Homemade Sandwich Bread

I have tried making sandwich bread before but wasn't overly excited with the final product.

Yet I was inspired to try again with a different recipe.  

So when I saw this, I was ready to give it a whirl.

So glad I did!

This was easy and delicious!  Even better, it makes two loaves so I can freeze one for later while enjoying one now...

Ingredients:
2 cups lukewarm water

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp dry active yeast

2 Tbsp butter softened (I totally forgot to soften, so I just cut it apart into lots of pieces and then worked it into the dough) and cut into small pieces

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp Kosher salt

Directions:
Whisk the sugar into the water.

When the sugar is dissolved, add the yeast in, stir thoroughly, and then walk away.  In about 10 minutes, the yeast and water will hopefully have created a nice little "foam".

Toss the flour and salt into the yeast mixture.  Add the butter.

Mix together.  Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes either with a mixer or by hand. (I just did it by hand. It is really relaxing to me)

Round the dough into a ball and cover in a lightly oiled bowl.  I actually used one bowl for the process and I didn't spray it or anything. It was fine.  Place in a warm spot (I just put mine on the stovetop under the microwave light and sometimes turn the oven on to warm).  Hopefully if it is a warm enough spot, the dough will double in size in about an hour.

Once it has doubled in size, punch the dough down and knead it a little more.  Form into a ball and place on a floured surface.  Cut or tear it apart to make two equal portions.  Knead each half and roll into a loaf shape (though it will look like a small loaf :) and place in a one pound lightly greased loaf pan.  Cover again and let it rise for about an hour.

After about 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 350.

The dough should have doubled again in the pan.

Remove the cover and place in the oven and let them bake for about 35-40 minutes until the crust is a beautiful golden brown color.

Once the bread is done, remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes in the pan.  Then dump it out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.  It is highly suggested that you wait until the bread cools to cut it.

After it was cooled off, I wrapped one loaf up and placed it in the freezer.  The other loaf I wrapped and placed in the fridge until our breakfast for dinner night.  Then I sliced it and toasted it.  And it was good stuff.  Yummy.  In fact, I am not sure I will ever be able to go back to store bought again!

Happy baking!

Reba

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

I have really been trying to stick with our Grocery Challenge for the month.  And that has meant eating a little simpler and a little cheaper. But last week we did splurge on one meal. 

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin.

I probably should have gone with something cheaper. 

And by the last week of January when I have very little to spend, I will really wish that.

But what is done is done.

I will say that it was GOOD stuff.

And once January is over, I WILL make this again. :)

This is another Pinterest recipe. 

Like I said, not cheap.

But oh, so good.

(And the good news is there were leftovers so we had lunch the next day too :)

Ingredients:
Pork Tenderloin (around 3 pounds...I used the Farmland Pork Loin, 2 in a package.  The original recipe cut them, I just kept them in 2 pieces)

1 lb bacon (I didn't quite have a whole package, so mine was more like 3/4 a package which was enough)

3/4 cup soy sauce (I would probably reduce this to 1/2 cup in the future)

1 Tbsp minced onion

1/2 tsp garlic salt (I did use garlic salt but probably would use garlic powder in the future. Pork and bacon doesn't need any extra salt :)

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

dash of pepper (I used the peppercorn grinder)

3/4 cups brown sugar (I actually reduced that to 1/2 which was plenty to me)

Directions:
Wrap bacon around pork and place in a baking dish.

Poke holes in the pork.  I just used a knife and stabbed holes all over the meat.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the meat.

Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or longer).  I flipped the meat a couple times to make sure it was all in the juices at some point.

The original recipe had this bake for 2-3 hours at 300.  However, I needed to cook potatoes and bake some bread, all at 400 degrees. So I cooked this for about 50 minutes to an hour at 400.  After about 40 minutes, a little bit of the bacon was getting dark so I covered the meat with foil and moved it down a rack.

After about 50 minutes, I checked the temperature. It was between 140-150.  I then pulled it out and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

We had this with fingerling potatoes, honey yeast rolls (new recipe), and black-eye peas.

And I enjoyed each and every bite.

Yum.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Today I was in the mood for muffins, but I wasn't sure what kind to make. I can always eat a good pumpkin muffin but I hadn't thought ahead to make cinnamon chips, so that was out.  I thought about some simple cinnamon muffins but I just made cinnamon bread earlier this week.  And we did not have enough bananas for a banana nut muffin.  What to do, what to do?  Well, I finally decided to make some that I had made a couple months ago. They were pretty well received, so why not try them again?  (For whatever reason, I never blogged about them)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.

