Baked Oatmeal To Go

I have a love/hate relationship with oatmeal.  I love the flavor.  I hate the texture of it as a porridge or how it's traditionally prepared.  But I do love, love, love the flavor.  I love it in cake.  I love it in muffins.  I love it in crisps.  You get the picture :)  

And then I started seeing recipes for baked oatmeal . . .and it looked like muffins.  Hmmmm.  This peaked my interest.  I finally tried out a recipe and I LOVE THEM.  The texture is like a spongy muffin - and I'm good with that.   Super yummy, super moist, super delicious.

Baked Oatmeal To Go (Single Servings)

Yield:  12

Ingredients

2 Cups Oatmeal (Quick-Cook or Old Fashioned Oats)

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips (or other "add-in" such as raisins, nuts etc . .whatever you like)

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Egg

1 and 1/2 Cups Milk

1/2 Cup Applesauce

2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine, Melted

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.  Prepare muffin tin with liners.

Step 2:  In a large bowl, beat the egg and then add in the milk, applesauce and melted butter.  Stir to combine.

Step 3:  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder.  Stir to combine.

Step 4:  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.  The will be very wet!

Step 5:  Divide the mixture among the muffin tin liners.  An ice cream scoop works well for this.  Please note, each muffin liner will be nearly full to the top.

Step 6:  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly beginning to brown around the edges. These will not puff-up like a muffin or cupcake.  

Let cool 10-15 minutes before eating.  To store, place in air-tight container and keep in fridge.  

Kolaches

Kolaches:  a Czech or Slavic pastry that is filled with a semi-sweet fruity filling.   

Also known as one of my favorite things.  My mom used to make them and use an apricot filling.  However, I decided to treat my husband and use an almond filling - and they turned out very rich and yummy.  I also made a few cream cheese/strawberry ones - which the teenager tends to prefer.  Give these a try, they are wicked good.  Although, you may think they look complicated - they really are not.  Rather, you do need a few hours to make them, but it is mostly wait-time for the dough to rise.

Kolaches

Ingredients:

Dough:

1  Cup Milk, room temp

10  Tablespoons  Butter, melted

1  large Egg

2  large Egg Yolks, whites reserved

3-1/2  Cups  Flour

1/3  Cup  Sugar

2-1/4  teaspoons  Rapid-Rise Yeast or instant yeast

1-1/2  teaspoons  Salt 

Filling:

2 Cups Jam or Fruit Preserves

Streusel Topping:

2  Tablespoons -plus- 2 teaspoons  Flour

2  Tablespoons -plus- 2 teaspoons  Sugar

1  Tablespoon  Butter, chilled and cut into 8 pieces

Reserved Egg Whites, beaten with 1 Tablespoon Milk

For the Dough:

Step 1:  Grease a large bowl, set aside.

Step 2:  Whisk the milk, melted butter, egg and yolks together in a medium bowl.

Step 3:  In a mixer bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together.  Fit mixer with the dough hook, add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and knead on low speed until no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes.  Increase the speed to medium and knead until dough clears the sides of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom of the bowl, about 8 to 12 minutes.  If the dough hasn't cleared the bowl after 12 minutes, add more a little more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.  

Step 4:  Transfer the dough to greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Adjust the oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions.  Place dough on the lower-middle rack and place a loaf pan on the upper-middle rack.  Pour 3 cups of boiling water into loaf pan, close oven door, and let dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Step 5:  While the dough is rising, you can prepare your the streusel.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and butter stir/mash with a fork until the mixture resembles wet sand.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 6:  Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 7:  Remove the dough from the oven and punch it down.  Dump it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Then, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces.  The easiest way to do this is to cut the dough in half.  and then keep cutting each piece of dough in half until you've got 16 pieces.  Form each piece into a smooth, tight ball.  Arrange 8 balls on each baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Place the baking sheets in the oven, replace the water in the loaf pan with 3 fresh cups of boiling water, close the oven door and let them rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.

