Whole Wheat Apple Honey Braid

For most baking that I do I use fresh ground wheat from my Wonder Mill, which I love! I use many different kinds of wheat and grains in my baking. This dough used organic soft white wheat berries milled on the pastry setting.

I used several recipes to come up with this final product - replacing sugar with honey and honey granules, replacing all-purpose white flour with fresh milled wheat flour, and so forth.

Whole Wheat Apple Honey Braid

Bread Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/3 cup olive oil*
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp salt
5 heaping cups fresh milled flour **
1 Tbsp yeast

Put all the Bread Dough ingredients in your break maker in the order your manufacturer recommends. (I use a Zojirushi which calls for wet then dry ingredients.) Set the machine to the setting and start. As the dough mixes check on it to be sure you are getting the right dough consistency. (See note ** below.)

* NOTE: The key to good olive oil that doesn't make baked goods taste funny and like olive oil is buying olive oil that is bottled at the source in Italy or Greece. If it has been imported then bottled, then you take a chance on the oil tasting funny or too much like "olive oil". This is because the distributor may bottle the olive oil with other oils to make it cheaper. This sounds funny since you are using olive oil, but trust me on this! I buy my big jug of Kirkland organic olive oil at Costco - be sure to check the label because some are not bottled at the source.

** NOTE: Fresh milled flour is fluffier and airier than the bagged flour in stores. 5 cups is a good starting point but you may need more as you watch the dough develop. If it is to wet and sticky, add an additional 1/4-1/2 cup at a time as it mixes until you get the right dough consistency.

Apple Filling:
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3 Tbsp honey
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While the bread dough is working in the bread machine, in a small casserole dish, toss the Apple Pie Filling ingredients together until all evenly coated. Bake in the oven 15-20 minutes. Apples should still be a little crunchy, not soft. (Be careful not to grab a spoon and eat them all now!)

When the dough is complete, dump out onto a lightly oiled surface. Gently knead a few times. Roll out into 1/4" think rectangle. Move to parchment lined baking sheet. (I learned this after the fact - learn from my mistake!)

Slice edges in 1" wide strips  on both sides to look like a fringe.

Pile cooked apples down center of dough. Be careful not to get all the juices in there or your final product will be soggy and doughy. I sprinkled a little extra granulated honey and cinnamon but that's optional. Pile more apples than what you see below. I was being conservative and in hindsight pile more on there!

Gently fold strips of dough over center of apples criss-crossing so they resemble a braid.

Bake the braid in the 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp milk or half and half
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg ***

*** NOTE: Fresh grated nutmeg, oh my! I buy whole nutmeg and grate it as I need it. Once you use fresh grated nutmeg you will NEVER buy bottled powdered nutmeg again. Trust me on this!

Brush the glaze on the still hot apple braid. Let it cool about 5 minutes. Slice it up and serve.

Oreo Cookie Dessert

Oreo Cookie Dessert

Ingredients:
42 Oreo Cookies
1/4 cup of melted butter or margarine (1/2 stick)
1/2 gallon of softened Vanilla ice cream
salted peanuts (quantity depends on individual liking)
small jar of hot fudge ice cream topping 
12 oz Cool Whip

Crush 42 Oreo cookies until nice little chunks are left. Reserve 1/2 cup of crushed Oreo cookies. Combine remaining cookies with melted butter. Press mix into bottom of 9x13 pan to form a crust. Spread ice cream over Oreo mixture layer. Pour hot fudge topping over ice cream layer. Sprinkle with salted peanuts. Cover with Cool Whip. Sprinkle remaining Oreo crushed cookies. Freeze dessert for several hours. Cut into squares and enjoy! 

Recipe: Fiesta Rice Salad

Here is a colorful, healthy and very delicious salad I made for a garden potluck this weekend - it was a hit and winner for me to make at home for myself. If you like Mexican flavors, you are sure to enjoy this salad.

Fiesta Rice Salad

1/4 c fresh lime juice (4 limes)

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 Tbsp roasted tomato salsa (I used a roasted corn & black bean salsa)

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

2 c cold cooked brown rice

1 c cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 c small cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

3 scallions thinly sliced (I used green onions instead)

1 avocado

1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional

In a small bowl, stir together lime juice, oil, salsa, cumin and salt. In a large bowl, stir together rice and corn, breaking up any rice clumps.

