Category: Food
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite things about Halloween. A little bit of work will give you something to snack on for days.
These pumpkins are gutted and ready to be carved.
Before you carve a pumpkin you have to take it’s guts out. Take the top off, scoop out all the goo inside, and pick out the seeds. Pro tip, do this messy stuff on top of a layer of newspaper. When you are done just throw the newspaper away. If you are very handy in the garden maybe you could use this newspaper under a layer of mulch to keep weeds away. Our growing season is over so this mess went straight to the garbage.
I keep this really simple. I put the seeds just as they are in a bowl and season them with a tablespoon of what ever sounds good from my spices.
Then I put them on a baking sheet, trying to spread them out into a single layer, and then bake them in a 250 degree oven for 90 minutes or longer.
The chosen spices this year are my go to garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder
then Everything but…from Fresco Spice Blends. This is basically an everything bagel seasoning
and finally Ranch seasoning also from Fresco Spice Blends.
The winner this year is the Everything but…. seasoning. I guess it’s true, you really can use everything bagel seasoning on well, everything. Or at least pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
Mac n’ Cheese in a hurry
Okay folks this is ridiculously easy. A pot of water, a box of mac n’ cheese, and a tablespoon of spices. That’s it.
Follow the instructions on the box.
When you are mixing the cheese sauce into the drained noodles add 1 tablespoon of Everyday Blend from Fresco Spice Blends. There, that’s it. A satisfying side dish or add whatever diced cooked chicken, veggies, or even bacon and you have something that will hit the spot when you are stretched for time. That’s not entirely necessary, just get a spoon and dig in. Enjoy!
Jambalaya and Roasted Potatoes
My mom sent us home with a bowl full of baby red potatoes. We were also given a couple leftover grilled Italian sausages to bring home to our daughter who stayed home to study for her CPA exams. The next day we still had both of these ingredients so I decided to roast the potatoes with olive oil and a tablespoon of A Bit of Tuscany from the Fresco Spice Blends. They probably roasted at 450 for about 30 -40 minutes. The next time I roast these little guys I will cut each one in half and roast them cut side down to get that nice carmelized flavor. These were good but cut in half might be better. I’ll let you know. I was just lazy with this dinner.
We sliced the sausage and ended up with maybe one and a half cups of slices.
I baked some previously cut up chicken that I had in the freezer. Again I just used olive oil and seasoning. I think I used Coast to Coast seasoning from Fresco Spice Blends. If it isn’t obvious yet, I love their spices. I didn’t measure but it seemed to be about 2 cups of cooked chicken after it was baked at 375 for 25 minutes and cut into smaller pieces.
I added the sausage, chicken, and a teeny-tiny bag of frozen diced ham to a Zatarain’s jambalaya mix and in about half an hour dinner was on the table. The ham is not pictured because it was literally a pint size freezer bag that was only maybe a quarter full of leftover diced ham. It just didn’t seem photo worthy. Dinner however was amazing with really minimal effort.
Banana Bread
I’m late to the banana bread party that happened early this Spring but this stuff is good. Really good. My family will eat it for breakfast, lunch, an after school snack, or even dessert. So now you too can make this easy recipe and wow your family and friends.
Banana bread starts with you guessed it, bananas. When the bananas are past their prime I don’t always have the time to make banana bread. So I freeze them. Yes, I put them directly into the freezer brown spots and all and after a while when they are good and frozen the bananas will look a lot like this.
When I decide to make banana bread I usually double the recipe so I can make one loaf to eat right away and another loaf to either give to someone else or freeze for another day. So the following recipe will make two loaves but you can divide it in half and just make one if you so choose.
The process is not pretty. Frozen bananas are ugly and slimy but oh so necessary for banana bread. Take the 6 bananas out of the freezer and let them defrost for an hour or so in a bowl. Put them in a bowl or they will eventually leak all over your counter. You’re welcome for that small tip.
Cut open the bananas. I use a pair of scissors for this. As you peel the skin off the banana hold it over the bowl you want to mix it in. They are a squishy mess at this point and will likely fall into the bowl. If Obviously throw the empty skins away. I’m sure there is something out there telling us what can be done with banana skins but this is not that blog. Once you have peeled all your bananas mix them well. I use a Kitchen aid mixer with the paddle attachment.
