Soft Pretzels

These are fun to make with the kids. They love to roll and shape them!

1 pkg dry active yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbs butter, melted (or 2 Tbs vegetable oil)
4 cups plus 1 Tbs flour
2 add'l Tbs butter
Course Salt or Parmesan Cheese



In a large bowl, soften yeast in water for 10 minutes. Add salt, sugar and butter. Mix in flour until a dough forms. Knead the dough for 5 mins and set aside for 45 mins-1 hour. (I used my kitchenaid to knead)


Preheat oven to 45o degrees. With a knife, cut dough into small pieces. Roll each piece into pencil-thin ropes and shape into pretzels. Or roll a bit thicker and cut 1 inch pieces for pretzel bites. Spray a cookie sheet w/ Pam and place pretzels. Brush melted butter and sprinkle w/ salt or cheese. Bake for 12 minutes.


The Parm ones are yummy dipped in marinara sauce!

swedish meatballs

these are a favorite at our house and we have them about once a month. they are super easy and sooooo yummy served with buttered egg noodles and peas.

sweedish meatballs
2 slices rye bread

1 lb chicken breasts (or ground chicken)
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
1 large egg white
1 Tbl canola oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbl flour
1 8-oz carton sour cream
2 Tbl chopped parsley

place bread in a food processor, pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. set aside.

if you don't have rye bread but want the rye flavor, use white or wheat bread and add 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds.

cut chicken into 4 pieces each and place in food processor and pulse until ground. add chicken, 1/2 tsp salt, nutmeg, pepper and egg white to the breadcrumbs in a bowl. stir until combined. shape into 16 (1 1/2inch) meatballs.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. add meat balls and cook, turning to brown all sides. remove from pan. add broth, remaining salt and flour to the pan stirring with a whisk until combined. boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. stir in sour cream and return meatballs to the pan. reduce heat to medium-low, cook for 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and sauce is thick. sprinkle with parsley. serve with egg noodles and peas.

Tomato, White Bean and Potato Salad

A new twist on an old favorite. I was thinking about sides for Easter dinner (which for us is usually ham--tradition) and found this in my new french cook book. It definitely is a fresh spring salad and is pretty too (I added two chopped hard boiled eggs since I used it as our main course).

1 pound white or red skinned new potatoes

1 pound tomatoes (peeled--just throw them in boiling water and then peel)

2 cans of cannelli beans (I used 1 and it was fine but 2 would have been fine too)

1/2 bunch chopped parley

4 scallions, whites and greens, chopped

1 lemon, juice and zest

1/4 cup olive oil

1 hot red pepper, chopped (I used jalapeno because it is what I had and it was good)

Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes, cool and then chop into wedges. Then add everything else. Serve at room temperature. Also yummy left overs.

whole wheat bread

cyd gave me this recipe a few years ago, and it's so darn good that i am wary of trying new ones.

look how perfect it is? i'm pretty impressed with myself on this one. and don't you just want to lick the screen to taste that yummy toasted-buttery-honeyey goodness?

i do.

in a large bowl whisk together:

3 cups wheat flour

2 tbsp yeast

add:

2 tbsp honey

2 cups warm water

whisk these ingredients together until batter is smooth. let it sit for about 20 minutes until it has grown and looks bubbly.

add and whisk together:

more honey - up to 1/2 cup total (i always add more)

1 egg

2 tsp salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

next start adding more flour. you can continue to use wheat or begin using white. put in about 2 cups and stir. add a bit more until it's not too sticky to knead. turn out onto floured surface and knead, adding more flour a little at a time. when it's ready, cut the dough in half and form into loaves. place into 2 8 x 4 inch pans. cover both with a damp towel and rise until the bread is above the top of the pan. heat oven to 375 and bake 25-30 minutes. turn out onto racks immediately.

(sorry this is all centered, blogger is being lame AGAIN)

Thanks Amy!

Thanks for the facelift, Amy! looks great!

Korean Pork Tenderloin with Pommes Anna

OK, next attemp--Tessa pushed the wrong button. Anyway, these potatoes are crispy and buttery on the outside and soft on the inside--YUMMY. Bryce had already picked at the top before I took the picture so it isnt as pretty as it should be. The pork is tender and spicy (my kids just eat the middle of it). I made two and made fried rice with it later in the week (with a side of edamame) that turned out good too.

Pommes Anna

Ingredients
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and divided

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, optional

PreparationPreheat oven to 450°.
Combine salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Melt 2 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof heavy skillet over medium heat. Arrange a single layer of potato slices, slightly overlapping, in a circular pattern in pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt mixture. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon melted butter over potatoes. Repeat the layers 5 times, ending with butter. Press firmly to pack. Cover and bake at 450° for 20 minutes.
Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until potatoes are golden. Loosen edges of potatoes with a spatula. Place a plate upside down on top of pan; invert potatoes onto plate. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Korean Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed

Cooking spray
Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add pork. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 425°.

This week for dinner

In an attempt to save my husband and children from eating peanut butter and jelly for the eigth month in a row, I have decided to cook again. This is my menu, scheduled for the week (not everyday, I gotta keep it real, there is no way that I am cooking every night :) As I go through the week, I will post the recipes and pictures of my dinner creations.

Monday: Marinated chicken, cous cous, green salad.
Wednesday: Triple Cheese Pesto Pizza (YUM!)
Friday: BBQ Meatballs, Rice Pilaf, Veggie
Sunday: Lasagna (one to eat, one for freezer), Breadsticks, green salad.

We'll see how it goes...tonight will be my first night using my (old) new oven!

PS-I'd love to see some of the bread I've been hearing about BARNO!! I would love to see it on the blog. I would rather see it at my door. I'll settle for either one :)