Mix and knead this Oatmeal-Sunflower Bread in your bread machine, but bake it in your oven.

This is the bread recipe I promised two weeks ago along with a picture tutorial for exactly how one takes bread dough from the bread machine to the oven. If you would prefer your bread with the crust and appearance of the bread on the right in the picture below instead of the crust on the left, follow me.

Left: bread baked in a bread machine  Right: bread mixed in a bread machine but baked in a loaf pan in a conventional oven

These are general instructions for changing any bread machine recipe baked in the machine into a loaf of bread you will be proud to serve and even happier to eat.

Top left: Dump all ingredients into bread machine pan and select the “Dough” cycle. Top right: Dough should stick to the side of the pan, then pull away while going through the kneading process. Bottom Left: Bread will automatically rise. Bottom right: When dough cycle is finished and/or dough has doubled in size, remove it to a floured surface to shape.

At this point, you can shape the dough however you wish. The following pictures show how to make a standard loaf.

Roll into a rectangle with longest edge about one inch longer than your loaf pan. Begin rolling into a cylinder from the longest side.

Deciding the size of loaf pan you want to use is crucial to the end result. Too small and your bread will rise out of the pan. Too large and your bread will appear squatty or like it wasn’t allowed to rise long enough. For a recipe with 3 cups of flour, my favorite size is 9 x 4 inches when measured on the bottom. (It will hold exactly 8 cups of water if you want to compare with a pan you already have.) Coat the pan with a vegetable oil/flour kind of spray such as Baker’s Joy for easy release.

Place cylinder-shaped dough into loaf pan, seam side down. Pull each end out a bit and then tuck under so your loaf looks like the one in the picture.

Set the loaf pan in a warm place to rise. My favorite way  to create a warm place is to boil a cup of water in the microwave for 5 minutes. Leave it in there and place the covered dough next to it inside the closed and steamy microwave. DO NOT TURN ON THE MICROWAVE WITH THE DOUGH IN THERE. It will usually take 30-45 minutes to rise.

I like to cover my bread while it’s rising with a hotel freebie shower cap (reusable). You could also use a tea towel or plastic wrap laid loosely over the top.

The dough should rise to about one inch above the top of the pan. If it rises too much, it may fall or have a big hole inside the middle. Often, the hole will not be detected until you slice your baked loaf.

If dough doesn’t rise enough, your bread will be compact and heavy. Keep an eye on it. This step is crucial. Ambient temperature and the ingredients in the dough will play a part in how fast it rises. This is where the “automatic-ness” of a bread machine can really mess up a loaf when you try to bake in a bread machine.

If you are using the right size pan, your loaf is ready to bake when dough peeks above the top of the pan about one inch.

Besides choosing a pan, oven temperature is your next challenge. A good place to start is 375 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes. Some loaves may take more time. Some loaves may need to be covered half-way through the baking time if the crust is getting too brown too quickly. These are details that require your attention the first time you do it, but once you make a recipe two or three times, you will figure it out. It’s worth the trouble!

If you are a bread-making beginner, I can’t stress how helpful it is to buy a quick-read thermometer with a probe. I highly recommend this one for only $12. When you put the probe into the middle of the bread, it should read 190 degrees (or pretty close) when it’s baked all the way through. If you added some sort of filling in the middle of the bread, such as cheese or a cinnamon-sugar streusel, beware that the temperature may be higher if you hit a pocket of fat or sugar. Don’t be fooled.

Allow to cool before slicing. (Ha, ha!)

This particular loaf is one of my favorite sandwich breads because the flavors are rather unassertive so they don’t compete with sandwich ingredients. But still, it’s more interesting and nutritious than a plain white loaf. To freeze, I slice it first, then double wrap it.

