Chicken Florentine Soup

This soup is out of this world!!! I believe it is my new favorite!!! During the cold months there is definitely nothing better than warm soup with homemade bread or rolls.



Chicken Florentine Soup

3 chicken breast cooked and shredded

1 onion, chopped

2 T. garlice

2 sweet bell peppers(red, orange, or yellow)chopped

2 T. Butter

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

3 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped or 1 tsp dried and crushed

3 medium carrots, chopped

3-4 cups water

2 T. chicken bouillon

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup pesto

1 batch alfredo sauce (recipe below)

4-5 cups penne, cooked (i used whole wheat )

4 -6 cups chopped fresh spinach



Melt the butter in a large pot, add the onion, garlic, peppers , and carrots. Saute until they begin to get tender. Add shredded chicken and spices and cook for 5 minutes. Add the water, chicken bouillon, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the pesto & alfredo sauce & spinach and simmer till heated through. Add cooked pasta right before you serve it.



Alfredo Sauce

1 stick butter

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup milk

1tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)



In a saucepan, cook all ingredients on medium low heat until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if to thick for you. Use for soup above or over your choice of pasta.



Note: for the soup you may use store bought alfredo. you will need about 2 1/2 cups for the soup but i reccommend homemade it is way better tasting. I can't stand the store bought nasty stuff.

Herbed Dinner Rolls

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Having a new baby kind of makes doing things a little bit more diffucult. It is harder to find time to post things on my blog. Anyway, here is a great recipe for you to try.These rolls are so yummy and go so great with a bowl of soup. They would be great on your holiday dinner table as well. Give them a try you won't be disappointed believe me!!!


Herbed Dinner Rolls
2 cups warm water
4 T. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp. each of dried basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary, crushed
6 1/2 cups flour
2 T. yeast

Place the warm water in a bowl, add the yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes or until yeast is activated and bubbly. Add the butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and spices and mix. Then add the flour a little at a time until forms a soft dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead a few minutes. Place in a oiled boil, cover and let rise till double in size. Punch dough down and roll into rolls and place in a greased pan, cover and let raise until doulble in size. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. If desired brush with butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Caramel Apple Cake

I found this yummy cake over at Your Home based Mom. Let me tell you it was delicious!! I can't get enough of it!! It is such a great fall treat especially if you have some too ripe apples you need to use up. I always use my over ripe apples to bake with because I can't stand eating a soft apple mine have to be crisp and then that way I don't waste them and they work great for apple pie, apple crisp, apple cake, ect. If you love caramel and apples give this cake a try.

Caramel Apple Cake adapted from Your Home Based mom
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup oil
1T. vanilla
3 cups cake flour(I used regular all purpose flour and it worked great)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3-4 cups peeled chopped apples (i used about 4 cups about 4 apples)
1/2 -1 cup pecans(optional)
1(3.4oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix or pumpkin spice pudding mix(if you can find it)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a bundt cake pan well. Set aside. Beat eggs and sugar till foamy. Add the butter, oil, and vanilla and mix well. Add the pudding mix and mix well. Mix in flour, soda, and salt till combined. Stir in the apples and pecans. Your batter will be pretty thick. Don't be alarmed as the apples cook they add moisture to the cake. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Take out of oven and turn over onto a platter and let cool 10 minutes before taking the pan off the cake.

Caramel Sauce(I doubled this because I like a lot of caramel)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar
In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pole holes in the cake with a bamboo skewer and then pour the caramel over the top of the cake. Eat nice and warm or let cool a little bit before serving. I think it taste great both ways.

US Military Tribute - Far Away - Nickleback

Saw this and thought it was a wonderful thing for us to remember this Veteran's Day. I am so thankful for the country we live in and the freedoms we enjoy and that wouldn't be possible without the US Armed Forces. Thank you to all who have served and do serve still and their families who make a sacrifice as well. Even if you don't all agree with the war remember one of the reasons we enjoy all the things that we do!!!

Green Bean Chicken/Fried Rice

We love Chinese food around our house but I have a hard time finding recipes that are really tasty. I did find a good sweet and sour chicken one and now I have found this one. It was suppose to be General Tso's chicken but I don't think it taste like the General Tso's chicken at Chinese restaurants. It was good non the less and you can add lost of red pepper flakes to it to make it a little spicer and redder in color but I didn't because I knew my kids wouldn't eat it if I did so I just added Siracha Chili sauce to mine right before I ate it. My kids gobbled this up. So if you like chinese food give it a try.

Green Bean Chicken
2 T. Cornstarch
1 cup cold water
1 lb green beans or snow peas, washed,trimmed and cut
1 T. minced garlic
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced or 1 tsp ground ginger
6 T. brown sugar
6 T. soy sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes(optional I didn't use because of my kids)
3 large egg whites
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
3 T. cornstarch
1 lb, boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1inch or smaller pieces

In a large bowl stir together the 2 T. cornstarch and the cold water until smooth and cornstarch is dissolved. Add the green beans or snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes;toss to coat and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs whites, 3 T. cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

In a large skillet, heat 2 T. of oil Lift half of the chicken mixture(shaking off excess coating) and add to the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally until golden and chicken is cooked through(8-10 min) Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken. Set aside. Add the green bean mixture to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the beans are desired tenderness and sauce has thickened. Return chicken to skillet and heat through. Serve over steamed rice or Fried Rice.

