Category: Breads

Breads · Salads

Italian Bread Salad

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Toasted Bread

1 loaf of 2 day old country Italian or sourdough bread

extra-virgin olive oil

Dressing

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup EVOO

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

1 container red grape tomatoes, or 4 or 5 vine ripened tomatoes, chopped

1/2 container yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large cucumber, seeded and diced

1 small red onion, diced

1 cup pitted and halved olives or 1/4 cup rinsed capers

chopped fresh basil to taste

chopped fresh parsley to taste

salt, finely ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Trip some of the crust from the bread, but not all and then cut into large crouton size pieces. Toss with a little bit of olive oil, spread on a cookie sheet and bake in the  oven until lightly toasted. (approx. 5 to 8 min).

Check every 5 min so the bread doesn’t get overly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

Whisk together the garlic, red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup EVOO, salt and pepper to make a vinaigrette. Set aside.

In a bowl, gently toss together the bread cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and olives. Season the salad with the fresh basil, fresh parsley, salt and pepper.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. You may not use all of it/. Toss to coat and then let salad sit for about 20 minutes, so the bread soaks up the dressing.

Taste before serving and add more of the seasonings, if needed.

This recipe is taken from Plano Profile magazine and it will be on our table this week. Sounds perfect for these hot summer days.

Breads · Daily Thoughts · Salads

Wedge Salad With Tarragon Buttermilk Dressing & Crunchy Garlic Bread

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One of my favorite days of the month is when my Paula Deen magazine arrives. I tend to save sitting down looking through it, for when I can sit with any type of chocolate or dessert , a glass of tea (sweet of course) and quietness lurking in the room, with no television or radio. It is just my way of “getting away” from daily thoughts and it seems that by the time I finish, I stand up with a smile on my face and a new determination to try new recipes. Don’t you just love that about cooking magazines? They just inspire us to get out of our comfort recipes of meatloaf, chicken casseroles and store bought salads.

If you enjoy cooking magazines, I would like to recommend Cooking with Paula Deen…it has the most fabulous recipes. Haven’t tried one I didn’t love! Pure Southern goodness!

When I turned the page and saw this delicious looking salad with crunchy garlic bread to go alongside, it drew me in. Randy and I love wedge salads, so this one will grace our table this summer.

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup mayo

2 tables chopped fresh tarragon

2 tables chopped fresh parsley

2 tables whole grain Dijon mustard

1 table minced green onion

1/4 teas black pepper

1/2 teas salt

2 heads iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges each

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup sliced radishes

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

In small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and next 7 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Top each lettuce wedge with carrots, radishes, and tomatoes; drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

Crunchy Garlic Bread

2 (16 oz) loaves Italian five-grain bread

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tables minced green onion

2 tables chopped fresh parsley

1 tables garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut bread into 1″ thick slices, cutting to but not through bottoms of loaves.

In a small bowl, stir together butter and all remaining ingredients. Spread butter mixture on cut side of each bread slice, being careful not to separate slices from bottom of loaves.

Place bread directly on oven rack.

Bake for 10 min or until bread is browned and crisp. Serve warm.

Breads · Desserts

Quick Crusts Ideas

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The last day of March? Really snuck up on me. It has been such beautiful weather here that all I have wanted to do is sit outside (you notice I don’t say, walk or run) and think about what I might want to bake next. When I was going through several baskets of recipes the other night, I came across this sheet I had torn out of some cooking magazine, but I don’t know which one.

I thought it would be convenient to post all of these different crusts on one posts, so you could print them up and tape them inside one of the cookbooks you use often. There are 6 different crusts. I will give several suggestions of which type of pie you might like to use the appropriate crust for. But be daring and experiment with them and let me know what you are using the crusts for.  It’s exciting to learn different recipes for friends.

Basic Crust Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients, stirring to combine. Press crust into bottom and up sides of a 9″ pie plate. Cook for times specified below. Cool completely before adding your fillings.

Macaroon Crust

3 cups crumbled macaroons (about 9 cookies)

1/4 cup butter, melted

Cook for 10 min.

Use for:

chocolate pies, coconut pies, lemon pie, pineapple pie

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (isn’t it wonderful you can buy them already crushed now)

1/4 cup ground nut of choice *opt

3 tables sugar

5 tables melted butter

Cook for 6-8 min or until lightly browned.

