Tuna Noodle Casserole

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

Do you know a fishy guy named Charley…as in Charley the Tuna?

Well, he and I had a date last week.

He did not stay around long.

I think he dove right into my casserole.

Funny thing is, I never saw him the rest of the night….interesting…..

Have you ever just craved something? I am sure that you have. Last week, I was craving Tuna Noodle Casserole for some odd reason. I tried not to dwell on this fascination with a can of tuna, mixed in a creamy cheese sauce and baked into a noodle casserole…but I could not stop myself. I knew I had plenty of cans of tuna in the pantry from my bargain shopping, so what was I waiting for? I think I found pretty much the perfect recipe for tuna casserole, so that was not stopping me. I think I was worried that my kiddos and Company would not eat tuna. Boy, was I sure mistaken! They fished right in and got one taste of Charlie…oops..tuna and cleaned their plates. I made a double batch, and shared with Niener Wiener and Jeanie Beanie. (they loved Charlie too…)

I am sure you will too.

Anywho, if you start craving for a little deep sea cheesy, creamy and noodlely casserole, this recipe has the perfect combination.

Here is what you will need:

I had all the ingredients right in my cabinet the whole time. I made a double batch, but if you are making a single batch you will need half of what I am showing you in the picture.

I also wanted to add a buttery cracker topping. I bought this bargain brand of crackers that worked perfect for the topping. You will need a sleeve of these crackers and 4 tablespoons of butter.

Dice up the onion and put into a bowl.

Dice up some sweet red pepper and some celery. I diced the celery into smaller pieces than what is shown in the picture.

Throw…well not really throw, but put the diced celery and red pepper into the same bowl as the onions.

Now, boil and cook the noodles by following the directions on the package. Drain and put back into the pan.

Add the drained tuna to the cooked noodles. Next, add in the mayonnaise.

Add in the bowlful of chopped veggies and give the whole thing a big stir. Mix together thoroughly. Set aside until you make the sauce.

To make the sauce, get out a medium sauce pan. Pour in the cream of celery soup and the evaporated milk.

Stir the soup and milk together until smooth. Slowly heat the soup.

Add the shredded cheddar cheese to the soup. Continue to stir, and cook on low to medium heat, until the cheese is melted.

Pour the cheesy soup mixture over the noodles. Stir until the noodles are thoroughly coated with the soup.

Pour the noodles into a large casserole dish. (remember I am making a double batch, if you make one batch you will need a smaller casserole dish)

Now, to make the buttery cracker casserole topping. Take one sleeve of crackers and break them apart. I used a rolling pin. Add the cracker crumbs to 4 tablespoons of melted butter and stir. If you do not double this recipe, you will only need half a sleeve of crackers and 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Right out of the oven and all crispy brown on top. YUM.

Here is the recipe:

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

(this recipe is for one batch, the pictures shown are a double batch)

6 ounces of medium noodles

1 6 1/2 ounce of drained tuna

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped onions

1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper (you could also use green peppers)

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup evaporated milk or regular milk works fine

1 can cream of celery soup

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For Topping:

1/2 sleeve of buttery cracker rounds (similar to Ritz crackers)

2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Cook noodles in boiling salt water till tender and drain. (follow the directions on the package if you are unsure of cooking time). When the noodles are cooked, drain the water off. Add the tuna, mayonnaise, vegetables and salt to the noodles. Stir together. In a sauce pan, blend soup and milk. Add cheese and heat and stir until the cheese melts. Add the cheese sauce to the noodle mixture. Stir until all the noodles are coated with the sauce. Spoon the noodles into a casserole dish. To make the cracker topping, crush the crackers with a rolling pin. Add the crushed crackers to the melted butter and stir together. Sprinkle the topping on top of the noodles. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Don’t you want to dig right in? (Charley are you in there?)

Enjoy!

Becky

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

My girls love peanut butter.

They eat it with crackers, on toast, on celery, on pancakes and their favorite way to eat it, is right out of the jar with a spoon.

