Pumpkin Pie and Cake, Pecan Pie, Carrot Cake, Honey Whole Wheat Bread and Spaghetti Squash

Alrighty, I've had my list of recipes to post building up for quite a while, but have been practicing my procrastination techniques instead of putting them up like a good little cook. Good news on the procrastination front at least, as I'm close to pro-level! Anyway, I figured that I would end the year on a good note, and today I've got a couple holiday and seasonal recipes as well as some standards tacked on at the end.

To start with, a pumpkin pie based on a recipe by Paula Deen (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-pie-recipe/index.html). Anything made with canned pumpkin gets a really nice and creamy texture, but the addition of cream cheese in this makes it nearly cheesecake-like in consistency.

I made a crust for this the same way that I made the torte crust in a previous post, but instead of must making a basic torte crust shape, I chilled the dough, rolled in into a circularish shape, chilled again, then pushed into a pie pan. Remember to fold the edges back under the crust, then press down with a fork or other design to make the crust more uniform (because mine was totally circular... right?). Pre-bake the crust at 350 for 15-20 minutes with something weighing down the middle of the crust so it doesn't poof too much.

For the filling, combine a softened 8oz package light cream cheese , 2C canned pumpkin, 1C sugar, 1/4t salt, 2 eggs, 1C milk, 1/2 stick melted butter, 1t vanilla, 1t cinnamon, and 1/2t ginger with beaters until smooth and creamy, then pour into a crust. I had leftover filling, and put the remainder in ramekins to bake and have individual pies (with or without mini-crusts). Bake your dish(es) at 350 for 50 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are golden brown. Utterly delicious.

Next up is a pumpkin cake, which is great for larger groups of people or pot-lucks, as it's in a 9x13 pan and travels quite well. To start, combine 1 box yellow cake mix except 1 cup with 1/2C melted margarine and one egg, and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Then, combine a 15oz can pumpkin, 3 eggs, 2t cinnamon, 1/2C brown sugar, 1/2C white sugar and a 5oz can evaporated milk well, and pour over the base layer in the pan. To make the toping, mix together the reserved yellow cake mix, 1/2C sugar, and 1/4C melted margarine, then crumble that over the top, and bake at 325 for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. I got rave reviews from this, and it was quite tasty.

Continuing the holiday trend is a chocolate bourbon pecan pie. Now, I made this a month ago so don't remember precisely how I made it, but this is the best re-creation I can come up with. It doesn't use any high-fructose corn syrup like most pecan pies, only sugar. So, again start with a crust pushed into a pan. To make the filling, combine 3 eggs, 1/2C melted butter, 1C brown sugar, 1/4C white sugar, 1T flour, 1T milk, 2t vanilla extract, 2+T bourbon (I used Makers Mark) and 2/3C chopped pecans. Line the bottom of the crust with ~2/3C of good dark chocolate chips (like Ghirardelli), then pour the filling over them. Finish the top with whole pecans, and bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 350 and bake for another 30-40 minutes. The pie will poof up while it bakes, and will then settle back down once it comes out of the oven. Utterly delicious, and feel free to modify any ingredients based on what you like.

I also had leftover filling for this pie, so put it in a ramekin with leftover crust and made a personal pie. Awesome present to myself the next night.

Moving on, we have a carrot cake from The Tassajara Bread Book. It has carrots in it, which means you can almost justify it as being healthy. It's not. Rather, it's extremely rich, excellently spiced and makes an awesome dessert. To make, combine 1C white sugar, 1C brown sugar, 4 eggs, 2/3C melted butter and 2/3C canola oil. Then, mix in 2 C flour, 1+T cinnamon, 2t allspice, 2t freshly grated nutmeg and 1C chopped walnuts. Finally, mix in 3C grated carrots and 1C raisins and divide into 2 piled 9 inch pans. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, and serve with cream cheese icing. Delicious.

Growing up, there was a bakery my family went to that gave kids honey whole wheat bread sticks when they came in. These bread sticks amazing; sweet, soft, wheaty and delicious. I was looking for a good recipe for a standard whole wheat bread loaf I could use for my breakfast toast, and I think I found a recipe that is almost identical to those bread sticks, and so moist and tasty. Ok, enough adjectives, on to the recipe. Combine 3C warm water, 2t yeast and 1/3C honey, and let sit a couple minutes. Then, add 3C whole wheat flour, 3C bread flour, 3T melted butter, 1T salt, a drizzle of canola oil and a couple tablespoons of sugar, combine and kneed until smooth and a good consistency. Add up to a couple cups of bread flour as you kneed to adjust the consistency to a nice level. Let rise for a couple hours until doubled, divide into 2 loaf pans, let rise another couple hours until the pans are filled, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden on top. I may or may not have eaten a third of a loaf as soon as it came out of the oven. Oops.

Finally, a quick tip. Spaghetti squash is awesome. Furthermore, it makes a really quick easy dinner. Cook the squash by cutting it in half and cooking at 375 for 40 minutes, then scrape out the flesh, and add hummus and any veggies you may have. Hummus makes a remarkably good sauce, much like a pesto.

Baking Bonanza and Easy Gourmet

So, being that it is the beginning of the holiday season, I decided to do a couple recipes with a holiday theme. I also got an awesome new bread cookbook from my Aunt Trish full of amazing-looking recipes (The Tassajara Bread Book), so I just had to start making them.

To start off, a Pumpkin sweet bread that is just awesome. To make, combine 1 15 oz can pureed pumpkin, 1.5C brown sugar, 1 stick butter and 3 eggs, and stir until creamy. Add to that 3.5C flour, 2T baking powder (yes, tablespoon), 1t cinnamon, 1/2t salt and 1/2t nutmeg, and stir till well combined. Fold in 2C chocolate chips and bake in 2 loaf pans at 350 for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The bread is creamy, pumpkin-y, chocolaty and really delicious.

Next up is a new take on gingerbread (from the new cookbook) . It has ground mustard in it, and is more cake-y and less cardboard-y than traditional gingerbread (though you can't really build houses out of it), and comes out quite moist and not that unhealthy. To make, combine 2.25C whole wheat flour, 1.5t baking powder, 1/2t salt, 1/2t baking soda, 1/2t cloves, 1t ground mustard, 1t cinnamon and 1t powdered ginger. In a separate bowl, combine 1 stick melted butter, 1C molasses, 1 egg and 1C hot water, then add that mixture to the dry mix and stir thoroughly (it ends up looking a bit runny), then bake at 350 in a 9x9 pan for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. It's got a really good flavor, and would be great with a bit of whipped cream on top.

Sticking with the healthier theme, I found (in the new cookbook) a really good base wheat muffin recipe, to which I added festival spices (one of the half dozen modifications they recommend) to make it more appropriate for the season. To make the base, combine 2C whole wheat flour, 2t baking powder, 1/2t salt, 1 beaten egg, 1/4C oil, 1/3C honey (or molasses) and 1.5C milk with as few strokes as possible (it's fine if it's still lumpy; the muffins will turn out just fine). Then, bake at 400 for 15 minutes or (can you guess?) until a toothpick comes out clean. I added 1/2t cinnamon, 1/2t nutmeg, 1/4t allspice and 1/4t ginger to the dry ingredients as well. The muffins taste quite good, and would make a great breakfast with some yogurt or just as a snack.

Finally, a random meal suggestion. Making pork chops (or steak) in a frying pan makes them fricken' awesome. Take a pork chop and salt and pepper each side, then place in a very hot, dry non-stick fry pan. It will initially stick to the bottom, and you will know when it's time to turn by when it releases itself. Flip over and repeat, but just before it finishes, add a couple drams of red wine and simmer the wine down with the pork chop so you end up with the flavor wonderfully infused; the pork chop comes out tender and moist. Top with some caramelized onions that were made with a drizzle of red wine, and you're getting gourmet. Add some green beans and red potatoes from a farmers market and you're in business!

Onion Pork Chops, Banana Bread, Stuffed Peppers and Pear Torte

I know, I know, 2 posts so close together, what am I thinking?! I've gotten a bit of a backlog, so decided to put 2 out this week.

First off, a copiously easy dish that's good for a weeknight. All you do is pour a can of Cola and packet of onion soup mix in a container with a couple pork chops, then bake for 30 minutes a side. I recommend reducing the sauce a bit more once it comes out, but otherwise it works well as a sauce over rice. Tasty, simple, and can make enough for leftovers.

Next, some banana bread. Combine 2C flour, 1t baking soda, 1/4t salt, 1/2C butter, 3/5C brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1t vanilla and 3-4 overripe bananas. Stir until combined, pour in a loaf pan, then bake at 350 for about 60 minutes. If you use bananas that are still edible to normal people, they will end up as chunks in the bread (which is actually quite tasty). Makes a great snack, breakfast, or dessert.

A stuffed green pepper makes for a great dinner, and keeps really well for a couple days. If you have leftover filling, it also works well sautéed for breakfast. To make the filling, brown 1 chopped onion and 1 lb ground beef, drain grease, then add 1 minced clove of garlic, 2t basil, 2t oregano, salt and pepper and a 15oz can of chopped tomatoes. Add the meat mixture and 1 cup of prepared rice with an egg, adjust seasonings to taste. Then fill halved and cleaned green peppers, top with cheddar, and bake at 350 for an hour. They're quite tasty, and sort of a comfort food for me.

Finally, another filling for the torte recipe from a while ago. Slice pears, then boil in heavily sugared water with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook until well reduced, then use as filling in the tort, sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar and nutmeg, close and bake. Delicious.

Breakfast salad, Corn Soup, Chocolate Milkshake

I was able to get to a farmers market (finally!), and so have been enjoying some fresh vegetables lately. One thing I've liked is a simple variety of fresh things for breakfast. A sliced avocado, tomato, cucumber, hard-boiled egg, crumbled bacon and cheddar, then drizzled with balsamic and sprinkled with sea salt make a great start to the day.

Next, a soup with some fresh sweet corn. Sauté 5 ears worth of corn with a little butter, cumin, salt and pepper, and add to chicken broth. Then, sauté a sliced onion with some olive oil, and add that to the broth. Add some milk, minced garlic, onion and garlic powder, more cumin, and a touch of cinnamon, them pepper and salt to taste. Simmer for half an hour or so, then puree, and add more seasonings to taste. Quite delicious, and also quite healthy.

Finally, a chocolate milkshake that's not nearly as bad for you as most of them out there. Start off with a couple cups of skim milk in a blender, then add ~12 ice cubes. Then add ~1/3C of baking chocolate powder, sugar, chocolate syrup, vanilla and peppermint schnapps. Comes out light and frothy, and significantly better for you than making a milkshake with ice cream, and just as delicious.

Pita, Balsamic Onion Tart, Dumplings and Maple Salmon

To start off, we've got homemade pita bread. I had never really considered making it before I had a bunch of extra hummus (see earlier post) and no pita to go with it, such a calamity! So, after making it, I found that it's really quite simple, quite fun to make, and is very good. To make it, combine and kneed 3C flour, 1.5t salt, 1T honey, 2t yeast, 1.25C water and 2T olive oil until well combined, and let rise about an hour and a half. Then, divide into 8 balls and press/roll into pita shaped on a well-floured counter. If you work them too much and they won't hold the flattened shape, let the dough rest 10 minutes and try again. Bake on a stone in the oven at 400 degrees until the bottom is lightly golden. They turn out soft and light, and go really well with hummus, or make a nice personal pizza crust. Based on http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/pitabread

Next up, we have a savory tart that turned out to be absolutely fantastic. I found a recipe for a French tart dough that made a shell similar to a pie crust that was quite simple, and went from there. To make the crust, put 6T butter, 1T oil, 1T sugar, 1/8t salt and 3T water in a Pyrex measuring cup, and bake at 410 degrees in the oven until the edges of the butter are just starting to brown. Carefully remove from the oven, and mix in 1 rounded cup of flour, then stir until well combined, let cool, then roll out to form a crust on a well-floured counter.

At this point, you can fill it with pretty much whatever you'd like, but I think my concoction was pretty delicious. I started by drizzling some reduced balsamic vinegar on the bottom, then layered thickly sliced onion and tomato, basil, oregano, thyme, more reduced balsamic vinegar, and top with mozzarella cheese. Now comes the challenging part, folding it up without making a disastrous mess. I used a pastry scraper to fold up the sides and press them together and used a small sheet pan as a peel to transfer to the oven. Bake at 400 degrees on a stone until nicely browned and bubbly. It turned out to be absolutely fantastic, and the crust is quite versatile. I have also used it with pear slices that were boiled in water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and it made a fantastic dessert. The crust is based on http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/05/french-tart-dough-a-la-francaise/

Next up is a dumpling that turned out OK, but weren't outstanding; I think because the filling I used wasn't the best. To make, kneed 2.5C flour, 1t salt, 3/4C water, 1t baking powder, 1t oil and 1 egg, then roll out on a well-floured counter. Make sure that you get it nice and thin, otherwise it doesn't cook evenly. Then fill with something good; the Italian sausage I used was good, the potato not so much. I think mozzarella would be good, as well. Make sure you cut the dough into larger pieces than you think, otherwise they can be tough to get closed. Once made, boil for a few minutes, then drain and serve with sauce, Parmesan, or whatever other garnish you like.

Finally, we end with an awesome maple salmon recipe. To make, mix 1/4C maple syrup, 2T soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4t garlic salt, and 1/4t black pepper in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a foil-lined appropriately sized dish, pour over the glaze, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until easily flaked. If you have a larger piece of fish, double the sauce, and use leftover for pouring on rice.

Kung Pao Chicken, Tuna Pasta Salad and Stuffed Italian Herb Bread

Today we start with one of my favorites growing up, a cold tuna pasta salad. This is quite simple to make, and packs really well for lunches. To make, combine 3 diced hard-boiled eggs, 3C cooked macaroni, 5-10oz defrosted peas (and/or whatever other veggie suits your fancy), 2 6oz cans flaked tuna, 1/4C mayonnaise, 1/4t each salt and pepper, cubed cheddar cheese, chopped green onion and chopped celery. Delicious fresh, and it just gets better in the fridge as the flavors meld. One of my favorites for quite a while.

Next, we have a simplified Kung Pao Chicken I've actually made this a couple times, and it is reliably tasty. To start, marinade ~2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces in soy sauce, water and cornstarch for a couple minutes. Meanwhile, make a sauce by whisking together 2t apple cider vinegar, 2t soy sauce, 1t sesame oil, 1T water, 3t sugar, and 1.5t cornstarch. Heat a bit of sesame oil in a skillet, then add 4 cloves of minced garlic, ginger, chili powder and pepper, then add the chicken and marinade. Cook for a bit, then add 6 chopped green onions and 2/3C roasted peanuts, and simmer until the sauce has reduced to whatever thickness you desire. Serve over rice, and you've got a tasty meal.

Finally, a bit more in-depth bread that makes an absolutely enormous loaf that's filled with a tasty meat and cheese filling.

-Add 1.5t pepper, 2t basil, 2t chervil, 2t thyme, 2t savory and 1/3C olive oil, and let sit for at least an hour.

-Combine 1.5 yeast, 1C warm water, 1C white wine, 1T salt, 5.5C bread flour and infused oil with herbs, and kneed to a smooth, springy, resilient dough. Place in a greased bowl and let rise for an hour.

-Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine 1.5 lb italian sausage, 1 large chopped onion, 3 cloves minced garlic and cook until browned. Then, add 1/4C chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and 2T anise liquor. Let cool.

- Turn out the risen dough onto a floured surface and spread into a big rectangle. Spread the sausage mixture into the center third of the dough, and sprinkle with 8+ oz mozzarella cheese. Bring the 2 long ends together and pinch to close, then slash slits in the top with a sharp knife. Bake in a preheated oven on a pizza stone for 40-50 minutes or until brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Cool before slicing.

I completely forgot to take a picture of it sliced, but it looked really cool with the layers inside, and was extremely tasty. I sliced it into a couple big pieces and froze it, and it lasted me a couple weeks (it was a really big loaf), that pan is ~13x16.

Tilapia Onion and Mozzarella Crepes, Hummus, and Ginger Cookies

So I have a big bag of tilapia that I've been slowly working through, and I decided to make them into a filling for crepes. I got a crepe pan in France and love making them, and this was a great way to make them for a dinner. For the crepes batter, whisk together 1C flour, 2 eggs, 1/2C milk, 1/2C water, 1/4t salt and 2T melted butter. spread about 1/4C around into a thin pancake, and when it loosens when you shake the pan, it's good to go.

For the filling, I started off by boiling a couple tilapia fillets until they flaked, while also sautéing an onion, carrot and some crushed cashews in a little olive oil, Old Bay seasoning and Italian seasonings. Then, I put the filling into a crepe topped with a little mozzarella, then folded and sprinkled with more Old Bay seasoning and coarse salt.

Ginger cookies were a comfort food that I had all the time growing up, and this recipe still is so delicious. To make, combine 2.25C flour, 2t ginger, 1t baking soda, .75t cinnamon, .5t cloves, .25t salt, 3/4C melted margarine, 1C white sugar, 1 egg, 1T water and 1/4C molasses into a dough. Form into walnut sized balls, roll in sugar, then bake at 350 for ~13 minutes. Really good, and freezes well.

This hummus recipe has been tuned for a while, and makes a delicious and quite cheap and tasty dip. This is just as good if not better than the hummus you buy in the store, but is made for a lot lower price. To make, place into a food processor 2 cloves of garlic, 1 15oz garbanzo beans, 4T lemon juice, 2T tahini, 1/2t salt, 1/2t sugar, 3/4t cumin, 2T olive oil and black pepper to taste. Blend, then add more seasonings as your tastes need. Freezes very well; I made a double recipe and froze it in ice cube trays so that I can get out as much as I need whenever I need it.

One other note, the recipe I put up a while ago for thin-crust pizza dough freezes very well. I made and froze a recipe and have enjoyed making a fresh pizza with only a few hours notice. Very nice to have on hand.

Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps, Roasted Chicken Risotto with Caramelized Onions, Orange-scented Olive Oil Cake, and Two Types of Dinner Rolls

So, last Monday I moved to a new apartment in downtown Chicago for my job, which starts June 7th. As a result, I have had a LOT of free time to cook! Therefore, this post may get a little lengthy, but eh, deal with it.

First off, we have a Mu Shu-type chicken lettuce wrap. To start off, cook a couple sliced chicken breasts lightly seasoned with pepper in canola oil until they begin to brown. Then, add 2+ cloves of garlic, a little cayenne pepper and grated (or dried, as it was all I had) ginger to taste and whatever vegetables you want to add and sauté for a minute or so (I used red bell pepper, but pretty much anything would work; water chestnuts would be great). Then, add 3T honey and 3T low-sodium soy sauce and continue to cook until the chicken is well done and the veggies are softened. Serve in large lettuce leaves, and drizzle some sauce from the pan over the top for added bonus. This was really good and came together in about 15 minutes, so would be great for a busy evening. A little messy to eat, but that just added to the fun!

Next, we have a roasted chicken with Risotto and caramelized onions. This ended up to be absolutely delicious, and made 5-6 servings. I started off with a rotisserie chicken, which I picked the meat off of and saved, then made a stock from the carcass (sauté onions and carrots in olive oil, then add carcass, water, garlic, thyme, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and simmer for 2 hours, strain, refrigerate and skim). Then, to make the dish, heat 2T olive oil in a pan and caramelize an onion or two, then set aside in a dish with 1/4C balsamic vinegar. Heat 2T more olive oil in a pan, stir in 1.5C uncooked rice and stir well for 2 minutes, then add 1/2C dry white wine. Then, reduce heat and add 7C chicken broth one cup at a time (waiting until it is absorbed to add more). Once all the broth is absorbed, add the onion and vinegar mixture, 2C of the roasted chicken (chopped), and 2T butter. Looks a little ugly, but is absolutely delicious.