Step 8:  Remove the baking sheets and loaf pan from the oven.  Heat the oven to 350*.  Grease and flour the bottom of a 1/3 measuring cup (or a 2-1/4-inch-diameter drinking glass).  Make a deep indentation in the center of each dough ball by slowly pressing until the cup touches sheet.  The perimeter of the dough balls will deflate slightly.

Step 9:  Gently brush the Kolaches all over with the egg-milk mixture.

Step 10:  Place about 2 scant tablespoons of jam into the center of the dough and sprinkle with streusel.  Repeat this until all Kolaches have been filled and sprinkled with the streusel.

Step 11:  Bake for 10 minutes.  Then, rotate the pans and bake another 10 minutes, until they are golden brown.  Let cool enough to touch before serving.  Makes 16 Kolache.

To store them, place into an air-tight container and layer with wax paper between the Kolaches.  They should keep about a week.

Tips:  For a cream cheese and fruit filling, combine 1 cup of cream cheese and 1 cup of jam together.  For a less sweet filling, use jarred baby food (fruit).  

Mac n Cheese

Comfort food at it's finest:  Mac n Cheese.  Mmmmmmmmmmmm . ..hearty, flavorful and cheesy.  Don't miss out on this one - it's amazing.

Mac n Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb Macaroni

3 Cups Water

1 and 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream

1 lb Bacon

1 Cup Red Onion, Diced

3 Teaspoons Minced Garlic

2 Cups Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

2 Cups Parmesan Cheese (divided)

2 Egg Yolks, lightly beaten

1 and 1/2 Cups Breadcrumbs

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 9x13 pan (butter it).  Set aside.

Step 2:  Cook the macaroni according to box instructions.  Drain and set aside.

Step 3:  Cook the bacon until crispy.  I prefer to bake my bacon, but frying works fine.  Once crispy, remove the bacon from the pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.  The paper towel will absorb the excess grease.  Do not throw out the bacon grease that is in the pan!  Let the bacon cool until it becomes easy to handle.  Once cooled, chop/crumble into small pieces. 

Step 4:  In a fry pan (use the same one as the bacon if you fried it) - add the onion and garlic and fry until onions are soft.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on plate lined with a paper towel. 

Step 5:  In a large saucepan, heat the water and cream to a simmer.  Once simmering, remove from the heat and slowly stir in the cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.  Continue to stir until it's mostly dissolved.  Next, slowly temper the egg yolks by adding a tablespoon of the cream sauce to the yolks and mixing together thoroughly.  Do this again with the cream sauce and egg yolks (do it 4 or 5 times total).  Always be sure to mix the cream sauce into the egg yolks thoroughly!!  This is an important step because you do not want your yolks to curdle.  Then, slowly add tempered yolks into the the rest of the cream sauce and mix thoroughly.

Step 6:  Place the macaroni into a large mixing bowl.  Pour the cream sauce over the macaroni and add the onions and bacon to the bowl too.  Mix together well.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top as well as the breadcrumbs.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and heated through.  

Chicken Cordon Bleu Hand Pies (or Hot Pockets)

The other day we made a big ol' ham that resulted in a lot of leftovers.  So far, we've had sandwiches and eggs benedict with the leftovers.  And then this morning, my hubby says,  "can we make chicken cordon bleu with the ham . . .but like a hot pocket?"  Sure, what the heck . .sounds rather delish!  And if you don't want to make homemade pie crust - you could surely use store bought.  Although, this particular pie crust was super yummy and very easy to work with when rolling out.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Hot Pockets

Makes 8 Hand Pies

Crust

2 Cups Flour

1/4 Cup Cornmeal

1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

2 Teaspoons Sugar

2 Teaspoon Onion Powder

2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Water

Filling

3 Cups Chicken, Cooked and Chopped

1 Cup Ham, Cooked and Chopped

1 Cup Swiss Cheese, Shredded

1 Cup Milk

3 Tablespoons Flour

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Teaspoon Nature's Seasoning

1/4 Teaspoon Tarragon (optional)

1 Tablespoon Mustard

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Tops of Pies

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Water or Milk

Paprika

To Prepare the Filling:

Step 1:  In a large bowl, combine the chicken and ham.  Set aside.

