Rosebud's Bread

As you've probably guessed, I sort of like trying new recipes.  I mean, I have a fantastic recipe for bread that I use all of the time but why not try a new one, right? 

This one is a Pinterest find and it's pretty darn good.  I just made it yesterday but its still moist and delicious.  The original recipe was for white bread but I added about half white wheat flour just to get some of that nutrition into it. 

There isn't a ton of flavor (which is kinda the point of bread, in my opinion) I mean, don't you really want to taste what you're putting inside of your sandwich or on top your toast? So I like it.  My other recipe for bread has honey in it so you get a little more flavor, however, my other recipe doesn't rise up and get as big as this one does.  However, I love the texture.  It's moist and holds together well for a sandwich. 

Rosebud's Bread

Recipe from The Curry Carrot

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 tsp (two packets) active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 3/4 cup additional warm water
• 9-10 cups all-purpose flour (i use King Arthur)
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• extra spray or butter for greasing

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer add the yeast and 3/4 cup water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add to the yeast mixture, sugar, salt, unsalted butter and the remaining water and mix.
3. Add 5 cups of flour, slowly, until mixture becomes smooth. Slowly add in the remaining flour until it becomes smooth.
4. Switch to the dough hook and knead in your mixer for 10 minutes. Alternatively, this amount of dough might be hard on your mixer unless you have a large or professional mixer. So you can also knead on a floured work surface.
5. Put dough into a large greased bowl and cover with either a floured towel or plastic wrap for about an hour. Set in a warm spot.
6. Punch down dough and cut into two even sized pieces. Working with one at a time, roll out to about a 12x12 sized square and make sure it's a uniform thickness. Now tightly roll the dough into a roll, pinch together the ends and place it seam side down in a greased 9" loaf pan. Do the same to the remaining dough and cover. Let sit a warm place for another hour to rise.
7. Preheat the oven to 425º
8. Bake both loaves in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then cover with tin foil and bake for another 15 minutes so they don't get too dark. Remove from the oven and let cool in the loaf pans, then remove from pans to a wire rack.

Amazing Dinner Rolls

You are looking at the only thing I wanted to eat for dinner last night.  I love homemade rolls anyway but these were so incredibly light and delicious I had to hurry up and bag them and put them out of my reach.

And the recipe makes 24 of these babies!!

I froze most of them and then for lunch I took two out and microwaved them for 30 seconds and they were just like they were last night.  If I don't get some help eating the rest of them I'm going to be in serious trouble.

They aren't like the crescent rolls you buy in that little tube from the grocery store.  These are better. Those are flaky and I wouldn't describe these as flaky, however they are tender and light and that little bit of salted butter on the top just makes my mouth water.

The shape that these are rolled into just make them that much lighter.  Just the perfect dinner roll.  I love them!

For more pictures and information just click the link below.  She did a fantastic job on her website.

Amazing Dinner Rolls
Recipe from Cooking Classy

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup + 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups warmed whole milk (110 to 115 degrees)
• 3/4 cup (divided) salted butter
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Cooking Directions

1. Heat the water to the correct temperature and then add the yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the yeast mixture, milk, 5 Tbsp butter, egg and the salt. Mix with the whisk attachment until combined.
3. Add 2 cups of flour and mix.
4. Change the attachment to the dough hook and add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour.
5. Dump the dough into a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap in a warm draft free location for about 1 1/2 hours. Until doubled in size.
6. Pinch the dough down and then divide into two even pieces.  Roll the first piece out on a floured surface until about 13 inches in diameter. Smear about 2 Tbsp of softened butter onto the surface. Cut it into quarters, then each quarter into 3 pieces so you have 12 triangles. Roll each triangle (fat side toward skinny side) and then lay on a lined cookie sheet, seam side down. 
7. Do the same with the other piece of dough so you have 24 rolled "crescent" dough pieces.  They should fit 3 rows of 8 each. 
8. Cover loosely with plastic wrap for another hour and let rise. 
9. Preheat the oven to 375º the last 10 minutes of rising. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden.  Smear with the remaining softened butter when they first come out of the oven. Serve hot. 
10. These freeze very nicely or you can refrigerate in an air tight bag for about a week. 

