Lisa's Kitchen Blog

I always think about making my own bread, but as much as my 3 boys go through, I'm afraid my days would just be consumed with baking, and nothing else. Plus, with the time and energy involved, I'm not sure it would save any money. Still, there's nothing quite like a hot slice of bread straight from the oven, smeared with a little butter. So I buy our everyday bread, and make my own on special occasions or for meals that demand it, like spaghetti.

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for French bread that supposedly costs only 25 cents a loaf to make. I didn't figure out the costs for myself, but I can tell you it was easy enough even for a bread novice like me, and my family gobbled up both loaves in a hurry!  Speaking of Pinterest, are you following Living the Country Life? We have several boards to follow, including one for recipes. Click here to join us on Pinterest!

Easy French bread

This recipe makes two large or three small loaves.

2-1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 Tbsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
6-7 cups flour (or more if needed)
1 egg, beaten

In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients, and let sit for about five minutes, or until bubbly. Then add the salt and oil and stir. Add the flour, one cup at a time, until the dough is still soft, but firm. If it is still too sticky after 7 cups of flour, add more.

On a floured surface, knead the dough for five minutes, then return it to the bowl and place it in a cold oven with a pan of boiling water. This will keep the dough moist and help it rise. Check the dough every so often, and when it rises to the top of the bowl, punch it down. Do this two to five times, as time allows. I punched down the risen dough three times.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and difice into 2 or 3 equal portions, depending on how many loaves you want to make. Sprinkle corn meal on a greased cookie sheet. Form each dough section into a loaf and place on the cookie sheet. Slice diagonal slits into the top of each loaf, and brush with the let rise on the counter for about 30 minutes, until doubled. Brush each loaf with the beaten egg. If you prefer, you can brush with egg first and place the loaves in a 170-degree F. oven until they double in size.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Then do your best to fight off your family as they dive-bomb your delicious hot bread!

One of my favorite things to get at a chinese restaurant (when I can tear myself away from the kung pao scallops) is orange chicken. I love how the tangy sweetness of the orange sauce combines with the savory chicken and rice. Of course, the chicken is breaded and deep fried, and the rice is also fried. Or at the very least, white. Some Chinese restaurants are offering brown rice now, which I always appreciate. I actually prefer the taste, and it's much healthier.

I wanted to use my slow cooker to make orange chicken, but didn't want to spend the time or the fat grams frying the chicken pieces first. That makes this version much healthier than the usual restaurant fare, but I liked it just as much. The ginger adds a nice subtle flavor. 

My husband was sure he was NOT going to like this dish, but when he walked into the house after work, he had to admit it smelled amazing. He gobbled it right down, and even said, "Of all the chicken and rice dishes you have made, this one is the most flavorful." The only adjustment I made is that my youngest, Will, hates lettuce with a passion. I just scooped some rice and meat mixture into a bowl for him, and he was good to go! You could stir-fry some frozen Chinese veggies to go with this dish while the rice is cooking if you like. It would also make a nice appetizer for a party, since the Romaine leaves make it semi-portable. Enjoy!

Slow cooker orange-ginger chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can use breasts if you prefer)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
4 tsp. soy sauce
4 tsp. ginger, freshly grated or from a jar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 orange (zest and fruit)
3 scallions, sliced
Rice
Romaine lettuce

Place whole chicken thighs into a greased 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and the zest of one orange. Whisk to combine and pour over meat in slow cooker, turning to coat. Cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender, 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low.

In a separate pan, make rice on the stovetop. Instead of using water, use juice from the slow cooker.

While the rice is cooking, remove chicken pieces to a cutting board and shred into bite-sized pieces. Return to slow cooker. Cut orange segments into bite-sized pieces and fold into the mixture, along with scallions.

To serve, scoop rice onto the end of a piece of Romaine lettuce. Top with meat mixture and drizzle with sauce.

Jerry Jeff Walker has a song called "Sangria wine" and I couldn't get it out of my head while I was making this! Sangria is such a fun drink to make, and it just tastes like summer. You can use any fresh fruit you have on hand, and the best thing is, there's no need for expensive wine. You can seriously turn a $3 bottle of wine into a delicious drink! Here's how I made this batch of sangria.

Summertime sangria

750 ml bottle of inexpensive wine (I used a sweet red table wine)
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange, sliced
1/2 lemon, sliced
2 key limes, sliced
3 cups club soda (try lime flavored!)

Pour wine into a pitcher. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Add sliced fruit and stir again. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight to let the flavors mingle. Try to keep yourself from sneaking drinks. Warn the kids it's a grown-up drink.

Immediately before serving, add club soda and give it a stir. Pour into glasses and garnish with fruit slices. If you are just having a glass at a time rather than serving the pitcher to friends, skip adding the whole amount of club soda. Just pour the wine and fruit mixture into your glass and top with a little soda.

You can make a delicious non-alcoholic sangria by just using grape juice in place of the wine. Then everyone can enjoy the taste of summer!

Cheers to you, friends!
 

Slow cookers are great in the winter, but they often get shoved to the back of the cupboard in the summer. I live in an old farmhouse with no central air, and even with a couple of window unit air conditioners, it gets pretty hot in my house. Hot enough that I avoid turning on the oven at all costs. Once again, my many slow cookers come to the rescue! They let me prepare a nice meal for my family without heating up the house, and I can start dinner, take the kids to the pool, and when we all get home, dinner's ready!

I made these chicken fajitas yesterday, and was a little worried about my youngest not wanting to eat them, because he thinks he doesn't like peppers and onions. He also thinks he doesn't like tacos or fajitas, but he loves burritos. So ... whenever we have tacos -- or in this case fajitas -- I just roll his up like a burrito, hand it to him, and we're good to go. Everybody loved these, and the only thing I would change is that next time I'll make more! Everyone wanted seconds! I was a little afraid the chicken would fall apart and we'd have shredded chicken instead, but the strips held together beautifully.

Slow cooker chicken fajitas

2-3 cups sweet and/or hot peppers, cut into strips
1/2 onion, cut into strips
1 lb. raw chicken, cut into strips (I used boneless skinless thighs)
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder (or you could use fresh minced or garlic from a jar)
2 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add chicken and vegetables. Top with spices. Toss to combine everything, and sprinkle lime or lemon juice on top. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or  until chicken is done.

Serve on tortillas (here's a link to my recipe for delicious homemade tortillas) with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and whatever else you like! By the time this dish is finished cooking, there will be a lot of juice in the crock pot. I used that juice instead of water to make some instant rice, and it gave it a great flavor. If you're looking to save calories, skip the tortillas and serve the meat and veggies in lettuce wraps. Enjoy!

This recipe would also be great for the freezer. Just put all the ingredients into a freezer bag instead of the slow cooker, and freeze! Then all you have to do is just thaw the bag in the fridge, toss in the slow cooker, and go!