Maybe don't schedule a meeting 12 hours before you leave....

Things to remember for the future, maybe not have a meeting at your house the night before you leave on a weeklong trip that you are flying to. Just a thought. I mean we didn't... but maybe learn from what we did and don't do that. Andy was having a meeting and needed treats. I was trying to get us ready to go, get my kids ready to be at my folks, get their dinners all ready and groceries organized too. Needless to say - I should have bought a pie - but instead I made Andy help me. He made the crust a few days ahead of time. Then the night before I made the filling and tossed it in the oven with some cookies. Hindsight - I would have made it the same day. I thought it got a little soft - but Andy and Nicholas both had some and said they wouldn't change anything. I guess their opinion counts since they ate it and I did not. But it was an easy recipe, easy to somewhat prep ahead, and it made nine servings which were easy to get out of the pan. Certainly more of a fall treat but hey... we have no peaches this year - bring on the apple desserts! We have two trees packed with apples and another with pears!

Apple Crumb Bars
3/4 cup brown sugar divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1½ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter cut into small pieces
1 large egg
3 cup chopped apples 3 to 4 apples
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare a 9-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper or applying a light coating of baking spray. This aids in preventing sticking and facilitates easier removal of the baked product. Set the pan aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup of brown sugar, the baking powder, a pinch of salt, and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Whisk these ingredients together for approximately 15-30 seconds, ensuring an even mixture.
Add the butter and egg to the dry mixture. Stir the ingredients until they reach a coarse crumb-like texture. You may need to cut the butter in with a pastry blender to help it crumble.
Transfer 2/3 of this mixture into the prepared baking pan. Press down firmly to form an even, compact layer. Use clean hands or the back of a spoon for this process, ensuring uniform thickness.
In another bowl, combine the sliced apples with the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until the apples are evenly coated.
Pour the apple mixture over the pressed crust in the pan, smoothing it into an even layer.
Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the apple layer, making sure to cover completely.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top turns a golden brown color.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. This step is essential for the structural integrity of the bars.
Once cooled, cut the bake into squares. These can be served as they are or with a scoop of ice cream for added indulgence.

Sink full of dishes, burnt pan, smokey house - find a shortcut instead

This recipe was not easy, it made a ton of dirty dishes, a mess in my kitchen, but would I make it again? Yes but easier. Sure you can pound your chicken, bread it and fry it until crispy brown. But have you every tried premade breaded chicken breasts they are amazing and worth the cost. Aldi Red Bag Chicken? Yes - it's pricy but it's GREAT and SO much easier. I burnt so much cheese trying to get this chicken cooked. My house was also filled with smoke - it wasn't great. Did the finished dish taste great? Yes! We all enjoyed it - but could I have saved myself a lot of effort? Oh man yeah. But here's the whole recipe in it's glory for you to make the decision all on your own. Chicken Parm though... hard to miss on that.

Parmesan Chicken Pasta
8 ounces cavatappi pasta
Chicken
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 ½ pounds) sliced in half horizontally to make 4 thin chicken cutlets
½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
1 ½ cups (150 g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 cup (108 g) plain panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pasta Sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Toppings
1 ½ cups (150 g) parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup (113 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
chopped parsley, for garnish
shredded parmesan, for garnish

Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Set pasta and pasta water aside.
Set out three medium bowls. In the first bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
To the second bowl, add the beaten eggs.
In the third bowl, combine the parmesan cheese and the panko breadcrumbs.
Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge it in the flour mixture, coating all sides. Tap off any excess flour and dip the chicken into the beaten eggs. Then, coat it with the Parmesan mixture, ensuring all sides are evenly coated. Place the coated chicken onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets.
To a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil.* Once hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. (Depending on the size of the chicken, you may have to work in batches.) Remove the cooked chicken from the pan, place it on a clean plate, and tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
Carefully wipe out the skillet. Then heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add the marinara, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Add the cooked pasta. Stir to combine. (Add pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.)
Top with parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese has melted.
Slice the chicken into strips and place them on top of the pasta dish. Garnish with chopped parsley and shredded parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

C's and O's - still delicious

Seafood is not something we eat a lot of in our house - I mean we have Jeffrey and Stephanie we are working through on a weekly basis, sometimes we toss in some chicken too. This time I opted to go for some shrimp. Nicholas was happy to not have any grits involved. He enjoys the shrimp but not the grits. This recipe was easy once prepped. I cleaned the shrimp the night before so it would be easier the day of. Before I started cooking I prepped the sauce, had Andy start the rice cooker since it takes WAY longer than anything should, and prepped my pans. I had to race around bit for kids and such, then came back and began to cook! I learned that when a shrimp turns into a C it's cooked, but into an O it's overcooked... well... I was about half and half - but my people still ate and enjoyed. The sauce was great. I added an onion and that was the perfect addition. This recipe took some prep but it was really good - definitely would make it again.

Honey Garlic Shrimp
1 lb. large uncooked shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups broccoli florets
1 large onion chopped
Sauce
1 ½ cups chicken broth
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup cornstarch, plus ¼ cup cold water
For Serving
3 cups cooked rice, any kind.
Green onions, to garnish
Roughly chopped honey roasted peanuts, to garnish.

Thaw the shrimp completely and pat the surface dry. You may also need to remove the shell, tail, and veins.
Combine sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch/water and set aside.
Cook the Shrimp: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute + 20 seconds per side. (Use a timer to avoid overcooking). Tilt the pan to transfer the shrimp onto a clean plate. Note that they’ll cook a little bit more as they sit, and again when added back to the sauce.
Add the broccoli and onions to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, until slightly softened. (Add a splash of oil if needed). Remove and set aside.
Make the Sauce: Add the sauce mixture (minus the cornstarch) to the skillet.
Combine cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water and stir until well-combined.
Bring the sauce to a boil. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce, stirring continuously, until thickened.
Reduce heat to low and add the broccoli. Cover partially and let it heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the shrimp back and spoon the sauce on top. Let it heat through for about 1 minute.
Serve with rice and garnish with green onions and roughly chopped honey roasted peanuts.

I mean if you enjoy licking feet....

I may have an unpopular opinion... Asiago cheese smells like smelly feet. And trust me I know what smelly feet smell like... I have a nine year old boy... oh.my. What I hadn't expected was after I shredded the cheese, Andy walked in the house wondering if he'd stepped in dog poop... so apparently Asiago cheese smells like more than one bad thing. Anyway... Want to make some bread that smells like feet and dog poop! Here's your recipe. Wow do I know how to sell it or what?!
I had gotten a wedge of this cheese to make something else and had a fair amount left so I went looking for a recipe. At first I thought I'd make bagels but instead this recipe looked easy enough and with a pasta dish planned for dinner - it was a go. Here was my issue - timing... it was not working in my favor this week. It's the end of the school year and all the things are happening, add some unexpected travel, packing, our anniversary, a pie - ahhh! So many things. So I made the dough the night before and let it do the first rise. Then formed the loaves and into the fridge for 24 hours for the in fridge rise. Andy helped and took it out early for me and let it come to temp and finish it's rise in the oven with the light on, then shredded more stinky cheese to put on top and baked up beautifully. I wish more bakers had more recipes that were meant for people with NOT three hours to make a simple loaf of bread on a week night - but until then I'll keep trying my little hacks and making them work.
Andy loved this bread and can't wait to toast more slices. The kids and I were... fine with it. I tried it. It wasn't the best thing I've ever had - but if you like licking feet? Here you go!

Asiago Bread
3 1/4 cups bread flour
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 cups 2% milk
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese divided
EGG WASH:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon warm water

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and pepper. Set aside. 3 ¼ cups bread flour*, 1 package instant yeast**, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Put the milk and in a microwave safe bowl. Heat the milk to 120-130ºF so that the butter starts melting. Make sure the temperature is just right so that it is warm enough to activate the yeast, but not kill it. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment until smooth. Add in 1 ¼ cups shredded cheese and mix just until combined. 1 ¼ cups 2% milk, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 ½ cups shredded Asiago cheese Knead in the stand mixer with the dough hook for 5 minutes. It should still be a sticky dough, slightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl as it kneads.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Add the bread dough to the bowl, then turn the dough over so the cooking spray coats both sides of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it is nearly double (30-45 minutes).
After the dough is doubled, punch it down and use a serrated knife or dough cutter to divide the dough in two. Shape each piece of dough into a loaf. Place the loaves on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Cover the loaves with plastic wrap or a clean towel and allow them to rise again for 20-30 minutes. The loaves may not rise much, but that’s ok. They’ll spring up in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon warm water
Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly golden brown. The internal temperature of the loaf should be 190ºF.
Allow the loaf to cool, then slice and serve. It’s also delicious served the next day!

If you think mushrooms taste like dirt - don't make this recipe.

If you think mushrooms taste like dirt - don't make this recipe.
Seems like a fair warning. Some people think that - I am not one of them - thankfully, neither is my family. I've been wanting to make this recipe for a while but as you know... it's cheesy and creamy so I was hesitant. It was delicious! VERY mushroom forward and so good. Andy? Said it needed salt. Ha! That's OK, he can add salt.
There were very specific instructions here on how to cook the mushrooms and I failed greatly. I also used milk and not half and half. Was it still delicious? Yes! One thing I love is that that you can prep this recipe entirely ahead. different things in bowls or measuring cups. It makes the process of cooking so much easier to not have to quick grab this from the fridge or shred this cheese here. When it's all ready to go - the whole process is easy and fills the dishwasher with lots of dishes - but it's worth it. Hey - you cooked - let someone else clean up!

Mushroom Ravioli Sauce
Sauce
1 ¼ cups half and half, (half cream half milk)
¾ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon EACH: dried basil, mustard powder
¼ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, ground sage
Mushrooms/Other
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced/cleaned/dried
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup dry white wine, or chicken broth. 
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup Asiago cheese, finely grated from a block
½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated from a block.
20 oz. ravioli, refrigerated or frozen
Fresh Parsley, to garnish

Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium measuring cup with a spout. Set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients prior to beginning. Begin boiling pasta water once the mushrooms are nearly cooked.
Heat olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the mushrooms. Allow them to brown on each side for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed. Leaving space around them will allow them to fry (vs. steam). Add a splash more of olive oil during cooking if needed. Remove once golden brown and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining half. Turn heat off and allow pan to cool slightly.
Add the white wine to the same skillet used to cook the mushrooms and set heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble gently until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
Melt the butter in the skillet and add the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the sauce mixture (from step 1) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Let the sauce simmer gently while you cook the ravioli according to package instructions, set a timer to avoid overcooking. Drain once cooked.
Reduce heat to low and stir in the Asiago and Parmesan cheese until combined, then add the mushrooms back.
Add the cooked ravioli to a serving plate and spoon the sauce on top, or add the ravioli to the skillet and carefully stir to combine. Garnish with parsley and serve!