Croque Provençal | How to make French Grilled Cheese & Tomato Sandwich

We are starting the second week of BM#55 with a tour around French Cuisine. I didn't have enough time to read through all the courses, so I was looking out for specific course of meal and decided it was best to start with a sandwich.

I have quite an affinity towards French, it was my second language for four years, starting with school and continued in college. However the only words I seem to remember right now is Bonjour and Mademoiselle. Of Dame, from le dame sans merci, which seem to have struck in memory forever!  Would you believe if I say I rather wanted to write pages and pages on my memories associated with French and finally as it seem to happen offlate with me, I ended up working on this post the night before?

Well you got to believe! Life has suddenly become very hectic. Athamma has left for her daughter's place and everything has been even more tightly wraped to manage! Anyway with all things apart, I didn't want to delay writing this post and with a moment's free, which has become quite rare, I sat down to cook myself this sandwich and write about it right away!

Trust me, the steps are so simple that I felt it was not worth bothering to do a step by step.

The sandwich for the day is based on Croque-Monsieur. Its a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, topped with bechamel. It was popular in French cafes and bars as a quick snack. The cheese typically used is Gruyère, however I used processed cheese slices. As with any recipe, there are many variations to this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croque-monsieur

I decided to make croque provençal or with tomato. This sandwich is made with toasted bread, cheese, sour cream and tomato slices. Its grilled till crispy. Additionally one can add eggs as well.

I kept to sour cream/mayo, tomatoes and cheese.

Croque Provençal

Ingredients Needed

Wheat Bread Slices - 2
Tomato Slices - 4 nos
Cheese Slices - 2
Pepper powder to taste
Sour cream / Mayo - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 1 tsp

How to make French Grilled Cheese & Tomato Sandwich

Spread the bread mayo/ sour cream. Put slice of cheese on one piece of bread.

Add tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt, pepper.

Cover tomato slices with other slice of cheese, then cover with other piece of bread.

Heat pan with butter, spread butter on top of each side of bread.

Grill until sandwich is brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

BIG MAC SECRET SAUCE

Every once in a while, rather than going to McDonalds and buying a "maybe hot...maybe not"  Big Mac (with only 3 ounces of beef) , we make a full size version at home. Here's another idea: Ever thought of Big Mac sliders for a kids party?  

This recipe tastes EXACTLY LIKE the secret sauce on the Big Mac, trust me, it really does.  It's quick to put together and lasts in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks.  Surprise your family with home made Big Mac's for dinner.

BIG MAC SECRET SAUCE

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 heaping tablespoons French dressing  (salad dressing)
1/2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
2 heaping tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon dry onion flakes
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix everything and chill for several hours or overnight.  Makes 1 cup.

 

 

ENJOY !!

ENGLISH MUFFIN GOODIES

I've seen this cheesy English muffin idea in several places on the Internet and decided to try it. I can see endless variations for this simple little recipe.  With NO changes, it makes a perfect cheesy alternative to a dinner roll. Change the cheese to Monterrey Jack and add crab for a great open faced sandwich, or switch to mozzarella and pepperoni for a pizza muffin; the list goes on and on.

6 English muffins
2 tablespoons soft butter
1/3 cup of mayonnaise (not miracle whip)(see note below)
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 green onion, sliced very thin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup crisp bacon bits

Split the muffins in half and put them on a very lightly greased baking sheet. 

Mix everything else together and divide equally between the muffins.
Bake on an upper rack in your oven for 15 minutes at 400° or until tops are golden and bubbly.

Let muffins sit for about 5 minutes before you serve them.

PIZZA MUFFINS

 

Here is another version for a quick weeknight dinner.

Split 6 English muffins and butter the cut side VERY LIGHTLY.

MIX TOGETHER:
2 cups shredded mozzarella
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup pepperoni cut into THIN matchsticks
1/4 cup pizza sauce  (use your own, or try the one below)

Mix everything well and divide evenly over the lightly buttered English muffins. Bake on top rack of oven, at 400° for 20 minutes or until melted and bubbly. Let cool a couple of minutes before you serve.

SUPER EASY NO-COOK PIZZA SAUCE
(1) 6 ounce can tomato paste
(1) 6 ounce can water
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (not onion salt)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar (or honey)

Whisk it all together and let it sit for about 30 minutes to let flavors blend.

