Easy Side Dishes: Herbed New Potatoes

Potatoes are delicious and a wonderful compliment to any dinner. This version uses new potatoes, but you can use any potatoes you happen to have in your pantry. If you're using potatoes larger than new potatoes, peel and cube them for much the same effect.


It may seem like a lot of butter, but you'll be pouring it over a large bowl full of potatoes. It's not much butter for a serving of 4.


Ingredients


2 pounds new potatoes, cut in half
1 large sweet potato, cubed (optional)
¼ cup of butter, melted
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried rosemary


Preparation


Heat oven to 425°F. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Pour melted button ton top. Add parmesan and herbs. Stir until all herbs are even distributed. Pour potatoes into a large baking dish that has been sprayed with baking spray.


Bake for at least an hour, a little longer if you've added sweet potato. Stir occasionally, about every 20 minutes. Check to make sure potatoes are cooked through by inserted a fork into the larger ones. It should slide through the potato with ease. Potatoes are done when a fork pierces them easily and they are slightly browned in color.


Remove from oven and transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with any oil left in the pan. Serve immediately.

Drop Cookies: Chocolate Cherry Blasts

If we're making cookies, we usually pick something quick and easy. Something without too many steps. Chocolate Chip. Date Drops. Sometimes even Sugar Cookies. But sometimes, just sometimes, we want something a little fancier. Chocolate Cherry Blasts, which feature both marshmallows and cherries, are fun and not too difficult to make.


Just make sure you move fast when you're placing the marshmallows. The cookies can't cool down during this crucial step.


Ingredients


¾ cup sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ tsp almond extract (optional)
1 egg
1¾ cups all purpose flour
½ cup cocoa
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
½ cup walnuts, chopped
12-16 maraschino cherries
12-16 large marshmallows


Glaze
1½ cups powdered sugar
1½ tbsp butter, melted
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup chocolate chips, melted
3-5 tbsp water


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. Cream together the sugars (not the sugar for the glaze) and butter with an electric mixer. Add almond extract and egg. Mix well. Using a spoon, mix in flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and milk. Blend thoroughly until a soft dough forms. Fold in walnuts gently.


Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Flatten, but only slightly. Drain the maraschino cherries, then cut then in half. Place one half of one cherry on top of each cookie. Press in place, but not too hard. Bake for 8 minutes. While the cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half.


Working quickly, take the cookies out of the oven and press one marshmallow half on top of each cherry. Press firmly, but not too hard. You don't want to squish the cookies. Return to the oven for 3 minutes, or until the marshmallows are puffed.


Remove from cookie sheets immediately and cool completely on wire racks. Use a whisk to blend the glaze ingredients, making sure your glaze is smooth and easy to spread. Add the water only a little at a time, and only until you have a glaze you're happy with. Brush the glaze over the cooled cookies, covering the marshmallows completely. This step is important. If the marshmallow isn't completely covered, it will harden and make the cookies unappealing. Cover the marshmallow well.


Allow the glaze to dry, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Pizza: Mini Calzones

We all love pizza, but sometimes it's messy and hard to eat, especially if you're on the go. And if you have kids, pizza is a great lunch, but sometimes hard to pack. So instead of pizza, try whipping up some Mini Calzones. Think of them like pizza pops, only made in your own kitchen with stuff you probably have lying around anyway.


These little gems make great lunches for adults and children alike. Throw 2 or 3 in your own lunch and eat them at the office. These are guaranteed to please.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic Pizza Crust
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings of your choice
small bowl of water, room temperature
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, slightly beaten
garlic salt (optional)


Preparation


Mix the tomato sauce and the cheese with a spoon. Add other toppings of your choice. Pepperoni is common, but you might  like mushrooms, green peppers, or even ground beef. It's up to you. You can also add herbs such as basil and oregano to the cheese mixture.


Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Take one of these pieces and flatten it into a circle. You don't want the dough so thin that you can see through it, and you don't want it as thick as a pan crust pizza, but other than that the exact thickness is up to you. I like to flatten them into 6-inche circles.


Place some of the cheese mixture in the middle of the dough circle. Keep the mixture a ¼-inch away from the edge of the dough circle. Do not put more than about ⅛ cup of the cheese mixture into the center of a single circle. Even a little less than that. You don't want them bursting all over the oven, which is what will happen if you stuff them with too much cheese.


Using your finger, brush the edge of the dough circle with a little water. Water is basically like glue, but for dough. Fold the dough circle in half, encasing the cheese mixture, and press closed, trying to get out as much air as you can. You can use your fingers, but the calzones will look nicer if you use the tines of a fork to seal them. Press firmly, but not hard enough to go through the dough. You don't want to crush the edges, after all. Place the finished calzone on a prepared baking sheet, curving it slightly. Repeat this process for each piece of dough until you have 12 mini calzones.


Heat the oven to 375°F. Poke each calzone in the center with the same fork you used to seal the edges. Press hard enough that you go through the dough. Brush each calzone with the egg wash, covering all exposed dough. Sprinkle with garlic salt, if desired.


Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until calzones are golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes to avoid pizza burn, then serve.

