Bread

I got this recipe from Shelley. It is delicious and fluffy. And really easy.

1/2 cup warm water

3 (.25 oz) packages active dry yeast (2.25 tsp = one .25oz pkg)

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 cups quick cooking oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 1/2 cups warm water

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

10 cups flour

Directions:

1. In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, stir together 1/2 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup flour and yeast. Let grow for about 5 minutes. It will bubble almost immediately.

2. Measure oats, 4 and 1/2 cups warm water, whole wheat flour, salt 2/3 cup brown sugar and cup oil into the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with a dough hook for 1-2 minutes. Increase speed slightly and begin adding flour 1/2 - 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Humidity determines how much flour you need before the bread pulls away from the edge of the bowl. It is normal for the dough to be sticky.

3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

4. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Shape loaves, and place in greased 8x4 inch pans. Let rise until dough is 1 inch above the rim of the pans, usually 1 hour.

5. Bake at 350* for 35 minutes, or until tops are browned. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then turn our onto wire racks to cool completely.

Beef Stew Provencal

3 pounds boneless beef chuck

Marinade:

1 navel orange

1 and 1/2 cups dry red wine (or beef broth or cranberry juice)

1 and 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme

Stew Ingredients:

1/2 cups all purpose flour

salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 leek (8oz), washed

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons olive or salad oil

10 small white onions (3/4 lb), peeled

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 bay leaves

1 can (1lb 12 oz) tomatoes undrained

4 zucchini (1 and 1/2 pounds), washed

12 ripe olives

chopped parsley

1. Wipe beef with damp paper towels. With sharp knife, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch cubes. Make Marinade: with parer cut strip of orange peel 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. In a large bowl, combine orange peel, red wine and thyme. Mix well. Add beef and toss to coat well.

2. Refrigerate, tightly covered, 2-3 hours. Drain well; reserve marinade and peel. On waxed paper, coat beef cubes with flour mixed with 1 tablespoon salt and the pepper; reserve remaining flour mixture. Trim the leek. Cut off the root, tips and mos of the dark green.

3. With a sharp knife, slice leek crosswise, 1/8 inch thick (this should make 1 cup). In a 6 quart dutch oven, heat butter and oil over high heat. Add beef cubes in a single layer (do not overcrowd). Saute beef over medium heat, turning to brown it on all sides.

4. With tongs, remove beef to bowl as it browns. Continue browning rest (takes about 1/2 hour in all). Add leek, onions and garlic to drippings; cook, stirring, until golden- 10 minutes. Remove. Return beef to Dutch oven. Add bay leaves, tomatoes and marinade.

5. Stir until well combined. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered (place a sheet of wax paper on top, under lid, to catch any liquid), 1 hour. Pare strip of peel around potatoes. Slice zucchini 1 inch thick. Add onions, leek and potatoes to beef.

6. Cook 40 minutes, covered. Add zucchini and olives; cook 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir the flour into 1/4 cup water until smooth. Stir into beef. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes; stir occasionally. Add parsley.

Serves 8

Fish Au Gratin or Fiske Grateng

This is a Norwegian recipe that Kaleb grew up with. It is the only fish that they could get Korinne to eat willingly.

1 pound Cod fillets

1/2 cup butter

1 and 1/2 cups flour

2-3 cups milk

1/4 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 eggs, separated

1 pound shredded Monetary Jack cheese

Cook fish about 15 min in a little water. Drain and let cool completely. You may do this early in the day. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the salt, pepper and onion powder to the butter. Add the flour all out once. Stir carefully, then vigorously. Add milk a little at a time to make a thick white sauce, about 1-1 and 1/2 quarts. Whip egg whites until stiff. Meanwhile, add egg yolks to white sauce one at a time. Tear fish apart and add to sauce. Gently fold in egg whites. Spread mixture evenly into two cake pans. Sprinkle generously with grated cheese. Bake at 400* for 40minutes or until done. Serve with boiled potatoes and salad.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

I took this off of the blog justgetoffyourbuttandbake.blogspot.com

it is amazing!!!!

4-6 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

4 to 6 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese

4 to 6 thin slices smoked ham

1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour to shake the chicken in

HOMEMADE SAUCE:

1 Cup milk

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 cups Cheddar, Swiss or Colby cheese-grated

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (opt)

2 tablespoons butter or use 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon bacon grease (more is needed)

2 heaping tablespoons flour

1/2 tsp. onion powder or use sauteed onions instead

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (opt)

2 teaspoons white granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap. Using a mallet, pound each chicken breast to 1/4″ thickness. If you don’t have a mallet, a can of vegetables work well.Season each piece of chicken with salt & pepper.Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast.Roll up each breast (tucking loose ends in if necessary) and using a toothpick, secure the ends.Dredge each in flour & shake off any excess.In a skillet, add a few tablespoons of oil and turn your heat to med/high. When the oil is hot, carefully place your chicken rolls in the skillet and brown both sides of the chicken until nice and golden brown.

Directions for Sauce:Over medium heat, melt butter and add the salt, pepper, pepper flakes, onion powder and the sugar. Whisk together. Add the flour, and stir quickly until the roux is bubbly and smooth. Continue whisking over med. heat until it has thickened – about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low!Add the grated cheeses. (Cheddar, Colby, Swiss & Parmesan) Stir well until nice and smooth and creamy.