NOTE: Don't worry, you will not taste the mayonnaise, but it DOES provide a very creamy quality to the cheddar cheese.

NOTE: Don't leave out the cayenne. Hubby and I are extremely shy when it comes to spicy food, but this amount of cayenne was perfect for us. If you like spicy, increase this amount.

CROCKPOT MEATBALL SUBS

Whether you make this on the cook top, or in a crockpot, this meatball sandwich is heavenly!! It is rich, satisfying and total comfort food....so, live a little and ignore the calories this weekend!!

The aroma of these meatballs, simmering in the sauce, will pull(even the pickiest eaters) from all corners of your house.

For the full size sandwiches, use hoagie rolls, or for a crowd, small dinner rolls make great meatball sliders!!

Make sure you click on this photo

to see all the yumminess in this sandwich!!

This recipe will feed a crowd, so if you are just feeding the family, cut the meatballs in half. Better yet, make the whole recipe and mix the leftovers with pasta and Parmesan tomorrow night!! I love "day two" recipes.

MEATBALLS
2 pounds of lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 cup dry breadcrumbs (toasted under broiler)
4 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Saute chopped onion and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil, until the onions have mellowed and become a little sweet. Mix them in with all of the other meatball ingredients. Form into 2” meatballs and place on a cookie sheet (that has a rim) and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and drain. Set aside.

SAUCE

Even if you cut the meatball ingredients in half...do not cut the sauce in half. You can make this sauce on the range or in the crockpot.

In large deep pan, saute  1/2  cup chopped onions and 1 clove garlic in one tablespoon olive oil, until the onions are translucent, and then add:

(1) 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
(1) 12 ounce can of tomato paste
4 cups of water
1 teaspoon of dry oregano
2 teaspoon of dry basil
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2  teaspoon of black pepper
1/2  teaspoon of fennel seed
1/4  teaspoon of dry red pepper flakes

Bring to a boil and stir to thoroughly mix everything. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the pre-cooked meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for 2 hours (or see crock pot directions below).

TO SERVE: split your bread roll and put just a skim of butter on the cut side and toast it (for just a minute or so) under the broiler. Remove and load with meatballs and mozzarella cheese and put back under the broiler to melt the cheese. Enjoy!!


CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS

The recipe ingredients are the same, except use 4 cups of HOT water and crockpot on HIGH for 5 hours.

CROCKPOT TIP
Lay a dish towel over the crockpot lid (to insulate it a little, so it will come to a simmer quicker). Once it comes to a simmer, remove the towel and crack the lid open just a little bit so that the sauce will reduce a little.

NOTE: The secret to this recipe is the length of cooking time - NO SHORTCUTS ON THE COOKING TIME......that's the secret. 

The meatballs taste AND texture will be SO MUCH BETTER if you cook for the full amount of time, that's why the crock pot is the perfect method to make these sandwiches.

SWEET & SOUR PORK RECIPE

There are three reasons to try this great recipe. First, this recipe is made in the slow cooker, so it's super easy. Secondly, this recipe is very cheap to make and thirdly, it gets rave reviews whenever I make it. What more can you ask for?

 

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You should know that I am not a big sweet and sour fan, but I love this recipe. It is extremely moist and just the right amount of sweet to sour ratio.

 Walmart sells a small vacuum packed 2 pound pork roast that is perfect for this recipe. The package says "pork loin rib eye pork roast" and even here in Alaska, it's only $4.50!!
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2-3 pound lean pork roast
1 cup granulated sugar (seems like a lot, but it mellows out)
½ cup white vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons ketchup
20 ounce can crushed pineapple (drained)
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Brown the pork roast on all sides and put it in your slow cooker. Mix everything else and bring it to a boil, then pour it over the meat.
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Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until very tender (spoon the sauce over the meat every once in a while).
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That's it...super easy!! At the very end of the cooking time, I thickened the sauce a little with a slurry of cornstarch and water (right in the crockpot). To serve, slice the meat and spoon a little of the sauce over it; it's great with rice.

Now this last suggestion is not for everyone, but my picky-picky hubby absolutely loves it. On day two, I pull this pork apart and mix it with a little of the sauce (make sure you include some pineapple out of the sauce). While its still cold, I roll it into a large burrito size tortilla (folding in all the ends) and then I brown the whole sandwich in a little butter until its piping hot. Hubby is extremely UNdemostrative when it comes to food, but he ooohhh'd and ahhhhhh'd about this sandwich until the last bite.

NOTE: Sorry about these photographs. This is one of those recipes that, no matter how hard to try to get a good photo, it just doesn't work. You'll just have to trust me that it is delicious.

PIZZA BUNS

I called this recipe "pizza buns" for lack of a better title. Actually, it can be any flavor filling that you like. The "magic" is in the dough; it is on the slightly sweet side but (as unlikely as it seems) it compliments a savory filling perfectly.
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Originally, this was a dough that my German Russian ancestors used for a hot and savory ham and sauerkraut sandwich. I decided to experiment with various fillings and they have been such a big hit with Hubby that I've made them twice this week. I've made calzones for years, but these are so much better...not bready or doughy at all and the dough raises just enough (as it bakes) to make the perfect sandwich...light, crispy and delicious.

This one was pizza flavored

DOUGH
¾ cup very warm water
½ cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
3½ cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
Mix the warm water (hottest out of your tap) with the sweetened condensed milk, vegetable oil and sugar and salt. The hot tap water will cool down in temperature once it is mixed with the oil and milk (so it won't hurt the yeast). Next, whisk in the egg and the yeast. Let this sit for several minutes until the yeast looks well dissolved.

NOTE: When you first mix up this dough, it will seem stiff and dense. Don't let that freak you out...just follow the instructions and it will bake up beautifully.

Once it is well dissolved, mix in the flour (using a stand mixer is easiest) and mix with dough hook on medium speed until smooth (about 5 minutes or so). Place in a bowl sprayed with vegetable spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let this sit in a warm place for an hour or until it is double in size.
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Remove from the bowl and cut into 8 pieces (makes 8 sandwiches). Roll each piece out into an 8 inch circle. For pizza filling, put the ingredients in IN THIS ORDER: about ¼ cup of cheese in center of circle; top with a little pizza sauce and some toppings.
I found that these were easier to shape if you sit the 8" circle in a cereal bowl before you add the fillings (see above photo). Draw up the edges of the dough and pinch them together like this:

This dough is a dream to work with...it stretches without tearing and sticks together beautifully when it comes time to "pinch it shut".

 

 

A word about pizza fillings:

I filled these with sweet Italian sausage and some thin strips of pepperoni. I fried both in a pan until it was very well done, then I drained it completely and blotted all of the grease I could get out of it...I highly recommend this step. Don't add any meat that has not had the fat rendered out of it (sausage, pepperoni etc.). If you do, the fat will make the sandwich greasy and leak out of the pinched seam. Once pinched shut (make sure you pinch it totally shut...place them pinched seam side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. They will look like this:

Cover with plastic wrap and let them sit for 20 minutes. Bake in pre-heated 350F oven for 20 minutes. When they come out of the oven, brush them with butter. Aren't they pretty? Be careful when you first bite into them...they are SO hot inside.

 They are also GREAT with ham and cheese

NOTE: These sandwiches stay super hot for an unbelievable length of time, so they would be excellent for a potluck or picnic (they are also excellent at room temperature). This dough recipe makes 8 big sandwiches, but you could easily make them smaller for snack size.
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NOTE: I have plans on making these, using Sloppy Joe filling, barbecue beef filling, bacon and egg filling and much more. I can see a million possibilities.
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NOTE: The fully baked leftovers (full size) reheat, beautifully, in a preheated 350F oven in 20-23 minutes and taste exactly like they did the first time they came out of the oven.

 

ENJOY !!

CROCK POT BBQ PORK SANDWICHES

This is a great weekend crockpot recipe because you can turn the "extras" into many different things over the weekend. The crockpot method makes the best pork sandwich ever (and there is lots of sauce in the crockpot to make them extra juicy)...plus you can turn the extra pork into tacos, or burritos, or pork and rice just to name a few. I like to make this recipe with pork tenderloin but any pork roast will work.