Use with:

Any type of cheesecake filling, chocolate, lemon, strawberry ice box pie

Gingersnap Crust

1 1/2 cups gingerbread crumbs

2 tables firmly packed light brown sugar

4 tables melted butter

Cook for 6-8 min or until lightly browned.

Use for:

Any pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake filling, caramel, banana cream, possibly apple filling

Peanut Butter Cookie Crust

2 cups peanut butter sandwich cookie crumbs (about 16 cookies)

2 tables sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

Cook for 6-8 min, or until lightly browned.

Use for:

chocolate filling, peanut butter pies, apple pies

Breads · Breakfast · Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Chocolate Toffee Biscotti

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Am caterning a luncheon for 6 women this week and I thought I would be great to have a little edible gift for each lady to take home. When I saw these in an 2009 Paula Deen Magazine that I was looking through, this seemed to be the perfect little gift to make them.

Makes about 2 1/2 dz

6 tables butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (light)

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teas baking soda

1/2 cup toffee bits

1/3 cup toasted and chopped slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Stir in toffee bits and almonds.

Shape patter into 2 (91/2×3″) logs on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 min. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 min. Using a serrated knife, cut dough crosswise into 3/4″ thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake for 15 min. Turn slices over and bake for 15 min longer. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack. Serve with coffee or tea or just sit and nibble on them while watching The Voice!

Breads

Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti

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What a great little bread stick to have with any soup that you serve. Taken from Southern Living 2011.

2 (6 oz) packages buttermilk cornbread and muffin mix

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 teas finely ground pepper

3/4 teas chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

3 large eggs, divided

1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cornbread mix, 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese and next 2 ingredients in a food processor bowl. Add butter, and pulse 5 to 6 times or until crumbly.

Whisk together 2 eggs and buttermilk. With processor running, gradually add egg mixture through food chute and process just until well moistened. Batter will be thick.

Spread dough into a 12×4″ rectangle on a parchment paper lined baking sheet using lightly greased hands. Lightly beat remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until pale golden brown and firm. Let cool on baking sheet on a wire rack 10 minutes.

Reduce oven to 300. Gently slide loaf back onto baking sheet and slice into 1″ slices. Bake an additional 8 minutes per side or until slices are crisp and beginning to brown around the edges. Remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 1 1/2 dz.

Breads · Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Cherry Bread Pudding

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It has been 5 days since I have baked. Both Randy and I have been going through sugar withdrawals. Well…almost, we have made it several times to the donut shop and the Blue Bell aisle at the grocery store, but since I couldn’t quit coughing long enough to measure the flour and sugar correctly, we have relied on outside sources for our sugar fill. But today is a turning point. I am proud to say that I can hold the measuring cups without shaking and am able to wear my contacts to read recipes. Life is so good. When I saw this recipe in our Frisco Style Magazine which comes to the house each month, it reminded me of the bread pudding we order at Nordstroms from time to time. (we allow ourselves to have this most honored and wonderful dessert 2 times a year, birthdays and Christmas, as I am sure that it knocks our cholesterol up over 300 each time we have it).
This recipe is made with donuts and since we have found our favorite donut shop in Frisco, called Jenny’s donuts at Legacy and Lebanon, I think I might have to send Mr. Randy out in the sleet and ice to get us a dozen donuts to make this most wonderful sounding bread pudding.
*Recipe by Chef at Ace’s Ice House
1 1/2 dozen donuts
6 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
8 oz white chocolate, crumbled
8 oz dried cherries
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tables vanilla
3 oz butter, sliced into thin slices.
1 tables cinnamon
1 tables nutmeg
Cherry Sauce
2 cups seedless black cherries
1 1/4 cup red port wine
1/2 cup sugar

Cut up the donuts and put them in a mixing bowl. Add the white chocolate and dried cherries. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. (Set aside about 1/4 cup of this mixture.) Add the eggs, cream, milk and vanilla to the sugar mixture. (not the 1/4 cup part). Mix thoroughly and pour over the donut mixture, making sure it is soaked. Put this mixture in a greased baking pan. Evenly place the butter slices on top and sprinkle the 1/4 sugar mixture over the top of the bread pudding. Bake in 350 preheated oven until golden brown. About 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven. Cut into squares, spreading cherry sauce evenly over the top right before serving.
Cherry Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the cherries are soft. Put the mix in the blended to puree then pour on top of serving squares.

appetizers · Breads · Super Bowl Recipes

Mushroom Bread

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Looking for a filling meatless appetizer for Super Bowl? This is taken from Taste of Home and sounds like a great one.

