What's a Kolache?

Kolaches are as common as doughnuts in Texas. They are a rounded pastry that can be filled with different sweets, fruits or meats. Kolaches date as far back as the 1700s in eastern Europe and came to America with the Czechs who settled in Texas according to ehow.com.

Here's a good recipe if you don't have a Lone Star Kolache nearby.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 warm milk
3/4 package of active yeast (1 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 white sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 1/4 cups of flour
Vegetable oil
1/2 fruit preserves

Directions:
Pour warm milk over yeast and let dissolve. Then add sugar, shortening, salt, egg, egg yolk, and flour. Stir until well combined. Remove dough to a well oiled bowl, and turn once to coat the surface. Cover, and place in a warm spot. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Dish out dough with a tablespoon, and roll into balls with your hands. Space out on a cookie sheet with at least 1 inch apart. Allow to rise, about 30 minutes.

Flatten dough by making an depression in the center. Fill with dollop of fruit preserve. Allow to rise again while you preheat the oven. To make the Texas version flatten dough into a rectangle shape and place sausage and jalapenos on half. Then fold the dough over creating a pocket and press down the sides.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.


This recipe was inspired by multiple versions on allrecipes.com.

Happiness in a Harvest Salad

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I had a realization while preparing this harvest salad. Good ingredients make cooking a lot easier! My husband explained that top restaurants are really good at selecting the best ingredients. He said the magic is in not screwing it up after that. So, to my fellow freshman foodies, find a local grocery store or farmers market and take a little extra time to ask how to pick the best ingredients.


Dressing:
Balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
Dijon mustard

Salad Ingredients:
Baby spinach
Ramano cheese
Toasted pecans
Dried cranberries
Pear

Whisk equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add dijon mustard in small amounts to taste and whisk together. Cool in refrigerator until you are ready to toss with spinach.

Wash baby spinach and set aside. Shave cheese or grate. Chop toasted pecans. Slice pear minutes before serving to avoid browning.  Toss spinach with dressing and remember that a little goes a long way! Top with pecans, dried cranberries, pear, and finally cheese.

Spooky Marshmallow Pops

These marshmallow pops are easy and would be fun to make with kids! You can adapt this recipe to any season or holiday for a festive treat. Search Google images for marshmallow pops for fun decorating ideas!

1 bag marshmallows
Almond bark
Vegetable oil
Food coloring
Sprinkles
Food decorating gel
Short wooden skewers
Wax paper

Melt almond bark according to package directions. Meanwhile, stick marshmallows with wooden skewers and set aside. Add vegetable oil in small amounts until desired consistency. Stir in food coloring according to package. Use mixture while hot for best results. Use a mini spatula or spoon to apply frosting to marshmallows. Add sprinkles while frosting is still warm. Place on wax paper and cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once cool to the touch decorate with gel.

I made these for work one day and they were a hit!

Sorry Starbucks, My Perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte is Homemade

I love Autumn. Cool mornings, warm afternoons, and the promise of holidays right around the corner.  Several years ago I feel in love with the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte and now it is another sign that the season has arrived. I started experimenting with this recipe at home last year and have perfected it to my liking. If you don't like coffee, or you want to share with kids, this recipe is good as a steamer too!

1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup regular coffee
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Whip cream
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of vanilla bean powder

Whisk together milk, coffee, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla in saucepan over medium heat. Pour into your favorite mug and top with whip cream. Sprinkle nutmeg and vanilla bean powder.

Seconds Please! Baked Mac & Cheese

Some dishes blend childhood nostalgia with adult indulgence and for me that sums up baked macaroni and cheese. I love the sweet and spicy mac and cheese at Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon! I have been searching for a good recipe for years and am happy to share it with you today. My husband will tell you that not all baked mac and cheese recipes are created equal and believe me I've tried! This one comes from Comfort Food magazine by Woman's Day. My small addition to this recipe is to drizzle sweet chili sauce over the mac and cheese.

1 cup fresh bread crumbs (from about 2 slices of bread)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 oz)
1 Tbsp olive oil
5 Tbsp butter (plus more for the dish)
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups whole milk
12 oz extra sharp cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil; set aside. Butter a shallow 3-qt baking dish or 8 medium ramekins.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the top and cook, stirring for 2 minutes (do not let the flour darken). Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cheese, mustard, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring, just until the cheese melts.

