Sweet Crescent Rolls

One word describes these little buggers… Mmm! I would totally make these again, and again, and again, and maybe even one or two more times after that. They are super simple, and totally tasty. However, while eating them the Hubby and I did have a revelation. Add apples to make them more like little personal sized apple pies. I will totally try that next time.

Ingredients

• Package of crescent rolls
• Butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the cinnamon and sugar together and mix well. Place the unrolled crescent rolls onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I used my silpat mat). Spread a layer of butter on each triangle; top with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll from the bottom of the triangle to the point.

Place in the oven and bake for 10-11 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve while hot. Enjoy.

• Source: For the Love of Cooking

How-To Make Pizza Dough

Why would you ever order pizza in when it can be so fun to make it at home? Why would you ever buy pizza dough from the store when it is so easy to make from scratch? Not only is it easy and fun, but it can also be very therapeutic. I think I am smelling a fun pizza making party in my future. Who wants to come? Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups warm water, 100 to 110 degrees F, plus extra as needed
• 1 (¼-ounce) packet active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Put the water in a small bowl. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. With floured hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place, until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Using a fist, deflate the dough in the center and cut it into 3 equal-sized pieces. Form the dough pieces into 3 balls and put into 3 oiled bowls. Cover each bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour. Remove the dough and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for up to 1 day.

• Source: Giada De Laurentiis
• Prep Time: 15min
• Inactive Time: 3hr
• Total Time: 3hr 15min
• Recipe Yields: 3 (13oz) balls of dough

Bruschetta

I am an Italiano. Okay, I am like a quarter Italian, but since I married a fellow ¼ Italiano, I like to think of myself as now half Italian. I know it doesn’t really work that way, but in my world it does, so leave me alone. Italian or not, I love Italian food. I am a pasta fanatic, and I could live off bread alone. Bruschetta is probably my favorite meal of all time. Yep, that’s right, I called bruschetta a meal, because in my house it is. I found this super simple version on The Pioneer Woman and it looks fantastic!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 pint red grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 pint yellow grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 16 whole basil leaves (chiffonade)
• salt and pepper to taste (don’t oversalt!)
• 1 whole baguette
• 8 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden.) Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Add tomatoes, balsamic, basil, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine, then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed (don’t oversalt, though!) Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two if you have the time.

Cut the baguette into diagonal slices to allow for the most surface area possible. Melt half the butter in a large skillet and grill half the bread on both sides, making sure they’re nice and buttery. Cook till golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the other half of the butter and the other half of the bread.

To serve, give the tomato mixture a final stir, the spoon generously over the slices of bread. Serve on a big platter as a first course or appetizer.

• Source: The Pioneer Woman
• Prep Time: 10min
• Cook Time: 20min
• Total Time: 30min
• Recipe Yields: 12 servings (or one hungry Italian… maybe 2)

Parmesan Popovers

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! As you know I could care less about who wins today, but it is still considered a holiday in our house. As with any good holiday, I am stuck in the kitchen cooking right now, but I do have a new recipe for you, so get excited. Oh yes… It is another P alliteration recipe that I could not pass up for more reasons than one. They are simple, boy friendly, alliterated and apparently pretty good. All signs pointing to Yes… Make it… Eat it… However, when I made them a couple of weeks ago something was not right. For one I did not cook them long enough, but there was something more about the flavor… Maybe I added too much parsley. I always get confused when they say something like 3 tablespoons of a fresh herb. Is that 3 tablespoons before or after I am chopped it? I did 3 tablespoons post chop, but it may have been a little much. I am going to go back and watch Giada make them and see exactly what she does. I will keep you posted. Let me know if anyone has better luck than me in this department. The Hubby and I scratched them from our nightly rotation, but I could not scrap them from my entire recipe book all together. I like the idea of them, so maybe I will play with the ingredients and reinvent them for myself.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon herbs de Provence
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
• 1 cups whole milk
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan (about 5 ounces)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.

Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup ¾ full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove popovers from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack.

• Source: Giada De Laurentiis
• Prep Time: 20min
• Cook Time: 25min
• Total Time: 45min
• Recipe Yields: 6 to 8 servings

For the Love of Crescent Rolls

Crescent rolls can make for some very tasty recipes. First off, they are delicious on their own, but after you add some fun ingredients they can become absolutely delowcious! Pam over at For the Love of Cooking has come up with some fabulous ideas that take crescent rolls to a whole new level and definitely make me want to do the Pillsbury Doughboy laugh constantly.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Filled Crescent Rolls

These look and sound beyond wonderful. They could also be good as warm peanut butter and jelly crescent roll sandwiches. What do you think? I will have to try it. Talk about the perfect lunch on the go.

Click Here for the Recipe!

Cinnamon and Sugar Crescent Rolls

Just when I thought a crescent roll couldn’t look any tastier. My mouth is watering just looking and the picture. I would eat these for breakfast or dessert. Who am I kidding? I would eat these for breakfast, lunch dinner, dessert, afternoon snack, midnight snack, anytime really.

Click Here for the Recipe!

