Drop Cookies: Granola Bar Cookies

Granola bars are great. They're delicious and at least a little healthy. But it's even better when the granola bar becomes a cookie. A little flour, a little butter, and boom, Granola Bar Cookie. Make these for a crowd.


You can use either chocolate chips or raisins. Or do a batch of each, depending on who you're serving these to.


Ingredients


¾ cup all purpose flour
1½ cups rolled oats
½ cup wheat germ
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
¼ cup chocolate chips or raisins
¼ cup almonds, chopped
⅛ cup sesame seeds
⅛ cup shelled sunflower seeds


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. Cream together brown sugar, butter, and honey in a large bowl. Add vanilla and egg and blend well. Gently mix in all other ingredients until you have a consistent cookie dough. It may be a little dry, and that's okay.


Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges of cookies are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets, cooling on wire racks. Cooled cookies can be store for up to 5 days in an airtight container.


This recipes makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookies.

Yeast Breads: Cracked Wheat Bread

Wholesome and delicious, Cracked Wheat Bread is excellent fresh out of the oven or toasted a couple days later. The raisins in this loaf are optional, so if you don't like raisins, leave them out.


Ingredients


¾ cup cracked wheat
½ cup raisins (optional)
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup very hot water
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
½ cup water
1 tsp salt
3 cups all purpose flour
1 egg, slightly beaten


Preparation


Combine cracked wheat, raisins, brown sugar, butter, and hot water in a large bowl. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Add water, salt, flour, and yeast. Mix well until a loose dough forms. Turn dough out onto a flour surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic ball forms. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover loosely, and let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Shape into a round loaf with a smooth top, about 8-10 inches in diameter. Place loaf on a prepared baking sheet and cover loosely. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size once again, this time it will take about 45 minutes.


When the dough has fully risen, heat oven to 375°F. Using a bread lame or very sharp knife, score the top of the loaf in a crisscross fashion, creating the lattice pattern on the top. Brush entire loaf with beaten egg. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped.


Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Drop Cookies: Chocolate Raisin Cookies

The raisins in this recipe give the cookies a moist and chewy texture. You could frost these cookies, if you wanted to, but they're delicious just as they are.


Ingredients


½ cup sugar
⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
Dash of salt
⅔ cup raisins


Preparation


Heat oven to 350°F. Cream together sugars and butter. Add vanilla and egg and blend well. Mix in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until all ingredients are well combined. Fold in raisins.


Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, until edges are set. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks. Store for up to a week in airtight container.


This recipes makes about 18 cookies, depending on the size.

Pastry: Parmesan Pastry Twists

If you're having soup or salad, these cheesy pastries are a delightful and light accompaniment. They're also a great after school snack and are easy to pack for picnics. These are made with puff pastry, which you can make yourself or you can buy frozen at your local grocery store. Either way will work.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Easy Puff Pastry
¼ cup parmesan cheese
¼ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp basil leaves, dried
1 egg, slightly beaten


Preparation


Heat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine parmesan, garlic powder, and basil. Roll out the puff pastry dough on a floured surface until you have a 10x14-inch rectangle. Square up the corners as best you can.


Brush the dough with the egg, covering the surface completely. Don't cover the very edges. If you cover the edges (or parts where you've cut the dough) it may not puff correctly. So cover the surface fully, but don't cover the little edges. Sprinkle with the cheese mixture.


Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough so you have 2 5x14-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 28 strips that are ½-inch wide. You can go a little wider if you like, but you'll get fewer strips.


Twist each strip 3 or 4 times and place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on wire racks, then store in an airtight container for up to a week. Or just eat them. That's what we do.


This recipe makes 56 strips or less, depending on how wide you cut them.

Drop Cookies: Chocolate Brownie Cookies

These cookies are completely delicious, mostly because they're basically brownie batter dropped on a cookie sheet. Delicious. They're also quite sticky, so use a nonstick liner or parchment paper to bake these cookies on. Don't be tempted to use wax paper. It might be nonstick, but it smokes when used in the oven.


Instead of using a saucepan, you can use a chocolate melter or fondue pot to melt the chocolate and butter together. It's simple and you definitely won't burn the chocolate.


