To cut down on excessive plastic packaging we started baking all our own baked goods.  We usually double the recipe so we can freeze some for later.  We store all our own baked goods in resuable plastic containers.  Here are a few of our favorite recipes:

Bagels From “The Bread Machine Cookbook” by Donna Rathmell German Makes 16 bagels 1 1/3 cup water 2 Tbs honey 2 tsp salt 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour 2 2/3 cups bread flour 2 ½ tsp yeast Let the bread machine knead the dough once, and then let the dough rise 20 minutes only in the machine. Even if your cycle runs longer, simply remove dough after 20 minutes and turn off the machine. Divide the dough into the appropriate number of pieces. Each piece should be rolled into a rope and made into a circle, pressing the ends together. You may find it necessary to wet one end slightly to help seal the ends together. Place these on a well greased baking sheet, cover and let rise only 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring to a slight boil in a nonaluminum pan, (I use a cast iron frying pan), about 2 inches of water. Carefully lower about 3 or 4 bagels at a time into the water, cooking for about 30 seconds on each side. Remove bagels, drain on a towel, sprinkle with poppy seeds, sesame seeds or cinnamon sugar if desired and place on the greased baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 550 degrees oven for 8 minutes. The kids love helping to roll out the dough and sprinkle the bagels with their favorite toppings.

Whole Wheat Bread From “The Bread Machine Cookbook” by Donna Rathmell German 1 cup water ¼ cup margarine/butter 2 Tbs sugar 1 ½ tsp salt 2 cups bread flour 1 cup whole wheat flour ¼ cup nonfat dry milk 1 ½ tsp yeast Put all ingredients into the bread machine and let it to the rest. I usually end up making about 2-3 loaves a week.  I make them all on the weekend and freeze them for later in the week.

Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread My mom sent me this recipe from the New York Times Wednesday Chef 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour ¼ tsp instant yeast 1 ¼ tsp salt cornmeal as needed In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (I use a reusable sandwich wrap by wrap-n-mat.com) and let it rest 15 minutes. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour. Put dough with seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 2 hours. At least ½ hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-8 qt heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn dogh over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that’s okay. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed, it will straightened out as it bakes, cover with a lid and bake 30 minutes. Then remove lid and bake another 15-20 minutes until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool completely on rack. This bread is hard to cut when warm. Note: Don’t be overwhelmed by the length of the instructions, it’s really very easy to make. Also, I have varied the recipe many times and it always turns out great.

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins From Weightwatchers.com, point value is 1 point per muffin 1 cup light vanilla yogurt ½ cup fat-free skim milk ½ cup uncooked quick oats ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 large egg – beaten 1 large banana – mashed ¼ cup unpacked brown sugar 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder ½ cup mini chocolate chips ½ tsp salt   Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine yogurt, milk, oats, vanilla extract and egg. Set aside 5 minutes for oats to soften; stir in banana. In a separate bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into yogurt mixture to moisten ingredients. Do not beat. Dough will be very thick. Stir in chips. Spoon batter by heaping tablespoons into greased mini muffin tins. Bake until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes.  Makes 36 muffins I've made this recipe for years.  Everyone in the family eats these muffins and no one knows its weight watchers.  Please don't tell them!

Cindy's Chocolate Chip Cookies From a good friend, Cindy Petzoldt Preheat oven to 350 degrees Combine and beat until creamy: 1 cup soft butter 1 cup solid Crisco shortening 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp vanilla 4 eggs Add half  the dry ingredients below and mix thoroughly by hand. 5 1/2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp salt Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix by hand - not with a mixer. Stir in 24 oz chocolate chips (or more) and 3 cups chopped pecans.  (I chop the pecans in a food processor, so many of them are chopped fine.) Spoon out 1"-2" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet, spacing at least 1" apart.  Bake 12-14 minutes.  Cool 2-3 minutes on pan, then remove cookies to cooling rack.  For best results, only bake one pan of cookies at time. I used to work with Cindy and she always brought in the best homemade cookies.  I finally asked her for the recipe and she was kind enough to share it.  Thanks Cindy!  The kids and I make these all the time.  You have to follow the directions exactly and they will always turn out great!

 Vegetarian Recipes