Breakfast Braid

This is great and right up my Hubby’s alley. I love things that come in little pockets, like burritos or those horribly awesome apple pies from McDonald’s. These actually remind me a lot of those. Substitute apple and cinnamon for bacon, eggs and cheese of course.

Click Here for the Recipe!

Leftover Oatmeal Bread

Well since the Hubby had a nice little break off for the New Year, he got to take over and do a little cooking in the kitchen this past weekend. He likes to keep things on the healthy side, so it was 3 days in a row of oatmeal for breakfast. Don’t worry, It was not the instant kind. He actually used a recipe and everything, and much to my surprise it was very good. However, it took him 2 days of throwing out excess oatmeal before he realized he should probably cut the recipe in half. Needless to say, we had a “little” oatmeal left over each morning, which got me wondering, “What can you do with left over oatmeal? You surely can’t eat it again for lunch… Or can you?” Surprisingly, I found a wonderful way to use left over breakfast oatmeal and turn in into a healthy and inexpensive loaf of bread. This recipe is perfect for those trying to watch both the inches on their waistline and the pennies in their pocket. Oh I almost forgot, stay tuned for an interesting entry from said Hubby about his new tradition of cooking New Years Dinner. He definitely gave me a run for my money!

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 11 ounces bread flour, plus extra for kneading
• ¼ cup toasted uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 ounces leftover, cooked old-fashioned rolled oats, at room temperature
• ¼ cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons agave syrup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for bowl and pan
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

Combine the yeast, bread flour, ¼ cup toasted, uncooked oats, and the salt in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Combine the leftover cooked oatmeal, warm water, agave syrup, and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large mixing bowl. Add the dry mixture to the cooked oatmeal mixture in 3 installments and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon after each addition.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand for 10 minutes, incorporating more flour, if needed. Dough will be sticky. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl or container. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough, shape it into a loaf, and put it into a lightly oiled 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Lightly brush the top of the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon toasted, uncooked oats. Bake until the bread reaches an internal temperature registers 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 55 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the loaf from the pan to a cooling rack for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes: Try making it with different flavors of oatmeal… Doesn’t homemade cinnamon bread sound delowcious?

• Source: Alton Brown
• Prep Time: 20min
• Inactive Time: 1hr 30min
• Cooking Time: 55min
• Total Time: 2hr 45min

Bruschetta with Shrimp Tarragon and Arugula

Mmmm I can’t wait to make this. It seems pretty simple, but looks very fancy compared to regular bruschetta. This little dish is great as a side or an appetizer and pairs up perfectly with Pasta alla Formiana. Looks like I might have to make both of these for dinner tonight. I will let you know how it turns out. Maybe tonight will be the start of photo documentation of the meal making process…

Ingredients

Toasts:

• 1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta bread or any hearty rustic bread, trimmed and cut into 14 (½-inch thick) slices
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 garlic clove, halved

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 pound extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup white wine
• ¼ cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 packed cup arugula, chopped
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

Directions

For the toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Set aside.

For the topping: In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste, and add them to the skillet. Cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the shrimp and chop into ½-inch pieces. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes start to soften, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tarragon, arugula, mascarpone cheese, and chopped shrimp. Stir until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the toasts on serving plates and drizzle with the sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving.

• Source:Giada De Laurentiis
• Prep Time: 15min
• Cook Time: 25min
• Total Time: 40min
• Recipe Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Sweet ‘n’ Corny Hoecakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup cornmeal (recommended: Indian Head)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• Kosher salt
• ¾ cup frozen yellow corn, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 ½ cups milk, plus extra to thin batter
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
• Maple syrup, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk the thawed corn, egg, milk, and vegetable oil. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and combine. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

In a cast iron pan on medium-high heat, add enough vegetable oil to fill the pan about ½-inch deep. When the oil begins to swirl, add the batter in batches to the pan using a small ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measure to make each hoecake. Gently spread into a circle, if needed. Flip the hoecakes when the air pockets begin to pop on the surface of the batter and a peek underneath the cake reveals a golden rim and surface, about 2 minutes.

Once the second side is golden brown, transfer the hoecakes to a baking sheet in a warm oven and continue making the rest. Serve with maple syrup.

• Source: Sunny Anderson
• Prep Time: 10min
• Inactive Time: 5min
• Cook Time: 20min
• Total Time: 35min
• Recipe Yields: 14 hoecakes

Baked Corn Tortilla Chips

Ingredients

• 10 corn tortillas, cut into triangles.
• 1 ziplock bag
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Cayenne
• Juice of one lime

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a ziplock bag, add all spices, oil, and tortillas.  Shake until the tortilla triangles are well coated.  Empty contents of bag onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 16 minutes, flipping the tortilla chips halfway through. Broil on high for a minute at the end.

• Source: Pardon The Dog Hair

Banana Crunch Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 extra-large eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
• 1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
• 1 cup small-diced walnuts
• 1 cup granola
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don’t overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

• Source: Ina Garten
• Prep Time: 20min
• Cook Time: 25min
• Total Time: 45min
• Recipe Yields: 18 large muffins