Salt Dough Ornaments

• ½ cup salt
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup water
• Rolling pin
• Cookie sheet
• Toothpick
• Miniature cookie cutters
• Acrylic paints: green, yellow, and various colors of your choice for tree ornaments
• Glitter glue or glitter paint
• ribbon

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Mix together, salt, flour, and water until dough is formed.
3. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone. Do not add too much flour, this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you get a chance to bake it.
4. Roll out the dough to about ¼” thick with a rolling pin that has been dusted with flour.
5. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many trees and stars as you want.
6. Use a toothpick to make a hole toward the top of the shape. Poke the toothpick into the shape, then holding toothpick straight up and down, make a circular motion as if you were stirring something. Keep circling until the hole is the size you want.
7. Place all shapes onto an ungreased cookie sheet and place into the preheated oven.
8. Bake for 2 hours.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

PEPERMINT COOKIES

This weekend was parade weekend... It was Christmas Parade city here. Our local (Cocoa) parade is usually REALLY crowded, so we opted to go to the beachside one (Cocoa Beach). It was a ton of fun! Down here, they throw candy at the kids, mostly mints and mini candy canes which is great, but leaves us with the dilema of what to do with the broken candy canes... COOKIES!!!! So this is what we did....

3 cups all purpose flour (more or less, as needed)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
food coloring (optional)
1 cup CRUSHED peppermint candy


Whisk together flour and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and Peppermint candy

Combine until ingredients are well blended.

With mixer on lowest speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until all ingredients are combined (about 45 seconds - do not overmix). Divide dough into 3 or 4 portions and flatten into a disk shape. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days - freeze if keeping for a longer time).

Remove cookie dough from refrigerator 20-30 minutes before rolling out. If you attempt to roll out the dough while it is still too cold, it will crack along the edges and appear dry. If the dough becomes too soft sitting out, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Transfer dough to a clean work surface which has been lightly dusted with flour. A silicone baking mat may be used to roll out the cookies, or they can be rolled between sheets of wax or parchment paper. Roll out 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. We like to use a silicone fondant rolling pin fitted with spacer rings to roll dough to an even thickness (available in craft stores and department stores in the cake decorating section).

Dip cookie cutters in flour before each cut and tap off the excess. To avoid a floury edge, the cutters may alternatively be wiped lightly with cake release or oil, or sprayed with Pam. Cut into desired shapes. If cookies are cut on parchment paper, they may be cut directly on the cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 8-16 minutes, depending upon the size of the cookies. Smaller, thinner cookies will take less time to bake, while larger, thicker cookies will take longer. It doesn't pay to walk away from the oven while baking cookies. A digital timer is a useful aid for cookie making. Set the timer to go off 2 minutes before you expect the cookies to be done, and stand close by during the final few minutes of baking. Avoid opening the oven door to peek very often as this will also affect baking time

Christmas Swirl Cookies

I've recently gotten hooked on Pinterest... Its horrible! every time I sit infront of the computer it's like there is so much out there to look at and get ideas from, and the recipes, oooh the recipes... Anyway I saw this one from Our Italian Kitchen and it just looked so festive! I had to try it. Normally when I make sugar cookies, I add more flavorings, so they aren't ... well.. bland, for some reason the cinnamon I added didn't achieve the kick I was looking for... So mine were eh, ok, but as a base recipe it's good, good, bland festive, sugar cookies. 

2 cups flour, plus possibly a few more tbsp
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup unsifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (cut in chunks)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp of food coloring of your choice(and/or 1/2 tsp of any desired extra extracts)

1. In a stand mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars with paddle on medium until well blended.

2. Add butter in, gradually, and continue mixing. Add in vanilla extract. At this point, your dough will form a ball on your paddle.

