Cold Press Coffee

I am transferring all of the recipes from my soon to be defunct food blog to this blog!  Here's a good one!

It’s admittedly a little funny that I’m posting a cold pressed coffee recipe in the middle of a really cold stretch of weather.  I mean, we haven’t seen the 20s in a few days!

BUT, this is great coffee all year round, and much like Monday’s recipe, it is one of Aaron’s favorites!

I’m actually really bad at brewing coffee.  We have a Keurig, but it’s kind of on the fritz right now, so Cold Pressed Coffee really saves the day!  I even heat it up sometimes which works great for me, but I’m also not much of a coffee snob 

Fun Fact:  Cold Pressed Coffee is also much less acidic than regular coffee as the acid is released by hot water.

All the good things!

I’ve also just realized that most people probably call this Cold Press Coffee not Cold Pressed Coffee.  Oops!  It’s also called Cold Brew Coffee if we’re feeling fancy!

I follow the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, except I cut it in half.  There are lots of recipes for Cold Pressed Coffee out there and for Coffee Concentrate (which you make planning to add water to it), but I like the ratio of her recipe.  You can play around with this and get it how you like it!

Here’s what you do:

• Get your biggest bowl.
• Dump in 8 oz of coffee grounds.
• Pour in 1 gallon of water (I’ve read that filtered is better).
• Give it a stir.
• Let it sit over night.

When you wake up in the morning, you will have this!

Yes, it looks like mud.

Yes, I took this picture on my living room floor because of the light.

Yes, I spilled some on the aforementioned carpet.

Whomp whomp.

Anyway, carefully pour (or use a soup ladle) the coffee and water mixture through a lined fine mesh metal sieve.  I usually use paper towels.  You’ll have to change the paper towel a few times.  You can also use cheesecloth or coffee liners.

You’re done!  And now you can doctor it up however you like!

We are partial to International Delight’s Cold Stone Creamery Sweet Cream Creamer which we affectionately call “the good creamer!”

I hope you get a chance to enjoy this with a scone fresh from the oven.

Ahhhhhh <— Happy sigh 

Pizza with Brown Sugared Bacon and Caramelized Onion

I am transferring all of the recipes from my soon to be defunct food blog to this blog!  Here's a good one!

Friday nights are pizza night at our house.  It is one meal I can be sure that everyone will love which makes me love it even more 

I actually enjoy entertaining with pizzas, too!  It might sound like a lot of work, but I make the crusts ahead of time and prepare the toppings in advance, so it’s really not so bad.  Plus, there are usually friends who want to help, and it’s good having definable tasks for them!

I usually make this pizza dough and follow the tutorial about preheating a pizza stone or upside down cookie sheet.  I used to use a pizza stone, but then I broke it.  But, an upside down cookie sheet gets the job done!  This is a great recipe for an all whole wheat pizza crust.  I think it has great flavor without being too heavy.

Now, I’m going to let you in on the secret ingredient in this pizza.

Craisins.

I don’t tell people that the craisins are on there until they’ve told me how delicious the pizza is!  I put them on the pizza before the cheese.  They really add that little extra something!

There are about 1 million (actually 2.39 million) directions for how to make caramelized onions out there.  I think this is a good one.  If you need a little direction, check there!  And, yes, I always deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar.  Soooooo delicious!

But, I will give you some excellent directions on how to make brown sugared bacon.  I can’t think of anything more delicious than brown sugared bacon!

First off, using kitchen scissors, cut one pound of bacon into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces.  Put it into a skillet over medium heat.

When your bacon starts to look like this…

use a baster or spoon to get out the excess bacon grease.

Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Like this…

Continue to stir and add more brown sugar as needed until it looks like this:

Usually I drain bacon on paper towels but not with brown sugared bacon, because it sticks to paper towel.  It works well to use a slotted spoon to remove the brown sugared bacon from the pan and just put it on a plate.

When you are ready to top your pizza dough, get all of your ingredients together:

I use 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella.  Do us all a favor and shred it yourself…it’ll melt better.

You’ll see, too, that I don’t use traditional pizza sauce.  I put a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl with 2 cloves of minced garlic.

Finely shredded parmesan really takes a pizza from really good to great!  Give it a try.  The hint of delicate salty, nutty goodness takes any pizza over the top!  I usually use about 1/3 cup.

There are 2 X’s in the above picture.  I used to add some fried jalapenos to this pizza until I realized that I couldn’t actually taste them.  Just leave them off…one less thing to do!

And, in case you were wondering, you can get all of the toppings for this pizza at Aldi!

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Brown Sugared Bacon and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Author: Becky

Recipe type: Pizza

Prep time:  45 mins

Cook time:  10 mins

Total time:  55 mins

Serves: 4-6

 

A salty and sweet pizza with a twist! Just the way to special up your pizza Friday!

Ingredients

• Dough for 1 pizza (see above for link)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup craisins (or to taste)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ⅓ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (or to taste)
• brown sugared bacon (directions above)
• caramelized onions (link above)

Instructions

1. Place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl with 2 cloves of minced garlic.
2. Prepare dough for baking (follow the tutorial in the link above if you need help).
3. Brush garlic infused olive oil on the crust.
4. Sprinkle with craisins.
5. Top with mozzarella cheese and then parmesan.
6. Generously top with brown sugared bacon and caramelized onions.
7. Bake at 475 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

If you don’t want to make your own crust, look for some dough at your local grocery store or even get the kind in a tube!  Remember to check out THIS tutorial to ease all of your dough fears 

What’s your favorite way to top a pizza?

Peaches and Cream Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

I am transferring all of the recipes from my soon to be defunct food blog to this blog!  Here's a good one!

