1st Cooking Challenge: Meatballs

I stared a cooking competition with my 3 daughters. About once a week they make a dish in my kitchen, and then we all sit down and pick the one we liked the best. I am cataloguing our favourite recipes here. Our first challenge was meatballs. Please try them with the pretzel twist and let me know what you think!

Astra’s Winning Baked Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup pretzels crumbs (about a cup of whole pretzels blitzed in food processor)
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely-grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
1/3 of an onion, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the pretzel crumbs and milk until combined. Set mixture aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the ground beef, garlic, eggs, Parmesan, onion, liquid smoke, and Worcestershire sauce to the (same) mixing bowl. Sprinkle the Italian herbs, oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes evenly on top. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix the ingredients.

Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop and roll the mixture into ~3 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (Try greasing your hands with a bit of olive oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.)

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer measures the internal temperature of the meatballs to be 160°F. Remove pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Serve meatballs immediately and enjoy!

Lite Brioche Dough (Hamburger Buns)

This is my favourite bread recipe. I truly love it, and make it several times a month. I originally discovered it when I was looking for a hamburger bun recipe, and have tweaked it a bit since. I use this dough to make 10 small rolls, 8 buns, or 2 small loaves. I usually double this recipe when I make it, and that yields enough dough to make 3 large loaves. I use this dough for dinner rolls, hamburgers, sandwiches, garlic (with our without cheese) bread, bruschetta, and even doughnuts! Yes, doughnuts! Inspired by an episode of Project Bakeover, my youngest daughter and I filled some freshly baked buns with skim milk chocolate pudding, then dunked the tops in a simple syrup and then into granulated sugar.

Lite Brioche Hamburger Buns

INGREDIENTS

Dough

1 cup warm water, about 75–85 F

3 tablespoons warm milk

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour  

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 

Egg wash

1 large egg

1 tablespoon cold water

Toppings

sesame seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the warm water, milk, yeast and sugar; set aside. Beat the egg in a separate bowl.

Add the flour, salt, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients until the butter is the size of crumbs.

Add the yeast mixture and the beaten egg. Run the mixer on medium-low until a dough forms, about 5-8 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary, and shape the dough into a ball. It will be sticky. Cover bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until it has doubled is size, about 1- 3 hours .

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a floured dough scraper (or chef’s knife), divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. If you have a scale, weigh each piece to guarantee that they’re all the same size.

To shape the dough into balls, gently flatten each piece like a pancake. Gather the ends and pinch the dough to seal in the center. Flip the dough over, cup the surface with your palm, and roll into a ball. Transfer to your baking sheet, placing them a few inches inches apart. Cover and rest for 1-2 hours, or until puffy and slightly risen. I like to score my dough sometimes, but you don't have to.

To make the egg wash, beat the egg with a tablespoon of cold water. When the buns are finished with the 2nd rise, gently brush each one with egg wash. At this point, you could add sesame seeds to the top of your rolls.

Preheat your oven to 400 F. and place a skillet or metal baking dish on the oven floor. Before the dough goes in, add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan to create steam. This will help keep the bread nice and moist. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup in Bread Bowls

I thought I would dust this old page off and add a new entry as if years haven't gone by. I am going to try to start sharing my favourite recipes again. First up, I am going to share Cheddar Broccoli Soup and homemade Bread Bowls.

I make the soup frequently as it is my youngest daughter's favourite. And for some reason, when we buy broccoli, we have to to buy lots, so this is a good way to use it. You don't have to add bacon, in fact, the original recipe I based this off doesn't use it, but I prefer the addition. I also take a lazy shortcut and don't both making a separate roux... I should come back sometime to update this post with the directions on how to do it all in one pot.

The bread bowls are new to my recipe collection, but I already made them twice in a row for the leftover soup. My mom got me a bread machine for Christmas, so that is what the recipe uses, but you can certainly make them by hand or with a stand mixer.

I try to scoop the centre out in one piece, and then I serve a lump of butter on the side.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

5 1/2 tablespoon butter, divided

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (about 3)

1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)

2 cloves garlic , minced

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes , cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (2 large)

3 cups chopped broccoli florets (from about 2 heads)

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk (preferably 1% or 2%)

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)

1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (1 oz)

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter. Add bacon and cook until the bacon is brown. Add carrots, celery and onion and sauté 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer.

Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook 5 minutes longer or until veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk (whisk well until no lumps remain).

Cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken, stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat and once all veggies are tender pour into the soup and stir. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and parmesan cheese until melted. Serve warm.

Bread Bowls (Bread Machine)

Yield: 6 bread bowls

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons soft butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 egg

1 tablespoon cold water

DIRECTIONS

Place everything except the egg and tablespoon cold water in your bread machine in the order that your manufacturer recommends. Use dough cycle.

When the cycle is complete, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 6 equal portions and shape into balls. Place the 6 balls onto a greased (or parchment paper) cookie sheet and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon cold water and brush mixture over dough balls.

Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Once done, you can cut the top off and scoop out the center leaving about 1/4 inch on all sides.

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Crispy on the outside, chewy and tender on the inside. You can use any combination of chips you like. I used 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, and 1 cup mini Reese Pieces.

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter (national brand, pref. crunchy)

1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (or your favourite add-ins)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Blend in peanut butter, egg and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Gradually blend in the flour mixture until dough comes together and no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place 1-inch balls on baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them to allow for spread.

Bake for 11-14 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned and set around the edges. Cool cookies for 3-4 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

One of our favourite things to make with Thanksgiving leftovers is Poutine.

French Fries, cheese curds, stuffing, turkey, and gravy. I bet it would be great topped with cranberry sauce too.

Secret to Homemade Bread (with recipe for Italian Bread)

I bake a lot of bread, and I try to get my kids in the kitchen whenever possible. I recently had my 7 year old make a loaf of Italian Bread and I thought it would be fun to pass along some of the basic bread baking tips that I taught her. At the end of this post is a recipe for an Italian Bread. Crunchy outside, perfect moist crumb inside, a satisfying reward for all of your effort.

Bread Baking Tips
1. Check the expiration date of your yeast. Expired yeast won't activate and your bread won't rise. Buy a fresh bottle if you are unsure of your dates.

2. Your water has to be the perfect temperature (105 - 115F). If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If it is too cold, the yeast won't activate. The easiest way to test the water is to feel it. I run the tap over my hand and adjust the temperature until the water feels the same temperature as my hand. If you've ever warmed up a baby bottle, you know the right temperature.

3. Knead, knead, knead! Kneading the dough develops the glutens in the flour. You should knead for about 10 minutes. I always use my stand mixer with a dough hook for this job, but you can always do it by hand too. Your dough should pull together into a nice smooth ball that holds its shape. You'll know it's been kneaded long enough when you poke your finger in and the indentation fills back in quickly. If your dough hasn't been kneaded enough, your bread will come out dense and flat.

4. Let your dough rise in a warm (70 - 80F) place. I usually set my dough to rise on the stove when I have something else baking in the oven. Other times I let my oven warm up to the lowest setting, turn it off immediately, and then set my dough bowl in the oven.

5. Cover the top of your bowl with either a piece of plastic wrap or a cloth towel. If your bowl isn't covered, the exposed dough will start to dry out.

6. After your dough has risen to double its size, gently punch it down. You can knead a couple of times, but be careful not to over knead it. This step will remove some of the gas and redistribute it evenly, producing a finer grain. Let it rest for about 10 minutes after you punch it down. This will allow the glutens to relax and make shaping the loaf easier.

7. Try again! If your first loaf of bread didn't come out how you expected, don't give up! Baking bread from scratch can be intimidating, but it's actually quite easy. Fresh ingredients and practice will have you baking the perfect loaf every time.

Basic Italian Bread
Yield: 1 large loaf

INGREDIENTS
2 cups water, lukewarm
1/3 cup yeast
5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS
Place the water and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and allow the yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes. Using a dough hook attachment, add the flour and sugar to the water and mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Drizzle the oil and salt into the dough and beat on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a smooth, firm, elastic dough is formed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and flatten the rounded dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after each roll. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and rounded (not pointed) ends.

Preheat the oven lined with a pizza stone to 425 F. Alternately, an inverted baking sheet may be used in place of a pizza stone.

Place the dough on a baker's peel heavily dusted with semolina flour, or cornmeal, or alternately on an inverted baking sheet. Allow the dough to proof, loosely covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Brush the dough with the egg white. Using a sharp knife, score 1/4-inch deep slashes across the top of the dough at a 45 degree angle.

Spray the dough generously with water from a water bottle and place in the oven on the baking stone. Immediately close the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Open the oven door and spray the dough again with the water bottle. Close the oven door and bake for an additional 3 minutes before spraying the dough for a third time (the spraying of the dough will ensure a crisp golden brown crust). Bake the dough for 45 minutes, or until a hollow thud is heard when the bread is whacked with the bowl of a wooden spoon. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

Flaky buttery biscuits rolled with cinnamon sugar and finished with a simple glaze. I love to make this for a fast dessert when I want Cinnamon Rolls NOW. This is also one my favourite alternative breakfasts.

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

Yield: 12 biscuits

INGREDIENTS FOR CINNAMON ROLLS
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

INGREDIENTS FOR GLAZE
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
5 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in 4 tablespoons of the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until moistened.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8 to 10 times. Roll into an 11-in. x 8-in. rectangle about 1/2 in. thick. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush over dough. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter.

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with long edge. Cut into 12 equal slices. Place with cut side down in a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 450 F for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes.

Whisk together glaze ingredients; spread over warm biscuits. Serve immediately. Enjoy!