Fool Proof French Bread

3 C. Warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. shortening
1 Tbsp. salt
8 C. white flour
1 egg

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT EGG in stand mixer and let knead 8-10 min.

Divide dough in half

Spread out with fingers on counter until it's the length you want and about 12 inches across. Then roll up length wise. Pinch bottom and end under. Place seam side down on greased pan.

Beat egg until frothy. Then spread over bread. Score top with a knife

Let raise until double in size, about 15 min.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Curried Lentils

As always, credit goes to OurBestBites. Not only is this super yummy, but it's also super  healthy! My kids had no idea that their second helpings nearly made me so happy I could cry.

Ingredients: 

2 cups red lentils (if you can find them…check the bulk bins or a Middle Eastern market)
10 ounces spinach (fresh and chopped or frozen and thawed)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you want to go vegetarian/vegan)
1 tablespoon curry powder or paste (I prefer curry paste)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

*I also added a jar of canned chicken

Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
Handful of chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired

Additional yummy toppings include shredded coconut and chopped hard boiled eggs

Instructions: Combine all ingredients except for the lemon (or lime) juice and cilantro in the pot of a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours (or bring to a boil on the stove top and then simmer, covered, on low for 1 hour). Before serving, add the lemon juice and cilantro. This is delicious served over rice. Weight Watchers says this makes 6 servings, but I’d say it’s closer to 8-10.

For 8 Servings:
Calories: 87.3
Fat: .6
Carbs: 15.7
Fiber: 5.7
Protein: 6.6
Weight Watcher Points: 2

Tortellini Sausage Soup

Another win from OurBestBites.com. 

3 links Italian sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 15-oz. cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider (don’t leave this out! I did once and it wasn’t the same…)
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated (great way to use your food processor if you have one)
2 tablespoons dried parsley

8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini  Barilla makes a great dry cheese tortellini, but if you use this, you'll need more liquid or you end up with a casserole more than a soup.

If you’re using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. To remove the casings, you can use a sharp knife to cut a slit down one side of the sausage and then peel back the casing.

Chop onion and add to pot with garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Are we all clear that everything from OurBestBites.com is delicious? Yes, it's true, except for the homemade pretzels which were a disgusting disaster, but let's not dwell on that. I loved this chili. I loved that it was different. I loved that it was healthy. I loved that it made two nights' worth of meal. I loved that my kids loved it. I loved the way my house smelled all day. I loved the great depth of flavors coming out. It's a winner!

Also, be ready for it to take 40 minutes or so to throw it all together. :)Recipe by Our Best Bites

Note: This recipe makes a very large batch of chili (about 4 quarts).  It freezes beautifully, so I like to make the recipe and then freeze half for another night.  You can certainly halve the recipe as well, which I recommend if you have a small slow cooker.

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced (any color)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1-2 jalapenos, minced
20 ounces ground turkey breast
8 ounces mushrooms, minced (about 2 heaping cups)
2 teaspoons cumin
2  teaspoons kosher salt
½  teaspoons pepper
1  teaspoon oregano
1  teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2  teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes*
1 28 ounce can tomatoes (not drained)
2 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces beef broth (one box/carton)
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (make sure you’re not using pumpkin pie filling :)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

optional: sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro or green onion, and fresh lime juice for serving

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos.  Saute for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender and fragrant.  Add to slow cooker.

In same skillet, heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil.  Add turkey and mushrooms and stir to combine.  Sprinkle in cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder and smoked paprika.  (note: the meat will taste very seasoned when done.  Keep in mind these seasonings are not to flavor just the meat, they will season the entire pot of chili, so they are intentionally strong!)  Add turkey mixture to slow cooker.

Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, broth, pumpkin, cinnamon, and cocoa powder to slow cooker and stir til combine.  Place lid on pot and cook for  4-6 hours on high, or 8-10 on low.   Slow-cookers vary greatly in temperature and cooking times, but really, the important thing to note is if the sweet potatoes are tender.

When done, turn off heat and let chili sit with lid off for 10-15 minutes to thicken.  Season with additional salt to taste before serving.  If desired, serve with sour cream, sliced avocados, and a small squirt of fresh lime juice, and any other toppings desired.

Yields: About 4 quarts (16 cups)

Nutritional Information (per 1 cup plain chili): calories: 160, protein: 14 grams, carb: 25 grams, fat 1.5 grams.  Add 2 tablespoons light sour cream and 2 slices avocado for an additional 80 calories.

Butternut Skillet Shells and Cheese

I made this and was totally prepared for the fight it would take to get my kids to eat it, especially since they watched me make it and knew what was in it. Boy was I surprised that each of them gobbled it up and asked for more! It didn't taste like mac 'n cheese, but my youngest was convinced that's what it was by the look of it. And, p.s., this made plenty for two meals' worth. 

Here's the site I got it from...

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/10/easy-butternut-skillet-shells/

3 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta shells (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
4 cups 1/2-inch cubed uncooked butternut squash (I used two medium squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups skim milk (or unsweetened almond or coconut)
6 ounces freshly grated fontina cheese
2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted brown butter
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
fresh chopped herbs for garnish (sage, basil, cilantro, thyme)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare water for pasta and once it comes to a boil, cook pasta according to directions, then drain.

While water is boiling, heat a large cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil, then toss in squash with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add stock and cover skillet, cooking for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is soft and can easily be mashed. Remove cover and reduce heat to low. Mash squash with a potato masher or forks, smoothing it out with a spoon to remove all of the chunks. Add in milk, 4 ounces of fontina and all of the parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. If mixture still seems way too starchy, add in additional milk 1/4 cup at a time, stirring for a while. Stir in brown butter, 

To brown the butter: Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisking constantly, cook butter until bubbly and until small brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan – about 5-6 minutes. Watch closely and immediately remove the butter from the heat, whisking for an additional 30 seconds or so.

again mixing for a minute or so until incorporated. Taste and season additionally if desired.

Fold shells into the sauce, taking a few minutes to fully toss the shells so they are all coated. Top with remaining fontina cheese (or as much as you see fit) and breadcrumbs and bake for 15 minutes. If a bubbly, golden topping is desired, broil for 1-2 minutes on high after cooking. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve!

Man Pleasing Chicken

• Chicken thighs- 1 package (I like boneless, skinless)
• Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup
• Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
• Rice wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon
• Fresh rosemary

Preheat your oven to 450ºF.

Mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. 

Put a 1.5 pound package of chicken thighs into a foil-lined, oven-proof baking dish. Salt and pepper the thighs. Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated. 

Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165ºF. Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce half way through. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken, making sure to spoon some extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary. 

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

This one came from here...

1 pint grape tomatoes cut in halves

1 ripe avocado, roughly chopped

2 ears of fresh sweet corn

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lime

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp honey

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

Dash of cayenne pepper

Slice the tomatoes in half. Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy. Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the avocados. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle. Enjoy.

Zucchini Bites

We made these today and were pleasantly surprised that everyone liked them. It made a great afternoon snack and had no sugar in it. Wahoo! I think I'd go ahead and double this batch next time just to have a bunch to eat.

Recipe adapted: The Naptime Chef

yields: 24 mini muffins

2  cups zucchini, grated (frozen and thawed works great!)
2 egg
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup cheese (cheddar or Parmesan work the best) (I used some smoked cheddar and it was great!)
1/2 cup bread crumbs - I used Italian style
Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a mini-muffin tin with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. Grate the zucchini and then place in a dish towel to squeeze out the excess water- like when using frozen spinach; if you skip this part, the middle of the zucchini tots will be really soggy while the outside gets crispy and no one wants that.
3. In a bowl combine, the egg, onion, cheese, bread crumbs, zucchini, salt and pepper.
4. Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, fill the muffin cups to the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the top is browned and set.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Basic Recipe

Thanks to my daughter learning how to make these, my recipe card needs to be thrown away, so I guess it's time to put the recipe here...

1 C. Shortening
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 C. Flour
1 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Salt
12 oz. Chocolate Chips

Mix shortening, sugars and vanilla. And eggs and beat. (You can throw in some peanut butter here too if you like, maybe  1/4-1/3 C.) Combine soda, salt and flour. Mix in. Fold in chocolate chips (and coconut if you're my husband)

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 about 10-11 min.

Blueberry Ice Cream Pie

Almond-Brown Sugar Crust
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Blueberry Sauce
3 cups blueberries, rinsed, well drained, and carefully picked over for damaged berries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
A few gratings of nutmeg (about 1/8 tsp.)
1 tablespoon water

Assemble and Serve
1 homemade or purchased vanilla ice cream
3/4 cup of the Blueberry Sauce, chilled
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed, picked over, and well dried on paper towel-lined baking sheets
Remaining Blueberry Sauce, heated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade combine almonds, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse until coarsely ground. Stir in melted butter. Turn into 9-inch pie plate. With fingers press onto bottom and sides to form a firm, even layer.

2. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. "Don't overbrown or the crust will have an overpowering flavor," Scott says. Allow to completely cool on a rack. Transfer to freezer until ready to use (may be made up to a week in advance and frozen, tightly wrapped).