Fried Rice
2 T. oil
1 onion
1 T. minced garlic
6 cups cooked white rice or basmati rice(cold or day old rice works best)
6 T. soy sauce or enough to taste
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
5 cooked eggs(scrambled)

Heat oil in a large pan or wok, add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are tender.Add the rice and cook stirring occasionally. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, chicken bouillon and cook a few minutes more. Add the frozen corn and peas and the cooked eggs and heat through.

Chocolate Granola

If you haven't noticed by now I love granola. I love how versatile homemade granola is. It is so easy to change it or to add what you like and you don't really have to follow a recipe to the T. Plus homemade granola is healthier for you and way cheaper than buying it in the store. If you haven't ever made your own granola I highly recommend that you give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Chocolate Granola
8 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup wheat germ or wheat bran
1 cup flax seeds
1-2 cups chopped almonds or pecans
1 cup coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds

Mix these all together in a large bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan bring these ingredients to a boil:
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup Honey or agave nectar
2 T. vanilla
2 T. Cinnamon
2 T. maple syrup

Once it boils, take it off the heat and pour over the oat mixture. Mix until well combined. Spread mixture onto two greased large cookie sheets. Bake at 250 for 45 minutes stirring halfway through the baking time. Take out of the oven and let granola set on cookie sheets for 1 hour undisturbed. Then add in 2 cups dark or semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips and 1 cup raisins and mix well. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bags. Keeps for months!!

Butternut Squash Bread

So if you all think that squash bread sounds to healthy and disgusting don't!! When I first saw this recipe I thought it sounded interesting but decided to try it anyway. We had it with Chicken and wild Rice soup and it was so amazing!! My kids even gobbled it up. I must confess I made it with half pumpkin and half natural applesauce(no sugar added) because I thought I had squash and didn't and then I thought I had enough pumpkin and didn't so had to use some applesauce. But I really think it would be just as good with the squash I mean lets face it pumpkin is pretty much categorized as a squash isn't it?!!!! Give this healthy bread a try you won't regret it. Especially yummy warm with a little bit of butter!!!

Butternut Squash Bread(or Pumpkin)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour(i use white whole wheat)
1/2 cup unbleached bread flour
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp. cloves
1/4 cup browned butter(melt the butter in a skillet over low-medium heat until browned)
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup butternut squash puree* (or 1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin or 1 cup pumpkin and 1/2 cup natural unsweetened applesauce)
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the browned butter and the agave or honey. Mix in eggs until well blended, about 1 minute. Mix in squash puree or the pumpkin and the vanilla until thoroughly combined. Slowly add in all the dry ingredients until just mixed, Do not over mix. Pour in prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with a little bit of butter and a bowl of soup.
*to make squash puree: halve and clean squash. brush with olive oil. Place squash (cut side up) on a lined baking sheet and roast at 425 until fork tender, about 30-45 minutes. Squash will easily scoop right out of skin when it is done roasting. Place in food processor or blender and puree till smooth.

Seriously so tasty. Must give it a try. The bread is great without butter as well. I am not one that usually slathers my breads with butter. I like them with nothing on them but I really liked this with the butter.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars

I found the recipe for these on a friend's family blog. I knew that I had to try them out. Man these were so yummy!! I couldn't get enough of them. These are a chocolate lover's dream. I mean they have chocolate chip cookie dough and brownies all baked together then smothered with chocolate ganache. You can't get better than that putting two of the best desserts together into one.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars
Brownie batter:
5 oz semi sweet chocolate pieces
1 stick butter
2 T. baking cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 c. flour

Melt the butter with the chocolate pieces in the microwave.(don't over cook) Mix in the cocoa. Mix in the eggs, sugar, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Stir in flour. Set aside

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add in flour, soda, and salt until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Grease a 9x13 pan and drop spoonfuls of cookie batter into pan, scattering evenly. Pour brownie batter over the cookie dough and even out in pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Let cool.

Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter
1 package chocolate chips
In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the cream. Bring to a boil. Take off the heat stir in the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over cooled brownies and even out the top. Let set completely. The ganache will thicken as it cools. Cut into bars and enjoy!!!!

Pizza Rolls/Mexican Cheese Rolls

I found this recipe a while back over at Coleen's Recipes. I knew I needed to try them out. I made these a couple months ago and they were so good. My whole family loved them!!! The good thing about them is that they are so versatile. You can put just about anything you like in the middle of them from pizza toppings to ham and cheese or taco meat and cheese(our favorite way actually) They can be reheated in the oven the next day and are still very tasty.

