* S.O.S. (Creamed Chipped Beef)

• 1 jar (2¼ oz) dried beef
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 
• 3 Tbsp Flour
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 2 cups milk
• Light dash salt
• Pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste

Made enough for 9 pieces of toast.

Melt butter in a large skillet and add flour. Stir with a whisk to form a roux. Slowly add evaporated milk and regular milk while stirring to avoid lumps. Add beef and seasonings and simmer until gravy like and smooth. Serve immediately over toast.

** You can also substitute shredded chicken breast or turkey in place of the dried beef.  When I use chicken, I like to add a few dashes of celery seed, onion powder, and paprika along with the original seasonings.

Aunt Jolene's Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole

• 6 medium baking apples (peeled and sliced)
• ½ c. maple syrup 
• ½ c. brown sugar, packed
• ½ c. unsalted butter 
• 4 med. sweet potatoes (baked, peeled, and sliced)
• 1 c. chopped pecans 

In a saucepan, put sliced apples and cover with syrup, sugar, and butter.  Cook until tender, but not falling apart.  Take apples out and place in a 2 quart casserole dish, but leave the sauce in the pot.  Take sliced sweet potatoes and layer with apples.  Pour sauce over apples and potatoes.  Top with pecans.  Bake at 350⁰ for 30-45 minutes.  Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Casserole

FILLING:

• 2 cans (15 oz. each) sweet potatoes, drained
• ¾ stick butter, melted, plus more to grease the casserole dish
• ⅓ c. heavy cream
• ⅓ c. dark brown sugar
• ¼ c. granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract 
• dash salt, ¼-½ tsp I didn't measure exactly 
• dash cinnamon, ⅛ tsp or less

TOPPING:

• ¼ c. dark brown sugar
• dash salt
• 1 c. chopped pecans
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 
• 2 c. mini marshmallows, optional 

1)  In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes.  Add melted butter, vanilla, heavy cream, egg, and sugar.  Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.

2)  Place in greased 2½ quart baking dish and bake at 350⁰ for 25 minutes.

3)  While filling is baking, make topping.  Roughly chop pecans.  Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add pecans and sugar.  Stir a simmer a few minutes and remove from heat. 

4) Remove filling from oven when done and apply topping.  Sprinkle pecans evenly over casserole.  Sprinkle marshmallows on top of pecans.  Bake approximately 7-8 minutes until marshmallows are melted and lightly browned.  Allow to set and cool at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Holiday Dressing & Giblet Gravy

Before diving into this delicious recipe, please read the following notes (and then entire recipe!) carefully.  They offer many key tips and will help prevent making common mistakes while preparing the dressing.  Some notes before beginning:

●  This list is for 1 Pyrex dish approx 9x13 inches.  However, when making it for family get-togethers such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, I usually triple this amount.  The first time I made it, I made 3 times this amount.

●  This recipe uses large eggs!  Not small, medium, or jumbo ones.  Please do not substitute!  You will need 9 eggs per pan of dressing you wish to make, so just go ahead and buy a dozen large to start off with and make your life easy.

– 3 are for the cornbread, 3 are boiled, and 3 go in raw

 ●  Make the dressing about 3 days before you are ready to cook it to serve.  The secret to this recipe is letting it ferment in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking.  It tastes even better!

 ●  It is freezable!  Yes, you can freeze it uncooked for 4 to 6 weeks!  This does not hurt the quality or taste in any way.  So if you make too much for Thanksgiving, freeze an extra pan for Christmas!  No one will know it was frozen.  Just place it in the fridge overnight to allow it to thaw before baking it.

DO NOT SUBSTITUTE any of the following:

• Medium or Jumbo for the Large Eggs 

• Sweet, Red, or White Onions for Yellow Onions.  Sweets do not provide enough flavor, Whites are too strong, and Reds are just completely inappropriate flavor for this type of dish.  I know my onions.  I love them, but each has its own place in cooking.  Some substitutions just don’t work.  Yellow only for dressing please! 

• Sweet Milk for Buttermilk – it will alter the taste of the cornbread and therefore, the dressing.  If possible, please use Bulgarian Buttermilk, unless you absolutely cannot find it. 

