bacon mushroom focaccia

 

Bacon-Mushroom Focaccia
For the focaccia:

• 3 c. bread flour
• 1 T. dried rosemary
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 2 1/4 t. (or 1 packet) instant dry yeast
• 3 T. olive oil, divided
• 1 c. very warm water, 120 to 130 degrees

For the topping:

• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 T. oregano
• 1 T. basil
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh spinach 
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• Ranch dressing (optional)

Combine all focaccia ingredients in a large mixing bowl and knead until dough forms.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled.  Roll into a large circle and place on pizza pan.  Let rise an additional 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp.  Add mushrooms and garlic; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender, about five minutes.  Spread olive oil on focaccia dough.  Sprinkle oregano, basil, and salt over the olive oil.  Spread mushroom-bacon mixture over the dough.  Top with spinach, onions, and cheese.  Drizzle with Ranch dressing, if desired.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden.  

sourdough biscuits

Back when we looked like this...

...and that was a few years ago...but back then, we got engaged.  My father-in-law announced that he was taking care of the whole rehearsal dinner.  And boy did he!

He picked out one of his own prize lambs to slaughter for the big day, and he smoked it for about 4 days before the event.  He made several different kinds of homemade ice cream, froze them in individual containers, placed those containers in buckets of water, froze those buckets, and then covered the buckets in frozen sleeping bags.  I get tired just thinking about it!

And he also experimented with a sourdough biscuit recipe until he got it just right.  :)
  

Everything turned out beautifully.  The lamb was delicious, the ice cream stayed frozen despite the August heat, and the bread was such a hit that I asked for the recipe.  Here it is!

Sourdough Biscuits

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 t. salt
• 3/4 cup oil
• 4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 6 or more cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add remaining ingredients and stir or knead. Continue adding flour until dough is no longer sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl - cover and place in refrigerator overnight. The next day, roll out dough to a 2-inch thickness and cut into biscuits. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes. 

sweet potato coconut pie with marshmallow meringue

Over the holidays, I did what I always do - I got out all of my favorite holiday cookbooks and magazines to get ideas for what recipes to try.  This year, we went to visit my sister, so I got busy looking through all of her holiday cookbooks and magazines.  There was one recipe in particular that caught my eye.


My dear husband just loves anything sweet potato.  He would much rather have sweet potato pie than pumpkin (although if you ask me, they taste pretty much the same).  I've never made him a sweet potato pie because they just don't appeal to me all that much...until I saw this recipe, that is.

What won me over were the words marshmallow meringue.  I love marshmallows!  I really love marshmallow creme.  And I love the concept of adding it to meringue.

This pie surpassed my expectations.  I'll be adding marshmallow meringue to all of my pie recipes from here on out.  Way to go Taste of Home - another win for you!

Sweet Potato Coconut Pie with Marshmallow Meringue
Taste of Home Holiday Baking

Crust: 

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 6 T. cold butter
• 2 T. shortening
• 3-4 T. cold water

Filling:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cream cheese,s oftened
• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 t. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. cinnamon

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 t. cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 7 oz. marshmallow cream
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and ginger; cover and pulse to blend.  Add the butter and shortening; cover and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  While processing, gradually add water just until moist crumbs form.  Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in deep dish pie plate.  Transfer pastry to pie plate.  Trim pastry to ½ in beyond edge of plate; flute edges or decorate with pastry cutouts as desired.  Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.  Fill with dried beans, uncooked rice, or pie weights.  Bake at 425 for 8 minutes.  Remove foil and weights; bake 5 minutes longer.  Cool on wire rack.  Reduce heat to 325.

For the filling, in a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, and cream cheese.  Cook and stir until smooth.  Transfer to a large bowl; cool 5 minutes.  Whisk in the sweet potatoes, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.  Pour into crust.

Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary.

For meringue, in a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in sugar, 1 T. at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Place the marshmallow crème in a separate large bowl; fold in a third of the egg white mixture, then fold in the remaining mixture.  Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to crust.  Sprinkle with marshmallows and coconut.