3. Remove all your dough and divide into two equal parts. Return one portion back in to the mixer and add the food coloring and any extra extracts. I used Wilton gel food coloring in Blue and Red with Cinnamon extract for this batch. You could coordinate your colors and flavors, for example green food coloring matched with a mint extract or yellow with a lemon extract, etc. Also, if you are using liquid food coloring, you will need to add a few tbsp of flour to keep the dough from becoming too wet. Mix until the color is spread out evenly.

4. Roll out each portions of your dough, between two sheets a wax paper until is reaches about 11 x 9 inches and is 1/4 inch thick. Slide both unto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

5. When firm, remove the top sheets of wax paper from both. Brush the uncolored vanilla dough lightly with water using a pastry brush. Then flip the colored dough onto the vanilla uncolored dough so they are stacked atop each other and even. Press the edges lightly with your fingertips to seal them together. Using a small pairing knife, trim the edges of the dough to make straight, even lines.

6. Be sure your dough is still cold, but flexible. Once it's ready, begin rolling the long side of dough into a swirl, jelly-roll style. Now, don't get nervous if the outer layer of uncolored dough tears a bit. It's no problem, just pinch and pat those tears and voila, then just keep rolling.
7. . Cover the log completely. Wrap the colorfully decorated log in plastic wrap twice. Depending on when you want to bake the cookies, either place the wrapped dough into refrigerator for about 3-4 hours or you can put it the freezer and keep it there for up to 2 months. (If freezing, give yourself time for the dough to defrost in the fridge overnight before cutting.)
8. Slice your dough into 1/4-1/8 inch slices and bake on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes until edges are slightly golden. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cookie rack to finish cooling. Enjoy your whimsical Christmas cookies!

Stuffed Peppers!

That's Right, I said stuffed peppers! Its one of my favorite comfort foods :-). Yesterday, out of ideas, and out of vegi's I headed to the store to find something for dinner (this is so often the case) and I thought about stuffed peppers! I haven't had stuffed peppers since the last time my mom made them years and years ago. I had attempted and failed a couple of years ago, while she was still around, I had asked her for her recipe. I don't know if I lost it, or it's on one of the computers in my email (I saved every email from her). It wasn't until this week, while I was talking to my dad that I found out she was a short order cook for a while. Now I know how she learned to do all that fancy footwork in the kitchen! She tried to teach me to flip eggs and pancakes in the pan, "a flick of the wrist" she'd say, but I never could get it right. 
 Anyway, I didn't even know where to begin to look, so I decided to try to remember the flavors and wing it... It really came out good! However, I made WAY too much stuffing for the 6 peppers I had. I suggest halving this recipe for 6-8 peppers. 

Mom's Famous Stuffed Peppers

6-8 peppers (any color you like :-)

1 1/2 c ground beef

2 c white rice (prepared according to the package)

1 can black olives

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

salt/pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 then  Brown and drain ground beef, in large pot (or small stock pot)

2. in the food processor chop finely the olives, onion, and garlic

3 add vegetables from food processor and rice to ground beef mixture, keep on low heat (electric 2-3)

4. add 3/4 can Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to the stuffing, mix thoroughly, salt and pepper to taste, allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes for flavors to meld.

5. Cut and clean peppers then place them in a high sided baking dish, stuff the peppers (its ok to pack the stuffing in) drizzle with remainder of the crushed tomatoes

6 bake for apx 1 hour or until peppers are easily pierced with fork

What's for dinner tonight? Mexican Stromboli's

Hello hello dear readers! 
Tonight I am attempting to reproduce a favorite from our local pizza joint (they are a small store, they make their dough instead of buying it, so far no reactions with them, but to be on the safe side, I'd like to be able to reproduce their recipes that we adore) Harry's Favorite Beef Taco Stromboli. Since I am avoiding pork and beef, I've also adapted Taco Chicken for my Stromboli. So, it should be an exciting night, the beef and chicken are already done, the tomatoes are chopped, and I am currently waiting on the yeast to proof for our pizza dough. Here is my recipe:

Beef Taco Stromboli 
1-1 1/2 lb hamburg (extra for left overs)
taco seasoning,
1/4 c water
1 chopped onions,
1 chopped tomatoes
lettuce chopped,
fresh pizza dough
corn tortilla chips
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa and sour cream for dipping


Brown hamburg with onions, drain, add taco seasoning and water, let settle for 10 minutes. While meat is settling, roll out pizza dough to 1/4 inch, add hamburg mix, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, tortilla chips and shredded cheese, on half the dough, fold empty half of dough over and press dough together. Cook in 475 f oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.




