Mendolonium

Source: Gina Mendolo

Note: Makes enough for a double layer 9″ x 13″ cake plus one average sized toddler.

Ingredients:

* 1 c butter, room temperature
* 7 c powdered sugar
* 1/2 c powdered cocoa
* 1/4 t salt
* 6 T milk or cream
* 1 t vanilla extract
* 1/2 t chocolate extract

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar together at low speed until mixture holds together.
2. Add in salt, cream, and extracts.
3. Cream at high speed for approximately two minutes or until frosting is smooth.
4. Use immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Source:  Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups water
• 3 Tablespoons baking soda
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Dissolve yeast in 1 1/3 cups warm water.
3. After yeast is dissolved, mix in brown sugar and flour.
4. Knead dough for approximately 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.  The surface of the dough should be moist.
5. Allow dough to rest for 20 minutes in a covered bowl.
6. Remove dough and flatten slightly.  Pour salt onto the dough and then knead for approximately 2 – 5 minutes to work in the salt.
7. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes in a covered bowl.
8. While dough is resting, bring the 6 cups of water and the 3 Tablespoons of baking soda to a boil in a large, shallow pan.
9. After 10 minutes cut or pull off a 2 inch diameter ball of dough, roll into a rope, and shape into a pretzel.
10. After the pretzel is formed, drop into the boiling water/baking soda bath for 60 seconds and then transfer to a greased cookie sheet.  Note:  if your pan in large enough you may boil more than one pretzel at a time.
11. After all of the pretzels have been boiled, bake for approximately 8 minutes until a dark golden brown.
12. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.

Notes:

• Makes approximately 12 pretzels.
• Particularly good when served with honey or flavored cream cheese.

Source: Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour (You may substitute up to 1.5 cups of whole grain flour in place of the all-purpose flour.)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 unsalted butter, cold and chopped into quarter inch pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup fresh, canned, or frozen, blueberries  (If canned, drained and rinsed.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine the four, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
3. Using your fingers or a pastry blender rub in butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
4. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk mixing to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
5. Gently fold in blueberries.
6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly, incorporating more flour if necessary.
7. Pat or roll dough to a thickness of 3/4 inch.
8. Cut into rounds approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter and place on a cookie sheet.
9. Bake for approximately 12 minutes until tops are just beginning to turn golden.

Source: Gina’s mom (with modifications)

Ingredients:

• 2 c flour
• 2/3 c vegetable shortening
• 1/3 c cold water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place flour and vegetable shortening in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles small crumbs.
3. Add in the water and pulse until the mixture resembles larger crumbs. You may need to add a bit more water depending on temp and humidity.
4. Form mixture into two evenly sized balls.
5. Roll out each ball into a circle approx 10 inches around. Tip: it is much easier and cleaner to roll out the dough between two pieces of wax or parchment paper or two silpat mats.
6. Place one piecrust in the pan.
7. Fill with the filling of your choice.
8. Place the other pie crust over the filling and press around the edge to seal the two crusts together.
9. Trim off the excess edges with a sharp knife.
10. Pierce the top crust so that the pie doesn’t explode. You may also brush the top crust with milk or egg white at this point which will result in a more “golden” color crust. You may also sprinkle some cinnamon, sugar, or something else on the top crust at this point.
11. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes. Variation: You may also use this recipe for pies in which the filling is not baked (e.g., banana cream pies). To do this: make the bottom crust as instructed, then place some wax or parchment paper over the crust, fill with pie weights or with dried beans or rice (to weigh down the crust so it doesn’t bubble up), and bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool and then fill with banana cream, chocolate cream, etc.

*Don’t throw away the excess dough! Roll out the excess to about 1/8 in thick. Cut into shapes (or let the kids make them into shapes), sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and you have “pie cookies”. Thomas loves these.