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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Alex Guarnaschelli's Garlic Bread


I found this recipe in a magazine (People I think) while I was at work. It looked so good I made a copy and tried it. I took it to a party and everyone devoured it! It's a little spicy so I made a regular garlic bread for the kids, but this is a great alternative to regular garlic bread.

1 whole head garlic, plus 3 cloves peeled
5 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 tbsp softened butter
1 large loaf italian bread
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried chili flakes (optional, I added them)
1/2 tsp salt

Split the whole garlic in half horizontally, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 until soft about 40 minutes.

Cut bread in half lengthwise

Finely mince 3 raw garlic cloves and combine with butter and remaining olive oil. spread evenly over bread and sprinkle with oregano, paprika, chili flakes and salt.

Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins and spread evenly over the bread. Wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight. ( I did over night, I also did it a couple hours before we were going to eat and it was just as good. I guess the longer the better, but I would say at least 2 hours)

Preheat oven to 350. Bake bread in foil until hot, 25-30 minutes. Slice and serve hot.

Unbelievable Mac and Cheese

We went to my niece's birthday party a couple weeks ago and my sister in law Kristin made this YUMMY mac and cheese. I have been looking for a good homemade mac and cheese recipe and trust me this is the one!! My girls ate it and loved it. Dave loved it because it has bacon! I had to have her email me the recipe so here it is!

7 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
1 clove of garlic minced
1 1/2 cups coarse bread crumbs ( I used Panko in the one I made for you guys)
1 bag for real bacon bits (or 6-7 peices of bacon, cooked and crumbled)
salt and ground pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk-warmed
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese-shredded
2 cups fontina cheese-shredded ( I used Dubliner cheese in the one I made, but any sharp cheese would work)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

in a large frying pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but not browned about 3 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and stir until coated with butter. I then added crumbled bacon. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Cook the macaroni according to the directions until not quite al dente-it will go in the oven and cook more. Drain and set aside. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the pot used for the pasta and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Reduce heat to medium-low and let bubble for 1 minute without browning. Gradually whisk in the milk, raise the heat to medium and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses along with the mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta. Spread in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the buttered crumbs. Bake until the crumbs are browned and the sauce is bubbling about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

 
Michelle made this for lunch during our Sister Saturday Spectacular. It was easy to make and everyone loved it. Even the kids ate it. There was none left! I'm not sure where this recipe comes from because she found it on pinterest and the recipe is in the description and when you click on the picture, it takes you to the twitter login page, so if you know where this came from let me know. We would love to give credit for this recipe.
 
2 cups chicken breast grilled & cubed
 2 cups medium shell pasta cooked
  2 cups cheddar/jack cheese blend
 1 can of cream of chicken soup
 1 can Rotel
1 can green chilies
 1/2 cup of milk
  Cover with cheese
salt and pepper to taste!
 
Cook noodles according to the package
Mix all the ingredients together and place in a 9x13 pan
Cover and Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Boston Cream Cupcakes

 
We made these cupcakes for our Sister Saturday Spectacular (it's working title, I think it changes every month), I found this recipe on America's Test Kitchen and everything is made from scratch, the cupcakes, the filling and the frosting. But after making these, you could totally make these WAY easier. Just get a box of white cake mix and make cupcakes, get a box of vanilla pudding, and a jar of chocolate frosting. These were good and it's fun sometimes to make things from scratch, but next time I would take the easy way out.
 
This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen
 
It’s important to bake these cupcakes in a greased and floured muffin tin rather than paper cupcake liners, so the chocolate glaze can run down the sides of the cupcakes.
 
PASTRY CREAM
1⅓ cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces) sugar
Pinch salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl, then whisk in the cornstarch until pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
 
Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture to temper, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 1½ minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until chilled and set, about 2 hours.
 
CUPCAKES
1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin.
 
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time, about 30 seconds. Continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, 1 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat in the milk and vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, light, and fluffy, 1 to 3 minutes.
 
Using a greased ⅓-cup measure, portion the batter into each muffin cup (about three-quarters full; do not overfill). Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through baking. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
GLAZE
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
⅔ cup heavy cream
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Microwave all of the ingredients together, whisking often, until melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the glaze cool, uncovered, until it is thickened but pourable, about 20 minutes.
 
 
ASSEMBLE THE CUPCAKES
 
 Cut around the inside edge of the top of each cupcake, removing a cone-shaped piece from each cupcake, and fill with 2 tablespoons of pastry cream. Trim and replace the cupcake top and set each cupcake on a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Pour the glaze over the cupcakes, letting it run down the sides. Refrigerate the cupcakes until the glaze has set, about 10 minutes, before serving.
 


