What We Cook

Aunt Judie's Buellas

2011-12-23T15:25:00.000-08:00

They taste as good as they look!

Aunt Judie's Christmas Buellas

2011-12-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

We haven't posted in a long time, as we have pretty much blogged about the whole cookbook now (I think there are a couple outstanding recipes still...), so we decided to blog about new recipes on our main page. Here is one that didn't make it to the cookbook, but it is an old Johnson family tradition from David's Swedish Aunt Judie. Buellas are basically soft sweet rolls with an almond glaze. These are baked at all family holidays and get-togethers. They are served for breakfast, dessert, afternoon tea, or evening coffee--pretty much anytime!

Buellas

1 can evaporated milk
1 cup water
1 stick butter
3 eggs
2 packages instant yeast
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tablespoons softened butter
Glaze: powdered sugar, milk, almond extract

1. Heat milk, water and butter in a saucepan till very warm. Beat the eggs in a large bowl by hand, or in a standing mixer. Add warm milk mixture and beat to combine.

2. Add yeast, sugar, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat well.

3. Mix in enough of the remaining flour till a soft dough is formed. Knead by hand or machine briefly. (This dough does not require a lot of kneading.) Place dough in a large, greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise till double, about 45 minutes to an hour.

4. On a floured counter-top, roll 1/2 the dough at a time, (Cover the remaining dough so that it does not dry out.) to 1/2-inch thickness--about a 12x15-inch rectangle. Spread with 1/2 of the softened butter.

5. Fold dough toward the center into thirds--like this:

Now cut 1/2-inch strips off of folded dough, cutting 3 to 6 strips at a time. I like to use a cake icing spreading spatula to do this.

Now lay 2 strips into a cross--use plenty of flour on your surface to keep the dough from sticking.

Add a third strip and weave it in like this:

Now tuck in all your ends to the bottom, to make a rosette.

6. You have made a buella! Place your rolls on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray (to keep it from sticking to the rolls.) Allow to rise in a warm place till doubled--about 1 hour or so--depending on how warm your kitchen is.

7. Bake buellas one pan at a time at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minuets. They should be just barely touched with a bit of golden on top and bottom--do not get them very brown--they are much more delicious when only very lightly browned! Sorry that I do not have a picture of a baked buella to show you--they were eaten to fast I suppose!

8. Just before serving,(either from the oven, or heated up the next day, or frozen, thawed and heated) give the rolls a light glaze of powdered sugar mixed with milk and a small amount of almond extract. I am sorry, that I don't have an exact recipe for the glaze--just mix in enough milk or powdered sugar till the consistency is right for drizzling, and then add a bit of almond flavoring.( Go lightly with the almond extract, as it is a strong flavoring.) These are so very good. Merry Christmas! You must make these for the holidays! ~Janice

A New Spin on Spicy, Healthy Meatloaf (page 171)

2011-08-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make this meatloaf for lunch the other day, but I was going to be gone all morning so I didn't know how that would work. I wished there was some way I could just put it in a slow-cooker and have it ready to eat when I got home. So I googled the idea, and turns out that slow-cooker meatloaf is a real possibility. So I made up my recipe, and patted it up into a loaf in the bottom of my crock-pot and set it on low to cook for 4-5 hours. I did not add any extra liquid at all. When I got home, I carefully lifted the loaf out of the juices in the pot. I did cut it in half first, just to make sure it did not fall apart on me.

I made up the sauce for the meatloaf, then put half of the meatloaf on a cooking sheet and added the sauce, and popped it in the oven for 5 minutes or so at 500 degrees. That caramelized the sauce nicely. The rest of the meatloaf and sauce I put in the freezer for another meal.

