No-Bakes Just Got Even Better!

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate" (Linda Grayson). 
I agree! Chocolate is the perfect taste to celebrate friendship, love, and Valentine's Day. These easy to make no-bake cookies are so quick you can make several batches to share with friends. I've loved this basic recipe for years, but this version from Sally's Baking Addiction has a different twist. I used 3 squares of 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate instead of the usual powdered unsweetened chocolate and I think it enriched the flavor. Also soaking the oats for 5 minutes incorporated the ingredients better. Be sure to use quick oats or pulse regular oats in the food processor 4-5 times to make them finer cut. The original recipe suggested using coconut oil instead of butter, I'm going to try that next time. Coconut oil solidifies like butter when cooked and cooked. 

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER NO-BAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:

3 cups quick oats

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup milk

¼ cup natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa

⅔ cup creamy peanut butter

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions: 

1.    Place oats in a large bowl. Set aside. 

2.    Combine the butter sugar, milk, and cocoa together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter melts, then bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minutes without whisking. Remove from heat and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until completely combined. Pour this mixture over the oats, then stir to combine it all. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. This allows the oats to soak up some moisture.

3.    During the 5 minutes, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. And make sure there is enough room in your refrigerator for the baking sheets. 

4.    Using a 1-Tablespoon cookie scoop (or a spoon), drop a tablespoon of dough onto the lined baking sheets. If desired flatten out and shape into a cookie. Repeat with the rest of the dough. 

5.    Refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and enjoy! Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

Sliders for Sharing

Ham and Swiss Cheese Sliders

Being co-hostess for our Extension unit means preparing the entree for the covered dish lunch. I made everything easy by hosting at our church (where several of us were in UMW meeting that morning) and making these sliders for the main dish. I also made it simple by doing much of the preparation the night before. I sliced the rolls (Hawaiian Sweet Rolls) in half, laying the top half on a sheet of wax paper so they could be easily lifted off for filling. I prepared the filling for the cheeseburger sliders and reheated it just before putting it on the rolls. For the ham/cheese sliders I layered the sliced ham and Swiss cheese on the bottom half of rolls and refrigerated overnight. For both recipes, I prepared the mixture of melted butter and other ingredients that is poured over the top, stored in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator. Cooked and crumbled bacon, toasted sesame seeds, shredded cheese, and sliced pickles were also prepared and stored in containers in the refrigerator. The morning of the meetings, I packed it all and it was quick to assemble just before heating the pans of sliders for the 12:30 lunch. 

I'd been wanting to try these recipes, but didn't think it was a recipe suitable for a light supper with 2 people. Not unless you wanted to serve these as leftovers all week. If you do want a smaller preparation, I'd suggest using a half package of rolls (6) and half of the filling ingredients. 

Cheeseburger Bacon Sliders

Its hard to say which is my favorite! I like the ham and cheese for the simplicity of preparation. But I like the flavor and hardiness of the cheeseburger sliders. Try them both and you decide! 

Savory-Sweet Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders 
2 pkgs. Hawaiian sweet rolls, 12 oz each 
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided use 
1 ½  lbs. ground beef 
1 medium yellow onion, diced 
14 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained (such as Rotel) 
1/3 cup ketchup 
2 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper 
Sliced hamburger dill pickles

½ pound bacon, cooked and chopped into large pieces 

Glaze 
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard 

1-2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Leaving the packages of rolls intact, cut each of horizontally in half, then arrange each sheet of bottom halves across the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. (Reserve the top sheets of rolls for later in the recipe.) Sprinkle the rolls with 1 cup shredded cheese. 

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef with the diced onion until the beef is fully cooked throughout (no longer pink and 165 degrees F internal temperature) and onions are tender and translucent, crumbling the beef as it cooks. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain all fats from the beef mixture. 

4. Return the skillet to the burner over medium heat and stir in the tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper; stir until well combined and heated throughout, 2-3 minutes.

5. Spoon the prepared beef mixture evenly over the cheese and the rolls in the baking dish, then top the beef mixture with the remaining cup of shredded cheese. Sprinkle the cooked, chopped bacon over the cheese, then top with sliced pickles. Lastly, add the reserved sheets of rolls as the top and final layer of the sliders. 

6. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Drizzle this butter mixture over the sliders, then sprinkle the sliders with sesame seeds. 

7. Bake sliders, uncovered, until golden brown and heated throughout, 23-25 minutes. Slice sliders apart and serve at once!

 Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

¾ cup melted butter

1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 pound thinly sliced cooked deli ham

1 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

24 mini sandwich rolls

Directions: 

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 -inch baking dish. 

2.   In a bowl, mix together butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and dried onion. 

3.   Separate the tops from bottoms of the rolls, and place the bottom pieces into the prepared baking dish. Layer about half the ham onto the rolls. Arrange the Swiss cheese over the ham, and top with remaining ham slices in a layer. Place the tops of the rolls onto the sandwiches. 

