Italian Style Pull Apart Bread

Yesterday I posted my recipe for the Best Ever Homemade Sandwich Bread.  In the recipe, it only takes 1/2 of the dough to make a loaf.  Instead of just baking two loaves, I decided to take one half of the dough and make Pull Apart Bread.  

Now, if you don't have bread dough laying around, or don't want to make any, you can still make this recipe by using thawed frozen dinner roll dough.  The plus side of using the dinner roll dough is that it comes already shaped into balls, so you will be able to skip several steps .    

First, we start with 1/2 of our dough from yesterday, (If you are using pre-shaped dough balls, please skip ahead)

Next, divide the dough into 16 pieces by dividing the dough into half, and then each half into half again, etc. until you have 16 pieces.  They should be as close to even as possible, but it doesn't have to be exact.  Shape each piece into a ball. Notice that mine are not exactly even nor are they perfectly round.  It will still come out gorgeous and delicious. 

Put 7 or 8 of the dough balls into the bottom of a greased bread pan.  Brush the dough balls with melted garlic butter (Just melt butter or margarine with a pinch of garlic salt and Italian Seasoning).  

Put the remaining bread balls on top of the first layer, and brush with more garlic butter.  Sprinkle lightly with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.

Cover and allow to rise in a warm place   (I sit it on the back of the stove) while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees. After bread has risen for 30 minutes, bake for 30-35 minutes, until top is well browned.

Now just see if you can get it to the dinner table without a piece missing. . . I couldn't.   ;)

Best Ever Homemade Sandwich Bread

My mother-in-law gave me my first bread machine 3 years ago.  Since then, I can confidently say  I have made at least 150 loaves of bread.  NONE of them have been as soft and tasty as this one!  If I could manage to slice it perfectly even, it could easily replace our favorite sandwich bread from the store!  

Best Ever Homemade Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

2 1/2 Tbsp butter, softened

5 1/2 cups bread flour (AP flour will also work, but bread flour is better)

1 Tbsp yeast

Directions

1. Place ingredients into the bread machine in the order they are listed above, making a well in the flour for the yeast.
2. Select your machine's dough cycle
3. After dough is ready, punch down and knead a few times.  Divide dough in half and place 1/2 in a bread pan.  If you do not have a bread pan, you may simply shape and bake on a baking sheet.  
4. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray or olive oil and cover loosely. Allow dough to rise for at least 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until well browned.    

Questions? Tips to share?  Thoughts?  Comment below and I will do my best to respond and answer any questions.

Homemade Butter

Unless you have your own milk cow to provide you with  

cream, making homemade butter is not the most cost efficient way to get this essential ingredient.  However, if you are using it as a fun project for you and your little kitchen helper, you can't beat it!  One quart of heavy cream at Aldi was $4 and makes about 1 1/2 cups of butter (equal to approximately 3 sticks) and 1 1/4 cup of buttermilk.  The only thing you need besides the heavy cream is a few drops of yellow food coloring (if you want your butter to be the same color it is when you buy it at the store) and a pinch of salt (if you are making salted butter).

Now, there are several ways you can do this, but I went with the easiest- my stand mixer.  All you do is add your ingredients (1 qt heavy cream and optional pinch of salt and 5 drops yellow food coloring) to the bowl of your stand mixer with beater blade attached.  I recommend covering the mixer completely with a towel, as there will be some splashing as the butter forms.  Turn your mixer on a medium speed and wait. . . 

and wait. . .

and wait. . . 

At this point you will hear some splashing.  This is normal and means your butter is almost ready.  Keep going until the butter sticks to the beater blade as shown below.

After the butter has formed and stuck to the beater blade (see above) and buttermilk has separated, you will need to drain and rince the butter.  If you want to save your buttermilk (for scrumptious freezer biscuits, perhaps? ), put a strainer on top of a large bowl and pour entire contents of mixing bowl into the strainer.  Buttermilk can then be placed in a mason jar or other air tight container and stored for up to two weeks in the fridge.  

Leaving your butter in the strainer, rinse with COLD water until the water runs clear.

