Pasta Dough for a Pasta Press or Lasagna

This dough is perfect (at least on a summer's day in the pacific northwest)! I made it specifically for our Kitchen Aid but I'm sure it's adaptable to do by hand. It took me three months to perfect it. I wanted something simple and not too sticky for the pasta press. Just the right amount of chewy. It's the semolina flour that really helps! However disclaimer, you may need to change the amount of moisture (olive oil) depending on where you live and the time of year.

Time: 47 minutes (5 minutes mix, 12 minutes knead, 30 minutes rest)

Ingredients:

8 oz white flour

8 oz semolina flour

4 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Measure out flour and salt. Make a well and add in eggs and olive oil. Use your fingers or a fork to mix into a shaggy dough.

Knead by hand for 10 minutes or on the Kitchen Aid on level 2 for 12 minutes.

Cover and let set 30 minutes before pressing or laminating into sheets.

One of my Lasagna Adventures:

Simple Custard Ice Cream Base

This makes just the right base for a kitchen aid ice cream maker (2 quarts). It can be eaten as is (vanilla ice cream), add some vanilla paste or beans for extra vanilla flavor. We've also used it as the base for mint chocolate chunk, chocolate peanut butter cup, strawberry, strawberry cheesecake and cookies and cream. We have a list of so many more we are excited to try and this is the tried and true base for us (nice and thick, doesn't leave a coating on the roof of your mouth and doesn't use too many eggs).

Simple Custard Ice Cream Base

Time: 20-25 minutes (plus 6+ hours to cool in the fridge)

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Cream (not heavy)

2 Cups Whole Milk

3/4 Cup of Sugar 

Pinch of Salt

2 egg yolks

1-2 tsp of Vanilla

Directions:

Heat cream, milk, sugar and salt on medium low until sugar has dissolved.

Whip egg yolks for 1 minute.

Temper dairy-cream mixture into egg yolks.

Stir constantly on medium heat (include bringing to a simmer/low boil) for 15 minutes.

Take off heat, stir in vanilla. Refrigerate.

If custard breaks, place pan in bath of cold water, whisking rapidly for about a minute or until smooth (avoid getting any water into pot).

Derek's Best Chocolate Chip Recipe

When my husband and I first met he asked me for my number and shortly after called me to ask me out. I was headed out the next day to spend a weekend in Park City. He was headed out the next week on a road trip to California. We decided to have him come over that evening and help me make cookies for my girl’s trip. Little did he know that I had been looking for the ‘perfect’ chocolate chip cookie recipe (as well as a great guy) and been on the hunt for a couple years. It is by far my favorite cookie recipe and he is by far my favorite guy! He made these for us this weekend and they are still just as delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 CUP BUTTER
- ½ CUP WHITE SUGAR
- 1 ½ CUP BROWN SUGAR
- 2 EGGS
- 2 ½ TEASPOON VANILLA

- 2 ½ CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- ¾ TEASPOON SALT
- 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
- 1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
- MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS
- EXTRA FLOUR AS NEEDED

DIRECTIONS:

-Pre-heat oven @ 350 degrees. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. Mix together and add chocolate chips and extra flour as needed (add an extra 1/2 cup for humid areas). Cook in oven for 9-10 min until golden on bottom (tops may not look quite done for extra chewiness. Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies.

Petite Beef Wellington Paired with Rosemary Potatoes

Petite Beef Wellingtons

*Adopted from Better Homes and Garden Magazine

Ingredients:

2 pound center cut beef tenderloin roast, cut into eight 1-inch-thick slices
Kosher salt and coarse ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped shallots

2 finely cut garlic cloves
3 portobello mushroom caps, stemmed and sliced (3 1/2 cups)
½ cup chopped fresh thyme, oregano and basil
1 17.3 ounce package puff pastry sheets (2 sheets), thawed
¼ cup Mustard
2 oz of Beechers or other shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
2 two ounce packages very thinly sliced prosciutto (about 16 slices)
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line an extra-large baking sheet with foil. Season both sides of beef with salt and black pepper. In an extra-large skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the fillets. Cook each side 1 minute or until browned. (Fillets will not be cooked through.) Remove. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining four fillets.

Step 2

In same skillet heat butter over medium. Add shallots; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook and stir 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and browned and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in herbs. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.

Step 3

Cut each pastry sheet into quarters. On a lightly floured surface roll each quarter to an 8-inch square. Cut 1/4-inch-wide strips from each side of each square; set aside. Spread a 3-inch area in the center of each pastry square with mustard. Divide mushroom mixture then cheese evenly between squares, placing them on mustard. Wrap each filet with two slices prosciutto. Place a fillet on cheese. Beat together egg yolks and 1 tablespoon water. Brush edges of pastry with egg mixture. Bring corners of pastry up and over fillet, pinching edges to seal. Place seam sides down on prepared baking sheet. Brush egg mixture over pastry. Use trimmed pastry strips to make bows. Attach pastry bows; brush bows with egg mixture.

