Becky’s Mexican Hot Chocolate

Feb 29, 2012 by Becky

This is a delicious recipe that I came up with on a chilly Sunday morning. I must say that this is not the way we typically drink our hot chocolate in Mexico. The “real” Mexican hot chocolate doesn’t call for different spices, other than cinnamon. But you know how there are moments when inspiration just knocks at your door, and you have no other option than to follow your culinary instincts. So I did, and the result was great.

Ingredients:

for 8 cups

• 2 liters of whole milk
• 3 thick tablets of chocolate Abuelita (I have been in several states in the USA, and in each one of them I have seen this brand of chocolate; look for it in the Mexican food aisle)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 6 cardamom seeds
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (or more… depending on your taste)
• 1 ½ tsp Mexican Vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 orange

Directions:

1. Grind (I use my coffee grinder) the cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom.
2.  Using a sharp knife, break up the chocolate into smaller pieces.
3.  In a saucepan combine the chopped chocolate, milk and spices (including the cayenne pepper and red pepper). Stir constantly until all the chocolate is melted. You want it to be very hot, but don’t let it boil.
4.  Remove from heat and whisk with a Mexican molinillo or a hand whisk until frothy.
5.  Serve immediately and enjoy! Hold the cup with both hands, and this is very important, before you take a sip of it, smell it.
6. Now smile.

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Breakfast Cookies

Jan 31, 2012 by desiringvirtue

I know, yesterday I showed you pictures of bread and today I am tempting you with these breakfast cookies, but at least they can claim some health benefit! Not only that, but they make a very quick breakfast when you are on the go… and with two little ones, most mornings I am definitely on the go.

Somewhat Healthy, Delicious Breakfast Cookie Recipe

Adapted from Ellie Krieger’s recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 can of sliced carrots (the small can)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
• 1/3 cup Craisins
• 1/3 cup chopped dates
• 1/3 cup toasted, chopped nuts (use whatever you have on hand)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. Beet butter, oil, and sugars in a stand mixer on high until mixture is light in color.
4. Add carrots and beat on high until they are mushed into little tiny pieces.
5. Add egg and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds.
6. Add flour mixture and beat another 30 seconds.
7. Add oats, flakes, craisins, dates, and nuts. Stir until just combined.
8. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
9. Form balls from dough (about the size of golf balls) and place on cookie sheets.
10. Press down balls with the palm of your hand to flatten a bit (cookies will not spread in the oven). Keep cookies about 1/4 inch thick.
11. Bake for 12 minutes and take out while cookies are still soft.
12. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Keep these cookies in zip lock bags at room temperature. You can also freeze some to make them last longer. My husband LOVES these cookies and really appreciates being able to grab one before he walks out the door.

 

 

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Warm Scallop Salad with Bacon and Vinaigrette

Jan 25, 2012 by Julie

As the resident foodie here at DV it may not surprise you that I enjoy good food.

In fact, whenever my husband and I go on vacation we plan our entire trip around wherever it is we are wanting to eat. Anything from food trucks to five-star restaurants is fair game. We may be tourists, but we dine like locals, and enjoy it to the fullest!

When we can’t go on vacation, though, we bring what feels like a vacation into our home by re-creating some of our favorite meals. The recipe I’m sharing with you today is similar to one we enjoyed at a “dive” during our honeymoon in Palm Beach.

Warm Scallop Salad with Bacon and Vinaigrette

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• Fresh Scallops, 6-8 large
• 1-2 T Olive Oil
• 1-2 T Butter
• 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 C feta cheese
• 3 green onions, sliced thin
• Fresh Spinach
• Grape Tomatoes (optional)
• Vinaigrette to taste (we used this Texas Pecan Vinaigrette from Costco-delicious!)

Notes: Be sure you’ve rinsed the scallops and patted dry prior to cooking. Keep it simple by seasoning them with only a little black pepper.

Directions:

1. In a sauté pan, combine the olive oil and butter over medium high heat.
2. When it starts to sizzle add the scallops. Sear for about a minute and a half per side. The scallops should be have a golden crust with a translucent center. You do not want to overcook the scallops!
3. When finished, remove the scallops from pan. Reduce heat slightly and add spinach.
4. Using tongs, give the spinach a couple turns of the pan to wilt, but not fully cook.
5. Remove from pan into serving bowl.
6. Layer the salad-spinach, scallops, bacon, feta, onions
7. Serve warm with vinaigrette on the side.

