I've decided to move/shut down this blog. I'm continuing to post recipes, and my new site is:
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Shutting Down
I've decided to move/shut down this blog. I'm continuing to post recipes, and my new site is:
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A Seasoning Must Have
Monday, July 6, 2009
Basic Pizza Dough
Basic Pizza Dough
1 3/4 c. warm water
1 1/4 ounces pkg active dry yeast
2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
3 tbsp. olive oil
Measure out 1-3/4 c. warm water in a bowl (it should be pleasantkly warm on your wrist). Sprinkle the yeast on top of the watr and allow it to activate, about 10 minutes.
Put the salt and 2 cups of the flour into a food processor. Pulse 5 times to blend. Pour in the yeast and water and pulse 5 times. Add the olive oils. Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, pulsng and scraping the sides of the bowl until well blended. As soon as the mixture is combined, dump it out onto a well-floured board and knead for 15 turns. The dough will become smooth and elastic-like.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 45 minute, until doubled in size, and then punch it down.
I roll my dough out and place it in one cookie sheet, or you can cut the dough in half and it makes 2 12 in. round pizzas. I bake mine at 425 deg. for 15 minutes and we love it!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Rotisserie Style Crock Pot Chicken
This recipe I received my from aunt, and boy am I thankful she sent it. It's so incredibly good! Normally when I want rotisserie style chicken, I just pop on over to the grocery store down the street and buy one that is already done. But I love this even better, since it makes my house smell delicious from cooking all day and it's already at home when I get home from work. The other great thing is that if you don't have all the spices on hand, throw in something else.
Rotisserie Style Crock Pot Chicken
1 whole chicken (4-5 lbs.)
3 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. black pepper
Pinch of chili pepper
Remove all the innards of chicken. Mix the spices together and rub it all over the chicken (even under the skin), and throw it in the crock pot (essentially the spices combined together makes a rub).
Low for 8 hours (I left mine in for 9ish and the meat practically fell off the bone!), or high for 4-5.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
By Jove, I think I've found it! By "it" I mean the ultimate oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe. I've tried a few different ones, but this one is by far the best. You can literally whip up this recipe in less than 10 minutes and have gooey yummy cookies fresh out of the oven in less than 25. Don't get me wrong, I love me some plain ol' chocolate chip cookies. But once in awhile.. it's nice to have a twist. Shake things up. Go crazy and wild.. I'm sure you get the picture.
This recipe comes to us from a pretty cool lady named Amy. Have never actually met her, and she probably doesn't even know I exist but I love following her blog. Plus, we have tons in common. We share the same last name, love to bake AND live in the same state. Wowza's! So go on over and visit her blog, peruse through her recipes and if you keep up with her.. she has some pretty cool giveaways. Anyway, she doesn't know I'm advertising her blog but I figure if I do it to someone else, maybe someone will do the same thing for me someday. Hope you all enjoy your ultimate-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies!!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
½ c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ c flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c Quick Quick-Oats
1 c chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325. Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Slowly beat in eggs, then add vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt to creamed mixture, mix well. Then add oats, and chocolate chunks. Stir together and drop spoon sized balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes, edges should be slightly browned, and centers slightly gooey.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Trifle
We had a few friends over on Monday night for dessert and games. We had SUCH a good time! The best part, as always, was the dessert. I'm not boasting here.. but this trifle was good. It also looks beautiful! There are many variations to trifle. I've had chocolate trifle (never made though, and not sure I ever will. It was too much chocolate for me), and I also have a recipe for pumpkin-gingerbread trifle that I can't WAIT to try out in the fall. Trifle can be made so many ways to fit whatever your theme or cravings are. I've seen a red, white and blue theme with blueberries and strawberries. You could do a berry themed trifle. And it's also fun to mix up the pudding flavors to get different colors or tastes. I've always wanted to try something with white chocolate pudding. Yum!
By far my favorite trifle though is strawberry-banana. It's light, it looks beautiful on the table and will always be an instant hit! If you don't have a trifle bowl, it can also be made in a punch bowl. Make sure that it's clear though, that way everyone can admire the beautiful layers and will think you put more work into it than you actually did!
Trifle
1 store bought angel food cake, torn up into little pieces
1 large package vanilla pudding made according to directions
One package fresh strawberries
3-4 bananas
1 large container Cool Whip
Take half of angel food cake and place in bottom of trifle bowl. Spread half of pudding on top of that, covering completely. Layer half of fruit on top of pudding. Spread half of Cool Whip on top of fruit. Repeat with remaining half ingredients with Cool Whip ending on very top layer.
