Sunday, December 27, 2009

Chocolate chip perfection

I've been making chocolate chip cookies for the last two weeks. Seriously, I think I've made about five batches, each a different recipe; all in search of the perfect, chewy cookie. After two crispy batches, I turned to the only man I knew to turn to - Alton Brown. :) In his episode, Three Chips for Sister Marsha, AB discusses the different types of cookies: thin (crispy), puffy and what I wanted - the CHEWY!

Alton's recipe was really good and definitely pointed me in the right direction. But it still wasn't exactly what I wanted. So I turned to my Blogger and Facebook friends (special thanks to Frieda!). I got several comments and a few recipes. One of them (thanks, Morgan!) looked really close to what I wanted - except that it used less chocolate chips. So I adjusted that part. :) I took what I'd heard and learned, combined some recipes, and came up with this amazing cookie.


INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
2 - 2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 (12 oz) bag chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS

Cream butter, shortening, and both sugars.

Add egg and vanilla. Beat till combined.

Sift flour, soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture in thirds, beating till combined after each addition.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop onto baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes, until edges barely begin to brown. Let sit on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.


A few notes...this dough may seem a little dry. But trust me, it makes yummy cookies! Start with 2 cups of flour and add a little bit more at a time until the dough holds together well. Bread flour contains more gluten. Gluten = chewiness. If all you have is all-purpose flour, that's ok. The cookies will still be good. If you happen to have all purpose flour and some wheat gluten...add a couple of teaspoons of gluten to the flour mix.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Ranch Chicken & Bacon Pasta Salad

Holy cow, yumminess. I made this last night for our ward Christmas party at church - first time making it. I almost didn't need to clean the bowl, it had been scraped so empty! :) So apparently I wasn't the only one who thought it was wonderful!! Not to brag on my cooking - I'm not the one that came up with the recipe. I found it on one of my new favorite food blogs; she has tons of yummy recipes! You should definitely try this one out!!


INGREDIENTS

1 c. mayonnaise (I used light)
1 c. Ranch salad dressing
2 c. frozen sweet peas, thawed and drained (You could use other veggies, but the peas were good!)
1/2 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cubed/shredded (I cook mine with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
1/2 lb. diced and cooked bacon
1 lb. pasta of your choice, cooked and rinsed with cold water
1 c. shredded cheese (I used Mozzarella and Swiss)
Salt and pepper, to taste


DIRECTIONS

Combine the mayo and Ranch. Pour over the other ingredients and stir to combine.

I say refrigerate it for a few hours before serving to let the flavors blend. Mmmmm.....

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Chicken Chow Mein

I found this recipe in one of my Parents magazines a few months back. They had an article on what famous, international chefs fed their kids; this recipe was from Ming Tsai. As with anything I cook, I never follow recipes exactly. So here's my version. :)


INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pkg chow mein noodles (found in Asian aisle at Wal-Mart)
Canola oil
1 Tbsp. chopped ginger (I use 1 1/2 Tbsp pre-chopped, bottled ginger/garlic mix)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions/green onions, sliced 1/8-in thick, white and green parts separated
3 cups packed spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste


DIRECTIONS

Mix cornstarch and soy sauce in a bowl. Add chicken; marinate for 5 minutes.

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water after draining. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp. oil on high in a large pan. Stir-fry chicken until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes; remove. Add 1/2 Tbsp. more oil to pan; stir-fry ginger, scallion whites, and garlic until oil is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles, chicken, and spinach and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. (If it starts to look a little dry, add a bit more oil).

Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with scallion greens if desired.

Friday, November 20, 2009

McAlister's Chicken Tortilla soup

I LOVE McAlister's Deli. Zac doesn't feel quite the same way -- but that's ok. :) He said this soup was "awesome." I didn't think it was quite a perfect copycat recipe - a little more tomato and less cheesy than I remember McAlister's being. It's still really good...but I'll be playing with the recipe a little bit.


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp water, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded/cubed
2 cups tortilla chips
1 bunch green onions, sliced


DIRECTIONS

In a medium stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute until soft.

Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes and their liquid, chicken broth and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water.

Stir together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup water; stir into stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until broth is slightly thickened.