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Easy, Yummy Cake Box Cookies

Jan 4, 2012 by desiringvirtue

Do you ever have those days when you randomly crave something sweet and chewy?  There are times when you aren’t necessarily planning on baking, but think, “If only I could magically whip up some brownies or cookies or a cake! The thought of measuring out flour, baking soda, sugar, and more is enough to stop your delicious fantasies in their tracks (probably a good thing right?). Then you think about all of the time and effort, all of the clean up…. but wait, I am going to share a little secret with you:

They are called Cake Box Cookies.

Chances are you have a random, unused box of cake mix in your pantry. Why? I don’t know, it makes no sense. For some reason or another we have a habit of buying too many boxes of the stuff. But now you are going to be happy you do. Just take that cake mix, add two eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and stir. Instant cookie dough.

Now you can do whatever you want with them. Feel like rolling spoonfuls of it in cinnamon sugar? Excellent choice. Want to add some chocolate chips, that is great too.

Once you have your combo complete simply pop them in an oven set to 375 degrees (on an ungreased cookie sheet) and in 4-10 minutes you have delicious cookies for you kiddos… and yourself.

Yesterday I made three different variations, all using classic white cake mix:

Variation 1: Plain recipe rolled in cinnamon sugar

Variation 2: Plain recipe with a little vanilla mixed in- I think these were my favorite.

Variation 3: Plain recipe with added vanilla, a little brown sugar, and chocolate chips-a nice alternative to full out chocolate chip cookies.

You can use any kind of cake mix and fiddle with it to your hearts content… or your stomach is full of cookies!

So. Have you made these tasty morsels before and if so, what is your favorite combination?

 

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Menu Planning Mayhem and The Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Dec 20, 2011 by desiringvirtue

 

Christmas is just around the corner and our home is already full of sweets! We have Christmas cookies, peppermint bark, candy, and more on our counter as I speak… with more to come I am sure. Last week I made the Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe I linked to in a previous Menu Planning Mayhem and man… it was DELICIOUS! These muffins turn out huge and perfectly sweet (yet not too sweet if you know what I mean). The chocolate chips are a perfect punch of flavor against the slightly sugary muffin. Today I want to share the recipe with you! Who knows, this may make it into your menu for the week! It would be a welcome departure from the overly sweet items filling your list… and your counter.

This recipe is from the blog Cream Puffs In Venice, but originally appeared in Fine Cooking.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Winter 2006 issue of Fine Cooking dedicated to Chocolate.

Note: I did not use the glaze for this recipe and they were absolutely delicious; I guess you just have to decided now much “sweet” you are really wanting!

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups all purpose flour (use unbleached if you have it)
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

For the glaze (optional):

3 cups icing sugar
6 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place a rack in the centre of the oven. Lightly oil the top of a 12-cup muffin tin or spray with cooking spray. Line with muffin cups (it’s best to use grease-proof ones if you can find them).

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a bowl, whisk together the butter, whole milk, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla exctract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently combine using a rubber spatula. Mix only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Don’t overmix or your muffins will be too dense. Don’t worry if the batter seems lumpy or if there are still some flour streaks.

Add the chocolate chips and fold in quickly, again being careful not to overmix.

Distribute the batter among the muffin cups. Mound the better up in the centre of each cup. It will rise above the rim of the muffin cup by as much as an inch. Don’t worry. These are big muffins!

Note: When she says to mound it, she really means it! Just keep adding the batter until you run out. It will look like way too much, but your twelve muffins are going to be humungous so don’t worry.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The muffins will be golden and will spring back when pressed lightly. As an extra test, insert a toothpick into the centre of a muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are ready.

Remove the muffin tin to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. With a knife, separate the muffins evenly and then gently lift them out of the tins. Let them continue cooling on the rack.

If you want to glaze them, make the glaze and pour over the muffins. If not, enjoy them as they are!