• White Cornmeal for Yellow Cornmeal – again, this will change the taste dramatically!  White is not bad, it’s just not as good.  Plus, the yellow and the buttermilk complement each other in ways you cannot imagine! 

●  The reason this dressing is so rich and savory is because of the ingredients in it.  When you change what goes into the cornbread, you change the foundation of your dressing.  This step is critical.  Please do not overlook it.

●  My grandmother, Willodean McRee taught me to make dressing.  She did not have exact amounts as I have outlined here; she just made it from years of experience.  When I made it myself, I made a couple changes – used Yellow Cornmeal instead of white, and used Bulgarian Buttermilk instead of Sweet Milk.  I pretty much winged it the first time around, but I was careful to measure and record everything I did.  I got lucky and it was a big hit!  Granny said she loved the alterations in the cornbread and thought I had improved her “already famous” recipe.  She was very proud.  And now, I am proud to share this recipe with you.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  And remember, have fun!

Makes a 9x13 Pyrex pan of dressing.

• Cornbread (recipe follows)
• 2 cups Hen Meat
• 1 quart homemade Chicken Stock + 1 can Swanson Chicken Broth
• 3 Boiled Large Eggs
• 3 Raw Large Eggs
• ¼ Large Yellow Onion
• 1⅓ stalks Celery
• ½ tbsp Poultry Seasoning
• ½ tsp Sage

Extra celery, onion, and some carrots for hen stock.  Also, salt, pepper, and thyme.

STEP 1: The Hen, Stock, and Cornbread

    Boil the hen in a large stock pot with approximate 4 ½ quarts water and some carrots, celery, onion, [use as much as you like. Remember this will be used as your stock for the dressing and also for the Giblet Gravy if you choose to make any] 1 tbsp salt, pinch of thyme and fresh ground black pepper to taste.  Keep leftover broth. [I had about 4 quarts]  Note: This was a fairly large hen.  It provided enough meat and stock to make 3 pans of dressing and a quart of Giblet Gravy. 

    Strain the broth to remove all vegetables and throw them away.  Boil 3 eggs ahead of time too.  While the hen is cooking, make the following recipe for cornbread.

Cornbread (2 skillets)

• 3 c. Yellow Cornmeal
• 2½ c. Bulgarian style Buttermilk
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ c. oil

Mix together and bake at 450 for 25 minutes. Makes one 10¼ inch skillet and one 8½ inch skillet.

STEP 2: Prepare Your Stock

Chop up the onion and celery.  Heat the chicken broth on the stove in a saucepan.  Add the onion and celery to the broth and let it simmer on the stove until the onion and celery are cooked.

STEP 3: It All Comes Together

Crumble the cornbread in a large mixing bowl.  Chop up your boiled eggs and add to the cornbread.  Add 2 cups hen meat.  Add 1 quart chicken broth and 1 can Swanson Chicken Broth and stir.

Add the poultry seasoning and sage.  Stir well.  Add 3 raw eggs.

STEP 4: FERMENTATION

This is the most important and most overlooked step in making phenomenal dressing.  Allow the dressing to ferment in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days [preferably 3].  This will help bring out all of the flavors in the dressing.  Also, this step prevents over-seasoning with poultry seasoning and sage, which is a very common mistake!  If you tasted the raw mixture now (before adding your raw eggs, of course!) you would think it didn’t have enough seasoning.  After fermenting for a few days, however, the flavors are just right.  Waiting 3 days will seem difficult, but I promise it is worth it!

STEP 5: BAKING

Bake the dressing in large Pyrex dishes (or Corningware) at 350 degrees.  It will take about 60 – 80 minutes depending on your oven. [Mine is electric]  Just check it.  If it still looks soupy, it’s not done yet.  It should be firm, but not dry.  You should be able to slice it and scoop out squares.  It should not be so soft it falls down on your plate.  [Soggy dressing is just plain gross!]   Let it stand after coming out of the oven a few minutes before serving.  