Note: I added Colby to my sauce, but placed Swiss inside the chicken. It was very good. If the sauce seems a bit too thick after all the cheese has been added, simply add a bit of chicken broth or milk and stir well. This sauce should not be as thick as pancake batter. You will want it a bit thinner. If you want additional seasonings add them now.Pour the sauce over top the browned chicken in the slow cooker and cover with a lid.

CAUTION: Every slow cooker – cooks differently! When the chicken is fork tender, and falls apart easily…it is done.Approximate cooking time: Heat on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Stir sauce in slow cooker occasionally. (My slow cooker gets really hot around the edges)

Note: You can also bake this in the oven: 9×13 inch glass baking dish. Cover the chicken with foil, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 60 minutes or until chicken is fork tender. Cooking time will also depend on the thickness of your chicken breast rolls. When it pulls apart easily with a fork, it’s ready and tender.

Note: I don’t care for Cream of Chicken or Mushroom canned soups, but you can also use 2 cans of soup and 1 can of milk together to take the place of the homemade sauce.

Fall Off the Bone BBQ Ribs

1/2 cup paprika

6 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup onion powder

1 and 1/2 tsp salt

1 and 1/2 tsp pepper

2 and 1/2 pound pork baby back ribs, skinned

1 can (20 0z) beer or beef stock

1 quart barbecue sauce

1/2 cup honey

white sesame seeds (optional)

sliced chives (optional)

1. Lightly oil grill grate and preheat on HIGH.

2. While grill heats combine paprika, sugar, onion power, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Generously season ribs with dry rub mixture. Place ribs on grill. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until ribs have grill marks.

3. Portion ribs into sections of 3-4 bones. Place in a 5-quart crock-pot. Pour beer over ribs. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours. Dump out all but 1 cup of the liquid from the crock-pot.

4. Blend barbecue sauce and honey, add to the crock-pot. Cover and cook 1 and 1/2 hours. Garnish with white sesame seeds and chives, if desired. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Servings: 4

Cantonese Beef

1 can (11oz) mandarin oranges

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 small onion, sliced

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 and 1/2 cups water

1/3cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp ground ginger

4 celery ribs, sliced

1 small green pepper, julienned

1 can (8oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained

3 Tbsp cornstarch

3 Tbsp cold water

hot cooked rice

1. Drain oranges, reserving juice; set oranges aside. In a Dutch oven, brown beef and onion in oil, drain. Stir in the water, soy sauce, ginger and reserved juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.

2. Add celery, green pepper and water chestnuts. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into beef mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in reserved oranges. Serve with rice.

Servings: 8

Crepes

These are my kids favorite breakfast

4 eggs

2 TBSP sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 and 1/2 cups milk, divided

1 cup flour

food coloring (optional)

1. Beat the eggs with the sugar and the salt. Add food coloring if desired. Mix in about 1/2 cup of the milk. Mix in the flour until smooth. Mix in the rest of the milk.

2. In a small pan that is on about med-low heat, sometimes lower, spray the bottom with cooking spray. Add about 4 TBSP batter, for thicker ones. Or about 2 TBSP for thinner ones. Cook until the liquid on top is dry. Flip over and cook for 10 seconds.

3. Serve with your favorite filling. My kids love apple sauce. Or sugar. I love it with strawberries and cream or with Nutella.

Homemade Jalapeno Poppers

These are delicious and super easy.

1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup (4oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup (4oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp chili powder

1 pound fresh jalapenos, halved lengthwise and seeded

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Sour cream, onion dip, or ranch salad dressing for dipping

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cheeses and seasonings; mix well. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each pepper half. Roll in bread crumbs.

2. Place in a greased 15x10x1in baking pan. Bake, uncovered at 300* for 20 minutes for spicy flavor, 30 minutes for medium and 40 minutes for mild. Serve immediately.

Note: when cutting or seeding hot peppers, use gloves to protect your hands.

Zippy Shrimp Linguine

Prep: 20 min

1 package (16oz) linguine

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 TBSP olive oil

1 tsp butter

1 and 1/2 cups sliced zucchini

1 cup sliced yellow summer squash

1 cup julienned carrots

1 cup fresh broccoli florets

1 TBSP minced fresh parsley

1 TBSP minced fresh basil

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, stir-fry the shrimp, garlic and pepper flakes in oil and butter for 3-5 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp; keep warm.

2. Add the zucchini, summer squash, carrots and broccoli to same skillet; stir-fry for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender.

3. Return shrimp to skillet. Drain the pasta; add to skillet along with the parsley, basil and salt. Heat through. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Servings: 8

Chicken Stir-Fry Bake

Prep: 5 min Cook: 25 min

2 cups uncooked rice

1 can (8oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 package (16oz) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed

1 can (14.5oz) chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp groung ginger

salt and peper to taste

Place rice in an 11x7x2in baking dish. Combine chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Pour over the rice and mix until well covered. Layer with the water chestnuts, chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake at 375* for 25 min or until rice is tender.

Serves: 4

Crock Pot Chili with Beans

1 pound ground beef

1 (15oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pkg chili seasoning mix

1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown hamburger and onion in a medium skillet over med-high heat. Drain.

2. Add all ingredients into the crock pot and mix well. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Servings : 4

Chili Seasoning - Homemade

So today I was going to make homemade Chili in the crock pot. When I originally read the recipe I thought it called for chili powder...... it didn't. It called for 1 packet of chili seasoning. I looked and we don't have any at the house. I googled a substitute for it and came up with this recipe.

1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or chili powder)
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp garlic powder


So I also don't have cayenne pepper.... google rocks. It said I can use chili powder instead. I will let you know how this recipe turns out.