Easy Pretzel Turtles

Who doesn't like a little pretzel, caramel, chocolate and nuts?  The hardest part about this recipe is unwrapping all the Rolos.  Enjoy these little treats or give them away to someone you love.  This recipe comes from the cookbook "Our Best Bites", one of my new favorites. I am not a food photographer so my picture isn't as beautiful as it could be.  Enjoy!

55 small Pretzels (this is about how many Rolos come to a bag)
1 bag of Rolos candy
Various toppings - Nuts, M&M's, mini marshmallows, coconut...let your imagination wander
Melted Almond Bark or White Candy melts for drizzling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment or foil.  Lay out pretzels on cookie sheet.  Put one unwrapped Rolo on top of each pretzel.  Place in preheated oven for 3-4 minutes, until just glossy and beginning to melt. (Should still hold shape)  Take out of oven and top with your toppings...pushing down to squish the Rolo into the pretzel.  Melt Almond Bark or Candy Melts in Ziploc bag, cut small hole in corner and drizzle over your creations.  Let cool completely and store in airtight container.

Turkey Brine

I had a recipe from my Food Network Magazine from Alton Brown that was for a turkey brine you do in a 5 gallon bucket. Unfortunately, he instructs for that brine to be made a couple days in advance. I couldn't do that so I used the link below. It was yummy. All ingredients I had in my kitchen too! I brushed the turkey with canola oil (as opposed to vegetable oil) because that's what Alton's recipe said to do. Anyway, I have NEVER had such moist white meat EVER. This was super easy. I just followed the roasting instructions that came with the turkey as the recipe below just says to roast it however...I need more details than that! We managed and wow, I have a new favorite way to roast turkeys (brine 'em in a bucket before!)

The turkey in the picture looks a little red? Mine didn't look red like that at all. Just beautiful, golden brown. Yum.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Turkey-Brine/Detail.aspx

Parker House Rolls

This recipe is awesome. I've made these at least three times now and it's time intensive, but well worth it. The bulk of the time is used up in rising so that's good! Plan for a good three hours from start to finish (rise time of 2 or 2 1/2 hours).

Be sure and scroll through the pictures for a photo that matches each step if you have any questions.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/parker-house-rolls-recipe/index.html

Excellent with soups...it's still a little chilly out there!

The Master Recipe: Boule (Artisan Free Form Loaf)

Huh? O.k. so the title may not be the great, but what this is, is basically homemade bread in 5 minutes a day. This recipe makes 4 - one pound loaves of artisan bread. It is delicious and so easy, you'll think you're dreaming. :D Don't be put off by the length of the recipe...it's seriously easy.

3 c. lukewarm water
1 1/2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets)
1 1/2 tbsp coarse kosher salt or sea salt
6 1/2 c. unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose flour (I have also used 4 c. all purpose and 2 1/2 c. King Aurthur's, white whole wheat flour)

Mixing and Storing the Dough

1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees F)

2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5 qt. bowl or preferably, in a resealable, lidded container (not airtight - use one with a gasket or lift corner - I just cut a lift corner into a normal Tupperware). Don't worry about getting all of it to dissolve.

3. Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top with a knife; don't pat down. Mix with a wooden spoon until uniformly moist. If hand mixing becomes too difficult, use very wet hands to press it together. DON'T KNEAD! This step is done in a matter of minutes and yields a very wet dough, loose enough to conform to the container.

4. Cover loosely. Do not use screw topped jars which could explode. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flatten on top), approx. two hours, depending on temperature. Longer rising times, up to five hours, will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to handle than room temperature dough. We recommend refrigerating the dough at least three hours before shaping into a loaf. And relax! You don't need to monitor doubling or tripling of volume as in other recipes.

On Baking Day

Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the surface of the dough of flour, then cut off a 1 lb. (grapefruit sized) piece with a serrated knife. Hold the dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on four "sides", rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go, until the bottom is a collection of four bunched ends. Most of the dusting flour will fall off; it doesn't need to be incorporated. The bottom of the loaf will flatten out during resting and baking.

Place the ball on the prepared cookie sheet. Let it rest uncovered for about 40 minutes. Depending on the dough's age, you may see a little rising during this time; more rising will occur during baking.

Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place an empty broiler tray or oven proof metal pot for holding water on another shelf. (don't use glass or ceramic)

Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will allow for the serrated knife to pass without sticking. Slash a 1/4 inch deep cross, scallop or tick-tack-toe pattern into the top. (This helps the bread to expand when baking)

Put the cookie sheet in the oven and quickly, but carefully, pour about a cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to catch the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and firm to the touch. With wet dough, there's little risk of drying out the inside, despite the dark crust. When you remove the loaf from the oven, it will audibly crackle or "sing" when exposed to room temperature. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. The crust may initially soften, but will firm up again when cooled.

Refrigerate the remaining dough in your lidded, not airtight, container and use it over the next two weeks. You'll find even one day's storage improves the flavor and texture of the bread. Cut off and shape loaves as you need them. The dough can also be frozen in 1 lb. portions in an airtight container and defrosted overnight in the fridge prior to baking day.