2½ pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup favorite barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
Our market sells pork tenderloin in 2½ pound packages and there are two tenderloins in each package. Cut each tenderloin in three pieces. If you are using a pork roast, trim obvious fat and cut it into pieces about the size of your fist. Mix the dry ingredients (except for the chili flakes) and rub all surfaces of the meat; place, covered, in refrigerator for an hour or so.

Brown the meat in a couple tablespoons of canola oil then put it in the crockpot. Mix the honey & dried red chili flakes into the barbecue sauce and pour over the meat. Cook on low for six or seven hours - every crockpot is different. To check for readiness, use two forks to see if the pork will pull apart easily.

Remove meat from crockpot and pull apart with two forks. Stir sauce and put the meat back in the sauce to keep it hot.

The above sandwich was made with my bun recipe which you can find HERE

NOTE: It isn't absolutely necessary to put the meat in the fridge after you put the dry rub on it, but it strengthens the flavor.
NOTE: Turn the meat over a couple of times during the cooking cycle...not absolutely necessary.

BASIC FOCACCIA BREAD

Today, when hubby asked what we were having for lunch, I told him turkey panini's. He got one of those proud grins on his face, that told me he was getting ready to make a wisecrack; then he told me he didn't know turkeys HAD panini's. He can be delightfully goofy.

Todays sandwiches were made with a no-frills basic focaccia bread. For those of you who are still getting familiar with yeast doughs, this would be an excellent recipe to try; it is a very easy one and the results are fantastic.

Turkey and Smoked Gouda Panini

 2¾ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon dry active yeast
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 cup warm milk

Mix the first six ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in warm milk and one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (it only takes a few minutes). Cover with plastic and let it sit in a warm place for an hour. Push all of the air out of the dough and place it on a greased baking sheet. Pat the dough into a ½" thick rectangle and brush with the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the rectangle very loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit for 30 minutes (it will raise a little, but not a lot). After 30 minutes, make dents in the dough (with your fingertips) every few inches over the entire surface of the focaccia. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool the focaccia completely before slicing it horizontally to make sandwiches.

NOTE: This focaccia is basically a blank slate; you can add anything you like to the dough. If you want an herb focaccia, add 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano, dried thyme and dried basil to the first stage of the dough. If you want a cheesy focaccia, top the dough with a cup of shredded mozzarella and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan just before baking.

NOTE: I've been using my GF Grilling Machine to make panini's by setting a large heavy can of something on the closed grill top (to weight the sandwich down). It works very well.

HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS

This was my first attempt at homemade flour tortillas and I was "stunned and amazed" at how easy they were!! Since there is just two of us at home these days, I have wasted a ton of money on commercial tortillas that never get used. I buy a package of 12...use three or four and put the rest in the freezer. I don't know how many partial bags of ice crusted tortillas I've thrown away over the years, but not any more!! Fresh tortillas are so much tastier than commercial ones.

While this recipe makes about eight 8" tortillas, it is also a wonderful convenience not to be stuck with "one size fits all" tortillas. For example, you could make half full size tortillas and half "toddler size" tortillas. I think the little ones would get a kick out of that.

This recipe produces a dough that is very easy to work (feels almost like Play Doh) and it fries up in either a dry pan (if you are watching calories) or in vegetable oil if you are looking for a nice and flaky tortilla. Hubby gave the flaky style both thumbs up!!

 4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cold shortening (or bacon grease)
1½ cups hot water

Put first 4 ingredients in the food processor and pulse until well mixed. Add hot water while machine is running. Turn machine off when dough comes together. Remove dough and knead about half a dozen times or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and roll into balls about the size of a small golf ball. Roll out tortillas (starting in center and rolling outwards, turning often).
To cook the tortillas, the recipe says to use a cast iron skillet, but I found it hard to regulate the temperature (it got too hot) so I used an electric skillet instead. I'm sure with practice, the cast iron skillet would be the way to go. I fried the ones I wanted to eat in a dry skillet, but to get the big flaky bubbles, fry them in a little vegetable oil. Keep the tortillas warm in a kitchen towel while you cook the others.
NOTE: I made a half recipe for just hubby and myself and it gave me five nice big tortillas. It is such a great dough, I'm sure you could double the ingredients as well if you are cooking for a crowd.

