French Bread

2 1/2 C. Warm Water
2 TBS. Sugar
2 TBS Dry Yeast
1 TBS Salt
2 TBS Cooking Oil
6 C. Flour

In large mixing bowl pour warm water, then stir in sugar and yeast and allow to stand until yeast is dissolved. Stir in salt, oil and half the flour. Beat vigorously. Stir in remaining flour until all dry ingredients are completely mixed in. Allow dough to rise for 10 min, then punch down, repeat rising 5 times. Turn dough onto flour surface, knead only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled (2 or 3 times) then divide into 2 parts. Roll each part of dough into rectangles about 9x13 and roll up like a jelly roll, from long side. Pinch edge of loaf, arrange length wise on cookie sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise at room temp. for 30 min. With sharp knife cut 3 gashes at an angle on top, then brush with lightly beaten whole egg. Bake immediately at 400 for 25-30 min. or until golden brown.

Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits

As most of you know when I was about 5 my parents were divorced and my dad went back to California to live. We would spend the summers there and one of the best memories I have is being able to go to grandmas with all the family and have Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits. When my grandma was young growing up she lived in Oklahoma and had Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits everyday for breakfast. I think I would have been sick of it by then. Anyway, her dad was killed when she was a young age and she had to help take care of the kids. She made it everyday and what was left over would sit in the big cast iron pan until morning and then they would add more to it. Well, we only got it during the summer when we were there to visit. My grandma Davis has since past away and we have decided to carry on the tradition of Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits thanks to my Bro. Zac and his wife Kim. They do it every conference weekend and that is now what my family is going to do. Conference is always right around her birthday (April 4Th) so we will continue to celebrate her birthday with our favorite Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits.

This is a picture of Malorie enjoying hers with her cousins flat Stanley that came to visit.

Recipe

3 C. Sugar

8 TBS Flour

3 TBS Cocoa

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 C. Milk

Handful of Chocolate Chips

Combine sugar, cocoa and salt in pan, in a separate bowl add milk and whisk flour into it like making gravy so it doesn't lump up, then add to dry mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med./low and cook for 30 min or until it thickens up. Add vanilla and a handful of chocolate chips for fun. Stir until melted. Should be a little thick, not runny. Place a samll slab of butter in the center of a plate, pour chocolate gravy over it and mix in, then add your biscuits. Any biscuit like bisquik biscuits or whatever you like. You can tear and dip or break and mix.

Enjoy with a big glass of milk.

Grandma Davis