Bruschetta with Balsamic Drizzle

I posted this on my sister's site today, but it's just too good not to share with the dairy free world! The original recipe called for just a 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, and I know it is just as delicious without any cheese, so here you go! Heaven! Seriously, I could eat it every day! :)

A few notes: I used a grande ciabatta baguette from Sams Club, but any of those baguette type of breads will work. Last night for dinner I sliced the entire baguette, but for the leftovers today I cut off a 6 inch piece and then sliced it lengthwise. I'm telling you this because if you like your bread really thick-do it this way, and if you like thinner bread and heavy on the tomatoes-slice a bunch of thin slices. (If you are confused I have a pic at the end to show the difference). Also only make as much as you will eat because the bread will go soggy. So make what you want and then put the rest of the tomato mixture in the fridge and when you want more, pull it out and slice up more bread. The drizzle is quite rich so use it sparingly (but it is amazing!), and next time I'm going to half the below recipe because I had way too much. Even though it says to drizzle before you toast, next time I will drizzle after so that it looks fancy on the serving platter. :)

Bruschetta with Balsamic Drizzle:
Recipe adapted from Neighbor Julia

Bruschetta:
6 roma tomatoes- chopped (firmer tomatoes are better for this recipe)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cloves fresh garlic (use the real thing! minced)
2 T. Balsamic Vinegar
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 long skinny baguette sliced thinly (I used chibata, but sour dough or any would work)

Mix all ingredients (except for bread) in a medium sized bowl. Allow to chill in fridge for at least 2 hours for best flavor. (I like to make mine a day ahead if I have time). When ready to serve slice bread and toast bread slightly in oven. Top each piece of toast with bruschetta, drizzle recipe below, and toast again. 

Balsamic Drizzle:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T. corn starch

Stir all ingredients together in a small saucepan. Boil until slightly thickened (add extra corn starch if needed). Let cool 5 min. or until thickened to consistency you would like (don't let it get too thick). Drizzle over bruschetta and toast. Enjoy!

Hopefully you can tell the difference between the slices- the first is for a thinner, more traditional bruschetta

 This one is for a thicker bread- slicing the baguette lengthwise and opening it up

Easy 10 Minute Breadsticks

My neighbor gave me this recipe a while back, and I just love how they take just a few minutes to throw together. I have a lot of bread stick recipes around that are really yummy, but 10 minutes, really? I can get these finished at the same time as my pasta cooks...pretty awesome! Because who has time to wait for things to rise when there are hungry children involved right?

Ten Minute Breadsticks

from my neighbor Tonya's sister Nicki :)

2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

Stir together and let sit for a few minutes

Add:

2 tsp salt

4-5 cups flour (white or wheat)

Preheat oven to 400. Just mix it until it forms a nice dough and then roll it out right onto a greased cookie sheet. Add butter and garlic salt and anything you want. I always add rosemary to mine. Then take your pizza cutter and cut them into pieces before popping them into the oven. No rise time or anything, they will come up in the oven. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

(This picture shows how I cut mine after I roll it onto the cookie sheet)

Banana Bread

Everybody loves some banana bread right! Even my pickiest little eater ate at least 4 slices. This time I made one loaf regular, and one loaf with some walnuts. Another classic from my Grandma Lill- what would we do without her (or her recipes :)

Grandma Lill's Banana Bread
Recipe from Lillian Rydalch

1/2 cup dairy free butter or margarine, softened

4 mashed bananas

4 eggs

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 t soda

1 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

1 cup nuts (optional)

Mix the softened butter, mashed bananans and eggs together. Mix the dry ingredients together and add the wet ingredients. Fold in the nuts if you want them. Mix well. Pour into 2 greased bread pans. Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes.

Pasta e Fagioli

I've been making this for a few years now ever since my sister in law shared it with me. The nice thing is you can really change the quantities to suit you and your family just like I did when she gave it to me.  The best part is it will make your kitchen smell amazing! I served it tonight with this hearth bread (with some olive oil and seasons to dip), and sparkling cider for the kids. It felt like the perfect Italian dinner!

