A Day of Firsts

It's my day off!  So of course I want to make the best of it.  After sleeping in a little, I rolled out of bed and started in on some baking and cooking. 

First up: Tonight's dinner prep for Homemade Chicken Alfredo Roll Ups so I simmered up some homemade alfredo sauce & sauted some chicken.  This is what it will look like in just a couple hours...mmm.

Now onto my "firsts"...

I got to try out a new Pinterest recipe called Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies.  I've never tried to make any kind of pumpkin cookie before.  Pretty easy and healthy as far as cookies go.  Bonus: They are delicious! 

Combine:
1 c. canned pumpkin
1. c. sugar
1/2 c. applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

In seperate bowl, mix:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

**Dissolve 1 tsp. baking soda in 1 tsp. milk and stir into wet mix. 

Add dry mixture to wet and mix well.

Add 1.5 c. chocolate chips.  Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 365 for 10-11 min.
Note:  These are cakelike cookies and will be soft inside.

My second "first" of the day was making my own bread from scratch.  

My co-worker friend gave me a super easy recipe for crock pot bread.  I was really excited to try it out and today was the perfect day.  Plus, now I get to cross off another item from my 30 before 30 list.  YAY!

My third "first" of the day was what I ate for lunch. 

Ironically, with all my baking and cooking I didn't make myself lunch.  My partner teacher gave me a coupon for a free chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a and since I had yet to go today was a perfect day to try it out.  I'm happy to say it was a success and I would definitely go back.

Cheesy Stuffed Pretzels, Rolo Cookies & a Smoked Sausage Bake

Happy Saturday!  It's been an afternoon of kitchen appliance craziness at our house.  First I used my Kitchen Aid mixer to make up some dough for Rolo Stuffed Cookies to take to Easter and to feed my husband.  He claimed he needed all 4 dozen, but finally agreed to share and bring some to Easter lunch tomorrow...hehe ;)  I've shared this recipe before and let me tell you this is some crazy thick dough and it was a lot easier this time using the Kitchen Aid mixer instead of arm muscle.  Here's the recipe again in case you missed it last time.

Then Tom unpacked and assembled my Cuisinart Food Processor for me (b-day present from my mom...yes!!!!!) so I could make Cheesy Stuffed Pretzels.  This was my first best shot at using yeast and my first time using the food processor so I was a bit nervous.  It took me only 3 tries to mix the yeast with the water.  I know what you are thinking...Laura you are mixing two ingredients.  How can you possibly mess this up??  Well, I cut the recipe in half, and cut the amount of yeast in half, but failed to cut the amount of water in half.  So I waited the ten minutes for it to get "frothy" and then looked at my recipe again suddenly remembering I didn't halve the water.  Dump and start again.  This time I forgot to warm the water before putting the yeast in.  Dump and try again.  Third time's a charm because I successfully measured the correct amount of water, warmed said water and added in the appropriate amount of yeast!  Success!!  Then I found out that I definitely need a big cutting/rolling board surface.  I tried to roll out the dough using wax paper as a base, but it moved with the dough and the dough got sticky and ripped the wax paper.  Next, it was time to twist the dough into a pretzel shape.  Mind went completely blank.  WHAT DOES A PRETZEL LOOK LIKE AGAIN??  Thankfully, my husband frequented Auntie Anne's a lot during his long hours working at the mall so he worked the dough into very impressive pretzel shapes.  Go Tom!  So the pretzels turned out beautifully and the food processor was a snap to use.  If I hadn't messed up with the yeast and had been able to think about the shape of a pretzel it would have been a really simple recipe.  They taste more like cheese sticks (think Godfather's Pizza cheese sticks) than pretzels, but regardless, they are GOOD! Oh and I put about 1/4 of the sugar it called for and I halved this recipe when I actually made it. 

Cheese Stuffed Everything Pretzels
Adapted from Guy Fieri, via the Food Network

Yields: 12 pretzels

Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 110 degrees)
2 packets active dry yeast
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 T sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 cups shredded colby jack cheese

Toppings:
1 egg
2 T milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp sea salt

In a large measuring cup, heat water and sprinkle yeast over the water.  Stir to combine and let sit for about 10 minutes until frothy.  Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with a dough blade, combine all dry ingredients and pulse to combine.  Add egg and yeast mixture and pulse in short bursts until the dough comes together.  Do not over mix, you just want the dough to come together.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times with your hands.  If dough feels sticky, add a little more flour.  Form the dough into a ball and cut in half.

