Sleeping Sweeties

marioandlindaaguirre.blogspot.com

#9!!

marioandlindaaguirre.blogspot.com

Here Comes Gunny Bag

Hey-O!

I completely forgot that I have this blog. Sweet! Maybe I can put links here to my private blog sometimes to remind people to check it.....

marioandlindaaguirre.blogspot.com

Let me know if that works.

Bread

I, Linda Marie Aguirre, baked bread! I cannot believe it!!!! Never did I think the day would come that I would be able to bake my own bread. When Mario and I first got married I only knew how to make spaghetti (which he doesn't like) and ......well.....really just spaghetti. Poor Mario! Five years later I have become more comfortable cooking and baking, but have been scared to use yeast. Which is kinda funny since I worked as a chemist mixing concentrated acids, which are way scarier than yeast. Yeah, I'm crazy!

But my first attempt at bread went very well. Rachel, my really great friend from jr. high and high school, was visiting so she got to help and cheer me on.

This is a Kitchen Aid recipe so it is a little different. Here is the recipe:

Rapid Mix Cool Rise White Bread

Ingredients

6 to 7 cups all purpose flour

2 tbs. sugar

3 1/2 tsp. salt

3 packages active dry yeast

1/4 cup butter softened

2 cups very warm water

Directions

Place 5 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and butter in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to speed 2 and mix about 20 seconds. Gradually add warm water and mix about 1 1/2 minutes longer.

Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until dought clings to hook and cleans the side of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rest about 20 minutes.

Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 9x14 inch rectangle. Starting at short end roll tightly and pinch ends to seal.

Place in greased loaf pans. Brush each loaf with oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 12 hours.

When ready to bake, uncover dough carefully. Let stand at room temp. 10 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove from pans immediatly and cool on wire racks.

SOOOOOO GOOD! This may just make me a regular bread maker!

Chicken and Broccoli Rice

So, we came home from church today VERY hungry....like all Sundays. All our meat is out in the garage freezer and we can't go out there...long story! Read my blog and I'll put the story there. So the only thing I had inside was chicken. So I throw some chicken in a pan and start some rice, without really knowing what I wanted to make. I just kept adding things I had and it actually ended up really good. In fact, Mario says it is one of his new favorites.

Ingredients

Chicken (boneless, skinless, cooked in pan with EVOO and cut up)

Brocolli (I used frozen and chopped, cooked according to directions)

1 Can Cream of Chicken

Few dollops of sour cream

A squeeze of lemon juice

parmesan cheese

salt and pepper (to taste)

onion flakes

garlic powder

Directions

In pan mix together cooked chicken and cooked brocolli, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add some onion flakes, a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add Cream of Chicken and sour cream. Heat through. Serve over white rice.

This is a super easy and quick meal. I served it with a green salad and raspberry lemonade.

Trilevel Brownies

Usually on Sunday's we eat right after church (about 1pm) and then I will make a dessert that afternoon for "dinner". Last week I made these Trilevel Brownies. Our friends Ned and Anelia came over so we relaxed and visited while eating brownies. These look hard to make but our really pretty easy. Adam even helped me....and by help I mean he ate a big chunk of butter when I wasn't watching!

Makes 32 Brownies

Ingredients

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 egg

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled ( I used Semi-sweet and it was great)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't use)

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

2 tbs. butter

1 1/2 cups sifted powder sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

walnut halves (optional)

Directions

1. Bottom Layer:

Stir together oats, the 1/2 cup flour, the brown sugar, and baking soda. Stir in the 1/2 cup melted butter. Press mixture into bottom of an ungreased 11x7x1 1/2 inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

2. Middle Layer:

Stir together egg, sugar, the 2/3 cup flour, milk, the 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 oz melted chocolate, the 1 tsp vanilla, and baking powder until smooth. Fold in chopped walnuts. Spread batter over baked layer in pan. Bake in the 350 degree oven about 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack while preparing top layer.

3. Top Layer:

In a medium saucepan heat and stir the 1 oz. chocolate and the 2 tbs. butter until melted. Stir in the powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir in enough hot water (1 to 2 tbs.) to make a mixture that is almost pourable. Spread over brownies. If desired, garnish with walnut halves. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Enjoy!!!

Recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book