Toasted Brie with Cranberry Jelly

Saturday, November 30, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

Now that Thanksgiving is over and we have all the leftovers, it's fun to get creative and try something new. This one is one of my new favorites... Toasted Brie with Cranberry Jelly. It would be good on many types of bread, but I had some french bread sitting around and I really liked the chewy texture.

Toasted Brie with Cranberry Jelly

Ingredients:

Bread of choice

Brie, with or without the rind

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Butter

Directions:
Butter one side of bread and place buttered side down on skillet. Add Brie to unbuttered side of slices and toast until bread is lightly toasted and cheese starts to melt. Add cranberry sauce to top of brie and place another toasted brie slice over it.

1 comments

Happy Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 28, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy turkey day! On Saturday I will have been posting on this blog for a month and I am very thankful to everyone who has given me suggestions and feedback while getting started. It's been a fun experience and I am learning a lot. I'm also thankful for my husband, Andrew, who is willing to try all my recipes. I hope you all enjoy some fantastic food and time with family and friends today. Happy Thanksgiving!

1 comments

Pecan Pie Bars

Wednesday, November 27, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

I don't know about you, but I can only take so many pies during the holidays. That's why I was so excited when I saw a recipe for Pecan Pie Bars. I know my dad loves pecan pie and I think these bars are even better. Just ignore all the butter... that's why they are so good!

Pecan Pie Bars

Shortbread Crust:
1 cup butter, room temp
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cup all purpose flour

Pecan Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/8 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 9 x 13" baking dish with foil, leaving some hanging over the sides. In large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2/3 cup brown sugar together until fluffy. Add vanilla and salt and mix, making sure to scrap down the sides. Add flour slowly and mix until dough starts to crumble. Add dough to foiled baking pan and press to make crust even and flat. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup honey, 2 tbsp heavy cream, and 1/8 tsp salt. Heat until simmering and let simmer for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add pecans and stir to mix. When shortbread crust is done baking, pour pecans over crust and spread to cover. Return to oven for another 20 minutes or until pecans are bubbling. Let cool completely before removing from foil and cutting.

This amazing recipe is originally from Cooking Classy.

1 comments

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Tuesday, November 26, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

You can't have Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce. I have loved it ever since I can remember and my grandma does a wonderful job of making sure there is extra for me to take home. This year I wanted to venture out on my own and spice it up a little. I found just what I was looking for... Cinnamon is the secret ingredient to this tart holiday side.

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
12 oz fresh cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz water
2 oz triple sec (optional)

Directions:
Add all ingredients to medium sauce pan and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until all the berries have popped and sauce has thickened.

Sauce will thicken a little when it cools. If sauce gets too thick for your taste, add water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.

Also tastes great on a Toasted Brie with Cranberry!

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Honey Oat Bread

Monday, November 25, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

So my Thanksgiving week started out with a huge reminder about how much I have to be thankful for. We had a pipe burst on Friday night, that was connected to our washing machine, it leaked into the ceiling below. (That's what I get for trying to get the laundry done before the weekend, right?) That, in turn, lead to water filling up our ceiling and dripping all over our living room, including our TV and couches. I find it kind of ironic that we were supposed to go to to Washington, IL on Saturday to help with clean up after tornadoes went through the area the previous weekend. At first I was totally overwhelmed by the thought of our home needing such repair. But then I had to step back and be thankful for the small incident that this really is, since many people lost their entire home and all their belongings to the tornadoes. Sometimes God has other plans and lessons for us. Well, the pipe has been fixed, our ceiling removed, and everything is drying out. We still have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season.

I might have done some therapeutic baking on Saturday... Nothing like the comfort of homemade bread!

Honey Oat Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups (500 grams) all purpose flour
3/4 cup oats + some for topping
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk

1/4 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup honey + some for topping

In large bowl combine 3 cups (375 grams) flour, oats, yeast and salt. In two-cup measuring cup heat milk, water, butter, and honey in microwave to 120-130° F. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir with dough hook until dough is formed, adding the additional flour until the dough is barely tacky. Knead with dough hook for 10 minutes.

Next form dough into a ball, lightly oil, and cover. Let rise for 1/2 to 1 hour, until dough has doubled. (This is where I like to microwave a small bowl of hot water for about 5 minutes, then leave the dough in the warm moist microwave to rise.)

Once dough has doubled, roll out on lightly floured work area into a 9"x13" rectangle. Tightly roll up and seal ends. Place in a 9"x5" loaf pan.

To keep bread moist, add 2 cups of water to a pan and place in bottom rack of oven. Preheat oven to 350° F. When dough has doubled, brush with a a little warm honey and sprinkle with oats. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Cool on wire cooling rack.