Giblet Gravy

• 1 quart homemade Chicken Stock
• Giblets from a turkey (which I assume you are preparing to bake to go along with the dressing.  Am I right?)
• 1 or 2 large scoops of Dressing (already cooked), adjust amount as you like
• Salt, Black Pepper, and Thyme to season the giblets

Place the giblets in a pan of boiling water.  Add some salt, pepper, and thyme.  Boil the giblets until cooked. 

Remove from water.  Chop up the meat into small pieces.  Discard the water.

In a large pot, add 1 quart homemade chicken stock, the chopped giblets, and the scoop(s) of dressing.  Bring to a rolling boil for a minute and reduce heat to a simmer.  Taste to see if the saltiness is right and add a little if necessary.  Much of the seasoning is already in the broth and the dressing, so you shouldn’t need much if any additional seasoning.  Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.  The gravy will not be thick when it is done.  It will still be very broth-like.

-  Remember:  Less is more when it comes to salt!  Too much salt will quickly ruin any dish!

Pineapple Casserole

Pineapple casserole is a sweet and savory side dish that pairs well with ham, turkey, and more! Easy to make and everyone always loves it!

PREP:  10 mins
COOK:  30 mins
TOTAL:  40 mins
SERVINGS: 10 servings

● 20 oz. pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice drained (reserve 2 tablespoons juice for the topping)

● 20 oz. crushed pineapple in 100% pineapple juice drained

● ¼ c. honey

● ⅓ c. all-purpose flour

• ● 6 oz. freshly grated shredded sharp cheddar cheese about 1 1/2 c., divided
• 
  
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 
  

• ● 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted 

   

  ● 20 buttery round crackers crushed, such as Ritz (about 3/4 c.) 

   

  ● ¼ c. panko breadcrumbs or additional crushed crackers 

   

  ● 2 Tbsp pineapple juice reserved from one of the cans above

•  
• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick spray (an 8x10 dish or deep 9-inch pie plate will work as well).
• 
  
• Prepare the filling:  In a large mixing bowl, gently stir together the two drained pineapples (be sure to reserve 2 tablespoons juice for the topping) and honey.
• 
  

• Sprinkle the flour and two-thirds of the shredded cheese over the top.

• 
  

• Stir again gently to combine, until the flour disappears and the cheese appears evenly mixed.

• 
  

• Spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

• 
  
• Prepare the topping:  In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, crackers, breadcrumbs, and 2 tablespoons reserved juice with a fork until evenly moistened. 
• Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
• 
  

• Bake the pineapple casserole for 35 minutes, until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the topping is browned. Enjoy warm.

• 
  
• 
  
• TO MAKE AHEAD: Up to 1 week in advance, crush the crackers and store them in an airtight storage container or ziptop bag. Up to 1 day in advance, prepare the casserole filling and transfer it to the baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. When you're ready to finish the recipe, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator, add the topping mixture, and bake as directed.
• 
  
• TO STORE: Refrigerate casserole in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
• 
  
• TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
• 
  
• TO FREEZE: Freeze casserole in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The texture of the casserole will change once thawed, but it will still taste delicious.
• 
  
• Nutrition
• SERVING: 1(of 10)
• CALORIES: 275kcal
• CARBOHYDRATES: 33g
• PROTEIN: 6g
• FAT: 14g
• SATURATED FAT: 8g
• POLYUNSATURATED FAT: 1g
• MONOUNSATURATED FAT: 4g
• TRANS FAT: 1g
• CHOLESTEROL: 36mg
• POTASSIUM: 182mg
• FIBER: 2g
• SUGAR: 24g
• VITAMIN A: 437IU
• VITAMIN C: 11mg
• CALCIUM: 156mg
• IRON: 1mg

* Maple Pecan Glazed Salmon

• 3 salmon fillets
• 1 c. chopped pecans
• 4 Tbsp butter
• ⅔ c. Maple syrup 
• 6 Tbsp orange juice
• 2 tsp spicey brown mustard 
• dash of dried rosemary 

Sauté pecans in butter. Add the other ingredients and simmer until thickened a little. 