New York-Style Bagels

Breakfast at our house just got a little more interesting.  My daughter loves bagels and cream cheese in the morning, however, I am not a big fan of store bought bagels.  Having said that,  I don't feel so bad about giving her bagels after making them myself.  I know the idea of making your own bagels might not be appealing, but they are pretty easy.  They are only time consuming because you have to wait for the dough to rise. After that, it's a breeze.

I loved how chewy the texture was, just like you'd get from a New York bakery.  I'll admit that I've never been to New York, (I know, I'm going, hopefully sooner than later) but I have had New York-Style bagels before, and these tasted just like them.

My daughter is not a fan of flavored varieties, so I just made a plain bagel for her.  I honestly had to keep reminding myself that they were for her.  After all, she would not appreciate me eating them all. They were soooo good.

If you find yourself with a little extra time on Sunday, try to make some bagels.  They are quick breakfasts on busy weekdays. Also great for school lunches!

New York-Style Bagels

Recipe from Sophisticated Gourmet

Ingredients

• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (you might need up to 1/4 more)
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour + more for kneading
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Cooking Directions

1. Use 1/2 cup of the warm water to add the yeast and sugar to. Do not stir, just let it sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you can stir it until the sugar dissolves.
2. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl, stir together and make a well in the middle and pour the yeast/sugar mixture into it. 
3. Pour half the remaining warm water, into the well. You're looking for moist but firm dough.  You might need to add all the remaining water or just a little of it, depending on where you live. I had to use it all. 
4. On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 10 minutes, adding in as much flour as needed to make the dough smooth and elastic yet stiff. 
5. Coat a large bowl in oil and then form the dough into a ball and coat it in the oil and then cover the dough with plastic wrap or a wet towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size. 
6. Punch down the dough and let sit for another 10 minutes. 
7. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.  Now take each dough ball and using your hand, gently roll the dough ball on your work surface until you have a perfect little dough ball. Repeat with the remaining 7 dough balls. 
8. After shaping into balls, place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and cover to let sit for another 10 minutes. 
9. Preheat the oven to 425º
10. Get a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil. 
11. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lower several bagels into the water. Once they rise to the top, let them boil for 1 minute (2 for chewier texture), then flip over and boil for 1 minute (2 for chewier texture) then remove to the lightly greased cookie sheet. If you're going to top the bagels with anything, now's the time but you will need to put an egg wash over the bagels so the toppings will stick first. 
12. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
13. Cool on a wire rack. 

Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls

It's HUMP DAY! That commercial drives me crazy yet it is oddly addictive at the same time. I'm weird like that.

I know most of you can agree that when it comes to dinner, the easier the better.  All I want to do at the end of the day is sit down and relax for a minute.  But dinner must be made first!  I had a huge craving for dinner rolls the other night.  Honey wheat rolls to be exact.  The problem was that I had already started dinner (chili) so I didn't have hours and hours to wait for bread to rise.

I couldn't believe it when I saw this recipe and realized that it only took less than an hour to make.  I HAD to try them. The result? One of the quickest, tastiest dinner rolls I've ever made.  I'm IN LOVE with this recipe!  I can't say enough nice things about it.  I've also had leftover rolls in a zip top bag in my refrigerator for several days and each time I want one I just grab it and put it in the microwave for about 20 seconds and it's still delicious.  Why can't all yeast bread recipes be this easy?

Do yourself a favor and whip some homemade dinner rolls up tonight.  You will be so happy you did!

Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls

Recipe from Jamie Cooks it Up

Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup hot milk
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp yeast (I used active dry)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170º
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer (using the dough hook) add 2 cups of wheat flour and 1 cup of white flour, 1/4 cup of honey and the heated milk (heat 3/4 cup of milk in the microwave for 1-2 minutes). Add the heated water (water should be hot but not burn your hand).  
3. Add the salt and softened butter. Turn the mixer on low and blend for about 1 minute. 
4. Add the yeast and mix for about 30 seconds. 
5. While the mixer is on, add 1 more cup of white flour. 
6. Let the mixer mix for about 1 minute, the dough should begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  If the dough remains sticky, you can add more flour (up to 1/2 cup).  Once the dough is the right consistency you can turn the mixer up to medium and mix for 5 minutes. 
7. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch dish with some softened butter or cooking spray. 
8. Dump the dough into the middle of the pan.  
9. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 16 equal pieces. 
10. Roll each piece into a ball and place in the pan. 
11. Place the pan in the warm oven and let rise for about 15 minutes or until doubled in size. 
12. Leave the pan in the oven and raise the temperature to 350º
13. Bake until the rolls are golden brown on top, mine took about 25 minutes but Jamie's (from the link above) only took 13 minutes so check them often.  
14. Remove from the oven and brush some butter over the tops.  Salted butter works best I think. 
15. Allow to rest for 5 minutes in the pan and then enjoy!

Angel Biscuits

I'm sure I've mentioned how inept I am at making biscuits.  I keep trying though.  This recipe seemed different because of the yeast aspect so I gave it a whirl.  Low and behold, they turned out!  How about that, I made a biscuit!! 

Obviously this one takes slightly longer since you do have to allow some time to rise, but on the other hand you could make it the night before and let it rise in the refrigerator.  That would be much quicker for a morning breakfast. :)

The biscuits were great, the texture was perfect, flaky yet soft and not as crumbly as some other biscuits.  They had a very traditional biscuit flavor but the added butter on top was a nice noticeable difference in my opinion. I used salted butter on the tops and that flavor came through and helped the tops turn a nice golden color. 

Angel Biscuits

Brisbin Community Cookbook by Jerry Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 1/4 tsp) Active Dry Yeast
• 2 1/2 Tbsp warm water
• 3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup buttermilk
• butter, softened (about 2 Tbsp)

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside for about 10 minutes. 
2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer.  Cut in the shortening with two forks or a pastry cutter. 
3. Add the buttermilk and the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and knead slightly. 
4. Lightly flour your works surface and roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. 
5. Cut into round shapes and place in a greased 9x13 inch dish.  
6. Brush lightly with melted butter and let rise for about 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. 
7. Preheat the oven to 400º and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. 

Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

I know I've said this before but I truly love fall.  I love the way the air smells and the crisp mornings and evenings, the colors of the trees, apples and pumpkins.  It's time to break out the comfy sweaters and long pants again.  It also means my entry way is about to become super cluttered with boots, hats, gloves and scarves.  That's OK, it's worth it.

I've been wanting to make this recipe for a very long time.  Having half a bushel of apples to use up really helped me move along with this recipe.  I know it's a lot of steps but the end result is so worth it.  The steps aren't complicated, just time intensive. I took a lot of pictures to help clarify so I hope it makes sense.

After the dough has risen for the first time, you need to spray a surface with non-stick spray. Roll it out, or just stretch it out to make a 12 x 20 inch rectangle.

Spread the butter/vanilla mixture evenly over the dough, then sprinkle on the brown sugar, then cinnamon.  Add the apples and nuts if you're using them.

Cut one line down the center, and then two cuts on either side of that center line.  You want 6 equal sized strips.

Pile the strips on top of each other.  A lot of apples fall off during this process, just stick them back on as best you can and you can save some to put on the top once it's in the dish.

I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of this next step but the link I've provided below has awesome pictures.  Anyway, once you've piled them on top of each other, cut once down the center, then 2 equal sized cuts on either side of the center line, again you're looking for 6 even sized cuts to make 6 individual piles of stacked dough.

