Crusty French Bread

We had soup for dinner, actually we had two different soups. Creamy potato and stuffed pepper (recipes will be posted shortly). I love to eat my soups with a big hunk of crusty bread. I use the bread as a second spoon. ...bread makes the most amazing utensil. 

This is our favorite bread recipe, and it's actually quite easy to make. Bread used to intimidate me. Actually, yeast used to intimidate me. It's not scary though! Give it a try, the end result is so amazing!!

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups Warm Water

2 tbls. Sugar

2 Packages Instant Dry Yeast *About 2 tbls. worth.

1 tbls. Salt

2 tbls. Oil *I use extra virgin olive oil.

6 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Egg, Beaten *This is for an egg wash to give bread a nice shine and color. It is optional.

Directions

Add sugar and yeast to warm water, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let sit 5 minutes to activate yeast. It will get nice and foamy! Add salt and oil, and give it a quick mix. Then add flour, 1 cup at a time. Once all 6 cups of flour are added, let mix with dough hook for 3 minutes. Pull dough off hook, and remove hook from machine. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise 1 hour. Roll onto lightly floured surface, and divide dough in half. Shape into loaves, and cut 3 slits across the top of loaves. Sprinkle corn meal on a baking sheet, and transfer loaves. Let rise 15 minutes, while oven preheats to 400 degrees. After second rise, brush loaves with beaten egg, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Activated yeast.

Adding the flour in.

All mixed, and ready to rise!

\

Rising...

Perfectly risen!

 Little L shaping her loaf.

 One more quick rise.

Yum!!!

Easy Granola

This was a spur of the moment recipe, that I made this morning. We have a big tub of vanilla yogurt in the fridge, and it needed some crunchy granola sprinkled on top. Problem was, we didn't have any crunchy granola. I did a little searching on Pinterest, and played around with my own version. It turned out really, really good and I will definitely be making more!!

Ingredients
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
1/4 Cups of Honey
1 tbls. Maple Syrup
2 tbls. Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a small saucepan add the sugar, honey, syrup and butter. Let melt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Mix oats, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add sugar mixture and stir to coat everything. Spread evenly onto a cookie sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour, turning oats every 15 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool, and break into chunks. Store in an airtight container.

Onion and Garlic Chip Dip

I had a craving for french onion chip dip the other night. So, the next day I went to the store and bought some. I get home all excited, open the container and it's moldy!! Yuckkkk!!! I was then sad, and mad. My craving was not satisfied, and being 6 months pregnant, I HAD to have onion chip dip! I played around and came up with this recipe. Craving satisfied!

Ingredients
1 Container Sour Cream
3/4 Brick of Softened Cream Cheese
1 Large Onion, diced
2 tbls. Minced Garlic
2 tsp. Chives
3-4 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Olive Oil

*Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder not pictured, because i'm a dummy.

Diced onion and cheater garlic.

Directions

Heat olive oil in a small pan and saute diced onion and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft and translucent. Set aside and let cool. In a food processor, add sour cream, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, chives and garlic powder. Pulse until combined, but not liquefied. Add cooled onion and garlic mixture, and pulse a few more times to incorporate. Transfer to a covered bowl, and refrigerate for at least and hour to let flavors meld. Sprinkle a few more chives on top, and serve with your favorite brand of chips!

Onions and garlic sauteing.

 Getting ready to pulse...

 Yummy cooked onion mixture added!

Waiting for chips to be dipped!!

30 Minute Steak Marinade

It was a sticky, hot summer day yesterday. A little storm front came through, and thankfully cooled it down a bit so we were able to light the grill. No way was I (and by I, I mean Mr. L), going to stand at a hot grill in 100 degree heat. Yuck!

I ran to the grocery store earlier with my mom, and picked up some yummy looking steaks. I used my go-to steak marinade recipe, and they were perfect! It's a quick marinade to put together, and you only need to marinade the meat for about 30 minutes. I love easy prep!

Ingredients
*We cooked 6 smaller steaks. If you're using large steaks, or a big amount, you will need to adjust the recipe size.

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbls. Steak Sauce *Like A1, or Heinz
2 tsp. Minced Garlic
1 tsp. Steak Seasoning
1 tbls. Red Wine Vinegar

Ready for the grill!

Directions

Whisk all ingredients, and put in a large Ziploc bag, or container with a lid. Add steaks and make sure marinade covers meat. Refrigerate marinated steaks for 30 minutes. Throw on the grill when ready to go!

Perfection!

Salsa

This is one of my sister's recipes, and it's become one of my favorite things in the whole wide world. It's highly requested by family and friends, at any get-together. It's sort of a mix between salsa and pico de gallo, and it's amazing.

Ingredients
4 Large Ripe Tomatoes, diced
1 Large Red Onion, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 a Bunch of Cilantro, chopped
1 tbls. Garlic, minced
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar *This is an about measurement. I add the vinegar little by little, and taste as I go. I usually end up adding about a 1/4 cup. So just play around and see what you like.
Salt and Pepper

Directions
Mix everything in a large bowl, seasoning and tasting as you go. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Please ignore my badly manicured thumb.

