Longhorn's Strawberry Salad [Knock-Off]

Let me tell you how tasty this salad is. It is SO GOOD. My mom and I love to get ideas for salads from restaurants we enjoy. A while ago we were at Longhorns - and we both had this salad. Ever since then - it has been a regular in my (and her) home. It's so easy to make too!

Lonhorn's Strawberry Salad [Knock-Off]

Ingredients
Mixed field greens
Strawberries
Blueberries (the original has grapes, I use grapes in the winter)
Mandarin Oranges (canned)
Candied Pecans... look at your grocery store, they sell them!
Feta Cheese
Marie's Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Directions
I usually make this by individual bowls to insure everyone gets all the goods.
- Start at the top of the ingredient list and toss ingredients in. Let the amount lessen as you go along the list.
- Enjoy!

Olive Cheese Bread

 This bread is amazing. It is soft and gooey and salty and cheesy. The recipe came from the amazing Pioneer Woman. However, as with most recipes that I cook, I tweaked it a bit. I found the original recipe much too salty. To cure that, I cut down the amount of green olives and also rinsed them before chopping them. I also cut the amount of butter. Original recipe here.

Olive Cheese bread

4 TBSP butter-room temp
1/2 C. Mayo
4 oz. green olives (about 1/2-3/4 C.)
1 can black olives (6 oz.)
2 green onions
3/4 lb. grated Monterrey Jack cheese (I always use a block and grate it myself. I used the pre-grated stuff once and it was not as good.)
1 loaf french bread

preheat oven to 325.
Mix butter and mayo in a bowl. Chop up green olives, black olives and green onions. Add them to the bowl and mix it up. Then add the grated cheese and stir to combine.
Cut the french bread in half lengthwise. Spread the olive cheese mixture evenly over both sides of the french bread. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
I like to turn the broiler on for just a minute or two to get a nice golden color on the melted cheese.
Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes and then slice and serve.

Nutella-filled Muffins

Ingredients:

2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup of milk

2 cups whole wheat flour + 1 cup all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

Nutella

Topping:

1/4 cup of sugar and 3 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 425F and line muffins tins.

-Cream butter and sugar together and then mix in egg, vanilla, and milk.

-Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Don't overmix!

-Spoon in a tablespoon of muffin batter, add some nutella, and spoon in another tablespoon of batter.

-Bake at 425F for 5 minutes and then reduce oven to 350F and bake another 13-15 minutes until fork come out clean.

-Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes and then top with melted butter and cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Makes 18 muffins.  They taste best when eaten warm!

Source: Sally's Baking Addiction

Pepperoni Bites

This recipe was so easy to make! My 9 year old daughter actually made these one afternoon for everyone to have as a snack!  Delicious! We like deli pepperoni better than the ones you can get pre-packaged, but you can use whatever you want.  Enjoy!

 

1 cup AP Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 cup Milk

1 egg

1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1-1/2 cup pepperoni, diced

Pam

Marina sauce

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Into a big mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder and stir. Next add the milk and the egg and blend well with mixer. Then add the cheese and the pepperoni and blend well. Spray the mini muffin tin well and then spoon in the mixture. Be sure not to over fill the mini muffin tin cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25- 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown.  This makes approximately 2 dozen pepperoni bites. 

 

 

 

 

 

adapted from a Goose Berry Patch recipe. 

Leftover Rice Pancakes

When I make rice, I love to make a big batch and reuse it in other meals.  But after a while, rice can get boring.  And I hate boring leftovers because that means they don't get eaten.  (Perhaps I am some sort of kitchen nerd but I have to tell you that eating up every last bite of leftover anything gives me a thrill!)  This recipe has come in handy numerous times when I've caught myself staring into the fridge at a container of rice and wondering, "What the heck am I gonna do with all this rice?"  Added bonus:  no added sugar!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups leftover cooked brown rice (white or brown)
2 cups buttermilk*
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour (white, whole wheat, or combo)

1.  In a blender, combine rice and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk.  Pulse several times, scrape down sides.  Repeat several times until rice is in tiny bits.
2.  Add remaining buttermilk, salt, baking soda, and eggs.  Blend until thoroughly combined.  Pour into mixing bowl.
3.  Add flour and whisk just until the flour is incorporated.  Pour by scant 1/4-cupfuls onto hot griddle.  Turn pancakes over when the top is covered in bubbles and the edges are no longer shiny.  Once flipped over, cook until the underside is golden brown.