Add the pasta and toss to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

Phenomenal Jalapeno Poppers

I love jalapeno poppers. The most common way I had them was filled with cream cheese and baked in the oven. That was until our friend TJ introduced me to his Texas grilled jalapeno poppers. These are a Stephens family crowd pleaser! If you know my in-laws you know that status doesn't come lightly.

Toothpicks
12 jalapenos
1lb bacon
8oz monterey jack cheese

Soak the toothpicks in water. Cut the jalapenos in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the cheese in small sticks to lay instead the halved jalapeno. Wrap 1 whole piece of bacon around jalapeno and cheese. Poke two toothpicks through the bacon, jalapeno, and cheese. This will help the poppers hold together while grilling. Season to liking. TJ uses an awesome seasoning salt which will remain top secret. Grill over direct flame, turning frequently, until bacon is cooked thoroughly. Serve immediately while hot.

There's an Egg in my Cocktail?!

My husband and I went to the swanky Austin restaurant the East Side Show Room. Our waitress recommended the Pisco Sour and described it as fresh and creamy. The creaminess comes from the froth the egg whites make. Pisco is a brandy distilled from several different grape varieties grown in South America. Wikipedia says the Pisco Sour's origin is debatable between Peru and Chile. 

I enjoyed the balance of flavor and layered textures. If you're in the mood for something different and feeling a little adventurous don't shy away from the Pisco Sour! If you'd like to try one at home here is a recipe I found on myrecipes.com. Cheers!

1/4 cup (2 oz.) pisco* 

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon pasteurized egg whites

In a blender, whirl 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Whirl until smooth (you'll no longer hear the ice cracking against the side of the blender) and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters and a wedge of lime.

Bride's No Fail Rolls

This recipe comes from the Tennessee's 95 Magic Mixes cookbook of 1977. My husband was given this cookbook from his grandma and it's a gem! The recipe name is pretty accurate "Bride's No fail Rolls."

2 eggs
1 cup warm water
3 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 package dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Add yeast to warm water. Beat eggs, sugar and oil. Add yeast and water mixture. Beat and add 1 cup of flour at a time, mixing well. Let rise until doubled. Punch down and knead on board. Cut out rolls. Place in greased muffin tins. Let rise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Letting the dough rise in the bowl took about 2 and a half hours and in the muffin tin about 45 minutes. The dough was a different consistency than I anticipated so I ended up spooning the mixture into the muffin tin instead of cutting. Next time I will bake at 375 degrees because they burnt a little on the bottom after 15 minutes.

Recipe submitted to cookbook by: Mrs. Reba Bellar of Macon County, Tennessee.

Tasty Tuna Melts

I love a good tuna melt! They're tasty, quick, and cheap to make. The best part is you can adapt this recipe to whatever sounds good or you have on hand. Choose the bread, and cheese, and your toppings. I prefer an english muffin or sourdough bread, but other variations include hot dog bun or tortilla. If a hot dog bun is used it's called a tuna boat! My favorite cheese to use is cheddar or swiss. Serve as a sandwich or open face.

2 slices of sourdough bread
1 can tuna, drained
2 tablespoons mayo
Pinch of salt and pepper
Thin slices of cheddar cheese
1 small avocado, sliced
1/2 tomato, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a small bowl mix together tuna, mayo, salt and pepper. Place bread slices on cookie sheet. Spread tuna mixture on bread. Layer slices of cheese on top of tuna mixture. Bake until cheese is melted, about 7 minutes. Remove cookie sheet and add avocado and tomato.

Childhood Classic: Chex Muddy Buddies

We recently moved to Texas and boy howdy it's hot here! Last weekend when temperatures reached 112 degrees the AC was struggling to keep the house cool so using the oven wasn't an option. Craving something sweet I made Chex Muddy Buddies. This is a childhood classic and my favorite no-bake recipe!  

Ingredients:

9	cups Rice Chex, Corn Chex or Chocolate Chex cereal (or combination)
1	cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2	cup peanut butter
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1	teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2	cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1.	Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2.	In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3.	Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.