When the bananas are well mixed add 2 cups of granulated sugar, mix again until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and the paddle, mix again briefly and then add 1 cup of oil. I use coconut oil but canola or another neutral oil will work as well. Mix again until the oil is mixed in and not floating on the top.
Add 4 eggs and mix well. Scrape the sides of the bowl and paddle and mix again before adding 6 TBSP of milk and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. I don’t think it’s important which type of milk is used. Regular, 1%, almond milk, whatever type of milk you have in the fridge will work. If someone tries buttermilk in this recipe let me know how it goes. Mix again.
Add 2 tsp of baking soda, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of salt, and 4 cups of all purpose flour. Mix again. If up to this point you have ignored my advice to scrape the sides of the bowl and paddle attachment right now is when you should listen to me. Scrape the sides of the bowl and the paddle, making sure that you get all the way down to the bottom of the bowl because you want everything to combine together.
Use a non-stick spray to coat the insides of two loaf pans before you evenly pour the batter into the pans.
Bake on the middle rack of an oven preheated to 350 for an hour.
Check to see if it is done by using a long toothpick and poking it in the center of the bread on the top. If the toothpick comes out dry you are good to go. Otherwise if it is still gooey bake for an additional 5-10 minutes and then check again.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before you slice it. These freeze really well and can be made in smaller mini loaf pans. If you use a smaller loaf pan start checking to see if the bread is done after 40 minutes.
Happy Mother’s Day a little early
Look what I found on my doorstep yesterday! On Monday I placed my order from Fresco Spice Blends and by Thursday afternoon it had arrived. Speedy!
Originally I was just planning on replacing my Fresco Ranch seasoning that I purchased ages ago at the Fort Wayne Farmer’s Market. Then I realized that I had to share what I had discovered. So I went online and ordered one for me and one for my mom, then added a few more blends that looked too good to resist.
Last night I roasted cut up sweet potatoes and russet potatoes tossed with olive oil and Fresco Spice Signature Blend. So very good! I used about 1/2 a tablespoon of seasoning and some olive oil poured over the potatoes in a bowl. Mixed it together then spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and baked/roasted them on the center rack of my oven at 450 for 15 minutes. I took the pan out and flipped the potatoes over then put them back in for 10 minutes on the same rack. I like crispy potatoes so I finished them for 5 more minutes on the top rack of the oven.
The seasoned potatoes went really well with grilled chicken. Again, I just mixed spice and olive oil.
In one bag I used olive oil and one tablespoon of the Coast to Coast seasoning and in the other bag I used a tablespoon of Penney’s Little Italy. Very easy and delicious! Today we can enjoy the chicken again sliced on a salad, in a tortilla wrap, or maybe just dipped in hummus for a snack.
The other half tablespoon of Signature seasoning from the potatoes? That was put with olive oil into a quart size freezer bag of smaller chicken pieces. Now I have seasoned chicken that I can defrost and cook another night.
Mom, if you’re reading this, sorry to spoil your surprise! Happy Mother’s Day a little early!
Pizza Night
Friday night is pizza night. These mini pizzas are just a few of the ways you can personalize your own pizza using this versatile French bread recipe.
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached flour ( I use King Arthur’s bread flour)
1/2 tsp salt (kosher or regular iodized is fine)
1 cup warm water
1 package of rapid rise yeast (or 1 TBSP of instant dry yeast, either will work)
1 1/2 tsp of sugar or honey
Put the yeast, warm water *important only warm not hot*, and sugar ( or honey) in a mixing bowl. I use a Kitchen aid mixer. Use the dough hook attachment to briefly mix the ingredients, maybe 30 seconds or so. You could also use a wooden spoon at this point but I just use the dough hook.
After you’ve briefly mixed it, stop the mixer and use a kitchen towel to cover the bowl. I leave the dough hook attached because it will be used again in 20 minutes. This break allows the yeast, sugar, and water mixture to bubble.
After 20 minutes the mixture will be bubbly and a bit thicker. At this point remove the towel and add the salt. Then mix for just 10 seconds or so.