Oatmeal-Sunflower Bread Recipe | How To Knead in a Bread Machine but Bake in a Conventional Oven

 

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Prep time

2 hours 30 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

3 hours 5 mins

 

Has a mild, non-assertive but nutty flavor that’s perfect for sandwiches and toast

Author: Adapted from Betty Crocker Best Bread Machine Cookbook

Recipe type: Bread for the Bread Machine

Serves: 1 pound loaf

Ingredients

• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• ½ cup quick or old-fashioned oats (not instant)
• 2 and ¼ teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast
• ½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted

Instructions

1. Warm milk and water in the microwave for one minute on HIGH.
2. Add to bread machine pan along with remaining ingredients except seeds in order given.
3. Select “Dough” cycle and start. After about 5-10 minutes, lift the lid and add extra liquid or extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to correct consistency. Dough should stick to side of pan, then pull away.
4. Add the seeds at the Raisin/Nut signal or 5-10 minutes before the kneading cycle ends. If you miss it, you can always work them in by hand when you get ready to form the loaf.
5. When dough cycle has completed, remove dough to a floured surface and flatten into a rectangle. Roll into a cylinder. Place into a 9×5-inch greased loaf pan with the seam down and tucking the ends under.
6. Loosely cover (I use a shower cap or tea towel) and set in a warm place until dough rises approximately 1 inch above the rim of the pan.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. I suggest you test it with a thermometer if you are a novice bread baker.
8. Note: Check loaf half way through baking and cover with foil if getting too brown.

3.1.09

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Can you tell which loaf was baked in a bread machine?

I‘ve said it before, but in case you are a new or disillusioned bread machine owner who is just now finding this blog, please keep reading.

I almost never bake bread in my bread machine.  Make no mistake! I love my bread machines, (yes, I have several) but I use them for mixing and kneading only.

Wanna know why? After all, isn’t that what a bread machine is supposedly made for? Check out the pictures, and I think you’ll see my point.

Left: Baked in a bread machine                   Right: Mixed in a bread machine, baked in conventional oven

1. The shape is weird when baked in a bread machine. I much prefer the way my loaf looks when I form the dough myself (after the dough cycle completes) and place it into a traditional bread pan.

See how the corners and bottom edges are rounded on the left? A bread machine pan is designed that way so no flour will be left behind during the kneading process. The result is a rounded lump of a loaf that doesn’t resemble anything for sale in a fine bakery.

Left: Baked in bread machine                             Right: Mixed in bread machine but baked in a conventional oven

2. Observe the holey texture of the crust on the side of the loaf baked in a bread machine. This results in a tough crust–not a tender one like the bread on the right.

Left: Baked in a bread machine                        Right: Mixed in a bread machine but baked in a conventional oven

3. Then there are the holes in the bottom where the blades were. Some people have told me they take the bread dough out of the machine, remove the blades, and put the dough back into the bread machine pan before allowing the dough to rise again and bake inside the machine. But you still end up with holes, albeit smaller ones. If I’m going to that much trouble, I just throw the dough into a traditional loaf pan and bake it up right.

Left: Baked in a bread machine                       Right: Mixed in a bread machine but backed in a conventional oven

4. The crust is too thick and hard when bread is baked in a bread machine. See the picture above. If your kids don’t like the crust on bread from the grocery store, they surely won’t like the crust on bread from your bread machine. It’s also a dead giveaway that you baked your bread in a machine.

Also, compare the texture of the two slices above. It’s subtle, but I think the texture of the bread on the right is slightly more homogeneous and pleasing than the bread on the left.

5. You lose control over the timing when you allow the bread machine to bake your bread. I don’t have a picture of this, but it can be the most important reason of all not to bake in your bread machine.

Because yeast is a living organism, it can be a little unpredictable depending on the ingredients in your recipe and the ambient temperature.The timer built into the machine doesn’t make allowances for this. The machine will automatically kick into the bake cycle whether your dough is risen the proper amount or not. If the dough has not risen enough because it’s the dead of winter and your kitchen is cold or the machine is sitting in a drafty place, you may end up with a small, heavy loaf. If it’s the middle of the summer in Texas or your recipe calls for a lot of sugar, the dough may rise too quickly resulting in a finished loaf with a big dip in the middle. What a disappointment!

Using whole grains can be especially problematic because the rising time usually takes longer.  Some machines have a special whole wheat cycle but again, it is automatic and may not work for your particular recipe.

Next post:  the recipe for the Oatmeal-Sunflower Sandwich Bread as seen in today’s post.

p.s. In case you are now wondering why you even need a bread machine, I highly recommend them for convenience and unmatched kneading ability. See the related posts below.

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• 5 Reasons Why I Use a Bread Machine
• Choosing the Right Bread Machine
• 6 Bread Machine Secrets for Beginners

Raspberry-Marinated Grapefruit

Grapefruit is my new dessert. I like it plain or fancy, served as wedges or just cut in half. But occasionally, I crave grapefruit wedges soaked in raspberry puree.

