I’ve been on a bread kick lately!  Most of the recipes I have shared so far are ones that I’ve made for quite awhile.  Except for the Homemade Croissants; those were a new venture and I’m so pleased with how they turned out!

This particular bread I have made for many special occasions not only by how pretty it looks but how delicious it tastes!  I’ve put a spin on it today using Mystic Blue Spice Garlic Bread seasoning mix and I love it!!!

Let me show you how to shape and prepare the loaf once the dough has proofed for 1 hour or doubled in size.

Dump your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it in a rough 16 inch circle.

Next place the dough in an 9 inch round cake pan, with the extra dough draped over the sides.  Fill it with your cheese mixture as shown below.

Now you want to begin gathering the pleats of the dough, that is draped over the sides of the pan, into a top knot..

Once you have gathered all pleats into a top knot, twist the knot and crimp gently sealing the pleats together.

Now you can brush on your egg wash, egg white only, and sprinkle with Garlic and Herb seasoning mix.  The dough will rest for 15 minutes to rise a little more.

Bake in 375°oven for 45-50 minutes.   At 30 minutes, check for browning and if you like how the bread looks place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top to prevent it from over browning.  Don’t seal it in the aluminum foil, just place it over the top.  The bread will over brown if you don’t place it on top at some point during the baking process.  It’s all in how ‘crusty’ you like your bread as to when you do that.

Muenster is one of my favorite cheeses and it melts beautifully.  It gives you just enough salty, cheesiness when biting into a wedge of this yummy bread.  You will love adding this to your bread recipes!

Tara

She is one busy lady and had an unexpected and unwelcome surprise last week:  big water leak in the kitchen!  Living with fans drying your carpet, ripping out cabinets and general upheaval that comes with that will take its toll!

Terra and I met through a foodie group on Facebook last year and I immediately clicked with her.  What stood out to me most is her giving and loving nature.  She is always looking for ways to help someone else.  Genuinely just a good soul and I’m so thankful to have connected with her.

Since I feel like family when I visit her blog, Cafe Terra,  I wanted to share a recipe that my family loves.   Homestyle Chicken and Rice.  This dish is simple to make for a quick weeknight, hearty meal.  It tastes delicious and is even better for those leftover lunches we love!

I hope you enjoy it and I hope you enjoy visiting Terra’s blog.  Please say hello and give her a big Della Rose hug!!  (Click on the link above the picture to go directly to the post)

Thank you!

Tara

Guest Blog with Della Rose Living – Homestyle Chicken and Rice

Yep, I made that with my own two little hands… well I don’t have little hands really.  Weird personal fact about me?? I can palm a basket ball with either hand.  You’re welcome.  And just to clarify we’re not talking the Man Hand episode of Seinfeld or anything.

I decided one day that I wanted to try my somewhat man hand at making homemade croissants.  I consider myself just a simple home cook so if I can make these, so can you!  They really are very simple, albeit tedious.  You must have patience my young Skywalker, a virtue it is.  Even though I adapted a recipe that I found in Larousse Gastronomique I found the pictures and tutorial extremely helpful over at How Sweet it is.

I’ve made this recipe twice and found that on the second go round I can start it in the afternoon and bake first thing the following morning.  The dough must rest in between each fold and then rest for 6-8 hours after the final fold.  Don’t worry I will explain!

First, like all of my bread recipes I chose to make them by hand (I’ve never said ‘hand’ so much in a single post before) with just a bowl and a wooden spoon but by all means use your mixer fitted with the dough hook if that is your preference.

Here we go!

Dissolve 2 packages (4 1/2 tsp) in 1 1/4 cup warm milk.  Let it sit for 5-10 minutes while you get your dry ingredients ready.  Pour 3 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp salt in the bowl.  Make a well in the center.  Once yeast has dissolved pour milk into the center of the dry ingredients.  Quickly begin mixing with spoon until a soft dough is formed.  If necessary add up to 1/4 cup more of flour to form a soft dough pictured here.  Knead the dough for a few minutes, in the bowl, and then drizzle with a little olive oil, turning to coat all of the dough, and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

TIP:  I proof my dough in the oven with a damp towel draped over the bowl.  Before I put the bowl in the oven, I warm up the oven for a few seconds.  Not HOT just warm.  The dough rises beautifully every time!  Just like this ↓

Now turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll the dough into a fairly large rectangle.  Wrap with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.  While the dough is resting, get 3 sticks of butter out and let it sit on the counter. You don’t want the butter soft but not rock hard either.  Yes, my friends 1 1/2 cups of butter goes into this lush dough!  Just before you take the dough out, place your butter sticks next to one another between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Mash those suckers down into a rectangle shape, roughly 5 x 8 or so.

