Bake Bread In Your Dutch Oven!

This is one of the easiest bread recipes that you will find and it can be done using your dutch oven! No mess, no long time wasting procedures, just a simple mix and fix bread recipe.

1/2 cup warm milk

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 pack dry active yeast, about 2 teaspoons

Mix the sugar and yeast in the warm milk and let rise for about 5 minute

Add together:

4 cups All-Purpose Flour + some for dusting

3/4 tablespoon Salt

1 cup Lukewarm water add a splash extra if needed

1 egg beaten

The yeast and sugar liquid

Knead well and let rest for about 1 hour

Use 1 tablespoon Olive Oil for greasing your dutch oven well, then place the dough evenly in a ball in the pan.

Heat your oven to 400F , then bake for 35-40 minutes

You can substitute warm water for the milk, but I find that the milk gives you a richer flavor.

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Cooking Tips From My Mom

Trying out a new restaurant can be a terrific experience, however do not you miss out on home-cooking? Sometimes you just require some basic suggestions to create hearty, home-cooked meals, and here are a few that I have picked up over the years.

Consider taking a cooking class for couples if you and your substantial other love cooking! Couples cooking classes can help you explore brand-new foods, enjoy each other’s company and likewise learn more about collaborating in the cooking area. A well-kept trick is that the guys delight in these classes as much as the women and it typically results in the fellows taking a higher function in cooking in the house.

Sometimes you may have an urge to make banana bread and do not have any bananas on hand. Don’t panic, especially if you have an infant in the house. Banana baby food is an excellent option. Two little containers of banana baby food equals about one cup of mashed bananas. Plus, baby food is easy to shop for and will not spoil.

Here Is A Really Simple Dessert Recipe

Do you remember a dessert called Angel Delight? It’s a breeze to whip up at home . All you need is 5 active ingredients:

1 pack of flavored jello

1 pack of shelled nuts

1 small can of your favorite fruit mixed drink

1 cup of cottage cheese

1 frozen tub of whipped cream.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large blending bowl and cool well before serving. Easy!

The trick to a making a fantastic mole sauce is to concentrate on the cocoa powder. Using a little bit of cocoa powder in your standard Italian tomato pasta sauces can make a huge difference in their taste as well. A touch of cocoa powder can give your dish a certain detailed flavor while not being too overpowering.

If you are going shopping for meat at the butcher shop be sure to ask if the meat is being fresh cut or ground. It’s perfectly fine to ask at the meat counter for a fresh grind if they do not know when the meat was actually ground

How To Make Delicious Chicken At Home

Pan roast your chicken pieces and let them take advantage of slow roasting in their own juices. Heat oil in an oven-safe pan till it is very hot. Add the chicken, skin side down, and shake the pan, you should hear the chicken start to crackle. Brown the other side when the skin side is golden brown. Put the whole pan in a 375 degree oven, and cook for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan, and place the pan back on the stove top. Toss in one half cup of sliced shallots to the pan juices, and fry till golden. De-glaze the pan with red wine. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook for a minute or more. Pour over the chicken and enjoy! Hint-this is a perfect recipe to make with your cast iron skillet!

Start to use what you’ve discovered here, and you’ll soon get sufficient understanding to prepare home prepared meals for yourself and those you surround yourself with. You’ll be impressed at how one cooking pointer or trick often leads to the learning of another, and you’ll quickly be able to start teaching others what you know.

Some Fun Info On Dutch Ovens

Have you ever noticed how some cast iron dutch ovens have little legs on the bottom of them and how others don’t? Ever wonder what purpose those little legs serve? Well, believe it or not, those little legs make the difference of how you are going to cook with your cast iron dutch oven.

For those new to cast iron dutch ovens, there are two types of ovens you can buy, ones with three legs and ones with a flat bottom and no legs. Cast iron dutch ovens without legs are best used for indoor cooking because you can use them on your stove top or inside the oven. You can cook some very delicious recipes in these types of ovens, such as roasted chicken and rice, roast beef and potatoes, and the always popular soups and stews. However, flat bottom dutch ovens can be used over a campfire but only if they are hanging from a tripod.

Cast Iron Dutch Ovens Often Have Three Legs

But now, what about those cast iron dutch ovens with the three legs, what are they for and how do I cook with those types of ovens? Well, first things first, these ovens are created and best used for cooking over campfires, or to be more precise, in campfires. The purpose of those three little legs is to create space between the bottom of the oven and the hot coals it is sitting over. That space between the bottom of the oven and the coals is to help create a space for air flow to reach the coals. When using an oven with legs, you will either want to make a separate fire pit for the oven to be placed in or let your original campfire burn down to coals so you have enough room between the bottom of the oven and the coals so air can circulate over the coals. Now, you can use a flat bottom dutch oven over a camp fire but you will need to place it on some rocks so you don’t burn the bottom of the food inside, depending on what you are cooking. But sometimes finding a rock is easier said than done, which is why if you truly are a cast iron dutch oven lover and an avid camper, an oven with three legs works the best.

