Apple Dumplings--soooo good!!!

Apple Dumplings
2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls (16 rolls)
2 sticks butter (not margarine!)
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Cinnamon
8 oz. Mt. Dew
Peel and core apple. Cut apple into 8 slices. Roll each apple slice into a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.
In a saucepan, melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. The butter/sugar mixture should look grainy. Add vanilla, stir and pour over apple rolls. Pour Mt. Dew around the edges and down the center of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes, it should look really brown. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream. Spoon some of the sweet sauce from the pan over the top. ENJOY!

Something German made American!!

So, my German friend made lunch for us the other day and bragged about this "secret" sauce that I couldn't make because the main ingredient is a german sauce. Well, it was pretty stinkin' good. So I tried to make it with my own stuff and it tasted pretty close to hers and was also pretty stinkin' good. (It really doesn't seem very german, but she swore by this sauce and it was good, so I'll give her that, but it wasn't too hard to duplicate)

Cook chicken pieces in a saucepan. Remove chicken from pan and add the following:
1 pint heavy cream
a little milk ??? (maybe 1/2 cup or so, doesn't really matter)
2 bouillon cubes (I used chicken but I think you could use beef as well)
Seasoning salt (who knows how much, whatever looks good to you)

Let that mix and simmer and then add the chicken back in and simmer for whatever time you need! We put it on noodles, but I'm sure rice would be good too. Enjoy!

Turkey, Artichoke and Pesto Panini on Focaccio Bread

I got this recipe from the Kneaders Bakery Menu in Provo, never eaten there, but this still sounded good, so I decided to try it. I called Rachel to get her focaccio bread recipe, so I will post that also. Great recipe Rachel and you can do so many things with it, kids loved it too.

Turkey, Artichoke and Pesto Panini

Cut bread in half lengthwise and spread both top and bottom with pesto. Then on bottom layer;

• sliced turkey
• spinach
• marinated artichoke hearts
• tomato slices
• red onion slices
• mozzarella cheese (I used a little cheddar as well)
  
• salt and pepper

Place in panini maker until cheese is ooey gooey and dripping out the side. So yummy!!!

Variation: I haven't tried it yet, but I think it would also be really yummy to add thin granny smith apple slices as a layer.

Focaccio Bread

1 cup warm water
1 1/2 tbs. yeast
1 tsp. water
Combine and allow to proof, about 5 minutes
Then add:
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Start with only 2 cups of flour and then add the remaining if necessary to get a light, airy and soft dough.

Mix in mixer for 5-10 minutes allowing it to knead. Cover with a towel and let it double in size, about an hour. Punch it down and shape into a large ball. Spread into a pan, either in a circle about 12" in diameter or an oblong shape about a 1/2 inch thick. (Since I was making this into panini, I made to small rectangle shapes about 5x9 inches give or take. Don't roll it, as you want the air bubbles and you want it to stay light and airy.

Cover with a towel and let raise about an hour, with your fingertips, gently tap small indents all over the dough, then brush with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. (I added some Rosemary on one of the loaves for kicks and giggles)

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. (I undercooked mine just a wee bit since I was using them for panini and would be cooking them again, so you might want to let them get a little more golden brown than the picture shows.

Yummy BBQ marinade for Salmon

1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbl. white vinegar
2 Tbl. lemon juice
1 Tbl. olive oil
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix together and boil until reduced to syrupy consistency (about 15 min.) Brush salmon (seasoned with a little salt & pepper) with sauce and grill on cedar plank. Serve with remaining sauce. Yum!!!

York Peppermint Patty Brownies

I found this on a new recipe blog I ran across, so of course, I had to make them promptly as they seem to be the perfect dessert. They were really good, but definitely plan on a glass of milk and a small brownie. She recommends making 40 brownies from a 9x13 and that sounds about right.

1 C butter + 1T to coat the pan

8 -1 oz squares unsweetened chocolate

5 eggs

3 3/4 C sugar

2 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

1/2 t almond extract

1 2/3 C flour

1 C semi sweet chocolate chips

2 bags York Peppermint Patties (the generic brand has been known to make this recipe flop. I would advice buying the good stuff) (I bought 2 bags and had almost an entire bag left over, so you could probably go with just one)

1. Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with tin foil and grease it with butter.

2. Microwave the unsweetened chocolate and butter for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking interval. Keep cooking and stirring until the chocolate and butter are melted. Set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl (or in your stand mixer) beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt and almond extract for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the melted chocolate mixture and flour. Mix until incorporated.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips.

7. Spread half of the batter into the buttered pan.

8. Unwrap your peppermint patties and line them up over the top of the bottom layer of batter.

9. Cover the patties with the second half of the batter.
10. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. This part is a little tricky. Stick a knife in the top layer of brownie and be sure that it comes out clean before you take them out of the oven.

11. Cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Quinoa edamame salad

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa (cooked according to package)
• 1/2 chopped red pepper
• 1/2 cup shelled edamame
• 1/8 diced green onion
• 1/4 cup craisins
• 4 tbsp sunflower seeds, shelled

Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Lemon Zuchinni Bread

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon zest

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.
• In a bowl, beat together the zucchini, sugar, egg, and oil. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder; stir in the cinnamon and lemon zest. Stir the flour mixture into the zucchini mixture just until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from heat, and cool about 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

After it has cooled slightly, pour the glaze over the top.

Glaze:
1/4 cup FRESH squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar

Mix together, it will be grainy, that's part of the charm.