1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

2 cups thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

1 tables butter, melted with garlic powder tailored to your liking

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teas Italian seasoning

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. On an ungreased baking sheet, unroll crescent dough into one long rectangle; press perforations to seal. Prick dough several times with a fork. Bake 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss mushrooms with melted butter (with added garlic powder); arrange on crust. Sprinkle with cheese and seasonings. Bake 12-14 min longer until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Cut into 12 pieces.

Breads · Breakfast · Super Bowl Recipes

Bacon-Cream Cheese Pinwheels

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The first of the Super Bowl Recipes.

3 oz cream cheese, softened

2 tables finely chopped onion

1 teas milk

1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

5 bacon strips, cooked and finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, onion and milk. On a lightly floured surface, unroll the crescent dough into one long rectangle; press perforations to seal.

Spread with cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with bacon. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal.

Using a serrated knife, cut roll crosswise into 24 slices. Place pinwheels on ungreased baking sheets, cut side down.

Bake 12-15 min or until golden brown. Refrigerate leftovers, trust me, there won’t be any.

Breads · Breakfast · Holiday Fare

Cranberry Scones

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It seems like I go a little over board buying fresh cranberries during the Christmas season, so I look and find a couple of bags that are still there and went looking for recipes which use fresh ones. This is out of a Jan/Feb 07 Southern Lady or Paula Deen (I had torn the page out and so I’m not sure which one)

3 cups self-rising flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teas vanilla

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400. Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour and sugar mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, vanilla and dried cranberries. Stir until all ingredients are moistened. Add a little more whipping cream if it seems too dry.

Turn out on a generously floured board (or wax paper that you have floured) and knead 5 times or until it all comes together.

Be careful not to overwork the dough. Roll out with a rolling pin to 1/2 ” thickness. Cut with a 1 1/2 ” biscuit cutter (or a heart shaped cookie cutter for Valentines). Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 13-15 min or until the tops are golden. Be careful not to over bake. Serve with lemon curd or preserves

Breads · Breakfast · Holiday Fare

Cranberry & Orange Scones

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Isn’t it fun to plan different breakfast for the Christmas season? As I skimmed through the different food magazines for new recipes, this one caught my eye as one that will be on our table. Taken from Food Network magazine…*to make ahead, see below*

4 cups plus 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling (since it is Christmas, I am going to use the red sugar sprinkles for the top)

2 tables baking powder

2 teas kosher salt

2 teas grated orange zest (2 oranges)

3/4 lb (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed

4 extra large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup cold heavy cream

1 cup dried cranberries

1 egg beaten with 2 tables water, for egg wash

1/2 cup plus 2 table powdered sugar

4 teas freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper ( I don’t do this, I just use regular baking sheet and very lightly grease with butter)

In a large mixing bowl, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the butter cubes (which you have cut into small cubes) and mix at lowest speed until the butter is size of small peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and with mixer on low, slowly add to the flour mixture . Mix just until blended. The dough will look lumpy. Combine the dried cranberries, which you have stirred with the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Add to the dough and mix on low until blended.

Dup the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it into a ball. Flour hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough just under 1″ thick. You should still see small pea size bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board (or counter which you have layered waxed floured paper. Cut 3″ circles using a biscuit cutter or turn a drinking glass upside down using it if you don’t have a biscuit cutter. Place scones on the prepared baking pan. Gather up the unused portions of dough and roll out again and continue cutting round disc until all the dough is used up.

Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake for 20-25 min or until the tops are lightly browned and insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. All the scones to cool for 15 min, then whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice and stir until no lumps remain and drizzle over the scones.

*Follow the recipe until you put the egg wash on top. Cover the scones on the baking pan and place in fridge overnight. The next morning, brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar; bake and glaze as directed.