Comfort in a Bowl

I made this soup the other day to take to my friends house. She had a baby about a month ago (her fourth) so I wanted to bring her a dinner. I made her a big pot of this chili one evening and put it in the fridge to chill overnight so the flavors could get to know each other and marry.
I tried a little bit of this soup to make sure it tasted okay, then ended up serving myself up a whole bowlful because it was so good.
Then, circumstances made it impossible for me to visit her on the day I had planned, so now I have a whole pot of soup to enjoy. Next week when I try to visit again, I will have to make it again - but that's okay, because it is pretty fast and easy-peasy. It is so delicious and oh - so- comforting!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1 (18.75 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilis

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 bag frozen corn

1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat

1 (15 ounce) can white beans

1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste

1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
2. Stir in broth, tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Swedish Meatballs

We had these for dinner Saturday night. Dan loved 'em. MaryGrace loved 'em. I thought they were so so. They are labeled an appetizer in the cookbook where I found them but we ate them as a dinner and then as sandwiches the next day for lunch. I also froze half of them to pull from the freezer at a later date because this makes about 30 pieces.

Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg
2 T cream (used half and half)
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup grape jelly

Mix ground beef, salt, pepper, egg, and cream together. Add just enough flour to hold mixture together. Make miniature meatballs (1/2 to 1 inch diameter) and place in a shallow baking pan in one layer. Bake at 350 for 20 mintues. Turn once to brown evenly. Drain off excess fat.

In large saucepan, combine chili sauce and grape jelly. Heat to simmering. Add meatballs, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Enchilada Casserole - My first recipe submission!

Hi ladies!

I asked Anne to add me to the recipe blog awhile ago, but if follow-through had an expiration date, I'd be that bag of shredded cheese you found under one of the seats in your car.

But I come with tidings of good Mexican food. :)

Though I can't say that this is traditional faire, I can say that it's fantabulous! My roommate made a version of this the other night and, I'm not gonna lie, I had a piece for breakfast the next day.

I know what you're thinking..

"Caitie.. Seriously? Mexican food in the morning?"

Yes, friend. Mexican food in the morning.

So here's the recipe (which, I pronounce ress-eep).

1 package of ground beef (or turkey.. I guess.. ugh) and 1 packet taco seasoning
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
1 packet Mexican or Spanish rice
1 package flour tortillas (recipe initially called for corn, but I refuse to use them - ugh)
1 can tomato sauce
1 package Mexican mix cheeses (you can try low fat/part skim cheeses too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet brown the meat. (Duh) Add packet of taco seasoning mix to meat, following instructions on the taco seasoning packet. (Duh) Drain. (Duh).

Follow directions on your Mexican rice packet to prepare rice. P.S. Try to choose one with minimal tomatoes cuz the recipe (again, ress-ipe) calls for them.

Cook the refried beans (you can add water to them so they are not to thick).

Combine rice, refried beans, diced tomatoes to the Morning Star meat and cook on low heat.

In a separate skillet heat tomato sauce. (Yes, I realize that the way I'm telling you to do this is calling for two dozen dishes. Don't hate me.. I know you can find a better way!)

Dip a tortilla into the tomato sauce and put on the bottom of the casserole dish, then add a layer of the meat mixture and some of the shredded Mexican mix cheese. Continue this process until all ingredients are gone and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake uncovered for about 15-20 or until cheese has melted and is browning.

Healthy Thanksgiving Leftovers!

Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving!

We hosted far-flung friends AND family this year, and while I tried to keep the dishes cholesterol-friendly, in honor of my dear Father in Law, we did kind of tend towards the fatty (bacon draped turkey legs, anyone?) and the buttery and the creamy...so when Sunday rolled around, and all our guests (a houseful and a half!!) had departed, Matt and I (and no-longer-Baby Eddie) were ready for some healthful fare.

I found this in Mothering magazine and want to save it, and then thought I'd also share it here.



Sweet Potato-Lentil Burritos


4 large sweet potatoes, roasted in 425 oven ~one hour (leave oven on after removing potatoes), mashed

2 c. cooked lentils (we did brown rice and black beans together), adding

1 tbs cumin

2 tsp chili powder (We added 2 tsps of Thai Spice, since we ran out of chili powder)

Cilantro

Sour cream

Salsa

~2 c shredded cheese of choice

6 whole wheat tortillas (this was four flour for us, two corn for Eddie)



Assemble the burritos, tucking into oiled casserole dish, and sprinkle any remaining (or extra!) cheese on top.



Bake in the 425 oven for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and tortillas are golden.



(We omitted the baking step, since Eddie was really hungry. These burritos are just fine unbaked, but who doesn't like melted cheese on top??)

We loved them, but Eddie was not such a fan until we dissected his burrito and served him the main components with a spoon for his use...




:D

How To: Make a Butterfly-Shaped Birthday Cake

First, bake two 11 x 13 rectangular cakes.  I made one chocolate, and one vanilla.

Then draw a butterfly wing on a sheet of paper, and cut it out.  This is your template.

Place template on first cake.  Cut around cake according to template.  Do the same to the second cake.

You will have cake "scraps."

Time to decorate!  Gather your supplies, such as: colored frosting, decorating bags, couplers, tips, candies, etc.  This is the fun part!

