Homemade French Bread

Homemade French Bread

2 tablespoons dry yeast I prefer SAF brand
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups warm water*
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon (yes tablespoon!) sea or Kosher salt
5 tablespoons Olive oil, Canola or vegetable oil*
6 cups flour (4 cups bread flour and 1 1/2-2 cups All Purpose)

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.
In a separate large bowl combine warm water*, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour. Stir well.

Add the yeast mixture to the warm water-flour mixture. Mix together with large wooden spoon or paddle attachment.

Add the remaining 3 cups of flour, a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
After all of the flour is added and mixed in, let sit in bowl for 10 minutes.

When the dough has risen, stir down with a large spoon. If making in a stand mixer, turn the machine on low for a few seconds until the dough is deflated, and push dough to bottom part of bowl with a spatula.

Repeat 5 times, every ten minutes, for a total of 60 minutes of rising and then punching (or pushing) down.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half of dough in a 9×12 rectangle on a floured surface.

Roll the dough up like a jelly roll (long way). Place the dough on a greased baking pan (jelly roll pan), with the seam side down. Both loaves will fit on one pan.

Score the bread across the top 3 or 4 times, and brush with beaten egg (if using).

Let rise for 20-30 minutes in warm place.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes in lower half of oven, until golden brown. Or you may bake at 350-375 convection for 18-20 minutes until golden.

Everything Bagel Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Everything Bagel Overnight Breakfast Casserole

5 everything bagels
1 pound fresh pork breakfast sausage - cooked, drained, and cooled
10 oz sharp cheddar cheese - grated
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 green onions chopped - plus 1 for garnish
7 eggs - lightly beaten
2 1/2 c half & half
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Cut the bagels into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes. Spray the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray, then add in the cubed bagel pieces. Spread the cooked sausage over the bagels. Then, sprinkle with the cheese, chopped red bell pepper, and green onions. Mix slightly with your hands to combine.
In a large bowl, add the eggs, half and half, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour this mixture over the bagels and sausage.
Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Before baking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake covered until set and lightly golden on top: about 60 minutes. (You can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking for a nice golden top.) Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to set for about 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped green onions to garnish

Herbed Focaccia Bread

I made this and it was FANTASTIC!!! The only thing I'll do differently next time is make double! The loaf this made went in one sitting at the dinner table!

This Easy Herbed Focaccia Bread such a simple bread recipe to make, but the flavor is outstanding! This bread is light and airy, with a yummy olive oil saltiness and those fresh herbs bring the whole loaf to life.

2 c Bread flour, (or all-purpose)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 c Water Warm
1 1/8 tsp Instant Yeast
1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
Olive Oil
1 tsp Rosemary Fresh , chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)*
1 tsp Parsley Fresh, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)*
1/2 tsp Thyme leaves Fresh , chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)*
Maldon Flaked Sea Salt

In a glass bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix to combine.
In a glass measuring cup, mix the warm water, yeast and sugar. Allow to sit for a minute* and stir into the flour with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together.
Cover the bowl with tight plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 8 hours or up to overnight.
Remove the bowl from the fridge.
In an 8-inch round cake pan, drizzle oil and place the dough in the center, tucking ends under.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 450ºF.
Once risen the dough should fill the pan. Drizzle with additional oil and use your fingers to press holes down to the bottom of the pan but not through the dough.
Sprinkle with herbs and salt.
Place in the oven and turn down to 425ºF and bake 22-24 minutes or until golden.

*Yeast should bubble and foam up within a few minutes to let you know it's activated

Sheet Pan Philly Cheesesteak

Sheet Pan Philly Cheesesteak
1.5 lbs lean ground beef
6 ounces cream cheese, (softened)
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
3 cups sliced bell peppers, (green, red, or yellow)
1 cup diced onion
8 ounces sliced or shredded Provolone cheese
Sliced rolls for serving
butter and garlic salt for rolls
Mayonnaise for rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a sheet pan 15 x 10 x 2 inch with cooking spray or line with foil.
In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium-high heat until browned. Drain. Add the cream cheese, steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat or until cream cheese is melted and combined. You can add a little milk or cream if you want it thinner. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread beef mixture on sheet pan.
Wipe out skillet (or use a separate pan while the beef is cooking) and heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion cooking until veggies are soft, adding more olive oil if needed. Spread veggies on top of beef mixture. Top veggies mixture with Provolone cheese and bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve immediately on sliced rolls that have been buttered and toasted (with a sprinkle of garlic salt optional) with mayonnaise if desired.

The Cheesecake Factory 4 Cheese Pasta Dupe

We just got back from a soccer tournament in Las Vegas. I feel like we ate 24/7 - we always chose somewhere easy to get into. So our last dinner there was at the Cheesecake Factory.

Our 10 year old ordered this dish and she FELL IN LOVE. She took her leftovers back to the hotel and her sister (who chose to go bowling w her teammates instead of go with us) came back starved and asked to eat those leftovers - our 10 year old wouldn't share no matter what. I ended up promising her that I would find a dupe and make it for dinner later that week. It was a deal - so here is the recipe I followed! The only real difference in the one I made from all the other recipes out there is that I didn't add eggs - we have a child allergic so I just omitted them.

Doesn't look real pretty - but she was OVER THE MOON!

Cheesecake Factory 4 Cheese Pasta Dupe

8 oz Penne pasta
24 oz Marinara Sauce
1 c Ricotta
2 ¼ c Mozarella, grated
¼ c chopped fresh basil
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp pepper, freshly ground
4 Fresh mozzarella balls, cut into quarters
¾ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

Garnish
2 T ricotta cheese
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 11x8-inch (3.5 Quart)baking dish.
In a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water, cook Penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
Meanwhile, while pasta is cooking, heat marinara sauce in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, fresh basil, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Add hot pasta and the heated marina sauce to the ricotta mixture. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with the creamy sauce.
Transfer pasta mixture to greased 11x8-inch (3.5 Quart) baking dish. Place quartered mozzarella balls evenly over top of pasta. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake, covered in 350°F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and place under broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Garnish: In a small bowl, combine 3 Tablespoons ricotta cheese and 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Divide evenly among four individual servings and top with freshly chopped basil.