I have raised a bunch of nutty girls in my house.

Anywho, I was looking through old community cookbook recipes (again), and found this Peanut Butter Sheet Cake recipe. When I read through the recipe and looked at all the ingredients, I thought it was so interesting that the icing had melted marshmallows in it. I was so intrigued by this idea, thinking it would taste so gooey good, I had to copy down the recipe. I knew my girls at home and the Baby College Girl would love this cake. I decided I would try it out last week during the treat day that I volunteered to make some goodies for. The cake is moist and pea nutty tasting. The icing is made with crunchy peanut butter, so the top is a sheet of crunchy goodness. It is a great cake to feed a crowd, cause you get to make it in a jelly roll pan which allows you get lots of servings. Which is great, cause you will want two servings.

Here is what you need to make this terrifically pea nutty cake.

I brought all the ingredients from home to make this cake, but I thought it would look funny to take a picture of the big bags of sugar and flour that I purchase for my classroom.

The first thing you need to do is measure out the flour and sugar and put it in a medium bowl.

Add in the baking soda and the salt. Stir all the ingredients together.

The dry ingredients should look like this. I then put all my dry ingredients in my stand mixing bowl.

In a sauce pan melt the butter and the oil together.

Add the peanut butter and the water and bring to a boil.

When the peanut butter mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat. In another medium boil, whisk the eggs and the vanilla together.

This is what it looks like whisked up. Now whisk in the buttermilk.

Now, it is time to pour the hot peanut mixture into the dry ingredients. Using a stand mixer (or hand held) blend the dry ingredients and peanut mixture together.

Now, you can add in the buttermilk and egg mixture to the batter. With the mixer, mix until all the ingredients are smooth and incorporated together.

Pour the batter into a greased jelly roll pan and bake for about 18 minutes or until done.

While the cake is baking, take this time to make you icing. In a sauce pan, heat together the evaporated milk and the sugar.

Add in one tablespoon of butter. You will use crunchy peanut butter for the icing.

Measure out the crunchy peanut butter and the marshmallows. When the milk and sugar comes to boil. Boil for 2 minutes.

When you have boil the icing for 2 minutes, turn off the burner, and stir in the marshmallows and the crunchy peanut butter.

I cooked mine just a minute or two to get all the marshmallows to melt. Now, stir in the vanilla. Pour the icing over the warm cake.

Spread the icing evenly over the cake, making sure to get the edges.

Here is the recipe:

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Ingredients for the cake:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup margarine or butter (I used butter)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

Ingredients for the icing:

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1//2 crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions for the cake:

Mix together flour, soda, sugar and alt in a large mixing bowl. (I put my mixture in a large stand mixer bowl). Set aside. In a saucepan, bring oil, margarine, peanut butter and water to a boil. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix. (I mixed it with a stand mixer). In a small bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and buttermilk together. Add the egg mixture to the batter in the mixing bowl. Blend well. Pour batter into a greased and floured 11 by 15 by 1 inch sheet cake pan. (jelly roll pan) Bake for 15 to 18 minute in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Directions for the icing:

While the cake is baking make the icing. In a saucepan, combine evaporated milk sugar and margarine. Bring to a boil, cooking for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and marshmallows. Stir until melted. Stir in the vanilla. Pour the warm icing over the warm cake and spread to cover.

Who wants to first piece????

Enjoy!

Becky

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

Yesterday, I was helping to make food for a crowd of about 80 or so. It was the monthly treat day that different department provide snack, desserts or lunch for the entire staff. Our departments provided a bunch of soups and chilis for all three lunch shifts and it turned out great. I volunteered to make this Cheesy Corn Chowder and my Chicken Gnocchi Soup, along with the Coconut Cream Cake, Peanut Butter Sheet Cake (I will post this yummy recipe in the next few days) and 10 loaves of the Crusty White Bread.

