Beef Parmesan with Garlic Pasta and Peasant Bread

I have posted about this recipe before, but I wanted to post about it again since its way back in the archives and I didn't take a picture last time. This dish is DEFINATELY worth making. I have now made this dish 3 times and each time its just been absolutely amazing. I made this for my sister-in-law Maria for her birthday. I gave her a choice of three separate meals and she ended up picking this one. It was a big hit and my husband is especially fond of the garlic pasta.
You can see the original post here.

BEEF PARMESAN WITH GARLIC PASTA
1 1/2 pounds beef cube steak
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1 green bell pepper, sliced in rings
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 ounces angel hair pasta
8 garlic cloves
1/4 cup parsley

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Cut cube steak into serving size pieces. Coat meat with the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan, and saute 4 minced garlic cloves for 3 minutes. Quick fry (brown quickly on both sides) meat. Place meat in a casserole baking dish, slightly overlapping edges. Place onion rings and peppers on top of meat, and pour marinara sauce over all.
3.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Sprinkle mozzarella over meat and leave in the oven till bubbly.
4. While pasta is boiling, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and saute 4 minced garlic cloves until golden brown. Take off the heat and add parsley to the pan. Set aside until pasta is done.
4.Boil pasta al dente. Drain, and toss in olive oil, parsley, and garlic. Top with grated parmesan. Serve meat and sauce atop a mound of pasta!

HINT: make the meat ahead of time, and refrigerate over night, the acid in the tomato sauce will tenderize the meat even more. If you do this, save the mozzarella till the last minute.

With this I made a recipe that I've had sitting in my favorites probably for the last six months or so. I had never made it before because I was afraid if my husband saw this lump of dough that he would stick up his nose and not want to try it. He LOVED this bread and told me to make it ANYTIME and since it is REALLY easy... maybe I will!

PEASANT BREAD
1 pkg dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
Cornmeal
Melted butter

Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in bowl and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until well blended. Do not knead. Cover and let rise until double in size (about 1 hour). Remove dough from bowl and place in 2 rounds on a greased cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise an additional hour. Brush top on dough with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Serve warm.

French Bread

I woke up yesterday morning and realized that I wouldn't have any bread for the Italian Beef sandwiches that I was making that night. I have never made french bread before and I was pretty scared to do it. My husband is a BIG lover of bread, so really making any type of bread is nerve wracking to me because of my cute hubby. We really liked this recipe, but Emi says that there should be more salt. It was probably a good thing that there wasn't that extra salt though because come dinner time our meal was pretty salty and the bread saved us.
This was a pretty easy recipe, especially since I have my stand mixer, although I don't think it would be that difficult without it. I just hate touching dough because it always sticks!
You've probably seen that round oven dish in a couple of my pictures. It is stoneware. I now swear by this. Mine isn't a Pampered Chef one and I can't tell you where I got it since it was a Wedding gift, but if you don't have some stoneware, go out and buy some! It bakes everything perfectly!

French Bread

2 ¼ c. warm water
2 T. sugar
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured

Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well. Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too stick - but be careful not to add too much flour. Knead for a few minutes.

Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times. Then turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a 9x13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with second part of dough. With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each. Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Molly's Rolls

Grading scale: A+

This was another hit roll recipe and relatively easy (especially since I have new dough hooks on a hand mixer!). They were soft and very fluffy! Everyone enjoyed them very much. Emi can't get over how good I am at making rolls.

Molly's Rolls

1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk (Just heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds and let it sit while the yeast bubbles)
1/3 cup sugar
1 package yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
1/3 cup oil
1/2 T salt
1 egg
flour (About 4 1/2 cups)

In mixer combine yeast, sugar, and warm water; let grow until bubbly(about 5 minutes). Add milk and mix. Mix in oil and egg. Slowly add 2 cups flour, mix and then add salt. Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until it comes away from side of bowl. Let rise in mixing bowl for about 30 minutes. Form rolls as desired and place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise and additional 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Brush hot rolls with melted butter.