  You can now shape your butter any way you like.  I did mine in a simple block, but I am looking for some cute old fashioned butter molds.   If you do not have butter molds, then the best method is to lay the butter on a sheet of wax paper or freezer paper , shape, then fold and store in the fridge.  It will keep for several weeks.

Restaurant Quality Crab Cake Recipe

I love to get crab cakes when I eat out, but at $14.99 for two SMALL cakes, I have been skipping them a lot lately.  I tried the frozen kind you either bake in the oven or brown in a skillet, but they just didn't compare.  This recipe tastes just as good as any you will find in a restaurant and isn't that expensive to make (certainly not when you consider that this recipe makes 8 good sized crab cakes). 

Restaurant Quality Crab Cakes

Ingredients

1 8oz package crab meat (real or imitation, depending on preference and budget) flaked into small chunks

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup regular bread crumbs

1/4 cup mayo

1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp pepper

2 eggs, beaten lightly 

1.  Combine all ingredients well in a medium bowl.

2.  Heat a skillet that has been coated with cooking spray on medium heat.

3.  Once heated, add the cakes to the pan so that they are not touching.  Cook approximately 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.

Sauce for Dipping

This is a super easy and delicious sauce.  It's also really inexpensive to make.  Add 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp (depending on taste) buffalo style hot sauce to 1 cup ranch.  Stir.  DONE!

Tshirts $2.79 at Hobby Lobby - Regular Price

Hubs likes to wear solid colored t-shirts with no pockets.  I can't stand that even such plain looking shirts cost $24.99 at the department stores!  As a frugal person it REALLY irks me.  Yesterday while browsing Hobby Lobby's website for some new crafts to do with Miss Laura, I ran across something amazing. . .  T-shirts for $2.79!  They even have fitted shirts for women for $4.19!  I was so excited I had to share it!

Apparently their shirts are always 30% off. . . which is a little confusing. I mean, why don't they just price them at the lower price to begin with?  I'm still not complaining though, this is an awesome price! They have Women's, Men's, and Children's.  The prices do vary a little, like with the Sky colored shirt I got.  

Here is the link that goes directly to the shirts.  The first page or two is all the safety (really bright) colors, but you can narrow your search by color on the left hand side.  

I am thinking about ordering him 10 more, since he is always ruining them.  He is a gardener/landscaper and always ends up getting asked to bleach something without notice. 

Is there a deal you got really excited about lately?  

My Meatballs

Christine's Meatballs 

Of all the dishes I make, the one that people ask me to prepare the most is my meatballs.  I even had one older Italian woman tell me that my meatballs were just like the ones her grandmother used to make.  To me, that was the highest of compliments.  

While I make this dish regularly for anyone close to me who requests it, I have never given the recipe to anyone.  I have simply told them that I could tell them how to make meatballs, but not how to make MY meatballs.  

Christine's Meatballs

Ingredients

1lb ground meat

1 1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp fresh Parsley  

1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated  

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Marinara style tomato sauce

1.  Start your marinara style sauce in a large saucepan.  

2. Combine all ingredients well in a bowl.  Try not to over work the mixture;  only mix until everything is evenly distributed.  

3.  Roll meat mixture into grape sized balls.  By all means, if you prefer larger meatballs, then roll them bigger.  I like the small meatballs because they work better for my meatball lasagna, ziti and meatballs, etc. 

4.  Heat Olive oil (enough to coat bottom of a large skillet) on medium heat.  

5. Cook meatballs in small batches, being sure that none of the meatballs are touching.  Allow them to brown on one side, then flip.  Stir them in the hot oil after the second side has browned for 1 minute.  

5.  With a slotted spoon, move the meatballs to the sauce and stir carefully.

6.  Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all meatballs are cooked.  Simmer for 1-2 hours. It's OK if the balls are not completely cooked through when you first add them to the sauce.  Just make sure they are browned on all sides  They will be cooked through within about 20 minutes of simmering.  

I am making this tonight so that it will be ready for tomorrow night's dinner.  So tomorrow night, I will use these meatballs to plate up an Italian Feast!   Of course I will blog about it, and will show you how to make my homemade bread!

