French Bread (Bread Maker)

I was shocked at this recipe - it doesn't do the normal egg-wash, steam pan steps that I've come to associate with French bread recipes and yet it came out with the same flavor and texture that I get from grocery store bread.  I'll make this again A LOT!

French Bread for Bread Maker (adapted from vegweb.com)

• 1 3/8 cups water (3/8 cup = 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 

Add ingredients to bread maker according to manufacturer instructions (for me it goes water, oil, salt, sugar, flour, yeast).

If you want to bake it in the bread maker: set it to the french setting and let it go.

If you want to bake it like me:  Set maker to dough cycle. When the cycle ends, remove dough, punch down and form into 4 loaves, place on a baking sheet that is greased or has a no-stick lining (I use no-stick foil). Cover with greased saran wrap and let rise in a warm place* until double or triple in size (the bread rises like CRAZY).  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Check for doneness, if the outside is browned and it sounds hollow when tapped then you're good!

I made mine the night before, covered it and set it in the fridge. 3 hours before bake time I took it out of the fridge and let it warm to room temp before baking.

Also makes GREAT garlic bread sticks or add 2 tsp italian herbs for an herb-y loaf.

Italian Herb Bread

This is a top of the line, family favorite! We don't make it often because when we do we can't stop eating it.  Dip it in Balsamic vinegar and be ready to be dazzled!

Italian Herb Bread

1c + 2T water
2 T butter or margarine softened (use 1 Tbs of olive oil for a more rustic flavor)
3 c bread flour
.5 tsp dried sage or 2 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tsp dried basil or 1 T chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T chopped fresh oregano leaves
.5 tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 T dry milk
2 T sugar
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp yeast

*If you don't have fresh herbs on hand, then substitute 1/2 tsp dried sage and thyme, and 1 tsp dried basil and oregano.

Place ingredients in bread machine pan as recommended by manufacturer (mine has you put in all wet ingredients first, then dry, and yeast last).

For rolls select the dough cycle, remove from pan when cycle finishes. Form into balls of the desired size (I make 12 rolls with this recipe). Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour or until about double in size. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Watch that they don't get too brown. Butter tops.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Rice

To go with Cafe Rio Pork, enjoy!

Cafe Rio Cilantro Rice

• 2 cup rice, either long grain or basmati
• 4 cups chicken broth (I use low sodium)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 Tbs lime juice
• 1 Tbs butter/margarine
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Melt butter in a pot & add all seasonings & cilantro. Add rice & cook over medium heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add stock & lime juice return to simmer, turn to heat to low. Cover & cook about 30 minutes.

Kim's note - these instructions came with the original recipe, but I just threw everything in my rice cooker (using only 2.5 cups of broth as per my cooker) and it came out great.

Easy Peasy Creamy Pasta

I wanted to make some Italian chicken, but needed a side dish to match. I hadn’t been to the store yet this week, so I had to come up with something with what was in the cupboards, and was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Easy Pea-sy Creamy Pasta

• 2 c. pasta (I used corkscrew since that’s what was on hand)
• 1/2 c. frozen sweet peas
• 1 1/3 c. skim milk
• 2 oz. fat-free cream cheese
• 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1/2 c. shredded cheese (I used a cheddar/Monterrey blend since that’s what I had – cheddar alone or mozzarella would go well too).
• 3 Tbs crushed fat-free herbed croutons, divided

Cook pasta according to package instructions. While pasta cooks, combine milk, parm cheese, cream cheese,garlic, and shredded cheese in a sauce pan and cook on med heat until cheeses melt together. Add peas, trying not to add too much extra water (no big ice pieces). Drain cooked pasta and add that to the sauce/pea mixture. Stir together and let simmer and few minutes as sauce thickens. Add about half of the crushed croutons and stir into dish. Top dish with remaining crouton crumbs before serving.

Easy Oreo Fruit Salad

In my house, if I suggest that we have fruit as a side dish I usually get met with dull, bored stares.  But when I threw this little treat together I had both of my guys scraping the bowl for every last drop.  The thinner Oreo crackers really soak in the moisture from the cool whip and become a smooth chocolate – delicious!

Easy Oreo Fruit Salad

• 3-4 c. fresh fruit cut to bite size pieces
• Light Cool Whip
• 1 – 100 calorie package Oreo snacks (these are the Oreos that are more like crackers)

Put all fruit in large mixing bowl.  Add cool whip until everything is just coated.  Crush Oreo crackers into crumbs of all sizes and mix in to salad.  Chill until time to serve.

*Kim’s notes:  For my salad I used 1 apple, 2 bananas, and 1 mango, but you could use any fruit based on your family’s preferences.  Can be served as a dessert or side.  Also, if you aren’t trying to be calorie conscious, another fun way to make this salad is replacing the Oreo crackers with chopped Snicker’s bar.
Happy Cooking!

Broccoli Slaw Salad

Years ago, Hubby, my oldest brother and I crashed a wedding.  It’s not that we wanted to be rude, it’s just that my other brother was going to be in the same state as us for this wedding with his girlfriend (who is now my sister in law), and we desperately wanted to see him.  When that family heard that we were on our way, they cleared out some extra table room at the reception and even let us stay with them over night.  The next day before leaving town the mom of the family offered me some of this Broccoli Slaw salad and I instantly fell in love.

It was so sublime, I thought for sure that she must have spent ages working on it, but when I asked for the recipe she laughed and told me it was just 4 ready-to-use ingredients from the store.

Since then I’ve healthified it a touch and made it for lots of potlucks and parties, always with great reviews.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

• 1 bag broccoli slaw (can be found in your grocer’s produce section near the bagged salad mixes)
• dried cranberries
• sliced almonds
• 1/2 c. poppy seed dressing
• 1/2 c. fat free cottage cheese

The amounts of the ingredients really depends on your tastes.  I usually use about a 1/4 c. almonds and 1/3 c. cranberries (well broken apart since they tend to stick together), but as with all salads you can use as much or as little as you like.  Combine the dressing and cottage cheese in a small bowl until evenly mixed, then pour over salad ingredients until coated.  Refrigerate until time to serve, but use promptly.

*Kim’s note:  I’m not one to usually get wrapped up in brands, but the very best poppy seed dressing I have found is Briannas.  It is however very, very fattening which is why I dilute it with the cottage cheese.  The flavor is strong enough to carry through, but the fat and calories are greatly reduced.