The best fluffy breadsticks ever!

Okay, I was looking for a good breadstick recipe and the ones I make are always flat so I got on YouTube to see a demonstration on how to make them more fluffy and I saw this recipe and made them and loved them, so here it is for you: you can find it here

This recipe makes 12 bread sticks but you can double the recipe easily

1 cup very warm water
1 pkg yeast (1 scant TBLSP)
3 TBLSP sugar
1 tsp salt
2 TBLSP vegetable oil
3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water, then add all ingredients except flour and dissolve in water.

Only add about 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour, you will add the rest during kneading.
Knead for 6 to 8 min, add flour as needed to make dough
Dough will be a little sticky
Put in a bowl covered with a towel and let rise for one hour in warm place

(I made this in my Bosch or Kitchen Aid, so I just put all the flour in and let the machine do the kneading,then I pull it out of the bosch and put into a large tupperware bowl that had some oil in the bottom, and I rub the dough in the oil so it is covered on all sides and put the  tupperwarelid on and let dough rise in bowl)

After dough has risen, punch down and pull off a little ball size (the video said to pat dough down to 3/4 or 1 in and score into 10 or 12 breadsticks, then take each piece and roll into log shape) and place onto buttered cookie sheet.  However I found it easier to just pinch off a ball of dough and roll into the log shape.
Place all logs onto buttered cookie sheet
Place towel over the top and let rise for 45 min (can turn oven to 150 degrees and let them rise in warm oven)
Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake 10 to 13 min (every oven is different , so check breadsticks often)
When they are done, brush with real butter, sprinkle on garlic salt or garlic powder whichever you prefer, then can sprinkle with shredded cheese, and put back in oven for 1 or 2 min
Serve and Enjoy

These breadsticks were VERY YUMMY! I loved them
you can watch the video how to make them here:

And now for the nourishing of our souls:
D&C 6:33-34
"Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
34-Therefore, fear not, little flock: do good; let earth and hell combine gainst you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

Awesome scriptures, I have truly experienced it first hand, if you truly are built upon the rock of the gospel, earth and hell cannot hurt you, and you will truly have peace, the peace that comes from knowing you do good, and you have the Lord on your side. 

Chicken Pot Pie Crumble

I just made this recipe the other night and I LOVED it! I will make it again and again.  You want to try it too?  It sounds complicated but it really wasn't , it all came together very quickly and easily.
I got it from one of my new favorite blogs  www.cookingclassy.com, I will link you to recipe here:

Chicken Pot Pie Crumble – My Favorite Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 20 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 large)
• 1 (14.5 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup peeled and diced carrots (about 2 large carrots)
• 3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks)
• 3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
• 2/3 cup frozen peas
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
For the crumble:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (use 1/2 tsp for a slightly stronger garlic flavor)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup butter, cold and diced into small cubes
• 2 oz. finely shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup packed)
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Directions

• Place chicken in a slow cooker, pour chicken broth over chicken. Cover with lid and cook on low heat about 5 - 6 hours until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from slow cooker, dice and set aside. Strain broth from slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and reserve broth (if you don't have a fine mesh strainer just try to remove the pieces of fat).
To prepare crumble
• Preheat oven to 450 degree. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and optional cayenne pepper. Using your finger tips, cut butter into mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Pour in heavy cream and mix just until combine. Break and drop mixture into 1 - 2-inch pieces onto a Silpat lined baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
To prepare filling
• Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add diced carrots, onion and celery. Saute vegetables, stirring occasionally until lightly golden and tender, about 5 - 6 minutes. Pour vegetables into a bowl and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, melt butter in saucepan (I like to brown it a bit for and extra layer of flavor), then add in flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 20 seconds (it will be very thick). While stirring, slowly add in milk followed by reserved chicken broth, lemon juice, parsley, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then slightly reduce heat and allow to cook about 1 minute longer until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove sauce from heat and add sauteed vegetables, frozen peas and diced chicken to sauce, then toss to evenly coat. Pour mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and sprinkle with baked crumble topping (mine fit perfectly in my pie dish but if yours is coming close to the top edge you may want to sit it on top of a cookie sheet to prevent spills in your oven). Bake in 400 degree oven until nicely golden brown, about 12 to 14 min.  Serve warm

This was really very very yummy, I loved it!