I have to say they were even more well-received this time (I think my boys missed out on them last time I made them).  I had to hurriedly pack one up to save for me to eat another day. I was afraid there would be nothing left but crumbs.

Even better, they are easy.  I almost always have these ingredients on hand.  And it took me about 15 minutes to prepare, then about 20 to bake.

And they are pretty filling.

The peanut butter/chocolate chip combo is very tasty but it is not overwhelming. As much as I like peanut butter/chocolate chip candy bars, I don't want a candy bar for breakfast.  Well, this is a much more subtle combination of the two flavors in a very filling form. 

The one thing it isn't:  low calorie.  That is why I ate one and hid another for another day. :)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup brown sugar

6 Tbsp butter, melted (I used unsalted)

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used real semi-sweet)

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Line muffin tin with paper liners.  We had regular size muffins, but I think next time I will make minis.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar together in a bowl.

In a another (large) bowl, mix the butter, peanut butter, eggs, and milk.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Stir until combined.   Add in the chocolate chips and stir a bit more.

Spoon (I used my cookie dough scoop because the dough is pretty thick) into the muffin tins, filling to the top.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 375.

Let sit for 5 minutes before eating.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chili Con Carne

I made this a couple weeks ago and never posted about it in the "busyness" of the holiday season. I doubt most people are going to search this site for a chili recipe.  Most people have a favorite.  We actually have never even used a recipe...hubby usually makes it for us and just wings it. 

But as I have mentioned, we have a kiddo with some food sensitivities.  And one of those sensitivities is possibly tomatoes (we are still unsure on that one). 

So recently when I was in the mood for some chili, I was a little baffled about what to use or how to make it.

Is it even possible to make chili without tomatoes? Or tomato sauce?

So I did some searching. Big time Google searching. 

And finally I found this recipe. 

Ironically, it is sponsored by a tomato sauce company. :)

But it was exactly what I needed.

Well, minus the tomato sauce.

It is nothing fancy.  Nothing just earth shattering.

But perfect for what our family needs right now.

So I am going to post about it mainly for my records because I know there is more chili in our future. 

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground beef (the original recipe calls for 2 lbs but our ground beef packages are 1.5 lbs)

chopped onion (original recipe calls for 1 onion chopped, I just threw in some dried chopped onion)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar tomato/pasta sauce (I actually use a tomato-less sauce, it is good stuff!)

1 can red kidney beans, drained

2 Tbsp chili powder (for my sensitive kid, I put aside a small portion of the mixture in another skillet because chili powder is another sensitivity, so I didn't add this until the end)

Directions:
Brown the ground beef with the onion and minced garlic in a large skillet.

Drain (if necessary).

Add the sauce, kidney beans, and chili powder to the skillet.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

As you can see from the pictures above, I prefer my chili over white rice and topped with a little cheddar cheese.  I am sure this would also be good with Frito chips.

Like I said, nothing fancy, but it hit the spot for us.  We will be having it again this winter.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Seasoned Oyster Crackers

Recently a sweet parent from our school made some seasoned oyster crackers and put them in the teacher's lounge.  I made the mistake of trying a few.  And then a few more. And then a few more. Oh my goodness, they were (and are) addictive.

I think we got the recipe later and I also googled it but then when I was ready to make them, I couldn't find the recipe.  And then, light bulb...I looked in our family cookbook. And there it was.

I have to admit...this is way too easy to make.  And even easier to eat.

We are finishing up a batch from our family appetizer night earlier this week. I am so ready for it to be gone because it is such a HUGE temptation for me! I seriously cannot stop eating it.

So if you are in the mood for something a little salty, a little tasty, and not really that low calorie, this is the food for you. :)

Ingredients:
1 bag oyster crackers (12-16 oz)

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix (the dry powder...I actually use 1 Tbsp of a homemade version)

1/2-1 tsp dill weed (I used 1 tsp the first time and it was too much. This last time I didn't use any because of my first experience. I think next time I will go with 1/2 tsp to get it just right :)

1 tsp garlic powder

3/4 cup oil (I use olive oil because I LOVE olive oil...)

Directions:
Combine the oil, dressing mix, dill, and garlic. 

Spread the oyster crackers out into a large rimmed cookie sheet or a 9 x 13 baking dish. 

