Wednesday Winners

This week I have been slightly obsessed with my boxed set of cookbooks from Williams Sonoma, the Baking Book and the Cook Book. Literally everything I have tried in those books is amazing.

I'm proud of myself because I only used ONE Pinterest recipe this week. Yay for cookbooks!

Here goes:

Dessert First!

Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

from melskitchencafe.com

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

2 3/4 cups oatmeal

2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add Baking soda, powder, and salt and mix. Add flour, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

-These have the perfect ratio of everything.

-It makes a lot so I just threw the rest of the dough in the freezer for an easy treat later on. 

-Yummy! Duh!

Here's a appetizer for ya:

Bruschetta
Williams Sonoma Cook Book
8 small tomatoes (I chose tomatoes on the vine)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
10 basil leaves sliced crosswise (roll the leaves up lengthwise like a cigar and it makes it nice and easy)
1 baguette

Directions:
-Dice up tomatoes discarding seeds, pulp and any firm, white parts.
-Toss with olive oil and garlic to allow to marry flavors.
-Slice basil and add along with salt and pepper.
-This can sit for up to 30 minutes to marry the flavors before serving.
-Slice the baguette thin and brush each slice with olive oil. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 min. or so, just until slightly brown and crispy.
-Top bread with about a T of tomato mixture.
*Side not, my family always added a small slice of fresh (soft) mozzarella before we added the tomato. It makes it kind of a caprese bruschetta. Yum yum!

Likes:
-Super easy
-Looks fancy
-Perfect summer appetizer!

Dinner time!
Homemade pizza

From G.V. Ward Young Women's Cookbook
Crust:
1 Tb. dry yeast
10 oz. warm water
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp oregano

Sprinkle dry yeast into warm water, stir gently. Let sit until it bubbles.

Stir dry ingredients into yeast water, then add about 1 cup more flour until dough isn't too sticky to work with.

Roll out flat.

Dust a baking sheet with flour. Put rolled out dough on pan and push toward edges with fingers.

Top with desired toppings.

Bake at 450 for 15-20 mins.

*I did half margherita (for me) and half sausage (for Jer)

Likes:
-Easy! You don't even have to let the dough rise or sit or anything
-Better than a hot n ready from little caesars. :o)

And Finally, for the homemaker in you:

Brown Sugar Raisin Bread from Williams Sonoma Baking Book

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. active dry yeast
• 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups warm water (105° to 115°F)
• 1 cup warm milk (105° to 115°F)
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 Tbs. salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 6 to 6 1⁄4 cups bread flour, plus more
   as needed
• 3⁄4 cup golden raisins
• 3⁄4 cup dark raisins

For the filling:

• 2⁄3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
   mixed with 4 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the granulated sugar over 1⁄2 cup of the water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the remaining 3/4 cup water, the milk, butter, the remaining granulated sugar, salt, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the yeast mixture and 1⁄2 cup of the flour and beat for 1 minute. Add the raisins, then beat in the remaining flour, 1⁄2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Switch to the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed, adding flour 1 Tbs. at a time if the dough sticks, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased deep bowl and turn to coat it. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.

Lightly grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide the dough in half and roll or pat each half into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Lightly sprinkle each rectangle with half of the filling, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Beginning at a narrow end, tightly roll up each rectangle into a compact log. Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal in the filling. Place each log, seam side down, in a prepared pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is about 1 inch above the rim of each pan, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the sides of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Turn the loaves out onto wire racks and let cool completely.

Makes two 9-by-5-inch loaves.

 

Likes:

-Not as easy but I felt accomplished

-Made my house smell divine while it was baking

-Yummy as toast and also french toast later on!

 

Well everyone, hope you enjoy these recipes. Let me know what you think!