This weekend has brought a lot of time spent in my kitchen. I have made peach jam from peaches I peeled sliced and crushed myself, sweet and tender cream biscuits, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and these kaiser rolls. In other words, I had a very successful and joyful weekend.
I love to spend time in my kitchen. It is how I relax. I love challenging myself to try new things and this weekend I tackled two new techniques: I made jam and kaiser rolls! This might sound bad to say but I am proud of what I have accomplished. I have not witnessed anyone make either of these types of things so I was flying completely alone. While I grew up watching my mother cook, she only made bread at holidays and I do not remember her ever making jam or preserves.
Enough of my pride, let's talk about these rolls! If you are looking for a sandwich bun you can stop looking right now. These are perfect and there is not one thing that could make them any better. They are light and fluffy but also sturdy, not to mention their wonderful taste. This is a recipe to make for company because they will smell up your whole house. I love it when my home smells like a bakery.
I adapted this recipe quite a bit but the original can be found here: Potato Buns
Here's what I did:
Proud of Myself Kaiser Sandwich Rolls for the Bread Machine
1 3/4 cups water
4 cups bread flour
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup potato flakes
2 Tablespoons dry milk powder
1 3/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast
2 eggs
1 teaspoon water
2 Tablespoons or to taste sesame seeds
Load ingredients into bread machine in order according to the instruction manual. Set to dough cycle.
At end of dough cycle remove from machine and punch down. Divide into 12 even portions. I find it helpful to use my kitchen scale for consistency.
Shape into Kaiser rolls. If you need help there is a very helpful video here: the right way to shape kaiser roll (This is a you tube video.)
Place onto parchment lined baking sheets. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes. Make an egg wash by beating the eggs with the water to combine. Brush the tops and sides of risen rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes (mine took 18), rotating sheet pans after 8 minutes, until golden brown.
Enjoy!
Is there a recipe that you are proud of yourself for making? Please feel free to leave a link in the comments section!
(Picture to come)
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
How to make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup in 30 minutes
Today is the third part in my four part blog series entitled: One almost 5 pound chicken, three meals. We have already roasted a chicken and we have made chicken stock. Now we'll use the chicken stock and the leftover roasted dark meat from the chicken to make chicken noodle soup.
Not to toot my own horn but this is one recipe that I have truly mastered. It has become one of my signature dishes and I have made it for sick friends and family members. There is something about this soup that just seems to cure colds. I think it is all of the love I put in it! This is also one of my picky husband's favorite things. He definitely doesn't mind eating leftovers of this- as he is for lunch today.
This is a quick and easy recipe perfect for after a long work day when you want something warm and comforting with very minimal effort.
Here is what you need:
leftover chicken, torn into small pieces (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 cup sliced carrots
salt to taste (depends on how much is in your stock)
salt
pepper
Paprika
1 cup of pasta, any type
This recipe only had one step! Combine cold stock, chicken and carrots over high heat. Heat until boiling. Add salt, pepper and Paprika. Add pasta. Cook for approximately 12 minutes or until pasta and carrots are fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning. It is always better to put less salt and pepper than you think you will need because you can add more at this point. Serve.
Now, if I wasn't cooking for the world's pickiest eater I would add in celery and maybe some peas but it is already hard enough to pick out all the carrots for him. Add in any of your favorite vegetables and they will only make this better!
Not to toot my own horn but this is one recipe that I have truly mastered. It has become one of my signature dishes and I have made it for sick friends and family members. There is something about this soup that just seems to cure colds. I think it is all of the love I put in it! This is also one of my picky husband's favorite things. He definitely doesn't mind eating leftovers of this- as he is for lunch today.
This is a quick and easy recipe perfect for after a long work day when you want something warm and comforting with very minimal effort.
Here is what you need:
leftover chicken, torn into small pieces (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 cup sliced carrots
salt to taste (depends on how much is in your stock)
salt
pepper
Paprika
1 cup of pasta, any type
This recipe only had one step! Combine cold stock, chicken and carrots over high heat. Heat until boiling. Add salt, pepper and Paprika. Add pasta. Cook for approximately 12 minutes or until pasta and carrots are fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning. It is always better to put less salt and pepper than you think you will need because you can add more at this point. Serve.
