Rosemary Bread Machine Recipe

I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com - It's a recipe by Stacy.

I didn't save the link - but here is the recipe & my modifications. I have modified it a little each time I have made it. My boys eat it up in less than 2 days. Yummmmm.

Ingredients:
1 cup of warm water (I do room temperature from our Brita filter, then I warm it up for 30 seconds in our microwave)

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

3 Tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 Tablespoons oil (olive, safflower, vegetable, sunflower - I have used all they are all good. Next time, I'm going to try hemp!)

1/2 teaspoon (handful) of each:
ground thyme, garlic powder

2 teaspoons of crushed rosemary (I use about 2 1/2 teaspoons or 2 handfuls)
Plus, if I have it on hand, I cut up one sprig of fresh rosemary and throw that in there too.

3 cups of all-purpose flour

I have used wheat, banana flour. I may use peanut flour next time I find it.

All purpose bakes up the best, though. Light, flakey, easy to eat.

Directions:

dump all the ingredients in to the bread maker in the order you see them here. Turn the bread maker on to "light crust setting" (for me and my bread maker - it is setting #3) and press start.

YUM.

Tonight, I doubled the garlic, left out the other spices, and then added about a cup of Mexican shredded cheese. Smells so good. Can't wait to try it!

No Noodle Vegetarian Lasagna

So, last week while grocery shopping, I saw butternut squash (kind of unevenly) cut into "lasagna noodle" style. OOH. Had to do this. 

It's roughly based on my chef mom's lasagna recipe. she does sort of an easy dump method, to cook for large crowds, like sorority size or jazz club restaurant size ....

See photos for better descriptions ... "a picture is worth 1,000 words"

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This could easily be made with any kind of squash "noodles" .... pumpkin, zucchini, yellow squash....

If you cut your noodles fat, then I suggest maybe boiling them in water until they are a bit more floppy. I didn't do that with my raw butternut squash "noodles" so they were hard to cut through.

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What you need:

- practically any kind of squash vegetable cut to look like lasagna noodles i.e.: long, thin strips

- lentils (1-2 packages of Tasty Bite Indian Madras Lentils)

- cauliflower rice, at least thawed. cooked is fine.

- brown rice, pre-cooked, thawed, whatever. not raw.

- garlic salt

- cracked pepper

- ricotta cheese

- some water so I could stir the cheese

- mozzarella

- red chopped tomatoes in sauce (2 cans)

mix the whites and mix the reds. in this case, the cheeses and veggies are white. the lentils and red sauce are the reds.

put something on the bottom of the pan, either the white cheese mix or the red sauce mix. whatever you have more of.

layer from there - one thing, the next thing, the next thing, repeat. About half way up the pan, sprinkle with the garlic salt and cracked pepper. Then continue the layers. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the mozzarella cheese, then add the garlic salt and cracked pepper on top of that.

fold a piece of tinfoil length wise (like a very wide, very long hot dog bun). "Tent" it over the top of the lasagna. Put in oven:

350 degrees F in the oven for 35 minutes. then 250 degrees F in the oven for 20 minutes. Let it rest after you pull it out of the oven, at least 20 minutes.

See photos for what I used.

7 ingredients, 7 pancakes. For the Win!

A post from a guest today - she posted this on Facebook and I just so enjoyed it, I had to share here too. This is from Liz Fuller-Wright (with permission)

Pancakes rule the world. They're forgiving, easy, and need 7 ingredients, nearly all of which you almost certainly have. (If you've ever baked cookies in your kitchen, you're golden.) And the recipe is memorization friendly because nearly all the measurements start with 1:

1 C flour
1 T sugar
1 t baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 C milk
1 egg2 T vegetable oil

That's it. Then you mix in whatever you feel like. Today, I went with a liberal sprinkling of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg, a splash of vanilla, and a handful of frozen blueberries.
It makes 5-10 pancakes, depending entirely on how big you make them. When I'm at the griddle, this recipe always produces 7 pancakes.
7 ingredients. 7 pancakes.

FOR THE WIN!

S'more French Toast

Jodi's version of S'more French Toast: 

Scramble an egg with milk (almond milk works fine; so does cream, I'm sure), nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste. 

Slice a bagel really thin. Dip into egg mix. (Rolls sliced thinly or bread works too - whatever you have on hand!)

Crush up a bunch of graham crackers (2-4), cover dipped bagel in graham crackers. (My 7 year old went to town crushing the graham crackers; it was great!)

Fry for 3 minutes on each side. When doing 2nd side, add chocolate chips. Put marshmallows in pan next to French toast and turn every 30-40 seconds to get every part of the marshmallow golden. 

Just before serving, put 2 marshmallows on top of French toast.  Serve hot with love and smiles!

Easter

Time to start planning the Easter menu. Having 16 people to my home.

Snowman Cupcakes

Thanks to being on Twitter, I found these adorable snowman cupcakes another mom made; and thought I would share them with you all!

Link: http://www.lifetimemoms.com/food-family-recipes/blog/snowman-cupcakes-0

Vegan Cookie Recipes

Just stumbled upon this blog - and wanted to share with those who are interested!   Enjoy!!