And now for the nourishing of our souls:

Another of my favorite scriptures:

D&C 6:16

"Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart"

and in D&C 6:20

". . . . .therefore treasure up these words in thy heart.  Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love"

ButterCream Frosting

This post is for my friend Shirlene (she was the best neighbor anyone could hope to have!) , she texted me and asked where is my recipe for just plain ol butter cream frosting, no cream cheese or other doo dads, so here it is!

Buttercream Frosting
this is from the C&H powder sugar box I believe

4 cups powder sugar
5 1/3 TBLSP butter (I melt mine in the microwave or use butter that is softened to room temp)
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla  (mexican vanilla if you have it!)

Just mix together with mixer, add more powder sugar if it is too runny or add more milk if it is too dry!

Enjoy!

For the nourishing of our souls:
Here is one of my favorite scriptures, mark it if you dont have it marked, it is found in D&C 6:36
"Look unto me in every thought: doubt not, fear not"

Truly, there is no need to doubt or fear in life when you have our Savior in every thought.  While life is hard, He gives you strength and courage.  When I am in doubt, He gives me hope.  When I fear things, I pray to Him and Trust in Him and remember that with God, nothing is impossible!  He gives me that calm feeling that everything is going to be okay, what more could you ask for than that?

Alfajores

My ex-husband served a mission in Argentina and he would talk about these cookies all the time, and then I saw this recipe on this cool blog called cooking classy found here   and made them and liked them.  Personally I like to make my own caramel to put between the cookies, and you can do that by putting a can of sweetened condensed milk covered in water in a crockpot on low overnight, in the morning when you open up the can, it is a delicious caramel.

Alfajores
1 1/4 cups cornstarch
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
10 Tblsp butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 tsp coconut extract, optional 
1 can Dulce de Leche (caramel in a can you can buy by the sweetened condensed milk cans)
various toppings for coating

Directions:
*In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt.  set aside.
*In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds.  Mix in lemon zest.  Add in egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition until well blended.  Mix in vanilla and coconut extract.  With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined and dough starts to come together.  Shape dough into a ball, cover ball with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes to one hour until dough is easy enough to work with
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll chilled dough out between two large sheets of parchment or wax paper to 1/6 in thickness.  Using a 2 in round cookie cutter (or smaller) cut dough into circles, use a spatula to transfer cookie onto cookie sheet lined with Silpat or buttered or greased.
*Bake for 10 to 11 minutes.  Allow cookies 5 minutes to cool on cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack to Cool.  Cool cookies completely and then spread generous layer of Dulce de Leche over the bottom side of one cookie, then sandwich it to the bottom side of another cookie.  Spread a thin layer of caramel around the round edge of the cookie and roll in desired topping. 
* Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature
*Here are a few of the toppings to roll them in:
sweetened coconut flakes (you can grind them a little bit in food processor to smaller size)
toasted coconut flakes
finely chopped pecans, toasted if desired
sprinkles
grated white, milk or semi chocolate
You dont have to coat edges at all.  If desired, you can dip to coat or drizzle cookies in white, milk or semi sweet chocolate.
Look at the blog above to see a picture of these cookies
They are yummy, I am thinking you could spread nutella in between and that would be yummy too!

