Mini Bruschetta Pizzas

Mini Bruschetta Pizzas

Hi everybody :)

Remember the Ciabatta (Mini) loaves  I made a few days ago? I decided to play around with them and make mini bruschetta pizzas. Here's what I did... 

Ingredients 

Ciabatta (Mini) 
Fresh Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
1 bunch Basil, finely chopped
Garlic, minced (I used 1 big elephant garlic)
Tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red Wine Vinegar (not shown)
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil to cover
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine basil, garlic, a splash vinegar into a small contain with enough oil to cover. Season with salt and pepper. (This can be done ahead of time so the flavors can blend)

Heat oven to 350 F. Brush some of the mixture over the bread to coat. (Refrigerate leftover garlic mixture; great for dressings or marinades.) Top bread with diced seeded tomatoes.

 Slice cheese withe-wise.  Spread cheese slices over the top.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese melt. Sprinkle with extra salt & pepper, if desired, and serve. 

What I Think:
These were delicious. They can be sliced and served as appetizers or left whole served as snacks. They can also be made with French bread slices, homemade or store-brought. But the homemade version would taste the best :)

ENJOY! Come again....
Linked to:
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 Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Heart-Shaped Cheese Ball & Homemade Crackers

Heart-Shaped Cheese Ball & Homemade Crackers

   
Hi everybody :)
I've been so busy lately, I missed from posting the other day. To make things right, I'm sharing two recipes in today's post.
Since, February is considered a month for romance; cheese,  crackers and a bottle of wine are the prefect way to start off a romantic occasion.  We that in mind, I'm sharing Heart-Shaped Cheese Ball and Homemade Crackers. Let's get it started...

Homemade Plain Crackers
1/2 package (1 teaspoon) active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 slightly beaten egg white
Coarse or seasoned salt, grated Parmesan cheese, toasted wheat germ, or toasted sesame seed

In a small bowl dissolve yeast in the warm water. Stir in oil, sugar, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together flour and soda. Stir water
mixture into flour mixture. 

When the dough becomes too stiff to stir, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until thoroughly combined. Then knead for 1 to 2 minutes more to make a moderately Stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Place in a sealed plastic bag and chill for 1 hour. (Dough will rise slightly.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into 1/8 -inch thick  rectangle. Brush off excess flour. Cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a baking sheet, set baking sheet aside. (Dough will rise slightly.)

Using a pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut dough into 2-inch squares, triangles, or diamond Shapes. Or, using a 2-inch round cookie cutter cut dough into rounds. (I used a small oval-shape cutter.)
Place on the prepared baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick crackers well.

In a small mixing bowl stir together egg white and 1 tablespoon water, lightly brush crackers with egg white mixture. Sprinkle with coarse or seasoned salt. Parmesan cheese, toasted wheat germ, or toasted sesame seed. 

(I sprinkled garlic salt & parsley on some and salt on some.) 
Bake in a 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till done. Remove crackers from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. Makes about 60 (I got about 48)

Homemade Whole Wheat Crackers: Prepare Homemade Plain Crackers as directed at left, except reduce all-purpose flour to 1 cup. Stir 1/4 cup whole wheat flour into the flour mixture. Bake a 350° oven for 12 to 14 minutes or till done.

 (I sprinkled toasted wheat germ on some and salt & pepper on some.)
Source: Better and Gardens Old-Fashioned Home Baking

Heart-Shaped Ranch Cheese Ball
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon salad supreme seasoning
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese 
1 (2 oz.) package bacon bits (2 tablespoons)
Paprika for coating 

In a medium bowl, mix  together all the ingredients except paprika.  

 Shape into a heart.

To coat:  Sprinkle  a layer of paprika about the size of the heart on plastic wrap. Place cheese ball heart on top of paprika, sprinkle paprika to cover. 

Wrap in plastic wrap and place in zip-lock bag and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Great if made-ahead for flavors to blend.

What I Did and/or Think: 
I divided the liquid mixture in half to make half plain and half wheat crackers. The other changes are in Bold, Italic, and Purple.

The Taste: The crackers have the same taste and crunch of  saltine soda crackers. They were great with the cheese ball without being overpowering. I love the flavors of the cheese ball. It contained two of my favorite thing after all; bacon and cheese :). 

I think the next time I make the crackers, I'll add a little butter flavoring to the liquid mixture. It's an A.G.R. (Another Great REPEAT).

Being romantic can be very tasty :) Now what are you waiting for? Get an head start, make them today.

ENJOY! Come again...
I was featured on Bizzy Bake!!!


Linked to:
YeastSpotting! @ wildyeast 
BYOB @ Roxana's Home Baking : (Feb 2013) Bake Your Own Bread  
Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands  
Titus 2 Tuesday  
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Jaime @ Mom's Test Kitchen  
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Kathe With an E You're Gonna Love It  
Tasty Tuesday (Food Only) @ Naptime Creation 
Zentmrs: Tuesday Table  
Pint Sized Baker: Two Cup Tuesday #5 
Katherine Martinelli: Valentine's Day Round Up    
 

Cheddar Bay-Styled Salmon Croquettes

Cheddar Bay-Styled Salmon Croquettes

Hi everybody :)

I try to eat salmon once a week or least twice a month. I love it fresh, frozen, or canned; for today recipe, I'm using canned salmon. I find it's best to buy the cans in bulk at Sam's Club (you get 4 (14 3/4 oz.) cans for about $6.oo). 

The last time I was there, I  spotted a box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix. So I figure, why not try it. I later came home, put it away and forgot about it... until today while trying to come up with what would make a great snack? The answer, croquettes!  But, not just ordinary salmon croquettes... no, no, nooooo... Cheddar Bay-Styled Salmon Croquettes. 

It came to me, just when I reach into the cabinet to get the salmon and remember the biscuit mix. Why not replace the flour in a ordinary croquette recipe with the biscuit mixture and add cheese? Me, being the ever-loving experimentalist  that I am :) had to  give this a try. Here's what I did...     

Cheddar Bay-Styled Salmon Croquettes

1(14 3/4 oz.) can salmon, bones removed; drained & reserved 2 tablespoons liquid
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 - 1/2 cup* Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix  (I found this at Sam's Club)
1/2 teaspoon herb pack (it comes in the box with the mix)
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (I used finely grated Mexican Blend) (it was what I had)
Lemon Pepper & Salt, to taste
2 teaspoons baking powder
Panko Japanese Style Bread Crumbs (for coating)
Oil for frying

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large, heavy skillet to oil to 350°F. 
Combine salmon, egg, onion, biscuit mixture, cheese, and seasonings in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix reserved salmon liquid and baking powder. (Mixture will be bubbly, foamy, and white.) Stir into salmon mixture. (Don't over-mix)
Shape into balls (*add more biscuit mix only if needed; you want just enough for it to hold it shape).  Place crumb coating in a shallow pan or zip-lock bag. Roll balls in crumb coating, flatten slightly. Carefully lower croquettes into hot oil. (Do not over crowd).

Fry in batches for 3 -5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain patties on paper towels. Serve with tartar sauce, mustard/ketchup and/or hot sauce, if desired.   

What I Think:
I absolutely LOVE the croquettes; full of flavor: tender flakes of fish embedded in an onions, herbs, and cheese dough wrapped in nice crunchy crumb coating. If you haven't try Panko bread crumbs yet, you must give it a try. I can't wait to make this again, so it will be REPEATED as often as possible. 

(A little side note, I first discovered the bread crumbs from Jane's blog, where I actually won a box, and been loving it every since. Jane has a super great blog, but don't take my word for it, stop by and see for yourself.) 

Need a great snack for a party or entertaining? Try the salmon croquettes... Cheddar Bay-Styled, of course :) 

ENJOY! Come again...
Linked to:
The Mandatory Mooch Tasty Thursday 
Show Case Your Talent  @What's Cooking Love 
Creative Juice Thursday @ Momnivore's Dilemma
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage 
The Better Baker Weekend Potluck 
Miss Information: I Freakin' Did It Friday  
Katherine Martinelli: Salmon Blog Hop 

Garden Ranch-Styled Cheese-Its

Garden Ranch-Styled Cheese-Its  

Hi everybody :)

Have you ever tried making your own crackers before? Don't worry, I'm sorta new to the idea too, in fact the two crackers recipes I ever made were the Wheat Germ Crackers and Cheddar Pepper & Herb Crisps. They were fairly easy to make. 

Now I want to upped my game, if you know what I mean and try something a little more difficult but still fun to make.  When I saw the homemade Cheese-Its, I knew I found the one I will be making next. I chose Katrina's recipe because she uses shortening along with the  butter to help make it more crispy. A crispy cracker is always a better cracker in my opinion :)

Although, I did change up the recipe a little bit, I used a White Garden Jack Cheese in the place of the cheddar and here's what else I did...

Garden Ranch-Styled Cheese-Its

8 oz Garden Jack, grated
3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature(I used cold butter & grated it)
1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon Salad Supreme Seasoning
2 Tablespoons ice water (I used about 1tablespoon)
Coarse salt for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon ranch dressing mix (dry)  for sprinkling

Combine cheese, butter, shortening, and salt in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. The mixture will be crumbly. Mix flour and seasoning. Slowly add flour mixture and then the ice water being careful not to add too much, just enough for dough to come together.  

 Pat the dough into 2 discs and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (or longer).

Preheat oven to 375⁰F.

Using parchment paper or a silicone mat roll each disc to 1/8 inch or less and cut into 1 inch squares (a pastry wheel or pizza wheel is easiest). Use a toothpick to punch a hole into the center of each square.

Refrigerate for about 10 minutes, if you have difficulty separating and transferring the crackers onto the baking sheet (while you roll out the 2^nd dough disc).

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until puffed and browning around the edges.  Watch carefully you  want nice crispy crackers, not burnt. (Baking these on a Silpat for Bread also helps with the crispiness too.)