Decorate any way you wish.  There are lots of different ways to decorate a butterfly.  First I piped frosting on the entire butterfly, alternating pink and yellow stripes.  Then I chose to make the "body" out of M &M's and the "antennae" out of frosting that I drew on the board.  I also made the hearts and spelled my daughter's name in M & M's.

I wrote "Happy 3rd Birthday" on the board to not take away from the design on te cake.

The birthday girl, who seemed very pleased with the result!

Winter Squash (pumpkin) Bars

I brought these into work today and they were gone before lunch. They make a VERY moist crumb. Absolutely delicious and a good way to use of leftover canned pumpkin which is exactly what I used it for! This is from the "Fall" section of my new cookbook, Simply In Season. I made a half recipe, but I will post the full.

As the title is Winter SQUASH Bars, I am very interested in trying to make it with a different kind of squash, I wonder if the flavor will change at all. Has anyone every done that? Have you used a butternut or acorn squash in place of pumpkin for a dessert recipe?

Winter Squash Bars
Yields 24 "bars" when cut in bar form. I just left it in the pan and scooped it out.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

2 cups winter squash or pumpkin
3/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cups sugar (WOA, that's a lot of sugar, I cut it down a bit..)
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Beat together in a mixing bowl all of the above ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Sift all of the above into a separate bowl. Mix the wet in with the drive. Don't overmix. Pour into a lightly greased 11x17 inch jelly roll pan (or whatever fits/is the equivalent that you have). Bake in preheated over for 25-30 mins.

Mine baked for about 15 mins longer at least.

Roasted Eggplant Soup

Another gem from www.smittenkitchen.com who adapted it from Bon Appetit magazine. She suggests seasonings for an alternative taste and it was this way that I made it. It was delicious!!

Roasted Eggplant Soup
adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves 4

3 medium tomatoes, halved (I quartered them)
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds) halved lengthwise, or 3 smaller ones
1 small or medium onion, halved (I quartered it)
6 garlic cloves, peeled (I used 3 )
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
4 cups chicken or veg stock
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional, or more to taste)
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (opt, I omitted because it didn't need it IMO)

Preheat oven to 400F. Arrange tomatoes, eggplant, onion and garlic on large baking sheet (you'll need two). Brush or drizzle vegetables with olive oil and roast for 20 mins. Remove garlic so it doesn't burn and return the trays to the oven for an additional 25 mins until the vegetables are browned in spots and tender soft. Remove from the onion and scoop the insides out of the eggplant (though since you puree it all, next time I am not throwing away the skins) and scoop into a large soup pot. Add the rest of the vegetables, thyme and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook until onion is very tender. (Here is she says about 45 mins or longer, but since I had chopped some of the vegetables smaller mine were practically ready to puree after boiling). Cool slightly.

Puree soup. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and add additional spices. I used 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1/4 tsp red pepper. Sprinkle with goat cheese if using.

Chicken and Noodles

I posted this recipe last winter and thought it was so good. Little did I know. I made true homemade chicken and noodles tonight. It was given to me from a friend from church. I didn't make the noodles but I bought from the Amish who make them from scratch. This dish screams love as it takes a good half a day to prepare but most of that is just letting the meat cook.

Ingredients
6 to 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut a few times
3 to 4 celery stalks
1/2 to 1 onion, quartered
2 to 3 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper
1 package of good noodles

Put all ingredients (except noodles) in a pot big enough to fit everything in and fill with water to where it's just covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Take the chicken out and let cool. Once it's cooled remove bones/skin/nastiness from thighs. Set Aside.

Back to the water that's now broth, remove all the veggies and then run through a strainer. I don't have a strainer so I put a dish towel over my crock pot dish and poured the liquid over that to catch all the stuff I couldn't pick out. Once it's strained let cool so you can skim the fat off the top. There wasn't much on mine so I'm sure you can skip this step if time is an issue.

Bring the broth back to a boil and boil the noodles. (After the noodles were done I could tell it was going to be too soupy for our liking so I poured some of the broth back out and froze it for later use.) After noodles are done put chicken back in and mix about 1 cup of water to 1/4 cup cornstarch together and mix in the pot of goodness (or until your desired thickness is reached.)

Served with mashed potatoes and a salad.

It's worth every minute spent on it. And that's all folks.

Goat Cheesecake with Hazelnut Brittle and Blood Orange Caramel Sauce

I only made this once, years ago. It was delicious, though, so when a friend who has gone dairy-free for her nursling asked if a goat-cheesecake was possible, I responded in the affirmative. And I typed this whole thing out while MY baby slept. All that hard work should be shared with MANY wonderful ladies, I think, so, without further delay...

Goat Cheesecake with Hazelnut Brittle and Blood Orange Caramel Sauce


1 egg
1 Egg yolk
10.5 oz goat cheese
5 oz crème fraiche
3.5 oz granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 300, grease six indivudal sized ramekins
Mix eggs, sugar and salt together, whisk until smooth.
Add goat cheese and and whisk smooth
Add crème fraiche and whisk unstil just combined. (Do not overwhisk, or cake will be grainy.)
Pour into molds, and bake 20-25 minutes, ratating halfway through. Centers should be just set.
Remove from oven, allow to cool. Chil in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Loosen with knife to unmold. These will keep refrigerated for 4 days.

