Grilled Chicken Marinade

Great on Caesar Salads!

Ingredients

½ of a lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts


Instructions

Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 

Whisk it well to combine.
Place the chicken in a zippered plastic storage bag. Pour the marinade over the top. 

Press out as much air as you can and seal the bag. Use your hands to move the chicken around in the bag until it is well coated with marinade. Refrigerate for at least an hour or for up to 8 hours.

Grill the chicken on your outdoor or stovetop grill for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F when checked with an instant read thermometer. If using thicker pieces of chicken, cooking time will increase. If preferred, the chicken can be cooked in a little olive oil heated in a skillet on the stove.

Transfer grilled chicken to a cutting board and slice into small strips (approximately 3-inches or so).

Cranberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

 Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) packaged cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add vanilla, mixing well.

2. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. 

3. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of chopped fresh cranberries that have been coated in 1 T. of flour. 

4. Fill a 2-cup, ovenproof measuring cup with water; place in oven with tube pan.

5. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

(Can also make 8 mini-loaves.)

Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

100g sourdough starter (active and bubbly) (1/2 cup)
200g pumpkin puree (1 cup)
25g maple syrup (1 3/4 T.)
240g filtered water (1 cup)
500g bread flour (3.5 cups)
12g salt (2.1 tsp.)

For the cinnamon sugar swirl:

4g cinnamon (1.5 tsp.)
5g pumpkin pie spice (2 tsp)
87g sugar (1/3 cup)


Instructions

Same day (counter ferment) baking schedule: Feed your starter the night before to allow it to become active and bubbly (I like to do it as late as possible, right before going to bed).
Around 6-7am the day you want to make your loaf: In a large bowl, weigh out your starter, water, pumpkin, and maple syrup. Mix together until smooth.

Add your flour and salt to the pumpkin mixture. Mix for a minute or so with a wooden spoon to help get the mixing started, then finish mixing with clean hands until everything is well combined. Dough will be shaggy and a bit sticky. Cover with a kitchen towel.
Let covered dough sit for 2 hours. During this 2 hours, perform a stretch and fold every 30 minutes, for a total of 4 stretch and folds.
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for 4-5 hours to allow to double in size.
After dough has doubled in size, make your cinnamon sugar mixture and set aside. Turn dough out onto a clean and floured work surface.
Stretch dough out as much as you can, without tearing, into a large rectangle.

Sprinkle about 1/2 of your cinnamon sugar mixture over this rectangle.

Perform a letter fold: Fold one long side of your rectangle into the center. Repeat this fold with the other side of your rectangle. Roll the dough from the bottom into itself, sprinkling more cinnamon sugar mixture each time you fold the dough (see images above for visuals).

Pull the ball of dough toward you, then gently push forward. Repeat this a few times to continue building tension and shaping your dough into a smooth ball. Let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
Repeat the letter shaping process, only this time much more gently and only stretching the dough the slightest bit each time you fold. Gently push and bowl dough again into a smooth ball, then use a bench scraper to turn dough over into a lined and floured proofing basket, seam side up.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to let dough rest and continue rising.

In the last hour of refrigeration, preheat your oven to 450°F with your cast iron pot.
Remove dough onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with flour. Flour the top of your loaf. Score your loaf with some shallow cuts and one deep “C” score. Carefully place into your preheated pot/bread oven. Cover pot and bake for 35 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking another 5-10 minutes, until crust begins to brown.
Allow loaf to completely cool before slicing and enjoying!
Overnight refrigeration bulk ferment schedule:Feed your starter as early as possible in the morning to allow it to become active and bubbly.
Sometime between 12pm-2pm the day before you want to make your loaf: In a large bowl, weigh out your starter, water, pumpkin, and maple syrup. Mix together until smooth.
Add your flour and salt to the pumpkin mixture. Mix for a minute or so with a wooden spoon to help get the mixing started, then finish mixing with clean hands until everything is well combined. Dough will be shaggy and a bit sticky. Cover with a kitchen towel.
Let covered dough sit for 2 hours. During this 2 hours, perform a stretch and fold every 30 minutes, for a total of 4 stretch and folds.
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight to allow dough to about double in size.

The following morning, between 6-9am: Make your cinnamon sugar mixture and set aside. Turn dough out onto a clean and floured work surface.
Stretch dough out as much as you can, without tearing, into a large rectangle.
Sprinkle about 1/2 of your cinnamon sugar mixture over this rectangle.
Perform a letter fold: Fold one long side of your rectangle into the center. Repeat this fold with the other side of your rectangle. Roll the dough from the bottom into itself, sprinkling more cinnamon sugar mixture each time you fold the dough (see images above for visuals).
Pull the ball of dough toward you, then gently push forward. Repeat this a few times to continue building tension and shaping your dough into a smooth ball. Let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
Repeat the letter shaping process, only this time much more gently and only stretching the dough the slightest bit each time you fold. Gently push and bowl dough again into a smooth ball, then use a bench scraper to turn dough over into a lined and floured proofing basket, seam side up.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to let dough rest and continue rising.
In the last hour of refrigeration, preheat your oven to 450°F with your cast iron pot.