To do Chicken, follow the same order of operations with chicken instead :-)


Here is my dough recipe....



2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Decorating for Christmas

We are doing our Christmas decorating this weekend!!! I hope everyone has had a great long weekend, and a great holiday! I'll be working on the Anual Family picture this week :-)

Jessie's Salad Dressing Recipe's

Thousand Island, 

add (per cup of mayo) 2Tbsp chili sauce,

 2 Tbsp chopped green peppers, 

2Tbsp chopped red pepper or pimento,

 2 Tbsp chopped pickles or olives...

Old-fashioned Russian dressing, 

use 1/2 of a hard boiled egg, chopped, 

1/4 C of chili sauce

 2Tbsp chopped green pepper per cup of mayo.

RANCH DRESSING
1C Mayo
1/2 C Buttermilk
1/2 tsp each: chives, parsley, and dill weed
1/4 tsp each: garlic powder and onion powder
pinch of salt and pepper to marry the flavors.

Whisk everything together and chill at least an hour to marry the flavors. Shake or whisk before serving to redistribute the flavors.

*To make it more creamy, if your butter milk is strong.. you can substitute any amount for sour cream or plain yogurt. You can also add 1/4 C parmesan cheese to it or bacon pieces.

Jessie's Mayo Recipe's (cooked and uncooked)

My friend Jess shared these with me, she says they are yummy. I like these recipes even before starting them because I can see they have more flavor than the one I already tried.  I am going to be baking more bread this week, so I will make one of these and post pictures then :-)

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This was my first from scratch pumpkin pie, and it turned out great! I hope you like it too! (you can find a lard pie crust in a previous entry.)

15 ozs canned pumpkin
14 ozs sweetened condensed milk (eagle brand)
2 large eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
12 tsp ground ginger
12 tsp ground nutmeg
12 tsp salt
1 pie crust


1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
2 Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Italian Bread Bowls

• 
  
• These seemed like they would be perfect to serve our chili in for Thanksgiving, however, I made them twice, the first time, they were too small, the second time, I made them big enough to get chili in, but, they were not as I expected (tough exterior, flaky interior), these came out rugged, but the inside was not flaky soft and yummy...  I am posting this anyway to see if anyone has suggestions? Thanks.
• 
  
• 2 (.25 ounce) 6 tsp packages active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
•  
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition.
3. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
4. Punch dough down, and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4 inch round loaf. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
7. To make bowls: Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centers, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.

Blue Ribbon Chili

• When Harry suggested to me that we should shake up Thanksgiving this year, and do chili, we discussed doing Turkey Chili, but I thought we also needed to make a regular chili too. I found this recipe on All Recipe's and thought  we should give it a try. It turned out fantastic! It was a hit with everyone but H, who preferred the Turkey Chili. I apologize for not taking as many pictures with this recipe as I did the others, I ended up doing most of my cooking Wednesday as M was sick on Tuesday. The upside, is that this turned out so well, I intend on making a triple batch of this next weekend to store away in the freezer for those moments when chili would be handy to have in a can (since we cannot use the canned chili anymore this is great!)so I will take more pictures then!!!

• 
  
• 
  
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2  1 onion, chopped

4 stalks Celery Chopped Fine.

