Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Portuguese Sweet Bread

Portuguese Sweet Bread

adapted from Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads

5 1/2 - 6 cups flour

2 packages yeast

1/2 cup sugar

2 t salt

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, diluted with 1/2 cup warm water

1 t vanilla

1 t lemon juice

3 eggs, at room temperature, plus 1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup raisins

1 stick butter, at room temperature

2 T sugar

Combine three cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well and add diluted milk, vanilla, and lemon. Add eggs and gently stir until combined. Add raisins. Beat in butter. Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it can be gathered into a rough ball. Knead until it is smooth and elastic, about ten minutes. Place in bowl with greased fingers, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about two hours.

Punch down dough, divide in half, and allow to rest for ten minutes. Form each half into a ball and let rise for one hour. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean and dry, about one hour.

Monday, December 29, 2008

WFD-Dinner Menu

Meat Manicotti Shell
Dinner Salad

Salmon
Baked Garlic Rice Pilaf

Sweet/Sour Chicken
Rice
Mixed Veggies

Chicken Ring
Salad

Homemade Pizza

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Baked Garlic Rice Pilaf

Baked Garlic Rice Pilaf
Rachel ~ burns_toast

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375*.
Heat butter in a skillet; add garlic and rice and cook until both are golden brown. Add 1 cup of broth and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and pour into a covered casserole; bake for 25 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups broth; cook for another 45 minutes.
This can be doubled without increasing the cooking time

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Christmas Tree Bread

Christmas Tree Bread
Michelle (MMmom) from The Twelve Teas of Christmas

This recipe makes two trees. It can be halved if needed.

2 packages active dry yeast
½ c warm water
1 ¼ c buttermilk
½ c sugar
2 eggs
2 t baking powder
2 t salt
5 ½ c flour
½ c butter, softened

For icing (two trees)
2 c powdered sugar
2-3 T milk
1 t vanilla
(icing can be tinted with food coloring)

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt, and 2 ½ cups of flour. Beat on low speed, scraping the bowl constantly, for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, for 2 minutes.

Stir in remaining flour. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky. (If dough is not coming together, add a small amount of flour and mix.) Turn dough onto a well-floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Divide dough in half to form two trees. Shape each half into 18 balls. Form tree shape with balls in rows of 5, 4, 3, 3, 1 on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Roll remaining two balls together for trunk of tree. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Bake at 350 until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet carefully and cool.

Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together. More milk can be added if icing is stiff. Decorate the trees with icing. Trim with candied fruit, nuts, sprinkles, etc.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

flatbread

Cheesy Garlic Flatbread
~*~Sandy~*~

BREAD
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

TOPPING
2 T butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Layer bread ingredients in bread machine pan, select the dough cycle.

Prepare a baking stone or sheet – spray with non-stick spray, sprinkle with cornmeal.

When dough is finished, remove from pan and stretch into a rectangle, lay on prepared pan. Brush the dough with butter, sprinkle with garlic salt. Top with cheeses. Set in a draft free location to rise for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, place oven rack in lowest rack position; heat oven to 450ºF. Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Without the Machine:
In a cup or small bowl, sprinkle yeast over the surface of warm water. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to dissolve. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and sugar. Pour in the yeast mixture. Beat with a sturdy spoon until dough is stiff enough to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Cover, and set aside until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.







Roasted Garlic Variation-Add 2 TB softened butter to the ingredients before starting the dough cycle. Add flour 1 TB at a time as needed if your dough is too sticky. Add several cloves of roasted garlic to the dough during the last kneading cycle (I use one head). After stretching out dough, brush with olive oil that garlic roasted in before topping with kosher salt and cheese.



Pizza variation-Lower oven temperature to 425. Add 2 TB of olive oil to the ingredients before starting the dough cycle. Increase salt to 2 tsp. Add flour if needed if your dough is too sticky during kneading cycles. Roll out on floured surface with rolling pin to fit large cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal, or divide dough to make 2 smaller round pizzas. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Homemade Mac and Cheese SUBMITTED BY: Judy PHOTO BY: Linda

"This is a nice rich mac and cheese. Serve with a salad for a great meatless dinner. Hope you enjoy it."
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PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 30 Min
READY IN 50 Min

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 pinch paprika

DIRECTIONS
Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
2 t. salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, sugar and brown sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla, cream together. Add soda, salt and flour, stir until mixed. Add chocolate chips. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake 350 10-12 minutes.

chicken pockets

Chicken Pockets



1 10 oz. can of chicken, (or 1 cup cooked chicken, diced)

1 8 oz. cream cheese

Garlic salt to taste

1 tube of jumbo biscuits uncooked

1 10 oz. can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup milk



Preheat oven to 350.

