Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread

Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread1 Loaf
Ingredients1 cup active sourdough starter 1 cup water, divided 2 TBL set aside1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour3 3/4 cups Bread Flour1 TBL Salt, Sea or Kosher
Add-In Ingredients1/2 cup sliced Jalapenos pickled or fresh1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Feed starter the night before.
InstructionsIn mixing bowl add 1 cup starter, 1 cup water (minus the 2 TBLs set aside), 1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour, and 3 3/4 cups Bread flour. Mix for 2 minutes medium speed with dough hook attachment or use hands to combine ingredients.  The dough will be clumpy, this is ok. It will be mixed again later. Cover the bowl and let dough rest 1 hour.
While dough is rising mix the 1 TBL of salt with the 2 TBLs of water. Mix until salt is dissolved. Add the mixture to the dough after the hour is up. Mix with until all water is well absorbed in the dough. Dough should be a little sticky. Cover let rise another hour.
Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds 30 minutes apart, over the next hour and a half.  Keep bowl covered between sets.
Add Cheddar Cheese and Jalapenos to the second stretch and fold. You do this by rolling out dough into a large circle or rectangle. Spread cheese and jalapenos evenly over dough. Roll up dough and then fold in half and then half again. 

How to do a stretch and fold. While Dough is still in bowl, pick up one side with wet hand. Pull it up and over itself. Then repeat the action for all 4 sides. If using pickled jalapenos I use the jalapeno juice to wet my hand. This adds more spice to the dough. 

After 3 set of stretch and folds, cover bowl and allow to rise 2-3 hours or you can cover and let rest in fridge up to 36 hours.
Shape and rise.  Turn dough onto a floured surface and shape into rough ball. Flour the top of dough and place on a piece of parchment and place in dutch oven. Cover and let rise 2-3 hours or until it has risen 50 percent. 

Take Parchment with dough in it out of dutch oven and place in a bowl to keep shape. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with dutch oven and lid inside. Once oven reaches 450 degrees, score the top of bread. 

Place parchment with the dough inside dutch oven, put lid on. Place dutch oven in oven. Reduce Temperature to 425 degrees. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove lid and bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is desired color.

Let bread cool. Then cut and serve. 

Hearty Bean Bacon and Ham Soup

Hearty Bean Bacon and Ham SoupServes 8-10
Ingredients8 slices Bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces 2 cups smoked Ham, diced into small pieces1 yellow onion3 cloves garlic2 carrots2 celery stalks4 cans white beans, drained2 red potatoes, diced into small bite size pieces1 Tablespoon smoked paprika1 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon kosher salt3 bay leaves4 cups chicken broth

In a stock pot cook bacon on medium-high temperature until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, place on paper towel. 
Add ham to bacon grease in stock pot, cook until browned. 

While ham is browning. Place onion, garlic, celery, and carrots in a food processor and process until minced. 

Add veggie to ham cook until tender about 5 minutes, stir frequently.  Add the spices to the veggies mixture, mix well cook 2 more minutes.

Add chicken broth and potatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 
Add 3 cans of beans. Blend or puree the 4th can of beans. Add to soup. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Add bacon, you can save some bacon for topping soup if you like.
Serve with bread or homemade croutons.
*You can make with a 1 lb bag of white beans instead of canned beans.**You can add 1-2 cups mashed potatoes to soup when you add the beans. it will thicken the soup. I do this if I have left over mashed potatoes from a previous dinner. ***This is a good after easter soup because I usually have left over Ham and mashed potatoes.

 

Classic Italian Sausage Lasagna

Classic Italian Sausage Lasagna12 servings

 INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb  Hot Italian Pork Sausage

1/2 lb Mild Italian Pork Sausage

12 Lasagna Noodles 

30 oz of Marinara Sauce (I prefer Kirkland or Victoria White Linen)

1 15 oz container of whole fat Cottage Cheese

1/2 cup Shredded Parmagiano

1 egg, lightly mixed

1 TBL of Italian Seasoning

3 cups Shredded Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook the lasagna noodles 1/2 the time as instruction on the box. Drain. Set aside. 

Brown the sausage. Add the jar of marinara to sausage. Let simmer while making the cottage cheese mixture. 

Mix the cottage cheese, parmagiano cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning. 

Spray cooking spray on a 9x13 pan. Spread a 1/2 cup of Marinara sauce to bottom of pan. 

Layer 1/2 Lasagna noodles over sauce overlapping edges. 

Spread 1/2 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles. 

Then spread 1/2 the marinara sauce. 

Then spread 1/2 the Mozzarella cheese. before

Then repeat again with the remainder of ingredients.

Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Take out of oven and let sit for 15 minutes before

Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans

 Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans  serves 12
Ingredients8 oz bacon, cut into 1inch pieces8 oz smoked hot link pork sausage, cut into 1/2 pieces2 Tablespoons bacon grease1 large red onion, finely chopped1 med green bell pepper, finely chopped1 whole jalapeno, finely chopped2 28-oz cans of your Favorite Bush's Baked Beans1 20-oz bottle Famous Dave's BBQ sauce, I use Rich & Sassy
Directions
Fry bacon until browned in a dutch oven. Drain bacon grease but leave 2 Tablespoons in pan. 
Add Hot Link Sausage and cook with bacon until browned.
Finely chop onion, green bell pepper, and jalapeno in a food processor. 
Add veggies to the bacon, sausage combo. 
Cook until veggies are tender about 6 minutes. 
Stir in the baked beans and the BBQ sauce. 
Let Simmer on a low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
*These beans are nice and spicy. They are a hit and any BBQ party. The flavor is even better the next day, so you can definitely make these ahead of time.

One Pot Dirty Rice with Chicken

One Pot Dirty Rice with Chickenserves 6

IngredientsMarinade:1 1/2 tsp salt1 1/2 tsp garlic powder2 1/4 tsp paprika1 1/2 tsp pepper1/2 tsp onion powder3/4 tsp cayenne pepper3/4 tsp oregano1/2 tsp red pepper flakes1/2 lemon, juiced 3 Tbl olive oil
Main Dish:2 Tbsp olive oil1/2 lb andouille sausage sliced into 1/4" slices6 bone-in skin on chicken thighs1 large yellow onion, finely chopped1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped1 green bell pepper, finely chopped3 stalks of celery, finely chopped1 tsp pepper1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp cayenne pepperpinch of pepper flakes2 cups uncooked long-grain rice4 1/2 cups chicken brothOptional Sliced green onions for garnishfresh Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Set aside.2. Preheat oven to 350 F.3. Add onion, celery and peppers to food processors. Process the veggies to fine pieces. Set aside.

4. Drizzle olive oil to dutch oven and heat over med-high heat. Brown andouille sausage on both sides, then transfer to a plate.5. Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear for 3-5 minutes per side, to develop a nice crisp skin.6. Transfer chicken to plate with sausage. Leave brown bits and drippings in pan. 

7. Lower heat to med-low and add in the veggies. Saute for 5-7 minutes, until softened.8. Stir in cayenne, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.9. Stir in rice and andouille sausage.

10. Add chicken broth, stir well, let simmer 1 minute.11. Nestle chicken thighs and any juices from plate on top of rice.

12. Cover with lid and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.13. Remove lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed into rice.

14. Optional: Garnish with green onions and parsley.

Raspberry Streusel Bar

Raspberry Streusel Barsmakes 36-40 bars or a jelly roll pan

Ingredients:
Crust1 1/2 cups butter, melted3/4 cups granulated sugar1 Tablespoon vanilla extract3/4 teaspoon salt3 cups all purpose flour
Filling2 1/4 cups Raspberry Jam3 cups fresh raspberries
Streusel1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed1 teaspoon ground cinnamon3/4 cup of all purpose flour3/4 cup butter, cold and cubed
Glaze1 cup powdered sugar2-3 Tablespoons milk or cream1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line the jelly roll pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
Start making the crust by stirring the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together. And flour and stir until everything is combined.  Press the mixture evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan.  Bake for 15 minutes. 
Remove the crust from oven and turn the oven up to 350 degrees.
Spread the jam over the warm crust.  Sprinkle raspberries evenly over the jam.

Make the streusel by mixing the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together. Cut in the chilled butter with pastry blender or two forks or yours hands until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the berries. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The filling should be bubbling.

Remove from oven. Let cool.  
Make glaze by put powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 Tablespoons of milk or cream in a quart size ziplock bag. Seal bag. Squish ingredients together until there are no lumps. If the glaze is to thick add 3 Tablespoon of milk and mix again. Cut off bottom corner of the bag and squeeze glaze in lines over bars. Enjoy them cold or warm.

Store in refrigerator. You can freeze them in an airtight container. This make a big batch I usually freeze half for when company pops in.
*You can make these bars with any kind of berry, just substitute berries and jam flavor. Example Blackberries with blackberry jam.

Berry Salad

Berry Good Berry Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 package cool whip
• 2 cups vanilla yogurt
• 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2-3 bags frozen berries (do not use strawberries, they get mushy)

Directions:

1. Combine yogurt and pudding powder. Mix well. Fold in cool whip and berries. Let sit for 30-40 minutes to allow berries to thaw.

This simple, delicious dish is always a hit with my family, especially around the holidays! It is one of my Taylor's favorites.