Fast Rustic Bread

Ingredients:

-3 cups bread flour
-1/4 tsp yeast
-2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups HOT water (if doing overnight, use cold water, let rest on counter 8-24hrs)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine flour, yeast, water and salt in large bowl.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 3 hrs.
3. After 3 hours dough will become puffy and dotted with bubbles.
4. Transfer it to a well-floured surface and sprinkle dough with a little flour. Using scraper fold ought over 10-12 ties and share into a rough ball.
5. Place in a parchment paper-lined bowl and cover with a towel. Let stand on counter top for about 30 minutes while you preheat oven with Dutch pan in it. 450 F
6. When preheated lift the parchment paper and dough from the bowl and place gently into the hot pot (parchment paper goes in the pot as well)
7. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
8. After 30 minutes, remove lid and parchment paper. Return uncovered to oven and bake 10-15 more minutes. Let it cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

FOR ROLLS:

Fold over with more flour about 10x
Cut into 8 sections, shape into balls ugly seam side down
Place on parchment and cover with towel 30 minutes and preheat 450
They will puff up but don’t double in size
Bake 25 min.

Easy Quiche

I had a Galantine’s brunch this past February and made this quiche for the first time and it was the perfect savory dish to accompany all of the sweet treats we had. It was more of a crowd pleaser than I thought and I was asked for the recipe by more than one person. I don’t want to forget it so I have to post it.

The Website I got it from has some great information on making quiches so I’m just going to post the link. But definitely if you are looking to cook to impress go here and make it. Don’t be scared to make it either, a quiche sounds more intimidating than it really is.

I chose to use onion, ham, and spinach. Great combo! Enjoy!

Craving Home Cooked

Classic Focaccia Bread

My friend made this the other day and I got the recipe right away, I’ve never made focaccia bread before because I think I always felt like it wouldn’t taste authentic or because it would be too hard…let me tell you…it was neither!! Super easy and perfectly tasty! I’m so excited about it I’m going to make it again this week (and it’s only been a week since I made it last)! This recipe is from Bon Appetit!

A couple of notes before getting started: I did not let it chill for 8-24 hours. I only let it rise the minimum time and it turned out perfect, however if I would have had time (or read the instructions all the way) I would have let it,
I’m sure the fermentation process would give the bread and even better taste.

I also made a little variation in my bread…I added rosemary to a third, oregano to a third and left a third the way the recipe says. My whole family loved the variations and I’ll probably do that again..maybe even add olives.

Makes one 18×13″ pan

Ingredients:

6 1/4 cups bread flour
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (from one 1/4-oz packet)
Pinch of sugar
2 TBL Diamond Crystal or 1 TBL Morton Kosher Salt
5 TBL extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing and drizzling
Flaky sea salt

Prep:
Combine flour and 2 1/2 cups room-temp water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed, scraping down sides and hook as needed to incorporate any dry flour, until a shaggy dough forms. Remove dough hook and cover bowl with plastic. Let sit while you prepare the yeast (you can leave the dough in this state up to 2 hours).

Stir yeast, sugar, and 1/2 cup warm water with a fork in a small bowl to dissolve. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Pour yeast mixture into stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed until dough absorbs all additional water, about 1 minute (pulse mixer on and off a couple of times at very beginning to prevent liquid from splashing over the sides). Add kosher salt and continue to mix, increasing speed to medium until dough is extremely elastic and very sticky (it will look more like a thick batter and will stick to sides of bowl), about 5 minutes.

Pour 3 TBL oil into a large (preferably glass) bowl and swirl to coat sides. Scrape in dough with a large spatula or flexible bench scraper. Cover and place in a warm spot until dough is doubled in volume, 2-3 hours.

Drizzle 2 TBL oil over 18×13″ pan and use fingertips to rub all over bottom and sides. Using large spatula or flexible bench scraper, fold dough inside bowl a couple of times to deflate then scrape onto prepared baking sheet. Using oiled hands, lift up dough and fold over onto itself in half, then rotate baking sheet 90 degrees and fold in half again. Cover dough with a piece of well-oiled plastic and let rest 10 minutes to let gluten relax.

Uncover and go back in with oiled hands, gently stretching dough (to avoid tearing) across length and width of baking sheet in an even layer, working all ht way to edges and into corners. If dough starts to spring back, let sit 5-10 minutes and start again. Cover again with same piece of oiled plastic and chill at least 8 hours and up to 24.