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I would love to hear what your kitchen is filled with this week. Link them up your menu, recipe, or baking plans below! You can also feel free to share in the comments section of this blog post. I look forward to seeing what you guys are cooking up!

This post is linked up at Time~Warp Wife!

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Zucchini Parmesan

Aug 16, 2011 by Julie

While menu planning last week, a friend of mine posted a photo online of an Italian dish she made for dinner- Layered Zucchini Parmesan. It looked incredible! When I asked her about it she graciously sent me the link.

As with most Italian dishes, the recipe called for marinara sauce. My husband James has acid reflux, so things like citrus, spicy foods, and marinara are things he tries to avoid in his diet. Rather than forgo Italian all-together we substitute diced tomatoes in most of our homemade pastas, pizzas, etc…

We find that this is not only more affordable than store-bought marinara, but it feels so much better for James and is healthier for both of us! This Italian dish was a total hit this week at our place. Layered with deliciousness, it is so good you won’t even miss the meat!

Zucchini Parmesan

Prep to table: 45 minutes; Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Zucchini, sliced into coins
• 2 T EVOO
• 1/3 C Parmesan, grated
• 1/3 C Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 can Italian diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1/2 C mozzarella, grated
• 1/2 C fresh spinach (optional)

Cooking Instructions: 

0. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

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Easy Caesar Chicken

Aug 11, 2011 by desiringvirtue

Looking for an easy way to impress your family for dinner? Then look no further! This Caesar Chicken recipe will please even the littlest ones in your family while tasting like it came straight off a restaurant’s menu. Another bonus to this recipe is that you can make many variations: Caesar Chicken Caesar Salad, Caesar Chicken with Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella Topping, Caesar Chicken Nuggets, or even experiment with other flavors to spice things up! Caesar Chicken was on my menu this week, maybe it will be on yours next week!

Prep: Clean, trim, and halve your chicken breasts. For this recipe I like to slice the breasts in half to make them thinner. This also saves on calories! Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1.) Marinate!

Begin by marinating your cleaned and trimmed chicken breasts in a cheap Caesar salad dressing. Obviously the longer you let it soak the better, but I have made this dish immediately after soaking the chicken and it still tastes wonderful. I like to poke holes in the chicken with a fork to let those juices soak through!

Step 2.) Make Some Bread Crumbs!

Of course you can skip this step by using store bought bread crumbs, but I like to make mine from homemade wheat bread. (This bread, in particular, makes the recipe super yummy as it adds a hint of sweetness.) Take whatever bread you have on hand and stick it in the food processor. After you have achieved an acceptable crumbiness, pour onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with your choice of italian seasonings and grated Parmesan cheese. Stick the baking sheet in the oven at about 350 degrees and let crumbs brown. DO NOT FORGET ABOUT YOUR BREADCRUMBS! I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten about them and ended up with a pile of ashes… Every five minutes or so take a spatula and stir them so that they brown evenly.

Step 3.) Clothe Those Breasts!

Take your marinated chicken breasts and role them around in your breadcrumbs so that they are evenly covered. At this point I usually cut up a couple of the breasts into bite sized pieces for my little boys and then role them around in the crumbs as well. Once you have covered your chicken, stick it all in a greased baking pan and cover with tin foil.

Step 4.) Enjoy the Aroma!

Place your Caesar Chicken in the oven (already heated to 350) and allow to cook for about 30 minutes. Keep covered for the first 20 minutes in order to keep the chicken juicy. Then uncover for the remaining time to brown the bread crumbs. When juices run clear and the chicken is white through take out and enjoy in whatever fashion you choose! (If you are making nuggets as I usually do, keep an eye on them as they will cook faster than the breasts.)

Options, Options, Options!

You can serve this dish in many different ways. Sometimes I pour some marinara sauce over the top during the last few minutes of cooking as well as a dash of mozzarella cheese. Then you can serve it alongside some pasta or salad. Other options include cutting it up and eating with Caesar Salad or eating in a wrap!

My little boys gobble these up with some marinara to dip them in!

Experiment by using different dressings for your marinade and remember to buy the cheapest bottle for extra savings (because it doesn’t matter!).

