Sunday, April 26, 2009

Bread in an Hour


O my! O my! O my goodness! This was absolutely delicious bread! My wonderful sister posted this recipe on her blog, where my Grandmother saw the recipe and made the bread for my cousin, Katie, who so graciously gave me a few slices this evening and I devoured them! (It was so good that after we closed the door behind Katie, Cody had to protect the last piece of bread from me so that he could have a nibble! We might have ended up wrestling over it...yes, it is that good!) Thank you to the 3 women above for passing it along! (I had to borrow the picture above...it looks and tastes even better than that one!)

From: Amanda

Makes 2 (8x4 inch) loaves

3 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. gluten flour, sifted (or vital wheat gluten)
1 1/4 T. instant yeast (or quick-rising)
2 1/2 c. very warm tap water
1 T. salt
1/3 c. oil
1/3 c. honey or 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/4 T. bottled lemon juice
2 - 2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

Mix together first three ingredients in mixer with a dough hook.  Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes.  Add salt, oil, honey or sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute.  Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup.  Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl.  This makes a very soft dough.

Preheat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off.  Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves, place in oiled bread pans.  Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes until dough reaches top of pan.  Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool on racks.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Homemade Applesauce


What would I do without my mother? What DO I do without her in my kitchen? Basically...she is amazing and I call her every time I am cooking anything. Each time I go home I am reminded of the delish meals that I was fed growing up. This is one of my favorite treats that she makes, but I never wanted to "venture" to match hers. Well, good news....THIS IS SUPER-DUPER EASY! Now, most meals of my mother's I just cannot match no matter how hard I try, I think it is that extra "love" she puts in them. However, this recipe is for anyone and everyone! Give it a try, it will be a go-to snack for your family (that you feel kind of healthy for eating....just try to forget about all the sugar in it!) P.S. please don't judge it by the picture...old camera=not so appetizing pic!

From: Mom

8 cups apples (about 4 large apples) I used cameo, use your fave!
1 3/4 cups 100% orange juice
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Peel and core the apples. Cut into small chunks, no more than 3/8 inch thick. Stir apples, orange juice, water, salt, sugar and cinnamon together in a saucepan. Simmer for five minutes, so that the apples are tender, but still have a little "bite" texture to them. Remove from heat and serve warm. This would be great with ice cream....however, I just eat it plain! This applesauce refrigerates and freezes wonderfully. 

Friday, April 17, 2009

Homemade Stuffing


I hate homemade stuffing. HATE IT. Everyone tries to throw in chunks of who-knows-what into it. From cornbread with cranberries and pears to whole wheat with sausage and rosemary-yuck! I know, it is so silly, its all stuffing, but not to me. I always resort to Stove Top...plain, delicious stove top. This year for Thanksgiving I was bound and determined to make a good, PLAIN, homemade stuffing. I did it!!! I gathered recipes from family, my hubby's spicing technique, as well as some random advice from those around me, and made a delicious stuffing that I can't wait to make again! Even my sister-in-law who hates stuffing said it was the best she had ever had!

Homemade Stuffing

1 bag (about 8-10 cups) dried bread chunks
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup chicken stock
salt
pepper
poultry seasoning (don't go overboard with this)
sage
white pepper

Mix all of the above together with seasonings, to taste. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, then remove cover and bake for an additional 10-15 to crisp.

Japanese Chicken

Okay, I am going to tell you all: I NEED YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES! This is a go-to of Katie, my cousin...and she never shared it with me until last week! I feel so sad that you all have your favorite recipes and I may never, ever have the amazing chance to try them myself! SHARE THEM! SHARE THEM! 
Anyway, this was a super-easy, super-delicious meal! It is now going to be a go-to meal for me, I can't wait to make it again! Thanks Katie!

From: Katie

2 eggs
1 cup flour
6 Tbsp. sesame seeds(optional)
8 chicken breasts
3/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 cups sugar
rice or rice noodles

Preheat oven to 350. Whip eggs, dip chicken in eggs then in flour. Mix the remaining ingredients to make a sauce, and pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve over rice or rice noodles.(We did rice noodles, which I have NEVER tried before, and I will ALWAYS make them with the noodles, it was so different and delish!)

Monday, April 13, 2009

Frog Eye Salad

A classic, isn't it? I swear this is at every party with more than 15 people! It is a wonderful go-to recipe, and I have to admit, THIS recipe is one of the best that I have had. It has a couple extra ingredients that I have not seen in other Frog Eye Salad recipes...that must be what makes it so yummy! Careful, this recipe serves about 40 people!!! (Sorry about the picture...I am not sure how to make it LOOK appetizing, even though it is DELISH!)

