30-Minute Green Chicken Enchiladas

I got this recipe from a recent issue of Cook's Country magazine and added the half-and-half to suit my husband's tastes.  (He's become more and more anti-spicy over the years, even mild spicy, but I love him in spite of his deficiencies.)  This is quickly becoming one of our weeknight go-to meals because it's so quick and tasty.

2 (10-ounce) cans green enchilada sauce

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about three cups) OR 2 (12.5-ounce) cans cooked chicken breast, drained and broken into pieces

2 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend OR shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

½ cup half-and-half, whipping cream, or whole milk, optional

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Puree enchilada sauce and 1 cup cilantro in a blender.  Combine 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture, chicken, and 1 ½ cups cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

Wrap tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and microwave until hot and very pliable, 30 to 90 seconds.  Top each tortilla with approx. ¼ cup chicken mixture, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in a greased 9”x13” baking dish.  Spray tops of enchiladas lightly with cooking spray.

If desired, mix half-and-half, whipping cream, or whole milk with remaining enchilada sauce. Pour 1 to 1 ½ cups sauce mixture over top of enchiladas, then top with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.  If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and pass remaining enchilada sauce at table.

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I don't think I'll ever bother to buy pre-made breakfast sausage again.

2 lbs ground pork*
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.  Shape into 2 1/2" patties, about 1/2" thick.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Cook half of patties until well browned and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining butter and patties.  Yield: 16 patties.

*You can usually find ground pork next to the ground beef.  Do NOT use lean or extra lean ground pork--it won't have enough fat in it to cook up properly.  You can also check the butcher's counter in your grocery store for ground pork breakfast sausage, which usually has just sage added; reduce the sage in the recipe to compensate.

Crockpot Pulled Pork

1 pork tenderloin (1 lb)
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut the tenderloin in half; place in crockpot.  Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over tenderloin.  Cook on low for 4-5 hours, until pork is cooked through and tender.

Remove pork from crockpot and use two forks to shred.  Stir sauce in crockpot, then add pork back to pot.  Toss well and allow to heat through.

Serve on hamburger buns or split kaiser rolls.

Cheesecake Cookies

I got this recipe from the Dec/Jan 2010 issue of Cook's Country, and it's amazing. The filling might drip onto your cookie sheets as it bakes, so definitely use parchment paper. Otherwise they'll really stick. Oh, and I made half of these with cherry filling (which the recipe calls for) and the other half with raspberry, and they both worked really well. Enjoy!

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 (20-ounce) cans cherry pie filling, drained

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350*F; line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll each ball in graham cracker crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in center of each indentation. Bake until golden around edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: Approx 4 1/2 dozen cookies

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

The cinnamon flavor in these muffins is very subtle. If you're a big fan of cinnamon, I'd recommend doubling the amount of cinnamon, or using even more than that.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup apple juice
1 egg
1 cup (about 1 large) apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced

Preheat oven to 400*F. Grease or line a muffin tin with baking cups.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together the vegetable oil, apple juice, and egg. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture; fold until dry ingredients are just moistened but batter is still lumpy. Gently stir in apple chunks. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into one or two of the muffins comes out clean.

Pork Chops with Roasted Red Pepper Cream

I serve this over rice to soak up all the cream sauce.

4 bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 (8 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and just smoking. Add chops and cook until well-browned and meat registers 145* on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

Add onion to empty skillet and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes; add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, cream, roasted peppers, and sugar, and simmer, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add any accumulated pork juices back to the pan and stir in basil. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chops.

*If you don't have fresh basil, substitute a couple teaspoons dried, adding to the pan with the broth. It won't look as pretty, but it will taste as good.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Trust me on this one. So chocolatey, and soooo good.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (3 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder*
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350*F and line muffin tin with baking cups.

Melt butter, chocolate, and cocoa together in a bowl in the microwave, stirring often, and allow to cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla together by hand until uniform. Slowly whisk in the sugar until combined, and then slowly whisk in cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Sift about 1/3 of the flour mixture over the batter and whisk in. Whisk in sour cream, then sift remaining flour mixture over batter and whisk until completely incorporated. Stir to make sure batter is fully combined.

Place a level ¼ cup of batter into each muffin tin (I actually use a measuring cup for this and level it off; if you don’t, the cupcakes will run over and the edges will bake together.)

Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Rotate tins halfway through to ensure even baking. Cool in tins for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

NOTE: You can also bake this in a 13”x9” baking pan for 30-35 minutes.

*Heaven knows why, but I have a devil of a time finding Dutch-processed cocoa around here. I substituted Hershey’s Special Dark with good results.

Crockpot Babyback Ribs

I've been using this method (scroll down), which a friend introduced to me, for a few years. It's good, but I always felt like there was something missing, and I wanted to get the ribs even more tender. I came up with this tonight, and it turned out wonderfully. It's already my husband's favorite way to have ribs!

