Moist and Delicious White Bread

Makes 2 (9-inch) loaves

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Resting time 1 hour 40 minutes

Total 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4½ teaspoons instant yeast (two 0.25-ounce packets)
• ¾ cup + 2⅔ cups warm water (divided)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 9 to 10 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted, for brushing)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir to dissolve the yeast in ¾ cup warm water. Let sit 5 minutes. Add remaining 2⅔ cups water, sugar, salt, room temperature butter, and 5 cups of the flour and stir to combine.
2. Gradually add enough of remaining flour until a soft dough forms.
3. Lightly grease top and turn it over so it is completely coated. Grease top again. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a draft-free place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Gently press it all over to remove any air pockets. Divide the dough in two loaves and place into greased loaf pans. Cover loosely and place in a draft-free area until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Position an oven rack on the lowest setting and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Brush the loaves with some of the melted butter. Bake the loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown.
7. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with more melted butter. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the pans. Slice and serve bread warm with butter or honey butter. Save the rest in airtight container.

Overnight Homemade Pickles

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar
4 t salt
3 t pickling spice
2 t fresh garlic, diced
2 cups hot water
2 lbs cucumbers or other vegetable (cauliflower, asparagus, etc.), prepared

Directions:
Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add vinegar, sugar and all seasonings. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Allow liquid to cool. Place vegetables in a jar and pour liquid on top of it. Place in refrigerator overnight. Pickles will be ready in time for a fresh lunch or dinner treat.

Fresh Greek Salad

Chop and mix together the following ingredients. Use amounts appropriate to the number of people you are serving.

Grape Tomatoes, cut in two
Cucumber, peeled and chopped
Feta Cheese
Kalamata Olives
Fresh Basil, chopped
Red Onion, slivered and chopped
Artichoke hearts, chopped (optional)
Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

Garlic Flatbread

Ingredients

• 3 cups plain flour plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 6 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

• Combine flour, garlic powder, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the yogurt, oil and milk.
• Knead for about 1 minute until a soft dough is formed. Cover bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
• Divide dough in half, then divide each half in 4 equal-sized pieces (you will have 8 pieces in total). Roll into balls and flatten to about 3 1/2 inches diameter.
• Lightly grease a nonstick pan with cooking oil spray (or a small brush of oil) over medium heat. Cook one piece for 2 minutes on one side. Lightly spray or brush the top over with oil/butter again before flipping. Cook until golden.
• To serve, lightly brush each piece with a small amount of butter, olive oil, or garlic olive oil (optional).

Greek Pork or Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs boneless pork or chicken, diced into 1 1/4-inch cubes (or purchase pork stew meat)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 t minced garlic
• 4 tsp dried or fresh oregano
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• bamboo skewers 
• Tzatziki sauce (optional)
• Flatbread (optional)
• Greek salad (optional)

Directions:

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 5 minutes to prevent splintering. Combine olive oil, lemon/lime juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, coriander, salt & pepper in a gallon ziplock bag. Add pork or chicken and allow to marinate for 30-45 minutes. Heat up grill. Thread pork/chicken onto skewers and grill until no longer pink in the center. Serve with Tzatziki sauce, flatbread, and Greek salad.

Super Bowl Sunday Party Menu

Here are some suggestions for various entrees and snacks that would be great at any Super Bowl Party (or graduation party or large celebration.) I have included links to any recipes I have on this blog.

Main Dishes:
Posole or Chili
BBQ Meatballs
Empanadas
Sliders
Flatbread Pizzas

Sides:
Cheese-Stuffed Rolls or Fry Bread
Chicken Wings
Stuffed Jalapenos
Deviled Eggs
Potato Salad and/or Cole Slaw
Sushi
Relish Dish
Cheese Plate
Vegetable Plate
Overnight Pickles 
Loaded Potato Skins
Fruit Salad
Mini Quiches
Chips

Dips:
Cowboy Caviar
Guacamole
7-Layer Dip
Artichoke Dip
Salsa
Hummus

Beverages:
Sodas
Dole Whip

Desserts:
Brownies
Cookies
Cream Puffs
Fruit Bars

Marly's Cheesy Potatoes

This is a variation of Marly Farnes' cheesy potatoes that she always brought to the Care Net Christmas parties that EVERYBODY loved! We miss you, Marly! Be sure to share your cheesy potatoes with Jesus. He'll love 'em!

2 lbs shredded potato hashbrowns
1 can cream of chicken
1 pint sour cream
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar or Tex Mex cheese
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/2 c butter
1/4 c milk
1 t paprika
salt & pepper

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 - 1 1/2 hours

Carrot Soufle

I got this recipe from my sister, Mary. I'm not sure where she got it, but it makes a great side for holiday and company dinners.