Pour the oil/seasonings over the oyster crackers. 

Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Stir frequently. I actually have kept it in the oven for 25 or more minutes until most of the oil is baked into the crackers.

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy.

I know.  Simple. But divine.

Reba

The First Menu of 2013

Here is the weekly menu for the first week of 2013 (and the first week of my grocery challenge)...

Sunday:  Homemade pizza (Herbed pizza crust, Four Cheese white pizza for me, meat for the rest of the crew).  We were supposed to have this last week but we had plans change things up for us...

Monday:  Appetizer night (with my parents and sis/family).  One of the favorite nights of the year.  Just about every dip and snack you can think of. I have a few recipes to share from that in the next week or so)

Tuesday:  Hopping John
(Cinnamon swirl bread for breakfast)

Wednesday: On Your Own night (probably finishing up appetizers and desserts from our festivities the last week or so :)

Thursday:  Butter Cream Chicken over angel hair pasta, stuffed cheese rolls, carrots/ Ranch

Friday: Creamy burrito casserole (new recipe)

Saturday: Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin (new recipe), black eye peas, fingerling potatoes, some kind of bread or roll...to be decided :)

So far with our receipts, we have used 29.5% of our grocery budget for the month.  I am going to have to buckle down next week and shop a little lighter to make sure we have something to eat that last week of January. :)

What is for dinner at your house for this first week of 2013?

Reba

The Best of 2012

It is the end of the year which means it is time for me to share some of our favorite "new" recipes of 2012.

I have been teased for always trying new things, and in the age of Pinterest, I find more and more "new" to try. Don't get me wrong, we have some tried and true favorites that have been in our family for a while now and are part of our regular routine. But I do like to try new recipes, and as I was gathering this list while looking over the year, I am thankful I did. I would have missed out on some really good food otherwise!

So here is my list...

Beef:
Bubble Up Enchiladas (I am missing these...due to dietary restrictions, one of my kiddos isn't eating tomato products right now which means no enchilada sauce. :(  Hopefully soon)

Korean Beef (quick and delicious, kind of a cheap version of Mongolian beef, great for a quick dinner kind of night)

Pot Roast Pizzaiola (crockpot, 3 ingredients, and delicious)

Salisbury Steak (a comfort food, very filling)

Skillet Steak (great for when we can't get out to grill)

Taco Pasta Bake (easy and tasty, I hope to make it again soon)

Bread:
Cheese Stuffed Rolls (one of the most delicious breads I have tried yet)

Cinnamon Swirl Bread (a favorite of the kids for breakfast, wonderful treats to make for others)

Garlic Parmesan Crusty Bread (fairly easy though you have to plan ahead, I hope to try some new combinations this next year)

French bread (one of my very favorites...have I said lately how much I LOVE bread?)

Chicken:
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice (time consuming, so it is usually a weekend treat but there are rarely leftovers when I make it)

Butter Cream Chicken (on the menu for this week...it is so yummy)

Creamy White Chili (Oh, yum!)

Desserts:
Oreo Cupcakes (my daughter started us on these, they are really "pretty" and taste good too)

Fish/Shrimp:
Panko Encrusted Swai (panko and swai are two of my favorite "new" finds for the year)

Swai in Lemon Butter Sauce (by far, according to my stat counter, the most viewed...I don't know who is looking for swai recipes but it is the most "searched" for by non-regular readers from what I can tell!)

Grilled:
Key West Shrimp and Chicken Kabobs (VERY easy and VERY yummy)

 Grilled Shrimp Boil Kabobs (a family favorite, rarely any leftovers)

Other:
Bubble Up Pizza (made very much like Bubble Up Enchiladas...my kids love this meal)

Skillet Sausage and Potatoes (the ultimate in comfort food)

Herbed Pizza Crust (which I use for my favorite 4 Cheese White Pizza...just had this tonight)

Pizza Bread (quick and easy, my favorite combo...one of my hubby's favorites of the year I think)

Sandwiches:
Pizza Grilled Cheese (I usually make these for myself only but it is a favorite quick lunch of mine)

Side Dishes:
Almond Rice Pilaf (jazzes up white rice a bit)

Cole Slaw (just happened upon an easy recipe that I loved, very easy!)

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes (my "go-to" potato recipes)

Parmesan Baked Potato Halves (classy but easy)

So, what was new and loved from your kitchen for 2012?

Reba
PS I don't know about you but I am looking forward to seeing what kinds of foods 2013 brings...