The Charmed Kitchen

Pepperoni Pizza Bread

These are so fun to make for parties. You can add all sorts of fillings and they freeze well, too. If using quick-rising yeast you can also make one in about 60 minutes- start to finish!!!

Pepperoni Pizza Bread

3 ¼ c. flour

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 package quick-rising yeast

1 c. hot water

1 T. oil

2/3 c. spaghetti sauce

8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

1-2 oz. sliced pepperoni

Set aside 1 cup of the flour. Combine remaining flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in water and oil and gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Roll dough into a rectangle about 16 x 8. Spread sauce down center middle of dough. Top with cheese and pepperoni. Cut one-inch wide strips of dough from filling to edge on both sides. It will sort of look like fringe.  Alternating sides, fold strips up and over the filling at an angle.  Carefully lift loaf onto greased baking sheet and place at an angle. Cover with a towel and place sheet on top of a roasting pan half-filled with simmering water for 15 minutes. Bake in a preheated 400-degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers.

Note: The variations for this bread are almost endless. Some favorite combinations are ham and Swiss with mustard, roast beef and cheddar, chicken, broccoli and cheese, Spinach with ricotta or feta and onions, pizza, assorted fillings. You get the idea. Use your imagination and have fun. Just be careful not to overfill, or the bread will be hard to move, use fillings that aren’t too runny and always use cold fillings.

If you want to use regular yeast use warm, rather than hot water. Also, don’t let dough rise over boiling water. After kneading cover dough and let rise 45 minutes. Punch down and assemble as in original recipe. Cover with a towel and let rise until dough looks puffy, about 40 minutes. Bake as directed above. These breads can also be frozen

Brie with Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Brie can stand on its own- but sometimes it’s fun to dress it up a bit for parties. I served this 2 pound wheel of brie this past weekend. I sliced it into 3 layers and added the pesto and tomatoes to each layer and put it back together. Wrapped and chilled it until ready to warm in the oven and serve.  I could also have covered it in puff pastry first. Either way this is sure to be a hit when you serve it to guests.

Brie with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2 c. basil leaves

3 T. Pine nuts, walnuts or pecans

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic

3 T. Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

½ c. sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water and chilled overnight

1 T. oil

1 t. oregano

small wheel of Brie 1-2#

Combine first five ingredients in a blender or processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain tomatoes and chop coarsely. Combine with remaining oil  and oregano and season to taste. Split Brie horizontally into 3 pieces. Spread

One layer with pesto and top with a piece of Brie.  Spread with tomato mixture and top with remaining Brie. Wrap and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature or warm slightly. I warmed it wrapped in foil at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.Wanted it to brown a bit. Goes best with crusty breads.

Mini Cheesecakes with cherries and whipped cream

Just a fun and easy way to make cheesecake. Nice for parties, they bake quickly and leftovers can be frozen. OK, I know, what leftovers???

Miniature Cheesecakes

1 box vanilla wafers

2 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

¾ c. sugar

2 eggs

1 T. vanilla

1 can pie filling, any flavor, or fresh fruit

Beat together cheese and sugar then add eggs, one at a time beating each in well. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Use muffin tins lined with foil cups and place a vanilla wafer in each one. Fill about 2/3 full with cheese mixture. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool and top with a little pie filling. Makes about 2½ dozen.

Chocolate version: use vanilla or chocolate wafer cookies. In place of the vanilla use 2 oz. of unsweetened chocolate, melted and 2 tablespoons of coffee-flavored liqueur. Instead of pie filling top with whipping cream. Chopped nuts or both.

Fresh Rhubarb

First I want to thank Bonnie Twaddle and the staff and volunteers at the Nature Center at the University of Mount Union. Had a great class yesterday and a lot of fun. Everybody there is always so nice. One of the volunteers even brought in extra produce from her garden. After everyone from the class took what they wanted there was a lot of rhubarb left. Several pounds, for sure. My dilemma is what to do with it. Not thinking pie. Want to go somewhere else with this rhubarb. I am looking for ideas, suggestions and recipes.  Open to dessert ideas- but would also like some savory ideas, too. If you were me what would you do with the rhubarb? I’ll post what I do with it. Thanks!!

Caramelized Onion Toasts

I love onions. Like then in most everything I make. I especially love them when they have been slow cooked and caramelized to bring out their natural sweetness. The onions, once cooked, can be used in sandwiches, with cheese and crackers as an appetizer or used as a topper on breads. I place some on rye bread squares and topped that with squares of Swiss cheese. Toasted until cheese was melted and onions were heated through. Yummy!!

Caramelized Onions

2 lbs. Onions, chopped

3 T. oil

1 t. salt

2 T. brown sugar

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

Dash red hot pepper sauce

Paprika

Sauté onions in oil with salt over low heat for 25-30 minutes. Onions should begin to caramelize and brown without burning. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly another 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if needed and serve warm with crusty bread, crackers or smoked meats. Keeps in fridge for a couple of weeks or can be frozen.

Fudge Waffles

We had a busy and very warm day today in camp. We made an assortment of breakfast foods. Didn’t get pictures of all of the things we made- but I have included all the recipes. The kids made oven egg “muffins”, fudge waffles, pumpkin pancakes and raisin scones. Hope you will give them a try. I think you’ll enjoy them as much as the kids did.

Fudge Waffles

2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled

1 t. vanilla

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa

1/2 t. each baking powder and baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Beat first three ingredients until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Beat in dry ingredients just until blended. Stir in nuts and chips. Bake until waffles are cooked through. Makes 4 cups batter. Serve with whipped or sour cream and fresh fruit.

