Focaccia Bread

Focaccia Bread! You can make it at home. And it's easy! It's just like having a Panera in your kitchen, except better, because YOU made it! Can you tell I'm excited about this? This turned out beautifully and was absolutely delicious eaten on its own or as a base for a sandwich. And with different topping options, the varieties are practically endless. This time, I made the garlic-cheese variety, but I'll also give you the ingredients for the Greek topping. I think you could do a lot of experimenting, though, with great results every time.

I used my bread machine to make the dough. Start by adding in all the ingredients to the bread pan: first the flour, then sugar, salt, olive oil



water and yeast.



Turn the machine on to the dough setting. My machine will "beep" partway through the dough setting. At this time, add the Italian seasoning.



If your machine doesn't beep, add the seasoning at the final 'punch down' stage, just before the rising stage. (Honestly, I don't know what harm there would be in adding it with the other ingredients but I followed the instructions!)

After the cycle is complete, grease a 9x13 pan, then coat your hands lightly with olive oil. Remove the dough from the pan and press into the pan. With your finger tip, make indentations in the dough.



Cover the pan with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until almost double in size. While it's rising, prepare the topping.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, then stir in the oregano and garlic



and let cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Once the dough has risen, make the indents again if necessary, then spoon the garlic mixture evenly over the dough.



Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top,



then bake for 20 minutes or until the bread tests done.



This bread would go wonderfully with soups and stews, and made a very tasty base for a steak sandwich!



This bread freezes well, also. You can slice it into individual portions and toss into a freezer bag to use whenever you need it.

There are more recipes at Mouthwatering Mondays , Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Tasty Tuesday and the Krazy Kitchen.

Focaccia Bread

3 cups bread flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Garlic-Cheese topping:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/3 cup garlic, coarsely chopped OR 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Greek topping:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup sliced black olives

Combine the first six ingredients in a bread machine pan in the order recommended by your breadmaker manufacturer. Set the machine for the dough setting and turn on. At the sound of the beep, or just before the punch down stage, add the Italian seasoning.

When the dough is processed, remove from the bread pan with lightly oiled hands. Press into a greased 9x13 pan and make indentations with your finger, about every inch. Cover with a damp cloth and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

While the bread is rising, prepare the topping.

For the garlic cheese topping:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Make indents in the bread again, then spread this over the risen bread, then sprinkle with the cheese.

For the Greek topping:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onions, and cook and stir until tender, abotu 3 minutes. Stir in oregano. Remove from the heat. Make indents in the bread again, then spread the onion mixture over the risen bread, then sprinkle with olives and feta.

Bake the bread at 400 for 20 minutes or until done.

Greek Chicken

This is a fun twist for chicken that's easy enough for a weeknight dinner and impressive enough to serve guests at a dinner party! I especially like it for a dinner party because the long baking time gets you out of the kitchen and enjoying appetizers with your guests.

You can use more or fewer chicken breasts in this recipe - I ended up with 6 "rolls" using three chicken breasts that I cut in half. You could end up with as many as 8 rolls and have plenty of sauce, so you can just kind of "wing it" with the chicken amounts. Get it? Wing it? Well, I thought it was funny.

The first step is to flatten the chicken breasts, so they can be filled and rolled. I was dealing with some pretty large chickens here, so I cut the breasts in half lengthwise first.



Once the chicken is flattened, you'll want a piece that's abou 6-7 inches long and 3 inches wide, so you'll need to judge whether or not your pieces need to be cut in half.

Next put the pieces, one at a time, on a large piece of plastic wrap, and fold it over to cover the chicken. Then pound with a meat mallet until equally flat and the appropriate size.



Once it's pounded, it will look like this:



Next, spoon the cheese down the middle of the chicken pieces.



Now roll up the chicken, starting at one end,



then place seam side down in a baking dish.



For the sauce, combine the tomatoes, olives,



and cornstarch in a medium bowl.



Mix well to incorporate the cornstarch, then pour over the chicken in the dish.



Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the chicken tests done. Serve with pasta to soak up all the great sauce! Suggested side dishes: fried zucchini (pictured above) or roasted vegetables or garlicky green beans with mushrooms (sprinkle the green beans with feta before serving!)

There are more great recipes at Cooking Thursday, the Krazy Kitchen, Foodie Friday, Friday Food and Food on Fridays.

Greek Chicken

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4-6 Tbsp. feta cheese with herbs
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil and herbs
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
4 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt

Flatten each chicken breast with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Spoon 1 Tbsp. feta cheese down center of chicken; roll up and place seam side down in a small baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, cornstarch and salt. Pour over chicken.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until chicken juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Serves 4-6.