1 rack of baby back ribs
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Kansas City-style smokey barbecue sauce (I used a jar of Trader Joe's brand)

Rinse ribs under cold running water, and then pat dry on both sides with paper towels. Cut rack in half. Season liberally with salt and pepper all over. In a large skillet, heat approximately 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until very hot -- oil should shimmer and just begin to smoke. Brown ribs on both sides for 1-2 minutes; when done, meat will release easily from the pan. (If it sticks, your pan isn't hot enough; increase the heat and wait until the ribs release without tearing meat.)

Place browned ribs in the bottom of crock pot, meaty side down. Add enough water to achieve about a 1/2 inch depth. Whisk vinegar and honey together; add to crock pot. Cover and cook on high for approx. 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. (I actually did mine for two hours on high and then two hours on low.)

Preheat oven to broil. Place ribs meaty side down on a wire rack inside a shallow baking dish (for easier cleanup, line dish with foil.) Slather top with barbecue sauce and broil about 4-5 inches from heat for 3-4 minutes. Flip ribs and repeat on meaty side.

Cinnamon Rolls

I got this recipe from my mother, and we love it. Everyone I know who's ever tried it loves it.


Dough:
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (more or less as needed)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) quick-acting active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract*
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs

Filling:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze:
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract*
4 teaspoons milk (more as needed)

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and yeast. Heat milk , vanilla, sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon until just warm and butter is just beginning to melt (approx 110*-115*F), stirring constantly. Add milk mixture to flour and stir. Add eggs and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.

Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can (dough will be soft). Knead in enough flour to make a moderately soft dough (approx.3-5 minutes). Shape into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half. Shape each half into a smooth ball and then cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll each half into a 12x8" rectangle. Spread each with 3 tablespoons of the softened butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half over each rectangle. Roll up from the short side. Seal edges; using a sharp, serrated knife, slice each roll into 8 pieces. Arrange slices evenly in a greased 13x9" baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350*F for 25-30 minutes until browned. Invert at once onto a wire rack and then invert again. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk, adding more milk as necessary to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over rolls.

*The point of the clear vanilla is, obviously, color. If you don't have clear, I'm sure regular vanilla extract would work just as well.

Double Chocolate Muffins

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (no substitutions)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Let all ingredients come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease muffin cups or line with paper/foil cups. Melt unsweetened chocolate and let cool.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add brown sugar, beating on high speed until lightened in color and texture, about 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in egg. Add melted chocolate and beat in until just blended.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat in thoroughly, then 1/2 of buttermilk mixture and beat in. Continue until all of flour mixture and buttermilk mixture have been fully incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide batter among muffin cups and bake 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into one or two of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes in the pan before removing; serve at room temperature.

Pasta with Arugula, Fresh Herbs, and Garlic

I found this recipe in a cooking magazine I subscribe to and tried it for the first time today. It has a pleasantly sharp sort of flavor from all the garlic, red pepper, and fresh herbs. All in all, very delicious. Bonus: from start to finish -- including prep -- this recipe took me less than 35 minutes!

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
7 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
1 pound pasta (campanelle, fusilli, or penne)
2 cups lightly packed baby arugula (or baby spinach)
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Boil pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, heat oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large saucepan over medium-low heat just until garlic turns golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, cover, and keep warm.

Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water from pasta and drain pasta. Return to pot, add warm oil mixture, reserved cooking water, arugula, parsley, basil, and Parmesan, and toss just until greens wilt. Season with salt and pepper.

Sweet & Easy Vegetable Stir-Fry

You definitely get a sweet, orange flavor from the sauce. If you prefer, decrease the OJ and increase the soy sauce for less sweetness. And have fun playing with the vegetable combo!

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce (reduced-sodium, preferably)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
2 large carrots, peeled & sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflowerets
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 cup fresh snow peas
1 can (8 0z) sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

Stir together cornstarch, sugar, and ginger. Add orange juice, soy sauce, and garlic; whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and onion for about 4 minutes. Add snow peas and water chestnuts; continue stir-frying until all vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes more. Stir orange juice mixture again and then add to vegetables. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened and all vegetables are coated, about 4-5 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

Black Bean Rice Burgers

I can't believe I didn't think to post this one before!

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons salsa

Using a fork or potato masher, mash beans in a bowl. Add rice, onion, egg, and salsa, and mix thoroughly. Coat a nonstick pan with cooking spray. Drop bean mixture by 1/2 cupfuls onto hot pan; press each to about 1/2" thickness. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, until well-browned and firm. (Note: If there is a secret to flipping these things without them falling apart, I haven't discovered it. I just sort of reshape them after flipping.)

For a great burger topping, combine 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup sour cream. Use instead of ketchup, mayo, etc.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I found this one in the diabetic-friendly section of a magazine recently. They're really, really good. For those of you who care, each muffin has 167 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g fiber, and 4 g protein.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh or frozen (do not thaw) blueberries

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg. In another bowl, beat egg and butter together; add yogurt and blend thoroughly. Stir into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in blueberries.

