August 2022

Do you remember your Mom making you English Muffin Pizzas?

I always like mine “well done”.

I would toast them twice to make them extra crispy.

Join us Around the Family Table this Sunday at 7pm Eastern Time and share your favorite Retro Food Memory with us!

Sunday Supper Retro Breads and Sandwiches:

SundaySupper Main Dishes:

Sunday Supper Retro Sides and Veggies:

• I always made my pizzas with yellow American Cheese. Top with about 1 Tbsp. Pizza Sauce Criss cross 1 slice American Cheese Top with a little extra sauce and add salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Add one Tbsp. Pizza sauce Three Cheese Garden Pizza Top each muffin with 1 Tbsp. pizza sauce Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.

Labels: Appetizers and Snacks, Breads/Muffins, Budget Friendly, Comfort Food Classics, Easy Dinner, Kid Friendly, My Favorite Things, Pizza, Retro Recipes, Sunday Supper Movement

How sweet and buttery can you get?  I looked at a few recipes for old fashioned bread pudding, Ina’s version which was made with about 5 cups of half and half.  I’m sure it’s delicious – maybe for a special occassion, but this bread pudding is for an everyday dessert.  Don’t get me wrong, the bourbon sauce makes it super special!

• 3-1/4 cup milk
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6-8 mini croissants
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisans (optional)

Tear croissants into small pieces and place in a large bowl.  Add sugar and cinnamon.  Mix milk, eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.  Let bread soak up with mixture while your oven preheats. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter prepared pan.  Pour croissant mixture into pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until center is set. 

Bourbon Sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp (or more!) Bourbon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. white corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and boil for one minute.  Mixture will foam up.  As it cools, the foam will disappear.  Add chopped pecans to the sauce if desired.  Serve warm.
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Here is a different way to enjoy a juicy burger.  Refried beans combined with the ground beef make this burger almost like the consistency of meat loaf.  It also makes one pound of ground beef go a long way.  I got 5 huge burgers from this recipe!

• 1 cup cold leftover rice
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 can (15-ounce) refried beans
• 3 tsps. chili powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1-1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1 Tbsp. grill seasoning (I used McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 2 ripe avacados
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 lime zested and juiced
• 2-3 tsps. Cholula hot sauce (or to taste)
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Lettuce leaves
• 1 ripe tomato, sliced
• Crusty rolls, split or Texas Garlic Toast

Combine rice, meat and beans with spices and grill seasoning.  Add egg and mix well.  Form 5 big patties from the meat mixture.  Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook patties 5-7 minutes on each side.  Top with lots of cheddar cheese, cover patties until cheese melts.
While burgers cook, combine avocado with garlic, lime zest and juice, hot sauce and red onion.  Mash to roughly combine.
Place burgers on buns with lettuce, tomato, guacamole and sour cream.
~Adapted from Rachel Ray
Sharing with NeighborFood – Burger Round UP

This was a White Bread challenge for me.  I’ve always wanted to learn how to make a good bread.  Getting a nice, crusty loaf straight from the oven is not an easy task. I wanted to make an “everyday” bread that was easy to make since alot of us don’t have the time to be baking bread!  The first recipe I tried was called “Easy Everyday Bread”.  Throw all the ingredients in a bowl, let it rise in the fridge overnight and bake it the next day.  Sounds simple enough. The measurements were totally off and I got something similar to a batter. Recipe #2 was more of a traditional method.  The dough was more workable and had a nice rise.  It did not rise anymore than what you see here. My yeast was not expired and these recipes called for all-purpose flour.

The birds are having a field day!

My last attempt!

A recipe directly from Red Star Yeast.

Bought some fresh yeast and BREAD FLOUR!

Why should you go through all this trouble?  When the weather gets cool, I like to bake and when I saw the ingredients in a loaf of store-bought bread – Home Pride Honey Wheat (which is what I usually buy) it was kind of disturbing.

Enriched wheat flour (flour, barley malt, ferrous sulfate (iron), “B” vitamins (niacin, thaimine mononitrate (B1), riboflavin (B2), folic acid)), water, sweetener (high fructose corn syrup or sugar), yeast, wheat bran, whole wheat flour, wheat gluten, molasses. Contains 2% or less of: soybean oil, salt, sweet dairy whey, butter (cream, salt, enzymes), maltodextrin, honey, corn syrup, calcium sulfate, soy flur, dough conditioners (may contain: dicalcium phosphate, calcium dioxide, sodium stearoyl lactylate, ethoxylated mono and diglycerides, mono and diglycerides, and/or datem), yeast nutrients (may contain: ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, and/or ammonium phosphate), cornstarch, wheat starch, vinegar, natural flavor, beta carotene (color), enzymes, calcium propionate (to retain freshness), soy lecithin.