My dad has a deep and abiding love for pie.  This love is only surpassed by his love for Jesus, my mom, family, and possibly the Milwaukee Brewers.

THIS pie is a favorite!  I made it for my dad for Father’s Day when Leah was a baby, and I burned myself on the oven when I took the pie out.  I still have a scar from it!  I call that sacrifice 

You start with a pie crust.  You can use your favorite crust or even buy one!  Place it into the pie pan and crimp the edges however you like!

Mix together the sugar and flour and sprinkle half of it on the bottom of the pie.  Or have your 8 year old do it 

Line the bottom with peach halves.  Make it snug in there!

Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and flour,

and drizzle with cream.

Can you see why this is so delicious?!?

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

 Cover the edge if the pie crust with foil or one of these fancy metal things that I have.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.  Bump the heat down to 350 and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil (or pie ring thing-er) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.

Serve with whipped cream!  I like to use cinnamon whipped cream.  Yum!

The best part of this pie is the bottom crust.  The cream and sugar marry together with the crust and just soaks right in.  To.die.for.

If you’re looking for a pie that’s different than the norm for Thanksgiving, this is the one!

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Peaches and Cream Pie

Author: Becky

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  45 mins

Total time:  1 hour

Serves: 8

 

Peaches and Cream Pie is sweet and rich. The sugar and cream soak into the bottom crust and blend together to make smooth, sweet perfection!

Ingredients

• Dough for 1 pie
• 2 large cans of peach halves
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ¾ cups heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• For Cinnamon Whipped Cream
• 1 and ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 heaping tablespoon of powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. For the pie:
2. Combine the flour and sugar. Sprinkle half of the mixture over the bottom of the pie. Reserve the rest for later.
3. Drain the peaches well. You don't want a ton of extra liquid. Check the peach halves to make sure there aren't any little bits of pit stuck in there.
4. Line the bottom of the pie with peach halves, cut sides up. Make it really snug.
5. Sprinkle with remaining flour and sugar mixture.
6. Pour the cream evenly over the top.
7. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
8. Cover the edges of the pie with foil so it doesn't burn.
9. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.
10. Let cool and refrigerate.
11. For the cinnamon whipping cream:
12. Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl. Whip until stiff peaks form.
13. Top Peaches and Cream Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream.
14. Yummmmmmmmmm :)

 

Wild Rice Casserole

I am transferring all of the recipes from my soon to be defunct food blog to this blog!  Here's a good one!

This Wild Rice Casserole is my favorite Thanksgiving side!  We had this every Thanksgiving when I was growing up.  While I was baking this, the smell was so nostalgic for me!

Even if you didn’t grow up eating this, you will love it!  It’s rich and buttery with great texture and flavor.  Every time I walked passed this cooling on the stove top, I’d have a bite of it…so, so good!  Plus, it’s the easiest thing ever to throw together.

See!  This is what you need!

You just throw it in a casserole dish, bake it, stir, bake it some more, stir and you’re done!

This goes great with turkey, but I think the mushrooms in it would make it go great with beef, too!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Wild Rice Casserole

Author: Becky

Recipe type: side

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  90 mins

Total time:  1 hour 35 mins

Serves: 8

 

Rich and buttery and full of awesome texture, this casserole is the perfect side for Thanksgiving or even with pot roast or steak!

Ingredients

• ½ cup white rice
• ½ cup wild ride
• 1 can (10.5 ounces) beef consumme
• 1 can (10.5 ounces) french onion soup
• 1 can (4 ounces) mushrooms, drained
• 1 stick (that's 8 tablespoons) butter

Instructions

1. Put all of the ingredients in a 2 quart casserole dish.
2. Bake at 375 degrees, UNCOVERED, for 45 minutes.
3. Take the casserole out of the oven and stir.
4. Put the casserole back in the oven for 45 more minutes.
5. Remove. Stir/fluff rice .
6. Enjoy :)

 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Satay

I am transferring all of the recipes from my soon to be defunct food blog to this blog!  Here's a good one!

Everyone in my family has liked these Grilled Pork Tenderloin Satay skewers!

I say “has liked this,” because each of them has liked it at one point, but these girls of mine tend to change their food minds at will.

I mean one day they eat something and like it, but the next time I serve it they look at me and are just appalled that I’d even suggest that they’d put such a thing in their mouth.

Regardless of my fickle daughters, these are amazing!  Plus, they are on a stick, and we all know that everything is better on a stick!

I find that I tend to have all of the ingredients on hand, too, and the recipe comes together quickly.

Here’s a tip:  I make the sauce and prepare the meat while Gracie is in “quiet rest,” so that when it’s time to actually make the food, I already have a vast majority of the work done!

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin Satay

Author: Becky

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  30 mins

 

A delicious pork tenderloin basted in a sauce packed with flavor...plus it's on a stick!

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons water
• 4½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon (scant, which means a little less) groudn ginger
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, slightly frozen (makes it easier to cut)

Instructions

1. Bring the onion, brown sugar, water, soy sauce, peanut butter, canola oil, garlic, and ginger to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 12-14 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. It will thicken upon cooling.
2. Set aside half of the sauce to use for dipping.
3. Slice pork tenderloin into strips of even thickness. Thread onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water or onto metal skewers.
4. Grill over medium high heat 2-4 minutes on each side or until the meat is no longer pink, basting occasionally with the sauce.
5. Alternately, you can broil the meat on the skewers or use a grill pan inside. Keep an eye on the cooking, though, as you may need to cook it longer.
6. Serve with reserved sauce.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home via Prevention RD

What’s your favorite thing to eat on a stick?