I have loved corn chowder after I tried my first bowl down at Branson last summer. I have been looking for an excuse to try my hand at making my own, and treat day provided me my perfect opportunity. I looked and looked for a recipe that had the combination of ingredients that I thought I would like. When I finally ran across this one from Ina Garten, I knew it was time to finish my search. I did change up the amounts on some of the ingredients a bit. I wanted mine a little thicker, so I added more flour. I also wanted a more creamy taste, so I added more half and half. I also wanted a little more cheese flavor, so I added more cheese. I got raved reviews on this chowder on Friday. I am taking the left overs to The Princess’s house for lunch tomorrow after church. I am sure that Mom and Dad will go corny over this Cheesy Corn Chowder.

You will go corny too! LMK (let me know) if you give this chowder a try!

Here is what you will need.

You will need corn, of course : ), potatoes, onions (lots of onions) flour, salt, pepper, basil, butter, half and half, olive oil, chicken broth, olive oil and cheese.

First thing you need to do is chop all those onions (or talk a someone else into it like I did), then cube the potatoes.

The first thing you will need to do is fry up the bacon in little pieces. I used some kitchen shears to cut the raw bacon into little squares before frying off. When the bacon is fried, scoop out the bacon and pour the bacon grease into a large stock pot.

In the large stock pot, put the bacon grease, olive oil and butter and melt together. Add the onions and sauté until tender.

Once the onions are sautéed, add in the flour and cook for a minute, stirring while the mixture becomes thick.

Pour in the chicken stock. Now add in the chopped potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are tender. Stir occationally.

Add in the frozen corn and the half and half. Season with basil, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low, until the corn is heated through.

Add in the shredded cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Now, it is all done.

Served with shredded cheese and the fried bacon pieces.

That is all there is to it!

Make this large batch of Cheesy Corn Chowder to keep you warm until Spring is here.

Here is the recipe.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:

8 ounces of bacon (I cooked a whole pound package, cause you use the bacon for garnish when you serve it and we love bacon around here)

1/4 cup olive oil (or you can use vegetable oil if you do not have any)

5 cups chopped onion

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon basil

10 cups of chicken stock

4 cups of half and half

6 cups diced potatoes

10 cups of sweet frozen corn kernels

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut the raw bacon in small strips. In a large (and I mean large) stock pot, fry the bacon until the bacon is crispy on medium heat. Leaving the bacon grease in the bottom of the stock pot, strain out the crispy bacon to use as a garnish for the soup when you serve it.

Add the olive oil and the butter to the bacon grease. Keeping the heat on medium, sauté the onions until they are translucent.

After the onions are sautéed, add flour, salt, pepper and basil. Cook and continuously stir the flour and onion mixture for about 3 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock and stir,

Add in the diced potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are tender.

Add in the frozen corn and the half and half.

Cook for around 5 more minutes, or until the soup is heated through.

Add in the cheddar cheese and stir until all the cheese is melted.

Taste the soup, to see if you need to add more salt or pepper.

Serve and garnish with bacon and cheddar cheese.

Enjoy!

Becky

Coconut Cream Cake

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

I am nuts about coconuts!

And you thought I was just nuts… : )

This week is treat day at school and I am making a few things to share. I found this super easy, super moist, recipe for Coconut Cream Cake. It was the perfect cake to make when you are a little pressed for time cause you start with just a cake mix. I made this delicious cake a couple of days early and put it in the freezer. I can’t wait to share it later this week.

It has a secret ingredients….sshhhh…..

One of the things that makes this cake so, so, so, good, is that it has a whole can of cream of coconut in it. You use half the can in the batter. The other half of the can you pour over the cake while it is still warm. The super sweet syrup seeps down into the cake making it super moist.

If you need a quick, easy and delicious cake, oh, and if you love coconut as much as I do, this cake is perfect for you.

Here is what you need.

You just need a few simple ingredients for this cake. I only had to go to the store to get the cream of coconut. If you have a hard time finding cream of coconut, you will need to look in the liquor department at your grocery store.

The first thing you need to do is start making the cake, following the directions on the back of the box. You can use a white or yellow cake mix.

