Creamy Ravioli & Spinach Soup {CROCK POT}

 

I'm running out of time to post soup recipes while we're still experiencing winter weather. It's been such a mild winter here, but I know from the past {almost} 30 years {yikes!} that we will get more snow here in Utah before we're through. So keep this soup recipe handy for the next cold evening!

This was such a sophisticated and elegant soup. If you can really say that about soup. I guess I just did. I absolutely loved it and would have happily paid full price for it at a restaurant. Lucky for me, I didn't have to. Plus, I got to eat it for a few days in a row!

It was also divine with this side dish. Let me tell you about this. No doubt you've had bread with oil & vinegar. But not like this...This is Costco's Rosemary herb bread. And the dip is Basil Olive Oil and Fig Balsamic Vinegar with grated Romano cheese. Holy smokes!! Talk about flavor overload. It was the BEST version of bread and oil, I've EVER EVER EVER had.

So where do you get these flavors of oil & vinegar? Well, it was a gift to us, but the wise gift-givers got it from the Mountain Town Olive Oil Company. I have yet to go in there, but once we're out of these bottles, you can bet I'll be making a trip there to refill. Divine!

Enjoy!

{CREAMY RAVIOLI & SPINACH SOUP}

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1 envelope alfredo sauce mix

4 c. water

1 (14.oz) can vegetable broth

1 1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 (10 oz.) pkg frozen cheese ravioli (the original recipe called for tortellini, but I had a hard time finding it)

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

6 c. fresh baby spinach leaves

Ground black pepper

Finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

Place dry white sauce mix in a 4 quart slow cooker. Gradually add the water to the white sauce mix, stirring until smooth. Stir in broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 hours. Stir in ravioli. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour more or high for 45 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk and fresh spinach. Sprinkle individual servings with black pepper and shredded Romano cheese.

Source: www.bhg.com

Blueberry Lemon Zest Breakfast Cake

Delicious. I'm obviously liking breads and cakes based off the previously posts. But this one is the best, actually. It's title implies it's for breakfast and that's when we ate it. But really it's sweet enough for dessert. It was so yummy and moist with a little sugar crunch crust on top. 

You'll love it. 

Enjoy!

{BLUEBERRY LEMON ZEST BREAKFAST CAKE}

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½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature
Zest from 1 large lemon
3/4 c. + 2 T. sugar

1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen
½ c. buttermilk

1 T. sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour (which will help them not run in the batter. Whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Source: Alexandra's Kitchen

English Muffin Bread

This was yummy yummy yummy. When I saw this recipe, it stated it made the BEST toast. Yep, dead on. And it was just in time for my "sick tummy week." 

I think I ate about two loaves all by my lonesome. It's awesome. And easy to make. You're crazy if you don't try it. Just plain crazy.

Enjoy!

P.S. I "halved" this recipe. I couldn't stand the thought of 11 cups of flour. Holy cow.

{ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD}

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5 1/2 c. warm water
3 pkgs. yeast
2 T. salt
3 T. sugar
11 c. flour 

Activate yeast by putting in bowl and covering with warm water and sprinkling with a little bit of sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, until it's frothy. Mix yeast, remaining warm water, salt & sugar in large mixing bowl. Add half the flour and mix well. Mix in remaining flour and let rise in bowl until double in bulk (about 1 hour). The dough will be VERY sticky. Spoon dough into 4 well greased loaf pans and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pans (about 45 minutes). Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. 10 minutes before done, brush with melted butter. Allow to cool completely before cutting.  

Source: One Good Thing

Banana Coconut Bread with Lime Glaze

Our little family definitely doesn't "go bananas" for bananas. I don't know what it is. But none of us really like them. 

I think, for me, it a texture thing. Plus, I grew up on the "BRAT" diet when you had an upset stomach. I still do this for my little guy. So maybe that's why he doesn't like them either. Anyway, the theory is that when you have an upset stomach or recovering from the stomach flu, you only eat, Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, or Toast.

But one thing we DO love is banana bread. I tried this new recipe because of the idea of a lime glaze. Mmm, and my inkling was correct! The lime glaze is divine. However, I think next time I'll skip the coconut. It wasn't necessary and my little guy wouldn't eat the bread because of it. 

Tell me what you think. Enjoy!

{BANANA COCONUT BREAD WITH LIME GLAZE}

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2 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 c. plain low-fat yogurt

3 T. apple juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. + 1 T. sweetened coconut, flaked

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 T. lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer for 1 minute. Add eggs and beat well. Add bananas, yogurt, apple juice, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture and beat just until moist. Stir in 1/2 c. coconut. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with 1 T. coconut. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Combine powdered sugar and lime juice and drizzle over warm bread.

Quick & Easy Parmesan Cheese Knots

I love BREAD. And I love fresh hot bread out of the oven. But usually by the time I think of what we're having for dinner, I should have started making the bread hours before. So, when I tried this recipe I was excited! QUICK and easy rolls. And don't be fooled by the fact that you're using biscuits (because honestly, I'm not a fan of biscuits usually), these really taste like rolls.

Enjoy!

{QUICK & EASY PARMESAN CHEESE KNOTS}

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1 (12-oz.) tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1/4 c. oil ( I used Olive oil)

3 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

Roll each biscuit into a 12-in. rope and tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

In a large bowl, combine oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley; brush the warm knots with the mixture. 

Source: Real Mom Kitchen

Zucchini Muffins

These little suckers were really good and super fast to throw together. You don't even need to peel the zucchini. They were super tasty with scrambled eggs with fresh tomatoes too! 

We froze half the muffins for later, when we're not so "zucchini'd-out."

I found the recipe on this cute little blog. 

Enjoy!

{ZUCCHINI MUFFINS}

click here for a printable version of this recipe

3 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/3 c. sugar

2 eggs

2/3 c. butter, melted (plus 1 T. for later)

2 tsp. vanilla

Zest from 1-2 lemons

3 c. grated un-peeled zucchini

Whisk together, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.  In a separate bowl, beat together sugar and eggs until creamy.  Add the 2/3 cup melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest and mix well.  Add the shredded zucchini and mix to combine.  Last, add the dry ingredients and mix just until blended.  Batter will be very thick.  Melt one Tablespoon butter and using a pastry brush, brush all over the muffin cups.  Do this instead of using cooking spray.  Distribute batter evenly between greased muffin cups, filling completely full. Bake at 350 degrees for 21-23 minutes for regular muffins or 30-32 minutes for jumbo muffins.  Muffins will be browned and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.    

Whole Wheat Garlic Breadsticks

I decided to try a "healthy" version of breadsticks. They were good. However, the recipe made a ton. And these weren't the best the next day. So, I'd suggest either halving the recipe or inviting your whole street over to help you eat them.

I felt good after eating these. But I have to say that these are still my favorite breadstick. Pretty much deep fried in butter and topped with cheese? Of course they are! 

Enjoy!

{WHOLE WHEAT GARLIC BREADSTICKS}

click here for a printable version of this recipe

1 T. dry yeast

1 T. honey

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 3/4 c. flour

2 c. whole-wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Dissolve yeast and honey in water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in salt and egg with a whisk. Stir flour into water mixture, stirring until a stiff dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Shape dough into a log; divide log into 24 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), gently roll each portion into a 6-inch rope. Place ropes on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Combine salt, garlic powder, basil and oregano in a small bowl. Spray ropes lightly with cooking spray; sprinkle with garlic mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Have I mentioned how much my husband loves pumpkin? He claims he doesn't have anything that he can call his "favorite." Whether it be a favorite color, sport, friend, ice cream flavor, or meal. But I think I can safely say that pumpkin is is favorite flavor for desserts. Honey, I know you are wanting to refute this point as you read my post. But I stand by my claim.

So, if you're going to have pumpkin as your favorite dessert flavor, than these rolls will be your best friend. They are absolutely divine. I mean, I love cinnamon rolls and to add the pumpkin twist is GENIUS! Try it and tell me what you think. Enjoy!

{PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS}

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

1 pkg. yeast
¼ c. warm water
2 ¾ c. flour, divided
½ c. canned pumpkin
½ c. milk
¼ c. butter, melted
1 T. sugar
1 ¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 c. flour, pumpkin, milk, butter, sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Beat until smooth. Knead dough about 10 minutes, adding remaining flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat. Cover and let rise until double in size. Punch dough down and let rest 5 minutes, then roll out into a 12x10 rectangle.

Streusel:
3 T. sugar
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. flour
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
2 T. butter, chilled, cut into small pieces

Combine sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until well mixed. Sprinkle streusel on top of dough rectangle. Roll up and cut into 12 1” slices. Place in a 9” square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise another 25 minutes. Bake at 375° for 20
minutes or until golden brown.

Glaze:
¾ c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 T. hot water
¼ tsp. vanilla
Combine glaze ingredients with a whisk and drizzle over warm buns.

Zucchini Bread

Nothing like warm zucchini bread right out of the oven! Oh my. I craved this ALL the time after my son was born and I'd be up in the middle of the night.

3 c. flour, sifted
1 T. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. oil
1 T. vanilla
2 c. zucchini, peeled and grated
1/2 c. nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in sifted ingredients. Blend in grated zucchini and nuts. Pour into 2 greased and lightly floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Peasant Rolls

This is a branch off my favorite bread. It is just SO simple to make and I love the texture of it. It's a little crunchy on the outside and a dense goodness on the inside. So, I decided to morph the bread into rolls. SUCCESS! It tasted PERFECT with my fresh apricot jam. Pure bliss. 

Enjoy!

{PEASANT ROLLS}

Makes 1 dozen

1 pkg. yeast
2 c. warm water
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
Cornmeal
Butter, melted

Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in a warm bowl and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead. Cover and let rise one hour until doubled in size. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray and sprinkle with corn meal. Flour hands, remove dough from the bowl and divide evenly into muffin tins. Let rise an additional hour. Brush the tops with melted butter and bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with butter. Serve warm.

Hot Dog Garlic Bread

Are you laughing? Because, I was when I made these the other night, with the Classic Chicken Cacciatore. I was craving bread with that dish, but I didn't want to go to the trouble of making anything from scratch. Yes, it's true, I have nights when I don't want to cook. Imagine that. (I'll admit that there are even some nights when I let my husband make "shanghai" which is a form of top ramen). 

I digress. We always-always have extra hot dog buns after I buy them for my toddler son. He just prefers the dog without the bun. The poor little extra buns usually get tossed after they sit on our counter for days. 

Not so anymore. I made these and we were actually negotiating over who got the last one. I believe my husband actually said, "I hope we always have extra hot dog buns."

Me too, darlin'. Me too. Enjoy!

{HOT DOG GARLIC BREAD}

Hot dog buns (however many your heart desires, we had 3.5)

1/4 c. margarine, softened

2 T. mayo

1 green onion, sliced

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 c. Monterrey Jack cheese, grated (or your favorite kind)

Parmesan cheese, grated

Beat margarine, mayo, green onions, garlic salt, and cheese together. Spread on hot dog bun halves. Broil for about 3-5 minutes, or until lightly browned and cheese is bubbling.

Gourmet BBQ Chicken and Garden Veggie Pizza

Hands down the BEST pizza I've ever eaten. Ever, ever, ever.

Ever.

This was so good. I can't wait to make it again. First of all, this pizza dough is the best I've ever made. Second, BBQ chicken pizza is divine. And Third, the veggies from our garden were PERFECT! Now, I realize that not everyone has a garden to go pick fresh veggies from. And all I have to say about that is exactly what my older brother, Johnny would say....