Kindle Fire Giveaway Blogger Opp!

Welcome to the January Days $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway sponsored by the Western Journal and hosted by The Parenting Patch! 

 The cold, winter days of January are half over! How does $50 to spend at Amazon sound to help celebrate the passing of winter? 

 Two (2) lucky readers of The Parenting Patch and the Western Journal will each win one (1) $50 gift card to Amazon. To enter for your chance to win the January Days $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway, simply use the following Rafflecopter form. Good luck! 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

The January Days $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway is open worldwide. An international winner will receive $50 via PayPal in lieu of the specified prize. The January Days $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway ends at midnight CST on January 29, 2014. Two winners will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter. The winners will be sent an email and will have forty-eight hours to respond. If no response is received within forty-eight hours, another winner will be chosen. The Parenting Patch and other participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

 Welcome to $100 Paypal Cash 2014 Resolutions Giveaway 

- Sponsored by The Leaker News and Hosted by Giveaway Monkey 

together with BloggieAway and Parenting Patch.

 It’s that time of year again. Time for us to make a list of Resolutions that we will probably forget about by February. But it is a tradition so let's do it, anyhow. 

 One (1) lucky reader will win $100 Paypal Cash. This giveaway is open worldwide and ends on February 03, 2014 EST. To enter, simply use the following Rafflecopter form. Good luck!

                                                        a Rafflecopter giveaway

 One winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter. The winner will be sent an email and will have forty-eight hours to respond. If no response is received within forty-eight hours, another winner will be chosen. Giveaway Monkey and other participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Toasted Ravioli

 Toasted Raviolis 

These toasted raviolis are so yummy, really easy to make, and they are not as fattening as their fried counterparts.  

I started playing around with recipes once I realized that Olive Garden's fried ravioli were no longer on my diet.  I am trying to cut fat and calories I would normally take in, by trying to make lower fat versions of dishes I would have eaten before  I began my diet.  This way, I cut calories, yet I don't feel deprived of anything.  It seems to be working too!  I have lost 14 lbs :)

Toasted Ravioli

1/2 bag frozen or 1 package fresh beef (or cheese) ravioli, cooked and slightly cooled

2 eggs

1/2 cup skim milk

1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I personally prefer fresh grated, but any will do)

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Beat together eggs and milk briefly in a medium bowl .

3.  Combine all dry ingredients except ravioli in a medium-large bowl.

4.  Dip the ravioli in the egg wash, and then into the bread crumbs to coat.  Arrange on a baking sheet so that close but not touching.  Spray the tops of ravioli with olive oil (or canola cooking spray).

5. Bake 23-27 minutes until edges of some begin to brown very slightly.

Serve with marinara as an appetizer.  As you can see in the picture above, we actually used  the toasted ravioli as our entree. . . they are that good!  lol

Free/Paid Blogger Opp! Lapgear!

Here is a Blogger Opp from Crafty Spices, sign up for this opportunity and grow while you help us promote this giveaway.

You get a free Twitter or facebook link with announcement. And the bloggers who brings in more referrals will get a Free Co-Host Spot. Read on to find out about the prize. 

This giveaway will begin January 13 and will end January 28. One lucky winners will be selected to receive a Smart Media Desk.

To get HTML Code for this announcement Click Here.
Sign Up below!

Details:

• With announcement each blogger receives 1 free link (Twitter or Facebook)
• Additional Links can be purchased at $3 each. These links can be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or any link as long as you provide (Social network name, user name and your direct link). 
• Co-host spots are $5 each, limited quantity available. This includes 3 links, guaranteed to be directly in the rafflecopteron, a back link to your blog on the giveaway page, 125 x125 ad space for 30 days on Crafty Spices, and It also gives you the privilege to purchase additional links for just $1 each
• The giveaway html will be sent out at least 2 days before the giveaway goes live and you should post before midnight the day the giveaway starts. We will not be sending out reminder emails to bloggers who forget to post and report link, we will just remove from the giveaway. 