The Unintentional Vegan - Cookie Recipes

Tastebook

I spent today updating my family recipe cookbook!!  You can see & order it here:  Jodi's Family Recipe Cookbook

Let me know in the comments if you sign up for Tastebook & if you order a cookbook!

Baked Brie Cheese with Apricot Preserves

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 sheet puff pastry (from 17.3-oz package), thawed (Pillsbury crescent rolls works nicely)

olive oil or vegan “butter” spread

1 round (8 oz) Brie cheese, cut horizontally in half

Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or cooking parchment paper; lightly spray foil or paper with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix preserves, pecans and onion; set aside.

On lightly floured surface, roll pastry into 10x14-inch rectangle. Using the round of cheese as a pattern, cut a pastry circle 3 to 4 inches larger than the cheese. Set aside excess pastry.

Spread half of the preserves mixture in center of pastry circle, leaving 3-inch edge. Place 1 cheese round (in rind) on preserves. Spoon remaining preserves over cheese. Top with remaining cheese round.

Gently fold edges of pastry up and over cheese to cover, folding and pinching edges to seal. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. Cut out decorative pieces from excess pastry. Brush pastry with oil or margarine; place pastry cutouts on top. 5 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Oma's Lasagne

This is my Mum's lasagne recipe.  I remember her making it when I was a little girl.  She made it for a dormitory of girls when we lived in Princeton, NJ.  And she also made this when she was a chef in Princeton at a restaurant, and for various restaurants in Northern Virginia when she lived there too.  She's also made it for me on special occasions.  I see her about once every decade (I'm not joking - we never see each other) - and so my mum makes her lasagne for me approx once every 10 years.  I've had it about 4 times in my life. Now, I have the recipe, and it turns out I've gone vegan.  But hopefully others will enjoy!!

Oma’s Lasagna

Meaty sauce layer

Sauce

1 Pkg of ground meat

1 lg can crushed tomatoes

2 T or more oregano

2 T basil

salt & pepper

1 Lg chopped onion

1 T minced garlic

1/2 cup red wine (rinse out the tomato can) with it

chopped mushrooms if you like

-

Cheese layer & noodles

1 container ricotta cheese

2 large eggs beat into the ricotta to make a paste

grated Parmesan, Romano and shredded mozzarella

2 pkg ready to use no boiling first lasagna noodles

In a large pot, brown the meat first. Add all the rest of the ingredients and cook on low heat for 45 minutes stirring often so it doesn’t burn.

In a lasagna pan, put a layer of sauce first then the noodles then the ricotta and cheeses. Continue layering until almost full. Finish with mozzarella cheese. Cover through first 1/2 of baking with a sheet of foil sprayed with cooking spray so it doesn’t stick to the cheese.

Uncover through last 1/2 of cooking. Total time will be about an hour at 350.

Let sit a good 1/2 hour or 45 minutes so cutting will be good.

Easy Vegan Wheat Bread

2 1/2 cups warm water
1 T molasses
2 yeast packets
3 cups whole wheat flour

Mix water, yeast and molasses in a large bowl.  Pour in the 3 cups of wheat flour and mix well.  Cover the bowl with a towel and place in a dry place.  Let sit for 20 minutes to a full day.

1/2 cup minus 1 T molasses
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/4 C soy milk
3-4 C unbleached white flour
1 t salt

Pour in the molasses, oil, soy, milk and salt.  Mix.

Add white flour a 1/2 C at a time.  After about 3 cups, the mix will get pretty dense.  Begin to knead.  It will still be sticky.  Add another 1/2 - 1 C flour and knead the bread.  Knead it for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

If making loaves of bread:
Cut into 2 equal parts.  Shape into loaves and put into 2 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 greased bread pans.

If making 24 rolls:
drop blops of dough onto a cookie sheet

You can also make 1 loaf of bread and 12 rolls

Cover the pans with the towel - put in warm place.  Let dough double in size.  It takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Bake:
Loaves of bread at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.
Rolls at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 heaping tbs cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbs oil
1 tbs white or rice vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup cold water

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients, add dry and beat well. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes. For a layer cake, double the ingredients.

I just ordered my first cookbook that I made from TasteBook.com 
I'm so excited!  it took me 3 years to compile!  It's made up of all of my Christmas cookie recipes; and also other holiday cooking things.  most of the recipes are on this blog; but when I'm cooking, I'm not sitting at the computer in front of a blog.  So now I will have my recipes in a cookbook!  I'm so excited!!  A family tradition has been put into a binder & will be arriving at my house in about 2 weeks!


The book is called:  

Beatty Family Holiday Cooking

Vegan Easter / Roasted Vegetables

I've roasted my first ever set of vegetables!!  I'm so excited!!  This is my first ever vegan holiday meal.  Yum!!!

VEGAN

Dear blog readers:

I read a book "A new Kind of Christianity" by Brian Mclaren.  I also watched a show on Oprah Winfrey (the first show of hers I've watched in over a decade I think!) on becoming vegan.  And then I ordered the book, "Veganist" and a vegan ice cream recipe book.  And I decided to explore becoming vegan.  And I haven't looked back.

