Focaccia Bread

*** Recipe found on page 104 of Bake It Up! Desserts, Breads, Entire Meals & More by Rose Dunnington.

1 1/4 cup warm water
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
3 cups bread flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian herbs
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
toppings of your choice (sliced yellow squash, purple onion, red bell pepper, sliced black olives)

Combine water, yeast, and half of the flour. Let rest for 5 minutes until it looks swampy. Add remaining flour, salt, garlic powder, herbs, and olive oil. Stir until you have shaggy dough.

Knead until smooth. Return to bowl. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400. Drizzle about 1 tblsp. of olive oil onto baking sheet and spread it around with your hands. Punch down the dough and put it on the baking sheet. Drizzle a little more oil on top, and use your greasy hands to rub the dough into and even thickness.

Dimple the surface of the dough by poking it with your finger all over. Sprinkle the Parmesan and toppings on the dough. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the bread turns golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing.

Makes 8-10 servings.

January 2009 Monthly Menu Plan with Recipe Links

January 09 Monthly Menu

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Health recipes menu

Menu Plan for 11.16- 11.22.08: The Potluck Continues.

Our friends have greatly blessed us over the past two weeks with many delicious meals. As a result, my freezer is still full of what I bought before Samuel was born (October 21, 2008) and now it is stuffed with leftovers.

It was like having a church potluck in my own house. And I didn't have to share!

So we will be eating the following this week (in no particular order).
*Beef stew (I'll add biscuits).
*Pasta and sauce (we ended up with 3 variations so I've got some with sausage, some with hamburger, and some homemade meatballs/sauce from an Italian family secret recipe).
*Chili.
*Chicken and Rice (2 different versions).
*Chicken Pot Pie.

On Friday we will order some pizzas for a party with our friends who are visiting from out of state.

This will be my 5th week without really having to cook. It's a good gig when you can get it!!

Menu Plan for after Samuel is born.

*** October 21 I will have a c-section to deliver my 4th child. My husband and mom (who lives in Arkansas) will be caring for my children. I have made the following list in an attempt for them to prepare meals the children like and aren't frozen (or from McDonald's!). If you are interested in the recipes all of the chicken and most of the ground beef recipes can be found by using the label to the right.

Chicken
Mexican Chicken Cornbread Stuff (can also use ground beef), Corn, Sour Cream, Pineapples.
Chicken and Cornbread Dressing, Green Beans, Corn.
Curry Chicken Salad, Flour Tortilla, Apple.
Tortilla Stack (with or without Chicken), Sour Cream, Pineapples.
Chicken Curry, Rice, Carrots, Pineapple Chunks.
Easy Breaded Chicken, Steamed Broccoli and Carrots, Rice or Mashed Potatoes.
Balsamic Marinated Chicken (my version), Broccoli, Carrots, Onions, Rice.

Hamburger
Sloppy Tom, Corn, Green Beans, Slice of Bread.
Extra Easy Lasagna, Green Beans, Corn, Cheddar Bread.
Meatloaf the Stephanie Way, Green Beans, Corn, Cheddar Bread.
Ground Beef Stroganoff, Pasta, Green Beans, Corn.
Tater Tot Casserole.
Hamburger Gravy, Fried Potatoes, Biscuits.

Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Crackers/Corn bread/Cheddar Bread.
Nachos: Taco Meat, Cheddar, Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream.

Other
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (See ...In the Kitchen for recipe), Pepperoni, Pineapples.
Scrambled Eggs, Biscuits/Toast/Bagels/English Muffins, Fried Potatoes.
French Toast, Syrup, Scrambled Eggs.
Roast, Potatoes, Carrots, Biscuits, Gravy.
Chicken Noodle Soup (from a can), Crackers.