Payments 

• Payments should be made as Gift via Paypal to cj [at] craftyspices [dot] com 

If you post and Follow @CraftySpices you get 5 additional entries into the giveaway.

Click Here to Sign Up!

Please tell Jay @CraftySpices that Frugal Mommy Christine sent you

If you have any questions or comments, contact Jay @Craftyspices

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a packet of taco seasoning?  Do you know what all the ingredients actually ARE?  Me either!  That's why I set out on a quest to find the perfect homemade taco seasoning!  I wanted to know that there were no preservatives or 'extras' in what I was feeding my family.  This is the recipe I came up with.  

Any of the amounts may be adjusted to your liking.  To make a taco seasoning that you can thicken with water (like the directions on the seasoning packets, add 1 tsp corn starch!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Makes 3 Tablespoons of mix, which equals the flavor of 1 pouch of commercial taco seasoning.  Salt and heat can be adjusted to your preference.

I use this for tacos, fajitas, and gorditas!  What is another kitchen staple you would like to learn how to make homemade?

Health and Beauty Giveaway Ends 1/26

       

   Hosted By: All About My Deals 

 Sponsored By: EatSmart, HBL Hair Care, Heart Light Girls, NeoCell, Quantum Scale 

 Open to U.S Residents who are 18+ years of age. Giveaway Ends: 1/26 at 6pm CST 

 Enter on the form below. 

  

Prize #1: Quantum Bathroom Scale hbl Hydration shampoo, conditioner and hair mask ARV $101.90        

  Prize #2: Eat Smart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale NeoCell Supplements: Super Collagen +C (250ct) and Pomegranate- From the Seed (90ct) Heart Light Girls Book: Beauty's Secret: A Girl's Discovery of Inner Beauty ARV $76.61       **Note: Winners will have 24 hours to claim their win. If the winner doesn't get back to the sponsor a new winner will be pulled.  

Entry-Form

We all need a little personal pampering, so enter today!

Disclosure: Sponsored giveaways are NOT associated, sponsored nor endorsed by Facebook or Twitter or any other social networking site. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials In Advertising.

Hip Hop Giveaway!

Hosted by Crazy Stepford Wives and Hip Hop Shop

Co-Hosted by Mom Loves 2 Read and WrappedUpNU

These absolutely beautiful dresses and cute as a button childrens outfits are amazing. Hip Hop Shop offers everything you could ever want in 50's apparel with quality included.  

Did you see the kids' outfits?  They are too cute!  I love the black and white polka dot dress with black sweater for adults, too!

You get to enter to win your choice of Vintage Dress or Child/infant 7 piece outfit from Hip Hop!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  This giveaway is USA only, 1 entrant per household and must respond to winning email within 48 hours or another winner will be drawn This Blog is not Responsible for Prize Shipment and in no way was financially compensated for this giveaway. Crazy Stepford Wives recieved a Vintage Dress for Review Purposes and you can read this review HERE

DocSafe Giveaway!

Welcome to the big kickoff and get yourself organized in the new year with Crazy Stepford Wives! You know what I struggle with? Having paperwork in order! I either don't know what I need or I don't know where it is. 

Luckily enough Joshua Keleske contacted me with the program that him and his wife developed called DocSafe. As a CPA and estate planning attorney that grew up in the Midwest, not only had they experienced tornadoes but now living in Florida were enjoying hurricanes as well. As the parents of two young children they got that life wasn't exactly easy and it was harder to keep organized so they created DocSafe. 

When I tried it out, I found it useful, not only did he give you one place to store all your documents with easy access to a secure system that you set up personally, but it talked me through what document I should have to hand. I honestly hadn't realized half the pieces of paper that I should know where they are. 

There is many ways you can use Doc Safe, you can email a document to your account or you can upload it yourself and what I love is they don't charge you based on storage it is a set fee either $5.95 per month or $49.95 per year. There is no long-term contracts and is 100% secure. 

When reviewing I could immediately see the uses for military personnel or those that move around a lot, such as snowbirds or business travelers. This allowed you to access your information that you need wherever you are with your own secure personal log in details. In fact they offer FREE accounts to soldiers! 

