Bagels!!

This is something that I've been wanting to try since I started using the bread machine, but they just looked really intimidating. However, Darrin loves bagels, so I thought I'd get over my fear and just try them out! They are a *little* labor intensive, since it requires more effort than just throwing everything in the machine and pushing a button. But they are SO WORTH IT! They turned out great!

Here's the recipe -- and then my photos I took throughout the process.


Basic bagels

From Rhonda's Homestyle Recipes

Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 quarts boiling water
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
3 tablespoons poppy seeds (or whatever topping you want on them)

Directions
1.Place water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough setting.

2.When cycle is complete, let dough rest on a lightly floured surface. Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar.

3.Cut dough into 9 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls. Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 10 minutes.

4.Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning half way through. Drain briefly on clean towel. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. Glaze tops with egg white, and sprinkle with your choice of toppings.

5.Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned.

After the dough is made in the bread machine, pull it out and divide it up. I tried to squeeze 12 rolls out of the dough (here's 10 out of the 12). They ended up too small. Next time, I'll only divide it up to make 8 or 9.

Poke a hole in the middle of hte dough ball and twirl it around your finger. This was an easier technique but not as pretty. You can also roll out the doughballs into 7" ropes, then connect the ends making a circle. I did this with one of them and it looked a bit nicer.


Here's all my bagels, ready to be boiled!!

After I boiled them (sorry, I forgot to take pictures of that), then I put them on a baking sheet with some cornmeal and popped them in the oven!

Fresh out of the oven!

Lightly toasted wtih cream cheese. Yum.

Bread, Rolls and Pizza Dough!

I snatched my mom's "old" 90's bread machine and sought out to make my own bread. So far....so good!! I'm on a roll making everything from pizza dough to 100% whole wheat loaves of bread! Here's some of the recipes that I have used. But first, a couple tips:

1. I know that you can make all of these by hand if you don't have a bread machine. Some of hte recipes I have give oyu "by hand" instructions and some don't. If you see something you want to try and it doesn't have instructions on how to do it by hand - I would just do a quick google search. I'm sure you'll be able to quickly find something helpful.
2. I've been noticing that I like using the "dough" cycle a lot and then pulling the dough out, letting it rest awhile in a greased loaf pan, and then baking it in the oven. I like the shape and consistency a little bit.
3. You need to get to know your bread machine. I've learned that I need to add a bit more water/liquid than what the recipe calls for. I don't know why, though.
4. Make sure all ingredients are room temperature!! The yeast can die if the other ingredients are too cold/hot.

Whole Wheat Bread (from the manual):

Extra Large Loaf (2 pounds)
1 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
4 2/3 cups Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 teaspoons regular active dry yeast OR 3 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast or quick-acting dry yeast

DIRECTIONS:
1.Remove bread pan; attach kneading blade.
2.Place all ingredients in bread pan in the order listed.
3.Insert bread pan, close lid and plug in.
4.Select bread type: Press SELECT until the desired bread setting number is displayed. Press START.
(For whole wheat breads the bread setting selections are numbers 4-6. Select “4” for 1 pound loaf recipes.
Select “5” for 1 1/2 and 2 pound loaf recipes. Select “6” for RAPID BAKE cycle for 1 1/2 and 2 pound loaf
recipes. RAPID BAKE cycle reduces the overall completion time by about 20%.)
5.If Delay Bake option is desired, press s and t to set timer.
6.Press START. Bread will be done baking in the number of hours indicated.
7.Please note: Wheat has a 15-30 minute rest period before mixing begins.




Rice Bread:
From Rhonda's Homestyle Recipes

1/2 cup cooked white or brown rice
1 1/2 Tbsp. (1 Tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp.) vegetable or canola oil
Put these two ingredients in a 2 cup measuring cup and add enough warm water to make 1 1/2 c. Dump into bread machine pan or mixing bowl.
Add:

2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
3 cups all purpose flour (I've used all purpose or whole wheat, even a mix of both)
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast.
If using a bread machine, set to desired setting and start. I prefer to use the dough cycle then take the dough out and form a loaf, let rise in my bread pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
If using a stand mixer, add the flour last, cup by cup. If mixing by hand I will also add the flour at the last and then knead for 6 to 8 minutes before letting it rise, covered, in a greased bowl. Form into a loaf, let rise in bread pan and bake 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.

