Roasted Strawberry Blondies

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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Blondies begin with one of my favorite combinations of things: brown sugar and butter. Some folks think of blondies as a counterpart to brownies… but my brain likens them to cookies. Large, chewy, tender, crisp at the edges, bar-like cookies. You know what I love just as much as brown sugar, butter, and cookies? (No, the answer is not absolutely nothing else!)

The answer is roasted strawberries. While fresh strawberries are delicious all on their own, roasting them turns them into a whole different animal. A soft, super flavor-bursting, sweet, deeply delicious animal.

What happens when you combine all of the above elements? The following recipe.

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Roasted Strawberry Blondies

Yields 9 blondies.

Ingredients:

For the berries:
8 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut in half
3 tablespoons good quality maple syrup
4 teaspoons olive oil
pinch of salt

For the blondies:
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup of tightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
small pinch of salt
1 cup of all-purpose flour

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Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

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In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, and salt. Toss the strawberries in this mixture then spread evenly, in one layer in a cast iron pan or a rimmed baking sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper). Roast for 40 minutes, occasionally stirring. The juices will thicken slightly, but make sure it doesn’t burn! Pour the strawberries and all the juice that is released into a bowl then set aside to cool while preparing the blondie batter.

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Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8×8-inch baking pan then line the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper as well. Whisk together the melted butter and two different brown sugars in a bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt to the mixture, then stir it all together.

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Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Spoon the roasted strawberries over the top of the batter, along with their juices. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow time to cool to at least room temperature, then cut into 9 squares and serve.

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Meatless Monday: Barbecue Chik’n Pizza

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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Yesterday I posted a photo on my personal facebook page, of the loaded sandwich I was enjoying after a good workout. Later on, a friend inquired, “what do you do to stay so fit?” I thought about this, then responded by saying that for me the key is balance. Meaning, allowing myself to eat whatever I want within reason, but making sure I get a decent amount of exercise every week, too.

That hasn’t always been the case. I’ve struggled with various eating disorders for more than a decade of my life. As with most human emotions, it all comes in waves. Even now, at almost 30. The one thing I strive to do, however, is precisely what I think is key: aim for balance. You want to eat a carb heavy, rich, high-fat meal? Do it. Within reason. If I’m eating something super rich one day, the next I may opt for more salads or greens. I may add an extra 5-10 minutes to my originally planned workout. Mostly I’ve tried to stop feeling GUILTY for my eating choices and habits, because the reality is, generally I do keep it balanced day-to-day. I don’t feel the need to meticulously count the calories of everything I put into my mouth anymore, I eat sweets if my body’s craving them, I let myself have overindulgent days now and then.

So when my body says PIZZA, PIZZA, PIZZA! I try to oblige… This particular pie went over well with everyone, including both kids. It’s the one Silas requested the following afternoon when the leftovers were reheated. The real magic of this particular pizza is the sauce. While you could use a prepared barbecue sauce, I always enjoy making my own because it’s simply another way to add my flavor preferences. This pizza is just as delicious reheated the following day, so should you find yourself with leftovers, embrace them. :)

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Barbecue Chik’n Pizza

Makes one 13×18-inch pizza.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup warm water
olive oil for pan

For the sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)

For the pizza:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Quorn Chik’n Tenders
1/2 a small red onion, cut into thin rounds
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Prepare the dough: Stir together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in bowl. Add the water, then use a spoon or your hands to mix everything together until blended into a ball of dough (this should take no more than a few minutes).

Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for about 2 hours. It may be slightly less than doubled in size.

Prepare the sauce: Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the pizza: Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. Generously oil a 13×18-inch pan with olive oil. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Generously oil a 13×18 inch rimmed baking sheet with a good quality olive oil. Gently place a ball of dough on the pan, stretching and pressing it out toward the edges. If it springs back wait five minutes and then continue. The dough is very thin. If it tears, simply pinch it back together.

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In a small pan, heat the two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the Quorn tenders, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown. Add two tablespoons of the barbecue sauce, tossing to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then remove from stove.

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Spread the remaining barbecue sauce over the pizza dough. Layer the Quorn tenders and sliced onion over the sauce, then top with the feta and mozzarella. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges are slightly charred and the cheese has melted completely.

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Allow the pizza to cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped cilantro over the pizza, cut into squares and serve.

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Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Kids, Meatless Meat, Meatless Monday, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Day to Day Life: Week Twenty-Seven

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

The last week, looking a little something like this:

I planted some sunflowers last year, which turned out alright. This year, tons of them popped up on their own alongside our house. The first bloom this summer opened up this week.

