Carmalized Onion and Rosemary Focaccia Bread

My bread machine is SO hot right now. I have yet to use it to bake anything, but its been cranking out the dough all week. I have made 2 of these gorgeously delicious focaccia breads this week. One to use for breakfasts (grab and go hunk of bread for dh) and one for company as an afternoon snack. It's my adaption of this focaccia recipe 

Dough:
3/4 c water (75-85 degrees)
2 T olive oil
2 c bread flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1 1/2 t active dry yeast

Toppings:
1 large sweet onion (sliced)
3 T butter or margarine
1 t dried  rosemary
1 t minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 c cheddar cheese
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

1. Add dough ingredients to your bread machine in the order your manufacturer suggests. I add in the order listed above.
2. Choose the dough option. Allow machine to do its magic
3. When dough is finished remove it from machine.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees
4. Place dough on a greased cookie sheet. Pat dough into a circle (around 12")
5. Allow dough to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 30 minutes)
6. While dough is rising we will prepare our topping :)
7. In a large skillet melt butter.Cook onions until they start to caramelize. (about 15-20 minutes)
8. Add rosemary and garlic to onion mixture. Stir 2-3 minutes. Set aside
9. Back to dough: Once risen make indentations in the dough every inch or so. I use the back of my wooden spoon. You can use your finger if you'd like.
10. Cover dough with onion mixture.
11. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of onions.
12. Cover everything with cheddar cheese.
13. Bake 20 minutes or until edges are brown.
14. Cut into wedges and serve.

 **dough before topped**

Ranch style Tuna Patties

Tuna is something I buy in bulk at BJs wholesale. Its something that keeps a looooong time and is always handy for a quick lunch. Its way cheaper for me to buy 12 cans at a time than it is for me to buy them at the grocery on sale. So needless to say I have a lot of TUNA (why is it my brain still goes to big brother when I say that)

So today I had company and after everyone left I realized I forgot to defrost the chicken for dinner tonight. So I had to find a way to make tuna into dinner.... and since my darling husband will not eat tuna noodle casserole, I had to be creative. I found this recipe and adapted it to fit my needs. It was originally from Starkist Tuna. My husband loves them and asked me to put them in the rotation.

3 (5oz) cans of tuna in water (completely drained)
1 3/4 c bread crumbs (divided) (i use fresh bread crumbs... you may need less if using dry crumbs)
3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c Miracle Whip
1 egg
1/3 c Ranch dressing
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/2 c finely chopped red pepper
1/2 t old bay seasoning
vegetable or olive oil for frying

1. Drain tuna making sure to squeeze as much water out of it as possible
2. In a large bowl mix 3/4 cup of bread crumbs and everything else (may be a little sticky but that is okay)
3. Form mixture into patties (I get 10 medium sized patties)
4. Fill a small bowl with remaining bread crumbs.
5. Coat patties with bread crumbs.
6. Place covered patties in the fridge for 15-20 minutes (optional, but helps hold them together)
7. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add patties. Fry 4-5 minutes each side or until they are brown.

Small patties would make a great appetizer! Large patties would make great sandwiches! I make medium patties and eat them like a crab cake.

Louisiana Chicken Pasta ( Cheesecake Factory )

I break for the Cheesecake Factory. When I see one I jump for joy and whine til I get to go. Good thing I dont see one very often. I think the closest one is an hour drive to Beechwood. I usually only go when in Columbus.

I always get the same thing. Im sure they have a fabulous menu, but my brain focuses on the Louisiana Chicken pasta and it doesnt seem to look elsewhere. Of course I usually get a different cheesecake so I do shake some things up a bit.

Anyways, on my quest to try new recipes I found this one. It CANT be... I said to myself with glee. So of course I HAD to try it. And seriously... it SO is. This is my very close adaptation. I made it in honor of Mardi Gras

Chicken
Vegetable oil (for frying)
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 c bread crumbs
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
2 T flour
1 cup milk (optional)

 *Note* I cut my chicken up so it's easier to eat with bites of pasta. The original recipe calls for you to pound it flat, dredge with milk, the into dry mixture. If you want it authentic try it this way.