Next, you need to open your can of cream of coconut. You may need to stir the cream of coconut because the coconut fat might have risen to the top. I pour the cream of coconut into a measuring cup. I think one can has about 1 1/2 cups of cream.

Pour approximately half of the cream of coconut into the cake batter.

With a stand mixer, mix together the cake batter for about 3 minutes on medium. The batter will be slightly thin. Pour the batter into a 9 by 13 greased cake pan. Bake in a 350 preheated oven for around 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean in the middle.

While the cake is still warm, take a fork and poke holes into the cake.

Now, you can pour the rest of the cream of coconut over the cake. It will seep into the holes you made into the cake with the fork. Let the cake cool completely now.

When the cake has cooled completely, frost the cake with cool whip. Lastly top the cool whip with the coconut. Add as little or as much coconut as you want.

See how easy peasy this cake it?

It is good too!

Here is the recipe:

Coconut Cream Cake

Ingredients:

White or Yellow cake mix (below are the amounts of eggs, water and oil that I used, you can use the amounts that is on the back of your cake box)

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 1/3 cup water

1 can of cream of coconut

1 can of Angle Flake coconut (I could not find a can, so I just used part of a bag of Angle Flake coconut)

1 container of cool whip (sit it in the refrigerator to thaw enough to spread on cake)

Directions:

With a mixer, mix the cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Add half of the can of cream of coconut. Mix for 3 minutes. Pour the batter into a greased 9 by 13 cake pan.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

When the cake is done, poke holes in the cake with a fork.

Pour the rest of the coconut cream over the warm cake. Spread coconut cream over the top of the cake if necessary.

Cool Completely.

When the cake is cooled, frost the cake with cool whip. Top the cool whip with coconut.

I suggest storing this cake in the refrigerator after you top the cake with cool whip.

You will go nuts for this Coconut Cream Cake, just like I did.

Enjoy,

Becky

The Thaw….finally.

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

Mid Missouri had freezing rain this morning, but by afternoon, the sun came out and the melting started. It was like a river running down the street in front of my house.

This is what the little garden looked like last week.

Now, with the melted snow, I am growing mud.

Lots of mud.

Anyone know of a good mud pie recipe?

Becky

Nilla Wafer Banana Bread

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

With two year old youngest grandgirl in the house, one thing I almost always have in the kitchen, is bananas.

She is banana crazy!

So, when I am out of bananas, I know I need to peel out and buy another bunch…pronto.

What generally happens, is that oldest daughter goes and buys bananas, too.

Now, I have two bunches of bananas in the kitchen. Grandgirl is in banana heaven, but she can only eat so many bananas.

Anywho, when I found this new version of banana bread, and extra bananas in the house, I thought I would give this recipe a try.

The nilla wafer banana bread lasted maybe, 24 hours, before it was all gobbled up. It is a sweet banana bread. The added vanilla wafers gives this recipe a banana pudding taste, but in a bread.

If you are looking for an interesting and different banana bread recipe, this one is sure to please both old and young alike.

Here are your step by step instructions:

This is what you need to make this truly different banana bread.

The first thing you need to do is count out the vanilla wafers, put them in a plastic bag and mash them up with a rolling pin.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar.

Add the two eggs to the creamed butter and sugar. With a mixer, mix in the eggs.

Add in chopped bananas and with the mixer, mix the bananas in.

In a different bowl, stir together the crushed vanilla wafers and the flour.

Add the baking powder and salt to the flour mixture. Stir all the dry ingredients together.

Alternately stir in the flour mixture and the milk, until you have mixed both the flour mixture and milk in. If you are adding nuts, this is where you would stir in the walnuts or pecans.

Once the batter is all mixed up, pour the batter into a 9 by 6 greased loaf pan.

Bake the bread for about an hour in a 350 degree oven.

