Cheesy Garlic Bread

I saw this on another cooking blog, and bookmarked it immediately. Err, well, apparently I DIDN'T bookmark it because I can't find the bookmark nor can I remember which site I was at. I have found and started following several more cooking blogs recently, and so I don't know which one it was. Well, if it was your cooking blog, feel free to take the credit.

Cheesy Garlic Bread
one loaf of bread, sliced- but don't slice all the way through to the bottom
soft butter, mixed with dry or fresh herbs (whatever you have)
mozzarella cheese (the original post used swiss cheese)

I put almost a whole stick of softened butter in a bowl,
and mixed in garlic salt, and some herbs I had on hand.

Slice the bread, but don't slice all the way through. The bread should still be connected.
I used a small spautla, and spread some of the garlic herb butter in each little pocket, so there is butter on each side of the bread. Then, I stuck some shredded mozzarella in each pocket. The original recipe used Swiss cheese and she had a larger loaf of bread (which would definitely work better, but this was all I had. I used one of those small sourdough loaves) and put half a slice of Swiss in each pocket.
I spread the rest of the butter on top of the loaf and covered it with foil. The oven was at 350.
Cover with foil and I baked it for 15 minutes. Then, if you want, you can take the foil off, and bake for a few minutes more. The top will get crispy that way. This was good. I didn't put enough cheese in, but my pockets weren't very big. I will definitely use a regular size loaf of bread, and it will be even better next time.

Tamale Pie

I have posted this recipe before, but it was in the crockpot. This time I did it in the oven.
We still have the rain/cold going here in Forks..I mean, Texas- so I wanted to do another cold weather favorite. I have made this several times before, but always in the crockpot. Yesterday was grocery shopping day, with a little gymnastics class thrown in, so I wasn't home early to get the tamale pie going in the crockpot. We finally got home at 3, after a fun day of errands- did I mention it was 40 degrees and raining all day?- so I made this dish in the oven, instead of the crockpot. It was originally meant for the oven, but got adapted to the crockpot, so I figured it would turn out ok. We were cold, tired and had wet feet. This dish was perfect!! It's easy to throw together, so I wasn't in the kitchen all evening, and it warmed us up!

Tamale Pie
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can hominy, drained ( I love hominy- you can totally use corn)
1 can diced tomatoes (I drain them slightly- I don't like the filling to be too juicy)
1 can chili (totally optional. I like how it thickens up the filling, and makes it heartier)
paprika
chili powder
salt and pepper

Cornbread crust:
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix cornbread ingredients in a separate bowl, set aside.

Mix browned beef, canned goods (remember to drain!) and season well. I was pretty liberal with the paprika and chili powder- those are not spicy spices, but they add good flavor. I used a deep baking dish for this, I couldn't remember how much the cornbread rose, and I didn't want it spilling over the edge.

Mix well, and smooth the meat mixture to an even layer.

Pour cornbread topping over meat mixture. Bake for 40 minutes at 400.

The thing I love about this recipe, and I say this about alot of my recipes, is the flexibility. You could make this a vegetarian dish, and just add more canned beans and veggies. You could use any kinds of bean you want- whatever you have on hand. It's very flexible, this is simply the way we like it.

Homemade Pizza Dough

This is a recipe my mom has been using for 10+ years, and it always turns out. It is, in my opinion, very easy and can be made ahead and refrigerated or even frozen. One recipe of the dough makes 2 medium size pizzas, or 3 individual pizzas.

Homemade Pizza Dough
1 package rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 cups flour
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt (I like to add more)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
*1/2 cup water (you can add this if needed)