Stir in chiles, cheese, cilantro and cooked chicken. Stir until cheese melts, then let simmer for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls; serve chips on the side (or crumble a few chips over each bowl of soup). Garnish with chopped green onions.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Dorito salad

I don't know the technical name for this, but it's REALLY good. My friend Kristina made it for another friend's bachelorette party - it's yummy!!! It's kind of a loose recipe, as most of mine are. I never buy the already cooked chicken, I just cook/cut up a couple of chicken breasts.


INGREDIENTS

1 bag of lettuce - any kind
Chicken breast, cooked and chopped (Can use pre-cooked grilled Tyson chicken strips/fajita strips-not frozen)
1 bag of cheese (I use Co-Jack)
1-2 cans of Ranch Style Beans, drained and rinsed
1 bag Nacho Cheese Doritos (slightly crushed)
Catalina dressing


DIRECTIONS

In large bowl, mix lettuce, chicken, cheese and beans.

Just before serving, add Doritos and dressing. Use just enough dressing to cover, not soak the salad. Enjoy!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Yummy blueberry muffins

I've been wanting to try some homemade blueberry muffins for awhile, but I'm too cheap to pay much for fresh blueberries. But we got some tonight, so I searched for a recipe. I wanted one with a streusel topping and adjusted one that I found on AllRecipes. The muffins got rave reviews from Zac & Kirsten! Following others' suggestions, I filled the cups and got eight muffins. Get some blueberries and give 'em a try!


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup blueberries
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter


DIRECTIONS

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in medium mixing bowl.

In another bowl, combine oil, egg, milk and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat well.

Gently fold in blueberries just until mixed. Drop into paper lined muffin cups.

Combine brown sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, cinnamon and butter with a fork. Sprinkle generously over muffin batter.

Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes, until just done. Let cool and remove from pan. Enjoy!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Aunt Donna's layered salad

I made this for a friend's BBQ yesterday and the recipe was requested - I love it when that happens! :) I first had this when Zac's Aunt Donna made it for Christmas and I personally think it's pretty darn yummy!!


INGREDIENTS
1 head iceberg lettuce, cleaned/dried and chopped/torn into bite size pieces
1 can water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
Frozen sweet peas
Chopped onion (optional - I don't use them)
2 cups mayonaisse
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg bacon, cooked and crumbled


DIRECTIONS

In a 9x13 pan, layer:
Lettuce (may not use entire head)
Water chestnuts
Onions (if using)
Frozen sweet peas

In a bowl, combine the mayo, mozzarella and sugar. Spread over the layered ingredients. Top with crumbled bacon.

Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours before serving. YUMMY!!!!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Corkscrews with chicken and zucchini

Another yummy recipe from Cheap. Fast. Good. that we made for dinner tonight. I used frozen zucchini because it's what I had - but I totally recommend fresh, I think it would turn out better. I also used a small can of diced tomatoes because I didn't have fresh - that worked, but fresh tomatoes might give it a little brighter taste.


INGREDIENTS

8 oz rotini or other short pasta
1 lb chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
8 oz fresh button mushrooms (I didn't use these)
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped or 2 tsp jarred minced
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
1 medium tomato, cored and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (I used the kind in a can)


DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta in salted water until just tender. Drain and put back into pot. Stir tomatoes into pasta, cover and set aside.

Heat oil in an extra-deep 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and let cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken, mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally until chicken browns and is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

When chicken is cooked and zucchini is crisp-tender, remove skillet from heat. Combine with tomato/pasta mix and Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese melts.


NOTE: The cookbook mentions that broccoli would be a good substitute for zucchini.

Mexi-chicken skillet

Zac's sister, Kirsten, is staying with us for a few weeks (YEA!) and helping out. She's gotten into cooking lately and so she made dinner the other night. I plan menus for the week, so she made that day's recipe. It was goooood!! Since it was just us and Abby, we had too much left over; you could half the recipe (except the rice, maybe) and easily have enough for four people. I got this recipe from Cheap. Fast. Good., a cookbook I borrowed from the library. You will be seeing more recipes from it in the next few days! Oh, and I can't take credit for the picture - I borrowed it from $5 Dinners.