Here is the recipe:

Nilla Wafer Bread

Adapted from Taste of Home Magazine (I think, cause I just copied the recipe and forgot where it came from…my bad)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour

35 crushed Nilla Wafers (using the name brand adds more nilla wafer flavor, I found that out after I made one batch using a off brand)

2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas, cut up or mashed (you need about 1 1/4 cup banana)

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup walnuts or pecans (I did not use nuts, cause the Super Hero does not like nuts)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs. Beat in the mashed bananas until the bananas are mixed thoroughly in.

In a separate large bowl, stir together the flour, wafers, baking powder and salt.

Stir in the milk alternately with the milk.

Stir in the walnuts or pecans.

Spread the batter into a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan

Bake for about one hour or until the a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool on a cooling rack.

One thing I would do different is, use name brand vanilla wafers (nilla wafers) and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Becky

My Little Garden Update

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

Here is a picture of My Little Backyard Garden.

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago. Now, imagine it with 8 inches of snow over it with another 1/4 in of ice underneath.

The raised garden beds are littered with pine needles that I will need to remove. The orange pots are full of those artichoke plants I had such high hopes for. The artichokes were suppose to be ones that you could harvest artichokes in one season. I think they sent me the wrong seeds. Boo…hoo….I babied those artichokes for 10 months.

Here are a few of the planters I used on the patio. I planted egg plant and sweet peppers on the patio. The good news is that they did great!

The Little Garden is just waiting for warmer weather.

You are probably wondering why I am showing you pictures of a dormant garden.

Well, it is just a reminder that is just about time to start planting your seedlings indoors.

I will be starting my onions, peas and a few other seeds in the next few weeks.

I plan on having a early spring garden and install a floating row covers over the raised garden beds to protect the new plants from the potential cold weather.

Company and I are planning on having a large garden at his country home. We planted several fruit trees to add on to what he already had, back in the fall.

With the help of the grand girls, we planted 2 more apple trees, a peach tree and four cherry trees.

Company had this great hole digger on his tractor. It makes planting trees pretty easy.

We planted another peach tree next to the one he had, to see if it would help produce bigger peaches.

We also planted 2 different varieties of apple trees and planted those near the 4 he already has.

Lastly, we planted 4 cherry trees in his front yard. We thought they would be pretty there next to the old civil war cemetery.

Did I ever mention he has a civil war cemetery on the edge of his front yard?

How fun (creepy) is that? : )

Hope they like cherry trees.

Just wanted to give you an update on my latest garden report.

What are you planning on planting this spring/summer/fall?

Becky

Crusty White Bread

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

Are you craving bread?

In like, warm, soft, crusty bread that is perfect with that homemade jam and butter.

I sure am.

I think, it is because of the below freezing temperatures and the 8 inches of snow outside.

Instead of apple a day, doesn’t the doctor suggest a slice of homemade crusty bread, will keep the doctors away.

Ok…fine….the doc did not…but the doc should have. : )

Oldest Daughter who does not cook, ate ALL (well, almost all) the Molasses Oatmeal Bread I made the other day.

So,….now that the roads are clear enough for her to go back to work (I still have another snow day from school), I thought I would make some bread, and eat all I wanted before she came home.

Great Plan…right? (Devilish smile)

Don’t worry about the girl who cannot cook….I made two loaves. One for me…and one for everyone else.

See, I know how to share.

Why, don’t you try this, melt in your mouth crusty white bread, and see if you feel like sharing.

Here is what you need to make the perfect Crusty White Bread.

You will need, flour, yeast, sugar, vegetable shortening, butter, salt, eggs, lemon juice and oil.

In a measuring cup, put in your lukewarm water, yeast and 2 tablespoons of sugar. The sugar feeds the yeast and helps it to activate.

After about five minutes your yeast should look like this. The bubbles on top tell you that the yeast is activated.

Now, switch to a stand mixer and add in the eggs and vegetable shortening.

Now, add on the salt and the lemon juice.

Add in the sugar (I forgot to take a picture of me adding the sugar). Mix everything together with the beater attachment on your stand mixer.

Add in the activated yeast and mix in with the egg mixture.

