Dog Food with Chicken, Eggs, Spinach & Rice

 

Preheat oven to 350F

Ingredients

8 boneless chicken thighs or 4 whole boneless chicken breasts cut in half

12 hard boiled eggs

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

4 cups frozen spinach

2 teaspoons tumeric powder

4 acidophilus capsules

Roast chicken for 25-30 minutes.  When chicken is cooled, cut 4 pieces in half and grind in food processor 

add 6 hard boiled eggs and grind again.  Add 1 teaspoon tumeric and 2 opened capsules of acidophilus, 2 cups spinach, 1 1/2 cups rice.  Grind until smooth and no large pieces remain. Remove from food processor and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Smoked Sea Salt & Chipolte Pretzels

Preheat Oven to 450F

Bake 15-20 minutes

Makes 12 Large Pretzels

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, additional for kneading

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast or one 1/4 oz package

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

1 large egg yolk, beaten

1 large egg white well beaten with 1 tablespoon water

4 tablespoons unsalted melted butter

Smoked Sea Salt

Chipolte Chili Powder 

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.  Stir to mix.  Add the water, butter and egg yolk.  Mix on low speed until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook, with the mixer on low (about 8 minutes) knead until smooth and elastic, adding a little flour if dough is still sticky.

Transfer dough to bowl sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover with plastic wrap which has also been sprayed with cooking spray

Let rise in warm spot for one hour until it is double in size.

Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead by hand for one minute.

Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces approximately 24" long.  Roll pieces between your hands then shape

into a pretzel.  

 Place pretzels on a baking sheet with either a silicone pad or parchment paper.  With a pastry brush, brush each pretzel with melted butter then egg wash.  Top with smoked sea salt and chipolte chili powder.

Bake the pretzels for about 20 minutes until golden.  Let cool and serve!!!

 This recipe is adapted from The Berghoff Cafe Cook Book

Crumb Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

bake 40-50 minutes

butter and flour 9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

Streusel

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

Cake

6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 extra large eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

For the streusel, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.  Stir in the melted butter then the flour.  Mix well and set aside.

For the cake, cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 5 minutes until light.  Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and sour cream.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined.  Stir with a spatula to make sure mixture is combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Using your fingers, crumble the streusel mixture over the batter.  Bake for 40 - 50 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.  Cool completely and sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar and serve!

Artichoke Heart Frittata

Preheat Oven to 350F

Bake 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

12 extra large eggs beaten

12 oz frozen artichoke hearts thawed

1 cup grated parmesan cheese plus 1 tbs

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tsp chili pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper 

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil, garlic and chili flakes until fragrant on medium heat.  Add artichoke hearts, salt and pepper,  saute until lightly brown.

In a separate medium size bowl, beat 12 eggs, add parmesan and mozzarella cheeses mix until blended.

Add the mixture to the saute pan with the golden artichokes.  Sprinkle the top with 1 tbs parmesan.

Transfer saute pan to preheated oven (be sure to use a pan with heatproof handle) bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and fluffy.  Transfer to serving dish.

Home Made Ricotta

Makes About 2 Cups Ricotta

Ingredients

2 quarts whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large lemon freshly squeezed

Line a large strainer with a layer of heavy duty cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl.

Slowly bring milk, cream and salt to a rolling boil in a 6 quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Add lemon juice, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture curdles, about 2 minutes.

Pour mixture into the lined strainer a little at a time and let it drain 1 hour, occasionally pouring out whey in bowl.  After all the liquid is drained, chill the ricotta, covered in refrigerator.

This is such a simple recipe and the flavor is so delicate it is almost a shame to buy store bought!

Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

 

Makes about 4 dozen 1" candies

Marshmallow Ingredients
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the wisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.  Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermomoter.  Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin.  Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 10-15 minutes.  Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

With a strainer, generously dust an 8x12 inch NON METAL (I made the mistake of using metal in previous attempts and it was a disaster) baking dish with confectioners's sugar.  Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners' sugar.  Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.

Turn the marshmallows onto silicone baking pad or a board and cut them into squares.

Chocolate Glaze
12 oz dark chocolate (you can use semisweet or milk chocolate depending on what you like)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Put chocolate and vegetable oil into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high 2 minutes stir with whisk
(if chocolate does not melt all the way after stirring, microwave another 30 seconds)

Dip marshmallows in chocolate covering all sides and place on parchment paper or baking silicone pad and let the chocolate set.

These are one of my favorites, the marshmallows are creamy and not too sweet.  Combined with the dark chocolate makes them just divine!  

Chocolate covered Coconut Easter Eggs with Almond Center

I used 8 medium plastic Easter Eggs and 1 large Egg as a mold. Or you could roll the mixture into 1" balls and place the almond in the middle 

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1 package flaked coconut 14 oz
1 teaspoon almond extract
12 whole unsalted almonds (depending how large you make the eggs)

Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in large saucepan, cook on medium, stir until sugar dissolves.
Add candy thermometer and bring mixture to 235 degrees (soft ball) do not stir.  When sugar mixture reaches temperature, remove thermometer turn off heat and add coconut and almond extract.  Let cool slightly.