8 Can Chicken Taco Soup

This is one of my favorite comfort meals. I could eat bowl, after bowl! ...and it's ridiculously easy to make!

Ingredients
1, 15 oz. Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1, 15 oz. Can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
1, 14.5 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes *If you want it spicier, substitute a can of Rotel.
1, 15 oz. Can of Sweet Corn, drained
1, 10.75 oz. Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1, 10 oz. Can Green Enchilada Sauce
1, Can Red Enchilada Sauce *I usually use a large can, but if you want less spice, use a small can.
1, 14 oz. Can Chicken Broth
1 Pack Taco Seasoning
3-4 Chicken Breasts, boiled and shredded

Optional Garnishes
Diced Red Onion
Chopped Cilantro
Lime
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Jalapeno Slices
Fried Tortilla Strips, Or Crushed Tortilla Chips

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low 4-6 hours, or high 2-3 hours. Can also be simmered on a stove stop. Serve with optional garnishments of your choice. How easy is that??

Heaven in a bowl!

Meatballs with Penne Rigate

Little L is OBSESSED with spaghetti! She would eat endless amounts if I let her. I asked her what she wanted for dinner last night, and of course, she said spaghetti. With a little persuasion (and bribery), we settled on meatballs with penne. I told her it would taste just like spaghetti. Thankfully, she loved it!

Ingredients

Meatballs--
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 lb. Ground Pork
1 Egg
3/4 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 tbls. Minced Garlic
1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp. Dried Basil
1 tsp. Dried Parsley
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
Splash of Milk
3 tbls. butter *For browning meatballs.
1 tbls. olive oil *Also for the browning of the meatballs.

Sauce--
1 Medium Onion, Diced
1 tbls. Minced Garlic
1 28 oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 28 oz. Can Whole Tomatoes
1 tbls. Dried Parsley
1/2 tbls. Dried Oregano
1/2 tbls. Dried Basil
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper *Season to taste.
Beef Broth *I thinned my sauce with a splash.
1, 1 pound Box of Penne Rigate Noodles

Directions
Throw all meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Except for the butter and oil. Mix until all ingredients are combined, but don't over-mix! Over-mixing the meat will toughen up the meatballs. Grab 1 tablespoon full of meat mixture and roll into a ball. (I used my small cookie scoop, so much easier, and all the meatballs were perfect uniformed size.) Repeat this process a bazillion times, until all meat mixture is balled. Place meatballs on a cookie sheet, and pop in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Sticking them in the freezer helps them to not fall apart during the cooking stage.

While the meatballs are chilling, get a large pot and heat it to a medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil and let it get nice and hot. I used my large cast-iron dutch oven. It gives meat awesome color. When butter and oil is ready, add meatballs. Do not overcrowd the pot. I did several batches. If you overcrowd your pot, your meatballs will not get nice color. You're not cooking these through, just getting the color! Place meatballs on paper towel lined plate to drain. When you've browned all the meatballs, drain a little bit of the excess grease. You want a few tablespoons left, for the sauce.

Add your diced onions and garlic to the pot, and let saute a few minutes. Careful not to burn the garlic. Add the crushed tomatoes and can of whole tomatoes, along with the spices.  Let simmer 10 minutes. You can break up the tomatoes a bit, if you don't want large chunks. The sauce will thicken, if it gets too thick you can add a splash or two of the beef broth. Add the meatballs back into the pot, cover the pot, and let simmer on low for 30-40 minutes.

While the meatballs and sauce are simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add in a 1 pound box of penne rigate noodles. Drain noodles when done, and add to the meatballs and sauce. Stir everything to combine, and serve!

Biscuits and Gravy

We took an impromptu vacation, and boy was it nice! We didn't go far, about 3 hours, but it felt like we traveled across the country. Our family definitely needed it! So now i'm back to my blog!

We are big fans of biscuits and gravy here! I grew up with biscuits and gravy at Sunday breakfast, and it's a tradition that I am carrying on with my family. It's so easy, and soooo satisfying! If you've never attempted biscuits and gravy, please try this recipe! You'll thank me later...

Ingredients

Gravy--

1 Pound Ground Breakfast Sausage *We use mild, but any flavor will work. I personally love sage, but Mr. L does not.

4 tbls. flour

3 cups Milk *We use 2%, I wouldn't suggest using skim.

Salt and Pepper

Biscuits--

2 cups Flour

4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Sugar

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup COLD butter, Cubed

2/3 cup Milk

Directions

In a large stock pot, brown sausage. Once browned (do NOT drain fat), add flour and stir. It will absorb all the sausage grease. Cook about 1 minute, to get the flour taste out. Add milk, salt and pepper (to taste) and reduce heat. Let bubble and simmer until thick, stirring often. It usually takes 8-10 minutes. We like our gravy thick!