This is a particularly good way to serve grapefruit to company because it not only looks festive but can be prepared ahead of time, and really, it should be for maximum raspberry flavor. It’s also easier to eat compared to digging each wedge out with a grapefruit spoon, although I enjoy that, too, for routine grapefruit eating. It adds a certain element of satisfaction and enjoyment not unlike eating corn off the cob or picking every last morsel of meat and crunch from a piece of fried chicken.

No recipe here. Just follow along and adjust the amounts to your needs.

Remove the outer peel from a whole grapefruit.

Peel one grapefruit for every two people you are serving. If I’m invited, better allow a whole grapefruit for me.

Remove whole wedges of grapefruit by slipping a sharp knife inside the membrane of each section.

The process of extracting wedges can be time-consuming until you get the hang of it. Then it will go fast. Or you can buy the prepared wedges in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.

Push fresh or defrosted raspberries through a strainer to remove seeds. Pureeing first (that’s the blender in the background of this picture) makes the process easier but is not absolutely necessary.

Use  enough fresh or frozen raspberries to barely cover the grapefruit.

Does the tartness of grapefruit offend your sweet tooth? Add a spoonful of sugar, honey or sweetener. If there is a lime in the house, I like to add a couple squeezes just for fun. Refrigerate overnight.

Is this too simple? I hope you’ll forgive me. Thanks to Helen Corbitt for this idea she called “Grapefruit Melba”.

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• Apples in a Bag
• 6-Minute Strawberry-Balsamic Sauce
• Cinnamon Basil Syrup

Are you having trouble getting the lid to seal when vacuum-packing a Mason jar?

It’s a classic case of seeing things differently after you experience something yourself.

Over the last 3 years of blogging about salad in a jar (a method of preserving chopped lettuce in a vacuum-packed glass jar), I’ve had the occasional reader ask me why they couldn’t get their jars to seal. I would gently repeat the original instructions and most would write back saying something was upside down, backward, inside-out, topsy-turvy or whatever. And they finally got it to work.

Then it happened to me. I have one Mason quart jar in my cabinet that will not seal no matter what I do. NOW….I feel your pain, with apologies to all of you who have ever had difficulties.

Wide-mouth attachment as seen upside-down

In this case, I think it is my jar although that may not be the case for you. Regarding the wide-mouth attachment seen above, the blue rubber must form a seal around the ridge at the bottom of the top of the jar (See below). If there are any bumps or other irregularities, it may be unable to form that seal. If you look carefully at the jar in the picture, you can see that the lowest ridge has some ripples. This is completely unnoticeable to the casual observer but I can feel it with my fingers. Looks like this jar will receive a new job description that doesn’t include storing lettuce.

See the bumpy rim on this jar?

TEN TIPS FOR GETTING LIDS TO SEAL ON A MASON JAR WHEN VACUUM-PACKING:

1. Is the flat lid bent? (You can reuse these lids many, many times so this will occasionally happen.)
2. Does the rim of the jar have a crack or chip?
3. Is there a piece of food between the lid and the edge of the jar preventing a clean seal?
4. Is the rubber gasket on the attachment dirty? Wash in soapy water.
5. What brand of jars are you using? Do they match up to the wide-mouth attachment? The FoodSaver website recommends Ball and Kerr brand jars. However, these are not the only ones that work. One person did some research and found that out of 12 brands she tried, 10 worked and 2 did not. Trial and error may be the order of the day on this one.
6. Is your jar a mutant like the one I described above? Use it for something else that doesn’t need to be vacuum-packed.
7. Foreign particles may be blocking the hole in the attachment at the top where air is sucked out of the jar. If you are packing something powdery, try cutting a piece of paper the diameter of the jar and laying it on top of the contents to prevent the small particles (e.g. powdered sugar or flour) from entering the attachment.
8. If you are using a hand-held sealer, you may not be pressing firmly enough, or at the right angle, or directly over the center to create a seal between your sealer and the top of the attachment.
9. If you are using a full-size FoodSaver machine with a port, your hose may not be attached securely and completely. Make sure it is inserted as far as it will go into the machine. Also make sure the hose to the attachment is inserted securely.
10. No matter what method you are using, are you operating the machine long enough to pull out all the air?  You should hear a difference in the sound of the motor as it slows slightly. If you are vacuum-packing with a hand pump, be sure you have pumped it several times and then do it one more time.