Ingredients


¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
⅓ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup milk chocolate chips
¾ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)


Preparation


Heat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan or chocolate melter, melt semi-sweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.


In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at a medium speed for 3 minutes. Blend in melted chocolate. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold in milk chocolate and walnuts, being careful not to crush the walnuts too much.


Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, until cookies are just set. Let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then cool completely on racks. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Pastry: Easy Puff Pastry

Puff pastry is actually very easy to make, if you have the time. While it doesn't take any particular skill, it does take all day. There's a lot of folding, a lot of rolling, and a lot of spreading butter on the dough, not to mention the time the dough will spend chilling in the refrigerator. It's worth the effort if you like to bake things from scratch.


The real secret to this dough is keeping it cold. Refrigerate it between steps and use ice cold water in the dough itself. You might even want to use a metal rolling pin that has been refrigerated overnight. The dough will turn out all the better for it. Just don't substitute anything for the butter. No margarine, no shortening, nothing. Just butter.


When you work with puff pastry, make sure to keep it cold. Refrigerate the portions you're not working with. Puff pastry should go from the fridge to the oven for best results. If you're going to reroll puff pastry that you've cut, don't roll it up into a ball first. Layer it instead, then roll, or your pastry will not puff properly.


Ingredients


3 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup ice water
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups butter, softened


Preparation


This dough is relatively simple, so throw everything except the butter into a large bowl and mix until you have a soft dough that you can manipulate. Add a little extra water if you have to, but not so much that you end up with a sticky mess. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a 12x15-inch rectangle.


Spread with ¼ cup butter, but stay about an inch away from all edges. Fold into thirds so that you have a 12x5-inch rectangle, making sure to fold over the butter. Pinch edges sealed and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.


Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out again until it is a 12x15-inch rectangle once more. Spread with another ¼ cup of butter. Fold into thirds, pinch edges until they're sealed, cover, and refrigerate for another hour. Continue to repeat this process until you have no more butter. Make sure you have folded, sealed, and rolled out the dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle.


At this point, you can use the puff pastry immediately for freeze for future use. If you're freezing it, place the entire 12x15-inch rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll up the dough gently and freeze.


Before you use the frozen dough, let it thaw on the counter for at least 2 hours.


This puff pastry can be used in any recipe calling for puff pastry.

Twisted Rye Bread

This rye bread has two different flavors twisted together. One half is a more traditional rye bread, the other is flavored with cocoa powder. The trick here is to basically make two half-portions of dough. So there will be two separate ingredients for Twisted Rye Bread.


Ingredients


For the Rye Half
¾ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
½ rye flour
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup milk
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp butter or margarine




For the Cocoa Half
¾ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
½ rye flour
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup milk
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp anise seed


Preparation


You're basically going to make 2 smaller batches of dough. Their both made in much the same way. Combine the ingredients for the first batch in a medium bowl. Blend until a loose dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. Repeat with the other batch. You now have 2 portions of dough.


Place each dough in its own oiled bowl and cover. Let both rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down both portions. One at a time, roll them out with your hands until you have 2 14-inch ropes of dough. Lay these ropes side by side. Pinch them together at one end, then twist them together loosely. Pinch the ropes together at the unsealed end.


Place the twisted loaf on a prepared cookie sheet. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Bake loaf to 25 minutes, until it sounds hollow when tapped. Cool at least 2 minutes before cutting.

Drop Cookies: Raspberry Twinks

These cookies feature poppy seeds and raspberry jam. Twinks are adaptable, so you can leave out the poppy seeds and use a different type of fruit preserve. Try marmalade, cherry preserves, or strawberry jam instead of raspberry. You won't be disappointed.


Ingredients


½ cup powdered sugar
½ butter or margarine, softened
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
¼ cup raspberry jam


Preparation


Heat oven to 300°F. Cream together the sugar, butter, vanilla and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, salt, and poppy seeds. Mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a prepared cookie sheet. Fashion each cookie into a ball shape. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie, making a small indentation.


