Strawberry Milk

Strawberry Milk

I made this recipe up several years ago one night when I was hungry but didn't want to eat food food because it was too late, and I didn't want that ate-too-late-stomach-ache.

It's refreshing, satisfying, and just filling enough. It tastes similar to Nestle Strawberry Quik, but without that artificial flavor aspect--tastes like fresh strawberries.

I'm not even a huge strawberry fan, but for some reason, every once in a while, this hits the spot.

Strawberry Milk

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (approximately) frozen sliced strawberries
• 2-3 teaspoons sugar (depending on how sweet you like your milk)
• 1 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a blender or a tall plastic cup (if you're using a hand blender). Blend until strawberries are completely pureed into the milk.

Pour into a glass and drink with a straw.

Makes 1 serving

Recipe is easily doubled

Starter-Leavened Sourdough Bread

Two lovely loaves of starter-leavened sourdough bread

Although this bread does not have the tangy flavor of a San Francisco sourdough, it is leavened only using the yeast in a sourdough starter. It's more of a hearty French bread with a nice chewy crust and a moist, tender interior. My boys use it for toast and panini. I just eat it with butter, even though I shouldn't eat any of it.

I'm not really feeling like elaborating on this. I really just wanted to have the recipe here at my fingertips so I can finally close the KAF tab on my phone, as I've already made this bread four times this summer. No wait...make that five times. It's that good (and really that easy, after the first couple of times anyway).

Give it a go. Email me (or King Arthur Flour) if you have any questions.


Starter-Leavened Sourdough Bread
     --Adapted from KingArthurFlour.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sourdough starter (ripe and from the fridge)
• 1 scant cup King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup room temperature water

• 5 3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 3/4 cup room temperature water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

• The night before, place the sourdough starter, 1 scant cup flour, and 1/2 cup water into a large mixing bowl. Mix ingredients thoroughly, cover, and let sit at room temperature overnight.
• Add the 5 3/4 cup flour and 1 3/4 cup water to the starter mixture and mix thoroughly. (I use a King Arthur Flour bowl scraper for this, but you could just use a wooden spoon.) Cover and allow to rest fro 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, add the salt and mix thoroughly. Then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
• Return to the bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• After the 1 hour, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten slightly. Fold into thirds (like a letter) and then fold in thirds the other direction, so you end up with a chunky square. 
• Place the dough seam side down in the bowl and allow to rise for another hour.
• After that hour, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, flatten, and divide in half. Pull up the edges to make a pouch and pinch the edges together in the middle so that you have a rough circle pouch of dough.
• Lightly flour the dough pouches and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
• After the rest, shape the dough pouches into nice, tight loaves (see this Youtube video for instructions).
• Place shaped loaves onto a baking sheet lined with a clean floured dish towel or baker's couche. Cover with another clean floured dish towel, or flour the loaves a bit and cover with plastic wrap.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a baking stone or steel, make sure it's in the oven preheating too. Also preheat a cast iron skillet on the bottom of the oven/bottom rack--this will be the receptacle for the water you will put in with the loaves.
• Line a baking pan or pizza peel with parchment and set aside.
• Allow to rise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until puffed. I usually test by poking the dough gently with a finger. I the indentation remains, it's ready. If the indentation disappears, the dough needs to rise longer.
• Once loaves have risen, gently transfer them (seam side down) to the lined pan or pizza peel. Slash the tops of the loaves and slide onto your baking steel/stone. Quickly and CAREFULLY pour 1 cup of boiling water into the preheated cast iron skillet at the bottom of the oven. (The steam will burn you if it hits your skin, so be very careful.)
• Close the oven door and allow loaves to bake for about 28-35 minutes (fatter loaves will take longer; thinner loaves will take less time).
• When finished, place loaves on wire rack to cool.
• Cool completely before cutting.
• Freeze any leftovers in a zip top plastic bag at the end of the day.