FoodSaver suggests you try using two flat lids, one on top of the other if you are having difficulty getting a seal. Of course, you will remove the second lid when you are done as it is just laying on top. I have found this tip most helpful when sealing regular-mouth jars (as opposed to wide-mouth jars). For some reason, the smaller opening seems harder to seal, which is why I only buy wide-mouth jars if I’m purchasing new jars. Besides that, wide-mouth jars are easier to get the food in and out of and easier to clean.

If you are still having trouble or you have another suggestion based on your own experience, please leave a comment.

p.s. Just a reminder that the vacuum-packing process is not a substitute for heat canning. Perishable foods must be kept in the refrigerator even when vacuum-packed.

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• How to Make Salad in a Jar That Lasts a Week-a Video
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• Salad in a Jar
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• Which Vacuum-Pack Machine Should I Buy to Make Salad in a Jar?
• Yes, You Can Use a Handheld Vacuum-Pack Machine to Seal Salad in a Jar

Easter egg and heart-shaped cake pops dressed in “raincoats” for sharing.

It was a passing comment that got me to thinking. My boss recently mentioned she regularly takes treats to show her appreciation to the people who care for her aging relative. She inspired me to consider what I could do for those who watch after my mother.

Then it hit me. Cake pops!

They are already portioned, individually wrapped, don’t need refrigeration, and stay fresh for days. Perfect for a break room snack …or office parties, showers, visiting grandkids, bribes, etc.

Egg-shaped decorated with white chocolate squeezed out of a small plastic bag.

I’m no fancy cake decorator. Perhaps you’ve noticed. But with a few sprinkles and some small zippered plastic bags with a snipped off corner, you can dress these cake pops up just enough to make them special and show somebody you care.

It is not my intent, nor am I qualified to give you a detailed cake pop tutorial. Visit Bakerella or google them. Rather, I have recipes to share. Most people make these pops with cake crumbs from a mix and a can of frosting to “glue” the crumbs together. I prefer to make my favorite chocolate cake and use chocolate ganache instead of frosting as the “glue”.  It makes for a completely decadent treat that is not so sugary sweet.

My husband wants me to tell you that you need a plate to eat these, unless you eat them in one bite.

This recipe is adapted from Epicurious, then halved, in keeping with my philosophy about making desserts in smaller sizes. It still makes 50-60 cake pops depending on the size.

My Favorite Chocolate Cake

 

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My favorite chocolate cake–perfect for cake pops, cupcakes or a layer cake

Author: Adapted from Epicurious

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 55 – 60 cake pops

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounce semi-sweet chocolate (I like Ghiradelli)
• ¾ cup hot, brewed coffee
• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ⅓ teaspoon baking powder (or a generous ¼ teaspoon)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ¾ cup yogurt thinned with milk to consistency of buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Chop semi-sweet chocolate and place in small bowl. Add coffee and allow to sit while chocolate melts stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In large mixing bowl, mix eggs until lemon-colored and thick. Add oil, yogurt, vanilla extract, and melted coffee/chocolate mixture and mix until well blended.
5. Add dry ingredients. Mix just until all ingredients are combined well. (This will create a flour blizzard. I like to cover my mixer with a tea towel in the beginning.)
6. Pour into a greased and floured (or lined with greased wax paper) 11 x 7 inch rectangular pan (or similar 10-cup pan). Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean.

3.1.09

Chocolate Ganache

 

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An easy chocolate ganache useful for a tart filling, cake pops, or cake glaze

Author: Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking Cookbook

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter (room temperature)

Instructions

1. Chop chocolate and place into a small heatproof bowl.
2. Heat cream in microwave just until it starts to boil. (Usually less than a minute. Watch it.)
3. Pour over chocolate and let sit until chocolate is melted or about 1 minute.
4. Using a spatula or whisk, begin stirring chocolate slowly, making small circles in the center, then moving toward the outside and making bigger circles until chocolate and cream are combined and smooth.
5. Divide butter into 4 pieces and add each piece to chocolate one at a time, stirring gently until butter melts. The less you stir, the shinier and richer it will look.

