Hawaiian One Pan Pasta

by penji1
Hawaiian One Pan Pasta

Hawaiian One Pan Pasta

I’m loving these delicious one pan meals, only one pan to wash, woo hoo!

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 oz ham, cubed

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 oz pasta

8 oz pineapple tidbits, drained

8 oz bacon crumbles

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1  Heat oil in large skillet.  Add ham and cook, stirring frequently, until ham is browned.  Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, onion powder, basil and pepper and stir to combine then add pasta and stir again.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook until pasta is done, 10 – 15 minutes depending on pasta type used, stirring occasionally.  Stir in pineapple and bacon and remove from heat.

2  Sprinkle top with mozzarella and cover.  Let sit until cheese is melted.

recipe from Taste and Tell

Classic Irish Soda Bread

by penji1
Classic Irish Soda Bread

Classic Irish Soda Bread

Celebrated St Patrick’s Day with this soda bread and some potatoes of course!

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

2 eggs, divided

3/4 – 1 cup buttermilk

1  Preheat oven to 375.  Spray with cooking spray or line with parchment paper a cookie sheet or pizza stone.

2  Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or a fork, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in 1 egg and buttermilk just until combined.

3  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 6 – 8 times or just until the dough comes together.  Shape into a 6 1/2″ round loaf.  Place on prepared sheet.  Using a sharp knife, make a shallow cross in top of loaf.  Whisk remaining egg with a bit of water and brush over top of loaf.

4  Bake until golden brown, 30 – 35 minutes.

recipe from Taste of Home

One Pan Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice

by penji1
One Pan Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice

One Pan Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice

Less than 30 minutes to make.  Only one pan to wash when you’re done.  Total comfort food.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner, uh ham dinner!

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup white long grain rice

2 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 1/2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups ham, cubed

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons milk

salt and pepper

1  In large skillet, over medium high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter then saute rice in melted butter until slightly browned.  Add broth and garlic powder, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2  Add broccoli and cook for 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium, add remaining butter, ham, cheese, milk, salt and pepper.  Heat through to melt cheese, stirring to combine.

recipe from Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Italian Sausage and Spinach Pasta

by penji1
Italian Sausage and Spinach Pasta

Italian Sausage and Spinach Pasta

Another yummy and easy 30 minute meal to add to the list!

12 ounces pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

2 cups marinara sauce

1 bunch spinach

salt and pepper

shredded Parmesan cheese

1  Cook pasta according to package directions.

2  Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add sausage and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until it begins to brown, about 6 – 8 minutes.

3  Add marinara and simmer until sausage is cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Add spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing, until spinach starts to wilt, about 1 minute.  Toss with cooked pasta.  Top individual servings with Parmesan.

recipe from HGTV magazine

Amy’s Dinner Loaf

by penji1
Amy's Dinner Loaf

Amy’s Dinner Loaf

My goal of learning how to make bread is coming along nicely, thanks in part to my neighbor Amy who had a bread making class at her house and taught us how to make this beauty which was surprisingly easy!  Thanks Amy!

1 tablespoon yeast

3 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 1/3 cups very warm water

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

1  Preheat oven to 350.

2  In mixer bowl, whisk together yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and water and let sit until foamy, about 10 – 15 minutes.

3  Add remaining sugar, honey, salt and flour and knead with bread hook attachment for about 10 minutes.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

4  On a floured surface, roll dough out into  15 x 10″ rectangle then roll up into a loaf. Place loaf on cookie sheet or stone and cut four slits into top of loaf, about 1/2″ deep.  Cover with plastic wrap spayed with cooking spray and let rise until desired height.

5  Spray top of loaf lightly with cooking spray and bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

family recipe from Amy

Smoked Sausage and Baked Bean Soup

by penji1
Smoked Sausage and Baked Bean Soup

Smoked Sausage and Baked Bean Soup

When I saw this recipe with cocktail sausages and baked beans in a soup, I knew I had to give it a try even though it sounded a little weird.  Turns out it’s delicious!

1 tablespoon oil

20 smoked cocktail sausages, halved

2 sticks celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 onion, diced

salt and pepper

1 (14 oz) package cherry tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can white beans, undrained

1 (8 oz) can baked beans

2 cups chicken broth

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1  Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add sausages and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisped, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate or bowl with slotted spoon.

2 Add celery, carrot and onion to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes, white beans, baked beans, broth, and 2 1/2 cups water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until soup thickens slightly and tomatoes are just starting to burst, about 20 minutes.

3  Add sausages to pot and season with salt and pepper.  Top each serving with cheese.

recipe from Food Network

One Pot Cheesy Pasta and Sausage

by penji1
One Pot Cheesy Pasta and Sausage

One Pot Cheesy Pasta and Sausage

I’ll be honest, I was surprised at how good this was!  It seemed so easy and so fast that I didn’t have high expectations but it was really good.

3 cups halved grape tomatoes (I used 2 cans of diced tomatoes with liquid)

1 large onion, sliced

1 pound smoked Italian sausage links, precooked and sliced into coins

20 – 30 basil leaves

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1 pound dry linguine

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 1/2 cups water

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1  Combine all ingredients except cheese in Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Remove cover and cook 7 – 9 minutes until pasta is al dente.  Toss pasta with tongs occasionally to keep from sticking.

2  Add cheese and toss to combine.

recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian

Toffee Coffee Cake

by penji1
Toffee Coffee Cake

Toffee Coffee Cake

Delicious!  Easy!  Fast!  My three favorite things in a recipe, maybe I’ll start referring to these kinds of recipes as DEF’S, get it?  I served it with Cool Whip and it was a hit!

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 (1.4 oz each) chocolate toffee candy bars, chopped or about 1/2 cup toffee bits from a bag

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9 x 13″ pan with cooking spray.

2  Blend together butter, sugars and flour, set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture.  Add buttermilk, egg, baking soda and vanilla to remaining mixture in mixer bowl and mix well.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

3    Combine chopped toffee and pecans with reserved butter mixture and sprinkle over cake.  Bake 30 – 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

recipe from Taste of Home

Caramel Peanut Blondies

by penji1
Caramel Peanut Blondies

Caramel Peanut Blondies

Those of you who follow my blog know that I have a huge sweet tooth, actually I think every tooth in my mouth is a sweet tooth!  So for me to say that these were incredibly sweet, be warned, they were delicious but incredibly sweet.  Don’t skip the salt on top, it helps balance some of the sweetness.

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup caramel bits

1 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

1 – 2 pinches coarse sea salt

1  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9 x 9″ pan with cooking spray.

2  Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

3  Beat together, on medium, butter and brown sugar until thoroughly combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat again.

4  Reduce mixer to low and gradually add flour mixture just until combined.

5  Stir in caramel bits and peanuts.

6  Spread evenly in prepared pan.  Sprinkle salt over top.

7  Bake 35 – 40 minutes or until edges are browned and center is set.  A toothpick inserted in center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached.

8  Cool completely before cutting into bars.

recipe from Bake or Break

Cinnamon Twist King Cake

by penji1
Cinnamon Twist King Cake

Cinnamon Twist King Cake

In keeping with my bread making goal for the year, I decided to give this “cake” a go since it is made from a yeast dough.  It came out pretty good, a little  under baked so I need to work on that as it seems to be my main issue with yeast doughs so far but still delicious!  I thought it looked just as pretty without the icing and sprinkles too

Cinnamon Twist King Cake

Cinnamon Twist King Cake

bread

1 1/3 cups warm milk, 105 degrees F

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast or 4 1/2 teaspoons if you have bulk, each package is 2 1/4 teaspoons

4 tablespoons sugar, divided

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 cups flour plus more for dusting

filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons cinnamon

glaze and sprinkles

2 – 3 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

green decorating sugar

purple decorating sugar

yellow decorating sugar

1  For bread, stir together milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in mixing bowl.  Let stand for 5 – 10 minutes or until foamy.  Add 1/2 cup butter , remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt.  Mix with dough hook on medium until combined.  Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix on medium until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes.

2  Spray large bowl with cooking spray.  Form dough into a ball, place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let sit in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

3  For filling, mix together butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon until well combined.

4  Line a large cookie sheet or pizza stone with parchment.

5  Punch dough down and roll into a 10 x 28″ rectangle on floured surface.  Spread filling onto dough and roll up from long end, as for a cinnamon roll.  Cut log in half lengthwise, twist pieces together, and form into a ring on prepared pan, tucking ends under.

6  Loosely cover with plastic wrap sprayed lightly with cooking spray and let rise 25 – 30 minutes.

7  Preheat oven to 350.  Remove plastic wrap carefully and bake 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely.

8  For glaze, whisk together milk, powdered sugar and vanilla until thick glaze forms.  Drizzle over cake and sprinkle with sugars.

recipe from Wilton