Pizza Rolls/Mexican Cheese Rolls
3/4 cup very warm water
1/2 cup sweentened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1/4 cup oil
2 T. sugar
1 large egg (room temp)
3 1/2 cups flour
2 T. yeast
1 tsp salt
Mix the warm water(hottest out of your tap) with the sweetened condensed milk, vegetable oil and sugar and salt. The hot tap water will cool down in temp. once it is mixed with the oil and milk. Next whisk in the egg and yeast(if using active dry) Let this sit for several minutes until the active dry yeast looks well dissolved. If using instant yeast(like i do) then mix the yeast with the flour and add the flour/yeast mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Knead for about 5 minutes. Place in a greased or oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let this sit at room temp. for about 1 hour or until double in size. Remove from the bowl and cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into and 8 inch circle. For the pizza filling, put about 1/4 cup cheese in the center of the circle, top with a little pizza sauce and some toppings. For the Taco one:place cheese and taco meat in the center. For the Ham and Cheese:put ham and cheese in the middle of the circle.
These were easier to shape if you sit the 8 inch circle in a cereal bowl before you add the toppings. Draw up the edges of the dough and pinch them together. Place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let sit for about 20 minutes. bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Brush them with butter when they come out of oven. Serve with more pizza sauce, ranch, salsa or whatever you like dipping things in.

Note:for the pizza filling:it helps if you saute the peperoni and sausage to render the fat before placing in the dough. It keeps them from getting to greasy and soggy while baking.

Taco meat one with beef and black beans. These ones were our favorite!!!

Bread Bowls

I have never made bread bowls before and I thought it would be great to learn how or to try it out. So I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and decided to try it out. They turned out really good and we had homemade Chicken noodle soup with them. So yummy!!! It is finally starting to be a bit cooler here about 75 degrees so it is nice to have some relief from the heat and have soup for dinner!!!

Bread Bowls
1 1/2 T. yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tsp salt
2 T. vegetable oil
7 cups all purpose flour
1 T. cornmeal
2 egg white ( used the whole egg)
1 T. water

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the water. Let Stand until creamy and bubbly.(about 10 minutes) Or just use instant yeast like I do and mix it in with the flour for 30 seconds before adding to the other ingredients. Add the salt, oil, and 4 cups flour to the water mixture;beat well. Stir in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time beating well after each addition until a soft but not sticky dough is formed.(you may not need all 7 cups flour) When the dough has pulled together, turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover and get rise until double in size about 1 hour. Punch dough down and divide into 6 or 8 equal portions. Shape each into a round ball. Place them ona lightly greased baking sheet sprinkled with the corn meal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl beat together the egg and water;lightly brush the loaves with half of the egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes. Brush each loaf with remaining egg wash and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on Wire racks. Cut the tops off and hollow out the roll on the inside and fill with you favorite soup. YUMMY!!!!!!!

Lemon Buttons

I found this recipe at Mmm..Cafe awhile ago and finally made them about a month ago. They were so yummy and you can't stop at just one. My husband ate tons of them and so did my kids. If you love lemony cupcakes that just melt in your mouth these are it. They are so easy and yummy!!!

Lemon Buttons

1 yellow cake mix

1 small box(3 1/2 oz) instant lemon pudding mix

4 large eggs

1/2 cup natural(no sugar added) applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:

4 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

zest of one lemon

3 T. vegetable oil

3 T. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. You can also put cupcake liners in them as well like I did and spray with cooking spray. combine the cake mix, pudding, eggs, applesauce, and oil and blend well. Fill each muffin tin half full with batter. Bake for about 9 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, oil and water until smooth. Dip the top of the cupcakes into the glaze while they are still warm, Place on wire racks and let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour. Then enjoy!!! Be careful if you are on a diet you can't just eat one believe me!!

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

I saw this recipe at the Pioneer Woman website. I wanted a simple easy pasta for dinner and this hit the spot. My family really like it too and it is so hard for me to find new pastas that they will eat. They only seem to like red sauce and alfredo sauce so this was a win win for me because I like all kinds of pasta. I adapted the recipe a little bit and really like the outcome. If you want something quick for dinner give this one a try.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce adapted from Pioneer Woman
2 T. olive oil
2T. butter
1 onion, chopped
1-2 T. minced garlic
1 large(28 oz) can and 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
dash of sugar
1 cup cream
grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried basil(fresh if you have it) I didn't so I used dried
1 lb pasta if you like lots of sauce like me and 1 1/2 pounds pasta if you don't like as much sauce

Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is tender. Pour in the tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, sugar and basil if using dried basil. Stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and Add desired amount of cheese and basil if using fresh basil and heat through. Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to the pasta sauce and stir. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Barley Soup

It is still hot here but I am so ready for the fall and cooler weather. I made soup anyway because I am ready for that season to begin. This soup was really tasty and what is better than HOMEMADE SOUP AND FRESH ROLLS WARM OUT OF THE OVEN!!!

CHICKEN AND BARLEY SOUP
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 boxes(32 oz each) of chicken broth low sodium or regular
1-2 cups water
4-5 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
5-8 carrots, diced (we like lots of carrots)
2 T. garlic
3/4 -1 cup pearl barley(uncooked)
2 tsp oregano
3 T. chicken bouillon
1 tsp pepper
1 T. parsley
2 cans great northern beans(drained or undrained whatever you preference)
1 cup green salsa I use La Costena brand
2 bay leaves
1-2 cups mozzarella or cheddar cheese( I like a mix of both)

Place all in the crockpot except the cheese and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on Low for 8-10 hours until veggies reach desired tenderness. Add the cheese about 30 minutes before serving and mix until it all melts and is incorporated well. Serve with warm bread or rolls!!!

