Happy Anniversary to ME!

I got the greatest anniversary gift ever! Philip signed me up for the Wilton Cake Decorating Course I. I LOVE it! I got my preset a little early since the class started in the middle of August but the class ends the night before our 3rd anniversary so it works out nicely.

I am having a blast with these classes. I think my skills have already improved quite a bit just between the last two cakes I made.

Next week is the finale cake and we got to pick out what cake we want to make. I'm rather excited about that. The first two cakes have to be specific cakes and while they are good cakes for using the techniques they aren't really cakes I would have chosen to make.

This is the first cake....Not wonderful but not super....And the second cake...

It just so happened to be Philip's soldier's birthday the day I made the cake...so that was an easy cake to give away. We like to get the cakes out of the house as soon as I finish them so we aren't tempted to make them.

Stay tuned for my finale cake! :)

Cashew Chicken

This is the second time I have attempted cashew chicken. The first attempt was okay but it was a little too spicy for me so I only made it the one time and then forgot about it. This attempt was MUCH better. I loved it and I will definitely be making it again.


Cashew Chicken
(Source: Williams-Sonoma)


~makes 4 servings ~

Ingredients
3 tablespoons. soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces (I used breasts.)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup salted roasted cashews
Steamed rice for serving

Directions
Marinate the chicken - In a large bowl, stir together 2 Tbs. of the soy sauce, the wine and ginger. Stir in the chicken to coat evenly and set aside for 15 minutes.
Make the sauce - In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbs. water, the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch, and stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch.
Stir-fry the chicken - Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and add 2 Tbs. of the corn oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, draining it well, and discard the marinade. Add the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until opaque, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl.
Return the wok to medium heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. corn oil. Add the green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok and add the cashews. Give the sauce a quick stir, add to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the steamed rice.

Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream

Philip had PRK (photorefractive keratectomy aka eye surgery) this morning so he is sleeping on the couch. I should be working but I am distracted by him being home...so I am blogging instead.

This tart was so good! I made the mistake of running to the store while the crust was in the oven. Turns out my version of golden brown and Philip's version of golden brown are two entirely different things. Unfortunately by the time I got home it had reached a "chocolate brown" color. Oh well...the non-burnt pieces were delicious! I don't have any changes that I would make...but you could easily change up the fruits.

This recipe comes from Baking Illustrated and I have come to the conclusion that nothing bad ever comes out of Baking Illustrated or Cooking Illustrated!

Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream

(Source: Annie's Eats)

Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

For the tart dough:

1 large egg yolk

1 tbsp. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For the pastry cream:

2 cups half-and-half

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch salt

5 large egg yolks

3 tbsp. cornstarch

4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:

2 large kiwis, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced

6-9 oz. raspberries

1/2-1 cup blueberries

Apple jelly, for glazing (Of course I bought this and forgot to use it!)

Directions:

To make the tart shell, whisk together the egg yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bowl; set aside. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Process briefly to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture; process to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. With the machine running, add the egg mixture and process until the dough just comes together, about 12 seconds. Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a 6-inch dish. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. (If refrigerated for more than an hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable.) Unwrap and roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 13-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan. Mold the dough to the sides of the tart pan and remove the excess off the top. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to middle position. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet, press a 12-inch square of foil into the frozen shell and over the edge, and fill with pie weights. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil and weights. Continue to bake until deep golden brown, 5-8 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the pastry cream, heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
When the half-and-half mixture has reached a simmer, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture to temper, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Return the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

To assemble the tart, spread the cold pastry cream evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange the fruit on top of the pastry cream as desired. Heat the jelly in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, just until slightly melted and easy to stir. Using a pastry brush, paint a light layer of jelly over the fresh fruit. Serve.

Garlic Bubble Loaves

If one could live solely off carbs alone I would be the girl to do it. I love bread. I'm not even picky about what kind...I just LOVE bread.

This bread was YUMMY! I can't even find words to describe this bread...just try it.

I think I would cut the recipe in half next time. We definitely don't need two loaves of this laying around the kitchen.

