Homemade Amish White Bread

I'm not sure that there are many smells better than that of freshly baked bread. I'm still waiting for Yankee Candles to come out with that one! :) In a time when money is tight for everyone, I was thrilled to find this recipe for a basic white bread. All of the ingredients were things that I typically have on hand. It was fairly inexpensive to make, came together more quickly than I had ever imagined, and yielded two really nice sized loaves. The first day, we ate the bread fresh (seriously had to muster up some self control not to finish off the loaf!), the next day we made garlic grilled cheese sandwiches, and tomorrow I plan to make some french toast with it. I highly recommend this recipe, and plan to make it on a regular basis.

Homemade Amish White Bread

1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

6 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. Stir the 1 cup of warm milk in now. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Using the dough hook on a mixer or with a wooden spoon by hand, mix in flour, one cup at a time. Knead until smooth.

Place dough in well oiled bowl; turn to coat top. Let rise about 1 hour.

Punch dough down, knead a few times. Divide dough in half. Shape into loaves and place into 2 greased 9x5-inch loaf pans. Allow to rise 30 minutes or until dough has risen about 1" above pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from pans immediately. Brush the top of the loaves with a little melted butter right after you take them out of the pans so that the crust stays nice and soft.

Source: Amanda's Cookin'

Cookbook Review - Paula Deen Celebrates and Teriyaki/Buffalo Chicken Wings

The most common complaint I hear about Paula Deen is the amount of butter she uses in her cooking and baking. I recently watched an episode of her show where she was even eating butter by the handful. Eww. I do find, though, that if you can get past the idea of everything being soaked in her favorite ingredient, you will find that there are a lot of dishes that aren't overly unhealthy-- at least as far as Southern Cuisine is concerned. At first glance, she does appear to use a lot of butter... but when compared to other baking cookbooks, the amount isn't that much more (sometimes it is even less) than comparable recipes. I even found some recipes with no butter at all. . . Gasp!

One of my favorite things about this cookbook is that it is divided up by holiday. Unlike most cookbooks which go through the traditional format of appetizers, soups/salads, main courses, dessert, etc., Paula Deen Celebrates starts with New Year's Eve brunch and works through Christmas dinner. There are even some non-traditional 'holidays' thrown in the mix, including: Elvis's Birthday (featuring her famous fried peanut butter and banana sandwich), Sunday Afternoon Football Party, her Anniversary, etc. By going this route, you can get a better idea of what a sample menu might look like. You also get some really nice family anecdotes mixed throughout, giving you a better glimpse into their lives and what is important to them.

So far, in this book, I have made brussel srouts with onion and bacon, Cheeseburger Pies (which I posted earlier in the year... I've never received so many comments about a meal 'not looking good' yet I promise it was REALLY good!!), Teriyaki and Buffalo Chicken Wings (pictured above, recipe below), spinach salad, goulash, and many others. I haven't been disappointed yet! This is definitely a cookbook I'll use time and time again!

Teriyaki and Buffalo Chicken Wings

36 fresh, or frozen, chicken wings, tips trimmed

salt and pepper

vegetable oil, for frying

Teriyaki Sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Buffalo Sauce:

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Thaw the frozen wings under running water until the glaze has melted. Dry the wings thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. In a dutch oven, pour in 3 inches of oil and heat to 360 degrees. Using tongs, lower each wing individually into the oil. Fry until the wings are crisp and brown, about 12-14 minutes. Drain on paper towels. You will have to cook the wings in several batches. You can do this part of the recipe several hours before your party. Leave them at room temperature, covered loosely with foil, after they have cooled completely.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small measuring cup. Combine the buffalo sauce ingrediens in another small measuring cup. Place 18 wings in one baking dish and the remaining 18 wings in another baking dish. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the wings in the first dish and toss to coat. Repeat in the other dish with the buffalo sauce. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the sauces have glazed the wings and the wings are heated through.

Fish Tacos

This dish, for some reason, was incredibly hard to photograph. I kept going back and trying again and again-- even more once I tasted how delicious they were. I really wanted my picture to convince people to try them because they truly were great! Kathy had more luck on her blog-- so feel free to check hers out if you need some motivation! :)

I made these exactly as Kathy suggested, with the exception of the tortillas. My husband and I both prefer flour to corn tortillas, so we went that route instead. (Maybe I can blame my cruddy picture on that!) The only thing I will warn about is that I somehow bought the hottest green onions that I have ever tasted. I am a huge onion fan but this was too much even for me. It just overpowered the sauce a bit. I would adjust the number of onions used depending on the batch you find! It's always easier to add more than it is to take it away!

Fish Tacos
To make the sauce:
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (adjust depending on onion strength)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and minced

To make the tacos:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds Tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (I used flour)
2 cups shredded cabbage

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. To prepare the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and put in fridge to meld flavors. To prepare tacos, combine dry seasonings in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. While fish is cooking, heat tortillas. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon sauce.

Source: Three on Food

Sausage with Peppers and Pasta

As I look at this picture, I feel like I have posted a similar dish (or two) in the past. This tends to be one of my husband's favorite types of meals, though, so I suppose I gravitate towards the general type of recipe. Now that my son is all into 'noodles', it was sure to be a hit all the way around! This is another meal that came together really quickly, making it a winner for weeknights. The flavors were simple and really complemented each other. In order to save a little bit of money, I only used green peppers for the pasta. Tri-colored peppers have been so high lately and I really didn't think that the extra color was needed thanks to the diced tomatoes already included. I really didn't miss the other peppers, though I will be anxious to try it in the original format down the line. I did also change the proportions a bit for two reasons. First of all, we tend to like our pasta dishes more on the saucy side. Secondly, I knew this would be a great dish to reheat for lunches, so I wanted to make a little bit extra. (I have reflected my changes below.) I do like that most of the ingredients are things that we already had on hand. It's one that I will likely keep as a great last minute backup meal. The melted cheese was my favorite part and it gave the dish more of a baked ziti feel.

