[PontiusPirate]

Originally Posted by leiarose

Yesterday we had oven-baked potato wedges and sandwiches. I'm trying to use up foods I have so we don't have to grocery shop...

Spoken like a true newlywed!

I used to want a stand mixer, now I don't really know what I would use it for. I really pretty much hate baking.

[magical spatula]

Originally Posted by leiarose

I received one of those as a wedding gift...it's so pretty! I have been wanting to make bread with it but I'm too scared to try.[/honest] We're actually out of bread as of today so maybe I should try that....

Yesterday we had oven-baked potato wedges and sandwiches. I'm trying to use up foods I have so we don't have to grocery shop...

Yes! I think bread will be my next adventure. I've never made actual homemade bread before, unless you count a bread maker.

[MtlMom]

Ladies, this recipe is the perfect bread to start off with. I have had excellent results consistently - everyone seems to love it.

Honey Wheat Bread adjusted for Kitchenaid Mixer

INGREDIENTS
· 3 cups warm water (110 degrees)
· 2 packages Rapid Rise yeast
· 1/3 cup honey
· 5 cups all-purpose flour
· 3 tablespoons butter, melted
· 1/3 cup honey
· 1 tablespoon salt
· 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
· 2 tablespoons butter, melted
· 1/3 cup gluten*

A few hints:

• If you can’t find gluten, use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour.
• Spray your measuring cup with spray oil before measuring honey
• If you don’t have a digital thermometer, ask for one for Christmas.

DIRECTIONS
1. Start with the mixing beater. In the mixing bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white flour and the gluten, and stir on spead 1 for about 1 minute to combine. Lift the beater out. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey (yes, again), and salt. Mix for maybe 30 seconds, then switch to the dough hook. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour and mix at speed 2 for 10 minutes. You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl just a bit with a rubber spatula. You also may need to add up to an additional 2 cups of whole wheat flour to get the dough so that it is pulling away from the sides but still sticky. If you have a smaller mixer you may have to take out some of the dough to keep the mixer from binding up (just wait until it is well blended, remove about a third of it, then finish mixing whatever you take out after the first batch is finished kneading). If it starts to crawl up the dough hook, add a little flour to the top. After it kneads for 10 minutes, separate into 3 parts and transfer to 3 loaf pans, sprayed with cooking spray. With a sharp knife, cut 3 or four ½ inch deep diagonal slits in the top of each loaf. Let rise in a warm place until doubled. This should take about an hour. (I set up a small space heater in my laundry room before I even start making the bread to get the temperature up to about 85 degrees – that seems to work very well.)

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool before slicing.

This bread freezes really well. Wrap them in plastic wrap first, then in foil.

[leiarose]

Originally Posted by PontiusPirate

Spoken like a true newlywed!

Exactly.

That bread recipe looks fun...I will have to plan a day for that. Yesterday I made cookies for my husband's office party: jumbo chocolate chip, Andes mint chocolate and peanut butter. I surprised myself as they were wonderful! All three recipes came out perfectly and the cookies look and taste amazing.

I mailed cookies to my ex-boss as well. I received a large package with his name endorsing: three packages of elk, buffalo and venison sausage and a fully-smoked pheasant and duck! Those should be fun to have for dinner....the little paper inside suggests an oven bag for baking.

[magical spatula]

Originally Posted by MtlMom

Ladies, this recipe is the perfect bread to start off with. I have had excellent results consistently - everyone seems to love it.

Honey Wheat Bread adjusted for Kitchenaid Mixer

This looks delicious! I will have to try this. Tonight I made portobella mushroom-swiss burgers. I based my creation on this recipe, but did a whole lot more than 10 - 12 mushrooms (maybe? I used an 8 oz. package of sliced baby 'bellas), no nutmeg and no saltines. I don't know if my egg/shroom ratio was off, but I couldn't really form them into patties. I ended up getting out the immersion blender and making what looked like a really disgusting blended cat food and managed to form them into really sloppy patties and cook them. Once they started to cook though, they were a bit easier to manage and with swiss on top and some tomato, mayo and a good hamburger bun (I used and toasted Publix bakery French hamburger rolls - delicious), they turned out quite well. My family liked them and I was kind of impressed that they turned out well, considering I'd thought they'd be trash. I may make them again tomorrow...