Add the 3 cups of flour to the bowl and begin mixing it on a low speed still using the dough hook attachment.
After maybe 30 seconds or so increase the speed to 2 and add water to the measuring cup already used for water earlier. Tap water is fine, it doesn’t need to be warm. Pour the water a little bit at a time into the bowl of dough while it is mixing. The goal is to make the dough a little bit wetter without leaving any residual water at the bottom of the bowl. So you most likely will add about 1/2 a cup of water total before the dough is the consistency that you want.
So what kind of consistency do we want? Sticky yet starting to clean the sides of the bowl at the top. If you’ve made other dough from scratch like those for cinnamon rolls, this dough is not going to feel or look smooth and elastic like that type. Mix it for 2-3 minutes max at level 2 speed going no higher than 4. While it is mixing get a large bowl and coat the inside with olive oil.
After you have tilted the bowl in all directions to distribute the olive oil up the sides of the bowl there will still be a puddle of oil at the bottom of the bowl. I have not measured how much olive oil I pour in but I will guess that it is less than 1/4 a cup.
Turn off the mixer, use a plastic scraper to scrape back into the mixer the dough clinging to the hook. Scrape the dough out of the bowl directly into the oiled bowl. You can use your hands or use the scraper to flip the dough completely over in the bowl so that it comes in contact with the oil on each side.
Remember that towel? Briefly get it wet, just ball it up and wave it underneath warm water from the faucet. Not dripping wet just a little damp. Now use it to cover the bowl with the dough. Let the bowl sit covered for about an hour to let the dough rise.
After an hour the dough should fill the bowl and may be touching the bottom of the towel that is draped over it. Take off the towel and the dough is ready to use.
If you are making pizza preheat the oven to 450, if you are baking bread preheat the oven to 400. While the oven is preheating sprinkle some all purpose flour on the clean surface that you will use to roll out the dough. The countertop that I use is quartz and does not require alot of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the counter as I roll it out. In our old kitchen with the laminate countertops, I needed to use more flour on the surface to keep it from sticking. Start by using part of a 1/4 cup of flour and see how much of it you need.
If you are making pizza or loaves of bread spray your pans with a non stick spray and set aside.
My family has gotten spoiled with mini pizzas. Everyone can choose their own toppings and everyone is happy. Grab a handful of dough from the bowl and put the lump of dough on the floured surface. Using a marble rolling pin or a floured wooden rolling pin start rolling the dough out into a circular shape. I have a double sided hand held mini roller that I bought years ago from Pampered Chef and this tool is very useful making the mini pizzas. Once you have the dough in the size and shape that you want place it onto the prepared pan and it is ready to be topped however you like. Repeat until you use up the dough.
In the beginning it’s kind of hit or miss in terms of judging the size of dough ball to roll out. You might end up with a thicker or thinner crust depending on how much dough is used and how thin or thick you roll it out. No worries! It all bakes the same, start by setting the timer for 12 minutes if your pizzas are especially thin. In general we bake ours for 12-15 minutes depending on their thickness.
Enjoy!
If you decided to bake bread instead, make your bread into the shape that you want and let it rise in the pan for 20 minutes covered with the same towel that you used before. Uncover and bake at 400 for 25 minutes and presto, you have freshly baked bread.
I typically double the recipe so that I can get either two full size loaves of bread, 10-12 mini pizzas, or a combination of these options. The dough can also be used to make stromboli, mini calzones, or a sausage roll. I bake the sausage roll or stromboli using the directions for the bread and the calzones I bake for 15-20 minutes at 400.
Give it a try and you will be surprised at how easy it is. Happy baking!
How to make even better Buttermilk Biscuits
Look at that! I bet you want to know how my biscuit looks that beautiful. No secrets here. I just followed my Grandpa Oliver’s advice, if you can read you can cook.
I got the best biscuit advice from two different sources, Chrissy Teigen and Reese Witherspoon.
Chrissy’s contribution was the emphasis on cold butter. Not just butter that was cold, then cut up and left on the counter. Not good enough. Put that cut up butter back in the fridge until it is COLD and you are ready to use it within seconds. I tried it this way and combined with the advice from Reese, I’d say we have a winner.
