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: