Whole Wheat Sandwich Rolls

This past weekend I made 117 rolls for my grandson's football team, yup you read it right 117 .  They always have something for the kids to eat after the game..usually they have hot dogs and hamburger, some sort of salad, chip and cookies.  This past weekend my daughter thought it would be nice for a change and have sandwiches and asked if I'd make the bread.  :)  of course I said yes.  I made white sandwich rolls also.  The recipe that follows can be used for both the wheat and white.  I'll post the difference in the ingredients if you want to try them.
 Whole wheat rolls     bake 350 for about 25 minutes  makes approx 19-24 rolls
Ingredients:
2 cups warm water about 115 degree
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2TBL yeast
1 1/2 tst salt
1/4 cup veg. oil
11/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 1/2 white flour cups flour
To make the white rolls just use 6 cups of white flour and 2/3 cup of white sugar.  Guess you could do it 1/2 & 1/2 like above but I have not tried it that way yet!

Warm water with the sugar and honey  in it, add to the yeast mixture and let sit until the yeast starts to bubble and get foamy.  Add the oil and salt and and the wheat flour and 1 cup of white flour.  Mix in the KA and then add remaining flour until all is incorporated and the dough becomes soft and elastic and cleans the bowl.
Put in a greased bowl and cover until doubled.  When ready punch down gently and then form into rolls by rotating and tucking as you go, do not play with the dough to long or they will not rise as well this time.  Set on parchment lined or grease cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and cover until doubled in side.  Score the tops with an X just before  cooking.  Cook for about 20-25 minutes until golden and sound hollow when taped.  My oven took about 25 minutes my daughters took about 19-20.

 

Now don't they look good.  

Here is one with the meat and all the fixings.... As you can see this is a hearty sandwich, and it sure was tasty.

 

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and REMEMBER to find the time to do ALL the things YOU Love.

Donna

Oatmeal Toffee cookies

I made these cookies last week.  I was making the usual white bread for the family and decided since the oven was going I might as well try a new recipe.  I adapted this from here.  I changed some of the ingredients and used some items I had on hand.  My son in law does not like raisins so I made a dozen for him without them.  I replaced the chocolate chips with Heath Toffee pieces and I used quick oats because that's all I had on hand.
 Prep time about 10 min     cook time 15     makes approx. 70 cookies

preheat oven  350 

Ingredients:
2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
1 cup coarsley chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1 1/4 cup toffee chips
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
Cream the sugar and butter, add eggs and mix until incorporated and smooth.  In another bowl mix all dry ingredients plus the raisns, nuts and toffee chips.  Add to wet mixture.  Once all incorporated stir in the milk.  Drop by heaping teaspoon 1 inch apart and cook for 15 minutes, turning at 1/2 way point.  Let stay on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then remove to cooling rack.  Best of all EAT.. 

Here are a couple of shot of the different things I used.

And here is the bread cooling with the cookies.  Oh Yum Yum! 

T

 Thanks for stopping by today, have a wonderful week And Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things you LOVE.

Donna

 

Blackberry Muffins

 A couple of weeks ago I made these for a bake sale for my grandson's Football team .

 

I adapted a recipe from Land O Lakes.

 INGREDIENTS:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh blackberry pureed (you could use frozen blackberries or raspberries)

 Heat oven to 400°F. Combine milk, butter and egg in large bowl. Stir in all remaining muffin ingredients except blackberry puree just until flour is moistened. Then add blackberry puree, stirring gently.

Spoon into foil or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pan. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from pan.

Dip top of each muffin in melted butter, then in sugar.

