Tag: Cooking

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, cookies, Food

Kolache Bundles

Posted on by lmc

One of our local farmer’s market vendors makes delicious, fruit-filled Kolache.  When the summer breezes fade and we move into the brisk fall temperatures, our local markets pack up and disappear until the next market season.  How I miss the delicious kolache’s flaky pastry when they are no longer available at our summer market.  I came up with this recipe out of desperation… during the off-season my addiction for the sweet treat is more than I can bare.  I came up with this recipe after reviewing several other traditional recipes on the web.  I mimic the flavors and texture of the farmer’s market pastry by combining several recipe ideas. My recipe for large, 4-fold kolache bundles with homemade jam filling and a cream cheese dough is simple to make and yields a tender, flaky pastry that contrasts beautifully with the tangy or sweet fillings. 

Kolache Bundles

For the dough 

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Optional: Granulated sugar for rolling 

For the cream cheese filling 

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the fruit filling 

  • ½ cup thick jam or preserves (apricot, raspberry, or cherry are classic choices) 

For dusting

  • Powdered sugar

Instructions

Make and chill the dough 

  1. In a large bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the flour and salt, and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  3. Divide the dough into two equal portions and flatten each into a disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. 

Prepare the fillings 

  1. For the cream cheese filling, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. You can place this mixture into a piping bag for easier filling.

Assemble and bake the large cookies 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. On a surface lightly dusted with flour or powdered sugar, roll out one chilled dough disc to about ¼-inch thickness.
  3. Trim the edges to form a large square, then cut the dough into four large squares (about 4×4 inches).
  4. Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling and ½ teaspoon of the fruit jam into the center of each dough square.
  5. Take two opposite corners of a square and fold them toward the center, overlapping the tips slightly. Pinch the seam together gently to seal. Repeat with the remaining two corners.
  6. Continue the process with the remaining dough and filling, placing the shaped kolaches on the parchment-lined baking sheets. For extra security, you can brush the corners with a little water.
  7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
  8. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack. While still warm, generously dust them with powdered sugar. 
Place dollops of sweet jam on each pastry square
I use homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam.
Homemade flavors
Fold into bundles carefully securing the corners
Some will turn out a bit wonky but will always taste delicious!
Posted in Baked goods, Baking, cookies, Desserts, Food

Best Pecan Chewies

Posted on by lmc

I recently baked these Pecan Chewies for a family birthday party. This is an incredibly easy recipe with lots of big flavor. No need to pull out the electric mixer as it’s best to mix this recipe by hand. The combination of butter, pecans and brown sugar provide a mouthful of chewy goodness you won’t easily forget.


Ingredients


1 cup butter, melted
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs 
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 teaspoons powdered sugar optional, for dusting

Instructions


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Melt butter on stove top or microwave oven.
Combine brown sugar and flour in large mixing bowl. Add the slightly cooled melted butter and thoroughly combine. Add vanilla, eggs and pecans, stirring until well mixed.
Evenly pat mixture into baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Optional: dust with powdered sugar 

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Desserts, Food

Chocolatey Brownie Cake

Posted on by lmc

This cake combines a box of chocolatey cake mix with a box of decadent brownie mix. Adding a cup of coffee and a dollop of sour cream makes for a moist, dense, and flavorful delight.

Chocolatey Brownie Cake

  • 1 (18 oz) box chocolate fudge cake mix 
  • 1 (15.25) box fudge brownie mix
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup coffee, cooled
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a Bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine cake mix, brownie mix, oil, sour cream, coffee, and eggs in a large bowl; beat until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. 
  2. Pour into the prepared pan.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.
  3. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack.
  4. Let cool, before topping with your favorite chocolatey icing.
Posted in Baked goods, Baking, Bread, Food

Dilly Pickle Juice Bread

Posted on by lmc

I absolutely love our Zojirushi Bread Machine and this is one of our favorite recipes. Adding cottage cheese, pickle juice and fresh herbs makes for a delicious and tender (2 lb) sandwich loaf. Yummmm!

Dilly Pickle Juice Bread

1 1/3 cup cream-style cottage cheese


1/3 cup dill pickle juice


1 egg. beaten


4 cups bread flour


3 Tablespoons butter


1 Tablespoon sugar


1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped or 2 1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons active bread yeast

Fill bread machine baking pan in the order listed.  Use Basic setting use medium crust.

Makes 1 – 2 lb. loaf

Slathered with a bit of butter
Posted in Food, Gardening, Herbs

Midwest Winter – Growing Herbs

Posted on by lmc

Nothing beats the bright, bold flavor of fresh herbs. When the Midwest winter rolls into our Indiana town, I’m quick to bring my herbs indoors to extend their growing season.  My trick is to use the halo-shaped growing lights to keep the plants healthy. These lights attach to my pots or are staked into the soil to provide just enough light to support growth and longevity.  The result is phenomenal!  On the RARE occasion we have unseasonable temps (40’s-50’s), I take the opportunity to pop my plants outdoors for a few hours in the afternoon when the sun is brightest. Otherwise, the plants are tucked inside my warm home with artificial lighting to help them stay strong.  Once the fear of frost is beyond us, I pop the plants back outdoors for the Midwest spring and summer growing season.

