French Toast

French Toast

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
couple pinches of cinnamon
8 slices of Texas toast
butter for the skillet

In a pie dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, vanilla and cinnamon. 
Place bread into egg mixture, coating both sides. 
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium low heat in a cast iron skillet. Cook two slices of bread at a time until golden brown on both sides. Add more butter to skillet as needed.
Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.
Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

6 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (or more if desired) 
 (recipe for broth and chicken below)
1 (6 oz.) box Uncle Ben's Country Inn Chicken and Wild Rice with seasoning packet
1 1/2 cups carrots, thinly sliced rounds
1 cup  finely chopped celery
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream or half n half

Bring broth to a simmer. Add chopped cooked chicken, carrots, celery and rice (don't add the seasoning packet yet). Simmer covered for about 20 minutes. 
In a medium sauce pan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add seasoning packet and black pepper.
Whisk in flour and let cook about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cream. 
Cook and whisk until thickened. It will be very thick.
Pour thickened flour mixture into soup. (Do not boil.) Let simmer on very low heat until ready to serve. 



To make chicken and broth:

1 chicken- cut wings off for browning
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, quartered
1 peeled carrot, cut in half
1 whole clove of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
water *

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in pan on high heat. Place wings in the preheated oil.
Add onion and carrot and brown on high heat for a few minutes, then add 1 whole garlic.  Season with salt and pepper. Add pinch of red pepper flakes.  Continue to brown for 1-2 minutes, but do not burn garlic.

Add the chicken, breast side up to the pan.  Pour in 1 can of chicken broth and fill the rest of the pan with water until only the top of the chicken is showing above the water.*

Season generously with salt and pepper, then add a good pinch or two of each of the following: celery seed or celery salt, thyme, and turmeric.  

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover, simmering for approximately 1 1/2 hours.

Remove chicken and strain out the onion, carrot and garlic from the broth.

When chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove breast and thigh meat and chop into pieces. Save rest for chicken salad or another recipe.

Tres Leches Cake

       

 

   

        

Milky, buttery deliciousness!

         Tres Leches Cake

            This recipe is from Everyday Food, June 2010 and can be found here.

            1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled, plus

             more for baking dish    

            1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

            1 teaspoon baking powder

            1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

            5 large eggs

            1 cup sugar (divided)

            1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

            1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

            1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

            1 cup whole milk

            2 cups heavy cream

            fresh fruit (optional)       

           Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. (I used a glass dish.) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and 3/4 cup sugar on high until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine. With a rubber spatula, fold in melted butter until incorporated. Transfer batter to dish and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating dish halfway through.

           In a medium bowl, whisk together milks. Poke warm cake all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick, (I used chopsticks) then pour milk mixture over top and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

           Whip cream and 1/4 cup sugar to medium peaks. Spread over cake and chill for several hours before eating. That was the hardest part - waiting!

          Top with fruit if desired. I prefer it plain so I only taste the milky buttery cake!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Fresh lemon flavor and so pretty!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

zest of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Chill dough for about an hour.  Roll into balls and then roll in powdered sugar. Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until bottoms begin to lightly brown. Cool on rack.

~Divide dough and mix in food coloring for pretty pastel cookies.