Basil Beer Bread

Bread has always seemed very scary to me....so much potential for failure! When I read a thread on the Cooking Light BB posted by someone who shared my thoughts this recipe for Basil Beer Bread was recommended. It was originally posted by Elizabeth 13 and the source is Real Simple, and that is exactly what this recipe is. The name of the recipe says it all, Basil: Good, Beer: Good, Bread: Good, how can you go wrong!!??

Basil Beer Bread
Source: Real Simple


3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan
1 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably ale
Flour for the work surface
1 cup chopped or torn fresh basil


1. Heat oven to 400° F.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer on low, or in a large bowl using a spoon, combine the flour, yeast, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Add the beer and mix just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with the basil (or rosemary if subbing) and knead gently just until incorporated. Shape the dough into a round loaf and transfer to the prepared sheet. Bake until the loaf is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn the loaf onto a wire rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.












I used two cups of whole wheat flour and used all purpose while flour for the remaining cup and 1/4. Basil Beer Bread is a perfect way to use all of the basil that I have growing out back. For years I planted basil plant after basil plant with my typical "black thumb" results. Kylie thought she would give it a try and she clearly has the magic touch! It has been flourishing in an almost out of control way. The basil really makes this dense bread taste fresh and the beer deepens the rich flavor. This Basil Beer Bread is excellent on its own, dipped into soup, or used to make a great ham and swiss melt. It is a crucial element in satisfying a comfort food craving!

-Heather

Dogs in Shirts!!!

The boys are growing much larger and I just had to buy them these shirts. I never thought I would be one of those people....but I just couldn't pass them up! Halo doesn't mind his too much, but Figgins LOVES his!! These two are such goof balls, I can't believe how much joy they bring to my life!!

-Heather

Mexican Rice

Since moving to CA I have found myself preparing more and more Mexican inspired dishes. I have even made the jump from "mild" to "medium" in regards to salsa, which I thought would never happen:) Avacados which I once feared are now a weekly occurrence. Thanks to crazy Cousin Bud and his interesting take on the holidays, within a few years we will be harvesting our own avacados from the tree he gave us for Christmas a few years back. Regardless of the main dish, enchiladas, tacos, chili relleno casserole, I always make Mexican Rice as a side. I have tried several different recipes and finally found one we all really enjoy. While this recipe is inspired by an existing one, this is my take on the versatile side.

Mexican Rice
(My adaption of a classic recipe.)

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 chopped medium white onion
2 diced jalapanos
2 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup olive oil
6 minced garlic cloves
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
A large handful of minced fresh cilantro
1 lime

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine tomato, onion and jalaponos in processor or blender until pureed completely smooth. Transfer mixture to measuring cup and reserve 2 cups.

Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 or 2 minutes.Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.

Heat the olive oil in heavy bottomed ovensafe 12 inch straight sided sautee pan or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid over medium high heat about 2 minutes. Drop a few rice grains in, if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth, pureed mixture, tomato paste, and salt. Increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.

Cover pan and transfer pan to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30-35 minutes.Stir well 15 minutes into the cooking time and return to oven.

Stir in the juice from the lime and the minced cilantro.








Terry has said over and over again that this Mexican Rice is better than any he has had in a restaurant. The consistency of restaurant rice was something I had trouble reproducing until I found this original recipe. Rinsing the rice and frying it in the oil are the two techniques that set this rice apart from rest. This rice can seem a bit time consuming, but it is well worth the effort. It freezes well so we usually make a large batch and freeze what we don't eat. We served it along side of beef enchiladas and Terry's guacamole. I hope you enjoy this Mexican Rice as much as we do, I have never received anything less than a rave review when adding this to a meal!

-Heather

The playoffs officially begin tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited. I am sitting here watching the White Sox vs. Twins game thinking, wow, when did baseball become such an important part of my life? Growing up in a suburb of Chicago, my parents were quite into baseball. They are South-Siders (seriously, my dad talks exactly like one of the Super Fans from SNL, actually I think he might be one of those guys), so obviously the White Sox were the team we cheered on. Cubs fans were the people we picked on! I guess back then I was so into being a kid and then a teenager that I never understood what this wonderful sport has to offer. I love EVERYTHING about it. Many say that it is boring, but I can watch it all day. I even prefer watching from home rather than being at the stadium so there aren't as many distractions.