Add in three cups of flour and beat in with the mixer. It will look like a thick paste mixture.

Now, switch to you dough hook and add another 3 cups of flour. If you do not have a dough hook, use your beater to add more flour, then just knead the dough by hand to add in the rest of the flour.

After I used my dough hook on the dough for five minutes. I took it out and put the dough on a lightly floured pastry board.

I kneaded the dough, adding just enough flour to make a soft dough. I placed the dough in a large bowl.

Brush a little oil on top of the bread, Put a towel on top of the bowl and place the bowl in a warm place for the dough to rise.

After about an hour the dough will rise to double it’s size.

Place the dough back on the lightly floured pastry board and cut the dough in half. (if you do not have a pastry board just use the kitchen counter)

Roll the dough out to a 9 inch by 18 inch rectangle.

Roll the dough up from the short end.

Seal the edge of the dough to the loaf by pinching it together.

Place the dough into a greased 9 inch by 5 inch bread pan.

Cover the pans with a towel and let the loaves rise till they double in size. Now, it is time to bake the bread. I lowered my rack in the over to one notch lower. I preheated my oven to 370. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow inside and is nicely browned.

When they come out of the oven, brush the loaves with melted butter.

Take the bread out of the pans and cool completely. I know it is hard not to cut into them now. : )

See what a beautiful loaf of bread this recipe makes?

I think you have waited long enough for the recipe : )

Here is the recipe.

Crusty White Bread

Ingredients:

2 envelopes of active dry yeast

2 cups of lukewarm water (105 to 110 degrees)

2 tablespoons sugar to add to the yeast and water

1/2 cup sugar to add to the dough

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

6 to 6 1/2 cup flour. I used all purpose flour, but you can use bread flour if you have it.

1 tablespoon oil to put on top of the dough while rising

2 tablespoons butter, melted to put on top of the loaves when they come out of the oven.

Directions:

In a large liquid measuring cup, measure out the warm water. Add the yeast and the sugar. Stir to dissolve. Wait 5 minutes for the yeast to activate.

In the bowl of stand mixer. Add the eggs, vegetable shortening, sugar, salt and lemon juice. With the beater attachment, mix together.

Add the yeast mixture to the egg mixture in the mixing bowl. Mix in.

Add in 3 cups of flour and beat in with the mixer until it is mixed in completely.

Switch to your dough hook attachment. Add in 3 more cups of flour. Knead in the flour with the dough hook for five minutes.

Take the dough out of the bowl and put on a floured surface. Knead in enough flour to make a nice soft dough.

Put the dough into a grease bowl. Brush oil on top of the dough. Cover the dough with a towel, put in a nice warm place (85 degrees if you can). Let the dough double in size.

Take the risen dough and place it on a floured surface and cut in half.

Roll each half into a rectangle that is 9 inches by 18. Roll the dough up by the short end. Seal the ends and the edge of the dough by pinching it together.

Put the loaves into lightly greased bread pans.

Cover the dough and let them rise, till doubled.

Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Lower the oven rack by one notch. (So the top of the bread does not too brown when baking)

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are a golden brown and should sound hollow when tapped.

Remove loaves from pans and put on a wire cooling rack. Brush the loaves with melted butter.

Cool completely before slicing.

Nothing is better than homemade crusty white bread!

Hope you will try to make some for yourself!

Stay warm and eat food….really good food!

Becky

Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

The other night I made some BBQ Roast Beef Sandwiches from a roast I had in the crock pot. I was looking for a easy peasy side dish that everyone would eat, including the picky eaters, Company and Super Hero.

One thing that Company and the Super Hero have in common, is their love for potatoes.

I picked up these red potatoes earlier in the day at Aldi’s. I thought I could make roasted smashed potatoes out of them.

Normally with smashed potatoes, you use small new potatoes, or another small potato variety.

My red potatoes were a little big, but I thought I could just cut them in half and it would work.

Heck Ya, it did.