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce   1 15.5 oz can Italian Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) jar salsa
• 4 tablespoons chili seasoning mix
• 1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and the onion and saute for 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain grease, if desired.
2. Add the ground black pepper, garlic salt, tomato sauce, salsa, chili seasoning mix and kidney beans. Mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/debdoozies-blue-ribbon-chili/detail.aspx

Pumpkin Roll

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (purpose)
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 tsp lemon juice



Cream Cheese Filling

2 tbsps sugar
8 ozs cream cheese (softened)
14 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar


1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.
2 In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in pumpkin puree, eggs, and lemon juice. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread the mixture evenly.
3 Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
4 Lay a damp linen towel on the counter, sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar, and turn the cake onto the towel. Carefully roll the towel up (lengthwise) with the cake in it. Place the cake-in-towel on a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 minutes.
5 Make the icing: In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
6 When the cake has cooled 20 minutes, unroll it and spread icing onto it. Immediately re-roll (not in the towel this time), and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep the cake refrigerated or freeze it for up to 2 weeks in aluminum foil. Cut the cake in slices just before serving.

So this was the FIRST time I have attempted a jelly roll type dish, and I used a cookie sheet, the cake came out a bit thick, and cracked :-(, When I do this again, I will be more careful to make this thin. I also would go with parchment paper rather than the  Tea towel, even with the towel being damp the cake tried to stick to it. I'll update when I do it again hopefully we get a better result. Taste wise though this was good!!!! Definitely will do this again!

Recipe from :http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Granny-Kat_s-Pumpkin-Roll-Allrecipes

Turkey Chili

Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (7 ounce) can salsa
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or coarsely chopped tomatoes packed in puree
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble turkey into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break apart as much as possible. Season with taco seasoning mix, coriander, oregano, chili flakes, and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Continue cooking, reducing heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.
Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for ten minutes. Adjust the thickness at any time you feel necessary by adding water.
While chili is still cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper to the chili, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the zucchini to the chili, reduce heat, and continue cooking 15 minutes more. Again, adjust the consistency with water as needed.
Ladle chili into serving bowls. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.

This came out good just as the recipe dictates, however, if I was going to make it again, I would omit the coriander and the zucchini...  I doubled the recipe, and it went over with 4/5 stars.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to take a minute and wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I will be posting recipe's and photos (some from my new camera) from Thanksgiving over the next few days!  In the mean time, I hope your Holiday is Joyful!

~Christina

Thanksgiving Prep Day 1, Monday

As I am planning Thanksgiving day this year, I want to be resting, and enjoying my family on Thanksgiving, so I am intending on finishing cooking Wednesday Evening, All we will have to do Thursday, is heat and eat. With three kids its much easier for me to do it this way as well. 


Today, this morning I have prepared Turkey Chili, Deviled Eggs, and Home Made Mayo, This afternoon, I will be baking, Bread bowls,  Rolls, and bread sticks :-) Recipe's and pictures to follow this post.

Bread's

This week, along with Thanksgiving, I am going to be tackling some of our hardest to find items, Bread and Mayonnaise. As we are preparing C for school next year (2012 Preschool)  learning more about soy, where, and (even more daunting) how it is hidden in the foods we eat, we are quickly coming to the conclusion that it is just not possible to try to have them serve her ANY food at school. We have been lucky up until this point, C seemed to just not like bread at all, even the one brand (Beembo) that didn't have soy (until they changed the recipe recently), until (dun dun dun) H and I made bread sticks the other night. So now I am on a quest to master the basics of bread,  (sandwich loaf, sandwich bun, hot dog (ish) bun). Here are the recipe's I will be trying this week:

1. Brioche Burger Buns
2. Pan Brioche
3. Flour Tortillas
4. Burger or Hot Dog Buns
5. New England Style Hot Dog Buns (recipe below)
6. Alton Brown's Mayonnaise
7. Whole Egg Mayonnaise (with Canola oil instead of Veg Oil)

New England-Style Hot Dog Buns

 Makes 1 dozen sliced buns 

 Rich in eggs and butter, this dough is soft and tender and does not require excessive kneading. It is easy to make by hand and even easier if you have an electric mixer with a dough hook.