Step 2:  In a small sauce pan over low heat, add the butter and melt.  Once melted, stir in the flour until well combined.  Next, add in the mustard and lemon juice and stir until well combined.  You should have a smooth paste.  Now, add in the milk a little bit at a time (I pour about a 1/4 cup at a time) and stir until smooth.  Repeat with the milk until it is all combined.  Then, add in the Nature's Seasoning and tarragon.  Stir to combine.  Raise the heat and bring to a boil, constantly stirring.  It will begin to thicken and you will want it the consistency of gravy.  Once thickened, remove the stove and pour over the meat.   Mix well so all the meat is coated.

Step 3:  Add the cheese to the meat mixture.  Mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

For the Crusts:

Step 1:  Grease 2 large cookie sheets and set aside.

Step 2:  In a large bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients except for the water.  Mix together until it looks like a course meal.  Now, you will add in teh water a little bit at a time.  DO NOT ADD IN ALL THE WATER AT ONCE.  When working with dough, you always want to add in the liquid in small amounts and mix in between additions.  Many times, you may not use all the water.  The goal is have the dough comes together in a ball - but not too sticky, not too try.  I used about a 3/4 cup water total.  You want the dough to be wet enough to stick together and not be crumbly.

Step 3:  Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and take your dough out of the bowl.  The easiest way to portion it out so that you have enough for 8 pieces, is to cut in half (now you have two pieces).  Put half back in the bowl and out of your way.  With the remaining dough on your work surface, cut in half again and in half again - you should have four equal pieces.

Step 4:  Set three of those pieces aside and dust the remaining piece with a little flour.  Also, dust your rolling pin with a little flour too.  Now, roll out the dough into  a thin circle.  It does not need to be perfect.  

Step 5:  On the bottom half of the circle, place about 1/2 cup of the filling on top of the crust.  Fold the top half of the crust down over the filling and pinch the edges together.  A fork works very well to pinch the edges.  Carefully, pick up the hand pie and place on the greased cookie sheet.  

Step 6:  Repeat the above steps regarding the crust until you have assembled 8 hand pies.  

To Bake:

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Step 2:  Poke each pie with a fork to vent.

Step 3:  Make a simple egg-wash by cracking 1 egg into a small bowl and beat.  Add in 1 tablespoon of milk or water and beat until well combined.  Brush each hand pie with the egg-wash.  Sprinkle each hand pie with paprika.

Step 4:  Place the pies into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Thought I would try a new recipe this week.  I've been craving cinnamon rolls - but too lazy to actually make them.  Gasp!  What's that you say, I am too lazy to go out and buy a can of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls?  Oh contrare mufraire!  I just don't care for them.  I'd rather have a really good homemade one, and I just aint's got the times for that!  Instead, I gave this a try instead :)  This recipe is adapted from www.crunchycreamysweet.com. 

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Ingredients for the Cake:

1 and 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

3/4 Cup Milk

1 Large Egg

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Cup Butter, Melted

Ingredients for the Cinnamon Swirl:

1/2 Cup Butter (1 Stick), Melted 

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar 

1 Tablespoon Flour

3/4 Tablespoon Cinnamon

For the Cake:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Faherenehiet and grease a 8x8 square pan or a 9x9 square pan.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, white sugar and baking powder. Mix to incorporate.

Step 3: Next, add into the bowl: the milk, egg and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Step 4. Slowly add in the melted butter and stir until combined and smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and set aside.

For the Cinnamon Swirl:

Step 1. In a small bowl or large coffee mug, combine the melted butter, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir well to combine. It will be runny. Continue to stir together until well combined, but still a liquid/paste.

Step 2: Pour the liquid paste over the top of the cake batter. Then, take a butter knife and swirl the liquid paste into the cake batter (as you would for a marble cake).