We cut fresh herbs daily and enjoy sprinkling them over salad, meat, vegetables, nuts, etc… This a great way to use less sodium without losing out on big flavor.

Cobb Salad

When bringing plants indoors, I spray the soil with insecticidal soap. See link below.

Insecticidal Soap

I use small, halo-shaped growing lights to keep my plants strong and healthy. See link below.

Grow Lights

Posted in Dinner, Food, Main Dish, Pasta, Sauces, Skillet Meal

Midwest Goulash

Posted on by lmc

This tasty goulash comes together quickly… Perfect for a mid-week meal or to inexpensively feed a crowd. Serve over corkscrew pasta with a crispy side salad and some crusty garlic bread for a winning family meal with plenty of leftovers.

Midwest Goulash

  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 pound mild Italian Sausage
  • 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 jar Bertolli 5 Cheese Pasta Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 bay leaves, (remove after cooking)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( to taste)
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
  • Small bouquet of fresh type, oregano, basil, rosemary tied in kitchen twine.

Instructions:

  • In a large Dutch oven, sauté  ground beef, chicken, and sausage over medium-high heat until browned. (Breaking up the meat into large chunks.) 
  • Add garlic and onions and cook until tender.
  • Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove fresh herb bouquet and bay leaves. Serve over pasta or rice with garlic bread on the side. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Posted in and sauces, appetizers/snacks, Food, Homemade Mixes

Honey Sweetened Peanut Butter

Posted on by lmc

It seems everyone in our household loves to smather peanut butter over an array of crispy crackers, breads, crunchy veggies, and salty pretzels. We also love the scrumptious honey our bees produce yearly. This recipe combines the best of both to make an utterly delicious spread that’s buttery, nutty, and sweet. It’s actually quite addictive and we can usually plow through a jar in no time. We keep a hefty supply of nuts, honey, (and our own tapped maple syrup) on hand to make a fresh batch whenever needed.

Honey Sweetened Peanut Butter

2 cups (16 ounces) raw, shelled peanuts
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup


Preheat oven to 350°. Place the peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly golden-brown, about 10 minutes.


Transfer the warm peanuts to a food processor. Pulse a few times just until chopped then run the food processor continuously for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The peanut butter will look gritty and dry.

Continue to blend and scrape for several minutes until the peanut butter is smooth and creamy as desired. For crunchy peanut butter, add 1/2 cup additional nuts and pulse to chop nuts into smaller pieces, as desired. Add salt to taste.

Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Desserts, Food

The Very Best Chocolate Cake Ever

Posted on by lmc

This cake is dense and full of chocolate flavor… our very favorite chocolate cake recipe!

Best Chocolate Cake Ever

FOR THE CAKE:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

2/3 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FOR THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

1 cup cold milk

1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Beat on medium for 1 minute. Pour into a greased 13×9” baking pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Beat in thawed whipped topping. Spread evenly over cooled cake. Refrigerate.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, Baking, Beef, Dinner, Food

Easy Taco Pie

Posted on by lmc

Everyone seems to enjoy this recipe. Keep these common convenience ingredients items on hand for a quick and tasty meal.

Easy Taco Pie

• 1 9 ¼ ounce bag Fritos corn chips, crushed
• 2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 small can green chilies, drained
• 1 can roasted corn, drained
• 2 cups sharp shredded cheese
• Taco pie toppings of your choice such as lettuce, tomato, avocado, jalapeños, olives, salsa, etc.
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 deep pie pans with non-stick baking spray.
  2. In a large pan, brown and chop ground beef. Drain grease, and then mix in taco seasoning, green chilies, and corn; set aside.
  3. Divide chips in half and sprinkle each half as a layer of corn chips into the bottom of each pie dish.
  4. Layer on your seasoned ground beef, and then top each dish with 1 cup of cheese.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Cool slightly.
  6. Top with anything you’d like – salsa, guacamole, lettuce, sour cream, olives, peppers, or jalapeños .
Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, Baking, Food

Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts

Posted on by lmc

As the summer garden begins to flourish, I find myself trimming down my rosemary plants a little too quickly these days. You see my family is addicted to this recipe for party nuts. The aroma and flavor of rosemary mixed with the kick of cayenne pepper makes for an irresistible treat. Buy canned mixed nuts when they are on sale because these are gone shortly after they come out of the oven. You’ll find yourself making a new batch quite frequently.

The original recipe developed by The Union Square Cafe’ in New York can be found here.

Union Square Cafe (Big Batch) Bar Nuts

4 cups lightly salted mixed nuts (2-8 oz. cans)
2 Tbsp butter, melted
4 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toast nuts on baking sheet until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine melted butter, chopped rosemary, cayenne pepper and brown sugar; stir until thoroughly combined.
In a large bowl, toss hot nuts with butter and spice mixture. Season with salt and toss to coat thoroughly.