Using a small spoon, place jam in the indentation of each cookie. Bake for 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove immediately from cookie sheet. Cool completely before eating.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Drop Cookies: Marshmallow Sandwiches

These cookies are decadent, so you probably won't make them every day. Or you might, if you have kids who love them as much as mine do. They look complicated, but they're not. Bake the cookies, cool, melt some marshmallows. Let set. Done.


For melting marshmallows, I definitely recommend using an electric chocolate melter or fondue pot. The marshmallows will melt well enough and you don't have to bother using the microwave. The fondue pot will keep the marshmallows warm and soft while you work as well, making spreading them over the cookies easier. While you can use the microwave or a pot on the stove, a fondue pot is definitely easier.


Ingredients


1 cup sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ salt
10 large marshmallows
1 tsp butter


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream together sugar, ½ cup butter, vanilla, and egg. Add milk and stir gently until you have a consistent liquid batter. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well until you have a cookie dough that is consistent but still very wet.


Using two teaspoons, drop balls of dough onto a prepared cookie sheet. Use about 2 tsp of dough for each cookie. You should get between 30 and 40 cookies, depending on how large you make them. Bake for 7 minutes, until the edges are set. Allow to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks.


When cookies are completely cooled, melt marshmallow and 1 tsp of butter and blend well. While the marshmallows are still hot, pick up a cookie and turn it over. Spread some of the marshmallows on the bottom of the cookie. Top with another cookie, creating a puffy-looking sandwich. Allow to set before eating.


This recipe makes between 15 and 20 sandwiches.

Yeast Breads: Caraway Rye Bread

Caraway seeds are delicious, especially when paired with a mild onion flavor. That's what makes this bread tasty. You can use this bread for sandwiches, toast, or simply throw scrambled eggs on top of it and call it a day. It's versatile and it smells great as its baking.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup rye flour
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp salt
¾ tsp onion powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1⅛ cup water
1 egg, slightly beaten
Coarse salt


Preparation


There's no need to dissolve quick rise yeast, so throw everything except the egg and the coarse salt into a large bowl and mix until you have a consistent dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and slightly stretchy. Place in a slightly oiled bowl and cover loosely. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down dough, removing all air bubbles. Shape dough into a loaf. You can use a greased bread pan if you like, though for this dough I don't. Cover the loaf once again and allow to rise, this time about 45 minutes. It should once again double in size.


Heat oven to 375°F. Use a bread lame or a sharp knife to create slightly gashes in the loaf. These gashes should run diagonally and be no deeper than ¼-inch deep. Brush the loaf with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 22 minutes, until loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped.


Allow loaf to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Easy Side Dishes: Teriyaki Risotto

Rice is great. It's delicious and versatile, lending itself well toward a Teriyaki Risotto. I've used a teriyaki sauce that I'd previously made in this recipe. You can make your own sauce, or you can buy a small jar of teriyaki sauce. Either way works well enough.


Ingredients


2 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken breast, skinless and boneless
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
2 tbsp mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sesame seeds


Preparation


In a small saucepan, combine water and chicken stock. Heat over very low heat. You only need to keep the liquid at a bare simmer, just enough so it isn't cold.


Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breast, cooking until cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes per side. Remove chicken and drain on paper towels. Add shallots and garlic cloves to the skillet. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add rice and toss to coat.


Using a large ladle, add some of the liquid from the saucepan one scoop at a time. Stir almost constantly, adding more liquid as the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Keep stirring as you add the salt, pepper, and teriyaki sauce. Chop the chicken breast during this time. When you add the very last of your liquid, stir in the frozen peas and the chopped chicken. Stir as the last of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.


Add the cheeses and the butter and stir until both are melted. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.


This recipe serves 4 if it's used as a side dish. 2 if it's used as a main dish.

Sandwiches & Burgers: Sizzling Fajitas

The best thing about Sizzling Fajitas is you can put anything you like in them. Don't like onion? Leave them out. Want more sour cream? No one's stopping you. They're the ultimate in customizable food. But having somewhere to start, especially when it comes to seasoning your chicken, is helpful.


Ingredients


¾ cup lime juice
½ cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp cumin
1½ tsp hot pepper flakes
4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
l large tomato, chopped
¾ cup salsa
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Lettuce, shredded
8 flour tortillas, warmed


Preparation


In a large bowl, combine lime juice, oil, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Whisk together until well combined. This is your marinade. Reserve half of it in a smaller bowl. Place the chicken in the larger bowl with the marinade. Turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. I like to leave it for an hour or two. This lets the chicken really absorb the flavor of the marinade.


Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Also add half of the reserve marinade from the smaller bowl. Only half. You'll need the other half of the reserve marinade later. Stir-fry the onion and bell pepper until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. You don't want them too soft. Just barely tender. Remove from heat.


Take the chicken out of its marinade and grill or broil it for 7 to 10 minutes per side, until cooked throughout. Discard the chicken's marinade (it's had raw chicken in it, after all). Use the other half of the reserve marinade (the one in the smaller bowl) to baste the chicken as it cooks. When chicken is cooked, remove from grill and slice into thin strips. Place the strips in the skillet with the onion and pepper. Toss to coat everything well.


Lay out the flour tortillas and fill with the chicken mixture. Add sour cream, salsa, tomato, lettuce, cheese, or any other toppings you like. Roll up to enclose the filling. Place seam-side down. Top with sour cream and more cheese, if desired. Sprinkle with chives or parsley.


Serve immediately.

Sandwiches & Burgers: Roasted Hot Dogs

I love hot dogs, but I hate boiling them. They get all slimy and icky and are practically inedible. I also hate that even when I roast them, the insides are just...insides. Making the perfect crispy hot dog takes a little more work than boiling it or throwing it in the oven, but it's worth it.


The perfect roasted hot dog has to be sliced, but not all the way through, before it is cooked. You can buy a little plastic device, called a Curl-A-Dog, that will slice your hot dogs before cooking. I have these and they are excellent. If you don't have one, you can achieve the same effect using a skewer and a sharp knife. Details will be included below.


You can use any hot dogs you like. Beef, pork, chicken, or even veggie or soy hot dogs all work well.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Hamburger Buns
12 hot dogs
Various hot dog toppings


Preparation


Make your buns by following the directions in the Hamburger Bun recipe, but shape the buns into hot dog buns instead. You can use a mold, or you can shape them freehand. Either way, they'll have to rise and be baked and cooled before you can proceed. You could, alternatively, use store-bought buns.


Once you have your buns, you can cook your hot dogs. These are roasted, so there won't be any boiling or any other nonsense. But there will be slicing. If you have a Curl-A-Dog, use it to slice your hot dogs. I'm going to assume most people don't have a Curl-A-Dog in a drawer. If you don't, get a metal or wooden skewer. Thread your hot dog onto the skewer end to end (long end). Try to keep the skewer in the middle of the hot dog as you go. If you're going to be cooking the hot dog over an open flame, you can use a roasting stick as your skewer.


Once your hot dog is on the skewer, place the hot dog on a cutting board. Slice into the hot dog with a sharp knife, making deep gashes into the hot dog. You should slice at an angle, all the way down to the skewer. Keep the knife parallel to the cutting board so you don't end up slicing the hot dog to bits. I usually make 8 or 10 slashes in each hot dog.


Turn the hot dog over and repeat. Make sure you have turned the hot dog completely over or you might accidentally slice the hot dog to bits. Make your diagonal slashes, again only to the skewer. Even just shy of the skewer so the hot dog stays intact.


If you're cooking the hot dog on an open flame, you've probably used a roasting stick instead of a skewer. If so, you're ready to roast the hot dog. If you're cooking the hot dog in the oven, you'll want to heat your oven to 400°F and gently remove the hot dog from the skewer. There's no need to cook it on the skewer if you're using the oven. Pull it off, being careful not to tear it, and place it on a baking sheet. Roast or bake your hot dog until it's as done as you like it. I like mine almost black, which takes about 20 minutes in the oven. Most people are happy with a 10 or 15-minute hot dog.


As it cooks, the hot dog will expand and the insides will cook and get crispy. The longer the hot dog cooks, the crispier the sliced edges will become. It's actually quite easy to burn these, so do keep an eye on them.