Stuffed Peppers

Oh how I love stuffed peppers. I have never made them before and I had a lot of green peppers I needed to use because I got the for really cheap so I started searching for a good recipe for them. All the recipes I found just seemed so bland and not what I was looking for so I came up with this one on my own and put what I wanted in them. They turned out so yummy. I had a little bit of rice mixture left over but I just put it in the pan with the peppers because I figured my 4 year old would not be big on eating a pepper. And he wasn't. He ate the stuff out of the middle of it so it was nice to have some plain rice on the side to dish up for him. Give these a try you won't be disappointed!!!


Stuffed Peppers
1lb ground beef
1 onion
2 T. minced garlic
4 bell peppers any color will work Tops cut off and deseeded and deveined
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 roma tomato chopped
1(28 oz)can crushed tomatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese or Mozzarella( I used both)

In a skillet brown the hamburger with the onion and garlic until no longer pink. Add the seasonings and the tomato and canned tomatoes and let simmer for 20 minutes. While sauce is simmering, Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the peppers and boil for 3-4 minutes. Remove from water and dry each pepper off. the pepper don't need to be too soft because they will continute to cook in the oven. Place them in a 9x13 greased baking pan. Dump the rice in with the sauce and mix well. Spoon the rice mixture into each pepper and any of the remaining rice all around the peppers in the pan. Cover and Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and bake for and additional 15 minutes. Take out and serve. So Yummy!!!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

They other day I had a lot of bananas I needed to use and wanted a new recipe for using them. I didn't feel like banana bread and in my searching I came across this recipe at Two Peas and their Pod. I knew I had to try them because I love Oatmeal in cookies and who doesn't like chocolate!!! Give these a try you won't be disappointed believe me. Even my kids gobbled them up. I was making them also to take to a bbq we went to so I quadrupled the recipe and it still worked out great!! But I am just giving you the recipe as it is for one batch and it makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies. My quadruple batch made about 7 dozen because I make bigger cookies than most people.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 T. butter(1/2 of stick) at room temp
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 large banana, smashed
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt or just a pinch if you use salted butter like I did
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped up reese's peanut butter cups(I added these to it original recipe never called for it but bananas and peanut butter and chocolate together is so yummy)

Preaheat oven to 350. (I set mine at 330 cause 350 was too hot)So adjust your oven accordingly. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add the vanilla and the egg. Mix well. Add the banana and beat well. Slowly add the flour, salt and soda until just combined. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and peanut butter cups if using them and mix till combined. Drop cookie dough by heaping Tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Mine took about 15 minutes and they were perfect. The banana in the cookie keeps them moist and soft. So yummy!!

Coleslaw Salad

I am sure many of you have had and have a recipe for coleslaw sald with ramen noodles. I have always liked that salad. At one of our church parties a lady in my ward brought this and it was so yummy and way better than any of them that I have ever had. She gave me the recipe the other day and I made it. It is so easy to make and comes together quickly. I used Broccoli slaw with mine because I think it is so much better tasting than coleslaw. You can find this at any supermarket or walmart by the bagged salad and coleslaw mixes. You can make it with regular coleslaw but I highly reccommend broccoli slaw and you can add chicken or leave the chicken out. I made this for our main dish so I added chicken.

Broccoli/Coleslaw Salad
1lb bad shredded broccoli/coleslaw mixture
3-6 green onion with tops diced
1 pkg Beef Ramen noodles(dry an crumbled)
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup salted sunflower seeds
1 (13 oz) can chicken or 1 chicken breast cooked and diced or shredded
Dressing: 1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
flavoring packet from the ramen

Mix the ingredients for the dressing and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Meanwhile mix all the rest of the ingredients together. Right before eating pour the dressing over and mix well. Eat and enjoy

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

So is anybody ready for the fall like I am? I am so ready for cooler weather and ready to have this baby althought I still have 3 months to go. Yesterday the kids and I decided to make something with Pumpkin in it to get us ready for the fall. I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and I knew I had to try them out. These were so yummy!! If you like things with pumpkin in them you must give these a try. They are definitely worth it!!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins adapted from My kitchen Cafe
3 cups flour
1 T. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For Filling:
8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For Streusel:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 T. cold butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or foil sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until hardened, about 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, mix the eggs, oil, sugars, and pumpkin puree until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

To make the streusel, combine all the ingrediesnt and mix with two forks or a pastry blender until crumbly.

Preheat oven to 350. Line two muffin pans with paper liners and spray with cooking spray. Fill each muffin well 1/3 of the way with batter. Slice the cream cheese log into pieces and place a slice on the top of the batter in the muffin well and gently press down a little. Divide the remaining batter evenly among the muffins tins and place on top of the cream cheese slice. Sprinkle each muffin with streusel topping. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs on it. Let cool then eat. The recipe says it make 24 muffins but mine made 24 regular sized ones and 6 large ones!!

Chicken Fajitas

I had a red a yellow pepper that I needed to use hanging out in our fridge so I decided to make Fajitas last night. I found an excellent marinade recipe for the chicken from My Kitchen Cafe and from Our Best Bites. The recipes were almost identical so I am going to give credit to the both of them. My family loved these!! Super simple and just serve with tortillas and Spanish rice and refried beans.