When your dough container is empty, don't wash it! Just scrape it down and incorporate it into the next batch. In addition to saving clean up, the aged dough will give your new batch a head start on the sourdough flavor.

The "6-3-3-13" rule. To store enough for eight loaves, remember 6-3-3-13. It's 6 cups water, 3 tbsp salt, 3 tbsp yeast, and then add 13 cups flour.

Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

Looking for something to fix with all that leftover cranberry sauce? Do you love cheesecake? Then this recipe is a must!


Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

2 C Flour

1 1/2 C quick or old-fashioned oats

1/4 C packed brown sugar

1 C butter or margarine, softened

2 C white chocolate chip morsels

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/4 C lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce (but I used the jellied cranberry & it was yummy)

2 TBSP cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 X 13 baking pan. Combine flour, oats and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add butter; mix until crumbly. Stir in white chocolate chip morsels. Reserve 2 1/2 C mixture for topping. With floured fingers, press remaining mixture into prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract; mix until smooth. Pour over crust. Combine cranberry sauce and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Spoon and smooth over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved morsel mixture over cranberry mixture.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover; refrigerate until serving time.

ENJOY your leftovers!

Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

I got this one off the of the Sister Cafe blog.

Delicious!

6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 leeks, washed, sliced, including white and light green parts
1 cup chopped onion
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk of celery, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
1 Tb dried parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
2 Tb butter
12 oz. can evaporated milk
12 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
chives, chopped - optional

Combine everything except last 4 ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low 7-9 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Stir in the can of evaporated milk the last 45 minutes. Serve hot topped with bacon, cheddar, and chives. (If you have a family that loves bacon, like mine, then you might want to stir in the bacon at the end too... otherwise you might run out fast!)

Portuguese Sweet Potato, Sausage and Kale Soup

This has been a great favorite as the weather has started cooling down. It is yummy. You can also add in black beans instead of white...it's good either way, or with both. If you want it thicker, mash some of the beans before adding to the soup. Mmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 1 3/4 cups)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped onion (about 2 large)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound sweet turkey Italian sausage, (I use Chorizo or Linguica instead, it just tastes more authentic Portuguese) If you use a hot sausage, omit the red pepper flakes, unless you really like heat.
8 cups coarsely chopped peeled sweet potato (about 2 1/4 pounds)
5 cups water
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package prewashed torn kale
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans or black beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Remove casings from sausage; add sausage to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until sausage is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Add potato, 5 cups water, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Gradually add kale; cook 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and beans; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

This is a SUPER easy but delicious and beautiful dessert that looks like it took all day.

Using fresh raspberries while they are in season is the best but frozen work too.

1 pan of brownies already made, thick or thin
fresh raspberries (about 3 pints) or 1 bag frozen (thawed and drained)

Pudding layer:
1 - 3 oz. instant jello pudding any choc or white flavor you like
(cheesecake, white choc, vanilla... all work great)
1 c milk
1 - 12 oz cool whip thawed minus 1/2 c for the ganache
Mix together the milk and pudding and then fold in the cool whip until blended saving 1/2 c cool whip for ganache

Ganache layer:
1 c chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk chocolate)
1/4 c seedless raspberry jam (or whatever kind of berry jam you have)
1/2 c cool whip, thawed

Mix all together in microwave proof bowl. Melt for 40-50 seconds on high, stirring after each 20 second interval until melted and smooth.

In a trifle dish or clear glass bowl layer 1/3 of the brownies first. Then cover with 1/3 of the berries. Then put 1/3 of the pudding layer. Carefully cover with 1/3 c. of pudding layer. Then top of with 1/3 of ganache spreading carefully to cover. Continue layers ending with ganache. Use a couple berries for garnish if desired. Cover and refrigerate a couple hours. YUM!

Oreo Cookie Dessert

24 Oreo cookies, crushed
1/3 cup soft margarine (or softened butter)

Mix the crushed Oreos and the soft margarine together and press into bottom of 9x13 pan. (Recipe can be halved as seen pictured above to go into an 8x8 pan)

Spread 1/2 gallon softened vanilla ice cream carefully over the crushed Oreo base.

Freeze hard.

Boil 4 ounces German Sweet Chocolate (Baker's chocolate)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
and 2 Tbsp butter
for 2 or 3 minutes, no longer!

Wait just a minute to let it cool slightly and pour it over the frozen ice cream. Spread carefully.
If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Freeze again.

This is yummy with fresh strawberries :) It's a rich dessert, a little bit goes a long way but you'll definitely want more! Beware! :)

Healthified Creamy New Potatoes and Green Beans - Healthified - Eat Better America

Healthified Creamy New Potatoes and Green Beans - Healthified - Eat Better America

This was an easy hot side dish. I would recommend quartering the potatoes for better cooking and for easier eating of the final dish.