3 cups whole wheat flour (divided)
1/4 cup sugar
2 pkgs. yeast
2 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, at room temperature
3-4 cups unbleached flour

Combine 2 cups whole wheat flour, sugar, and yeast into mixer bowl. Heat milk and oil until it reaches 120-130 degrees. Pour milk over flour mixture; add 1 egg. Beat 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl, then beat for 3 mminutes at medium speed. By hand, gradually add the remaining 1 cup whole wheat flour and 3 cups of unbleached flour to form soft dough. If needed, add remaining cup of unbleached flour as you knead until smooth and elastic, about 1-2 minutes. Place in lightly oiled bowl; cover and let rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. Shape into 2 loaves; place in 9×5-inch loaf pans. Let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake @ 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until deep golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Just in time for the Super Bowl! This recipe serves about six people, so if you’re having a party you might want to double it.

Dough:  (or use your favorite bread dough recipe, such as Easy Wheat Bread)
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. yeast
3 cups flour

Filling:
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup diced onions
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup prepared mustard
¼ cup dill pickles, diced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
sesame seeds

To prepare dough:
Mix together the water, oil, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix until yeast is dissolved. Stir in flour. Work into a smooth ball. Put in lightly oiled bowl and cover to rise.

To prepare filling:
Brown ground beef and onions until beef is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain all excess fat. Mix in ketchup, mustard, pickles, and crumbled bacon. Set aside to cool.

Roll dough into 12×18-inch rectangle. Spread filling down center of rectangle. Sprinkle with cheese. Cut sides into strips for braid; braid dough over filling, tucking end under to hold filling in. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 15-20 minutes.  Brush with egg wash; sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes to let cheese set before slicing and serving.

Variations:

Instead of braiding, spread filling over rectangle, sprinkle with cheese, and roll like a jelly roll. Place seam-side down on baking sheet and bake as directed.

Make individual calzones. Divide dough into serving-size pieces; roll into tortilla-size round. Put ¼ cup of filling; top with cheese. Fold dough over filling and crimp to seal edges. Brush with egg wash; prick with fork; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake as directed.

Adapted from a recipe in Southern Living

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16 oz.) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes with jalapenos, undrained
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth or chicken broth
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro

Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, for 10-12 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is softened. Drain if necessary.

Stir in kidney beans, the next 8 ingredients, and 4 cups of water. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with toppings as desired. Makes about 6 servings.

I like to double this recipe because leftovers are so good. Sometimes I buy an uncooked ham steak, dice it and cook it a few minutes before adding the onion and celery and continuing with the recipe. These ingredients are easy to keep on hand so you can throw this soup together in a jiffy.

4 cups peeled and diced potatoes  (if I use red potatoes, I just scrub them and leave skins on)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced cooked ham
5 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
5 Tbsp. butter
5 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk

In stockpot, saute celery, onion and diced ham in canola oil until softened and fragrant. Add potatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. With potato masher, crush potatoes, leaving some chunks. In separate pan, melt butter; add flour to make roux, cooking 3-4 minutes. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly until smooth and thick, about 4-5 minutes. Add milk mixture to stockpot, stirring until thoroughly mixed and heated through.  Taste and add salt and pepper to taste before serving.