Easy Focacia Bread

Prep Time      15 minutes

Cook Time    25 minutes

Rising Time 10 hours

Ingredients

4 cups          All-Purpose Flour

2 Tsp           Kosher Salt

2-1/4 Tsp     Instant Yeast (1 packet)

• This recipe calls for Instant Yeast which is also called Rapid Rise Yeast. It's quite magical as it doesn't require proofing like regular yeast does. Don't try to use regular yeast in this recipe. You can find Instant or Rapid Rise Yeast at most grocery stores, right next to the regular yeast. You can also buy it in bulk and store it indefinitely in the freezer. It's infinitely cheaper buying yeast in bulk vs purchasing it in the little packets.

2 Cups        Warm Tap Water

1 Tsp          Soft Butter for greasing pan

4 TBSP     Olive Oil divided

Italian Seasoning or finely chopped fresh herbs (optional)

Flaky Sea Salt or Kosher Salt (sprinkle sparingly)

Directions

                                        Prepare the Dough

1. In a medium-large bowl, combine flour, salt, and instant yeast. Stir well. Add the warm water. Using a  Whisk, sturdy wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mix until all of the flour is well incorporated (there should be no small pockets of flour. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.  (Don't worry about exact time with the initial rising of this easy focaccia bread.  Your results will be wonderful as long as it rises at least 8 hours. )

2. Lightly butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into the center of each pan. Divide dough in half with a large spoon or rubber spatula and place one piece of dough in each pan, turning to coat with oil. Tuck edges of dough underneath to form a rough ball. 

3. Cover each pan tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough balls to rest for 2 hours (it may take as long as 3 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen). The dough should cover most of the pan. (The second rise (in the pan) should be at least 2 hours (or until the dough has nicely risen). If your kitchen is really warm, it may take a bit less time. Rather than using an exact time, use the appearance of the dough as your guide - it should be close to filling the pan.)

   
   

     Bake

   
   

   1. Preheat oven to 450˚F with a rack positioned in the center of the oven.
   2. Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over each round of dough. With oiled fingers, using both hands, press straight down and create deep dimples that go all the way through the dough (in other words, you'll actually be making deep holes.) If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan.  Don't be shy when you "dimple" the dough, just before baking. You want to poke your fingers in all the way to the bottom of the pan and actually make little holes with your fingers. This will ensure nice deep dimples that won't disappear in the oven.
   3. Sprinkle tops with Italian seasoning (or fresh herbs) and flaky sea salt.
   4. Transfer the pans to the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 425˚F. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the tops are golden and the undersides are crisp. Remove pans from the oven. With a metal spatula remove bread rounds from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack.
   5. Serve warm or allow to cool completely then store in a zippered bag.

       To freeze, allow bread to cool completely, then transfer to a ziplock bag and freeze.  Thaw and enjoy at room temperature or warm for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  

      This Easy Focaccia Bread is fabulous as a dinner bread, with salads, for sandwiches, for a dipping bread... You can also  drizzle a little oil in a sauté pan, add the focaccia and let it cook over medium heat until it's golden and crisp. So good! 

      
      

      

      Mmmmm Mmmmmm

      
      
      

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 Cranberry Sauce Muffins

You know when you make that delicious chicken or turkey with all the fixings and at the end of the day you have left over cranberry sauce but no turkey left.  So, what do you do with that sauce??  Make Muffins!  I tried this recipe and quite liked it.  As you can see there are no photos as I ate them all up, they were that good.  Actually I freeze my muffins and thaw one in the fridge overnight so I can eat it with my coffee in the morning.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup leftover cranberry sauce

¾ cup milk

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

Beat cranberry sauce, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla together in a bowl until well combined.

Whisk flour, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt together in a separate bowl.

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until batter is just moistened.

Pour into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Each muffin is about 145 Calories.  Muffins freeze well.

 Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork

I am not big on pulled pork nor am I big on things made with BBQ sauce.  This recipe has both and I LOVE it!  Recipe calls for Pork Shoulder Roast.  I used the sale slab of pork (I don't even know what it was called) and cooked it on the slowwwwww setting - i.e. 12 hours on low.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast 
• 1 cup barbeque sauce (I used "Dianna")
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 small onion, or 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
• 8 hamburger buns, split
• 2 tablespoons butter, or as needed

Directions

1.    Pour vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place pork roast into the slow cooker. In a bowl combine barbeque sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme - mix well and pour into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours or High for 5 to 6 hours until pork shreds easily with a fork.

