Bread Maker Buns

As promised here is my breadmaker bun recipe. It is super easy and they are so delish!
I usually eat one while they are still smoking hot with a slather of butter and velveeta cheese... YUM!!
They freeze well but they never last long enough to make it to the freezer. Oh and it makes really really good Cinnamon buns!

Add in this order the following ingredients into your breadmaker:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups breadmaker flour (I used white but have used whole wheat or a combo of both)
2 tsp. breadmaker yeast
Set your beadmaker to the dough setting (its 9 on my machine)
This recipe makes 10-12 buns depending on how big you want them so you can double it if you want.

This is what a double batch looks like when its done rising! CRAZY!

About 15 minutes before the dough is ready warm up your oven to 200 degrees for just a few minutes. Turn it off just so it stays warm to rise the buns in.

Once the dough is ready turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Roll out the buns with the palm of your hand and place them on a silpat mat on a baking tray.

Place the trays into the warm oven for 30 minutes.

After the buns have risen remove them from the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees.

When the oven is up to temperature put the buns in for 20 minutes. I usually rotate them half way through.

When they are golden brown remove them to a cooling rack. Immediately rub a cold pat of butter over the tops of all the buns! Not sure why but my Mom always used to do it and really you can't go wrong with more butter! It makes the tops shiny and nice!

MMMMM warm buns!

Sloppy Joes

Let me start by saying these ain’t your mama’s sloppy joes!

I got this recipe off the food network website, it's one of Guy Fieri’s. You know “Diners Drive In’s and Dives”.  It is one of my favorite shows, man it makes me hungry every time!  This recipe has a lot of ingredients but they lend to a very complex flavor. Not the watery tomato soupy sloppy joes of the past!

I love them, my boyfriend loves them. Make them! I promise you will love them too!

I made homemade buns to serve with them. You don’t have to make your own but I suggest you do. Homemade are so much better. I do my dough in the bread maker. I will share my recipe with you tomorrow.

The ingredients,

¼ cup canola oil

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 or 2 Jalapeno peppers, diced

1 red onion, diced

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

2 tbsp. minced garlic

¼ cup red wine

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 6oz. can tomato paste

1 ½ cups tomato sauce

3 tbsp. brown sugar

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

salt/pepper to taste

In a large pan over med-high heat, combine and the oil bell peppers, jalapeno and onion. Cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Add beef and pork cook thoroughly. Breaking up meat as it browns. Add garlic. Drain extra fat if needed.

Deglaze with red wine, then stir in remaining sloppy joe ingredients. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins.

If the sauce gets to thick add some water, but remember thick is good it stays on the bun better.

Serve on rolls.

I assure you it well worth the effort! YUM!

Jen

Instead...

of doing this....

or this...

or these...

I read this...

and ate this...

and 1 or 2 or like 8 of these babies...

But its not my fault, it is sunny here in Vancouver today, and that is rare in January, and I was just following Mr. Kitty's lead...

I hope you all had a good Sunday!

ps. Thanks so much for the book Kate! I can't put it down!! You are the best!
HUGS!

Creamy Tomato Pasta

Do you know who the Pioneer Woman is? If not, you HAVE to check out her website. Here is her link www.thepioneerwoman.com. She is a food blogger but more than that, she is funny and smart and takes amazing photos! Her site is great and reading it made me want to do this blog thingy! So in honour of PW I made this amazing pasta dish. Creamy Tomato Pasta.It is so easy and sooooooooooo good! I made a little caprese style salad to go with, I was going to make some herb toast too but forgot to buy french bread at Safeway, DUH! 　
The stuff you will need:

(the basil is a little sad looking, but its January and pretty basil is hard to find! tasted good though!)　

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup Heavy Cream
Grated Parmesan Cheese (about 3/4 cup)
Fresh Basil, Chopped
1-½ pound Fettuccine or whatever pasta you like

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

　
I kinda want to eat a bowl of the left overs right now, but its 11pm so probably not a good idea, but I am so having some for lunch tomorrow!
Enjoy!
　
Jen

The Beginning...

Hi There!
Welcome to my brand new blog!  I love to cook and bake and I wanted to be able to share my favorite recipes. I have lots of old family recipes and I love to try new ones so this will blog will document my adventures in the kitchen!
I live in a little apartment in downtown Vancouver. Which is great, close to the ocean, it has a great view but there is one small issue...My Tiny Oven!
I called my blog My Tiny Oven for a reason!  The oven in this place is a very small apartment sized oven. I can't even get a full sheet pan in there, not even a regular sized half sheet pan! I am always on the look out for small pans and roasters that will actually fit in there!  I often refer to it as my easy bake oven! (which I never had as a kid, but always wanted!)
But it works and I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes with the world.
hope you like them!

To start it off I am going to share my favorite Banana Bread recipe! My BFF Brenda gave me this recipe years ago! its the best! I often buy bananas just to leave them on the counter for a week till they turn brown so I can make it!
The stuff you will need:

1	c mashed bananas
1	c sugar
¼	c veg. oil
½	c sour cream
2	eggs, beaten
1½	c flour
1	tsp baking powder
1	tsp baking soda
½	tsp salt
1	c chocolate chips or chopped nuts
	(optional)

Mix first 5 ingredients together. mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. blend dry into wet until just combined.
fold in chocolate chips or nuts if desired.
bake at 350 degrees in greased loaf pan for 75mins. or until toothpick comes out clean.
cool for 5 mins in pan then turn onto rack to cool fully.
freezes very well!

Here's a pic of the final result!

ps. I just got a brand new nikon D5000 camera so I am hoping that will improve my photos!

Jen