Now, if I wasn't cooking for the world's pickiest eater I would add in celery and maybe some peas but it is already hard enough to pick out all the carrots for him. Add in any of your favorite vegetables and they will only make this better!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
How to make chicken stock in your crock pot the lazy way
Here's the thing, I'm cheap, I'm busy, I'm picky and I'm tired. So I like to put in as little effort as possible to get really good results. I have applied this to my chicken stock recipe as well. I came up with this idea several years ago and then consulted Google, cookbooks and blogs and then decided just to wing it. I crafted a delicious and very easy recipe for chicken stock that I really enjoy. I have used it in all kinds of recipes, but my favorite way to use it is in chicken noodle soup.
I make this the lazy way. It cooks in my crock pot either while I am sleeping or while I am at work. It takes about 5 minutes to throw everything into my crock pot and I get about 3 quarts of chicken stock as a result.
Word of warning for the true tightwads: you can only use the bones once. We will be getting every last good thing from those bones so if you try to use them again the results won't be good. Trust me. I know from experience. ahem.
Here's what you will need:
Really big crock pot
chicken bones from roasted chicken
2 stalks of celery (not the bunch- the individual pieces pulled off of the bunch)
1 cup carrots (can use whole carrots or whole baby carrots)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
7 whole peppercorns
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
Water to fill to top of crock pot
Throw bones in bottom of crock pot. Wash celery stocks and place on top. No need to cut them and keep the leaves on. They taste good. Wash carrots really well. No need to peel or cut them if you are using whole carrots. Throw them in the crock pot. Cut onion in half. Leave skin on. This is the lazy way, remember? Throw in the crock pot. Throw in 4 cloves of garlic. Don't peel them just throw them in. Throw in paprika, peppercorns and salt. Then fill with water to the top. Cook on low until you have time to deal with it but at least 8 hours. I have cooked for 10 hours and then kept warm for several hours. You basically can not mess this up.
Remove the crock and let cool for about 30 minutes so that you can better handle everything. Use a straining spoon to remove everything that isn't liquid from the crockpot. Throw it away.
Put in a container (I use a pitcher and a mason jar) and put in the refrigerator overnight (or while you are at work if you cooked it overnight). The very little tiny bit of fat in this will rise to the top. Spoon it off and throw it away.
There you have it- wonderful, flavorful and easy chicken stock. If you keep things like carrots, celery, garlic and onions around the house this should probably cost you less than $1. You can store this in the refrigerator for 5 days or you can freeze it until kingdom come. I freeze it in plastic bags and then I lay them flat. That way I can just stack them up. I put 4 cups of stock in some bags and 2 cups of stock in other bags. Those are the amounts that most recipes call for.
Optional things that you can put into the stock at the beginning:
Parsley
Italian Seasoning
I hope that you enjoy this "recipe." This is part 2 of a 4 part blog series entitled: 1 almost 5 pound chicken, three meals I hope that you will check out the first posting below.
I make this the lazy way. It cooks in my crock pot either while I am sleeping or while I am at work. It takes about 5 minutes to throw everything into my crock pot and I get about 3 quarts of chicken stock as a result.
Word of warning for the true tightwads: you can only use the bones once. We will be getting every last good thing from those bones so if you try to use them again the results won't be good. Trust me. I know from experience. ahem.
Here's what you will need:
Really big crock pot
chicken bones from roasted chicken
2 stalks of celery (not the bunch- the individual pieces pulled off of the bunch)
1 cup carrots (can use whole carrots or whole baby carrots)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
7 whole peppercorns
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
Water to fill to top of crock pot
Throw bones in bottom of crock pot. Wash celery stocks and place on top. No need to cut them and keep the leaves on. They taste good. Wash carrots really well. No need to peel or cut them if you are using whole carrots. Throw them in the crock pot. Cut onion in half. Leave skin on. This is the lazy way, remember? Throw in the crock pot. Throw in 4 cloves of garlic. Don't peel them just throw them in. Throw in paprika, peppercorns and salt. Then fill with water to the top. Cook on low until you have time to deal with it but at least 8 hours. I have cooked for 10 hours and then kept warm for several hours. You basically can not mess this up.
Remove the crock and let cool for about 30 minutes so that you can better handle everything. Use a straining spoon to remove everything that isn't liquid from the crockpot. Throw it away.
Put in a container (I use a pitcher and a mason jar) and put in the refrigerator overnight (or while you are at work if you cooked it overnight). The very little tiny bit of fat in this will rise to the top. Spoon it off and throw it away.
