A Few Good Recipes

Here are a few recipes I've tried lately that are really yummy!

Applesauce Flaps

3/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c wheat flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 beaten eggs
1 c milk
1 c applesauce
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Stir together dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, applesauce, and butter. Add to dry ingredients, beating till blended. Bake on hot, lightly greased griddle, using about 1/4 c batter for each pancake. Makes 15 pancakes.

Spinach Cheese Salad

1-10 oz. bag baby spinach
1 small head lettuce, washed and drained
3/4 lb. grated Swiss or mozzarella cheese
16 oz. container cottage cheese
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 recipe Poppy Seed Dressing (see below)

Break lettuce into pieces and combine with spinach. Just before serving, add cheese, cottage cheese, bacon, and desired amount of dressing. (If I'm just making this for me and Clint, we just add the toppings on our own. That way the salad doesn't get gross and soggy.) Makes 12 servings.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
3/4 c vinegar
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp grated onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1 1/4 c vegetable oil

Mix everything in blender. Refrigerate unused dressing. Keeps up to 3 weeks in refrigerator.

Rosemary Foccacia Bread (from OurBestBites.com)

(This is a lot like the bread at Macaroni Grill, and pretty easy.)

1 c warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsp butter, divided
1 Tbsp rosemary, plus more for sprinkling on top of bread
2 1/4 - 2 1/2 c flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until bubbly. While the yeast is getting bubbly, combine 2 C of the flour, salt, 1 Tbsp. rosemary. Add flour mixture to yeast mixture along with 1 Tbsp. melted butter. Mix well. (I put it in my stand mixer with the dough hook on). Slowly add remaining flour to make a very soft dough--try and resist the urge to add too much flour. You probably won't use the entire extra 1/2 c. of flour. I usually only use about 1/4 cup. You want a soft, wet dough. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.
Lightly flour work surface and transfer dough onto this surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into a round loaf and place on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Cover and allow to rise another 45 minutes. Heat overn to 375. Melt remaining Tbsp of butter and brush on top of bread loaves. Sprinkle with rosemary, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Serve immediately.

Pineapple and White Chocolate Drops
(I was skeptical of these, but they are amazing. I think my brother-in-law ate 10)

1 c butter or margarine, softened
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-8 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
3 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c chopped pecans
2 c white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Beat butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; blend well. Blend in pineapple and juice. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in pecans and white chips. Drop onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely.