Bountiful Baskets

Today was like Christmas. I picked up my first order from Bountiful Baskets. It was so easy to order. I went online on Monday, ordered and paid for my basket (regular or organic) and picked it up Saturday morning. I wasn't sure what to expect but my friend has been doing it for a few weeks and she loves it. I was way impressed with the quality of the produce as well as the organization. We were in and out in about 5 minutes. Look what I came home with!
Contents of my first Bountiful Basket:
9 Bosc pears
7 Fuji apples
9 bananas
9 lemons
1 bunch asparagus
1 bunch broccoli
3 grapefruit
5 tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 pineapple
1 green leaf lettuce
1 kale
The best part of all is I only spent $15 ($25 for organic) plus tax. I'm looking forward to cooking with this yummy fresh produce. Try Bountiful Baskets. You will love them.

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Do Blond(ies) Have More Fun?

It's 3:00 and I'm getting a little craving for something sweet. Mmmmm how about classic blondies? This recipe is simple and delicious. The perfect treat to satisfy my craving.


Blondies
*Adapted from How to Cook Everything

8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

  1. Butter an 8×8 pan
  2. Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.
  3. Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in any additions (ie I used milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips).
  4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. I always err on the side of caution with baking times — nobody ever complained about a gooey-middled cookie. Cool on rack before cutting them. Printable recipe

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Spinach Salad with Honey Paprika Dressing

A friend invited our family over for dinner. She always serves the best food. She served this yummy salad with a delicious dressing. It was so good I think I licked my plate...or was that in my dream? Anyway, make this soon for your family or for any dinner party. What a fabulous salad to serve for a Valentines dinner. Substitute the fresh pears with fresh strawberries. The pink dressing will make it look valentine-y too.

(another) Spinach Salad

Baby spinach leaves
Crumbled Feta cheese
Craisins
Sliced pears (peeled with potato peeler)
Sugared nuts (I use these)

Mix 3-4 cups spinach (you can mix in Romaine or Iceberg too)
Sprinkle Feta, Craisins, pears and nuts. Drizzle with Honey Paprika dressing and serve immediately.

Honey Paprika Dressing
*Erin R.

2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt/kosher salt
1 tsp celery seed (I've made it without this and it is still delicious!)

Mix above dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor mix:
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tsp grated onion (or dried minced onion)

Pour dry ingredients in blender. Blend to mix. While blender is running slowly add 1 cup canola or vegetable oil. Printable recipe

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No-Knead Artisan Bread


There is a place in Heaven called the Sullivan Street Bakery. It has the most amazing breads, doughnuts and sandwiches. I came across this recipe and cried. It is the actual recipe from Jim Lahey, the owner of Sullivan Street Bakery. I knew I had to try it. It is so easy to make and only calls for 5 ingredients! The one thing you need for this recipe is time. If you plan on serving it at a dinner party you need to start it the night before. I just took my bread out of the oven my home smells delicious and the bread is outstanding. Try it. Promise you'll impress even yourself.

No Knead Bread
*adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery

3 cups flour or bread flour
1/4 tsp instant yeast (yep that's all)
1 Tbs. Salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1.
In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf. Printable recipe


This is what it looks like when you combine all the ingredients. Kinda sticky. Put plastic wrap over the bowl and let it set in your kitchen for 12-18 hours.

This is what your dough looks like after it sets. Bubbly at the top and sticky...that means the gluten is working.

Pour dough onto floured surface and turn ends in to make a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 min. Then sprinkle corn meal, bran or flour on clean kitchen towel. Place dough on towel and sprinkle again. Place a second kitchen towel over the dough and let it rise for two hours. It should double in size.

After rising two hours. During the last half hour of rising, preheat empty dutch oven in 450 degree oven.
Put your hand under the dishtowel and carefully place the dough in the hot dutch oven. It will be upside down so the seam is on top. That is great and will look great once bread is cooked. After cooking at 450 with the lid on, remove the lid and cook 15 minutes longer until it is a beautiful brown. (I sprinkled Rosemary on my bread for a little flava)
Ta Da! This is the end product. It comes out of the pan easily and if you tap it lightly it sounds hollow. Let it cool...if you can.
Look at that gorgeous crumb! I love it with butter but it is also delicious dipped in a vinegar and olive oil mixture.

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