Rosemary French Bread

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (2 and a half teaspoons)
2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon butter, softened
17 tablespoons warm water (1 cup plus 1 T)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons minced garlic

• Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer’s directions, start dough cycle. You may have to add up to ½ c. more flour, depending on the humidity in your area and the makeup of the flour. The dough should be in a moist-looking ball while mixing in the machine, pulling away from the sides.
  
• When the cycle has completed, place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
  
• Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16x12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8x12 inch rectangles.
  
• Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end.
  
• Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
  
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
  
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Fish Fillets in a Maple and Dill Brine

This brine works well on fillets of tuna, salmon, orange roughy and trout. Brining fish is faster than meats. You need real maple syrup for best results.

Ingredients:
1 qt water
2 TBS kosher salt
2 TBS maple syrup
1 TBS brown sugar
1 bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped (about 1/ 2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 LBs fish fillets, center cuts if possible

Directions:

• Combine the water, salt, maple syrup and brown sugar in a large non reactive (glass) container.
• Stir to dissolve the salt.
• Add dill, garlic, and pepper.
• Submerge the fish skin side up in the brine.
• Cover the container and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
• To cook, remove the fish from the brine and pat dry. Brush or spray with oil. To grill, put on a sheet of foil directly on the grill rack over medium heat (350-400 degrees) for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Honey Chicken Stir-Fry

TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• Hot cooked rice

Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet, stir-fry chicken and garlic in 2 teaspoons oil. Add the honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is lightly browned and juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, stir-fry the vegetables in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to the pan; stir to coat. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Serve with rice. Yield: 4 servings.

Apple-Oat Muffins

2 c. shredded, peeled McIntosh apples (about 3/4 lb). *
1-1/2 c. AP flour
1 c. quick-cooking oats
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1-1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. fat free milk
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) carton plain low-fat yogurt (I used fat free strawberry from Publix)
1 large egg

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Place apple on paper towels, squeeze until barely moist. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine the flour and next 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of the mixture. Combine milk, oil, vanilla, yogurt, and egg, stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in apple.
• Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. They will be almost full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 dozen
Serving size: one muffin
190 calories; 3.9 g fat (.9g sat.)
1.9 g fiber; 4.5 g carbs

*I used Granny Smith Apples and pulsed them a few times in the food processor.

Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

FILLING:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Dash salt

1 cup milk

3/4 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

• In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; mix well. Cool for 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add cocoa mixture, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk; mix well.
• Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• In a saucepan, combine flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth; cook and stir over medium-high heat until thick, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool.
• In a mixing bowl, cream shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add chilled milk mixture; beat for 7 minutes or until fluffy. Spread filling on half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:
• 4 LB chicken, butterflied
• 3 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS honey
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 TBS olive oil
• salt & pepper


Preparation Directions:
Ÿ Flatten the chicken out, skin side up.
Ÿ Whack it with your fist to crack the breastbone (for easier carving).
Ÿ Fold the wing tips back and tuck them under the chicken.
Ÿ Salt and pepper both sides.
Ÿ Blend the mustard, honey, soy and oil. Brush generously on both sides of chicken.
Ÿ Let sit at room temperature for an hour or so, or cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Cooking Directions:
Ÿ Roast over direct heat (no drip pan), at a grill temperature of 270 (about 300 dome).
Ÿ Start skin side up; after 50-60 minutes, flip the skin side toward the coals.
Ÿ Roast another 30 minutes or so, until skin is golden brown and crispy and the meat is done to your
liking.



Good for when there's no time to brine.
Good with or without pecan or cherry wood.

Mashed Potato Casserole


4 c. mashed potatoes
1 c. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese
1 t. dried chives
¼ t. garlic powder
¼ c. dry bread crumbs
1 T. butter, melted
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sour cream, cream cheese, chives and garlic powder. Turn into a greased 2 qt casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs with butter, sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. Top with cheese and serve immediately.

Can be made ahead and baked just before serving.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
3 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 t. salt
2/3 c. oil
2 t. vanilla
2 c. sugar
2 t. baking soda
2 c. warm water
2 t. vinegar

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 c. sugar
chocolate chips

• Beat topping ingredients well and set aside
• Mix cupcake ingredients well. Batter will be very thin. Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full - do not overfill.
  
• Place about 2 t. topping in the center. Add 6-8 chocolate chips per cupcake.
• Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes.

These freeze well if you can keep them around that long! Makes 3 dozen standard cupcakes.
You can also make 8-9 dozen mini cupcakes (bake ~12 minutes).