1. Cut chicken into bite sized chunks
2. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Toss chicken with dry ingredients Making sure to coat each piece
4. Heat oil in a large skillet. Fry chicken pieces until done. Remove to a paper towel. Set aside

Cajun Sauce

2 T butter
1 small red pepper (chunked)
1 small green pepper (chunked)
1 small sweet onion (chunked)
1 c baby portabella mushrooms (quartered)
2 t minced garlic
1 t crushed red pepper
12oz heavy whipping cream
8oz half and half**
1 c chicken broth
1 T dried basil
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1 box whole grain penne pasta (CF uses bow tie feel free to use)

1. Make pasta as directed on package. Set aside
2. Melt butter in a large skillet.
3. Add peppers, mushrooms and onions. Saute 4-5 minutes.
4. Add red pepper flakes and garlic. Saute 3 minutes
5. Add chicken stock, whipping cream and half and half
6. Simmer until sauce begins to thicken, About 5 minutes
7. Stir in basil and parmesan cheese.
8. Reduce sauce by simmering on low about 10 minutes
9. Toss pasta with sauce.

To serve:
Plate pasta, top with cooked chicken and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

** I used half and half to lighten recipe(and because I only had 12 oz of cream left. You can use all 20oz cream if you prefer)

Sesame Bagels using the bread machine

The other day while unpacking boxes I found the user manual for my bread machine.I hadnt used the thing in forever so I decided to skim it quickly. I then discovered I could use it to make BAGELS!!!

Im addicted to bagels. When I was pregnant I ate one every morning to keep the morning sickness away. Buying bagels can be pricey. Bagels at the grocery store are 69 cents... and  Panara (maker of my favorite bagels) gets a whopping 89 cents a bagel.

So I decided to try and make a batch. They turned out great! They are smaller than your mammoth store bought bagel but that just means less calories to burn.

1 cup water (75-85 degrees F)
2 t olive oil (or vegetable oil)
3 cups flour
1 T sugar
3/4 t salt
1 t active dry yeast

1 egg white
1 t water
sesame seeds

1. Using a 1 1/2 - 2lb bread machine Add first 6 accoring to your machines directions. With my machine I add water, oil, flour (to cover liquid) sugar, salt then yeast
2. Set to the dough (or bagel dough) setting. Push start
3. When done remove from machine. Punch down and set in a bowl to rest for 10 minutes. Cover with towel.
4. Divide dough into 9 balls. Form each ball into a ring (you know like a bagel)
5. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise for 20 minutes
6. In a large pan put water (and 1 T sugar) on to boil (do it now so its boiling when you need it)
7. After the 20 minute rise place bagels under the broiler on high. Broil 2 minutes, flip bagels over broil 2 more minutes.
8. Drop bagels into boiling water. Simmer bagels for 7 minutes turning over after 3 minutes. (make sure bagels arent laying on top of each other. simmer in 2 batches if you need to)
9. Remove from water and place on cookie sheet
10. Mix egg white with water. Brush on tops of bagels. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
11. Bake bagels at 375 for 30 minutes

Toast and Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

I threw this together one night when I couldnt find a recipe for stuffed shrooms and my internet was down. They are meatless yet fabulous!

12oz pkg Portabella mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped mushroom stems
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1 t minced garlic
1/2 cup bread crumbs (i made mine fresh by toasting a hot dog bun)
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t parsley
1 T parmesan cheese (grated)
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 T melted margarine

Topping
2 T melted margarine
more mozzarella cheese

1. Remove stems and gills from mushrooms
2. Mix all ingredients and stuff into mushrooms
3. Pour 2T melted margarine over shrooms, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (however much you want... we make ours very cheesey, but a little will do.
4 Bake at 400 for 20 minutes

Valentine's Day

The plan for Valentine's Day was to stay home and make a fabulous dinner to save some money. Then we remembered we had a gift card for a local steakhouse and decided to find a babysitter and go out. Since my husband had to work on Sunday we decided to go out Saturday night.