I'm going to shape these into cresent rolls. If you need instructions on how to shape them go here.

Knotty Cheese Rolls

So I guess I lied a little bit about not trying new recipes. I have two new ones that I tried, but in my defense they aren't meals.

I got this recipe from my best friend over at Teaspoons and Tablecloths. You'll find the link below.

Knotty Cheese Rolls
1 packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbl sugar
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, well-beaten
1/2 cup grated cheese (whatever kind you like)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pour yeast, warm water, and sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Give it a stir and let it sit for a while so the yeast activates. In a separate bowl (or glass measuring cup) mix melted butter, milk, salt, egg, and cheese (reserve a little cheese to sprinkle on the tops of the rolls). Pour milk mixture into yeast mixture and stir. Add flour on cup at a time until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl* Knead in bowl 5-7 times. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

After letting the dough rise, shape the rolls. Flour your hands. Take a ball of dough and roll it between your hands until it forms a long rope (14-16in long). Fold the rope in half and twist it four or five times, keeping your finger in the loop at the end. Fold in half once more and place the loose ends through the loop. Repeat this process until you have no more dough. Place rolls on a baking sheet and let rise another 30 minutes. Sprinkle the tops with cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

These were absolutely awesome and very easy to make. As I have said time and time again, I am not a baker--and I proved this to you with my bread bowls that I made a couple of weeks ago--but these rolls were an absolute hit with my family and friends. I have made this recipe 3 times in the last 3 days and everybody absolutely LOVED them. My husband's first reaction when he bit into them was "HOLY CRAP!" and I gave some to my friend Cody last night and he was thinking to himself, "I've had these before." then he bit into them and WABAM! He absolutely LOVED them. Yay! Maybe I'll be a baker afterall.

Grading scale: Definitely A+++++++++! :-D

Chunky Potato Soup & Italian Bread Bowls

I got this here.

I have actually had this recipe before at my sister-in-law, Maria's house for Tayler's birthday. Maria did a WONDERFUL job with this and Emi made me promise that I would make it ASAP. Walmart didn't have any parsley when I went shopping so I will be using dried parsley (boooooh!), which I'm sure will make is less-tasty than Maria's, but here's hoping that it's still good! I am also going to use cheddar cheese instead of swiss because that is what I have in my fridge!

Read my review on this here.

Chunky Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 small carrot, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, onion, carrot, celery and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender; lightly mash.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir into potato mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted.

EDIT: I am going to try and make these with it.

Italian Bread Bowls
adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl (or bowl of an electric mixer), dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition until a soft but not sticky dough is formed (you may not need to use all 7 cups).


When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes (or let knead in an electric mixer). Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Punch dough down, and divide into 6-8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round ball. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal (or use silpat liners or parchment paper). Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Zuchini Bread

I did not like this recipe. I have had Zuchini bread before and I LOVED it. It wasn't that this recipe wasn't good, it just wasn't my cup of tea. This recipe was more cookie-like and I suppose if I had read the description provided that I would have known that and chosen a different recipe. I really wanted bread, not a cookie.

Zuchini Bread

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1 cup vegetable oil (or applesauce)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins (I don't like raisins, so I left them out)
1 cup walnuts (yet another thing I prefer to leave out)

Combine flour, soda, salt, baking powder and spices; sift, then set aside. Beat oil, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Then add zucchini, vanilla, flour mixture, raisins and walnuts. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Makes 2 medium loaves.

I got this here.

Banana Banana Bread

Grading Scale: A++

I LOVE this banana bread. You can really taste the bananas in it and it isn't too sweet. This is my standard go to banana bread recipe. I also add walnuts to the ingredients and one of these days (when Emi lets me) I am going to put chocolate chips it because I'm sure it would be so very yummy!

Banana Banana Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/3 cup mashed overripe bananas
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 X 5 bread pan.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas.
4. Stir banana mixture with flour mixture. Pour into prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake for 60-65 minutes.

I got this here.