Pumpkin Bread!

I'm baking the bread as I write this blog, and let me tell you, very few things in this world smell better than this bread when it's baking. Man oh man, does it smell heavenly!
This is one of Mikey's favorite things (next to Kalamata Olive bread) so I'm making it for him before he goes back to college next weekend. It's also a huge favorite with the gang I go to the lake with.

I got the original recipe for this from The New Book of Favorite Breads from Rose Lane Farm cookbook. I've modified it slightly and made it my own. Enjoy!


















Pumpkin Bread

Combine and allow to stand until foamy:

1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
2 pkgs dry yeast

Then add:

3/4 cup warm milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup flour

Mix well and add another four cups of flour, one cup at a time, kneading in more flour if necessary to make a soft, non-sticky dough. Let rise in greased bowl, covered, until doubled in bulk.

Punch down and knead dough until elastic and then cut into six equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope about 16 inches long. Braid ropes into two loaves. Place braids longways on large greased cookie sheet. Cover with a dish towel and allow to rise until double in size and a fingerprint on the dough stays put and doesn't bounce back.

Bake 35 min at 350. Remove from oven and brush with milk or evaporated milk. Return to oven for another 10 min.

Be sure to take a stick of butter out of the fridge to let it soften up while the bread is rising and baking. Trust me, you're gonna want it!

Tasty Tuesday Berry Crisp!

I got this recipe from a friend years ago, and it's a great favorite with my guys. You can make it with any kind of berry you like, or you can use apples. I've done it with blueberries, blackberries, and wild raspberries, and it's always good!

Berry (or Apple) Crisp

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (divided)
2 cups berries
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar

Place fruit in a large square or round baking dish, sprinkle with brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and cornstarch and toss. Blend butter, sugar, flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and salt with pastry cutter. Spread over fruit and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Manicotti Italian Casserole!

Manicotti Italian Casserole

Submitted by Diva Donna Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 8

"Some members of my family call it manicotti, some call it Italian casserole. So I call it Manicotti Italian Casserole. This is one of my all time favorite meals to make, and it's super easy!"

Ingredients:

1 pound rigatoni pasta 1 pound ground beef 1 pound Italian sausage 1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, drained

2 (32 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce 1 1/2 pounds shredded mozzarella cheese thinly sliced pepperoni

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Pour in rigatoni, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set pasta aside.
3.	Meanwhile, brown ground beef and italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. With a slotted spoon, remove beef and sausage to a baking dish. Stir mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, and cooked pasta into the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese and pepperoni over the top.
4.	Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Tasty Tuesday Chicken Florentine!

It's time for another recipe! I had some cream, chicken, Locatelli cheese, and spinach on hand, so I put my own spin on a classic. The guys gave it two thumbs up!

Chicken Florentine

Ingredients: 
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied, then cut into pieces and pounded flat.
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 10 oz bag of fresh spinach
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (Locatelli)
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Egg noodles cooked according to package directions. (about 1/3 of a one pound bag)

Directions:
Prepare chicken pieces as above. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then place in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid, add flour and shake it until chicken is coated with flour. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook just until it starts to change color--not browned. Remove garlic. Add butter to skillet. Place floured chicken in skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove chicken and add spinach to skillet. Saute until the spinach is wilted. Then add cream and reserved garlic and heat until bubbling. Add the chicken and grated cheese and cook about two minutes more. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add cooked noodles, toss gently, serve, and enjoy! Makes about three or four servings.

Tasty Temptions

This is that recipe that I made a while back and couldn't taste.
However, I can taste it now, and, trust me, it's VERY good!

Chicken Piccata

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied, pounded until thin and cut into bite-sized pieces
2-3 Tbsp Olive oil
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
juice of one lemon, strained
2 Tbsp capers
2 tsp parsley flakes

Noodles or pasta of choice, cooked as directed

Prepare chicken as above. Mix flour, pepper, and paprika in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Add chicken pieces and shake until coated. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat, add garlic and saute until lightly browned. Remove garlic, add 2 Tbsp butter and then add chicken and cook until browned on all sides.

Remove chicken and add the wine to the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes until reduced by half, then add remaining ingredients, including 2 Tbsp butter. Return chicken to skillet and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Add cooked pasta or noodles to the skillet just before serving and toss to coat. Makes 2-3 servings.

Soup's On!

The weather cooled off a bit around here the past few days, and hot soup is sounding good again, so I decided to try out another of Leslie's soup recipes. I made this on Sunday, and it's delicious!

Leslie's Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup

Nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup quick cooking barley (use 3/4 cup for a thicker soup if desired)
2 cans (14 ounces each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used baby portabellas)
1 can (about 10 ¾ ounces) 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
¼ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper

Step 1: Coat Dutch oven or large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat or until hot. Add oil and tilt pan to coat bottom of pan. Add onions; cook and stir 8 minutes or until onions just begin to turn golden. Add carrots and cook and stir 2 minutes.

Step 2: Add chicken broth, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, barley, Worcestershire sauce and thyme; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in green onions, salt and pepper and enjoy!

PS: I forgot to buy the green onions, so to add a little extra flavor, I added some grated Locatelli cheese--and some rosemary to help me remember these things . . . not sure if it helps or not. . .

Tasty Tuesday Asiago Cheese Bread!

I recently bought some delicious Asiago cheese bread from a local bakery and decided take a stab at making some of my own. So, on Saturday, when I had the whole house to myself for the day, I made this bread, based on my Kalamata olive bread recipe. It smelled incredible while it was baking, and tasted pretty darn good, too.

Asiago Cheese Bread

Mix together in a large mixing bowl and let set until foamy:

1 cup warm water
2 pkgs yeast
1 tsp sugar

Then add:

1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups grated Asiago cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix together and knead in more flour (about 3 cups) until you've got a smooth, non-sticky dough. Cover and let rise 2 hours until doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough and shape into a ball. Place in a greased glass or ceramic pie dish, flatten the ball and lightly grease the dough with a little butter or oil, then let rise, covered, until doubled in size. Bake 50 min in 350 degree oven. Brush the top with milk and bake for 10 more minutes.