Brittle:

1/8 tsp cream of tartar
½ c toasted skinned and finely ground hazelnuts
¼ tsp finely ground salt
1/3 c water
Preheat oven to 350, line an 11x17 baking pan with archement (or silpat, love those)
Place sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small sauce pan, cover. Heat on high until it boils, uncover, reduce heat to medium high and cook until sugar is dark golden brown. Pour onto prepared shhet to cool and harden. Break into small pieces and grind fine in food processor.
Stir in ground hazelnuts.
Place clean parchment or silpat on baking sheet, spread caramel/nut mixture evenly in a thin layer.
Bake until caramel melts and bubbles, about four minutes. Remove, and sprinkle sea salt over hot caramel.
Cool, and regrind, will keep in airtight container for up to three weeks.

Blood Orange Sauce:

4.5 oz granulated sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
½ c blood orange juice
¼ to 2 tbs water
Combine sugar, cream of tartar and water in a saucepan. Cover and dook over high heat until the mixture boils. Reduce heat to med. High until sugar is dark goolden brown.
Remove from heat and CAREFULLY add OJ (it will bubble!)
Return to heat and whisk so caramel dissolves and mixes with OJ
When mixture boils again, remove from heat, transfer to heat proof container, and place in fridge to chill and thicken before using. (Keeps for a week).
Coat cheesecakes with hazelnut brittle dust, dot or drizzle with sauce, and enjoy!

Cookbook Suggestions

Hi ladies,

I want to ask for suggestions on a cookbook. I got a gift card for my birthday back in August and was told by the gift giver that she wanted to give me a cookbook, but had no idea which one. I have seen references to several cookbooks over this blog's lifetime (anne, I think you have one called Simply in Season? Or Always in Season or something like that?) I think the best way to judge whether or not you will like a cookbook off the bat is the flip through it and if more recipes make your mouth water than not, then it's likely to be a good fit. I looked at several cookbooks in Barnes and Noble and am just not inspired by any of them.

These are the 2 cookbooks I have (in addition to all the Barefoot Contessa that my mom owns):
Tyler Florence - "Tyler's Ulimate"
Molly Katzen - The New Moosewood Cookbook
My own binder of collected recipes

I'm not looking for a do-everything cookbook like Silver Spoon or Betty Crocker etc. I think i'd like one that leans on the vegetarian side (or is entirely vegetarian). I am far from vegetarian, but the more I learn creative ways to cook without meat, I think the better off I will be. I'm also not a pasta person so I'm looking for a cookbook that doesn't focus on that. Any suggestions? What's your favorite cookbook?

UPDATE: I got the Simply in Season cookbook and i LOVE LOVE it!!! I am very excited to start using it, I have already bookmarked several recipes :) thanks for the advice girls!

Stuffed Green Peppers

I've been meaning to post this recipe for awhile. I make it often enough to be considered a go-to meal. We both like it a lot and everyone who I've made it for has also liked it, or at least they say they do.

Ingredients

• 6 large green peppers
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 16-oz can tomatoes
• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Directions

Cut tops of green peppers; discard seeds and membranes. Chop enough of the tops to make 1/4 cup; set aside. Cook the whole green peppers, uncovered, in boiling water for 5 minutes; invert to drain well. Sprinkle insides of peppers lightly with salt. In a skillet cook ground beef, onions, and the 1/4 cup chopped green peppers till meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off excess fat. Add undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, water, salt, Worcestershire, and dash pepper. Bring to broiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15-18 minutes or till rice is tender. Stuff peppers with meat mixture. Place in a 10x6x2-inch baking dish. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.

Waffle Iron Cookies

These are cookies you make in a waffle iron. They are so deliciously amazing because the sugar practically carmalizes. Just watch the time, they cook fast! I found this recipe in the Southwest Airlines magazine last time I flew to Columbus. Make these and show them to your friends and family. It will boggle their minds! Cookies! in the shape of waffle! Also, I would not recommend using a Belgian waffle iron, you should use a regular one.

Waffle Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup grandulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant espresso powder ( I used instant coffee)
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

Heat waffle iron. In large bowl, whisk butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla.

Stir in flour, baking soda, salt and espresso/coffee powder, then chocolate. Coat the waffle iron with non stick cooking spray. Coat it WELL. Use a TABLESPOON to portion out the cookie onto each waffle square. Close iron and cook until beginning to brown, about one and a half to three minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and repeat with remaining dough. The dough will be very wet.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is just about the meatballs though. I started making homemade sauce so I'm playing around with it. It's nothing special so I doubt I'll ever post it but the meatball, they are good! I can say that because it's not my recipe. It's a recipe from my old college roommate mother's. It's a family of great cooks and I've got a couple of really good recipes from them. I changed it a little but only because I didn't need to use 2 pounds of meat

Ingredients
1 medium sweet onion, diced extremely fine
A little less than 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup bread crumbs (I used store bought but homemade would be even better I'm sure)
1 egg
2 Tbls ketchup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lbs hamburger

Directions
Mix all ingredients together, except meat, until well blended. Add meat and mix until just combines. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes, turn, bake another 15 minutes.