So Sunday while he was at work I decided to surprise him when he got home by making some of his favorites. This was our second vanetine's day dinner :)

Menu:
Stuffed Mushrooms
Italian Salad
Pizza Bianco with fresh tomatoes
Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes with homemade whipped cream
Chocolate covered strawberries

Decor:

i planned on getting out my wedding china and eating by candlelight, but we ended up in the living room eating on tv trays while playing with the baby. Oh well. 

Photos: Recipes to follow this week

Stuffed Mushrooms

Pizza Bianco with fresh tomatoes

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Recipes will be posted over the next few days and linked back to this post! Hope you had a happy valentine's day!

Kung Pao Chicken Stir Fry

Im dubbing this kung pao stir fry because typical kung pao only has green onions and I like to stretch out my chinese by adding lots of veggies. I added mushrooms, carrots and pea pods to my recipe, but feel free to add your favorite veggies. This is a pretty saucy version of the recipe because my husband enjoys extra sauce for his rice. Feel free to cut the sauce in half.

1lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1" pieces
1 T cornstarch
4 t sesame oil
5T rice wine vinegar
6T soy sauce
6t sugar
1/2 cup peanuts
3 green onions and tops (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
3/4 t crushed red pepper (like spice? add more, dont like spice? add less)
1t dried ginger
3/4 cup pea pods or sugar snap peas
1 medium carrot juillened
8 white mushrooms quartered
Rice

1. Coat chicken in cornstarch
2. On medium high....Heat 2t sesame oil. Add chicken and saute 5-7 minutes until no longer pink. Remove
3. Add remaining 2t oil to pan Add carrots, mushrooms and pea pods. Saute 5 minutes
4. While veggies are cooking make your sauce. Mix vinegar, soy and sugar until sugar dissolves.
5. To veggies: Add onions, garlic, ginger and red pepper. Saute 1 minute.
6.. Pour in sauce. Stir
7. Add chicken back to the pan. Add peanuts
8. Cover and reduce heat....simmer mixture about 4-5 minutes

Serve over rice.

Black and white brownie bites

Okay so this is a semi-homemade recipe. I usually dont like to use mixes to make things, but sometimes I just cant help it. When I can snag a box of brownie mix super cheap I buy a few to have on hand for when a chocolate fix sets in.

1 box of Duncan Hines Chewy fudge brownie mix
(using 2 eggs, 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup water as directed)
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
55 pieces of vanilla (or white chocolate) candy disks

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Make brownie mix as directed
3. Mix in chocolate chips
4. Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray
5. Spoon mix into muffin tin filling about 3/4 of the way
6. Bake for 18 minutes
7. Remove from oven. Press a vanilla candy on top of each brownie
8. Bake for 2 more minutes to let disk get melty
9. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack

Makes 55 brownie bites

(try making these with different kinds of candy disks. I have used peanut butter disks, mint disks, chocolate disks. My husband loves these little bites. I like them because I feel like a piggy when I have 3... but if I were to eat a BIG brownie it would be way more than 3 bites)

Thanksgiving leftover quesadillas

I got this idea from one of those money saving Food Network shows with Sandra Lee. I didnt use her recipe but it is a fantastic way to use some thanksgiving leftovers for a quick and easy lunch. No measurements because I just used up what I had. You just have to wing it sometimes. It really helped me use up what was left from that chicken dinner!
 

Tortillas
Leftover turkey (or chicken)
Leftover stuffing
Cheddar cheese
margarine
sour cream (for dipping)

1. Melt 1T margarine in a skillet. Lay in tortilla
2. On half of the tortilla spread 1 scoop/spoonful of stuffing
3. Top stuffing with leftover turkey/chicken
4. Top chicken with a handful of cheddar cheese
5. Fold tortilla over the filling.
6. Toast tortilla until golden brown. Flip over and toast the other side
7. Serve with sour cream for dipping and maybe somecranberry sauce!

Mmmmm melty!