Garlic Bubble Loaves

(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients:

2 packages of active dry yeast, (2 scant Tbls)

1/4 warm water (110-115 degrees)

2 cups warm milk (110-115 deg)

2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon shortening

2 teaspoon salt

6 1/4-6 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour

1/2 cup butter

1 Tablespoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons garlic powder

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, shortening, salt and 2 cups flour, beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into fourths. Divide each portion into 12 pieces. In a shallow bowl, combine the butter, parsley and garlic powder. Shape each piece of dough into a ball; dip into butter mixture. Place in two greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans. Pour any remaining butter mixture over dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. (Don't crowd them into the pan. put about 12 (24 total) spaced out in two irregular layers per pan)Bake at 375 deg for 35-40 min or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes. remove from pans to wire racks.

Chicken Marsala Pasta Toss

I really like chicken marsala but it is quite a bit of work for a weeknight. This was a good alternative to a normal chicken marsala that required a whole lot less work and was delicious as well!

I am not sure as though I would use whole wheat pasta. Normally I really like whole wheat pasta. I am not really sure what it was that I didn't like...maybe the texture, maybe the flavor. Something just didn't work with this dish.

Chicken Marsala Pasta Toss

(Source: Milk & Honey)

INGREDIENTS:
Half a box of whole wheat rotini
2 tsps olive oil
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 1/2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut into cubes (We grilled ours.)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried marjoram, crushed
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry marsala wine

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet, cook green onions and mushrooms until tender, about five minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add remaining olive oil to skillet and add chicken. Season with salt and pepper and add marjoram, stirring until just warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Melt butter in skillet and add flour, stirring to form a roux. Cook for one minute. Slowly add chicken broth and wine, stirring constantly. Simmer sauce until bubbly and thickened. Add chicken and veggies to the sauce and heat through. Add sauce mixture to pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with additional green onion strips, if desired.

Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Blondies are fun to make. Once you find a good base recipe you can basically add in anything you want. There are so many possibilities. Whenever I make them Philip always says "Mmmm...I love blondies. Wait, I like blondies and I love brunettes." Quick one that boy. :)

I have had this bag of coconut for quite sometime. I keep meaning to make coconut cream pie because that is my favorite but I never get around to it. But then I saw these, had all the ingredients and the hope for a coconut cream pie flew right out the window. I am glad I made these though. They were quite tasty and they reminded me a lot of magic cookie bars.

Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies
(Source: About.com: Southern Food)

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks (I used mini-chocolate chips because that is all I had.)

***Optional Topping***
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chip
1 teaspoon butter or shortening

Preparation:
Grease and flour an 8- or 9- inch square baking pan. Heat oven to 350°.
Combine the flour and salt; set aside.
Beat melted butter and brown sugar together until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
Slowly beat in the flour and salt until blended, then stir in the coconut and chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until set in the center but still soft. Do not overbake. Let the bars cool slightly before drizzling with chocolate, then cool completely before cutting into small squares.
For topping, if using, melt chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of butter or shortening until smooth. Drizzle over the bars with a spoon or pour the mixture into a sandwich bag and cut a very small piece of the corner off. Drizzle, squeezing the chocolate out over the bars.

Broccoli-Almond Chicken

Stir-fry is one of my favorite foods. I love the flexibility of it and the fact that it never has to be the same. Plus it is super easy to make for one...so I tend to live off it while the husband is deployed.

We both really liked this stir-fry. It had a nice subtle lemon flavor.

Broccoli-Almond Chicken

(Source: Cate's World Kitchen)

Sauce
Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbps broth or water

1 tsp cornstarch

Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.

Stir Fry:
1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 lb boneless-skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 a small yellow onion, chopped

2 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets

1/3 cup almonds, cut in half lengthwise

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, and ginger, and cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through. Add the broccoli florets and a few tablespoons of water. Cook until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add the sauce and almonds, and stir until sauce has thickened and coats the chicken and broccoli.

Long time, no blog...

Gosh it has been a long time! My camera is overflowing with food pictures. Our trip to Michigan kind of put a cramp in my blogging style. I have a few things to post from pre-vacay and a few from post-vacay!

Philip headed home from Michigan three days before me. This is the first he has been home alone for an extended period of time. He was traumatized! (He is no Army wife that is for sure!) :) In an attempt to bribe me out of never leaving him here again I was greeted with a present. He bought me the "Cook Yourself Thin" cookbook that we have been stalking all of the bookstores in town for. None of them were able to keep it on their shelves and I really wanted to be able to look through it before I ordered it. But I guess he was sick of trying to track it down because he just ordered. Anywho, I am glad he did. I am a big fan of the cookbook now and I can't wait to try more things out of it.

