Smiths' Super Cold & Flu Soother

My wife learned this recipe from her aged grandmother in the Dominican Republic. "People get colds in the Caribean?" I asked. "Oh yes," she said. "All the time." I leaned on my snow shovel and said, "Somehow that makes me feel better already!"

So, anytime you come down with cold or flu symptoms, try this deceptively simple home remedy. It may not cure anything, but it sure helps you feel better! (And what could it hurt?)

Ingredients:

[ ] Lime, 1 fresh & washed fruit

[ ] Cinnamon, 3-4 sticks

[ ] Cloves, 6-8 whole

[ ] Honey, 3-4 or more tablespoons

[ ] Water, 2 cups

Directions:

• Pour the 2 cups of water into a saucepan.
• Cut the lime in half, squeeze the juice into the water, and then toss both halves into the water, too.
• Add the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to the "tea."
• Boil away about half of the water, until only one cup of liquid remains.
• Strain the tea into a cup.
• Add honey to taste, to make the tea sweet. It usually takes lots of honey--don't be shy about adding more.
• Drink it all down while it's still hot.

TIPS: Double the recipe--you'll want more. Also, the first time around, few people will take the trouble to make this for themselves (probably because they feel so crummy). So, if possible, make it for them. They'll thank you.

BEST EVER: Pizza Crust

This recipe is based on one passed along by friends Gail Irene Sutherland and Richard Woodland. Note that the specification of 3/4 cup of olive oil is not a misprint! Trust me. It is really, really good. I mean, why would you ever bother making pizza completely from scratch? Answer: because it's worth it!

Ingredients:

CRUST:

[ ] White flour, 3-1/2 cups

[ ] Warm water, 1-1/4 cups

[ ] "Rapid Rise" yeast, 2 packets

[ ] Sugar, 1/4 teaspoon

[ ] Salt, 1 teaspoon

[ ] Olive oil, 3/4 cup

TOPPINGS:

[ ] Whatever you like; see suggestions, below

Directions:

• Preheat oven to WARM or lowest setting.
• To the warm water, add sugar and stir in yeast. Let it stand a few minutes to ensure it's working (i.e., it foams as yeast grows. If yeast is inactive, pizza will be a dud. Old yeast, water too hot or too cold will cause problems -- if it's a dud, start over).
• In a large mixing bowl, add yeast mixture to flour, stir together gently.
• Add salt and olive oil, stir together and then knead into dough. No need to over-knead!
• Soak a dishtowel and wring it out, leaving it moist, and stretch towel to cover the opening of the bowl containing the dough.
• Turn OFF oven. Put covered bowl into warm (not hot) oven for 1/2 hour.
• Take bowl out of oven. Turn oven ON again to low heat.
• Uncover bowl, punch down dough to remove all air. Fold a few times, punch down as necessary. Again soak dishtowel, wring, and cover bowl.
• Again turn OFF oven. Put covered bowl into warm (not hot) oven for 1/2 hour.
• Take bowl out of oven. Turn oven ON -- pre-heat to 400 deg. F.
• Lightly coat a pizza pan or cookie sheet with olive oil.
• In bowl, punch down dough, then stretch out in thin layer (approx. 1/8-1/4 inch) on pizza pan or cookie sheet.
• Bake dough by itself for 15 min. @ 400 deg. F. (This prevents soggy middles if you load up your pizza with lots of yummy, juicy stuff.)
• Take partially cooked dough out of oven, top with (e.g.,) commercial spaghetti sauce, sliced pre-cooked mushrooms, cheese, etc., etc. -- whatever turns you on.
• Bake for approx 15 min. more, until edge of crust is golden brown. (Ovens vary -- Don't let crust, cheese or toppings burn.)
• Remove from oven, let cool for a minute, slice, enjoy!

* * *

TIPS: You can use regular (slow) yeast if you want; it just takes twice as long (one hour versus half an hour) to rise. Also, once you've mastered the basics, a zillion variations are possible! E.g.,

PIZZA MEXICALI

...(as above, but also...)

• Before adding yeast mixture to flour, stir into flour 1/2 cup chili powder! (Yee-ee Haw!)
• Top pizza with your favorite tomato sauce, more chili powder, "Bullseye" brand Bar-B-Q sauce, sliced green beans, baby corn, fresh tomato slices, black olives, shredded mozzarella + cheddar + monterey jack cheeses. (YUM! YUM! YUM!)