New Oven

My husband gives me a bad time because I BLEW UP THE OVEN!!!  Actually, I was preheating my oven to bake some bread.  Just before it was time to put the bread in the oven, there was a loud hum and the light in the oven was blinding before there was a huge bang! Everything went out on the oven.  Luckily it tripped the breaker box because when the element inside the oven blew up, it shorted out the controls and fried the wires.  Luckily above all else, I wasn't putting the bread in the oven when it blew up.

What to do? My bread was sitting there, all raised ready to be baked.  I thought of asking my neighbors to bake them, in trade for a loaf but they weren't home.  The only thing to do was to freeze them. 

I didn't know that oven ranges were so costly! I thought a couple of hundred....not to be!  We had a drop in range and those ran about $1200.00 and up.  Built in ranges were pretty costly too, but we couldn't get one of those because of the area the previous oven came out of.  We ended up getting a stand alone range with a ceramic top and uses steam to clean it which I like too.  It isn't a fancy model but it cooks and bakes.  When we get our dream house someday, that is when I'll get my fancy oven.

Here are a couple of before and after pictures.

I had to put things to cover up the holes under my cabinets so our cat, Minnie didn't go under the cabinets before we put the range in.  That is why there is a recipe box and cheese grater there. 

It was a challenge for me to make all our meals from the microwave and crockpot but I managed to keep my husband happy.  The first thing I baked was the bread that I had frozen.  The bread didn't really raise, I guess because it was already done doing that before it was frozen.  It thawed, kind of spread out on the baking pan but it did taste good.  It went great with our Italian dinner.

I've found some really great looking desserts I found on Pinterest that I'll be trying out soon. 

Stay tuned!

Homemade Oreo Type Filled Cookies

This is the easiest recipe to make.  It was also the stickiest cookie dough I have ever worked with.  Be sure to grease your hands before rolling the balls.

After rolling the cookie dough into 1 inch balls, flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in Chocolate drink powder.

When cookies are done, remove from pan to waxed paper immediately and flatten with a spatula.  Let cool before adding the filling.

Roll the filling into 1 inch balls and place between the two bottom sides of the cooled cookies, pressing gently until the filling has spread to the edge of the cookies.

Homemade Oreo Type Filled Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Pkg. Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Blend all ingredients together until you can shape the dough into a smooth ball.  Let it stand for 20 minutes, loosely covered.

Cookie Filling:

3-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup shortening
3 Tablespoons hot water

Combine the filling ingredients well with an electric mixer.  Fill is very stiff.

Au Gratin Potatoes

This is my go-to recipe when I make baked ham.  I found the recipe in "Six Ingredients or Less" cookbook years ago.  Let it get good and brown on top.

What You'll Need:

• 4 to 5 large russet potatoes (about 8 cups sliced)
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup (4-ounces) Cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter; stir in flour with a whisk.  Add milk and stir until smooth.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened.  This should be about the consistency of a medium white sauce or gravy.  Remove from heat.  Add Cheddar cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted. 

Layer half the potatoes and half the sauce in a sprayed 11x7-inch baking dish.  Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce.  Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over the top.  Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.  350° F.  Remove foil and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Makes 6 servings

Chocolate Macaroon Pizza

If you love Almond Joy candy bars, this recipe is for you. 

Chocolate Macaroon Pizza

Prep time: 20 minutes  Bake time: 35-43 minutes  Serves: 16

1 Pkg. (19-21 oz) fudge brownie mix (plus ingredients to make brownies)

2 egg whites

1 Pkg. (14 oz) sweetened flaked coconut

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

1 Pkg. (2.25 oz) sliced almonds

2 Tbs. (1 oz) semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted

1 tsp. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a 15-inch circle of parchment paper on large round stone. (or pizza pan)

Prepare brownie mix; according to package directions.  Pour the brownie mix into a 14 inch circle.  (DO NOT BAKE WITHOUT PARCHMENT PAPER OR BATTER WILL RUN OFF THE PAN WHEN BAKING) 

Bake 15-18 minutes or until brownie is set. Do not over bake.  

In a clean bowl, combine egg whites, coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.  Spread coconut mixture over top of brownie to within ¼ inch of edge.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Return to oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until edges of coconut are deep golden brown.  Remove from oven to cool. 

Microwave the chocolate morsels and oil on HIGH for 45 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring after each 10-second interval.  Do not overheat.  Drizzle chocolate over pizza.  Cut into wedges.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Bread Machine Honey Wheat Bread

The bread machine is my friend.  Having mixed dough for so many years by hand it was such a time saver when I got my first bread machine.  Here is a recipe I developed. 

Ingredients:

---

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1-3/4 cups white bread flour
• 1 pkg. yeast

How to make it

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• Put ingredients into pan as manufactures suggests
• Push start
• **Note*** I put this in my bread machine just to mix it and let it raise. Then I take it out and make it into a loaf and let it raise until double in bulk. Bake it at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. To keep the crust soft I spread soft butter over the top when it comes out of the oven.
• **TIP** if you put the oil in first, then the honey in the same measuring cup, the honey slides right out.

Triple Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

Every once in awhile I come across something new that I haven't tried in the baking isle at the grocery store.  One day I found some dark chocolate raspberry morsels and this is the recipe I came up with for them. 

What You Need to Have:

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

½ cup cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup butter

½ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar packed

2 eggs

½ tsp. Raspberry Extract

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1-10 oz package Dark Chocolate with Raspberry morsels

½ cup chopped walnuts

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars, add eggs and raspberry extract.  Mix well.

 

Add flour mixture, mixing well.  Fold in all morsels and nuts.  

Drop by heaping tsp. on ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake at 375° degrees for 9-11 minutes or until light brown around the edges.   Do not over bake.  Makes 3-1/2 dozen cookies.

Creamy Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

I have had this recipe for sometime so really don't know who or where I got it from. 

What you will need:

• ½ chicken breast
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushrooms soup, undiluted
• 1 package (6.75 ounces) quick-cooking long grain and wild rice mix
• 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook the chicken, celery and onion over medium heat until chicken is done and vegetables are tender; drain.  Cut chicken into bite size pieces.
    Add the water, broth, soup, rice and contents of the seasoning packet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with bacon. Yield: 8 servings (about 2 quarts).