Cheesy Potato's

 
I have made these twice now, I made them, and we loved them, but we are huge potato lovers in this house. But I went to dinner at my sisters last night and made them and they went fast! Even my niece that doesn't like potatoes ( I know, who doesn't like potatoes??)  loved them, so I guess that means they are SUPER GOOD! They are easy to make and I usually have these ingredients on hand, so these will become a new staple for dinner!
 
This Recipe is from Get Of Your Butt And...BAKE
 
 
5 large potatoes
1 pint whipping cream ( 2 cups)
Salt and Pepper
2 tsp. Parsley flakes
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
 
Cut your potatoes into thin french fry strips, and lay the fries, in a 9×13″ glass pan. ( I used my awesome mandolin, made it way easy to cut the potatoes)
 
Pour all of the cream over the top of the fries. Salt and pepper them generously. Sprinkle at least 2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese over the top. Sprinkle Parsley flakes on top of the cheese. Cover with foil, and poke a fork through the top of the foil, 2 or 3 times to allow a little steam to escape. This way, your cream doesn’t boil over into your oven!
 
Cook at 400 degrees for about 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Place your oven rack in the middle of the oven. During the last 15 or 20 minutes of baking lower your rack one more step. This makes the bottom of your potatoes, brown and crispy.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Raspberry Rolls

 
I made these the other day and thought they were so good! I have to share them. You could use any berry you want. I think I am going to try them with blackberries next!
I changed a couple of things, I didn't have all purpose flour so I used bread flour, I also didn't have active dry yeast, so I used my bread machine yeast, which is like rapid rise yeast. I used the same amounts though and didn't have a problem. I also had to cook mine for longer than what it says, becuase they were still doughy in the middle. I added another 10-15 minutes on at the end. I also covered them with aluminum foil so the tops didn't burn.
 
 
I got this recipe from Food of Love
 
 
Rolls-
1 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
        One 12-ounce package frozen raspberries, not thawed
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Icing-
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp good vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, warm the milk over moderately low heat until it's 95°.
 
Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir in the sugar and yeast. Let stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.
 
Add the softened butter, eggs, grated lemon zest and salt.
 
Add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 10 minutes longer. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands 2 or 3 times. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
 
Butter a 9x13 glass baking dish & set aside.
 
 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10-by-24-inch rectangle.
 
In a medium bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough (cinnamon roll style) to form a log & cut into 12 pieces and arrange them in the baking pan, cut sides up. Scrape any berries and juice from the work surface into the baking pan between the rolls. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy and have filled the baking pan, about 2 hours.
 
Preheat the oven to 425°.
 
 Bake the rolls for about 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 & bake another 10-15 minutes or until they are golden and the berries are bubbling. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
 
In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the butter heavy cream & lemon juice & vanilla extract until the glaze is thick and spreadable. Top warm rolls with icing.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Garlice Cheesey Bread

I LOVE BREAD! I love to make it, and eat it. It is a weakness! I love that it takes all day to make, that your house always smells good when you're making it and I love eating hot bread! I found this recipe and had to try it! Bread and Cheese together and all melty...YUM!

Original Recipe found at Lauren's Latest

Hasselback Bread Final 2

Ingredients:
1 cup Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 envelope Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 Teaspoons)
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Bread Flour
Olive Oil, For Greasing Surfaces
⅓ pounds Sharp White Cheddar, Or Any Other Cheese You Prefer
½ cups Garlic Butter ( i just made my own garlic butter I will put the recipe at the bottom)

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir water, honey and yeast together. Let yeast proof 5 minutes. Once you know yeast is active, stir in salt and the flour in 1/4 cup increments. If you are using a stand mixer, be sure to not increase your speed higher than a 2 or ‘stir’. Once dough starts pulling away from the sides and the bowl seems to be pretty clean, set a timer for 5 minutes and walk away. Let the machine knead the dough. After 5 minutes, dough should be smooth and tacky but when touched shouldn’t leave any dough on your fingers.
Grease the bowl and the dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down dough and cut into two equal portions. Form into two long baguettes the length of the cookie sheet. I like to twist mine because it looks cool, but it also keeps its length and doesn’t shrink. Cover with plastic wrap and rise 30 minutes. Start to preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place dough close to the oven where it’s nice and warm. Once oven is preheated, remove plastic wrap, from the dough reduce oven to 350F, put the bread into the oven and bake 20 minutes.
In the meantime, slice the cheese into thin slices and melt the butter.
Pull loaves of bread out of the oven after 20 minutes and brush with the melted garlic butter. Bake another 5-7 minutes or until bread begins to turn a golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes.
Cut 1-inch slices 3/4′s of the the way through the loaves. Brush garlic butter in between each slice and fill with a slice of cheese. Bake another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.
Serve immediately.

Garlic Butter
1/2 c butter softened
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp parsley or 2 tsp fresh parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tbsp parm cheese

Mix all the ingredients together.