Pop the cream cheese (in a bowl) in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften. Add the chicken and garlic salt and mix together. Open the uncooked biscuit dough, fill with the mixture. Then pinch around the edges to close up. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake the filled biscuits at package’s suggested temperature and time. (About 350 for 11 to 15 minutes.)

Mix soup and milk in pan and heat thru. When the biscuits come out of the oven serve while hot, and pour over with warmed soup and serve.

Monday, December 15, 2008

grandma's noodles

Grandma's Noodles II SUBMITTED BY: Sandy PHOTO BY: BETHCANDCO

"Homemade soup noodles."

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine egg, salt, milk. Add flour. (For thicker noodles add baking powder to flour before mixing.) Separate into two balls.
Roll out dough, and let stand for 20 minutes.
Cut into strips and spread to dry--dust with a little flour. Let dry for approximately 2 hours.
Drop into hot soup--cook for about 10 minutes.

chicken soup

Spaetzle and Chicken Soup SUBMITTED BY: CARLY819 PHOTO BY: CARLY819

"This recipe is from my grandma and I have loved it ever since I was a child. I could eat it EVERY day. The homemade noodles are simple, and you can use frozen chicken breast if you don't have time to use a whole chicken."

PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 2 Hrs
READY IN 2 Hrs 20 Min

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 medium yellow onions, quartered
1 bunch celery with leaves, cut into pieces
1 (16 ounce) package baby carrots
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste

5 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes


DIRECTIONS
Place chicken in a stock pot, and add enough water to cover. Pour in the chicken broth, and add celery and onions. Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 1 hour to get a good broth.
When the chicken is cooked through and tender, remove it to a platter and let sit until it is cool enough to handle. Strain broth, and discard celery and onions. Return the broth to the stock pot. Remove chicken meat from the bones, chop or tear into pieces, then return it to the pot also. Bring the broth to a boil, and add carrots.
In a medium bowl, stir together the eggs, water and salt. Gradually add flour until the dough is firm enough to form a ball. You may need more or less flour. Pat the dough out on a flat plate. Using a butter knife, cut slices of dough off the edge of the plate so they are about 2 to 3 inches long. Allow them to fall directly into the boiling broth.
Once the carrots are tender, the soup is ready. Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Homemade carmels

Here's the recipe:
1C. butter
1C. corn syrup
1pound. brown sugar
1can sweetened condensed milk



Put all into pan, boil (stirring constantly) for 12 minutes, pour into greased pan, let cool.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger Soup

1pound ground beef
1 onion chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes (5-6 medium potatoes)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Velveeta
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream

In a large pot, cook beef until brown and remove from pot. Add 1 T butter and stir in onion, basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes. In small sauce pan melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour, cook until bubbly add to pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. Add the milk and cream, stirring until smooth. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

mexican rice

Mexican Rice II SUBMITTED BY: Mommyto2 PHOTO BY: J. Casey

"This is a wonderful side dish for any Mexican dinner."

PREP TIME 5 Min
COOK TIME 25 Min
READY IN 30 Min

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
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DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Lara's notes: This is the easiest and best tasting Mexican rice. Its better than what you will find at Maria's Mexican Resturant. Everyone around the table loved it.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Cookie jar Ginger Snaps

Cookie jar Ginger Snaps

2c. flour
1Tbl. ground ginger
2tsp. baking soda
1tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. Crisco
1c. sugar
1 egg
1/4c. molasses

Sift together dry ingredients. (I never do that). In a mixer, beat Crisco and sugar for 2 min. add egg. add molasses and mix until combined. Add dry ingredients in two batches. Roll dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inces apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake @ 350 for 12-15 min. DO NOT OVERBAKE or they won't be chewy and yummy!

Beef Tacos

12 taco shells
1 pound ground beef
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbps ketcup
1/4 c water
shredded mexican blend cheese
shredded lettuce and sour cream

democrat-gazette newspaper

Lara's notes: AWESOME!!!!! I did make a couple of changes. I added about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce. I also add dried minced onions. I will never buy taco seasoning mixes again.