There you have it- wonderful, flavorful and easy chicken stock. If you keep things like carrots, celery, garlic and onions around the house this should probably cost you less than $1. You can store this in the refrigerator for 5 days or you can freeze it until kingdom come. I freeze it in plastic bags and then I lay them flat. That way I can just stack them up. I put 4 cups of stock in some bags and 2 cups of stock in other bags. Those are the amounts that most recipes call for.
Optional things that you can put into the stock at the beginning:
Parsley
Italian Seasoning
I hope that you enjoy this "recipe." This is part 2 of a 4 part blog series entitled: 1 almost 5 pound chicken, three meals I hope that you will check out the first posting below.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
One almost 5 pound chicken, three delicious meals
Are you in on the secret? No, I'm not taking about that book that describes how to wish things into being. *eye roll* I am talking about cooking from your pantry and fridge/freezer. Everything I need to make for this series was found in my own house. Three complete meals (plus leftovers) from what I have already in my house. The chicken came from the full size freezer in my garage. I purchased it in November 2009 for $2.41. This week I will be sharing with you one way to cook once and eat three different meals from the leftovers.
When we first got married my husband informed me that he did not like leftovers. Well, I started brainstorming because, as a family of two, we have a lot of leftovers. Americans waste so much food by letting leftovers and other foods go bad and I didn't want us to contribute to that. (Here's an article by The Discovery Channel) So I decided that rather than serve my husband roasted chicken three nights in a row I would come up with a plan to "re-make" the leftovers into a completely new meal. Also, we are snobs and only really like eating white meat. We can save a ton of money by buying a whole chicken rather than just the breasts so I needed a way to "hide" the dark meat to make us want to eat it. Thus, the roasted chicken to chicken stock to chicken soup to chicken salad journey began.
Since I started cooking this way it has become one of my favorite time and money saving tricks. Last night I got home from work, prepped my chicken (I'll tell you more about that later) and then put it in the oven to roast for about 1 hour, 40 minutes. The first night that I make roasted chicken I make mashed potatoes and gravy to go with it.
How I roast chicken- a tutorial by a semi-OCD germ freak
You will need:
1 chicken- take out and throw away the nastiness that is stuffed in the cavity. Try not to look at it. Wash your hands 5 times and try to forget it ever existed.
Paper towels
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Seasoning mix (example: garlic herb, lemon pepper, etc use your favorite)
kosher salt (only a little if the seasoning mix contains any)
freshly ground pepper (life is too short to use fake pepper from a can)
1 teaspoon paprika (I don't care what other kind of seasoning you use- you need paprika because it tastes good and it give the chicken a nice color)
1 lemon cut into 4 chunks
1 small onion cut into 4 chunks
2 cloves garlic- don't cut just smash it
1 basting brush
something to roast the chicken in- sometimes I use a large corning ware oval dish last night I used a 9X13 nonstick pan
oven mitts (duh)
cutting board
foil
really sharp knife
1 small saucepan
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
whisk
mashed potatoes-use your own recipe
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dry off the outside of the chicken really well using paper towels. This is what will allow you have a crispy golden skin. Throw away the paper towels and wash your hands 5 times.
Step 2:
Combine your seasoning blend, the salt, the pepper and the paprika in a small ramekin. Put the olive oil in another ramekin. Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoning mix one with one hand and use the other to rub it in. Use the same hand to flip the chicken. Use the "clean hand" to brush olive oil on the other side and then sprinkle with the seasoning mix. Use your "dirty hand" to rub it in. Use your "dirty hand" to put the chicken in the roasting pan breast side up. Use your "dirty hand" to shove the lemon, onion and garlic into the chicken cavity.
Step 3:
Wash your hands 5 times and swear that you will never again roast a chicken because surely it cannot be worth all this (5 minutes of) effort. Place chicken into oven. Set timer for 1 hour, 40 minutes. Go sit on the couch and watch TV and try to forget that you just touched a raw chicken.
Step 4:
With 30 minutes to go on the oven start making your mashed potatoes and any other side dish that requires cooking. Tip: you don't have to cook salad- I'm just saying. You've done enough with touching the raw chicken.
Step 5:
Take chicken out of oven. Test for doneness. Remove from roasting pan to cutting board and tent with foil.
Step 6:
Finish mashed potatoes. Keep warm.