Impromptu Superbowl party

My husband and I had discussed having a superbowl party and then decided against it. We were just going to hang out with the baby and watch the game. Of course last minute he decided to invite over some family members (and by last minute I mean about 4 hours before kickoff) I quickly threw together some snacks for the football lovin crowd. I was a little bummed because if I knew ahead of time I could have made some really cool food and rockin decor... but everyone had a good time and that is what mattered. GO SAINTS!

Menu:
Buffalo Chicken dip with celery and tortilla chips
Matt's famous dip with potato chips
Garden salad with lots of veggies
Hot dogs with secret recipe Coney Sauce
Baked Parmesan Garlic fries
Black and white brownie bites
Coca Cola
Beer

Decor:
None.... no notice

Recipes:

Buffalo Chicken Dip with celery and tortilla chips : aka crack dip. The ultimate football food

Matt's famous dip with potato chips: I wish I could tell you the exact measurements, but this is my husbands recipe. He doesnt exactly measure. He just keeps adding things and tasting it til he likes the result

2 (8oz) bricks of cream cheese
1/4 of a large onion (chopped finely)
ketchup
tobasco sauce

Garden Salad with lots of veggies
Romain, radicchio, cheddar cheese, grape tomatoes, mushrooms and carrots. Served with homemade balsamic vinaigrette. 

*Insert pic*

Kosher beef hot dogs with secret recipe Coney Sauce.
I wish I could share the recipe, but my life has been threatened. It is hands down the best coney sauce Ive ever had, but it is a secret recipe among my husbands family. Rumor has it one of the aunties worked at a famous hot dog stand back in the day and snagged the recipe.

Oven Roasted Parmesan Garlic Fries
a healthier than deep fried french fry

Black and white brownie bites
A semi homemade recipe! I will be sharing this sometime this week.

Everyone loved the food! Not bad for a few hours notice.

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Bacon Quiche

I was in the mood to try some new quiche recipes. Id only ever made my mom's recipe and wanted something different. I found this Emeril recipe and fiddled with it a bit. Its definitely NOT on the light side but it is so rich and decadent! Its perfect for a brunch when you want to impress.  My husband proclaimed this to be his new favorite thing and that real men would eat quiche if it all tasted like this. BAM!

1 pie crust
8oz bacon (chopped)
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
8oz thinly sliced mushrooms
1 t dried thyme
1 t minced garlic
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 eggs
6 oz mozzarella/provolone blend shredded

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Press crust into a pie pan
3. Cook the bacon untl crispy. Remove to drain on paper towel
4. Add onions to the bacon grease. Cook until they start to wilt (8 minutes)
5. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to onions. Cook until they carmelize (8-10 minutes)
6. Remove onion/mushroom mixture with a slotted spoon (to drain excess grease) Allow mixture to cool.
7. Add chopped bacon to onions and mix. Pour into pie pan
8. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese on top of onion mix
9. In a separate bowl Beat 5 eggs with the heavy cream until frothy
10. Pour over onion mixture in pie pan
11. Top with remaining cheese
12. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet. Bake 35-40 or until golden brown. Rotate pan  1/2 thru

Orzo with broccoli, feta and olives

My husband claims he doesnt like orzo. Whenever he claims he doesnt like something (especially something so versatile) I take that as a challenge. I came across this recipe looking for a way to use up the leftover feta cheese in my fridge. The oil takes on the flavor of the toasty pine nuts and the crushed red pepper adds just a touch of heat. I usually dont like to take a chance with an unrated recipe, but goodness this one was worth it! Im already looking forward to eating it for lunch.

.... and my husband ate a TON of it and loves it..... silly men!

16oz box Orzo cooked
16 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets
1/4 c Olive oil
3 T Pine nuts
1/2 t Crushed red pepper
3/4 c Feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 c Black olives, pitted, halved
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 c Fresh basil, chopped

1. Dump cooked orzo in a large bowl
2. Cook frozen broccoli add to large bowl with orzo
3. Heat olive oil in a small skillet (med high)
4. Add pine nuts to oil and cook until brown (about 3 minutes)
5. Add crushed red pepper to oil and saute (about 30 seconds)
6. Dump oil/nut mix into orzo/broccoli. Mix
7. Add black olives, feta, parmesan cheese and basil. Mix