Playgroup Granola Bars





SUBMITTED BY: PREGOCOOK PHOTO BY: chibi chef

"My girlfriend brought these granola bars over for a playgroup one morning and ever since they've been a staple! My son requests them almost daily so I usually triple the recipe and make 2 trays so we have plenty on hand."

RECIPE RATING:

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PREP TIME 15 Min
COOK TIME 35 Min
READY IN 50 Min
Original recipe yield 24 granola bars

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup raisins (optional) ( I used about 1 cup of dried berry mix)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey ( I used a little bit more honey about 3/4cup)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Lara's notes: I add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips

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DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Friday, November 28, 2008

All American Apple Pie

All American Apple Pie SUBMITTED BY: Amy PHOTO BY: ProudMom99

"Quick and easy, with a great non-crust topping. Try a variety of apples, mix it up..."

PREP TIME 25 Min
COOK TIME 45 Min
READY IN 1 Hr 10 Min
Original recipe yield 1 - 9 inch pie

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cold milk
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 Fuji apples, cored and sliced
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
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DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
To Make Crust: In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, oil, milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and salt until evenly blended. Pat mixture into a 9 inch pie pan, spreading the dough evenly over the bottom and up sides. Crimp edges of the dough around the perimeter.
To Make Filling: Mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over apples and toss to coat. Spread evenly in unbaked pie shell.
To Make Topping: Using a pastry cutter, mix together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar and butter until evenly distributed and crumbly in texture. Sprinkle over apples.
Put pie in the oven on a cookie sheet to catch the juices that may spill over. Bake 45 minutes.
FOOTNOTE
Baking pie is a rather straightforward technique, but a few tips can only help to make your pies come out looking and tasting perfect!

Butterhorn Rolls

Butterhorn Rolls
Cindy (mommy_of_love1) Recipe by Kathy Oaks

1 tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter

Dissolve yeast in warm water, add melted butter and remaining ingredients , reserving 1/4 cup butter. Let rise until it doubles in size. Separate into 2 balls and roll out into 2 circles. Cut each circle like a pizza into 16 equal pieces (use a pizza cutter). Roll them up crescent style and at this point you may flash freeze them on a cookie sheet and then dump them in a freezer bag to eat in the coming weeks or months or you can let them rise again for about 2 hours. Bake at 375 degrees, on a buttered cookie sheet for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. (When serving them from the freezer just pull them out and let them thaw and rise for about 3 hours on a buttered cookie sheet and bake as directed.)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas
Cr8tive_momma (Joyce) via my MIL

2 cups cooked diced chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
16 oz sour cream
Small can of chopped green chiles (drained)
2 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese

¼ cup salsa

8-10 flour tortillas

Mix chicken, soup, sour cream, salsa, chiles, and two cups of cheese together and plop a large spoonful in each tortilla. Roll each tortilla and place in ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Repeat until you run out of filling. Top with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Crockpot Recipe

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 1 hour before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.
I know this is not really a soup but it is close :)

Lara's notes: I just used one jumbo canned biscuits about 16 oz. I was worried this dish would be bland but its not. The ulimate comfort food. I will be making this again.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

BUTTERMILK BAKED CHICKEN

BUTTERMILK BAKED CHICKEN
(Niki5959 – OP?)

4 chicken breasts
1 ½ c. buttermilk
¾ c. flour
1 ½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ c. butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Dip chicken in ½ cup buttermilk and roll in flour seasoned with the salt and pepper. Put butter in 13x9x2 inch baking pan and melt in hot oven (425 degrees). Put chicken in pan and bake 30 minutes. Turn and bake 15 minutes.
Mix remaining buttermilk and the soup and pour around the chicken. Bake 15 minutes longer until tender.

Lara's notes: I just made my own buttermilk. Here is the trick. I just add one tbps of white vinegar to one cup of milk. Let it sit about 10 minutes and mix! This is the ultimate comfort food. I took one bite and it reminded me of KFC but only better.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Pumpkin Bars

pumpkin bars

Krista Evans

Mix the following ingredients:

4 eggs beaten

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups pumpkin



Stir in:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. ground cloves

½ cup chopped nuts



Bake at 350 on greased COOKIE SHEET for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool.