Step 7:
Pour juices and tasty bits into a small sauce pan. Combine butter and flour into a paste using a fork. Whisk into the chicken juices. If gravy is too thick add chicken stock (it usually is too thick).
Step 8:
Carve chicken (there are how to videos all over the Internet). Our family of two eats one and a half breasts. Serve roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. Moan because it is so good. Be forced to share with any furry children that live in your house, especially one large cat with a chicken addiction.
After dinner remove all of the leftover meat from the bones. Set aside leftover breast meat for chicken salad. Set aside all the dark meat for chicken noodle soup.
Save the bones! Throw them in a bag and store in the refrigerator. Tomorrow we'll make chicken stock in our crock pot while we work.
When we first got married my husband informed me that he did not like leftovers. Well, I started brainstorming because, as a family of two, we have a lot of leftovers. Americans waste so much food by letting leftovers and other foods go bad and I didn't want us to contribute to that. (Here's an article by The Discovery Channel) So I decided that rather than serve my husband roasted chicken three nights in a row I would come up with a plan to "re-make" the leftovers into a completely new meal. Also, we are snobs and only really like eating white meat. We can save a ton of money by buying a whole chicken rather than just the breasts so I needed a way to "hide" the dark meat to make us want to eat it. Thus, the roasted chicken to chicken stock to chicken soup to chicken salad journey began.
Since I started cooking this way it has become one of my favorite time and money saving tricks. Last night I got home from work, prepped my chicken (I'll tell you more about that later) and then put it in the oven to roast for about 1 hour, 40 minutes. The first night that I make roasted chicken I make mashed potatoes and gravy to go with it.
How I roast chicken- a tutorial by a semi-OCD germ freak
You will need:
1 chicken- take out and throw away the nastiness that is stuffed in the cavity. Try not to look at it. Wash your hands 5 times and try to forget it ever existed.
Paper towels
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Seasoning mix (example: garlic herb, lemon pepper, etc use your favorite)
kosher salt (only a little if the seasoning mix contains any)
freshly ground pepper (life is too short to use fake pepper from a can)
1 teaspoon paprika (I don't care what other kind of seasoning you use- you need paprika because it tastes good and it give the chicken a nice color)
1 lemon cut into 4 chunks
1 small onion cut into 4 chunks
2 cloves garlic- don't cut just smash it
1 basting brush
something to roast the chicken in- sometimes I use a large corning ware oval dish last night I used a 9X13 nonstick pan
oven mitts (duh)
cutting board
foil
really sharp knife
1 small saucepan
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
whisk
mashed potatoes-use your own recipe
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dry off the outside of the chicken really well using paper towels. This is what will allow you have a crispy golden skin. Throw away the paper towels and wash your hands 5 times.
Step 2:
Combine your seasoning blend, the salt, the pepper and the paprika in a small ramekin. Put the olive oil in another ramekin. Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoning mix one with one hand and use the other to rub it in. Use the same hand to flip the chicken. Use the "clean hand" to brush olive oil on the other side and then sprinkle with the seasoning mix. Use your "dirty hand" to rub it in. Use your "dirty hand" to put the chicken in the roasting pan breast side up. Use your "dirty hand" to shove the lemon, onion and garlic into the chicken cavity.
Step 3:
Wash your hands 5 times and swear that you will never again roast a chicken because surely it cannot be worth all this (5 minutes of) effort. Place chicken into oven. Set timer for 1 hour, 40 minutes. Go sit on the couch and watch TV and try to forget that you just touched a raw chicken.
Step 4:
With 30 minutes to go on the oven start making your mashed potatoes and any other side dish that requires cooking. Tip: you don't have to cook salad- I'm just saying. You've done enough with touching the raw chicken.
Step 5:
Take chicken out of oven. Test for doneness. Remove from roasting pan to cutting board and tent with foil.
Step 6:
Finish mashed potatoes. Keep warm.
Step 7:
Pour juices and tasty bits into a small sauce pan. Combine butter and flour into a paste using a fork. Whisk into the chicken juices. If gravy is too thick add chicken stock (it usually is too thick).
Step 8:
Carve chicken (there are how to videos all over the Internet). Our family of two eats one and a half breasts. Serve roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. Moan because it is so good. Be forced to share with any furry children that live in your house, especially one large cat with a chicken addiction.