This was a great dinner with Parmesan Risotto and sauteed zucchini strips. I really love this meatloaf! And now I love it even more because I discovered I can make it in the slow cooker!--This is especially nice in the summer when you don't want to heat up your kitchen. ~Janice

Caramel-Frosted Brown Sugar Drops ~ page 221

2011-06-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

These really are so yummy! I made them to take to a sick friend to cheer her up. They seem like a boring cookie till you add the caramel frosting! Then they turn heavenly! Adam took the leftovers to work and made all his co-workers super happy. The cookbook says the dough will be sticky, and that is very true, it is really tempting to add extra flour, but just flour your hands as you roll them into balls, I promise they will turn out great. The taste like little cupcakes with icing! I have a nice little stash in the freezer now for when those cookie cravings hit. -Carissa

Marinara Pasta Sauce ~ page 23

2011-06-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a funny story for you....I blogged about this recipe exactly a year ago. Well, in a couple weeks it will be a year to be exact. Check out the date on my freezer bag below! I was almost 9 months pregnant waiting for a baby anyday. I'll blame pregnancy hormones on the mis-spelling of Marinara on the bag! I remember blogging about this recipe, telling all of you that I was stocking my freezer for the arrival of Baby Sylvia. Of course at the time we didn't know if I was having a boy or girl. Anyway, baby came and life went on...and on...and on..until just yesterday while I was digging in my freezer with a 11 month old pulling up on my legs, and I came across this bag below! I chuckled to myself as I remembered thinking a year ago, "this will come in handy for dinner with a newborn in the house"

So, anyway, I thawed that bag out and made me some dinner. Guess what? It was delicious! Before this experience if you had asked me how long the marinara would have lasted in the freezer, I would have told you to try to eat it within 6 months. But here we are a year later and it was better than I even remembered. I did let it simmer all afternoon, so it got super thick and rich. (I added ground turkey to mine) Oh, a new trick I learned is to add a little cream to the sauce as it is simmering, it makes the meat tender and adds a nice richness. So go see what you have hiding in your freezer! --Carissa

Party Quesadillas ~ page 134

2011-05-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

Do you sometimes make a recipe you haven't made in a very long time, then when it turns out so delicious and easy you wonder, "Why did I wait so long to make these again?" Although it does seem like these quesadillas could be everyday fare, I really do only make them for summer parties outside. Maybe that is because I first ate them at my nephew's daughter's first birthday party, packed out with lots of family. My nephew cooked these on the outdoor grill. They were so wonderful, I got the recipe from him. Really though, it is not so much a recipe as simply a list of ingredients and a method.

To make the chicken quesadilla mixture, add whatever amount of cooked chicken hunks (rotisserie chicken works well) and some black olives into the food processor and give it a whirl to coarsely chop everything.

Now add either red or green canned enchilada sauce--just enough to hold everything together. After another quick whirl, then dump out the mixture into a bowl and stir in the grated cheeses. I use sharp cheddar cheese, and then the Mexican cheese, queso fresco, if I have it, or else mozzarella or Monterey jack--basically, any white cheese.

I usually add in some bean and cheese quesadillas along with the ones with the chicken mixture. This can all be assembled outside, if you are cooking on the grill...or in this case, on a pancake griddle!

This was my first time to try these on the griddle. It was too much work to start the grill (which is charcoal, ugh!) and too hot to use the oven inside, so I came up with the idea of using the pancake griddle moved outside. This worked so well, I think I will always cook Party Quesadillas this way! Oh, I also used two kinds of tortillas--a spicy jalapeño tortilla, and a regular white flour tortilla.

I tried using refried black beans for the first time, and liked them just fine. I used a fire roasted enchilada sauce, and added some of this sauce to the beans, along with the cheese. It is nice to be able to offer a platter of two kinds of quesadillas to your guests. Notice in the background is a pizza cutter--great for cutting the cooked quesadilla into quarters.

Here are some of my toppings: pico de gallo, avacados (that were supposed to become guacamole, but didn't make it that far), and a homemade green tomatilla sauce. An offering of sour cream would have been nice if I had some...

