Chocolate Gelato and Warm Steakhouse Wheat Bread

I had two successes today.  After waiting for the bread to bake and the gelato to freeze and eating my round 3 of Thanksgiving, we had incredible warm bread and gelato!!!  I'm posting the recipes here because they are the best so far.  Note this is the first time I've made bread that I really love in a bread machine.  I was almost ready to give up and only use it for dough. 

So good with a pat of butter

Gelato in the machine

Chocolate Gelato

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, mix milk and sugar. Warm until foam forms around the edges. Remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until frothy. Gradually pour 1/2 the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return egg mixture to saucepan with the rest of the milk; cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture gels slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Add in the Nutella and coffee granuals (optiona) If small egg lumps begin to show, remove from heat immediately.
3. Pour the mixture through a sieve or fine strainer into a bowl (if you don't get lumps you can skip the sieve). Cover, and chill for several hours or overnight (until completely cool).
4. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a sealed container, and freeze until firm. If the gelato is too firm, place it in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired consistency.

 

 

Steak House Wheat Bread

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 cup unbleached bread flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons  yeast

Directions

1. Place the warm water, butter, honey, salt, coffee, cocoa, sugar, bread flour, whole wheat flour, and yeast in the bread machine in the order listed. Put on regular or basic cycle with light crust.

Happy Days after Thanksgiving; a time to share viruses

Owen came down with strep throat on Thanksgiving.  We just thought he was catching the cold that Sean has been battling all week.  By yesterday, I knew it was something different because of the fever and when I looked in his throat ...well it was off to urgent care.  I love Omaha and all of it's urgent care centers.  Anyway, a quick throat culture and confirmation of my suspicions.  He has already starting to feel better today.  Anne and I, on the other hand, have most likely come down with Sean's cold.

Yesterday we mostly ate left overs but I did make cinnamon ice cream for the sore throats in the house.  Sean and I loved it but the kids were luke warm on the cinnamon flavor.  I am now making wheat bread in the bread machine and chocolate gelato.  I'll post those when they are ready.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the sugar and half-and-half. When the mixture begins to simmer, remove from heat, and whisk half of the mixture into the eggs. Whisk quickly so that the eggs do not scramble. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, and stir in the heavy cream. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla and cinnamon. Set aside to cool.
2. Pour cooled mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

I found these cute containers at Target.  Perfect for holding ice cream.

Oskar is enjoying a Sunbeam.  He loves making Gelato because it only uses the yolks so he gets the left over egg whites.

Oskar loves a good sunbeam.  He knows how to be Thankful.

Hours of cooking and you are done in 15 minutes...

Ok. Yes, I overate and now I'm way too full.  Almost done with clean up and then it's time to watch the Grinch and Charlie Brown.

Not a great picture of the Turkey.  I had already starting cutting it when I realized I needed a picture.

Here you see our traditional items.  Turkey, gravy, corn, stuffing, potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and homemade cranberry sauce.

The cranberry sauce looks like a jewel on the table and adds the most wonderful flavor to the Turkey.

I cleaned my plate.  Ouch.

I use to over eat all the time but a few years ago consciously made an effort to stop that, knowing that one day it would catch up with me.  Well today, I went back to my old ways.

Anne and her Turkey Leg

Owen and his turkey leg

No Fail Turkey!!!

Don't listen to the experts!  Cook your bird breast side down and cover it with a lid, after smothering it in olive oil and your choice of spices (this will make a fine gravy later).  Test the bird every hour.  When the leg starts to fall off take the lid off and brown (if needed) for 15 minutes to 1/2 hour.  This will be the juiciest bird you've ever cooked.   I'm not sure why the "experts" tell you to do the opposite but I have never basted a Turkey and don't own a baster.  If you read instruction for wild birds, the instructions are more similar to my method.

Chopping up the green peppers for the stuffing.  I do Cornbread stuffing.  I don't stuff the bird...I bake it in a pan...I don't like soggy stuffing.

For breakfast we had deviled eggs.  I mix my egg yoke with mayo and mustard and a touch of pepper.  Delice!

PIE!!!!

I love baking pie...correction.  I love EATING pie.  I made three.  Tried a new method of crust and I have to say it gave me trouble.  I always wondered why people complain about crust because I've always seem to have a knack for it...not today.  It tastes great but it was really difficult to handle.

 

Broccoli Pie

Last Sunday we had broccoli pie.  I just ate the last piece for lunch.  It's funny how the kids tell me they don't like it but Anne asks for a second piece.  Owen eats all but the tomatoes -which I could have left out but know that one day he'll eat them.  This is high in protein and can be served at any meal as a main course or a side.

Recipe:

• 1.5 pounds of broccoli florets (basically enough to fill a pie plate)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt (pepper to taste)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup of melted butter
• 1 large tomato thinly sliced (I use grape tomatoes cut thin or in half)
• 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese

preheat over to 350 degrees

cut up broccoli and steam until crisp bright green (slightly tender); arrange on bottom of greased 9 inch pie plate.  Combine dry ingredients, add sour cream, mix well.  Add cottage cheese, eggs, and melted butter; mix until combined.  Stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Pour over the broccoli in the pie plate.  Top with tomatoes and the rest (1/4 cup) Parmesan cheese.  Bake an hour.

Yay! It's almost Thanksgiving

Although no one is coming for Thanksgiving, I intend to do the whole meal for just the four of us.  With Sean and his vegetarian ways, there will be a lot of Turkey left over even with the small sized one I found.

So let me update why I haven't posted much lately.  Friday of last week, we went to the good ol' hockey game. The UNO Mavericks played well and are currently seated 4th in the nation.  It was fun.  Saturday, Sean and I went to the Children's Hospital benefit at the Qwest center.  Kenny Rogers played after our meal.  It was surprisingly really good.  He sounded great.

We had Grilled Cheese sandwiches for lunch

 
Getting a lot of use out of the electric griddle I bought from bakers.  It's perfect for making up the chocolate chip pancakes as well.  I also like to make quesadillas with it too.