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Silas participated in a 4-day basketball camp this week. Vincent’s done two water polo camps so far, at Stanford and UC Santa Cruz. This coming week, Silas will do a football camp through Ashland High School. Summmmer.

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What better way to deal with 102-degree weather than a big ‘ole pink smoothie?

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Hey, baby birds.

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Cabbage swirls.

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Used for slaw, alongside homemade BBQ seitan and Hawaii-style sticky rice I was absolutely stoked to find in bulk!

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Summer time sunsets need no filters…

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This week, the baby birds reached 4 weeks old — the age they typically start learning to fly. We started taking Mean Chicken out in the backyard to “practice.”

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Silas “accidentally” tossed Mean Chicken up onto our shed roof, which caused his mama and papa to fly on down from our house roof to meet him. We watched as the parents taught little ‘ole Mean Chicken how to fly up from the shed roof to the top of our house. We are planning to avail new roof service from roofing southlake tx as it can be both good and secure.He’s still a bit timid and prefers to hang out on a not-as-high ledge, but has remained outside with his parents since. He still listens and responds to “Mean Chicken” with a turn of his head when we call him.

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Meanwhile, Dudley Guenther chicken bird is indoors. Her parents come to visit every morning until we close up the house/windows to keep the heat out.

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This bread, again! Only with blueberries, strawberries and cherries instead of raspberries.

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Nothing makes a girl feel more hippie than making her own bird food… Including hand-chopping the seeds and grains, and making “bird milk.”

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Smokey BBQ seitan pizza with fresh local peaches, red onions, and Vermont Creamery’s Cremont cheese.

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Wood grain is one of my favorite kinds of texture.

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“We want pancakes for dinner.”

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I saw Abraham Lincoln in the Ashland 4th of July parade this year…

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We also watched the fireworks that are done by the Ashland Chamber of Commerce every year. Here’s the finale.

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Zucchini season in our garden is in full-blown daily production…

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I love having a garden that produces food we can and will actually eat. Creamy pesto made from an abundance of basil and baked parmesan zucchini with some of the above zucchinis.

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Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!

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Saturday Sites: Week Twenty-Seven

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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  1. Hah! Real life versus Instagram life…

  2. This sounds delicious, with a little bit of tweaking to make it veggie…

  3. I never went to camp as a kid. I’d totally be down with going to camp as an adult. The Yellowstone Under Canvas and Ace Camps absolutely appeal to me.

  4. Because grammar.

  5. We are huge fans of the fake banana ice cream that hit the interwebs by storm awhile back… This cake batter version is in my summer list of recipes to try.

  6. What is the best time to drink your coffee?

  7. Some of these seem like they were probably photoshopped, but they’re funny nonetheless!

  8. An interactive guide/quiz to where you belong in the United States based on your mood/temperament… Apparently I belong in Oregon… No wonder I’ve been here for nearly 11 years.

  9. These nature still life photos are pretty.

  10. I’ve been craving shrimp and grits for a few weeks… Seeing this recipe didn’t help that craving at all!

  11. Real job titles and the reality of their positions…

  12. I love these images of children playing all over the world.

  13. These 15 lessons from cooking at the notorious French Laundry are a great read.

  14. Oooh, this blueberry peach coffee cake sounds delicious!

  15. This world map of births and deaths in real time…

  16. Although I am generally not a huge fan of burgers, this one makes me reconsider…

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Hawaii Shoyu Seitan

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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In Hawai’i, shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) chicken is a classic dish well-known by locals. It’s often a main dish option for the beloved plate lunch. Plate lunches are a staple in the cuisine of Hawai’i. These plates typically consist of a scoop or two of sticky white rice, macaroni salad and an entree like kalua pork or shoyu chicken. The ingredients used are often similar recipe-to-recipe, proportions dependent on personal preferences. Shoyu chicken is more or less the Hawaiian equivalent of teriyaki chicken. It’s both savory and sweet.

Growing up, my mom would prepare shoyu chicken based off a recipe she discovered from local chef, Sam Choy. Typically you use chicken thighs that still have the skin intact. The result of cooking the meat in the shoyu-based sauce is a flavorful, extremely tender, melt in your mouth chicken.

Since I don’t cook meat at home, I decided to try a spin on the traditional shoyu chicken I grew up with, using seitan. The day I cooked the following recipe, we ate it with steamed white rice. The next day however, I used the shoyu seitan in sandwiches. Either way is entirely okay and both methods are delicious.