INGREDIENTS

1 jar (26 oz) chunky salsa, whatever spiciness you like
1 1/3 cups long grain rice
1 lb chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped or 1 tsp jarred minced garlic
2 cans (11 oz each) Mexi-corn, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
Sour cream, for serving
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving


DIRECTIONS

Combine 2 2/3 cups water with 1/2 cup of the salsa in a covered pot and bring to boil. Add the rice, stir and reduce heat to low. Cover pan and simmer about 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

Heat oil in an extra-deep 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. After onion has begun to soften, add chicken breast and cook, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Once chicken has begun to brown, add the corn, beans and remaining salsa to the skillet. Stir to coat chicken and vegetables with salsa. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through.

To serve, spoon chicken mixture over a bed of hot rice. Top with cheese and sour cream as desired.


Sunday, June 14, 2009

Punch lebanese - Our wedding punch

After Zac and I got engaged, I started looking around for punch recipes. I am not a huge fan of Sprite (or ginger ale or any of those) and so the standard punch recipes wouldn't do me much good. This punch was served at a friend's wedding and I got the recipe from Martha Johnson, one of the ladies from church. It's soooo yummy and makes a lot of punch. (The whole recipe makes 34 8-oz servings. Half a recipe will fill a large punchbowl.) I've considered freezing batches of it just to keep around. Mmmm...


INGREDIENTS

2 large (46 oz) cans pineapple juice
1 can frozen orange juice (prepared with 3 cans water)
8 oz real lemon juice
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp almond flavoring
8 cups water
4 cups sugar


DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients together and add ice. (Or serve with an ice ring)

Creme brulee french toast

I got this recipe from my friend, Leigh, and it has got to be one of the best breakfast foods ever! And perfect for a Saturday night - it has to sit in the fridge for 8+ hours, so it's perfect for popping in the oven on Sunday morning. YUM!!

A few notes:

Zac and I decided that next time, we're going to sprinkle chopped pecans in the pan before adding the sugar mix. I'll let you know how it turns out. :)

You can usually find challah or some sort of egg bread in the bakery section of the grocery store. I made my own, I'll post the recipe soon. I also think this would probably be good with one of the hawaiian breads you can buy.

UPDATE!! I made this today for Father's Day breakfast (at Zac's request) and added about 1 cup chopped pecans to the sugar mix. I also used a cinnamon swirl bread. It makes the taste different, but VERY yummy!! And the cinnamon bread might be easier to find at the grocery store...try it out! :)


INGREDIENTS

1 loaf challah/egg bread
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp corn syrup
5 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 tsp vanilla


DIRECTIONS

In a small, heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla.

Slice bread in thick slices, and remove the crust.

Pour the sugar mixture in a greased 9x13 pan. Arrange the bread slices, over sugar mix, in one layer inside the baking dish, squeezing slightly to fit.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Bake at 350° F for 35-40 minutes or until puffed and pale golden. Serve immediately.

NOTE:
Remove ALL pieces from pan and turn them sugar side up onto a plate. The sugar solidifies when it cools and is next to impossible to remove at that point.


Sunday, June 7, 2009

Delicious strawberry shortcake

Yum!! I live with two strawberry junkies so I was trying to find a yummy recipe that would be perfect for all the summer strawberry goodness! (Christine, I will make this for you whenever you come to visit!) I found this recipe on All Recipes and messed with it just a tad, based on some of the comments. Super yummy!!

Couple of things: when you make pastry dough (biscuit, pie, etc) you have to blend the butter/shortening into the flour. What this lady did instead of cutting it in was to freeze the butter, grate it and then stir it into the flour. I would never have thought of that, but it worked really well! So, the directions will call for that. But if you want to go old school with a pastry cutter/fork, feel free.


INGREDIENTS

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
5 Tbsp sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter, frozen
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cold half-and-half
1/2 tsp vanilla
Beaten egg white or melted butter (optional)
Strawberries, macerated with sugar/Splenda
Cool Whip or whipped cream


DIRECTIONS

Combine flour, salt, baking powder and 3 Tbsp of sugar.

A little at a time, grate the butter into the flour mix. Toss gently to combine after each butter addition.

Combine egg, half-and-half, and vanilla. Stir into flour/butter mix until combined.

Shape dough into six biscuits and place on greased cookie sheet. Brush tops with an egg wash/butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. (If you're lazy like me, just spray them with Pam spray and then sprinkle on the sugar - it works!)