Once the hot dog is cooked, slice your hot dog buns and place the hot dog inside. Top with mustard, cheese, onions, or anything else you like on your hot dog.


Serve immediately.

Yeast Breads: Honey Oat Bread

Breads that are light and fluffy, yet wholesome and hearty, and the perfect addition to your day. Use this bread to create stunning and delicious sandwiches of all kinds.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
2⅔ cups all purpose flour
⅔ cup quick oats
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey
1 cup water
1 tbsp cornmeal


Preparation


You don't have to dissolve the yeast, so place all ingredients except cornmeal in a large bowl and blend until the dough clings together. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until a soft dough has formed. Place this dough in a slightly oiled bowl and cover loosely. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. Shape into a loaf that vaguely resembles a baguette, only thicker. Sprinkle cornmeal on baking sheet and place loaf on top. Allow loaf to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Bake loaf for 22 minutes, until golden brown. Loaf should sound hollow when tapped. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Yeast Breads: Golden Apricot Bread

Sweet breads are perfect for jams and jellies. They are especially popular for making the classic peanut butter and jam sandwich. This bread gets its flavor from apricot nectar and yogurt. Apricot nectar can be found at most large grocery stores. If you can't find it, consider ordering it online. It's worth the extra hassle.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup apricot nectar
½ cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 egg
¾ cup carrots, chopped (optional)


Preparation


There's no need to dissolve the yeast, so throw everything in a large bowl and mix until all ingredients are fully combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until you have a smooth ball of dough that is slightly stretchy. Place dough in a slightly oiled bowl and cover lightly. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Spray a bread pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Punch down the dough, removing all air to prevent stray air bubbles. Shape the dough into a smooth loaf and set it in the loaf pan. Cover loosely and set in a warm place to rise. Allow loaf to double in shape, which will take about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough and bake for 22 minutes, until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool 10 minutes in loaf pan, then cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with jams and other spreads.

Drop Cookies: Giant Peanut Cookies

I absolutely love peanuts. So it makes sense that I would love them in my cookies. These cookies are made with peanut butter and jumbo peanuts. The peanuts can be roasted and salted, or they can be unsalted if you prefer. Just make sure you use large size peanuts. Smaller peanuts will get lost in the dough.


Ingredients


⅔ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
¾ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
Dash of salt
⅔ cup large peanuts


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Blend well. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold in peanuts.


Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto a prepared baking sheet. Do not flatten. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges are a light golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks.


This recipe makes 2 dozen cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Though they never last that long in our house...

Snacks & Appetizers: Garlic Bread

Who doesn't like garlic bread? Well, people who don't like garlic, I suppose. For everyone else, garlic bread is delicious and pairs well with pasta and other dishes. It's also a great snack for parties or simply for when the kids get home from school.


You can use any bread to make this. You might try rye bread, buttermilk bread, Vienna bread, or even Challah bread. I like mine made with sour bread or sourdough. This particular recipe uses just white bread, but don't be afraid to use whatever you have on hand.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic White Bread
½ butter, melted
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 tbsp parsley
grated cheese (optional)


Preparation


Make the bread according to the recipe direction. But don't put it in a bread pan for its second rise. Instead, shape your dough into a long loaf similar to a baguette but a bit fatter. A loaf that's about 14 inches long should be sufficient. Let rise and bake as directed.


Allow the loaf to cool completely before proceeding. Once it is cool, heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the loaf open longwise, separating the top of the loaf from the bottom. Try to keep your cut nice and even. I like to use an electric knife for this step.


Open the loaf and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Combine the butter, garlic powder, parsley, and parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Pour this butter mixture over both halves of the loaf. Use a pastry brush to make sure the butter coats the bread evenly. Allow mixture to sit for 2 minutes so the butter makes its way down into the bread.


Sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired. If not, skip this step. You can use as much or as little cheese as you like. If you do use cheese, sprinkle a little more parsley on top of the cheese. Though this isn't necessary, it makes the bread look nicer.


Bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges of the loaf are browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Yeast Breads: Easy Sour Bread

Sourdough is delicious and wonderful, but it also takes a week to make. If you want something similar right now, try this Easy Sour Bread. It uses sour cream and vinegar to get a flavor very much like traditional sourdough. It's not sourdough, but in a pinch it will do.


I still recommend making real sourdough. Nothing is quite like it. But since we don't all have a week, try this quick and simple version.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp wheat germ
½ tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ cup water
½ cup sour cream
1 tbsp vinegar
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tsp poppy seed


Preparation


Because we're not using traditional yeast, we can jump right in and start mixing the dough. Place all ingredients except for the egg, the single tablespoon of water, and the poppy seeds into a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon or the dough hooks of your electric mixer until dough is smooth and clings together.


Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until dough is soft and a has a slight stretch to it. Place this dough in a slightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down the dough, removing all air bubbles. Roll and shape the dough until it is a long, almost baguette-style loaf. It should be about 14 inches long. Make sure the loaf is smooth, then place on a prepared baking sheet . Cover and let rise until doubled in size, this time about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Using a bread lame or sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf 4 or 5 times diagonally, but not too deep. ¼-inch is as deep as you want to go. Combine the egg and the tablespoon of water, creating an egg wash. Brush this wash over the loaf. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.


Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Serve with jam or butter.

Drop Cookies: Cashew Cookies

Cashews are a softer nut than some, and quite delicious in a variety of baking. These delicate Cashew Cookies use sour cream to enhance their flavor. They're excellent with milk or as a quick breakfast food. Yes, I said cookies for breakfast. Hey, sometimes we're all in a rush.


Ingredients


1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
⅓ cup sour cream
¾ cup salted cashews, chopped


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter using an electric mixture. Add vanilla and egg. Blend well until mixture is smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sour cream. Stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are incorporated. Add cashews and mix by hand until dough is consistent and cashews are equally distributed.


Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a prepared baking sheet. Don't flatten, but do smooth the tops and edges of each cookie so you don't have any bits sticking out that might burn. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.


Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks. Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container.


This recipes make about 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on how large the cookies are.

Muffins & Pancakes: Belgian Waffles

My kids are not big on breakfast foods. They kind of like them, but not really. The only breakfast food they'll eat each and every time is my Belgian Waffles. They love them. This method is streamlined to make whipping them up in the morning simple and easy. You can even make the batter the night before and put it in the fridge overnight.


We've used a Star Wars waffle maker for the waffles in the picture. My kids love Star Wars. This recipe can be used in any waffle maker. Simply pour as much batter into the waffle maker as your appliance can handle.


Ingredients


¼ cup melted butter
2½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
2½ cups milk
5 eggs


Preparation


Preheat your waffle maker. I like to use the darkest setting for a crispier waffle, but you can use any setting you like. Whisk together all ingredients until batter is fairly smooth. Don't over mix or your waffles will be tough.


Pour the batter into your heated waffle maker. My waffle maker calls for ½ cup of batter. Yours may need a different amount. Add whatever is needed to fill your waffle maker. Close the lid and leave for approximately 5 minutes. Maybe a little longer if you like your waffles darker.


Remove the waffle from the waffle maker with a fork. Serve immediately with butter, jam, or syrup.


This recipe makes approximately 6 cups of batter. For me, this makes about 12 waffles.

Yeast Breads: Challah Bread

This rich egg bread is a Jewish recipe that is soft and delicious. There is a traditional way to braid Challah Bread, but I'm not very good at it. I've used a simpler braiding method here, but if you know the traditional braid for Challah Bread, you should absolutely use it.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ cup water
3 eggs
1 egg white
1 tbsp water
poppy seeds


Preparation


Because we're not using traditional yeast, it won't have to be dissolved. Place all ingredients except the egg white, the single tablespoon of water, and the poppy seeds in a large bowl. Mix with either your hands or the dough hooks on your electric mixer until the dough clings together in a ball.


Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth and elastic ball. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover loosely. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about an hour.


