Mediterarian Dip

This is one of my all time favorite dips. My husband thinks it a girly dip. So it won't be making an appearence at the Super Bowl. If you are over run with basil make you own pesto and freeze the rest for another yummy recipe.

1 8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup mayonaise

Blend together for the first layer

second layer

Pesto spread thin

third layer-

Bottled artichoke hearts chopped

fourth layer-

herb garlic feta

last layer-

sprinkle with chopped tomatoes

Serve with wheat thins, or pita chips.

Wheat Bread

Growing up I was privliged to live across the street from one of the best bread makers I know. This is her recipe for wheat bread. It is fantastic. Her mother who is in her 90's still makes it by hand. Make sure you use a bosch mixer for this bread, it makes a lot of dough and I don't want you breaking your Kitchen Aid. The recipe is for the hand method, just adapt for using mixer. I was lucky enough to have recieved a nutri mill wheat grinder as a gift from my husband last year. Fresh ground wheat makes a softer loaf than store bought wheat flour. I hope your family enjoys the recipe as much as mine. Maybe this will get you on track to heathier living for the New Year. Feel free to ask any questions.


WHOLE WHEAT BREAD (HAND POWER)

PLACE IN LARGE BOWL
6 CUPS HOT WATER
1 TSP LEMON JUICE - optional
1/2 c vital wheat gluten - optional
2 TBLS. SALT
½ CUP OIL
½ CUP HONEY
6 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR* (8 MORE CUPS WILL BE USED LATER)
2 TBLS YEAST (if SAF add with the flour - otherwise let it dissolve with water, salt and honey)
1 OR 2 CUPS ROLLED OATS (SPROUTS,CRACKED WHEAT, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, ETC)
BEAT HARD WITH WHISK 500 STROKES.
ADD 4 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR - MIX WITH SPOON
SPREAD 2 MORE CUPS FLOUR ON KNEADING SURFACE.
PLACE DOUGH ON FLOUR AND BEGIN TO KNEAD USING LARGE SPATULA OR DOUGH SCRAPER. WORK IN 2 MORE CUPS FLOUR USING OILED OR FLOURED HANDS.
KNEAD UNTIL SMOOTH - (ABOUT 8 MINUTES) USE A BIT OF SPRAY OIL TO KEEP HANDS FROM STICKING. YOU MAY NEED A LITTLE MORE FLOUR ON THE KNEADING SURFACE.. KEEP YOUR DOUGH AS SOFT AS POSSIBLE.
PLACE DOUGH BALL IN LARGE COVERED OILED BOWL AND LET RISE UNTIL DOUBLE. SHAPE INTO 5 OR 6 LOAVES. LET DOUBLE AGAIN. (A GOOD TEST OF RIPE DOUGH IS TO MAKE A 1/4 INCH INDENTATION INTO THE CORNER OF ONE OF YOUR LOAVES - IF IT STAYS INDENTED IT IS READY. IF IT SPRINGS BACK INTO PLACE IT NEEDS MORE RISING TIME) KEEP A GOOD WATCH - IF YOU LET WHOLE WHEAT DOUGH RISE TOO HIGH IT IS VERY CRUMBLY.
Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes

New Posting

I decided I am going to focus on recipes this year! I will occasionaly post fun family stuff but mostly recipes. So if you have any requests let me know.

The Nativity

This is my favorite rendition of the Nativity. I share it with my family every year. I hope you enjoy it also. It is always nice to bring the Savior's love into your home.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icilgwdHiZg

Happy Holidays

I thought I would post about some great sites for the holidays. They are in no particular order.

1. http://www.emailsanta.com/email_santa.asp

Send out an e-mail to santa. Get a instant response. This has become a holiday tradition.

2. http://www.capturethemagic.com

Give your kids proof Santa was there.

3. http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/MissingRecipe.asp

Great candy and cookie ideas for Christmas.

I will add more if I think of them.

Too Long!

It has been way to long since my last post. Partly because our old computer gave out. And partly because of my laziness. So to fill everyone in, we had a great Halloween. Shelby dressed up as the cutest care bear you have ever seen. Hunter was a bag of garbage, but at the last minute decided it would be to hard to maneuver around the neighborhood in. Porter was a dinosaur. So glad I make costumes because they last a lot longer than the store bought variety. Hunter came home with way to much candy. And the following day he had it sorted out, and had written down each piece of candy and how many of each kind. He told us this way he will know if anyone has taken any. I guess you have to protect your candy from thieving brother and sister.

We have snow and I have been listening to Christmas music. So It feels like we already had Thanksgiving. I however refuse to put up the Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. I am so excited for all the fun baking and treats. I better watch myself. One of our favorite treats is white chocolate popcorn. I made it for neighbor gifts last year. I was being lazy and didn't want to bake 20 cinnamon tea rings. So anyway here is how you make the white chocolate popcorn: 2 bags microwave popcorn with butter popped and put in bowl, 12 oz white chocolate chips or bark melted. Pour over popcorn, stir until well coated, pour onto waxed paper to cool. You can add all kinds of things to this to make it even yummier. I promise once you make this you won't want to put it down.

Best Grilled Whole Chicken

We made this about a month ago. I am just getting to posting it. I didn't know what the result would be, but it was fantastic. Somthing everyone needs to try. The kids all thought it was funny. It looked like there was a headless chicken standing on the grill. You can also make it on your gas grill. We just love the taste you get from cooking with charcoal.


Cola-Can Chicken

Ingredients
1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 can (12 ounces) cola
2 teaspoons melted butter
1 to 2 chunks of light smoking wood (preferably cherry or apple) optional
Procedure
1. Mix the salt and white sugar in the cold water until completely dissolved to make the brine. Wash the chicken inside and out and place it in the brine breast side down, placing a weight on top of the chicken to keep it submerged. Brine the chicken in the refrigerator for 1 hour, then remove from the brine, wash again, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken on a plate and put it back in the fridge to air dry overnight (optional).
2. Combine the chili powder salt, light brown sugar, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl. Pop open your cola and drink 1/2 of the soda. Make two additional holes at the top of the can with a church key-style can opener, and toss in about 1 teaspoon of the rub. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body cavity. Hold the bird upright, with body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the can so the can fits into the cavity. Pull the legs forward to form a sort of tripod, and then tuck the wing tips behind the chicken's back. Brush the chicken all over with the melted butter, and then apply the remaining rub to the chicken liberally.
3. Light 1 chimney of charcoal, and when lit and covered in gray ash, dump out onto the charcoal grate. Arrange half of the coals on each side of the grate and place a drip pan in the middle between the two piles of charcoal. Place the wood chunks on top of the charcoal if using. Bring the grill to between 325-350 degrees. Place the chicken in the middle of the cooking grate, over the drip pan, then cover and cook until an instant read thermometer reads 180 degrees in thickest part of the thigh. You may need to add more charcoal about 1 hour through cooking.