Blooming Olive Bread

 Blooming Olive Bread 

1 loaf sourdough bread, unsliced

1/2 6 oz jar Pimento stuffed green olives 

1/2 oz can black olives, sliced 

1 bunch green onions 

1/2 stick butter, softened 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

8 oz marble cheese, shredded 

1/4 tsp pepper 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil leaving enough overhang on all sides so it can be pulled up to cover the bread 

With a sharp bread knife or electric knife, slice loaf almost to the bottom. Repeat in 1” intervals until the entire loads is sliced. Rotate the bread slice the same so you have 1” squares. Be careful to not slice all the way through. Place bread on prepared baking sheet. 

Slice olives and green onions and set aside. 

In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, mayonnaise and pepper until well combined. Mix in olives and green onions, then shredded cheese.  

Stuff olive mixture into the bread, working into all of the spaces. 

Pull up the foil and cover the loaf. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Unwrap the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Serve immediately.

Homemade Crostini

 Homemade Crostini

This easy homemade crostini recipe requires only 3 ingredients and takes only 15 minutes to make. Perfect vessel for you favourite dip, salsa or appetizer. 

French baguette 

3-4 tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare 1 large or 2 small baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silpat baking mat. 

Slice your baguette into about 1/2” thick slices and place on prepared baking sheets. Brush both sides of each piece with olive oil. 

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.  It is not necessary to flip the crostini while baking, both side will be crisp.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with kosher salt. 

Serve with your favourite appetizer. 

Notes:  

Use garlic infused olive oil instead to create a flavour variation. 

Add additional spices for an added flavour.

Use whole wheat, cheddar & onion or any other baguette type instead. 

Similar to homemade croutons, you can use stale bread. 

Grill your crostini for a couple of minutes on each side instead of baking in the oven. 

Herb & Goat Cheese Popovers

 Herb & Goat Cheese Popovers

1 1/4 cups canola oil, divided 

2 cups whole milk

4 large eggs

1 tbsp butter, melted 

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

1 tbsp fresh parsley

1 tbsp chives 

1 tbsp thyme

2 tsp lemon zest

3 oz goat cheese,  rumbled 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place 1 tsp oil in each cup of a 12 cup popover pan or muffin tin. Once oven has come to temperature, place popover pan in oven for 5 minutes. 

Process milk, eggs, butter and salt in a blender on low until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and process on medium heat until well combined. Stir in herbs and lemon zest. 

Remove popover pan from oven & working quickly divide batter evenly among cups, filling almost halfway. Top evenly with cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until puffed and well browned, 15 - 30 minutes more.  Remove from oven and serve.  

Homemade Croutons

Homemade Croutons 

 4 hot dog buns, day old or 40 small cubes 

2 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp onion powder 

1 tsp sea salt 

1 tsp parsley flakes 

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme 

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cut hot dog buns into small cubes, about 20 per roll using a serrated knife. Place in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with spices and gently toss using your fingers. 

Drizzle with olive oil and toss again. 

Arrange seasoned bread crumbs in a single layer on a rimed baking sheet.  

Bake 10 - 15 minutes until lightly browned. 

Remove and allow to cool slightly before tossing into a salad.  

Outback Steakhouse Sweet Molasses Bread

 Outback Steakhouse Sweet Molasses Bread 

1 cup warm water 

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 egg

2 tbsp butter, room temperature 

2 tbsp molasses 

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 cups white flour

1 tbsp cocoa 

1 tsp salt

Place warm water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and allow to proof for 10 minutes (mixture will bubble).  

Add whole wheat flour, egg, butter, molasses and honey & turn on low, using the dough hook. Add 1 cup white flour, cocoa and salt & continue to mix on low. Gradually add in remaining white flour 1/2 cup up to 1 cup if needed until dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. 

Continue to mix on low until dough for 10 minutes until dough is soft and elastic. 

Turn dough out, fill into a ball and allow to rise in a warm place, covered for 60 - 90 minutes until doubled in size. 

Shape into 6 small loaves on a cookie sheet OR 16 rolls in a 9 x 13 pan OR 4 baguettes on cookie sheets and rise again until doubled in size covered 45 - 60 minutes. Score the tops of the loaves. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes for loaves or 20 minutes for rolls OR baguettes. 