These made the spaghetti, were a fun change, and best of all, easy!

Frittata!

Well, I've made this recipe twice in the past three days, and we've eaten it at breakfast, lunch and dinner.  So it's versatile.  And even my kids loved it, which always means I'm going to be adding the meal to our regular rotation!  Therefore, I figured I ought to share it with you!

Spinach and Potato Frittata
2 T olive oil
6 small red potatoes, sliced
1 c torn fresh spinach
2 T sliced green onions
1 t minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/3 c milk
1/2 c shredded cheese of your choice

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Place potatoes in the skillet, cover and cook about 10 minutes until tender but firm.  Mix in spinach, onions, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking 1-2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk.  Pour into the skillet over the vegetables.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5-7 minutes or until eggs are firm.

Notes: I think this would cook better in a non-stick skillet. I think egg dishes always cook better in those.  It always took longer than 7 minutes for my eggs to finish cooking, but keep your eye on it because I did overcook them once and that's never good.  You can substitute rice milk or not use any milk at all; it will still work.  Also, this is a really yummy dish - good for breakfast, lunch or dinner!!

Marie's Pasta Salad

This amazingly delicious recipe comes to us via my mother in law, Marie.  Pasta salad is one of the best meals for summer time.  When my mother in law brought this to me on my birthday, she topped with some tuna that had been mixed with mayo - and that was even better!  You should try it.  Really.  It's yummy.

Marie's Pasta Salad

Just cook, drain and rinse the pasta.  Add whatever veggies you want and toss in this dressing:

2/3-1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 Tbsp salt

1/2cup vinegar

1/4 tsp onion juice or 1/2cup finely chopped onion

1 cup salad oil

1/2 Tbsp celery seed

The recipe suggests marinating it all together overnight so the flavors can mix.  Then, if you choose to use fresh tomatoes, add them just before serving so that they don't dilute the dressing.

Turkish green bean stew

I saw Anne had posted a green bean recipe and I thought I'd share a recipe I just tried out today. Its another great way to use fresh summer green beans from your garden, if you have them. And, its super simple, healthy and dairy free too!

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 lb fresh green beans (trimmed and cut into 1" pieces)

1 lb lamb, cut into 1" cubes (or you can use beef instead)

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped

a hefty Tbsp tomato paste

1-2 Tbsp sweet paprika (or more! I think tons of paprika is the best. Actually, I didn't have paprika today, so I added some hot cayenne pepper, chilli flakes and a couple Tbsp ground cumin.)

salt and pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté onions until they're translucent.

2. Add meat and cook for about 10 minutes until most of the meat reabsorbs most of its juices.

3. Add green beans and saute for about 3 minutes.

4. Add paprika (or substitute spices), stir, and add tomatoes and tomato paste.

5. Just cover with boiling water.

6. Simmer over low/med heat until meat is tender. Usually with stew I think an hour will do it.

7. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I served it with some white rice, but I think brown rice would be even better!

P.S. I love the new blog layout!

More New Recipes

Here are two more delicious recipes.  They are also my variations of recipes found in the All Recipes cookbook (which is based on the website).  These are both really fabulous, easy meatless meals.

Spinach & Tortellini Salad
1 (9 oz) pkg cheese-filled tortellini
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 c Parmesan cheese
6 c cherry tomatoes, halved
bottled Italian dressing
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to pkg directions.  Rinse under cold water and drain.
2. Combine tortellini, spinach, cheese, and tomatoes in a large bowl.  Add enough Italian dressing to coat.  Toss and season with salt and pepper.

Linguine with Broccoli and Red Peppers
1 (16 oz) pkg linguine
1 lb (or so) fresh broccoli, chopped
3 T olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
a pinch of garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to pkg directions.  Drain.
2. Steam broccoli on stove top in covered pan for 10-15 minutes, until desired tenderness.
3. Heat oil in saucepan over low-medium heat and sauté garlic and peppers.
4. Drain broccoli and add to skillet. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt and sauté until peppers and broccoli are soft.
5. Serve over hot pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Green Beans

My sister recently inspired me to start planning meals once more.  Between pregnancy, moving and a new infant it had been quite awhile, and I'm so happy to be planning for our eating once more.  As soon as I decided to start planning meals again, I also was gifted a number of used cookbooks that were on their way to Goodwill - inspiration for our meals!  It all worked out very well.  And now the kids and I have lunch made ready-made everyday in the form of leftovers.

If you have an abundance of green beans coming to you right now, this is a great way to vary the vegetable a bit.  And it's delicious! This is my version of the recipe that I got from an All Recipes cookbook.

Breadcrumbs and Green Beans

1 lb fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed

1/2 c water 

1/4 c breadcrumbs

1/4 c olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 t each garlic powder, oregano, basil

optional: 1/4 c Parmesan cheese, if you don't need dairy-free it's yummy!

Bring the green beans in the water to a boil then reduce and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, covered, until they reach desired tenderness.  Drain.  Place in medium serving bowl and mix in remaining ingredients.  Stir until coated.

More recipes to follow!

Empanadas with Goat Cheese

I got this recipe out of the latest RealSimple issue. They have an article featuring a whole bunch of three-ingredient dishes, and this was one of them.