And here all the leftovers after the party was all done. Pop them in a covered container in the fridge, and later heat them on a baking sheet and you can have another party the next day! Not only do these heat up nicely, but they also freeze beautifully and thaw quickly for a fast snack. Oh, just one more thought--I served these at my party with fresh corn on the cob, iced tea, and watermelon. It was a perfect hot-weather light meal. ~Janice

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies ~ page 208

2011-05-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

I know...this recipe has been blogged about, but I have to let you know what I did with half of this dough. I made a cookie cake for a friend! It turned out so well, I think I will be doing it again soon! This recipe has all shortening in it which keeps it from spreading, causing it to really keep its shape. I just patted the dough out in a circle on a baking sheet. I have a friend that did a half marathon last weekend...This was her good luck cookie. (The half marathon is 13.1 miles total, in case you are wondering what the numbers mean) anyway...it was a nice crispy texture that made it firm enough to handle so I could transport it easily to the friend's house. So, give it a try next time you want to make a plate of cookies for a friend, and instead surprise them with a cookie cake! --Carissa

Chunky Guacamole ~ page 13

2011-05-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the huge delay in posting here on the blog! Somehow the last month just got away from me. I'll admit, one thing that has kept me away is a new cookbook that I got. It is a Cook's Illustrated cookbook called "The Best 30 Minute Recipe". With 3 kids...30 minutes is all I have most days to get dinner on the table. So, yes, I have had my nose in the new book quite a bit lately. Also, we are getting close to blogging about most all of the recipes in our book. My mom and I need to sit down and figure out what has yet to be blogged about. If you know of something that you haven't seen on the blog yet, shoot us an email and let us know. We will get it made and posted for you, so you can see pictures.

Anyway...last weekend us Johnson's got together for Adam's birthday and Julia's birthday. I was in charge of making the guacamole. So...here it is! Sorry that the picture turned out a bit blurry. It has such a nice chunky texture. I guess the reason I like mine so chunky is that now days it seems most people buy that prepackaged stuff when they are in charge of bringing guacamole to the party. I'm sorry to all of you out there that love that stuff...it just has this slimy texture that I have a hard time handling. I guess I like my homemade stuff super chunky so that it could be as far from the store bought stuff as possible. So next time you offer to bring the guac....try this recipe. Your tasters will thank you! --Carissa

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2011-03-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

These are my new favorite muffins. I keep them in the freezer for when I get that chocolate craving, and my girls love the mini muffins packed in their lunches for school, they think they are getting chocolate cake, but it is really crammed full of shredded zucchini!

I just thought I'd pass the recipe on to you guys! Check out the recipe under the "New Recipe" tab. --Carissa

White Bean Chicken Chili ~ page 38

2011-02-23T15:16:00.000-08:00

Want a great all-weather soup? This one works just as well in the summer as in the winter. It it light and refreshing with chicken and white beans, yet hearty enough for a cold blustery day too. And, it is fast and easy to prepare with rotisserie chicken.

To give the broth a nice thickness, puree one can of your Great Northern beans to make a paste to stir into the soup.

Put all your veggies in the food processor to quickly chop them into small pieces. The veggies aren't the star of the show in this soup--the beans and chicken are. I love to pass lots of condiments to be added to white chicken chili: diced avocado, shredded Monterey jack cheese, cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, and tortilla chips. Just let your family or guest put on their favorite toppings. I have never made this soup that there were not lots of compliments!

Biscotti: Chocolate, Chocolate Chip ~ page 200

2011-02-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

I love biscotti with morning coffee, but this one is more suited for afternoon or dinner coffee I think. This is chocolaty enough to feel like dessert--but with not butter or fat in it, it is a lighter treat than an ordinary cookie.

And this biscoitti has no special mixing steps--just put it all in a mixer, get it combined, then add the chocolate chips and dump the whole mess out on a lightly floured board. Now, there is one hard part though, and that is getting the dough out of the mixing bowl. With no butter in this dough, it is VERY stiff and heavy. I sometimes even get my hubby to do the dumping--that is how stiff the dough is. Now pat the dough into 2 logs, and transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet.

After the first baking period, slice the logs for the second baking to crisp them up. Biscotti with no butter, like this recipe, will last a long time just piled in a pretty covered jar on your counter--although, if you can see them... sitting there enticing you... it does makes you eat more...