Yeast Breads: Vienna Bread

Vienna Bread is soft on the inside, but it has a crisp and shiny crust. To make sure the crust crisps properly, cool this loaf completely on a wire rack. If you cut it while still warm, the crust will soften. Either way, the bread is delicious.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
1 cup milk, room temperature
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 tbsp sesame seeds


Preparation


Because we're using bread machine or quick rise yeast, there's no need to dissolve the yeast before you start. Just throw everything into a large bowl except the egg white and the sesame seeds; you'll need those later. Mix the ingredients in the bowl until they form a smooth dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough becomes elastic, for 5 to 10 minutes. Dough should be soft and smooth.


Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and place it in a warm location to rise. This first rise will take about an hour, maybe a little longer, so be patient. It must double in size before it's ready to use.


Once the dough has risen, punch it down, getting all the air out. Vienna Bread is traditionally an oval loaf, so press your dough into an oval shape. Make it as even as you can so it will rise as evenly as possible. Now let it rise again, this time for about 45 minutes. Like before, it must double in size, or almost double in size.


Heat the oven to 375°F. Slash the loaf with a bread lame or sharp knife, creating two long gashes that are no deeper than ¼-inch. Any deeper than that and the bread will fall. Brush the beaten egg white over the loaf and top with the sesame seeds.


Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. If you want and even crispier loaf, try throwing 3 ice cubes into the bottom of the oven right when you're putting the loaf in the oven. Close the oven door quickly, then don't open it again for at least 22 minutes. The moisture will encourage a crisp crust.


Let the loaf cool completely, then slice with an electric knife. Serve with butter, jam, or anything else you like on your breads.

Easy Side Dishes: Pan Fried Parslied Potatoes

Potatoes are delicious. These are made tender by boiling in chicken broth, and slightly crisp by pan frying, all in the same pan. Less dishes, tasty result. Who could ask for more?


Use a large skillet for these potatoes. You don't want a huge mound of potatoes in your pan or they won't cook evenly. If you don't have a large skillet, you might want to cook these in 2 or even 3 batches.


Ingredients


2 pounds potatoes, any type
2 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp dried parsley


Preparation


Peel and cube all potatoes, then place in a large bowl of water. This will keep them from turning black while you get the skillet prepared. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, oil, and onion. Sauté garlic and onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and mix well. Allow the broth to come to a boil.


Add potatoes to the boiling broth. The broth will momentarily stop boiling. Allow it to return to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Potatoes should be tender.


Uncover the potatoes and add butter, salt, and pepper. Allow potatoes to cook until most of the liquid is evaporated and the potatoes are slightly browned. If you want them to brown a little more, you can leave them in the pan a little longer.


Transfer potatoes to a serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.


Serves 4 to 6 people.

Snacks & Appetizers: Barbequed Chicken Snacks

Whether it's game day our you just want a barbeque snack, these are perfectly delicious and fairly simple to make. This recipe can also be used on chicken wings if you like. Simple skip the slicing of the chicken breast and use the chicken wings instead.


If you really like the sauce, make an extra large batch of it and seal it in a jar. It will keep for up to 2 months if you've boiled it and keep it in the refrigerator.


Ingredients


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried chives
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp chili sauce
1 tsp dried parsley


Preparation


Cut each chicken breast into 4 or 6 pieces, depending on the size of the chicken breast and your own preferences. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, searing the outside. They don't have to be fully cooked. You'll be finishing them in the oven. Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a shallow roasting pan. Preheat the broiler on your oven. Don't wipe or rinse the skillet.


Add green onions and chives to the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes. Add flour and Dijon mustard. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes. Do not allow mixture to scorch. Add the chicken broth slowly, still stirring. Finally, add lemon juice and chili sauce. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Don't stop stirring or the mixture could clump.


Remove the sauce from the heat. Brush sauce over the chicken. Turn chicken and repeat. Place the chicken in the oven, under the preheated broiler, for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and brush with more sauce. Return to oven for 5 more minutes. Transfer chicken to serving dish and pour a little sauce on top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.


This recipe serves 4.

Yeast Breads: Buttermilk Bread

If you're looking for a bread that goes great with butter and jam...or peanut butter...or, really, anything...you should definitely try making your own Buttermilk Bread. It's simple and delicious with a rich flavor and a soft texture, which comes partially from the addition of a small amount of baking soda.


If you don't have buttermilk, you can make an easy substitute with milk and a little vinegar. Put 1 tbsp of vinegar into the milk before you begin mixing your dough. Let sit for 5 to 7 minutes. It's not true buttermilk, but it's a decent substitute.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature


Preparation


Because we're using a bread machine yeast (even if you're not using a bread maker), we don't have to dissolve the yeast. So throw everything in a large bowl and get in there with your hands (or throw it all in a bread maker and select the dough setting). Mix it gently until it is a soft ball, then turn it out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place. The dough needs to double in size, which will normally take about an hour.


When the dough has risen, punch it down gently, squeezing out all the air bubbles. Form into an oblong loaf about 10 inches long. Make sure the top is fairly smooth so your finished loaf bakes evenly. Let rise once more, again until doubled in size. The second rise should take 45 to 60 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Slash the top of the loaf 3 times with a bread lame or sharp knife. If desired, coat the loaf in an egg wash. This is typically an egg mixed with a tablespoon of water. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.


Serve warm, or keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This recipe makes a single loaf.