Sourdough Bacon and Cheese Muffins

Sourdough is a great way to make your wheat baking healthier and easier for your body to digest. All it takes is a little more planning ahead to make this delicious recipe! See this post for more info on sourdough muffins.

1 C “discarded” sourdough starter

1 C whole wheat flour

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C melted coconut oil or melted butter

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup real bacon bits or crumbled fried bacon

In a stand mixer, combine sourdough starter and whole wheat flour. I added a little water to this in order to mix the flour and starter together. Without the water it was too dry and crumbly. Once the two are thoroughly combined, cover the dough with plastic wrap ensuring that none of it is exposed to the air. Let sit at room temperature for at least seven hours. The longer it sits the more tangy it will become, 7 hours seems a good amount of time. The dough will rise some while it sits. If any of it has gotten exposed to the air and gotten dry, just remove those bits so you don’t have little dough nuggets in your final product. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a muffin pan with papers or grease the cups. In a separate bowl, mix together all other ingredients except for cheese and bacon. Add those ingredients to the dough in the mixer’s bowl and mix together. Fold in cheese and bacon and scoop batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 20 min. Makes about 12 muffins.

Gluten Free Bacon and Cheese Muffins

I found the original recipe here and of course tweaked it to fit my taste and what I had in the pantry!

1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

1/2 cup real bacon bits or sliced fried bacon

3/4 cup rice flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup potato starch (tapioca or arrowroot would also work)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar (I used maple sugar)

1/2 teaspoon bacon topper seasoning from Epicure (optional)

1 egg (I used 1 tbsp ground flax and 4 tbsp water to make a flax "egg" and it worked quite nicely)

1 cup milk

Beat egg and milk together very well. Mix all dry ingredients and cheese together. Add wet ingredients to dry ones. Don't overmix. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Icelandic Baked Fish

1 tablespoon butter
6 fish fillets or 6 cod fish fillets I used both cod and Alaskan Pollock (we preferred the Pollock but both were good)
1 lemon
salt , pepper to taste
200 g emmenthaler cheese or 200 g tilsiter cheese , grated (I used emmenthaler)
1 tablespoon mustard (I used dijon mustard)
1 cup cream
½ cup breadcrumbs

Preheat oven at 180° celsius. Butter a baking-dish. Put the fillets into the baking-dish. Season the fillets with salt, pepper and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Cover the fish with ground cheese. Mix mustard with cream and pour it over fish fillets. Cover with breadcrumbs. Bake the fillets for 35 minutes. Serve with rice or noodles.

Swedish Meat Pies

1 tablespoon butter
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
2 large red potatoes, grated
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup shortening
12 tablespoons sour cream (i needed a little more than this)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the ground beef and add onion, parsley, dill, and grated potatoes. Cook and stir until the meat is browned. Drain any excess grease. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Mix in the shortening with a fork or pastry cutter until only pea sized lumps remain. Stir in sour cream a little bit at a time until the dough holds together. Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface. Divide into eight equal portions, and pat into balls.
Roll out each ball of dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Place a heaping 1/2 cup of filling onto each one. Fold over into half circles, and seal by moistening the edges with warm water and pressing together. Place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Makes 8 LARGE meat pies.

We made these while studying Sweden during a unit study on Vikings and the areas around where they lived.

Chicken 'n' Biscuits

1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup cream soup substitute mix plus 1 tsp. chicken bouillon OR 1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. water
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken ( I used 2 chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I used cheddar as I didn't have any parmesan)
BISCUITS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk or water
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley


In a saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir in flour, basil and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in milk and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Add cream soup and water. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in vegetables, chicken and Parmesan cheese; reduce heat to low.
Meanwhile, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Combine milk, oil and parsley; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Transfer hot chicken mixture to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Drop biscuit batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned.