Shrimp Nachos

Are you planning a Superbowl party this week? If so, these tasty treats would be a wonderful addition. They would also be fabulous at any kind of party where you're standing around wtih a drink in one hand and trying to manage also eating appetizers - they are just the right size that you can pop one in your mouth, and not have to bite it in half and worry that the other half could land on your silk dress. (Not that I would know anything about that.) Actually, these treats are great any night of the week, party or not. So just make them already!

These come together really quickly once you've chopped up a few ingredients. Start by slicing the green onions and olives (or used presliced) and chopping the shrimp.



In a large-ish bowl, combine the green chiles,



green onions,



olives,



shrimp,



mayo (you can use light mayo if you want) and cheese.



Stir it up well to blend all ingredients, then add the cumin.



Stir it up again!

Place the tortilla scoops on a rimmed baking sheet (you'll probably need two baking sheets) and fill them each with about a tablespoon of filling.



Once your sheet is full of filled shells,



bake for 5-10 minutes, just until the cheese is melted. Serve warm, with a dollop of salsa on top, if you like. Let the party begin!

There are more SuperBowl recipes at the Ultimate Recipe Swap. Plus, get more great inspiration at Mouthwatering Mondays, the Krazy Kitchen, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table and Tasty Tuesday .

Shrimp Nachos

3/4 pound peeled cooked shrimp, chopped
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 - 4 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
1/4 tsp. cumin
48 tortilla chip scoops

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, green onions, olives, green chiles, mayo, cheese and cumin. Stir well. Place tortilla scoops on a rimmed baking sheet. Drop shrimp mixture by tablespoonfuls into tortilla scoops. Bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

M&M Cookies

There's nothing too special about these cookies. They're just your basic M&M cookie, and completely delicious. When I made these for my family at New Year's, I had to make a second batch just two days later.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shortening, butter, brown sugar and white sugar,



eggs and vanilla. Mix this well, then add the flour,



salt and baking soda, scraping down the bowl often during mixing to get all the sugary, buttery goodness!



Add the M&M's,



and mix well with a wooden spoon to distribute them throughout the batter.



Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.



(Thanks to my assistant Rachel for snapping this picture!)

Bake for 10-12 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.



Protect these from your cookie monsters!

Get more ideas at Cooking Thursday, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Friday Feasts and Would you like Chocolate with That?

M&M Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup m&m's

Cream together the sugars, butter and shortening. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Gradually add the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing well until all incorporated into the dough. Stir in the m&m's.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets, and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Makes 5 dozen.

Baba Ghanoush

This is my favorite appetizer at Middle Eastern restaurants, so I was excited to try my hand at it, using my food processor. This is very easy to make, and is a great dip for parties or a mid afternoon snack. It also can be used as a spread on sandwiches.

Start by cutting the top and bottom ends from an eggplant, then cut it in half lengthwise. Next, score the flesh side with a fork by just dragging the fork through the white flesh for the width of the eggplant.



Place the eggplant flesh side down on a baking sheet coated with non stick spray,



then bake for 30 minutes or until eggplant is softened.



Let cool, then scrape the flesh into a food processor bowl. It should separate from the purple peel quite easily.



Add the balsamic vinegar, garlic,



olive oil, salt and pepper and tahini to the bowl. (Tahini is sesame seed paste and can usually be found near the peanut butter in large supermarkets. After you've opened it, store it in the refrigerator.)



Process until the mixture is smooth.



Serve the dip with pita, pita chips or vegetables; and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

There are more ideas at Mouthwatering Mondays, Cooking with Chaya, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table and Tasty Tuesday.

Baba Ghanoush

1 medium eggplant, about 1 pound
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. tahini

pita bread, pita chips, crudite for dipping

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and score flesh side with a fork. Place flesh side down on a greased baking sheet and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until soft. Cool.

Scrape eggplant flesh into a bowl of a food processor and add garlic, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and tahini. Process until smooth. Serve with pita bread, pita chips and/or crudite. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Mocha Cheesecake Bars

Oh, boy these are good! And they come from Healthy Cooking, the "light" version of Taste of Home, so you can eat them guilt-free! (or have seconds, and thirds...) This is also one of the easiest cheesecake recipes but you will need to plan ahead a bit - it's best for cream cheese and sour cream to be at room temperature, and the coffee and chocolate need to be cooled before adding them to the cream cheese.

I think that anything that starts with an oreo crust is bound to be delicious. I used two rows of oreos for this recipe - which I think was probably more than the 25 cookies it called for - crush them up in your food processor, or with a rolling pin or whatever you have.



Add the chocolate syrup and the melted butter,



then pulse until it is blended. If you're not using a food processor, simply combine the crumbs with the syrup and butter and mix well. Pat the crust into a greased 9x13 pan;



cover and set in the freezer for 15-20 minutes while you assemble the filling.