Chicken Fajitas
1 1/2 lbs chicken sliced in strips(about 5-6 chicken breasts)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice(about3-4 limes)
1/2 cup water
4 T. oil
4 clove garlic, minced
6 tsp red wine or apple cider vinegar
4 tsp soy sauce
4 tsp liquid smoke(find by bbq sauce in walmart or any grocery store)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper(optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder

Mix all the ingredients except the chicken in a bowl . Place the chicken in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the top of chicken. Seal the bag and let marinate in fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight. the longer it marinades the better the flavor.

When ready for dinner slice 2 peppers any color and 1 large onion. Heat 1 T. of oil in a skillet and cook the onions and peppers together until desired tenderness. In another skillet cook the strips of chicken until cooked through. YOu can mix the meat and veggies together or just let everyone get how much they want of each on their tortilla. We served these with rice, beans, lime wedges, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, salsa, and pico de gallo. So yummy!!!!

Indian Butter Chicken

We love Indian food and when I saw this recipe over at This Week For Dinner I knew we had to try it out. Boy was it yummy!!! It takes a little time because you have to marinate the chicken overnight but it is well worth the effort. Serve with basmati rice and Naan. It is so great!!

Indian Butter Chicken adapted from This Week for Dinner

3/4 cup plain yogurt

2 T. Lemon juice

2 cloves minced garlic

1 inch ginger root grated

1 T. cumin

1 tsp. corriander

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

4 boneless skinless chicken breast(stab them a bunch with a fork and make some gashes in them with a sharp knife)

The night before you want to make butter chicken for dinner, mix all the above ingredients in bowl, cover and marinate overnight. To cook the chicken pat off the marinade, brush the chicken with oil and place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 450 for about 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Let it cool then cut into chunks.

Butter Chicken sauce:

1 onion, chopped

1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated

1 T minced garlic

1 green chili, chopped

1 gr pepper chopped

1 stick butter, divided-3 T. and 5 T.

1 Large can(28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz)can diced tomatoes

5 tsp garam masala

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp corriander

3 shakes cinnamon

1(6 oz)can tomato paste

1 (14 oz) can veggie or chicken broth

1 cup cream

Saute the onion, garlic, ginger, gr chili, and green pepper in the 3 T butter until veggies are tender. Add the tomatoes and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add all the spices and simmer for 10 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and broth. With an immersion blender(braun or blender) blend the ingredients until smooth then return to pan(if using blender)or return to a simmer if used immersion blender. Add the cooked chicken, cream, and butter. Serve over basmati rice and with naan bread.

Ranchero Salsa

About a month ago my mother -in -law was here and made this salsa for us. It was so yummy!!! She gave me the recipe and I have made it 4 times since she left and my husband and I can't get enough of it. It gives me major heart burn (since I am pregnant) but it is so worth it. It take a litttle time because you have to charr and roast all the ingredients but it is so worth it!!

Ranchero Salsa(makes a lot so cut in half if have a small family)
8 tomatoes
4-7 jalapenos(depending on how spicy you like your salsa)
1 green chili
1 large onion
1 large bulb of garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
juice of one lime
1-2 T. of cilantro(if desired)

Cut the tomatoes in half and place on a baking sheet. Broil until skin is black. Roast the bulb of garlic in the oven with the tomatoes. Just place the whole bulb skin and all on the rack in the oven and rotate it every few minutes or so until garlic is soft to the touch. Meanwhile, cut the stems off the jalapeno and green chili. Take the skin off the onion and charr them all on a grill or in a skillet on the stove until black on all side. Place the jalapenos, chili, onion, and garlic in a blender and blend to desired consistency. Then add the tomatoes and blend till desired consistency. Add salt, pepper, juice of lime, and cilantro and mix till combined. Serve warm or wait till cools. Serve with chips, burritos, tacos, or anything you like salsa on.

Skillet Chili Mac with Corn and Green Chilies

I found this recipe a while back over at My Kitchen Cafe. My kids love anything with pasta and cheese so I thought we give it a try. It was a nice little change!! The kids loved it!!! It was quick and easy to prepare which is an added bonus.

Skillet Chili Mac adapted from My Kitchen Cafe
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. chili powder
1/2 T. corriander
1/2 T. cumin
1 tsp salt
1 T. brown sugar
2-8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 cups(8 oz) elbow macaroni
1 cup frozen corn
1 (4 oz)can diced green chilies
2 T. fresh Cilantro
2 cup shredded cheese. I used sharp cheddar but use any combination you like

Brown the beef in a 12 inch skillet. When beef is almost done drain the grease. Add the onion, garlic, and spices. Cook until beef no longer pink and onion is tender. Stir in the brown sugar, tomato sauce, water, and macaroni. Cover and cook, stirring often and kepping the heat at a steady simmer, until the macaroni is tender, about 12-15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of cheese, frozen corn, green chilies, and cilantro. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese on top and cover and let sit until chees is melted, about 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy!!!

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

I am back!!! Sorry it has been so long. I am finally starting to feel better and getting back into the kitchen. We found out we are having another boy last week and we are so excited!!. I am halfway through the pregnancy now which is a great feeling other than gaining weight!!!(that is my least favorite part) Anyway, growing up my mom always made meatloaf and scalloped potatoes. I have to say I love both of these things. If you love scalloped potatoes you should give these a try you will not be dissappointed. The recipe comes from my mom and the only thing I changed was I added cheese to them as well.


