monkey biscuits

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This recipe is from Avi's great great grandmother Sheindel who probably got it from her great grandmother. It's been passed down orally for generations so I'm now writing it down. The Gessers make this often as gifts for people or just to snack on because they are delicious and addictive. They are also quite labor intensive but easy enough-and actually fun-- for the kids. It's a whole family affair. 

The name is Mun cookies but since they are more crackers than cookies and Mun is hard to say we're calling them monkey biscuits. Here is the recipe:

  • 32 oz flour
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 egg
  • 1 brandyshot (glass size) poppyseeds
  • 1 minced large onion
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 heaping tsp salt
  • Dash of pepper
  1. Divide wet and dry ingredients into two large bowls. 
  2. Combine wet and dry and mix well.
  3. Continue adding flour until dough is not longer sticky. you should be able to make a handprint and pull our hand away without dough sticking to it. 
  4. Spread out very thin on greased baking sheet.
  5. Bake at 300 about 10-15 minutes (switching half way through) until they are crisp and light brown.

two ingredient pizza

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A few months ago Kirsten, babysitter extraordinaire who works for Remi's family, told me about a recipe she had found online. Pizza dough made from 1 cup yogurt and 1 cup flour. That's it!! I was skeptical but she swore by it. I  first tried it out at my inlaws and it was a hit, even with the adults. The dough was crispy and soft and full of flavor.

Since then I make it frequently, always including the kids in the process because it's so super simple and I like the idea of them learning to cook or at least appreciate cooking. But the other day when I suggested we make yogurt pizza for dinner, Nate said he wasn't interested.

"What if I make the dough and you guys do toppings?" I suggested

"Yeah Sure." His new response to everything.

This actually worked much better because it was faster and not nearly as messy without the kids throwing flour all over the floor and rubbing yogurt in their hair. 

Two-Ingredient Pizza

  • 1 cup plain whole yogurt (I use Fage)
  • 1 cup self-rising flour (or add 1 tsp baking powder  and 1/4 tsp salt to all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 450.

Mix in large bowl and then knead (I do this in the bowl to save cleanup) for 5 minutes, adding flour if needed, until it's tacky but not sticky. At this point I cheat a bit and add a few drops of olive oil to the dough, but you don't have to. Roll the dough out thin and place either on a board (if you're transferring to a hot pizza stone) or on the oiled underside of a sheet pan. Then hand it over to the kids with a bowl of tomato sauce (canned) and a bowl of shredded Mozzarella. You can put the pan right in the oven or slide the masterpiece onto your stone.

Bake about 10-12 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is starting to brown.