  Allow to cool before serving.

The crackers can be stored in an airtight container for two or three days.