Pasta e Fagioli

Recipe adapted from Kelli Melin

Serves 5-6 (you can cut it in half easily)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp dried onion flakes or 1 green onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 cans great Northern beans, drained well

1 cup chicken broth (I make it using chicken bouillon cube)

2 cans diced tomatoes with juices

1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1 Tbsp parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cups dry small pasta shells, cooked al dente and drained

Cook the noodles if you haven't already. Heat up oil and saute onions, carrot, celery and garlic until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the beans, broth, tomatoes and juices, and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, stir in pasta, parsley and salt and pepper. Simmer covered about 5 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

Fall is my favorite season for many reasons: weather, clothes, colorful leaves, family fun, beautiful scenery and of course pumpkins.  You can find the tutorial here on how to use fresh pumpkins. It doesn't matter if you choose fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin, this recipe is sure to warm up your kitchen and your family, and definitely give your home that fall aroma it's been begging for. I make them into muffins and freeze them, then take them out for a quick breakfast just heated up in the microwave.

Pumpkin Bread

makes 2-3 loaves

2 eggs
4 cups pumpkin (or use 1 29 ounce canned pumpkin + 1/2 cup applesauce)
4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
5 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (optional)

Combine the eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil together. Mix the spices together with the flour and add one cup at a time to the egg and pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in the chocolate chips if you choose to add them. Pour into 2-3 greased loaf pans and bake @ 325 for 1 hour or until the middle is cooked and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then take out of the pan and cool on wire rack.

Note: This bread freezes really well. Wrap in tin foil or saran wrap and then put in a freezer ziplock bag.

You can also make muffins- bake @ 325 for about 20 minutes.

Hotdog Mummies

I'm sure you've seen this idea before because it's been around a long time, but I just had to share anyways. I started making these when I was student teaching a high school cooking class. The high school students loved them just as much as my little kids do. I made them tonight with refrigerated bread sticks, but they didn't taste as good as when I make them with crescents. You can also just use your favorite roll or bread stick recipe as well if you are worried about different allergens in the prepared stuff.

Mummy Hotdogs

package of hot dogs

refrigerated crescent rolls

ketchup and mustard

If you are using the crescent rolls take them out of the package (they will be in the triangles but still together) and press the seams so you have one big sheet. Take a pizza cutter or a knife and cut strips about 1/2-1 inch wide. Take one strip at a time and wrap around each hot dog leaving a little spot for the head and eyes to stand out. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until the dough starts to brown. Once you take them out of the oven you can make little eyes with some mustard. (I used a toothpick)

French Bread Pizza

Here's a really quick idea for pizza. I know, pizza is one of those things that is just not the same for those with dairy allergies, but that doesn't stop my son from begging me for pizza for dinner! This is so quick and easy and it is delish! We've made it 2 Fridays in a row now. A lot of times I find a loaf of french bread for 50 cents from the bakery in the "day old" pile that they mark down. Can't beat that for pizza dough!

Just cut the loaf lengthwise (hotdog style) and then cut into however many serving sizes you want after that. It's easier to cut before all the toppings are on and baked, but you can still cut after too. (If you don't want an entire loaf just cut it in half: slice the first half lengthwise for pizza tonight and save the other half for garlic bread another night)

Top with spaghetti/pizza sauce, and all your favorite toppings. My son hates pepperoni so I just cut up deli meat for him. Options are endless: pepperoni, deli meat, diced chicken, pineapples, tomato, green pepper, olives, spinach, etc. Put on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. The longer you cook it the crispier the crust will be, just make sure to watch it carefully not to burn on top.

Hamburger Buns

 These buns are amazing (like most homemade bread is) and the best part is you can make them to suit you whether you want them to be whole wheat (much cheaper than at the stores), green for St. Patricks Day, or any other if you want to show off your support for a favorite sports team.

Last year when I made these on St. Pattys day we had perfect bright green buns. My kids laughed until their plates were clean. This year I wanted to get pictures of the original and the green, so I tried to add the food coloring after they rose, and it just didn't work. So if you want to color yours make sure you add the coloring into the batter before you let the dough rise.

Hamburger Buns

Recipe adapted from Rosa's Yum Yums

1 c lukewarm water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter or dairy free margarine, room temperature
1 Egg

3 1/4 c flour

1/4 c fine granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp Instant yeast

1 Egg yolk + 1 Tsp water (for tops)

Sesame seeds (for tops)

Sprinkle the yeast into the water and leave for 5 to 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir to dissolve. In a big bowl, combine yeast/water, egg, butter/margarine, sugar, salt and flour. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured working surface or use mixer and knead for about 10 minutes until you've made a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a clean and lightly greased bowl and cover it with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a flattened ball. Place the buns on greased baking sheets, cover and let rise 30 to 40 minutes, until they're quite puffy and doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Glaze the buns with the egg yolk and water mixture, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the buns for 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven, cool them on a wire rack and cut in half.

