Azoresgal~Life on an Island

  Soft and chewy, these rolls are so easy to make and are the perfect start to your favorite  sub sandwiches! INGREDIENTS 5 teaspoons dry active yeast (2 pkgs) 1⁄4 cup sugar 2-1/2 cups water,  warm 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 teaspoons salt 7 cups all-purpose flour DIRECTIONS Dissolve sugar in water and add yeast to proof. Rest one to two minutes. Add oil and stir to combine. Combine salt and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer, or by hand, add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Beat until smooth on medium speed. If dough is too wet, add a little more flour to make the dough soft. On a lightly floured surface (or in the mixer bowl with bread hook), knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5-6 minutes. Lightly grease a large bowl with a bit of oil and place dough into bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with dish towel and let rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set oven to...

Friday nights at our house usually means we are eating fast food, well kinda sorta, we don´t go out for it, we make it at home. All three of our kiddos are big foodies, they love to cook, they love to try new things, and are quite happy to make suggestions for what to make for dinner during the week. For some reason, Friday has got to be some kind of junk food , someting you would find on a diner menu . So when Sara asked if we could have chicken and waffle sandwiches, I had to oblige and say yes! I used frozen chicken tenders, to save some time, but the waffles I made from scratch. These cornmeal waffles are seriously delicious, and are also perfect for Sunday brunch on there own. The sauce for this waffle sandwich, Maple Sriracha Mayo, the perfect sweet and spicy topping. Add some peppery arugula, and a fried egg and that my friends is a winning combination.  Savoury and sweet with every single bite. An easy way to have fast food at home, I hope you give it a try! ...

This Poached Egg and Avocado Toast  recipe  is so simple to make. I know your thinking poached eggs ..yikes! Please.... please don't be scared of them. They are really easy to prepare, I promise! This has become one of my favorite meals to have for breakfast, lunch, even dinner. I kid you not, toast, poached eggs, and avocados, are three of my favorite things and when you put the three of them together…it's a beautiful thing! 1 egg splash of vinegar 1 slice bread 3-5 slices of avocado ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper Squeeze of lime 1. Bring a small pot with water( enough to cover the egg ) to a boil, then lower to a simmer. You don't want it to be a rolling boil. Add in vinegar and a pinch of salt. 2. Crack the egg into an individual ramekin/ small dish.  Use a spoon to swirl the water in the pan to form a spiral. Add the egg as close as possible to the water from the ramekin. The egg white should swirl around the egg. Allow the ...

My kids are all home for summer vacation, and I am over the moon about this! It's our time to unwind and take it slowly, or in other words be lazy. We do however need to eat while being lazy, and egg salad sandwiches are just the perfect thing ! This egg salad is creamy, chunky, and easy !    Consider this a basic recipe, and feel free to add, anything you like to it. Paprika, dill, celery, olives, even some curry powder will change it up, and add some extra flavor. Serve on your choice of bread, along with your favorite chips and drink, then kick up your feet and relax. 6 hard boiled eggs 2 green onions finely chopped 2 teaspoons dijon mustard 1/4 cup mayonaise or more salt and black pepper to taste In a bowl, mash the peeled hard boiled eggs with a potato masher ( or dice), add the sliced green onions, the dijon mustard, and enough mayonaise to hold everything together. Give it a quick mix, add salt and pepper to your liking. Serve on slice bread, or pita brea...

This chicken salad is amazing and one of my favorites! It has the perfect combinations of flavors and textures–sweet and salty, soft and crunchy. Made with simple ingredients, chicken, slivered almonds, spring onions, and dried cranberries. It’s quick and easy to prepare, and really delicious. I hope you give it a try ! 2-3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded 1/2 cup dried cranberries (Craisins) 3 spring onions finely chopped 1/2 cup slivered almonds 1-1.5 cups of mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard salt and pepper to taste Shred the chicken breast (pulse in food processor) and put into a large bowl. Add the craisins, spring onions, and almonds and toss together. Add the mayonnaise and dijon mustard and mix until combined. You may want to add a little more mayo, depending on your taste. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into  bread of your choice. ** you can add celery if you like, and use a Deli cooked chicken to shred instead.