Neener. Neener.

Just kidding. But seriously, I'm sure you could find wonderful veggies at a local farmer's market or at your local store. 

Enjoy!

{GOURMET BBQ CHICKEN AND GARDEN VEGGIE PIZZA}

Pizza Dough:

2 tsp. yeast
1 c. warm water
2 T. oil
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 ½ c. flour

Pizza Toppings:

2-3 small chicken breasts, cooked and sliced (ours were basted with BBQ sauce as they cooked, yum!)

1 purple onion, thinly sliced

1/2 zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced (like half moons)

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 c. BBQ sauce

1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/3 c. feta cheese, crumbled

Salt & Pepper

Cornmeal

Active yeast in warm water, sprinkled with sugar. Allow to set for 5 minutes. Mix in remaining dough ingredients and knead. Let rise in warm place, covered for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile prepare pizza stone, or cookie sheet by sprinkling with cornmeal. Roll out dough and place on pizza stone. Add sauce, mozzarella cheese, meat, veggies, feta and salt and pepper. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes. 

Oatmeal Bread

Have I mentioned how much I love homemade bread? LOVE IT! And this particular recipe is AWESOME. This makes the best toast, especially with homemade plum jam. But really, nothing beats a fresh piece of bread right out of the oven....nothing. 

I know some people can be a little intimidated by making bread...especially without a bread-machine. But if you can follow pre-school age directions, you're going to be just fine, I promise. And look, you don't even necessarily need bread pans. So, stop being a baby and try it. This is a perfect recipe to begin with. Good luck! And enjoy!

{OATMEAL BREAD}

1 c. oats
2 c. water
2/3 c. brown sugar, heaping & firmly packed
2 pkgs. yeast
1/3 c. warm water
Pinch of sugar
2 tsp. salt
5 c. flour
3 T. oil

Boil 2 cups of water and pour over oats in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sit and cool for a couple minutes. Activate yeast by dissolving it in 1/3 cup warm water. Sprinkle the top of the yeast with a pinch of sugar and let it rise for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and oil to oats. Stir in activated yeast.  Add salt and flour. Knead by hand, until it forms a soft dough ball (just like a baby's bottom). Leave dough in same bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour. Divide dough and form into 2 loaves. Grease pans (either casserole dishes or bread pans) and sprinkle the bottom of the pans with oats. Place loaves into pans. Let dough rise again for about 45 minutes. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Butter tops when cooked.

Most Delicious Parmesan Breadsticks

The first time I made these, I just wanted bread, but I didn't have enough time. So I looked through my cookbooks to find the fastest option for some kind of bread. When I pulled them out of the oven, I realized I had just stumbled upon the most delicious breadstick recipe. We love this recipe! I made again it last weekend. Later that night we had friends over, and I put the leftovers out to snack on. Everyone kept commenting how they were so delicious and they couldn't stop eating them. So, I know we're not alone! Enjoy!

{MOST DELICIOUS PARMESAN BREADSTICKS}

Activate Yeast:
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 T. yeast
1 tsp. sugar

Set aside.

Combine:
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. flour

Topping:
1/2 c. butter
Garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

Mix yeast with dry ingredients. Mix well and let rise for 15 minutes. Melt butter in large sheet pan in the oven. Roll out dough to the size of the pan. Put dough in pan, on the melted butter. Flip  over so that both sides are smothered in the butter. Sprinkle one side with garlic salt and cheese. use pizza cutter to cut. Let rise again for about 15 minutes to an hour. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

Lime Zest Muffins with Poppy Seed Streusel

Have you ever made muffins from scratch? If you haven't, this is your chance. It makes a HUGE difference when you make them from scratch. They have a hearty texture and taste. Trust me. Someday soon, I'll post my favorite muffin recipe, but for now this is a new recipe to me. And it was tasty. It's sweet, but not too sweet, which is great for a morning meal, so you don't end up in a sugar coma. One heads up though, these are only good for a day or two, so either eat them up or maybe consider putting them in the freezer for another day.