Now put the dough squares in the prepared pan and sprinkle the tops with any apples that have fallen off.  Now let rise again, 30 - 60 more minutes.

Bake, while it's baking you can make the yummy glaze.

When the loaf comes out of the oven you will want to let it sit in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.  But once it's out of the pan you can drizzle some of the glaze over the slightly warm loaf.  You don't want the loaf to be super hot or the glaze will just run off, be patient and let it cool a little first.

Oh yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about.

The layers really do peel away and there are plenty of apples.

The dough is super moist and the taste is very much cinnamon roll like, with apples on top.  Just glorious. Best when eaten a little warm but I've been snacking on mine straight from the refrigerator and  it's equally yummy.

Totally worth the time it takes to put this bread together.  Wonderful treat for Christmas morning or when you've got company for breakfast. Or just yourself.

Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
Recipe from Half Baked

Dough

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

Cooking Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, milk, water, eggs and vanilla extract. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Slowly add the wet ingredients while the mixture is on low.
3. Let the mixture become a soft dough. If the dough looks too dry add a little water, if it looks to sticky add up to 1/4 cup more flour.
4. Dump the dough into a oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

Filling

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 3 medium apples, (about 2 cups) peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Once the dough has risen. Dump it onto a lightly greased surface and form into a 12 x 20 inch rectangle.
2. Mix the melted butter and vanilla together and spread evenly on the dough rectangle.
3. Use your hands to distribute the brown sugar over the top of the dough and spread around so it's even.
4. Next sprinkle the cinnamon over the top so it's even.
5. Add the apples to the top.
6. Next add the nuts, if you're using them.
7. Cut the rectangle in half width wise, and then make two more even cuts on each side of the center line so you end up with 6 even sections. (See pictures)
8. Stack those sections on top of each other, you will need to put back some of the apple pieces that fall off. (see pictures)
9. Not you should have one section piled high (see pictures)
10. Cut that section down the middle, and then make two even sections on each side of that center line so you have 6 even squares.
11. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and then turn each section on it's side and press the cut sections into the loaf pan. (see picture).
12. Cover and let rise for 30 - 60 more minutes.
13. Preheat the oven to 350º
14. Once the dough has risen for the second time, place in the oven and bake for 45 -55 minutes, tenting it with tin foil after 30 minutes. 
15. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let sit for 15 - 20 minutes, then turn out and continue with the glaze below. 

Glaze

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1 Tbsp milk

Cooking Directions

1. Make the glaze by mixing the two ingredients together until the desired consistency has been reached. Drizzle over the warm loaf.

Whole Wheat Pretzel Bites

Here's a great snack for the kids lunch boxes, or for your own lunch box!  You can feel good about the whole wheat goodness they are made out of.  I drizzled mine with a little honey and got that fantastic sweet and salty taste combination.

They turned out fantastic, but here are some things I noticed when making the dough.  My dough never really became elastic and smooth after being in the mixer for well past the stated time, it was sort of dry and crumbly.  I finally removed it from the mixer and used my hands to knead it, at which point it did stick together a little better but was never smooth.  The rising time? Well mine never did rise to double it's size.  It did rise a little but not what I was expecting.  Having said all that, they turned out delicious.  I'm sure they would have been even more yummy if the dough had of cooperated.  Next time I'll add a little more water to the mixer to try to achieve the smooth dough consistency.

Either way, they are very good and I will make them again!

Whole Wheat Pretzel Bites

Recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups White whole wheat flour
• 1 cup water, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp honey

For Water Bath

• 8 cups water
• 2 Tbsp baking soda

For Finishing

• 1 large egg + 1 Tbsp water + pinch of salt for egg wash, and pretzel or kosher salt for topping.

Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the whole wheat flour and the water and stir with a wooden spoon.  Let rest for 20 minutes. 
2. Add the butter, bread flour, salt, yeast and honey.  Use the wooden spoon to combine.  Use the dough hook to knead the dough until it become smooth and elastic.  Takes about 5 minutes or maybe a little longer. 
3. Set the bowl in a warm area, cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in size.  About 90 minutes or so.  
4. When the dough is almost doubled, preheat your oven to 450º.  You can also begin the water bath by putting the water in a large pot and bringing it to a boil.  Once at a boil you can turn the heat down to a simmer and add the baking soda. 
5. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
6. On a lightly floured surface, dump the dough out and cut it into 8 even sections. Roll each section into a rope about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 1 inch pieces. 
7. Drop 10-15 pieces into the water bath for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and drop them onto the prepared cookie sheets in an even layer. Repeat with the rest of the pieces. 
8. Use the egg wash to brush over the tops of each piece and then sprinkle with the coarse salt and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. 
9. Best if served warm. 

Easter Sunrise Bread

Easter is one of my favorite times of the year.  Bring on the nice weather, by now we're all ready for it right? I know some of you might still be buried under snow but rest assured it's coming to an end. I think. 

This Easter bread is perfect for Easter morning. I could be rising while the kids are doing their Easter egg hunt!

Fresh out of the oven!

 This glaze really puts the bread over the top.

The outside has a nice crust and the inside is soft and lovely. I think this bread sort of reminds me of a cross between Panettone bread and a cinnamon roll. Sweet bread accented by the raisins and candied orange peel.  I can see why it's called "Easter Sunrise Bread" because it's perfect for breakfast.  You could toast it up, make a french toast or just eat it plain. It's delicious.

Oh, I forgot to mention that it's approved by my daughter, seems silly but it's a big deal in this house.  Yet another thing I can get her to eat!

I've had this cookbook for YEARS!  I can't even remember how long I've had it but I'm pretty sure I've had it for longer than I've known my husband which has been 17 years!

I hope you're all gearing up for a Hoppy Easter....see what I did there? Hoppy? Yeah I'm very clever on Mondays especially. 

Easter Sunrise Bread

Recipe from Great American Home Baking

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup warm water (105 - 115 degrees F)
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk (95 - 105 degrees F)
• 6 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup dark raisins or currants
• 1/2 cup candied orange peel (I used slightly more because I didn't have candied lemon peel)
• 1/2 cup candied lemon peel (I didn't have any)
• 1/2 tsp orange or lemon extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 Tbsp orange juice

Cooking Directions

1. Grease a 2 quart round or square baking dish, set aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the yeast, 2 Tbsp of the sugar, and the warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
3. Using the paddle attachment, stir in the lukewarm milk, remaining sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix well.
4. Add the raisins, peels, and extract and mix well.
5. on low speed begin adding the flour 1/2 cup at a time. At still dough should form.
6. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and put onto a well floured surface. Knead for 5-10 minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from becoming sticky until the dough is smooth and elastic.
7. Place the dough in a ball in the prepared baking dish and rub with 1 Tbsp of melted butter, cover loosely with a damp towel and place in a warm area. Leave for 1 1/2 hours until dough has doubled in size.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
9. Brush the remaining butter on the top of the dough and bake for 50 - 60 minutes.
10. Dough will be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the top when it is done.
11. Let sit for 5 minutes, after that time run a knife around the edges of the loaf to loosen it from the baking dish. Now turn the dough upside-down to remove from the dish and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely.
12. When cool, mix the confectioners sugar and orange juice together until smooth and drizzle over the bread. Let the glaze set up for a few minutes before cutting.

Dinner Club: Theme - Soup

Thank you Shannon for hosting February's Dinner Club!  I loved the theme this month because I'm a huge soup lover and I like to see what other people have in their arsenal of recipes.  Shannon is always a great host because she makes everyone feel very comfortable and her house is warm and inviting. And last but not least, she's an incredible cook!

Shannon made a wonderful black and white soup.  Half of it was black bean soup and the other was cheese soup and you pour them into the bowl at the same time which makes this nifty black and white look.  