I've also used this recipe to make dough for burger buns. Divide dough into 12 parts and form into balls, place in greased 9 x 13 pan to let rise. Bake at 350 for 20 to 22 minutes.






Dinner Rolls -- makes about 12 rolls
(from my friend, Abby Weber, who got it out of her Betty Crocker Bread Cookbook)

1 cup water
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1 egg
3-1/4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon bread machine or quick active dry yeast
Margarine or butter, melted, if desired

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except melted butter in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. (Mine is the same order as listed)

Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycles.

When done, remove dough from pan, using lightly floured hands. Cover and let rest 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.

Grease a large cookie sheet. Divide dough into 15 equal pieces and shape into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 30-40 minutes or until doubled (dough is ready if indention remains when touched)

Bake 12-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven, or until golden brown. If desired, brush tops with melted butter.

Pizza Dough

From Rhonda's Homestyle Recipes
**Makes one very thick crust or 2 thinner crusts)

1 1/3 cups water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
2 tablespoons cornmeal

Put all ingredients except cornmeal in bread machine in order listed. Set for dough setting and let it go through the cycle. Grease a pizza pan with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Spread dough. Brush more vegetable oil or olive oil onto dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes, remove, brush with oil again and top with sauce and other desired toppings. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes.

**JENN TIP -- I used all the dough to make one thick crust and it was THICK. It also took longer to cook than the above times. I first pre baked it without toppings for about 10 minutes, then put it back in with topping for another 20 minutes. Next time, I will definitely cut the dough in half and use only half of it. It was still great though!!

Spinach and Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Photo curteosy for 5dollardinners.com

This was easy, good and cheap. Really, how much better can you get?

I only used 2 chicken breasts since that's what I had after I broke down a whole chicken. You could also use other cuts though -- like boneless thighs or something.

Here's the recipe and then what I did a little differently is below that.

Spinach and Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts
by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom on January 19, 2011

Ingredients
■1 box frozen spinach
■1 Tbsp olive oil
■1 tomato, diced (or 1 15 oz can drained diced tomatoes)
■4 garlic cloves, crushed
■Sprinkles of dried basil, salt and pepper
■3-4 chicken breasts, depending on size…about 1.3 lb.
■About 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
■1 6 oz can tomato paste
■About 1 tsp Italian seasonings

Directions
■Cook the spinach as directed on the package and drain well. And by well, I mean well.
■In a large skillet, add the olive oil, well drained spinach, diced tomato and crushed garlic. Add a few sprinkles of basil and salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until fairly dry and liquid has steamed off.
■Pound out the chicken breasts and place into a slightly greased baking dish. Spoon the spinach and tomato mixture into the chicken breasts. Top with some shredded mozzarella cheese and roll up. Repeat for all the chicken breasts. Spoon any remaining spinach around the chicken in the baking dish. Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes, or until cooked through.
■While the chicken is baking, make some red sauce with the tomato paste. Spoon the tomato paste into a small saucepan and add 2.5 cans worth of water. Whisk and add some Italian seasonings and let simmer over low heat until the chicken is finished baking. Spoon the sauce over the chicken pieves (You could also use tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes or spaghetti sauce!)

----------------------

So I basically followed the directions exactly. I only used 2 chicken breasts though, so I cut down on the spinach and used only 1/2 a bag of frozen spinach. I don't know why you would need frozen spinach though. You could totally use fresh spinach and ust let it wilt down in the pan with the tomatoes.

For the mozzarella -- use whatever you have or whatever is on sale. Shredded, sliced, string cheese....whatever.

I made her "red sauce" but honestly, it wasn't the greatest. Next time I'd rather just use some pasta sauce or some jazzed up tomato sauce. The sauce made from the tomato paste wasn't bad...it just wasn't great. I had to add sugar and ketchup and spices and what not to make it alright. And even still...it just lacked depth. I dunno...

