Herb Foccasia

After some good news at work for my hubby I wanted to make a nice dinner. I bought artichokes this week, our FAVORITE and so I wanted to make a yummy Italian bread to go with them. I found this recipe off of the Sisters Cafe Blog. I only changed a few things to it and it was yummy and shockingly fast!

2 packages active dry yeast

1/4 tsp sugar

1 c warm water

3 c flour

1/4 c finely chopped onion

1/4 c chopped kalamata olives

3 Tbsp olive

1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt

Herb Glaze

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary (we did rosemary last night) or basil

1 Tbsp chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried garlic salt

Mix yeast, sugar and water in kitchenaid and let sit until bubbly. With kneading attachment add remaining ingredients (except the glaze) adding the flour last. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. You can just leave your mixer on until it starts to look like this. It takes time for it to all pull of the sides of the bowl but you should see a change in the consistency of the dough. If after two minutes there is still a little flour in the bottom I just add a tsp of water until it all pulls clear.

Let rise in warm place for about an hour. Grease baking sheet. Punch dough down and divide evenly into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a disk; place on baking sheet. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tops of each bread with herb glaze. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown. We ate two loaves and froze two for another meal. Look at this yummy dinner! Artichokes with lemon butter and olive oil and balsmic vingar to dip for the bread.

Refried Beans

Often when we make Mexican food we want some beans to go with it but I also want to make them in about 3 minutes. On Sunday I just added a few things we had and it turned out so good. Not what you would expect but I have been experimenting with stuff you would expect and it hasn't been great. So here it is....yummy beans in a matter of minutes!

2 pieces of bacon, we use turkey bacon
3 garlic cloves
1 can refried beans
cheese

Using kitchen scissors (this is fast) or you can use a knife, cut the bacon into thin strips across the length of it into a saucepan and start to cook. After bacon has cooked for a minute or so use a garlic press to dice 3 garlic cloves into the bacon. Cook until bacon is done and the garlic is browned, don't let it burn. Add can of beans and turn to heat to low and mix bacon mixture in good. Let cook for minute or two until warm. Place in serving bowl and top with cheese.

Snickerdoodles

I'm sad to say that I cant remember where I got this recipe from, although I'm pretty sure it was on the web somewhere. So please know I'm not trying to plagiarise you and will give whomever is credit when I can find out who they are!

Whoever they are though did make the perfect Snickerdoodles. These are so soft and so chewy and perfect in every way!

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c butter Crisco
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tarter

Mix separately
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter and sugar until creamy. Slowly beat in eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, salt, and cream of tarter until combined.

Now if you are like me you most likely forgot to soften your butter and so you decided to nuke it for just a few seconds in the microwave to soften, which is impossible! So your dough might be a little warm. I usually stick the dough in the fridge for a half hour or so to cool and get a little firmer.

Roll dough into balls and then roll in cinnamon sugar mix and place on cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 min or until the edges are barely turning golden.