Prepare a large cookie sheet either by lining it with a nonstick liner or spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Punch down the dough to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough into 9 equal parts. Roll out each part into a single 12-inch rope. Take 3 of these ropes and braid them together, pinching the ends to seal. Repeat with the other ropes until you have 3 braids. Now braid all three braids together, creating one large braided loaf. Place this on the cookie sheet and cover loosely. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Combine egg white and the tablespoon of water, beating lightly. Use a pastry brush to brush this egg wash over the braided loaf. Sprinkle generously with poppy seeds. Bake loaf for 22 to 25 minutes, until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.


Allow loaf to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Easy Side Dishes: Spanish Risotto

The yellows and greens of this tasty rice dish are vibrant and fun. This version is made with chicken, but you can make it with Italian sausage, pork, or even shrimp if you like. Tofu also works, or you can leave out the protein altogether. Just change the broth you use to match the protein you've chosen.


To keep your water and chicken broth warm while you're making the risotto, consider using a small saucepan set on simmer on the stove. Very low heat is best. You can put the chicken broth and water in the same saucepan if you like. They'll both be used at the same time anyway.


Ingredients


2 tbsp olive oil
2 small chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup Arborio rice, uncooked
1 tsp turmeric or saffron
2 cups chicken broth, warm
1 cup water, warm
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
½ cup green peas, frozen
2 tbsp butter


Preparation


Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for several minutes on each side, until chicken is cooked through and well seared on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and place on paper towels to drain. Do not wipe pan or remove the pan from the heat.


Add garlic and onion to the pan. Sauté lightly for 2 or 3 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add rice to the pan and toss to coat in oil mixture. Add turmeric. Add ½ cup broth and ¼ cup water, increasing heat to medium-high. Allow the liquid to be absorbed by the rice, stirring almost constantly, before adding another ½ cup broth and ¼ cup water. Continue adding broth and water in these proportions until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is fluffy and soft.


While you're adding liquid, chop the cooked chicken. Stir in the chicken, pepper flakes, cilantro, and salt. Add green peas and stir gently. All of these ingredients should be added to the risotto before you've added the last of the liquid. The flavors will combine better.


Right before you remove the risotto from the heat, stir in butter. Serve immediately.


This recipe makes enough risotto for 4 when used as a side dish. If you're using it as an entire meal, this recipe only serves 2.

Yeast Breads: Braided French Bread

This bread may look complicated, but it's really not. If you can braid hair, you can braid a loaf of bread. Just remember to tuck the ends under for a neater look. And be prepared for children to run in and just rip hunks off the loaf before you have a chance to cut it. That's what happens to me...


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 egg
1 tbsp cool water


Preparation


Because we're using a yeast that doesn't need to dissolve before you use it, you can throw everything in a large bowl except for the egg and the final tablespoon of water. You'll need those two ingredients for the egg wash. Everything else goes in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon (or mix using the bread attachment on your electric mixer) until you have a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is elastic and smooth.


Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm location until doubled in size. This will take about an hour, so be patient. Once the dough has doubled, punch down until you've removed all the air from the dough. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll out each part into a long rope, about 14 inches long. If you want a longer, skinnier loaf, roll out the pieces into longer ropes. I like a loaf that is about 10 to 12 inches, so 14-inch ropes are about right.


Line up all three ropes beside each other and pinch them together at one end. Braid the three pieces together. Try to keep the loaf nice and even. When you're done braiding the ropes, pinch the end together so they stay braided. Turn the very ends, the parts you pinched, under the loaf.


Gently lift your braided loaf onto a prepared cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm location until it has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Combine the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and beat gently. Using a pastry brush, coat the entire loaf in this egg wash. Don't miss any spots.


Bake for 22 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Crust will be fairly soft when the loaf cools. If you want a crispier crust, take 3 or 4 ice cubes and toss them into the bottom of the oven when you first put the loaf in the oven. Close the oven door and do not open again until the loaf is baked. The added moisture will crisp up the crust nicely. Don't worry about harming the oven. The ice cubes will sizzle when they hit the heat, but there won't be any damage of any kind.


This loaf is excellent with jam or as a base for French toast. Or you can just eat it as is. That's what my kids do.

Sandwiches & Burgers: Handmade Turkey Burgers

Premade burgers are great, but there's nothing quite like a burger you've made yourself, one you've truly made yourself. A patty that you've created, adding ingredients you love, will almost always taste better than something you bought quickly at the store. This burger takes a little more work than a premade, obviously, but the results are worth it.


