yeast is my friend

For so long I was super intimidated to make any recipe that included yeast in it. I had tried it a couple times and been disappointed in the outcome, so I just flat out gave up on it. Making an entire batch of something, using ingredients and a lot of time, only to have it not turn out and end up in the trash- there was nothing worse to me (at least as far as food goes). My dear friend Holly got me back on the wagon. She gave me her recipe for pizza dough, and a few pointers for working with yeast to go along with it. I'm proud to say that after a success story with making my own pizza dough and a couple of batches of cinnamon rolls, yeast is now my friend. There is nothing like homemade bread and the like. Recipes including yeast always seem impressive too. A prime example is my homemade cheddar jalepeno bagel recipe. Don't be intimidated- I have made it multiple times and never had a fail (only lots of applause from the people who eat them).

 A couple tricks I've found to make yeast produce good results:
1. I always mix the dry ingredients together first including the yeast, then add the warm water. Maybe this isn't scientifically the correct way to do it, but I always see the little bubbles that say the yeast is doing its thing.
2. People will tell you all different temperatures that your water has to be. What has worked for me is just making the water as hot as you can with still being able to put your fingers in it (maybe around 115-130 degrees?)
3. When I let my dough rise: I spray it with a little cooking spray on top so it doesn't stick to the bowl when it rises. I cover it with a clean kitchen towel so it doesn't dry out.  And I turn the oven to 200' then off once it feels warm and put the dough in there to rise.

Here is the delicious bagel recipe...
8 c flour
4 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs active dry yeast
1 Tbs salt
3 1/2 c warmish hot water
flavoring of choice: jalepeno cheddar, blueberry, cheddar and chive, cranberry walnut...etc

-mix together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a bowl
-mix in flavor's ingredients (sharp cheddar and chopped jalepenos is our favorite)
-mix in water (as hot as you can make it and still put your hand in it) until combined
-cover, and let rise in a warm place about 20 minutes
-cut into 12 pieces, form balls, punch a hole in the middle
-boil for 30 seconds on each side
-sprinkle extra cheese or topping of choice (poppyseeds, everything seasonings...) on top
-bake at 385' for 11 minutes on the bottom rack, then 11 minutes on the top rack

so stinkin delicious

I know stinkin isn't technically a word, but you know what I mean. I am always on the lookout for new recipes. Getting my Rachael Ray magazine in the mail is one of my favorite things. I always try to stretch out the time it takes me to read through it and make it last at least a few sittings. While I read I dog ear the corners so I know which recipes to go back and tear out (recipes with pictures are the best). Between blogland, foodgawker.com, and my magazine, eventually the "recipes to try" list substantially piles up. Well I finally got around to making one of them and it is oh so tasty. In fact, I made it just tonight. It's so good that while we were scarfing it, I told Jake "This might be one of my favorite meals ever". It's just that delicious. Never have I been drawn to chicken salad before this, but now it tops the list. A great summer meal, it is super healthy too; no mayo, and a great balance of protein, veggies, and optional starch. Without further ado, here's the recipe. Try it! You seriously won't regret it.

Chicken Salad with Yogurt-Ranch dressing:

• About 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 clove garlic, gratedor finely chopped and pasted
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup reduced fat orfat-free plain Greek-style yogurt
• A small handful each of dill, parsley and chives, finely chopped
• A few dashes of hot sauce
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded and meat shredded or 1 pound cold cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/3 English (seedless) cucumber, chopped
• 2 ribs celery from the heart, thinly sliced on an angle
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 4 slices of sourdough bread, toasted

PREPARATION

In a large bowl, combine the EVOO, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the yogurt, herbs and hot sauce. Add the chicken, bell pepper, cucumber and celery; season with salt and pepper. Top the salad with the tomatoes and serve between two pieces of toasted sourdough bread.

a taste of parenthood

We were asked to watch my niece and nephew overnight while my brother and sister in law had a little getaway to Seattle. Since we love those little kiddos and can't get enough of them, we gladly obliged. Babysitting them here and there is something we've done quite a bit, but we caught a glimpse at the reality of parenthood when we had them overnight. It is a sweet thing, but very hard work! Our slumber party consisted of playing out in the garden, pizza/a movie/milkshakes in the evening, bath time, bedtime, an early morning, breakfast, playtime, a trip to the park, lunch, and more play time. It was busy, and messy, but great! Thanks for coming to spend the night with us little ones! We love you!