Starter, flour, and water mixture after an overnight sit

Just starter, all the flour, and water, resting fro 20 minutes

Salt was mixed in, and the dough kneaded to smooth elasticity

After the folding

Dough has been divided

My not-so-tidy pouches, waiting to be formed into loaves

Loaves at the start of the last rise (sorry I did not take a pic of the risen loaves)

My first two loaves from this starter

I divided the dough into fourths so I could share more easily

These three went into the freezer (one is still in there)

I used half a batch to make these pretzel twists. I ate too many of them.

Egg Souffle

 

Egg Souffle/Breakfast Casserole

Dad and "the Girls"

My mom and her friends have done an annual trip for the last 10 years or so. We all lived in California at one time, but now, we are from Texas, Oklahoma, California, North Carolina, Iowa, and Georgia. Life has really spread us all out over the years. 
The annual get-together started as a couples thing, but has gradually turned into a "girls' trip." My mom hasn't been able to go in recent years because of my dad's health, so the girls decided to make Georgia their destination, so they could visit Mom and Dad. 
I decided to make the trip too and was so blessed by all of these ladies who were really like aunties to me all during my growing up. I haven't seen some of them in nearly 20 years, but they are just as fun and delightful as I remember. 
My fantastic brother and my sister-in-law hosted a brunch for everyone. Heidi and her mom made this over the top delicious "egg souffle" breakfast casserole, and I just couldn't get enough of it. I think all of us asked for the recipe, and I've finally decided to post it here for safe keeping and so that others may enjoy it as well.
I think it's safe to say that cheese is the star of this dish with loads of cheddar and Swiss, all melty and full of savoriness. Mmmmm. The buttery corn flake topping keeps the cheese from getting tough on top AND it adds a beautiful buttery crunch to every bite. 
This is probably one of those casseroles you could easily customize by omitting the meat, or using bacon instead, or maybe adding some diced green chiles and making it a vegetarian (not vegan) dish.
Make sure you let it rest, though, so that it can be cut up and served in nice squares.
Oh, and I halved the recipe you see below because I have no business having a whole 9x13 inch pan of this in my house.

Aunt Beth's Egg Souffle

Ingredients:

• 6-8 ounces ham (sliced or chunk), cut into squares/cubes
• 1 pound sharp cheddar (Heidi used white cheddar & I used yellow), shredded
• 1 ½ cups Swiss cheese, shredded or cubed
• 6 slices white bread, cubed (Sheepherders or other artisan loaf bread-- about 6 1/2 to 7 cups cubed)
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups milk (I used 2% milk)
• ½ teaspoon onion salt
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard

Topping:

• 3 cups corn flakes
• ½ cup melted butter

Instructions:

• The night before, spray 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
• Cover the bottom with bread cubes (over half the bread).
• Spread all the ham evenly over the bread.
• Mix the cheddar and Swiss cheeses and spread half of it over the ham.
• Layer on the rest of the bread.
• Sprinkle on remaining cheese.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, onion salt, and mustard. Then pour that liquid evenly over the casserole.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Crush the cornflakes and mix with the melted butter.
• Sprinkle evenly over the top.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
• Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes about 18 servings

Dad and "the Girls"-- more like how they really look when they're together

The original recipe in Heidi's recipe book

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup II

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (What you see pictured is less than half of what this recipe makes)

My sister-in-law makes this soup, and every time she does I eat more than is sensible. It's a perfect soup, though, creamy, salty, flavorful, thick, and just tasty. I've made some changes from the original version which called for 3/4 cup butter and 3 cups of light cream. This version isn't exactly "light," but it's got less fat than the original. Good enough for me.

Rather than blather on about my thoughts and feelings about this recipe, I'm going to stop and let you check this out. Hope you like it as much as I do.

  

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup II

     —adapted from PaneraSoupRecipes.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

• 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 half chicken breasts* (you know, two pieces), cooked and shredded
• 1 large box Rice-a-Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice (or two small boxes)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery 
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups milk (Original recipe calls for “light cream;” I used 2% Fair Life milk.)