Sausage with Peppers and Pasta
1 box (16 ounces) rigatoni, uncooked
1.5 pounds Italian sausage, sliced
2-3 large green peppers
2 cans (14.5 ounce) Italian Style diced tomatoes (I used the kind with garlic and basil)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)

Cook the pasta as directed on the package. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sliced Italian sausage on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning or sticking. Add the peppers and cook for another 7 minutes or until the peppers are crisp tender and the sausage is cooked through. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes, or until heated through. Stir occasionally. Drain the pasta and mix with the peppers/sausage mixture. Stir in the shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Serve topped with additional parmesan cheese.

Source: Adapted from Kraft Food and Family

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary yesterday. He earned major points by deciding that as an anniversary gift to each other, we would refinish the trellis we were married under and would secure it on the side of the house, surrounded by climbing rose bushes. His one other request for our celebration was for a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. (I might have accidentally planted this idea by stocking up on chocolate chips I recently found on sale... he just found the stash in the pantry!) I have to admit that I am normally the one reading the Toll House recipe off of the back of the bag of chips whenever making a traditional chocolate chip cookie. Don't get me wrong-- the reason I do this is because those cookies never fail! They are always delicious! For this occasion, however, I decided to try the recipe out of Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours cookbook. She completely converted me over! Dorie calls these cookies her 'best' and it is easy to see why. These were easy to throw together, as most chocolate chip cookies are, and they baked up within 10 minutes. I was a little cautious when I saw how much they spread in the oven. Be sure to leave plenty of room between your cookies when baking! By spreading so much, they got very thin and delicate and provided the perfect combination of chewy center with a crisp, crunchy shell. Each batch makes about 45 cookies... they are disappearing so quickly that I will probably have to double it next time! :)

(Another nice element of Dorie's recipe is that she gives tips for freezing dough balls for quick use later on. Really good information!)

My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips* (I used semi-sweet)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (I omitted)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Working with a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about a minute (or until smooth). Add the sguars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well blended. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about a minute after adding each. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients in three stages, mixing each stage only until incorporated. On low speed, or by hand, mix in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon dough by slightly rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, and rotating the sheet midway through the baking time. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until they are brown at the edges and golden in the center. They might be a little soft in the center, and that is okay. Pull the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for about a minute, then carefully, using a wide metal spatula, transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature. Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling baking sheets between batches.

*Dorie recommends buying a better quality chocolate and creating your own chips if your time permits.

Source: Baking From My Home to Yours, Dorie Greenspan

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

This recipe is unlike any other pepper steak I have ever tried. Normally, pepper steak (at least the recipes I have made in the past) has a bit of a kick to it. This one really had a sweeter taste to it, making it much more kid friendly for my house. There really wasn't any heat to it at all, so if that is something you prefer, I would maybe add some pepper flakes to the meat while browning it. My husband and I both really enjoyed this meal, and I like it even more that it can sit in the crock pot for the day. This certainly makes it a quick and easy meal for once school is back in session this fall. I love coming home from work to a house filled with the smell of our dinner cooking.

One change I would make would be to add some different colored peppers instead of all green peppers. Peppers have been so expensive, lately, that I didn't go that route this time through! I served ours over rice and it was definitely a hit!

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. (If you want yours to be more like a traditional pepper steak, add red pepper flakes at this point.) In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Cover, and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve over rice.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Grilled Chicken Roller

This is another one of those quick BBQ recipes that makes summer official! The prep on this chicken literally takes all of about 5 minutes, and as you can see by the ingredient list-- is not at all complicated. They are simple flavors that create an unforgettable dish. The recipe comes from the latest Kraft, Food and Family magazine so they are all about using Kraft Singles as their cheese. While this worked perfectly well for my American Cheese addict of a husband, I'd like to play more with different cheeses the next time we make this. The American Cheese was very good, but I am thinking that there are many great variations that woud give it a completely different taste. It might be fun to experiment with! I did also add an extra piece of bacon to each roller to help hold the cheese in. I wrapped one piece going horizontally and one going vertically. Can you ever really have too much bacon?

The only problem we had when cooking this chicken was that the fat content of the bacon caused the bacon to cook MUCH more quickly than the chicken. This isn't a dish that you can simply throw on the grill and ignore. It does require some attention to make sure that your bacon doesn't burn while waiting for the chicken to cook through. While parts of our bacon did burn a bit, the chicken stayed moist and really had a great bacon flavor throughout.

Grilled Chicken Roller
3-4 small, boneless chicken breasts

3-4 slices American Cheese (or substitute cheese of your choice)

6-8 slices center cut bacon

3-4 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing

Garlic salt to taste

Heat your grill to medium heat. Place your chicken breasts onto plastic wrap and cover with another piece of wrap. Pound each breast to about 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle garlic salt to taste on each piece. Top each pounded piece of chicken with cheese and roll up tightly. Wrap one piece of bacon around the long sides of the roll to cover any exposed cheese. Stretch the bacon as necessary. Take a second piece of bacon and wrap the chicken roller across the short side of the roller. Secure carefully with toothpicks.

Grill for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees and no longer pink. Turn the chicken frequently to prevent the bacon from burning. For the last 5 minutes of grill time, brush each roller with the vinaigrette. Carefully remove all toothpicks before serving.

Source: Adapted from Kraft Food and Family (Summer '09)