Ham Tetrazzini

2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 tsp. Herb and Garlic Dip Mix (optional but highly recommended)
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or mozza/ swiss blend
1 cup diced ham
6 ounces spaghetti or broad egg noodles
2 cups frozen veggies


Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute chopped onion in butter until tender.
Stir in cream of mushroom soup, water, seasoning, veggies and shredded cheese. Heat mixture until cheese melts, stirring often.
Add ham, cooked and drained pasta.
Stir until heated through, add extra cheese on top if desired. Serve hot!

"Mennonite Lasagna"

9 Lasagna Noodles either boiled as per directions on box or the ready bake variety
2 cups creamed cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp. dried onion flakes or onion salt
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked mashed potatoes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried onion flakes or onion salt
1 tbsp. Epicure cheese chives and bacon dip mix (optional)
1/8 tsp. pepper

Line 8x10 baking dish with 3 noodles. In medium bowl mix cottage cheese, egg, and first amount of onion flakes. Spoon over noodles and spread. I saved about 1/2 cup of the cottage cheese mixture for the top of the lasagna. Other topping option is to put fried onions on top. Cover with another layer of noodles. Mix together cheddar cheese, seasonings and mashed potatoes. Spread over noodles. Cover with layer of noodles. Top with left over cottage cheese and grated cheddar cheese or fried onions. Bake 30 minutes in 350 degree oven. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Can be served with sour cream if desired.

Cheesy Pepperoni Bake

1 - 3.5 oz. package sliced pepperoni, divided (I have used farmer sausage cubed or summer sausage sliced instead of pepperoni)
1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 10.5 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 - 8 oz. package of elbow macaroni (I've used what ever small sized pasta I have)
1 - 8 oz. package shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup water

Reserving several pepperoni slices for garnish, combine remaining pepperoni, tomatoes, soup, uncooked macaroni, 1 cup cheese and water in a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Garnish with reserved pepperoni. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours ( I usually prepare this around 10 am and am able to have supper around 5 pm) to allow macaroni to absorb liquids. Bake covered casserole in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Serves about 6.

Cheesy Italian Sausage Bake

2 cups penne pasta uncooked
3/4 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed (I used mild Italian sausage)
2 cups halved zucchini slices
1 red pepper chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package. Brown sausage, stir to break up sausage. Drain fat. Stir in veggies and sauce. Cook 5-6 minutes until veggies are tender-crisp. Add cooked pasta and cheddar cheese. Mix well. Spoon into greased 9 x 13 pan and top with parmesan cheese. Bake 15- 20 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream

In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream
6 cups green bean pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled buttery crackers
1 tbsp. butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook beans in boiling water till slightly tender (3 minutes if frozen, 5 minutes if fresh) and drain. Melt first amount of butter in pan. Cook onions in butter. Stir in flour till smooth. Add salt, sugar and sour cream. Add beans and cheese and stir to coat. Put into 2.5 quart dish. Toss cracker crumbs and melted butter together. Sprinkle on top of bean mixture. Bake 30 minutes.

Southwestern Chicken Salad Wrap

2 1/2 lbs. cooked chicken cubed
3/4 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup sour cream
1 heaping tbsp. taco seasoning
2 stalks celery diced
1/3 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla wraps

Combine all ingredients except cheese and tortillas. Let sit about 1/2 hour. The longer it sits the better the flavors will blend. Scoop chicken onto tortillas, sprinkle on cheese and roll up. You can either eat these wraps cold or bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. We like them warmed up!
Makes 5-6 wraps.

'Skinny' Fettuccine Alfredo

12 oz (340 g) fettuccine or linguine pasta
1 cup 2 % cottage cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used a mozza/edam mix as I did not have parmesan)
1/4 cup milk
1tbsp. Epicure cheese, chives and bacon dip mix
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Puree cottage cheese in food processor until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Add cheese mixture to drained pasta. Return to heat. Stir constantly for 1 minute. Serve immediately. I cut up chicken breasts and fried them in a frying pan and added cheese sauce to chicken instead of pasta. I served this over the pasta.