Lunch
Hot dog (2 for boys, 1 for Ellie) – no bread, slice of cheese, apple, crackers (4 – boys, 2 – Ellie).
PB and Honey/Jelly (1 slice bread for Ellie, 2 for boys), Apple.
Ham & Cheese Sandwich (ask boys mustard or mayo; 1 slice bread for Ellie, 2 for boys), Apple.
Tuna Sandwich (1 slice bread for everyone), Apple.
Leftovers.
Raisins at any time for Will, limit amount for Ellie & Ben.

Snacks
Fruit
Cheese and Crackers (2 for Ellie, 4 for Boys)
Popcorn (air popper is in basement on white yaffa blocks next to black metal shelves), butter, salt.
Peanut butter and Crackers
Raisins

Drinks
Milk for breakfast and supper (if they don't finish a cup put it in fridge and serve at next meal/snack.)
Water for lunch and snacks.
Lemonade for supper as a treat.

Lazy Linda's Refrigerator Rolls

*** This recipe came from my mom. When I was growing up she would prepare this dough almost every Saturday night or Sunday morning, put it in the fridge and we'd bake yeast rolls for lunch after church. YUM!!!

5-6 cups flour, all-purpose
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1 3/4 cup milk, very hot
1/2 cup soft margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs

In a large glass bowl, heat milk 2 minutes in microwave; remove and add margarine, stirring to dissolve. Add sugar, salt, and yeast stirring together. Combine 2 cups flour; stir 2 minutes with mixer at medium speed. Add 1 egg and 1 cup of flour, beat at high speed for 1 minute. Add remaining egg and 1 cup flour stirring well. Add more flour to make a soft dough. Knead 5-10 minutes. Cover with towel; let rest 20 minutes. Punch down. Shape into 2 dozen rolls. Cover pan. Refrigerate 2-24 hours.

Let stand at room temp 10 minutes before baking at 375 for 20-25 minutes. OR Put in oven at 200 for about 10 minutes to allow rising, then increase heat to 375 baking approximately 15 minutes. Brush tops with butter or margarine.

(Mixer with dough hooks maybe used instead of kneading.)

Can substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour in place of all purpose flour.

*** My Notes: I'm not sure what the purpose of gradually adding the eggs is. I'll add them all at once to the wet ingredients and then start adding flour. Also, I'm sure she never kneaded the dough 5-10 minutes. The rolls usually rise some while in the refrigerator. We usually had 2 9 x 13 pans full of rolls.

Tater Tot Casserole or Hashbrown Casserole

*** This recipe, originally titled Hashbrown Casserole, came from my friend Amy. I've changed it up a little.

1 bag of tater tots or 2 lb. box of hashbrowns
3/4 cup melted margarine, divided
1 tsp. salt (I omit this)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup (cream of mushroom soup works well)
12 oz. sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups crushed cornflakes

Defrost hashbrowns or tater tots in a 9 x 13 pan. Pour 1/2 cup margarine over hashbrowns/tater tots. In separate bowl mix remaining ingredients, except remaining margarine and cornflakes. Pour soup mixture over hashbrowns and top with cornflakes and margarine.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

*** My notes: I don't use melted margarine over the tater tots before adding the soup mixture. Also, I plan to brown and crumble sausage and add that to the soup mixture for a main dish casserole. I've seen a similar recipe with ground beef instead of sausage.

Sloppy Tom or Joe

*** This recipe found at www.menuplanningcentral.com/arecipes.pdf

1 cup onions chopped
1/2 cup green bell peppers chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 pound ground turkey
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 hamburger buns
Butter or margarine

In a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion and green pepper in butter or margarine for 4 minutes or until onion is transparent. Add turkey and cook for 5 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking up meat as it cooks.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir tomato sauce, poultry seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, lemon juice, pepper and garlic powder.

When turkey is cooked, stir sauce into skillet; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Split buns. Spread lightly with butter or margarine and toast 6 inches from heat source. Spoon turkey mixture over bottom half of buns. Place top half over meat mixture.

*** My Notes: I'll add cheese to before placing the top bun. I'll use ground beef rather than turkey.