It's so simple, it's not even a recipe, really, but they were SO GOOD. I made them the other day when a friend came over and we gobbled them all up!

You need:

2 sheets of refrigerated pie dough (you can also make your own, if so inclined)
4 oz. of goat cheese
salsa

Roll out the pie dough and cut 3-inch circles out. I used a biscuit cutter, but you could also use the rim of a drinking glass.
Spoon a little goat cheese (about 1/2 a tsp. or so) in the middle of the circle.
wet the edges of the dough with a little water and then fold it in half, pinching closed (be careful not to get cheese in your seam).
Bake in the oven at 350 for about 20-25 minutes until they're golden and delicious.

Then, dip them in a little salsa and eat. So, so yummy!

Baked Beans

A usual side dish turned main course. Anne, I always think of you when I come across a dairy free meal for Charlie and this is packed with protein. Unfortunately it has a lot of sugar in it too but that could be backed off some and still taste good, I'm sure.

Ingredients:

2 16oz cans Bush's baked beans (I got what was on sale - one of the big 28oz and then a tiny can)

1 lbs hamburger

1/2 lbs bacon

1/3 cup molasses or 1/4 c syrup

1/3 cup BBQ sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar (I'll use less next time, maybe even 1/4 cup, especially if syrup is used)

1 1/2 tsp mustard

1 cup chopped sweet onion

2 tsp bacon grease (I'd omit this next time)

3/4 cup chopped celery (we loved the crunch the celery gave it. I wouldn't leave it out)

Directions:

Brown hamburger with celery then crumble in 2 qt casserole dish.

Cook bacon then crumble again

Add everything else and cook at 300 degrees of 45 min

Crockpot directions:

Do everything the same as above except place in crockpot on high for 5 hours. The friend who gave me this recipe said they always double it so I'm not sure if the 5 hours is for doubled or not so I'd do less or at least on low and go from there.

Blueberry cake undone

Lesson learned: Sometimes the clean knife test doesn't work.

Chickpea, Tomato and Eggplant Dish

I am not sure where I got this recipe, but it was probably from an Indian cookbook. The meal sounds and tastes Indian in nature. Having said that, I obviously did not write down the title of the dish. Oh well. It is delish. I ate it over whole wheat cous cous because I thought it needed a base, but next time I am eating it all by itself :)

*I halved the recipe (mostly) and it still made a TON of food, but for the sake of being true to the recipe I will post the original amounts.


Chickpea, Tomato and Eggplant Dish
1 15oz can chickpeas, drained
6 Italian eggplants (or 1 large)
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 large cans of 28oz whole, peeled tomatoes, UNDRAINED

Drain chickpeas, set aside. Dice eggplants and onion. Chop the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a big pot and saute the onions, eggplant, garlic and the spices over moderate heat for 10 mins or til onion is transluscent. Stir occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper, add the undrained tomatoes breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Add the chickpeas, cover, simmer for 20 mins. Serve hot.

*As I said earlier, I halved the recipe, but I did add 2 cans of diced tomatoes with their juices( didn't have whole canned). I also added an additional 1/2 tsp of cumin because it's mighty tasty flavor. Also I only diced 2 small eggplants and with the whole onion it seemed like a TON of food, but remember it all cooks down a bit.

enjoy!!

Daddy's Chicken

Tonight my husband cooked dinner with just a hodgepodge of things we already had on hand.  Grocery day is tomorrow, so he looked around and the dish just sort of presented itself!  Our daughter called it "Daddy's Chicken" while we were eating.  :)

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

broccoli

green beans

onion

soy sauce

garlic (powder, fresh - whatever is on hand)

oil

pepper

rice

Season chicken with pepper and bake at 375 degrees until fully cooked.  While chicken is cooking, saute broccoli, green beans, garlic, and onion in a bit of oil.  Season with some soy sauce.  When chicken is done baking, mix with the vegetables.  Cook rice according to package directions, and mix with chicken and veggies.

*any of the ingredients could be substituted for whatever you have on hand.  It's a good dish to make when you're running low on supplies before grocery shopping!*

Italian Cheese Bread

This would traditionally be made to go with lasagna, spaghetti, or anything Italian but I'm not going to do that. I had from mozzarella cheese that needed to be used and this bread popped in my head. We're having meatloaf tonight so it'll have to replace whatever potato dish I normally would have decide on. This bread is easy but isn't anything special. I'd make it again because it's easy to get to the table and I don't have another recipe for this kind of thing. If you have one and it's really good, due share!

Bread:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon active dry yeast (can use instant)

1 cup warm water (120*F)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Topping:

1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing (I didn't have this so I used butter)

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

Dash pepper

1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions: 

1. In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients.

2. Combine water and oil; add to flour mixture. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

3. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. (Optional: if in a hurry, just skip this rise.)

4. Punch the dough down; place on a greased 16" pizza pan and pat into a 16" circle. Brush with salad dressing (I use the back of a spoon).

5. Combine the seasonings; sprinkle over top. Sprinkle with cheeses.

6. For a fluffier cheese bread (our preference), at this point, allow the bread to rest for 15 minutes or so. If you're in a hurry, just skip this rise. (The bread will rise while it bakes, too.)

