Other Fun Finds

 

 

Baby Blue and White Twine

 

Makes me want to bake up a fun treat, wrap it up in brown linen and wrap with this twine. Hmmmmmmmm….

Bookshelf Whimsy

I always like things that are colorful and unique! Not to mention, my obsession with letters and numbers. To make these fun bookshelves go here.

Homemade Bread For Kitchen Aid

• 5 1/2 cup bread flour

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 2 1/2 tsps rapid rise or bread machine yeast

• 16 oz very warm water

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 Tbsps honey

Measuring: When measuring the flour, fluff it with a spoon and then

spoon it into the measuring cupand level but DO NOT PACK. This is

the most important thing for getting consistency.

Place all dry ingredients in the mixer bowl but don't turn on the

mixer.In a separate container, place the warm water and add the

oil first and then the honey, using the same measuring spoon,

as the oil will keep the honey from sticking to the spoon.

Stir the liquids together and stir them, then turn on the mixer

with dough hook installed to low speed for 15 seconds. Then

add the liquid mixture all at once and turn the mixer to its lowest

speed for about a minute and a half until ingredients are pretty well

together and shut it off. Let it rest this way for

10 minutes.

Turn the mixer to the second speed and let it run 3 minutes. Remove

the dough hook and turn the dough onto a floured board or table.

Knead 3 or 4 times to get the air bubbles out.

Place it in an oiled bowl (you can put it back in the mixer bowl) and

put it in a warm place, like your oven, with a cloth draped over it for

1 hour. At the end of the hour, punch it down and turn it onto the

floured surface and knead another three or four times. Form into

loaves and put into 2 loaf pans. Put them in the same warm place

with a cloth draped over them and let

them rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust

is the color you like. If you put a small

pan of water on the rack below the bread, it will make the crust

softer and chewier. Remove from pans and

let cool at least 30 minutes on a wire rack.

I usually brush the tops with olive oil because it softens the crust

a bit and makes the loaves look nice.

This bread has a wonderful flavor and keeps very well.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce

Prep Time:	10 minutes
Cook Time:	10 minutes
Serving Size:	4 8 12

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

Procedures

1. HEAT milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer.
2. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat.
3. PLACE egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture.
4. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into remaining cream mixture.
5. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering.
6. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering).
7. SEASON to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Pioneer Woman's Potatoes Au Gratin

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 whole Russet Potatoes, Scrubbed Clean
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• ½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Freshly Grated

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Smear softened butter all over the bottom of a baking dish.

Slice potatoes, then cut slices into fourths.

In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced

garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour

1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes.

Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and

bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown

and really bubbling. Add grated cheese to the top of the

potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is

melted and bubbly.

Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by

the spoonful. Delicious!

**For more of her great recipes go here

Neiman-MArcus Cookies

2 cups butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

5 cups blended oatmeal

1 8oz Hershey Bar

24 oz chocolate chips

3 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Measure oatmeal. Blend to a fine powder.

Cream the butter and both sugars.

Add eggs, vanilla, mix together with flour oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda.

Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts.

Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375. (Convection: 350 for 8 min.)

Makes 112 cookies. (Still not enough!)

So flippin yum.

Fourth of July Deco!!

Doesn't this look fun? I'm going to attempt to make these this week. You can find these and other fun Fourth of July crafts here.

NieNie's Oreo Cookies

1 Package of Devil's Food Cake Mix

2 Eggs

3/4 Cup Shortening

Blend all together at once.

Roll soft dough in small balls on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 Min. (Convection Oven 7 min.)

Frosting for the middle:

8 0z Cream Cheese

1/2 Stick of Butter

2 tsp. Vanilla

2-4 Cups Powdered Sugar

Mix Until Smooth.

When Cookies are Cool:

Frost Backs of cookies and make sandwich with another cookie!