Whole Grain Apple Cheese Bread

Oops!  I published this recipe this morning without noticing that Jen had published another recipe a few minutes before me.  Normally I would have chosen to publish it another day, but alas it's really hard to make a post go away once you hit publish so you all just get double recipe goodness today!


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Bread  = Good.

Bread + Apples = Very good.

Bread + Apples + Cheese = Excellent!

 Bread + Apples + Cheese + Apple Butter = Yum-o-licious!

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

1 Tbs. active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
3 cups all purpose flour, divided ( I used 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour + 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour)

1-1/2 cups finely chopped apples
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt


Directions:
BREAD:  In a large bowl, combine yeast and water; stirring to dissolve yeast.  Allow to rest for about 5 minutes.  To the yeast mixture, add the all-purpose flour (1-1/2 cups), the chopped apples, shredded cheese, eggs, sugar, shortening, and salt. 

Beat for about 2 minutes. 

Gently stir in remaining flour (1-1/2 cups of white whole wheat flour). 

Cover batter and allow to rise for 50-60 minutes. 

Beat the dough one last time before shaping and placing it into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Cover and allow to rise about 40 minutes or until nearly doubled.

Bake for 45-55 minutes in a 375-degree oven or until loaf sounds hollow when gently tapped. 

Remove from pan and cool on wire rack at least 15 minutes before serving with some apple butter!

Enjoy!

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Apple and Pear Green Salad with Honey Poppy Seed Dressing

Last week, we kicked off autumn here at Recipe Shoebox by posting a new apple recipe a day.   WE made sweet and savory dishes....some duds (that we didn't post) and some new family favorites.  This salad recipe is most likely the last of our apple series and was another delicious addition to the collection.  My family loved the sweet and salty combination in this hearty salad and with how easy it was to throw together I envision this one being one that we make on a regular basis. 

Recipe from Southern Living.

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

SALAD
1 package (16-oz) Romaine lettuce, thoroughly washed, dried, and chopped
1/2 lb. Swiss cheese, cut into strips
1 cup roasted, salted cashews
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins)
1 large apple, thinly sliced
1 large pear, thinly sliced

HONEY POPPY SEED DRESSING


3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. poppy seeds
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:
Makes 6-8 hearty servings. 

For salad, divide lettuce up among the serving plates.  Top with cheese, cashews, craisins, apple, and pear.  Drizzle with dressing.  Or if you prefer combine all ingredients in a large serving bowl, then drizzle with dressing. 

For dressing, combine all ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well to combine. 

Enjoy! 

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Apple, Pear, and Gorgonzola Chicken Pasta

When I was searching for apple recipes to try for this week, I was determined that I would branch out of the apple/cinnamon genre of recipe and go for some fun, new combinations.  I tried a few others along the way, but this autumn-inspired pasta dish rose to the top and has become a new family favorite.   There's just something about the way the sweetness of the apples, the sharpness of the Gorgonzola, and the tanginess of the craisins came together that worked so deliciously well.   Enjoy!

Be sure to check out all of our other yummy apple recipes and look out for a couple more still coming... 

Recipe adapted from my favorite new cookbook Savoring the Seasons With Our Best Bites

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara

The ingredients:
1-lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 Tbs. oil
1 box (14.5-oz) bow tie pasta
2 medium pears, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch slices
2 medium tart apples, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch slices
3 Tbs. butter
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2/3 cup cream
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions: 
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then in a heavy duty skillet over high heat, cook the chicken in the oil for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown, but not cooked through.   Remove from heat, reserving oil/juices.

Cook pasta according to package directions.


While pasta is cooking, cut up the chicken and place back in the skillet and cook on low for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through.  Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add apples and pears and saute for 1-2 minutes or until slightly tender. 

Use a slotted spoon to remove apples and pears from pan and set aside.  Leave any remaining butter and juices in pan.

Add chicken broth, salt, and pepper to pan and bring to a simmer.   Whisk cream and cornstarch together and add to pan.  Return to simmer and cook 1-2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add dried cranberries and simmer about 30 seconds.

Remove from heat and immediately add Gorgonzola cheese, apples/pears, chicken, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and pasta. 

Toss to coat. 

Immediately before serving, add pecans and top with additional cheese if desired. 

Makes 6 main dish servings. 

Enjoy! 

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Homemade Pizza Lunchable

For as much as I like to cook dinners and desserts, I've always harbored a fend-for-yourself, rather lazy attitude about my kids' lunches.  For years they've been eating sandwiches almost every day.  My idea of getting daring was mixing it up between PB&J's and lunchmeat sandwiches. This year though, I decided it was time to turn over a new leaf and mix things up for real.  It takes more prep on my part, but it is my goal to send them to school each day with a variety of wholesome and fun foods, that they will enjoy eating.   And although I'm just getting started on this venture, this entire week here at Recipe Shoebox will be dedicated to sharing some of our new favorite out-of-the-box lunch box ideas! 

