Fast French Bread

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 T honey

1 1/2 t salt

1 T active dry yeast

3 - 5 cups flour

Combine water, honey, salt, yeast and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy on top.

Knead in enough flour until just past sticky.

Form oblong loaf, place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Let rise until doubled in size.

Carefully brush top with egg white.

Bake in 400 degree preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool before slicing.

Salsa Verde Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

This recipe was adapted from Shari Goodman and Randi Parks

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar salsa verde
1 can black beans, rinsed

Place chicken in crock pot.
Pour salsa verde and black beans over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 6-8 hours
When finished, use two forks to shred chicken in large pieces.
Serve over cilantro lime rice  (rice cooked and then tossed with chopped fresh cilantro, juice from one lime and salt to taste).

Vegetable Quinoa Chili

This recipe is adapted from Shari Goodman and Randi Parks
This recipe can easily be vegetarian or vegan

1 cup cooked quinoa
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 1/2 T chili powder
1 T cumin
4 cloves minced garlic
1 t dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Place and mix all ingredients in crock pot.
Cook on high 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Can be cooked in oven in a dutch oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours.

Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, cubed avocado and chopped cilantro on top if desired.

Brioche Hamburger Buns

1/3 cup butter
3 T sugar
4 1/2 t instant yeast
1 egg
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk or 1 1/4 cups milk with 1 1/4 T vinegar mixed in and set aside for 5 minutes

Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 t water

Combine 2 cups flour, the sugar, yeast in mixer bowl.
Heat buttermilk in microwave for 1 minute.  Stir and then cook for  20 second increments until very warm to touch but not too hot.
Add buttermilk to flour mixture.  Mix with dough hook until well combined.
Add egg and remaining 1 1/4 cups flour.  Mix.  Add small amounts of flour until dough cleans off of the side of the bowl.
Turn onto counter and knead by hand until smooth and touchable, not sticky.
Divide into 6 equal pieces and roll into 6 balls.
Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Let rise until double in size.
Brush with egg wash, bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool before cutting buns in half.

Overnight French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping

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• French Toast Casserole:
• 
  
• 1-2 large French loaf
• 8 large eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla

• Praline Topping:

  1 cup butter, softened but not melted

  1 cup packed brown sugar

  2 T light corn syrup

  
  
  
  

  1. Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (You will have extra bread). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover tightly with Glad Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  2. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Prepare the Praline Topping:
  4. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.
  5. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.
  6. Serve with maple syrup.

Deep Dish Brownies
(from Dara Draeger)

1 1/2 cups melted butter
3 cups sugar
1 t. baking powder
3 t. vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour)
1 cup cocoa
1 t. salt

Mix until ingredients are just past moist.
Grease a 9x13 pan generously.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Pigs in a Pretzel Blanket

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough

Mini hot dogs

1/4 cup baking soda

5 cups + 1 Tb water

1 egg

sea salt

Cut the pizza dough into 1 inch strips and stretch the strips out into long, thin pieces. 

Roll one mini hot dog up in each dough strip.

Place 5 cups of water and 1/4 cup baking soda into pan. Bring to a boil. 

Boil each rolled-up hot dog in the water mix for 20-30 seconds. 

Remove roll-ups from water and place on parchment paper.

Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 Tb of water with 1 egg. 

Brush egg wash onto roll-ups.

Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Bake at 425^oF for 15 minutes.

Pull-Apart Pizza Muffin

1/3 cup olive oil

26 oz thawed dinner roll dough

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1/2 cloves minced garlic

6 oz pepperoni

Cut all the dinner rolls and pepperoni into quarters.

Mix all ingredients in bowl by hand.

Place handfuls of the mixture into a greased muffin tin.

Bake at 350^oF for 20-25 minutes. 

Strawberry Ice Cream Delight

1 cube margarine, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup flour

2 egg whites

1 cup sugar

10 oz frozen strawberries

2 Tb lemon juice

1 cup whipping cream

Spread melted margarine, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and flour onto a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Beat egg whites, sugar, frozen strawberries, and lemon juice until whipped.

Add the whipping cream. 

Beat until it peaks.

In a 9 x 13 pan, layer 2/3 of the cookie crumble.

Add ice cream mix on top of layer.

Sprinkle the rest of the cookie crumble on top.

Freeze overnight.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 (8 oz) bag frozen mixed vegetables

2 refrigerated pie crusts (or see Perfect Pie Crust recipe)

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375^oF.

Defrost the vegetables in a microwave for about 3 minutes.

Cut 2 pie crusts into quarters, to yield 8 equal pieces.

