Brown Soda Bread

 We recently visited Shonna's family.  Her nine-year-old daughter, Lily, loves to cook and bake.  She got a children's cookbook for Christmas and has made many of the recipes in it.  Probably her favorite recipe is this delicious Brown Soda Bread.  It was really, really good.  Just like the little red hen, she made it start to finish- from grinding the wheat to cleaning up, washing, and putting away every dish.  She is amazing.  She doubled the recipe, making one loaf plain, as in the recipe, and the other loaf as lime/basil.  She is so creative.  In the past, she has made cranberry/nut and other creations.  She says she wants to own a bakery when she grows up.  

Brown Soda Bread

2 cups white flour 

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

3 T. sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

2 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, wheat germ, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined.

In a liquid measuring cup, use fork to stir buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture.  Use a rubber spatula to stir until the dough comes together.

Sprinkle the counter or pastry sheet with flour.  Transfer the dough to the counter.  Using floured hands, knead the dough until smooth.   Pat and shape the dough into a ball.  Use a paring knife to cut a cross into the top of the loaf.  Transfer to the baking sheet.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes  until a skewer comes out clean.  Cool on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack to cool completely.

Try Lily's delicious Brown Soda Bread!!

Sausage Roll

 I follow Jenna Bush Hager on Instagram.  She recently published this recipe for Sausage roll.  I had to try it.    I didn't get the back story, but it is someone's grandma's famous recipe.  It was fun and easy to make and very tasty.

Sausage Roll

1 lb pizza dough 

1 1/2 lbs sausage (you can use sweet or hot)

 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Garlic powder

Black pepper

Olive oil for brushing the top

Dried oregano

Preheat oven to 350

On a floured pastry board, roll out dough to abou 12 x 8 inches.  Let dough rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, break up sausage in a skillet over med heat and cook until browned.  Drain.

Spread the sausage and the cheese onto the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch all around the edge.  Sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper.  Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll.  Crimp it closed and place seam side down on the baking sheet.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.

  Bake until golden.  It should be about 30-35 minutes.

Slice.  We liked it served with  Marinara sauce for dipping or topping.

Carrot Cake

 I have an amazing carrot cake recipe on here that beats all.  It is so delicious.  It is a layer cake with a delicious filling and a delicious frosting.  It is a lot of work, but very much worth the effort. But, I wanted to try a simpler carrot sheet cake and saw this recipe on lovefromtheoven,com.    It was delicious, moist, and easy.

Carrot Sheet Cake

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsps. vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsps. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2 tsps. cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups grated carrot

1/4 cup raisins, opt.

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Frosting

1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temp.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups or so powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat ovent to 350.  Lightly spray a sided sheet pan baking sheet.

Cream together the oil, butter, sugar and brown sugar for about 3-4 minutes.  Mixture should be fluffy and smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla.  Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients.  Mix until incorporated.  Fold in the carrots, raisins, and pecans.

Pour onto the prepared pan and bake for 24-26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely.

For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and butter for at least 3 minutes, until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and salt.  Gradually add the powdered sugar until you have a fluffy frosting.

When cake is cool, top with frosting.  You can sprinkle on chopped pecans if desired.

Corn Salad

 We recently visited Shonna, and she made us this delicious salad.  It was so tasty and choc full of healthy ingredients.  Though she personalized it, she got the recipe from Carlsbad Cravings.

Corn Salad

4 ears of corn, grilled or equivalent of canned or frozen corn, charred.

1 T. olive oil

Kosher salt

Pepper

3/4 cup diced cucumber

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup avocado

1/2 cup diced red onions ( Shonna substitutes chopped purple cabbage)

1 clove garlic, minced or mashed

1 T. minced jalapeno, with seeds removed

1 T. cilantro

2 T. roasted salted sunflower seeds

Shonna adds:  Black beans and  4 cups cooked quinoa

Cilantro Lime Dressing (Shonna leaves the oil about the same, but triples the rest of the ingredients)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 T chopped mint

2 T. apple cider vinegar 

1 T. lime juice

zest of one lime

1 tsp honey

1 garlic glove, minced or mashed

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

Black pepper

Grill the corn by lightly brushing each ear with olive oil and sprinkling on salt and pepper.  Grill on high heat then close the lid and let grill on all sides until lightly charred.  It will take about 10-12 minutes OR brown canned or frozen corn in a skillet with olive oil.

Put all of the ingredients for the salad in a bowl and mix together.

You can serve it alone or over mixed greens (with extra dressing)

It is so delicious and fresh-tasting.

Peasant Bread

 Michelle found this recipe at Yummy Healthy Easy and it certainly is all three.  She makes it frequently to add to her meals.  It is delicious.

Peasant Bread

2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast ( 1 package)

2 cups warm water

1 T. sugar

2 tsp. salt

4 cups flour 

1 egg white or melted butter for topping

Garlic Salt

Mix the water and yeast and let sit for 10 minutes

In a large bowl, mix the sugar, salt, and flour.  Add the yeast mixture.  Mix all together, but you don't need to knead the dough.  Let it rise until double.  Split into two equal parts and form into 2 rounds.  Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Let rise again until double.  Preheat the oven to  425.  Brush the tops of the bread with egg white or melted butter.  Sprinkle generously with garlic salt.  Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for 15 more minutes or until golden brown.  You can slice it or tear off chunks for dipping in olive oil and seasonings.  

Grilled Fish Tacos

 I make a lot of different recipes and love to try new ones, so we don't repeat foods very often.  But there is an exception: my fish tacos.  We eat these every few weeks because we love them.  Michelle recently shared a slightly more healthy version of fish tacos.  She said they loved them so much she would even choose these for her birthday dinner. That is big! That is saying a lot!  A lot!!

Grilled Fish Tacos

1-2 lbs. tilapia

Rub

 1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp granulated garlic

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 pinch smoked paprika

Cabbage Slaw

1 lb. shredded cabbage (you can buy a slaw mix and chop it fine)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped cilantro  (half of a grocery store bunch)

1/4-1/2 of a jalapeno, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 T olive oil

Toppings:  Lime quarters, Avocado, chipotle mayonnaise

Tortillas

Preheat the grill to med-high

Rinse and pat fish dry.  Stir the rub ingredients together and sprinkle both sides of the fish.  Let sit for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, put the cabbage  and salt in a bowl and toss.  Add the other ingredients and toss together.  Taste and add more lime, salt, and pepper until it is the perfect taste.

Grease the grill well and put the fish on.  Turn heat to medium.  Grill each side a few minutes, making grill marks.  Flip.  Cook until done and flakey.  Squeeze fresh lime on the fish.  Grill the tortillas, brushing with olive oil.  

Assemble tacos in tortillas:  fish, cabbage slaw, avocado, and cilantro.  Squeeze lime overall.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken Bites

 Kristen made this delicious dish for us (bottom picture) while we were visiting.  We loved it.  We went right home and made it ourselves (top picture).  We made ours a little more saucy.  This dish is so easy, easy, easy.  

Garlic Rosemary Chicken Bites

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or equivalent thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 T. oil

Sauce

3 T. balsamic vinegar

3 T. olive oil

1 tsp. rosemary, crushed

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

Sea salt

Pepper

Heat the 1 T. oil in a skillet and brown the chicken on all sides.  In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.  Pour over the chicken.  Simmer on low for at least 5 minutes until the chicken is well done.

  Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.