After dinner remove all of the leftover meat from the bones. Set aside leftover breast meat for chicken salad. Set aside all the dark meat for chicken noodle soup.
Save the bones! Throw them in a bag and store in the refrigerator. Tomorrow we'll make chicken stock in our crock pot while we work.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal
I am sorry for the lack of updates lately. My mother had surgery a couple of weeks ago and is still at a rehab facility getting better every day! I have been running around like a mad woman visiting her, washing her clothes, finding books for her and also taking care of my husband and household. I have been exhausted, to say the least, and haven't really been cooking. If I have cooked it has been the most basic and simple things known to man. Like grilled cheese sandwiches. If y'all need a recipe for grilled cheese sandwiches then you need more help than I can provide. :-)
One thing that I really like to do is to make hot breakfasts on the weekends, especially if my husband isn't working. During the week we grab muffins that I thaw from the freezer or granola bars so it is nice to have something warm once in a while. It is even better when I can make a healthy, filling breakfast that is cheap!
Penny for penny homemade oatmeal is one of the best things that your money can buy. First of all, it is cheap! I have gotten all kinds of deals this winter for old fashioned rolled oats, my oatmeal preference. Second of all, oatmeal is very, very healthy. I'm not a nutritionist so if you want more information I suggest you consult Dr. Google as I have heard it called (by OHmommy of www.classychaos.com she is hilarious!).
Here's my own recipe for oatmeal
1 apple (use your favorite)
1 3/4 cups milk
big pinch of kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1 cup old fashioned quick cooking (not instant) oats
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
1. Peel, core and finely dice apple. Set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan heat milk to boiling. Add in the dried cranberries, the cinnamon and the apple while milk is heating up.
3. Once the milk is boiling add in the oats. Reduce heat and stir often until cooked, 3-5 minutes. If you notice the oats look very dry right away you may need to add a bit more milk, up to 1/4 cup more.
4. While the oats are cooking toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, watching them very carefully. They will burn quickly so err on the side of under toasted if this is your first time toasting nuts on top of the stove.
5. When the oats are done, remove from heat and allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Dish up into bowls and top with toasted pecans.
It doesn't get much easier, cheaper, healthier or yummier than this!
What is your favorite breakfast food? Do you have any time saving tips for making a hot breakfast during the week? I would love to hear from you!
One thing that I really like to do is to make hot breakfasts on the weekends, especially if my husband isn't working. During the week we grab muffins that I thaw from the freezer or granola bars so it is nice to have something warm once in a while. It is even better when I can make a healthy, filling breakfast that is cheap!
Penny for penny homemade oatmeal is one of the best things that your money can buy. First of all, it is cheap! I have gotten all kinds of deals this winter for old fashioned rolled oats, my oatmeal preference. Second of all, oatmeal is very, very healthy. I'm not a nutritionist so if you want more information I suggest you consult Dr. Google as I have heard it called (by OHmommy of www.classychaos.com she is hilarious!).
Here's my own recipe for oatmeal
1 apple (use your favorite)
1 3/4 cups milk
big pinch of kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1 cup old fashioned quick cooking (not instant) oats
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
1. Peel, core and finely dice apple. Set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan heat milk to boiling. Add in the dried cranberries, the cinnamon and the apple while milk is heating up.
3. Once the milk is boiling add in the oats. Reduce heat and stir often until cooked, 3-5 minutes. If you notice the oats look very dry right away you may need to add a bit more milk, up to 1/4 cup more.
4. While the oats are cooking toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, watching them very carefully. They will burn quickly so err on the side of under toasted if this is your first time toasting nuts on top of the stove.
5. When the oats are done, remove from heat and allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Dish up into bowls and top with toasted pecans.
It doesn't get much easier, cheaper, healthier or yummier than this!
What is your favorite breakfast food? Do you have any time saving tips for making a hot breakfast during the week? I would love to hear from you!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sauteed Zucchini
I love zucchini and my favorite way to prepare it is by thinly slicing it into coins, battering it and deep frying it. That is not exactly health conscious though and it is MESSY. So I was thinking of what I really like about that recipe and decided to take those elements and make a sauteed version that would be lower in fat and just as yummy. This is what I came up with:
Sauteed Zucchini
3 small Zucchini
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt
pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
grated Parmesan cheese, if desired
1. Cut off ends of zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Then slice into 1/4 inch thick half moon slices.
2. Heat olive oil in small stainless steel fry pan over medium heat until very hot.
3. Add zucchini, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
4. Cook, stirring sparingly until zucchini is softened and lightly browned.
5. If desired, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
I served this the other night with my Ham and Cheese Quiche so I did not sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.
Sauteed Zucchini
3 small Zucchini
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt
pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
grated Parmesan cheese, if desired
1. Cut off ends of zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Then slice into 1/4 inch thick half moon slices.
2. Heat olive oil in small stainless steel fry pan over medium heat until very hot.
3. Add zucchini, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
4. Cook, stirring sparingly until zucchini is softened and lightly browned.
5. If desired, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
I served this the other night with my Ham and Cheese Quiche so I did not sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.
Ham and Cheese Quiche
I love to make quiche. It is my absolute favorite way to use up leftovers. Well, maybe pizza is. Ok if I never ate anything besides quiche and pizza (and ice cream) for the rest of my life I could be happy. But if I did, then I wouldn't have all these yummy leftovers to use up!
As I told you earlier this week I bought 20 packages of cheese over the weekend. I also had some leftover ham and I always have eggs so the first thing that came to mind was ham and cheese quiche.
I remember as recently as a year ago I would buy a frozen pie crust and think that I was getting a good deal because it was only $1.00. Ha! I don't love making my own and I certainly don't love washing my 25 year old non dishwasher safe food processor, or as I like to call it the tank, but I sure do love those savings!
I use the Better Homes and Gardens single pie crust recipe. Since I follow the directions exactly, I'll just link to that recipe.
Here is my own original "filling" recipe:
7 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
6 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 ounces reserved
1 cup diced ham
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp pepper (please do not use fake pepper in the can)
pinch garlic powder
1 prebaked pie crust
1. Prebake the pie crust according to the recipe.
2. Whip eggs & milk together until they are light and frothy.
3. Add all other ingredients except for the 2 ounces of reserved cheddar cheese, stir together until well combined.
4. Pour into prebaked pie crust.
5. Sprinkle remaining 2 ounces cheese over top of quiche.
6. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 1 hour.
7. Let cool 10 minutes before serving to allow the quiche to fully set.
I am going to start adding serving suggestions to my recipe posts because that is something that always interests me on the blogs that I read. I love reading what others serve with things. It just gives me so many ideas!
Serving suggestions:
basic chopped salad
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Eat from the Pantry Challenge - Yummy Homemade Pizza & Citrus Spinach Salad
Disclaimer: My husband typed and partially wrote this post. If you note a presence of sarcasm that isn't usually here, that is why. Thanks for he help hubs!
Last night for dinner we had pepperoni and pineapple pizza and citrus spinach salad. I am really enjoying making some of our favorite meals straight from our pantry.
I tried a new recipe for the pizza dough with mixed results. I can't believe that only about a year ago I was scared of yeast and now I'm an old pro at making homemade pizza.
I used the recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Celebrating the Promise edition (the pink ribbon one). The recipe calls for you to do things a little bit differently with adding the flour in the mixer, and while I appreciate the shorter rise time, I had a hard time getting everything to come together. I will probably make this again, but I will modify it to make it easier for me. I think that I will add more of the flour at the beginning.
I love throwing together salads with leftover ingredients, and since I had some spinach left over from our New Year's dinner, I knew it would be great to use for a throw-together spinach salad last night.
When Hubs and I were at Trader Joe's [HEART!] for our epic fail on Saturday, we bought the most wonderful orange I have ever eaten (organic, and only 59 cents!). Wish I had bought a caseload. Ibegged asked Hubs to save me a segment or two for my salad. He grudgingly agreed, but then fed a segment to the dogs! HMPH!
Citrus Spinach Salad
Serves 1
1 cup spinach, whole leaf, stems removed
2 segments navel orange, pith removed
1 T smoked almonds
1/2 tsp pear white balsamic vinegar
1. Place spinach in a small bowl.
2. Cut orange segment into bite sized pieces.
3. Top with smoke almonds and vinegar.
Pizza Dough
From Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Celebrating the Promise Edition p. 150
2 1/2 - 3 c. all purpose flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. warm water (120-130 degrees Fahrenheit)
2 T cooking oil or olive oil
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/4 c. of the flour, the yeast, and the salt; add warm water and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes total). Divide dough in half, cover; Let rest for 10 minutes.