Coat the inside of 4 small aluminum-foil pans or 4 ramekins with vegetable cooking spray.

Line the bottom of each with a quarter of crust, molding it with your fingers to fit.

In a large bowl, stir together the soup and milk.

Add the remaining ingredients.

Spoon about 2/3 cup of the mixture into each pan or ramekin. 

Top each with a piecrust quarter. 

Pinch the edges together and cut vents in the top.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Perfect Pie Crust recipe:
http://sittinonthecoucheatinbonbons.blogspot.com/2015/11/perfect-pie-crust.html

Blueberry Muffins

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

Muffins:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 450^oF. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder. 

Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup.

Mix this with the flour mixture.

Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

Topping:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cups butter, cubed

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffin before baking. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven or until done. 

Basic Spritz Cookie

Basic Spritz Cookie

1/2 cup Crisco

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour, sifted

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

Sift dry ingredients together, set aside. Cream Crisco, butter, and sugar well.

Beat in egg and vanilla.

Gradually blend in dry ingredients.

Fill cookie press and form cookies on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375^oF for 10-12 minutes. 

Do not overcook - edges should be just barely turning light brown at the most. 

(I don't like mine brown)

Yields 60-72 cookies (depending on the size of the cookie press)

Dough can be colored after it is all mixed together - I just add drops into the mixing bowl and mix it in.

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars

Crust:

1 lemon cake mix

1/3 cup margarine

1 egg

Press into greased 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350^oF for 10 minutes.

Topping:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

Blend and layer on top of baked crust.

Bake at 350^oF for 10 minutes.

Applenut Chess Pie

Applenut Chess Pie

Grand Prize Winning Recipe

1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp lemon juice

3 eggs, beaten

2 Tb butter or margarine, melted

1 cup peeled, finely shredded apples

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 Tb flour

1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell

ginger creme topping

Combine marshmallow creme, vanilla, and lemon juice, mixing with wire whisk until well blended.

Add eggs and butter. Mix well.

Combine apples, brown sugar, nuts, and flour and stir into marshmallow creme mixture.

Pour into pastry shell.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350^oF.

Continue baking for 45 minutes, or until top is firm.

Serve with Ginger Creme topping.

Ginger Creme Topping

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme

Combine sour cream and ginger. 

Add to marshmallow creme; mixing with wire whisk until well blended.

Makes about 2 cups.

Baked Beans

Southern Baked Beans

1/2 lb bacon, diced & sauteed

2 cups onion, diced & sauteed

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup brown sugar

15 oz of each:

-kidney beans

-lima beans

-butter beans

42 oz pork and beans

Mix all together.

Place in 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350^oF for 1-1 1/2 hours (until bubbly).

Tri-Tip

Tri-Tip

Take a tri-tip and rub onion powder, salt and pepper all over the outside of it and place it in a 9 x 13 pan.

Bake it at 400^oF for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350^oF and using a meat thermometer, bake the meat until the internal temperature reaches 145^oF (usually another 30-45 minutes).

Let it rest with a foil tent for 15-20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Welcome Home Chocolate Bars

Welcome Home Chocolate Bars
I love these because there is no bowl to clean - just a pan!
(and they are delicious, of course!)

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350^oF.

In a 13 x 9 baking pan, melt butter in oven.

Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over butter.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs.

Then top with remaining ingredients, press down firmly.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Cool and cut into bars.

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna

1-2 lb ground beef

lasagna noodles

2 jars spaghetti sauce

1 1/2 pint cottage cheese

2 pkgs shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown ground beef and drain.

Spoon 1 cup spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 4 qt crock pot. 

Mix remaining sauce with meat.

Break lasagna noodles and layer over sauce. 

Spread 1/4 of the meat mixture over noodles.

Then 1/2 of the cottage cheese and1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers, leaving enough meat sauce to cover, then the rest of the mozzarella cheese.

(use all cottage cheese in first 2 layers)

Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or on low for 4 hours. 

Do not cook any longer.

Tuscan Soup

Matt's Zupa Tuscan Soup

4 cups (or 3 cans) chicken broth 

2 cups water

3-4 cups whipping cream

1 small onion, chopped

4 cups kale, chopped into small pieces

1 lb country sausage

3 large potatoes, sliced and quartered

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced, and quartered

salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage and onion until done. Drain on paper towels.

Put sausage mixture in large stockpot.

Add broth, water, and potatoes. 

Cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes, until potatoes are almost done.

Add sweet potatoes and cook till tender.

Add chopped kale.

Cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Add cream and cook (I thicken with corn starch)

Season with salt and pepper.