It's best to enjoy at least one slice while warm :)

Adapted from Bakingdom

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Cinnamon Whipped Topping

Saturday, November 23, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

Pie's trusty side-kick, whipped topping. Light, creamy, and slightly sweet- the perfect finish to a lot of desserts. Once a month the residents at my work get to pick whatever meal they want. For dessert this month they wanted pumpkin pie with real whip topping (not from the can). I started to make it and began to think how amazing a little cinnamon would taste in it, so I added it. I got so many compliments I just had to share this easy recipe. What a great way to dress up desserts, perhaps even add to your coffee or hot chocolate.

Cinnamon Whipped Topping

Ingredients:

16 oz heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Directions: (super easy!)
Add all ingredients to stand mixer with whisk attachment, or to bowl with hand mixer. Whip on high for a couple minutes until stiff peaks form and topping holds its shape.

1 comments

Blue Cheese and Onion Sauce

Friday, November 22, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

I very seldom make steaks at home. They are hard to cook and my husband is picky about the temperature. I tend to always get them too done or not done enough (Nothing worse than a steak that still says "moo"). With practice I'm getting better though! When I do decide to give them a try, I like to make them with this topping. The onions cut down on some of the blue cheese flavor and is the perfect combination paired with a steak. Some believe a good steak doesn't need any additional flavors, and they are right- a good steak will taste good on its own. However, why have good when you can have amazing?

Blue Cheese and Onion Sauce

For 2-3 steaks:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 onion, sliced
3/4 cup milk or heavy cream
1/2 mounded cup blue cheese crumbles

Directions:
Melt butter in fry pan and then saute onions in butter until they are soft and caramelized. Add milk and reduce heat so that the milk simmers, stir occasionally. When milk has reduced to about half, add in blue cheese. Remove from heat and stir until cheese and melted.

Adapted frpm The Pioneer Woman

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Autumn Cranberry Apple Salad

Thursday, November 21, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

When I think of fall foods, I start to picture comfort foods, warm soups, apples, and pumpkin. However, just because autumn is here it doesn't mean we have to miss out on light and refreshing salads. I really like this salad because the dressing isn't too sweet, which compliments the cranberries and apples. I used a spring mix for the lettuce and a honeycrisp apple, giving it a nice blend of fall color.

Autumn Cranberry Apple Salad

Dressing

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

Salad
6 cups chopped lettuce
1 apple, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
5 oz feta cheese
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
For salad dressing, add all ingredients into salad shaker and shake to mix. Add desired amount of dressing to lettuce and toss to coat. Add toppings and serve immediately.

1 comments

Deluxe Oatmeal

Tuesday, November 19, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

I've heard a couple times over the past few weeks that a person's taste change every 7 years. It might be an old wives' tale, but I do believe a person's taste develop throughout life. For example, I would eat anything growing up... except oatmeal and olives. I still don't eat olives, however, I now eat oatmeal. In the past couple years I have come to love oatmeal and I actually eat it for breakfast almost every morning. One of the nurses I work with occasionally brings in this yummy oatmeal casserole to share with everyone. She always plays with the flavors and it's a big hit.

Deluxe Oatmeal

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 egg whites or 1 whole egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup berries of choice

Other options: nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips.

Directions:
Mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and berries in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla, and mashed banana. Then add to dry ingredients. Stir together then add to greased 2 1/2 qt baking dish. Bake at 350° F for 45 minutes, until center is set.

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Upside Down Pizza

Sunday, November 17, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

Chicago has many great restaurants. Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder, in Lincoln Park, is one of my very favorites. It's in an old building with a brownstone front. The inside has pine paneling with a cozy atmosphere. Their specialty is a "Pizza Pot Pie," which is where this recipe was inspired from. The concept for this brilliant recipe came from my mother-in-law, who has made these pizzas for many family events. Everyone loves them. This is about as close as you can get to the Oven Grinder's experience without visiting the restaurant.

Upside Down Pizza

Makes 4 pizza pies

Ingredients:

1/2 recipe pizza dough

8 oz mozzarella cheese

4 oz cooked ground sausage

12 mushrooms

20 oz pizza sauce (thicker works better)

Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease 2-cup Pyrex glass bowl on the inside and on the top half of the outside (the dough goes over the top so you want that part greased).

Next assemble bowls. I like to weigh it out to make sure they are evenly distributed. Each bowl gets 2 oz cheese, 1 oz sausage, 3 mushrooms, and 5 oz pizza sauce.

Roll out dough into circles large enough to cover bowl plus about another inch.

Place dough on top of bowls.

Bake at 400° F for 25 minutes or until bread is cooked and slightly browned

To serve, carefully turn upside down on plate and remove bowl.

Enjoy!

2 comments

The Best Homemade Pizza Dough

Friday, November 15, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

Growing up, Friday nights used to be "pizza night." My mom would make homemade pizzas and my whole family, all four kids and my parents, would eat pizza and watch a movie together. I always looked forward to pizza night, when we'd get to create pizzas from scratch and top them however we wanted. Perhaps that's why, to this day, pizza is one of my favorite meals. But then again, who doesn't love pizza? This recipe has never failed me and is, hands down, the best homemade pizza crust. I also use this recipe for calzones and upside down pizzas.