Now roll your dough out, on a lightly floured surface, into a rectangle roughly 10 x 16.  Even though it doesn’t need to be exact you do need to measure this!  Remove the butter from plastic wrap and place it smack in the middle of the dough.

Now you are going to fold it like a letter with the short end facing you.  Top folds down over the butter and then the bottom folds up next.  Next, you are going to turn the dough so the short end faces you again and roll it out to 10 x 16.  Fold like a letter again, cover with plastic wrap, and back in the fridge it goes for 1 hour.  This is the first fold.  There are 4 folds total my friends.  Hence, my comment earlier about patience being a virtue.  This is what it looked like after my first fold.

After your fourth fold, let it rest in the fridge overnight but no more than 8 hours.  That’s why I like to start the process in the afternoon so that after the 4th and final fold, I’m ready for bed and so is the dough.

This is what it looked like when I pulled it out the next morning.  Puffed up a little bit!

Now you want to roll it out into a LARGE rectangle.  Don’t worry the dough is very pliable and easy to work with.  I didn’t measure this part but you don’t want the dough to be more than 1/4 inch thick all over.  This is what my rectangle looked like.  Then using a pizza cutter, cut it in half lengthwise.

Now you are going to make triangles again using your pizza cutter.  I saw some sites that actually measured the triangles.  nope, not for me.  You will see that while yes you do want them to be fairly uniform in shape it’s not necessary to be that precise in this step.

Now make a notch in the wide end of each triangle and begin rolling towards the point shown here.

This is where you would stuff these babies if you are so inclined.  I stuffed a few of mine with grated chocolate, chunks of extra sharp cheddar and our favorite was cream cheese and pepper jelly.  Don’t over fill, just enough to go in the center as you begin to roll it up into a crescent shape.  You place the filling towards the wide end, in the middle, just behind the notch.  Loved the cream cheese and pepper jelly ones!  wow!

So this is what they look like after I’ve rolled them up and placed them on a baking sheet!

Like I said, you want them uniform but they don’t have to be exact.  Let them rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.  Next, brush with egg wash and bake for 10 minutes in a 425º oven.

They smell amazing while baking and they taste even better.  You will never buy croissants again!  I know I won’t.  Simply cannot compare the flavor, texture and just knowing that you’ve made them yourself… cannot beat it with a stick!!

Do you see how flaky this is????  Seriously, I hope you give them a try.  Even though there are many steps,  it is a simple process.  Don’t be intimidated.  Just get in your kitchen and bake!!!

Oh and I can’t help you on the ‘not eating them all part’.  You’ll know what I mean when you make them yourself!

Tara

photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

With the turn of each page of The Heirloom Life Gardener I can already feel the dirt under my fingertips, smell the soil, feel the sun on my back and see my seeds begin to sprout.  Not only do the words of Emilee and Jere Gettle, authors and Co founders of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, give you the knowledge needed to begin your own garden their photographs and the history of their company will inspire you more.

With the upcoming planting season almost upon us I find that Baker Creek’s name is mentioned often in social media.  People are asking where to buy their seeds and what are heirloom seeds exactly; why are they so much better??  And Baker Creek is suggested time and time again.

Starting the company at 17 Jere already had the passion for heirloom seed preservation.  He began saving seeds at 13 and had started his first garden at 3!  Seed preservation is in his blood giving him life not only by the food that it provides but by the knowledge of it’s importance.

He saw at an early age that the pure seeds he loved were fast disappearing with the big seed companies dropping the older varieties from their inventory.  In their place were ‘perfect’ looking but usually terrible tasting hybrid varieties.  By the mid 90′s a few corporations like Monsanto and DuPont began introducing genetically modified crops (GMO) into the country’s seed supply at unprecedented levels.  Thus began his journey to preserve heirloom, pure seeds and to excite and educate others on their importance.

“Preserving historical varieties became my main mission in life.”

“The most important thing about pure seeds is that they are essential to our food safety.  Within these little encasements lies the key to both the planet’s food history as well as the health of future generations.”

photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

I loved reading about how Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds began and of Jere’s travels all over the world in search of heirloom seeds.  From road side mercaditos in Mexico to markets in the busy streets of Bangkok and many places in between he poured over the produce, crossing over language barriers through a basic love of food and the seeds that provide it.  No common spoken language is needed when people share a passion for local sustainable food.

“They’d watch me patiently as I placed my bounty on the ground, chopping it open with a machete, which I’d picked up along the way, and scraped seeds out of each gourd or squash with my hands.  Then I’d place the pulp into a paper bag and label it in English — Pipian Tuxpan squash, Cassabanana melon, Coban Red Pimiento pepper — before wiping off my machete blade.   That evening I’d spread the seeds out to dry on newspapers and sleep until sunrise, and wake up and do it all over again.” 

Now years later selling 1,400 varieties of pure seeds Jere and Emilee are not only passionate about the seed itself but inspiring and educating their fellow man.