Pour the coffee into a small saucepan, and sprinkle the gelatin over it.



Cook this over low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is completely dissolved.



Set aside the coffee to cool. Melt the chocolate however you like best - I normally put it in a small glass bowl and microwave at about 50% power until it's soft until to stir. Set aside the chocolate to cool.

Combine the cream cheese and the sugar in a large mixing bowl.



Beat this until smooth. When beating cream cheese, it's really important to scrape down the sides of the bowl often, and scrape up the bottom - you don't want to find a layer of cream cheese there when you're done!



Beat in the sour cream,



and the chocolate



and the coffee.



Mix this until completely blended, then pour over the crust.



This can be garnished in a number of different ways - I always like to grate chocolate over the top of most anything, so that's what I did!



You can also garnish each piece with a chocolate covered coffee bean, which I did for the final photo op (at the top of this post.) Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate overnight to set completely.



Store the cheesecake in the refrigerator, if you have leftovers...

Find more ideas at Save Room for Dessert, What's Cooking Wednesday , the Ultimate Recipe Swap , Cooking Thursday, Foodie Friday, Friday Food, Food on Fridays, and Would You Like Chocolate with That?.

Mocha Cheesecake Bars

Crust:
25 cream filled chocolate cookies (like Oreos)
3 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Filling:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup strong coffee
2 - 8 oz. packages reduced fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup (8 oz.) reduced fat sour cream
3 squares (1 oz. each) semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Garnish:
grated chocolate (from a 1 oz. square of semisweet chocolate)
chocolate covered coffee beans

Place cookies in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs. Add the chocolate syrup and butter and pulse until combined. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish/pan coated with nonstick spray. Freeze while you assemble filling to allow crust to set.

Pour coffee into a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 1 minute; then heat over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, chocolate and coffee until blended. Pour over crust. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Garnish with grated chocolate and/or chocolate covered coffee beans. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves 20.

Pasta with Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli

This is a recipe I devised after not being thrilled with any of the recipes I could find online for some kind of shrimp and vegetable combination in a creamy sauce. I must admit, it turned out beautifully and is SO good. I brought leftovers to work for lunch, and got comments like "what restaurant is that from?" People were very impressed when I answered "my kitchen!"

It has a few steps, and did dirty THREE pans, but it was worth it! (Don't let that scare you - this is an easy recipe, and well worth the dirty dishes.)

Start by bringing a large pot of water to boil. (I wanted more veggies and less pasta, so I only used 6 oz. of pasta. If you like more pasta, or you need to stretch this, feel free to use more.) Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Then add the broccoli florets and cook for an additional 3 minutes.



Drain the pasta and broccoli and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, start making the cream sauce. This is just a basic white sauce with some added goodness.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add the flour.



Cook and stir this until bubbly, then gradually add the milk.



Bring this to a simmer until it is slightly thickened, stirring quite often so it doesn't scald the bottom of your pan. Remove from the heat and add the parsley,



garlic,



worcestershire sauce, salt and parmesan cheese,



and stir well to incorporate all the ingredients.

Next melt some more butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, then add garlic



and red pepper flakes. I used 1/2 tsp. of flakes and it had quite a bit of kick. You may want to use more or less to your taste. Cook the garlic and the red pepper until fragrant, about two minutes, then add the zucchini, and stir fry for about 3 minutes.



Next add the shrimp



and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes, just enough to get the shrimp heated through and coated with the garlic and red pepper. If the pasta is now sticking together a bit, rinse it and the broccoli under hot water, then add it to the shrimp and zucchini,



and then add the cream sauce.



Stir well to coat everything with the sauce. Delicious!

Get more inspiration at Mouthwatering Mondays, Cooking with Chaya, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, and Tasty Tuesday.

Pasta with Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli

6 oz. angel hair pasta
3 cups broccoli florets, in bite sized pieces
3 Tbsp. butter, divided
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
2 Tbsp. minced garlic, divided
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1 medium zucchini, cut in 1/2" slices crosswise, then each slice halved
1/2 pound cooked medium shrimp


Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for 6 minutes, then add the broccoli florets and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the flour and stir and cook for one minute. Gradually add the milk; bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add the parsley, 1 Tbsp. minced garlic, salt, Parmesan and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt remaining 1 Tbsp. butter over medium high heat. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. minced garlic and red pepper flakes; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the zucchini and stir fry for about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook and stir 2 more minutes or until shrimp are heated through and zucchini is tender.

Rinse the pasta and broccoli if necessary, then add to the shrimp and zucchini mixture in the skillet. Pour the cream sauce over and stir well to combine.

Serves 4.