Hot Buttered Pretzels

Hot Buttered Pretzels

They are much better than the ones that you buy at the mall, and are so easy! They are cheaper to make at home too.

Hot Buttered Pretzels 

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour     12 1⁄2 Ounce (for dough)
• Sea salt     1 Teaspoon (for dough)
• Sugar     1 Teaspoon (for dough)
• Instant yeast     2 1⁄4 Teaspoon (for dough)
• Warm water     1 1⁄2 Cup (24 tbs) (1 cup for dough+ 1/2 cup for topping)
• Baking soda     1 Tablespoon (for topping)
• Vegetable oil     1 Tablespoon (for greasing)
•  Unsalted butter     3 Tablespoon

Directions:

GETTING READY
1. Preheat oven to 500 degree.
2. Grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil. You can also use parchment paper to line it.
3. For topping, in a bowl, whisk warm water and baking soda. Microwave for 1 minute, and keep it aside.

MAKING
4. For dough, in stand mixer bowl, add flour, salt, sugar, and instant quick rise yeast.
5. Pour warm water in it, and stir with spatula to incorporate.
6. Then, using a dough hook attachment, knead the mixture on medium low for 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth, but not stick.
7. In a plastic bag, put the dough, and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes.
8. Remove the dough from plastic bag, and place it on oiled working counter.
9. Using a knife divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
10. Roll these pieces into long rope.
11. Shape each rope into pretzel as shown in the video.
12. Dip each pretzel in baking soda wash, and place it on baking sheet.
13. Sprinkle salt over it, and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes.
14. Place it in oven and bake for 9-10 minutes, or until pretzels are fluffy and golden brown.

FINALIZING
15. Remove the sheet from oven, and brush butter over hot pretzel.

SERVING
16. Serve pretzel with hot tomato soup

Gram's Galumpki

Gram's Galumpki

My mom made these at least once a month throughout my childhood. The only difference  was she used tomato juice and thinly sliced onion on top. Special memories, :)


Gram's Galumpki

• 1 or 2 heads of cabbage ( you will need 12-16 large leaves)
• 1 lb ground beef (80% lean or so)
• 2 cups cooked rice (cooked five minutes short of specified time)
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• tomato soup (1 or 2 small cans) or 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• fresh thyme leaves (several sprigs, 1 - 2 teaspoons)

Cut the core from the head of cabbage and wash well. Fill a large saucepan or pot (I use a 4 quart saucepot) with about 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Add ½ teaspoon salt and the head of cabbage, core side down. Cover and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the outer cabbage leaves are tender and flexible but not mushy.

Carefully remove the head of cabbage from the pot. Run under cold water until it can comfortably be handled. Gently separate the leaves. If you get to the point where the leaves are still crisp return the remaining portion to the boiling water to cook a little longer. Repeat until you have enough cooked leaves for the number of cabbage rolls you want to make (12 -16 large leaves). Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, cooked rice, onion, egg, garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly. (I reach in and use clean hands to squish the mixture together.)

If using the tomato sauce mixture instead of canned tomato soup, stir together the tomato sauce, lemon juice and minced garlic in a small bowl.

Prepare a baking dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. (I use a 7 x 11 inch rectangular baking dish but this does not usually hold all of the rolls. Any baking dish can be used but cooking time may vary depending on how the rolls are arranged.) Cover the bottom of the dish with half of the tomato soup or tomato sauce mixture. Set the rest of the soup or sauce aside for the topping.

Place cabbage leaves on a cutting board one by one and, with a sharp knife, trim much of the thickness from the central ridge of the cabbage leaf starting at the core end and cutting toward the outer edge. This will flatten the ridge making it flush with the leaf and easier to roll.


Place ¼ cup of the meat mixture near the lower core edge of the cabbage leaf. Fold the lower edge up over the meat mixture. Then fold in each side of the leaf toward the middle. Roll the leaf tucking in the sides as you go. Squeeze the rolled cabbage leaf in your fist to shape the bundle and place it seam side down in a rectangular baking dish. Repeat until all of the meat mixture has been used.

Cover the cabbage rolls with the remaining tomato soup or sauce. Scatter thyme leaves over all. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover. Bake another 15 minutes or until ground beef is done through.

Simple Homemade Sausage Patties

Simple Homemade Sausage Patties

Assembling pork sausages is a snap and, as always, if you use best-quality ingredients, it's hard to beat homemade.From the book "Mad Hungry," by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books).

Simple Homemade Sausage Patties

Ingredients:

•     1 pound ground pork
•     1 garlic clove, minced
•     1 tablespoon dried sage, crumbled
•     3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
•     1/2 teaspoon dried fennel, crushed
•     Pinch of ground nutmeg
•     1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
•     1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•     1 large egg white
•     2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions:

Mix together the pork, garlic, sage, thyme, fennel, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the egg white and combine thoroughly. Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.

To easily form the sausage patties, rinse your hands in cold water. Divide the mixture into eighths and shape each portion into a 2 1/2-inch disk. Patties can be made to this point and refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

Heat a skillet over high heat, and then swirl in the oil. Fry the sausages on both sides until completely cooked through and golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Drain and serve immediately with pancakes, waffles or eggs. Sausage patties can be fully cooled, wrapped, and frozen for microwave reheating.

Crunchy Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Crunchy Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Made these for dinner this evening and they were fantastic! The sauce for the chops is awesome. Tastes almost identical to Jack Daniels sauce you get at TGIFridays..

