Vermont Cheddar Cheese Bread

When I think of this bread I think of avocado sandwiches…

Ham, or chicken…

And then my mind goes to the baloney that we would oogle at when we went to the store… the one where it already has the cheese in the baloney…

I remember as a kid always wanting Mama to buy some… and thought what a treat it would be to have cheese already mixed in…

I finally got over that obsession when I seen some that the cheese was moldy and the “meat” looked good as new…

Ok… I completely ruined my train of thought…

Just make this bread…

Don’t think of moldy cheese or slimy baloney…

Mix together everything but the water….

Mix in the water

Bake…

 Print Recipe

Vermont Cheddar Cheese Bread

Makes four 1 pound loaves

3 cups of warm water

1 ½ tablespoons yeast

1 ½ tablespoons salt

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

6 ½ cups of bread flour

2 cups of cheddar cheese (sharp is the best)

Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, cheese and flour

Add water.

Mix till all the flour is moistened

 Cover (not airtight or you will have an explosion on your counter) and allow to rest at room temp until dough rises and collapse.. About 2 hours

You can then shape and bake the dough, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate the dough in a covered (again not airtight container) up to 7 business days

 On baking day, shape loafs to desired size and either place on a well oiled sheet of wax paper or a well flour dusted towel

Allow to rest one hour (40 minutes for non refrigerated dough)

On a well preheated pizza stone bake at 450 for about 25 minutes..

Allow to cool before eating the whole loaf by yourself.

Haggy Housewife's Holiday

Growing up Thanksgiving and Christmas was something “other” people did…

Once I got married I was determined to celebrate them….

But as a lazy person, I had a hard time coming up with my own traditional dinner…

It is a work in progress, but these are the Haggy Housewifes holiday side dishes…

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole Printable Recipe

I could eat this every week… but I like to save it for special times…

Like when the sun sets in the west..

And the ants stop invading my sugar bowl.

Yorkshire Pudding Printable Recipe

Don’t make these any time ahead… they will fall flat and become nasty lumps… but when fresh they are to die for…

Pumpkin Roll Printable Recipe

I’ve tried countless recipes for pumpkin roll…. None of them looked like what they sell in the deli… and since I have this obsession with having my food look as good as they taste… this roll was a battle for me..

One day… I was extra lazy… and decided instead of finding a plastic container for the rest of the canned pumpkin that was left over… I would double the recipe..

Not only did it work wonderfully… I didn’t have to find a spot in the fridge to shove 2/3 cup of pumpkin…

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Printable Recipe

DH loves tart sour stuff…

No thanks.. but this is far better than the canned stuff

Classic Green Bean Casserole Printable Recipe 

My oldest daughter loves this casserole..

I stay away from it,  I would rather over do it with calories with mashed potatoes

Cheeseball Printable Recipe

My oldest son could live off of chips, cereal, hamburgers and cheese ball…

I get to slip in onions

Candied Carrots Printable Recipe

These are the best…

Another dish to save for special occasions

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts Printable Recipe 

This is the only way to make brussel sprouts… loaded up with butter and salt… how can you go wrong?

Click here on a step by step guild on how to go completely insane 

I am not a stuffing person..

( do we see a trend here?? Unless I like it, I don’t bother making it from scratch?) my DH and a few of the dozen kids are…

Click here for a instructional print out on how to buy stuffing.

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Cheese crackers…

The best of both worlds… cheese and crackers…

I wonder who thought of them, really…

I bet you anything it was a lazy person… who got tired of placing the cheese on the crackers… who just wanted to shove a whole handful in their mouth…  “Why not make a cracker that is both?”

Tada! A lazy mans snack…

Let’s make that snack…

Cheese… beautiful cheese…

Butter… gorgeous butter..

Salt

Pepper

Mix those together until creamy-ish

Dump in your flour

Mix till everything is crumbly like so..

Add water, a tablespoon at a time till dough comes together in a soft ball.

Plop it in a plastic bag and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes

Cut in half for easier handling

Roll out… the thinner the better…

If you have one of  those fancy scallop cutter thingys… use it  and then with a fork , indent in the middle of cracker

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes

Store in airtight container for up to three days if they last that long…

 Printer Recipe

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cold water

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, cheese, salt and pepper.  With mixer on low-speed, slowly add flour.  Mixture will become dry and crumbly.  Add two tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time.  Beat until mixture just comes together into a ball.  The mixture may take an extra teaspoon of water, but don’t add too much.  The dough should be moist but not wet.

Wrap cracker dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (an hour is better).  The dough can also be frozen for future use.

While dough chills, place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease two baking sheets with oil and set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough very thin, about an eighth of an inch thick.  Dot center of cracker with a fork, or the end of a paint brush.  Place crackers on prepared baking sheets.  The pieces can be close together as they won’t expand much when baking.  Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until fragrant, golden brown, and crisp.  Allow to cool before serving.

The crackers can be stored in an airtight container for two or three days.

Cauliflower Soup

Health Benefits of Cauliflower

The allicin in cauliflower is known to promote a healthy heart and reduce the risk of strokes

Cauliflower contains selenium and vitamin C, both of which work together to strengthen the immune system.