I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of this but to have layers in your biscuit you need to make layers in your dough. Thanks Reese! Roll out the dough so it is about an inch thick, then fold the dough in half and roll it out again. Repeat this rolling and folding. I probably did it four times. The last time you roll the dough out, roll it so it is about half an inch thick.
Cut the biscuits out in a straight up and down motion. Don’t twist the biscuit cutter!
Place the biscuits on a baking sheet right next to the edge of the pan and right next to each other so they are touching. I had not ever heard of this but it makes sense. The biscuits will rise taller instead of spreading out wider if they don’t have room on the sides to expand. Apparently biscuits are very supportive of each other.
Keep gathering the scraps of dough and re rolling until there really isn’t enough dough to make another biscuit. Here is the last piece of advice …use that little bit of leftover dough to roll with your hands into a snake shape. Put that bit of dough next to the biscuits on the pan that don’t have any other biscuit friends to support them on their sides.
I didn’t have time to get a photo of the freshly baked pan of biscuits before they were devoured. The only proof I have is the photo of these remaining three biscuits.
So long summer…
Okay, I may have overplayed my hand trying to hype myself up for Fall and all things pumpkin spice. It was time today to switch out my warm weather clothes for the cool and cold weather collection.
Sigh….I’m not quite ready. I thought I was! But now, putting away my tank tops and shorts until next Spring and Summer is just depressing.
It doesn’t help seeing my neighbor’s sign the other day.
However well intentioned she is, this sign stresses me out each and every year! I start off seeing her count down thinking to myself, ” I’ve got this! 99 days, no biggie. I can certainly plan better this season.” Apparently I am very good at lying to myself. A few days ago I saw this sign again and wondered where on Earth did 33 days go?
So to bring back my summer vibe, if only for a moment, I made myself a cocktail tonight to toast the end of summer.
What should I name this creation?
The ingredients are approximates because I was a little reckless in the measuring department tonight.
3 oz strawberry daquiri mix
3 oz lemonade
2 oz rum
Pour into a glass of crushed ice and add unflavored seltzer water to top it off
Maybe listen to Memories by Maroon 5 and you have yourself an end of summer pity party. Nah. I won’t be down for long. I’m already wondering about adding cranberry juice to this for the holidays.
Cheers!
Buttermilk Biscuits
These really are as good as they look. We love them served right out of the oven but they also freeze really well! If you freeze them unbaked, they can be baked straight from the freezer. Talk about a time saver!
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup buttermilk
Mix dry ingredients in a mixer bowl. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer because it makes this process easier. Use the paddle attachment and mix it on stir or 2 for about 30 seconds or so.
Cut the cold butter into tiny pieces like I’ve shown above. Except you should finish the job! The tinier the better but about this size will do. When it’s all cut up add the butter pieces to the dry mixture.
Mix the butter in at a low speed until the butter looks like pebbles in the flour.
Pour the buttermilk into the butter and flour mixture. Mix on a low to medium speed until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture looks similar to the above photo. This happens sooner than you think, so keep an eye on it. Once the mixture doesn’t have any obvious liquid in the bowl and the dough sticks to the paddle stop mixing.
Put the dough on a lightly floured surface. I’m a fortunate girl because we remodeled our kitchen last year and now have quartz counter tops. Quartz is a fantastic surface to roll dough on and it seems to require less flour, if any at all, to keep the dough from sticking. Roll the dough out to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Use your best judgement.
Use a biscuit cutter or even a small glass will do, and cut the dough into biscuits. Try to keep your circles close together. Then place the biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet making sure that they aren’t touching each other.
This part is a little like playing with Play-dough. Take the scraps in your hands and form them back into a lumpy ball and then roll them out again just like you did the first time. Repeat cutting the biscuits out and placing them on a baking sheet. Gather the scraps again, roll out the smaller lumpy ball, and cut out what biscuits you are able to get.
When you get to the end and only have a tiny bit of dough just take that piece of dough and roll it into a ball in your hands and call that little thing your last biscuit!
Bake the biscuits at 450 for about 12-15 minutes. Below is the color we are looking for so start checking them at about 12 minutes so that they don’t over bake.
Enjoy them warm, split them in half and spread with butter, jam, or whatever you choose!
Homes In Progress 