Category Archives: Make it Yourself

Repost: Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

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dip

Who doesn’t like spinach artichoke dip?? Seriously, this is the best I have tried and everyone loves it. This post shows all the modifications that I have made to the original recipe. For a big group, I pour it into a small crock pot to keep warm and serve with baguettes or scoop-shaped tortilla chips. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip – adapted from Allrecipes

  • 1 bulb garlic
  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions –

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Prep the bulb for roasting: Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.  Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. (Directions with pictures at Simply Recipes)

3. In an 8×8 inch baking dish, spread the roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese.

4. Cover and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm.

 

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Hummus

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This was really easy to make and I enjoyed eating it with lots of raw carrots. Now if I can only get my kids to try it, that would be great! Thanks for reading, enjoy 🙂

Hummus – adapted from The Kitchn

  • 1 15-oz can of chickpeas, drained
  • 1/2 of a fresh lemon, juiced
  • 1 small clove of garlic, minced finely
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. tahini
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Tools

A food processor or blender

Directions –

Combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. If it is a little dry, just add a little more lemon juice or olive oil, a teaspoon at a time, until you have the desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper if you like. Scrape out the hummus in a serving bowl and sprinkle the sumac on top. Serve with raw veggies, or spread on some pita bread.

Bacon Wrapped Filet

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I surprised my husband with a big dinner full of his favorites for Valentine’s Day. He was totally impressed and I was too because this was my first time cooking steak! I was inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Food Network show, but I used this link for the time and temperature. I served this with roasted shrimp cocktail, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and the Snickers pie for dessert! He loved every bit of this meal and I enjoyed trying new techniques to pull this off. The kids weren’t left out this Valentine’s Day because I made them a heart-shaped pizza – they thought that was pretty cool. I will probably do the same next year so we can start a new tradition – I know they’ll appreciate that 🙂 Thanks for stopping by 🙂

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Pineapple and Pancetta Pizza

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This was a great, little twist on a classic combination. Thanks for stopping by!

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And now for an extreme close-up 😉

Pineapple and Pancetta Pizza – adapted from Pink Pistachio

  • 1 ball pizza dough
  • 1 cup diced pineapple
  • 1 cup diced pancetta
  • fresh mozzarella
  • pizza sauce
  • parmesan cheese
  • oregano

Directions –

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, place rack on lowest position and place a pizza stone on top if you have one. Lightly work the dough to your desired diameter, top with sauce, cheese and other toppings. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Dulce de Leche

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Would you believe that before today I had never even tasted dulce de leche? I have read rave reviews, and have seen countless recipes all over the place; but had yet to experience the sweet stuff. This was so easy to make, and probably the safest and cleanest method I have found. The directions told me that this would take 10 hours on low, but my two jars were caramelized to perfection in less than 6 hours. I’m sure I could have taken them out sooner, had I the nerve to do so. I’m happy to report that this wasn’t a waste of time or ingredient to make, because it does taste really good 🙂 I’m surprising my husband with a decadent dessert for Valentine’s Day that is right up his alley, and this dulce de leche is a pretty important to the final product. I hope he loves it!

Crock Pot Dulce de Leche – adapted from Your Homebased Mom

  • 1 – 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 half pint sized jars
  • crock pot (mine is 6 quarts)
  • enough water to cover the tops of the jars

Directions –

Open the can of sweetened condensed milk and divide evenly into the half pint jars. Put on lids and rings. Place jars in the crock pot and fill the crock pot with enough water to completely cover the top of the jars. Set your crock pot to low and cook until caramelized, about 6 hours. Carefully remove the jars and set aside, and once the jars are cool enough to handle; carefully open, stir and taste! Refrigerate leftovers.

**Also, if you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing goody for Valentine’s Day, make these and everyone will want the recipe!**

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Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites – adapted from Savory Sweet Life

  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (40 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 40 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (or hearts), unwrapped

DIRECTIONS –

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray mini cupcake pan with non stick spray.  In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, sugars and vanilla.  Beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually add flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until combined.  Fill each cupcake slot slightly more than halfway but not more than 2/3 full.  Place a peanut butter cup in each slot pressing it down until it is almost level with the batter.  Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until done.  Allow the brownie bites to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the cupcake tin.  Enjoy!

*Notes: Be sure to remove brownie bites 5 – 10 minutes after coming out of the oven.  Otherwise they might cool and stick to the sides making it difficult to get out.  If baking these in a pan, your baking time will increase to 25-30 minutes.  You can be sure they are close to being done when you can smell them from your oven.

 

 

Fettuccine Alfredo

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My husband prefers decadent cream sauces to my preferred red, but I’m willing to make the sacrifice to make him happy 😉 I’m already planning on going to the gym in the morning! Any exercise after such a fat-filled, dairy-tastic meal has to be better than no exercise at all! This recipe makes about 6-8 servings and sadly, does not reheat well. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Fettuccine Alfredo – adapted from The Pioneer Woman

  • 1 pound Fettuccine Noodles
  • 1 stick Butter
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions –

In a saucepan or skillet, warm butter and cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Grate Parmesan cheese and place half of it into a large serving bowl. Pour warm butter/cream mixture over the top. Reserve some of the pasta water, then drain pasta and immediately pour it into the bowl.

Toss a couple of times, then sprinkle in the other half of the Parmesan. Toss to combine, thinning with pasta water if necessary. Serve immediately as a main course or accompaniment to meat or salad.