Pour lime-juice mixture over rice mixture and stir well to coat. Add beans, bell pepper, tomatoes and scallions, and toss gently to combine. 

Just before serving, pit, peel and dice avocado, and stir gently into salad. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired, and serve.

Recipe: Sauteed Squash

A simple, fast yet delicious recipe with that yellow squash coming in your gardens.

Sauteed Squash
Serves: 2

4 Yellow Squash, washed and sliced
1 small yellow onion (optional)
1 Tbsp oil
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar or honey

In a hot saute pan, heat oil. Add onion, squash and little bit of salt, saute until tender and brown (from sear). Add butter and sugar. Cook until butter and sugar have lightly carmelized.

Eat!

Recipe: Greek Style Deviled Eggs

The other night I stumbled upon this recipe and it was super yum. If you like olives and feta cheese, you might enjoy this twist on the traditional deviled eggs.

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp vinegar  *I used Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar - gives a nice flavor
1 Tbsp finely chopped Kalmata or green olives  * I had some leftover olive tapenade that worked well.
2 Tbsp feta cheese

Halve the cooked eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Set whites aside. Place yolks in a ball, mash with fork. Add mayo, mustard, vinegar, olives, and feta cheese. Mix well.

Stuff egg white halves with egg yolk mixture. Enjoy! Try not to eat the whole plate!

Simple Chicken Enchiladas

My mom used to make a delicious pan of chicken enchiladas but it was very time-consuming and involved. This recipe is so simple and fast to make and it tastes identical to Mom's recipe. You can easily find this recipe on the package of Philadelphia Santa Fe blend Cooking Creme from Kraft. The recipe can also be found here.

Olive Tapenade, Feta Cheese and French Bread

I stumbled upon this at our local Costco and it is delicious! They were handing out sample of this combination and I was totally hooked! It was olive tapenade with feta cheese mixed in and piled on pieces of french bread. Oh my! So I bought the olive tapenade and feta cheese. Then I went home and whipped up several fresh french baguettes. Divine! I used the french recipe from my bread machine for the dough then baked them. I can't believe how well those came out.

Anyway, if you like olives, you might enjoy this...

Recipe: Chinese Cabbage Salad

Here are two recipes for cabbage salads. Since I am growing Chinese cabbage as well as head cabbage these are both handy. The first recipe is from my mom and it uses Chinese cabbage. This was super delicious when she made it for us! I plan on making this one when my Chinese Cabbage is ready for harvest. The second recipe is from our family friend, Jane, quite similar and maybe a little simpler, but also quite delicious!

Chinese Cabbage Salad

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1 handful slivered Almonds (Pine nuts or Sesame seeds, optional)
2 pkg Ramen noodles, noodles only

Brown the above items in a skillet. Set aside.

1 head Chinese or Napa cabbage
2 bunches green onions

Slice cabbage and onions and put into a bowl.

Dressing:
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 - 1/12 c. red wine vinegar
3/4 c. oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Whisk the above ingredients together for the dressing.

Pour dressing over cabbage and onions. Top with almond and noodle mixture. If the whole salad will not be consumed in one meal setting, leave the three mixtures separate and combine when ready to eat.

Alternate Dressing:
1/2 c. sugar
touch of sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp. minced onion
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 c. oil
1/4 c. cider vinegar

Jane's Oriental Salad

1# pkg. slaw mix

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup sunflower seeds

8-10 green onions (chopped)

2 pkg. Beef Ramen Noodles

Dressing

NOTE: Make first and let set a couple of hours for the sugar to dissolve.

1 cup oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup white vinegar

2 pkgs. seasoning packets from Ramen Noodles

Just before serving, break Ramen Noodles on top, add dressing and toss together.

(noodles are not cooked)

Recipe: Russian Tea

This recipe came up in conversation during a visit with Mom and my sister-in-law concerning hot drinks and Tang...this is my mom's recipe.

Russian Tea

18 oz. Tang (powder)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 oz. sweetened instant lemon tea
1 tsp. cloves

Mix these dry ingredients together. Store this mixture in an airtight glass canister or tub.
Use 2 tsp. of the mixture per cup of boiling water.

