Sourdough English Muffins

This was my first go at English Muffins! They turned out really good, I will definitaly make them again. Great recipe for when you need to use sourdough starter instead of throwing it out. I got the recipe from An Oregen Cottage, she has some really good recipes and pictures.  I want to eventually use my own fresh ground grains like she does but I just don't have acsess right now.  So if your in the same boat as me, go ahead and use what you have and enjoy them, at least you still know whats in them!

 

here they are nicely risen

 baked on a cast iron skillet

Sourdough English Muffins

Mix together the night before
  1/2 cup sourdough starter
  1 tbsp brown sugar or honey (preferably honey but I was out and brown sugar worked)
  1 cup milk (can use water, but milk makes them more tender)
  2 c. whole wheat (I used white unbleached flour)
  Cover with a towel and leave at room temperature overnight.
  
 In the morning, transfer the sponge to the bowl of a mixer, I used my food processor (can be made by hand) and add:
  1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
  1 tsp. sea salt
  1/4 cup flour (plus another 1/4-1/3 c. during kneading)

Knead for 3-4 minutes, adding another 1/4 to 1/3 cup of flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is just tacky to the touch, clears the sides of the bowl, but still sicks to the bottom. If using a food processor pulse then stop every so often not letting the dough get to hot.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead a few times into a round shape. Use a rolling pin to roll about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 3-inch biscuit cutter (or other round shape).
4. Place the muffin rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone and sprinkled with a dusting of cornmeal or flour. Leave about 1 to 2-inches between each muffin, and dust the tops with a bit more flour or cornmeal.
5. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours. They will just slightly puff.
6. Heat a nonstick griddle to a medium-low setting (about 275 degrees) in order to cook the inside of the muffin without burning the outside.
7. Transfer the muffins, one at a time, to the heated griddle (dry- do not grease for even browning) and cook for about 4 minutes on one side. Flip the muffins, flatten slightly with the back of the spatula, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side until both sides are nicely browned.

 

Easy Alfredo Sauce

This recipe is so yummy, I remember my friend Angie making this to dip bread sticks in.  I love it!  So not only is it good for bread sticks but also with chicken and pasta.

   garlic, butter, cream and cream cheese cooking

     Freshly shredded parmesan cheese

    I added spinach to my alfredo sauce this time.

Alfredo Sauce
2 cups heavy cream, I use the real stuff here!
2 -3 Tbsp cream cheese, I use Philadelphia and just cut off 2 ounces that's marked on the pkg.
1/2 cup butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium sauce pan, add minced garlic.  Let garlic cook a little bit, but don't let brown.  Add the cream and cream cheese to pan and let simmer until melted together. Add parmesan cheese and cook until melted. Be careful not to go outside and show your husband your garden and let half of the sauce overflow onto the stove! :) Sauce can be used to for bread sticks, chicken, noodles etc.

Homemade Sausage in the food processor

Homemade Sausage.  I make sausage because here in Bolivia they don't sell anything close to the sausage were used to in the States.  It is msg free and I can pronounce everything in it. ha ha! I really like that!

 

 

  Chicken sausage ready to freeze.

 Frozen Patties put in freezer bag.

 Patties being cooked, don't mind my ugly pan, my cast iron was being seasoned.

Breakfast Sausage
1 pounds pork butt, diced into pieces ( I use chicken also, whatever parts you want, just add an egg to the mixture)

Sage Sausage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon coriander


Hot Sausage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon coriander


Maple Sausage
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coriander
Combine diced pork (along with fat) with remaining ingredients and chill for 1 hour. ( I have done it with just cold meat.) Place in food processor bowl. Pulse meat 5 seconds at a tim until desired consistency. Form the sausage into patties and cook in a skillet over medium heat until brown. You can also shape the patties and freeze them. Makes 1 pound of sausage.

cinnamon apples

This is like one of our favorite snacks.  I can't believe how much the kids like them, and they are so easy.

All you do is peel and slice an apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon and toss together.(Origanlly I added sugar to the cinnamon, but have been leaving it out lately and the kids still love them!)  For some reason the apples won't brown in the lunch box either!

Homemade flour tortillas

With a lil practice you'll have these down in no time.

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
5 Tbsp oil, or coconut oil

Put everything in a food processor with dough blade and mix until crumbly,  add about 3/4 cup warm water and mix until pulls away from side of bowl. Dough should not be sticky. Shape into 12-15 balls and roll out as best as you can. Cook on a pan or cast iron grill on med. to med low heat.Put tortilla on first side until lil bubbles appear and flip,leave on side until few brown spots appear. Flip again and let finish cooking. Store in a dish towel until cooled, then in fridge if they last that long!

White chicken enchilada casserole

Growing up my mom would make some good enchiladas, today my husband and I call them white people enchiladas! Because they are not authentic Mexican enchiladas (flour tortillas vs corn) my hubby's Mexican, I'm a gringo, so he was in for a surprise the first time he came over for "enchiladas!"  But every so often I get this strong craving for those enchiladas. Here's my twist on them, enjoy, they are totally worth the effort.

One batch Homemade flour tortillas
11/2 cups cream or half and half
1-2 jalapeños boiled until soft, depending on how hot you like it
Salt to taste
1 whole chicken cooked and shredded
1 round Queso fresco
Shredded cheese for top, I used Colby or monterey jack cheese

In a blender or food processor blend cream with boiled jalapeños. Add salt to taste.  Put shredded chicken in a bowl and add cream mixture to chicken. Put a layer of chicken sauce on bottom of 9 by 13 baking dish. Then add torn tortilla pieces, a layer of meat sauce and queso fresco. Repeat as many times you can leaving chicken sauce on top. Top with shredded cheese and bake at 350 until bubbling and heated through 20-30 minutes.

*the original recipe just used green canned enchilada sauce , over rolled up tortillas with shredded chicken in them , and cheese on top. sometimes I will make my own green salsa and do it that way, but  I still add the cream!!!

Curried Honey Mustard Chicken recipe

Ok this is it! If you think your family wont eat curry, you will be so surprised that in this dish they probably will. the mixture of sweet, spicy and aromatic is sooo good. Give it a try its an easy week night dish you can just through together and enjoy. We like spice so I probably add more than what calls for.  This recipe is from allrecipes.  Have I mentioned I just love that site! 

Curried Honey Mustard Chicken

Turtle Brownies

I got this delicious brownie recipe from my friend Frances.  She brought them to our house for a BBQ and I was so sure they were from the box.  But nope she made them from scratch I was so excited because I would totally perfer homemade over a box anytime, but brownies are one of those foods that just taste so much better out of the box! But these are pretty darn close! I was so glad to have gotten her recipe!
*I will be trying honey and rapadura for sweetners and let you know the change. You can also leave out the choc. chips nuts and caramel if you want.

 Turtle Brownies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour            1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa                1 1/2 tsps. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking powder              3 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt                              3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup melted butter                1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

250 gr. dulce de leche (carmel sauce)

Prehest oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a seperate bowl,  stir together sugar, melted butter, and vanilla.. Mix in eggs. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, Put dulce de leche on top of the batter and swirl into the batter with a butter knife. Bake in preheated oven until the edges start to pull away from sides of the pan and top appears dry or insert toothpick, 35 to 40 minutes.

I double this recipe for a 13x9 baking dish and it takes quite a bit longer in my oven