Onion Roasted Potatoes

From my mom, via my sister

Russian Chicken

From my sister, Annessa.

Ingredients
1 cut up fryer or 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small bottle Russian Dressing (Anything red will do, like Catalina, but Russian is best)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 small jar apricot jam, good and chunky

Place chicken in a 9 x 13" pan.  Mix jam, dressing and soup mix together; pour over chicken.  Bake at 400 deg. for 45-60 minutes, until chicken is done and mixture is bubbly hot.  Periodically throughout the baking, I spoon some of the sauce over the chicken.

100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

The Very Best Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

modified from fivehearthome.com

This 100% whole wheat bread stays unbelievably soft and fresh for days!

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (I grind my own hard white wheat)
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
4 teaspoons quick-rise yeast
~
2 1/2 cups very warm water (120°F to 130°F)
~
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted and cooled) OR olive oil
1/3 cup honey
4 teaspoons lemon juice
~
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

Directions
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together first three ingredients. Add water and mix for one minute, scraping down bowl halfway through if necessary. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

2. Add salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice; beat for 1 minute. Add remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Knead dough in mixer using dough hook for 10 to 15 minutes or until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and feels smooth rather than sticky. (With my  Bosch on the 2nd of 3 speeds, I knead for about 10 minutes.)

3.  Let rise in the bowl for 25-30 minutes. Dump dough onto a well-oiled surface and punch down. Roll tightly into a fairly long log. Cut log in half and press each loaf into a greased loaf pan.

4. Preheat oven to lukewarm by setting it to 350°F and then turning it back off after exactly 1 minute. Place pans in warm oven and allow to rise for 20 to 40 minutes, or until dough is nicely domed above the tops of the pans (about 1/2"). Without removing pans from the oven, turn on oven to 350°F and set timer for 30 minutes. With an instant read thermometer, check bread after 20 minutes. Baked bread should be about 195 F. If the bread is not done but the crust is getting too brown, cover with foil and continue baking. Once baked, immediately remove hot bread from pans and cool on rack.

Tips, Tricks, & Variations


Kneading and rising times are approximate and depend on many different variables. The dough must be
kneaded until it pulls away from the bowl and is no longer sticky, even if that takes longer than 10 to 15
minutes. And the dough should be allowed to rise in the pans until it is as high as you want your final
bread to be.

http://fivehearthome.com/2013/07/08/the-very-best-homemade-whole-wheat-bread-plus-free-printable-kitchen-labels/

Here is a fantastic commentary on this recipe, and bread making in general, provided by my friend, Jake. He's my baking idol.

Gluten is an important part of this recipe. If you don't have any, don't make this bread because it won't come out the same. Whole wheat has a lower gluten content than bread flour that you buy in the store. Gluten is a protein that helps the bread stretch and contain the carbon dioxide that the yeast makes. This is one of the reasons the bread has such good crumb–it stretches to retain those CO2 bubbles and you get a light, airy sandwich-style crumb that is rarely found in 100% wheat bread.

Delayed salt method: some breads are made by just tossing everything together and kneading it until it's fully mixed. The reason you add water, yeast, and flour then stop is twofold: it helps hydrate some of the flour (whole wheat flour is slower to absorb moisture), and it lets the yeast get started multiplying. Salt is bad for yeast, so adding the salt later gives the yeast a head start

(By the way, old-school bakers and recipes always tell you to put your yeast in warm water and add a bit of sugar, then wait 10 minutes and see if it's working. Modern packaging and processing of yeast just doesn't require this anymore. Do this if you have doubts about your yeast, but otherwise you don't need to.)

The oil (coconut or vegetable) adds fats that make the bread taste better. I'm not sure if there's another purpose, but I'm happy with this one.

The acidity of lemon juice will help take the edge off the bitterness of whole wheat. You can substitute any other acidic juice here with little difference. I often use orange juice instead. Lime or pineapple would work just as well. There isn't enough to contribute to flavor so it doesn't really matter what you use.

Rising and proofing: yeast breads are made in a work-rest-work-rest method. You mix things together, then let the dough rest. You knead it, then let it rest. You shape it, then let it rest, then bake it. This method has been developed over centuries and works reliably. Kneading develops and stretches gluten strands, but it will also develop on its own if left long enough. Resting lets the proteins relax so you can repeat the process. This is what makes the dough "pull away" from the bowl–as you knead the bread it pulls together. When you put it in a bowl and let it rise, it falls down to the form of the bowl as it relaxes and also starts puffing up as the yeast builds CO2. You punch this down and shape it to redistribute nutrients and yeast around the dough for the proofing stage.

To clarify, rising is the first resting stage and proofing is the second rest that comes after shaping and right before baking.