The whole concept of the book taking common foods and cutting the calories in half. You use more veggies and spices to give flavor.

We loved this recipe. Philip liked it so much that he tricked me out of the leftovers.

Penne alla "Not-ka"

Source: Cook Yourself Thin

Serves 4

Calories Per Serving: 371

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra for serving

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup chopped red onion

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes in juice, jureed in a food processor

Pinch red pepper flakes

8 ounces penne

1/4 cup whipping cream

6 tablespoons evaporated nonfat milk

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded fresh basil

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the penne.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the 2 teaspoons oil with the garlic over low heat until the garlic begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover and cook until the onion is softened, about 2 more minutes. Add the tomato, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepped flakes. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and simmer very gently 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and evaporated milk and simmer 1 more minute.

3. Meanwhile, after the sauce has cooked 5 minutes, add the penne to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup pasta water. Add the drained penne to the saucepan and simmer until the penne is al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a little of the pasta cooking water if the mixture is dry. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the basil and the black pepper.

4. To serve, divide pasta between 4 serving bowls. Drizzle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Thanksgiving leftovers?

My mom always made turkey dumplings after Thanksgiving with the leftover turkey and it is one of the things I look forward to the most. I don't know why but this isn't something that I make...except for after Thanksgiving. I had been eyeing this recipe for a while and finally got around to make it and I am so glad I did. It was perfect! Pretty quick to throw together and I LOVED the rosemary in the dumplings.

Chicken and Rosemary Dumplings

(Source: Cooking Light: Chicken)

Soup:

4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

1 pound chicken drumsticks, skinned

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I did not use the chicken drumsticks. I only used 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts.)

2 thyme sprigs (I used dried thyme.)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced carrot

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 cup diced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dumplings:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chopped freshe or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Remaining Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

Freshly ground black pepper

1. To prepare soup, combine first 5 ingredients in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove pan from heat. Remove chicken pieces from broth; cool slightly. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl, discard solids. Remove chicken from bones. Discard bones; chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set chicken aside.

2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, onion, and garlic; saute 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Add reserved broth mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt, simmer 10 minutes. Keep warm.

3. To prepare dumplings, lightly spoon 1 1/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, rosemary, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

4. Add chicken to broth mixture, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 cup water, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Add slurry to pan; simmer 3 minutes. Drop dumpling dough, 1 tablespoon per dumpling, into chicken mixture to form 12 dumplings. Cover and cook 7 minutes (do not let broth boil.) Sprinkle with pepper.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 dumplings and 1 1/3 cups soup).

It is a poker party!

Philip is having a poker party. A good excuse for him to play poker and me to make yummy munchy food! I love to entertain and while this isn't really me entertaining since I am sitting upstairs blogging and he is downstairs with his friends, I still got to plan the menu and make all the food. For me that is pretty much my favorite part of entertaining. The cleaning up afterwards is my least favorite...which is why this part is so great! I was still able to do the best part...and since it isn't MY party I don't have to clean it up! Oh the beauty of it....

The party menu consisted of (boy food):

Veggies & Dip

Ranch Pretzels

Baked Mini Corn Dogs

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Puppy Chow

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Beer!

I really wanted to blog the buffalo chicken dip since I have made it a million times and it is always a hit but I forgot to take a picture and they in the 30 minutes that they have been playing it has basically been devoured. So I will only do the ranch pretzels and the baked mini corn dogs (which were pretty darn good and so stinkin' cute!).

Baked Mini Corn Dogs

(Source: Food Network Magazine, June/July 2009)

1 cup reduced-fat milk

1 package active dry yeast

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and kneading

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika

9 reduced-fat hot dogs, halved crosswise

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon balck sesame seeds (optional)

1. Warm the milk to about 110 degrees in a saucepan; pour into a medium bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let soften for about 2 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, brown sugar and cornmeal with a wooden spoon. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and cayenne pepper; stir to make a sticky dough.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, insert a wooden stick or small skewer into each hot dog half, about 1 inch deep; set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly oil a large baking sheet. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 18 pieces. With your palms, roll each piece into a 10-inch length. Wrap each piece around a hot dog half, tucking and pressing the edges to seal; place on the baking sheet.