Oh, I also steamed broccoli and carrots. For some insane reason, my family had about five heads of broccoli here and I brought three home.


Broccoli recipes, anyone?

[magical spatula]

Last night I made black bean soup. I cooked two whole bags (so probably two pounds?), so I still have a good portion of regular black beans sitting around waiting to be used. The soup turned out well, and I made baked tortilla chips from whole wheat tortillas with a bit of sea salt and cayenne. Those turned out well, too, except I didn't read the ingredients fully at the store and didn't notice until I was already eating them that they contain fish oil (as a source of omega 3 fatty acids)...oops. My mom asked if I was going to turn blue.

Today is pumpkin cheesecake day! I am using Organic Valley Family of Farms Neufatel cheese instead of cream cheese. We'll see how this turns out.

[MtlMom]

This morning I made gingerbread for our neighbors, and in a little while I will start preparing everything that I can make ahead of time for our Christmas brunch, including a breakfast casserole that can just be popped in the oven when the rest of the family arrives tomorrow. The German sausage and zwieback are ready.

Merry Christmas to my food forum friends!

[leiarose]

I finally made Eggplant Parmesan as per Chelsea's suggestion! I would love another recipe for this, Chelsea....if there is something different I could do. I wasn't too pleased with the outcome of dinner but I like the idea. I used a recipe from a Heart Association cookbook (trying to keep my husband alive and etc.) that had sauteed (youknow) mushrooms, garlic and onions as the base with broiled sliced eggplant, tomato sauce and mozzarella. It was.....I don't know. It looked very scary and the texture was pretty mushy. And bland. Maybe that is just what Eggplant Parmesan is! I loaded it with spices too....

Anyhow! Since this was a date night and we're poor we ate it while making delightful conversation and I snuck back down tonight to make some quick brownies...

Other than that - spaghetti earlier this week! It was a big success as I had no recipe (is one required) and it was just good. I will add more goodies the next time I make it. Re: garlic, mushrooms, capers, onions.

[magical spatula]

Eggplant's kind of weird. It's usually pretty mushy any way you cook it, unless you bake it, which then it loses all its water and shrivels and gets chewy, or fry it, which...is...completely disgusting, unnecessary and not healthy.

So really, I have no suggestions for eggplant. I don't eat it too often.

Sunday I made hummus. Love hummus. Love garlic. I shouldn't eat it in public, though...

I had a bag of spinach sitting around, so I decided to try my hand at spinach & artichoke dip. It turned out well! I cut up & baked some sun dried tomato & basil tortilla wraps to serve with it.

[PontiusPirate]

I finally made Eggplant Parmesan as per Chelsea's suggestion! I would love another recipe for this, Chelsea....if there is something different I could do. I wasn't too pleased with the outcome of dinner but I like the idea. I used a recipe from a Heart Association cookbook (trying to keep my husband alive and etc.) that had sauteed (youknow) mushrooms, garlic and onions as the base with broiled sliced eggplant, tomato sauce and mozzarella. It was.....I don't know. It looked very scary and the texture was pretty mushy. And bland. Maybe that is just what Eggplant Parmesan is! I loaded it with spices too....

Anyhow! Since this was a date night and we're poor we ate it while making delightful conversation and I snuck back down tonight to make some quick brownies...

Other than that - spaghetti earlier this week! It was a big success as I had no recipe (is one required) and it was just good. I will add more goodies the next time I make it. Re: garlic, mushrooms, capers, onions.

I believe I posted a recipe for it in the vegetarian thread, or in the recipe thread....if not, I will post it.
I always bread my eggplant for eggplant parmesan, which makes it nice and crispy. The texture of eggplant is generally a little mushy, but not too much. It should have the same texture as zucchini when you cook it. (It also shouldn't be that bland......hmm...)
Grilling it also makes for a nice texture and flavor.