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Hawai’i Shoyu Seitan

Ingredients:
two 8-ounce packages seitan strips
2 1/4 cups shoyu
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup + 2 tablespoons mirin
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons fresh chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:
In a large heavy bottomed pot, combine the shoyu, water, mirin, brown sugars, ginger, garlic and Chinese 5-spice. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Add the seitan into the sauce. Bring to a low boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook for about 35-40 minutes at a low simmer.

Remove the seitan from the pot and put it on a serving platter. Keep warm.

Remove one and a half cups of the shoyu broth from the cooking pot. Discard the remaining sauce, or save it for later use as a teriyaki style sauce (I like just the sauce on plain, steamed rice). Return the one and a half cups of shoyu broth to the cooking pot. Bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water, then whisk it into the boiling broth. Reduce heat and cook until thickened, stirring frequently. It’ll take just a minute or two. Add the seitan into the thickened sauce and turn to coat all the seitan. Stir in the fresh cilantro.

You can serve the seitan as is, with steamed rice. I used the same seitan in sandwiches. For the sandwiches, we used sliced potato bread, then layerd in vegenaise, the shoyu seitan, fresh tomatoes and lettuce.

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Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Meatless Meat, Sauces, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Meatless Monday : Vegetarian Chik’n Pot (Hand)Pies

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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Last night, I dreamt that someone told me I had to bake a lemon meringue pie. In a state of complete panic, I exclaimed “I’ve never made a lemon meringue pie in my life! How do I get those little curls on top to perfectly brown?!”

But everyone knows the real trick to any pie is all about the crust. Having a flaky, crispy, delicate and not overly tough crust is the basis of a good pie. I have had major brainfarts and failures in this department before. You know the ones (or perhaps you don’t – good for you) – where the dough slinks down off the edge of the pie plate in the oven, turning into a mushy, buttery pile of pie-crust-crap. The secret is butter. COLD butter. It breaks down slowly in the oven, creating flakiness.

These handheld veggie chik’n pot pies are flaky, fun to eat, portable, and most importantly — delicious. Good luck stopping yourself at just one! :)

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Vegetarian Chik’n Pot Hand Pies

Makes 10 pies.

Ingredients:

For the pastry dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks butter, cold
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg

For the filling:
1 large yukon gold or red potato, diced small
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 a small onion, diced
6 ounces Quorn Chik’n Tenders
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small zucchini, diced small
1 ear corn, kernels removed (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup green peas
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
2 teaspoons fresh chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup No-Chicken broth
1/4 cup whole milk or half and half

1 egg, whisked with 2 tablespoons water

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Directions:

Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter (I like to use a box grater and just grate the butter in, then mix with my hands to get the right consistency), until the mixture resembles large crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and two tablespoons of milk until completely combined. Pour into the dry ingredients. Stir until a ball forms. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes, then separate into two even balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour before using.

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Prepare the filling: In a small pot, bring enough water up to a boil to cover the diced potatoes and carrots. Cook until just fork tender (4-6 minutes). Drain and run under cold water until completely cool.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion. Cook until tender and translucent. Add the Quorn tenders, celery, zucchini, corn, potatoes, carrots, peas, basil, parsley, tarragon, sage, salt and pepper. Cook until the tenders become lightly golden in color.

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Sprinkle in the flour, coating all the vegetables and tenders. Cook for a minute or two, then add the broth and milk, stirring to evenly mix everything. Cook until the liquid thickens slightly (5-8 minutes). Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before using in the dough (I refrigerate the filling while the dough is refrigerating, too).

Prepare the pies: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out one ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, to a large rectangle about 1/8-inch thick, 9-inches by 17.5-inches. Cut the dough into small rectangles, 4.5 x 3.5 inches. You should be able to get about 10 rectangles. Refrigerate these cut rectangles while you prepare the other ball of dough. Do the exact same thing you just did, with the second ball of dough.

Place five of your cut rectangles on each of the prepared baking sheets. Spoon generous scoop of filling in the center of each rectangle, leaving about a 1/2-inch around the outside edges. Place another rectangle of dough over the filling, aligning the edges. Gently press the top dough down, letting out as much air as you can in the process. Use a fork to crimp all four edges. Place on your parchment-lined baking sheets. Continue doing this, ultimately winding up with 10 pies.

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Use a toothpick to poke 10-15 small holes in the top of each pie. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes before baking (so the butter re-solidifies a bit, creating a flakier crust). Brush the tops of each pie with the whisked egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until nicely golden brown in color. Serve while hot.