4. Brush the dough-wrapped dogs with the beaten egg; sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake until golden, 15 minutes.

Ranch Pretzels (The same as the oyster crackers)

(Source: Me!)

Ingredients:

Pretzels (I use most of a bag.)

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 oz package of dry ranch seasoning mix

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and shake until pretzels are well coated. Spread out onto a baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until all of the oil is absorbed.

Taco Loco

The first time I had this I didn't think I would like it. I am not a huge fan of red meat and I really prefer my tacos with chicken, but this was soooo yummy and I knew I had to find a recipe. The meat is supposed to marinate for 24 hours...I forgot to get it ready the night before so ours only marinated for maybe 5 hours. I thought it had a decent amount of flavor and I really enjoyed the flavor it did have so I imagine it would be even better if it marinated for the full 24 hours. The recipe says to pound the meat to a 1/4" thick...I gave up and left it about an inch thick. I thought it was fine and we just sliced it super thin. Philip thinks we should cut it before we marinate it next time to get more flavor. The recipe says it serves twelve (I did pay attention to this until AFTER I started cooking). I don't think it would serve twelve...maybe four (but my steak was not quite 3 pounds). We had quite a bit leftover!

Lisa's Favorite Carne Asada Marinade
(Souce: allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lime juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 pounds flank steak

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the orange, lemon, and lime juice in a large glass or ceramic bowl along with the garlic, soy sauce, chipotle pepper, chili power, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cilantro. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until marinade is well combined. Remove one cup of the marinade and place in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for use after the meat is cooked.
2. Place the flank steak between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the steak with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/4 inch. After pounding, poke steak all over with a fork. Add the meat to the marinade in the large bowl, cover, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
4. Remove the steak from the marinade and grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Discard used marinade. Remove meat from heat and slice across the grain.
5. Pour the one cup of reserved, unused marinade over the hot meat and serve immediately.

Spicy Black Bean Dip

I was supposed to go to a potluck team meeting for the FRGs (family readiness group) in our battalion this week. I had planned on making this dip but then at the last minute I didn't end up going to the meeting. I figured since I had already bought everything I might as well make it and I am glad I did! It was very good and different than your typical bean dip.

Spicy Black Bean Dip

(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

4 cloves minced garlic, separated

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

4 oz cream cheese

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

S&P to taste

Cheese for topping (I used monterey jack)

1) Saute' corn and 2 cloves of garlic until the corn is slightly browned. Set aside to cool.

2) Add 2 cloves garlic, beans, cream cheese, jalapeno and the seasonings into a food processor and process until smooth.

3) Place 1/2 of bean mixture into bottom of serving dish, then 1/2 the corn; repeat with remaining beans and corn. Top with cheese, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.

Fish are food, not friends

I don't like fish. Ever since having to cook for myself I have become much more experimental. I have grown to be able to eat mild fish. Philip loves fish. I decide that since we have been married for 2.5 years I could make him fish once. So I found this recipe that I thought I could handle and I really enjoyed it. I don't think he will have to wait another 2.5 years for it. I served this with a parmesan orzo that I have been making for a while. It is a quick, easy and pretty tasty side dish.

Panko-Breaded Tilapia

(Source: Penzey Spices Early Summer 2009 catalog)

Ingredients:

4-4 ounce tilapia filets

4 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise (1/4 cup)

1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme (I omitted this because I don't really care for it.)

1/4 teaspoon Cracked Rosemary

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon pepper, thyme and cracked rosemary. Pour the panko breadcrumbs in a wide, shallow bowl. Heat the olive oil in a roomy pan over medium-high heat. Brush the tilapia fillets with the mayonnaise mixture, using a quarter of the mix per fillet, then dip in the breadcrumbs. Gently place in the hot pan and cook the fillets for 3-5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. It is important the oil is hot so the breading doesn't stick. Shake the pan gently every minute or so to keep the breading from sticking to the pan and getting left behind.

Parmesan Orzo

(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients:

1 cup orzo, uncooked

1 tablespoon of butter

1-14.5 ounce can of chicken broth

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions:

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add orzo and stir for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Add broth, bring to a boil for 1 minute, turn heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes until broth is almost absorbed and orzo is soft. Add cheese and parsley and stir.

