Focaccia Bread

Foccacia Bread

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Cups Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
5 Cups All-Purpose Flour, or as needed
Thinly Sliced Fresh Tomato
Thinly Sliced Fresh Onion
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Freshly Chopped Rosemary
1 Tablespoon Freshly Chopped Basil
1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt


Dissolve honey in warm water in a large bowl, then sprinkle yeast over the top. Let it stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to foam. Stir in 1 Tablespoon of salt, 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil and 5 cups of flour until the dough comes together. Knead in Kitchenaid Mixer until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes) you can also knead on well floured surface by hand. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 415 degrees F.

Place the dough onto an oiled baking sheet (I used a jelly roll pan because it was quite large) and flatten to cover the whole sheet evenly. Use the tips of your fingers to make indentations all over the dough spaced about 1 inch apart. Place your sliced tomatoes and onions on your focaccia. Drizzle the focaccia with 3 Tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese, rosemary, basil and kosher salt. Let it rise for 10 minutes.


Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.


Never having made focaccia bread before, I wasn't sure how this would turn out, but after tweaking my recipe a bit to add the things I wanted to it like the tomato and onion, I was thrilled with my result. It was great dipping in olive oil with dinner, and I can't wait to make a panini with it. I'm sure it will be delicious! The best thing about it was, from the time I started
to the time I pulled it out of the oven, it was nearly 1 hour. It's a great bread when you just don't have a whole lot of time!

Dipping Oil

Dipping Oil (Carrabba's Herb Oil)

Recipe Adapted from CDKitchen

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or as needed)

Combine all ingredients, except oil, on a deep plate or bowl. Pour olive oil over.

Serves 8.

This is a staple at our house. Anytime we have Italian, we also have this to accompany our bread! Supposedly, it's the actual recipe from Carrabba's, and it really does taste a lot like it! It's quite delicious! Try it - you won't be disappointed!

Mamma's Bread

Mamma's Bread (Carrabba's Bread)

Source: Carrabba's Italian Grill

1-1/4 Teaspoons Dry Yeast
Pinch of Sugar
1-1/4 Cups plus 1-1/2 Tablespoons lukewarm water
3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Shortening
Olive Oil to grease the bowl

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the 1-1/2 Tablespoons of water. After 5-10 minutes you will see the yeast start to activate by bubbling and foaming.

Add 1 cup of the flour to the yeast mixture. Start mixing and gradually incorporate the salt and shortening. Add the remaining flour and, as the mixture starts to absorb the water, begin adding the remaining water until a ball of dough forms. If the dough is too wet, knead in an extra tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough is "tacky." Be careful not to add too much flour and make the dough too firm. You want it sticky and moist. Add just enough flour to make it possible to handle, but still a little difficult. Place the dough onto a floured board and kenad for a few minutes to a nice, smooth consistency.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a draft-free place for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for about 4 minutes. Place it on a greased loaf pan 8x5 or 9x5 inches, oil the top of the dough and loosely cover with plastic wrap again. Let the dough rise a second time for another hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Gently remove the plastic wrap and, with a razor or very sharp knive, make 2 slashes in a crisscross shape across the top using a quick motion.

Place the dough in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN the oven door for the first 30 minutes of baking.

Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is deep brown on top. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

I must say, this was great bread! I was a bit skeptical, but it really did taste just like Carrabba's bread. Yum! It takes some planning because it takes 3 hours just in rising time, but it was well worth the effort!

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe Courtesy of Good Things Catered

2 Cups plus 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
12 Tablespoon (1-1/2 Sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg plus 1 Yolk
2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1-1/2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower - middle positions and heat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.

With Electric Mixer or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in the egg, yolk and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low spead just until combined. Stir in chips.

Roll 1/2 cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough on cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball.

Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (about 20 minutes in my oven).

Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Well, I had to try these cookies since they were called the world's best chocolate chip cookies! And, while I'm not sure I would say they're the world's best, they are pretty good, if I do say so myself. I didn't like the dough - I thought it was too sweet (but that could be a good thing since it kept me from eating it!). And the cookies were pretty sweet right after coming out of the oven, too. But the next day...they were heavenly! So if you want warm chocolate chip cookies, I have a great recipe for that - e-mail me. I'm sure I'll post it one of these days. But if you're wanting delicious, gourmet type chocolate chip cookies to last you a few days, these are definitely the ones!

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Hershey's Kitchen's

2 Cups Sugar
1-3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Hershey's Cocoa
1-1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1-1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Boiling Water

Frosting:
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Butter, melted
2/3 Cup Hershey's Cocoa
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (the batter will be very thin). Pour the batter into your prepared pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: Stir melted butter into cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add a small amount of additional milk, if necessary. Stir in vanilla (about 2 cups frosting).

Frost cake when completely cooled as desired.

This cake is definitely for the chocolate lover's amongst us! I made this for my husband for Valentine's Day, as chocolate cake is one of the only "sweet things" he will eat. It was absolutely delicious and extremely moist, although I would suggest a lesser amount of cocoa for the frosting, as it was just a bit too rich for our taste here at the Worley household. But boy, was this good! Make sure you serve you dust the pans with flour before pouring the batter in, and be sure to serve it at room temperature, of the frosting tastes more like fudge than frosting!

