Light Wheat Rolls

When my great-aunt Arlene died, I got a cookbook that was hers, called Home Cookin'  This is a recipe from that book.  Do NOT make this recipe unless you have ALOT of time.  This is not something to start making at dinner time.

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients:
2 packages of dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter-melted and cooled. 
1 egg, slightly beaten  in
2 1/4 cup whole wheat
2 1/4 cup-2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour  (IF I make these again, I will probably use all white wheat flour, instead of mixing 2 kinds)

melted butter for on top

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl; add sugar and salt to the yeast mixture.  Add butter, egg, and whole wheat flour to yeast mixture and stir well.  Graduall stir in enough all-purpose flour to make a soft dough.  Turn dough on a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover and let rise in warm place, free from drafts, for one hour, or until doubled in size.  Punch dough down; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size again.  Punch down dough and divide into 2 equal portions.

Roll each portion into a 14x16 inch rectangle.  Cut dough into 12 strips. 

Brush strips with melted butter.  Add seasoning/grated cheese if you would like to.  I did some plain and some with seasoning and the plain ones were pretty bland.  I also added sugar and cinnamon to a few for dessert. 

Roll each strip into a spiral; place in a well greased muffin pan.  Repeat process with remaining dough.  Brush tops with melted butter.  Let rise, uncovered, in a warm place for 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.  I had a few extra pieces so I did some mini rolls.

Bake 400 deg, for 12-15 mins.  Brush again with melted butter. 

Nail Polish

So I know that Nail Polish doesn't sound like food, but these are. 

Because both of my girls have summer birthdays, I usually do a 1/2 birthday treat for them to take to school. 

This is what Bella picked for hers:

All I did was melt candy wafers (they come in a TON of colors are craft stores, so I didn't even have to color it), on low in the microwave.  Then I dipped a marshmallow in it.  Before the candy cooled, I stuck a tootsie roll on top. 

Mini King Cakes

I found this recipe when I was looking for an easy, quick Mardi Gras dessert.  It doesn't take ANYTHING like King Cake, but they are definitely easy and they're still festive. 

Mini King Cakes

Corn Dog Casserole

So this isn't the healthiest recipe that I make but its a favorite.

Corn Dog Casserole

I make it just like the recipe except I don't add celery, sage or black pepper. 

This is another one that I forgot to take pictures of so I will add one later.

Leftover Rice Pudding

We eat ALOT of rice in our house.  Unfortunately, we don't really like leftover rice.  I have a husband who is a little particular about the stickiness of his rice.  :-)

If we have a lot of extra, I make this for dessert.

Here is the original link:

http://www.thehungryhousewife.com/2008/07/left-over-rice-make-rice-pudding.html

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice
• about 3 cups milk
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp vanilla
• ½ cup raisins or fruit of choice-I use craisins
• Spices to taste …like cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, etc-I usually just stick to cinnamon

Instructions

1. All add ingredients to the cooked rice except the spices and bring to a boil.
2. Boil for a few minutes and then cook until most of the milk is absorbed.
3. Once you get to your desired consistency, add your spices.

I prefer to eat it warm.  If we have leftover leftover rice pudding, I just microwave it before we eat it again.  If it gets too dry, you can add a little extra milk before microwaving.

Spinach Quiche

Whenever I make pie dough, its enough for 2 pies.  If I just want to make one pie for dessert (although this rarely happens), I use the other half of the dough for quiche, for dinner. 

Here is the pie dough recipe: Butter Pie Crust

I adapted this recipe from easy-french-food.com

After the pie dough is in your pie pan, poke holes in it with a fork.  Bake it (empty), for 10 mins, at 400 deg.

While its baking,

Saute the onion in the olive oil until its soft.  Then add the spinach and cook until its wilted.  Alow to cool. 

(10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained - or 1 pound fresh spinach, cleaned and torn in small pieces

1/2 an onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

While the spinach and onions are cooling, mix:

4 eggs

1-1/2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded cheese

4-6 slices of cooked bacon, broken into pieces

Then add the cooled onion and spinach.  

Pour all of the ingredients into the pie plate.  Bake at 375 deg, for about 45 mins. 

Apple Crumb Pie and Apple Crisp

This is a compilation of a bunch of recipes put together. 

This is the pie dough recipe that I use:  Butter Pie Crust

The filling is this recipe:

5 cups diced peeled tart apples

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

This is a Taste of Home recipe, called Apple Crumble Pie.   The orignal also has 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg but I usually skip it.

The crumbs are my mama's recipe:

For cakey crumbs:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 c butter

For crispy crumbs:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter

Bake 25 mins,  375 deg, with foil covering the edges.  Remove the foil and bake for another 20 mins.

This my favorite apple crisp recipe.  No pictures yet:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Apple-Crisp-Ever/Detail.aspx?src=etaf

Taco Soup

1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasonings
1 pkg dry Ranch seasonings
2 large cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
2 cans of beans or the equivalent of pre-cooked dried beans.  See link below about beans. 
1 can whole kernel corn

Brown meat and onion. Drain. Add seasonings. Drain beans and corn. Add to meat along with tomatoes. Simmer until well blended and hot. Eat and enjoy.

I don't used canned beans.  Here is my blog post about using dried beans:  Beans

Crunchy Apple Muffins

I love this recipe, just the way it is:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Crunchy-Apple-Muffins

Creamy Italian or Ranch Chicken

Ingredients
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1/4 cup water
1 8oz pkg low fat cream cheese
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup


Directions
1. Place chicken in crock pot
2. Mix together Italian dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken.
3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR low for 8 hours.
4. Mix together cream cheese and soup in separate bowl.
5. Carefully remove chicken from crock pot to plate.
6. Pour cream cheese/soup mixture into crock pot and mix together with dressing in bottom.
7. Return chicken to crock pot and mix gently to shred the chicken.
8. Cook on LOW until heated through.

Serve with rice or noodles. 

For creamy ranch chicken:

Substitute ranch dressing mix and sour cream instead of cream cheese.  

Taco Seasoning

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/taco-seasoning-ii/detail.aspx

I use this exact recipe without cayenne.  I mix it in a jar and its enough for 4 lbs of ground meat.

Brown meat and then add 7 tsp of taco seasoning and 3/4 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 mins.

Leftover pie dough

I always have a little bit of extra dough scraps whenever I make something with dough. 

By the way, this is the dough recipe that I use for everything:  http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/2092/butter-pie-crust

It's really easy to make.  I make it in the food processor.  Its enough for 2 pies. 

This is one of the things that I like to do with the extras:
Roll the dough into a rectangle and brush it with melted butter.  Then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on it.  Roll it up and slice it.  Put them on a baking sheet and bake them with your pie for about 10 mins or until they start to get light brown. 

Here is another one:

I made a quiche and had enough leftover to do a tiny little apple pie.  I cut half an apple into small chunks.  I added about a teaspoon of flour and a teaspoon of sugar and a little bit of cinnamon.  I mixed that and put in the pie crust and drizzled caramel on top. 

Deviled Eggs

My favorite way to make deviled eggs is to use the Kraft recipe, with cream cheese.

First, I start with eggs that are at least a week old.  I use the incredible edible egg recommendation for cooking the eggs.  They get perfect every time, with bright yellow yolks, not greenish. 
http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes/recipe/basic-hard-boiled-eggs

Here is the Kraft recipe:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/favorite-topped-deviled-eggs-105209.aspx

I like to cut the top off the eggs, instead of cutting them lengthwise:

This is what the filling will look like:

Scooped out eggs:

I pipe the filling into the eggs, but you could use a spoon:

Keep all of the extra tops, and extra filling for egg salad:

Pizza dough

I have used 2 pizza dough recipes.  The first one is the Fleischmann's Pizza dough recipe.  It makes the crust a little dense. 

Ingredients:

1-3/4 to 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 envelope Fleischmann's® Pizza Crust Yeast

OR Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup very warm water (120 to 130°F)*

3 tablespoons oil

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. 

Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute.

Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.  (If using RapidRise Yeast, let dough rest at this point for 10 minutes.)
***I also add grated cheese and italian seasoning at this point***

Pat dough with floured hands to fill greased pizza pan or baking sheet.  OR roll dough on a floured counter to 12-inch circle; place in greased pizza pan or baking sheet.  Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.

Add sauce and toppings

Bake 12-15 mins

I have always used this recipe but recently we had pizza with our amazing friends, the Kozaks.  They made us some pizza dough that was fluffier.  We made it for New Year's Eve and it was a big hit:

-In a large bowl combine 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast and 1/2 tsp brown sugar. 
-Add 1 1/2 cups of very warm water and mix well.  Let sit for about 10 minutes until it looks foamy.
-Add about 3 cups of white flour, 1/2 cup at a time.  You might not even end up using the whole 3 cups...you don't want the dough to be too sticky or too dry, that's the trick.
-In the same bowl with the dough still in it, just coat the edge and bottom of the bowl with olive oil or canola oil and turn the dough ball all around in it so that it is coated with the oil.
-Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise for about 1 hour.
-Preheat oven to 425.
-Punch the dough down so it is back into a ball.  If it is really sticky just add a little flour until you can work with it.  Just don't let it get to floury and dry.
-Rub a little flour on whatever stone or pan you want to use and put the dough on it. 
-Pat dough with floured hands to fill greased pizza pan or baking sheet.  OR roll dough on a floured counter to 12-inch circle; place in greased pizza pan or baking sheet.  Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.
-Add sauce and toppings
-Cook for about 25-27 minutes. 

Spaghetti Pie

I make this recipe in 2 pie plates or 2 square casserole dishes, and then freeze or give one away.  It could also be made in one rectangular pan, or a very large pie plate. 

Cook a box of spaghetti and drain. Add 2 T of olive oil and let cool.  After it has cooled, add 2 eggs and 1/4 cup of grated cheese.  This is the "crust" of the pie.   Add to pie plate or plates. 

Mix 15 oz of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of grated cheese, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon of italian seasoning.  Put this on top of the pasta layer.

Cook 1 lb of ground turkey with 2 cloves of garlic, salt and, pepper.  I usually add diced onion but you could use about 1/2 t. of onion powder instead.  To the meat, add 1 cup of veggie juice and 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce.  I use the veggie juice to make it a little healthier.  If you don't want to use the veggie juice, use 2 cups of spaghetti sauce instead.  Spread on top of the cheese mixture.

Top each pie with about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. 

When you're ready to eat it, bake at 350 deg for 30 mins.  (Doesn't need to be baked before freezing because everything is already cooked). 

Overnight Refrigerator Oatmeal

I started eating these over the summer and wanted to keep track of some of the combinations that I've tried. 
Here is the blog: http://www.theyummylife.com/Refrigerator_Oatmeal

The basic recipe that I use is 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/3 cup of milk, 1 tsp of chia seeds, sometimes I add honey
The original recipe recommends plain greek yogurt and vanilla extract.  I prefer to use regular vanilla yogurt. 

Some of the variations that I've tried:

Pineapple coconut: In exchange for regular milk, you can use coconut milk and then add 1/4 cup of crushed pineapple.

I've also used mint chocolate coconut milk and 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. 

Apple cinnamon: Add 1/4 applesauce and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.  Decrease the milk or it gets too runny.

Banana berry: add 1/2 sliced banana and 1/4 cup of blueberries or mixed berries

Pumpkin Pie: add 1/4 cup pumpkin, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Peach: Add 1/4 cup of canned peaches or very soft peaches.  May need extra liquid. 

Before refrigeration

After refrigeration



Lunch fun

I'm not an extreme lunch packer.  I don't spend countless hours making fun shapes for every one of Bella's lunches.  I do try to do something different once a week.  Here a two of them.  I'll upload more pics once in awhile. 

Bella's beach cupcakes

Here is a picture of Bella's 5th birthday cupcakes.  The "sand", is very fine graham cracker crumbs.  Most recipes for similar cupcakes recommend using brown sugar or organic sugar but I thought they'd be too sweet.