Bake 12-15 minutes longer or until top is golden.  Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

spaghetti sauce

Spaghetti Sauce

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (or ground beef)
• 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 12 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• ½ cup water
• 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, pureed
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ t. oregano
• ½ t. basil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ t. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• ½ t. chili powder
• 1/8 t. pepper

Brown ground beef (and sausage) in skillet; drain off fat. Place beef in crock pot with all remaining ingredients; stir. Cook covered on high-heat setting for 5-6 hours.

Brown beef and sausage in large stock pot; drain off fat.  Add remaining ingredients; stir.  Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1-2 hours.

peanut butter bonbons (two ways)

 Peanut Butter Bonbons

• 2 cups peanut butter
• 1/2 cups butter
• 4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 3 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup butterscotch pieces
• 1 cup chocolate pieces

In saucepan, melt peanut butter and butter.  In large bowl combine powdered sugar and cereal; pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture.  Blend together with hands.  Form into 1/2 inch balls.  Chill until firm.  Melt butterscotch and chocolate pieces in separate double boilers.  Dip half the candies into each coating swirling tops with back of spoon. Place on wax paper lined baking sheet.  Chill.

Peanut Butter Balls

• 18 oz. jar smooth peanut butter
• 1 stick margarine
• 1 T. vanilla
• 1 box powdered sugar

Mix all together - add butter last.

• 12 oz. package chocolate chips
• 1/2 stick parafin

Melt these together.  Dip balls of peanut butter mixture in chocolate mixture.

hearty squash soup

I love this soup and often make it using two cans of pumpkin instead of butternut squash.  Sometimes I leave the bacon out, other times I add chicken and beans.  It's a great soup to modify to your own tastes, and nutritionally you can't go wrong!

Hearty Squash Soup

• butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds) or two cans of pumpkin
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 lb. bacon, diced (optional)
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup corn
• 1-2 t. Creole seasoning
• 1 t. cumin
• 1/2 t. nutmeg 

Cook bacon in large stockpot until crispy; remove to a separate dish.  Pour 3 cups chicken broth into pot and add carrots and potatoes.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, use a fork to punch several holes in the butternut squash.  Microwave on high for 10-15 minutes or until tender when squeezed (rotate several times while cooking).  Peel and remove seeds.  Place in a blender or food processor with 1 cup of chicken broth and process until smooth.  Add to stockpot.

Add corn and seasonings; simmer until heated through.  Sprinkle reserved bacon pieces over each serving.  Serves 6.

grandma's bread

 

It's been deliciously cool outside the past few mornings.  With the chill in the air, I almost forget that it's still summer (although the 95+ degree weather later in the day shocks me back into reality).  One of the things I love to do once the weather starts to turn is make bread.  There's just nothing better than warm bread in the oven on a cool day! 

This bread comes from a Gooseberry Patch cookbook, and it is sooooooo delicious.  The texture is amazing, and the flavor is perfect. I love it toasted with homemade peach jam. :)

My cousin and I nicknamed this bread "all day bread" because it seems to take all day to make.  It rises not once...not twice...but FOUR times!  But even though it's time consuming, it's totally worth it.  Trust me.

Grandma's Bread
from Gooseberry Patch's Country Baking

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T. shortening
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.  Place salt, sugar, and shortening in a large mixing bowl.  Pour boiling water over mixture, stirring constantly to melt shortening.  Add milk and eggs; mix well.  Add yeast and stir until well blended.  Add 3 1/2 cups flour and mix for 3 minutes.  Add enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Shape into a ball, place and let rise in a warm place until double, about one hour.  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead again, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Place dough back into bowl and let rise about 45 minutes. Punch dough down, turn onto lightly floured surface.  Divide dough in half and place each half into a 9" x 5" loaf pan.  Let rise until double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.  Remove bread from pans and cool on wire racks.