Now don't they look yummy.  These are delish, while still warm have them  with some butter or guess you could put some blackberry preserves on too.
Thanks for stopping by.  Have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to DO ALL the Things YOU LOVE.
Donna

Pepper Steak

This is one of my favorites.  I love Chinese and Italian food.  This is a very simple quick recipe that can be ready in 30 minutes or less...Sound like Rachel Ray huh??  LOL  There's only 4 ingredients and you put it over brown rice or white rice, your choice.  I also make this with  fried rice which I will post in the future another very quick and great side dish.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. of top round steak (or whatever you want to use) cut into strips
1 - 2 green peppers sliced
1 large sweet onion sliced
1 pkg of brown gravy mix
* soy sauce to taste.. about 1 1/2 TBL...
1 TBL oil for frying 

Cut the meat, peppers and onions.   In a large skillet heat oil, add a couple of pieces of onion and let cook for about a minute just to flavor the oil, the add the meat and cook until done.  Add the rest of the onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes.  (cook the veggies so they are to the tenderness you like, either crisp or soft)  Add the package gravy as per instructions and add the TBL of soy sauce cook until thickened.  Serve over rice.  YUM YUM..  Enjoy

 

 Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to do ALL the things you Love.
Donna

Chicken Puffs

I have been wanting to make some puff pastry so I could stuff them with chicken, crab, shrimp or make them into a dessert.  Well here is my first attempt, and I decided to use chicken for the first test.  These are really yummy, and would be great for a brunch, a small dinner party or whatever you think.  The puff comes together so quickly and is so tasty, and so may possibilities.
Ingredients:  preheat oven 450 *see note below

Puff

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

Directions:

In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.

 
 

Now ready for the oven  * Bake at 450 for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 400 and cook for approx. 25 more minutes or until golden brown.

 And done, can you smell them??? 

 Chicken for the inside. 
Ingredients:
3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
3/4 - 1 sweet onion diced
2 cloves garlic
salt/ pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
2 stalks celery
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheese (your choice) I used Italian Mix
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
3 TBL mayo  approx.  This and the ranch you may want to add more..
4 TBL ranch dressing (I always make mine from the powdered ranch mix) approx.

 When you're ready you can scoop some of the inside of the pasty and fill them with the chicken mixture and top with a bit of paprika and EAT.  Another YUM! 

  Have a wonderful day, and give these a try, they're worth the little bit of work it takes to make them and the puff pastry recipe you can use for a dessert also.  I'll be back with one that I made using this recipe.  Also I am going to experiment making Bavarian Cream filled ones so be sure to come back and see those.
Thanks for stopping by and Remember to Find the Time to Do All the Things You Love.
Donna

Pasta with Roasted Sweet Pepper Sauce

The other night I made some Italian bread hero's to put some sausage I got from NY. While I was in Maine one of Orm's friends, Vic, went to NY for a visit and I asked him if he would buy me some Cheese And Parsley Italian Sausage. If you have never had this and you happen to be in the NY area try it...OMG! You serve it on a hero roll with green peppers and onions. I'll post that soon. Anyway, back to the pasta...I wanted a side dish to go with the sandwiches, but also wanted something new and different. So what better than a Pasta with Roasted Sweet Red Pepper sauce.
Printable
4 red bell peppers or a 12oz jar of roasted peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
1 bunch of green onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 TBL Butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. celery seeds
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 pkg of your favorite pasta *tonight I made medium size shells*

If using fresh peppers brush them with olive oil and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (helps with clean up) place on highest oven rack and put the oven on broil, Broil for about 5-7 minutes, be careful and watch them so they don't get too charred. Sorry but I don't have pictures of them. (next time I made this I will be sure to take pictures of this step and repost to this post) When one side is done turn them over and complete the cooking. Immediately put them in a bowl and cover with clear wrap. After about 15 mintues cut peppers, remove the seeds and peel the skin. The skin should come off very easy.
Chop the peppers and put them in the blender or food processor. When ready to make sauce, puree peppers and slowly add the heavy cream, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Blend until creamy. In large skillet saute onions and garlic for about 4-5 minutes, add pepper puree and cook for about 10 minutes. A minute before you are ready to serve add the basil, stir in cooked pasta and serve immediately.