Tips and Tricks:
- Like I said, trifle is malleable to whatever your occasion might be. Experiment, have fun!
- For the strawberries, I sprinkled a little sugar and mashed them a bit to get the juices going. Makes them a little sweeter I think.
- Keep refridgerated until ready to serve. The whole process of cutting fruit and putting it together takes less than 30 minutes.
Sugar Cookies
2 sticks of butter
1-1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
4 c. flour
Melt butter. Add sugar and stir. Let cool slightly. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Roll out in desire shape. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes (adjust time for chewy vs. crunchy cookies).
Monday, April 6, 2009
Snickerdoodle Blondies
OH. MY. GOSH. This dessert is DIVINE. I've seen this particlar treat showcased on several food blogs lately, and I just knew I had to try it. I was not disappointed! It was so easy to make, and the best part is that it uses ingredients already stocked in your baking cupboards. I actually made this last week and it still tastes good, days later. You have got to try it! I promise you'll love it. Recipe courtesty of My Baking Addiction.
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Snickerdoodle Blondies
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. grated or ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and/or line a 9x13 inch pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat together butter brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be somewhat cookiebatter-ish, so it’s best so spread it out with a greased spatula or your hands). Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting. Makes 20-24 bars.
Shrimp Quesadilla's
(Courtesy of Betty Crocker’s Fix-it-Fast Family Favorites)
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers (I used regular cheese)
1 large tomato, chopped
½ cup real bacon pieces (I used ½ lb. real bacon, chopped)
1 package frozen cooked salad shrimp, rinsed and thawed
1. Heat 10-in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place 1 tortilla in skillet. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of the cheese and ¼ each of the tomato, bacon, and shrimp. Sprinkle with additional ¼ cup of the cheese. Top with another tortilla.
2. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until bottom is golden brown; turn. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until bottom is golden brown.
3. Repeat three more times with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into wedges
Texas Flour Tortillas
(Courtesy of Homesick Texan)
Two cups of all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vegetable oil
¾ cups of warm milk
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.
Slowly add the warm milk
Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed
Knead dough for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough ahs rested, break of eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes.
It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out into proper thickness or shape.
After dough has rested, one at a time place dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a 4-in circle, and them roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter.
Don’t overwork the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sour Cream Turkey "Steak" Patties
(Courtesy of Lion House Recipes)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 c. soft bread crumbs, divided
3 tbsp. light sour cream
1/3 c. skim milk
¼ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
Combine turkey, ½ c. bread crumbs, sour cream, milk, pepper, and nutmeg. Divide mixture into fourths and mold each portion into a flat patty. Spread remaining ½ cup bread crumbs on a plate; carefully dip patties in crumbs, covering on both sides. Place a cooking rack in a shallow baking dish; set patties on rack and let stand uncovered in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Spray a large frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Melt butter or margarine in pan over medium heat. Add patties and brown 5 minutes on each side. Makes 4 servings.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Lion House Meat Loaf
This is my first experience making meat loaf. I never really liked it as a kid. The whole idea of baked meat just grossed me out. I recently found out that Mr. P loves meat loaf. Who knew? In my quest to become the best wife I can, I started my search for a meat loaf recipe. I found one in a Lion House cook book that we received as a wedding gift. I knew that if it came from Lion House, I had to try it. The sauce called for tomato soup instead of ketchup, and that made all the difference for me. The "loaf" part of the recipe didn't turn out so well, I'm not sure where I went wrong with that. It turned out to be a big crumbly mess, but in the end.. it turned out all right. I highly recommend this recipe. Delish!
Lion House Meat Loaf (Courtesy of Lion House Recipes)
½ c. chopped onions
1 can (10-1/2 oz) tomato soup
¼ c. water
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 dash pepper
2 lbs. extra-lean ground beef
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Make sauce: Spray a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray and preheat briefly on the stove. Add onions and saute until tender. Stir in tomaot soup, water, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper; simmer a few minutes to blend flavors.
Make meat loaf: Mix ground beef, salt, eggs, and half the sauce until well blended. Mold into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1.5 hours. Remove from oven and allow to stand for about 10 min. Serve with remaining sauce. Makes 10 servings.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tried and True
Monday, March 23, 2009
Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
I found this recipe in a cook book that I already had. I have a TON of cookbooks that I have received over the years that were just patiently waiting to be perused. So if you are at a loss of what to make for whatever the occasion might be, go through the cookbooks you already have. You never know, you might find something that catches your fancy.
Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Courtesy of Betty Crocker's Fix-It-Fast Family Favorites
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 lb. small red potatoes, cut in quarters
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Chopped fresh chives, if desired.
- Heat oven to 350. Grease jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch.
- Place chicken and potatoes in pan. Mix remaining ingredients except chives; brush over chicken and potatoes.
- Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Sprinkle with chives.
Twilight Party
MINT OREO TRUFFLES
Courtesy of Culinary Wannabe
Makes appx 4 dozen
1 package of Cool Mint flavored Double Stuffed Oreos
-use 22 whole cookies
-use 10 cookies with cream centers discarded
8 oz. package cream cheese, at room temp
chocolate bark or candy coating
1. Place all cookies in a food processor and pulse to a fine crumb. You could also put them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
2. Stir together crushec cookies and cream cheese. I found it easier to get in there with my hands like you are making meat loaf.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on wax paper lined baking sheet.
4. Place balls into the fridge or feezer to slightly harden.
5. Melt candies accoriding to instructions.
6. Dip chilled balls into melted candies, then place back on wax paper to dry. (You might need to stick balls back in fridge for a few minutes to keep them chilled, which will make them easier to work with).
7. Once candy coating has hardened, you can drizzel or decoarte with a constrasting color.
8. Keep refridgerated.
The truffles dipped in melted white chocolate bark. Kind of messy. A tip I picked up from Bakerella is to cut around the bottom of the truffle to get rid of the excess candy.
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Cut bacon into three sections. Roll around Lil' Smokies, stab with toothpick to secure.
- Sprinkle 3/4 cup of brown sugar over all. Bake for 30 minutes.
Mini cupcake baking tins
- Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla, mixing well.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
- Spread on cooled cake.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
This Evening's Dining Pleasure... Or Not
The first time I was introduced to Lobster Bisque was eating out at Ruth's Chris with my wonderful in-laws. I am now going to put a plug in for Ruth's Chris, the BEST steakhouse out there. So delicious! Anyway, back to the bisque. The Hubby has been asking me to find a recipe for this for awhile, and I finally tried it out. Would I say it's Ruth's Chris quality? Uh, no. But it was sorta tasty in it's own way. I followed the recipe exactly and here it is:
Lobster Bisque (Adapted from this website)
1 Cup Chicken Broth
2 Medium Slices Onion
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb. cooked and cubed lobster meat
1/2 tsp worcstershire sauce
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1. In a small frying pan place 1/4 c. chicken broth and the onion. Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
2. In a medium size pot over medium heat melt the butter. Slowly whisk in flour. Whisk until a creamy mixture is created.
3. Gradually poor in broth, whisking constantly. Whisk in milk, salt, onion, lobster meat, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Heat until soup is almost boiling. Do not boil the soup as the milk will curdle when boiled.
Tips and Tricks:
- I used frozen shrimp that was already prepped instead of the lobster meat. Way cheaper than lobster plus I didn't have to do any of the work to prepare it.
- Use the spices liberally. This batch had a kick to it and it saved the dinner.
- Next time I make it, I think I'll use half/half or heavy cream to make it, well, creamier. Just the regular milk made it too watery.
- I also think next time I am going to put some celery in it. Doesn't seem like a lot, but basically we had milk, spice and shrimp for dinner. Warmed up. Yum.
DESSERT
I promised The Hubby that I wouldn't make treats for awhile. We're both trying to be healthier and lose a little bit of weight. Well, that promise only lasted three whole days. I've been craving these for awhile, so I decided to satisfy my craving. Better now than later, right? Another cookie recipe, I know. Eventually I'll branch out and try new things! These cookies have many names. Rollo cookies, caramel filled cookies, chocolate surprise cookies and I'm sure many more. Rollos in a chocolate cookie, what's better than that?
"One for me, one for the bowl!" My super great helper unwrapping the rolo's.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Chocolate Blizzard Cookies
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1 cup large semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, chopped
Beat butter, sugar, and baking soda for 30 seconds. Beat in cooled chocolate, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in flour. Add chips and nuts. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until tops look dry. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before moving to wire racks to cool. Makes 3-1/2 dozen.
Happy Baking!