Big-Hearted Butter Shortbread ~ page 191

2011-02-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, here is one last Valentine cookie to consider. I like this cookie because it is the grown-up version of a our cut out sugar cookie. This is shortbread--heavy on the butter and light on the sweet! I like to made this cookie for wedding showers and ice just half of the heart with white glaze--it really does look very elegant.

I got some help rolling out cookies on Valentine's day from a little princess that picked me a bouquet from her front yard (with momma's help!).

What makes this shortbread light is the corn starch that is sifted with powdered sugar. Notice this heart cookie cutter? My husband made this for me about 35 years ago--cutting it from a tin can and then bending it into a heart shape. It is rather primitive, but I have never found a store-bought one that I liked the shape as well as this one.

When you mix up the cookie dough, it will look very crumbly at first. But don't worry--it gathers up nicely into a ball.

The dough is easy to work with, and you can roll it out right away--it needs no chilling time in the fridge, which is a big advantage if you are in a hurry.

And I was in a hurry as I had 3 kiddos waiting on cookies! ~ Janice

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies ~ page 193

2011-02-14T06:43:00.000-08:00

I was up at midnight making these so Lillian could take them to school today for Valentines Day! I watered down the icing a little so I could ice them really fast, it was almost like a glaze. I was really sleepy and ready to go to bed. They turned out really good, I did think that they weren't as tender and soft as I remember them being last time I made them. Then I remembered that I never put the shortening in! The girls were helping me mix them up and they got me distracted making me forget half the fat! So I guess they were low fat cookies. They still tasted fine, and were easier to ice because they were firmer and didn't crack any when handled. Perfect for transporting to school with Lillian this morning!
The girls had so much fun...actually too much fun icing some themselves before they went to bed. We had icing and sprinkles EVERYWHERE! Happy Valentimes Day to everyone out there!! --Carissa

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies ~ page 213

2011-02-12T17:26:00.000-08:00

Need Chocolate for Valentine's Day?

These cookies are for the kind of people that just can't get enough chocolate. Do not serve these to those kinds of people (like my hubby) who can take or leave chocolate--this cookie will put them over their limit. But for me, I love, love, love these scrumptious cookies!

This is the time to hunt down the best dark chocolate you can find.

The dark chocolate and butter are melted in the microwave.

The chocolate mixture is stirred into the beaten egg mixture, then the dry ingredients blended in--very easy!
To this chocolate batter, you add more chocolate chips or chunks!

I put my cookie dough in the fridge, then baked the cookies the next day; this made kind of round cookie balls. If you bake them right after mixing them however, your cookie will be flatter, which works just as well, they will just look different. I do it whichever way is most convenient at the time. If you need something very chocolatey for Valentines Day--this outrageous chocolate cookie will meet your needs!

Chicken Tortilla Soup ~ page 44

2011-02-07T08:16:00.000-08:00

This soup is really fast to make since it uses a rotisserie chicken. I made it one afternoon, then once it cooled, stuck the whole pan in the fridge till the next day, then just heated it right back up. Tasted even better once it sat overnight. All the toppings make it extra special, so don't leave those off! If you need a little heat, try getting a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and either just add some of the sauce to the soup or chop up one of the chipotle peppers and add it. Chipotle flavor goes really well this this soup. A friend brought me a pot of this soup when Lillian was born, I have been making it ever since. --Carissa

Butter Crisp Cookies ~ page 205

2011-02-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

Oh, my. I had forgotten how good these are! They are so easy and fast to make and any pretty nut dresses them up. You have to try this recipe if you haven't already. I might try a big chocolate chip next time...

Microwave Peanut Brittle ~ page 256

2011-02-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at this. I am not sure it worked right. Is this one of those things that doesn't double well? It tastes good, but after 3 hours it isn't hard. It is more like peanut candy. I was able to cut it, but it is too soft to "break". Any ideas, Big Sis?