The Best Homemade Pizza Dough

Makes 2 pizzas or 4 calzones
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water (between 100-110° F)
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 cups (22 oz) bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup water at room temp
2 tbsp olive oil

Proof Yeast is Active.

1. Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Stir in yeast and brown sugar. Let sit while preparing dry ingredients to see if yeast proofs. You'll know the yeast is active if it starts to get bubbly

Smooth and Elastic Dough

2. In bowl from stand mixer, combine bread flour and salt. (I find the recipe much more accurate if I weigh the flour) Mix to blend. Add remaining 1 1/4 cup room temp water to yeast-water mixture. With dough hook attachment and mixer on low speed add yeast-water and olive oil to the flour mix. Mix until dough is formed and smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean dry towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Before Rising

After Rising

*I like to heat a small bowl of water in the microwave for about 5 minutes, and then leave the dough in the warm and moist microwave to rise. This makes the dough rise better and faster, especially in the cool dry winter months.

Dough Ready to Freeze

3. Punch down dough to deflate. Transfer dough to work surface and divide into two equal pieces. Form into smooth round ball. (If freezing, wrap in plastic wrap and baggie and freeze at this point.) Cover with towel and let dough relax for 10-30 minutes.

4. To bake, preheat the oven and pizza stone to 500° F for at least 30 minutes. Transfer the dough to shaping surface, lightly sprinkle with flour. Shape dough with lightly floured hands. If dough is too elastic, let dough relax a little longer before trying again. Top as desired. Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling, about 8-12 minutes.

Here my dough rose
through the plastic wrap.

*Tips for freezing:
Make sure to double wrap the dough because it will continue to rise before freezing and while thawing.

To thaw dough... (Dough must be thawed and at room temperature to relax and be able to be rolled out.)
-For lunch the next day, place in refrigerator the night before.
-For supper the same day, place in refrigerator that morning.

Also great for clazones and upside down pizzas!

Adapted from Annie Eats.

1 comments

Maple-Mustard Glazed Salmon

Thursday, November 14, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

Nutritionist recommend eating two to three servings of fish a week. However, I don't like fish THAT much and my husband likes it even less. Alternatively I make a point to prepare it once a week, usually on Monday or Tuesday to get it out of the way. Since salmon one of the healthiest (high in Omega 3, antioxidants, protein, and other nutrients) it's what I usually end up making. I don't generally like mustard, but in this recipe the sweet mustard really compliments the flavor of the salmon.

Maple-Mustard Glazed Salmon

Makes 2 Servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup dijon mustard
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 salmon filets, 4-6 oz
olive oil

Directions:
Mix mustard, syrup, sugar, and soy sauce in small bowl. In skillet heat oil over medium heat then add salmon, cook on each side for 3-5 minutes, until temperature reaches 145°. Add the glaze to salmon (turn carefully to coat) and continue to heat on low until sauce becomes bubbly and sugars have caramelized.

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Guacamole Grilled Cheese

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

Weekends around here can be busy and unpredictable. Grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, family events, time with friends, etc... (sound familiar?) So I like to have something quick on the menu, that also tastes good, so we aren't tempted to go out to eat. This super easy sandwich is one of my favorite weekend lunches.

Guacamole Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:
1 avocado
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 small roma tomato, diced
cilantro to taste
salt to taste
cheese of choice (cheddar and pepper jack are my favorites)
6 slices of bread, buttered on one side

Directions:
Mash avocado with fork, then add onion, tomato, cilantro, and salt. Heat griddle over medium heat. Place bread, buttered side down, on griddle then add sliced cheese to both sides of bread. When bread has browned and cheese has melted, remove from heat. Add guacamole to one side of cheese and top with another slice of bread. Cut in half and enjoy!

2 comments

BBQ'd Orange Chicken

Sunday, November 10, 2013 - Posted by Bethany

When it comes to BBQ sauce, there is no other than Sweet Baby Ray's Original. The other day, however, I saw a recipe for orange chicken, that was made with Sweet Baby Rays. I figured I'd give it a try and it was pretty good. Definitely on the sweet side, which is why I recommend serving it on a pretzel roll to give it a nice sweet and salty combo.

BBQ'd Orange Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup sweet orange marmalade
1 tbsp soy sauce
8 oz cooked and shredded chicken
your choice of bread
your choice of cheese (optional)

Directions:
In sauce pan or microwavable bowl, mix bbq sauce and marmalade. Add chicken and heat until hot. Serve on bread with your choice of cheese (optional).

Other serving suggestion- to serve on rice, more like Chinese orange chicken.

Adapted from Six Sister Stuff, Crock Pot Orange Chicken

3 comments