“The vegetable garden should be the safest and healthiest place on your property.  I planted my first  vegetables when I was three years old.  By the time I turned eighteen, my garden consisted of two acres, and it’s even bigger today.  But big or small, my approach is always as simple and natural as possible.

The Heirloom Life Gardener  gives us the tools needed to begin our own garden, grow the food naturally, and then how to save those seeds to be used year after year.  Sharing tips and information on picking your garden location, soil preparation, crop rotation, irrigation, pesticide free pest control, mulching and so much more this book is not only for the beginner but for all gardeners.  A great resource to keep in any gardening library!

photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

By far my favorite part of the book is the A to Z Growing Guide.  Listed in this section are many varieties of fruits and vegetables, each is broken down into parts:  Growing Tips, Pests and Disease, Seed Saving, and In the Kitchen.   From more common varieties like Asparagus, Broccoli, Potatoes, Okra to a few of the uncommon such as Ground Cherry, Salsify and Sorghum.  Each vegetable is given great attention to detail to help us grow from seed naturally, and preserve our bounty.  Page after page of this book is dedicated to help you pick the best varieties for your garden.

For instance, did you know that the darker the carrot the more nutrients they have?  Ranging in color from white, yellow, red, orange  to Cosmic Purple.  Cosmic Purple… that sounds awfully sexy doesn’t it?!?

Or that a Ground Cherry , “husked tomato”, tastes tropical; almost like pineapple.  They have a relatively high pectin content and are excellent for preserves and jams.  They can also be dried for a deliciously sweet snack!

The most important advice he gives us in this book:  “Be Creative!  In gardening, the key to success is learning to experiment and trust your instincts.  It’s tempting to get caught up in the minutiae of, How deep do I sow the seed?  How often should I water?  When is the right time to harvest?  How acidic is my soil?  But remember:  There are no rules in nature, or in gardening.  You’ll learn more by diving in and trying different methods.  Most rules can be bent or broken with a little creativity.

Jere and Emilee Gettle with their little girl Sasha (photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

 Even though I’m not a beginning gardener, I’m certainly no expert and can already see that my copy will be one that has soil stains from dirty fingertips, dog eared pages, written notes and highlighted areas.   It will be well loved and well used and then passed down to my girls.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds  has generously offered me an autographed copy of The Heirloom Life Gardener to giveaway to one of you!!  I can’t wait to share this with one of you lucky readers so that you may also learn and be inspired by this lovely book!

To be eligible for the giveaway please follow these simple steps:

1. Please ‘like’ Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds on Facebook.
2. Please ‘like’ Della Rose Living on Facebook.

Once you are eligible, you must answer the following question in a comment on this post in order to be entered into the giveaway.   Please do not post your answer on Facebook.   The giveaway will run from Noon (CST) January 28, 2013 through Noon (CST) February 2, 2013.   I’m sorry but only residents of the continental U.S. are eligible for the giveaway due to high international shipping charges.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!  Winner will be randomly drawn by all eligible comments on this post and announced on Facebook February 3, 2013.  Only one entry per person.

***2/2/2013  The giveaway is now closed!  Thank you for all of your entries!***

QUESTION:    Why do you garden or why do you want to start a garden?”

Who doesn’t enjoy a bowl of hot and hearty soup on cold wintry nights??   This soup is not only delicious and hearty it is quick!  Ready to eat in roughly 30  minutes start to finish!  Using fresh cheese stuffed tortellini pasta helps keep your cooking time down.

Perfect for any week night and you are still feeding your family a delicious meal without skimping on the ingredients.  Great as a leftover lunch too!

Speaking of lunch… this is how I like to enjoy mine.

How about you??

Tara

I love this bread and what it symbolizes.  Let me share with you what I learned about Challah bread when I started making it.  It is prepared to usher in the Sabbath at sundown and is enjoyed as apart of the Sabbath dinner.  Challah is made in various shapes and sizes, each with special meaning.

• Three-strand braid symbolizes truth, peace and justice.
• Five or six strand braids symbolize love.
• Spiral loaves stand for continuity.

I’m not Jewish but I really loved learning about this bread and what it can mean to a Jewish family through it’s preparation, baking and finally eating.  It has already given me so many memories with my girls in the kitchen and holds a special meaning to us.

**Quick Note: This particular recipe is not a pareve food due to the use of butter.  To make it a pareve food simply use a light tasting oil in it’s place.**

My girls LOVE to help me make this bread!  It involves lots of kneading and braiding for little hands making 3-4 loaves total.  Great for freezing (after baked) I usually only keep out one loaf at a time.  Super simple to make and has such great texture and flavor.  Love the eggy bread for it’s softness  and chewiness!  YUM!