This is such a great sandwich, a favorite at our house. Steak, onions, peppers and cheese a winning combination in my books ! After making this atleast once, you can certainly eyeball everything, and add mushrooms or hot peppers. Wrapping them, and baking them a little bit just takes them over the top ! I really hope you give them a try ! 700 grams boneless steak 3 tablespoons vegetable oil/ or butter or more 1 very large onion, halved and sliced 2 large green bell pepper, cut in strips 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoon Worcestershire  sauce 4 to 6 soft bread rolls 500 grams cheese, grated ( a good melting kind) To make the steak easier to slice, set it in the freezer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove the steak from the freezer and cut it into very thin slices, and set it aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and peppers and sauté over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, s...

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." Lewis Grizzard So excited to finally, have ripe tomatoes in our garden. I always wish they grew as quickly as the lettuce, or the zucchini. I suppose mother nature, knows what she is doing, and why it takes so long for them to be ripe. You cannot rush perfection ! I love, love a simple tomato sandwich, if you have never had one, you are missing out ! They taste like summer ! Just plain, white bread, some mayonnaise, salt, and pepper...Heaven !

Seriously, sometimes, a girl just needs a little snack...this hit the spot ! On a nice slice of bread, spread some OLIVE CREAM CHEESE , next top with some chopped OVEN/SUNDRIED TOMATOES , then sprinkle with some SHREDDED CHEESE .  Bake or toast and ta~dah a quick bite ! xo, Diana

I would be very content to have this be served to me as my last meal on earth.  Fried egg and bacon, on top of crunchy toasted bread.... SERIOUSLY what's not to love !   It is really quite versatile too, serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is also medicinal...tis´true....perfect for curing hangovers ( so I´ve been told  ). There are really no rules to this sandwich, anything goes, make it your way, just to your liking. Ingredients: 2 pieces of bread 4 slices of bacon ( or more, much more ) 1 egg Directions: 1. In a small frying pan, cook the 4 slices of bacon, when bacon is cooked, remove onto some paper towels. Next fry the egg in the bacon fat egg , to your  desired “over-easy” or “well-done”, it's up to you ! 2. Toast 2 pieces of bread.... ( here you can the SLATHER with butter, or mayo, or jam etc.) 3. Cut the slices of bacon in half and lay on toast. Top with the egg. 4. Again this is your sandwich, you can add cheese, or lettuc...

Last night I had a dream, I dreamed I was eating this sandwich ! Yes I know, who the heck dreams about food......uhm.....me. You see, it never fails, if I watch any of the food channels, before going to bed...I am doomed to go to bed starving, and then dream about food. So today for lunch, this sandwich had to happen. Very easy to put together, just be sure to use some really good bread. Caprese Panini 2 slices of good bread slices of fresh mozzarela basil leaves sun-dried tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes) balsamic vinegar olive oil On top of one of the slices of bread, layer, mozzarela, tomatoes, basil, and add some more mozzarela. Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar. Top with the other slice of bread. Drizzle with olive oil, and rub in, repeat on other side. Place on a hot grill/frying pan/panini maker/. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, or just till cheese starts to melt. xo, Diana

Ohhhhhhhhh Man, these are trouble ;) I have seen this recipe pop up all over the net, the first time I saw it was here , I saved it right away, so that I could try it out, on my family. Well, I made them last night, dinner was a little blaaah, yes that does happen around here ! Well they were a big hit, so nummy yes that is a word, somewhere, one of those little gems you can put together quickly, for watching a soccer game on TV, or perhaps for a night of poker, even a birthday party. The only thing you may decide to leave out, are in fact the poppy seeds, my kids don´t really care for them, as my son say's : " all they do is get stuck in your teeth mom". He may indeed have a point, there. Next time I make these, I will buy a cheese that melts is ooey gooey better, perhaps, havartti, or even mozzarella. The mustard sauce, is really good, I have some plans already for it, perhaps on ribs or a burger. So you see, you have got to make these, it's the weekend, inv...

I was home alone today, no one to feed for lunch, but myself. How glorious is that, to actually cook something just for me, and not have to consider, what everyone else likes. I know, I know, how very selfish of me, and not what I advocate to my children at all, but I am the adult, and 37 has to have some perks. If that means making a grown up sandwich just for me, then go ahead call me selfish, I don't mind. Enjoy, and have a great weekend, Diana