Saturday, April 30, 2011

Maple Butter Blondie

I have had a craving, Apple-bee's Maple Butter Blondie! Since I live about 45 minutes away from one and it was already late, I figure hey why not just make one. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!
Ingredients:
Dough:
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Maple Butter Sauce:
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350
 Cream butter and sugar
 Then add egg and vanilla and mix
 Then add flour, baking soda, and baking powder until all combined
 Then fold in white chocolate chips
 Use as lightly greased 9x13 or 9x9 or 8x8 and spread out evenly. Bake 9x13 for 25-30 minutes, 9x9 30-35 minutes, and 8x8 for 30-35 minutes. Keep a eye on it because you do not want them to dry out. But the top should be a little hard and when you stick in a tooth pick it should be clean when you take it out.
 These are the ingredients for the sauce, I forgot to take pictures, sorry. You are going to melt some about 1/2 cup of chips(optional), then melt butter in a pan add sugar, syrup and heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. Then remove from heat and add chips if you decide to use then then add now and add vanilla. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined.
 When your brownies are done cut into 9 pieces if using a 9x9 or 8x8 and 12-16 pieces if using a 9x13. Then top with ice cream is you have any and as you can see I didn't :(. Then top with warm maple butter sauce and ENJOY!



Thursday, April 28, 2011

Garlic Knots

Ingredients:

Dough

1 3/4 c (415ml) Warm Water (@115°F)
1/4 c (55g) Olive Oil
1 t (5g) Sea Salt
1 T (15g) Sugar
1 1/2 T (20g) Active Dry Yeast
approx. 5 1/2 c (750 g) all-pupose, unbleached Flour

Garlic Coating
1/8 c (30ml) Olive Oil
2 T (30g) unsalted Butter
4 cloves Garlic, finely crushed
1/4 c (60ml) finely chopped fresh Italian Parsley











1. Combine water, 1/4c (55g) olive oil, sea salt, sugar, and active dry yeast in a large resealable container or bowl. Mix to dissolve yeast.
2. Add flour.  Mix to incorporate flour, cover, and set in a warm spot to proof until doubled in volume (usually 1-3 hrs depending on initial water temp and warmth of proofing area). (A sunny table outside on a warm summer day is perfect for proofing!)
3. Chill the dough for a bit (will keep fine in fridge for several days if you want to make the dough ahead of time) to make it easier to handle (this can be skipped if you don’t have the time) then set up your knotting station.  Put out a large wooden cutting board and oil liberally.  Grab a rolling dowel or pin and oil.  Grab a pizza cutter or something similar to slice dough in strips. Put container of flour within easy reach. Line several sheet pans with parchment paper or silpats and place within easy reach.
4. Oil your hands to help keep dough from sticking to them. Divide the dough in two parts to make it easier to handle.  Take the first half, slap it onto the oiled board several times to flatten.  Using the dowel, spread into an even rectangle approx. 5″x16″ and 1/2″ thick. Slice the rectangle into 1/2″x5″ strips.
5. Rotate the board 90° and sprinkle dough strips and board with flour.  Taking the strip nearest to you, roll it back and forth to create an even rope. Tie into a knot (over, under, and through) and place on lined sheet pan. Place knots about an 1 1/2″ apart.  At first it may seem awkward making the knots but with a little practice it will become easy.  Flour is your friend to help keep the dough from sticking to itself while forming the knots.
6.  Continue making the rest of the knots with the second half of the dough. After each sheet pan fills up, cover with a dry sack towel, and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise.
Preheat oven to 400° F
7. After knots have doubled in size, take off dry sack towel and place sheet pans in the oven.  Bake for approx. 12-15 min. or until golden.
8. While knots are baking, make garlic coating.  Gently warm olive oil, butter, and garlic in a small saucepan (if you like your garlic with less of a bite, cook it for a few minutes in oil/butter mix until soft & slightly golden).  Add chopped parsley and set aside.
9. After removing knots from oven, while still warm, either brush with garlic coating, or place knots in a large bowl and toss with garlic coating. Season with sea salt to taste.

