Week 14: Easy Potato Bread

Source: The Bread Machine Cookbook, V (Rathmell German)

Overall Impression: Excellent Bread
It was ... a family favorite with chili, soup, roast or maybe Thanksgiving dinner (wink, wink). 

Easy Potato Bread
Time =  15 min active, 4 hours total (includes cooling time)
Servings = 12

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons potato flakes
3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon dried rosemary*

Directions:

This recipe is for a 1 1/2 lb loaf made in a bread machine.** Put the ingredients in the bread machine tin in the order listed.  Set machine on sweet and medium.  Allow to cool for at least one hour before cutting. 

Notes:

* I love to use rosemary.  But for Thanksgiving dinner I'd suggest 1/2 teaspoon thyme and/or 1/2 teaspoon sage.  Fresh cracked pepper would also be tasty. 
** If you don't have a bread machine you can still make this bread. It just takes more work.  First, mix the dry ingredients together and then work into the liquid.  Knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed.  Place in a greased bread pan, cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour.  Punch down.  Let rise again for about an hour (or until doubled in size).  Then bake at 375 F until golden brown on top.

Tip: Thanksgiving

Don't wait until Thanksgiving day to make all the food.  We try to get a lot done a head of time.  I'm making cranberry sauce today (the Saturday before).  We'll cook the turkey and stuffing the day before, as well as the sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.  That just leaves green beans, rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy for the day of.  Oh, and warming things up in the oven.

Week 13: Vegetable Stuffing Bake

Source: Taste of Home, 5 Star Recipes (Sept. 2010)*

Overall Impression: Comfort
It was ... a good side dish for chicken or a good standalone vegetarian dish, maybe for meatless-Monday. 

Vegetable Stuffing Bake
Time =  1 hour
Servings = 8

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups 1% or 2% milk**
4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1 box bread stuffing
1 stick butter, halved
1 small head broccoli, florets
1 small head cauliflower, florets***
1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil.  Saute onions until softened.  Stir in flour until moist then add milk, stirring continually.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until thickened.  Remove from heat.

In a large casserole dish, layer half the stuffing.  Melt half a stick of butter and pour over the stuffing.  Layer the broccoli and cauliflower florets.  Pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables.  

In a small bowl, mix the rest of the stuffing with the rest of the melted butter and the chicken broth.  If it seems too dry, add a bit more broth.  Sprinkle over the casserole.

Bake, covered for 40 minutes.  Remove the lid and bake 5 more minutes or until the top is golden.

Notes:

* The original recipe used highly processed stuff like cream of mushroom soup and "cheese sauce."  Instead I made a sauce using oil, onions, flour, milk and cheese.  It takes a bit longer but is so much better for you.
** Don't use skim milk.  There needs to be good fats or the sauce won't thicken.  If you want really creamy sauce use whole milk.
*** The original recipe called for broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. I love Brussels sprouts but only pan fried, not baked.  So I used more broccoli.

 I used Mrs. Cubbison's Classic Dressing

 The vegetables with homemade cheesy sauce poured over.

 All baked up golden brown!

Week 12: Healthy S.O.S.

Source: Rachael Ray Magazine, April 2012

Overall Impression: Comfort
It was ... a marriage of really good, thick homemade chicken soup and traditional S.O.S.  

Healthy S.O.S.
Time =  45 min
Servings = 4

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup shredded carrot
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 lemon, sliced*
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 1/2 cups water
2 Tablespoons butter**
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 medium leeks, trimmed and sliced to 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 heaping cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 1% or 2% milk***
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
4 slices good bread

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken and stir to coat in olive oil.  Add carrot, celery, onion, lemon, bay leaf, thyme and water.  Turn up heat to bring to boil, then reduce heat back to medium, cover and let cook.

Meanwhile, in another skillet over medium heat, melt butter then add 1 table spoon olive oil.  Add chopped leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook 6-7 minutes or until softened.

When the leeks are soft, sprinkle the flour in and mix until all the flour is dampened.  Add the milk while stirring.  Then ladle roughly 1 cup of broth from the chicken/veggie skillet into the leek skillet.  Add mustard and stir well.

Pour the leek/sauce mixture into the chicken/veggie skillet.  Reduce heat to medium-low and let cook, uncovered, until desired consistency.  Remove from heat as soon as the consistency is perfect.

Toast the bread until golden and butter.  Cut into triangles and arrange on each plate.  Top with chicken and leeks.  Whoa la - S.O.S.

Notes:

* I completely forgot to get a lemon.  But I did have "Real Lemon Juice" in the fridge.  So I added about 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the chicken skillet.  
** Use real, unsalted butter.  Real butter contains the fats needed to merge with the flour and create a nice creamy sauce.  If you use salted butter, don't add too much when you season the leeks.
*** Don't use skim milk.  Just like the butter, there needs to be good fats or the sauce won't thicken.  If you want really creamy sauce use whole milk.

Chicken and veggies in skillet #1

Leeks!!!!

Leeks chopped and in skillet #2

Yummy chicken, veggies and broth