Cheesy Beef Roll-ups

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 1/2 cups Mexicana cheese shredded
5-8 flour tortillas
Chopped veggies (optional)
Brown ground beef. Add any veggies if desired (I added onion and zucchini). Add BBQ sauce. Place meat mixture in center of tortillas. Top with 1 cup cheese. Roll up tortillas and place in casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of tortillas. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Creamy Hash Brown Bake

1 tbsp. margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 10 oz. can of condensed cream of chicken soup (or one recipe of cream soup substitute - see next blog post for recipe)
1/2 cup milk
4 oz. block of cream cheese, softened and cut up
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 kg. package of frozen hash brown potatoes, partially thawed
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Melt margarine in large saucepan on medium. Add onion. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add soup and milk. Stir. Add next 3 ingredients. Heat and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until cream cheese is melted. Add hash brown potatoes. Stir until coated. Spread evenly in greased 2 quart (2L) casserole. Cover. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour until edges start to brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted. Serves 6.

Salsa Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 medium onion
3 cups shelled pasta (cooked)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
1 cup salsa
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 can mushrooms (optional)
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1 1/2 tbsp. Tex Mex spices

Brown ground beef and onion. Add seasoning salt, Tex Mex spices, green peppers and mushrooms. Cook until tender. Cook shelled pasta as directed. Combine pasta and rest of the ingredients with ground beef mixture in a 2 1/2 lit casserole dish. Save some cheese for sprinkling on top of dish. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Breadsticks - Olive Garden and Pizza Hut Style

Olive Garden Style:
In your stand-mixer or breadmachine, mix together:
1 1/3 cups of water
4 tsp soft butter
4 cups of flour (I used 2 cups white and 2 cups whole wheat flour)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast

Then, roll it out into a log and divide it into 16 pieces.

Roll these pieces into cigar-shaped sticks of bread. Arrange on a baking sheet. Cover, and let rise for 45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400*F.

Use your brush to butter each stick, saving some butter for later. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook for 15 minutes.

Remove, then brush twice more and add another sprinkling of kosher salt and a light sprinkle of garlic powder.

Pizza Hut Style:
in a food processor, mix:
1/3 cup of parmessan cheese
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp herbs (it's for the green, I used Italian Pizza Seasoning)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Then shake these onto your breadsticks to your liking (don't overpower the sticks though)

Cheesesticks? Sprinkle shredded mozerella onto the tops, then pop under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and burns a bit.

Golden Carrot Bake

3 cups carrots shredded
1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Do not drain.

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese (I used a mozza/edam mix instead) shredded
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup onion
pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Stir in and transfer into a 1 1/2 quart/ 1.5 L casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese (or mixture as above) shredded

Sprinkle on top. Return to oven long enough to melt cheese, about 2 minutes.

I served this with farmer sausage and it was delicious!

Potato Cheese Soup

6 cup potatoes, peeled & diced
1 cup carrots, shredded (I often cut the carrots into pieces and blend all of the soup to make it smooth)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 chicken flavoured bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large pot; add potatoes, carrots, onion, parsley, bouillon cubes, salt and pepper. Add water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl; place flour and 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk. Whisk to mix and set aside.

When the potatoes are cooked - don`t drain them. Push them to one side of the pot. Working over low heat; whisk the flour and milk mixture into potato broth. Cook, stirring, until broth thickens. Add remaining milk and cheese. Cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Then, if you wish, mash potatoes with potato masher or blend it with a hand blender. When ready to serve; you can garnish with cooked, crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, a bit more grated cheese or just as is.

Southwestern Baked Spaghetti

* 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti, cooked
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 egg
* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
(I used 1 cup edam/mozzarella cheese mix instead of cheddar and monterery jack cheese. You can buy this pre-shredded mix at Superstore. I like to use this for most Italian style dishes.)

Combine hot drained spaghetti, milk and egg; mix well. Pour spaghetti mixture into a buttered 9X13 inch casserole dish. Brown ground beef with onion, bell pepper and garlic in a large skillet; drain. Return drained meat back into the skillet and add seasonings; Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. Spread meat mixture over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and is bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.