Fill paper muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 400*F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Macadamia Nut-Crusted Sea Bass

This one came from Allrecipes.com, but I left off the sauce they recommended because my husband didn't want it. For that matter, I didn't eat this because I'm not a fish person at all, but my husband loved it.

1 lb fresh or thawed frozen sea bass fillets (you can actually use any firm white fish, like tilapia or cod)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1/2 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes

Season fish with salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear fish fillets quickly, about 1 minute on each side, and remove from heat.

Transfer fish to an oven-safe pan lightly oiled with olive oil. Roast at 350*F for 15-20 minutes, until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, combine nuts, bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon olive oil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a food processor. Process until smooth.

When fish is cooked through, cover tops with macadamia crust. Return to the oven and continue roasting until crust browns, about 5 minutes. (I actually just broiled it for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.)

Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

I've been baking all of our bread at home for the last few months, and this is by far our favorite everyday bread. I found it in The Joy of Cooking and played with the proportions just a little. You can skip the second rise, but it really does make the bread lighter.

4 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup warm (105*F-115*F) water, divided
1 cup warm (105*F-115*F) milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 - 3 cups bread flour

Dissolve yeast completely in 1/4 cup warm water, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 cup water, milk, butter, honey, and salt. Stir gently until honey and salt dissolve. Add liquids to yeast mixture, stirring until combined. Add all of the whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup bread flour; beat on medium-low speed until well-combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add another 1 1/2 cups bread flour and beat on low until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to make a soft, non-sticky dough. Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Turn dough out, knead briefly, and return to bowl (re-oil if necessary). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down, then throw down onto a lightly floured surface to break up air bubbles. Knead briefly if necessary. Divide into 2, form each half into a loaf, and placed in a greased loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray and let rise until dough crests nicely above the pan, about 1 hour.

Bake at 450*F for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350*F and continue baking for another 25 minutes, until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Easy Pizza Dough

Found this one in a magazine, and we love it!

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm (110*F-115*F) water
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in water, about 5 minutes. Add flour, olive oil, sugar, and salt; beat until well combined. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 6-8 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, turn out, and roll into a 15" circle. Top as desired, leaving off cheese. Bake in a 400*F oven for 15 minutes. Add cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

Note: if you use a pizza stone, bake for only 10 minutes before adding the cheese, and then bake just 5 minutes more. Also, I find it's easiest to roll out the dough on parchment paper, and then just transfer the paper to the pizza stone.

Vegetable Lasagna with Red Sauce

I found this recipe a while ago and have made it several times, always to positive reviews. Unlike most vegetable lasagna dishes, this one uses a standard red sauce (hence the name of the recipe.) Even my meat-loving husband really likes it!

6 dried lasagna noodles
1 lb ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
8 oz. chopped frozen broccoli, thawed & drained
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (optional)
1 1/2 - 2 cups spaghetti sauce (I make my own using this recipe but process just until chunky)
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, and pepper.

Saute onion in oil over high heat for about 5 minutes; add carrots and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in bell pepper, broccoli, and garlic, if using. Reduce heat to medium and cook until tender, approx. 5 mins more. Mix all into ricotta mixture.

Spread small amount of sauce in bottom of a 9"x13" pan to prevent sticking. Layer noodles, vegetables, sauce, and cheese. Bake at 350*F for 45-60 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

UPDATE: Last week I made just the vegetable filling for the recipe (cut in half) and used it to stuff about 10 - 12 jumbo shells. Drizzle red sauce over it to taste, the cover and bake for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Fabulous.

Rhubarb Blueberry Muffins

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw frozen berries before using)
1 cup fresh or frozen chopped rhubarb (measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely
before using; allow to drain but do not press out liquid)

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and sour cream; mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, stirring well. Fold in blueberries and rhubarb. Fill foil-lined muffin cups 2/3 full; bake at 400*F for 20-25 minutes.

*These are fabulous muffins, but because there contain so much fruit, they will get soggy after a while. They're best right out of the oven; if you're going to save them, leave them out uncovered.

Bread Bowls

I found this on allrecipes.com and altered it just a little. I never realized how surprisingly easy it is to make bread bowls!

2 packages (.25 ounces each) active dry yeast
2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 F)
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
cornmeal

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add shortening, sugar, eggs, salt, and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. (Note: this dough will be really soft.) Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 6-8 minutes, or use the hook attachment on your stand mixer at low speed for 4-5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and turn onto a floured surface. Divide into desired number of pieces (8 small bowls, 6 medium, or 4 large). Shape each piece into a ball. Grease two baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place four balls 3 in. apart on each prepared pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Cut a thin slice off the top of bread. Hollow out bottom, leaving 1/4" to 1/2" shell. If desired, bake shells for an additional 5-10 minutes to remove some moisture and make bowls slightly stiff.