Let sheet pan sit in a warm spot until dough is puffed and bubbly and nearly doubled in height, 45-60 minutes (if you’re using a standard half sheet pan, it will have risen to the very top of the sides). Meanwhile, place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 450.

Remove plastic and drizzle dough generously with more oil. Oil hand again and press fingertips firmly into dough, pushing down all the way to bottom of pan to dimple all over. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.

Bake focaccia until surface is deep golden brown all over, 25-35 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Slide a thin metal spatula underneath focaccia to loosen from sheet pan (it may stick in a couple o place, so use some elbow grease to get underneath) and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before cutting as desired.

Indian Dahl

Recipe from steamykitchen.com

Very easy meal and very easy recipe…my two favorite combinations!  My kids even eat this up.  

ingredients:

1 cup dry lentils

6 ounces canned crushed tomato (or tomato puree, but not tomato paste)

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less depending on your spice preference)

1 cup water

4 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon salt, more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

directions:

In a large sauce pan, add the lentils and fill with water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the lentils open and are tender. Drain the water from the lentils and return the lentils to the pot. Stir the lentils around in the pot mashing some of them against the pot to break open. Add the crushed tomato, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, water, butter, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 hour until the dal is thick. Make sure to check the pot periodically to make sure the water does not cook out.

Stir in cream, garnish with minced cilantro.

Butternut Squash Risotto

I’m not exactly sure where I got this recipe but it is SUPER yummy!  I LOVE squash so much I could literally eat this whole dish and it’s a recipe for 6 servings.  I love making this in the fall and winter.  It will warm your heart and warm the soul.  Happy eats!

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash cubed (approx. 4 to 5 cups raw)

½ medium yellow onion, finely diced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

16 oz. arborio rice

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup + 2 tbsp half & half or cream

½ tsp dried sage

8-10 fresh sage leaves

salt & pepper to taste

3 oz. shaved or grated parmesan

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel and dice your butternut squash (or you can substitute store bought diced butternut squash to save time).  In a bowl, coat squash in 1 tbsp olive oil and dried sage then layer on baking sheet.

Roast squash in the oven for 50 minutes (tossing once halfway through cooking time) until fully cooked.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

2.  In a large pot, soften diced onion on medium heat in 2 tbsp olive oil for 3 minutes, then add rice and chicken/vegetable broth and bring to a low boil.  Continue cooking on low heat, stirring frequently for 15 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, rough chop your fresh sage leaves and pan fry (yes, pan fry) them in 1 tbsp of butter for 1 minute then drain on paper towel.  You must experience in your lifetime the deliciousness of a sage leaf fried in butter, then you truly have lived.

4.  Before you are tempted to gobble it all down with your bare hands, puree your roasted butternut squash with 2 tbsp of half & half (or cream) in a food processor.

5.  After risotto has cooked for 15 minutes, add white wine, half & half (or cream), and the pureed butternut squash to your rice and continue stirring for 5 minutes, or until rice is al dente and all flavors are absorbed.

6.  If necessary add more broth until rice is fully cooked.  Add salt and/or pepper to taste.  Top with fried sage leaves and serve warm with grated or shaved parmesan.  Serves six

Honey Bran Muffins

From: thelazywifesguide.blogspot.com

We used to live in Utah where there was a Mimi’s Cafe, which is an ok restaurant.  The thing that I do LOVE LOVE LOVE is their Honey bran muffins.  I’ve been thinking about them for a long time and found a recipe so I figured might as well give it a try.  They were delicious!!

***

Honey Bran Muffin

Makes 12 regular sized muffins

dry ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup wheat bran  (I actually couldn’t find any wheat bran at the stores, so I did about a third of wheat flour, a third of wheat germ, and a third of ground flax seed).  I looked it up and you can use wheat germ or flax for a substitute.
4 tsp dry milk powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
“liquid” ingredients:
1/3 cup brown sugar (it called for dark, but all I had was light)
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp grated orange zest (the orange flavor is a little overpowering, I’d probably reduce this to 1 Tablespoon or maybe even 2 teaspoons)

Glaze:
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp butter (very soft or slightly melted – I put this whole mixture on top of the fridge while I did the rest and it worked really well)
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Distribute about 1 Tbsp of the Glaze into 12 muffin tins and be sure to coat the bottom and sides of each muffin tin. (I did this just before I mixed the wet and dry ingredients so that the glaze was fairly liquid, and I just spread it evenly between all 12 tins rather than measure)
In a medium bowl mix all the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl (I didn’t do this I just put all the wet ingredients into the middle of the dry ingredients and mixed them all together), mix the “liquid” ingredients.  Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients until just moistened.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full, bake at 350 for 20min, until a toothpick comes out clean (be sure not to fill the muffins too full because even at 2/3rds they spring up over the tops a little.
Immediately invert the baked muffins onto foil or wax paper to cool.