Scalloped Potatoes (double if making for more than 5 people and put in 9x13 pan)
4 cups thinly sliced potatoes(I use my box grater to do this)
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 of an onion chopped
1-2 cups cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350. Melt the 3 T. butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper and cook over low heat until smooth and bubbly. Cook for about 1 minute so you cook out the flour taste. Whisk in the milk, turn up the heat, bring to a boil and cook while stirring until thick(about 1 minute) Making two layers. Layer the potatoes in a 9x9 or 8x8 pan then a layer of the sauce,1 cup cheese and half of the onion, and sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper. Repeat that layer using the rest of potatoes, sauce, onion and cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes then uncover and bake for 60 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Let stand 5-10 minutes than enjoy.


They take a while to cook but they are well worth it believe me!!! We had mini meatloaves and fresh corn on the cob with them!!!

Baguette

I am sure many of you are wondering where on earth I have been. Well I have been no where other than my bed 24 hrs a day for the past 5-6 weeks. I am pregnant!! We are expecting our 3rd little one the end of November. I was never sick with my other two so this has been a different thing for me. I feel rotten and if I eat I feel better but nothing sounds good and I don't want to cook and I can't even stomach treats, baked goods, or candy very often and if you know me at all you know that that is what i usually want all the time. Anyway, I am still feeling yucky but decided it was time to come back and at least post a recipe I have been wanting to blog about since before I started feeling yucky. I found this recipe over at the Sister's Cafe. It is so easy and simple but so tasty!! You must try it!!! I sprinkled the Bread with my garlic seasoning mix with parmesan cheese in it after the bread came out of the oven.

Baguette
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 T. instant yeast
2 tsp. sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. salt

In a small bowl combine the Instant yeast with 1 cup flour and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine the warm water, sugar, salt,and 1 1/2 cups flour. Mix well. Add the flour yeast mixture and mix for 2- 3 minutes. Then add the remaining flour and mix until dough becomes a soft ball dump on a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Cut the dough in half and shape each half into a baguette. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 450. With a very sharp serrated knife gently make a slash down the length of each baguette. This will give it the authentic look.
Like So:


Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Half way throught, brush the bread with melted butter. Brittany over at My sister's Cafe said she tried olive oil also but it was less crispy and not as good as the one she put butter on so you choose. Like I said before I sprinkled the tops of mine after they cooked with parmesan garlic seasoning. We ate this bread with pasta.

I made a toasted sandwich the next day for lunch with the leftover bread and it was amazing. I just toasted it in the oven on Broil (with the meat and cheese on it) and then put avocado, tomato, and fresh lettuce or spinach on it. doesn't that look amazing!!

Apple Nut Coffee Cake

Do you want something tasty for a Saturday or Sunday breakfast? Are you tired of the same old cold cereal each morning? THen you must try this recipe out. My hubby and kids loved this!! I did as well. I found this recipe over at Recipe Shoebox and knew I had to try it out. So a few Saturdays ago we had this yummy coffee cake for breakfast. Now if you are trying to loose weight you won't by eating this cake but you must give it a try. It is a good way to use apples that are going soft or bad.

Apple Nut Coffee Cake
Cake:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1(16 oz)container sour cream(2 cups)
2 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
1 T. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour(can use white whole wheat flour)
4-5 medium apples(peeled and sliced thinly)I used 3 large apples

Streusel:
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cups flour
4 T. butter

Prepare the streusel topping by combining all ingredients in a medium size bowl until the mixture forms large pieces. Set Aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 14x10 inch roasting pan or 2 8x8 inch pans.
In a large bowl, beat the butter with the 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, eggs, and 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat mixture at low speed until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Spread batter into the prepared pan or pans. Arrange apple slices evenly on top to the edge of the pan(s). Crumblw the streusel topping over the apple Layer. Bake at 45-50 minutes, until the cake pulls away from the sides of pan. Take out and let cool for 10 minutes. Then serve and enjoy.

Note: YOu can eat this without glaze but I put a milk/powdered sugar glaze with 1 tsp almond extract on top. I didn't measure the milk and powdered sugar I just eyeballed it till was the consistency I wanted.

Note: I doubled the streusel topping because I like a lot!!


So yummy!!!!

Moo Shu Noodles

In our house we love any kind of Chinese, Japanese, or Thai noodles. I made this a couple of weeks ago and my family really enjoyed these noodles. I found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe. She always has the greatest recipes.Go ahead and give these a try especially if you like noodles. Of course my Husband and I drizzled Siracha chili sauce over ours because we love all things spicy!!

Moo Shu Noodles adapted a little from My Kitchen Cafe

1 lb. linguini(can use regular or whole wheat)

1 T. canola oil

1 T. sesame oil

4 eggs

3 chicken breast sliced very thinly(easiest to do this when partialy frozen)

black pepper

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1-2T minced garlic

1 orange, red or yellow pepper sliced thinly

7 oz jar Hoisin sauce(found on the Asian isle of any grocery store)

7 T. soy sauce

1/2 bag coleslaw mix(found near bagged salad at walmart or you can just use a 1/2 head of cabbage and shred it yourself)

3/4 cup chicken broth

Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When the water starts to boil, add some salt and drop in the linguini. Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain the cooked pasta and reserve. Combine the hoisin sauce and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a small skillet, scramble the eggs and cook til done. Set aside.

