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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Pulled Pork with Root Beer Sauce

1 2 1/2 - 3-pound pork sirloin roast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 TBS cooking oil
2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
1 cup root beer*
2 Tbs minced garlic
3 cups root beer*
1 cup bottled chili sauce
1/4 tsp root beer concentrate (optional)
Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)
8-10 hamburger buns, split (toasted if desired)

*Do not use diet root beer

1. Trim fat from meat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. In a large skillet brown meat on all sides in hot oil. Transfer meat to 3 1/2 - 5 quart slow cooker. Add onions, the 1 cup root beer, and garlic. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8-10 hrs or high-heat setting for 4-5 hrs.

2. About 30 minutes before roast is done, for sauce, in a medium saucepan combine the 3 cups root beer and the chili sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 2 cups. If desired, add root beer concentrate and hot pepper sauce.

3. Transfer meat to a cutting board or serving platter. Using 2 forks, pull meat apart into shreds. If desired, use slotted spoon to remove onions from cooker to serve on top of the meat. If desired, line buns with lettuce leaves and tomato slices. Add meat and spoon on sauce.

I made this for my family last night and we all loved it, including the kids. The sauce is not too strong, and doesn't taste like root beer at all. (I didn't use the optional ingredients) This was really easy, as well. Just throw it in the crock pot early in the day and dinner is ready to go!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Wheat and Honey Pitas

I got this recipe from a Bosch cooking class. I have tried it for pizza crust, pita bread and bubbly bread. All of them have been delicious!
2 cups warm water
1 TBSP honey
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP Saf Instant Yeast
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour Unbleached White Flour (approx 2 cups)

Combine first five ingredients in Bosch bowl with dough hook. Mix thoroughly, continue to add unbleached white flour until mixture cleans sides of bowl. Continue kneading until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 24 pieces for small pitas or 12 pieces for larger pitas. Roll into ⅛" thick circles on a floured surface. (Any creases in the dough will cause the pita to stick together and not form a pocket.) Cover with plastic wrap. Let rest 30 minutes. Bake on pizza stone that has been preheated to 500 degrees for 3½ to 4 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven when pita puffs up and is slightly golden. Place in a large bread bag to soften and flatten.

If you want flatbread, turn over before they poof up.

For pizza crust, I let my dough sit for about 20 minutes or so and then divide in half (or thirds depending how big your pizza stone is). Roll out your dough with some flour on a wood pizza board. Preheat your oven with pizza stone to 450 degrees while preparing your pizza with toppings. Add your toppings without the cheese making sure that the pizza dough doesn’t stick to the board. Once the oven is preheated, slide the pizza onto the hot stone. Cook for about 6 minutes or so and then add the cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and to your liking.For bubbly bread, roll the dough like you would for your pizza. Add grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and bake on a preheated stone at 500 degrees for about 5-6 minutes. Be sure to check so the cheese doesn’t burn.

12 grain bread

I got this recipe from a Bosch cooking class. I really love it! This recipe is also fantastic for pizza crust, dinner rolls, and sandwich buns.
6 cups warm water
2 cups Nine grain cracked cereal mix OR 3½ cups 12 grain blend (Bosch store)
¼ cup Millet
1 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ cup Vital Wheat Gluten
⅔ cup Honey⅔ cup Canola Oil
2 TBS real salt
3 TBS Saf Instant yeast
3 TBS Dough Enhancer
2 Tbs Lecithin (optional)
12-14 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour

You will not need the millet, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds if you buy the 12 grain blend from Bosch ($3)Combine water, Cereal Mix, Millet, Sunflower Seeds and Sesame Seeds in a Bosch mixing bowl. Cover with lid and let rest for 5-10 minutes to soften grains. Add oil, honey, Real Salt, Dough Enhancer, Gluten, about 6 cups flour, and SAF yeast to grain mixture. Mix at speed one until a smooth batter is formed. Add remaining flour one cup at a time until dough cleans the sides of the bowl. (You will want to turn your mixer to speed two as the mixture gets heavier but do not go over speed two.) Continue to knead until dough is smooth and elastic, the total mixing time is generally 10-12 minutes. Divide dough into loaves and allow to raise until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Applesauce Muffins

The girls found this recipe on NickJr.com the other day, and asked me to make it with them. Super easy and fun for the kids to help! The girls loved it!

Ingredients
2 C flour
3/4 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C (1 stick) butter, melted

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line with cupcake liners a muffin pan.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a med. bowl. Whisk to blend.
3. Add the egg, applesauce and melted butter. Stir just until blended. Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes. Invert and cool completely.

We put some mini chocolate chip sprinkles on top before baking and they were YUMMY!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Easter Treats




Little Nests:
1/4 cup butter (Mama bird melts in sauce pan)
1 cup marshmallows (baby bird measures and adds to melted butter, Mama bird stirs until melted smooth, then removes from heat)
1 cup bran flakes (baby bird adds to pan and Mama Bird coats it in marshmallow mixture)
coconut, dyed green
candy eggs
Shape 'em out, let them firm up a little, then eat 'em up!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN ALFREDO

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cubed
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 c. melted butter
1/4 c. whole milk {not fat-free or 2%}
16 oz. sour cream
1 envelope of Italian dressing mix
1 lb. fettuccine noodles

Stir everything together in a crockpot except for the noodles. Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Then make the pasta according to package directions then drain. Stir the pasta into the crockpot and serve.

Delicious and so very easy!


-

*Merrianne

Monday, April 6, 2009

Rice Crispy Chicken

This was my childhood favorite. Now my kids and husband love it.

Dip chicken in melted butter, then in crushed rice crispies. Place in casserole dish. Don't crowd the chicken, or it takes longer to cook. Pour left over butter into left over crushed crispies and mix together, then sprinkle over chicken in dish. Bake at 350, uncovered, about 20-30 min for bone/skinless tenderloins or breasts, and about 1 hr. for bone-in chicken.

I serve this with mashed potatoes and a microwaved steamed vegetable.