Strawberry Pizza

I needed to make a recipe for a baby shower, and just couldn't seem to figure out what to make.  I decided I wanted to try something new and had a lot of strawberries in my house that needed to be used up.  After searching around, I found this recipe and decided that it would be easy to make and I had everything needed to make it.  I thought it would basically be a fruit pizza with only strawberries on it, but I was wrong.  It turned out MUCH better as a hybrid of fruit pizza ans strawberry pie.  Of course, I forgot to get a photo of it before the baby shower, but now you can see just how much it was liked by all the ladies there!  I can't wait to have an excuse to make this one again!  The only thing I would do different, is I might make this in a 9x13 pan next time so it's easier to cut into bars instead of wedges.

Ingredients
6 T. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4t. almond extract
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

FILLING:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
2 c. sliced fresh strawberries
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 c. crushed fresh strawberries

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 13-in. circle. Transfer to an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan. Build up edges slightly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over crust. Arrange sliced strawberries on top.
4. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and crushed berries until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly. Spoon over strawberries. Refrigerate until serving.

Dried Chery Scones

Brandon needed something for a morning work meeting, and I happened to have all of the ingredients to make these, so that's what he got!  They turned out really well.  They might have been slightly dry, but I used half and half instead of cream.  The kids were very excited that Daddy let some for them to eat for breakfast.  Very easy recipe and I will certainly make these again.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons shortening

3/4 cup cream

1 egg

Handful dried currants, dried cranberries or dried cherries

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well.
3. Cut in butter and shortening.
4. In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients.
5. Stir in fruit.
6. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit size rounds.  (I used my scone pan instead)
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

Pumpkin Monkey Bread

I found this recipe while surfing around Pinterest. I seem to get into a lot of trouble doing that, but we've also tried a lot of new things because we have seen them on there first. This one seems to be a hit. I just placed it on the table, and the boys already asked if they could eat their dessert. That was followed by plethora of, "Mommy, I like this!" I'm mean, who wouldn't like some monkey bread with a little bit of pumpkin thrown in?  I also just had an idea, what about turning these into cinnamon rolls...hmmm....

 Ingredients
 Dough 
2 T. butter (browned, if desired)
1/2 c. milk
2 1/4 t. (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. bread flour

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
1 c. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
2 T. butter (browned, if desired)

Buttered Rum Glaze
2 T. butter
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 T. milk
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 T. rum (or vanilla)

 

Directions

1. I threw all of the dough ingredients into my bread machine, and  ran it on dough cycle.  If you do not have a bread machine, follow step 2.  If you use your bread machine, skip step 2.
2. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black). Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to stove and heat through. Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F). Once it has reached a warm but not hot temperature add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy). Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.
3. When the dough is almost finished, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl.  Set aside. Next, grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.
4. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes.  Then pinch or cut off pieces that are about the size of a golf ball.  Dip them in the melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar mixture.  Then place the coated dough balls into the prepared loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
5. In the meantime preheat an oven to 350 degrees. After rising in the pan, bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is a very deep golden brown.
6. To prepare the glaze, heat the butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.

Bran Muffins

 
We love these muffins and it has been a long time since I have made them.  Brandon asked me to make some to take for work, so here they are!  They make 12 BIG muffins that taste AWESOME!

Ingredients

1 c. raisins
1 t. water
2 1/4 c. All-Bran Original cereal (5 ounces)
1 1/4c. flour(6 1/4 ounces)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour (2 1/2 ounces),
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2/3 c.brown sugar (4 2/3 ounces)
3 T. mild molasses (or light)
1 t. vanilla extract
6 T.butter (3/4 stick), melted and cooled
1 3/4 c. plain whole milk yogurt 

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray standard-sized muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine raisins and water in small microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand, covered, until raisins are softened and plump, about 5 minutes. Transfer raisins to paper towel-lined plate to cool.
3. Process half of bran cereal in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute.
4. Whisk flours, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to combine; set aside.
5. Whisk egg and yolk together in medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar, molasses, and vanilla; whisk until mixture is thick, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter and whisk to combine; add yogurt and whisk to combine. Stir in processed cereal and unprocessed cereal; let mixture sit until cereal is evenly moistened (there will still be some small lumps), about 5 minutes.
6. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently mix with rubber spatula until batter is combined and evenly moistened. Do not over mix.
7. Gently fold raisins into batter.
8. Using 1/3-cup measure or ice cream scoop, divide batter evenly among muffin cups, dropping batter to form mounds. Do not level or flatten surfaces of mounds.
9. Bake until muffins are dark golden and toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out with a few crumbs attached, 16 to 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
10. Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving

Biscuits

I decided to throw some biscuits together tonight to go along with dinner.  These were quick, easy, and flaky.

 Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1/3 c. butter
1 c. milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.  (I did this using my food processor and pulsing it until it was ready.)
3. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown. 
5. Brush with a little extra butter if you want them to remain soft, and enjoy!

Valentine's Day Treats

Aiden and I made these together for him to take to his preschool class. We popped up some popcorn, threw in a little salt, then melted some Candiquick and poured it over top. After we got the popcorn all nice and covered, we threw in some peanut butter m&m's and then let then dry for awhile on a baking pan. Once it as all ready to go, we filled up these bags and attached our Angry Bird's valentines. We are certain that any preschooler will love this treat!

Denver Omelet Strudel

Trying something new right now. We joined a what's for dinner list and now we get sent an email every week with recipes to make. As we are picky, I'm sure we won't want to try ALL of the recipes, but this is to help get us out of our normal food rut that I'm sure EVERYONE understands! This recipe was for a brunch item that we decided to have for breakfast this morning. It was kind of fun. I think next time I'll use a different colored pepper so that my boys might actually try it instead of tearing the whole thing apart to eat just the eggs, the ham, and the puff pastry....

Ingredients

1 puff pastry sheet - thawed according to package directions

1 T. butter

1/2 bell pepper

1 c. diced ham

6 eggs

1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

 salt and pepper

grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Whisk 5 eggs and 1 egg yolk with salt and pepper.  Keep remaining egg white for later.
3. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add pepper and saute until tender.
4. Add ham and continue to cook for 1 minute.
5. Add eggs and cook until they are done.
6. Open puff pastry.  You will see that it is folded in thirds.  Cut about 8 "wings" at an angle on both outer panels.
7. Spread eggs evenly over the middle panel and top with cheddar cheese.
8. Starting at the top, Alternate each "wing" over the eggs.  When finished, it will look like a braid.
9. Brush top with remaining egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes until nice and golden brown.