Soft Italian Bread Sticks

When I made Chicken Romano I also made these bread sticks. Yet another success. These are so soft and tasty. I will cut back a bit on the Italian seasoning next time though, think it was just a bit much.
Printable
1 cup warm water
3 TBL soft butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups AP or bread flour
2 TBL sugar
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (think 1/2 would do)
3/4 tsp garlic powder
2 1/4 tsp yeast.
* See note below for bread machine dough.
Proof yeast in warm water, until bubbling. Add butter, salt, garlic, Italian Seasoning, sugar and 1/2 the flour. Mix...I use a Kitchen Aide.... using dough hook continue to mix and add flour 1/2 cup at a time. You will have a nice soft dough. Romove from bowl, need just a couple of times on floured board. Divide in half and then cut into 12 pieces. Roll the pieces out to long rope (about 10-12 inches) fold over and then twist. Pinch ends.. Place on parchment lined sheet, cover and let rise, about 20-30 minutes. Place about 2 inches apart.
**If you use a bread machine, just use the dough cycle, following the directions for making dough, then remove and knead for a couple of times. **
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until golden brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE or they will be tough. As soon as you take them out of the oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Enjoy. YUM, YUM, YUM.



Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week and upcoming Holiday Season. I am off to see my Son, Daughter- in-law and 2 wonderful grandchildren. I will be baking, cooking etc while I'm there so if I make anything for posting I will do that when I return.
Remember to Find the time to Do all the thing YOU love.
Donna

Apple Tart

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I've posted .....sorry about that, life just seems to get away from me at times. I have made several new items but my pictures were just awful. Didn't want to post them because they were not very appetizing looking. Will try them again after the holidays and hopefully get them posted.
I went to the library last week to get a few cook books on french pastry. I found the one book that had some awesome things in it. WELL I get home and start going through it looking for 2 recipes and Guess WHAT??? Some terrible person ripped the pages out. Can you imagine?????. I was so disappointed, they had ripped 7 recipes out of the book. I called the library to let them know so that they didn't think when I returned them it was me. I brought home 5 books and this recipe that follows is from one of them. It's Good Housekeeping's Illustrated Book of Desserts. Just love books that have pictures. :)
Printable recipe
You will need a 10 inch tart pan (removable bottom)
Ingredients:
shell
1 cup AP flour 5 TBL soft butter 2TBL sugar 1/8 tsp salt
2 TBL cold water
Filling:
6 medium golden delicious apples (about 2 lbs)
1 10-12 oz jar apricot preserves
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Dough:
combine all ingredients for shell and mix with fingertips just until blended. Add more water if need 1 tsp. at a time. Pat into tart pan, making sure to get it well pressed into the side to the rim. Refrigerate.

Filling: Peel and core 3 apples, cut into chunks. Take about 1/3 and put in blender with 1/4 cup water and puree. Add remaining apples 1/3 at a time and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into saucepan and add 1/3 cup apricot preserves and 2 TBL sugar. Cook on high heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium, cook uncovered about 20 minutes until applesauce is very thick, stirring frequently..


Cut remaining apples into 1/8 inch slices, put in bowl and gentle toss with lemon juice and 2 TBL sugar.
Preheat oven 400F, fill tart shell with applesauce mix and then arrange apples on top. Bake for 45 minutes until apples are tender and slightly browned. Remove and cool on wire rack.
Take remaining preserves, heat to boiling, cook about 2 minutes or until thick. Brush top of tart. Serve.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope everyone has a Blessed Thanksgiving and please take the time to be Thankful for all you have, and Remember to find the time to do ALL the things you love. Oh PS please watch over my Grandson Josh and keep him safe. We will miss him soooooooooooo much this Thanksgiving. Love you Josh.