OPEN FACE SURIMI MELT SANDWICHES

I don't want this to sound like a commercial, but I would like to say something about Alaskan surimi (I get the impression some people aren't familiar with it). Surimi is made from boneless, skinless Alaskan Pollock fillets that are cooked and flavored with crab meat, then pressed into various shapes. Surimi can be used in place of crab or shrimp in almost any recipe. It comes in 12 ounce and 16 ounce vacuum packed pouches. Just make sure it says "made from Alaska Pollock" because I can not vouch for any other kind.

I use surimi because it is not only economical, but it comes pre-cooked and is great for a super-fast meal (hot or cold). This open face surimi melt sandwich is quick, filling and easy.

Surimi Melts
12 ounce package of crab flavored surimi (flake style)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped chives or green onion
1/3 cup low fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
3 slices of bacon fried crisp
3 English muffins split in half
2 cups shredded cheddar or pepper-jack cheese

Rough chop the surimi and mix it with the chives, mayo, Dijon, lemon pepper, crumbled bacon and 1 cup of shredded cheddar or pepper-jack cheese until well blended.

Lightly toast the split English muffins and then top with the surimi mixture (divided equally).
Top mixture with the rest of the shredded cheddar (or pepper-jack) and broil these open face sandwiches until the cheese is melted and the sandwich is hot.

NOTE: Makes six sandwiches, 300 calories each.

VEGGIE CALZONES

Lately I've been making calzones. They are a very versatile "hot sandwich" and since they require small amounts of filling...they are a good way to us any leftovers on hand. Hubby loves big meat sandwiches, so I've made them with leftover BBQ chicken, steak & cheese, ham & cheese, crisp bacon & cheese and yes, pizza goodies.

Personally, I like my calzones stuffed to the brim with veggies and a little pizza sauce & cheese. I have found, through trial and error, that you have to saute your veggies until tender then drain them well on a paper towel. If you don't, you will get a soggy-bottom crust on your sandwich. Any veggies will work. Roasted veggies are excellent, so are grilled veggies. Tonight I was lazy, so I just sauteed some broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, green onions and kidney beans, but usually, the more veggie variety the better.

I use my regular bread dough recipe (CLICK HERE) and jazz it up with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder(add seasonings when you add the liquid in the recipe).

Normally, I would rather cut my arm off than show anyone my oven, but I wanted you to see MY secret for getting a pizzeria style pizza crust. It doesn't look like anything special, but it is truly the best way to cook pizza at home.

My hubby came up with this idea about 10 years ago when I was complaining that my pizza stone wasn't working the way I wanted it to (I wanted a crispy crust with nice pillowy edges). He cut a 1/4" thick piece of steel (to fit my oven) and I seasoned it like a cast iron frying pan. After you have seasoned it, you never grease it or wash it again, just wipe it off.....nothing sticks to it.

I preheat my oven (and the steel sheet) to 450 degrees and use cornmeal on my pizza peal so that the prepared pizza (or calzone) will slide off directly onto this sheet of hot steel (no pan). Bake for 8 minutes, then switch the heat to broil and (watching it carefully) let it broil for about 2 more minutes or until it is the color you want. It works great...no more doughy "steamed" crusts.

For calzones, you will need a ball of yeast dough about the size of a hardball. Roll it out to a nice thin circle. Place a mound of sauteed, and drained, veggies on one side of the circle and top them with 1/4 cup of pizza sauce (CLICK HERE FOR MY PIZZA SAUCE) and a serious hand full of grated mozzarella cheese. Fold the "empty" side of the calzone over the filling and pinch the edges together. Once pinched together, roll the pinched dough edge back onto itself to form a very tight seal. Using scissors, snip several vent holes in the top of the calzone. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes or until nice and golden. Just as soon as they come out of the oven, brush them with butter and sprinkle with parmesan and coarse salt.

VEGGIE CALZONE CUT IN HALF

BASIC HONEY-WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

I know a lot of you are still in the throes of summer heat, however, here in Alaska, mid-August is the beginning of our fall, with night time temperatures in the 40's and day time temperatures between 55 and 65 (we will probably have night time frost in a couple of weeks). Therefore, my thoughts are turning to heartier recipes. If YOUR part of the world is still too hot for baking, I hope that you will bookmark this recipe for YOUR fall season.