3.1.09

How I assemble cake pops that usually result in only a few tasty rejects:

1. Bake cake. Allow to cool. Crumble into a large bowl.
2. Make ganache and immediately pour into bowl of cake crumbs and mix lightly with hands (another use for exam gloves in the kitchen). Chill.
3. Use ice cream or cookie dough dipper to portion into balls. Roll with hands or on wax paper until smooth. Chill.
4. Dip cake pop stick into melted chocolate coating (Kroger’s chocolate coating is good enough for me) and then into a cake ball. Chill.
5. Place melted chocolate coating into a narrow jar or cup. Carefully dip each chilled cake ball into chocolate and tap on side  (several times) to let excess coating drip back into melted chocolate.
6. Place cake pop into styrofoam square (I used styrofoam left in big TV box) to dry. It won’t take long. If you want to decorate with sprinkles, do it quickly before chocolate gets hard.
7. If you want to decorate with chocolate, put a small amount of melted chocolate coating (white or chocolate) into a plastic pint or snack-size bag. Seal. Snip a tiny hole off of one corner and allow chocolate to drip over cake pop in pattern of your desire.

I got the silver containers. a cube of styrofoam for the inside to anchor the pops, and the Easter grass all from the dollar store.

Wishing all of my readers, friends, and family a blessed and happy Easter. Love ya! Paula

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This spicy version of minestrone uses mostly canned food. Leave the meat out for a hearty vegetarian meal.

I‘m not too proud to admit that preparing this recipe is going to require a can opener.  Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be. Anybody who will eat chopped romaine lettuce stored in a vacuum-packed Mason jar every day for lunch obviously doesn’t need gourmet food at every meal, although I wouldn’t mind if didn’t affect my waistline.

There are those days. Surely you have them, too–days when you just don’t have the energy or motivation to cook a nice meal. Not always, but I frequently prefer to throw something together at home rather than eat out, even if it’s not fresh and/or fancy. I know, I know. Canned beans, canned vegetables, and condensed soups often contain too much sodium, but they usually have fewer calories and more nutrition than the hamburger and french fries at the local drive-thru.

Thanks to my friend Joan who gave me this recipe, this soup has become a cool-weather staple at our house and the perfect candidate for my new “Super Simple Suppers” category. All the ingredients can be stored in the pantry and/or freezer, making it easy to keep on hand. If your family is small, you could eat it for days. Thankfully, it freezes well, so you have that option.

My favorite can opener by Hamilton Beach

Talking about canned goods reminds me of my favorite can opener, a Hamilton Beach 76606Z Smooth Touch Can Opener. I used to have a hand-held Krups I loved because of the way it cut the lid off from the side instead of the blade going down into the can and possibly contaminating the food. I owned two and they both broke which is probably why they’re no longer sold.

When I found this particular model by Hamilton Beach, I was ecstatic because it cuts lids off in the same way with no rough edges to snag food, your fingers, or your spatula as you empty the can. I’ve owned it for several years now, and it’s still working great.

Notice the smooth edges. The top will fit perfectly for short-term refrigerator storage if needed.

Just so you know, I was not paid to say this, and sadly, no one sent me one to give away. I just happen to love it and wanted to share with you in case you need a new can opener.

Texas Minestrone

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Paula Rhodes

Recipe type: Soup

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
• 1 onion, chopped (I sub frozen chopped onions)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 3-11 oz. cans Minestrone soup
• 2-15 oz. cans Ranch Style beans
• 1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1-10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 -1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon concentrate

Instructions

1. Brown ground beef and onion in a large pot. Add garlic and cook another minute or two.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Heat for 10-15 minutes.

3.1.09

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• Vegetable Beef Soup
• Vegetable Cheese Chowder
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Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow) get a makeover

Do you ever crave a quick and easy sweet treat that won’t leave you feeling guilty and defeated?

I’m excited to share the newest addition to my collection of “Skinny Secret“ snacks which already includes Apples in a Bag, Homemade Greek Yogurt, and Cannoli Cones, among others. It only takes a minute or two to put together and adds extra fiber to your diet in a deliciously crunchy way.

The secret ingredient is Fiber One’s new chocolate squares cereal. Add a small amount of peanut butter, microwave just long enough to soften, and shake it up in a little bag with minimal powdered sugar.

Chocolate Fiber One Cereal + Peanut Butter + Powdered Sugar= Guiltless Muddy Buddies

The variations on this recipe are many, but I have fallen in love with these individual packets of chocolate peanut butter which could be substituted for regular peanut butter. My problem with Nutella is the way it goes rancid before I can use it all. Problem solved with these little cups. Also, I happen to think it tastes better. Be advised the calories will be a little higher if substituted for peanut butter but the chocolate flavor is more pronounced.