Cauliflower has been associated with the maintenance of a healthy cholesterol level.

Being rich in folate, cauliflower is known to help improve cell growth and replication.

The high amount of fiber in cauliflower improves colon health and can even help prevent cancer.

Recently, it was found that cauliflower contains 'indole-3-carbinol', a substance that can prevent breast and other female cancers.

The glucosinolates and thiocyanates, present in cauliflower, increase the ability of liver to neutralize potentially toxic substances.

Cauliflower acts as a blood and liver detoxifier.

Sulforaphane, a substance in cauliflower, can remove cancer causing chemicals and also stop the spread of cancer cells, even in the later stages of their growth.

Researches have suggested that cauliflower contains certain phyto-chemicals that might help reduce the risk of some hereditary cancers"

Sorce

I am constantly trying to find ways to fix cauliflower.. And this soup is one way to cook this delectable vegetable…

The base I usually start off with when making soup… onions, celery and carrots..

OoOoOOooo there is the star of the show…

Sauté the onions for about 5 to 7 minutes… or until translucent.

Add your carrots and celery and sauté for about 5 more minutes

Add the cauliflower, turn heat down to low and cook for about 15 minutes.. Stirring frequently.

Then add some broth to the cauliflower.. Simmer 

In med size pot add stick of butter… (You really didn't think I wouldn't have butter in this recipe did you??)

Flour

Milk added to the flour, added to the melted butter.

 Stir well until thickened..

Add some more milk or use cream if you have it.

Add your thickened milk mixture.. Simmer

Once your soup is finished.. Add sour cream

Serve at once…

Print Recipe

Recipe:

Oil for sautéing

1 whole Onion, Finely Diced

2 whole Carrot Finely Diced

1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced

2 whole Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)

4 quarts Chicken Broth or Stock

1 stick Butter,

1/2 cup All-purpose Flour

2 cups Whole Milk

2 cup Half-and-half

Salt, pepper To Taste

2 cup Sour Cream, Room Temperature

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add oil. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown.

Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and stir to combine.

Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Add the sour cream and serve immediately.

Thankfulness....

November…

Everyone seems to be doing a daily “Thankful for” …

Since I am always pulling up the end and a day late and ten dollars short, I’ve decided to start halfway through the month…

I am thankful for this one…

The one who is giving me the most problems… the one who is testing every line I lay out for her… the one who is becoming a woman with a roar… 

Who, when I decided dinner is a free for all, I am not making squat… decides on her own to make this…

And makes us all sit down and have dinner together…

Who leaves me these…

Who one day will make it out of puberty…

Granola Bread

Note: I forgot  to go off on my tangent about store bought granola... then I remembered I already did, and it came with a handy dandy printable recipe... Granola recipe   

I’m on a bread baking roll…

I already have a roll from cookies, a roll from pies… and a roll from butter…

My roll are getting lopsided so I need to even them out..

I am talking about fat rolls to all the skinny people… never mind you haven’t heard of those yet…

I love the idea of being able to pull out dough from the fridge, shaping it and having fresh baked bread for dinner… company is coming… husband had a bad day… the wind is blowing in from the east… every excuse to have warm bread…

I have a little list of breads I want to make..

Potato garlic bread

Cheddar bread

Pita bread

Bagels ( need to find the perfect recipe)

Oatmeal pumpkin bread

 Granola bread

I am on a mission to make our food fulfilling.. to be nutritious… and lasting..

And to make the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches more inviting.

Granola bread seems to be the ticket for that.

Warm water

Yeast

Sugar ( I ran out of honey making the granola)

Oil

Flour

Salt

Granola

Mix well and let sit for several hours until doubled

This dough is pretty stiff.. and doesn’t spread out like my moses bread sometimes does… so I smear a little oil on the counter and there rests my shaped loaf

Once an one hour or one and half (depending on if the dough was refrigerated or not) is up place dough on

 Preheated pizza stone..

Bake till done.. Usually 30 minutes.. depending on your oven..

If you have a meat thermometer shove it in the side and when the temp reaches 195 your bread is done… there is a whole science to that,  the yeast finally dies off at that temp yadda yadda yadda but I won’t go into that.

 Print Recipe

Granola bread

This recipe can be easily doubled or halved…

2 cups warm water

1½ Tablespoons yeast

½ cup honey (or ¼ cup of sugar)

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon salt

4 cups white flour, or 2 ½ cups of white & 1 ½ cups of whole wheat

2 cups of granola

Mix water, yeast, honey, and oil in 5 quart mixing bowl.

Mix in the flour, granola and salt without kneading, using a spoon.

Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), about 2 hours.

The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days.

On baking day, grease your counter or pizza peel dust your dough with flour and divide dough in half.. Shape dough into a ball and allow to rest and rise for 1½ hours (or just one hour if you’re using fresh unrefrigerated dough).

Preheat oven with pizza stone on middle shelf to 400 degrees.  Slid dough onto pizza stone and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until richly brown and firm.

Try not to eat the whole loaf in one sitting.