Sprinkle a light amount of salt, pepper and paprika on salmon. Bake at 400⁰ for approximately 16 minutes.  About 3 minutes before it's finished, pour pecan glaze over salmon and return to oven for the remainder of cook time.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Prep:  10 minutes

Cook:  25 minutes

Total:  35 minutes

Servings:  12 servings

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ⅔ c. sour cream (sub – Greek Yogurt)
• ⅓ c. mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese divided
• ½ c. fresh shredded parmesan cheese
• ½ c. shredded gruyere cheese
• 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach defrosted and squeezed dry
• 14 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• Black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and garlic with a hand mixer until fluffy.
3. Stir in parmesan cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, gruyere cheese, spinach, and artichokes.
4. Place into a 9x9 casserole dish (or deep dish pie plate) and top with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is browned.

Best served with tortilla chips, crackers, or toasted baguettes.

*Cornbread

Cornbread (small – 8½ inch cast iron  skillet)

• 1¼ c. Yellow cornmeal 
• ¾ c. Bulgarian buttermilk
• 1 egg
• ⅓ c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• Bacon grease to coat skillet

Mix together and bake at 450⁰ for 20 minutes. Makes one small pan.

Servings: 4 

Cornbread (large – 10¼ inch cast iron skillet)

• 2½ c. Yellow cornmeal
• 1½ c. Bulgarian buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ c. sugar
• 4 Tbsp canola oil
• Bacon grease to coat skillet

Mix together and bake at 450⁰ for 25 minutes. Makes one large pan.    

Servings: 8

Chocolate Lasagna

Chocolate Lasagna

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Chill Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes

Servings: 24

Oreo Crust:

• 36 regular Oreo's

• 6 Tablespoons butter , melted

Layer 1:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese , softened

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 2 Tablespoons cold milk

• 12 ounces Cool Whip , divided

Layer 2:

• 2 (3.9-ounce) packages dry chocolate instant pudding

• 3¼ cups cold milk

Topping

Mini chocolate chips , optional

Crushed Oreo's , optional

Instructions

Oreo Crust:

In a food processor or blender, blend Oreo's (whole cookies) into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and mix until combined. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish and place in the freezer or the refrigerator 5 minutes.

Layer 1:

In a medium-sized bowl, whip the cream cheese until fluffy with an electric mixer. Add in the sugar and milk. Mix until combined. Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip, then spread the mixture lightly over the crust. Place in the freezer or fridge for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Layer 2:

In a separate bowl, whisk the pudding and cold milk together until thick. Once thickened, spread over the top of the cream cheese layer. Place back in the fridge for another 5 to 10 minutes to allow pudding to set.

Topping:

Once pudding has set, spread the remaining Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with chocolate chips or crushed Oreo's. Store in the refrigerator 2 to 3 hours. Slice just before serving and enjoy while cold.

Notes:

Oreo's: Keep the cream in the center. You want to crush the whole cookie pretty fine, so I find using a blender or food processor is easiest. 

Pudding: Make sure it's the instant chocolate pudding. Do not use the cook and serve variation.

Cool whip: If you prefer a homemade cool whip, it is fairly easy to make. 

Make ahead: This dessert can easily be made 24 hours in advance. The crust will get softer the longer the pudding sits, so I don't like to prep it more than 48 hours in advance. You can also make the crust and then keep the layers in separate bowls until ready to assemble. 

Find full recipe notes and reviews here: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/chocolate-lasagna/

Smothered Pork Chops

• 4 boneless pork chops (~2 lbs total)

• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup 

• 1 med yellow onion, sliced

• 1 can milk

• 1 c. smooth peanut butter 

• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• black pepper, to taste

Place pork chops in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Put sliced onions on top of the pork chops.  Mix the cream of mushroom soup, milk, peanut butter, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper in a saucepan.  Heat on low and stir until well-blended.  Pour mixture over pork chops and cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Serve over white rice. 

*Asian Turkey & Rice Stir-fry

This is an easy one dish balanced meal.  I served it with egg rolls for a side.  I highly recommend a large wok to make this because it makes a large amount.  Good for hungry kids.  Also, if there are any leftovers, they taste even better the next day. 

