French Bread

This was the best homemade bread I have ever made.

7 cups flour divided3 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 packages yeast

Instructions

Mix 3 and 1/2 cups flour with all ingredients.

Let sit one hour. Add remaining 3 and 1/2 cups flour (one at a time) and knead till dough forms a ball (dough sticky).

Cover with a damp cloth for 30 minutes.Divide and shape into 2 oblong loaves (long and narrow). Place on greased cookie sheet. Slit top with scissors 1/2 down diagonally. Paint top with slightly beaten egg whites.

Let sit for 8-10 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

This recipe from: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/05/french-bread/

Brownie Batter Dip

I have made this dip twice now, and everyone is in love with it. It is from Chef-In-Training http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/03/brownie-batter-dip/. It is now my go to recipe for any kind of party I have (it's replaced my cream cheese chocolate chip ball). Watch out, because you will eat the whole thing.

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 c. butter

2-3 c. powdered sugar (varies by desired consistency)

5 tbsp. All Purpose flour

5 tbsp. cocoa powder

2 tbsp. brown sugar

3+ tbsp. milk (varies by desired consistency)

1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer, whisk together the cream cheese and the butter.
2. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and 1 tbsp. milk.
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, brown sugar, and 1 more tbsp. of milk if needed.
4. Whisk all until smooth.
5. Add remaining powdered sugar and milk alternately until dip reaches your desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Shea's 2nd Birthday Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

1 box of any flavor cake mix (ingriedients needed to make cake)

24 cupcake liners

24 large oreos

48 mini oreos

1 bag of White chocolate chips

red food coloring

frosting

Ingredients:1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)

2 tablespoons milk

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350.Line a cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners. make cake batter as suggested on box. Bake as recommended on box. Pour into cupcake liners and bake.

Frosting:

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

For the Mickey Mouses:

take a large oreo and dip it in the melted, colored white chocolate chips, let dry on wax paper. add 2 little dabs of the white chocolate chips that isn't colored. Top each cupcake with frosting and add one of the large oreo's and add 2 little oreo's for the ears.

Frosting recipe http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing

Lemon Cupcakes

These cupcakes were made for my daughters Girl Scout troop, for the Girl Scouts 100th Birthday, yesterday. They were made with the new lemon Girl Scout cookie on top. They were delicious.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 24 cupcake tin, with cupcake wrappers

Lemon Cake mix, prepare with the box directions. (3 eggs, oil and water)

orange zest

and the juice of 1/2 an orange

yellow food coloring.

Bake for 15-20 min, or until fork comes out clean. cool and frost, with the Lucious Lemon frosting, and top with a Savannah Smiles Lemon Girl Scout cookie.

Lucious Lemon frosting: http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/luscious-lemon-frosting-54666

1 teaspoon
fresh orange
rind , grated
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups
confectioners' sugar ,
sifted
2 tablespoons lemon juice and a a squeeze of an orange
1 tablespoon water
1 dash
salt

yellow food coloring

I added the orange to give it a little something different, since I didnt have a fresh lemon for the rind, and it turned out fantastic.

French Dip

Here is a recipe I got from Rachael Ray. I changed it a bit.

Ingredients

6 hoagie buns

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus some for drizzling

1 small onion, chopped

2 large clove garlic, divided, 1 chopped, 1 crushed

2 cups beef stock

Salt and pepper

1/4 pound sliced roast beef

f6 slices provolone cheese

Preparation Slice hoagie buns open lengthwise.Transfer the bread to a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, 8-10 minutes, or toast under the broiler but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn! Once the bread is toasted, rub cut side with the crushed clove of garlic then drizzle it with a little Olive Oil and cover it with grated cheese.While the bread is toasting, heat a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat with Olive Oil, about 2 tablespoons. Add onion, chopped garlic, with a little salt and pepper, and cook until the onions start to get soft about 2-3 minutes. Add beef stock, bring up to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to let the flavors come together.Using tongs swish a few slices of roast beef at a time through the hot broth then transfer to the cheesy garlic bread. Once all the roast beef has been mounded on the bread, top each half with slices of provolone cheese and transfer to the broiler or oven to melt the cheese.

Peanut Butter Pie

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut buter
1 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crusts
Mini Chocolate chips and crushed mini Nutter Butter cookies, for decoration.

Beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Mix in peanut butter and milk. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
Spoon into two 9 inch graham cracker pie shells; Add the mini Chocolate chips and crushed Nutter butter cookies. cover, and freeze until firm.

recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/No-Bake-Peanut-Butter-Pie

Tagalong cupcakes

Just in time for Girl Scout cookies.
cupcakes:
1 chocolate cake mix (with all ingredients that it suggests on the back of the box)
2 boxes of Tagalongs, or if it;s not GSC season you can use the Keebler knockoff brand)
24 cupcake liners

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup cream

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners (makes 24). add a tagalong to the bottom of each liner.
Make chocolate cake according to the package directions. and pour on top of Tagalongs, in the liners. and bake according to directions.

For frosting:
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.