Just like indoor ovens, there are a ton of delicious recipes you can make with your outdoor oven. The next time you go camping, no longer will hot dogs and hamburgers be the meals of choice. With your new cast iron dutch oven, a world of meal possibilities become available to you. You will be able to cook everything from scrambled eggs for breakfast to a delicious pot roast for dinner or even your favorite pasta dish! And don’t forget about dessert, you can make desserts like apple cobbler. I’ve even read that you can make a deep dish pizza with your dutch oven!

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Make This One Pot Pasta In Your Dutch Oven

Embracing your dutch oven means that a whole world of new recipe options just opened up for you. Many wonderful recipes that use a dutch oven are true on pot or pan recipes. One of the key features of a good dutch oven is the way it can be used both on a stove top and in an oven. Many cooks never put their dutch ovens in a cabinet, it stays on the stove top and they grab it whenever they need to brown, braise, fry, roast or bake food. It’s a wonderful, versatile cooking tool.

A Dutch Oven Is Perfect For Pasta Dishes

Most pasta recipes call for an assembly line type of production. You use a pan to brown the onions, garlic and meat. Another pot is used make the sauce and often the recipe calls for you to stand over the stove and stir this pot occasionally. Yet a third pot is required for the pasta itself. You boil a big pot of water and add pasta, creating yet another step in this production process.

Using a one pot recipe and your dutch oven eliminates the need for multiple pots and pans, plus you can save yourself time. Assemble the ingredients after doing some simple prep work, pop into your oven and you have a wonderful one pot meal. Cooking has never been easier.

One Pot Dutch Oven Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage, mild or medium spice level.

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, divided.

1/2 cup finely chopped onion.

1 teaspoon salt. Kosher is recommended.

1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

1 clove garlic finely minced.

1 tablespoon tomato paste.

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes. Keep the liquid!

2 to 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth. You can also use water.

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar.

2 tablespoons sugar.

1 teaspoon dried oregano.

8 ounces dried pasta. Penne, O pasta, rigatoni or ziti are excellent options.

Instructions

This recipe calls for using 1 pound of seasoned Italian sausage. If you are feeling creative you can make meatballs in your dutch oven and set them aside until you are ready to finish the sauce.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of the dutch oven.

Brown the sausage. You can roll the sausage into small (tablespoon size) meatballs or you can brown the entire pound at ounce.

Remove the meat from the pot and put aside on a plate.

Return the stove top heat to medium high and add the remaining tablespoon of butter.

Add the onion, salt and pepper. Scrape the bits off of the bottom of the pan.

Cook until the onion is soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and stir for about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, broth, vinegar, sugar and oregano.

Stir in the pasta and meat.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover.

You can cook on the stove top on low for 20-25 minutes or put into a 250 degree oven for 25 minutes.

You’ll Love This Black Bean Soup Recipe

If you are looking for an easy recipe that can be created in less than 10 minute you will love this black bean soup recipe. This is very similar to the soup served at your local Panera and we thank the folks at Food.com for this copycat version of the original.

Black Beans Are Super Foods.

The word superfood is overused and often used incorrectly, but black beans have some superfood qualities that make them a great addition to any diet. Like other legumes, black beans are positive foods for their high fiber and high protein levels. They also are loaded with vitamins and minerals such as iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and zinc. Numerous studies have shown that adding black beans to your diet can aid with healthy bones, lower blood pressure, a reduction in the onset of diabetes and an assist in fighting off heart disease. Not bad for a small, easy to prepare bean that can add some great flavor to many foods.

Black beans are available both canned and dried, you will receive the same health benefits with either style. Pay close attention to the labeling on canned black beans, some manufacturers add sodium to the final mix and the levels can be quite high. Try to use sodium free or reduced sodium canned beans. Because of their dense texture, black beans are a favorite addition to vegetarian and vegan dishes. They also make great add-ins to salads, tacos, casseroles and burritos.

This recipe uses only 10 common ingredients (plus water) and needs only a good blender and pot for heating. You can also use your slow cooker for this recipe, just set it on low for 4 hours, add the cornstarch. Stir the soup until thickened and serve.

Black Bean Soup Ingredients

1 onion finely chopped. Reserve 1/4 cup for garnish.

