Breadmaker Rosemary Bread

I love rosemary bread. It tastes so good with soups and stews. However, the artisan breads that the supermarket sells can cost $4.00 for a small loaf.

I don't like using my breadmaker (a wedding gift that's now 8 years old, and up until recently has been used less than 8 times). Whenever I do, the bread comes out heavy and tough (which is probably more due to my lack of skill using a breadmaker than the breadmaker's fault, but it still frustrates me!).

So, when Brian found this incredibly easy breadmaker recipe for rosemary bread, I thought it was too good to be true - until I made it. I have all the ingredients on hand (another annoyance with typical breadmaker recipes that I have looked at in the past, calling for dry milk and other things that I just don't use all the regularly), and it's so simple. The best part, though? The bread comes out light and savory. It's inexpensive and delicious. A perfect combination.

1 C water
3 T olive oil
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 T dried rosemary
2 1/2 C white flour (the recipe originally called for bread flour, but regular white works great!)
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select white bread cycle; press Start. I choose medium crust on my bread machine, and it's perfect. You may need to adjust according to what works best with your bread machine.

Easy Mexican Chicken Crockpot Chowder

courtesy of Theresa

Easy Mexican Chicken Crockpot Chowder

2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can condensed cream of potato soup
1 can diced green chilis, undrained
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro (I never put this in)
3 cups chicken broth
8 ounces sour cream
4 ounces jalapeno pepper cheese spread (I never put this in, either)

In a crockpot, combine chicken, corn, soup, undrained chilis, cilantro, and taco seasoning. Stir in chicken broth.

Cover; cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Stir about 1 cup hot soup into sour cream. Stir sour cream mixture and cheese into the mixture in crockpot; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Ryan's famous pumpkin chocolate chip waffles

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Heidi's recipe blog.

Ryan's famous pumpkin chocolate chip waffles

1 1/4 c. flour

2 T. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. each cinnamon, ginger, salt

1/8 t. nutmeg dash of cloves

Whisk dry ingredients together and then fold in:

1 egg

6 T. canned pumpkin puree

2 T. melted butter

1 c. milk

1/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Cook in your waffle iron until tasty golden brown and douse with butter and maple syrup. I can't vouch for the nutritional quality of it, but boy they sure taste good. Pumpkin's got a lot of vitamins, right?? Also, these freeze well once fully cooled, and can be reheated in a toaster for a quick breakfast.

Monster Chex mix

4C chex cereal

4C popped popcorn

1C honey roasted cashews

1C roasted salted pump seeds

place above ingredients in microwave bowl, mix and set aside



1/4C butter

6Tbsp packed brwn sugar

2Tbsp light corn syrup

¼ tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

place ingredients in md microwave bowl and cook uncovered on high about 2minute or until boiling, stirring after one minute; stir in pumplin pie spice. Pour over cereal stirring evenly to coat



1C candy corn

Microwave 5 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl after every minute. Spread to wax paper to cool, stirring occasionally to break up. Stir in candy corn. Store in airtight container

Baked Chicken and Rice

2 cups plain rice
4 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 envelopes dry onion soup mix
4 soup cans of water (use the soup can to measure)

In a large greased baking dish, place 2 cups plain rice (uncooked). Layer chicken on top.
Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken and rice.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour 20 mins.

Tuxedo Brownies

how sad that i'm the only cool one left that posts on this blog! Come on guys!


We had these brownies at enrichment a few months ago. They were so good. I emailed for the recipe and need a place to keep it.

Tuxedo Brownies

Brownies
You can make the brownies from a mix, using a mini muffin pan. Just use 3 eggs and using a spoon make an indentation in the center of each warm, cooked brownie. Let completely cool before filling. Make sure to grease the muffin pan between each batch.
OR- THE EASIER ROUTE
buy a tub of browie bites from sams club. cheap, easy and a great time saver

Filling
2 squares of white chocolate (1oz. each) or white chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. milk
Melt together in micromave, uncovered, for 1 min. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly

1 pkg. cream cheese (8oz.)
1/4 c. powdered sugar
Combine in large bowl. Add melted chocolate.

1c. frozen whipped topping or whipped cream. (using real whipped cream tastes best)- fold in

Pipe filling into the center of the brownies. Add orange zest and melted dark chocolate over the top. Freeze 1-3 hours before serving. let thaw about 10min. before serving. Make ahead of time and freeze up to 2 weeks.
Optional topping- strawberries and mint leaves (just don't freeze the strawberries)
Makes about 50