Really, Really good Croutons

Let's be honest, store-bought croutons are not even worth eating, much less spending money on, especially when you can make your own for a mili-fraction of what they cost and they make any salad taste like a million bucks! Not to mention, they are sooooo easy to make. Here's how

Homemade Croutons:
Bread ( I prefer sourdough, french or something of the sort, but I've also used buns, rolls, and whole wheat sandwich bread and had great results, pretty much you can use anything that wont fall apart on you.)
Olive Oil
Garlic Powder/salt
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Cut your bread into cubes and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.


Drizzle with olive oil and toss until coated. Next, sprinkle with your seasonings. I've never measured, but I'd estimate about a 1st of each, give or take. Oh- feel free to use any seasonings you'd like. Try italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, just salt & pepper. You can't go wrong, just make sure you get enough on there to coat all the pieces. After you've sprinkles, give then another toss to coat, then pop 'em in the oven for 8-10 min, checking often. They are done when golden brown and toasted, we don't want any soft croutons. Let cool, serve on your salad and get ready for some rave reviews.

BEST Hot Chocolate in the WORLD.

I have so many recipes to post and not enough time right at the moment to type them all out. But winter break is coming and I will make up for some lost time then, I promise! For now, this is definitely a cheater's recipe, but it is too good not to post.

*This is seriously the BEST hot chocolate I have ever had. And Boyd and I are hot chocolate connoisseurs. So even though it is only semi-homemade, you won't regret trying it. Thanks to Morgan who sent us our first can of the perfect chocolate shavings*

Perfect Hot Chocolate

10 Tbsp. shaved chocolate from 1 can of Williams-Sonoma "Rich & Creamy Hot Chocolate: Luscious Bittersweet Chocolate Shavings (Guittard)." Granted, it does cost $19.50 for a can that serves 8. But think about it, where else can you buy the most perfect mug of hot cocoa for $3.00 (including milk and whipped cream)? Cheaper than starbucks! Just hide it from the kids.

2 cups WHOLE milk (if you're going to use such nice chocolate shavings don't skimp on the milk!)

5 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream, whipped with 1 Tbsp powdered sugar and 1 tsp. good vanilla

Heat milk to scalding. Add chocolate shavings and whisk until dissolved. Pour into pretty mugs. Top with freshly whipped cream (don't use the canned stuff!). Sprinkle additional chocolate shavings on top of cream. Snuggle in with a good book.

Green Mint Punch slush

This is a different green punch then what you will find in the Dahl cookbook. And this one is a slush! Yum.

2 pkg. lemon-lime kool-aid
4 cans frozen grapefruit juice
4 cans frozen pineapple juice
1 can frozen limeade or lemonade
1 small can crushed pineapple
mint leaves steeped or mint flavoring

Defrost the frozen juices and mix everything together. Make a simple syrup by cooking 4 cups of sugar in 5 cups of water. Add that to the juices and mix well. Freeze in 4 or 5 2 qt. containers. When you serve it crush it up and add 7-up.

Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese

On one of my many trips to Phoenix, Grandma and I made her macaroni and cheese and I wrote the recipe down as we went. So yes, things got changed many times. Anyways, this is the recipe that we finally settled on. But do not make this too often unless you plan on running a marathon with all of the butter and cheese in it.

1 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
3 cups whole milk (I just use skim)
2 t. seasoning salt
1 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. white pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups medium/mild cheddar cheese

4 cups cooked macaroni

Make a white sauce with the butter, flour, and milk. Then add the spices and cheese. Once the cheese has melted, add the macaroni. Pour into a large baking dish and bake it at 350 for 30 minutes.

"Waffles of Insane Greatness"

The last time I was in NYC my friends we were visiting decided we needed to check out a restaurant called "Amy Ruth's" for their famous chicken & waffles. So we did. It's in Harlem and we had a little ways to walk and 9-month-old Macey hitched a ride in the Baby Bjorn. People in Harlem are very friendly and they really like babies, at least the ones I encountered were. I had multiple big black men come up and kiss my baby right on her sweet little face. It's funny now, though I remember being a little concerned back then. We both survived and made it to Amy Ruth's and that's where I discovered the BEST waffles I have EVER tasted. (the chicken was surprisingly good too, if you're ever there try it out!) They were crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I've been on a waffle recipe hunt since to find one like it and I finally did. The name of the recipe says it all "Waffles of Insane Greatness". The only trouble is, I don't really like ordinary waffles anymore, they've raised my waffle standards to a whole new level.

Try these, they do not disappoint but be aware, you will probably turn into a waffle snob.

Waffles of Insane Greatness:
(from www.realmomkitchen.com)

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour ( I used whole wheat)
  
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1½ tsp. sugar
• ½ cup whole milk ( I used skim with great results)
  
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ¾ tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Whisk together to blend.
2. In another mixing bowl, beat together the whole milk, buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk just until incorporated and few lumps remain. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat a waffle iron. Fill waffle wells and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cook until crisp and golden. Serve immediately. Yield: depends on the size/shape of your waffle iron.

*** This makes a small batch, so I would definitely double or triple the recipe

This is Uncle Pat's waffle, I forgot to take a picture of one with fixins on it, till he was almost done with the last one.

Baked Spaghetti

My picture doesn't do this dish justice. We had already eaten half of it before I remembered to take a picture. It was very tasty. My finicky eaters enjoyed it (and they are a tough crowd). I know casseroles are out of style, so don't think of it as a casserole - it's a one-dish meal!