This is the pasta without the fresh Basil.

And this is it with the Basil getting ready to go to the dinner table. I hope you give this a try, it's a great change from the normal marinara sauce and I think you'll enjoy it. My family really liked it, especially the kids...so that's a plus too. My youngest grandson AJ just walked by while I was doing the drafts for this and said "oh is that the pasta you just made, boy that's good stuff." So there's and first hand response to this dish. ;)
Have a wonderful day and I'll be back with a dessert I made recently.
Thanks for stopping by and I'd love to hear from those of you that take the time to come by. Remember to Find the Time to Do all the things you LOVE.
Donna

Chicken Enchilada with Green Sauce

Tuesday (9/7/10) was my oldest grandsons Birthday, he turned 18....WOW am still trying to believe that, as the saying goes, seem like just yesterday.  I think when we say things like that it shows you're starting to age.  We had a small dinner for him with his favorite foods.  The Enchilada's is not the one the requested.  I made that for those of us that didn't want to eat his favorite, which is Frito Pie.   This is a very simple recipe, a bit time consuming but worth the work.

Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breast
1 1/2 diced sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper
1 TBL chilli powder
1 TBL cilantro
1 large can green enchilada sauce (mild, medium or hot ...you choice)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
12-14 Taco Shells (soft)
extra virgin olive oil (for sauteing)
1/4 - 1/2 cup of veg. oil (for frying shells) 

This is the enchilada sauce                    

The Taco Shells  (also low in carbs)












Directions:

Dice the onion, smash the garlic.  Save about 1/2 of the diced onion to put inside the shells.
Heat skillet with oil, add onion and garlic, saute until clear.  Remove all but maybe a TBL of the onion

Cut up the chicken, remove any excess fat and cook in skillet until done about 10 minutes.   Add chili    powder, salt and pepper, cooked  onions and garlic.

After removing finely chop the chicken.

In another pan or skillet heat green sauce, add chicken broth and cook for about 10-15 minutes.  Add sour cream just before you are about to fill the shells.

Heat other skillet with veg. oil, fry each shell one at a time, they fry up quickly so be careful not to let them get real crispy.  Dry on paper towel.

 

A shell filled ready to roll

Tray ready for the cheese

This is the pan with them all rolled and the cheese on top almost ready to for the oven. 

 

All Done and ready to eat.  YUM!

                                             

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a wonderful day, and Remember to Find the Time to do ALL the Things You LOVE!   Donna

Apple Turnover

Saturday we celebrated my daughters 37th birthday. (wow)  Her birthday was on the 9th but she wanted to have her birthday dinner on Saturday.  Every year she wants me to make her one of her favorites, which is Corned Beef, cabbage and mashed potatoes.  (I must say one of my favorites too, well really it's the whole family's except for my Son Danny...won't repeat what he said about cabbage...LOL)  Well Alan, my son-in-law wanted to help cook something for his wife so she said she wanted Apple Turnovers for dessert.  I made the apple mixture and Alan put them all together.  Don't they look yummy.  They sure were good.
This is the apple mixture, very simple
Slice apples about 6, put into skillet with 3/4 stick of butter, 3-4TBL cinnamon, 1 TBL nutmeg, 1/3 cup sugar, pinch of salt, 1/4 cup white drinking sweet wine.  Cook until reduced.  Then put into puff pastry, with a dab of butter.

I had the puff pastry thawed and cut into 6 pieces, then Alan cut them in half, put this mixture in a sealed the edges.  Baked them at 400 degrees for about 20 mintues. Then dust with powdered sugar or you could make the powdered sugar icing.                                                                                                                             

Give these a try, a quick easy dessert or a nice treat for a Sunday Brunch.  Even the man in your life  (if you   have one) can do these.   ;)                                                                                                                                                                            

 Have a wonderful week, and please try to Find the Time to Do all the Things you Love.

Donna    
PS here is a picture of Alan and Mirna. (she had a taste too)