Dinner Bread

Leave it to me to come up with a special way to jazz up the basket of bread on the table. Not like warm rolls or sour dough isn't amazing enough, right? WELL I have made a big mistake. Butter, cheese, green onions, ON BREAD.... Yikes. My sincere apologies in advance, but you gotta try this!

I'm sorry your fingers can't go through the screen to grab a piece. 

Dinner Bread

*This is a pizza dough recipe from my Stuffed Crust Chicken Alfredo Pizza*

This dough recipe makes 2 pizza doughs. Use one freeze the other!

3 Cups flour extra (have an extra half cup for dusting and so on)

1 package instant dry yeast sugar

2 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 Cup HOT water

1/2 Teaspoon olive oil

Mix all these ingredients together and knead. Cut into 2 equal balls and allow to rise in a olive oil lined bowl under a tea cloth for about 2-3 hours. If you do not intend to use both dough balls no need to rise what you won't use. Wrap tightly in saran wrap and stick in freezer.

 Once your dough has risen roll out on flowered surface into long and wide rectangle shape to fit on a cookie sheet. Dough will roll out a little thinner. Allow to rise for 15-20 minutes under a tea cloth in cookie sheet. 

Topping

3-4 Tablespoons butter, melted 

1/3-1/2 Cups parmesan cheese (Depending on your cheese preference)

1/2 Cup chopped green onions

1 Tablespoon italian seasoning

1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder

Sprinkle of chopped chives on top (Optional)

Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Pour melted butter on to raw rolled out dough. Cover entire dough surface even over "crust" area so your edges brown a little. Sprinkle parm, then green onions, spices and optional chives over the top. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cut into squares for serving and enjoy along with a delicious dinner or as an appetizer, or with just a glass of wine. Been there done that and no complaints with that combo. 

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World's easiest peach butter

I don't know if you have noticed or not, but I like easy.  I'm not one of those bloggers where I make something that looks perfect and then create a perfect looking label, with a link for you download your own.  Don't get me wrong I'd love to make perfect stuff with perfect labels, but let's get real.

I also have a life.  A REAL life. My house is a mess and I still don't have time to make a peach butter label.  Pass the sharpie.  

1. Pit all your peaches, don't skin them, and no it doesn't` matter how many peaches you have.

2. Put all your peaches in a pot with 2-3 inches of water and cook for a few minutes.  I used an immersion blender and chopped it all up.  Now you can't even tell you didn't waste loads of time skinning your peaches. And peach skins are really good for you.  Now the world's easiest peach butter is also a major health food.  Again, you're welcome.

3. Once it's all blended pour it all in a crock pot.

4. Add sugar till it tastes good.

5. Add cinnamon, cloves and/or nutmeg til it tastes good, or none at all. I added a little bit of all of them.

6. Cook in crock pot until you like how thick it is.  If you like how thick it is after you blend it you could just skip the crock pot altogether.

7.  Ladle peach butter into hot jars and top with hot lids.  Screw the lids on tight and set upside down for 5 minutes and then right side up.  The lids will seal.

8.  Use your most awesomest ever label AKA the sharpie to label your jars.

9. Remember we used the skins in this peach butter and therefore is a health food so be healthy and eat some everyday.

Chicken Zucchini Alla Pesto!

So last week I boasted with my proud Italian heritage in my Stuffed Crust Garlic Chicken Alfredo Pizza post. How I love the traditional meals such as pasta, pizza, fresh gnocchi, cheese and so on. THIS week I am taking a little bit of a spin on an Italian dish. Instead of angel hair or spaghetti pasta I'm using zucchini! A low carb, delicious and healthy spin. Being guilt free, this dish is abundant in flavor and looks beautiful on a plate. Don't let the clean eating scare you, This dish is for real and absolutely amazing! TO put the cherry on top THIS is a 30 minute meal! Oh yes. This recipe has a lot going for it!!!

My sister who caters for a living, which means, DUH! She's an AMAZING cook, found an awesome gadget called a Veggetti! A spiral slicer that turns zucchini, squash, cucumbers and other vegetables into pasta type strings. Hence the name Veggetti, like spaghetti! Anyways my Mom purchased one and brought it with her when were were all together over the 4th of July at our family cabin. She was making fresh salads using it. I knew at first glimpse I NEEDED one of these. So I promptly purchased one on our way home! Needless to say vegetables have been way more fun since I have had it! Which says a lot, I'm a California girl so I grew up on fresh produce and have always loved it and had fun cooking with it. This gadget opens a whole new direction to take produce though and it makes my mind go crazy with creative ideas!

Chicken Zucchini Alla Pesto is a must try! You'll feel great after eating a fresh healthy meal such as this one and still love every bite of it!

Is that tongue marks on my screen from trying to lick it? NASTY! 

Chicken Zucchini Alla Pesto

For the chicken

4 Chicken breasts. (If their thicker I filet them down to thinner pieces)

1 Tablespoon jarred pesto (Can be found in fresh section of grocery)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon pepper

*Marinate your chicken breasts in this mixture from 30 minutes to 24 hours.*

For the zucchini pasta

4 Medium sized zucchini

1 white onion

2-3 Tablespoons jarred pesto (can be found in fresh section of grocery)

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon pepper

*Optional* 1/2 Teaspoon minced garlic

Parmesan cheese for garnish! 

Heat a skillet with some melted butter in the bottom or your grill to cook your marinated chicken. Once heated cook until done. Using your Vegetti, slice down your Zucchini. Chop your onions. Heat a skillet to medium high heat and melt butter and optional garlic together. Once melted sauté your onions until caramelized then add your zucchini for a quick sauté. It won't take long. Once all vegetables are cooked add your pesto and spices and stir together. Let simmer for a minute or two then serve with chicken breasts sliced down and served on top.

Bon Appetit!

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Kool-Aid Ice Cream

Oh yes... This is for real everybody! No fancy Ice-cream equipment needed either. Just plan a little ahead you can have a sweet summertime treat ready to go for a hot day. Wanna be the cool mom on the block? Or are you like me and YOU JUST WANT ICE CREAM.... Well then this recipe is probably for you! Your kids will go wild for this though, I promise! Great idea for kid's birthday parties, too!

It is easy and tastes delicious! So why not try? You know you wanna! Its okay. Made it for the kids? Psshhh... Yeah right! This is for me! I don't judge... My husband & I still fight over otter pops! 

I didn't eat all of this...... I swear.... What did I say about judging?!

Kool-Aid Ice Cream

1 Packet of Kool-Aid. Any Flavor you desire. (Pictured is cherry flavor)

3/4 Cup sugar

2 Cups whole milk

1 Cup Half n' Half

Mix packet of kool-aid with sugar in a metal bowl. Add Milk and Half n' Half and stir until sugar mixture is dissolved. Pour into shallow freezer container cover with foil and freeze for 1-2 hours. 

After 1-2 hours have passed pour slightly thickened mixture back into metal bowl and whisk until smooth. Once smooth return to shallow baking container and freeze for 8 hours

*TIPS* I use a metal loaf pan for freezing my ice cream in. Use your Kitchen Aid mixer with wire whisk attachment for your mixing. Specially after it has slightly thickened. Or get buff arms and do it the old fashioned way. Your choice! 

Hope you try this summertime treat and enjoy! Thanks for reading!

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