For frosting, beat together:

3 ounces cream cheese (softened)

¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. Margarine (softened)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Lara's notes: I did make a couple of changes. I decided to leave out the nuts and I used nutmeg instead of ground cloves. The pumpkin bars turned out super mosit and delious. I will be making these again for Thanksgiving dinner.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Super MoistCornbread

Super MoistCornbread

1 Stick of butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt


Melt butter in a sauce pan, and add sugar. Cool 2 minutes, then add eggs and beat with an electric hand mixer, or a whisk. In a small cup mix buttermilk and baking soda and add to mixture. Add cornmeal, flour, and salt and mix well. (I also add a can of corn, well drained)



Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Lara's Notes: We had the missionaries over for dinner. The one elder ended up eating about 5 pieces of cornbread. He said it was the best cornbread. It wasn't to moist or too dense. I'm going to make sure to make this again when they comeover next time.

Lara's Famous Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 can of kernel corn, drained!
1 can pinto beans
1 can northern white beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can butter beans
1 small can tomato paste
1 envelope of taco seasonings
1 package of ranch dressing mix
1 or 2 TBS brown sugar---this makes this dish awesome!!!!
onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper

directions:
brown meat with onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Drain. Return meat to pan, add taco seasoning and all other ingredients. Add enough water to just cover the mixture. Heat thoroughly, at least 30 minutes. Add water if needed. Freezes well.

Or just use the crockpot. Just brown meat than add to crockpot with all the other indegredents.

I like to serve this dish over rice or grated cheese, corn chips, or avocado.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Cowpoke Pasta Salad

1 lb box Barilla Piccolini Wagonwheel pasta
1 envelope Ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup raw carrots, sliced thin
1 bunch scallions, sliced
pepper to taste

Mix mayo, milk and ranch dressing until smooth. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding frozen veggies for last 2 minutes of cook time. Drain, then rinse with cold water. Toss with raw veggies, then add dressing and pepper to taste.

This is best if it gets to sit in the fridge a couple hours or more so flavors can marry. For thinner dressing, add more milk until desired consistency.

Lara's Notes: AWESOME!!! Logan was pratically begging me to make this again for dinner. I just pan-fried some chickend and served it on the side!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Crockpot Cranberry Barbecue Chicken

Crockpot Cranberry Barbecue Chicken
Katie (Katiedid) from Recipzaar

3-4 lb chicken pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 c celery, diced
1/2 c onion diced
1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 c barbecue sauce

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and bake on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, you may want to pull the meat out and thicken the sauce with flour or corn starch (optional).

Bread Recipe

Amish White Bread

Christine0120
INGREDIENTS
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour



DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Chris' Favorite Crispy 'Tators

5-7 medium size Potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 1/2 tsp dried Chives
Toss potatos into a large ziplock bag. Pour in olive oil with the potatoes, seal bag and toss the potatoes in the bag to coat. Sprinkle seasonings in with the potatos and seal and toss again to coat. Pour pototaes onto a not stick baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325 degree over for 45 minutes. Stir potatoes and return to oven for an additional 10-20 minutes or until browned and crispy! Enjoy!

Lara's notes: So easy to make. I endedup doubling the recipe. The only thing I did diffent was I used dried minced onions instead of dried chives. Landon said the potatoes were AWESOME!!! I will make these again.

Super Easy Chicken Parmigiana

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsps. butter
1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Place chicken between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap and flatten using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Combine bread crumbs and cheese. Dip chicken in beaten egg; dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Melt butter in a large skillet; add chicken and brown on each side over medium-high heat.

Arrange chicken in a lightly greased 13×9 baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 375º for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and chicken is no longer pink.

Makes 4 servings.

Lara's notes: I didn't bother to flatten the chicken. I just cut the chicken in half lenghtwise.

Awesome Bread Machine Dinner Rolls

I can’t say enough good things about these rolls ~ they are delicious! You do have to check the dough when it gets mixed up in the machine as you may have to add more flour so it isn’t sticky.

This is my standard roll recipe that I use for holidays and everyday dinners. I rarely have any leftover and when I do they are great to use to make a turkey or ham sandwich.

I make mine on the small side ~ probably about the size of a golf ball so I get more than 15. I usually have my whole jelly roll pan full after they have risen.



Awesome Bread Machine Rolls

1 cup water
2 Tbs butter, softened
1 egg
3 1/4 cups bread flour (start with 3 cups and see if you need the extra 1/4 cup ~ I always need it)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tsp yeast

Put all ingredients on the pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Use the dough cycle.

When finished, pull apart into 15 (or more) balls. Place on greased cookie sheet 2″ apart and brush with melted butter. Cover and set in slightly warm place to rise for about 30-40 minutes or until nearly doubled in size.

Bake at 375º for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove and brush with butter again.

