Chicken Pot Pie Stew

In an effort to re-imagine some of our favorite old recipes, I've once again called upon SkinnyTaste.com for help.  I took the veggies from my Chicken Stew & Dumplings recipe, the soup base from SkinnyTaste's Chicken Pot Pie Soup, and replaced the dumplings with Bisquick's garlic-cheddar biscuits. What resulted was very similar to my original, but definitely tastier. Just an enhancement, really.

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

I'm notorious for buying bananas and letting them sit too long.  I've never been a fan of regular banana bread, so I usually ended up throwing the ripened bananas out.  Then I had an idea: Add chocolate! And so my chocolate chip banana nut bread was born.

Recipe modified from Chocolate Chip Banana Bread II on AllRecipes.com.

Photo from AllRecipes.com

White Pizza w/ Homemade Crust

Wow, it's been a long time since I've added a recipe!  Having a baby will do that, I guess.  We welcomed our baby girl into our lives back in December and I have barely stepped up to the stove since. But I am sitting here surrounded by the aroma of a freshly made Italian herb pizza dough and felt inspired to share.  I slightly modified a dough recipe from All Recipes and a white pizza recipe from the Food Network.

First, the dough (using a bread machine)


Ingredients

• 1 cup flat beer (I used Miller Lite this time)
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (or mix of oregano, basil, parsley)
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 packet)

Directions

1. Put beer, butter, sugar, salt, flour, and yeast in a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. 
2. Select Dough setting, and press Start. (Mine takes just about 1-1/2 hrs.)
3. Remove dough from bread machine when cycle is complete. Roll or press dough to cover a prepared pizza pan. Brush lightly with olive oil. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.
   **I made this the day before, so at this point, I put the ball of dough in an oil-brushed bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and stored in the fridge overnight.
    

Now, the white pizza

Ingredients

• Garlic-flavored olive oil
• 1 (1-pound) ball pizza dough (above), thawed and at room temperature
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
• Thin-sliced tomato

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
2. Brush the pizza pan with oil. 
3. On a work surface, using your hands, press the pizza dough into a large flat disk and transfer it to the greased pan. 
4. Using your fingers, press the dough out until it has stretched to the perimeter of the pan. Create a dough "lip" around the outer edges of the pan. 
5. Brush the entire surface of the dough lightly with garlic oil and pierce the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, to prevent bubbling.
6. Prebake crust a few minutes, until a very light golden brown.
7. Evenly spread the mozzarella over the crust. 
8. Using 2 spoons, dollop teaspoon-sized mounds of ricotta evenly over the mozzarella. 
9. Place tomato slices on top.
10. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and evenly sprinkle the chopped oregano over the top.
11. Bake in the lower third of the oven until the crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly and browning on top, 25 to 30 minutes. 
12. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before garnishing with additional oregano and slicing into 8 pieces.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch! (a.k.a. cinnamon-nut bread with chocolate chips and cinnamon-honey butter)

I got the itch to play with our bread machine yesterday, but I didn't want just any ol' bread; I wanted something sweet.  So I modified the cinnamon raisin bread recipe that came with my machine (the Breadman Pro TR875) to include walnuts and chocolate chips instead.

Cinnamon-Nut Bread with Chocolate Chips
(Makes one 2-lb loaf)

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups warm water
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 4 cups flour
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips (add at first beep)*
• You can use raisins or Craisins instead

Directions

1. Add ingredients in the order above or the order suggested by your bread machine.
2. Select "Sweet Bread" cycle (allows you to add sweet mix-ins after the initial mixing/kneading to prevent burning).

Cinnamon-Honey Butter
from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat until fluffy. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Feta Bruschetta Spread

This is a recipe that I adapted from a small restaurant called Cafe on Market in Camp Hill, PA (later renamed New Market Bistro and since closed). Bill and I went there for my birthday back in 2004. We ordered this appetizer and had to ask the waitress for the recipe, it was so good! And it's so incredibly simple. Here is my adaptation.



