A Recipe and Thanks!

First off.... Whim & Connie, thanks for the support & the sympathy. I really felt like it would be justifiable homocide the other morning, if I went postal. *wry smile* Ironically, yesterday morning wasn't any better as the folks who are/were? planning on building a house on the lot directly across from my house came in with dirt & were back-filling the hole they'd dug last fall. Don't know if they've decided NOT to build there, and were filling in this big gapping hole for safety reasons, or what. But it was 8:30 in the morning when the loader started bringing in bucket-loads of dirt. Needless to say.... Was not too happy about that, either. 2 mornings in a row. Go freaking figure. And this morning the guys doing the lights are back, with a smaller loader, sitting in my drive, removing the metal form from around the cement footer for the light. *sigh* One of these days, I'd really, really love to sleep in without interuption. I know, with 2 dogs and a kid it's unlikely to happen, but doesn't mean I can't wish. *wink* Anyway, Thanks again, Whim & Connie, for the support & understanding.

Now, for that bread recipe you asked for Connie! It's actually one of the recipes that came with my dad's bread-maker years ago. We only rarely used the breadmaker because the loaves were so wierdly shaped, but this was my favorite of the breads we made in it.

Golden Egg Bread
Makes 2 loaves

1 pkg (or 1/2 Tbsp) yeast
3/4 c warm water
4 c all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 Tbsp oil (I use melted butter)

Proof yeast in 3/4 c water, with a pinch of sugar, for 10 minutes. Mix flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Add yeast-water, beaten eggs, and oil. Knead well, till smooth and elastic-y. Place in greased bowl, and oil top of dough, and cover with clean cloth & allow to rise 2 or so hours. Punch down, shape into 2 loaves, and let rise again at least 1 hour. Bake at 350 Deg. F. for 40 to 50 minutes. Tops of loaves may be brushed with melted butter immediately after baking, or beaten egg-white/water mix prior to baking.

For an Onion-Dill variation on this bread, prior to mixing wet ingredients into the dry, I simply add between 2 and 4 (I don't measure, I just dump) dried dill weed, and about 3 Tbsp dried minced onion to flour, sugar & salt. Mix well to disperse herbs before adding in wet ingredients.

Another recipe for you... This comes from the Pampered Chef, but we didn't find it there, we got it from some friends who'd attended a Pampered Chef party then messed with the recipe a bit themselves, before passing it on to us.

Chicken Club Ring (Pampered Chef title)
Chicken Ring (what we've always called it)

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
4 slices bacon, cooked to crisp & crumbled (more may be used)
1 cup mayonaisse
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp minced, dried onion (or fresh minced, or a tsp of onion powder)
2 Tbsp parsley (I've always used dried, though fresh may be used if handy)
1 cup shredded cheese (a mix of cheddar, swiss & mozzarella is best, though whatever you have on hand may be used)
2 pkgs croissant dinner rolls

Mix all ingredients except dinner rolls. Set mix aside. Take either a pizza pan, or a pizza stone and elevate it to create a turnable platform. (I generally just use my pizza pan, draped in aluminum foil, sitting on a crisco or oatmeal canister.) Now, seperate your croissant triangles, and gently lay them on the pizza pan, with the longer tip dangly over the edge, and the shorter tips overlapping all around edge of pizza pan. Only about 1 inch of the croissant roll (unrolled) should be on the pizza pan, the rest of each roll should be dangling over the edge. Place about 2 Tbsp (will probably wind up being slightly more) of chicken/cheese mix on each croissant section, all the way around the edge of the pizza pan. When you've used all your chicken/cheese mix, fold long tips of the croissants up over the top of the filling, and tuck down under the other side of the segment, on inner edge of the ring you are now creating. More foil may be tucked around outter edges of croissant/chicken ring before baking to promote more even baking. Bake at 350 Deg. F. for 25 to 30 minutes or till heated through and golden-brown. Enjoy!

In the origional Pampered Chef recipe (I only posted what is on the recipe I have copied from our family friend), it also directs the cook to slice some tomatoes into rounds and place a round on the space between each of the croissant segments before baking. When ready to serve, the cook is directed to fill the space inside the ring with shredded lettuce, tomato wedges, etc to eat with the ring segments. It IS called a "Chicken Club Ring" after all.

Ok, there are some yummy new recipes for ya.

Oh, and for what it's worth. Today my hubby turned 33. *grin* I don't know if he'd like me telling the world that, but, oh well. I made him a Cookies & Cream Jello No-Bake dessert. Not what I'd pick, but I know he likes it. And he doesn't know I made it for him. He won't know till he gets home tonight. *grin*

Have a Blessed Day!