Bacon, Tomato, and Ranch Pizza

Ingredients:
1 Publix pizza dough
4 slices of crispy bacon
1 diced tomato
4 oz of fresh mozzarella

 Preheat oven to 380. Fry bacon to a crisp so that it is easy to crumb on to the pizza.
 Lightly grease a pan and roll out dough. Then spread out ranch on pizza. Then add toppings mozzarella, bacon, then tomatoes.
 When all toppings are on bake for 20-30 minutes.
 Take out and let sit for 5 minutes then slice and enjoy!

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:
6 Sweet Italian Sausages
2 tbsp of Olive Oil
3 Tri-colored bell peppers or you can use just green ones
1 Large Sweet or Yellow Onion
4 Cloves of garlic
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup Red Wine (optional) I used Chianti
 In avlarge pan add olive oil and sausage and cook on low to SLOWLY brown sausage you do not want to cook it to fast. In the meantime remove tops and seeds of peppers and cut into 2 inch pieces.
 Then cut onion into 1/4 inch wedges.
 After sausage is evenly browned on all sides add veggies and minced garlic and turn up heat. You want some of them to even blacken. Stirring every so often.
 When veggies cook down add wine and let cook down. If not using wine go ahead and add salt,pepper, oregano, and tomatoes. If using wine let it reduce by half then add the rest of the ingredients
Cover and let everything cook down for 20 minutes.
 Then throw it on the bun and Enjoy! I must say that this is the BEST Italian sausage I have ever had!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients:
6 green peppers
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup of uncooked rice
1 can of petite diced tomato
1/2 can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp of Worcestershire 
Garlic Power
Onion Power
Salt
Pepper
Italian Seasoning
4 oz Mozzarella cheese

 Brown Meat in a pan and on in a separate pot cook 1/2 cup of uncooked white rice as directions say.
 Cut top off of green pepper and de-seed and take the membranes out and discard 
 Now preheat the oven to 350. Then place the green peppers on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish. I recommend boiling the peppers for about 10 minutes to make then tender because after an hour of baking the inside was done but the peppers where not soft enough to eat. I also recommend using a baking sheet and not a casserole dish  because when they touch the touched parts of the peppers didn't cook.
 In a bowl mix rice, tomato sauce, tomatoes, meat, seasonings, and Worcestershire.
 Take that mixture and fill the peppers.
 45 minutes after cooking pull out and top with mozzarella. Then continue baking until cheese is fully melted.
 Take out and dive in :)!

Hello Friends

I promise that I haven't forgotten how to upload posts or cook... but it's finals week and things are crazzzzyyy. I am leaving for Michigan tomorrow and I plan on taking pictures of all the food we make at camp and doing a massive upload when I get back. Until then I am sure Colleen will keep you happy with her delicious recipes!

Jessica

Monday, April 25, 2011

Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2-3 cups of mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic (optional)
2 eggs
2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs or garlic and herb shake and bake
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
3/4 of cup of chicken broth
4 oz Mozzarella cheese

 Preheat oven to 350 and sautee your mushrooms and garlic in a little bit of olive oil until browned.
 Beat your eggs with salt and pepper. Dip your chicken in the egg and then place in a tupperware container, put the lid on and shake is until evenly covered.
 Then lightly brown on each side.
 Mix soup and chicken broth together.
 In a 9 by 13 or any dishes you have pour the soup mixture and place the chicken in the dish.
 Top with mushrooms and bake for 20 minutes.
 After 20 minutes take it out and top with cheese and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes
 Pull out when soup mixture is bubbling and cheese is melted.
 I served with rice and used the soup mixture to top the rice. Enjoy!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

Ingredients:
1 pkg Crescent Rolls
8 oz Thinly Sliced Ham
4 slices of cheese of you can use 4 oz of cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350
 I used ham left over from Easter dinner. Lay out the crescent roll and lay out your ham and cheese on crescent and roll like normal.
 Place on a non-greased nonstick cookie sheet. And cook for 15-19 minutes until golden brown.
 Take off cook sheet and serve immediately.
 
Cut in half and serve with honey mustard or ranch as a dipping sauce and Enjoy!