Bake at 425° for 12-14 minutes, till barely browned. Let cool 5-10 minutes. Top with macerated strawberries and Cool Whip or whipped cream. YUM!!!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Baked Oatmeal

Yum!! Found this recipe here on $5 dinners. She served it with scrambled eggs for dinner, with planned leftovers for breakfast. I halved the recipe and baked it in an 8x8 pan for breakfast with some turkey bacon. Either way - it's good. Her recipe calls for fresh blueberries; I used chopped, frozen strawberries. You could also use apples, raisins, bananas, whatever. I think next time I might add some real maple flavor and just serve fruit on the side? Lots of options here...


INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup sugar (Splenda at our house)
1 cup milk
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cup fresh/frozen fruit
Vanilla or plain yogurt, or cream, or milk (optional)


DIRECTIONS

In large mixing bowl, whisk 2 eggs, applesauce, sugar and milk. Once creamy, add oats, salt and baking powder and mix through.

Pour batter into greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. (Don’t wait too long, as you want to serve it warm!) If desired, top with yogurt, cream, or milk.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Homemade pizza crust

Yum! This recipe is from Betty Crocker's Big Red Cookbook; the greatest cookbook ever, in my opinion! Our favorite basic pizza is, of course, pepperoni. My personal fave is Honey Mustard Chicken pizza, made with homemade honey mustard. Zac made a Hot Wing pizza last time and loved it, but he also likes my Barbecue Chicken pizza. You really can't go wrong here....


INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) quick/rapid-rise yeast
3 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 cup warm water (120°-130°)


DIRECTIONS

Mix 1 cup of flour, the sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. Add oil and warm water. Beat with mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently.

Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of bowl. Knead (by hand or dough hook) for 5-8 minutes, till dough is soft and springy.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest/rise for 30 minutes. Pat into pans to form two crusts, thick or thin.

THIN CRUST: After shaping, pre-bake crust at 425° for 7-8 minutes. Top as desired and bake at 425° for 8-10 minutes, till cheese is browned.

THICK CRUST: After shaping, pre-bake crust at 375° on lower rack for 20-22 minutes. Top as desired and bake at 375° for about 20 minutes, till cheese is browned.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Culinary tip

The other day, I was making cookies to take to a lady I visit teach. My brown sugar canister was empty, so I went digging in the pantry for food storage brown sugar. I found one box and it was ROCK HARD! So I had Zac do some Google-ing and here are the solutions:


IMMEDIATE: Put what you need in a bowl and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in brief intervals till softened. Try not to melt it, although mine was a little melty and still worked.


LONG TERM: Put the brown sugar brick in your canister with a piece of bread. Give it a couple of days and you will have normal brown sugar! I shook the canister around each day just to break it up. Take the bread out after a few days - it'll be a brick now, but your brown sugar will be nice and fluffy!!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Cream cheese sugar cookies

Holy smokes, these cookies are good! I was looking for a recipe similar to the Lofthouse sugar cookies - the super soft, yummy ones sold at Wal-Mart. This isn't them; but if anything, it's a million times better!! My plan was to do cutout cookies, but I got lazy and dropped them instead.


INGREDIENTS

1½ cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract (I didn't have this and used total 1 1/2 tsp vanilla instead)
3½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder


DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl cream sugar, butter and cream cheese until fluffy.

Add egg and flavorings; beat till smooth.

Stir together the flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly.

Shape as desired (drop or cutout). Place on ungreased cookie sheet (parchment paper is great to use) and bake in a 375° oven 8-10 minutes. Watch for the edges to just barely begin to brown if you like a moist cookie. Cool and frost.


FOR DROP COOKIES

No need to chill dough. Drop by the tablespoon and flattened them. You can use a fork (as with peanut butter cookies) or the bottom of a glass that has been buttered and dipped in granulated sugar. It made them about the size of store bought cookies and I got right at two dozen.


FOR CUT-OUT COOKIES

Chill dough for a few hours/overnight. Dust surface with a mixture of ½ powered sugar and ½ flour. Roll dough ¼ to ½ inch thick depending on your preference, then cut into desired shapes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ICING

4 cups powered sugar, sifted
4 Tbsp softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg white
¼ cup milk/cream

Combine egg white and milk, set aside.