Frosting recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/peanut-butter-frosting/detail.aspx

Peanut Butter Heart Cookies

How cute are these?
48 Dove or Reese's Heart shaped Candy
1/2 cupshortening
3/4 cupREESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 cupgranulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoonsmilk
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
1-1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
1 teaspoonbaking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Directions
1 Heat oven to 375°F.
2 Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Valentine Pretzel Buttons

Theses Pretty little bites were so easy and yummy. The recipe is from http://griffithsrated.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentine-prezel-buttons.html

What you'll need:

• square pretzels
• Hershey's Hugs (you can use Kisses, too, but I think the Hugs taste better and they definitely soften up better!)
• plain M&Ms

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200°. (If your oven runs hot you may want to turn the temp down to 170°.)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Place the pretzels on and top them with the hugs.

Bake for 4-5 minutes until the chocolate is shiny and soft (but NOT melting - they should still hold their shape).

Carefully place an M&M in the center of each hug and press it down to spread the chocolate.

Allow to cool completely (a few minutes in the fridge works perfectly) and enjoy!

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my favorite cookies to make. I make them whenever I have to bake for a bake sale. I always double because they go quick.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips
1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
1 cup Reese's Pieces, if desired.
Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F.

2 Beat butter, sugar and peanut butter in medium bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3 Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack; cool completely. About 3 dozen cookies.

Sausage Bread

This is 1 recipe, that is my own. I make it for any special occasion and its gone fast. You can make any kind of bread with the recipe. I have tried pepperoni, buffalo chicken and cold cuts. Other things you can put in this bread is sausage and peppers, meatballs and pizza filling.

Whoppie Pies

I just fell in love With these. The marshmelloow cream filling is so yummy, I could of eaten the whole Bowl with a spoon. I didn't sandwich most of these pies, I frosted them like cookies, I thought Their was a bit too much cookie and not enough cream.


Adapted From The Novice Chef Makes: 15 pies Prep Time: 45 minutes Bake Time: 8-9 minutes (Printable Recipe)

Ingredients: Whoopie Pie
1 2/3 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Cream Filling oh so good.
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/3 cups Marshmallow Fluff
1/4 teaspoon salt dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions Begin with sifting your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Then in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine your butter, vegetable shortening, and brown sugar. Using your paddle attachment, mix on low speed until just combined. Then switch to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of your bowl, add your egg and vanilla extract, and beat on high for another 2 minutes. Then add half of your flour mixture and half of your milk and mix until just combined. Then add the rest of your flour and milk and mix on medium/high for 30 seconds until light and fluffy.

On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spoon 2 tablespoons of batter. Make sure to leave 1 1/2 inches in between each mound so when they bake and expand they don't bake into each other. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes.

Allow your whoopie pies to cool completely. Then spoon a heaping spoon full of filling onto the center of your flat side. Take a second whoopie pie and lay the flat side down over the cream filling. Gently press down to evenly push to the sides.






http://www.sprinklesofparsley.com/2011/06/whoopie-pies.html?m=1

Homemade Calzones

Part 1: The Dough

Here’s what you need:

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (or 1 package)
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup warm water
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (might need to add ¼ to ½ cup more)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil


In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in ¼ cup warm water. then, in a medium size bowl combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining ¾ cup water. Use a wooden spoon and mix the dough together. About 3 to 5 minutes of stirring should do. If it seems too dry do the opposite and add a bit more water.

Flip the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead it by hand for 2 or 3 minutes. dough should be smooth and firm. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl an cover it up with plastic wrap. Let it sit and rise for about 30-45 minutes. When ready the dough should stretch when lightly pulled.

Take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 2 to 4 equal sized balls. Now knead each ball for a few minutes. Place them again inside a bowl. Preferably a separate bowl for each, and cover with a damp cloth. Let them sit for about 15 to 20 minutes.

You can either use it immediately or place it in zip-lock bags and freeze it. It’s good for a couple days.

Part 2: The Ingredients

Flip the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead it by hand for 2 or 3 minutes, the dough should be smooth and firm. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl an cover it up with plastic wrap. Let it sit and rise for about 30-45 minutes. When ready the dough should stretch when lightly pulled.

Take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 2 to 4 equal sized balls. Now knead each of them for a few minutes. Place them again inside a bowl. Preferably a separate bowl for each, and cover with a damp cloth. Let them sit for about 15 to 20 minutes.

You can either use it immediately or place it in zip-lock bags and freeze it. It’s good for a couple days.

You Can add any of your favorite pizza toppings to the calzone. I used pepperoni, mozzerella, green pepppers and ham. You want to use 2 to 3 cups of ricotta Cheese mixed with an egg. Add any kind of seasoning you'd like.

Part 3: Assembling the Calzone

Get out the dough balls and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a few pizza pans.
Take your first ball of dough and begin flattening it out on your first pizza pan, Get it as round as possible. Don’t make it too thin. You want the dough to be about ¼ inch thick.