From: Wendy

1 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 3/4 C. pineapple juice(from tidbits below)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt if desired (1 tsp.)
3 quarts of water
1 - 16 oz. acini de pepe pasta
3 cans mandarin oranges
2 cans pineapple tidbits
1 can crushed pineapple
1 carton cool whip (9 oz)
1 C. miniature marshmallows
1 C. coconut (optional)

Drain 2 cans of pineapple tidbits to make 1 3/4 C. juice.  Combine sugar and flour and salt in pan.  Beat in the two eggs. Then gradually stir in the pineapple juice.  Cook over moderate heat until thickened.  Add lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.  
Meanwhile, bring water to boil.  Add acini de pepe.  Cook at rolling boil until done.  Drain
pasta.  Rinse with cold water and drain again.  Cool to room temperature.  
Combine egg mixture and pasta.
Mix lightly but thoroughly.  Refrigerate overnight in airtight container.  
Drain mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple. Add remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate until chilled.  

Grandma's Rolls

Cody is going to KILL me for posting these...but he is not home so I am hoping that he doesn't see the new post! After my Grandma taught me how to make her TO-DIE-FOR rolls, I went straight to the computer to share the recipe with you all. When Cody saw what I was doing, he thought that I was crazy! "Why would you share your delicious roll recipe with EVERYONE?!?! They can be your signature!" Well, WHY WOULDN'T I? These are so yummy, and even though it has taken me a year to post them, I am doing it now, so that should count for something...hopefully you can forgive me! (Which I have no fear of because after you taste these rolls you will LOVE me! And my Grandma! Thanks Grandma!) P.S. This recipe makes about 70 rolls...I usually cut it in half.

From: Grandma Beverly

2 cubes of margarine

3 cups water

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 beaten eggs

 

9 cups flour

2 Tbs of yeast

1 heaping Tbs. gluten

2 sticks butter, melted

 

Combine margarine, sugar, salt and 1 cup water and microwave until butter is ALMOST melted.

Add remaining 2 cups medium temperature water and stir well.

Crack and mix eggs with a fork in another bowl. Once mixed, add to the water mixture.

Add yeast and gluten, mix slightly.

Sift about 4 ½ cups of flour into the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to add flour as needed. When dough becomes to sticky to stir, begin to knead while adding sifted flour up to 9 cups or until correct consistency.

Knead bread very well, about 5 minutes.

Cover bottom of mixing bowl with about 3 Tbs. shortening. Place dough in bowl and turn to have shortening cover dough. Spread about 2 Tbs. more shortening on top of bread. Cover and let double in volume. ( If it is hot outside place in the sun for the first half of the time, then move to the shade. If it is cool, turn oven on 350 and count to 15 seconds. Shut the oven off in and put the dough in the warm oven to rise.)

When dough has doubled in volume, punch down.

Flour counter lightly and split dough into two balls by pinching in the middle. Cover half of dough and roll out the other half on the floured counter. You know that your dough is right if it squeaks when rolling out. Use a doughnut cutter and cut out circle that are about ½ inch thick. Follow below recipes for certain rolls:

For dinner rolls(shown above):

Dip top of circle in melted butter and wipe excess on 2 other circles of dough. Use a butter knife to press into the center until just before it cuts through. Stretch dough and fold where you cut with the knife, then pinch sides together. Place dough in half-circles in a deep, buttered pan very closely together. Allow to rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes or until you can tap on the top of the cooked rolls and they sound hollow. Flip out of pan and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of melted butter on each roll. Allow to cool. 

For butter rolls(shown above):

Take 10 circles and roll each individually like a hot dog, very lightly until about doubled in length. Melt 1/3 stick butter in bottom of bread pan. Roll each elongated circle in butter then place in pan. Place them next to eachother until pan is full from side to side(about 10 rolls). Allow to rise until they reach the top. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes or until you can tap on the top of the cooked rolls and they sound hollow.Flip out of pan and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of melted butter on each roll. Allow to cool.

For Clover rolls(shown above):

Do not roll out or cut with a doughnut cutter. Simply pinch off small circles and place 3 circles in each buttered cupcake tin. Allow to rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes or until you can tap on the top of the cooked rolls and they sound hollow. Flip out of pan and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of melted butter on each roll. Allow to cool.

To freeze, wrap rolls in tin foil (about 8-10 per piece of foil) and place in freezer. Remove about 2 hours prior to serving to thaw and bake for 5-8 minutes at 350 prior to meal. This works GREAT!

Yield: about 70 rolls


Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Thank You Rhodes!!!


I just wanted to post and thank Rhodes! I made a previous post using Rhodes rolls, Stromboli. I loved how simple it made my meal to make and not to mention it tasted delicious. I was contacted by Rhodes to try out a few of their Warm and Serve rolls....and today I got this package in the mail! Can you believe it? It made my day. I can't wait to try them out...Thank you RHODES!