7. Pre-heat the oven to 450*F. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown. See additional notes for baking tips!

8. Slice into 12 slices. Serve warm.

Weekly Menu

Thursday
Pulled pork BBQ

Asparagus

Friday

Pizza

Saturday

Sausage Jambalaya

Corn bread

Sunday

Mom’s house

Monday

Backyard BBQ chicken

Cole slaw

Corn of the cob

Tuesday

Baked Beans (They are full of meat and other goodies so definitely a main meal dish. I'll probably post the recipe after I make it)

Bread

Salad

Wednesday

Left-over’s

Thursday

Chicken and potatoes

broccoli

Anne said she liked when I posted my menu so I'll do it again. I don't think I'll post it every week. I am looking for a chalkboard at Goodwill to hang in the kitchen though so I can post our menu in our home.

Sour Cream Chicken

Incredibly easy and incredibly delicious. A whopping 4 ingredients go into this meal. I found it the other night while searching through Tasty Kitchen. I should have taken a picture - next time.

Ingredients
4 skinless boneless chicken breast (I only used 3)
8 oz container of sour cream
10.75oz can of cream of chicken soup*
1 cup French fried onions

Directions
Place chicken in a baking dish. Mix sour cream and cream of chicken soup and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 for about an hour. Cover with fried onions the last ten minutes of cooking.


*I started making a homemade cream of chix substitute so it's healthier, in terms of knowing what the heck you're eating. It's very simple and I usually make it in the morning or afternoon so when I make dinner I just grab it from the fridge. I found it over at my trusty Bless Us O Lord.

Cream of chix substitute

2 T butter, melt in pan

2 T flour, add flour to pan

2 t chicken bullion

1 cup milk, slowly add chx bln and milk to pan. Stir until thick and bubbly.

Fajitas

One of my husband's favorite meals is tacos so most Tuesday we do something with them or at least something Mexican. I had flank steak left over in the freezer from making beef and broccoli so I decided on fajitas. And like beef and broccoli it cooks fast because everything in thinly sliced and cooked over high heat.

Ingredients

• 12 oz flank steak (you can use chicken or whatever meat you prefer)
• 1 tbls purchased or homemade Fajitas seasoning (given below)
• 4-6 tortillas
• 2 tbls cooking oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced red or green peppers
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
• 3/4 cup chopped tomato
• 1 tbls lime juice

1. Slice steak across the grain into bite-size strips. Place meat strips in a deep bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp of the fajita seasoning. Cover and chill 30 minutes (I did much longer as I prepared this during my daughter's afternoon nap)

2. Heat 1 tbls of oil over medium-high heat. Add sweet peppers, onion and remaining seasoning. Cook and stir about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove onion mixture from skillet.

3. Add the other 1 tbls of oil and the meat to the skillet. Cook and stir about 2-3 minutes until desired doneness for steak is reached. Drain Well. Return onion mixture to skillet. Stir in tomatoes. Cook until heated thought. Remove from skillet; stir in lime juice

4. To serve, fill warmed tortilla with meat mixture. Top meat with anything you want. We did some sour cream and guacamole.

Homemade Fajita Seasoning 

Two things are great about this. One - all of it is used in this one recipe. Two - if you don't have one of the spices just leave it out. I did and I didn't know the difference.

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp onion powder

Recipes

If you're looking for new recipes to try I'd head over to Tasty Kitchen. I've been going through the chicken link alone and have quite a few recipes saved under my new Dinners to Try link under Favorites. I haven't been saving everything that sounds good but the ones that I can actually see myself making. I said a little while ago on my personal blog how I'm getting a lot better at making menu and sticking to them, which was always the harder part for me but sometimes coming up with recipes is just as hard. When that happens now I'll go to my new link. Like I said before, I saved mostly easy weeknight meals but I did save a few that could be weekend fun stuff. We'll just have to wait and see!

Nothing Special

Dan said I should take a picture and post our dinner tonight but it's nothing special. We had Summertime Omelets with potatoes. I throw in whatever veggies are in the fridge and top it with some cheese. My husband loves eggs so that's probably why he thought this meal was so good. I eat it because it's cheap and packed with protein for my baby growing body right now. That's his man portion, for after his man workout.

The Smiths Weekly Menu

June 28^th-July 4^th

Monday

Marinated Chicken Shish kabobs

Corn on the cob

Tuesday

Tacos

Guacamole and chips

Wednesday

Meat loaf

Green beans

Thursday

Left over night

Friday

Homemade Pizza

                -make deviled eggs for Saturday

Saturday

Family cookouts

                -make scones for Sunday

Sunday

Scones for breakfast

Eggs/bacon for brunch 

Chicken Spaghetti

A recipe given to me via my Grandma, given to her via my Aunt. I actually made it yesterday but it was softball night and we never got around to eating it so I put in the fridge for tonight. Tonight was labeled Left Over night anyway so it worked out perfectly. I popped it back in the oven tonight on the warm setting and it was so good; probably better after all the ingredients sitting together a whole day. Another thing, since it called for half a stick of butter I cut other corners to make it a little healthier; see below.

