Focacchia Bread

Oh Baby, to quote Anne Burrell of Food Network Fame.

Now. Let me start by saying I am not a big fan of hers, but happened to catch the show the other day because I was trying to have some "downtime" for myself.

She was making this bread, and she made it look SO EASY. So...I'd been dreaming about making bread. I mean, I have a Kitchen Aid. I have a dough hook. I have flour. I can do this, right?

So, today was the day. I knew I'd be around the house long enough from start to finish to make it. I am so very glad I tried.

Using ALL Aldi ingredients (including the yeast which I bought when they had it at the store earlier this year - it's seasonal for them, so it might not be there right now - this is the only ingredient you may need to buy at a regular store). I used Grandma's Best Flour, Sebree Salt, Carlini Olive Oil, Baker's Corner sugar and yeast. Wow.

This recipe is just as easy as it looked, maybe even easier. I highly recommend giving it a try.

The only adjustment I made was instead of sprinkling with salt on top I sprinkled with Stonehill Pizza & Pasta Grinder. Another good Aldi addition.

I hope you try it, and I hope you enjoy it. Me? I'm looking forward to dinner tonight where I get to have some more with Meatballs & Sauce (from Aldi of course!).

Anne Burrell's Focaccia Bread

Potato Onion Cheddar Soup

I've been soooo busy lately, I'd like to say I've been cooking, but I haven't! Nothing new, anyway. Same old same old. And using a lot of convenience foods in pretty normal recipes.

Hubby got called out of town suddenly. And I miss him. :( But when he's out of town I'm relieved of cooking duties and we "fend" for our dinners.

Tonight, I was sorely in need of a comfort food, so I threw together this soup. It turned out soo sooo yummy, and filled a need in me.

Potato & Onion Soup

4 medium Red Bliss Potatoes, peeled & large diced(about $.80 worth of the $2.69 bag)
1/2 White Onion, quartered & separated (.25 - from the mixed 3 onion pack for $1.69)
2 stalks Celery, large dice (.10)
2 Carrots, large dice(.10)
1 32 oz carton Fit & Active Chicken Broth
2 Garlic cloves, smashed & skins removed
8 oz Friendly Farms NY Sharp Cheddar (1.69), shredded
1 Cup Milk
Salt & Pepper
Tuscan Garden Real Bacon Bits (1.49)

In a large soup pot bring Chicken Broth, potatoes, onions, celery, carrot and garlic to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook, covered, on low heat until the vegetables are soft. Add Salt & pepper to taste. Using an immersion blender, or a regular blender, blend until very smooth. Return to pot (if using a regular blender). Over low heat, stir in milk. Slowly add and stir in the shredded cheese.

Top with Bacon Bits before serving.

Yummy.

Million Dollar Waffles

I know. You've all missed me and have been wondering what happened to me. I've been trying to come up with a way to tell you all what I've been doing. So...here are few options:

1. We won the lottery and have been traveling around the world;

2. My kitchen exploded and I have not been cooking AT ALL because I'm living off hotel food;

3. I've locked myself in the kitchen, ignored laundry, children and all else because I was trying to come up with the perfect waffle recipe.

4. I've had a freak accident and am in a full body cast and have just learned to type with my tongue.


First, I have to give it up for my friend Jennifer who made all of this possible. A few years back our families spent a weekend together at the shore. Not only did her husband and three kids come to the shore house, but she brought all the makings (and appliances necessary) to make an all out waffle extravaganza for breakfast for us one morning. She was cleaning out her kitchen and decided to part with one of her waffle makers. And being the amazing friend she is, she immediately thought of me and gave it to me. (I think I mentioned this back when I tested the Pumpkin Waffles that were available for a time at Aldi).

Anyway, I digress, onto what I've been doing. My children and I have been on a quest that started with our studies of Europe. We are slowly making our way through My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures. When we exploring Norway, one of their books recommended a recipe to try for Norwegian Waffles. And we gave them a try. They were NOT a hit in our house - and everytime I make waffles now, my son will mention how much he hated them. I did too...they were gooey and not crusty. My quest became to find or create a recipe for waffles that would make them really crispy on the outside but light and airy on the inside. Not too sweet, and not bland. I've been experimenting and eating my results (my waistline is a tad annoyed at this, but....perfection has consequences).