I searched long and hard for this whole wheat bread recipe. It makes great dinner rolls, hamburger buns and (best of all) excellent sandwich bread. It is just a basic whole wheat recipe, nothing fancy, but the bread is moist, flavorful and remains fresh longer than most homemade breads. I hope you will try it.

3 CUPS WARM WATER
2 ENVELOPES OF YEAST (or 2 tablespoons)
2/3 CUP HONEY
5 CUPS BREAD FLOUR
3 TABLESPOONS CANOLA OIL
1 TABLESPOON SALT (do not leave out)
3 & 1 /2 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

In your stand mixer bowl, mix the warm water, honey, oil, salt, yeast and 5 cups of bread flour. Mix well and let this stand for 30 minutes (it will get full of air bubbles).

After 30 minutes, mix in 2 cups of whole wheat flour (you'll need your dough hook for this). Work in an additional 1 & 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour (1/2 cup at a time) until your dough comes cleanly away from the inside walls of your bowl. This last measurement of flour is flexible. You may only need one more cup or you may need 2 cups, it depends on the humidity in your house (and the moisture level in your flour).

You will know your dough is ready when the inside walls of your mixing bowl are free of anything sticky. When it gets to that stage, let the machine knead the dough for about five more minutes.

After it has kneaded for five minutes, remove the dough from the bowl and spray just a little vegetable spray inside the bowl and put the dough back in. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about an hour or until the dough has doubled.

After it has doubled, push your fist into the dough and deflate it. Turn it out onto the counter and knead it about half a dozen times to get the air out. If you are making sandwich bread, divide the dough into three sections (recipe makes three loaves).

Roll each section out into a rectangle then roll each rectangle up into a log, pinching the seams and ends shut. Place each "log" into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough raise for an hour or until doubled.

Bake loaves in preheated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Immediately remove from pan and cool on bakers rack. Brush loaf tops with butter. Don't cut the loaves until they are cooled completely.

If you want to make hamburger buns, pinch off a ball of dough about the size of a lime (maybe just a little bigger). Round it into a ball and then put it on your counter and flatten it to a 5" circle with your hand. Place on greased cooking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let it raise for about 30 minutes or until doubled. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or till golden.

If you are making bread rolls, pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball. Round it and place it in a greased baking dish about 2" apart. The dough will expand and touch each other as they raise. Cover with plastic and let raise for an hour or until doubled. Bake at 400 for about 18 minutes or till golden.

NOTE: Just before you cover your dough (at any stage) with plastic wrap, use a minimal amount of cooking spray on the surface of your dough. This will keep the plastic from sticking (and deforming) your dough when you try to remove it.
NOTE: As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, make sure you brush the tops with a little melted butter. This will keep the crust soft.
NOTE: Make hamburger buns a lot thinner than you think they need to be. Don't forget, they will raise even more in the oven and you don't want a bun that looks like a football.
NOTE: Let bread loafs cool completely before you slice them. If you try to slice hot bread, it often misshapes the slices.

TACO BURGERS

It has been hot for at least two weeks, so we have done a lot of grilling, crock potting and microwaving (anything that keeps the kitchen cooler). We cooked this taco burger on the "GF Grilling Machine " but it would be even better on an outdoor grill.

2 pounds of extra lean ground beef (I use 93%)
1/2 cup of crushed corn chips
1/4 cup favorite taco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
sliced pepper Jack cheese
lettuce, tomato, avocado & onion
Mix the ground beef with the crushed corn chips, taco sauce and salt and pepper.
Shape into patties and grill over medium heat. Just before it is finished, top each burger with a slice of pepper Jack cheese and let it melt. Serve burgers on bun with fresh veggies.

Budget Minded FAUX CRAB CAKES

I don't know about you, but I can not afford fresh crab unless it is a very special occasion (certainly not for the every day crab cake). Even though crab is harvested right here in Alaska, it is not on MY table very often because of the price.

Are you familiar with crab flavored surimi? I use it in casseroles and crab cakes with very good results. Some people have an issue with the texture of surimi. However, I have found that if you break the surimi into pieces and give them two or three very quick pulses in your food processor, it will "flake" just like real crab. I don't think you will fool anyone into thinking it is fresh crab meat, but the quality and taste of surimi is SO much better than it used to be (if you haven't tried it in a while).