4.   Pour the mustard mixture evenly over the rolls. 

5.   Bake in the preheated oven until the rolls are lightly browned and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Slice into individual rolls through the ham and cheese layers to serve. 

Bring a Snack?

   

 Its that time of year when many post-holiday gatherings are snack food times. By now we're tired (or maybe full) of sweet treats and collected snacks may be the meal for a meeting or party. Whether you're planning a Super Bowl party or committee meeting, its good to have a 'go-to' recipe for a savory snack to take.
     This recipe fits the need! It isn't something I would make at home for the two of us, but it worked well for a Cattlewomen's meeting where there were at least 4 cheese balls! I took the easy shortcuts and used frozen dough and frozen spinach, so it was quick and easy to assemble. The recipe made enough dip that I had some left for us to snack on at home for a few days as well. I made it in a round casserole dish so it was easier to transport to the meeting. But a cast-iron skillet would add a rustic touch if you were serving it at home. 

WARM SKILLET BREAD AND ARTICHOKE SPINACH DIP

Ingredients: 

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

         (or make your own from your favorite recipe)

Artichoke Spinach Dip:

4 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach (mw with 1 T. water for 1 minute, cool, and drain

OR ½ of a 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

4 oz cream cheese at room temperature

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp. hot sauce

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup mozzarella, plus more for topping

To make dip:Combine all ingredients and mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 

Shaping dough:Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces on a lightly floured cutting board. Shape each piece into a ball by pinching the edges together underneath. 

Generously butter an 8-inch cast-iron skillet. Place an oven-proof 5-inch (approximately) bowl, top side down in the center. Spray the bowl with cooking spray. Arrange the dough balls in the skillet around the bowl, pushing together as needed until they all fit. Brush dough balls generously with melted butter. Cover the skillet with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes. 

 

Ready to go in the oven!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with the rack in center of the oven. Remove bowl from the skillet. Spoon prepared dip into the center space, pushing it right up to the edge of the dough. Sprinkle top of dip with additional mozzarella/Parmesan. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, until rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped and the dip is bubbly. 

Remove from oven and raise oven rack to the top third. Switch oven to broil. Sprinkle the rolls with additional mozzarella cheese and return skillet to oven to brown cheese and dip. 

Serve with a ‘dip’ knife. 

Italian Vegetable Soup

It is definitely soup weather this weekend. I recently made the Italian Vegetable Soup my sister-in-law had served at a family gathering in December. For that dinner I'd taken Rosemary Focaccia (post from December) and there was some left that I'd put in the freezer. Perfect with the soup last week.

This soup is not only tasty, it gets tastier as leftovers! It is a good blend of seasonings and vegetables with ground beef and beans to give it substance. This recipe is a keeper for sure! I usually use 2 pounds of ground beef in a recipe preparation that calls for 1 pound, but this soup is so full of good taste and nutrition that 1 pound works well.

ITALIAN VEGETABLE SOUP                                    

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup diced onion

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup sliced carrots

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 16-oz can diced tomatoes

1 15-oz can tomato sauce

1 15-oz can red kidney beans, undrained

2 cups water

5 teaspoons beef bouillon granules

1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes 

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon sweet basil

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups shredded cabbage

½ cup small elbow macaroni

Parmesan cheese

Brown beef in large kettle; drain. Add all other ingredients except cabbage and macaroni. Bring to a boil. Lower heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add cabbage and macaroni; bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender. 

Add water or broth for a thinner soup. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese when serving. 

EPC Desserts

Did you get an Electric Pressure Cooker for Christmas? EPCs promised to be one of the hot items on many people’s lists. I’ve had mine about 3 years and I’m amazed at the variety of things it can do. 

Some things to remember – while the electric pressure cooker will cook food much quicker than the stovetop or oven, it is a moist cooking method, so you won’t have a crispy exterior. There are new appliances on the market that claim to do both, cook quickly and crisp. These cookers actually do this in two processes with two different lids for the different processes. The crisping function is much like the air fryer appliance. 

The other thing the electric pressure cooker, or any pressure cooker, won’t do is canning! Do not confuse the pressure canning process with pressure cooking. Canning will need another, different appliance. 

My favorite things in the Electric Pressure Cooker? Beef! – roasts and less than tender steaks are fork tender in less than an hour. I prefer to brown/sear the outside of the meat before pressure cooking to develop the flavor. That can be done in the EPC with the sauté setting. 

To show the variety of foods you can do, I’m including a couple of recipes here, both for desserts. I did both these recipes for demonstrations this fall and for our family. Tasty and enjoyed! 

Tips: 

·     make a foil sling to place under and around the pan for lowering and removing the cake pan from the PC pot. 

·     These recipes use ‘mini’ pans, 8-inch springform and bundt cake pans to fit into the PC pot. These pans are available on-line or in kitchen stores. Pans should be set on the PC rack, not directly on the bottom of the pot. 

