CLASSIC POTATO SALAD

I finally found a potato salad recipe that we love!  I tweaked the original that I found here: http://dearcrissy.com/classic-potato-salad-recipe/

CLASSIC POTATO SALAD

This creamy classic potato salad is easy and delicious. Whip some up for your family cookout!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4-5 good quality pickle spears, diced
• 1 celery rib, VERY thinnly sliced and then diced (no big chunks here!)
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 6 hard-boiled eggs diced or sliced
• optional, paprika for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil potatoes in salted water 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Cool to room temperature and peel.
2. Dice potatoes and put into a bowl.
3. In another bowl mix together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, onion powder, and pepper until well blended. Add the diced potatoes, celery and pickles to the mixture and stir until everything is coated.
4. Stir in the eggs.
5. Sprinkle with paprika, optional.
6. Refrigerate until chilled.

Amatriciana

Amatriciana (Bucatini All’Amatriciana)

Jeff and I had this in a little restaurant in Venice and we loved it, so I was excited to find the recipe when we got home.  We added more crushed red pepper than it originally called for and it was just like we remembered it, but you can make it as mild or as spicy as you’d like.  We also used bacon, so we didn’t use the olive oil that the recipe called for but if you’re using pancetta you’ll probably need the oil.  This is so yummy!  Buon Appetito!

Amatriciana

1 pound Bucatini noodles

2 Tbsp. olive oil (if using pancetta)

6 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ C. grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

In large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add pancetta and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown (or if using bacon, omit the olive oil and cook bacon until crispy).  Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and set aside.

Add onion to skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until golden and tender.  Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes, salt, black pepper and cooked pancetta.  Simmer uncovered, over medium-low heat until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.  Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper, if needed. 

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Combine with sauce and serve. 

Serves 4-6

Recipe from box of Giada De Laurentiis pasta

Satiny Chocolate Glaze

Mia and I were making cream puffs for one of her activity days activities and I was running short on time to make the frosting that we used the last time that we made these.  I found this recipe and it's much better than the old one.  It's super easy and so yummy!

Satiny Chocolate Glaze

"A glossy chocolate glaze to drizzle over a Bundt cake. It's also great on cookies and doughnuts."

Ingredients

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter

 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup at 30-second intervals, stirring after each until mixture is smooth.  Do not overcook.  Add vanilla and stir until fully incorporated. 

Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.  Or dip cream puffs, donuts, cookies, etc. into glaze.  Use while warm.  If it starts to cool and thicken, microwave for 10-15 seconds at a time and stir. 

*The original recipe said to melt the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a double boiler on the stove.  You can use that method if you prefer, but the microwave is so much faster!  :)

Recipe altered slightly from allrecipes.com

Maple Roasted Brussels sprouts with Bacon

I guess I'm on a maple kick...these were yummy.  Even Jeff liked them...and he usually hates brussels sprouts.  So, yay!

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Preparation 10 min Cook Time 25 min

Ingredients

2 lb. brussels sprouts, halved & outer leaves removed

2 tbsp + 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp ground garlic

1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup

4 strips nitrate-free bacon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425

Halve brussels sprouts and remove outer leaves

Line baking pan with foil

Toss brussels sprouts with oil, salt, and pepper

Roast, stirring mid-way, for 20-25 minutes until caramelized and tender

While roasting, cook bacon using desired method (oven, microwave, or skillet), let cool and set aside

When brussels sprouts are done, heat 1 tsp oil in a large skillet and transfer them to the skillet

Pour 1 tbsp maple syrup over the brussels sprouts and toss to coat evenly with a wooden spoon

Let cook for 3 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring often

Taste and add the 2nd tbsp maple, based on desired taste (I didn't find it needed it)

Sprinkle bacon, ground garlic, and extra Himalayan sea salt on top and serve hot

http://lexiscleankitchen.com/2013/08/05/maple-roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-bacon/

Maple Glazed Cinnamon Scones

Yummy - these are delicious and easy.  I will say, I think that 1 tablespoon of the extract is too much (in the glaze) but it might depend on the extract.  I thought Mapeline would be too strong so I used some Watkins maple extract.  Anyway, next time I think I'll just cut the extract down a little but I left the recipe as-is so that you can decide what you like.  :)  Also, the dough was pretty wet and sticky and it would've been tricky to form the dough/triangles on the counter and then move them to the cookie sheet.  So I just put it on the tray, flattened it out and cut it into sections.  When I had about 5 minutes left on the timer, I used a knife to separate the triangles so that they would finish baking evenly. Worked great!

MAPLE GLAZED CINNAMON SCONES

YIELD: 16 SCONES

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

For the scones:

• 3 1/4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the maple glaze:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon maple extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the scones, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
4. Place dough on a floured work surface and use your hands to separate dough into two evenly sized balls.
5. Pat each ball into a circle about 8 inches across and 1 inch thick. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut each circle of dough into 8 triangles.
6. Place triangles on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until light and fluffy and golden brown. Do not overbake.
7. While scones are cooling, prepare the glaze.  Add brown sugar, butter, and milk to a small sauce pan over low heat and whisk until butter has melted. Heat for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, to warm milk.
8. Remove from the heat and whisk in maple syrup and maple extract.
9. Gradually stir in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the glaze is smooth and thick.
10. Dip the tops of each scone in the glaze and let set.

© Buns In My Oven - http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2015/11/12/maple-glazed-cinnamon-scones/

Baked Turkey & Cheese Sandwiches

We had these with a family party and everyone really liked them. And they're super easy! I didn't refrigerate mine overnight, but only for a couple of hours.
For the rolls, you can use any kind you like. If you use the kind that are attached to each other, like potato rolls or Hawaiian rolls, you can just slice the whole top off and replace it after you put the filling in. I did that for easier filling, but I cut between each sandwich before pouring on the sauce for easier serving.

Baked Turkey & Cheese Sandwiches

• 12-15 rolls (as many as will fit in a 9x13 pan) 
• turkey (I used 8 oz, but next time I'll definitely do more)
• provolone cheese (I used 1 pre-sliced package)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon dried mustard
• poppy seeds

Grease a 9x13 pan. Place rolls in pan; add turkey and cheese; replace the tops. In a small pan, melt butter with the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and pour over the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

At this point, you can cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to cook, or just put them in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

From lemontreedwelling.com

Awesome Pizza Dough!

I used the Artisan Bread recipe that Becky posted on here to make pizza and it is SO GOOD! I've made a LOT of pizza in my day and tried many, many crust recipes. I'm officially labeling this one as the best. It's chewy and just so good. It tastes much more like the crust you'd get at a restaurant.
I also double or triple it (because we want leftovers).

I've only tried this with my pizza stone. I don't know how it would work with a regular metal pan. Also, it would be awesome to have a pizza paddle or a cookie sheet without sides for this so you can slide the pizza onto the stone in the oven, but I make do with lifting the parchment. I suppose you could try using a jelly roll pan upside down and then slide the parchment onto the stone. I'll have to try that and let you know...

Awesome Pizza Dough
3 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 C. warm water

In a bowl, stir the flour, salt, yeast, and water until combined.  Cover with plastic wrap or the lid to the bowl and set at room temperature for 8-24 hours.

Turn the oven on to 500 and put your pizza stone or pan in the oven to heat up along with the oven.
Set up your work space close to the oven. 

Tear a piece of parchment paper that will fit on your stone. Flour your hands really well (I get them a teeny bit wet first so the flour will stick better) and grab a handful of dough. I usually do 2 individual size pizzas on one parchment and then the kids can put on their own toppings. But I've also done one bigger one, maybe about 12". You don't want it to be too big if you're going to be picking it up with the parchment. 
Again, with well-floured hands, press the dough out to your desired size and add the toppings.

Open the oven, slide the rack out some, pick up the parchment (or paddle or whatever you've made the pizza on) and carefully set the pizza and parchment on the stone. Cook for 8-10 minutes. 

I'd say a single recipe of this would yield one 12" pizza or 2-3 mini pizzas.