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Chicken Enchilada Pizza

Aug 2, 2011 by Julie

Two of my favorites, pizza and Tex-Mex, come together in this delicious recipe!

Combining some grilled chicken with a few items from my pantry, this dinner for two, prep to table, took less than 30 minutes!

Homemade Pizza in half an hour- really?!

When I found this pizza dough recipe on Money Saving Mom, I had to try it myself… here’s a step-by-step look at the process:

1. Add the yeast into warm water. After the yeast has dissolved, add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. I used a silicone spatula to keep the dough from sticking to the bowl and it worked great.

2. When combined, add some flour to the bowl or dump the dough onto a floured surface for kneading. Knead for about 5 minutes into a soft dough.

3. Use a rolling pin or your hands like I am doing to spread the dough out evenly on a greased pizza pan or cookie sheet. You can make it thick, thin or traditional crust- whichever you prefer. I chose a traditional style for this recipe, it was fantastic!

4. Season the dough with spices. I used some oregano this time, but garlic powder and Italian seasoning are also great choices. Just sprinkle the spices across the dough to taste.

Now on to the fun part- toppings!

5. Since it’s a Mexican pizza, I substitute the usual tomato sauce for red enchilada sauce. I used about half a can (4-5 ounces). Let me tell you that the enchilada sauce on the homemade dough sold it for me! But let’s not stop here…

6. Add a couple handfuls of shredded cheese; I used the 4 cheese Mexican blend. Add a sliced grilled chicken breast on top of the cheese.

7. Drain a can of diced green chillies. Using a teaspoon, drop a spoonful of the chillies on each slice of chicken. Chicken + green chillies = amazing flavor!

8. Sprinkle more shredded cheese on top if you’d like and place in the oven at 450 for 12-14 minutes or until the cheese is melty and the crust is golden!

9. Remove from the oven, slice and enjoy! It’s a fiesta in your mouth!

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Our Family’s Favorite Chicken Enchiladas

Jun 1, 2011 by desiringvirtue

I love to cook yummy things. That should go without saying right? If you are going to take the time to cook something, it better be yummy. Sometimes I go overboard on the yummy factor and slip into the overindulgent… if you know what I mean.

Trying to cook healthier and still maintain a certain level of deliciousness can be quite the endeavor (in my opinion anyway). That is why I am very grateful for America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. There are so many recipes in this cook book that are full of yummy & good-for-you ingredients. One of the first recipes I experimented with was this chicken enchilada recipe. My husband is a HUGE Mexican food fan, so I knew that it would be a blessing to him if I could find a recipe that was both healthy and delicious. These enchiladas did not disappoint. They are full of bold flavor and low in calories. We love this recipe so much that it is almost a weekly dinner at our house. So, without further ado, here is our family’s favorite chicken enchiladas!

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3), trimmed, pounded if necessary
• salt and pepper
• 2 1/2 cups green enchilada sauce
• 1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese (we use feta–surprisingly AMAZING!)
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 12 (6 inch) soft corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil spray
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Lime wedges (for serving)

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Combine the chicken and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, 10 to 15 minutes. When the sauce is simmering, flip the chicken over, cover, and continue to cook until the chicken registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a plact and shred it into bite-sised pieces when cook enough to handle. Combine the chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, queso fresco, chiles, and cilantro in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cover to keep warm while heating the tortillas.
4. Lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with vegetable oils pray. Place 6 tortillas onto a baking sheet and bake until the tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Working quickly while the tortillas are still warm and pliable, spread them out over a clean counter. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla around the filling and lay them, seam-side down, in a 13 by 9-inch backing dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
6. Pour 1 cup more sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheddar. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer. Serve, passing the remaining sauce and lime wedges separately.

Nutritional Facts:

Makes 6 (2 enchiladas each) servings.

Per serving: Cal 430; Fat 18g; Sat Fat 8g; Chol 80mg; Carb 39g; Protein 28g; Fiber 5g; Sodium 740mg

My Notes:

You can make these enchiladas up to 2 days ahead of time. Just follow the steps through step 5 and then top them when you are ready to cook. Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray and then add the sauce and cheese and stick them in the oven. Heat through for 20 minutes rather than 10.