Bran is the hard outer layer of a grain.  Oat and rice bran are also available. Bran can be milled from any grain: rice, corn, wheat, oats, barley and millet (rice bran comes from the layer that is removed when brown rice becomes white rice).

Bran is REALLY good for you.  Not only does it contain a great amount of dietary fiber, but also essential fatty acids, starch, protein, vitamins and minerals!  Also, it’s very filling.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

 

 

 

Recipe from Melskitchencafe.com

 

Oh how I love zucchini and squash and I think you can make this with either…the plus is that my kids didn’t know they were eating zucchini and they normally won’t eat it or squash…but they LOVE cheese and rice.  It was fabulous and a nice change from normal rice.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 medium or 2 small zucchini, grated on a box grater or with a food processor (no need to peel beforehand)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons milk, if needed

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and let the rice simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the grated zucchini, cheese, and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste (don’t skip this step – I needed at least 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt to boost the flavor). Add a tablespoon or so of milk to adjust the texture if needed. Serve warm.

Blueberry Scones

Recipe from Annie-eats.com

My friend made these for book club and they have been a favorite ever since.  I seriously crave them.  They are best served with lemon curd which I buy mine from Trader Joes.  This recipe is easy but has a lot of steps so be prepared but definitely worth it and very doable.  mmmm…i’m thinking of them right now.

Ingredients:
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen whole
1½ cups (7½ oz.) fresh blueberries
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream
2 cups (10 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
½ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Directions: 
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425˚ F.  Grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater.  (I like to use my food processor for this – fast and easy.)  Place the blueberries in the freezer until needed.

Whisk together the milk and sour cream in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed.  Combine the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.

Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until combined.  Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface.  Dust the top of the dough with flour, and knead with well floured hands, 6-8 times, just until the dough holds together in a ragged ball.  Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Roll the dough into a 12-inch square.  Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (a dough scraper really helps with these steps).  Fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square.  Transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Return the dough to the floured work surface and roll into an approximately 12-inch square again.  Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the surface of the dough, and gently press down so that they are slightly embedded in the dough surface.  Using a dough scraper, roll the dough up to form a tight log.  Lay the log seam side down and press the the log into a 12 by 4-inch rectangle.  Using a sharp, floured knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles.  Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles.  Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar.  (If freezing ahead of time, flash freeze on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag until needed.)  Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Black Bean Egg Rolls

From Annie’s Eats

 

We tried these tonight and everyone liked them at my house so I give them 5 stars.  They were super easy, the best part was you can make them early and have them ready to cook right before dinner.  My kind of planning.   I think they were originally made as an appetizer but we had them as a main dish.  You could either.  They would be great at a party or get together.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles, drained
• 4 green onions, chopped

• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 package egg roll wrappers (about 24 total)

DIRECTIONS

• In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers. Mix well to blend. Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place ¼ cup of the filling in the center. Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center. Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free. Dip a finger in water or beaten egg and lightly brush on the edges of the free corner. Finish rolling and press to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking. Serve warm with salsa.

Garlic Rice Pilaf

Ernie’s cousin made this for us this past summer.  She made it with Salmon which was to die for as well.  I’ll post that recipe also.  Anyway, I love a twist on just plain rice and this would go with so many things.

Garlic Rice Pilaf

Recipe source: Annie’s Eats}

2 T butter

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided

1/2 t salt

1/2 t fresh ground black pepper

Squeeze of lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

optional: slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 and set aside a casserole dish (9×13 is fine). In a medium saucepan or skillet, melt butter over med-high heat. Add the rice and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until the rice is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Pour into casserole dish, cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth and slivered almonds if using, recover and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes. About 15 minutes before it’s done, uncover again, squeeze lemon juice over the rice and give it a stir. Re-cover and finish cooking.