Zucchini and Parmesan Orzo ~ page 108

2011-02-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

I know this doesn't look like much in a pile here, but it was very tasty to make up for it's simple look. I just had two zucchini on hand, the recipe calls for 2-3...I usually do three. So it felt a little skimpy on the veggie part, but still very flavorful. I think chopped fresh spinach would be a great addition to this, I might try that next time.
Here is Evelyn happily stirring away! She sure loves to cook and she always does it in style! Check out the old flower girl dress (that we use as a dress up dress) she is sporting!!
This went very well with salmon and steamed broccoli. I diced the zucchini pretty small so my girls wouldn't detect it as easily, it worked like a charm! They gobbled it up without realizing they were eating a veggie.
The following day I was sick...with a sore throat. All I wanted was a brothy soup. After searching the fridge for something to make a soup out of I saw these orzo leftovers. I heated up 2 cups of broth on the stove and added 1 1/4 cup of the orzo leftovers. It was quite good for an instant soup! Although the zucchini floated to the top and the orzo to the bottom making the zucchini more noticeable...Evelyn wised up and asked me to take all the "green squares" out of her soup! I hope everyone is staying warm out there! --Carissa

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana ~ page 51

2011-02-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

With practically the whole country cold this week--I figured it should be the week of soups, so here is my favorite. This is the soup I always order at Olive Garden--remember, the place where I don't like the bread-sticks!--But I do love this soup, so I found a copy-cat recipe for it.

The recipe calls for spicy link sausage. This time I used a jalapeño sausage that I had on hand, but I usually use a spicy Italian sausage. If your sausage is not as spicy as you would like, then add a few shakes of red pepper to the soup.

After you brown the sausage and set it aside to drain--cook the bacon in the same pot, then set it aside to crumble for the topping. Drain off some of the bacon grease, then add the chopped onions to cook in the rest of the drippings. This give great smoky bacon flavor to the soup.

I couldn't find kale at the grocery store this week, so I used collard greens, which is a fine substitute. Oh, and when you are preparing the potatoes, leave the peels on. This is a rustic soup and the peels are welcome!

I had some homemade chicken broth in the fridge today--which is a great addition if you have some. Otherwise, broth from a box or bouillon is fine to use. The potatoes and greens cook up fast--this looks good just like it is...

but the addition of a small amount of cream takes this soup in the cozy comfort level.

You can also add freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top each serving--I remembered that after the meal--oh well, next time. Now, imagine this with Carissa's bread-sticks....yummm, very good. ~ stay warm, Janice

Italian Breadsticks ~ page 282

2011-01-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

Last summer I posted this recipe, but I had made it into pizza rolls with cheese and pepperoni. Here are the breadsticks as they are written. They rise very quickly, so it doesn't take all afternoon to make them. They are much better than Olive Garden's breadsticks I think. The recipe says to knead in as much of the flour as you can, but don't add it all in. You still want a soft ball of dough. The reason the recipe doesn't just give an exact amount is just because there are so many little variables...from the kind of flour you use to your weather. Just add what you need to to make a soft non sticky ball and you will be fine. Of the 2 cups I think I added 1 3/4 cup of flour.
Above it the dough rising in the warm but OFF oven...then I added a dish of boiling water beside it to keep it warm in there...I needed it to rise even faster. I was in a hurry had hungry kids and husband waiting!
Below is the finished product...so YUMMY! I had leftover black Bean Soup from the other night so dolled it up by adding rotisserie chicken and came out with a great meal that was very healthy!

Black Bean Soup ~ page 41

2011-01-30T13:47:00.000-08:00

This is a very complex tasting soup even though it is so simple. Be careful with the cayenne pepper, maybe go light if you have kids eating it. I had to water my kid's bowls down a little. The apple cider vinegar adds a great tang to the soup so don't skip it. I garnished mine with sour cream. Green onions would have been nice too. This freezes really well, so you can make it even if you aren't cooking for 6 people. --Carissa

Perfect Chocolate Layer Cake ~ page 243

2011-01-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

My daughter-in-law, Cathy, just told me she does not usually care for chocolate cake because it is dry--well, believe me, this is not a dry cake at all! But the interesting thing is, neither is it loaded up with butter and oil to keep it moist. There is just a modest amount of oil in the recipe. What is different, is that boiling water is added to the batter, and somehow this makes for a moist cake.