 1 teaspoon active dry yeast

 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

 1/2 cup warm water 

 1 teaspoon salt

 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted after measuring, plus additional for dusting 

 3 large eggs 

 1/2 cup warm milk

 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

 2 tablespoon salad oil 

 2 tablespoons water

 Combine the yeast and sugar with 1/4 cup of the warm water in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy. (This allows the yeast to "bloom.") 

 Add the salt and flour.

 Lightly beat 2 of the eggs with the milk and add this mixture to the bowl. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and add this as well. Have the remaining 1/4 cup warm water ready. If you are mixing by hand, add some of the water and begin to mix, adding the water as needed. If using an electric mixer, attach the dough hook and jog the machine (turn it on and off) until the dough begins to form. This prevents the flour from jumping out of the mixing bowl. Add the remaining warm water as needed; the dough usually takes the full amount. 

When a soft dough has formed, knead for 5 minutes by machine or about 8 minutes by hand. This is a soft bread and does not require as much kneading as chewier types The finished dough should be soft but dense and should not be sticky. 

Shape the dough into a ball and lightly oil it with the salad oil. Place it in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a slightly damp towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in bulk.

 Punch the dough down and move to a work surface. Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Shape the dough into a square. Using a knife, cut the dough into 13 equal pieces. This is best done by cutting 12 pieces and using scraps to make the thirteenth. If there is not enough dough for the thirteenth piece steal a little pinch off the others. With the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, lightly grease a baking sheet that is at least 15 inches long. 

Shape the dough into uniform 7-inch-long tubular pieces. It is important that all the pieces be the same length. Place the tube in a line, side by side, down the center of the baking sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch gap between them. Put the pan in a warm place and let rise a second time. 

 Prepare a thick egg wash by mixing the remaining egg with 2 tablespoons water. After 15 to 20 minutes, the tubes of dough will have risen enough that they will be touching. 

Generously brush the tubes with egg wash, return the pan to the warm spot and let the dough rise until almost doubled in size, 10 to 15 minutes. 

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Place the buns in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until deep golden brown. 

 Let the buns cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes, then run a spatula under them to make sure they are not sticking to the pan. Using 1 or 2 spatulas, carefully lift the baked dough in one piece onto a rack to cool. It is crucial that you not let the buns break or tear apart. After an hour, when the baked dough is completely cooled, move it in one piece to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice down the center of each tube. You will lose half a tube on each end (which is why you need 13 tubes to make 12 buns). The place where the tubes met is now the center of each bun. They will open naturally when it comes time to stuff them, but you can make a small incision to ensure that this happens. Wrap the buns in plastic wrap until ready to use. If you do not intend to use all 12 buns, freeze the extras and defrost when needed.

Thanksgiving Meal Plan

So this year we are making a non traditional Thanksgiving feast, in part because one of the golden rules of holiday cooking is "don't make anything new" so, we will be having chili and all the trimmings.
 Shopping soy free has been quite the adventure, and I have yet to master bread making, although I have had some good luck, I am by no means a pro, which takes stuffing out of the picture. Honestly, the  down in the dumps of cooking allergy free got to me, and I didn't even want to set foot in the grocery store until I found renewed energy today, so I am unprepared for the traditional Turkey Day Feast. There are so many things that have to be scratch made in the traditional dinner, it is daunting. Next year, my aim, is to have tried and true traditional Turkey Day feast on the menu. Until then, this is what we will be serving.


Main Course, 


Turkey Chili
Blue Ribbon Chili
to be served on or with
Home Made Bread Bowls
Angel Hair Pasta 
Home Made Mashed Potatoes




Desert
Pumpkin Pie (with home made whipped cream)
Pumpkin Roll (similar to a yule log)


Recipe's will follow this week, with pictures!!!!

Bread Sticks

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons canola or EVOO
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
Italian Seasoning
egg wash (for browning)
parmisean or regiano cheese (topping)

Preheat oven to 375 F

Proof yeast for 10 minutes by placing the water in a ceramic or plastic cup along with the yeast, oil, and sugar.

