Extremely Soft White Bread

My wife and I just returned from a three week trip to Italy and oh my goodness, were we spoiled with food and wine. One of our biggest take aways? That we take for granted how fresh foods really make a difference. Not only for our health but for the overall good it does for our bodies. Once we returned and settled back into the swing of things, we booked it to Bed Bath and Beyond and purchased a bread machine. Now, each Sunday I am making fresh bread for the week. This was the first recipe I followed to make a soft, delicious, white bread.

YIELDS 1 LOAF

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil or butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups white flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put your hot water, yeast and sugar in your bread machine. Let stand 6-12 minutes depending on the temp of your water. Your yeast will foam.

2. Add remaining ingredients.

3. Use rapid or basic white cycles.

Nama's Cole Slaw

My Nama's (Grandma's) cole slaw is the BEST cole slaw. There is no other way around that. It's creamy, but not too creamy, and it has the perfect sweet and sour balance that a flavor combo profile can have. I hope you enjoy this as much as my whole family does. And feel free to play around with the measurements if you like your slaw creamier or more vinegar based.

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 head of cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup oil
1-2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup mayo to start

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine apple cider vinegar and oil and mix very well. Add the sugar. The more sugar you add, the less acidic it will be.

2. Add cabbage/carrot mix to the large bowl and mix with the vinegar and oil.

3. Add may and mix well. For creamier cole slaw, add more mayo.

Garlic Edamame

This is such a delicious and quick snack or addition to a meal. Plus it's healthy, full of nutrients, and super flavorful. 

Serves 2 to 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Frozen Edamame
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Teaspoons Soy sauce
2 Teaspoons Garlic

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat.

2. Add 1 Cup frozen edamame to pan, stirring occasionally for approximately 6-8 minutes.

3. Add 2 tsp. soy sauce to edamame, stir.

4. Chop 2-3 cloves fresh garlic and add garlic to pan and stir.

5. Continue stirring ingredients together until edamame and garlic are fully cooked (2-3 minutes).

Cranberry & Brie Baked Cheese Appetizer

Ingredients:

• 1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• About a 1/4 cup of Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• 1 round Brie cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 bag (12-16 oz) fresh cranberries

Directions:

1. For the Cranberry Sauce: Dissolve the sugar in the water in a medium size pot over medium high heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the cranberries to the pot. The cranberries will begin to pop and break open. This takes about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and flavor as desired.

2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk egg in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Gently tear apart the crescent dough so that 4 crescent rolls form a square. Press the perforations together so they don't tear apart and form one square of dough.

4. Lay the dough out on a sheet of parchment paper. Put about 1/4 cup of cranberry sauce in the middle of the dough. Place the brie round on top of the cranberry sauce. Top the brie with more cranberries.

5. Tear apart a rectangle of 2 crescent rolls and lay them over on top of the cranberries on top of the brie. Fold the rest of the dough up and around the brie so it is encased in the dough.

6. Brush the tops and sides of the dough with the egg.

7. Place the parchment paper and brie on a baking sheet. Bake for at least 30 minutes, watching closely to make sure that the dough cooks through but doesn't burn. It should be a nice dark brown once done.

8. Allow the brie to cool for 15 minutes before serving.