2.    Remove pork from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir to combine with juices.

3.    Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter. Toast buns, butter-side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Spoon pulled pork into toasted buns.

4.  Enjoy!

 

 

Gwyneth Paltow (sort of) Blueberry Muffin

This is a recipe that was developed by someone who altered Gwyneth Paltrow's Blueberry Muffin recipe which I altered too.  When I run out of blueberries (but following the recipe with 2-1/2 cups of blueberries, it is really very very good!), I use chocolate chips which make delicious muffins too.   I also add nuts, whatever kind I have on hand, to top each muffin.

Ingredients:

8 TBSP unsalted Butter, melted and cooled (113 grams)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk (any kind)

2 Cups all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)

3/4 Cups of granulated Sugar or Splenda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine kosher salt (I use fine sea salt)

2-1/2 Cups Blueberries

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Prepare muffin tin with liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Whisk together butter, eggs and milk in a medium bowl.  

3.  In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. (If using choc chips you can add them to dry ingredients)

4.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients (I usually have to add an additional 1/8 cup milk otherwise batter is too thick).

5.  Gently fold in blueberries.

6.  Divide batter among 12 muffin tins.  Bake 25-30 minutes.

 TIP ... Before you bake cookies ...

DO NOT USE the Western Family brand of butter sold at SAVE ON FOODS in the cookie recipes on this site or in my books.  I don't know what is wrong with it but the cookies splay across the baking sheet and DO NOT TURN OUT.  

I have also heard that the No Name Butter, which I have used in the past, does the same thing now.  Be careful.  It may cost a bit more to purchase a brand name butter, but at least your baking with be presentable and delicious and edible.

 Quesadilla a la my friend Sue

This is a great way to use up left over meat.

1. Mash beans.  Today I used white kidney beans.  Have also used red kidney beans in the past but any bean you like will do.

2.  Mix into the beans  2 or 3 heaping tablespoons (not measuring spoons, just your kitchen spoons) of Salsa.

3.  Spoon mixture onto 1/2 of Tortillas, then top this with left over meat.  Today I used ground beef.  Also excellent with left over chicken/turkey.  Top this with grated cheese of your choice (I used cheddar).

                                          

4.  Fold and bake in 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, until centres are hot and cheese is melted.

5.  Serve hot topped with Sour Cream/Plain Yogurt, Salsa and  mashed Avocados/Guacamole.

Simple and easy.  Enjoy!

  

Apple, Sauerkraut & Cheddar QUESADILLAS

 

I had saurkraut left over from my Adult Hallowe'en Hot Dogs and remembered making this years ago.  It has all the ingredients I like, it is easy to make, so I made it. And it was just as delicious as I remembered it to be.

Ingredients

1  Cup Sauerkraut, rinsed

1/2 Cup Water

2 - 9 to 10 inch Flour Tortillas

1-1/3 Cups Old Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1 tart, juicy Apple, peeled and very thinly sliced (I omitted the peeling and used a mandolin to get very thin sliced

Directions

Put sauerkraut and water in a medium nonreactive skillet. Gently heat just until the liquid has evaporated but not so much that the sauerkraut begins to stick to the pan. Remove from the heat.

Gradually heat a large skillet, lightly sprayed with a cooking spray (I used canola oil spray), over medium heat.   Put one tortilla in the pan and immediately sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese over half of it. Quickly arrange about half the apple slices over the cheese, then top with half the sauerkraut, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle with another 1/3 cup cheese.

Fold the tortilla over the filled half and press gently on it with a spatula to seal. Heat the quesadilla until the bottom is golden, about 2 minutes, then carefully flip and lightly brown the other side. Slide the quesadilla onto a cutting board and cut it into halves or quarters. Prepare the second one in the same fashion.

Serve with your choice of sour cream, guacamole, fresh apple sliced or similar.

Suggestion: If you like, a little chopped ham tastes wonderful layered in with the other ingredients.  I haven't tried this but it sounds good.