Potato Burger Buns

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These are super easy to make and I really enjoy working with the dough. They hold up well to what ever you end up putting on them whether it’s saucy pulled pork, a juicy hamburger or a grilled chicken sandwich. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Burger Buns – adapted from BakerStreet

  • 4 cups (480 grams) bread flour
  • 2¼ tsp (7 grams) dry yeast
  • ¼ cup lukewarm water
  • 1 whole egg
  • ½ cup mashed potatoes
  • 4 tbsp butter diced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup lukewarm water
  • 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water (optional)
 Directions –
In a mixing bowl sift the flour. Make a well in the middle and pour ¼ cup lukewarm water. Sprinkle the yeast and leave at room temperature until the yeast is dissolved and it foams, like a sponge. When the yeast is proofed, add the egg, mashed potatoes, butter and salt. If you’re using a stand up mixing, with the dough hook on, start mixing slowly adding ½ cup water and keep mixing until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl.

If you’re mixing by hand, use a Danish whisk or a wooden spoon and slowly add water in the middle of the flour mixture until the dough is formed. Take the dough out of the bowl (no mater if you’re using a stand-up mixer or a Danish whisk) and place it on a floured working surface. Knead by hand until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. Place the dough into a floured or oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until doubled in volume.

Take the dough out of the bowl, place it on a floured surface and divide it into 8-12 buns, depending on how small/big you want the buns. Place the buns on a baking sheet, cover and leave at room temperature until almost doubled in size.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 375F. Just before putting the buns in the oven, brush them with egg wash (egg yolk mixed with water) Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Leave to cool slightly before removing them from the baking sheet. You can store the buns in the fridge or in the freezer. When ready to use again, just heat the oven to 350F and place the buns in the oven for few minutes until warm. Or you can microwave them for few seconds.

Pumpkin Waffles

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School starts back up tomorrow, and my girl is already asking me what I’m making for breakfast…now, I’m not one of those super moms who send their kids off with a hot breakfast every morning, but I can get a few of these in the oven! 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Pumpkin Waffles – slightly adapted from Epicurious

  • 1 1/2 cups AP flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
  • 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
  • Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Directions –

Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined.

In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.

Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp.

Zuppa Toscana and Breadsticks

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zuppatoscana

Is there anything more comforting than a rich soup and fresh baked bread? This is seriously good, and even my picky daughter loved this. That’s always a win in my book when I don’t have to tell/nag her to eat more of dinner. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana – adapted from Annie’s Eats

  • 1 pound Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine for deglazing
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 2 cups fresh kale, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper

Directions –

Place a large stock pot on the stove over medium heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook until well browned. Remove the cooked sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl; set aside. Add the chopped onion to the pan and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for a minute more, just until fragrant. Add the wine to the pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the potatoes, kale, chicken stock and water to the pot. Increase the heat to med-high, bring to boil and the reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and cooked through. Stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Almost Famous Bread Sticks – adapted from Food Network

  • 1 package yeast
  • 4 1/4 cups AP flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened
  • 2 tablespoons raw sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fine salt

For the Topping:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon true garlic powder
  • Pinch of dried oregano

Directions –

Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.

Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch-long breadstick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano. Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt.

Challah

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I had a hankerin’ for some rich, fluffy French toast, but there is a shortage of bread in my house. I failed miserably (twice) trying to braid the dough, so I baked off two 8×4 loaves instead. The dough held up well to being manipulated more than I intended 😉 With its medium density, and tight crumb it soaks up custard like a sponge without falling apart; and the resulting French toast is creamy and not too sweet. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Challah – adapted from Williams-Sonoma

  • 2 packages (5 tsp.) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)
  • 1/2 cup sugar (*I used vanilla sugar*)
  • 3 eggs, plus 1 egg, beaten, for glaze
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour (625 grams)
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room
    temperature

Directions –

To make the dough with a stand mixer, in the 5-quart bowl of a mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, 3 eggs, 4 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt and butter. Place the bowl on the mixer, attach the dough hook and knead on low speed, working in the remaining flour as necessary to keep the dough from being too sticky, until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not be tempted to add too much flour. The dough should stay soft and will become less sticky with kneading. Remove the dough from the bowl.

Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, about 2 hours.

Line a half-sheet pan or rimless baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough. Using a plastic pastry scraper, scrape the dough out onto a clean work surface. To make a 4-strand braid, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces with a sharp knife or a bench scraper. Using your palms, and starting in the center and working outward, elongate 1 piece by rolling it gently against the work surface with even pressure until you have formed a rope as long as the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces.

Line up the 4 strands in front of you horizontally. Cross the strand farthest from you across the other 3 strands so that it is nearest you. Cross the strand that is now next to it across the other 2 strands away from you. Position the outside strands so that they are away from the center ones, and position the center 2 strands perfectly horizontal. Bring the strand nearest you down between the 2 horizontal strands. Bring the strand farthest from you up and across to the opposite side. Again, bring the strand farthest from you down between the 2 straight strands. Bring the strand nearest you up and across to the opposite side. Starting from the strand nearest you, repeat the braiding until you reach the ends of the ropes. Pinch them together at the top and at the bottom, and tuck the strands under at the ends.

Place the braided loaf on the prepared pan, cover with a dry kitchen towel, and let rise again in a warm, draft-free spot until the loaf doubles in size and is spongy to the touch, 45 to 60 minutes.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F.

Brush the braid gently with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the seeds. Bake the braid until it is nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Makes 1 large braided loaf.