When I moved to California in 2001 I had yet to discover my true love for the Angels. Back then, a good friend of mine, Megan and I decided that we would support this relatively unknown team. I think it had a bit to do with us wanting to assimilate to the California culture, which was honestly a little different than the Midwest. Meeting my husband certainly helped the cause because he is a die-hard Angels fan himself.

Fast forward seven years or so and here I am. I make my own Angels shirts, my entire classroom is Angels themed, I have moved two miles from the stadium, have named my dogs Figgins and Halo, and with the exception of things like my wedding, have watched EVERY Angels game. Much more than any man I know in California. I have met (without stalking, mind you) John Lackey, Adam Kennedy, Orlando Cabrera, Jarod Weaver, Gary Mathews Jr., Scot Shields, Jeff Mathis, and I spoke to Mike Napoli at US Cellular field, but we won't count that one. Each of these players were kind and friendly (with the exception of Cabrera, but that's the White Sox's problem now!) They are the type of men who you want to root for because they give it their all on the field and they actually care about their fans. There is one player that I MUST meet someday, and that is my hero, Chone Figgins. Ever hear the story about the Little Engine that could? I believe it was written about him:)

We start the playoffs paired with Boston, we have had their number all year. The past two series we have swept them, and I can only hope we can play as strongly as we did then. I cannot wait until tomorrow, I can barely keep my mind on anything else! Wish us luck, and good luck to all of your teams! Have a great October!!

GO ANGELS!!

-Heather

Chimichurri Sauce

While I consider myself a fairly adventurous eater, Chimichurri Sauce is something that I have never had before. It's roots are in Argentina and the bold, beautiful green color of this Cooking Light recipe quickly won me over. The blend of ingredients is light and fresh and adds wonders to any beef or chicken main dish.

Chimichurri Sauce
Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water

Preparation

1. Place first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely minced. With processor on, slowly pour oil and 1 tablespoon water through food chute; process until well blended.

CL's Chimichurri Sauce comes together in a flash. The parsley adds the freshness, while the lemon juice and garlic add some tang. The crushed red pepper kicks up the spice without being overwhelming and the rest of the ingredients blend quite nicely. At first I didn't think that the mixture was going to process up very well. As soon as the few tablespoons of liquid were poured in it became a smooth texture and was perfect for pouring over our CL Garlic Rubbed Flank Steak. This was just perfect with some sauteed zucchini and yellow squash and CL's Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. I am anxious to see what other meats and vegetables that this Chimichurri Sauce can enhance.

-Heather

Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak

Red meat scares me. I don't know why, but I am so uncomfortable when cooking with it. I really enjoy the taste...but chicken is so easy and safe, it is usually my fall back. Terrytx, a member of the Cooking Light BB whose opinion I trust completely, recommended CL's Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak. It was given an excellent review so I just had to try it. We have now made it twice and I can say that it is fantastic! It is an easy weeknight meal, but I would also serve it to guests and a feel that they would be impressed (NOT that I have the type of friends who I feel I need to impress!)

Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak
Cooking Light

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)

Ingredients

• 1 (2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Rub steak evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 6 minutes. Turn steak over; cover and grill 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from grill; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Nutritional Information

Calories:153 (32% from fat)

Fat:5.5g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.2g)

Protein:23.8g

Carbohydrate:0.3g

Fiber:0.1g

Cholesterol:37mg

Iron:1.5mg

Sodium:227mg

Calcium:19mg

The grilling time is extremely important with this, a few extra minutes on the grill and it will become tough. Extra garlic was added to this simple recipe because I add extra garlic to everything, I pretty much smell like garlic at all times. We topped this Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, the recipe can be found under "sauces." This combination of flavors is sensational. This was served with Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese and sauteed zucchini and yellow squash.

-Heather