Simple recipes and great foods you will feel good about bringing to the table.

Recently it's been all about "Homemade" in our house as I have been a particularly "culinary" mood as of late.
I'm no chef, I'm not a baker and "extra"time is hard to find these day, but with simple and wholesome recipes like these you can bring a delicious homemade meal to the table for your family.

Here are a few of some really simple, very inexpensive and extremely delicious recipes I have been having fun with lately!

We have made homemade pasta for ravioli...

Homemade dough recipe

4 cups flour (half all purpose/half whole wheat)

2 tsp salt

4 large eggs

Combine ingredients and kneed by hand or in mixer with dough hook. Roll to desired thickness and cut to pasta shape you desire. 

For Ravioli cut 2 inch squares. 

Fill

Wet edges 

Place pasta square on top and seal edges.

Boil 8-10 mins

We've made super yummy Ham & Swiss cheese hand pies...

How to:

Prepare pie crust

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cold butter

4-5 tbs ice cold water

Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with pasty blender until dough resembles course crumbs. Then stir in water with fork until flour is moistened. 

Knead on floured surface and refrigerate. 

Roll out dough, but in 6 inch 3-5 inch circles. 

Add filling ingredients, we used black forest ham and Swiss cheese.  leave space around edge to seal.

Wet edges and place dough circle on top. Roll edges to seal.

Brush on egg wash (3 egg white well beaten)

Bake 425 

10-12 mins depending on filling ingredient, or until golden brown. 

MMMMMMMM...BAGELS!

Recently, I was reading through Pioneer Woman's blog and found her recipe for homemade bagels. This recipe is basic in it's ingredients and so simple to execute. 

You can dress these up any way you want...add cinnamon and raisins, sunflower seeds or walnuts, perhaps a little fennel sprinkled on the crispy bagel tops. 

Such a simple and money saving recipe had to be shared with all of you! 

Here is the step by step process I took at home to create these delicious and simple little delights!!

Gather your short list of ingredients...

Yeast

Flour (all purpose/ whole wheat)

Sugar

Salt

Water

Prepare your yeast with warm water and sugar. Takes about 5 minutes.

then add your dry ingredients. You can knead by hand or in your Kitchen aid with a dough hook.

Place the dough in a covered bowl somewhere warm to rise. 20-30 depending on the warmth of the location you've chosen.

After it's had some time to get warm and grow a bit turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or two. 

Split the dough into 6 equal pieces. 

Roll each section secinto a snake, long enough to wrap around your hand. 

Dip the ends in water to help stick the ends together forming a "hoop" in your hand. 

Place onto floured surface and let rise for 20 or so more minutes. 

 Boil 6 cups of water.
When water has come to a gentle rolling boil place three bagels in.
wait 1 minute, then flip and cook 1 more minute.

Moment for Mamma or Daddy-0!

 I always take advantage of the steam for a little mini facial. :)

 After they have boiled for a total of 2 minutes pull the bagels and place them on a clean towel, or napkin to get rid of excess water.

  Place in oven, 425 for 18 minutes. Flip them over after 10 minutes. 

Enjoy these fresh out of the oven, or

cool, toast and enjoy these delicious and simple treats!!

For the original and printable recipe go to The Pioneer Women's Blog

These bagels taste especially great with a little homemade butter!!

How to:

1 container whipping cream

Salt to taste

Whip until creamy and buttery

8-10 minutes on high

For me it feels aprticulary rewarding to bring food like this to the table for my family. You can almost taste a bit of the time, love and intention that gets put into meals like this. Hope you all enjoy 1 or all of these recipes.