For the love of bread

I know it's not a popular opinion these days, but to me, a meal just isn't a meal without bread. Whether it's biscuits, rolls, garlic bread, a french loaf, or just a piece of white bread to sop up the gravy, a meal just isn't complete unless it's sitting there on the side of your plate.

But seeing as how I have yet to master homemade biscuits that can't be substituted for hockey pucks, I have fallen in love with these wonderful little breads. The popover. Yes, I know it's generally eaten with jam as a side for a tea or brunch. But for those days when I want (ie. need) a quick and tasty bread for a meal, these work great. Takes about 5 minutes to mix up, pop them in the oven while everything else is cooking and voila.. 

Preheat the oven to 425'. Grease the cups of a small (6 cup) muffin tin and place in the oven.

(yes, while it's empty).

Whisk the eggs.

Mix together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. 

Add the water....

then the milk.....

whisking together until the batter is smooth.

Remove the pan from the oven. Pour into the cups a little more than half way full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes .

Enjoy!

Full ingredient list (makes 6 popovers)

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk. 

Spanish Rice

I have a bad habit of repeating side dishes. The same old rice or mashed potatoes every single night. Of course, on those nights when we go with a more Mexican flavor meal, I make spanish rice. This dish is so simple and a perfect complement that I like to think it of 'something differnent' even though, yes, it is still rice.

Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 tbs minced garlic
2 cups of medium or long grain white rice
1 can chicken broth
1 cup water
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 1/2 tbs oregano
1 tsp salt

In a large skillet brown rice in the olive oil over mediu to high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently for about 3-5 minutes until the onions are softened.

In a saucepan bring the broth and water to a simmer. Add the tomato paste, oregano and salt. Add the rice to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cover. Lower heat and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Turn off heat and let steam for about 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Oh the mighty Asparagus

I'm sure most of us had a least favorite vegetable or fruit when we were kids. Mine were asparagus and brussle sprouts. I thought they tasted like grass... yucky grass that had been soaked in muddy waters and left to fry up in the sun. Yes, gross, I know.. but that was my opinion... until 6 months ago. I was trying to find another veggie to cook (getting tired of the standard green beans, spinach and broccoli) and my wonderful fiance, who hasn't met a food that he doesn't like (with the exception of boiled peanuts) suggested asparagus. No way.. not me.. I protested and protested until I realized that I sounded like a 3 year old. So I decided to try it. And, much to my surprise, I liked it. It was quick, easy, and cheap. Everything this girl likes. And while there still isn't a brussle sprout out there that I like, asparagus and I are know close friends. 

Snap ends off of fresh stalks. Marinate in olive oil and minced garlic.

Cook for about 20-25 mintues at 350-400'.

(I usually just pop them in the oven with whatever else i'm cooking. )

Enjoy!

Chicken-Fried Steak

I love chicken-fried steak. It's been one of my go-to comfort foods since I was little. And while I still have not mastered gravy (hence there are no pictures of it on here), I love making this for dinner.

It's a pretty basic, simple recipe that can be done on a limited amout of time. If you can make your own gravy to go with, that's great. If not, packaged gravy works too.

Rub the salt and pepper into the steaks. Mix the flour, garlic salt and cayenne pepper together. Rub half of that mixture into the steaks. Pound both sides with a mallet.



Dip the steaks in the beaten eggs and then dredge in the rest of the flour mixture.

Heat cooking oil in skillet, add steaks and cook until meat is done.

Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
round steak
flour
garlic salt
cayenne pepper
2 eggs, beaten
cooking oil

Enjoy!

Mustard Chicken and Mushrooms

I've baked a version of this for a few years now, but it takes about 45 in the oven. (not including prep time). So I decided to try this on the stove top, and it took about 25 mintues total, and was, I think, much healthier (less grease).

Melt butter in a skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Brown chicken (about 4-5 mintues each side)

Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.

Add mushrooms to same skillet and cook until softened.

Add soup, broth and both mustards. Bring to a simmer and add chicken, completely submerging. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

  Enjoy! (I know the sides are a little boring, but I was short on time).

Full ingredient list:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 tbs butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tbs deli-style brown mustard

Chicken Basil Calzones

I fix this quite often for lunch. Doesn't take alot of time or effort and is so good.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

Unfold a pizza dough onto pan, flatten, and cut into 4 squares.

In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together. 

Spoon mixture onto center of each square.

Fold over and pinch sides together to seal.

Lighly coat tops with olive oil and cut small slit in center of each one.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Ingredients:



2-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 handfull fresh spinach, chopped
1 8 oz jar alfredo sauce
3-4 slices provolone cheese, diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 tbs miced garlic
handfull of fresh basil, finely chopped
salt and pepper
olive oil
pizza dough

Banana Pudding

One of my fondest memories of childhood was banana pudding. Whether it be the quick and easy Nilla wafers and a box of vanilla pudding and some bananas mixed in or the labor intensive kind that requires 2 hours of standing over a double boiler. I LOVE banana pudding. So when I found this recipe in The Church Ladies' Celestial Suppers and Sensible Advice, I knew I had to try it. I changed it a little, as I tend to do with any recipe. But I loved it, and this whole cookbook so much, I had to mention it.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.

Slice up  6-7 large bananas. Place in a bag and pour pineapple juice over. Toss to coat evenly.

Layer Nilla wafers on bottom and sides of baking dish. (I'm of theory that the more Nilla wafers in a banana pudding the better so don't worry if you feel like it's too much)

Seperate 3 eggs, pouring the egg whites into a mixing bowl. 

Pour the yolks into a mixing bowl along with the condensed milk,

 half and half, and vanilla nut extract. 

Mix together until soupy.

Place a layer of bananas in dish and cover with half of the

pudding mixture.

Cover with a layer of Nilla wafer, as many as you want.

Top with another layer of bananas and the rest of the pudding.

Meanwhile add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbs of the banana/pinapple juices

to the mixing bowl with the egg whites.

Whip together until stiff. I like to have this going while i'm layering

the pudding simply because waiting for this process to happen is like watching

a pot of water begin to boil. If you're not watching it happens in a snap.

If you're standing there waiting it takes simply forever.

Top everything with the meringue.

Pop in oven for about 15 minutes.

Let cool before serving. Personally, I like this best after it's been in the refrigerator for a few hours, but it's a matter of taste.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 12-oz box vanilla wafers

5-7 large bananas

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condesed milk

1/2 cup half and half

3 large eggs, separated

1 1/2 tsp vanilla nut extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar