Layered Mediterranean Dip

This dip was "lick the plate clean" good.  

It really was.  There was nothing left on the plate after my gathering last night.  I will be adding this into the regular rotation.  It's like the old school layered taco dip, sort of, in its assembly, but the flavors are totally different.  And awesome.

I had pinned this, and finally got to make it - it's a keeper.  I just changed a few things, mostly because of what I had on hand. I totally guessed on the amounts - I know I prepared 1 cup of the chopped veggies, but didn't use all of it, because I thought it might get too moist or too loaded to eat on a chip.  Do whatever you feel like!

Layered Mediterranean Dip

1 container of hummus (make it if you like, I used Trader Joe's Garlic flavored hummus)
1 recipe cilantro pesto (see below)
1/3 c. seedless cucumber, chopped
2 tbsp. red onion, diced
2 tbsp. chopped Kalamata olives (I don't like olives, so I put them on 1/2 and barely used any)
3 tbsp. banana peppers, chopped
1/3 c. grape tomatoes, chopped
1/3 c. Feta cheese crumbles
fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Make your pesto - be sure to cover it tightly when you're done, or it will dark and a little creepy looking if exposed to air for a long time.  Start with the cilantro, garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor and process until a paste forms. Add the nuts and cheese then process until well-combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. While the processor is running, slowly stream in the remaining olive oil through the food chute and process until smooth.

Spread the hummus onto a plate, pie plate, or whatever you like.  Spread on the pesto, and then build your veggie layers. to and the rest of the ingredients in the order listed, topping with the crumbled feta and cilantro.  Serve with pita chips, bread or veggie slices.  I served with Trader Joe's whole wheat pita crackers  - they were sturdy-enough to really load on the dip - and some pita chips.

Cilantro Pesto: (just make it - it's easy)

1-1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, halved (about 1 tbsp.)
1/3 cup olive oil, divided (I used about 4 tbsp.)
1/4 c. roasted, unsalted almonds (it's what I had)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Marbled Potatoes Two Ways

Tried a new recipe for a side dish recently...

I made some twice-baked potatoes the other day using a combo of russet potatoes and sweet potatoes - so good!  I had a lot of filling left over and just served that as a mashed potato side another night.  The kids didn't mind it, either, which is always a bonus!  Sorry for the pics - it's a phone pic, taken before I baked them.  You get the general idea... 

Marbled Twice-Baked Potatoes

4 large russet potatoes
1 large sweet potato (I had 2 medium-ish ones, and used those)
1/4 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
2 tbsp. fresh chives, minced (could also use scallions, sliced thin)
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
freshly grated nutmeg (optional, but I like it!)
salt & pepper to taste

Poke your potatoes a few times, and bake them at 400 degrees for about an hour, or until they're tender.  Take them out, and let cool for a bit.  Slice the sweet potato in half, and then squeeze the delicious insides right into the bowl.  For the russet potatoes, slice off the tops (length-wise), and then scoop out the insides with a spoon.

Combine the rest of the ingredients and potato with a fork, and then spoon back into the hollowed out shells.  Bake about 30 minutes more at 350 degrees, or until they're kind of browned and crispy on top, and heated all the way through.  You can make them in advance, too - I made mine in the morning, put the stuffed potatoes in the fridge and then baked them later for dinner.

You can just serve the filling as-is, like a mashed potatoes-type side, or fill the potato shells and make twice-baked potatoes with this recipe.  

Quick & Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Tried a new recipe today...

I needed to do a practice run for the 2 upcoming bake sales I need to contribute goodies to.   As I am terrible at kneading and letting dough rise, and managing the time - I will more than likely walk away and forget about the poor lump of dough - I tried a recipe where I could do the dough in the bread machine, and get around all of that.   Last time I made them the traditional way, I ended up being up way, way too late at night so they would be ready for the morning, and it was not fun.  They were AWESOME, but stressful. This method worked out well - I'd make them again - it was ridiculously easy. (See that little crazy one in the top of the picture, by the way?   That was an end piece I squeezed in there, and it was just like a built-in sample piece, so I went ahead and grabbed it as soon as they came out of the oven.)  I made 2 9" rounds, and squeezed 8-9 rolls in each one, and then I baked one pan, and stuck the other one in the freezer to see how they do frozen.  I'll report back.

Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 c. milk
3 tbsp. water
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. butter
2 1/3 c. all-purpose white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. yeast

Filling:
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
4 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter, softened

Put yeast in bread machine first on bottom, then flour, sugar and salt.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, and add milk, water and beaten egg.  Remove from heat.  Pour onto dry ingredients in bread machine.  Put machine on dough cycle (takes about 90 minutes).  The dough might get close to the top of your machine, so if you have a small bread machine, you might want to make 1/2 the recipe.

On a lightly floured surface, knead gently with a dusting of flour to make it easy to handle.  If it's too springy when you try to roll it out, cover and let it sit about 10 minutes.  With a floured rolling pin, roll out into a rectangle (about 1/4 thick), approximately 12 x 16 or so.  Spread the filling over the entire surface.