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Posted in Baking, Dinner, Lunch, Meatless Meat, Meatless Monday, Snacks, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Day to Day Life: Weeks Twenty-Five and Six

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Since I missed last week’s post, here are the last two weeks in photographs:

If you’ve been following along on the ever-growing pigeon adventure around here… Even though these are pigeons, we’ve taken to calling them chickens. There’s Mean Chicken and Dudley Guenther Chicken.
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An ice cold coconut matcha latte is my current favorite summertime beverage.
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Garden goodies that turned into a broccoli chowder with potatoes from the local farmer’s market.
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Chik’n pot hand-pies and cinnamon peach pop tarts using the same dough!
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Picking good avocados is a small, triumphant happiness every time.
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Oregon in the summer is lovely. P.S. Lake swimming is NOT at the top of my list of favorite things… I am and will always be an ocean girl. I’ve tried to keep an open mind, but that muck at the bottom of lakes… the jagged rocks… eww.
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Zucchini and herbs from the garden…
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Turned into zucchini-potato cakes. With homemade BBQ sauce and a sunny side up egg. THUMBS UP for this impromptu, “I’m hungry – oh hey we don’t have kids to feed – oh wait my husband ate multiple bowls of homemade dark chocolate peanut butter granola for dinner” kind of dinner.
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This is Dudley. S/he has a splayed leg that may or may not grow the way it needs to… If not, she will be our pet pigeon. Her papa more or less attacked her and kicked her out of the nest, so she gets hand-fed and handled frequently. Her brother, Mean Chicken is right about the age where he’ll leave the nest.
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Good morning, cloudy day, from my bed, under the covers.
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Living with three dudes, especially when it’s summer, means A LOT OF FOOD is needed. Pizza galore! (BBQ chik’n pizza for the win that night!)
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Dinner another night. Don’t judge me. :)
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Silas Henry bowling a strike without any bumpers!
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While I usually don’t gloat, I had to take a picture of the final scores… because I beat my champ-bowler-husband. 1.) That NEVER happens 2.) My bowling “skills” are so ridiculous it’s not even funny 3.) This game must’ve been rigged somehow…
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Miss Nikki.
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Silas excavating some kind of craziness with his Nana.
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Blue and puffy.
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Roasted strawberry blondie experiment…
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The rain that hit us for a couple days off and on allowed our lilies to pop open! Usually the deer come and eat the buds before they ever get to flower… This is the first time this plant has had actual flowers in at least three years!
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Two birds, one stone… Beans and vegetable broth.
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Said beans, used alongside sweet corn and cheese enchiladas (with homemade enchilada sauce).
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Teri beef and shoyu chicken are common, delicious, dishes found in my Hawaii home. I made a vegetarian, seitan version that more or less combined both dishes… Served with Hawaii style mac salad, of course.
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Freeing these dudes that hitched a ride in the house on some broccoli and corn.
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Mama bird coming to check on her baby birds.
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A quick pesto made from basil in the garden, made into a sourdough pesto-cheese flatbread.
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Buzz, buzz, buzz.
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Saturday Sites: Week Twenty-Six

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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  1. This place… my birthplace will always be somewhere in my heart.

  2. I love finding some new, great vegetarian recipes!

  3. Crazy bird girl/lady… tha-a-a-a-t’s me!

  4. I could drink this, I do believe!

  5. Most of these places I would love to visit someday…

  6. I’m pretty sure this pasta could easily be my summer staple!

  7. This was a needed read this week.

  8. http://familyshare.com/12-ways-to-be-the-meanest-mom-in-the-world

  9. I’d like to eat these Cantonese noodles immediately! Please.

  10. Loved these historical photos.

  11. http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-homemade-bitters-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-197883

  12. I’d totally love to be carried away in this riptide!

  13. How would you handle this airline ticket mixup?!

  14. Some of these snacks from some great writers are nearly terrifying. Really, Steinbeck?!

  15. This banh mi sounds delicious!

  16. This article on how our recipes as a whole have been affected by the decline of home cooking was an interesting read.

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Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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One of my favorite things about cooking is creating foods wherein the smell of whatever’s on the stove or in the oven infiltrates my nostrils instantly. If I leave for an hour, come home and open my front door — the smack in the face with deliciousness to come — YES, please. Things like the smell of slow cooked beans that sit on low heat for hours and fill our home with warmth and something hearty or the scent of overnight oats that creeps upstairs while I’m half asleep and half awake, filled with brown sugar and sweet apples, those are the best.

Another homemade delight that instantly leaves a person feeling invited and at home the second it passes their nose is the scent of fresh baked bread. For some, myself included, homemade bread has always seemed tricky or challenging. It’s one area of baking I forced myself into learning to not be afraid of. Yeast? They’re just little microorganisms. Nothing to fear when you learn some basic things about working with them. My foster father taught me, when I was 17, that one — yeast are most happy being proofed in liquids that are 75-80 degrees F. And two, adding sugar to that warm liquid gives the yeast something to feed on, speeding up their reaction, causing quicker proofing for the dough.

