Honey Wheat Brown Bread

Ingredients:


2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 TBS granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 TBS butter, melted
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
rolled oats for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. In large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and yeast.  Set aside.
2.  In another bowl, stir to combine the warm water, molasses, butter and honey.
3.  Make a well in your dry ingredients and then pour the water mixture in and wither with a sturdy spoon or using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, mix until the dough comes together.
4.  Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer's dough hook for about 5 to 8 minutes,  If kneading by hand , knead on a heavily floured board, adding just a bit more all-purpose flour as needed.
5.  Place the ball of dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel and set to rise for 2 hours.
6.  Divide the dough into 3 pieces.  Roll each piece out into about 9-inch log.  Place loaves onto a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet.
7.  Sprinkle a bit of rolled oats on top of each loaf if you choose too, and lightly score each loaf diagonally.  Cover with dishtowel and se aside to rise again for 30 minutes.
8.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
9.  Bake the loaves for 30 minutes.  When done, cool on a wire rack.

Gingerbread Cake with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:


For the cake:

3 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, (2 sticks), room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 cup water

For the frosting:

2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla
8 cups of powdered sugar
2 tsp milk

Instructions:

Cake:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 9 inch round cake pans.  Set aside.
2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda together.  Set aside.
3.  In large mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until creamy.
4.  Add molasses and eggs.  Beat until well combined.
5.  Alternate flour mixture and water into the wet ingredients making sure to mix well, between each addition.
6.  Divide evenly into prepared cake pans.
7.  Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8.  Cool on a wire rack.

Frosting:

1.  In medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until combined.
2.  Add molasses and vanilla.  Beat on low until well combined.
3.  Add a little powdered sugar at a time.  Mix until each addition is well combined.
4.  Add 1 teaspoon of milk after 4 cups of powdered sugar has been added.
5.  Finish mixing in the powdered sugar and the remaining teaspoon of milk.
6.  Frost the cake once it has cooled completely.

Creamy Asiago Chicken and Mushroom Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons oil or butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)
1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces cheese tortellini (gluten free for gluten free version)
1/2 lb boneless and skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and onions and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes.

2.  Mix in the garlic, thyme and flour and cook, stirring, for a minute.

3.  Add the wine and deglaze the pan.

4.  Add the broth, tortellini and chicken, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the tortellini is tender and the chicken is cooked, about 10 minutes.

5.  Remove the chicken, dice or shred it and mix it back into the soup.  (I diced the chicken raw when originally adding to the soup, so I could skip this test.)

6.  Add the cream, mustard, and asiago, let the cheese melt, season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas with Green Chili and Sour Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

10 soft taco shells (smaller flour shells)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can of diced green chilies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13pan.  Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese.  Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.  In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Stir in sour cream and chilies.  Do not bring to boil, you don't want to curdle the sour cream.  Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese, and if you like add chopped black olives and green onions at this point.  Bake covered for 22 minutes at 350, uncover and high broil for 3 minutes to brown cheese.

Notes:  Green Chilies come in mild or hot so use either, to make it as spicy as you would like.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Tomatoes

Pesto

1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Pasta

12 ounces uncooked penne pasta 

32 ounces chicken broth

2 cups of shredded chicken

2 cups of halved cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

1.  In blender or food processor, place Pesto ingredients.

2.  Cover and process on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides with rubber spatula, until smooth.  Set aside.

3.  In 4-quart saucepan, heat penne and broth just to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until al dente and liquid is almost absorbed.  Remove from heat.  Add pesto; sit in chicken and tomatoes; cover over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

4.  Garnish with basil and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Creamy Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients:

1 – 24 ounce pkg frozen egg noodles

2 – 14.7 oz cans of cream of chicken soup – I use 1 can cream of chicken and one can of cream of potato

1 stick butter (cut into pieces

1 – 32 ounce container of chicken broth – may want a little more to thin out if it gets to thick.

1 chicken bouillon cube

2 lbs of boneless / skinless chicken breast or strips

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1.     Salt and Pepper chicken and place in the bottom of crock pot, dump soup, butter, chicken broth and bouillon cube on top of chicken.  Stir together.  Place lid on crock pot and turn on low, cook for 6 hours.

2.      Remove Chicken and tear into pieces, add back to pot.

3.      Now add noodles, Cook another 2 hours or until noodles are desired tenderness.  This is where you may want to add a little more broth, as these noodles will thicken the soup even more.

4.      Salt & Pepper if needed and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

Pistachio Fudge

Ingredients

3/4 cup white chocolate chips
6 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup water
1 package (4 serving size) instant Pistachio pudding
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped shelled pistachios

Instructions

1. Line 8 x 11 baking pan with foil.  Set aside.
2. In microwave safe large bowl, melt chocolate chips, butter and water, in microwave and stir chocolate chips until they are fully melted.  If needed heat for an additional 30 seconds.
3. Stir dry pudding mix into chocolate mixture.  Once completely combined, stir in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, Fold in chopped pistachios.
4. Press fudge into prepared pan, refrigerate for 2 hours to set.
5. Remove fudge from pan and remove foil.  Use sharp knife to cut cleanly into squares.  Store in airtight container.