I made this cake for my son Matthew's 36th birthday--here he is with his cousin, Nathan, (on the right) and Nathan's girlfriend, Marianna, at Matthew's family birthday party. You know, years ago I remember my mother-in-law always commenting on my husband's birthdays that she couldn't believe she had a son that old. Well, finally I know what she means...all my kids birthdays seems to remind me that they must have a very old mother if they are that old! Ha!

Here is the beginnings of this easy and delicious layer cake...I used a mixture of (expensive) dark cocoa that I love, and a cheaper store brand cocoa--just to get the best of both worlds. I put parchment paper in the bottom of the cake pans, then grease and flour them to make removing the cake a breeze.

The cake batter is very thin after you add the boiling water--but don't worry, it all comes out perfect in the end.

Look at this face...don't you know what she is asking for!

Finally, the cake is iced--dig in girl!

Fulfillment.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo ~ page 43

2011-01-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

This gumbo tasted so cozy on a cold night this week. I bought a package of fresh chicken quarters...it had 4 quarters in there, I think it only cost $2.80, so cheaper than a whole chicken. I simmered the chicken in water with some onion, bay leave, and peppercorns. Then shredded the meat, that way I had some good broth for the gumbo.
Below is the roux...you are suppose to cook it till it is chocolate brown, I got a little lazy and stopped a little early mainly cuz I had a screaming baby that needed to be fed, so I chose the baby over the roux. The roux was a little dry, I'm not sure if I mis-measured or if it needed a touch more oil, but I added a little more and it was better. So feel free to add a little more oil if it needs it.
I doubled the recipe so here is my 4 cups of chicken...
Below is my big yummy pot of gumbo. We had my cousin Nathan and his girlfriend Marianna over for dinner. The recipe called for spicy sausage, but I used mild sausage because of the kids, but I kinda wish I had used something hotter, I thought it needed a little kick. Don't be afraid to salt this, the recipe just says to "salt to taste". For a doubled batch I used 1 teaspoon, and thought it needed more still. I stuck a container of the leftovers in the freezer for another cold day...YUM! --Carissa

Silicone Baking Cups...do they work???

2011-01-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered if the silicone bakeware was worth the money? I thought I'd do a little product review for you! I bought these cute little silicone muffin cups the other day; the manager at Sur La Table said I could bring them back if I didn't like how they worked, she claimed them wonderful. So I gave them a try. I whipped up my favorite banana pineapple muffin recipe on page 306!
As you can see they baked up nice and round, the true test was what happened once

I took them out..... They slipped right out, I just had to wipe them down and they were ready for another go round. I was pretty impressed at the cleanup! They even browned the bottom of the muffins which I had my doubts about. So, I would recommended them next time you see some on sale! I have never been a big fan of the paper cups, they take the bottom of the muffin off sometimes, and kids can't peel them very well themselves...and you have to keep buying them. This is a nice way to take the mess of muffin tin greasing and cleaning up out of muffin baking, so you can spend more time eating the muffins! --Carissa

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs ~ page 312

2011-01-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you--this is a hearty, delicious breakfast any man will love! It also makes a wonderful Sunday night supper. You do have to do one thing first though--you need to have a meal of corned beef in order to have leftover meat for Corned Beef Hash. So I made a pot of corned beef and cabbage for dinner one night, then a few days later I made this recipe.

This is my leftover piece of corned beef that I cube along with a few potatoes. I prefer using red potatoes with their skins in this recipe, but I only had russet potatoes on hand, and really, they worked just fine.

Make your cubes pretty small--about 1/2- inch or less.

Mix it up, and it is already looking really good! Now it just needs to simmer with some spices...

You can poach your eggs right in the hash while it is cooking, but I prefer to use poaching cups I have in order to have better control of how my egg cooks. You can also just add a fried egg on top your hash. Any way you make it, this is a tasty and delicious dish that just makes you feel cozy.