• 1 lb. ground turkey 

• 3 c. cooked white rice 

• 1½ lb. bag PictSweet Farms Trinity Seasoning Blend (onion, celery, and bell peppers) – may substitute 2 cups diced onion, 1 cup celery, and 1 cup peppers. 

• 1 c. shredded carrots

• 4-5 green onions, sliced

• 2 packets Asian Style Stir-fry Seasoning blend 

• 4 Tbsp sesame oil

• about ½ c. Teriyaki sauce

• reduced-sodium soy sauce, to taste

STEP 1:  Cook the turkey with 1 seasoning packet in a skillet until completely done. Set aside. 

STEP 2:  Add about 4 Tbsp sesame oil to wok. Add trinity blend, carrots, and the other dry seasoning packet. Cook until vegetables are done.  Lower heat.

STEP 3:  To the wok, add rice, turkey, green onions, teriyaki sauce, and a couple splashes of soy sauce.  Stir well to combine.  Taste, and add more teriyaki or soy sauce if desired.  Simmer a couple minutes on low before serving. 

Southern Pepper Sauce

• 1 c. white vinegar

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp kosher or pickling salt

• 1 tsp olive oil optional for extra hot pepper sauce

• About 30 small peppers

1. Clean jar, lid, and band and rinse well. Keep warm.

2. Mix together sugar, salt, vinegar, and optional olive oil in a stainless steel saucepan.

3. Cook over medium heat until it begins to boil.

4. Fill jar with peppers and pour hot vinegar mixture over the peppers. Leave about 1 inch of headspace from the top of the jar.

5. Remove air bubbles in the jar by tilting jar slightly to allow bubbles to escape as press peppers against opposite side of the jar.

6. Wipe jar rim to clean. Place lid on top of jar and tighten ring.

7. Allow jars to seal by setting on countertop to cool with about 1 inch in between each.

8. Test seal after about 12 hours by pressing finger to the center of the lid. If sealed, it will not pop back. If not sealed, refrigerate and use.

9. Store in dark, cool cabinet or pantry for up to a year.

Fake 18 Hour Sourdough

Please note that this recipe is not done being edited. I am making modifications after baking to achieve better results. This note will be edited or removed once desired results are achieved and no further changes are needed.

*Before starting, do not use a metal bowl or metal utensils.*

*3 cups of flour is the measurement prior to sifting.*

2 packages Yeast

1½ c. Water, lukewarm

1½ tsp fine Sea Salt

¼ c. Honey

½ c. Choboni Whole Greek Yogurt

3 c. Unbleached All-purpose Flour, sifted

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, use as needed ~ 4 oz.

Step 1 – Make the Dough:  Place yeast in a large plastic or ceramic bowl.  Add water and salt.  Stir gently.  Add honey and yogurt. Stir gently.  Add sifted flour.  Stir gently until sticky ball forms. 

Step 2 – First Knead:  Drizzle olive oil over dough and coat with hands. Separate dough from bowl and lightly knead a few times. Drizzle with more oil. 

Step 3 – Rest:  Let dough rest at room temperature about 2 - 2½ hours with a cover, but not airtight.  Dough should rise and double in size. 

Step 4 – Second Knead:  Knead lightly using the "pull & fold technique" with additional oil as needed.  Add another drizzle to coat surface and transfer to refrigerator for about 10-12 hours or overnight. 

Step 5 – Second Rise:  Remove from refrigerator and place in well-oiled baking pan.  Cover and let rise about 1½ hours inside at room temperature.

Step 6 – Third Rise:  Transfer outside to the sunshine for 1½ - 2 hours or until dough has tripled in size from removing the refrigerator. 

Bake at 425ºF for 30 minutes.

Overnight Oats: Peanut Butter & Banana

• ½ c. Old Fashioned oats 

• ½ c. 1% milk

• ¼ c. Whole Greek Yogurt 

• 1½ bananas, mashed up

• 3 Tbsp peanut butter 

• 3 Tbsp honey

• 1 tsp vanilla 

• Pinch of sea salt

Mix ingredients well and refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 4 hours for best results.  

*Eat within 24 hours because the bananas in it will not stay fresh long. Other variations without bananas could be kept refrigerated up to 48 hours.

