Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Biscuits..Biscuits...Did I say Caramelized Biscuits?!
I very rarely use to make biscuits because it just seems like too much work but one Sunday after church I decided to make my husband some biscuits and gravy and now we are hooked. I took a basic recipe and tip from the Econobuster's website and then but a little different spin on it (but you use your favorite biscuit recipe or even the one off the Bisquick box if it is more convenient). Before I tell you what I did I will share her tip...double or triple your batch and flash freeze them ~ in order to flash freeze something (you can do this with cookie dough or anything similar) you get it ready put it on a backing sheet and let freeze, then you can take off your baking sheet and store in a zip Lock or air tight bag until needed then bake as original directions say. Does that make since...it has been a long day.
Okay now for my spin...take 1/2 cup unsalted or salted REAL butter and 1/4 cup of honey and melt in the microwave. Put your biscuits in a glass baking dish and generously brush on your butter mixture (I say generous because you want your mixture to kind of poor over the sides of your biscuit dough) then cook as directed ~set your mixture aside and use to brush on the inside of the biscuits and then you can also store in the fridge to use again next time you make your next batch~ The sugar in the honey create this caramelized crust on the bottom of the bottom and top of the biscuits.
Remember squats, lunges and crunches make it possible to eat these guilt free :)!
~With love and prayer for sweet blessings in your lives
Okay now for my spin...take 1/2 cup unsalted or salted REAL butter and 1/4 cup of honey and melt in the microwave. Put your biscuits in a glass baking dish and generously brush on your butter mixture (I say generous because you want your mixture to kind of poor over the sides of your biscuit dough) then cook as directed ~set your mixture aside and use to brush on the inside of the biscuits and then you can also store in the fridge to use again next time you make your next batch~ The sugar in the honey create this caramelized crust on the bottom of the bottom and top of the biscuits.
Remember squats, lunges and crunches make it possible to eat these guilt free :)!
~With love and prayer for sweet blessings in your lives
CALLING... All Carb Lovers !
For those of you who lover carbs just as much as I do here is a recipe for Whole Wheat Parmesan French Bread that can go in so many different directions...which I will give some examples of additions substitutions to think about...
Whole Wheat Parmesan Crusted French Bread Recipe:
2 packages active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups water (105F to 115 F)
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoon olive oil
7 cups Whole Wheat flour
Additional Olive Oil
Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add salt, olive oil, and flour.
Use your dough hook to mixer, turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute or until well blended. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer. Dough will be sticky (if it seems to dry add some water 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a slightly sticky dough).
Put dough in large greased bowl, turning to coat (you can use the same mixing bowl just take your dough out and put a small amount of olive oil then place your dough back in and turn to coat dough with oil). Cover and let rise in warm dry place about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll each half into 12" x 15" rectangle. Roll dough tightly, from longest side, tapering ends and pinching the long seam. Put loaves on greased baking sheets (I just use olive oil non-stick spray). Cover and let rise in warm dry place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. With sharp knife, make 4 diagonal cuts on top of each loaf. Bake at 450F for 25 minutes, then remove from oven. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top top with fresh grated Parmesan (the more the better), return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes longer. Here is the key to the crusty bottom (you will see what I am talking about)~let the bread cool on the baking sheet. ~ You will See when you take your bread out of the oven that there is the excess olive oil on the bottom of the baking sheet and at first you will think you put to much oil when you drizzled it ~ this is correct and your bread will soak it up. It forms this crust on the bottom that is just incredible!
I personally don't think this bread needs any additional butter and served it with our favorite pasta dish or a a nice salad. My children's favorite is to actually make six rolls for meatball sandwiches. If you want to make additional loaves follow directions to make the two larger loaves but once they are roll out and the seams are pinched cut three even little loaves from each larger loaf and them place them on the baking sheet. You can also substitute the olive oil for melted butter (unsalted) and if you want to sweeten in up when you melt your butter to put on top towards the end of cooking add a tablespoon or two of honey. If you choose to serve with butter GET CREATIVE and make a fresh herb butter or a cranberry butter (just think of what will go with the rest of your meal and what season it is)!