I have used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but have also used left over chicken from cooking a whole chicken in the crock pot. Either is great!

Happy & Healthy Eating Everyone!

Photo Credit: My Recipes

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Julie’s Spring Chicken Pizza

Feb 1, 2011 by Julie

One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling, or just trying a restaurant for the first time is to order the most unique item on the menu. While traveling with my sister in Seattle one spring, we stopped for lunch at a quaint place on Bainbridge Island that featured pizza. This was not your typical pizza joint, in fact, far from it! When I read the words blueberry, chicken and pizza all in the same description, I was sold!

The unexpected flavors were surprisingly delicious, as the blueberries had burst to create a sweet and savory sauce.

Coming home a few days later, I was excited to re-create the pizza for my then boyfriend, now husband, James. Before I continue, you must know, that, while I am adventurous when it comes to food, James is not.

I’m a French dip while James is a turkey club.

I’m a Beef Bourguignon while James is a classic pot roast.

So you can imagine how skeptical James was when I told him I wanted to make him that crazy pizza I had in Seattle!

I made it, he tried it-and liked it!

I call this my Spring Chicken Pizza.

James calls it the meal that changed his life.

We like it so much that we even used the recipe as our wedding favor!

This is proof that: before you knock it, try it for yourself.

I’m glad to share this recipe with you :

Julie’s Spring Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared pizza dough either (I’ve used homemade or store-bought, just your preference!)
• 1 grilled chicken breast, sliced into strips
• 1 C Spring mix lettuce
• ½ C shredded mozzarella/Italian cheese
• ½ C blueberries-fresh or frozen
• ½ Granny smith apple, sliced very thin
• ¼ C feta cheese (or sub more mozzarella if you prefer)
• 1 T garlic powder
• 2 T Italian seasoning

Instructions:

• Preheat oven as directed for dough (usually 375 or 400 degrees)
• Spray pizza pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray
• Roll out the dough, seasoning with garlic & Italian seasoning
• Bake seasoned dough for half the cook time (5 minutes). It will need to be firm enough to sustain the toppings, but not fully baked.
• Remove from oven and arrange the remaining ingredients in the following order: field greens, ½ mozzarella cheese, chicken, apple slices, blueberries, feta
• Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top of and place back in the oven until the edges are golden brown.
• Let cool for 2 minutes, then slice. When sliced, the blueberries will burst creating that delicious sweet and savory sauce!

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MMmmmmm…. Chocolate Cake

Aug 30, 2010 by desiringvirtue

I will be honest… I am not the biggest cake fan. BUT honestly, this chocolate cake recipe is so yummy. My friend Amanda razzle dazzled us with this awesome cake on Friday night and I just had to share it with you. The icing is really thick and fudge-like, so if you like your icing softer, just add more water to the recipe. -But I recommend making it just as it is written. Enjoy!

Scotch Chocolate Cake

by Shirley Lanning

 

Cake Instructions

1.) Sift together:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

 

2.) Bring to a boil and add to the above ingredients:

1/2 lb oleo or margerine (1 stick)

1/2 cup shortening

4 tablespoons cocoa

1 cup water

 

3.) Then add and mix well:

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs beaten

 

4.) Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Icing Instructions

1.) Bring to a boil:

1/4 cup margarine (1/2 stick)

4 Tablespoons cocoa

3 Tablespoons of water

 

2.) Gradually add:

1 lb. of powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon of water to get desired consistency

 

3.) Stir in:

1/2 cup Pecans

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 

4.) Ice cake while hot.

 

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Recipe: Southwest Roll Ups

May 21, 2010 by desiringvirtue

I love this easy recipe I found at MoneySavingMom.com. It is simple to put together and great for a quick lunch you can just pull out of the freezer. Instead of reheating them in the oven, I just stick them in the microwave for 2:30-3 minutes each.

Southwest Roll Ups

Ingredients:

• 2 cans refried beans (you can make your own Refried Beans with this recipe)
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 2-4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 16 tortillas (you can make your own Homemade Tortillas with this recipe)

Directions:

1. Mix together beans, salsa, and chicken. Spread 1/8 of mixture onto one tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up and turn ends under. Stick in a freezer bag or in a 9×13 baking pan and freeze.
2. When ready to bake, thaw and bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through. Sprinkle with more shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired. Serve with salsa.

 

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My Most Perfect Baked Mac ‘N Cheese

May 11, 2010 by desiringvirtue

I am obsessed with Macaroni and Cheese. I like it in any form. Straight from the blue box or from a fancy Italian restaurant. You just can’t go wrong with its creamy, cheesy, goodness. It IS the ultimate comfort food-don’t even try to fight me on it.

When I am not making it from the blue box for lunch, I usually bake it for when we have company over. It gives it an air of formality and pairs well with a salad and bread. My favorite recipe? One that I have perfected over time from a Kraft recipe. The great thing about it is that you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge already. Additionally, you will not need any measuring utensils to make this perfect dish.

Jessalyn’s Most Perfect Baked Mac ‘N Cheese

Ingredients:

• One box Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese (whichever flavor you prefer)
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Milk
• Sour Cream
• 5 strips of cooked Bacon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper
• Ritz Crackers
• Butter

Directions:

1. Make Macaroni and Cheese according to box directions. (Do not overcook noodles. Keep in mind that they will cook longer in the oven as well, so a little-too-hard noodles are better than a little-too-soft noodles.)
2. Mix in two big handfuls of cheddar cheese.
3. Add a splash of milk.
4. Add two big spoonfuls of sour cream (about 8 oz.).
5. Rip bacon into inch long pieces and add to mixture.
6. Mix in salt and pepper to taste.
7. Pour mixture into a greased, glass baking dish.
8. Sprinkle sparingly with pepper and cayenne pepper.
9. Crush Ritz Crackers over the top of Mac ‘N Cheese until the entire surface is covered.
10. Sprinkle again with cayenne pepper (mostly for looks….if you think this will be too hot you can substitute paprika at this point).
11. Melt a stick of butter.
12. Pour melted butter over Ritz topping.
13. Cover with tin foil.
14. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or until edges are boiling.
15. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown.
16. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
17. Enjoy!

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Recipe: Yummy Bagels!

Nov 11, 2009 by desiringvirtue

Ok, so the last bagel recipe I tried totally flopped so I was very hesitant to try my hand at it again, but I am so glad I did! This recipe is very easy and makes the most yummy bagels I have ever tasted. For these reasons I feel compelled to share the recipe with you and thus share my joy.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water

2 packages yeast

1 1/2 ounces sugar (you need a kitchen scale for this)

1/2 ounce salt (you need a kitchen scale for this)

3 1/2 cups bread flour

2 quarts water, to boil

1 egg white

cinnamon (optional)

raisins (optional)

poppy seed (optional)

dried onions or garlic (optional)

sesame seed (optional)

Directions:

1 Mix yeast, sugar and warm water together and let stand 3 minutes.

2 Mix 2 cups of flour with the salt in a large bowl and add the yeast mixture.

3 Stir until combined and slowly mix in the rest of the flour (If making cinnamon raisin bagels, add these to dough now).

4 Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes, adding additional flour if needed, dough should be firm.

5 Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double.

6 After rising punch down and divide dough into 12 balls.

7 Allow to rest for 4 minutes.

8 Bring 2 quarts of water to boil.

9 With your thumb, make a hole in each ball of dough and pull open about 2 inches, making a bagel shape.

10 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

11 Place the shaped dough onto a cookie sheet and cover for 10 minutes.

12 Lower heat under water for it to be simmering.

13 Drop 2 or 3 bagels at a time into the water for about 45 seconds, turning each once.

14 Drain and place on greased baking sheets.

15 Brush tops with beaten egg white and top with optional toppings.

16 Bake for 35 minutes, turning once for even browning.

17 Bagels are done when they are golden brown and shiny.

Note: I don’t have a fancy kitchen scale so I just guestemated on the salt and sugar. They still turned out great! I made plain bagels and they were delish! I can’t wait to try my hand at some “everything bagels” with this recipe as the base.

If this is your first time to visit Desiring Virtue you may want to join our growing community of passionate homemakers by "liking" DV on Facebook, following DV on Twitter, or subscribing to DV's email delivery via Feedburner.

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