Taco Tot Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can corn w/ pepper, drained (I just used regular 'ole corn w/ no salt added)
1 can condensed nacho cheese soup (I had never heard of this, and could not find it, so I used cream of cheddar soup by Campbell's)
4 c. frozen Tator Tots
Salsa and Sour Cream, optional

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Cook meat w/ taco seasoning according to pkg. directions
• Spoon meat into an ungreased 11x17 inch baking dish or a 2 qt. casserole dish
• Spoon corn over meat; spread soup over corn
• Arrange the frozen tots in a single layer over the soup
• Bake 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned and the mixture is bubbly
• Serve w/ salsa and sour cream if desired

Baby Back Ribs Like Applebee's

3 racks pork baby back ribs, cut in half
1 c. ketchup
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
3 T. dark brown sugar
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. liquid smoke
1/2 t. salt

• Place ribs in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover them.
• Bring water to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until ribs are fork tender.
• While ribs are boiling, combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
• Place boiled ribs, meat side down, on a broiler pan.
• Brush with half the sauce mixture and broil 4-5 inches from heat for 6-7 minutes.
• Turn ribs over, brush with remaining sauce, and broil and additional 6-7 minutes, or until edges are slightly charred.
  

Parmesan Crusted Chicken


4 (small) pieces of boneless, skinless chicken
1/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 C butter
1/4 C milk
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in oven in pan (I used an 8x8 baking pan). While butter is melting, mix all other ingredients except milk and chicken.
• When butter is melted, dip chicken first in milk, then coat generously in flour mixture, then dip in butter. Place chicken in pan to be baked. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
• Bake at 400 degrees. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken. Check it after about 15 minutes.
  

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

FILLING:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1 tablespoon sugar

MUFFIN:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

24 pecan halves, optional

• For the filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
• Divide half of the batter among 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Drop filling by teaspoonfuls over batter. Top with remaining batter. Place a pecan on each muffin if desired.
• Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

Crock-Pot Chicken & Dumplings

From Campbell's Kitchen

Prep Time: 20 min. - Cook Time: About 8 hr.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1" pieces
2 cups baby whole carrots
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) Campbell's® Cream of Chicken Soup OR 98% Fat Free Cream
of Chicken Soup
1 cup water
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose baking mix
2/3 cup milk

• PLACE chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery in 6-qt. slow cooker.
• MIX soup, water, thyme and black pepper. Pour over all.
• COVER and cook on LOW 7 to 8 hr.* or until chicken is done.
• MIX baking mix and milk. Spoon batter over chicken mixture. Tilt lid to vent and cook on HIGH 30 min. or until dumplings are cooked in center. Serves 8.
  

*Or on HIGH 4 to 5 hr.

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 t. vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. baking soda
1 cup dried raisins or craisins

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray, set aside.
• In a large bowl, stri together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda, Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in raisins or craisins.
• Using a 1/4 cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. With a thin spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
• Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14-16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Freeze if the cookies will not be eaten within three days.
  

Cowpoke Chili

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth, undiluted

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 can (15-1/2 ounces) hot chili beans

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Dash cayenne pepper

2 cups frozen lima beans, thawed

Cherry tomatoes, fresh oregano and small chili peppers, optional

In a large saucepan, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce and paste until blended. Add the next 10 ingredient. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add lima beans; cook 5-10 minutes longer or until beans are tender. Garnish with tomatoes, oregano and peppers if desired.

Yield: 7 servings.

PB&J Spirals

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

8 teaspoons creamy peanut butter

8 teaspoons grape jelly

1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

• Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles. Spread 1 teaspoon each of peanut butter and jelly on the wide end of each triangle; sprinkle with peanuts.
  
• Roll up from the wide end and place point side down 2 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Curve ends to form a crescent shape.
• Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.
  

Yield: 8 servings.

Sausage Swiss Muffins

8 ounces pork sausage
1-3/4 cups biscuit/baking mix
3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

• In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the baking mix, sage and thyme. In another bowl, combine the egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cheese and sausage.
  
• Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.
  

Yield: 9 muffins.

Cheesecake Brownies

For the brownies:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. butter
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. instant coffee granules
1-1/3 granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
3 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour


For the topping:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 T. lemon zest
1 T. lemon juice



For the brownie: in a saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate, butter, cocoa, and coffee granules, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in flour, mixing until smooth. Spread evenly in a 9-inch square greased cake pan.

For the topping: Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon zest, and juice until smooth. Spread evenly over unbaked base.

If desired, scatter 1-1/4 cups raspberries over the top.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven just until set, 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Chill overnight. Cut into sqaures.

Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing

1 lb. fresh spinach, ripped
1/4 lb. fresh, raw mushrooms
1/4 c. scallions, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 hard-cooked eggs, diced
6-8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbed (save drippings for dressing)

Toss gently.

For the dressing, combine 2 T. of the bacon drippings, 1/2 cup salad oil, 3 T. cider vinegar, and 3 T. honey. For best results, serve immediately.

French Dip Sandwiches in the Crock Pot

2 c. water
1/2 c. soy sauce
4 whole peppercorns
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 t. garlic powder
3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
8 French or Sourdough rolls, split

Combine water, soy sauce, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and garlic in a slow cooker, stirring until well blended. Place roast in cooker and cover.
Cook on high 5-6 hours or until beef is tender. Remove from broth and shred with a fork or slice thinly. Pour broth in small bowls for dipping. Serve on rolls. If desired, top with swiss cheese, sauteed onions, and peppers.