Smashed Potatoes are so easy to make. You can just put them in the oven, forget about them while you make other things, and then go back to them and finish up.

Here is how you make them.

Take washed potatoes, if they are on the big side, just cut them in half. Place them on a cookie sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil. I took my hands and rubbed olive oil on each one.

Take a couple of seasonings. I used sea salt and vegetable grill seasoning. You can use pepper too.

Sprinkle with seasoning. Now, you are ready to bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until they are fork tender.

Now, take a cup and push down on the potatoes and smash them. This is the real fun part.

Looks like a steam roller went over them. hehe…. You can drizzle a little more olive on them and maybe a tad bit more seasoning. Now, pop them back in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Walla….Roasted Smashed Potatoes.

Go, smash some down. : )

Becky

Molasses Oatmeal Bread

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Rebecca Baugh

I love Molasses.

There I have said it.

I am a molasses snob too.

I want my molasses (sorghum) to taste just like I used to eat on hot biscuits at my grandma’s house.

I was so excited that I found a farmers market in Springfield (Baby College Girl lives there) where a Mennonite family sells the exact tasting molasses I am looking for.

I pretty much bought them out, the last time I was in Springfield,

Anywho, when I can across this old bread recipe and it had molasses in it, I knew I would have to give it a try.

Here is what you need to make this bread.

You will need oatmeal, butter, flour, yeast and molasses or sorghum.

First thing you do is put the oatmeal in a bowl and pour hot water over it. Let it set for about 45 minutes or until it thickens up.

Now, you add the softened butter and the molasses. Stir to combine.

Add the yeast to lukewarm water to dissolve . Add the salt to the oatmeal and molasses mixture.

Once the yeast has dissolved you can add it to the molasses and oatmeal mixtures. Now, I switched to my stand mixer. I poured in the oatmeal mixture and added the flour.

I put on my dough hook and kneaded in the flour. The dough is very soft and sticky and that is ok for now.

I covered the dough with plastic wrap and put a towel over the bowl. I set the bowl in a warm place in my kitchen until it doubled in size.

In about a hour or so, the dough has risen to double it’s size.

Take the dough out of the bowl and put in on a well floured surface.

I sprinkled some more flour on top. I then kneaded the dough by hand, adding more flour as needed until I got a soft dough.

I cut the dough in half. I then formed the dough into loaves.

I put the loaves into little greased loaf pans. I covered them with a towel until they doubled in size.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes then remove.

Try to wait until the bread cools before slicing. I have a hard time with this!

I took one of these loaves to my sister Jeanie Beanie’s house for her dinner after church on Sunday. My other loaf is almost gone. Yikes! It went great with the beef stew I made for dinner.

Hope you give it a try.

Here is the recipe:

Molasses Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups boiling water

1 cup quick or regular oats

1/2 cup molasses or sorghum (do not use blackstrap molasses, it is too bitter for this recipe)

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 package yeast

4 1/2 cups to 5 cups of flour (you will use an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cups for kneading later)

Directions:

Mix boiling water and the oats together in a large bowl. Let it sit for up to one hour or until the oatmeal thickens. Now, add the molasses, slat and butter. Stir to combine. In a small bowl, put the lukewarm water and yeast, stir to dissolve the yeast. Add the yeast mixture to the oatmeal mixture and stir together. Pour the oatmeal mixture into a stand mixer with an attached dough hook. Add the flour. Knead the flour and oatmeal mixture together for about 5 to 6 minutes. The dough will be sticky. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can beat the flour in by hand as the dough is pretty soft. Cover the dough with plastic wrap to prevent from drying out and then cover with a towel. Let the dough rise until it has double in size. Punch the dough down and put on a floured surface. Add enough flour to make the dough firm enough to knead. Shape the dough into two loaves. Put the loaves in greased loaf pans. Cover the pans with a towel and let rise till double. Bake the loaves in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes. Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then take out of the pans and cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Becky

A Small Town Kitchen

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Monthly Archives: February 2014

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Molasses Oatmeal Bread