2 garlic gloves finely minced.

2 celery ribs finely chopped. Don’t add any of the leaf.

1/4 red bell pepper finely chopped. Green pepper is fine.

1 1/2 cups boiling water.

2 low sodium chicken bouillon cubes. Watch the sodium level!

2 Fifteen ounces cans of black beans. Don’t drain.

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Juice from 1/2 lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Black Bean Soup Directions

Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil and add chicken bouillon. Mix completely and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons of COLD water to the cornstarch and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add 1/2 can of beans, the salt and the cumin and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour this mixture into your blender and puree. It’s okay to have a few small chunks.

Pour the mixture back into the bowl and set on the stove top. Set heat to medium.

Add the chicken stock.

Add the rest of the beans (including the liquids in the can).

Add the lemon.

Add the cornstarch and stir until the soup has thickened.

You can garnish this delicious soup with chopped onions, chopped red and green peppers, sour cream, cilantro or grated cheese.

Do You Have These Basic Kitchen Utensils?

If you are simply starting to cook, or are moving in on your own, opportunities are, you don’t have much in terms of cooking utensils and tools. Here is what we recommend for you to get, as you are beginning. As times goes by, you will, obviously, get more kitchen gadgets. Here are 5 that we recommend beginning out with:

Cutting Board

This is something extremely fundamental, but there are quite a few options when it comes to cutting boards. It’s a basic utensil as you can’t slice anything without having one, but you need to make sure you have the kind you will want to use.

A good cutting board is extremely versatile, as you can chop practically anything on it. Almost every recipe calls for something to be cut, sliced, trimmed or chopped and you don’t want to do this on a counter top.

Some people prefer to get separate slicing boards to meat, dairy products, vegetables or fruits. This is a good idea as some cutting boards are softer than others. You don’t want meat juices getting deep into a board, they can be very difficult to clean. Many experienced cooks will get differently sized boards. They may like to use them depending on the volume of things they need to chop. Start out with a basic wooden cutting board, they are the most versatile. As you become more experienced you can look at plastic and stone.

This may seem silly but you will not be able to slice or chop anything on your cutting board unless you have a good quality knife. A good quality knife goes a long way to help you prepare food and will last you for years. This is one place you probably don’t want to be cutting costs in.

Get A Big Pot

You will need a big pot often. While it may sound basic, it is one thing you will constantly be reaching for. Starting with basics like boiling pastas to making soups and stews, you will always be using some type of pot for cooking. Some pots include straining inserts, that makes it much easier to prepare pasta. Others have steamer attachments for corn or lobsters.

Along with a good big pot, you will need a sturdy frying pan. We like saute pans, and use them all the time. They are smaller than a typical frying pan and are really versatile. Look for pans with a non-stick coating and without wooden handles. Often you will put the frying pan in the oven to finish off a dish, make sure it is ovenproof.

You will find that you use one frying pan more than others. It may be a saute pan, it may be a big multi purpose frying pan.

– Roasting Pan. These are ideal for preparing things in the oven. From roast to roasted chicken to roasted veggies, a roasted pan can assist you prepare your preferred dishes in the oven.

Do not be frightened – cooking is enjoyable. Start getting a couple of things that we recommended, and contribute to your collection of kitchen area devices as time goes.

Fun Applesauce Pancakes

Want an easy, delicious pancake recipe that takes only minutes to prepare? This great dish, from Pioneer Woman, is a breeze to prepare and the results are terrific.

While you can mix the ingredients for these pancakes by hand, I found that using my blender made things so much easier! Plus, all of the dry ingredients were perfectly incorporated into the liquids. I ended up with a lump-free batter.

Pancakes are so easy to make using an electric griddle. With no pan edge to work around you can flip the cakes so easily, you will feel like a cooking pro. Because the griddle offers a large, evenly heated surface, you end up with a beautifully browned pancake every time.

Toppings

Have you ever got into an argument with someone about what to put on a pancake? Some claim to be purists and insist only on maple syrup (pure, no artificial flavoring). Others claim that syrup is the worst topping for pancakes, you should use fruit or fruit compote. Yet others demand powdered sugar and melted butter.

There is no wrong answer when you are picking a topping for these pancakes. A dollop of applesauce works well, apple or maple syrup are excellent toppings. Apple is such a versatile flavor, you can top these pancakes with just about anything.