Ingredients:

• 6 oz crumbled tomato-basil flavored feta cheese
  
• 3 oz organic cream cheese
• 3 oz organic butter, unsalted
  
• Optional: 1 diced tomato for garnish

Directions:

1. Cream together the feta, butter, and cream cheese.
   
   
2. Scoop into small serving dish and garnish with diced tomatoes (I left the tomatoes out this time).
   
   
3. Serve with garlic bagel chips, mini garlic toast, or crackers.

Cheddar-Swiss Fondue

We started a tradition of going to the Melting Pot for Valentine's Day a couple years ago. Our favorite cheese course is their Cheddar Cheese Fondue. I found a copy-cat recipe on grouprecipes.com and gave it a shot at home.  It turned as good as the real thing!



Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 12 oz beer (I like to use a lager or something dark)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese 
• 8 oz Emmentaler (Swiss) cheese
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder

Directions

1. Shred cheeses
   
   
2. Place cheese blend in a Ziplock bag. Add cornstarch and shake until cheese is well-coated (this prevents the cheddar from getting stringy and oily. You can use flour instead of cornstarch, too).
3. Start fondue pot (use manufacturer's instructions for appropriate heat setting).
   
   
4. Pour beer slowly into pot (beer will start to steam).
5. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic, mustard powder, and pepper; mix well with wooden spoon. Allow liquid to begin to boil.
6. Add cheese in small batches, stirring constantly until all cheese is melted.
   
   
7. Serve with chunks of bread, veggies, and apples
    
   

Back at it...Stuffed Peppers and Cornbread

Ingredients

• 4 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 1-1/2 cup water
• 15 oz spaghetti sauce (I used Organic Ragu Traditional)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I used a cheddar-jack mix)
  
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  
• 1/2 tsp ground corriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees F
2. Mix rice, water, and garlic in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, brown the meat in a skillet; drain; remove from heat.
   
4. Mix spices, sauce, cheese, and cooked rice in with the meat.
5. Spoon mixture into pepper halves and line them in a baking dish (I coated my dish with oil first).
   
   
6. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
7. Remove foil and top the peppers with shredded cheddar. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
   
   

Note: We like the peppers on the crisp side. If you prefer them softer, blanch the peppers first or increase the baking time until they are the desired consistency.


I served these with a side of cornbread (recipe here).

Garlic Croutons

I got made fun of a bit for this one....I mean, isn't salad supposed to be simple? :-)

I've had trouble finding non-processed croutons...I did find an organic, whole wheat variety, but honestly, they sucked. So I decided to make them myself. They're very easy! And I mean, what else are you going to do with that stale bread??

Garlic Croutons


Ingredients

• Stale bread (I used 3 hoagie rolls that had been in my fridge for a couple weeks. The staler, the better....just make sure it hasn't gone moldy!)
• 4 tablespoons butter (I use organic butter. For my 3 rolls, I actually needed a full stick of butter)
• 1 clove minced garlic (I used garlic powder instead)
• Herbs of choice (I used parsley and Italian seasonings)

Directions

1. Cut bread into small cubes
   
   
   
   
2. Melt butter in large skillet; add garlic + herbs
3. Add bread cubes to skillet and toss until well coated; cook on medium for about 1 minute (I had to do 2 batches, each with 4 tbsp butter).
4. Spread bread onto baking sheet (lined with foil so you don't have to clean the pan!).
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes - turning croutons frequently to avoid burning and to ensure even baking.
   
   
   
   

Put unused croutons in an airtight container or bag and store in pantry. I plan to keep adding to my supply every time I have some bread to use up, so that I always have some on hand for a quick salad.

Chicken Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan

My first attempt at Indian food! This is my favorite Indian meal...the naan could use some work but I think the chicken tasted great!

