Sourdough Focaccia
Family often sends me recipes to try and this is one. Just the idea of sourdough without the mess of a sourdough starter is a major plus. I had to try this. Although, I must say I found the Platinum Instant Sourdough Yeast a bit pricey and not too available. Was it worth it? Actually, the answer is an easy YES. The flavor is amazing. Use your favorite infused olive oil and dot the top with tomatoes, rosemary or whatever. This recipe was found in Bake From Scratch. The magazine does have a website if you wish to check it out. I did make one major change to the recipe, no mixer. The dough is sticky but can be handled easily with a handheld dough hook and a little kneading. Just made sense to me. Enjoy!
My favorite way to prepare chicken thighs. Chicken breasts can be substituted as well as cut up whole chicken pieces. But with skinless and boneless thighs the chicken is exceedingly moist, and skinless provides a healthier option. Layer this over pasta and it’s a complete meal. If short on time this can be cooked up in 30 minutes especially when using chicken breasts alone. If you are interested in a hearty meal with a veggie base this is the meal for you!
It’s not unusual for a guy friend of mine to bring along a new recipe when he comes to visit. Anything with ricotta and citrus seems to catch his eye and this recipe has both. (I need to give acknowledgement to Beads and Basil for this recipe she shared in a monthly values magazine.) When I look at a recipe for the first time I not only anticipate the taste, just how good is this going to be, but also the complexity. Sometimes complexity doesn’t equal a better product. Cookies, I usually bake on a whim. So, the recipe must have a simple list of ingredients (mostly already in my pantry) and must be limited in prep time. This original recipe calls for overnight or at least 8 hours. As you might have guessed this is too long for me, and I found a way to cut the time to 4 hours without changing the outcome in my opinion. The prep is simple and the bulk of time is in the freezing. Hope you enjoy this citrusy taste treat. We did!
Yep, I’m old school. Please, no waste! It’s hard for me to discard ingredients as they approach the expiration date. Buttermilk is an ingredient I use frequently but sometimes not fast enough to avoid the dreaded use by date. If you know about buttermilk you know you can go beyond that use by date a bit without consequences. But then the pressure is on. Not to worry, buttermilk does freeze. If you’re like me you’ve got quite a bit going on in your freezer. I just prefer to bake a cake. Buttermilk just adds the most incredible moistness to a cake. With a little over two cups of buttermilk to use I was on the prowl. And here’s what I found. It is amazing!
Now, chocolate chip cookies, I’m a connoisseur! I’ve been baking these since I was 10 or so and I’m … well, let’s not get into details. These are my favorites, 
Sometimes I just crave steak! I have a long history here. Grandma Rose was a caterer and in the 60’s steak was the most requested catered dinner. Boy, could she cook a pan seared steak! There were times when it just seemed too much. Steak again! Today, of course we know more about nutrition, and steak has lost some popularity. But it still has a rich place. If you are one that just steers away from beef, chicken can be added to this salad in a pinch. If you’re busy and want a great nutritious meal ready when you get home this is the meal for you.
This rustic dessert is perfectly simple and hugely delicious. It was kinda a group effort. First the idea came from a friend of mine (thanks Gayle), who put this together with her pate brisee, peaches, and almond paste (as a little taste surprise). It sounded amazing but since we weren’t into peaches we filled this richest of pie crusts with mixed summer berries and a homemade almond paste. Not to worry! All this whips up quickly. Rustic always lessens time involvement in my mind. We’re looking for something not necessarily picture perfect but rather delicious in a plain and simple way. Although, this is picture perfect to me.
If you haven’t the hours needed to cook one of these three Baked Beans Recipes 1.