Oven Egg “Muffins”

Oven Egg “Muffins”

12 paper cupcake liners

6 T. butter, melted

12 eggs

Salt

1 c. spaghetti sauce*

1 c. grated mozzarella cheese

Place papers in muffin tins and divide the butter among them. Break an egg into each cup and salt lightly. Top each egg with a little sauce and then top with the cheese. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 15 minutes or until eggs are cooked. To serve, place eggs on serving plate in paper liners. To eat, turn upside down on toast slice and remove paper. Makes 12.

Variation: You can use half-and-half instead of the spaghetti sauce and cheddar cheese instead of the mozzarella.

* we omitted the spaghetti sauce and just topped the eggs with cheese.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 c. baking mix- like Bisquick

3 T. brown sugar

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1 1/2 c. evaporated milk

1 c. solid pack pumpkin

2 eggs, beaten

2 t. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl and set aside. Whisk together wet ingredients and stir into dry ingredients. Lightly grease a skillet and cook over moderate heat. Use about 1/3 c. of batter per pancake. Turn when edges appear dry. Makes 16.

Raisin Scones

3 c. baking mix like Bisquick or Jiffy

1/2 c. raisins

1/3 c. sugar

4 eggs

Extra sugar for sprinkling

Combine baking mix, raisins, sugar and 3 eggs in a medium bowl and stir until dough forms. Knead on lightly floured board until dough just holds together. Roll or press dough into a 9-inch circle and cut into 12 wedges. Place wedges 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg then sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 12-14 minutes. Makes 12.

Polish Mushroom Soup

I hear from people all the time looking for a lost recipe. The request always starts with “My Mom used to make….”. I see so many mentions online of recipes lost and never found. Made me think about what our recipes often mean to us and why we should treasure them more. For many of us certain foods are fond childhood memories sometimes part of holiday traditions, sometimes part of special events like birthdays. We think the recipes, like our loved ones, will always be there. Sadly, that’s not the case.

Years ago I realized that my Mother was the only one who seemed to know all the family recipes. I asked her to sit down and get them all on paper. Actually, I told her to get them down before she became senile. Mom had a great sense of humor.

It took her about a year- she had to make them- while measuring ingredients. I took her recipes and turned them into a cookbook for family members. I made her 50 copies so she could hand them out to family and friends. She was delighted as were the recipients.

One of the problems with old family recipes is that they are often not written down- or perhaps, just a list of ingredients with no measurements. I love when I find a recipe that calls for a number 2 can or a moderately hot oven. Huh?

I encourage you to talk to family members and get those recipes down. Collect them and maybe even make your own family cookbook. Making Mom’s mushroom soup or duck fat bread isn’t the same as having here here, but it always brings a smile to my face knowing I honor her by continuing her traditions with food.

Duck Fat Bread

Classic Butter Cookies

We made these classic butter cookies in camp. I had an assortment of colored sugars for the kids to dip their cookies in before baking. They were very creative and the cookies looked great. Here is the recipe and some pics. You can make your own tinted sugars by placing sugar in a bag or in a container with a tight-fitting lid and adding a few drops of food coloring and shaking really hard. But be careful to have a sturdy bag or container and that it is closed securely. Paste-type food colors will give you more intense colors but require a little more effort to mix.

Classic Butter Cookies

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

2 ¼ c. flour

1 t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

Beat sugar and butter together until fluffy and then beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and stir into butter mixture. Chill dough at least a couple of hours. Roll dough into ¾-1 inch balls and roll in sugar, sprinkles or nuts. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375 –degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Cookies will flatten somewhat. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Variations: You can bake plain cookies and then dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate and then in chopped nuts or sprinkles.

Form into balls and place on baking sheet then press a nutmeat into the center of each. When cool you can drizzle with a small amount of melted chocolate or glaze.

Chocolate Sparkle Cookies

We made these cookies in camp today. They have a brownie-like texture and rich, chocolate flavor. The kids worked together and we had baked over 200 of these cookies in less than an hour!!  They are great just the way they are- or use them to make tiny ice cream sandwiches. Sometimes I add a little mint extract, too.

 Chocolate Sparkles

1 c. butter, softened

1 ¼ c. sugar

2 eggs

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted

½ t. vanilla

2 2/3 c. flour

1/4 c. cocoa

2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

¼ c. sugar

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, chocolate and vanilla. Stir in next five ingredients. Chill dough. Shape dough into 1” balls and roll in ¼ cup sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400- degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Makes 5-6 dozen. 

Cookie- Candies

We had such a good time in camp today.The cooler weather made it easier. Cookie candies are an oatmeal shortbread that are baked, cooled and then dipped in melted chocolate and sprinkles. They look like little candies when finished. Here are the pics and the recipes. The kids did such a nice job.

Cookie-Candies

1 c. butter

¾ c. powdered sugar

1 T. vanilla

2 c. flour

½ c. rolled oats

½ c. chocolate chips

¼ c. milk

finely chopped nuts

assorted sprinkles

shredded coconut

Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour and oats. Shape teaspoonfuls of the dough into different shapes like rounds, ovals, cones cubes etc. Try to make them look like little candies. They will hold their shape very well while baking. Bake in a 325- degree oven for 20-25 minutes on an ungreased baking sheet. Cool. In microwave safe dish combine chocolate and milk and melt. Dip tops of cookies in chocolate mixture and then in one of the toppings you have. Chocolate topping will harden up after a while. Makes about 4 dozen.

More cookies