I'm not the most perfect vegan out there.  I'm sure I'm not doing things 100% vegan; but I'm getting better every week.  And my kids have turned mostly vegetarian.  At dinnertime, we're all vegan.

The recipes on here ... the ones that have been here for a while - will stay here.  I will be adding on vegan recipies from here on out.

Does anyone have a good punch recipe they'd like to share?  Maybe one with some lime juice in it?  I need to bring a big bowl of punch to an event on Friday...

-Jodi

Spiced Chocolate Coffee

A recipe from Bethenny Frankle's Valentines 2011 newsletter.

Makes 7 cups
Ingredients:

•     10 tablespoons ground coffee
•     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•     6 cups water
•     1/2 cup steamed soy milk
•     3 tablespoons agave nectar
•     1/8 teaspoon cocoa powder

Preparation:
Combine coffee, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a coffee filter. Brew with 6 cups of water in a coffeemaker, according to coffeemaker’s instructions.

Mix steamed soymilk, agave nectar, and cocoa.
Pour coffee into mugs, and top with steamed soymilk mixture.

Seared Smoked Salmon, Cucumbers Presse

2 large firm cucumbers, about 1 1/2 lbs
2 T lemon olive oil (see recipe)
1 lb best-quality smoked salmon with skin, cut in 1 piece from center of fish

Wash cucumbers and, using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin in thin alternating strips to create stripes.  Slice cucumbers into paper-thin rounds.  Place in a colader and toss with 1 T kosher salt.  Weight down and place in a shallow casserole or in the sink.  Let sit 1 hour.

Wash off salt under running water.  Press cucumbers between your hands to extract as much water as possible.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add 1 T lemon oil, a pinch of kosher salt if needed, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Chill until ready to serve.

Cut salmon into 6 thick strips across the width of the fish.  Heat a large nonstick skillet until very hot (almost to smoke point).  Coat skillet with 1/2 T lemon oil.  Add fish, skin side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until skin is crisp.  Continue to cook on all sides, 1 minute each, or until outside turns golden.

Do not overcook, as the interior should be rare.

Place cucumbers in centers of 6 large plates and top with hot salmon.  Drizzle with remaining lemon olive oil.  Serve immediately.

Serves 6. 

From the Cookbook:  "Healthy 1-2-3" by Rozanne Gold
A great cookbook!  Fewer ingredients, yummier, not-so-messy kitchen, less expensive!

NOTE:  Lemon-flavored olive oils from Boyajian or Land of Canaan (Israel) are available in many supermarkets and specialty food stores, and all are kosher.  Be sure not to use the pure lemon oil generally used in baking.

Apples and Cranberry Compote

4 medium Macintosh apples, about 1 1/4 lbs
1 scant cup raw cranberries
5 T light brown sugar

Peel apples and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, removing cores and seeds.  Place in a 4-quart saucepan with cranberries, sugar and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover pot and cook over moderate heat about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until apples and cranberries are broken down and sauce is fairly smooth.  Let cool, then refrigerate until cold.

Serves 4.


From the Cookbook:  "Healthy 1-2-3" by Rozanne Gold
A great cookbook!  Fewer ingredients, yummier, not-so-messy kitchen, less expensive!

My Favorite Sweet Potatoes

4 large sweet potatoes, about 3 lbs.
2 juice oranges
2-inch piece fresh ginger

Scrub potatoes, do not peel.  Place in a pot with enough cold water to cover.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium.  Cook for 50 minutes, or until potatoes are very soft.

Meanwhile, grate rind of 1 orange on the file holes of a box grater to yield 1 t grated zest.  Cut oranges in half and squeeze 2/3 cup juice.  Set aside.

Drain potatoes in colander and peel thoroughly under cool running water.  Cut into large chunks and place in bowl of a food processor.

Using a small sharp knife, peel ginger and mince.  You should have almost 1/4 cup.

Add orange zest, juice, and ginger to food processor with potatoes.  Process until very smooth.  Transfer mixture to a saucepan and add kosher salt to taste. 

Do not add pepper, as the ginger provides enough heat.  Reheat gently before serving.

Serves 8.


From the Cookbook:  "Healthy 1-2-3" by Rozanne Gold
A great cookbook!  Fewer ingredients, yummier, not-so-messy kitchen, less expensive!

Reindeer Bark

1 1/4 cups whole raw almonds
1 T olive oil
1/4 t fine sea salt
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 •

In a medium bowl, combine the almonds, olive oil & sea salt. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until toasted & fragrant ~ 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

Turn the oven down to 250 • F.

Line a 17x11" rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread both kinds of chopped chocolate all over the sheet. Place in the oven until soft, about 5 min.

Remove from oven and spread the chocolate with a spatula or dull knife evenly to the edges. Immediately sprinkle with the toasted and salted almonds. Bury the nuts in the chocolate.

Refrigerate the bark for 2-3 hours, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Wrap in parchment and store in a plastic container in the refrigerator 2-3 weeks.

Makes 1 pound.

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