French Bread- yum!

French Bread

1 1/4 cups water (70 to 80 degrees F)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon cornmeal
Glaze:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

In bread machine pan, place the first five ingredients in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal; place loaves seam side down on prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes. Whisk egg and water; brush over loaves. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Ohana Bread Pudding and Bananas Foster Sauce

Bread Pudding
5 eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cup sugar
8 cups french

In bowl mix eggs, milk , salt, sugar and nutmeg. Set aside. Cut bread in medium pieces, place on cookie sheet pan put in 350 degree oven. Bake bread until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Remove bread and place in egg and milk mixture. Place mixture in a greased 10-inch cake pan and bake at 325 degree for 1 hour. Let stand 5 minutes, serve hot with ice cream and sauce.

Bananas Foster Suace
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup spiced rum (I know- scandalous. We do burn the alcohol off though :) )
1 cup banana slices

Combine sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and half of heavy cream in a large pan. Bring to a boil and slowly add remaining heavy cream keeping mixture at a steady boil. Add spiced rum and flambe. Sauce will brown slightly; cook 3 minutes until candy forms into a firm ball in cold water. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Add sliced bananas. Serve warm.

This recipe is from http://allears.net/din/rec.htm

Pioneer Woman BBQ Meatballs and Mashies

Meatballs

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3/4 cup oats

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons very finely minced onion

1 1/2 teaspoon saltplenty of ground black pepper

Sauce

1 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

4 to 6 tablespoons onion

Dash of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes. Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour. Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish. Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty french bread.

Creamy, Yummy Mashed Potatoes
5 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
3/4 cup butter
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 to 3/4 cup half and half
1/2-1 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1/2-1 tsp. black pepper

Peel and cut potatoes into small, equal sized pieces. Boil for 30-35 minutes in a large pot of water. Potatoes should be soft and fall off a fork when poked. Drain the potatoes then return them to the same pot. Mash over low heat. When thoroughly mashed, turn off heat and add softened butter and cream cheese. Add half & half. Mash until creamy and smooth! Season with Lawry's and pepper. Dish into a baking dish and add a few pats of butter to the top. These mashed potatoes may be made ahead and refridgerated in the baking dish. When ready to reheat, warm the potatoes in a 350 degree oven till butter melted and potatoes are warmed through.

These recipes and the photo are from the website http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/.

Buttermilk Syrup

Buttermilk Syrup

1 and 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil (adding baking soda to mixture last)- except for the vanilla extract. Allow to boil over medium low heat for 7-10 minutes until caramel brown. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla. Serve warm over pancakes or waffles.

Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee

2 cup whipping cream (heavy cream)

1 whole vanilla bean

1/4 cup sugar

6 whole egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium pot heat cream over medium low. Slice vanilla bean, scrape out seeds and add to cream. Whisk everything together, and let come to a slight boil. In a separate bowl mix the egg yolks and sugar together. Then slowly whisk a little bit of the hot cream into the egg mixture. Whisk constantly while slowly adding in the remaining cream. Strain the mixture and pour into ramekins. Place ramekins into baine marie. Bake for 22-26 minutes, depending on size of ramekins. Once done, let cool and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Finishing the Brulée

6 tbsp. white sugar

Once you are ready to serve, sprinkle top of custard with sugar and caramelize the top. The best way to do this is to use a torch. You can also use the broiler. Let cool for a minute before serving.

Cafe Rio Pork

3 lbs. pork roast
16 oz. Pace salsa
1 can Coke
2 cups brown sugar

Combine the pork and water in crock pot. Cook on high for 5 hours. Drain liquid. Combine coke, salsa and brown sugar in crock pot with pork. Cook on high for 3 more hours. Shred meat with fork. Serve with warm cook and serve tortillas, salsa verde, sour cream, mexican rice and cheese. Yum!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies/Chocolate Mousse Cake

These two yummy looking recipes are ones I want to try, but haven't. I'll let you know how they go.


White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies

1/2 pound butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and rough chopped (see note below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Place 1/2 pound of the butter and the brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until a smooth batter is formed. While the machine is running, add the eggs and vanilla extract, until incorporated into the batter.Mix in 3 cups flour and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed until a dough is formed. Very gently, by turning the mixer on and then off, fold the chips and nuts into the dough.Once the dough is all blended, line a 11x7-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. This will make it easy to remove the bars and cut them up for serving. Pour the batter into the pan and place in the preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until set yet still moist.To toast macadamia nuts : Spread nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in 400-degree F. oven. Toast until golden (about 5 to 7 minutes) stirring half way through.



Chocolate Mousse Cake

2 prepared 8" or 9" round chocolate cakes

Chocolate Mousse
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 cup (1/2 pt.) cold whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small cup; let stand 1 minute to soften. Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Cool slightly.
2. Stir together sugar and cocoa in medium bowl; add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of mixer, scraping bottom of bowl occasionally, until mixture is stiff. Pour in gelatin mixture; beat until well blended.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
5 to 7 Tbsp. milk
1. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa. Gradually add powdered sugar mixture alternately with 3 Tbsp. milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Beat in up to 4 Tbsp. additional milk for desired consistency.

Place one of the round cakes on your serving plate and top with chocolate mousse. Top with remaining cake round and frost entire cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. Be careful at the spots where the chocolate mousse is. You need to get the frosting to just cover those spots, if you spread to much in those areas the chocolate mousse can get mixed into the frosting. Keep cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can bring it out a little before serving to allow the frosting to soften.

These are both from http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com/. Awesome site!