Try it and let me know what you think. Enjoy! 

{LIME ZEST MUFFINS WITH POPPY SEED STREUSEL}

Streusel:
3 T. sugar
2 T. flour
1 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. poppy seeds

Muffins:
2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 T. grated lime rind (or you could try a differen citrus like orange or lime)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare streusel by combining ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside. Prepare the muffins by combining 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir with a whisk until completely combined. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; add to the "well" in the flour mixture, stirring just until the entire batter is moist. Spoon batter into 15 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on wire rack to cool.

Glazed Cheese Croissants

I made these for the first time yesterday and I have to admit, I was a little concerned as I was mixing it together. But they were actually really good. AND they were really simple. Do I say that about everything? Maybe I need to post harder recipes. Anyway, these are definitely better served warm. In fact, I think we gobbled them up within about 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider doubling the recipe. Enjoy!

{GLAZED CHEESE CROISSANTS}

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 c. small curd cottage cheese

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Sugar Glaze:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. milk

In a medium bowl, combine butter, cottage cheese, flour and salt. Shape into 2 disks and wrap in plastic, refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a well floured surface, roll dough out to a 14-inch circle. Cut circle evenly into 8 triangles. Roll each triangle up, from wide end to tip, turning ends of roll in to form a crescent shape. Place croissants 3 inches apart on a baking sheet, bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack. Drizzle glaze over rolls. 

 

Sticky Buns

Yep. This is it. This recipe is SO incredibly simple and I absolutely love it. My mom used to make this every year on the first day of school. Nevermind that we were all in a sugar coma before 2nd period. It was worth it! This was one of the very few things I knew how to make in college and my roommates would ask for it all the time. 

It does take a little thinking ahead, because it has to rise overnight. My mom used to always make these in a bundt pan. It makes a very pretty shape, but not all the rolls get a fair share of the "goodness." So, I've since switched to using just a cake pan. And I actually "half" the recipe for our little family.

But my, oh my, you're going to love it! Enjoy!

{STICKY BUNS}

1 (3-oz.) pkg. butterscotch cook and serve pudding (it's very important that it be the non-instant variety)
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. brown sugar
¾ tsp. cinnamon
6 T. melted butter
1 pkg. frozen rolls (about 20-24)

Sprinkle chopped nuts in bottom of greased pan. Place frozen rolls on top of nuts. Mix pudding, cinnamon & brown sugar and sprinkle on top of rolls. Drizzle melted butter over all. Cover with towel and leave overnight. Bake in morning at 350° for 30-40 minutes. Invert pan onto a cookie sheet and let the goodness drizzle on down the rolls.

Homemade Pita Pockets

One day I was wrapping up my grocery shopping, my son was on the verge of melting down, and I needed to find JUST ONE MORE THING.  

Pita Pockets. 

Well the melt-down began and I couldn't find the blasted pita pockets. And then it hit me, "I bet I could make pita pockets. Someone has to make them before they get to the store, right?" So I came home and looked for a good recipe. 

Two things happened...

1- I fell in love with this recipe. They are absolutely delicious! And for bread, it's really pretty simple. 

2- I had this epiphany that I can make just about anything. And really that's where this whole, "Some Kind of Delicious" began. How touching, right? Those sweet little pita pockets (sense the sarcasm). But honestly, it has sent me on a mission to see what else I can make at home. And most things taste SO much better when you make them yourself. Things like pita pockets (of course), english muffins, burger buns, tortillas, fortune cookies, peanut butter cups, and even diaper cream or laundry detergent. But I've also learned that sometimes the homemade versions aren't worth the time and effort. And I promise I'll tell you if that is ever the case.

That is NOT the case for pita pockets. They are amazing. Try it. Enjoy!

P.S. Just wait to see what we like to put IN these pita pockets, tomorrow. Mmm.