Kneaders Over-Night French Toast

This is an awesome french toast recipe recipe from Kneaders, you just have to buy a loaf of their chunky cinnamon bread to make it

Kneaders Over Night French Toast
Ingredients:
1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread cut into 8 slices
8 eggs
3 cups milk
1 Tblsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tblsp vanilla
2 Tblsp butter

Preparation:
Butter a glass baking dish generously (9 x 13) Place the bread flat in the baking dish.  Mix all remaining ingredients, reserving the butter and pour over the bread.  Cut butter into pieces and dot over the top.  Refrigerate over night or at least one hour.  Bake 45 to 50 min at 350 degrees.  Serves 8

Kneaders Caramel Syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup Light Karo Syrup
Blend together and heat on stovetop until sugar is smooth.
Serve warm.

And now for the nourishing of our souls:
My daughter Megan serving a mission sent me this quote:
"I slept and dreamt that life was a Joy.  I awoke and saw life was  Duty.  I acted and behold Duty was Joy."

Danish Almond Sweet Bread

My sweet landlord that lives upstairs made this treat for me for Christmas and it was so so yummy, I ate it all in one day (I shared too!) so I  had to find the recipe and make some myself.  I found the recipe on thesisterscafe.com and Erin said her friends' inlaws make this every Christmas to give out, it makes 3 to 4 loaves , and it is so so so so yummy!  I think I will start this for a Christmas Goodie Handout Tradition as Well! You will LOVE it!

Danish Almond Sweet Bread

Dough:

Put in standing mixer:

1 ¼ c scalded milk

1/3 c shortening (melt with milk) I used butter

1/3 c sugar

1 t salt

2 eggs

Pulse, then add:
1 T yeast

Pulse again, then wait 3 minutes. Then add:

4 c flour

Knead for about 3-5 minutes.  Cover and let rise in a warm place 35 minutes.

Filling #1:

Scald in microwave and set aside:

1 c milk

Mix together in another bowl:

1/3 c sugar

2 T flour

¼ t salt

Beat in with a fork:
3 egg yolks (save the whites!)

Pour hot milk into mixture and stir well. Heat in microwave 2 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds, until thick like pudding.

Filling #2:

Mix with pastry blender:

½ c butter

½ c flour

1 c sugar

¼ c oats

1 ½ t almond extract

¼ c sliced almonds

Topping:

½ c almonds

¼ c sugar

Punch down dough. Divide in 4. (You may also divide dough into 6 for smaller pastries.) Roll each out to a rectangle 8” across and 12” long. Mentally divide the rectangle into thirds lengthwise and onto the middle third spread filling #1 and then top with filling #2. With a pizza cutter, cut slits down each side, crosswise, all the way to the bottom, ½ – 1” apart. Alternate sides and cross the strips over the middle. Make sure the top and bottom are tucked in so filling does not leak out. Brush the top with beaten egg whites, then sprinkle with sugar and almond topping generously.

Let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes, making sure the bottom and top are both slightly brown. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Mexican Lasagne

 This is a great recipe, it might not sound like it, but try it and you will see!  It is a fun version when you get tired of tradtional lasagne!

Mexican Lasagne  from Jill Flink  Sandridge Ward Cookbook
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 (16)oz can refried beans
1 pkg taco seasoning
12 uncooked lasagne noodles
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups salsa
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup green onions
1 cup black olives (or more)
1 cup grated cheese

Combine beef, beans, and taco seasoning together.  Place uncooked noodles in bottom of 9 x 13 pan.  Spread beef mixture over noodles. Top with more noodles and beef mixture.  Combine water and salsa and pour over all.  Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until noodles are tender.  Remove from oven and spread sour cream, onions, and olives over casserole.  Top with cheese. Bake 5 minutes more.

YUMMY!


Nourishing of our soul:
I've been reading the book "An hour to live, and hour to love:
and would like to quote from Richard Carlson
"If I could live my life over, I'd be more loving to you and to everyone else as well - and I'd expect far less in return.  I see now that life is all about love, sharing, compassion, and kindness.  Mother Teresa said 'We cannot do great things on this earth.  We can only do small things with great love'. . . even small things can be great things when our hearts are in the right place"