It’s versatile enough to use as hamburger/sub rolls and hot dog buns as well

Here is a little photo tutorial on the process.  I choose to make it by hand forgoing my mixer.  I find that all of my bread is lighter and softer in texture when prepared by hand.  Using the mixer with the dough hook can give you a denser loaf.

I personally love the spiral loaf for it’s ease in freezing in gallon bags and that it can be a ‘pull apart’ loaf at the dinner table.

Holla!

Tara

This picture was taken the year before he passed away.  (left to right: Jules my oldest, Pop, and my husband Doug) He never lost his zest for life nor his love for family gatherings.  He was the Sun in my husbands family; always the center, bringing us together, creating life and warmth..  He never met a stranger, was the hardest worker I know with the exception of my husband, and would give the shirt off his back.   A hard man at times but an easy man to love.

So every New Years we gather and celebrate life, enjoying our family evermore for we know that every day is a gift…

Like any true sawthern family our New Years dinner is never without ham, greens and black eyed peas!  Copious amounts are piled high on our plates, pepper sauce is used liberally and ice tea is always at the ready.  Except for me, I hate greens.  So unsawthern of me I know, but I’ve tried them over and over and I can’t do it.  nope.  I tend to look like a 3 year old eating something their mother wants them to ‘try’ because they might just like it.  I did eat a small amount though hoping for some money to come my way.  All I got was the immediate need to floss.

I decided to bring something a little different for dessert this year and thought a Pear Custard tart would be fun.  It was a hit but not as much as the fresh whipped cream.  Note to self: just bring a huge bowl of whipped cream for my brother in law and nephews next time.

*NOTE*  The recipe for the tart dough makes 2 extra discs to freeze for later use.  For fresh whipped cream I like to add a little honey to stabilize my cream. Once it’s whipped, it doesn’t separate as quickly allowing you to whip the cream the night before if you like.

2 cups cold heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1-2 Tblsp. honey
2 Tblsp. powdered sugar
Using the wire whisk attachment on your mixer, whip the cream until thick and soft peaks form.  It stores well in the fridge for a few days while you work on the tart one wedge at a time.

All in all, I think Pop would approve of this one!

Tara

When the end of Summer roles around and I have the mile long school supply lists for my girls I find that I’m oohing and ahhing over the notebooks as much as they are.  Not to mention sharp, waxy crayons and never used erasers. What is it about new school room sundries that gets my creative juices flowing??

The notebooks are what gets me though.  Cracking the spine for the first time, pressing my nose to the paper, breathing deeply and thumbing through the hundreds of page waiting to be filled.  Is it the idea of writing, the anticipation of what it will be that inspires me or the act itself? Is it the fluid and rhythmic movement of the pen, rubbing my ink stained fingers over the groves I’ve left in the paper or daydreaming for long periods of time, pen and paper forgotten at my side..  I can’t say.

I have who knows how many notebooks in my sewing room and just bought another from the book store just a few days ago.  This one is special though.  It’s red leather bound book and I knew when I saw it that I had to have it.

With the New Year a stones throw away we are thinking of resolutions, diets and ways to improve our lives.  Everyone is getting memberships to the gym, throwing out the cookies and beefing up the vegetable bin, organizing and purging like to mad to ring in the new year as the NEW  and IMPROVED us.

Who’s to say that you need to start a diet??  Or purge your closet.  Or throw out the damn cookies!

Who’s to say you aren’t perfect the way you are, warts and all?  Shouldn’t we be happy in our own skin??

Absolutely I want to improve myself and grow as a person, lose a few pounds, strive to be a better mother and wife.  But at the end of the day I’m happy, happy, happy… You know where you’ve heard that one before.

Maybe we all just need notebooks to write our own story… our story as WE see it.  Not how society sees it.  Or our mothers, spouses, friends or bosses see it.  A place to write our own inspiration.  A place to be our self, warts and all,  happy in our own skin.

No resolutions lists or diet menus or purge lists.  Only your story, your way in your words.  So I want you to go into your child’s room and steal one of their notebooks… crack the spine, press your nose to the paper, breathe deeply and thumb your fingers through the pages.

My pen is out, my red book is open and waiting.. my story has just begun.

Much love,

Tara

Tara

This fudge will melt in your mouth and you will wonder why you haven’t found the recipe sooner.   As the names implies, three different chocolates in the ingredients give you a well rounded kick ass chocolate flavor.  Rich, yes, but complex enough in flavor that is doesn’t just taste sugary sweet.   It always makes me think of when we go to Gatlinburg, grabbing some fudge at one of the shops and walking the main street enjoying the sights and smells of the holiday season.

This recipe makes a huge batch filling one large baking sheet.  I like my fudge thinner for cutting but if you like it thicker use a 13×9 and a 8×8 pan instead.

Enjoy!!

Tara