After many failures, and not-so-muches, and even a few this-is-close's....I think today we have finally arrived. I'd be so tickled if you'd try them too and let me know what you think. Oh...and by the way, don't be a stick in the mud and only try these with Maple Syrup - I melted 2 Tbs of Vanilla Frosting in the microwave tonight and drizzled it overtop instead of syrup....OH MY GOODNESS...so goooooood!!!! Should be illegal!

Million Dollar Waffles

3 Cups Baker's Corner Baking Mix
2 Tbs. Grandma's Best Sugar
2 Tsp. Spice Corner Cinnamon
Pinch of Sebree Salt
1 1/2 Cups Milk
2 Golden Hen Eggs
3 Tbs. Carlini Vegetable Oil

In a large bowl mix together baking mix, sugar, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, mix together milk, eggs and oil. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until blended (careful not to over mix, but mix until most of the clumps are gone).

Cook in a waffle iron according to waffle iron's directions.

:) ENJOY!

Superbowl Treats #2 - Pepperoni Pinwheels

Instead of ordering a bunch of pizzas, how about making a couple of hand held pizza treats for your Superbowl party guests? These are incredibly easy to make, and even easier to eat!

Pepperoni Pinwheels

2 Pkgs Bueller's Crescent Rolls
1 Cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 Cup diced Priano Pepperoni Slices*
1 Cup Priano Traditional Spaghetti Sauce


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix shredded cheese and diced pepperoni together in a medium bowl.

Open crescent rolls and separate into two large rectangles (each one made up of 4 triangles). Seal edges together. Spread 1/4th of cheese and pepperoni mixture on each rectangle, leaving about 1/2" at the long edge of each one. Roll up lengthwise and seal edge. Cut each rectangle into 6 pinwheels. Place cut side down on a prepared cookie sheet (cover with tinfoil and spray with Carlini cooking spray). 12 should fit on each cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

While baking, heat spaghetti sauce to serve for dipping.

Superbowl Treat #1 - Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

This recipe is loosely based on a Paula Deen recipe. In Paula's original recipe, she coats the bites in a brown sugar and chili powder coating before baking. Hers are really good, I had to adjust for dietary concerns for us. I get around the coating by marinating the chicken in hot sauce and a little bit of brown sugar.

I made a homemade honey mustard dipping sauce, and they were, in a word, Ahhhhh-mazing....they got eaten even by the kids! YUMMY!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

2 lbs Kirkwood Chicken Breasts (5.00)
1 lb package Appleton Low Sodium Bacon (2.69)
1/4 Cup Burman's Hot Sauce (.99/btl - .15 worth used)
1 Tbs Grandma's Best Brown Sugar (.05)
Box of toothpicks


Mix together hot sauce and brown sugar. Cut chicken breast into 1" cubes, marinate for about 1 hour (or even up to overnight) in hot sauce mixture.

When ready to bake them, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak about 50 of the toothpicks in water. Cut bacon strips into thirds. Wrap each piece of chicken in bacon and secure with toothpick.

Place chicken bites on an aluminum foiled broiler pan. (cut the aluminum foil at the slats so that the fat can drip off). Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

Serve with Honey Mustard Sauce:

1/2 Cup Burman's Mayonnaise
3 Tbs Burman's Spicy Brown Mustard
2 tsp Honey (or more to taste)

Mix together well and serve on the side.

Makes about 40 to 50 chicken bites.

SUPERBOWL IS COMING!!!

We don't know who's playing yet. But we know that it's coming, and that with the Superbowl, comes parties. And what is a Superbowl Party without awesome food??? WHAT???

Well, the next few recipes will be dedicated to nibbles to have at your Superbowl feast!

Here's hoping Green Bay makes it in...at least for Hubby's sake!

:) Keep a look out they'll be a comin!

Hello All! Happy New Year!

Well...The holidays are over, the decorations are packed away and even PUT away! WHOOOOOOHOOO. Well, aside from the house looking a little bare, my middle is quite full....gained a little bit this year!

I'll be trying to highlight and critique and create some recipes for healthy, light, cooking. :) Hopefully! :)

Fit & Active goodies are lined up on all of the shelves and in the special sections of the store. This is a great time to stock up. They go away around late January, early February, and don't return until folks are prepping for swimsuit weather. Some things are popular enough that they're in the store all the time. There's a lot of stuff right now that's not usually there because they're taking advantage of all of us and our New Year's Resolution to lose weight and get healthy.

Been trying a few new products the last few days, as soon as I can get some pix, I'll be a-postin' .