While yeast is proofing, combine dry ingredients, flour, salt, Italian seasoning  by lightly mixing.

Once yeast has proofed, mix liquid with dry ingredients by hand until dough ball forms (for best results lightly oil your hands before mixing)

roll dough into a ball and set aside in a bowl loosely covered by plastic wrap for 10 minutes or until doubled in size then pound out, seperate into 8 equal sections of dough, like playdough, create long dough sticks out of each of the sections, place on counter, allow to rise 10 minutes, before brushing egg wash on top of breadsticks. Bake for 15-18 minutes, then sprinkle cheese over top.

Pie Crust

2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. lard
1/4 c. water





Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in lard with pastry blender until small pea size particles are obtained. Sprinkle with water a little at a time. Mix with fork until flour is moist. Press into a ball and turn out onto a floured board. If making a two crust pie divide in half.Roll out with rolling pin. Try not to use too much extra flour because it makes the crust tough. Roll out to desired size. Usually about 1 inch bigger around than the tin. Fold pastry in half and move up to pan. Unfold and put pastry into pan. Try not to stretch the pastry because this causes shrinking in baking. Sprinkle the top crust with a little sugar to evenly brown.




Makes 2 9 inch pie crusts.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 cup creamy peanut butter

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup cream

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner's sugar. Mix in 1/4 cup of the cream. Beat in the remaining confectioners' sugar. If necessary, add a little more cream or milk until the frosting reaches a good spreading consistency. Makes enough to frost one 2 layer 9 inch cake or one 9x13 inch cake.

Salsa Verde Braised Pork

1 pork tenderloin, any size
1 bottle salsa verde (i.e. green)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Salt

In dutch oven, combine pork, salsa, onion, broth and spices. Boil over high heat for a few minutes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is very tender (2-3 hours) (Alternately, you can put the pork in a slow cooker on low for a while, then transfer it to a dutch oven and add the salsa, onion, broth and spices. We did this when we were gone for the afternoon.).

Easy-Ass Galette

pie crust
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
2 small onions, sliced
1 to 2 Tablespoons balsalmic vinegar
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup bleu cheese or gorgonzola
1/4 cup parmesan (optional)

Caramelize onions by melting butter or margarine in skillet, adding onions and cooking on medium heat until transparent. Reduce heat to low and let onions cook for a good half hour, stirring occasionally. When onions have turned golden (but not charred), add balsalmic vinegar and let cook another ten minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While onions are caramelizing, lay a pie crust across a flat dish or cookie sheet and cover with shredded chicken, leaving a 1 to 2 inch border around edge of crust.

Scatter onions over shredded chicken. Top with bleu cheese or gorgonzola. Then sprinkle parmesan over the top.

Fold the edges up in pleats around the circumference of the galette.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until pie crust and cheese start turning golden brown.

Spaghetti Carbonara

4 ounces uncooked pasta

(spaghetti, linguine, or whatever else your little heart desires)

1/2 cup milk, cream, or half-and-half

3 Tablespoons parmesan cheese


1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh Italian parsley


1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste


Ground, black pepper, to taste (we like to use lots)


4 to 5 strips crumbled bacon


1/4 cup onion, chopped


1 clove garlic, minced


1-2 eggs, lightly beaten






Remember to quadruple the sauce recipe if your using an entire lb of pasta!


Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente (just done, but not too mushy). Drain pasta and reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid.






While pasta is boiling, combine milk, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and set it aside.






In a skillet, fry bacon and remove from pan. Drain out most of bacon fat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low and add milk mixture and pasta to pan.






In a small bowl, beat egg with a whisk and add the 1/4 cup of reserved hot water. This will temper the egg so it won't immediately scramble upon hitting the hot skillet. Stir egg into pasta. Crumble bacon and add to pasta. Cook for about five minutes, stirring constantly until sauce is creamy.






Serve with buttery garlic bread and salad.