My latest vice. (not a paid advertisement)

I like Muddy Buddies best when cold, so I keep them in the freezer in pre-measured portions. But actually, none of the ingredients require refrigeration so it’s a great snack to carry camping, traveling, or in a lunch box.

Compare the statistics for a serving size of 1/3 cup: (I know, who eats just 1/3 cup?! That’s what Yummy Chow calls a serving. But even the stats for a double serving of Guilt-Free Muddy Buddies isn’t bad at all.)

Yummy Chow sold by Palmer’s Candies

• Calories:  130
• Fiber:  less than1 gram
• Sugar:  16 grams

Guilt-Free Muddy Buddies   

• Calories: 57
• Fiber: 4 grams
• Sugar:  4 grams

Guilt-Free Muddy Buddies (3 ingredients)

 

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

1 min

Total time

3 mins

 

Get your Muddy Buddy fix for fewer calories, less sugar and more fiber. Super easy!

Author: Paula Rhodes

Recipe type: Sweet Snack

Serves: 4-1/3 cup servings

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cup Chocolate Fiber One squares
• 2 teaspoons peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Place cereal into a small bowl. Drop peanut butter over the top.
2. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften peanut butter and warm cereal. Stir a bit to distribute peanut butter but don’t fuss with it too much.
3. Place powdered sugar into a bag. Pour warm cereal into bag and shake to coat cereal with powdered sugar.

3.1.09

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Comfort food for when you feel like eating meatloaf and potatoes but don’t have the energy or the time to prepare it.

Are you like me? I’m always looking for simple but tasty recipes to keep in my back pocket for those days when I’m too exhausted to cook.

This is one of my favorites and belongs in the category of super simple supper recipes. In my life, such recipes must contain few ingredients, use few pans and utensils, and take only a few minutes to cook. In other words, they help keep me out of the drive-through.

I’m not trying to sell this particular recipe as some amazing gourmet delight that will make your dress fly up, your pants fall down or, your life turn out perfectly. No, it’s a kind of comfort food assembled with ingredients you probably already have on hand, so hopefully, you won’t have to make a special trip to the grocery store just before dinner–an exercise in patience I try to avoid.

Original picture posted near the beginning of this blog–I called it “Camper’s Special”

On the off chance you are a long-time reader, you may recognize this recipe from the early days of this blog. I decided to redo the pictures because this recipe deserves better.

As I mentioned in the original post, we first came to love this recipe when camping. I know just about anything tastes better when you eat it in the woods, but whenever I’m in the mood for meatloaf and potatoes, this is a great substitute that takes much less time to prepare. It’s comfort food for me.

Start with the bacon, second: ground meat, third: sliced potatoes, and finish with carrots.

If you like ketchup with meatloaf, I highly recommend you serve this with ketchup, also.

Four-Layer Meat and Potatoes in a Skillet

 

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Prep time

8 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

23 mins

 

Bacon, ground beef, sliced potatoes and carrots are layered in a skillet to make a delicious supper in minutes.

Author: Paula Rhodes

Recipe type: entree

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 5-6 slices bacon (thin-sliced works better)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 5-6 carrots, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cut bacon in half crosswise and place in a single layer covering the bottom of a large skillet.
2. Crumble raw ground beef evenly over the bacon.
3. Arrange potatoes over meat.
4. Distribute carrots on top.
5. Season with salt and pepper and cover.
6. Cook about 15 minutes on medium to medium-low until bacon is crisp and vegetables are tender. Carefully drain excess grease before serving.

Notes

The only tricky part of this recipe is figuring out exactly where to set the heat so the bacon turns out crispy but not burned. If the bacon is still limp and light colored when the vegetables are soft, turn up the heat a bit. The correct setting will be affected by the type of pan you use and your particular stove. I can only suggest you experiment and stay close to the stove the first time or two you make this.

3.1.09

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Get out your bread machine for this easy recipe using a Jiffy cornbread mix.

Just in case you haven’t finalized your Super Bowl party menu, here’s an idea for your consideration.

These aren’t the famed corny dogs of the Texas State Fair, but they are a great substitute for those of us who would rather not eat the fried version more than once a year. I try to buy hot dogs lower than 100 calories a piece which brings these in just under 200 calories per swirly dog.  Makes a great lunch with my salad in a jar.