When I saw the following recipe, my first reaction was one of awe at the beauty of this bread. The fresh berries and cinnamon swirl are both visible in the final product, offering a pop of color. The other thing I genuinely loved was how all the ingredients could be worked by hand and didn’t require my stand mixer and a dough hook. This bread isn’t overly sweet so it’s easy to enjoy as part of breakfast, or a mid-day snack. When I made it, just my husband and I were around. Between the two of us, we ate nearly 3/4 of the whole loaf in one day. If you want, you can lightly dust the top of the bread with powdered sugar once it’s completely cooled, and serve.

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Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Recipe from Joy the Baker.

Yields 1 loaf.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to lukewarm
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
a bit of olive oil for greasing the bowl

For the Filling:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh sliced strawberries,
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash

Directions:
Stir the yeast and sugar together in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the warm milk, egg yolk and melted butter. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. Allow mixture to rest for 5 minutes. It should froth as the yeast works.

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Whisk together the flour and salt in another large bowl. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients and start kneading until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Place the dough on a lightly floured counter and knead by hand for about 10 more minutes. The dough should be smooth, but not too sticky. Shape dough into a ball. Grease a large bowl with a bit of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turn once, then cover. Allow the dough to rest at warm room temperature until doubled in size (about an hour).

While the dough rises, whisk together the butter, sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Set aside.

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After the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured counter and knead twice. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to a rectangle of about 18×12 inches. Spoon the cinnamon filling over top, spreading evenly, leaving a clean 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the fresh berries over the cinnamon filling.

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To roll up the dough, start by rolling the longest side of the dough. The roll will be a bit lumpy because of all the berries. Do your best. Use a sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise, leaving 1-inch of the edge uncut, then carefully turn the cut side face-up.

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Start braiding the two pieces, by carefully lifting the left strand over the right strand. Repeat this motion until you reach the bottom of the dough. Press together to seal. Join the two ends, creating a circle with the dough and press together.

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Swiftly lift the dough with both hands and transfer the dough ring to the prepared cast iron skillet. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

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Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Posted in Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Kids, Snacks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Meatless Monday: Bacon Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

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The other day I was on the cross trainer at the gym and bam! vegetarian bacon cheeseburger mac and cheese popped into my brain from god-knows-where. As I added up the miles in my workout, all I could think about was an ooey gooey cheese sauce laden with Gimme Lean sausage, pieces of bacon, and perhaps something like tomatoes to add some color. Something had to be done.

Later on I realized that this idea very, very much reminded me of the Hamburger Helper my mom occasionally made when we were kids. (Side note: did you know that these days if you go to Betty Crocker’s website, there is a whole array of “Helper Products?!”) While these days I can do without a mysterious packet of “cheese sauce mix” and rely on real ingredients, I do fondly remember the cheeseburger Hamburger Helper I so very much loved and learned to cook from this guy:

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This mac and cheese is creamy, flavorful, easy to put together and went over well with the kids and adults, both. I used Tillamook smoked black pepper white cheddar but if you cannot find that where you are, please feel free to use pepperjack cheese in its place.

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Bacon Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

Serves 6-8 folks.

Ingredients:

1 pound large elbow macaroni
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
one 14-ounce tube Lightlife Gimme Lean Ground Sausage
one 5-ounce package Lightlife Smart Bacon, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces smoked black pepper white cheddar, shredded
4 ounces havarti cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Generously salt, then cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Strain and set aside until needed.

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In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and garlic, salt and pepper, sautéing until the onion is translucent and tender. Crumble the Gimme Lean into the onion mixture (it’s sticky, but do your best with it). Stir occasionally until the Gimme Lean begins to brown. Add the diced bacon into the mixture, again stirring occasionally until the bacon begins to brown and crisp slightly. Scoop the mixture out into a bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, return the heavy-bottomed pot to the stove. Melt the 8 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, until smooth. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisking constantly, add the milk. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens (5 to 7 minutes). Add the cheese in, about a half cup at a time, stirring to fully incorporate each new addition. Continue stirring until you are left with a thick, creamy cheese sauce. Add in the mustard, salt, pepper and garlic, stirring to evenly distribute everything. Reduce heat to low.

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Pour the pasta into the cheese sauce, then stir to make sure every inch of pasta has been covered with sauce. Add in the Gimme Lean mixture and the halved tomatoes, folding everything together.

Serve while hot.

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