As long as your kitchen isn't prone to being cold, you can let it rise and proof at room temperature. As yeast makes CO2 it also creates alcohol which contributes to a lot of flavor in the bread as it bakes out. You could put the pans with the proofing bread in your refrigerator overnight and it would still rise albeit much more slowly. Gluten will still continue to develop. This can lend a lot more flavor to your bread, and is a common sourdough technique. It's also good to know if you suddenly find yourself without the time to stick around and wait for your bread to rise then bake.

Kneading, rising, and proofing times are all subjective. When the dough loses its shaggy appearance and becomes silky it's ready to rise. This takes about five minutes max in my mixer–the dough hook is scientifically designed for rapid kneading, and it works great (I use a Kitchenaid). Rising stage should double your dough. When it's doubled in size you're done, whether it took ten minutes or four hours. Proofing is a little tougher; some doughs have more "oven spring" than others. This recipe doesn't spring up at all when baking, so you stop proofing when it reaches the height you want it at, just as the recipe says.

Anyway, that's my two-cent contribution. It comes from years of experimentation, tons of personal research, and a bunch of America's Test Kitchen knowledge.

Chicken Divan

Ingredients

2 bags frozen broccoli

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken (or two cans of chicken breasts)

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 T lemon juice

1-2 cups grated cheese

2-3 pieces of bread, buttered and crumbled in food processor

Directions

Place cooked rice in bottom of 9x13 pan (3 or 4 qt. casserole dish). Layer broccoli then chicken over rice. In a medium bowl, mix together soup, sour cream, milk, and lemon juice. Pour over chicken mixture. Top with cheese. Layer buttered bread crumbs over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes until heated through. (Watch bread crumbs so that they don't burn.)

Mexican Bean Salad

From allrecipes.com ...of course

INGREDIENTS:

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels 1 red onion, chopped 1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoons white sugar 1 tablespoon salt 1 clove crushed garlic 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
2.	In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with chili powder.
3.	Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash

From Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Pour olive oil and garlic into gallon zip lock bag. Place butternut squash in bag and shake until well coated. Arrange coated squash in baking sheet or dish. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes until squash is tender and lightly browned. 

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

From Allrecipes.com....of course

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or equivalent thigh meat)

1 (12 oz) bottle BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

2 T Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Place chicken in crock-pot. In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, salad dressing, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken.

2. Cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

3. When cooked through, shred chicken with two forks. Serve on bread rolls.

Beef Stir-Fry

Beef Stir-Fry

from Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 cup water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

4 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. oil, divided (sesame, olive, or vegetable)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 beef top sirloin steak (1.5 lbs) thinly sliced

1 16 oz. bag of frozen stir fry vegetables

Hot cooked brown rice

1. In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, water, cornstarch and sugar. Transfer 1/4 cup mixture to a large bowl; stir in 1 Tbsp oil and garlic. Add beef; toss to coat. Let beef mixture stand for 15 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef mixture; stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from pan; repeat with remaining beef.

3. In same pan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add frozen stir-fry vegetables and cook according to package directions (about 5-7 minutes).

4. Stir remaining soy sauce mixture and add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Return beef to pan; heat through. Serve with brown rice.

Cauliflower, pea, and edamame salad

All ingredients are approximate. Just add to the ratios that you like.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces

1 cup frozen peas, thawed 

1 cup edamame, cooked

1/2 cup green olives, sliced

1/4 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 cup cashew nuts

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerated or enjoy immediately.

World's Best Lasagna

Ingredients

1 lb Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage, Italian style

3/4 lb ground beef

1/2 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, italian style

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

2 (6.5 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1.5 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 T salt

4 T fresh parsley, chopped

9 lasagna noodles

16 oz. ricotta cheese

1 egg

.75 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In Dutch oven cooked sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Season with basic, fennel, Italian seasoning, salt, and 2 T parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Fill a 9x13 pan with very hot tap water. Place lasagna noodles in water to soften. (No need to boil noodles.) Let soak for at least 20 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 tsp. salt.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and top with 1/3 of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup Paremesan cheese. Spoon more meat sauce over the cheese and layer 3 more noodles. Then spread the other half of the ricotta cheese mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Spoon meat sauce and top with more mozzarella. Layer the last 3 noodles, spread the last of the meat sauce and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
6.  Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, spray foil with cooking spray.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Pillsbury breakfast mini quiche

Ingredients
2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated garlic butter crescent dinner rolls (8 rolls each)
1package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 Eggs
1small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1/4teaspoon salt
1/8teaspoon pepper
1cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Separate each can of crescent dough into 8 triangles. Press 1 triangle on bottom and up side of each muffin cup.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in onion, spinach, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold in cheese. Fill each cup to the top with egg mixture (do not overfill).
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edges of rolls are golden brown. Remove from pan. Serve warm.

Marisabel's guacamole

1 cup thinly diced tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly diced white onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
5-6 avocados
1/4 cup sour cream (Mexican?)
Garlic salt to taste
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 large lime