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1/2 large yellow bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Cooking Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat add the butter and then the peppers, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 6 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add the flour and stir for two minutes.
3. Whisk in the stock, then the milk and cream and cook at a simmer for three minutes.
4. Stir in the cheese 1/2 cup at a time and whisk until smooth.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.




Black Bean Soup



Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried black beans
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 5 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Cooking Directions


1. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with cold water by 3 inches. Soak overnight.
2. Drain the beans and transfer to a large heavy pot.
3. Add 4 1/2 cups of water and the next 7 ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the beans are tender (about 1 hour and 10 minutes).
5. Working in batches blend the black bean soup with the 2 cups of chicken stock.
6. Return the soup to the pot and add the chopped cilantro.
7. Add more stock if needed to thin it out.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour 1/2 cup of each the cheddar soup and the black bean soup together at the same time. Top with sour cream if desired. 

TiNeill wins the cook of the night award for bringing FOUR items!  This girl loves to cook and it's so obvious because her dishes are incredible.  I'm a dessert hound as you may have guessed and I fell in love with these brownies.  Mixing an Oreo with a brownie, good heavens!

Cookies 'n Cream Fudge Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box fudge brownie mix
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate sandwich cookies
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 4 tsp milk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Sprinkle cookies over batter.
2. Bake 24 to 26 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
3. In small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over brownies. For brownies, cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Makes 20 brownies

Everyone loved these breadsticks, very soft and light in texture and the seasoning on top really added a nice saltiness and spice. 

Bread Sticks

Ingredients

• 1 package yeast
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
• 1/2 stick butter
• McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning

Cooking Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast into 1 1/2 cups of warm water.
2. Add the sugar and salt and stir until it dissolves.
3. Add the flour and stir in with a fork until the dough isn't sticky anymore and you can roll it into a ball. Add more flour if needed.
4. Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with cheesecloth (or plastic wrap) in a warm spot. Watch for it to begin to rise, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and roll and shape into an oval, use a pizza cutter to cut breadsticks.
6. Melt the butter in a dish and dip the breadsticks into the butter and then place them on a cookie sheet.
7. Sprinkle with McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning.
8. Let the breadsticks rise in a warm place for another 10-15 minutes or until they are fluffy.
9. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. The breadsticks will probably not look golden and you might not think they are done. When they are fluffy and dry they are done.

The name of this recipe says it all.  Creamy deliciousness is how I would describe it. 

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups favorite homemade meaty spaghetti sauce (recipe to follow) or 24 oz jarred sauce with 1/2 lb hamburger and 1/2 lb ground sausage
• 4.5 oz fresh spinach leaves
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 16 oz frozen cheese tortellini

Cooking Directions

1. Combine spaghetti sauce (and meat if adding it in separately), spinach, cream cheese, chicken broth, and mushrooms in a slow-cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, on high for 2-3.
2. 20 minutes before serving, turn heat to high if it isn't already an stir in frozen tortellini. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender and hot.
3. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.



Sort of Homemade Spaghetti Sauce



Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground beef (browned) do not drain
• 1/2 lb ground sausage (browned) do not drain
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 1 small tomato puree
• 1 package Mild McCormick Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning
• salt, pepper, minced garlic, oregano, basil - to taste

Cooking Directions


1. Simmer all ingredients together for 1 hour with lid on lowest heat, stir occasionally

Lisa F. brought this yummy salad which was perfect with the soup. TiNeill brought the salad dressing.

Poppyseed Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

Cooking Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender and refrigerate.

Lynn brought this fantastic hot artichoke dip.  Everyone dove in and came up smiling.  Seriously good dip that I cannot wait to add to my party recipes!

Three Cheese Hot Artichoke Dip

Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozerella
• dash hot sauce
• dash Worcestershire
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese.
3. Add the mayonnaise and beat until smooth.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
5. Transfer to a pie plate or shallow oven proof dish and bake for 30-40 minutes. The top will be golden brown and bubbly.