After the chicken was done, I topped it with the red sauce and then put more mozzarella on top of that, then stuck it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese was nice, golden and bubbly. This was a HUGE bonus. It made it REALLY good. I think it kind of took the dish from 3.5 stars to 4.5 stars. DO THIS! :)

Taco Soup

I know this girl, Rhonda, from one of my online groups. She amazing. She has a family of 7 ( all of her kids are in the teenage/early adult years and live at home). She says she has a nice size garden and she has meat in the freezer because they buy like 1/2 a cow and whole hogs and what not (I think she lives in the midwest...where they get to hunt and kill things). But she makes EVERYTHING from scratch and she feeds everyone on $250 a month. Seriously.... a family of SEVEN on $250 a month. And she has special diet restrictions (I think she has borderline diabetes or something) so don't go thinking they do processed stuff in their household. Everything is healthy and everything is made from scratch. She's insane amazing! :)

So today I stole her "Taco Soup" recipe. To be honest, it didn't look good at first, but I had almost everything I needed already, and I wanted to use it all up before I went shopping for the week. It turned out SOOOO good. Kind of like a Taco Salad, but instead of the lettuce part, it's a thick soup. Seriously....yum. I topped it with grated cheese, green onions and sour cream (oh and some Corn chip crumbles because we had them!). Then served cornbread on the side. It was a hit with everyone! Plus it made a ton. I'm going to try and freeze some of it. I'm sure it'll freeze really well!


I first browned some ground beef and onions in a big pot (you can use a dutch oven or whatever) and then drained it as much as I could. Then I followed the recipe below:

Taco soup from Rhonda's Homestyle Recipes

•1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
•1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes and diced chilies
•1 cup sweet corn kernels
•2 cans pinto beans (I cook my own from dry)
•1 pkt. taco seasoning (I mix my own)
•1 pkt. ranch dressing mix (I mix my own)
Mix all together, bring to a boil, then serve. OR you can cook it in your crock pot for 4 hours on low.

**To get the recipes to make your own Taco and Ranch dressing mix click HERE. Seriously, it's easy and so much healthier. Next time you're at the store, check out the ingredients in those pre-made seasoning packets. bleh..... You'll never go back to them once you start making your own!

Muffin Frittatas

It was my turn to bring some food for my Moms Connection group at church. It's a brunch and I was asked to bring an egg dish. This is always a little tough since 1) there's no possible way for the food to actually be hot by the time we eat it (and normally eggs are better when hot), and 2) since I already feel tight for time in the morning getting everyone ready to get out the door by 8:30ish...I really didn't want to wake up an hour earlier to make a fancy- dancy egg dish. I had to make (or at least be able to prep) something the night before. So I scoured the 'net and ran across these yummy frittatas. They were perfect! They tasted pretty good not-so-warm, I could easily customize them for different tastebuds and since they're already in individual servings, I didn't have to worry about any cutting or serving issues. I thought they were great. People had seconds....so I'm assuming they weren't terrible to the rest of my group too! :)

AND here's the kicker-- they taste GREAT warmed up. The author of the recipe says you can even freeze them!!! This makes them an AWESOME quick morning breakfast. I immediately thought of working moms with school-aged kids. You could just pop a couple of these in the microwave and serve with toast and fruit. Great nutritious breakfast and a cinch to serve up for families on the go! But hey, even though I stay at home, I won't pass up something quick and easy to serve in the morning. :)

Look at that -- you CAN have it all! :)


Muffin Frittatas
by American Egg Board

Ingredients
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup chopped zucchini
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped red onion

Directions
1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper in medium bowl until blended. Add cheese, zucchini, bell pepper and onion; mix well. Spoon evenly into 12 greased muffin cups, about 1/4 cup each.
2.Bake in 350 degrees F oven until just set, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes. Remove from cups; serve warm.


***TIPS***
1) When you whisk togeter the eggs and milk...make sure you whisk it good. You don't want any egg white clumps in there. You want it all to be combined nicely.
2) SPRAY THE PAN! Seriously, spray the heck out of the pan. If you have silcone muffin tins - use those (and still spray just in case).
3) I did a double batch of these and then added different veggies. One batch I did per the recipe and the other batch I did broccoli and carrots. Both were a hit. I even added in some Parm cheese I had, but be careful since the parm cheese is salty in and of itself....I thought they were a tad on the salty side. Next time if I do the parm cheese, I'll omit the salt that you would normally put in with the eggs.