3. In large, wide, nonreactive skillet combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt, stirring well with a spoon to distribute the sugar and cornstarch. Add zest, lemon juice, water, and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg; stir again to blend.

4. Cook and stir over medium heat until blueberries begin to pop, give off juice, and come to a full simmer. Simmer, stirring gently for 1 additional minute until sauce is lightly thickened and cornstarch is well cooked.

5. Set aside to cool; refrigerate sauce until completely chilled before proceeding. "Otherwise you'll wind up with a blueberry milk shake," Scott says.

6. Transfer ice cream to a mixing bowl and let stand in the refrigerator 30 minutes or until just softened.



7. Spoon half into prepared crust. Spread in even layer and top with the chilled blueberry sauce. Spoon on remaining ice cream and spread to edges.

8. Cover surface of ice cream with plastic wrap and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight until firmly set.

9.To serve: In chilled mixing bowl, whisk creme fraiche, heavy cream, and sugar until just thickened to spreading consistency. Do not overbeat. "It is very easy to go from smooth to grainy," Scott says. Spread cream mixture over pie; top with blueberries. Serve with heated sauce on the side. Makes 10 servings.

Cinnamon Marshmallow Popcorn

3 Bags popped popcorn (I mix 2 bags of microwave with one bag's worth of air popped, but whatever. You definitely want the buttery, salty taste of the microwave popcorn in there, though)
4 C Mini Marshmallows
1 Bag Cinnamon Bears (cut into pieces)
2 Cubes Butter
1 1/3 C. Sugar
1/2 c Karo Syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
3 drops red food coloring

I find the easiest way to make any gooey popcorn is in a large brown grocery bag. For this recipe, toss a bag of popped popcorn in, then add 1/3 of the marshmallows and 1/3 of the cinnamon bears. Then make two more layers of the same. When the sauce is done, you just pour it on top, close the bag and shake it up. It's also lots easier to stir with a spoon this way, if shaking doesn't get it done.

OR, you could do it the standard way....

Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Divide the popcorn on the cookie sheets. Add about 1 1/3 C. mini marshmallows onto each sheet. Add the cut up cinnamon bears to the popcorn and marshmallows..


Moving on now...
In saucepan combine butter, corn syrup and sugar. Heat to boil on medium heat, stirring continuously. Turn heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Add vanilla and food coloring to sugar mixture.

Pour the hot sugar mixture over the popcorn. Carefully stir. The heat will melt the marshmallows and make everything gooey and delicious.

Eat, but try to share some with other people, or you are sure to get cavities within the week.

Asian Noodle Salad

1 pkg whole wheat linguine cooked and cooled
Head of green cabbage shredded
Head of purple cabbage shredded
(I sometimes just buy 2 bags of coleslaw)
Bag of spinach
Red yellow and orange bell peppers thinly sliced
4 green onions
1 peeled and sliced cucumber I use a half because they are not my favorite
Little chopped cilantro
1 can of cashews

Dressing
Juice of 2 limes
1 cup olive oil
4 T sesame oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
6 T fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic
2 jalapeño

Blend the dressing together in food processor

This is a large salad I cut everything in half if I'm making it just for my family!

Mint Ice Cream Brownie Squares

This dessert is basically four desserts combined into one. Obviously you can't go wrong with that!

Recipe by OurBestBites.com

Ingredients
1 box brownie mix, baked in 9×13 inch pan (check sizes on back of box)
1 1/2 quart mint chip ice cream
1 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cream (heavy or regular)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon McCormick pure peppermint extract
15-20 oreo cookies
1 8-ounce container whipped topping
optional: McCormick green food coloring, shaved or curled chocolate or sprinkles

Instructions
Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil and let foil extend at least 1 inch over edges of pan. Bake brownies according to package instructions. Cool completely and place in freezer to chill. Soften ice cream until you can easily stir it with a spoon. Gently spread in an even layer over brownies. Place pan in freezer to chill. Place chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat cream in microwave until hot and bubbly. Pour over chocolate and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Whisk in peppermint extract and let chocolate mixture cool to close to room temperature. Drizzle in an even layer over ice cream layer in pan. Sprinkle crushed cookies evenly over chocolate and lightly press in with your hands. Top with whipped topping and spread out into an even layer. If desired, sprinkle shaved or curled chocolate, or sprinkles on top. Freeze at least several hours (and up to several days, covered), until firm. When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to soften. Remove dessert from pan using foil and then cut into squares.

Cupcake Version: If desired, bake 1-2 tablespoons brownie batter in cupcake liners. Once cooled and chilled, layer remaining ingredients on top. Pipe on whipped topping (color with food coloring first, if desired) and freeze until firm.