Lynn also made an incredible Lemon Pound Cake (which I failed to take a picture of).  Just trust me, it was goooooood.

Starbucks' Lemon Pound Cake w/Icing

The Recipe Circus

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Mix until smooth.
5. Add the oil and mix well.
6. Pour the mixture into a well greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center coms out clean.
8. Let cool in the pan.

Lemon Icing

• 1 Cup plus 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

1. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. 
2. Remove the cooled cake from the loaf pan and frost with the icing.  Wait for the icing to set before slicing. 

Melissa Y. brought a cheese and cracker plate with two flavors of preserves.  We sandwiched the cheese in-between two crackers slathered in preserves, talk about good!  Glad she taught me this little trick so I can use it in the future.

On this try was Sharp Cheddar, Brie, Goat Cheese, Muenster and an Artisan marinara and pepperoni cheese (delish).
Strawberry and Raspberry Preserves.
Assorted Crackers.

My contribution for the evenings soup dishes was this Butternut Squash and Apple Soup.  I have the full post here.

As always, I'm super excited for the next gathering.  I think every time we get together we learn more about one another. Great excuse for us to EAT!

Cuisinart Cook Central Multi-Cooker, 7-Quart - 7 quart (Google Affiliate Ad)

Bailey's Cream Filled Sweet Rolls

Saint Patrick's Day is just around the corner.  I remember way back when....my husband and I and our friends would meet in Boston at the Black Rose and we'd be there all day long.  Jeez I sound like I'm 80 years old or something! HA!

These day's I put my daughter in a green t-shirt and if I'm lucky I wear something green too and we don't do anything out of the ordinary all day. :)

I did remember far enough in advance to post something I created for St. Patrick's Day and these days that's a big accomplishment for me.  I'm pretty pleased with these sweet rolls.  I didn't really know what to call these because they are 50% sweet roll and 50% donut.  The thing I liked most about this recipe was that it was baked not fried.  I don't have anything against fried donuts I just don't like the smell and mess it makes.  

 The rolls are fairly straight forward, you mix the dough and let it rise.  After that you roll it out and cut the round shapes then let it rise again.  Bake, fill, frost, eat.  Repeat.

The cream I used for the filling was thick and not too sweet.  I tried it both with the Bailey's and without and I thought both were fantastic.  The roll is very soft, just as you'd expect a good yeast donut to be.  Since they were baked and not fried, feel free to have two. ;)

Add some little green sprinkles on top and you've got yourself a very festive St. Patrick's Day treat!

Sweet Rolls

Recipe found at FromScratchToPlate

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, whisked
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2-3 cup all-purpose flour

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warm milk and the yeast and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the butter, sugar and egg and mix to incorporate.
3. Slowly add the flour 1/2 cup at a time (add the salt with the first addition of flour). Mix on low until the flour is blended and then add another 1/2 cup of flour. Do this until the dough forms into a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Mix on low for 5 minutes, sprinkle with a little more flour if the dough begins sticking to the sides again. The key is not to add too much flour, less is more in this case. I used about 2 cups of flour.
4. After you've finished mixing for 5 minutes, cover the bowl and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size (about an hour but it could be longer).
5. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick.
6. Cut circles in the dough by using a cookie cutter or a glass. Try to use as much of the dough as possible with this first cut. If necessary you can use the scraps to re-roll and cut more circles, you can even do it a third time but the rolls won't be as light as the first cut.
7. Place the dough circles on a parchment lined cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about another 1 hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
9. Bake the rolls for 5-7 minutes or until they are light golden brown in color.
10. Immediately slide the rolls onto a cooling rack.

Pastry Cream and Bailey's Filling

Recipe from Joanne Chang via Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp Bailey's Mint Liquor

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium saucepan add the milk and cook on medium heat until bubbles form around the edges but NOT to a boil. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile in a small bowl add the sugar, flour and salt.
3. In another bowl add the egg yolks and whisk. Add the eggs to the bowl with the flour mixture and stir until it is thick and pasty.
4. When the milk has heated, add a small amount of the hot milk to the egg/flour mixture while whisking until smooth. Add another small amount of hot milk and continue this process until the milk/egg/flour mixture is warm. Now add the warm milk/egg mixture back into the pan with the hot milk and whisk until smooth.
5. Return the saucepan to a medium heat and whisk until it is thick (about 3 minutes) and then let it bubble for 10 seconds and remove from the heat.
6. If your mixture isn't too thick you can use a fine mesh sieve to get out any clumps that might be in there. Mine was way to thick and I skipped this step.
7. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to three days.
8. When you're ready to fill the sweet rolls, add the 2 tsp of Bailey's Mint Liquor and whisk well to incorporate. 

Filling the Sweet Rolls: 

1. If you have a pastry injector that's wonderful because it's perfect for this recipe. If you don't you can use a pastry bag with a small round tip attached. 
2. Make a hole in the side of the sweet roll and insert the tip of the pastry device you are using, fill until the cream just starts to reach the surface. 
3. I made a quick glaze using confectioners sugar and milk until it was a consistency that I liked and then just turn the sweet roll upside down and dip in the mixture.  Let the excess glaze run off and then top with sprinkles. 

Panettone

I've discovered recently that finding Panettone in stores is getting harder and harder.  I bought some that I loved at Trader Joe's and then when I went back they were sold out.  I was heart broken because it was really good.  What's a girl to do right? Make your own that's what!  

This was my first attempt at making this type of bread and I thought it turned out really nice and flavorful.  I wish I had of gotten the fruit worked throughout the bread more then I did but it was still yummy.  

From what I've read, it's pretty difficult to make "authentic" Panettone.  I've read things stating that some of them are baked upside-down to more reasonable things like the flour has to be warm and you need a special paper that will allow the bread to rise very tall like the store bought versions, not to mention the amount of time it takes to mix it in order to get the proper distribution of the fruit.  

Basically I'm trying to say that this bread that I made here is much easier then all that.  It's not exactly the same as the store bought kind but it's good and it's available in your very own kitchen. 

I used candied orange peel because I'm a rebel like that.

This is active yeast, it's all foamy and stuff.

This is a dough ball, no fruit has been added yet. This is before the first rise cycle.

After the first rise cycle, before the fruit is added.

After the fruit is added, before the second rise cycle.

Ready to bake, see the fruit in there?

Right out of the oven.  Looks good, smells amazing.  It has a citrus smell because of the fruit and zest added.

This is a moist cake that is light and airy and full of bites of fruit.  I've heard of some people making a baked french toast out of this and I'm dying to try it.

Panettone

Recipe modified from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup water, warm (110 degree's F)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt or plain yogurt. 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp grated orange zest
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 1/4 cup candied orange peel
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
• 1 Tbsp melted butter (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. In a small bowl combine the water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer add the eggs, vanilla, yogurt and salt. mix well. Pour in the yeast mixture.
3. Slowly add the flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough forms into a manageable ball. Dump the dough onto a well floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes. Keep adding flour to keep it from getting sticky. You might need to add up to 1 more cup of flour.
4. Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray and then form the dough into a ball. Place the dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.
5. Use a small bowl to combine the raisins and candied orange peel and mix in 1 Tbsp of confectioners' sugar. Make sure they are well covered.
6. When the dough has doubled in size, dump onto a well floured surface and knead in the raisins and candied orange peel. Form the dough into a ball.
7. Spray a 8 inch (I used a 9 inch) round cake pan with non-stick spray and put the dough ball into it. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for another 30 minutes. The dough will rise over the edges of the pan.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
9. Brush the dough with melted butter if desired and bake for 45 minutes. The dough should look golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.