Major Catch Up Part 2: COOKING!!

So I have really enjoyed having my own kitchen and being able to make whatever I want whenever I want and keep it looking how I want it. Plus I'm super lucky to have an amazing husband who helps me clean it all the time. Like every night.

I've been on a big "why should I buy it" kick. So I've been making lots of yummy treats including...

CHOCOLATE BERRY CAKE

This is actually one of my favorite cakes. I discovered it on accident. One Sunday for a break the fast I had like nothing in my house. So throwing together this and that...this is what I came up with. It's super good! First, make a basic white cake and put it in a pan. Make a compote out of whatever berries you like. I use mixed berries raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Take the juice from the compote and swirl it into the cake, like a marble cake. Melt some dark chocolate. When the cake comes out of the oven and cools, brush the top with dark chocolate, then put the berry compote on top. Cover with whipped cream, top with berries and dark chocolate. Super moist, yummy cake!

GRANOLA BARS

This recipe is courtesy of the lovely MELISSA SKAGGS! They are super delicious and we prefer them to store bought ones any day!
1/4 c butter
1/4 c honey
1/3 c brown sugar
2 c quick oats
1 c rice krispies
1/2 t vanilla
2 T+mini chocolate chips

In large bowl combine oats and rice krispies, set aside. In small pot melt butter, honey, brown sugar over medium-high heat til it bubbles. Reduce heat and cook 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry mixture and mix. Press into lightly greased dish (about 12x8) sprinkle and press chocolate chips on top. Let cool 2 hours.

I double the recipe and make them thick! This last batch I made I mixed IN the mini chocolate chips as well as mini marshmallows and crushed up graham crackers for s'more granola bars. They are SUPER delicious!

JERKY

My amazing sister MEGAN gave me these recipes, I think she got them from our dear family friend Colleen. I made the lemon jerky with all the optional ingredients and the teriyaki jerky and some other jerky where I just threw some of the ingredients together. We have really enjoyed it! I used venison instead of beef. MMMMM!

Lemon Pepper Jerky

Morton's tender quick
Lemon pepper

optional seasonings:
garlic salt for powder
Worcestershire sauce
liquid smoke
soy sauce
cayenne pepper

Cut meat in strips. Use a plastic container with lid-- 
layer meat- sprinkle ingredients on each layer as you go. repeat until done.

Refrigerate 24-48 hours. Dehydrate or dry for 6-8 hours. Store in airtight container.


Teriyaki Jerky (Sweet/hot) (From Dave Black)

Ingredients per pound

1 Tbsp. Morton tender quick
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
3/4 c. brown sugar (or less)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
course black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl or into Ziploc bag. place meat into Ziploc bag, knead seasonings into meat. mix or knead every few hours. Let soak in bag at least 12 hours. Dry or smoke!

DRIED FRUIT

Pretty self explanatory...cut up fruit, put it in a dehydrator. These are just the last batch of peaches I made, they are my FAVORITE!!! I have also made mangoes, strawberries, bananas, apples, and nectarines. Seriously though...dried peaches...AMAZING!

FRUIT LEATHER

This has been a work in progress for me! The first few I made were just too thin, they still tasted awesome, but were a little crumbley but I think I've about got it now! Just puree whatever fruit you want. I don't usually add sweetner but the first batch I did add honey. YUM!

NO BAKE COOKIES

This one is ALL Wesley. The recipe is his favorite from his mama.

2 c sugar

1/2 c milk

1/2 c butter

1 1/2 T cocoa

1/8 t salt

3 c quick oats

1 t vanilla

Combine sugar, milk,  butter and cocoa in saucepan. Bring to boil and let reach the soft ball stage. Add vanilla and then pour over oats. Scoop out onto wax paper. 

BAGELS

This is probably the one I am most proud of. I really wanted bagels but really didn't want to buy them sooo I made them instead! Here is the recipe I used http://www.sophisticatedgourmet.com/2009/10/new-york-style-bagel-recipe/

Bagel Recipe

Ingredients:2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 ½ tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups of warm water (you may need ± ¼ cup more, I know I did)
3 ½ cups (500g) of bread flour or high gluten flour(will need extra for kneading)
1 ½ teaspoons of salt

Optional Toppings:Caraway seeds, coarse salt, minced fresh garlic, minced fresh onion, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds. (Everyone in my house prefers plain bagels, but I have no preference, so I just went with the plain, so no one could complain.)

Preparation:1. In ½ cup of the warm water, pour in the sugar and yeast. Do not stir. Let it sit for five minutes, and then stir the yeast and sugar mixture, until it all dissolves in the water.

2. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and sugar mixture.

3. Pour half of the remaining warm water into the well. Mix and stir in the rest of the water as needed. Depending on where you live, you may need to add anywhere from a couple tablespoons to about ¼ cup of water. You want to result in a moist and firm dough after you have mixed it.

4. On a floured countertop, knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Try working in as much flour as possible to form a firm and stiff dough.

5. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and let it rest for another 10 minutes.

6. Carefully divide the dough into 8 pieces (I used a scale to be extra precise, but it’s not necessary). Shape each piece into a round. Now, take a dough ball, and press it gently against the countertop (or whatever work surface you’re using) moving your hand and the ball in a circular motion pulling the dough into itself while reducing the pressure on top of the dough slightly until a perfect dough ball forms (as pictured below). Repeat with 7 other dough rounds.

7. Coat a finger in flour, and gently press your finger into the center of each dough ball to form a ring. Stretch the ring to about ⅓ the diameter of the bagel and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Repeat the same step with the remaining dough.

8. After shaping the dough rounds and placing them on the cookie sheet, cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425ºF / 220ºC / Gas Mark 7.

9**Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lower the bagels into the water. Boil as many as you are comfortable with boiling. Once the bagels are in, it shouldn’t take too long for them to float to the top (a couple seconds). Let them sit there for 1 minute, and them flip them over to boil for another minute. Extend the boiling times to 2 minutes each, if you’d prefer a chewier bagel (results will give you a more New York Style bagel with this option).

10. If you want to top your bagels with stuff, do so as you take them out of the water, you may use the “optional toppings” (listed above) to top the bagels and if you’re risky like me, make a combination of the toppings to top the bagels with, but before hand, you will need to use an egg wash to get the toppings to stick before putting the bagels into the oven.

11. Once all the bagels have boiled (and have been topped with your choice of toppings), transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet.

12. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

13. Cool on a wire rack (or if you’re impatient like I am, slice one of these babies open, and spread some softened butter on it. Take a bite… Oh babyyy!)

They are super delicious! I made plain ones but am excited to experiment with different kinds. Like blueberry! 

**The one suggestion I would make to the recipe is if you boil them for 2 minutes, set them on a wire rack and let them drain for a bit before you bake them or the bottoms take longer than the tops. If you only boil them for 1 minute they are just fine.

Well that's pretty much it for the baking for now. I hope to blog more soon! I made some delicious kabobs for dinner...that's something I'll have to blog about soon! Hasta luego!