Roll out 1/2 of the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 12"x17", sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the colby jack cheese down the center 1/3 of the dough.  Fold one edge over the cheese, sprinkle with another 3/4 cup cheese, and fold over the remaining 1/3.  Pinch the edges of the dough to seal the cheese inside.  Roll out the dough again into a rectangle about 11"x15".  Cut the dough into six strips approximately 1 1/2" wide.  Roll each strip into a tube and form into a pretzel shape by looping and crossing the ends over each other, then tuck back onto the loop and pinch to seal.  Transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Repeat with remaining half of dough. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine remaining egg and milk.  Whisk to combine and set aside.  In another small bowl, combine garlic, onion, and salt.  Brush the pretzels liberally with the egg wash, then sprinkle with spice mixture.  Bake 18-20 minutes until light golden brown.  Transfer pretzels to a wire rack to cool.

Last night I tried out another new recipe called Smoked Sausage Rotini Bake.  Cheesy goodness was all over this too.  Love my cheese.  Don't worry, easy recipe for all of my "I can eat whatever kind of sausage I want" friends.  It was definitely a challenge to find sausage that did not contain nitrates, nitrites, MSG, sugar or high fructose corn syrup, but I'm always up for a challenge!!  Thank the Lord for HyVee.  I love that store.  The employees are always super friendly and you can always find some poor high school kid stocking shelves to help you find some random item. :)  And they give you 10 cents off your bill when you bring in your own grocery bags.  Anyway, after scouring all of the ingredient lists in the sausages in the fresh meat section and frozen food section, I ventured over to the healthy food section.  I finally found smoked chicken sausage in the frozen health food aisle.  YAY!  Delicious, relatively healthy comfort food in the same dish.  Oh and I used that new cheese by Kraft that has a "Touch of Philadelphia" in it and boy was it tasty!  (On sale for $1.48 per 8 oz. bag at HyVee by the way.)  Here's the recipe.

Smoked Sausage Rotini Bake

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked dried rotini pasta
• 1 (14- to 16-ounce) package cooked smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 (14- to 15-oune) jar pizza sauce
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1 Tbsp melted butter 
• 4 ounces (1 cup) Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (Iused Touch of Philadelphia cheese)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions using the minimum amount of time.  Drain; set aside.

Combine all ingredients except cheese in greased 8.5 x 11 casserole dish.  Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until mixture is heated through and cheese is melted.

Rolo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies (for Tom's bday treat)

It's been a leftovers kind of week.  On Sunday Tom and I opened the fridge and it was jam packed with rubbermaid containers toppling over one another...hmmm not exactly a bad problem to have :) 

Our list of leftovers: pancakes, tilapia taco filling, spicy chicken taco filling, pulled pork, chili, pizza (free from a meeting at work...let's just say tom was a little excited), spaghetti aglio, broccoli, whole wheat biscuits, and banana bread. 

It was great to have that much extra food though because this week has been running around like a chicken with its head cut off kind of crazy busy.

However, I did squeeze in some cookie baking last night with my mom between meetings.  Tom's birthday is coming up and he requested some Pinterest cookies he saw looking over my shoulder the other week.  They looked and smelled amazing.  I can't vouch for the taste, though I really wanted to try. 

Still sugar free!  53 days and counting!  Woot woot!  Oh and good news on the migraine front.  I've been doing more research on anti-inflammatory methods and they suggest taking a fish oil supplement.  Tom already takes one every day so I might as well too.  Also, the research suggests extra weight can contribute to inflammation in the body.  Well that works out for me because cutting out sugar is cutting pounds too.  I'm down twelve and a half pounds since January 1.  YES!!!  Sweet bonus.  That definitely helps when I am squelching the urge to dig into the rolo cookies.

The Great Migraine Battle:

Laura : 46  Migraines : 7

Okay I won't make you wait any longer.  Here's the cookie recipe.  Enjoy! :)

Rolo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Yields approx. 50 cookies)

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla

2 eggs

3 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

50 Rolos

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in chocolate chips and pecans.

2. Measure dough using a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons). Roll into a ball and then flatten in the palm of your hands.

3. Place a frozen Rolo in the centers of the flattened dough balls and form dough back into a ball around the Rolo.

4. Place Rolo stuffed dough balls into the freezer for 15-20 minutes before baking.

5. On cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, place dough balls 2 inches apart.

6. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.