Whole Wheat Parmesan Crusted French Bread Recipe:
2 packages active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups water (105F to 115 F)
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoon olive oil
7 cups Whole Wheat flour
Additional Olive Oil
Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add salt, olive oil, and flour.
Use your dough hook to mixer, turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute or until well blended. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer. Dough will be sticky (if it seems to dry add some water 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a slightly sticky dough).
Put dough in large greased bowl, turning to coat (you can use the same mixing bowl just take your dough out and put a small amount of olive oil then place your dough back in and turn to coat dough with oil). Cover and let rise in warm dry place about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll each half into 12" x 15" rectangle. Roll dough tightly, from longest side, tapering ends and pinching the long seam. Put loaves on greased baking sheets (I just use olive oil non-stick spray). Cover and let rise in warm dry place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. With sharp knife, make 4 diagonal cuts on top of each loaf. Bake at 450F for 25 minutes, then remove from oven. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top top with fresh grated Parmesan (the more the better), return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes longer. Here is the key to the crusty bottom (you will see what I am talking about)~let the bread cool on the baking sheet. ~ You will See when you take your bread out of the oven that there is the excess olive oil on the bottom of the baking sheet and at first you will think you put to much oil when you drizzled it ~ this is correct and your bread will soak it up. It forms this crust on the bottom that is just incredible!
I personally don't think this bread needs any additional butter and served it with our favorite pasta dish or a a nice salad. My children's favorite is to actually make six rolls for meatball sandwiches. If you want to make additional loaves follow directions to make the two larger loaves but once they are roll out and the seams are pinched cut three even little loaves from each larger loaf and them place them on the baking sheet. You can also substitute the olive oil for melted butter (unsalted) and if you want to sweeten in up when you melt your butter to put on top towards the end of cooking add a tablespoon or two of honey. If you choose to serve with butter GET CREATIVE and make a fresh herb butter or a cranberry butter (just think of what will go with the rest of your meal and what season it is)!
Please note if you choose to substitute all purpose flour for the whole wheat flour you may need to add a little more flour to make it the right consistency, just add a couple tablespoons at a time (off the top of my head probably adding 1/4 cup of flour should be sufficient).
ENJOY! And for those of you who are concerned about the carb overload just do some squats, crunches and some lunges the next morning...trust me it is worth it!
~With love and prayers for sweet blessings in your lives
Saturday, April 10, 2010
~Girly Girls~
I have two girls and shortly before my daughter was born last October I was introduced to Birdie & Peanut and Kendra's Snap-Cessories! They are great and so much fun. They are flower tops but you can interchange them with headbands and barrettes. I am on Birdie and Peanut restriction now but Kendra (the designer) will customize your snap-cessory too! WOO HOO!! Here are some of Kendra's Customized Flower Tops for my girls! Go look on her website, she also has tutus, beanies andmore...But...
BUYER BEWARE...these are addicting!
BUYER BEWARE...these are addicting!
www.birdieandpeanut.com
Another Favorite is Bitty Bows...The baby bows are guaranteed to stay in peach fuzz! I don't know how she does it but they do, I tested them out on my neice. Since my daughter was born for the most part she always has a Bitty Bow in her hair.
www.bittybowsboutique.com
~With love and prayers for sweet blessings in your lives
~Top O' the Morning to Ya~
Here is a FUN simple St. Patrick's Day craft that also incorporates the most important aspect in our lives...Jesus. I had some different sized shamrocks that our children could trace and cut out with green paper and then at the top of each shamrock I would write "I'm lucky with Jesus..." and they would complete the sentence (for younger children you could have them dictate the rest of the sentence to you) and decorate the shamrock with glitter and then we would hang them up...So not only is it a craft but a decoration too!
~With love and prayers for sweet blessings in your lives
~With love and prayers for sweet blessings in your lives
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