In a 12 inch skillet, heat the one T. sesame oil over medium heat. Season the Chicken with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook until no longer pink stirring occasionally until golden brown.

Add the T. canola oil to the skillet and add the onions, orange pepper, ginger, garlic and cook till crisp tender. Add the cabbage and stir fry till tender, about 3 minutes. When the cabbage is cooked. add the cooked eggs to veggie and chicken mixture along with the hoisin/soy sauce mixture and the chicken broth. Stir fry until fully heated through and then toss with the cooked pasta. Cook to heat through and then serve.

Cheesecake

For those of you that don't know me, CHeesecake is my all time favorite treat!!! There is simply nothing better to me than a cool creamy piece of it with some kind of fruity topping drizzled all over the top. Anyway, I saw this cheesecake recipe at Coleen's Recipes and thought I would give it a try. Man was it so good. Now I have made a lot of cheesecakes but I think this one (other than the pumpkin cheescake I have posted before) was the best I have had. My hubby even gave it the two thumbs up!!

Cheesecake
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
4 (8 oz each)pkgs of cream cheese at room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cream
4 eggs, room temp.
1 cup sour cream
1 T. vanilla
1/4 cup flour

Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter and press into a 9 inch springform pan. Beat the cream cheese, add the sugar and mix until creamy and smooth. Beat in the cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating only to incoporate. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla and flour and mix till well combined. Pour over the crust. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the center is almost set. Turn off the oven and let sit in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Take out let the cheesecake come to room temp than put in th fridge overnight or for 3-4 hours until chilled. Serve with your favorite toppings or just plain.

We had ours with Lemon curd and blueberry pie filling.(i just hadn't put the blueberries on yet) So so yummy!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

If you love chicken cordon bleu and you don't have that patience to try making it you should try this casserole out. It was so yummy and easy. It would be a good meal to take to a pot luck, for sunday dinner, or to take a meal to a neighbor or friend who has had a baby. I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe. I changed a few little things but I reccomend you trying this one out. You can also make it the day before or the morning of and keep in the fridge until ready to cook.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole adpated from My kitchen Cafe
4 slices bread
2 T. butter,melted
3 pounds russet potatoes ( 4-5 medium potatoes)sliced thinly(i used 4 large baking potatoes)
4 T butter
1 onion, chopped
1 -2 T minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 T. parsley
6 T. flour
1 can chicken broth
1 cup cream or milk
2 T. spicy brown mustard
2 -3 cups swiss cheese( I used 1/2 pepper jack and 1/2 sharp cheddar cheese)
2-3 large chicken breast sliced really thin(this is easy to do when chicken is partially frozen still)
9 oz Deli ham, chopped

Process the bread and 2 T. butter in food processor until coarsley ground. Set Aside Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the peeled,sliced potatoes in 6 cup water with 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until partially cooked, because the potatoes will continue to cook in the oven. Take off heat and drain the water off. Set Aside. Melt the 4 T. butter in a saucepan, add the onion, thyme, and parsley and cook until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the flour and whisk constantly until golden.(about 1 minute this helps cook out the flour taste) Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and the cream/milk. Bring to a simmer whisking constantly until thickened.(if using milk this will take a little bit longer than if using cream) Take off heat and whisk in cheeses, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Toss the potatoes with half of the cheese sauce and place in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with the ham. Lay the raw chicken over the top of the ham. Dump all the rest of the cheese sauce over the chicken evenly. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly and the chicken is cooked. Cool for ten minutes then serve.

We had ours with a green salad and homemade rolls. So yummy!!!!

Maple-Pumpkin Granola

I love granola and it is just way to expensive to buy at the store plus most of them are loaded with fat!!! I eat granola every mornig for breakfast and I like that you can make it the way you want and put in all sorts of healthy stuff for you. I found this recipe over at the Sugar Plum website. I adapted it a little bit to put what I like in it. That is another reason why I love granola you can just add what you like and make it different each time. This was really yummy and I like it even better than my other granola I have posted before!!

Maple-Pumpkin Granola adapted from Sugar Plum
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
4 T. oil
3 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
6 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
1-2 cups nuts (i used almonds and pecans)
1 cup wheat gream
1/2 cup whole flax seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cups craisins

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray. In a large bowl whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, oil, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until well combined. Stir in the oats, wheat grem, flax seeds, and nuts. Spread onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 40-45 minutes(stiring occasionally) until golden brown and slightly crisp. Remove from over and stir in the raisins and craisins and let cool. Store in an air tight container. Keeps for 2-3 months with out going stale.

Chocolate Banana Bread/Muffins

I found this recipe from Coleen's Recipes. She made the bread but as I was making it I decided that I would make them muffins because my kids and hubby tend to eat things better when they are individually wrapped and you don't have to cut or whatever. YOu can just grab some and go. Anyway, I thought the recipe looked good and they turned out really well. My kids and I have been having them for a treat each day. I made them a little bit healthier and I couldn't even tell the difference and my family loved them but then again when can you go wrong when it involves chocolate.