Ingredients:

2 lbs carrots, boiled until soft
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 - 2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp flour (You can leave this out or use Gluten-free Red Mill 1-to-1 flour for a gluten-free dish.)

Directions:
Blend all ingredients together in a blender. Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Banana Split Cake

Mix and pat into a 13" x 9" baking pan:
  1 stick melted butter
  2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Beat the following in electric mixer, on high NO LESS than 15 MINUTES:
  3 eggs
  2 sticks butter
  2 cups powdered sugar
Spread over graham cracker crust.

Cover the creamy layer with sliced bananas.
Cover the bananas with #2 can crushed pineapple, well drained
Cover fruit with cool whip OR, better still, sweetened whipped cream
Sprinkle with chopped nuts and cut up maraschino cherries

Let stand in refrigerator overnight.

(Note:  Contains uncooked eggs)

Cracker-Topped Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

8-10 potatoes, sliced thin
1 t salt
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 stick butter
2 T flour
3-5 cups milk
2-3 cups shredded Tex-Mex cheese
1 1/2 sleeves Saltine crackers, crushed (For gluten-free dish, eliminate this ingredient or replace with gluten-free crackers.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 casserole dish. Spread potatoes in the dish and sprinkle with salt. In a large skillet, melt butter and saute onions. Sprinkle in flour and mix well. Pour in milk and heat. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and pour over potatoes. Sprinkle crushed crackers on top and sprinkle a generous handful of cheese on top of that. Cover dish with tin foil, set on top of a cookie sheet (to catch drippings), and place in oven. Bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until potatoes and at desired softness.

Gourmet Ginger Pork Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground pork
• 1 T canola oil 
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free for GF recipe)
• 1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and slivered
• 1 large leek, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Butter, Bibb, or Boston lettuce leaves
  
  Toppings:
• minced cabbage sprinkled with Thai chili sauce or Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce (Oriental dipping sauce)
• pickled ginger
• 1 apple, sliced thin, sprinkled with lemon or lime juice
• 2 avocados, sliced thin
• 1-2 large carrots, julienned
• limes, sliced

Directions

Start browning ground pork in canola oil. Add red onion, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, water chestnuts, and leek. When cooked through, add sesame oil.

Serve warm with lettuce leaves. To eat, fill lettuce leaves with pork filling and top with whatever toppings you like. It's nice to have as many of these options as possible, and they all work together well, also.

Herbed Russet Potatoes

12 small red Russet potatoes
4 t butter, melted
4 t minced fresh parsley OR 1 1/2 t dried parsley
4 t minced fresh chives OR 1 1/2 t dried chives

Peel 1/2-inch strip around the center of each potato and drop them into a saucepan of cold water. Cover potatoes with water by 2 inches. Bring to boil and boil until potatoes are firm but easily pierced by a form. (About 20 min.) Drain water and place potatoes into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with herbs and  drizzle melted butter over potatoes. Serve warm. (Optional: you can also sprinkle over other things, like Parmesan cheese, crispy bacon pieces, and mince green onion.)

Cowboy Caviar

       Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup sugar (see notes)
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (11 ounce) can super sweet corn, drained (see notes)
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped cilantro (from 1 bunch) 
• Tortilla chips
  
  

  Directions

   Combine all ingredients, except tortilla chips, in a large bowl. Chill for about an hour to let flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips.
  

Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers

1 cup red quinoa (uncooked)
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup calamata olives, seeded and diced
1 can artichoke hearts, diced
2 T lime juice
1 t basil
1 t garlic
sea salt to taste
8-12 small, round tomatoes (like over-sized golf balls)
1 package sweet, mini-peppers

Cook quinoa according to package directions (boil for 15-20 minutes). Drain. Mix top 8 ingredients. Slice off top of tomatoes and hollow out. Slice a hole in the sides of the peppers and seed. Spray dish with olive oil. Place all tomatoes and peppers in the casserole dish. Top them with extra feta. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Quinoa & Lentils

Serves 15

2 cups (uncooked) quinoa
1 1/2 cups (uncooked) lentils
1/2 red onion, diced
2-3 T garlic, diced
2 T olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
ground black pepper to taste
sea salt to taste

Cook quinoa and lentils according to package directions (boil 15-20 minutes). Drain. Meanwhile, saute red onion and garlic in butter. Combine all ingredients and serve.

This makes a great side with marinated or roasted chicken, pork chops, beef roast, or fish. Add a vegetable, too, for a complete meal.