What's Cooking: Pasta e Fagioli (Soup)

Pasta e Fagioli

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 large garden tomato, diced
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 can beef broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta

1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat.
2. Drain off most of the fat.
3. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
5. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
6. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Serves 8.

Notes: I couldn't find ditali pasta in our stores, so I used small pasta shells. If you have leftovers and the soup seems thicker than you like, add some V-8 or beef broth to thin it out, depending on your tastes.

UPDATE: I was able to stumble upon ditalini pasta at our Kroger! - Kroger's brand Private Selection Ditalini. It comes in a one pound paper bag like package. Love it!

Recipe Thursday: Avocado Tacos

These are a simple treat that I made up the other night. They were delish and refreshing.

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
1 medium tomato, fresh from the garden!, chopped
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
sea salt, fresh ground pepper to taste
2-3 Tbsp (or more) chunky salsa
3 flour tortillas
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. colby jack cheese, shredded

Combine all ingredients up to the flour tortillas. Spoon a couple of spoonfuls of mixture into flour tortilla. Add dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of cheese. Wrap up and eat!

NOTE: I chop up my avocado rather than totally mash it. I like that texture better for this. I mash them more for a dip.

I was thinking you could probably add some black beans for more nutrition. You could also punch it up with some chili or cayenne powder. And for an immunity boost, add a clove of minced garlic. If you want meat, maybe add some shredded chicken. I wanted something simple, cool and tasty. And aren't avocados just a power-packed delicious food?!

Recipe Wednesday - Garlic Beef Enchiladas

We love these enchiladas and they don't last long in our house. They take a little bit of work but they are worth it!

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp sage
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 15oz can stewed tomatoes

Sauce:
1/3 c butter
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c flour
1 16oz can beef broth
1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp salt

12 flour tortillas
2 c colby jack cheese, shredded

Cook ground beef and onion. Drain off grease. Stir in flour, chili powder, cumin, sage, salt and garlic powder to meat. Add stewed tomatoes, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile in a large saucepan or skillet, melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add flour and make a paste. Slowly whisk in beef broth until a creamy gravy. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, sage and salt. Cook until hot and bubbly.

Spoon some of the gravy into 9x13 pan. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the meat mixture into a flour tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Roll tortilla up and place in pan. Finish with rest of tortillas. Cover with remaining gravy. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake additional 10 minutes.

Suggestions:
* I use flour tortillas, but you could try corn tortillas as well.
* For a little extra heat, try a little cayenne pepper in there.

Recipe Friday - Italian Pizza Casserole

1 lb. turkey sausage
3 oz. pepperoni, chopped
1 1/2 jars spaghetti sauce
1 box ziti pasta, cooked
1 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook turkey sausage. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer 10-15 minutes. In a large casserole dish or 9x13 pan combine ziti pasta, turkey sausage and sauce mixture, and pepperoni. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly.

Recipe Friday - Italian Beef Sandwiches

3-5# pot roast
5-6 cloves of garlic, halved
2 cans beef broth
1 Tbsp oregano
Salt & Pepper
1 small jar pepperocinis, sliced, not drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Hoagie or Sub Rolls or Ciabatta Bread
Swiss or Provolone Cheese slices, Mustard, Mayonnaise

Lightly brown pot roast in pan (optional depending on your time). Place roast in crock pot. Cut slits in roast and embed halved pieces of garlic. Pour beef broth over roast. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. (Oregano is the key to the flavor.) Cover and let roast cook 3-5 hours until fork tender.

Remove roast from crock pot and tear apart or shred with fork. Add chopped onion, pepper, and pepperocinis (along with pepperocini juice) to broth. Begin to simmer and add shredded roast back to mixture. Simmer for another hour to infuse or blend all of the flavors.

With tongs, grab tongs full of meat and squeeze juice out. Place on toasted roll or bread. Optionally top with cheese, mustard and/or mayo depending on your tastes.

Recipe Sunday - Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust - Bread Machine

1 c. water
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast (bread machine yeast works well)

Place ingredients in order by manufacturer's suggestion. We have a Breadman Bread Machine and this is the order is specifies. Set the setting to pizza dough or dough and press start.

When the dough is complete, I let it rest a little in the bread pan. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured pan. Shape dough into pan to form even crust. Top with your favorite toppings. Bake in a 400 degree oven until brown and bubbly.