Grandma's French Bread

Grandma's French Bread

Recipe from The Sister's Cafe

2-1/4 Cups Warm Water
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Yeast
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Oil
5-1/2-6 cups flour - stirred before measured

Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this sit for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour. Beat well. Add in 2-1/2-3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too sticky. But be careful not to add too much flour. Knead for a few minutes.

Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds). Then allow it to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat this a total of 5 times. Then turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a 9x13 rectangle. It will be difficult to work with. Roll the dough up, starting from the long edge of the loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on a large baking sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with the second part of the dough.

With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an agle on the top of each. Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes.

Brush the entire surface with egg wash (1 egg beaten slightly with 1 Tablespoon water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

This was a great French Bread for someone who likes a soft crust and a soft, dense inside. It was a very heavy bread, but had wonderful flavor. I will be making it again!

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

5-1/2 cups chicken broth

1-1/3 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper (optional)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2) In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas and celery. Add 3 cups broth and enough water to cover. Place lid on pot, and let boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

3) Line a pie plate with your favorite pie crust. Brush it with egg white and bake for 5 minutes.

4) In the saucepan over medium heat, melt butter; stir in the flour, salt, pepper and celery seed (and garlic pepper/powder if desired). Slowly wisk in 2-1/2 cups chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

5) Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over it. Cover with top crust, seal edges and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

6) Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly (you may want to place foil around the edges to prevent the crust from burning). Cool for 20 minutes before serving.

This pot pie is by far the best homemade chicken pot pie we have ever had here at our house. I've always thought my pot pies turned out a bit dry, but this one has such a decadent sauce poured over it - you don't have to worry about it being dry at all! It's definitely a keeper! I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you're in the mood for comfort food!

01.31.08 PartyLite Candle Party

I had several ladies over tonight for a PartyLite Candle Party. I had such fun decorating my table and making a few munchies for us to enjoy while we were learning more about these wonderful candles!

Table Decor:

Scotcheroos

Scotcheroos
Recipe courtesy of Amy Baron

½ cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
½ stick butter

Melt above ingredients together in a large pan. Stir 5-6 cups Rice Krispies cereal into mixture. Put into greased 9x13 pan. Melt together 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips and spread on top.

Incredible, incredible, incredible! Definitely worth making again!

Strawberry Fruit Dip

Strawberry Fruit Dip
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 (8 ounce) package Light Strawberry Cream Cheese
1 (7 ounce) jar Marshmallow Creme
2 Tbs. Orange Juice
1 Cup Cool Whip

Using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, marshmallow creme and orange juice until mixed thoroughly. Fold in the cool whip and refrigerate until serving.

This fruit dip was really quite delicious. It was light and fluffy, and had a lovely flavor. It complemented the fresh strawberries nicely. I will definitely make this again.

Garlic and Herb Chip Dip

Recipe courtesy of Williams and Sonoma

4 heads garlic 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 1/2 c. sour cream
6 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the tops of the garlic heads and rub the cut surface with the olive oil. Put the garlic in a garlic roaster or on a baking sheet. Arrange the rosemary and thyme sprigs on or around the garlic. Cover the garlic roaster with the lid or the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Roast until the garlic cloves are soft and lightly browned, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cool completely (I usually make this the night before before it smells up the whole house)Squeeze the pulp from the garlic cloves into the container of an immersion blender or into a bowl of a food processor. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped rosemary, thyme and parsley, the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until well combined. Cover the dip with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve the dip with potato chips.

This dip was incredible! It was so easy to make, although a bit time consuming, and it did smell up the entire house, but it was well worth it. I only used 3 heads of garlic, and I found it to be plenty garlicky. Next time I make it, I think I'll cut back some on the salt, as (especially as it ages) it gets extremely salty. But I'll be making this again for sure. Simple, and delicious!

Cheesy Bacon Dip in a Bread Bowl

Cheesy Bacon Dip in a Bread Bowl

Recipe courtesy of Kendra Beutler

1 Round Loaf (1 pound)
1 Package (8 ounces) Cream Cheese
1-1/2 cups Sour Cream
2 Cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 Pound Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Assorted Crackers

Cut the top fourth off the loaf of bread. Hollow out bottom, leaving a 1-inch shell. Cut the removed bread into cubes to use with dip.In a bowl, beat the cream cheese. Add the sour cream, cheddar cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in bacon. Spoon into bread shell. Wrap in a piece of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until heated through. (or microwave while still in bowl and spoon into bread). Serve with crackers and bread.

The best in the world. So yummy! A definite addition to my permanent recipes! Thanks, Kendra, for sharing!!

Cherry Limeade

Cherry Limeade

Recipe courtesy of KellysKornerRecipes

1 Can Frozen Limeade Concentrate
1 Bottle Sprite
1 Jar Maraschino Cherries
1 Lime
Put Limeade in a punch bowl and pour Sprite over it. Pour in juice from the cherries. Add Cherries and Sliced up limes for look and taste.


I thought this punch was absolutely delicious! It was light and refreshing and SO easy to make. I'll definitely make it again, though I will not add the cherries to the punch (I will add the cherry juice, however), as they merely sink to the bottom and really don't add to it at all. The sliced limes were a nice touch, though.