Pour 1/2 cup of warm water in measuring cup. Add yeast packet and sugar.
Stir and set aside. It needs a good 5 minutes to activate the yeast, and start foaming.
Meanwhile, add flour, parmesan, and salt to mixing bowl and make sure you
have your dough hook attachment on there.
When yeast is foaming, add to the flour mixture. Add olive oil as well.
This is the only thing you need to be sure of to get the dough to come out right. KEEP MIXING!! I used to just mix for a minute or so and be so upset, because my dough wasn't together. Well, no!! It needs a few minutes for the dough to come together, not 45 seconds...
As you can see, the dough has come together. See? All you needed was a little patience. It happened on accident for me. I kept it mixing while I was getting the bowl ready for the next step, and came back to the mixing bowl to see that it had finally come together!!! I had an a-ha moment. A-ha! I have to leave the dough alone, and it will come together.
Take the dough out and put in an aluminum bowl that you have greased with olive oil. Wet a towel with warm water and place over the bowl. Set in a warm place (I take it to my laundry room) and let rise (for at least an hour).The dough has risen (compare with picture above).
Set it on a floured surface and cut into 2 or 3 sections. You can wrap and refrigerate each section and it will rise more in the refrigerator. However, you can also roll out the dough without that and it will be fine. I roll mine with a roller, but I also stretch it over my hands, and pull it to really get it stretched out.

Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. I use my simple tomato sauce as the pizza sauce, and then add cheese and whatever ingredients we want that night. When my sister makes this dough, she adds dried herbs to the flour to make an herbed dough. It's really good!! I also brush olive oil on the crust. It gets rid of the dry, flour-y taste and gives a pretty color, too.

Pumpkin Yeast Rolls

Make these rolls. Just trust me- you want to make these rolls. Let's see- first off, they are easy. They aren't quick, but they are easy. And second- let's see, how do I put this- they are AMAZING. Buttery, dense yeast rolls- with pumpkin. Oh, I love these rolls.


Pumpkin Yeast Rolls
3 3/4 cup flour
1 package yeast
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c milk
1/4 c honey
1/2 c canned pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 cup warm water
1 stick butter

In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast and salt

(I add more salt, maybe 1.2 tsp.)

Pour the milk into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Whisk in the honey, squash, egg and water.

With a fork, blend the squash mixture into the flour mixture until you have a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. (You can go longer than this. When I made them for Thanksgiving, I did this part the day before and they refrigerated all night.)

Two hours before baking, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Melt the butter and set aside in a small bowl. Divide the dough in half.

Divide each half into 6 sections.
Divide each section into 3 pieces.Roll each section in the melted butter and place in a muffin cup.

There are 3 buttered pieces per cup.

Pour the rest of the butter over each roll.

Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Bake for 15-17 minutes in a 350 oven.

Seriously- these are good rolls. I meant to freeze half of the dough to see how that would work, if they would thaw and still rise a second time, but I forgot. Oh, darn. I guess I will just have to make them again. The sacrifices I make for having a cooking blog.
We are at home today. School's closed!! No snow, just ice. The kids have already been outside sliding around on the driveway and sliding down my dad's driveway in a box (he lives next door). It's not stuff you get to do every winter in Texas, so we are enjoying this "real winter weather" while we have it. It's will be 70 by this weekend.

Gruyere Puff Pastry Muffins

I made these little lovelies to go with the Pasta Fagioli soup (see post below). I didn't just want to have bread (although it would be great, too) and I had puff pastry. So, I used Allrecipes and their Ingredient search tool. I put in puff pastry, and I found this recipe.


Gruyere Puff Pastry Muffins
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (you could also use Swiss)

*I halved this, I only had one sheet of puff pastry left

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the puff pastry to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 inch squares. Press the squares into 12 cup muffin tin
Make filling. Mix egg, milk, flour, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in cheese.
Fill cups evenly with filling.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

I liked these very much as did the fam. I wanted more filling in it, though. They totally deflated after that picture above, and it didn't seem like their was enough filling. I made the kids grilled cheese sandwiches to go with the soup, so they would keep their paws off our puff pastries. Of course, they wanted to try one, and they liked them, too.

Creamy Chicken with Cheddar Biscuits

This is a great hearty, warming meal for a cold, drizzly day just like we are having in Texas today. Unless you have an aversion to chicken like a sweet, pregnant friend of mine. Then this recipe probably doesn't sound very good.
I'm very excited about what I am making tonight for our cold, drizzly day- I hope it turns out great so I can share it!!
These are the best biscuits, and you can tell I love them because I have used them in several other recipes just since I started this blog. This recipe, however, is where the biscuits actually came from.