Step 4

Bake on rack (we use a cooling rack) placed on baking sheet for 16 minutes or until pastry is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into fillet registers 135°F*. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. (Temperature will rise to 145°F.)

We like to pair this meal with a green salad and Rosemary Potatoes:

Rosemary Potatoes

Slice 4 yukon gold potatoes thinly (1/8-1/4 inch). Melt 1/4 cup of butter and add in a tablespoon of finely cut rosemary. Toss potato slices till coated. Place in pan standing upright. Drizzle any leftover butter mixture on top. Bake at 450 for 75 minutes. Let cool before eating.

Ghost Chili

One of my favorite recipes to have at my Halloween Parties is Ghost Chili. I got the original recipe from a friend and then changed some things here and there over the years. One of the things I love about this recipe is that the longer it sits, the better it tastes, so if you make it the day before, all you have to do is warm it up and the flavors are perfect.

Ghost Chili

Ingredients

1 lb chicken
1 drained can garbanzo beans
2 cans of diced green chili
2 large cans of white hominy
4 teaspoons of chicken broth paste
Half a diced onion
2 crushed/dice cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of cumin
2 teaspoons of chili powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
6 oz shredded white cheddar cheese
Cubed block of cream cheese

Directions

Sautee garlic and onion with a little bit of olive oil or butter until the onion is turning golden brown. Add the liquid from the hominy cans and broth paste. Simmer on low, adding in spices (cumin, chili powder and cayenne). Once it starts to dissolve, add in all cans of beans and chili. Add in cubed chicken, shredded cheese, cubed cream cheese. Keep on low, stirring occasionally for one-two hours. If you choose to eat it the next day, you can also put it in a crock pot and let it sit on "warm" throughout the day. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do and Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Spice Protein Muffins

This last week I was able to do a little experimenting and came up with recipe that I am in love with! A whole grain, veggie-filled version of a fall favorite. It has a wonderful consistency and is very soft and moist. The protein mix also gives it a natural crumble-type top. I could eat them all day long.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter

2/3 Cup of Sugar

3 Egg Whites

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree

2/3 Cup of Oat Flour

2/3 Cup Kodiak Pancake Mix (or other protein baking powder)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

On Medium Speed, Cream Together:

1/2 Cup Butter
2/3 Cup of Sugar

Add 3 Egg Whites one at a time, allowing 20-30 seconds in between
Add 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree until fully mixed but not beyond.
Set aside

In separate bowl, mix:

2/3 Cup of Oat Flour
2/3 Cup Kodiak Pancake Mix
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg

Mixed together until completely mixed but not any more than necessary. Add nuts and 1 chopped apple for added texture or to make it an extra special treat, add dark chocolate chips! Bake for approx. 22 (20-25) minutes. Yields 9 muffins, 1 dozen with apple.

Grandma's Wheat Bread

My Mom used to have to make their bread growing up. My grandma always said, "Your husband will thank me someday". Just to give my mom a hard time, my dad did go and thank my grandma, in a teasing way, although having fresh baked bread is always delicious. Having freshly ground wheat also adds to the nutrition. These days, even if you are going for all natural, simple ingredients, it still more cost efficient to buy bread, especially if you live near the bakery we do. That being said, when my mom was remodeling her house and needed everything out and I needed some wheat ground, I gladly 'baby-sat' her wheat grinder for her.

There's something about using mom's wheat grinder and grandma's bread recipe on a cool summer's day that is the essence of nostalgia. Add in your husband's fresh home made 5-berry jam. We are a bit spoiled at our house.

PC: Yvonne Krieger (My mom :) )

She wanted to 'model' the toast for me.

French Onion Soup

I guess it's been a cooking week for us when it comes to exploring new things. After a record breaking hot day that dropped 20 degrees in less than 24 hours and the start of the Walla Walla Sweet Onion season, it seemed liked french onion soup was just the right thing. We combined two different recipe's from two outstanding chef's:

Alton Brown's caramelized onion recipe and Tyler Florence's French Onion Soup recipe. We went with the Gruyere and Parmesan for the cheese topping and french sough dough for the bread. It hit the spot.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cu...ookies?

Inspired by my husband who wanted chocolate cookies with a peanut butter center, we created a new cookie recipe this evening and luckily it was quite the success. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, this one could be for you:

Mix 1/2 cup peanut butter (we used Adam's) with 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, chill.

Cream together:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of salt

Combine and chill in fridge while oven pre-heats to 350.

Take chocolate dough, press out in your hand and roll up grape-size ball of peanut butter mixture. Set in middle and fold up chocolate dough around it, roll in ball to seal edges.

Bake on parchment paper 10 minutes, slide off pan with paper to cooling rack, let cool at least 10 minutes more. Enjoy! Makes 10 cookies, A dozen if the kiddos don't get to the dough too soon.