Beat together powered sugar, butter and flavorings.

Add small amounts of the milk mixture until icing is spreading consistency. Tint with desired colors.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Yummy honey mustard

I'm a honey mustard junkie. It's soooo good. I've found a yummy recipe that tastes good on everything - chicken fingers, salads, sandwiches, etc. Super easy. If you use a lot, store it in a squeeze bottle or just mix a little at a time in a bowl.


INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp honey


DIRECTIONS

Mix. Enjoy. My favorite kind of recipe. :)

Tortilla pizzas

Here's an easy one for ya. I've used this one a few times this week since I haven't been feeling up to par.


INGREDIENTS

Tortillas
Sauce
Toppings
Cheese


DIRECTIONS

I like to double layer my tortillas to make the pizza a little more substantial. Layer a little sauce and cheese between two tortillas. Top with more sauce, toppings and cheese.

Bake at 350
° for 7-9 minutes. I like to broil mine for about 1 minute at the end to get the cheese good and brown.

Cut up and enjoy!!


You can go traditional - tomato sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella....or get a little more creative and go with whatever you're feeling. Here are some of our fave combinations:

**Honey mustard, cut up cooked chicken, bacon bits, mozzarella cheese.
**BBQ sauce, cut up cooked chicken, cheddar cheese

Monday, January 5, 2009

Onion Lover's Bread

I'd never met anyone I'd consider an Onion Lover.....until I met Zac's sister, Kirsten. I made her a loaf of this bread for one of her birthdays. It's another recipe from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads. It's a yeast bread that makes two really pretty, braided loaves! Zac says it tastes kind of like pizza. The first group of ingredients is for the dough, the second group is for the filling. The filling is prepared while the dough is set aside to rise. Typing this is a labor of love - it'll take awhile! :)


INGREDIENTS

1 pkg dry yeast
4 cups flour, bread or all-purpose
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg, room temperature, lightly beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp paprika


DIRECTIONS

Combine yeast and 2 cups of flour in mixer bowl.

Heat water, sugar, salt, milk and butter until warm (about 125°). When butter is very soft (not necessarily melted), add egg and pour all the liquid into the flour. Blend at low speed until moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes.

Attach dough hooke and add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to make a soft dough that forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. (Yes, it rises before you knead it!)

While dough is rising, make the filling. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in remaining filling ingredients. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Using the dough hook or by hand, knead dough for about 10 minutes, adding extra sprinkles of flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Allow dough to relax for 5 minutes.

Roll dough into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Cut into six strips, 9" x 4" each. If strips start to pull back and shrink, let rest for a few minutes, then roll to size.

Carefully spread filling on the pieces, leaving a 1/2" margin around the edge. Roll each piece from the long side. Don't roll all the way to the edge - stop about 1" from edge and lift the edge to the roll and pinch together. This will give a firm seal and keep the filling from spilling out. Lift the rolls onto the baking sheets and braid three rolls together, pinching the ends together tightly.

Cover with wax paper and let rise at room temperature until braids have doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake on middle shelf of a preheated 350° oven for 30-35 minutes, until loaves are a golden brown.

Carefully slide from baking sheet to cooling rack and admire your work!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Simplicity

What started off as a healthy year ended up as a fatty 2008. And so we start again this year! Hopefully we won't have any moves or anything like that to throw us off.

I've been craving veggies lately and broccoli is always my favorite. I wanted to share with you the wonderful-ness of bottled Italian dressing. I don't care for it on salads - but it is great for seasoning and marinating. Here are the steps for my healthy Italian-style stir fry.


INGREDIENTS

Chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
Italian dressing
Broccoli florets (I prefer fresh, but frozen will work)
Seasonings (Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
Angel hair pasta (I use whole wheat)


DIRECTIONS

Prepare pasta according to package directions. :) Toss lightly with EVOO, cover, and set aside.

Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes in Italian dressing. Saute in skillet (with dressing) until cooked through.

Turn heat to low and add broccoli. Season as desired and toss with chicken. Let it steam, covered, on low heat for 3-5 minutes, until broccoli is as tender as you like it.

Serve chicken and broccoli over the pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

YUMMY!!