The Missionary Cook Book-- 10 Easy All Purpose Flour Recipes for Beginners

 

For those who have been following the joyful journey of this family, you know that my youngest son Luke is now a missionary and away from home. I know I'm not the first mom who's had a child leave home and want to be sure they eat healthy easy meals. Missionaries for our church are not paid to serve (for those who don't know). They actually go on a volunteer basis and pay their own way. Their food allowance is meager. So, I decided to send my son a monthly recipe book with several new easy meals and recipes to try out. Not every missionary has a chef for a mom. Luke told me he has several with him who have no idea where to begin. So here's where to begin. This stuff. The basics.

Last month we started with All Purpose flour recipes. To ensure Luke always has access to these recipes, I decided to share these recipes here on the blog. Plus, I figure this is also an excellent place for other moms and missionaries, college students, new parents, beginning cooks, and, well, anyone, to access the basics. 

I hope these will help you and those you love. 

I get all my All-Purpose flour from Panhandle Milling for these recipes. I am their corporate chef and company recipe developer and I know that these recipes will work with this flour. They will ship anywhere in the US. 

Mom's Easy All-Purpose Flour Recipes

 

Mom's Best Drop Biscuits

2 cups (8 ½ oz) all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk or almond milk* (cold)

½ cup melted butter slightly cooled

2 Tbsps. melted butter or coconut oil for brushing biscuits

Directions:

·       Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475°F. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk and melted butter in a medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small lumps on the surface of the cold buttermilk.

·       Add the buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until just combined and batter pulls away from sides of the bowl. Drop by ¼ cup scoops onto a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 ½ inches apart. Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.

·       Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter and cool a few minutes before serving. 

 

Quick Cinnamon Jam Breakfast Cake

¾ cup sugar

1 ¾ cup  All-Purpose Flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ cup melted butter

1 egg

½ cup milk

½ cup blackberry or strawberry jam

Cinnamon Mix

2 Tbsp. Sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:

·       Preheat oven to 375°. Spray an 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray.

·       Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the melted butter, eggs, and milk in a separate bowl. Blend just until combined.

·       Spoon into the prepared pan. Dot with jam, 1 tsp at a time over the top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes. 

5-ingredient Basic Soda Bread

3 cups (12 ¾ oz. or 360g) All-Purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 (12 ounces) can Soda (ginger-ale, Sprite™, etc.)

½ cup (8 oz) melted butter or vegetable oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
• Form a hole in the dry ingredients and add the melted butter and beer. Stir until just combined. Pour into a greased loaf pan 9x5 inches.
• Bake 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 

Quick and Easy Thin-crust Pizza Dough

6 cups (30 oz) All-Purpose Flour

2 1/2 cups (20 oz) water

1 Tbsp.  baking powder*

1 Tbsp.  rapid-rise yeast

1 Tbsp.  salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

·       Combine all ingredients in a mixer and knead for 5 minutes at medium-high speed.

·       Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Form into 3 10-inch crusts. 

·       Transfer the crust onto a lightly floured pizza peel and top with sauce, cheese, and pizza toppings of your choice. Bake at 475°F for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

*The addition of baking powder ensures the quick rise of the dough. It is optional.

Mom's Fudge Brownies

1 cup butter
4 cups sugar
1Tbsp. vanilla
8 eggs
2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt

Directions:  

·       Wash and sanitize all work surfaces, utensils, and hands before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a half-sheet pan (18-in x 13-in x 1-in).

·       Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a mixer with a paddle attachment.

·       Add the flour, cocoa, and salt, mixing for 2 minutes. Pour into the prepared half-sheet pan and spread out evenly. Bake 40-45 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center will come out with moist crumbs (150°F). Wash and sanitize all work surfaces, utensils, and hands after baking.

Mom's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, slightly melted

2 cups dark brown sugar, packed

2 tsp high-quality vanilla

2 eggs

3 ¼ cups  All-Purpose Flour

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp.  baking powder

12 oz.  semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 oz. Milk chocolate chunks

Directions: 

·       Preheat oven to 350°.

·       Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until very smooth, about 2 minutes.

·       Add the eggs one at a time and mix well between additions. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix 1-2 minutes, just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and chunks. 

·       Scoop by rounded Tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-13 minutes and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Mom's Fluffy Sugar Cookies
1 ½ cup butter, softened
 ¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup milk
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
4 ½ cups  All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder

Directions: 

·       Preheat oven to 375° F.  Wash and sanitize all work surfaces, utensils, and hands before handling raw flour and dough. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

·       Add the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and milk. Stir well. Combine the flour mixture with the creamed butter mixture, just until combined.  

·       Scoop by rounded Tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet or sheet lined with parchment paper. After handling raw flour and dough, wash and sanitize all work surfaces, utensils, and hands.  

·       Bake until lightly golden, about 10-13 minutes. Allow cooling on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to another location. Store in an airtight container. Yield approx. 5 dozen cookies

 

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Pancakes

1 ½ cups All-purpose Flour

1 Tbsp. Baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 ½ cup milk

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

• Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the milk and melted butter; mix until smooth, about 20 turns.
• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Authentic Navajo Frybread and Navajo Tacos

2 cups  All-Purpose flour

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1 ½ tsp salt

¾ cup of Lukewarm Water

1 lb. lard or shortening (for frying)

Directions: Combine All-Purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add lukewarm water to make a soft dough. Fold dough over until smooth. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat about 3 inches of oil or shortening in a heavy pan at high heat. A deep fat fryer can be used to heat oil to at least 360° F. Divide the dough into four equal parts and roll into round frybreads of 1/4" thickness. Cut a 1/2" size hole in the middle of each rolled piece. Fry until it's golden on both sides, turning once. They'll puff up and brown if the oil is hot enough. Drain on paper towels.

Navajo Taco Toppings: Taco Seasoned Ground Beef, Chili Beans, Diced Onion, Diced Tomatoes, Shredded Lettuce, Shredded Cheese, Hot Sauce. Serve with toppings listed. Makes 4 tacos.

Chef's Homemade Tortillas

5 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp.  baking powder

1 cup shortening or butter

2 cups water

Directions:  In a gallon bowl, measure and mix the flour, salt, and baking powder. Measure the shortening. Cut shortening into flour, baking powder, salt, and seasoning with the paddle in an electric mixer and mix until the shortening is in fine pieces smaller than peas. This can be done using the lowest speed setting on the mixer and allowing it to mix for 2-3 minutes. Boil the water in a small saucepan on the stove. Carefully pour the boiling water into the flour mixture. Combine with a paddle or spoon for about 3 minutes. Remove dough from the bowl and form it into 18 dough balls. Roll the tortillas into rounds. Cook on a medium skillet (medium-high heat) until done (about 2 minutes on each side). It should bubble up. Put cooked tortillas in a deep covered pan with a lid to keep tender. Serve immediately.

There you go! Make some healthy homemade stuff so your mom doesn't worry about you.

Love, Mom

Always My Very Best,

Chef Tess