Cinnamon Swirl Bread

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (two 1/4-ounce envelopes)
• 2 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees)
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for bowl, pans, and brushing
• 7 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting
• 4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons honey. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle or dough-hook attachment. Add butter and remaining 1 3/4 cups water and 3 tablespoons honey. Whisk flour with salt; add 3 cups to yeast. Mix on low speed until smooth. Mix in 1 cup raisins. Add remaining 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until dough comes away from sides of bowl and forms a ragged, slightly sticky ball. Butter a large bowl.
2. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to prepared bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
3. Let dough stand in a warm place until it doubles in volume (it should not spring back when pressed), about 1 hour. Butter two 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pans. Punch down dough; divide in half.
4. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and melted butter. Roll out each dough half into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle (about 8 by 10 inches); smear on avoiding edge. Starting with 1 short side, tightly roll dough into a log. Seal edges with fingertips, and tuck ends under. Transfer dough, seam side down, to pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush each loaf with butter, or dust with flour for a rustic look. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drape loaves with plastic. Let stand until dough rises about 1 inch above tops of pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake, rotating pans after 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly; turn out loaves. Let cool completely before slicing.

Kickin' Up 7-Layers

I wanted to make 7-layer dip for the SuperBowl---but it would just kill me to make it without any secret ingredients! So I did lots of checking on allrecipes and other recipe sites to see what makes other people's dips super.

Here's what I came up with:

Layer 1

1 can refried beans mixed with 1-2 T. taco seasoning

Layer 2

about 3/4 c. sour cream mixed with 4 oz. softened cream cheese and about 1T ranch seasoning (dip or dressing, whatever you have)

Layer 3

guacamole (recipe to follow or use store bought)

Layers 4-7

(any combination of the following) shredded cheese, tomatoes, green or red onion, cilantro, olives

Guacamole

avacados

chopped cilantro

chopped red onion

chopped garlic

salt

lime juice

sprinkle of cumin

I know, I know--how much? It just depends on the avacados. You can can make a little batch with one avacado or a huge batch with tons of them. Just add a little at a time until you like it. (Remember you can always add more, but you can't always take it away!) And all the ingredients are optional depending on your preference. Don't not make it because you're missing cumin--just leave it out and pick up some cumin next time you're at the store---it really kicks it up.

Avacado Tip---you usually buy avacados before they're perfectly ripened. In the store they are usually very firm or hard and maybe even a little green. Plan to buy your avacados about 3-5 days before you want to use them. Just leave them sitting on the counter to ripen. They will be good when they feel a little soft all over and they are black. Haas are my favorite kind. You can ripen your avacados faster in an avacado emergency (it can happen!) by putting them in a brown bag with an apple or a tomato. I tried that this time and it worked wonders. My rock-hard avacados were perfect in two days.

Cake Balls

A friend of mine made these little treasures on a sucker stick as a baby shower favor and they were so cute. I just tried making them last week and they were a huge hit with the family. I made a second batch thinking I would freeze them and the girls could take them as Valentine treats for their classes, but everyone has been eating the second batch before I could freeze them!

cake mix--prepared, as directed, in a 9x13 pan---cooled

1 tub cream cheese frosting (it may work with other kinds, but I've only tried cream cheese)

Dipping chocolate (I use the kind from Michaels)

When the cake is cooled, start picking it up with your hands and crumble it in a large bowl. Then stir in the frosting and mix it all up.

Cover a sheet pan with wax paper and roll cake/frosting mixture into balls. I first them kind of big, but found that smaller ones turn out more manageable. Refrigerate for an hour or 20 min in the freezer.

When the balls are cold enough to handle, melt chocolate and then drop the balls in and roll them until covered. Set covered balls onto wax paper to set.

Mine are hideous compared to these beautiful samples on bakerella.com!

My version of Panera's Broccoli and Cheddar soup

It may not be exact but it's pretty darn close. Here's how it's done:

5 cups of broccoli florets

6 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tbs flour

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( if you don't want a cheddary soup you can sub 1.5 cups cheddar and 1 cup colby/monteray jack)

add shredded carrots if you dare

Steam broccoli until tender. Chop finely or throw it in a food processor to save time. Set aside. In a large saucepan combine milk and broth. Slowly whisk in flour. Cook over med-high heat and keep stirring. Cook until it starts to thicken but don't let it get too thick. Add broccoli (and carrots) and reduce heat to med-low and cook for about 5 min more. Add cheese and stir until melted.

This is a fabulous recipe and I think it's even better reheated and served with the homemade french loaves.

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies

Cream:
3 sticks of butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 tbs vanilla

add:
2 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
5 cups quick oats

add a couple handfulls of chocolate chips if you want

bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. I like to take them out at 10 minutes and let them sit for about 1-2 minutes then move them to a cooling rack. I know it's picky but this makes them perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.