Pigs in a Cornfield (Slow Cooker)

Frozen corn, pork chops, bacon and potatoes all slow cooked in a creamy sauce.

Prep Time:  20 min

Cook Time:  7 hrs

Total Time:  7 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 6 

Calories: 655 per serving

Equipment:  Slow Cooker - 6 quart or larger

• 21 oz. cream of mushroom soup (two 10.5 oz. cans) (don't add water)
• ½ c. milk
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¾ tsp dried leaf thyme
• 6 half ears of corn (from freezer section)
• 5 small potatoes, diced small
• 1 white onion, diced
• 2 lbs. pork chops
• 8 slices bacon sliced, cooked and drained

In a medium-sized bowl add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, salt, pepper and thyme.  Whisk until smooth.  Set aside.

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Add the frozen corn standing them up on their ends in a ring around the outer edge of the slow cooker.  Add potatoes in the middle of the corn.  Sprinkle over onion.

Add the pork chops on top of the corn and potatoes.  Sprinkle over the cooked bacon.  Spread over the soup mixture over the top of everything.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.

Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition: 

Calories:  655kcal

Carbohydrates:  57g

Protein:  48g

Fat:  26g

Saturated Fat:  9g

Cholesterol:  127mg

Sodium:  1161mg

Potassium:  1783mg

Fiber:  4g

Sugar:  8g

Vitamin A:  240IU

Vitamin C:  18.6mg

Calcium:  69mg

Iron:  3.7mg

Slow Cooker Pigs in a Cornfield https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/slow-cooker-pigs-in-a-cornfield/

Simple Sourdough Focaccia

Simple Sourdough Focaccia

What you need... a sourdough starter. Once your starter is ready to go, this recipe requires an initial 4–18 hour rise followed by a second 4 to 6 hour second rise. 

After the initial rise (depending on the time of year and temperature of your kitchen), you can deflate the dough, and stick it in the fridge for 8 to 10 hours (maybe longer), which might help you regarding your schedule. Keep in mind, when you remove the dough from the fridge and transfer it to a pan, it will still need to rise for another 5 to 6 hours. 

Apparently, chlorine in water can adversely affect sourdough. Leaving water at room temperature for 24 hours will allow most of the chlorine to escape. When I am in the habit of making sourdough bread, I fill a large pitcher with water and leave it out at room temperature. I use this for my sourdough breads and starter. 

Water quantity: Depending on where you live and the time of year, you may need to cut the water back. If you live in a humid environment, for instance, I would suggest starting with 430 g water. If you are not using bread flour, you also may need to cut the water back a bit.

Timing:

The more I make sourdough, the more I realize so much depends on the time of year and the temperature of my kitchen. In the summer, because it is so warm, the first rise (bulk fermentation) takes between 4 – 6 hours; in the winter the first rise takes 12 – 18 hours.

The key with this recipe is to make sure the first rise doesn’t go too long — you want the dough to nearly double. A straight sided vessel  (as opposed to a bowl) makes gauging the first rise easier. (Note: If your dough rises above double, don’t despair … recently my dough tripled in volume during an overnight rise, and the resulting focaccia was still delicious, light, airy, etc.)

A few thoughts: If you are making this focaccia in the summer (northern hemisphere), use 50 g of starter and check the dough every couple of hours. If you are making this in the winter, use 100 g of starter, and plan for a long first rise.

Flour choice: 

I’ve been using King Arthur Flour’s special patent flour — bought a 50-lb. bag of it at Restaurant Depot. Its protein content, 12.7%, is the same as the protein content of its bread flour. I also have used all-purpose flour (11.7%) with success, but I recommend bread flour, which seems to be more reliable for people especially those living in humid climates. If you only have ap flour on hand, you may consider reducing the water a bit — bread flour absorbs slightly more liquid than all-purpose flour.

INGREDIENTS

•50 g – 100 g (1/4 to 1/2 cup) active starter

•10 g (about 2.5 teaspoons) kosher salt

•430 – 440 g water, room temperature

*512 g (about 4 cups) bread flour

•3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

•Nice, flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the starter, salt, and water in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula to combine — it doesn’t have to be uniformly mixed. Add the flour. Mix again until the flour is completely incorporated.  If time permits, perform one “fold”: 30 minutes after you mix the dough, reach into the bowl and pull the dough up and into the center. Turn the bowl quarter turns and continue this pulling 8 to 10 times.