Remove dough onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with flour. Flour the top of your loaf. Score your loaf with some shallow cuts and one deep “C” score. Carefully place into your preheated pot/bread oven. Cover pot and bake for 35 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking another 5-10 minutes, until crust begins to brown.
Allow loaf to completely cool before slicing and enjoying!

Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

100g active sourdough starter (1/2 cup)
300g water (1 1/4 cup)
60g honey (1/4 cuo)
20g extra virgin olive oil (1.5 T.)
500g all-purpose flour (4 cups)
10g sea salt (1 3/4 tsp.)

Instructions

Mix water and starter in a large bowl. Add honey, extra virgin olive oil, flour and salt.

Mix with together with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until combined. Continue mixing by hand until all the flour has been absorbed.

Cover and let the dough rest for 35-40 minutes.

Stretch and fold the dough by stretching 4 inches then pushing it down the middle and turning 1/4 until you make a circle. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Perform another stretch and fold series then cover completely and put in the fridge for a slow rise and bull fermentation.

Spray or grease your loaf pan. Lightly flour your counter top. Remove the dough from the bowl, gently stretching it into a rectangle. Roll up dough into a log shape and place in loaf pan. Cover with a towel and let it sit for 5-7 hours at room temp. (Or overnight. Can also be refrigerated to slow proof.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Let cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Strawberry Sheet Cake with Lemon Frosting

Ingredients

Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs large
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons strawberry flavored jello gelatin powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk well shaken
2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
2/3 cups sugar divided
2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line the baking dish with parchment paper with the long sides extending 2-3 inches. Spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
Using a stand-up electric mixer, beat butter (1 cup) until creamy. Slowly add sugar (2 cups) then continue to beat for 4-5 minutes until it's fluffy. Add eggs (2) one at a time, and beat after each addition until they're incorporated. Add lemon juice (2 teaspoons) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) and mix in.

In a small bowl combine flour (2 1/2 cups), strawberry jello (2 tablespoons), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1/4 teaspoon). Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk (1 cup), beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Gently stir in strawberries (2/3 cups). Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely. Lift the cake out of the pan, using the parchment paper extensions.

Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese (8 ounces) with 1/3 cup of sugar until the mixture is smooth. Fold in strawberries (2/3 cups).
In a large bowl, beat the cream (1 1/2 cups) and lemon juice (3 tablespoons) until the mixture is frothy. Continue beating on medium-high speed and gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream mixture.
Immediately spread the top and sides of the cake with frosting. 

Cheesy Sausage Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 lb sausage - cooked and leave rendered fat in with cooked sausage (if good quality sausage shouldn’t be more than a tablespoon fat)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups shredded cheese
⅔ - ¾ cup milk (depending on texture)


Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Brown sausage in a pan when cooked add 1 tablespoon of butter.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.
Mix in shredded cheese.
Mix in warm sausage with fat.
Add milk and combine into a dough.
Place parchment paper on baking sheet. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet leave 1-2 inches between. Bake 10 - 13 minutes.


Optional Gravy:
1 pkg sausage (good quality)
2 heaping tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups milk (best at room temp)
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown sausage - leave grease. Add flour to sausage and grease over medium heat. Stir until flour is absorbed and cook for 1- 2 minutes. Add milk and stir until thickened, stirring constantly. Let thicken until gravy coats a spoon. Gravy will continue to thicken as it cools. Salt and pepper to taste (needs a decent amount of salt).

Strawberry Scones

Ingredients

Strawberry Scone Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, (8 Tbsp or 1 stick), chilled and diced
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, (chilled)
1 Tbsp milk, to brush the top
1/2 Tbsp course sugar, to sprinkle the top

Ingredients for Easy Scone Glaze:
2/3 cup Powdered sugar
1 Tbsp Milk

Instructions

How to Make Strawberry Scones:

Preheat oven to 400˚F. In a large bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Add 1/2 cup diced butter and cut it into flour using pastry blender until mixture resembles pea-sized coarse crumbs. Gently toss in chopped strawberries. Make an indentation in the center and set the bowl aside.
In a second small mixing bowl, beat 1 egg with a fork then stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Add the egg mixture to flour mixture and use a large spoon to gently stir just until moistened. Do not over-mix.
Place dough onto generously floured sheet of parchment paper. Pull dough together and shape it into a 3/4-inch-thick circle. Cut into 12 equal wedges and pull them apart slightly (at least 1/2" apart).
Brush wedges with 1 Tbsp milk, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Slide the parchment paper with scones onto a baking sheet and bake at 400˚F for 15-16 min, or until puffed and golden.

How to Make Scone Glaze Recipe:

Stir together 2/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp milk. Easily thicken glaze by adding more powdered sugar and thin it out with more milk. Drizzle glaze over scones and serve scones warm or at room temperature.