This recipe is for just one loaf of bread.  I was not going to make more until I was sure about this recipe.  Twice bitten!  This can easily be doubled for two loaves.  You can visit Red Star for directions using a Bread Machine, a hand-held mixer or Food Processor method.

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. water

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 cups bread flour

1/3 cup oatmeal

1 +1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. sugar

2-1/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast (1 pkg.)

Stand Mixer Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand 5 minutes.

Warm up buttermilk to about 80 degrees, or room temperature

Combine dry ingredients and liquid ingredients in mixing bowl with paddle attachment for 4 minutes on medium speed.

Gradually add flour and knead with dough hook 5 to7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top.  Cover; let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface;  punch down to remove air bubbles.  Roll or pat into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle.  Starting with the shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing down into roll.  Pinch edges and ends to seal.  Place in a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan.  Cover; let rise 1 more hour.  Not perfect, but its over the top of the pan!

Bake in preheated 375 degree F. oven 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Mix together 1 stick unsalted, softened butter 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 1/4 cup honey 1 tsp. cinnamon Pinch of salt Use the Cinnamon Honey Butter on toast, pancakes, waffles, sweet potatoes, etc. Try and bake a loaf on the weekend when you are not so busy.  The yeast is doing all the work – not you! ~Red Star Original
Sharing with The Country Cook – Weekend Potluck

This was a White Bread challenge for me.  I’ve always wanted to learn how to make a good bread.  Getting a nice, crusty loaf straight from the oven is not an easy task. I wanted to make an “everyday” bread that was easy to make since alot of us don’t have the time to be baking bread!  The first recipe I tried was called “Easy Everyday Bread”.  Throw all the ingredients in a bowl, let it rise in the fridge overnight and bake it the next day.  Sounds simple enough. The measurements were totally off and I got something similar to a batter. Recipe #2 was more of a traditional method.  The dough was more workable and had a nice rise.  It did not rise anymore than what you see here. My yeast was not expired and these recipes called for all-purpose flour.

The birds are having a field day!

My last attempt!

A recipe directly from Red Star Yeast.

Bought some fresh yeast and BREAD FLOUR!

Why should you go through all this trouble?  When the weather gets cool, I like to bake and when I saw the ingredients in a loaf of store-bought bread – Home Pride Honey Wheat (which is what I usually buy) it was kind of disturbing.

Enriched wheat flour (flour, barley malt, ferrous sulfate (iron), “B” vitamins (niacin, thaimine mononitrate (B1), riboflavin (B2), folic acid)), water, sweetener (high fructose corn syrup or sugar), yeast, wheat bran, whole wheat flour, wheat gluten, molasses. Contains 2% or less of: soybean oil, salt, sweet dairy whey, butter (cream, salt, enzymes), maltodextrin, honey, corn syrup, calcium sulfate, soy flur, dough conditioners (may contain: dicalcium phosphate, calcium dioxide, sodium stearoyl lactylate, ethoxylated mono and diglycerides, mono and diglycerides, and/or datem), yeast nutrients (may contain: ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, and/or ammonium phosphate), cornstarch, wheat starch, vinegar, natural flavor, beta carotene (color), enzymes, calcium propionate (to retain freshness), soy lecithin.

This recipe is for just one loaf of bread.  I was not going to make more until I was sure about this recipe.  Twice bitten!  This can easily be doubled for two loaves.  You can visit Red Star for directions using a Bread Machine, a hand-held mixer or Food Processor method.

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. water

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 cups bread flour

1/3 cup oatmeal

1 +1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. sugar

2-1/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast (1 pkg.)

Stand Mixer Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand 5 minutes.

Warm up buttermilk to about 80 degrees, or room temperature

Combine dry ingredients and liquid ingredients in mixing bowl with paddle attachment for 4 minutes on medium speed.