Chocolate Banana Bread/Muffins adapted from Coleen's Recipes
1 1/2 -2 cups mashed bananas(about 4 bananas)
3 T. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
8 T. milled flax seed(can find at walmart by the flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips(Coleen used mini one but I only had regular)
1 cup pecans( I didn't add these)

Beat all of the wet ingredients and sugar together until well combined and smooth. Beat in dry ingredients just until combined then stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Bake the bread at 350 in a greased loaf pan-(60-70 min), lined muffin tin-(20 minutes), or mini loaf pans-(25-30 min.) Mine made 12 regular muffins and 6 jumbo muffins.

Pulled Pork

I know that I have posted a recipe for pulled pork that we use for sandwiches before. This one is pretty much the same but just has a few slight adjustments. We served this with a baked potato and with the bbq sauce I posted just before this post.

Pulled Pork

4-5 lb pork loin or roast(i used pork roast because has less fat but either will work and you can even use pork chops)

2 tsp. cajun seasoning

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

1-14 oz can beef broth

2 T. liquid smoke

1 cup bbq sauce

1 T. minced garlic

Put meat in crockpot. Rub the cajun seasoning, pepper and salt all over the top of the roast. Pour in the beef broth, liquid smoke,bbq sauce, and garlic. Cook on high for 5-6 hours. Dump most of the juice off. Leaving a little of the juice. Shred the pork with two forks. Serve with more bbq sauce.

BBQ Sauce

I have never found a store bought bbq sauce that we are crazy about and have been searching for a good homemade one. I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and I got a thumbs up from my kids and hubby. It tasted really yummy and it was easy to make. I will be making this bbq sauce for now on. You must try it out.

BBQ Sauce adapted a little from My Kitchen Cafe
2 cups ketchup
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup -1 1/4 cup brown sugar(I used 1 1/4 but next time I am only going to use 1 cup)
1 1/4 cup red wine vinegar(I only had white so that is what I used)
1/2 cup molasses
2 T. butter, cut into small pieces
4 tsp. hickory flavored liquid smoke(find this at any store by the bbq sauces)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 -1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or ground red pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp celery seed( I used celery salt because I didn't have any seed)
1 tsp black pepper

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, mix together all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for at LEAST 30 minutes, stiring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as it simmers(and then as it cools). I simmered mine for 1 hour -1 1/2 hours like Melanie at Kitchen cafe suggested. Use to brush on meats while grilling or any recipe that uses bbq sauce.

Note: it was not spicy at all so my husband and I poured some in a seperate bowl and mixed in a tsp of Siracha chili sauce with it. It gave it just the right kick that we love. My kids don't like the heat so much so they had the plain. (you can find Siracha on the Asian/Oriental food Aisle in your local grocery store)

Note: if you love bbq chicken pizza this would be so yummy to use and make your own pizza!!! I am going to try it sometime.

Note: the recipe makes about 2 pint jars full of sauce

Whole Wheat Bread

I have been searching for a good 100% whole wheat bread recipe for a while that used all whole wheat not half whole wheat and half white that would raise and be fluffly like white bread. I found this recipe over at the Recipe shoebox and had to try it out. I have made it twice since Thursday!! It turned our really well. I adpated the recipe a little bit. The trick is to use 100%white whole wheat flour. You can get this at any grocery store. I have even heard people using this flour for cookies and cake but I can say I tried it in my chocolate chip cookies and I could taste the whole wheat flour. I am not going to go crazy and use it in my baking because lets face it if I am going to have a cookie it is bad for me anyway so why not have it taste great as well but I will be baking my bread with this flour for now on.

Whole Wheat Bread adapted from Recipe Shoebox(make 3 loaves)
2 T. instant yeast or active dry yeast(if using active dry yeast mix the yeast with the water and let sit for about 10 minutes until foamy and bubbly)
3-1/4 cup warm water
2 T. vital wheat gluten
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/3 cup honey or molasses
3 tsp salt
6 1/2 -7 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup wheat germ or sunflower seeds or ground flax seeds or a combination of them

Mix the yeast and vital wheat gluten with 1 cup of the flour;set aside. In a large bowl or your mixer, Mix the water, oil, salt, honey, and 3 cups of wheat flour until smooth. Add the yeast flour mixture and mix for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the flour one cup at a time and wheat germ, sunflower seeds or flax seeds until forms a soft dough. Knead on a greased or floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat all the dough with oil. Cover and let raise until doubled in size about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and divide into 3 portions. Shape into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-40 minutes. Bake @ 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the top with butter. Remove from the pans and let cool on wire rack.

Doesn't that look tasty!!

Note: i use instant yeast because you don't have to let the yeast sit in the warm water and activate or worry that you got the water temp just right not to kill the yeast. But you can use active dry yeast if you want just add it to the water and let it sit then add all the rest of the ingredients. YOu can find instant yeast at any grocery store!!

Note:White Whole wheat is just as nutritional as Red whole wheat so don't be alarmed. There is a tiny bit difference in the protein but only a minimum one

Note: roll out the dough or shape it on a greased surface instead of a floured surface because adding more flour to the dough will also make it dry.

 Note: you may leave the wheat germ and ground flax seeds out. I like to add them for added nutritional value