On top of that you don't have pieces of paper hanging aroundthat  you have to worry about saving in case of some home emergency. 

As I've told you why I love this program so much we have the chance for you to experience it for yourself. Joshua has arranged that 10 of our lucky readers will win a subscription, not for a month, not for a year but a LIFETIME! So hurry up and enter here, good luck!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: this blog is not responsible for prize shipment. Crazy Stepford Wives received a free subscription in order to facilitate to review there are no affiliate links in this post  

Hasbro's Pointing Finger Game Giveaway

Frugal Mommy Christine is please to join Tammie's Reviews, Giveaways and More in this giveaway sponsored by Hasbro.You can read Tammie's review of the game HERE

Family Game Night is all the rage today in homes across America. Families are getting back to spending time together and that includes playing games at home. It is so refreshing seeing families get back to how it used to be and how it should be. Everyone is so busy these days that it is hard to even touch base with one another.

1 reader will a Pointing Fingers Game of their own.

This giveaway begins 1/5/2014 at 7pm EST and ends 1/15/2014 at 7pm ESTWinner will be chosen at random via random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another will be chosen. Winner must be 18 years of age or older to enter.This Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. No P.O Boxes. All entries will be verified. Winner will be notified by email. Only 1 win per person/Blog. If you won the same giveaway on another Blog, You are not eligible to win another. Please see Giveaway Tools widget for full disclosure. Enter below using the easy Giveaway Tools widget below. Good Luck!

Disclosure- My blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment or did I receive any monetary compensation for promoting this giveaway. Please contact Tammie at pankuch1605@hotmail.com for any issues or problems.

http://giveawaytools2.com/share.php?giveaway=823615874

Taco Pie! Delicious, Fast, and Easy!

This pie is SO delicious!  I made it for dinner tonight, and hubs gave it two thumbs !  Hubs rarely gives anything his full endorsement, so I decided this one should definitely go on the blog!  It only takes about 30 minutes total to make, and is very easy.

Taco Pie

Ingredients

Refrigerated   pie crust
1 pound ground beef
3 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning (below) or 1 pouch commercial seasoning.
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup lettuce, shredded
1 medium tomato, diced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Sour cream (optional)

Directions

 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
 2.  Pat into pie pan ( preferably glass), sprinkle with a pinch of taco seasoning.  Bake  7-10 minutes or until         it just begins to brown.
 3.  In a medium skillet, cook beef and onions until beef is browned and cooked through.  Drain.
 4.  Add salsa and all remaining taco seasoning.  Cook 3-4 minutes.
 5.  Pour into crust and top with cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
 6.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Top with sour cream,  lettuce and  tomato.

Slice and Serve!

You could also top with some guacamole, or put a little ranch on top!

Below is the recipe for the homemade taco seasoning I used

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients

1 Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Makes 3 Tablespoons of mix, which equals the flavor of 1 pouch of commercial taco seasoning.  Salt and heat can be adjusted to your preference.

 

New Year, New You Giveaway!

Welcome to the New Year, New You Giveaway.

Organized by Mom Powered Media. Co-hosted by My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life, Memoirs of a Clueless Woman, Mother of Imperfection, The Frugal Exerciser and Secret Southern Couture.

Emperola.com is the best place where to list your giveaway or sweepstakes for free. We highly recommend to use "featured listing" to get more contestants. Besides that, you can now enter for a chance to win $80 via Paypal!

One grand prize winner will receive a ProForm Performance 400 S Treadmill. Additional winners will receive one of the following: a $250 Visa Gift Card, $100 GAP Gift Card and Body Gospel DVD!

A few features of the Proform Performance 400s treadmill:

• Space Saver design folds vertically for easy storage

• iFit workout Apps Matrix

• ProShox cushioning

• iPod compatible audio

• Quick incline- 0 to 10 percent

• Weight Capacity:  300 pounds

Giveaway ends January 31st at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents only, ages 18+. To enter please use the giveaway form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. Confirmed Winner(s) (by Random.org) will be contacted by email. Winner(s) have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this giveaway. My blog is not responsible for product shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.