·     “Natural release” of pressure is allowing the PC to set until all the pressure has released and the pressure valve is down. The lid will be unlocked at this time. Do not force the lid off! “Quick release” is to turn the pressure knob to venting to allow the steam to escape and the pressure to release. 

·     The smaller cakes are a good choice for small families! 

Pumpkin Cheesecake                                      

                    

Ingredients:

1 cup crushed gingersnaps

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

¾ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel sauce or whipped cream for topping

Directions:

1.    Line the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan with parchment. Combine the cookies and butter and press into the bottom of the pan.

2.    Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium until smooth. Add the eggs, pumpkin, and sour cream; beat until smooth, about 1 minutes. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread over the crust. Tap the pan on the counter to release any bubbles. Add 1 cup water to the pressure cooker pot, set the rack inside. Place the pan on the rack, with a foil sling. Lock the lid and set to high pressure for 30 minutes. 

3.    Turn the steam valve to ‘venting’ to release pressure (quick release). Lift out the pan with potholders or the foil sling. The cheesecake will settle as it cools. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. Loosen the sides of the cheesecake with a thin knife. Remove the collar. Top with caramel sauce or whipped cream. 

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE WITH CIDER GLAZE

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon kosker salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

½ cup mini chocolate chips

Cider Glaze Ingredients:

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

2-3 Tbs. apple cider

Directions: 

1.    In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside. 

2.    Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add the pumpkin and mix until combined well. Add the reserved dry ingredients and chocolate chips, mixing until just combined. 

3.    Spoon batter into half sized bundt pan (8-inch) that has been well sprayed with non-stick spray, then cover bundt pan tightly with foil. Pour 1 ½ cups water into the PC pot, placing the rack in the bottom. With a foil sling, place the bundt pan into the PC pot on the rack. 

4.    Lock the lid into place, and select high pressure setting for 25 minutes. When the timer sounds, use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure from the PC. 

5.    Using the foil sling, carefully remove the bundt pan to a wire rack to cool uncovered for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, invert cake pan onto cake stand. Cover cake with plastic wrap to cool completely. 

6.    Cider Glaze:to prepare the glaze, combine melted butter with powdered sugar and salt; add cider a bit at a time, until glaze reaches desired consistency. When cake has cooled, drizzle cider glaze over entire cake, or if, preferred, drizzle glaze over each individual piece as cake is served. 

Rosemary Focaccia

The menu was Italian Vegetable soup - and sides. What to bring to the after-Christmas family gathering? For shared dinners I like to rely on my experience with the Kansas Wheat Commission to find a bread recipe to add to the meal. This time is was Rosemary Focaccia, not from the KWC, but inspired from working with a focaccia bread from the 2017 contest. 
Focaccia is a yeast bread, but not shaped into a loaf. Instead it is a large, round flat Italian bread, sprinkled with olive oil, salt and often herbs before baking. The recent popularity of the book (and Netflix series) Salt Fat Acid Heat describes cooking as the balance of these four edible elements. Focaccia is a great way to bring the fat of olive oil and salt of Kosher salt together with delicate flavors of herbs and hardiness of bread. 
This recipe is from onceuponachef.com. I used a lemon infused olive oil, next time I will use an herb infused oil. Do be sure to use a good quality olive oil. This is an easy bread to prepare, mostly kneaded in the mixer, but it does take time! I started at 6:15 a.m. to have this ready to leave home by 10:00.

Be sure to allow time for both rising times, before putting in the pan and after, that happen before baking time. 

ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Servings: 24 (2 ½” x 3”) to serve 10-12 

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup warm water

1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling the bowl and drizzling on top

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 

Instructions: 

1.   Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl; stir to dissolve the sugar and yeast. Let sit about 10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy.

2.   In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, (or with a whisk in a bowl) combine the flour and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, mix briefly to combine. Combine the flour mixture, yeast mixture, and ½ cup of olive oil; mix with a dough hook on low speed until the dough comes together, then turn the speed up to medium and continue to knead for 5-6 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and soft. Sprinkle with a bit of flour if the dough is really sticky. 

3.   Transfer the dough to a clean, very lightly floured surface. Knead by hand briefly until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. 

4.   Clean the mixer bowl and coat the inside of the bowl with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Return the dough to the bowl, flipping once so that both the top and bottom of dough are lightly covered with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has doubled in size, 1-2 hours. 

5.   Coat a 12”x16” rimmed baking sheet with ¼ cup of olive oil. (this will make the bottom crisp). Place the dough onto the prepared pan and begin pressing it out with your hands to fit the size of the pan. Turn the dough over a few times to coat both sides with olive oil. Continue to stretch the dough to fit the pan, then spread your fingers out and make impressions almost all the way through the dough. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the warm, draft-free spot again until the dough has puffed up and doubled in size, about 1 hour.

6.   While the dough is rising a second time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Set the oven rack in the middle position. 

7.   Sprinkle the top of the focaccia with the remaining ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and rosemary, then lightly drizzle 1-2 teaspoons olive oil on top so it pools in the indentions. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into squares. Can be served with olive oil for dipping.