Source: In Katrina's Kitchen

What I Think:
The recipe wasn't as difficult as I first thought, the only timely part was cutting out the shapes. Preparing the dough is basically the same way you would make a pie crust dough. 

I love the possibilities of the recipe, by changing out the cheeses and/or adding a different seasoning will get you a whole new taste! I can't wait to try it with White Cheddar Cheese!

The Taste: I love the crispiness of the cracker, so much like the Cheese Its. GREAT! It's a A.G.R. (Another Great REPEAT!) 

Thanks so much to Katrina for sharing her recipe. If you want a Crispy Homemade Cheddar Cheese-Its, check out hers.

ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:
Show Case Your Talent  @What's Cooking Love
Somewhat Simple Link Party Thursday 
Think Tank Thursday: Saving 4 Six    
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage 

Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs

BYOB @ Roxana's Home Baking : Baking Your Own Bread  

Granola

Granola 

Hi everybody :)

Granola is one of my favorite snack foods. I've seen many granola recipes flying around on Pinterest lately. I found this one in Flour cookbook. I decided to use it because it has the ingredients of my favorite Oatmeal Cookies: oat, coconut, walnuts, cinnamon, and dried cranberries or craisins.

I changed a few things about the recipe. I omitted the sesame seeds because I didn't have any, so I added a few more sunflower seeds. The sunflower seeds I used were honey roasted so I added them after cooking. I used coconut oil instead of canola oil because it's healthier and tastes good. And for the secret ingredient: ..... drum roll....YOGURT RAISINS! I LOVE THEM!!

My favorite way to eat granola is with vanilla yogurt and fruits.


  

MOM'S GRANOLA  adapted from Flour
2 1/2 cups (270 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
1 1/2cups (200 grams) wheat germ
1/2 cup (60 grams) sweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons sesame seeds (I omitted this, added a few more sunflower seeds)
1/3 cup (40 grams) sunflower seeds (I used honey-roasted sunflower seeds, so added them after cooking)
1/2 cup (50 grams) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (50 grams) sliced almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt (omitted because of the salt on the sunflower seeds)
3/4 cup (150 grams) canola oil (I used coconut oil, & store granola in the refrigerator)
3/4 cup (255 grams) honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (80 grams) dried cranberries
I also added  2  8 oz. bags yogurt raisins

MAKES ABOUT 10 CUPS

■ Position a a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

■ In a large bowl combine the oats, wheat germ, coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, and salt and mix well. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until the dry ingredients are evenly coated.

■ Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir the granola with a spatula or wooden spoon several times during baking to ensure even browning. Let cool completely, then add the cranberries and mix to distribute them evenly.

■ The granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

What I Think:
If I do this recipe again, I'm going to lower the temperature to 325 degrees and bake it for about 30 minutes instead. The taste of the granola was okay, but I do think they bake too long. I set my timer for 45 minutes and took them out five minutes earlier. To salvage it, I had to redo the coconut by itself :(  I also would decrease the wheat germ to 1/2 cup and increase the oatmeal to 3 1/2 cups. Because of the coconut oil and the yogurt raisins, I stored this in the refrigerator and freezer.

ENJOY! Come again....

Trina's Turkey Nachos

Trina's Turkey Nachos

Hi everybody. :)

My daughter is home from law school, so she's taking over the kitchen today. YES! One of her favorite things to make is Turkey Nachos. She on this heath kick about only eating  ground beef  that's over 89 percent lean or none at all. That stuff is EXPENSIVE so ground turkey it is. 

Turkey Nachos 
Ingredients: 
3 lbs. ground turkey

2 cans diced tomatoes , 2 -3 large tomatoes, diced

1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. Accent
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 onion, chopped
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup water

Brown and drain the turkey in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients, cook mixture until onions are tender. 

Biscoff Almond Muddy Buddies

Biscoff  Almond Muddy Buddies

Hi everybody. Today I wanted to do something quick and easy. I picked this recipe because I had plenty of Biscoff spread. OH YEAH BABY!!!! For info, go here.  I was also the lucky winner of a Quacker Giveaway at Baker Street blog, another fabulous website.

Biscoff Muddy Buddies adapted partly from What's Cooking Love?

5 cups Quaker Oatmeal Squares

1 cup whole almonds, unsalted

1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup biscoff spread

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Pour the oatmeal squares and almonds  into a large bowl and set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips, butter, and biscoff.  Microwave 1 minute, stopping to stir.  Microwave  additional 15 second increments if needed, until smooth. 

Chocolate oatmeal mixture

 Pour the chocolate mixture slowly over the oatmeal mixture, stirring to coat evenly.  Spread  mixture onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate for an hour or freeze for 20 - 25 minutes or until the chocolate is hardened.  Pour the powdered sugar into a ziploc bag.  After oatmeal mixture hardened break it up and put it into the ziploc bag and shake to coat well. Enjoy : )

This is a little messy to make, but very addictingly sweet snack, so if your counting calories this is NOT for you! : ) It's great to have around  for movie nights or parties, a real crowd pleaser. It should come with a sign: Do. Not. Eat. Alone. : )