Crunchy Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 6 to 9 pork chops, not too thick
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tbsp water
• 2 c flour
• 1 tsp salt and pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• canola oil or vegetable for frying

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1 1/2 c honey
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 dash(es)cayenne pepper, or to your taste
• 1/2 c soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Whisk the eggs and 4 tablespoons water in a shallow dish.
2. Mix the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in another shallow dish.
3. Dip the chops in the flour, then over into the egg, then back over into the flour mixture again.
4. This is what puts the extra crispy coating on the chops.
5. Be sure to get plenty of flour on this last coating, then shake them a little and place in a pan with about a half inch of oil.
6. Be sure the oil is hot, but not too hot or the chops will cook too fast. You need to get it good and hot and then turn to about medium.
7. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side. Try not to turn more than twice or your breading will come off.
8. Remove from the pan to a 9x13 baking dish.
9. Saute the garlic a little in the butter. Add the honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, cayenne and garlic.
10. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Watch this carefully because it will foam and might boil over.
11. Pour 1/2 of the glaze over the pork chops. Flip them over and pour the other 1/2 over the other side.
12. Place uncovered in a preheated 350 oven for about 20-25 minutes. This sets the glaze and finishes them to be sure they are cooked through.

Pasta House Pasta Con Broccoli (Actual Recipe )

Pasta House Pasta Con Broccoli (Actual Recipe )

This is the acutal recipe (not a copycat) as posted on their website and as printed in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. . This is so yummy and is a St. Louis tradition. This recipe serves 2, so feel free to double or triple it to feed your family. Serve as a main dish (as they do) with a Pasta House Salad on the side! It also makes a nice side dish to grilled chicken..

Pasta House Pasta Con Broccoli

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

•     4 ounces uncooked large shell pasta
•     1 cup cream
•     2 tablespoons butter
•     1⁄2 teaspoon minced garlic
•     2 tablespoons tomato sauce
•     1⁄2 cup chopped broccoli
•     salt and pepper
•     1⁄3 cup thinly sliced fresh button mushroom
•     1⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta until half done (about 4 minutes); drain. Return pasta to the pot.
2. Add cream, butter, garlic, tomato sauce, broccoli, salt and pepper. Bring to a hard boil.
3. When noodles are fully cooked and sauce is starting to thicken, add mushrooms and stir to combine.
4. Remove from the heat; add cheese.
5. Toss and serve.

Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki

Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki

Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki

Ingredients:

• 1 pound(s) diced chicken
• 1/2 cup(s) teriyaki sauce
• 1 cup(s) chicken broth
• 1/3 cup(s) brown sugar
• 3 clove(s) garlic minced

Directions:

    1. Combine chicken broth, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar and garlic cloves in large bowl.

    2. Add chicken to sauce, and toss to combine.

    3. Pour chicken mixture into crock-pot.

    4. Cook on low 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

    5. Serve over hot cooked rice and spoon extra sauce if desi

Reuben Crescent Bake

Published : 11:47 Author : sheik blog

Reuben Crescent Bake

It really doesn't get much easier than this. No chopping, sauteing, or boiling. Essentially, I made a great big, delicious sandwich in a casserole dish. "What else might I do with crescent rolls?" I know that there are quite a few applications, both sweet and savory. I first hit up the Pillsbury site for inspiration. Lots of recipes there! I finally settled on this Reuben Bake, another winner from Taste of Home. Don't look at the calories, though.

Reuben Crescent Bake

Ingredients:

• 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 pound sliced Swiss cheese
• 1-1/4 pounds sliced deli corned beef
• 1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
• 2/3 cup Thousand Island salad dressing
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 3 teaspoons caraway seeds

1. Unroll one tube of crescent dough into one long rectangle; seal seams and
2. perforations. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake
3. at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Layer with half of the
4. cheese and all of the corned beef. Combine sauerkraut and salad dressing; spread
5. over beef. Top with remaining cheese. On a lightly floured surface, press or
6. roll second tube of crescent dough into a 13-in. x 9-in. rectangle, sealing seams
7. and perforations. Place over cheese. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with caraway
8. seeds. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until heated through and crust is golden
9. brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Cheesy Bacon Chicken Casserole

Cheesy Bacon Chicken Casserole

Alright so I like cheese, okay?! I'm starting to wonder if I could function without it, 95% of what I post is cheese-related. Well anyway, this recipe is awesome. I love casseroles and this one is full of cheesy, bacony, chickeny deliciousness... and of course, most importantly, EASY! 

Ingredients:

• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 strips of quality bacon – cooked and crumbled
• 2 (10-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 1 box (16 ounces) dried spiral pasta
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook and crumble bacon. While bacon is cooking, cut chicken into bite-sized chunks. Set cooked bacon aside for later use. In the same pan, cook chicken in bacon drippings. Add garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.

While chicken is cooking, prepare pasta according to directions. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400.

Drain pasta, return to pot. Add chicken, both cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese – stir to mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish.

Top with crumbled bacon.

Top with remaining cup of Monterrey Jack cheese.

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, just until cheese is melted and beginning to brown on top.

Oh my goodness – this is crazy good! Creamy, yummy, bacony… We loved it!

There are a number of ways to change this up and add new flavors: a packet of ranch dressing mix, green chilies, your favorite vegetables – check out the comments section below to see what other folks have added to this easy recipe!