Pizza, Pizza

I found this recipe for pizza crust a long time ago but now that Philip is home he is the one that is always making the pizzas. He is more of a perfectionist about his pizza crusts than I am. His have to be perfectly round and he will spend forever making them that way. So he has been fiddling around with this recipe, trying different things with it each time and this time he nailed it! It was perfect...not too soft, not too crispy. Of course my Pampered Chef pizza stone helps a great deal! Seriously....homemade pizza is SOOO much better when it is made on this thing!

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

(Source: adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar (Philip used 1 1/2 teaspoons)

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

*Philip added a very little bit of Penzey's Pizza Seasoning into the dough. Italian seasoning would work as well.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in wamr water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Almost Famous

Every issue of the Food Network magazine (which is a wonderful magazine and I highly recommend subscribing!) has a copycat recipe of a well known restaurant food. The June/July 2009 issue has Olive Garden salad and breadsticks. However, according to the article, the Olive Garden "staff" would not release their recipe for either of these so the Food Network Kitchens created recipes that are pretty darn close. We thought they were both wonderful and just like the restaurant. The breadsticks were not very good reheated the next day so I would definitely cut the recipe in half next time...unless I can find a use for 16 breadsticks.

That is my beautiful Longaberger bread basket. It was a parting gift when I moved out of my parents house...I'm not sure if my mom knows I took it. :)

Almost Famous Breadsticks

(Source: Food Network Magazine June/July 2009)

FOR THE DOUGH:

1 package active dry yeast

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon fine salt

FOR THE TOPPING:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of dried oregano

1. Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.

2. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16-1 1/2 inch-long pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch-long breastick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano. Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt.

Almost-Famous Garden Salad

(Source: Food Network Magazine June/July 2009)

FOR THE DRESSING:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons Miracle Whip

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

FOR THE SALAD:

1 10-ounce bag American salad blend

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

4 small pickled peppers, such as pepperoncini

1 small vine-ripened tomato, quartered

2 tablespoons sliced black olives

1/2 cup large croutons

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth.

2. Place the salad blend in a large bowl and top with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing.

Who needs the ice cream truck...

when you have homemade popsicles in the freezer! Walked into the grocery store the other day and the berries were buy one, get one free...I HAD to buy some. Philip asked me what I was going to do with them and I didn't know...but I knew I would think of something. So I decided to make popsicles!


These popsicles were delicious! I cannot wait to make them again. I think next time I will add a banana to them as well.





Strawberry-Cream Fruit Pops
(Source: MyRecipes.com via Sunset Magazine)


Ingredients:

2 cups fresh strawberries (rinsed and hulled)
1/2 cup light sour cream
2-3 Tbls sugar
2 tsp lemon juice


Preparation
1. In a blender, whirl 2 cups rinsed, hulled strawberries until smooth. Push through a fine strainer into a 1-quart glass measure; discard seeds. Return berry purée to blender and whirl in 1/2 cup light sour cream, 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (to taste), and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until smooth.
2. Pour fruit mixture into 6 to 8 juice bar molds (with a 1/4-1/3 cup capacity). Attach covers firmly and insert sticks, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches of each sticking out. Set molds in freezer, making sure they're level and upright, and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours, or up to 2 weeks.
3. To unmold, run warm water over the molds up to the rim, just until pops are released from sides, 5 to 15 seconds. Remove the covers and pull out the pops.

Comfort in a Bowl

A big bowl of chicken noodle soup is the most comforting thing. There is nothing better than a big bowl on a cold day, or when you are sick, or when you just needed cheering up. Philip had his wisdom teeth out and one of the things he requested a few days after surgery was this soup. The recipe is from one of my most favorite people in the world. I remember years ago, when there was a death in our family, she made this for my family. She sent me the recipe a while ago and I have made it MANY times since then.

Chicken Noodle Soup

(Source: My friend Dolly)

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp black pepper

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon or cubes

2-3 Stalks of celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

pinch of celery leaves (I used celery seed)

1 pkg Mrs Grass Noodle Soup

1 bag frozen Reames' Noodles

Directions:

Fill a Dutch oven pan with water and add chicken breasts, black pepper and chicken bouillon. Boil until chicken breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken breasts and shred. Add celery, onion, carrots and celery leaves to the dutch oven (with the cooking liquid in it). Add the shredded chicken and Mrs. Grass's noodle soup. Let cook for at least an hour. Then add Reames' noodles and cook for another 30 minutes.