Instructions:

• Bring broth and chicken to a boil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add just the rice from the box, setting the seasoning packet aside. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and set aside. 
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and then sauté the onions, celery, and carrots until soft. 
• Add the seasoning packet from the rice (If using a large box, use half to all of the packet. If using two small boxes, I recommend using only one seasoning packet, unless you and those eating the soup have no worries about blood pressure.) Stir to incorporate the seasoning. 
• Add the pepper and flour. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring somewhat constantly. 
• Gradually whisk in the milk, trying to keep it as smooth as possible. 
• Reduce heat to medium low and cook milk and veggie mixture until thickened. Then stir it into the broth, rice, and chicken pot. 
• Reduce heat to low and cook for another 10-15 minutes stirring frequently, until thick and delicious. 

Makes about 10-12 servings

* You can also use about 3 cups of shredded leftover rotisserie chicken.

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. 

Almond Flour Chocolate Muffins (Gluten Free)

Almond Flour Chocolate Muffin

Based on my Almond Flour Cinnamon Muffins, these muffins here are chocolatey and satisfying. That's all I have to say right now because I don't feel like going into it. These muffins feed my tummy and my soul.

Almond Flour Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour (made from blanched almonds)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup buttermilk (preferably room temperature)
• 1 large egg (preferably room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place cupcake liners into 11 cups of a muffin pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix the almond flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda with a wire whisk.
• In a small bowl or a measuring cup, mix the buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla extract with a fork.
• Thoroughly combine the wet and dry ingredients, and then mix in the chocolate chips, reserving a few to sprinkle on top, if desired.
• Evenly divide the batter into the 11 cups (I used a large cookie scoop) and sprinkle with a few chocolate chips, if desired.
• Bake a 400 degrees for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Store uneaten muffins in an airtight container and eat within 3 days or freeze.

Makes 11 muffins

A little crumbly, but still moist, chocolatey, and delicious.

Roast Beef Hash

Salty, beefy, and crisp roast beef hash

My mom is a great cook. Not a healthy cook, but a GREAT cook. One of the things she fed my brother and me when we were young was Libby's Corned Beef Hash from a can. She would refrigerate the can, open both ends, push the contents out one end, and slice off disks of hash. Then she would fry them in a pan until they were brown and crispy. Mmm. Such a fabulous food memory. 
Well, as an adult, I've looked at the nutrition information on that can, and holy smokes! I have NO business eating that stuff any more. I pretty much have no business eating what I'm telling you about now either, but I did it. I won't do it every day or anything, but in case you want to make it too, the recipe is below.
Now, this is not an exact recipe. It's what I did today with what I had leftover from dinner the night before, although I did bake up the potatoes to cube and add to the mix, since I didn't want the beef to get lost in the mashed potatoes. 
I got the idea because this is actually made from leftover leftovers. I reheated the roast in a pan, and all of the moisture evaporated, and some of the roast beef got crisp on the bottom of the pan. Of course I had to taste it as I was putting it away, and oh my goodness! It took me back to the 70s when my mom fed us the Libby's corned beef hash! So salty, crispy and beefy. (Cue the drooling.)
So, today after church, this is what I mixed up for our lunch, and wow! It turned out even better than I'd imagined. Even sent a pic to my brother to make him drool. I imagine the next time they have roast at their house, he'll be making some of this the next day.
There you go. Roast beef hash--now one of my favorite ways to enjoy leftover chuck roast.

Roast Beef Hash

Ingredients:

• 2 medium baked potatoes, cooled, peeled, and cubed
• 3/4 cup mashed potatoes
• 3 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked chuck roast, preferably leftover and well seasoned
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• canola oil (or other vegetable oil)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Chop the roast into smaller bits.
• Place the cubed potatoes, roast, mashed potatoes, onion, one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon canola oil and salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
• Mix thoroughly to incorporate.
• Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon or two of canola oil. Tilt pan to coat it with butter & oil.
• Scoop out about a 1/2-cup portion of hash mixture and form into a ball, and then flatten into a disk about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick.
• Carefully place disk into the pan. 
• Repeat making disks until the pan is full, leaving about 1 inch between disks. 
• Fry until crisp and browned on one side (about 3-5 minutes), and then carefully flip. Some pieces may break off, but just smoosh it back together. This is hash, after all, and it's not going to be terribly neat. If the pan looks dry, add a little more oil before (or as) you fry on the second side.
• Continue to fry until both sides are browned and crisp.
• When the first batch is done, remove hash to a serving plate.
• Scrape the pan and remove leftover bits. 
• Add another tablespoon of butter and more canola oil and continue to fry up the hash until it's all cooked.
• Sprinkle with chopped or dried parsley, if desired.

Serves about 4 (although I ate way more than my share) 

(Gluten Free) Croq Tele

Buttery, sweet & salty croq tele (gluten free today)

These unassuming little sweet & salty buttery nuggets are addicting. At least they are to me. 

They're just a really great shortbread cookie, and although I already have them here on this blog, today I made them gluten free. 

I had my doubts that they would turn out as delicious as the wheat version, and I was pleasantly surprised. Like I said, sweet, a little salty, and gorgeously buttery--especially if you bake them to the point where the butter in them browns a bit. Mm. So good.

I'm going to have to give some of these away before I eat them all myself.

Croq Tele (TV Snacks)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Better Batter Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 7 tablespoons cold butter, cut into little cubes

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the almond flour, sugar and salt. 
• In the bowl of standing mixer or a large mixing bowl, mix the gluten free flour and the butter until it is sandy in appearance (see pic below).
• Add the almond flour, sugar, and salt mixture to the butter & flour mixture and mix until completely incorporated and the dough gets a bit clumpy. It will not become a cohesive mass.
• Using a half teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop up a packed level half teaspoon of the mixture. Scrape it out into the palm of your hand and pinch the dough with the fingers of your other hand to create a tight little lump that holds together.
• Place on the baking sheet and continue to form the cookies until the pan is full. Cookies should be placed about 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 16-20 minutes. I like mine browned pretty well, so I bake them closer to the 20 minutes mark.

Makes about 9 to 10 dozen little nuggets

This is what the butter and flour mixture looks like right before you add the other ingredients.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Gluten Free)

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I remembered these long-forgotten cookies when I was wanting to make a breakfast type cookie yesterday. They're special because they're very moist, soft, and chewy, because the recipe calls for you to puree some of the raisins.
These cookies are super satisfying, perfectly spiced, and have just enough butter to flavor them. Mmm. I'm already making a second batch because the first batch went so quickly.
The original recipe with regular flour can be found here. I made these gluten free because, why not?
If you like your oatmeal cookies crisp at all, this recipe is not for you. These are very soft, very chewy, and go great with a tall glass of cold milk.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Gluten Free)

      --Adapted from Topsecretrecipes.com

Ingredients

• ½ cup raisins
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 4 tablespoons butter
•  3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar (or 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses)
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup Better Batter Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 ¼ cups rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup raisins and/or 1 cup chopped pecans, if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine ½ cup raisins with hot water in a food processor and blend on high speed for about 1 minute or until very smooth.

3. Combine raisin puree with the vegetable shortening, butter, egg, brown sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the Better Batter flour and almond flour with the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Pour dry mixture into the wet and mix just until combined.  Stir in the other ½ cup of raisins and/or pecans.

5. Use a large cookie scoop or with a spoon scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Evenly space about 6 cookies per sheet pan.

6. Bake at 275°F for 18-25 minutes or until cookies are set and not doughy on top. Cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to finish cooling.  Store in an airtight container.

 

Makes about 3 dozen cookies