Step 3: Bake the cake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Frost as desired. I used a premade frosting that I had in the cupboard:

Chili

One of the most amazing things about having a farmer in your family - is reaping the benefits :)  At Christmas time we were given a freezer-full of pork.  So, what to do with all of it?  How about a hearty chili to warm you up during this freeze-a-thon we call winter?  This recipe is slightly adapted from Fine Cooking (Feb/March 2014 issue).  They did a featured article on a 'build your own chili'.  I have to say, this turned out super yummy.  Serves 6.

Chili 

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of Ground Pork

2 Cups Onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin

1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander

2 Teaspoon Oregano

1 (4 oz) Can of Green Chiles

3/4 Cup Water

1 (14 oz) Can of Dice Tomatoes

2 and 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock

2 (14 oz) Cans of Pinto Beans (drained)

1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 Tablespoon oil

Step 1:  In a large pan, brown your meat.  Remove from pan and add to a crock-pot.

Step 2:  In that same pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat.  Add in the chopped onion and garlic.  Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, just beginning to brown.  Then, add in the chili powder, cumin, tomato paste, coriander, oregano and green chiles.  Stir together and cook about 1-2 minutes.  Do not skip this step - letting the spices cook together and heat up really starts to realease their flavors!

Step 3:  Add the 3/4 cup of water and bring to boil.  This will loosen the stuff that may be stuck on the bottom of the pan (which contains a ton of flavor!!).  Stir and scrape up anything stuck to bottom.

Step 4:  Add the tomatoes and chicken stock.  Stir.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 5:  While your stock is simmering, drain your pinto beans and add them to the crock-pot.

Step 6:  Remove the pan from the heat and add the stock/onion/tomato/seasonings concoction into your crock-pot.  BE CAREFUL - it will be hot.  Is your pan too full?  Then just transfer it scoop by scoop with a measuring cup or large spoon.  Better to be safe than sorry.

Step 7:  Let it simmer in the crock-pot on low for 4-6 hours.

Step 8:  Just before serving, stir in 1 Tablespoon of Cider Vinegar.  This will add a ton of 'bright' flavor.

To Serve:  Fill a soup bowl and garnish at own will :)  My hubby is all about sour cream and cheese.  I prefer mine plain, but I like to eat it with buttered crackers.  To each their own!

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

So, life's been a little busy lately.  And by busy . . .I mean that I am ready to pull my hair out.  Which reminds me, I think I have an upcoming hair appointment that I should reschedule.  And ewwwwwwwwwwwwww ...... let's hope that you don't get any hairs in these awesome Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting!  Because these are crazy good . . .it's hard to eat just one :)

Banana Bars

Ingredients

1-1/2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Sour Cream

1/2 c. Butter or Margarine, Softened

2 Eggs

3 or 4 Ripe Bananas, Mashed

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan.  Set aside.

Step 2:  In a large mixing bowl, cream (beat) the eggs, sugar and sour cream until well combined.  Step 3:  Add in the bananas, vanilla, baking soda and salt.  Mix until well combined.

Step 4:  Add in the flour, and mix just until combined.

Step 5:  Spread the batter into the jelly roll pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Insert a toothpick to test for doneness.  Cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

8-ounces of Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Stick of Butter (or a 1/2 Cup), Softened

2 and 1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar

Step 1:  In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.  

Step 2:  Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time into the mixer and combining until smooth.  Then repeat with the remaining cup of powdered sugar and the last 1/3 cup.  Beat until very smooth.

Step 3:  Frost the Banana Bars

Tips:

1.  You can change up the frosting easily by using different extracts.  I love to use maple.  It's divine.

2.  After the bars are cooled and frosted, you may want to cut them all and then place into a covered container.  I usually place them in a cake pan and stack them with wax paper in between.  It's easier than storing a jelly roll pan with plastic wrap or tinfoil covering it!  Of course, that is assuming your family doesn't devour them instantly.