Ingredients

Applesauce6 pounds mixed apple varieties (Gala , Honeycrisp , Golden Delicious) peeled cored and cut into eighths

1 cup apple juice or water

½ lemon, juice

½ cup light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Pancakes

3 cups cake flour

3 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 ½ cups milk, plus more if needed

2 cups applesauce, recipe follows

1 Tbsp vanilla

¼ tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

Butter, for cooking and serving

Maple syrup, warmed, for serving

Directions

Making The Applesauce

1. Throw the apples, apple juice and lemon juice into a pan and bring it to the boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until the apples are soft, about 15 minutes. Stir through the sugar and mix until melted. Add the cinnamon and stir through.

2. Purée the mixture in a food processor, blender or food mill. If not using right away, leave to cool and then refrigerate. Yield: 6 to 7 cups.

3. Cook’s Note: When blending hot liquids, first let cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open; this will prevent the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth.

Making The Pancakes

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir together and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl (this is where I use my blender), whisk together the milk, applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a spoon as you go. Once combined, if the mixture needs more moisture, splash in a little more milk. The batter should be easy to pour and lump free.

3. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low to low heat. Smear a little bit of butter over the surface and drop tablespoon-sized amounts of batter onto the pan (more if you want larger pancakes). Wait a minute or so, then flip to the other side. The pancakes should be light golden brown and set in the middle.

4. Top with butter and drizzle with warm maple syrup.

Make These Fabulous Steakburgers On Your Electric Griddle

he ultimate meal for some is a juicy grilled hamburger. This recipe goes a step further by mixing two blends of steak to become a steakburger deluxe. You can use any blend of ground beef that you want but try these two grinds if you can find them.

Ingredients:

1 lb. cube steak, minced
1 lb. ground chuck
2 tbsps. Montreal steak seasoning, divided
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup steak sauce (A-1, Heinz 57)
1 large sweet onion, sliced
4 slices jarlsberg cheese (or any mild white cheese)
4 pretzel hamburger buns (or any other sturdy bun)

Instructions:

Preheat griddle to 375 degrees.
Combine the minced cube steak, ground chuck, 1 tbsp. of steak seasoning, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a quarter cup of steak sauce in a large bowl. Mix with hand until thoroughly combined.
Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form large patties; sprinkle a little of the remaining steak seasoning.
Add in enough oil on the griddle once it is heated.
Scatter the onions and cook until slightly soften and golden brown. Remove and set off to the side.
Add little more oil to coat the griddle and place the patties with the seasoned-side-down. Cook for about 6-8 minutes and flip; add cheese on top and cover with dome lid to melt the cheese.
Cut the buns into half and place on the griddle for 2-3 minutes to toast.
Assemble the buns, steak patties with cheese and onions.
Serve with drizzle of steak sauce. Enjoy.

Don’t add too much liquid to your meat mix before grilling, it can cause the patty to get loose and fall apart. If you want to add more steak sauce, try basting it on towards the end of the cooking cycle. This will help to keep the patty moist and keep the steak sauce on the burger. Same applies to barbecue sauce, don’t mix it into the meat.

Don’t put the cheese on the burger too soon. You don’t want to end up with a runny cheese sauce, you want a melted pieces of cheese that still holds its shape.

Easy To Make Grilled Chicken Breasts

Nothing is easier than this recipe for grilled chicken breasts on the electric griddle. Quick, simple and delicious. You will have best results if you use a clear (pourable) honey instead of a thick spoonable honey.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsps. soy sauce
2 tbsps. honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
A little vegetable oil

Instructions:

Cover the chicken breasts with grease proof paper and flatten slightly with a rolling pin or a mallet until about ½ inch thick.
Mix all ingredients (except for the vegetable oil) in a bowl for marinade; add chicken and marinate for at least one hour.
Remove the chicken and reserve the marinade.
Heat the griddle until really hot, brush with a little oil.
Place chicken breasts on the griddle and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
Strain the marinade, pour it into a small saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer for one minute (add little water if necessary).
Serve the chicken with the sauce and any vegetable of your choice.

Flattening out the chicken breasts does a couple of things for this recipe. First, it helps to tenderize the chicken. The pounding stretches and breaks some of the tissue in the breast, allowing it to relax when cooking.

The other benefit is that the chicken will cook more thoroughly quickly. If the breast is too dense it can take quite a while to get the internal temperature to a safe point, usually around 170 degrees. By flattening out the breast you keep the edges from drying out while the center is still cooking.

A large surface electric griddle will allow you to make the vegetables on the other half of the griddle. A quick recipe is to chop some vegetables, such as onions and peppers. Mix in a little salt and pepper, add a dash of soy sauce and then saute quickly on your griddle surface. It will only take a few minutes for the veggies to get done, you can start them about the same time you put the chicken on the griddle.