Use filling and spread over entire surface of dough with spoon.  Roll up dough, and slice into about 1" thick rounds.  Place rolls in a greased 9 x 13 pan, or two 9" rounds.  Cover with a towel and let ride about 30 minutes, until doubled in size.  Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes, until the rolls are golden on top.  Let cool, and spread icing on if desired.  I used the recipe below - YUM.


Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (I used Neufchatel)
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Stromboli

We had the BEST stromboli for lunch today!

I made the dough yesterday, and stuck it in the fridge, and then quick threw the stromboli together and baked it for lunch today.  It took about 40 minutes to prep and bake.  We had a bunch of random deli meats and cheeses that needed to be used up, so this was the perfect way to do it.  I've approximated the quantities below - you can use what you have on hand, or buy what you need using the quantities below for a guide.

Stromboli

• 1 recipe pizza Bread Machine Pizza Dough (below)
• your favorite meats & cheeses - here's approximately what I used, and all were Boar's Head brand if it matters:
• 12 slices hard salami, thinly sliced
• 6-12 slices deli pepperoni, thinly sliced
• 6 slices deli ham, thinly sliced
• 6 slices deli turkey, thinly sliced
• 6 slices picante provolone, thinly sliced
• 1 c. or so of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 c. or so of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• freshly ground black pepper
• thinly sliced onions, green peppers, etc. optional (my kids don't do veggies)
• 1 egg 
• marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Stretch out your dough - I made 2 smaller strombolis, since we added a few veggies to one, and left one more plain for the kids.  Shape it into a rough rectangle, about the size of a baking sheet.  You'll be putting your filling on the middle 1/3 of your dough.  I sprinkled some garlic power and Italian seasoning (I had a leftover mix I had made for another recipe with dried oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme) - you can do this or skip it if you like.  Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese, and layer the meats.  Top with the provolone slices (only since we had them - go as cheesy or not cheesy as you like).  Grind a little fresh black pepper on top if you feel like it.

Then, pull the sides over to cover the toppings, and seal the ends (put the seam side down on your pan), or get fancy like I did - take a kitchen shears, and snip strips in the 1/3 of the dough on either side of your topping (don't go too far in) about every inch or so.  Then alternate the strips and cross them over, and tuck the ends under.  Use the egg to make an egg wash, and brush over the top of the dough.  I sprinkled a little more garlic powder and seasoning on top, and then sprinkled the grated Parmesan cheese on top.  

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until your stromboli is golden and awesome-looking.  Take it out, and rest for a few minutes before you slice into it, so all the goods don't go sliding out all over the place.  Serve with warmed marinara sauce on the side.  Enjoy!

Bread Machine Pizza Dough

2 tsp. active dry yeast
3 c. bread flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1-2 tbsp. honey (I just drizzled in without measuring - I'm guessing I used about 1.5 tbsp.)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. plus 2 tbsp. water

In the order listed above, add ingredients to your bread machine.  Select Dough cycle, and walk away (usually takes about 90 minutes).  When the dough is finished, you can freeze it, refrigerate it for later, or let it rest in a bowl spritzed with EVOO for about 30 minutes (cover with some plastic wrap spritzed with oil so it doesn't stick), and then start shaping the dough.  Place on well-greased baking sheet (or you can use a baking stone - just start pre-heating it while you're working with the dough).  I actually used a baking sheet with parchment paper - super easy.

Beef & Broccoli with Rice

Yes!  A dinner everyone LIKED!

We all love Chinese food, and any take on it, so tonight we tried a recipe for beef & broccoli, and everyone ATE IT.  And LIKED IT.  Whoo-hoo!  Here's my take on the original recipe, found here. Sorry for the less than attractive photo - the fam swooped in on the food and I had to scramble for the camera before it was all gone. 

Beef & Broccoli with Rice

Add the following ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag, and then "knead" to coat.  Marinate in the fridge for at least a hour (I cheated, and only did it for about 30 minutes, and it still worked out, but longer is better).  You could also toss in the freezer at this point for a freezer meal, so why not make 2 meals - one for tonight, and one for another night or to share? 

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1-1/2 tbsp. olive oil (that's what I used - recipe called for vegetable oil)
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lb. round steak (or flank steak, or strip steak, or whatever), sliced thin against the grain 

In a small bowl, combine the following, and set aside (for a freezer meal, I'd put this is a quart-sized freezer bag, and stick it inside the bag of veggies):

• 1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil olive oil (what I used - do what you need to do)
• 1 tbsp sherry 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar (I didn't have sherry, so I used rice wine vinegar, and we liked it.  If you DO use sherry, DON'T use "cooking sherry" - it's super salty and kind of gross, in my opinion.  Go buy a bottle in the wine/liquor department of a decent (or cheap, whatever!) sherry, and use that instead.  The general rule with alcohol and cooking is, "if you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it.")