This is supposed to make 2 pizzas, but because Hubs likes thick pan crusts, I only use it for 1. I have found the miracle trick for making your yeast rise in the winter: Stainless steel nesting bowls. Put the dough in the smaller nesting bowl and put HOT water in the larger bowl. Nest the smaller bowl in the larger bowl and cover with a towel. Make sure to check before the rise is supposed to be done 'cause those suckers get to workin' when they're nice and toasty warm!
Last night for dinner we had pepperoni and pineapple pizza and citrus spinach salad. I am really enjoying making some of our favorite meals straight from our pantry.
I tried a new recipe for the pizza dough with mixed results. I can't believe that only about a year ago I was scared of yeast and now I'm an old pro at making homemade pizza.
I used the recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Celebrating the Promise edition (the pink ribbon one). The recipe calls for you to do things a little bit differently with adding the flour in the mixer, and while I appreciate the shorter rise time, I had a hard time getting everything to come together. I will probably make this again, but I will modify it to make it easier for me. I think that I will add more of the flour at the beginning.
I love throwing together salads with leftover ingredients, and since I had some spinach left over from our New Year's dinner, I knew it would be great to use for a throw-together spinach salad last night.
When Hubs and I were at Trader Joe's [HEART!] for our epic fail on Saturday, we bought the most wonderful orange I have ever eaten (organic, and only 59 cents!). Wish I had bought a caseload. I
Citrus Spinach Salad
Serves 1
1 cup spinach, whole leaf, stems removed
2 segments navel orange, pith removed
1 T smoked almonds
1/2 tsp pear white balsamic vinegar
1. Place spinach in a small bowl.
2. Cut orange segment into bite sized pieces.
3. Top with smoke almonds and vinegar.
Pizza Dough
From Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Celebrating the Promise Edition p. 150
2 1/2 - 3 c. all purpose flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. warm water (120-130 degrees Fahrenheit)
2 T cooking oil or olive oil
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/4 c. of the flour, the yeast, and the salt; add warm water and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes total). Divide dough in half, cover; Let rest for 10 minutes.
This is supposed to make 2 pizzas, but because Hubs likes thick pan crusts, I only use it for 1. I have found the miracle trick for making your yeast rise in the winter: Stainless steel nesting bowls. Put the dough in the smaller nesting bowl and put HOT water in the larger bowl. Nest the smaller bowl in the larger bowl and cover with a towel. Make sure to check before the rise is supposed to be done 'cause those suckers get to workin' when they're nice and toasty warm!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
In honor of the first day of Fall
my first soup recipe of the season. Tonight I made Cheesy Ham & Potato soup using ingredients that I had in my pantry and fridge/freezer. It was absolutely delicious but I need to figure out how to keep the potatoes from getting so mushy they fall apart. If you have any suggestions leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear from you! I am sharing this recipe because even with crumbly potatoes it was so yummy!
Cheesy Ham & Potato Soup
4 cups chicken stock (I use homemade)
1 cup water
4-5 medium potatoes
1/2 of a ham steak (packaged slice of ham)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can of milk
shredded cheddar cheese
1. Heat the chicken stock and water over medium-high heat to boiling. Add garlic powder, onion powder and paprika to stock. If you use low sodium stock you may need to add salt or you can adjust the seasonings in the end. While the stock is heating dice the potatoes. Add to the stock and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Add the cheddar cheese soup and milk. Cook until warmed through. Serve sprinkled with cheddar cheese.
I hope you make this and enjoy!
I calculated in my head how much this cost for 6 servings and it is around $4.00 so if you can get the ingredients on sale you have a very comforting and thrifty meal.
Cheesy Ham & Potato Soup
4 cups chicken stock (I use homemade)
1 cup water
4-5 medium potatoes
1/2 of a ham steak (packaged slice of ham)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can of milk
shredded cheddar cheese
1. Heat the chicken stock and water over medium-high heat to boiling. Add garlic powder, onion powder and paprika to stock. If you use low sodium stock you may need to add salt or you can adjust the seasonings in the end. While the stock is heating dice the potatoes. Add to the stock and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Add the cheddar cheese soup and milk. Cook until warmed through. Serve sprinkled with cheddar cheese.
I hope you make this and enjoy!
I calculated in my head how much this cost for 6 servings and it is around $4.00 so if you can get the ingredients on sale you have a very comforting and thrifty meal.
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