Last thing I cooked:
Honey Teriyaki Stir Fry with Salmon over Rice.

[MtlMom]

I spray my eggplant with cooking spray and grill it. While it is still hot I sprinkle it with a little garlic salt. Make sure the slices are no more than about 1/4 inch.

I grow eggplant in my garden, and of course it all seems to be ripe at once. I have found that after it is grilled it freezes very well. Just put the number of slices for one meal in a zip lock bag and stick them in the freezer. I do the same with my sauce, which makes for an unbelievably easy and delicious meal at a later date. I should make a thread for my make ahead meals.

[leiarose]

Originally Posted by PontiusPirate

I believe I posted a recipe for it in the vegetarian thread, or in the recipe thread....if not, I will post it.
I always bread my eggplant for eggplant parmesan, which makes it nice and crispy. The texture of eggplant is generally a little mushy, but not too much. It should have the same texture as zucchini when you cook it. (It also shouldn't be that bland......hmm...)
Grilling it also makes for a nice texture and flavor.

I found it in the vegetarian thread - thanks! I also found a couple other tasty ones...I should start looking at veggie recipes more. I will definitely try this - it looks much better than the one I made before.

Originally Posted by MtlMom

I spray my eggplant with cooking spray and grill it. While it is still hot I sprinkle it with a little garlic salt. Make sure the slices are no more than about 1/4 inch.

I grow eggplant in my garden, and of course it all seems to be ripe at once. I have found that after it is grilled it freezes very well. Just put the number of slices for one meal in a zip lock bag and stick them in the freezer. I do the same with my sauce, which makes for an unbelievably easy and delicious meal at a later date. I should make a thread for my make ahead meals.

This sounds good. I don't have a way to grill right now but I'll have to remember this.

ETA: Last night we had Smoked Pheasant (already smoked - I just put it in the oven for a couple hours), sweet corn and White Zinfandel. It was a great meal.

[PontiusPirate]

I spray my eggplant with cooking spray and grill it. While it is still hot I sprinkle it with a little garlic salt. Make sure the slices are no more than about 1/4 inch.

I grow eggplant in my garden, and of course it all seems to be ripe at once. I have found that after it is grilled it freezes very well. Just put the number of slices for one meal in a zip lock bag and stick them in the freezer. I do the same with my sauce, which makes for an unbelievably easy and delicious meal at a later date. I should make a thread for my make ahead meals.

I usually just brush mine with some olive oil and it's delicious, but I will have to try garlic salt or some sea salt. Hmmmmmm....

I wish I had a garden. Freezing sauce=wonderful. I have never tried freezing grilled eggplant, so I will have to.
MAKE THE THREAD!!!

[MtlMom]

If you don't have one, next time you have a little extra cash you might want to consider purchasing a small electric grill. Something like a George Foreman grill, but make sure it has removable grills. Mine is a Hamilton Beach, and I think it cost about $30. The grills can go in the dishwasher! It is wonderful for vegetables, and it's the best way to cook fish - because you can cook it outside on the patio and not have the lingering smell of fish in your house...

[leiarose]

Originally Posted by MtlMom

If you don't have one, next time you have a little extra cash you might want to consider purchasing a small electric grill. Something like a George Foreman grill, but make sure it has removable grills. Mine is a Hamilton Beach, and I think it cost about $30. The grills can go in the dishwasher! It is wonderful for vegetables, and it's the best way to cook fish - because you can cook it outside on the patio and not have the lingering smell of fish in your house...

Yes! I have had a George Foreman before and they are pretty handy. Our dishwasher was actually "fixed" somewhat last week. I'm finding excuses to use dishes now so the removable grill sounds good.

I have a crockpot from our wedding that I have never used. And a food processor thing. I don't think I've seen crockpot recipes around here....that would be helpful if anyone had some.