My kids love those storebought pre-made "lunchables".  Too bad they're not very healthy and are far too expensive when you're making lunches for five every day, so they rarely get them.   As soon as I saw the idea for these DIY Pizza Lunchables, I knew it was something I needed to add to our new "real food lunches" as soon as possible.  I made whole-grain pizza crust from scratch, but you could also use the sandwich thins from the bread aisle to make this even easier.   Additionally, the pizza crusts store well in the freezer, so I made a big double batch to save work for next time.  And there will definitely be a next time, because my kids loved these with a capital "L"!  They were just as fun as the storebought version, but without the hefty price tag! 

Adapted from Mommy's Kitchen. 

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:


(per lunchable)
1-2 pre-cooked mini pizza crusts (see recipe below or use sandwich thins from the bread aisle)
2 Tbs. pizza sauce (my favorite brand)
1-2 Tbs. shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
1 Tbs. mini pepperoni (or chopped pepperoni)

Directions:
I used this divided container for the main part and a small container similar to this for the sauce.  The crust is unwrapped on the bottom of the container with the pepperoni and cheese in baggies on top.  Also included were apple slices and a homemade fruit roll-up . 

Package up the crust(s), sauce, cheese, and pepperoni as desired.  Add in a fruit, drink, a spoon, napkin,  and a "fun" item and you've got yourself a cheap and healthy homemade lunchable!   It looks a little tight with the sauce sitting on top, but their Lands' End lunchboxes still zipped up without problem. 

Enjoy! 



PIZZA CRUST
(Makes 2 thin-crust pizzas or 12 mini pizza crusts)

1-1/2 cups warm water (about 115 degrees F)
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. yeast
3-4 cups flour (I use 1 cup white all-purpose flour and the remainder freshly ground white whole wheat flour)

Directions:
Preheat oven and pizza pan to 450-degrees.  Mix warm water, sugar, oil, salt, and yeast. Stir to combine.  Add flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the bowl.  Cover bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Divide the dough into 12-equal pieces and roll out on a floured surface.  Remove hot pan from oven and carefully place the dough rounds onto the surface of the pan (greased or sprinkled with corn meal).   Bake for about 8-minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool completely on wire rack.  Store in plastic bags in the freezer. 

Enjoy!

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Creamy Pasta with Sausage

It's taking time, but I am slowly getting back into the cooking groove again.   I'm perusing my cookbooks again, trying new recipes, and even taking pictures.  Now if I could just get back into the blogging groove too...

This pasta dish was excellent and will definitely be making repeat appearances on our menu!  I made a double batch of this for my family and some visiting relatives and there was not a single bit of it left over afterward.  If you're looking for a fuss-free crowd pleaser, then look no further...

Recipe Source:  Mrs. Schwartz's Kitchen

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:


1 package (12-ounces) Italian Sausage (I loved this Niman Ranch brand--from Whole Foods)
1 lb penne pasta (or variety of your choice)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 cups cream or half and half
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese + additional for garnish
1 cup frozen peas

Directions:
Start by taking the casing off of the sausage, cut a long slit in the casing and pull out the meat.  Add this to a large skillet and cook as you would ground beef.  (OR if your sausage is fully cooked like ours was, then you can just slice into "coins" and brown it in the frying pan.)

Remove the sausage from the frying pan and set aside.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. 

Add the onion to the frying pan and cook in the sausage grease for about 3 minutes.

  After 3 minutes, add the garlic.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Add the red pepper to the pan and cook for about a minute.

Add the cream to the skillet and bring to a slight bubble on medium heat (but not a full boil). 

Add the cheese once it barely comes to a bubble.  Stir and bring back to a slight bubble and let it thicken.

Add the cooked pasta, sausage and peas to the pan.  Toss to coat in the sauce.

To serve, plate the pasta and top with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.  Makes 5-6 servings. 

Enjoy!

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Stuffed French Bread

Everyone at my house LOVES French Bread.  The best store bought bread we have found is at Walmart and we get some just about every time we are there.  It is always warm and so soft!  I usually make it into garlic bread, and maybe add a little cheese in, and when I saw this idea I had to try it!  If you like mustard and cheese and French bread, you will love this.  The concept is great too.  We served it with Grilled Bruschetta Chicken and I was thinking that the tomato/cheese topping on that would be yummy stuffed in this bread.  So many possibilities and so delicious!

Recipe Source: Monster Mama

Click here for the printable recipe.

Posted by Katie.

The Ingredients:

1 loaf  unsliced French Bread

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. minced onion or onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack)
1 1/2 Tbsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (or parsley flakes)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.  Cut "X" slices in your bread, not cutting all the way through, to make little squares you can stuff stuff around.  Wrap bottom of bread in foil and set aside.

In a small bowl, melt butter.  Mix in lemon juice, onion, garlic powder, and mustard.  Whisk well until combined.

Using a pastry brush, or spoon, spread butter mixture evenly throughout all the little crevices in your bread.

Stuff cheese around in the same way.

Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is well melted and a little bubbly.

Enjoy!

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