Tonight, I made big crab cakes and served them like a fishwich, I guess you could call them a crabwich. They had a very good crab cake consistency and flavor, not to mention they were very easy to make and affordable.

For those of you not familiar with surimi, it is made from Alaska cod fish and seasoned to taste like crab. It comes in 16 ounce pouches in the fresh meat isle. Make sure it says "flake style" and "crab flavored".

In a large bowl, mix:
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
16 ounce pouch crab flavored surimi (flake style)
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs


Put the surimi in your food processor and pulse it two or three short blasts (until it "flakes" like crab meat). Set aside.

Whisk the first seven ingredients in a bowl until very smooth then add the bread crumbs and flaked surimi. Mix well with hands. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook (or at least half an hour).

If you are making larger sandwiches, form into 4 large patties (working on waxed paper). Rinse your hands once in a while because the crab cakes are easier to form and work with if your hands are wet/damp.
In a large frying pan, or electric skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Fry patties until they are golden brown.
NOTE: These are also very good, in a smaller version, served with tartar sauce and lemon.

MUSHROOM & CHEESE STUFFED HAMBURGERS with HOMEMADE BUNS

Spring is here (even here in Alaska) and thoughts turn to outdoor barbeque's and camping. I’m always on the lookout for easy recipes that will “hold up” well in the cooler and Mushroom Stuffed Hamburgers is a good one. You can make the patties ahead of time and freeze them solid (which will help insure food safety while you travel.) Just throw these frozen patties on the grill and pair them with homemade hamburger buns (recipe follows) and you have a delicious cookout!

Can you tell that someone in my house loves mayo? LOL

(makes 4 hamburgers)
1 pound of lean ground beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces of fresh mushrooms (sautéed)
favorite cheese

Each of these hamburgers is made out of two thin patties with mushrooms and cheese sandwiched in between. So mix everything (except the mushrooms & cheese) and make 8 thin patties. Top four of the patties with sautéed mushrooms and your favorite cheese and then a 2nd thin patty, pressing to seal the edges well. Repeat for the other three hamburgers.

If you are going to freeze these, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and lay them flat on a cookie sheet to freeze. When they are frozen, you can stack them in a freezer Ziploc bag. Whether you are taking these on a camping trip or just leaving them in the freezer for a quick weeknight meal, they taste great.

HAMBURGER BUNS

This recipe will make at least 2 dozen hamburger buns. Once baked, they freeze extremely well. I find myself using them for everything from breakfast sandwiches to peanut butter sandwiches.
5 cups of all purpose flour
2 packets of dry active yeast (I use 2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
2 ½ cups very warm water

In an electric stand mixer, place 2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, oil and salt (stir to combine dry ingredients) Add 2 ½ cups of very warm water (see note). Stir quickly while you add the water. Let this mixture sit for about 10 minutes.

Add the rest of the flour, about ½ cup at a time, scraping the sides of your bowl and dough hook each time. Every time you stop your mixer, turn all of the dough mass over. Let your machine knead this dough until it CLEANLY comes away from the side of your mixer. If you have added all 5 cups of flour and it has not come cleanly away from your bowl, you need to add just a little more flour.

Once the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of your bowl, let the machine knead it for about five more minutes. Remove the dough and grease the bowl. Return the bread to the greased bowl and grease the top of the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour (it will more than double in volume).

Punch the air out of your dough and let it rest (covered) for 15-20 minutes. This step is important because your dough will “behave” much better while you form it, if you follow this step. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of a tangerine. Make each ball as round as you can. Roll each ball into a 5” circle. Resist the temptation to add more dough to make a thicker bun. At this stage, your buns need to be a lot thinner than you think. (about ½” thick). If you add more dough, you are going to end up with a burger bun the size of your face!

Place the formed buns on a greased baking sheet and spritz the top of the dough with just a little cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes. Bake at 400° for 15-16 minutes.

If you are going to freeze these buns, let them cool completely first and freeze as soon as possible. About 4 to 5 minutes in a 350° oven will heat a frozen burger bun and make it taste like it was just baked.

This recipe also makes excellent sandwich bread