Once you have the dough flattened out into a nice circle it’s time to add the ingredients. Add ingredients to only one side of the dough, and don’t get too close to the edge. Keep your filling about ¼ inch way from the edge of the dough. Start with your ricotta. Then add in your meat and veggies, finally top that off with mozzarella cheese. Don't over stuff..

Now, once you have all your fillings in place you need to grab the empty side of the dough and wrap it over the fillings. Now you should have a half-circle. Roll the edges of the dough together and close everything up.

Get one more egg and beat it in a small bowl. Dip a paper towel in the egg and use that to brush egg over the top of your dough. Just enough to wet it. This will make the crust bake up nice and crispy. Now sprinkle a little more Romano cheese on top.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes till golden brown. It’s going to rise a bit more in the oven. Once you take it out of the oven let it cool, before cutting.

Use your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce for dipping.



http://thingsbymike.com/mikes-calzone-recipe/

French Dip

This is Jason's favorite dinner. Very easy and I got it from Rachael Ray a few years back and probably have made it once a month, since I found it.

1 wide baguette
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 small onion, chopped
2 large clove garlic, divided, 1 chopped, 1 crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound sliced roast beef
6 slices provolone cheese

Preparation

kitchen tips Slice baguette open lengthwise just shy of actually completely splitting it open; you want it to open like a book and stay together. Then cut the bread in half so that you have 2 books. Transfer the bread to a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, 8-10 minutes, or toast under the broiler but keep an eye on it so it doesnt burn! Once the bread is toasted, rub cut side with the crushed clove of garlic then drizzle it with a little EVOO and cover it with grated cheese.

While the bread is toasting, heat a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add onion, chopped garlic, tomato paste and rosemary, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook until the onions start to get soft about 2-3 minutes. Add beef stock, bring up to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to let the flavors come together.

Using tongs swish a few slices of roast beef at a time through the hot broth then transfer to the cheesy garlic bread. Once all the roast beef has been mounded on the bread, top each half with 3 slices of provolone cheese and transfer to the broiler or oven to melt the cheese.





http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/french-dip-with-italian-attitude/

Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. 2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. 3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

I got this recipe from Allrecipe.com

Cookie dough truffles

These are so good, you can't just eat 1. I had seen a bunch of recipes of these that calls for sweetned condensemilk which I didn't have so I found this recipe that works great without it. Delaney loved helping me make And roll These.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

(recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar d
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons skim milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

beat on medium speed until well combined. Add the milk and vanilla and mix again. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour.

Put the whole bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes, so the dough hardens a little bit – this will make it easier to shape it into balls since it won’t be so sticky.

Next, just shape them into 2 inch balls.
You can dip these in chocolate or rolling them in coconut or crushed nuts.

Sarah's Pasta Salad

I know pasta salad isn't hard to make. You can add just. About anything you want to it. But I have been pasta salad crazy, this summer and making it as much as possible. Here is my versionn of pasta salad.

1 lb of bow tie pasta, cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
1 cucumber, cut up
1 tomato, cut up
1 pepperoni stick, cut up
1 cup of deli ham, sliced
1 1b of pepper jack cheese, cut up
1 bottle of Zesty Italian dressing (I Prefer Walmart brand)

Mix all ingredients and only a small amount of salad dressing. Refrigerate until Ready to use. Right before serving mix in more salad dressing. Mix well.

*Of course you can add whatever else you want to it. Black olives, salami.

Lemon Bars

I made these for Jason, since he loves anything lemony. I didn't think it had enough lemon flavor to them.



1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
6 eggs
1 3/4 cups white sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. 2. Combine the flour, 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan. 3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly golden. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust. 4. Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar, cut into 2 squares.

Rachael Ray's BBQ Chicken 1 Pot Pie

We have a lot of Rachael Ray dinners that we really enjoy and this is one of them. I save a little money and make my own corn muffins and it tastes just as good.

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/bbq-chicken-1-pot-pie/

Ingredie
1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 to 3 onions, chopped 4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 to 1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce, to taste
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 store-bought corn muffins
2 to 3 tablespoons butter, melted (eyeball it)

n a large sauté pan, heat EVOO and begin browning the chicken pieces in small batches making sure not to over crowd the pan. Add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook until onions and garlic are soft, about 2-3 minutes. (If your pan is too small to cook all the chicken at once without overcrowding, work in batches, reserving cooked chicken on a plate. Add additional EVOO, if needed, to sauté onions and garlic.) In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, tomatoes and chicken stock. Pour into the pot with the chicken. Let this mixture cook for about 15-20 minutes or until reduced. To serve, split the muffins horizontally. Cover a cookie sheet with some foil and arrange the split muffins on the tray cut-site up and brush with melted butter. Toast under the broiler for 1 minute. Place the toasted corn muffin halves on top of the skillet stew.

Magic Cookie Bars

1/2 cups butter, melted
1 1/2 c crushed graham crackers
2 c choc chips
1 c white chips
1 1/3 c coconut
1/2 c Reece's Pieces *I had these on hand and decided to use them.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. 2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork. 3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.