Whole Wheat Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

This recipe takes a while but the wait will be well worth it!  I got this recipe from Ellie Krieger on Foodnetwork.  This bread is a healthier version of the original raisin bread,  and each slice only has 99 calories.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting


• 2 cups whole-wheat flour


• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk


• 1 large egg


• 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing


• 3 tablespoons honey


• 2 teaspoons salt


• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast


• Cooking spray


• 2/3 cup raisins


• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

Make the bread

Measure out 1 1/4 cups very warm water and check the temperature; it should be 120 degrees F to 130 degrees F. Combine both flours, the dry milk, egg, canola oil, honey, salt, yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix 3 minutes on the lowest setting, then increase to the next highest setting and mix 5 more minutes. The dough should be soft and sticky.

Let it rise.

Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough has nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Soak the raisins.

Dry raisins will rob moisture from the bread, so soak them first in boiling water until plump, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Fold the dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Picture it as a loose square. Lift up one side of the dough and fold about one-third of it across; press down on the dough with spread fingers to remove any air bubbles. Repeat with the remaining 3 sides of the dough.

Add the filling.

Mist two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Divide the dough in half; roll out each half into an 8-inch square. Brush each square with canola oil, then sprinkle with the cinnamon (it's high in antioxidants!), brown sugar and raisins.

Form the loaves.

Roll up each square of dough into a tight cylinder; place seam-side down in the prepared pans. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough fills the pans and springs back when touched, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Bake the bread.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the loaves with canola oil and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Steak Sandwich

This is the best sandwich ever! I got this recipe from Ree Drummond's book, "The pioneer Woman Cooks". www.ThePioneerWoman.com

(Photos from The PioneerWoman.com)

Ingredients:

1 large onion or 2 small/medium onions

Butter, lots of it

2 or 3 pounds cube steak

Seasoned salt, preferably Lawry's

Lemon Pepper

Black Pepper

Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco (I didn't use this)

4 French or Deli rolls

Start by slicing the onion. Next melt 1/4 stick of butter in skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and light brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove the onion from the pan and set aside.

Cut each piece of cube steak against the grain, into 1-inch strips. Now season the meat with a nice sprinkle or seasoned salt, lemon pepper, and black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet in which you cooked the onion. Turn the heat to high. Let the butter begin to turn brown, about 2 minutes. You will want the skillet to be hot.

Now add enough meat to the hot skillet to form a single layer. Do not stir. Let sit for about a minute, or long enough for one side to turn brown. Then, using a spatula, flip the meat over. Cook for another minute, then remove from skillet. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.

Return all the meat to the skillet and add the cooked onion. Pour in Worcestershire sauce, several dashes of Tabasco (according to taste), and an additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Simmer the mixture over low heat for about 5 minutes to warm.

Cut each roll in half, spread with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet.

Place the meat mixture in the bun and spoon some of the sauce from the pan on top until it seeps into the bun.

Variations:

Add Mushrooms to the onion mixture

Melt mozzarella on top

Add other veggies and fresh seasonings like garlic, thyme and so on...

Chocolate Lush

My friend Nicole T. gave me this recipe for the holiday's.  I tried it and it was the BEST! She said she never used the nuts, so I decided not to either, it was great without them =D I also used lemon pudding instead of chocolate.  You can also use banana, and put sliced bananas on top before you spread on the cool-whip.

Ingredients:

2 Cup flour
2 Stick margarine or butter
3/4 Cup chopped walnuts
1 Cup confectioners sugar
1 Cup Cool Whip (from a 12 oz. container)
1 8 Oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 small Pkg instant chocolate pudding
3 Cup milk

Directions:

Combine margarine, flour and walnuts. Press into bottom of a 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 1/2 hour until lightly browned.

Beat softened cream cheese with confectioners sugar. Blend in 1 cup Cool Whip. Spread on top of cooled crust.

Mix pudding with milk with electric mixer. Let stand until thick. Spread on top of cream cheese filling. Spread remaining Cool Whip over top and sprinkle with nuts if desired.

I really wished I had taken a picture of it! If I make it again I will be sure to post one!

Egg Drop Soup

I never really liked the recipes I have found for egg drop soup, so I basically read over dozens of them and came up with my own.  But its not too original!

Ingredients:

Large sauce pan 3/4 of the way full with chicken broth

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sesame Seed Oil

Dash of salt and pepper

1 Teaspoons of dried ginger

4 beaten eggs

3/4 cup rice optional

Diced Onion optional

Directions:

Bring broth and first 5 ingredients to a simmer.  Add the rice and onion, and cook until rice is tender.  Then slowly pour the eggs into the simmering pot, turn off heat.


Serve with dinner rolls =D

Middle Eastern Rice Bowl

 

I got this recipe from Rachael Ray's cookbook, "Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-minute meals, for kids" .  I used to make this dish all the time! I haven't made in a long while, but I will post the recipe because it is so good!

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces

freshly ground pepper to taste

2 (6oz ea) Near East brand rice pilaf mix

3 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley (dried works great also)

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2 cups store-bought hummus, for serving (optional)

1 bag pita chips-corn tastes just as good with this dish, for serving

Scallions, red bell pepper, and cucumber, for serving (optional )

 

Instructions:

Heat a medium pot over medium heat; add extra-virgin olive oil and butter.  When butter has melted into the oil, add cut-up chicken tenders.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Sauté the chicken, stirring, until lightly browned.  Add the rice pilaf and cook another minute or 2.  Add the chicken stock.  You do not need to use the seasoning packets included in the rice mix; you'll get your flavor from cooking the rice in the stock.  Put a lid on the pot and raise the heat to high to bring the stock to a quick boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Take off the lid and stir in cinnamon, parsley, and almonds.  Serve rice in bowls with veggies, chips, and hummus on the side.

 

 

Chimichanga's

This recipe is so simple! My mom made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit!

Ingredients:

Pork Roast

One bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce

Cheddar Cheese

Tortillas

Two Cups Water

Butter

Put the roast, BBQ sauce, and water in the crock pot on high all day.  When its done, shred and put in tortilla's with cheese, and some of the leftover BBQ Sauce.  Roll them up and place on a baking sheet,  brush them with butter.  Let cook in the oven on 350F until light brown.

Serve with refried beans.  Enjoy!

Red Beans

I know I have a lot of rice recipes on my blog, but when you have 13 people to feed, rice goes a long way!  This is like the best red bean recipe ever, and I made it up!  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

This is a awesome crock-pot dish = D

Ingredients:
Red Beans - 1 lbs

Tomato Paste - med size cans

Onion - 1

Garlic - 4 cloves

Salt - 3 tea

Pepper - 2 tea

Paprika - 2 tea

Chili Powder - 2 tea

Sugar - 2 tab

Water - just enough to cover the beans

Soak the beans overnight in water.

Put all the ingredients in a large pot and boil until tender, around 4 hours.  You can also cook it in the crock-pot all day on low.  This dish is really good served on rice and sour cream.