Ingredients:
-1/2 lb to 1 lb of chicken
-1/2 stick butter
-1/2 cup chix bouillon water
-1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-1/4 c Parmesan cheese (I didn't have this. I had mozz. on hand so I threw a little in)
-1/2 tsp garlic powder (I ran out of this so I added garlic salt; not the whole 1/2 tsp though)
-1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used fat free)
-8 oz sour cream (again, I used fat free)
-10 oz spaghetti, cooked

Directions:
-Cut chicken into small pieces and cook; fry in pan with a little salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.
-Melt together first 3 ingredients
-Add parmesan cheese, garlic powder and soup; bring to a boil.
-Put cooked chicken back in along with the sour cream. Mix well.
-Poor over cooked spaghetti in a 9x13pan. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese.
-Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes

Serve with a salad and enjoy.

Cherry Tarts

I had some cherries that were a little past ripe and I wanted to use them up so I kind of experimented a little with puff pastry. It was so simple that it's not really a recipe. I think they turned out pretty good; not knock-you-down delicious, but good.

Start with a bowl of cherries. I didn't have very many; there were maybe two dozen or so. Make sure you get the pits out, which is messy business but worth it. Toss the pitted cherries with some flour and sugar and let them sit for awhile to get nice and juicy. You could also add some almond or vanilla extract too.

Unwrap your puff pastry and let it thaw for a bit. The box says 45 minutes but I didn't wait nearly that long; it was more like 20. I rolled it out a little with a rolling pin and then cut it into twelve little squares. The squares were big enough to fit in the cups of a muffin tin with the corners peeking up a little bit.

Then place a couple of cherries in each little pastry cup.














I sprinkled a few of them with some ground almonds too.
Then bake them at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and browned on the edges and the cherries are bubbly.















Then remove the little tarts from the muffin pan, and drizzle them with a mixture of 1 cup powdered sugar/1 tsp of milk/1 tsp. vanilla. (You may have to play with this ratio for the right consistency for the glaze...I just eyeballed it until it was the right thickness.)














Then, eat them up!

Pico de Gallo

I just made The Pioneer Woman's Pico de Gallo and it's so good I decided to post it. You can just as easily go over to her blog and find it there I'm sure. She says the secret to making great Pico de Gallo is making sure there are equal parts of onion, tomato, and cilantro. Not just a lot of tomatoes and hints of everything else. It's easy, healthy, and delicious for summer. I have a feeling I'll be posting her stuff in the near furture. My Grandma let me borrow her cookbook for a couple weeks and I want to try making most everything in it.



Ingredients

• Yellow or red onion
• Roma tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Jalapeños
• Lime
• Salt

Directions

• Dice up the onion, tomatoes, and cilantro; equal in quantity to each other.
• Slice in half then dice very fine 1 or 2 jalapeños. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon. If you like some spice, leave some of the white membranes. 
• Dump everything into a bowl, squeeze half a lime over everything, and mix
• Sprinkle with salt. She suggests tasting with a chip so you don't over salt. 

Beef and Broccoli

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light and knew it'd be one for our family to try. It seems like there are a lot of steps but when one step is "cook for 30 seconds" it goes quickly. Also this is not a recipe to be holding a baby on your hip or even around the stove as it sizzles and pops juices at you.

Stir-Fried Beef with Broccoli & Bell Peppers
- 1 pound flank steak, trimmed
- 2 tbls soy sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 1/2 tbls water, divided
- 2 tbls oyster sauce
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/4 pound broccoli (I used more)
- 2 tbls canola oil, divided
- 1 large red bell pepper, halved, seeded, andcut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

1. Cut steak in half lengthwise. Cut each half across the grain into 1/8-inch thick slices. Combine beef, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper; toss well. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes
2. Combine 1 1/2 tbls water, oyster sauce, and crushed red pepper in small bowl; set aside.
3. Cut broccoli into florets. Peel broccoli stems; cut stems diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
4. Heat 1 tbls oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef mixture to skillet; cook 3 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Transfer beef mixture to a bowl.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tbls of oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add broccoli; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the remaining 2 tbls of water; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add bell pepper; cook 30 second, stirring constantly. Return beef mixture to pan. Stir in oyster sauce mixture; cook until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice. 

Pasta e Fagioli (with carne)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground turkey (optional)
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• splash of red wine
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 pound seashell pasta (or macaroni or whatever)

Directions

1. Heat oil in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
2. Add ground turkey and stir occasionally until browned. Stir in the tomato paste until blended.
3. Add undrained tomatoes, undrained cannellini beans, chicken broth, oregano, basil and pepper to Dutch oven and bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil for approximately 1 minute and then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.
4. Add pasta to Dutch oven and simmer approximately 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve immediately and enjoy.

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and tweaked it a bit (above is the tweaked recipe). It's one of those recipes that you can really play with and add or take away what you don't have. The most traditional form of this soup is just beans and pasta with some tomatoes and herbs, but sometimes even the tomatoes are optional. I added the ground turkey, because I had that I needed to use up, but if you leave it out it would be a perfect Friday meal. I also added 1/4 cup or so of red wine after I stirred in the tomato paste and it really added to the flavor. It was a really delish and filling dinner. All of my finicky eaters gobbled it up.

Fruit Pizza

When I was getting married one of my bridal showers was a kitchen-themed shower.  On that day my mother in law gave me a little book of recipes that she had complied herself.  Some were old recipes from her own mother, some were of her kids' favorites and some were relatively new recipes that she had lots of positive comments on the first time she made them.  She photocopied the orginal recipe to preserve others' handwriting and such.  It was a very thoughtful and heartfelt gift. 

I use those recipes often.  There are still some that I haven't tried at all.  I suppose I should make it a goal to try each one.  But the ones I've tried have all been successes!

This recipe is one that my sister especially liked the first time that I made it.  Since today is her birthday and she happens to be with us this morning (a rare treat!!!) I decided to make it for her.  And I even remembered to take a picture.  This dessert can be as pretty as you have time to make it. 

Fruit Pizza

Crust -
1/4 c butter or magarine, softened
1/2 c sugar
Cream together.  Add:
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
Blend well.  Add:
1 1/4 c flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
Mix well. Cover and chill for 30 minutes, until easy to handle. Press dough into a greased baking sheet or 12-14 in round pizza pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Mixture -
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 c powdered sugar
Cream together until smooth. Add:
1 c whipped topping
Blend together.  Spread over cooled crust.

Suggested Fruit Toppings -
1 firm banana
1 c sliced strawberries
8 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1/3 c fresh blueberries
Arranged as desired.

Glaze-
1/4c suager
1/4 c water
1/4 c orange juice
2 t cornstarch
Bring to a boil in saucepan, stirring constantly.  Boil 2 minutes or until thickened.  Cool to room temp (about 30 minutes).  Brush over fruit.  Store in fridge.

Sugar Cookies

I made trial run sugar cookies this afternoon. A dear friend from high school is getting married at the end of February and her bridal shower is coming up. I'm unable to go because of all sorts of reasons but I'm making these cookies, the chicken salad, and doing some other things. Like most everything else I make I found the best recipe here for what the bride wanted. They're thick, soft, and with homemade icing.
Not the shapes I'm going to use for the shower but...
...I just got this huge tube of all sorts of shapes. It was fun to use them.
Homemade frosting. I'm going to stick with white for the shower.
Dan came home while I was making them and held MG. We might or might not have let her taste of the dough.
The end product.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

I got this recipe from RealSimple, and it was quick and easy and really good. I have never cooked with leeks before, and I really liked the flavor they gave to the soup. In the magazine the recipe is actually called "Shrimp and Corn chowder with fennel," but I couldn't find fennel at the store, so I left it out. I also added a cup of chicken broth because it didn't seem to have enough liquid. It still turned out great.

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 leeks (white and light green parts), chopped

2 tbsp a.p. flour

1 8oz. bottle clam juice

3 cups milk

3-4 potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (I didn't bother to peel them)

3/4 lb. med. cooked peeled and deveined shrimp

1 10oz pkg. frozen corn

2 tbsp. parsley, chopped

1 lemon, squeezed

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over med. heat. Add the leeks and season with s&p and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender; stir in the flour

Add the clam juice, milk and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occastionally, for 12 minutes or so. Stir in the shrim and corn and cook until the potatoes are tender and the shrimp and corn are heated through, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice.

(Image and recipe courtesy of RealSimple.com)

Beer Bread

This is delicious!! It's also really easy. I had it mixed and in the oven in about 3 minutes

Ingredients
3 cups flour (sifted - I just spooned it into the measuring cup)
3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) can beer (All we have in the house these days is light beer so I'm not sure how it would taste with dark. I would think only better, but I guess that depends if you like dark beer.)
1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will do just fine and I highly recommend 1/4 cup. I started with 1/2 cup and it bubbled over and filled my kitchen with smoke so I had to finish baking it in my toaster oven.)


Directions
1 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2 - Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3 - Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4 - Pour melted butter over mixture.
5 - Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

6 - NOTES: Sifting flour for bread recipes is a must-do. Most people just scoop the 1 cup measure in the flour canister and level it off. That compacts the flour and will turn your bread into a "hard biscuit" as some have described. That's because they aren't sifting their flour! If you do not have a sifter, use a spoon to spoon the flour into the 1 cup measure. Try it once the "correct" way and you will see an amazing difference in the end product.

I found this recipe at Recipe Zaar and it's amazing. The photo is from there too.

Paula's Chicken Pot Pie

I read about this over at Bless Us Oh Lord a long time ago but recently made it for my in-laws. They loved it and so did we. It's added the recipes made in our home!

Ingredients
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I used more)
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup (I used the fat-free can)
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper, optional
1 1/2 cups instant biscuit mix
1 cup milk
1 stick melted butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a greased 2-quart casserole (I almost used the wrong pan), layer the chicken, eggs, carrots, and peas. Mix the soup, chicken broth, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour over the layers. Stir together the biscuit mix and milk, and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle butter over the topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Rotting Fruit

I had some rotting bananas that needed to be used before they went bad so I did some baking yesterday. The banana bread I made Charlie-friendly (aka dairy free) for a package I'm sending to Anne. I also have a huge can of pumpkin that needs to be put to use so I'm either going to make pumpkin bread or pumpkin cream cheese muffins for a friend of mine that lent me her high chair over the Christmas season when my house was filled with babies.

Banana Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups mashed banana (5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (omitted for Charlie's sake)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter.

3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

4. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices)