BakeOver MakeOver Merit Badge, Expert Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,129 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—8,751 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ 

For this week’s Farm Kitchen/BakeOver MakeOver Expert Level Merit Badge, I was fine-tuning my BakeOver skillz.

To earn this badge, I needed to come up with my own recipes, using BakeOver mixes, for one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert. (Only one dessert? Crikey!) Turns out, I’ve gotten pretty good at these 20-minute delicacies.

Combine that fact with watching a lot of the Food Network, and you’ve got yourself some delish new recipes to try. Yum!

P.S. Let’s face it, farmgirls. I enjoy a crunchy salad as much as the next yoga-lovin’, skinny-latte-sipping gal, but once in a while, I need to lay off the rabbit food and channel my inner cavegirl. Meat and potatoes? Hearty comfort food (but still healthy)? Yep. Bring. It. On.

Breakfast: Spanish Skillet

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Prepare Budget Mix^® Organic Corn Bread, using the BakeOver instructions on the package.
• Sauté 1 large bell pepper, half an onion, a handful of mushrooms, 1 diced jalapeño, and 1 can black beans in a 9″ cast-iron skillet. If you have some leftover taco meat, now’s the time to add it in (a small chorizo link, diced, works well, too). Season to taste with salt, pepper, and maybe a pinch of chili powder and cumin. Toss in some grated sharp cheddar and 4 beaten eggs.
• Place the dough on top of your masterpiece.
• Bake 20 minutes. Flip upside down. Top with salsa if you so desire (and I do)!

Lunch: Cheater Artisan Flatbread “Pizza”

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Prepare Budget Mix^® Organic Focaccia Bread, using the BakeOver instructions on the package.
• Sauté your favorite pizza toppings in a 9″ cast-iron skillet. I used Italian sausage, red onions, spinach, chopped fresh tomatoes (these will taste like your “sauce”), mushrooms, and asparagus. Oh, and garlic! Lots and lots of garlic!
• Season with oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
• Top with fresh mozzarella slices, sprinkled with salt.
• Place your dough over your yummy lunch.
• Bake 20 minutes. Flip. If you’re feeling really haute couture, top with arugula that has been drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil.

Dinner: Jambalaya Skillet

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Prepare Budget Mix^® Organic Corn Bread, using the BakeOver instructions on the package.
• Sauté 2 kielbasa links, a handful of leftover chicken, 1 can diced tomatoes (or use fresh), 1 chopped onion, some minced garlic, 2 stalks chopped celery, and a few cleaned shrimp in a 9″ cast-iron skillet. Add enough chicken broth to moisten.
• Season with Cajun seasoning and salt and pepper. Taste. Add hot sauce if you like spicy lips.
• Top with dough (instead of the typical rice).
• Bake 20 minutes. Flip. Serve!

Dessert: Ginger Peach Shortcake

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Prepare Budget Mix^® Organic Buttermilk Biscuits or Budget Mix^® Organic Walnut-Orange Scones, using the BakeOver instructions on the package. Add 1 t powdered ginger.
• Stir together sliced fresh peaches (or any fruit, but peaches go especially well with ginger), brown sugar or honey to sweeten, finely minced fresh ginger, a squeeze of lemon, several pats of butter, and cinnamon in a 9″ cast-iron skillet. (Sprinkle with 2 T flour to thicken if your peaches are especially juicy.)
• Top with dough.
• Bake 20 minutes. Flip. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Sigh contentedly.