Drizzle with a splash of olive oil and rub to coat. Cover bowl with a tea towel or bowl cover and set aside to rise at room temperature (70ºF/21ºC) for 4 to 18 hours (the time will vary depending on the time of year, the strength of your starter, and the temperature of your kitchen — in summer, for instance, my sourdoughs double in 6 hours; in winter, they double in 18 hours. Do not use an oven with the light on for the bulk fermentation — it will be too warm. It is best to rely on visual cues (doubling in volume) as opposed to time to determine when the bulk fermentation is done.  A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled.).

When dough has doubled, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch pan. (I have been using this USA Pan, which I love. I have had no sticking issues. If you are using a glass pan, you may, as a precaution, want to butter it it first — I have had disasters with bread sticking when I’ve used oil alone with other baking vessels.)  Drizzle dough with a tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hand to gently deflate the dough and release it from the sides of the bowl. Gently scoop the dough into the center of the pool of oil in your prepared pan. Fold dough envelope style from top to bottom and side to side to create a rough rectangle. Turn dough over so seam-side is down.  Rub top of dough with oil. Leave alone for 4 to 6 hours, uncovered, or until puffy and nearly doubled.

Heat oven to 425ºF. Rub hands lightly with oil, and using all ten fingers, press gently into the dough to dimple and stretch the dough to nearly fit the pan. Sprinkle generously with sea salt. Transfer pan to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden all around. Remove pan from oven and transfer bread to a cooling rack. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Source:  https://alexandracooks.com/2019/03/22/simple-sourdough-focaccia-a-beginners-guide/

Captain Rodney's Dip

• ½ cup mayonnaise Blue Plate or Duke's
• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 2 cups cheddar cheese grated (like this)
• 2 whole green onions sliced thin
• ⅓ cup butter crackers crushed (like this brand)
• 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, or bacon bits
• ½ cup Boucan Pepper Glaze Captain Rodney's Boucan Pepper Glaze or pepper jelly

Preheat the oven to 350°F. For easier mixing, allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature.

Mix together the mayonnaise, cream cheese, cheese, and green onions.

Spread in an 8 or 9-inch pie dish. Top with crushed butter crackers.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Remove from the oven and top with cooked, crumbled bacon and Captain Rodney's Boucan Glaze. Serve with sturdy crackers, tortilla chips, or Scoops.

Creamy Cheese Sauce

Creamy Cheese Sauce

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

COOK TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

SERVINGS: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups milk

¼ teaspoon onion powder

⅛ teaspoon white pepper or a pinch

1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add milk a small amount at a time, whisking smooth after each addition.

Add onion powder and white pepper.

Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking continually until slightly thick.

Remove from heat, and add cheeses. Stir until melted.

*Notes:  Nutrition information is based on 1 cup of sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 536, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Cholesterol: 121mg, Sodium: 817mg, Potassium: 334mg, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1500IU, Calcium: 878mg, Iron: 0.9mg

Chicken and Broccoli Rice with Cheese Sauce

3 c. cooked white rice, or 1 c. uncooked

1½ c. broccoli florets

1 pkg (4 oz.) Velveeta cheese sauce

2 tsp Chicken Better Than Boullion 

¾ c. water

¼ tsp garlic powder 

¼ tsp onion powder 

1 tsp cornstarch

Salt, as needed 

Cook rice according to package directions.  Set aside.

Boil broccoli in lightly salted water until very tender.  You want to be able to mash it with a fork.  Drain water but reserve about ¾ cup.  Dissolve the chicken boullion in the water.  Then add the cornstarch.  Mash the broccoli up small with a potato masher or fork until pulverized.  Add water, cooked rice, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Bring to a simmer on the stove.  Add cheese sauce and stir until thickened slightly.  Serve immediately. 

** Measurements are approximate because I did not actually measure everything the first time I made it.  If needed, I will make adjustments next time for more accuracy.**