Pita Chips

Pita Chips

Pita bread, thick Greek style - no pocket

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Brush both sides of pitta bread with olive oil. Sprinkle one side with seasoning and slice into 8 pieces.  Place on prepared baking sheet and bake 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven 

Spice Variations

Oregano

Kosher salt

Garlic powder

Parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley

Italian seasoning

Kosher salt

Montreal steak spice

Cilantro

Season salt

Basil

Olive Cheese Bread

Olive Cheese Bread 

1 loaf French bread 

15 Queen Pimento stuffed Olives 

10 garlic stuffed olives 

10 kalamata olives 

2 stalks green olives 

1/4 lb butter 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Roughly chop olives & slice green onions into thin pieces. 

Combine butter, mayonnaise, cheese, olives and green onions in a mixing bowl. Slice French bread and spread mixture thickly on top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve. 

The mixture can be made in advance and refridgerated for up to 2 days. 

Sweet Potato Cornmeal Biscuits

Sweet Potato Cornmeal Biscuits 

Nonstick Spray

2 eggs 

3/4 cup sour cream 

1/2 cup grated sweet potato, about 1 small 

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 

1/4 cup sugar 

2 tsp baking powder 

2 tsp dry mustard 

1 tsp salt 

1/4 cup chopped cilantro 

1 cup grated cheddar cheese 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray muffin pan with nonstick spray 

Combine eggs, sour cream, sweet potato and oil in a bowl. 

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, dry mustard and salt in a separate bowl. Mix the dry ingrediants into the wet ingrediants. Stir in the cilantro and cheese until just combined. 

Evenly distribute mixture between 12 muffin cups. Place muffin pan on a baking sheet.  

Bake 17 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from muffin pan and serve warm. 

Herb and Olive Oil Bread Dip

Herb and Olive Oil Bread Dip

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano 

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1/2 tsp kosher or ground sea salt

1/4 red pepper flakes, crushed

1/2 tsp olive oil

1/8 tsp lemon juice

Combine herbs in a small food processor or food chopper.  Chop briefly until all ingrediants are about the same size. Add olive oil & lemon juice and mix well. 

Combine  1 1/2 tsp herb blend to 4 tsp olive oil on a small rimmed plate and serve with a sliced baguette for dipping. 

Refrigerate extra herb blend in an air tight container for use later. 

Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Flatbread, 13 x 10 inches in size

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

2 large red onions, sliced 1/4" thick

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 pkg garlic herb spreadable cheese

Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place flatbread on baking sheet and brush with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 5 minutes. 

In a large skillet heat remaining oilive oil over medium heat. Add butter, melt and add onions, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in honey and vinegar. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until Caramelized, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and cool slightly. 

Spread cheese over flat bread and cover with onion mixture. Cut into squares and serve. 

Fontina Cheese Crostini

Fontina Cheese Crostini

1/2 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch slices

Olive oil, for drizzling

2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 cup fontina cheese, grated

Kosher salt

Garlic powder

Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzled with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder and sage. Sprinkle cheese on top and season with salt to taste. 

Bake in a 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the bread is light golden, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. 

Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Bread

Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Bread

1 can grands biscuits, cut into quarters

1/2 stick butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the butter in a bundt pan and let it melt in the preheating oven. 

Toss the biscuits with the garlic and cheese and put in bundt pan over the melted butter. 

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes and turn over to a serving plate. 

Prospector Buns

Prospector Buns

Add in the following order to bread machine;

1 cup lukewarm water

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp yeast

Set on dough setting. 

Generously grease a sheet of wax paper. Turn dough onto wax paper and form into a log. 

Cut into 12 equal pieces and put in greased muffin tin. Let rise 30 minutes. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes. 

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire Pudding

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/8 cup oil, beef drippings or bacon grease 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Whip eggs until frothy, add milk and continue to whip until well combined. Add flour and salt and whip until well blended. 

Pour oil into each muffin tin to cover the bottom. Place muffin tin in oven approximately 5 minutes until oil is hot.  Pour batter into preheated muffin tins approximately half full. 

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until muffins have risen out of tin and are golden brown. 

Makes 12 

See the full post at Yorkshire Pudding