Makes 15 or more depending on size.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Playdoh

KOOL-AID PLAYDOH
3 ½ cups flour
½ cup salt
4 packages of unsweetened KoolAid
3 Tablespoons of oil
2 cups of boiling water

Mix the dry ingredients then slowly add the oil and water as you stir. Keep stirring until it is cool enough to knead. Knead well. Store in air tight containers.
*You can vary the flavor/color to suit your themes.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

6 to 8 slices of ham
8 to 10 medium potatoes, peeled and thinkly sliced
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c. grated cheddar or american cheese
1 can cream of celery or mushroom soup

Put half of ham, potatoes and onions in crock pot. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then grated cheese. Repeat with remaining half. Spoon undiluted soup over top. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours in crock pot or high 4 hours. As a variation you can use sausage instead of ham.

Crockpot Recipe

CROCKPOT EASY SANTA FE CHICKEN
OP?

1 15 oz can black beans -- rinsed and drained
2 15.25 oz cans whole kernel corn -- drained
1 cup bottled thick and chunky salsa
5 or 6 skinless boneless chicken breasts -- (can use frozen)
1 8 oz brick cream cheese -- low fat is fine
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a 3.5 or 4 quart electric slow cooker, mix together the beans, corn, and 1/2 cup salsa. Top with the chicken breasts, then pour the remaining salsa over the chicken.

Cover and cook on the high heat setting 2.5-3 hours, or until the chicken is tender and white throughout; do not overcook or the chicken will toughen.

Remove the chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. Add back to the slow cooker.

Add the cream cheese (cut into cubes to melt faster), and turn slow cooker to high heat. Heat until cream cheese melts and blends into sauce.

Serve over rice. Top with shredded cheese.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies: These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are Oh So Good! These look and taste like a bakery cookie. This cookie is just firm enough on the outside without being crispy and perfectly moist, soft, chewy, chocolate deliciousness on the inside. My only changes were to use light brown sugar and Skippy Natural Extra Crunchy peanut butter. I highly recommend these cookies and will be making them again. I'm excited to try another recipe from this book.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Katie (Katiedid) from Big, Soft, Chewy Cookies by Jill Van Cleave

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 c chunky peanut butter
1 c packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until fluffy and smooth. Add egg and vanilla and blend. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Using either an individual 1/4-cup measure or a 2-ounce ice-cream scoop, scoop level amounts of dough and drop 2 inched apart onto greased or nonstick cookie sheets. Bake until cookies are firm to the touch, about 18 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and let them set for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to a rack and let cool. Makes about 11 cookies. To prevent hardening, wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to three days.
Katie's Notes: I used Skippy Natural Extra Crunchy peanut butter and light brown sugar.



Shannon's Notes: I used 2/3 cup light brown sugar and took two regular sized peanut butter cups cut into six pieces each and put a piece in center or each cookie. I made 12 cookies.

Oven-baked parmesan chicken strips

Oven-baked Parmesan Chicken Strips
Katie (Katiedid) from Recipezaar

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 8 to 10 strips
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs (like Progresso)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. In a shallow dish, combine milk and egg. In a plastic zipper bag, combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, basil, pepper and paprika. Dip chicken strips first in milk mixture, then toss to coat evenly in the breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Place on baking sheets and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden.



Katie's Notes: I subbed egg substitute for the egg and broiled them a few minutes at the end of cooking to get them a little crispier.

SCREWED UP SALAD

Screwed up Salad
A new verison to regular frito salad
Dottie (hokiesmom)

1 lb hamburger (or chicken)

1/2 package Taco Seasoning

1 bottle Catalina dressing

1 can Pinto Beans, drained (I used butter beans)

1 can Black Beans, drained

1 can Green Chilis ( I left them out)

1 can Whole kernel corn, drained

Lettuce, torn into bite size pieces

Tomatoes, chopped

Onion, chopped

1 bag Fritos

Cook and drain hamburger. Season and cook according to package. Set aside and let cool before adding to salad. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT Frito; mix well to coat with dressing. Before serving add Fritos and toss to coat. Garnish with sour cream and chopped onions if so desired.

Awesome!!! Two thumbs up!!!! I will make this again.

Welcome!

I post way too much on my other blog. So, I decided to make another blog dedicated towards cooking and what's for dinner ideas! I'm not sure if anyone will be even reading this blog but me. I just thought it would be nice to have two seperate blogs. It will be a lot easier this way when trying to look up recipes on the blog.