I just kind of threw this together tonight…

Posted by admin in Comfort Food, Leftover Makeover, Veggies, frugal, spur of the moment

Doesn’t that just look yummy?!

I don’t have a printable for this yet, but I will soon.

Tonight I had the house to myself. (Yea me!) So as I do with these so few times I have with no picky eaters, I made something loaded with veggies! 

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan (I’m partial to my frying pans. usually my cast iron but it wasn’t available). I diced a whole onion and added it to the pan. I let that cook as I washed and diced half a green bell pepper. I added that to the pan the a little salt and freshly ground pepper and then took a look in the fridge, I had some tomatoes, so I seeded and diced them and added them to the mix. Back to the fridge… The other night I’d made cabbage rolls (I’l post that after I’ve tested a few more recipes for it) so I had some leftover leaves. Those soft tender inner leaves. I chopped up a few and added them to the pan. I added the precooked shrimp (about 10 shrimp) I’d defrosted from the freezer (bought on sale of coarse) and let is cook just a minute or two to warm the shrimp through. I turned off the heat, and added about 1 tablespoon of minced garlic which I mixed through, letting the warm veggies heat the garlic. I served it over brown rice (leftover from the cabbage rolls). And I had enough for lunch tomorrow as well. (Yea me again!)

Doesn’t that just look wonderful? Let me tell you, it tastes as good as it looks!

Home-made French Bread

Posted by admin in Baked Goods, Breads, Comfort Food, Family Recipes, frugal

French Bread (Betty Crocker picture cookbook 1950) printable

1 c luke warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cake compressed yeast (I believe a cake of yeast was the equivalent of a packet of dry yeast, so that’s what I used.)
1 tbsp soft shortening
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups sifted flour

When dough is ready for shaping, after second rising, follow directions.

roll into 15×10 oblong. Roll up tightly toward you…. beginning with wide side. Seal edge by pinching together.
with a hand on each end, roll gently back and forth to lengthen loaf and taper ends. Place it diagonally on lightly greased corn meal sprinkled baking sheet.
make 1/4″ slashes in dough at 2″ intervals, or 1 slash lengthwise. Brush top with cold water. Let stand uncovered about 1 1/2 hr. Brush again, and bake.
Bake 10 minutes in hot oven (425 F). Remove from oven and brush again. Reduce temperature to 375 F and bake 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and brush again. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Continue baking 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Notes: This is a heavy dough so requires maximum rising time.
For more glaze, less crustiness, use egg white wash. (1 egg white slightly beaten with 1 tsp water

Now tips from me
when you grease your bowl use solid shortening. I keeps the dough from drying out without making it to greasy to handle
when dough is rising boil a kettle of water, put a 9×9 baking pan in the bottom of the oven and fill half full with boiled water. The steam from the water will warm the oven, helping the dough rise, as well as keeping the dough from drying out.
also instead of all that taking the bread out of the oven to brush with cold water, fill a spray bottle with cold water, open the oven door and spritz the bread. As well as keeping the pan of water in the oven while the bread bakes.

This recipe turned out soooooooooooo yummy!!!! The whole family loved it!!!