Tikka Masala

Ingredients

Marinade & Meat

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  
• 2 teaspoons ground red pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 6 bamboo skewers
• 1-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1-inch cubes

1. For marinade, mix all ingredients together until well blended; add chicken and toss to coat.
   
2. Thread chicken on skewers, and marinate (in the refrigerator) for an hour or so (I just marinated the chicken in a Ziplock bag and threaded onto the skewers before grilling).
3. Discard marinade when done.
   

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (buy from Indian market, use McCormick's, or make your own - see recipe below)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Grill or broil chicken, turning occasionally, to cook through- about 8 minutes.
2. For sauce, melt butter on medium heat.
3. Add garlic & jalapeno; cook 1 minute.
4. Stir in coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala, & salt.
5. Stir in tomato sauce.
6. Simmer 15 minutes.
7. Stir in cream; simmer to thicken - about 5 minutes.
8. Remove cooked chicken from skewers; add to sauce.
9. Simmer 5 minutes.
10. Garnish with cilantro
    
11. Serve with basmati rice and naan (see recipe below)

_____________________

Garam Masala

• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp crumbled bay leaves
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  Mix all ingredients until well blended
  

_____________________

Garlic Naan

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional; I used this)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy.
   
2. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.
   
3. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth.
   
4. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
   **Note: I used my bread machine for the above steps - the manual will give instructions about making just dough**
   
5. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray.
   
   
6. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
7. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
8. At grill side (I used a Foreman!), roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle.
   
9. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes.
   
   
10. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Honey-Wheat Bread

I am seriously in love with my bread machine. I've only used it about 8 times so far (it was a wedding gift), and each time I use it I swear the bread is better than the last batch.
Homemade bread is so easy to make! I love the idea of making fresh bread every Sunday when we have a family.

I've tried a few of the recipes in the manual (including French bread and Italian Herb & Cheese), but here is my favorite recipe so far:



Honey-Wheat Bread
(inspired by "Simple Whole Wheat Bread" from allrecipes.com, but I changed the recipe a lot)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups warm water
• 3 tbsp honey (adjust this to taste - more honey for sweeter bread)
• 1-1/2 tbsp melted butter
• 1-1/4 cups bread flour
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1 package dry active yeast
• 1 tbsp melted butter (for top of bread)

Directions:
(follow the directions for your own bread machine - these directions are according to the Salton Breadman Bread Machine manual. For oven instructions, see further down)

1. Add liquid ingredients to bread pan (water, honey, melted butter).
2. Add dry ingredients (wheat flour, bread flour, salt) and create a small hole in the center for the yeast. Make sure the hole isn't so deep that you reach the liquid ingredients.
3. Select bread settings (for my machine, I choose the Whole Wheat setting, 2-lb loaf, rapid rise. Consult your manual for alternate settings).
4. Lift lid of bread machine when 10-15 minutes remain. Baste loaf with melted butter. Close lid and allow to finish.

Oven Directions
(directly from allrecipes.com recipe mentioned above - I have not tried this method for myself):

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/2 of the honey. Add bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
2. Mix in melted butter, rest of the honey, and salt. Stir in whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take additional whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Punch down (divide into 2 loaves, depending on your bread pan size). Place in greased bread loaf pan(s), and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard.

Cornbread!

Here is the yummy cornbread I made to accompany my chili. I've discovered that different people look for different traits in their cornbread - I personally like mine a little dense (so I can pick it up without it crumbling, and so I can dip it), sweet, and crunchy on the top and edges.

I dedicate this recipe to my poor husband, who had to run to the store for me to get baking powder once I realized I was all out. Without him, there would be no cornbread in our chili tonight. LOL!

Recipe from allrecipes.com -- no alterations. It was perfect (to us) just as originally written! ....Except I did cook it longer than the original recipe said (about 28 minutes, versus the "20-25" suggested on All Recipes) and I used an 8-inch round pan instead of 9-inch like suggested.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray or lightly grease an 8-inch (or 9-inch) round cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes (mine needed 27 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.