Creamy Chicken with Cheddar Biscuits
1/2 large onion
2 Tbsp. butter
4 cups chopped chicken, or 2 large cans canned chicken (drained)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk

Cheddar Biscuits
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. butter (cold, not super soft)
1/2 cup milk
In large bowl, combine flour and baking powder and a tsp. salt. Using your fingertips, blend in the butter and cheese, it will be like coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk and stir quickly with a fork to form a shaggy dough. Gather the dough together and knead lightly in the bowl. Turn onto a floured work surface and pat into a large round. Using a biscuit cutter (or a small glass), cut out 8 biscuits. You can gather the scraps and re-roll until you have enough biscuits or use all the dough.

Saute onion with butter until soft, at least 5 minutes.
I did not have chicken already cooked and chopped, so I cooked my chicken with my onions.
You can use canned chicken, it works beautifully.

Meanwhile, make biscuit dough. I have NEVER had this dough not come together. Yes, that was two negatives. This dough always works. It's easy, and they are very moist. I use these alot.

Mix the onion, chicken, soup, sour cream, milk and season with salt and pepper.
Spoon into a greased dish (smaller than a 13x9)
Place biscuits on top and bake for 35 minutes at 375.

Chicken Pot Pie

Our schedule is hectic and filled with even more family functions that normal-we are so blessed to have all our family live close by. Alot of my dinners have been leftovers, or just quick, light items recently. Not a lot of time to try new recipes or make a big dinner. Whenever I make something I haven't posted already, I will post that, but I probably won't have a weekly menu post until after the holidays.

Chicken Pot Pie
I usually use Pillsbury Pie Crust, but this time I made the pastry dough from the Pizza Rustica for the crust. It was good- I think that is my go-to pastry crust for savory dishes. For this dish, I cut the dough into 3 sections, and used two. Check back for a post about a yummy treat with leftover pie dough!!

1-1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast or tenders, cut to bite size
2 cups frozen veggies
2 cups chicken broth
flour
garlic powder
dried herbs (your preference)

Mix a few Tbsp. of flour with 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder (I use more garlic powder, it's your choice) Toss the chicken pieces in flour and garlic powder, and saute in pan with 2 Tbsp. butter, until browned, 5-7 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and frozen veggies. Season with salt, pepper, and dried
(or fresh if you have it- good for you!) herbs of your choice.
(I start with a cup of broth and add more as needed.
I don't like it too soupy, since it's going in the crust)
I like a double crust, so I put a third of the dough in the deep dish pie plate.
Pour the chicken mixture (I thickened it with some corn starch and water) in to the pie pan.

Top with second dough

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool!

Pizza Rustica

This is one of my husband's single most favorite dishes of all time. Not kidding, people. It's from Giada de Laurentiis, on Food Network. It is a little time consuming, but great for get-togethers or large family dinners. I say that, because it's a large pie, and only keeps for a few days.

Pizza Rustica
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. Italian sausage
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 10-oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
Pastry Dough
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Pastry Dough
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 c sold solid shortening, cut into pieces
1 tsp. salt
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 to 4 Tbsp. ice cold water

Blend the flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a food processor.
The mixture will resemble coarse meal.

Blend in the eggs.
With the machine running, add cold water one Tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms.Gather the dough into a ball, and divide the dough into 2 pieces, one twice as large as the other. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For Rustica:
- brown sausage with 1 Tbsp. oil, add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Set aside
- saute spinach in same pan as sausage with 1 Tbsp. oil for about 10 minutes. Cool, then squeeze to drain as much liquid as possible.

In large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 c Parmesan. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture. Stir to combine.

Roll out large piece of dough to a 17-inch round.
Place the dough in a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the overhang dough to 1-inch.

Fill with ricotta mixture. Roll the smaller dough to a 12-inch round.

Top with smaller dough.
Fold and pinch edges together to seal.
Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle 2 Tbsp. parmesan over the top.

Bake on bottom shelf about 1 hour. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before you cut into slices.This is really good, and I enjoy making it only about 1-2 times a year. It's always a favorite with my family, hope you enjoy!!