Gradually add flour and knead with dough hook 5 to7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top.  Cover; let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface;  punch down to remove air bubbles.  Roll or pat into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle.  Starting with the shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing down into roll.  Pinch edges and ends to seal.  Place in a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan.  Cover; let rise 1 more hour.  Not perfect, but its over the top of the pan!

Bake in preheated 375 degree F. oven 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Mix together 1 stick unsalted, softened butter 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 1/4 cup honey 1 tsp. cinnamon Pinch of salt Use the Cinnamon Honey Butter on toast, pancakes, waffles, sweet potatoes, etc. Try and bake a loaf on the weekend when you are not so busy.  The yeast is doing all the work – not you! ~Red Star Original
Sharing with The Country Cook – Weekend Potluck

I never had much luck baking cakes from scratch.  When I saw the ingredients in this recipe, I had to have another go at it.  This WAS a CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE  for me!

Cocoa-Almond Coco Cake

3 cups cake flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can (13.5 oz.) light coconut milk

3/4 cup (1-1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp.

2-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling 

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp.

2-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut

1/2 cup sliced almonds, chopped

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 cup heavy cream

10 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 tsp. vanilla.

The recipe was for a three-layer cake.  I only have two cake pans so its a two layer cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour two or three 9-inch round cake pans.  Line the bottom of each with a circle of wax paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In a second medium bowl, whisk together sour cream and coconut milk.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in almond and vanilla extracts.  On medium-low speed, beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with coconut milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until blended.  Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons water and beat on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.  Add coconut and almonds and beat for another 30 seconds.  Set aside.

For the Chocolate Ganache: Heat cream in a small pot and medium-high just until it simmers.  Immediately pour over chocolate in a medium bowl; let stand 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and mix until smooth.  Cool to room temperature.

Where’s my Duncan Hines?

Too many bowls

But if you love to bake – it will be ok.

To assemble:  Spread filling in between cake layers and ice cake evenly with  chocolate ganache.

~From Family Circle

I never had much luck baking cakes from scratch.  When I saw the ingredients in this recipe, I had to have another go at it.  This WAS a CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE  for me!

Cocoa-Almond Coco Cake

3 cups cake flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can (13.5 oz.) light coconut milk

3/4 cup (1-1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp.

2-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling 

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp.

2-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut

1/2 cup sliced almonds, chopped

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 cup heavy cream

10 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 tsp. vanilla.

The recipe was for a three-layer cake.  I only have two cake pans so its a two layer cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour two or three 9-inch round cake pans.  Line the bottom of each with a circle of wax paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In a second medium bowl, whisk together sour cream and coconut milk.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in almond and vanilla extracts.  On medium-low speed, beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with coconut milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until blended.  Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons water and beat on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.  Add coconut and almonds and beat for another 30 seconds.  Set aside.

For the Chocolate Ganache: Heat cream in a small pot and medium-high just until it simmers.  Immediately pour over chocolate in a medium bowl; let stand 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and mix until smooth.  Cool to room temperature.

Where’s my Duncan Hines?

Too many bowls

But if you love to bake – it will be ok.

To assemble:  Spread filling in between cake layers and ice cake evenly with  chocolate ganache.

~From Family Circle

I never had much luck baking cakes from scratch.  When I saw the ingredients in this recipe, I had to have another go at it.  This WAS a CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE  for me!

Cocoa-Almond Coco Cake

3 cups cake flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can (13.5 oz.) light coconut milk

3/4 cup (1-1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp.

2-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling 

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp.

2-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut

1/2 cup sliced almonds, chopped

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 cup heavy cream

10 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 tsp. vanilla.

The recipe was for a three-layer cake.  I only have two cake pans so its a two layer cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour two or three 9-inch round cake pans.  Line the bottom of each with a circle of wax paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In a second medium bowl, whisk together sour cream and coconut milk.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in almond and vanilla extracts.  On medium-low speed, beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with coconut milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until blended.  Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons water and beat on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.  Add coconut and almonds and beat for another 30 seconds.  Set aside.

For the Chocolate Ganache: Heat cream in a small pot and medium-high just until it simmers.  Immediately pour over chocolate in a medium bowl; let stand 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and mix until smooth.  Cool to room temperature.

Where’s my Duncan Hines?

Too many bowls

But if you love to bake – it will be ok.

To assemble:  Spread filling in between cake layers and ice cake evenly with  chocolate ganache.

~From Family Circle