Banana Bread *new recipe*

I saw this recipe made on Cooks Country and just had to try it. One of the best I've made thus far. It's delicious and sooooooooooooo moist. The trick is cooking the banana's and then thickening the juice you get. And I might add it looks so pretty when it's done with the Banana's lined on each side and the crystal look of the sugar on top.
Printable
Ingredients:

5 ripe bananas + 1/2 banana for slicing not over ripe
1 3/4 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 stick melted butter (I use unsalted butter)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cp brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
white sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:
Spray loaf pan and set aside. Heat oven to 350
Heat banana's in microwave in dish covered with plastic and poke holes in top for steam to escape. Drain liquid and the cook this until it reduces to 1/4 cup takes about 5 minutes, let it cool.
Mash the banana and mix that and cooled liquid with the melted butter, vanilla, eggs and brown sugar. In another bowl combine dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients with banana mixture but do not over mix. Fold in nuts.
Pour into pan and slice 1/2 banana thin and lay along each side. Sprinkle sugar on top and bake for about 1 hr. Rotate 1/2 way through. Enjoy
Hope you try this one, it's really great and very moist.
Thanks for stopping by and next I will have a cake to show you. New adventure in baking. Been watching Top Chef just desserts so....need I say more. :)
Remember to Find the time to Do all the things you Love.
Donna

Marine Graduation

Here are some photo's from Family Day and Graduation Day, at MCRD San Diego CA. We had a great time and was wonderful being with so many family members on such a Memorable day. We love you Josh and are so proud of you.

SO PROUD

This is my oldest grandson Josh, who will be graduating from Marine Boot Camp Oct. 21. We are sooooooooooooooo proud of him.

Almost finished

Well they are almost done, but we have moved the furniture and they will come and do finishing things in the coming weeks. There are still two windows to install in the diningroom and finish work on shelves. I just love this new space. It's airy, bright and comfy. What do ya think?


Thanks for stopping by, and Remember to Find the Time to do All the things you love.
Donna

The floor

Well we're at the this stage now. They have laid the floor and will be back tomorrow to clean it up and seal it. Wooo Hooo9. The painter will be here tomorrow night to paint the walls. He has already done the texture and paint on the ceiling. The contractor will be back Wednesday to do the start of finish and trim work both inside and out. It's really coming along, can't wait to be able to be out the and relax. Oh almost forgot to share, I am having them do some patio work too so will post that work as it goes along. Think that project may start this Saturday. Thanks for stopping by, have as great week and Remember to Find the Time to do all the things YOU love.
Donna

Moving Right Along

Well this is where they are at now. As you can see the doors and windows are all in. The deck is mostly finished, they have finish work to do on that. They did sheet rock on the inside and the painters will be here Monday to prime and do the ceiling and then the tile guy will be here next weekend to do the floor.
Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful weekend and Remember to Find the Time to Do all the Things You Love.
Donna

More of the Addition

Well this is where they are at as of this date. Making good progress. Today they are running wire for the cable and tv and also doing some deck work.






I've picked out the new entrance door and storm door, and over the weekend I went and bought the new ceiling fan for the room. Have to get speakers this week. They will put two speakers in that room and connect them to my receiver so I can have music out there. The stereo in the dining area. Will take a picture of that and the new cabinet I bought for the components.
Hope you all had a safe and relaxing Labor Day. Wow where has the summer gone. Thanks for stopping by. Remember to Find the time to do all the Things you Love.
Donna

Adding a New Room

I've decided to add on to the house again. I'm making a TV room and this will also be the new entrance into my part of the house. Here are some of the starting pictures. I'll post a couple a week so you can see the progress.

That large opening will be the patio doors leading out to the yard. The opposite side of the room will have the entry door. They are much further along and so I will post new pictures in a day or so.

thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to do ALL the things YOU love.
Donna

Sausage Calzone

I made these the other night for dinner. They sure were tasty. The dough is my favorite pizza dough...best I've tasted. It is best if you make the dough the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight and then about 2 hrs before you make your calzones take it out and let it rest covered on the counter. You can find the recipe for the dough here.