When shaping your burgers, you might want to make some smaller sliders. They're great for kids and make a wonderful appetizer for a larger gathering. You can use toothpicks to hold them together if you're serving them as appetizers.


A note on the protein: You can, if you like, use something other than turkey. Try using ground chicken, beef, or even pork. They'll all be delicious. This recipe makes about 6 burgers.


Ingredients


1 pound (approximately) ground turkey
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 green onion, finely chopped (or 1 tsp onion powder, if desired)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
¼ anise seed
2 tbsp milk
1 egg
Vegetable oil
Barbeque sauce, if desired
6 Hamburger Buns
Burger toppings of your choice

Preparation


These burgers are not really as hard to make as you might think. Place turkey, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, garlic powder, oregano, anise seed, milk, and egg in a large bowl. Mix well, typically with your hands, until everything is well combined and uniform. If you don't want to get raw turkey on your hands, consider using Ziploc bags to protect your hands as you work. It will keep your hands much cleaner and they can just be thrown out when you're finished.


Divide the turkey mixture into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a single patty. Turkey won't shrink too much, but some meats will, so keep this in mind when deciding on how large they should be. If you're going to make sliders, you'll be making much smaller patties, so you'll have many more of them. Remember if you're making sliders, you'll want to make sure you've made slider-sized buns.


Once you've shaped your burgers, heat a little vegetable oil in a large skilled over medium heat. How long you cook your burgers will depend on how large they are. Very thick burgers may need as much as 20 minutes. A slider will only need about 10 minutes. Cook burgers for 5 minutes on the first side, flip and cook for a further 5 minutes. After this, check for doneness. If they're not cooked, flip and cook for another 5 minutes. You do not want an undercooked burger, so a little more is always better than a little less.


If you want a barbequed burger, coat the burgers with barbeque sauce 2 minutes before you remove them from the skillet. Let the barbeque sauce caramelize a little to add flavor.


When the burgers are fully cooked, remove from heat and place on buns. Top with mustard, pickles, tomatoes, or any other toppings you like. Enjoy warm.

Easy Side Dishes: Minted New Potatoes

For a slightly Mediterranean flair, try potatoes made with mint leaves. Fresh mint is best for this recipe, but if you can't find fresh or you have dried mint in your pantry, it will work almost as well.


This recipe is designed for new potatoes, but you can make it with any potato. If you opt to use larger potatoes, just cube them and cook as directed. They'll taste just as good.


Ingredients


1½ pounds new potatoes
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, or 1 tsp dried mint
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil


Preparation


Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut new potatoes into quarters. If using very small new potatoes, consider only cutting them in half. Place cut potatoes in a large bowl. Add all other ingredients to the bowl. Toss until potatoes are well coated in herbs and oil. If you think you need a little more herb, add a little extra mint or oregano.


Spread potatoes in a shallow pan. Try to keep them in a single layer so they bake evenly. Bake potatoes for 20 minutes, then stir them gently. Return potatoes to the oven for a further 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Drop Cookies: Peanut Candy Clusters

Who doesn't love the delicious combination of peanuts and chocolate? People allergic to peanuts, I suppose. But for everyone else, this is one of the most delectable cookies on the planet. You'll need ingredients found in your pantry, plus peanuts and M&Ms. You can, of course, use other candy coated chocolate, but I like M&Ms.


A note on peanut butter: if you don't have smooth peanut butter, you can easily use crunchy. Just decrease the peanuts by a little, or omit them entirely. It's up to you.


Make an extra large batch of these if there are kids around. They will eat them up in moments.


Ingredients


1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¾ salted peanuts, whole
¾ M&Ms or other candy coated chocolate pieces


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. Cream together sugar, butter, and peanut butter. Add vanilla and egg and blend until smooth. Mix in flour and baking soda until dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Gently fold in peanuts and M&Ms. Dough should be just slightly crumbly, but still a soft cookie dough.


Drop dough by tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Do not flatten, but do smooth out any bit of dough that stick out so they don't burn. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.