A Father's Day Chocolate Cream Pie

My Mom and Dad came up this weekend for Father's Day Weekend, one of the perks of us moving back to the Pacific Northwest. My Dad requested a Chocolate Cream Pie. I had never made one before so this was my first attempt. I built it off of the the delicious recipe found here:

https://www.browneyedbaker.com/chocolate-cream-pie-recipe

I did make a few changes. My sister, who was also coming, isn't a fan of Oreos and we also had graham crackers on hand. I lined the bottom of the spring form pan with parchment paper. I made graham cracker crust by crushing 1 pkg of crackers, adding 2 tablespoons of melted butter, mixing well and pressing them into the bottom of the pan.

I followed the recipe just as stated on the webpage for the chocolate custard, however, for the sake of ease when sending my husband to the store, I had him pick up 8 oz of dark chocolate Ghirardelli melting chips with an extra oz to grate on top and placate hungry cute children.

I made the custard Friday night and put my silicone lid on top before refrigeration. It worked out fine but it did leave a few condensation drop spots. I ended up doubling the amount of whip cream. In the future, I would like to double the amount of the chocolate custard. I felt the layer was too thin and the cream a bit too thick.

That being said, the family was quite happy with it and that's all that matters. It'll be fun though to try it again in the future, maybe next Father's day!

Little Hands Helping with the Work

I love it when little hands hep with the work.

 Rolling out Cinnimon Rolls with Daddy

A Delicious Pound Cake Recipe

I found a pound cake recipe that I absolutely love. My sister-in-law shared it with me this last Christmas. While it makes a good base for a fruit cake, I actually love it with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

I wish I could site this recipe but I don't know where it originally came from. If you know, let me know and I'll add it!

Perfect Pound Cake

12 oz {3 sticks} of room temperature butter 

3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 cup milk- room temperature 

1 tsp pure almond extract 

1 tsp pure lemon extract 

1 tsp pure vanilla extract 

3 cups sugar 6 eggs- room temperature 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees 

Butter and flour Bundt Pan or Tube Pan 

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. 

Combine milk and extracts in a separate container and set aside. 

Cream butter until light and fluffy {about 2 minutes} then add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. 

Beat about 3 minutes. 

Add eggs, one at a time, allowing 15-20 seconds between each addition. {you must allow ample time for emulsification, otherwise you will have an overly dense cake} 

Alternately add the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. 

Beat until batter is smooth and silky, but no longer. 

Pour into prepared pan and tap it on the counter to allow batter to settle evenly. 

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

Let cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes. 

Turn cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

An Easter Evening Feast

This year for Easter, we invited a lovely couple from down the road who's children live too far away to celebrate Easter with them. They remind me of my grandparents and our kids even call them "Grandma and Grandpa", although they are old enough to be our grandparents as well. It seemed like the perfect time to pull out my grandmother's china and my mom's goblets from Italy. Although, the only really crafty part was the place cards for seating & perhaps the flowers from our garden (I didn't even pipe the deviled eggs because I didn't want to do more dishes), it was fun to take pictures of all of it.

I used hollowed eggs but I bet boiled eggs would work too. 

Starting to set the table.

My husband made the roast.

We choose to do a pound cake for our "shortcake". Baking is a craft too, right?

Birthday Jam

This post is very similar to that of the one I just did, Cookie-in-a-jar. My para-educator's birthday is on Monday. I'm already putting together a luncheon for our team and the office staff, including a birthday dessert and so I was trying to think of something a little extra. Derek, my husband, made his berry jam this week and so I took the theme from the Cookie-in-a-jar. and put together one of the jars for her.

Cookie in a Jar

The youth in our ward were holding a fundraising auction. Life had been a little crazy so I wasn't able to make what I wanted to donate for it. A lot of people had signed up to bring treats and I wasn't sure what to do that was not too much of a repeat of what others were donating (I also had signed up to bring treats) so I thought if I did a "cookie in a jar", then I could add my own crafty style as well as make something that didn't need to be consumed right away. I ended up with what I decided was a good "Easter-themed" chocolate-chip style cookie recipe.

I got my recipe from this site:

https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32260/chocolate-chip-cookie-mix-in-a-jar/

While I was searching through our jars, I came across this one and it made me think of my sister. She has done a lot for us lately and I thought it would be fun to surprise her with a small gift. She works in my district and a fellow teacher of hers was coming to observe in my class so I was even able to give her a special 'surprise delivery'.

Summer Garden Party

One more post for this evening. Mostly because the last one was about parties and this summertime one is fun to remember, especially with tulips and daffodils starting to peek up with the promise of spring. Last August, I threw a garden party for my sister. There weren't as many decorations involved (unless you count our roses!), except for the food. It was really fun to make!

Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil

PC: Wendy Holt