Poppy Seed Bread with Orange Glaze

This bread is absolutely amazing! It is super moist and melts in your mouth. Because of the glaze it's definitely not lacking on the sweetness side either. It also freezes really well which is perfect for small families or if you want to make a few batches to save for a later time. The original recipe calls for milk which luckily my son can have now in baked goods. I made a batch this morning with soy milk and it turned out excellent, however I would definitely stick to original flavored soy or rice milk (no vanilla). It was also more sweet using the soy milk than the regular milk, so if you use soy you might want to go easy on the glazed top. My kids nicknamed the poppyseeds "baby blueberries" and have been devouring this bread, even my picky little 13 month old :)

Poppy Seed Bread with Orange Glaze
Recipe adapted from Don't Panic More Dinner's in the Freezer
Makes 2 loaves + 1 mini

2 1/4 cups sugar
3 1/3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cups soy milk (or milk)
2 Tbsp poppy seeds

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp grated orange peel

For glaze, bring sugar, orange juice, and orange peel to boil in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla/almond extract until pale yellow in color. Add flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternating with the 1 2/3 cups milk. Stir in poppy seeds. Pour into greased baking pans. Bake for 1 hour or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. (I had to bake an extra 5 minutes with the soy milk) Remove from oven. Poke holes in bread with toothpick. Gradually spoon orange glaze over hot bread, allowing glaze to soak into bread after each addition. Cool completely in pans letting the glaze get into the bread.
To freeze: wrap completely with plastic wrap and then put in a freezer ziplock bag. On serving day just thaw and serve.

Grandma Lill's Moist Zucchini Bread

(Repost with New Picture)

Here's another recipe my grandma would make for us when we were little, with fresh zucchinis from her garden of course. Everyone in my family prefers this zucchini bread to every banana bread recipe out there, and I know the reason why is because it is super moist and packed full of flavor (not to mention the good vitamins from the veggies) You can probably substitute some or all of the oil for applesauce, but I've never tried it on this recipe.

Moist Zucchini Bread

Recipe from Lill

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 c oil

3 eggs, beaten

2 c packed zucchini (finely shredded with skins on)

3 tsp vanilla

3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend the first set of ingredients together. Mix the second set of ingredients and then add to the first; mix. Put into 2 loaf/bread pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. You can also do muffins or mini loaf pans too. Freezes well in a airtight container or ziplock bag.

Homemade Pretzels

Okay so in my Parents magazine this month they had a recipe for homemade pretzels and I've been wanting to make them ever since. Then I saw some more behind the baking counter at Sams, so I woke up the next morning craving them. The recipe used whole wheat dough, which I'm sure would be great, but I wanted the traditional "mall" recipe, so I ended up with this recipe. These pretzels taste and have the exact same texture and chewiness of the ones at the mall (like at Pretzelmaker). So delicious! I was planning on making half and freezing the rest, but my husband, 2 kids and I ended up eating all 12 in one day! (and made up for it with salads for dinner!) I did 6 with cinnamon and sugar and 6 with course salt. My kids and I had so much fun making these and I let them make their own shapes too. One pointer, it's much easier to get the dough to stretch if you form it in your hands hanging rather than on the counter. I even swung mine around a few times...like I said before-they were fun to make! I think this is definitely going to be a family favorite for a long time!

Homemade Mall Pretzels
Recipe adapted from Jeannie Yee @ allrecipes.com
Makes 12
Printable Version with Picture
Printable Version without Picture

1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 tablespoons baking soda

2 tablespoons butter or dairy free margarine, melted
coarse kosher salt, garlic salt, cinnamon and sugar or other seasonings


In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
(The dough will be super sticky, but don't add any more flour or it will change the texture of the pretzels)
Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.

Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.
After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

Everyday Hearth Bread

Wow! I hope my neighbor doesn't mind me sharing this recipe, but it was seriously to die for! My husband and I ate an entire loaf in one night and then I called her the next day for the recipe. For those of you who eat out at Johnny Corinos, this bread tastes just like the bread they serve with their olive oil dippings. Yum! Perfect to eat by itself, dipped in olive oil, or with any Italian dish like we did tonight with spaghetti and meatballs. I'm still mad at myself for not taking a picture of the loaf my neighbor Heather brought over, because it looked like it was out of a magazine, but mine will have to do

Everyday Hearth Bread
Recipe adapted by Heather Moore (original is from Kristin Trevino)

1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp sea salt
3/4 tsp each of rosemary and Italian seasoning

½ tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
4-6 cups high quality bread flour (or all purpose with added 1/4 cup wheat gluten)
Kosher salt for top (regular salt will melt and not work)

Mix first 3 in bowl, add herbs, oil, and pepper. Add flour 1 cup at a time and add salt after first two cups of flour. Add flour until tack to touch- not sticky (I used 5 cups bread flour). Knead until supple and smooth. (5 minutes in mixer or 10 by hand) Place dough in oiled bowl and rise until doubled. Punch down and form into 2-3 loaves. Place on oiled/greased cookie sheet and cover with oiled saran wrap. Rise until almost doubled. Spray or drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on kosher salt generously. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, golden brown or 190 inside temperature. Cool on rack so bottoms don’t get soggy!

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs

When I first started cooking dairy free I threw out all of my recipes that had breadcrumbs in them, because I couldn't find any breadcrumbs at the store that didn't contain dairy. I'm sure most of you are laughing at me right now, but for those who actually didn't know you can make your own breadcrumbs (I'm with you!) here's the easy how to.

For soft fluffy breadcrumbs, use a blender or food processor. One slice makes about 3/4 cup crumbs.

For fine dry breadcrumbs, cut bread slices into 1 inch cubes (a pizza cutter works great here if you have one). Arrange the 1/2 inch cubes in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice. Let cool. Place in a food processor or blender; cover and process or blend into fine crumbs. One slice makes about 1/4 cup fine dry crumbs.

You can add Italian spices or any other spices to the crumbs if you would like to.

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread

As the name suggests, this is such a fun recipe for families and especially kids. One treat I really get down about my son missing out on is cinnamon rolls. I've tried a lot of recipes out there using rice milk, dairy free margarine and dairy free frosting, but I'm telling you right now that I will never fuss with those methods again. This monkey bread has the same flavor as a cinnamon roll, but is easier and funner to eat. The entire time my 3 1/2 year old son was devouring his 4 pieces he kept saying, "I LOVE monkey bread!" "This monkey bread is YUMMY!" "Monkeys love monkey bread!" "If you leave a trail of bread and raisins monkeys will eat it all up." I will even admit that after eating the first batch in one day I made another one the next day because he begged me to, and I love seeing him really enjoy something dairy free.

*Notes for success: Make sure you use a bunt cake pan and NOT an angel food cake pan (or two piece) or all of the sauce will leak out of the bottom. You might think it would be easier to just pour the sauce over the top of the pieces in the pan, but they won't get fully coated and they also won't pull apart as easily as when each piece is coated seperately. I made the dough in a bread machine and it turned out perfect, but you can also make it by hand.

Monkey Bread

Recipe adapted from Darren & Debbie @ allrecipes.com

1 cup water
2 tablespoons dairy free margarine, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup dairy free margarine (or butter if you don't have allergies)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins

1. Combine warm water (110 degrees) and yeast in a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes until foamy. Add margarine, sugar, cinnamon and mix. Add the salt and then the flour. Once the dough starts pulling from the sides of the bowl, take it onto the counter and knead. Put back in the bowl and put in a warm spot to rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. After an hour, punch down. *In a bread machine, add the first 7 ingredients in order (or how your manufactor indicates). Make sure no liquid comes in contact with the yeast. Select dough cycle and press start.


2. When dough is complete, place dough on floured surface and knead 10 to 12 times. Roll out about an inch thick and cut dough into 1 inch chunks (use a pizza cutter)


3. In a medium saucepan on low heat, melt 1/2 cup of margarine, stir in brown sugar and raisins and stir until smooth over medium heat. Remove from heat.


4. Drop one chunk at a time into the butter sugar mixture. Using tongs or fork, heavily coat dough pieces, then layer them loosely in a greased Bundt or tube pan, staggering layers so you're plopping each dough chunk over a space between two below. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 15 to 20 minutes.


5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, place a plate face down in top of the pan and, using oven mitts to hold plate on pan, turn over both until bread slides out onto plate. Don't cut! The pieces just pull apart. Serve warm and enjoy!

*You can also buy refridgerated biscuit dough (about three 12 ounce pkgs), cut them up and then coat them in a cinnamon and sugar mixture before dunking them into the sauce.

French Bread Rolls

My friend Mel will always be a heaven sent because she introduced me to these rolls. They don't have any milk or eggs, and taste just as yummy as those that do! I promise-they melt in your mouth!

French Bread RollsRecipe from Mel @ My Kitchen Cafe

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (or use your mixer to knead) Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12-14 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth (or greased saran wrap), and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake for 12-13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.