Cardamom Chicken and Chickpeas

4 chicken breasts, cut into 3 pieces each
2 T cumin powder (or toasted seeds, ground with a mortar & pestle)
8 cardamom pods (opened, pods removed, and seeds ground with a mortar & pestle)
2 T honey
1T fresh ginger, grated
2 t minced garlic
Pinch dried chili flakes (optional/You can also use jalapeno stuffed olives, below, instead of regular ones to add the spiciness)
6 T olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 large red onion, finely sliced
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
14 1/2 oz can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
Handful pitted green olives, sliced
1/2 - 1 cup chopped cilantro
Hot, cooked jasmine rice

1. Combine cumin, cardamom, honey, ginger, garlic, chili (if using), and 4 T of olive oil in a small bowl.
2. Place chicken pieces in a Ziplock bag and add combined seasonings. Mix well and allow to sit for 2 hours (or more) in the refrigerator.
3. Gently fry chicken in remaining oil until golden brown on all sides. Place in a tagine pot (or heavy casserole dish, or you can cook this in your crockpot). Drizzle remaining marinade mix on top.
4. Cover with onion, tomatoes, chickpeas and olives. Pour in the chicken broth.
5. Cover and cook in a 375 degree oven for one hour.
6. Stir in chopped cilantro just prior to serving.
7. Serve over rice.

Tip: If you are using a tagine or casserole dish, place a cookie sheet beneath your dish to catch unintentional drippings.

Moroccan Chicken

Give yourself a good two hours to prepare this meal. Serves 8-10.


Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless chicken, cubed
2 T vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, or sunflower oil
2 large Vidalia (or yellow) onions
1 T sugar
1 t nutmeg
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1 t ground ginger
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t red pepper
1/3 cup raisins
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 Roma tomatoes (or 1 regular tomato), diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas
4 c. chicken broth
Hot, cooked jasmine rice

Directions:
1. Lightly cook chicken in oil, remove from pan, and set aside. Add onions and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.

2. Add sugar and all seasonings and cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat until onions are caramelized. Return chicken to pan, add raisins, carrot, celery, tomatoes, leek, chickpeas and chicken broth.

3. Transfer to a tagine pot (pictured above) and cook in your oven at 375 degrees for 1 hour. OR, if yo do not have a tagine, simply bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until chickpeas are tender.

4. Serve over hot, cooked jasmine rice.

Cilantro Lime Salmon (Whole 30 Compliant)

I've been doing the Whole 30 diet (it's an elimination diet that helps you determine which foods are triggering other health issues). You have to eliminate dairy, sugar, alcohol, legumes (including peanuts, peas and soy), grains (including corn), and a few other things, such as additives. You can have meats, potatoes, eggs, vegetables, fruit, vinegar (except malt vinegar), healthy oils (coconut oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, ghee, etc.), and nuts & seeds. It's been a challenge, but the benefits have been pleasing and interesting. Anyway--I've had to come up with a few dishes that comply with the diet, and some of them are actually pretty tasty. Here's one of my favorites:


Cilantro Lime Salmon
(Serves 4-6)

8 Fresh or frozen salmon fillets (thawed in warm water)
3/4 to 1 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
Salt
Coconut Oil (or avocado oil or grapeseed oil)

Melt oil in pan. Place salmon fillets in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Pour lime juice on top and spread cilantro liberally over fillets. Fry lightly on one side for a few minutes, then flip and fry the other sides, being careful not to overcook. Fillets are done with they can be easily flaked with a fork.

Serve with a side of roasted red potatoes and asparagus.

Almond Cranberry Biscotti

2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 T grated orange peel (or lemon juice)
4 large eggs
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
Melting chocolate

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sugar, butter, orange peel, & eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape half of dough into a rectangle on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with second half of dough.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices (approx. 4 inches long.) Bake 15 minutes or until crisp and light brown. Cool. Drizzle melted chocolate over biscotti pieces and let dry.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

12 servings

Ingredients:

2 (10 to 12 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli florets (I use microwave steamable)
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups cooked rice (I use a wild rice blend)
¾ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup butter
8 ounces Velveeta, cubed
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Topping: ½ cup panko bread crumbs + 2 T softened butter

Directions:

        1.       Cook rice as directed on package, set aside.

        2.       In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onions in butter until softened, add garlic and sauté another minute.

        3.       Cook broccoli as directed on package, drain.

        4.       Add broccoli, soups, rice, and cheeses to onion and garlic in skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine over low heat until heated through and cheese is melted.

        5.       Pour mixture into a 9 by 13-inch oven proof dish. To make ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight and bake the following day.

        6.       Before baking, soften 2 T butter and stir in panko crumbs with a fork. Sprinkle over top of casserole.

        7.       Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes until topping is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly.