I FIGURED IT OUT!!

I have always loved, loved, loved fresh bread. As a child I thought soft white bread was dessert. Later, after finishing college I thought with all my extra time I'd figure out how to make bread...only I somehow managed to only make bricks of flour concoctions. BUT, after watching Douglas make bread several times I have finally gotten the guts to try again. Yesterday I was CRAVING some cinnamon raisin swirl bread--and I DID IT! I was so excited because not only did it taste good but it looked perfect! So I was a little proud of myself. Yay! Try it out, it's not too difficult I promise. (and I halved the recipe and it still makes 2 loaves)

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

1 1/2 c milk

1 c warm water (110 degrees F--warm tap water is FINE)

2 packets active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)

3 eggs

1/2 c white sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 c butter softened (I used 1/2 c applesauce)

1 c raisins

8 c all-purpose flour (I used 4 c wheat flour, 4 c all purpose)

2 Tbsp milk

3/4 c white sugar

1/4 c brown sugar (I added this in and decreased the white sugar accordingly)

2 Tbsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1. Microwave 1 1/2 c milk for 1-2 min until it's warm and smells funny, set aside to cool

2. Dissolve yeast in warm water until frothy, set aside for 5 min

3. In large bowl mix eggs, sugar (1/2 c), 1/2 c butter, salt and raisins, and yeast water stuff.

4. Gradually mix in cooled milk

5. Slowly mix in flour until it's all mixed in and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, may need a few extra dashes of flour.

6. Set back in big bowl (grease the sides a little) and cover with towel, allow to rise about 1-2 hours, until it doubles in size

7. Punch it down and roll out on a lightly greased and floured surface until it's 1/2 in thick and in a large rectanglular shape.

8. In smaller bowl mix together white sugar (3/4 c), brown sugar (optional) and cinnamon

9. Sprinkle rolled out dough with 2 Tbsp milk and then cover it with the cinnamon.sugar mixture

10. roll up tightly from longer end and cut into thirds, place into 3 separate greased bread pans and cover. Allow to rise for approx 1-2 hours, (I sprinkled the tops with some melted butter and cinnamon, sugar)

11. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 min or until brown on top and sounds hollow when thumped on top.

12. Remove from pans, cool and slice...

It's yummy stuff!

Quiche

This recipe I learned in France, it is very tasty with the right French ingredients (pate brise, creme fraiche, and lardons) but it is still quite delicious using American ingredients. There are many ways to change this recipe around using more or less eggs, cheese and cream, and it can be filled with many different vegetables (broccoli), some people even put tuna in it which I find disgusting but is eaten in France sometimes.



Essential ingredients:
2 nine-inch pie crusts
6-8 eggs
5 scoops sour cream or use creme fraiche if you can find it (about 5-7 Tbsp)
6 oz. (~1.5 cups) grated swiss cheese (or as much/little as you like)
salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
Bacon, chopped ham or lardons (I cannot find lardons in America, let me know if you do)
Onions
Peppers
Herbes de Provence (can be found at World Market)
Tomatoes
Spinach
Mushrooms, etc--use your imagination

1. Make your pie crusts or buy from the store--bake according to directions
2. Mix eggs, sour cream, and half the cheese
3. Add meat, onion, peppers, or spinach
4. On the top layer put slices of tomatoes, the other half of cheese and sprinkle generous amounts of herbes de provence
5. Heat at medium heat (about 350-400 F). The eggs will solidify, rise, and then brown, it's not finished until slightly brown.

Nearly ruined skirt cookies

These cookies came from Martha (she's so great...we're like kindred sisters she and I); she has this recipe for some Oatmeal Walnut Maple Cookies that Douglas chose for his cookies for the week. They're alittle bit challenging and nearly made my loose a white skirt (see other blog) BUT the stain came out and so did the cookies...all is well. And they're good if you're willing to put in some effort...

Oatmeal Walnut Maple Raisin Cookies
1 1/2 c old-fashioned oatmeal
3/4 c unsweetened shredded desiccated coconut (found in most health food stores according to Mar)
1 1/3 c all purpose flour (probably could sub whole wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
1 c packed light-brown sigar
1/4 lb (1 stick) + 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (I totally disregarded the unsalted part..no harm done)
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp golden syrup (I sub molasses, you could also use honey I'm thinking)
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp boiling water
1 tsp pure maple extract (found mine at Kroger--careful with this stuff it nearly ruined me!)
2 1/4 oz (1 c) walnuts, coarsely chopped...or else they don't blend well
I also added raisins...think craisins and chocolate chips would be a nice touch to these!

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper
2. In large bowl whisk together oatmeal, coconut, flour, salt, sugar
3. In small saucepan over med heat melt butter with maple syrup, and golden syrup until butter is melted, remove from heat, set aside
4. in small bowl mix baking soda with boiling water then IMMEDIATELY add it to the butter and stir until it's all mixed up (kind of fun little chemical reactions going on)
5. Carefully add maple extract to the hot mixture , stir and slowly add the hot mixture to the oatmeal mixture...stirring lots. (just need s good wood spoon); now add in walnuts and mix it all up again
6. form dough into 1-2 in balls and flatten slightly, place on cookie sheet a little apart from each other (they won't spread too much)
7. Bake until golden brown and set, about 15 min; rotate halfway through baking time

They're good for up to a week. The recipe says it only makes 12 but that's for HUGE cookies, I made mine smaller and got about 2.5 doz...

Grab a glass of milk and va-voom! DONE! Turn off the oven too.

Soufflé! Chocolate soufflé!

So I totally stole this from Bakerella, so props to her for the recipe. I did change one thing... which I'll mark in the recipe. This was SUPER easy and soooooooo yummy ( I1/2'd it too because we only have 4 little ramekins!) Douglas has not stopped eating it...it's the perfect chocolate treat. Cakey, fudgey, rich, smooth and just so good!

Chocolate Souffle
1/2 c butter
1 1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2/3 c milk
1/2 tsp almond extract** (Bakerella calls for something else but this little sub makes it soooo good; I wish I could find hazelnut extract or flavoring!!)
2/3 c all purpose flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking podwer
1 c whipping cream (optional)
2 Tbsp powdered sugar (optional)
**I opted for vanilla ice cream but whip cream would be delish too**

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F
2. Grease and sugar 8 6oz ramekins (those cute little white ceramic cups)
3. In a med bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder
4. In a large bowl: Beat sugar, butter and vanilla until it's all light and fluffy (you will need a hand mixer for this by the way)
5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each
6. In a small bowl microwave milk for 1-2 min until it smells funny (scalded), stir in almond extract
7. Now, alternate adding the milk mess and then the flour mixture to the butter, eggs and sugar goo in the big bowl; add and mix, add and mix until it's all together, should resemble brownie mix--beat for 1 good minute after it's all together
8. now evenly divide the mixture into the little ramekins...about 1/2-3/4c mixture for each
9. Place them in 2 8x8 or 9x9 metal baking pans, add water to the bottom of the pans so it's about 1/8-1/4 in deep in the bottom
10. Bake for approx 45 min
11. Allow to cook in the baking pans for 5 min, then cool in ramekins alone for a while...
12. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with whip cream or ice cream or whatever the heck you want!!

ENJOY!!

This Bread is BANANAS!

B-A-N-A-N-A-S!
Gwen Stefani, thank you for getting that song burned into our brains FOREVER.


Today, we are doing comfort food. Since I'm stuck inside and home from work (so sad) due to Tropical Storm E. it makes me thinks of good, yummy comfort food.

Banana Bread~ it's easy, (not so quick), and relatively healthy

3-4 ripe bananas
1 c. sugar
1 egg
4 Tbsp butter (may substitute applesauce for more healthiness)
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Optional additions: chocolate chips, pecan pieces, walnuts chopped, raisins, craisins, crushed and drained pineapple, dash or 2 extra cinnamon

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F
2. Mash bananas, add sugar, egg and butter. Mix together with mixer.
3. In separate bowl mix together flour, salt and baking soda
4. Gradually add flour mixture to banana mixture. Mix thoroughly.
5. Add any optional ingredients you like...they add extra yumminess
6. Bake in oven for ~55-65 min for a loaf of bread OR ~30-45 min for muffins; make sure toothpick test is clean in center
7. EAT THEM ALL before anyone finds out you made them!

Tips from the chef:
*For bananas: I usually toss nappy ones in the freezer before they're completely gone and thaw them later for some bread
** For applesauce: I recommend the cinnamon or all-natural, no-sugar added flavor
***For flour: I use whole-wheat which adds a richer flavor (and a few extra healthy points)

Mastro Minestrone

A picture of the previously recipe'd goodness...



Bon Appetite!

Mastro Minestrone

I love Olive Garden's Soup, Salad and Breadsticks. I always get the Minestrone soup and have shied away from trying to make it myself b.c the recipes always seem weird or complicated. BUT I have found a solution. We had it for dinner tonight (and will have it again tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day...it makes a TON) with some good bread (you can locate in your local bakery department~or have your husband whip some up). I threw in some pre-cooked and frozen italian seasoned sausage for Douglas' bowl; didn't hear any complaints and had clean bowls at the end!

3 Tbsp e.v.o.o (that's extra virgin olive oil kids)
1 c. minced white onion~about 1/2 med onion(chopped would work fine, I used our food chopper thingee)
1/2 c. sliced and quartered zuchini (or just chopped)
1/2 c frozen cut green beans (it calls for italian style but couldn't locate those and it didn't seem to matter in the end)
1/4 c celery-chopped really small
4 tsp garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 c. swanson veggie broth (about 2 cans)
(I also added 1 can beef broth for extra umph)
2 15 oz cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 15 oz cans (you pick: either great northern beans or garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (no drain--Personally I'd use 2 if you like tomatoes)
1/2 c finely sliced carrots, (juliene style) I just bought them pre-cut in a bag
2 Tbsp parsely, fresh and minced (or I just used 1/2 tsp dried)
1 1/2 tsp oregano (dried)
1/2 tsp salt--you can add more if you want more flavor
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
3 c. hot water
4 c. fresh spinach, finely chopped (about 1/3-1/2 bag)
1 c. small shell pasta (or any type pasta you want--don't recommend noodles)

Ok, in a mega-huge stock pot:
1. sautee oil, onion, celery, garlic, green beans, zuchini for 5 min on med-high
2. add tomatoes, broth, beans, carrots, water, and spices, bring to a boil and simmer 20 min
3. add spinach, pasta; boil for another 20 min or until pasta is done
You're done!

I did add the sausage to Douglas' bowl but otherwise this was YUMMY, easy, and very healthy! AND it tasted JUST LIKE the stuff from Olive Garden.

Beinvenido a Comida Buena!

Welcome to good food for you! I love making food that's healthy, pretty and easy (or sometimes not so easy) to make. And I love to bake...these are not so healthy although I have tried to modify recipes now and then with success to make them better for you. Hope you enjoy, get hungry and learn some new good stuff!