HOMEMADE PITA POCKETS

1 c. warm water
1 T. oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast

Combine first 4 ingredients. Add 1 cup of the flour, along with the yeast, and stir to mix. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. Lightly oil the top, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise, until almost double (about an hour).

Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle. As you roll the rounds, set them aside on a lightly floured countertop or table, and cover loosely with a towel. Let rise for about 25-35 minutes, until slightly puffy. (The rounds will still be thin though!).

Preheat oven to 500°. Place 2 rounds, side-by-side, onto a wire rack, such as is used for cooling things. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until puffy and just slightly browned. (If bread is too browned, it will be dry and not pliable.)

Remove rack from oven and immediately wrap/layer pita breads in a damp towel, to soften. Continue baking the remaining breads, layering them between damp towels as soon as they’re baked. Allow breads to completely cool.

Cut pita breads in half, or split the top edge, and fill as desired. Store pitas in a plastic zipper bag in the fridge for a few days, or place in the freezer for longer storage. To re-warm pitas, wrap them in a damp towel and then wrap in foil. Place in a warm (200-250°) oven for about 20 minutes. Makes 8 pitas (16 halves).

Homemade English Muffins

Whoa. That is all I have to say. These were so delicious! And they really weren't hard to make. Of course, with any bread you make, you have to plan time to let it rise. But it was WELL worth it. Especially when we topped these muffins with our homemade spicy turkey burgers last night (you'll have to be sure to come back tomorrow for that recipe! Oh my!) I highly, highly recommend this recipe. Enjoy!

HOMEMADE ENGLISH MUFFINS 

1 1/4 c. water, lukewarm

4 c. bread flour

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 small egg whites

Cornmeal

In a large bowl mix yeast into the lukewarm water. Sprinkle with a little sugar and let rest until yeast activates (about 5 minutes). Then add baking soda and 2 cups of bread flour. Mix untill smooth. Allow to sit for 5 minutes uncovered. 

In the meantime, in a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff peaks are formed. Fold egg whites into batter. 

Start to add in the rest of the flour, a 1/4 cup at a time. After the first 1/4 cup, mix in salt. After all the flour is incorporated, pour the dough out onto a flat surface. Knead for about 5 to 6 minutes till it becomes smooth and silky (I used my Kitchenaid mixer's dough hook and skipped the kneading by hand).

Add a little oil to a clean bowl and place the dough into the bowl, turning to coat all sides of dough with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in bulk (1 hour). 

Pour onto a flat surface. Press to release some of the air from the dough. Using a rolling pin roll out to a 1/2 inch thick. Allow dough to rest for 3 minutes to relax. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles. Place the cut out pieces onto some cornmeal. Sprinkle the tops with more cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 45 minutes. 

About 5 minutes before you are ready to cook the english muffins turn on your griddle or fry pan to 350F (medium heat). Fry on one side for about 4 minutes. Then turn over and fry for another 4 minutes. Do this once more for a total of 16 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Round Peasant Bread

This is my favorite bread. For a few reasons, it's quick, it's easy, it's a little crunchy on the outside, and a densely yumminess on the inside. I realize the above picture looks a lot like the home made buns I posted the other day. But this is a BIG loaf, not just some little bun. 

ROUND PEASANT BREAD

1 pkg. yeast
2 c. warm water
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
Cornmeal
Butter, melted

Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in a warm bowl and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead. Cover and let rise one hour until doubled in size. Spray a cooking sheet with non-stick spray and sprinkle with corn meal. Flour hands, remove dough from the bowl and place in 2 rounds on cookie sheet (they will look like blobs, don’t worry!). Let rise an additional hour. Brush the top with melted butter and bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with butter. Serve warm.

This is the BEST BEST BEST bread with soup. We like to cut the loafs into strips, like bread sticks. And then we SMOTHER it with my home-made apricot jam. It's unreal. Trust me on this one. I mean, just look at this...

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