Ingredients:
5 links of sweet Italian sausage (taken out of casing)
1 green roasted pepper (cut into strips)
1 red roasted pepper (cut into strips)
1 Sweet onion (cut into strips)
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 TBL olive oil
2 TLB fresh basil
8 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
2 TBL fresh parsley
1 egg
fresh homemade sauce ( recipe found here )

In a large skillet saute the onion and garlic, add the meat and brown, add salt and pepper in some olive oil. Set aside. Roast your peppers in the oven on broil. When charred place in plastic bag and let steam help remove the skins. When done remove the skin and slice.
In a bowl mix ricotta , 1 egg and 2 TBL fresh parsley.
Take golf size balls of dough and roll out into a circle. Place sausage, peppers, onions, a couple of TLB of ricotta and a couple of slices of mozzarella. Fold over and pinch dough so it seals. Brush with olive oil and bake in 500 degree oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve with sauce and enjoy.



Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week, and those mom's that have kids going back to school, Take a breath and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things YOU love.
Donna

Award

I was given this award the other day, how sweet is that. Thank you so much. I also want to thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a nice comment. Here is a link to Ai's blog. Take the time to visit she has some great looking food.


Donna

Stuffed Chicken Breast (bone in)

Our local HY Vee store had bone in chicken breast on sale so I thought I would experiment with a new recipe. I've been trying VERY hard to eat a bit healthier these days and so I think this would fit as a healthy meal.





Ingredients:
Bone in chicken breasts
par cooked broccoli about 1 small cluster
1 slice of provolone cheese
1/2 slice of American cheese
4 or 5 small leek rings
1/4 cup of cook risotto

Directions:
I only made one of these this time but I will do 4 or 5 next time and have company for dinner. When I cook my broccoli I usually cook it with 1 bullion chicken cube, to me it gives it extra flavor. I try to get the low sodium type because to me the other is just toooooooooooooo salty.
With a very sharp knife open the breast starting at the thickest part and just butterfly it. Then place it between some clear wrap or wax paper and pound it until it thins out a bit. Don't go overboard or you'll have a thin mess on your hands. Place the risotto first, then the broccoli, add the leeks, and cheeses. Roll the chicken up and tie it with string. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes, until juices run clear. Serve with broccoli and a nice salad. As you can see above I had mine with sliced tomato from our garden and broccoli.

Hope you try this, it's a quick easy week day dish. Also you can substitute any veggie you like, cheese, and of course rice of your choice.

I made the risotto the other day after watch an episode of Rachel Ray and also this was my very first time using leeks. I must say I really like them because they are so mild. I do not normally like onions but these I can deal with. Also the next time I make this I may use a cheese type sauce for the top because the cheese seemed to all melt away.....guess that could be a gone things. :)
Thanks for stopping by, hope you give this recipe a try. Have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to Do all the things YOU love.
Donna

Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

I started out wanting to make an Orange Poppy Cake, but made these instead. I will make the cake one day next week and share then. I am going to my friends Patsy's and I always try to bring a snack of sorts.
Printable
Ingredients:
1 orange quarter (peel and all)
1/2 cup orange juice (I used 1 tsp orange concentrate and water)
1/2 cup butter (soft) (i only use unsalted butter)
1 large egg
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup AP flour (sift the white and wheat together...makes them lighter)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

In blender or food processor blend orange segments, peel and all and orange juice until pureed. Add the egg and butter and puree again. In another bowl mix all dry ingredients except for the poppy seeds. Add orange mixture to dry ingredients all at once. Stir with wooden spoon until well mixed (don't over mix) add poppy seeds, mix. Pour into muffin tins fill 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes until tester comes out clean. Leave in pan to cool for 5 minutes then remove. Enjoy.





Hope you try these they are quick to make and delicious.
Have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by. Remember to Find the Time to do All the things you love.
Donna