Italian Herb Focaccia

I love a good bread. Whether for the prefect sandwich or as an accompaniment for a delicious pasta dinner or some other amazing meal, there's something about a great piece of bread. I like it with a crunchy crust and soft center or a buttery, flaky texture throughout or a nice, chewy and perfectly fluffed piece, like this amazingly easy focaccia bread. This loaf is perfectly seasoned with salt and Italian herbs, and bakes up super quick after two easy rises. I didn't need a lot of ingredients or time to make this bread and I can't believe it took me so long to tackle this recipe. I've wanted to make focaccia for along time--it's one of my favorite indulgences to pick up from the bakery or our farm stand (which sells for a local baker), but I don't due it very often. That's why I have Secret Recipe Club to challenge me to try recipes on my list of must-makes!

Homemade Popcorn Seasoning

It's New Year's Eve and as new parents Dave and I will likely go to bed before the ball drops, but then Logan will probably wake us up so we'll be able to watch anyway. Otherwise, if we get a nap later today, we might stay up and watch a movie before ringing in the New Year. We love to cuddle up on the couch, watch movies and eat popcorn. Dave has been through a number of popcorn makers over the years--not because the machines don't work, but because he makes so much that they just wear out. To add a twist on the flavor for our popcorn, I made these homemade popcorn seasonings, which I also made into gifts for our friends Rachel and John who also love popcorn. The Cheesy Garlic flavor is a great twist on regular cheese popcorn and the Mexican Hot Chocolate is a fun, sweet option for a traditionally salty snack.

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix

Here it is--a homemade seasoning mix that you can keep on hand for last minute dinners. No more store bought mixes--in a package or a can. And the result is a thick and delicious beefy sandwich with a slight kick. We had friends over one night and not sure I'd have enough food, I quickly added sloppy joes to the menu, to great success. Everyone loved them and Dave enjoyed the slight difference in flavor from my regular crock pot version. This seasoning mix stores easily in the cupboard for a quick weeknight meal, and you could make it with beef, turkey or chicken, probably even meatless crumbles. So I put together a jar and sent out for this month's Foodie Pen Pal.

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

I told some friends last week that I was going to post a crock pot rotisserie chicken recipe soon and they all said they wanted it.  I kinda thought they might not let me hold out on them this long.  But I promise it was worth the wait!  This chicken might be one of my favorite fall/winter dinners.  It's only slightly more work than going to the store and picking up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store (or less, if you're like me and don't pass a grocery store on the way home from work).  Plus, you can control the fat and sodium content, which can be important.  I do take most of the skin off of the bird before cooking, so if your crock pot runs hot, it might dry out.  I've always had success with this method, but there are a few things you can do it you tend to get dry chicken.  Leave some of the skin on (you can always take it off before you eat if that concerns you); add a bit (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of water or chicken broth to the bottom of the stoneware before cooking; or cook for slightly less time (maybe an hour less) and check with a meat thermometer to ensure it's fully cooked.  Another way I save time with this meal is that I whip up a big batch of the seasoning mixture and keep it on hand so that I always have some ready for this recipe.  Saves me from measuring out all the ingredients each time, especially since I'll make this several times over the next few months.  There's lots of flavor from this juicy chicken that's delicious just sliced and serves or however you like to use a rotisserie-style chicken.

Magic Burger Dust

I swear this really is magic.  This seasoning takes ordinary hamburgers and kicks them up to awesome hamburgers with just a dusting.  Not only that, but it's also magic how just a few pantry staples mixed together make something so delicious.  When we have a large crowd, it's just easier to get the premade burgers from the meat counter than make them ourselves (when I'm also making baked beans, potato salad, and who knows how many bars and other treats).  And this burger sprinkle makes the difference between those store bought patties tasting like that's where they came from and homemade burgers.  Just my little secret.  That I'm now sharing with you, and with my Foodie Pen Pal, cause I sent her some of this stuff, too!

Texas Trash

Have I got a week of food ready for you.  It's a week's worth of tailgate and football food with some delicious items that will double as football snacks or full on meals perfect for eating while watching the game.  And I'm starting off with a simple party mix with an awesome name that will completely kick the booty of whatever snack mix you've been enjoying up until now.  Smoky flavor with a spicy kick, this Texas Trash snack mix is delicious and hearty with tons of different textures and delicious goodies.  Pretzels, nuts, cereal and corn chips all serve as the delivery mechanism for a lovely mix of seasonings and spices, perfect for munching while drinking a beer and watching the game.  Although it's pretty tasty for movie night, too.

Homemade Seasoning Mixes

It never ceases to amaze me how simple it is to make at home some of the packaged mixes that you pick up a the grocery store.  When I posted the Bacon Ranch Broccoli Slaw last month, I got a few questions about the ranch seasoning mix in the photo, since it was in a mason jar and not a branded package.  So today we're looking at making a couple of my kitchen staples from the other kitchen staples in my pantry: ranch mix and taco seasoning.  These are two things I use all the time, seeing as Dave and I eat Mexican food all.the.time. and I like to use the ranch mix in different crock pot meals or even just stirred into a container of sour cream for an easy veggie dip.  These two versions replicate their store-bought counterparts and serve a couple of purposes.  You likely have all the ingredients in your pantry already, so it's going to be cheaper for you to make them at home than drop a buck or more for one serving of each of these (there's about a 1/4 cup of each mix in a store-bout packet).  And, if you know how to make it at home, there's no need to run to the store when you realize you have all the ingredients for a recipe...except the seasoning packet.  (You've been there.  I have, too.  It sucks.)  And finally, you can control the quality and freshness of the spices and herbs going in, which also lets you tailor it slightly to your taste.  Want a taco seasoning with more kick?  Use a spicy chili powder.  Done and done.

These recipes from Jamie at Self Reliance by Jamie got pinned ages ago, but I had a big jar of both mixes to use up, so I didn't make them until recently.  And on occasion I'll still use Penzey's Taco Seasoning because it's got a slightly different texture and season to it, these are my go to options when a recipe calls for a packet of the stuff.  It's cheaper, it's easy, it's likely fresher, and it's nice to know exactly what's in the packet (and what's not).  You can scale the ingredients to make bigger batches if you tend to use a lot of it.  Just store in an airtight container, label, and be the cook who made the entire dish, including the seasoning, from scratch!