*If you don't have buttermilk:  pour 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar into a 2-cup measure and fill with milk to the 2-cup line.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before using.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen scant 1/4-cupful pancakes

Source:  Hillbilly Housewife

Whole Wheat Multigrain Bread

Everyone (unless people are lying to me) loves my homemade bread.  I make it every week!  I love that I know exactly what goes into it and that it is full of wholesome grains for my children!  This recipe makes 4 loaves and to do so I use my Bosch Mixer, if I were using a Kitchen Aide I would cut the recipe in half.

Audrey's Whole Wheat Multigrain Bread
Yield: 4 large loaves or 5 small loaves

6 cups whole wheat flour (Hard Red or Hard White works best)
6 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 honey (or dark brown sugar)

Mix ingredients together in mixer and let rise until double and bubbly.  Then add:

2 Tbsp. Salt
1/4 cup of any or all the following grains: Amaranth, Quinoa, Chia Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Flax Seeds (I would grind the Flax in your blender first)
8-10 cups whole wheat flour- while mixer is set at lowest speed add one cup at a time until you get to 8 cups then add 1/2 cup at a time until it pulls away from the sides of the mixer (if you add too much it will be crumbly so be careful).

Mix on medium speed for 10 minute.  On a floured surface separate dough into 4 pieces.  Knead each piece into the shape of a loaf then pat with hand to get the air bubbles out and place into a greased loaf pan.  Let rise for 30 min or until the dough has risen slightly above the pan.  Bake at 350 for 28 to 30 min.  Let cool in pans for 3 minutes then continue cooling on cooling racks.  Once cool wrap in plastic wrap or place in bags.

Note:  I have been reading more and more about soaking grains to help with digestion. So as of late I have been soaking the following ingredients overnight; 6 cups flour and any other grains I am using, 5 cups water, and 1 cup buttermilk.  The next day I add yeast, oil, and honey to the soaked wheat and let it rise then continue with the recipe (minus the grains since they have been added to the soaking mixture).  Because it is cool from soaking it does take longer to rise.  It also has a bit of a sourdough flavor when doing this (which I love but others may not).

Mother's Apple Pe

This recipe is our family favorite and combines the basic apple pie recipe from my Grandma Davis with a pie crust recipe from my friend Jill Robinson.  An accidental collaboration, you might call it.  I made the mistake of making it once for my husband's birthday and now it is expected each year, and again on Father's Day.  Not a big deal and I am glad to give something so appreciated, but remember, this is from scratch and usually happens during busy weeks in our lives. Also, it is exclusively eaten by said husband so sometimes another pie is needed if anyone else wants a slice.  Even as we speak, I am posting this at my parents' house on my way to the beach for a week because there is not Internet there unless we piggyback--with permission--from the neighbor.  Hopefully, I will have enough signal to get on and post the pictures!  Oh bother!  Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients for Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water

1.  Cut shortening into flour in a bowl.

2.  In another bowl mix egg, vinegar and water.

3.  Stir both mixtures together into a ball.

4.  Roll out on floured surface or press with hands into a pie pan.

Yield:  2 shells or one double crust.

Ingredients for Pie:
Pastry for 2 crusts (above)
Flour
Sugar 
Cinnamon
Apples (about 6 large--my preference is 3 Gala and 3 Granny Smith)
Nutmeg
Butter

1.  Place one crust in pie pan, 9" deep dish is best.

2.  Sprinkle 1 T. flour and 4 T. sugar over bottom crust.

3.  Put in peeled and cut up cooking apples (Winesap are good), mounded in center.

4.  Blend together in bowl 1 cup sugar, 2 T. flour, 1 t. cinnamon and 1/2 t. nutmeg.   Pour over apples and dot with butter.

5.  Place top crust over, seal around edges, and cut steam vents in top.

6.  Bake at 425 degrees F. for 45-60 minutes.  Sometimes I cover the edges with foil until the last 10 minutes to avoid over-baking.



Sources:  The Brew Family Cookbook, vol. II, "Strange Brew", Audrey Davis and Jill Crandall Robinson, circa 1980ish.