Butter-Topped Bread

4 and 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast (or two packets)

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces

2 and 2/3 cup additional warm water

9-10 cups all-purpose flour 

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing the tops of the loaves

Additional butter/cooking spray, for greasing your rising bowl and loaf pans

 In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup of warm water, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, salt, butter, additional 2 and 2/3 cup warm water, and mix gently to combine. Slowly add 5 cups of the flour, mixing on low speed until smooth. With the mixer on its lowest speed (you don’t want flour everywhere…as I have discovered), slowly add the remaining flour until the dough is smooth.

Switch to your dough hook attachment and knead the dough for 10 minutes. While the dough is kneading, lightly grease a large bowl with butter or cooking spray, as well as two loaf pans (I used 9″).

7.  Once the dough is ready, place the dough in the greased bowl and turn over to completely coat the dough with butter/cooking spray.  Cover, and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. After an hour, punch down the dough and divide it into two portions.

9. Working with one portion at a time, roll (with a rolling pin) the dough out into roughly 12″ x 12″ squares, making sure that the thickness of the dough is uniform throughout. Slowly and tightly roll up each square, sealing the edges firmly.  Tuck the ends of the roll tightly under the bread and place into your prepared loaf pans.  Repeat with the second loaf.  Cover the loaves, set in a warm place, and let rise until doubled, about another hour. 

Place one rack on the lowest position in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes, then cover each loaf with aluminum foil to prevent the tops from browning too much. Once covered with foil, bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the loaves from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool, and lightly brush the loaves with the melted butter.

*I usually make 3 loaves from this recipe. Original recipe found here.

Energy Bites

1 cup oatmeal
½ cup peanut butter 
⅓ cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes
½ cup ground flaxseed
½ cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl (I use KitchenAid mixer) until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in refrigerator.

Our family loves these for a healthy, filling snack. 

Recipe from here.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

• 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, chilled
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
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• Heat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat liner.
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• In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a 2-cup liquid measure, stir together the chilled buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture slightly pulls away from the edges of the bowl. 
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• Using a greased ¼-cup measure, scoop out mounds of the dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 ½ inches apart. Bake the biscuits until the tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with additional melted butter. Serve warm. Makes about 12 biscuits.

Recipe from MelsKitchenCafe.com. 

Parmesan Potato Wedges

4 Russet Potatoes

2 Tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons parsley

A couple dashes of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and cooking spray or a Silpat liner.

Combine Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, parsley and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Cut potatoes in half the long way. Then place each half flat on a cutting board and slice into wedges. Place the potato wedges in a large bowl and toss with olive oil or butter to completely coat. Add the cheese mixture to the potato wedges and toss gently to coat evenly.

Place potatoes on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with leftover cheese mixture.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. The smaller wedges will be done sooner. Turn once halfway through cooking time. Good served with fry sauce or ranch.

Recipe originally from here. 

Pavlova

4 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped cream (homemade with heavy cream and sugar)

Fruit-banana, strawberries, kiwi fruit, etc. (I like raspberries, strawberries & blueberries)

Preheat oven 250-275 degrees.

Line a tray with baking paper after spraying tray with cooking spray to hold paper. Sprinkle cornstarch onto paper.  You can mark a circle if you like.

Place egg whites in large, dry mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar, beating constantly after each addition for 5-10 minutes total until sugar has dissolved. Fold in cornstarch and vinegar and vanilla. It should be glossy.

Spread meringue mixture onto prepared tray and shape evenly into a circle. Run a flat bladed knife or spatula around edge and over top of meringue to smooth out and up the sides to stabilize the dessert. Bake for 40 mins or until pale and crisp.  Turn off oven, cool pavlova in oven with door ajar.  Top with whipped cream and fruit decoratively. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe is an Australian dessert from Laura's friend Mari.

Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. each ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, powdered oregano and sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Makes 3 tablespoons of seasoning mix, which is equal in strength to a 1/4 ounce package of commercial seasoning mix. 

I usually mix up a batch of this and use as needed. 

Egg McMoms

Eggs
Milk
Cheddar cheese
Ham/Canadian bacon
English muffins
Butter
Salt & Pepper


Scramble eggs with milk and seasonings and cook. Toast English muffins and butter if desired. If using Canadian bacon, heat in a skillet on both sides then place on English muffin, top with eggs, cheese, and the top muffin and eat it as a sandwich. If using regular ham, you can do it the same way, or cut it up and scramble it with the eggs.

This is something my family ate growing up, though we usually ate it on buttered, toasted hamburger buns. 

Ranch Parmesan Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup dry breadcrumbs (I like Panko or crushed croutons)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. seasoning salt (can skip seasonings or cut back if using homemade seasoned croutons)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup prepared ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup melted butter

Heat oven to 400. In shallow bowl, mix breadcrumbs with parmesan and seasonings. Dip chicken into ranch dressing to coat both sides. Coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a single layer onto a greased baking sheet (or line with silpat or foil). Do not crowd on pan or chicken will be soggy on the bottom. Lightly drizzle the melted butter over each breast. Bake oncovered for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Banana Brownie Bars

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 c. sour cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3-4 ripe bananas
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Heat over to 375. Grease and flour 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. In a large bowl beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and blend for one minute. Spread evenly into pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese (room temp)
1 stick of butter (room temp)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups powdered sugar

Recipe from Thiphanie Reisenbichler.

Monkey Bread

2 cans refrigerator biscuits
5 T. butter
1/3-1/2 cup brown sugar


Melt butter and brown sugar in microwave for about 30-45 seconds and stir. Cut biscuits into fourths. Place in flat bottomed bowl. I use a medium size Corning Ware dish. Stir butter mixture into the biscuits to cover. Place round drinking glass in center of bowl and arrange the biscuits around it. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, remove glass from the bowl, and empty the bread onto a plate. Eat warm.

Pretzel Dogs

1 1/2 c. warm water
1 T. sugar
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

Stir together and let stand 5 minutes.

4-5 cups flour
1/4 c. melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg

Beef hot dogs
butter for brushing on top
coarse salt

Combine and mix with yeast mixture using dough hook. Place dough in greased bowl and let rise for 45 minutes. Punch down dough and roll sections into ropes about 15 inches long. Wrap around hot dogs. Place on baking sheet, brush with butter and top with coarse salt. Bake for about 15 minutes at 425-450. To make extra for freezer, skip the butter and coarse salt and bake. Take out of freezer, brush with butter and top with salt and warm in the oven.

Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 c. soy sauce
1 c. water
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
5 T. brown sugar
2 T. honey
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. cold water

Mix everything but cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water in a sauce pan and begin heating. Mix cornstarch and cold water in a cup and dissolve. Add to sauce in pan. Heat until sauce thickens. Add water to thin if needed.