Add a can of chicken broth or more seasonings if it needs more flavor.

Dinner on the MAN Stove...

Philip refers to our grill as "the man stove." My favorite part of this dinner was that Philip took it all outside and did it all on the grill (read: I did not have to cook.). The recipe was for baked teriyaki chicken and I have to say...it was much better baked than it was grilled. I don't know why. I just really prefered it baked. It was still a very good dinner though!

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

(Source: allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1) In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles. Let sauce cool.
2) Pour cooled sauce into bottom of greased 9x13 casserole dish. Dip one side of each chicken piece into the sauce and then place piece, sauce dipped side up, into the pan. Let marinate in fridge for at least one hour.
3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4) Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until internal temp is 165 degrees. Baste the chicken with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

Happy Mother's Day!

We went to a picnic today for Mother's Day/Birthdays. Unfortunately it wasn't the nicest day ever but we still had a nice time. I made the cupcakes for the big bash...homemade funfetti (Pillsbury has nothing on me!) frosted with vanilla buttercream. I like buttercream but don't usually LOVE it. I usually have a few bites of cake with frosting and then scrape the rest of it off. I thought this buttercream was super yummy and not quite as sugary as the store bought version. I would definitely make it again. I actually had to make a test cake (Yes, I am a dork!) because some of my cake recipes will sink at this altitude. So I made one recipe earlier in the week and it was good but it wasn't quite what I wanted it to be. I ended up finding this a recipe for a plain white cake and added the sprinkles to make it "funfetti." This recipe is a "high altitude" recipe and it was perfect!
Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

High-Altitude White Cake

(Source: Joy of Cooking)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans as directed for your altitude.

Whish together thoroughly:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat in a large bowl until foamy:

4 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Gradually add and beat on high speed until soft, slightly droopy peaks form:

1/3 cup sugar

Set aside. Beat in another large bowl (no need to wash beaters) until well blended:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond or other extract - optional

On low speed, add the flour mixutre in 3 parts, alternating with:

1 1/4 cups milk

in 2 parts, down scraping the bowl after each addition. Beat on high about 30 seconds, until smooth and creamy. Gently fold the white by hand into the batter in 3 additions, until flour is no longer visible. (Then, I added 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles to make it Funfetti.) Divide the batter between the pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert the cake and remove the paper liners, if using. Let cool completely.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream

(Source: Cook's Illustrated, April 2007)

Ingredients:

20 tbsp. (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions:In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Dos de Mayo

Philip is having his wisdom teeth out on Cinco de Mayo, so we had our Cinco de Mayo meal on the 2nd. To be honest...this isn't a holiday we celebrate...we just like Mexican food. This casserole is one of my favorites and it is pretty quick throw together.

Mexican Casserole
(Source: Sweet, Savory, Southern)

1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen)
1 bag Minute rice (The boil-in-a-bag kind)
1 packet taco seasoning
10 oz can diced tomatoes with chillies
14 oz can enchilada sauce
shredded Mexican cheese
6-8" tortillas

My Changes:

• I added half a can of black beans.
• I cannot find a 14 oz can of enchilada sauce so I bought 20 oz and used *almost* all of it.

Preheat oven to 375. Begin by sauteing the onion in a little olive oil until it begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground meat to the pan. While the meat is browning, cook the rice according to the package directions and set aside. Once the meat is browned, drain any fat or liquid from the pan. Add the corn kernals, taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Stir to combine. Add the rice and stir. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add 1/2 the can of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the pan. Next, make a layer with two tortillas. They should overlap a little. Add a layer of the meat mixture and then 1/2 the can of diced tomatoes with chilies. Add a thin layer of shredded cheese. Add two more tortillas and repeat the layers, ending with a layer of tortillas. Top with the additional enchilada sauce and cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and allow to cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

I also wanted to make a desert to go with this dinner. This dessert was so quick to make and it tasted wonderful. Philip thinks this might be the best dessert I have made. I think it is definitely in the top 10. I apologize, the picture does not do it justice.

Sopapilla Cheesecake
(Source: Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls (I used 2 packages of Pillsbury Recipe Creations.)
1/2 cup melted butter (I would use 1/4 cup next time.)
1/2 cup white sugar (I think this could be cut back to a 1/4 cup as well.)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (This could be cut back to 1/2 tsp.)

Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough and use a rolling pin to shape each sheet into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one sheet into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough and brush with melted butter. Stir together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

You Scream...I scream...

Ice cream? Good. Chocolate chip cookies? Good. Ice cream and cookies? Gooooood. I saw this and knew I had to make it. They were so cute and yummy looking.

P.S. White Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream from Safeway is to die for!

Ice Cream Cookie Bowls

(Source: Family Fun)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I used normal size milk chocolate chips because that is what I had on hand)

Directions:
1. To make the cookie cups, beat together the shortening, butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.

2. In a spearate bowl, sift together the salt, baking powder and flour, then gradually stir them into the batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disk and wrap it in plastic. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Turn two 12-cup muffin tins bottom side up and cover 10 of the cup bottoms with squares of aluminum foil (use every other cup so there's some space between them).

5. Unwrap 1 disk of dough, place it between 2 sheets of waxed paper and rool it out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 4-inch circles of dough and place each one over a cup bottom, smoothing out any cracks. Repeat with the other disks, rerolling and reusing any scraps.

6. Bake the cookie cups for 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cookies together from the muffin pan. Peel off the foil and let the cups cool completely on a rack. Just before serving, fill each cookie cup with a scoop of ice cream.

Nice Buns...

I have become quite obsessed with the task of baking homemade bread. There is really nothing better...the smell of bread in the oven...warm rolls fresh from the oven with dinner. So I decided I should tackle making hamburger buns.

Hamburger Buns

(Source: Rosa's Yummy Yums)

Ingredients:

1 cup water, lukewarm

2 tbls unsalted butter, at room temperature and creamed

1 egg

3 1/4 cups plain white flour

1/4 cup castor sugar (I just put regular sugar through the food processor)

1 tsp salt

1 tbls instant yeast

1 egg yolk (+1 tsp water)

Sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the yeast into the water and leave for 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve.

2. Combine all remaining dough ingredients and mix well.

3. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured working surface and knead for about 10 minutes until you've made a soft, smooth dough.

4. Place the dough in a clean and lightly greased bowl.

5. Cover it with a towel and let rise for about 1 or 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.

6. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a flattened ball.

7. Place the buns on greased baking sheets, cover with a towel and let rise 30 to 40 minutes, until they're quite puffy and doubled in size.

8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. Glaze the buns with the egg yolk and water mixture, then sprinkl with sesame seeds.

10. Bake the buns for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown.

11. Remove them from the oven and cool them on a wire rack.

Homemade Bagels

Philip and I were going to a Dave Ramsey class every Tuesday night so we needed something that we could grab for dinner real quick on our way out the door. Regular sandwiches got boring very quickly so I need to find a way to "dress" them up a little...enter the homemade bagel...

The recipe is for a plain bagel. I added seasonings to the top of the bagels before putting them in the oven to make them into "everything bagels." I can't wait to try using this recipe again to make cinnamon raisin bagels.

Homemade Bagels
(Source: Adapted from Baking Bites)

1tbsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 cups water, warm (100-110F)
4-5 cups bread flour (NOT all purpose)
1 tbsp salt
1 egg, for egg wash

Optional Seasonings:
Poppy Seeds
Onion Powder
Caraway
Sesame Seeds
Kosher Salt

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) combine yearst, sugar and water. Let stand for 5 miminutes, then stir in flour and salt. Mix dough thoroughly until it comes together in a large ball, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add an additional tablespoon of flour or water, if needed.

If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If using a stand mixer, knead dough with the dough hook until elastic, about 8 minutes on a low spped. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and left rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

When dough has risen, turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces (first quarters, then halves). Shape each piece into a tight ball, pinching the corners together at the bottom of the dough. When all the balls are shaped, let the dough rest for 30 minutes covered with a clean dish towel.

Once dough balls have rested, the bagel shape can be formed. Using your fingers, poke a hole through the center of each dough ball. Stretch out the dough into a ring with your finers and be sure to make the hole a little larger than you want the finished bagel to have, as it will shrink slightly while the bagel is expanding during the baking process. Let bagels rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil and preheat the oven to 400F. (I used a deep dish skillet.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels and another baking sheet with parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal.

Working four at a time, drop the bagels carefully into the boiling water. (I did 2 at a time.) Boil for 2 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer bagels to the paper towels to drain for a moment, then place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining bagels.

Brush boiled bagels with a lightly beaten egg (a pastry brush is a good tool for this) and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for 24 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack (bagel will soften slightly as it cools). Slice and toast to serve.

Breakfast of Champions

Photography by Steve James Moore

Philip's dad and step-mom (whom he had not seen since our wedding) were coming to town so I wanted to make something special. I had been eyeing this recipe for danish dough for quite some time so I decided to make it for brunch while they were here.

The recipe makes enough dough for two large braids. I made a raspberry and cream cheese filling for my braids. I decided to use the same filling for both braids so we could try it before I had to serve it to company. I can't wait to make this again. I saw on another blog (Amber's Delectable Delights) a filling of mushroom, spinach and swiss. It looks amazing and I can't wait to try it!

Danish Dough

(Source: Sherry Yard’s The Secrets of Baking)
Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients for the dough (Detrempe)

1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup whole 2% milk

1/3 cup sugar

Zest of 1 orange, finely grated

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (I used an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract)

2 large eggs, chilled

1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I used 2% milk)

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

To make the dough

With a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

To make the butter block

1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Danish Braid

Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients

1 recipe Danish Dough

Fillings of your choice

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.

3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash

Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking
1. Spray cooking oil onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature.StorageThe cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

Cold Day...Warm Food

Nothing fits a cold day better than a good soup and sandwich. Making bread is my new obsession. This focaccia was a great bread to whip up for a quick dinner. It comes together quick and makes a perfect bread for paninis. We chose to put grilled chicken, provolone, bacon and ranch on our paninis.

No-Fuss Focaccia

(Source: King Arthur Flour)

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) warm water
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) olive oil (plus additional for drizzling)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups (14 ¾ ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
4 teaspoons Pizza Dough Flavor, optional 1/4 cup Vermont cheese powder, optional
pizza seasoning, optional (I used Italian seasoning)

1) Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom.

2) Combine all of the ingredients, and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds.

3) Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pan, cover the pan, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, till it’s become puffy.

4) While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.

5) Gently poke the dough all over with your index finger.

6) Drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with pizza seasoning, and/or the dried herbs of your choice, if desired.

7) Bake the bread till it’s golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

8) Remove it from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.



Baked Potato-and-Broccoli Soup

(Source: MyRecipes.com via Southern Living Magazine; Jan 2006)

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, divided
3 cups peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (8-ounce) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
7 teaspoons shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
7 teaspoons fully cooked bacon pieces
7 teaspoons chopped green onions

Preparation:

Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth. Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.

Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.

Note - We recommend freshly shredded cheese (versus the pre-shredded variety) for additional creaminess and even melting.

Yield - Makes 7 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Chicken Parmesan

We love chicken parmesan. I have been looking for the perfect recipe for quite some time and while some are good, none of them are perfect. This one is as close to perfect as I can find! The panko breadcrumbs are the perfect coating to get the "fried" feel without actually frying.

Chicken Parmesan (Light Version)

(Source: Cook's Illustrated; The Best Light Recipe cookbook)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Panko

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 oz. grated Parmesan (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper

3 large egg whites

1 tbsp water

vegetable oil spray

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to 1/4 inch thick, or sliced in half to make cutlets)

1 recipe for Simple Tomato Sauce for Chicken Parmesan

3 oz low-fat mozzarella, shredded (3/4 cup)

1 tbsp fresh basil, minced

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475. Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.

2. In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tbsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper together. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.

3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the rack with veg oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with S&P. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking of excess, then dip into egg whites, and finally coat with the bread crumbs. Press on the bread crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the chicken on the wire rack.

4. Spray the tops of the chicken with the veg oil spray. Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tbsp. sauce onto the center of each cutlet and top with 2 tbsp. of mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Per serving: 310 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5g sat fat, 75mg cholesterol, 20g carbs, 38g protein, 790g sodium

Simple Tomato Sauce

(Source: Cook's Illustrated)

Ingredients:

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. olive oil

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tbsp minced fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Pulse the tomatoes with their juices in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 10 1-second pulses; set aside. Cook the garlic, tomato paste, oil, and pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened and measures 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and season with S&P to taste.