For biscuits, mix first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl. Add in cubed butter, and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives. You want the butter in small chunks and to incorporate with everything. Add milk, 1/3 cup at a time, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and very gently knead until combined. You don't want to mess with it too much, because the heat from your hands will melt the butter. Roll the dough out to about a 1/2 an inch, and cut with a biscuit cutter. Or, use the bottom of a round glass to cut out biscuits rounds. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees, until golden brown.

Split biscuits, or tear into pieces, and ladle your thick sausage gravy over top. 

So good!

Easy Garlic Bread

We had spaghetti dinner with my parents last night, and my mom asked me to bring the bread. I didn't have any fancy bread on hand, to make garlic bread with, but we did have leftover hot dog buns. When I was younger, we always used up leftover bread and buns to make garlic bread with and it's always delicious! Here's my super simple recipe.

Ingredients
1 Stick Softened Margarine or Butter
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Dried Parsley
Leftover Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns

Directions
Place a large cookie sheet in the oven, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Yes, preheat it WITH the cookie sheet in the oven.

Mix the softened margarine/butter, garlic and parsley. Spread on faces of buns. When oven is preheated, place buttered bread FACE DOWN on cookie sheet and toast 5-7 minutes or until bread is nice and golden brown.

That's it!

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

For dessert last night I made strawberry oatmeal bars. They are a family favorite, and so easy to make! This is a Pioneer Woman recipe, so I have to give credit to Ree.

Ingredients
1 and 3/4 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
1 and 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 and 1/2 cups Quick Oats *I have used regular rolled oats too.
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 jar (10 or 12 Ounce) Strawberry Jam *You can use any flavor jam or preserves that you like.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle half the mixture into baking dish, and lightly pat down. Top with strawberry jam, and carefully spread evenly over surface. Top with remaining oat mixture, and gently pat down again. Bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely, and cut into squares.

Crock-Pot Sloppy Joes

Dinner last night was delicious! There's something so comforting about eating a Sloppy Joe. I'll admit I usually just buy the canned sauce stuff, brown some ground beef, and throw in the sauce. I'm trying hard to rid our house of processed junk, and holy cow! Have you looked at the label on one of those cans of sauce?? The sodium amount is INSANE, and there are so many "ingredients" that I can't even pronounce! I am proud to say that I will NEVER buy another can of that "sauce".

We had family over for dinner last night, so this recipe is tripled. It made a TON! (With plenty of yummy left-overs) If you're not feeding an army, definitely adjust the recipe.

Ingredients
3 Pounds Ground Beef
2 Medium Onions - Finely Diced
1 Bell Pepper - Diced *I had tri-color whole mini peppers on hand, and just diced those up.
3 Tsp. Garlic - Minced

Sauce
2, 15 oz. Cans Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup Water
2 Cups Ketchup
3 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tbls. Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbls. Yellow Mustard
2 Tbls. Brown Sugar *This wasn't in my original recipe, I added it after tasting.
1 Tbls. Chili Powder
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes *You can omit, if you don't want it spicy. I love a little kick though!
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper

The sauce ingredients. *Brown sugar not pictured, and the 2nd can of tomato sauce.

Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet, and drain fat. Add diced onions, peppers and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, to soften veggies. While meat is browning, add all sauce ingredients to the bottom of a crock pot, and stir. Add browned beef mixture to sauce, and stir to combine. I gave my sauce a little taste before adding the meat. You can adjust if you like. Cook on low 6 hours.

Browning the meat.

 Diced onion, peppers and shh... I cheat and buy already minced garlic.

 Veggies and garlic added.

 Sauce mixture, all ready for the meat!

Yummy!!

I served the Sloppy Joe's on buttered, toasted hamburger buns with waffle fries and corn on the cob. For dessert we had strawberry oatmeal bars (recipe to follow). You can also try with ground turkey or chicken, for a leaner meat option.

Enjoy!

Getting back to blogging! An update...

Wow! It's been over a year since my last post, and I apologize! I started my blog, with the intent on daily posts, but life had other plans...

Things have sort of slowed down a bit, and I am determined to get back in the blogging game!!

Let me give you a little update on our life. Mr. L is still a hard working diesel tech, but has gone on a new shift schedule and meals have been a bit difficult in our household. He works 2pm-1am, so we don't get to have meals together as a family much. I still love to cook, it's just not as satisfying to prepare a big meal and eat alone. Little L is now 3 years old! She is spunky and still a food lover. She's really good about trying new things. She's also going to be a big sister!! Baby L (another girl) is on the way! Due to arrive this October.

This past Christmas, Mr. L and Little L got me my dream present. A Kitchenaid stand mixer!! It's bright green and has made my cooking adventures so much fun! I love finding recipes, just so I can use it. So, you'll probably see it in a lot of upcoming posts.

Dinner is already cooking and I will be posting recipes tonight!

Lots of love,
Mrs. L