Chocolate Lava Cake

This cake looks SO good! I just made this, its cooling as we speak! It was pretty easy to make. Here is the link to see how it's made.
Enjoy!
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2009/02/chocolate-lave-cake-20-return-of-molten.html

Amish White Bread

So I came across this recipe and gave it a try. I loved it! It was nice and soft and just yummy! You can do a lot with this recipe too. It’s a sweet bread, so for one of the loafs I made a cinnamon swirl loaf. You can even do half wheat flour for healthier bread. Play around with it, I want to try and make a hardy loaf of bread next time with oats, flax seed, sun flour seeds and anything else I can throw in! Oh, also I made the dough in a bread maker. It made it much easier, but you don’t have to use one. I give this a 5 out of 5!

Ingredients:
2 Cups warm water
2/3 Cup White Sugar
1 ½ TBS yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
6 Cups Flour


Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until the yeast resembles a creamy foam.
Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9X5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chinese Noodles

This is a pretty good recipe if you’re going for a Chinese theme dinner. I changed it a bit adding some water chestnuts, baby corn, and celery. And instead of Hosin Sauce I used a stir-fry sauce I had. but you can use any Chinese Sauce you like.

What inspired me so want to make Chinese food was this cool technique of how to make your own noodles. Its called hand pulled noodles. Here is a video of what I hope to learn some to do some time soon!



Serves – 6 to 8

Ingredients:

Noodles – 16oz pkt (approx 500 gm), cooked per pkg instructions (al dente)
Sesame Oil – 1 Tbsp
Oil – 2 Tbsp
Garlic – 1 Tbsp, minced
Ginger – 1 Tbsp, minced
Onion – 1 small, sliced
Carrot – 1 large, cut into matchsticks
Cabbage – 1.5 cups packed, shredded
Bell Pepper – 1/2 large, cut into strips
Baby Corn – 8, cut
Egg – 1 (optional)
Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp or to taste
Soy Sauce – 2 Tbsp or to taste
White Vinegar – 1 Tbsp
Hosin Sauce or any Chinese Sauce – to taste
Red Chilli Sauce (Sambal) – to taste
Green Onions – 2 stalks, cut diagonally – for garnishing
1. Cook noodles per package instructions (usually 3-4 minutes), drain, rinse with cold water and toss with 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil. Keep aside.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp Oil in a large wok style pan on HIGH heat.
3. Add Ginger and Garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add Onions and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add Carrots and allow them to soften just a little.
6. Add Cabbage, Bell Pepper and Baby Corn. Toss well and cook for 1 minute.
7. Push veggies to one side of wok and break an egg in the pan.
8. Scramble the egg until cooked and mix together with the veggies.
9. Add Black Pepper and mix.
10. Toss Noodles once before adding them to the pan.
11. Add White Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Hoisin Sauce and Red Chili Sauce. Mix well to coat all noodles.
12. Taste and adjust any of the sauces.
13. Garnish with Green Onions and serve hot.

Hummus

This is a healthy snack that is good with home made pita bread, crackers, or veggies. You can do all sorts of things with Hummus. Roasted Garlic, Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato Basil… Experiment a bit and have fun with it! I give this a 3.5 out of 5

1 Can of Garbanzo Beans (AKA Chickpeas)
1 ½ Tbs Tahini (AKA Sesame Past. You can often find in Asian food places)
1 tsp Lemon Juice
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 ½ Tbs Olive Oil
¼ tsp Cumin
½ tsp salt
(If you like a little heat add some cayenne pepper!)

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If too thick, add some of the liquid you set aside to get a consistency you like. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
Sprinkle with paprika and enjoy!

Cran-Orange Scone

I really liked this scone recipe. I think it would be good with Blueberries, or maybe some other dried fruit.
I give this one 4 out of 5.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 cup powdered sugar
2 -3 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Mix together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Stir in cranberries and orange peel.

4. In a small bowl, mix buttermilk and egg; add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring until mixture is just moistened.

5. On a floured board, knead gently a few times, but not too much.

6. Form into a patty on an ungreased cookie sheet; cut into 8 wedges with a knife but do not move it.

7. Bake at 400 degrees F.

8. for 15-25 minutes or until light golden.

9. Mix together powdered sugar and orange juice into a glaze; drizzle over scones.

10. Separate scones and serve warm.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

This bread is fun to make and VERY tasty! I made it to go with the Butternut squash soup that I also posted.
I give this a 4.5 out of 5.

Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups hot water
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Preparation
Combine hot water, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and honey in a large bowl; cool to 100° to 110°. Sprinkle yeast over honey mixture; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 3 1/4 cups flour, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon salt to honey mixture, stirring to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down. Pat dough into a 14 x 12-inch rectangle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 20 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350º.
Uncover dough. Make indentations in top of dough using handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon water, and egg yolk; brush over dough. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with remaining rosemary and sea salt.
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Roasted Red Pepper Butternut Squash Soup

In the Fall squash is in abundance, and what better time to try a new recipe!
I keep hearing that Butternut squash soup is amazing, so I put it to the test.
I looked over several recipes and made up my own, but there was one recipe that I think is closes to what I made.
I also made some Rosemary Focaccia Bread to go with. It was way good! I will post that recipe as well.
I give this recipe a 4.5 out of 5.

Ingredients:

1 Lb of Butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 Red Bell Pepper cut up very coarsely
2 stalks of Celery chopped coarsely
1 Med Onion chopped coarsely
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Med Carrots chopped coarsely
1 Apple peeled and cubed (Optional)
Oil
1 ½ can Chicken Stalk
½ & ½

Seasonings
Thyme, salt and pepper, rosemary, garlic powder
Sage, and Basil
(You don’t have to use all of these, just pick out and use your favorites)

Place the peeled and cubed Butternut squash, and Red bell pepper on a cookie sheet that is lined with foil. Drizzle 2 TBS of oil over the squash and pepper making sure so that they are all coated with the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven at 400* until they are soft and tender, about 30 mins.

While the squash is baking, put your carrots, celery, onion, garlic, (and apple if used) in a soup pot or wok with 1 TBS of oil and sauté until soft and tender. Add your tender squash and peppers to your carrot, celery, onion mix and add your Chicken stalk. Bring to a boil. Put soup in a blender and purée the mixture. Put puree back into the pot and add your ½ & ½ and more stalk until you get a consistency you like. Add your desired seasonings.
Sprinkle with cheese and enjoy!