Whole Wheat Bread (from Betsy)

No pictures as I'm not eating or making much bread these days but a friend asked for bread recipes. So, by special request...

4 cups whole wheat flour
8 tsp salt
4 packages dry yeast (4 Tbsp if you buy bulk)
1 1/2 sticks of butter (3/8 pound)
1 cup honey
6 cups hot water (about 140º)

Mix well. Add whole wheat flour one cup at a time until ready to knead. Takes about twelve cups total, more or less. Knead five minutes. Let rise til double.

Shape into four loaves, let rise until double again.

Bake at 375º for 40 minutes.

Eat the first loaf with butter while hot. Mmmmmm. :)

Eleven Spice Chicken Stew

Naming food dishes is not my strong point. However, I created this the other day and it was good. If anyone has a better suggestion for a name let me know. The winner will receive a lifetime free subscription to my blog.

The spice mixture is a little tedious to make, and perhaps not all the entries are contributing to the final flavor, but it's what I put in and it worked.

Spice Mixture

1 Tbsp rosemary
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp sage
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp marjoram
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp garlic salt
2 Tbsp onion salt
2 Tbsp powdered chicken bullion
1 Tbsp powdered tomato bullion
1 Tbsp flour

Mix well.

Stew

2 pounds chicken breast in bite sized pieces
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 zucchini squash, sliced
1 crookneck squash, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
chicken stock

Toss chicken with spice mixture and set aside.
Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil until onion starts to turn translucent.
Add squash and stir for about one minute.
Add chicken and about a half cup of stock.
Cover and simmer until squash is tender, about ten minutes.

Serve over rice, rice noodles, or just plain in a bowl.

Cheddar Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4 large chicken breasts
12 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 jalapenos
1/4 cup tomatoes dried by the sun
4 strips thick cut bacon
salt and pepper

Season breasts with salt and pepper.
Mince jalapenos, chop tomatoes, mix with cheddar cheese.
Cut a pocket into each chicken breast and fill with cheese mixture.
Set filled chicken breasts in greased baking pan.
Cut bacon strips in half crosswise and lay two pieces over each chicken breast.
Bake at 350º for 50 to 60 minutes (internal temperature of breasts should be 180º)

Remove from oven and serve.

There will be a lot of juice from the chicken and the cheese. I ladle some of this over the breasts before serving.