Baked Spaghetti

24 oz. jar of prepared pasta (I like the Organic Muir Glen brand - or you can use homemade or another brand.
1 lb. Sweet Italian sausage
8 oz. cooked spaghetti (1/2 of a 1 lb. package)
8 oz. mild cheddar cheese (freshly shredded makes a difference here)
8 oz. Monterrey jack cheese or mozzarella cheese shredded (again fresh is best)
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get a large pot of salted water over high heat, but don't cook pasta until sausage is fully cooked.

Shred cheeses, combine together and set aside.

In a large pan over medium high heat, fry sausage until fully cooked. If sausage is not seasoned, add salt and pepper. Drain grease and combine sausage with pasta sauce in a large bowl. Set aside.

Boil pasta per package instructions, then drain. Have all your ingredients ready when the pasta is done so your assembly can move quickly.

Coat the bottom of a medium sized casserole dish with 1/2 cup of the sauce & meat mixture. Evenly spread the reaming ingredients in this order: 1/2 of cooked spaghetti, then 1/2 of cheese, then 1/2 of remaining sauce mixture, then remaining spaghetti, then rest of sauce and finally the rest of the cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until sides are bubbling.

NOTES:

• You can make your own version by replacing sausage with : sauteed vegetables (no more than 2 cups) or ground beef.
• Use can use any sauce - even Alfredo sauce.
• For an even moister dish, use up to an extra half bottle of sauce.

Italian Cheese Bread

When I make an Italian dish, it just always seems to call for bread. While most Italian fare is quick to make (I'm thinking pasta here), bread on the side is never quick unless I've planned ahead (as in bought Italian bread at the store). I ran across a recipe for Italian Cheese Bread in a food blog http://www.tammysrecipes.com/ and gave it a try. It was fast (only a 20 minute rise) and yummy. My family gave it a thumbs up all around. I have made it as written, but I have also made it using the topping of olive oil, Italian seasoning and mozzarella cheese. The possibilities are endless. The bread base is a great starting point - then try your own variation.

Italian Cheese Bread
from Tammy's Recipes

Bread:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 cup warm water (120 degrees)
1 Tbsp. oil

Topping:
1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
dash pepper
1-2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In mixer combine the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Combine water and oil (it is important to have the water the right temperature to encourage a fast rise - too hot will kill yeast - I use an instant read thermometer). Add water and oil to flour mixture. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. Knead for 1-2 minutes in mixer until smooth and elastic.

Put lid on mixer bowl (I used a Bosch - otherwise transfer to greased bowl, turn and cover). Let rise in warm place for 20 minutes. Start oven preheating to 450 degrees.

Punch the dough down; placed dough in greased 15"x11" cookie sheet with sides. Pat out to the edges (or you can use a mini rolling pin which makes the job quick and easy. (The original recipe calls for a greased 16" pizza pan - your choice). Combine salad dressing and seasonings, brush evenly over dough, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with cheeses.

For a fluffier cheese bread, at this point, allow the bread to rest for 15 minutes or so. If you're in a hurry, just skip this rise. The bread will rise while it bakes, too. Usually if I start my oven preheating after mixing the dough, it gives just the right amount of time for the dough to rise, roll it out an rise a little more before the oven is up to temperature - but then I think my oven is a slow preheater. Bake at 450 degrees for 11 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. Slice with pizza cutter and serve warm.

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies & Mummy Dogs

I know Halloween's come and gone, but I still wanted to share these. We had our usual family dinner on Sunday, but we put a Halloween twist on it. All night long people kept pulling out all sorts of Halloween inspired food creations. We ate a LOT! Here's what I contributed:


Candy Corn Sugar Cookies
1 batch of your favorite sugar cookie dough
yellow and orange food coloring
butter cream frosting

Divide your cookie dough into thirds. Color 1/3 yellow and 1/3 orange. Divide each 1/3 in 1/2, so you have 6 dough balls in all. Chill in fridge for 1-2 hours. When chilled roll each dough ball into a rectangle approximately 9inx4in (doesn't need to be perfect)
Using a pizza cutter, cut each rectangle into thirds lengthwise making 3 long strips.
Place 1 strip yellow, 1 strip orange, and 1 strip white together and press seams together with your finger. (again doesn't have to be perfect)
Using a sharp knife, (I used the edge of a large, thin metal spatula) cut dough into triangles and place on to a cookie sheet.
Bake 6-8 minutes at 350

Make your frosting, color 1/3 yellow, 1/3 orange. Put each color in a plastic baggy, cut a small hole in the corner and go to town.

Sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't bad at all. And if you want to see some step-by-step pictures click here




Mummy Dogs
1 package little smokies
2 rolls crescent dough like pillsbury

Unroll crescent dough but do not separate into triangles. Using a pizza cutter cut crescent dough into strips. Roll each little smokie up into a strip of dough and bake according to crescent roll package directions. Use mustard for the eyes.

Quick and Easy Mexican Beef with Rice

Since we are now officially in the midst of the holidays, it seems that a quick and easy meal is in order. Mexican Beef with Rice is allergy friendly, customizable to different tastes, and takes only about 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups white rice (or 2 cups brown rice)
5 cups water
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 lb. of browned ground beef (I actually use ground turkey)
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt

Put all ingredients in a big pot or a rice cooker (not steamer) and bring to a boil. Simmer until the rice is done.

Toppings:
tomatoes
lettuce
black beans
salsa
cheese
sour cream
avocados
or use your imagination...