Prep your veggies (you could throw these into a freezer bag, and freeze separately from marinating meat for a freezer meal):

• 2 broccoli crowns, rinsed and cut into florets (could also do pea pods instead - yum!!)
• 1/2 white onion, diced or sliced super thin (optional - I  just tend to add onion to everything)
• 1-2 carrots, sliced thin (optional - I didn't have any tonight, but I'd throw them in next time)

Start cooking your rice.  Heat 1 tbsp. oil  (recipe called for vegetable oil - I've been trying to sub in coconut oil and olive oil whenever possible) in a large saute pan.  Add broccoli, onions and carrots, and saute 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer veggies to a plate.  Then heat 1 more tbsp. oil to the pan, and add half of the the marinated meat, browning each side.  Remove to a plate, and then brown the rest of the meat.  When cooked to your liking, reduce heat, add back meat, juices, and veggies to pan.  Mix in the sauce, and cook until heated through.  Serve over brown rice. 

Note: my husband grabbed the crushed red pepper flakes, and sprinkled on a healthy dose, so feel free to do that if that's your kind of thing. 

Meal Planning with Picky Kids

Ugh.  The kids are super picky still...

That, paired with some illness and a ridiculous weeknight schedule with basketball and other activities has made meal planning a huge challenge.  I winged it last week, trying to use up things we had in the freezer and pantry.  Here's what we ended up with:

• Monday: spaghetti with this sauce - every kid likes that - I just kept the beef out during cooking, and then used my immersion blender to blend the MANY veggies I threw in so the kids didn't freak out, then stirred in the browned and drained meat.
• Tuesday: chicken fajita bowls - rice, seasoned chicken, peppers/onions, various toppings
• Wednesday: beef tacos - holy spicy taco mix, Trader Joe - whew!  we all were surprised...
• Thursday: baked chicken (mystery freezer meal discovered in the freezer) with brown rice and steamed veggies
• Friday: ordered pizza - mom got sick, what can I say? 
• Saturday: leftovers, and some egg/Canadian bacon/cheese English muffin sandwiches (yep, still sick)

For this week, when asked, the kids said they wanted steak with blue cheese and Chinese food for dinner.  And chicken.  Really?  No help there... So here's the rough plan:

• Beef with broccoli - trying a Pinned recipe
• Homemade baked chicken tenders with various dipping sauces
• Steak sandwiches with Cambozola and caramelized onions, some homemade fries maybe
• Chicken/Broccoli/Asiago/Penne Skillet
• Back-ups/options in the freezer for quick meals: chili, chicken noodle soup, browned ground beef, cooked, ready to throw into anything (tacos, sloppy joes, etc.), shredded chicken, some Ney's burger patties for quick burgers, a # of bacon, and a host of veggies

We'll see what happens...

Baked French Toast

I don't love French Toast.

It's true.  But the rest of the family does, so I made this easy baked French toast recipe a few weeks ago, and it turned out pretty well.  I made it in the morning, and baked it for dinner - we do breakfast for dinner almost every week.  You could also do this in the evening and let it sit in the fridge overnight, and then bake it in the morning.  It's great when you have guests, or want a nice lazy morning Brunch dish.

That isn't the most attractive photo, but it tasted great, and smelled fantastic as it was baking!

Easy Baked French Toast

1 loaf of Challah bread, sliced about 1" thick, slightly stale (you could also use a hearty French bread)
6 eggs
4 c. milk (I used 3 c. skim milk and 1 c. half & half since I needed to use it up)
1 tbsp. granulated sugar  (depending on what you're serving with it, you could do a little more)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I'm wondering if I made it with cinnamon raisin bread next time, what would happen?)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Optional: add in 2 tbsp. or so maple syrup (the real stuff, please) for a little extra flavor, and/or some frozen berries (you could use dried fruit, too)

Add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a bowl, and whisk to combine.  Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish, and then layer half of the slices of bread in the bottom of the dish.  Pour half of the egg mixture over top.

I added in a handful of frozen blueberries, since I had them on hand (I had frozen a bunch of leftover berries before they disappeared into obscurity in the fridge  and happened to find the little container in the freezer - score!).  Since I was testing out the recipe, I only added them to half of the pan, in case the kiddos didn't want/like them, between the layers of bread.  (They went over well, and and I would definitely add them in again).   You could also sprinkle some nuts in there, or over top if you like them kind of crunchy.

Cover with the remaining slice of bread, and then pour the rest of the egg mixture over the top, as evenly as possibly.  Press the bread down a bit, to really soak in the liquid.   Top with a little sprinkle of cinnamon, some nuts or a few more berries if you like, then cover with plastic wrap tightly. Refrigerate overnight or at least for 6-8 hours (I rushed it a little  by doing it in the late morning, so I needed to cook it a little longer - I'd do it the night before next time).

Baked in a preheated oven at 425 degrees, uncovered, until it is golden and puffy-looking (seriously, that's the best way to describe it).  This should take 30-45 minutes. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before you slice into it, and then serve with your favorite toppings - fresh berries, warmed maple syrup, or whatever your family likes.  Enjoy!