Kids love these “dip dogs” as one of my Facebook readers called them. Although she was referring to the traditional fried corn dogs, I just love the name. They’re easier to eat and dip in mustard or catsup than a hot dog and a bun with condiments dripping out of them. They freeze well and don’t take long to thaw and heat for a quick meal or snack.

I keep baked swirly dogs in my freezer for a quick treat.

These swirly dogs are made with the same dough as my Cornbread Twists. If you hang around here much, you may recognize that recipe as my attempt to clone Pillsbury’s now defunct canned cornbread. In the past, I wrapped hot dogs with the canned twists but I’m excited that I can now make the dough myself.

As always with my bread machine recipes, I never bake in the machine. I just use it to mix and knead the dough. When the dough cycle completes, pull the dough out and follow the pictures below.

Swirly Dogs

 

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Prep time

2 hours 30 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

2 hours 42 mins

 

A hot dog wrapped with a yeasty cornbread dough made in a bread-machine or stand mixer and baked.

Author: Paula Rhodes

Recipe type: Bread, Entree

Serves: 15 swirly dogs

Ingredients

• ½ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
• 1-1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon bread-machine yeast

Glaze:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

1. Heat milk to lukewarm. Add to bread-machine pan along with remaining ingredients in order listed.
2. Set on dough cycle. Check dough after 5-10 minutes to make sure it sticks to the sides, then pulls away. If very sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry and thumping against the side of the pan, add a teaspoon of milk or water until dough sticks, then pulls away.
3. When dough cycle completes, remove dough to floured surface. Roll into 15 x 8-inch rectangle.
4. Cut into 15 strips (about ¾-1 inch wide) the short way. See picture above. Roll one strip around each hot dog. Lay onto greased cookie sheet or silicone mat with ends tucked under.
5. Cover swirly dogs and set in warm place to rise about 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
7. Combine egg and water for glaze. Lightly brush glaze on each do taking care not to use so much glaze that it drips on to the cookie sheet as it will burn.
8. Bake 12 minutes until golden.

Notes

To make in a stand mixer, add all ingredients in order given. Add an additional tablespoon of milk. Mix on low for 1 minute with paddle attachment. Change to hook attachment and knead at a low to medium speed for 7-10 minutes or until the texture is elastic and dough cleans the bowl. Cover dough and allow to raise in a warm place until double. Proceed as pictured above.

3.1.09

Fried shrimp with a crumbled saltine coating makes for extra crunch.

Fried food is an endangered species in my kitchen, but these shrimp are on the protected list.

I have a tradition of serving fried shrimp on New Year’s Day for our annual celebration with friends–when the party is at my house.  Once in awhile we might have them on someone’s birthday, but they are a rare and special treat.

Because it’s pretty basic, I never thought about putting up the recipe until my daughter-in-law requested it. So this one’s for you, Susie.

You’re only four steps away from yummy crunchy shrimp. Make that five. You definitely need to fry it.

The secret ingredient is the crushed saltine crackers. They elevate the crunch factor significantly.

Serve with cocktail sauce or remoulade sauce. (See notes below for my no-recipe version of remoulade sauce).

Really Crunchy Fried Shrimp

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Simple fried shrimp with a crunchy coating.

Author: Adapted from Helen Corbitt’s Cookbook

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 36 saltines
• 1 pound shrimp, medium or large
• Vegetable oil or shortening

Instructions

1. Combine first three ingredients and pour onto flat plate.
2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a small bowl.
3. Crush saltines and place onto another flat plate or shallow bowl.
4. Remove shells and devein shrimp. You may leave the tails on…or not. Your choice. Butterfly each shrimp with a small sharp knife.
5. Roll each shrimp in seasoned flour, then dip in egg mixture, and finally, press shrimp into crumbs until covered. Be sure shrimp is butterflied (spread open) for maximum crumb retention which equals more crunchiness. Allow to sit on wax-paper covered cookie sheet for about 30 minutes.
6. Fry in 3-4 inches of oil heated to 375 degrees until golden. It doesn’t take long so stay close. Remove from grease and allow to drain onto paper towels.

Notes

My no-recipe remoulade sauce: To approximately ½ cup mayonnaise, add enough catsup until it’s nice and pink. Stir in a generous spoonful of pickle relish and one hardboiled egg, chopped finely.

3.1.09

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