Next up is the orange-scented olive oil cake. This didn't turn out quite as well as I had expected, but was quite good nonetheless. To start, you basically candy some oranges after making them not quite as pungent. To do do, quarter 2 oranges and add to a pot of boiling water for a couple minutes. Discard the water and repeat. Then, add the orange quarters, 4C water and 1C sugar to a saucepan and boil until the orange rinds can easily be pierced with a fork. Discard the syrup, and food-process the orange quarters to form a chunky puree. Then, add to the food processor 2.5C flour, 2t baking powder, 1t baking soda, 1.3C sugar, 1t vanilla and 4 eggs and process until well incorporated. Then add 6T olive oil and process more until combined. Pour into 9''-10'' buttered and pam'd pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Make sure the center is done; that seemed to be the part that bakes slowest for me. When it comes out, drizzle with a reduced syrup made from 1/4C orange juice and 1/4C sugar that have been simmered for a couple minutes. If you'd like, sprinkle with coarse sea salt to finish. Flavors meld well, and none of them are overpowering to the rest. A good dense cake that is not too sweet either. The liquid around the base of the second picture is the glaze.

Finally, I made 2 different types of dinner rolls to have on hand in the freezer so I could have fresh rolls in short order.

First, sweet dinner rolls (the ones of the left). To make the dough, combine 1/2C warm water, 1/2C warm milk, 1 egg, 1/3C softened butter, 1/3C sugar, 1t salt, 3.75C flour and 1.5t activated yeast and knead until kneaded. Then, divide dough in half and press each into a ~12 inch circle. Then, cut each into 8 wedges and roll up from large end to small end. I rolled a small pat of butter inside to make them extra-tasty. Then, let rise for an hour and either bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or freeze for later baking. When freezing rolls, place them on a pan or place and freeze individually, then place together into a bag once frozen for storage. These come out of the oven (after being frozen) soft and buttery, and are very tasty.

Next, the honey wheat sandwich rolls. To make, combine 1.25C warm milk, 1 egg, 2T softened butter, 1/4C honey, 2/4t salt, 2.75C bread flour, 1C whole wheat flour and 1.25t activated yeast and knead until kneaded. Form into rolls sized appropriately for what you want to do with them (sandwiches, dinner rolls, etc), let rise for an hour and either bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or freeze as described above. These come out of the oven (after being frozen) tasting like your standard fresh homemade whole-wheat bread. Certainly more healthy than the previous recipe, and I think would be awesome for a cold-cut sandwich.

Peanut Noodles and Parmesan Pasta

Now that the semester is winding down more, back to some recipes. First up today is an easy and filling peanut butter, noodle, chicken and vegetable dish. To start off, cook 3-4 chicken breasts in a pot of boiling water until cooked, about 11 minutes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile, start on the sauce. To make, combine 1/2C creamy peanut butter, 2T low-sodium soy sauce, 2t minced garlic, chili powder to taste, and ginger to taste and whisk until combined. Then, cook pasta until not quite done, then add whatever vegetables you want to the boiling water for a few minutes until both are cooked. Save 1C of the cooking water to add to the sauce and drain the remainder. Add cooking liquid to the peanut sauce, them toss in with pasta, vegetables and chicken. Great warm or cold, and I like adding quite a bit of chili powder to give it a solid kick.

Next is a dish made with smoked sausage, which keeps for quite a while, so is good to have on hand. Cook your choice of pasta in salted water in a large pot, then drain and set aside in a temporary dish. Then, put either sliced smoked sausage or some other sausage in the same pan you cooked the pasta in as well as olive oil and 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook until warm or cooked, depending on the type of sausage used. Then, add 5 or so handfuls of baby spinach and cook until wilted (it goes down a lot). Then, add the pasta back into the pot as well as 1/2C Parmesan and stir until combined and gooey. I had and enjoyed this fresh or reheated, but if reheating, it helped a lot to very vigorously shake the container I stored it in to break up and clumps and distribute the sauce before dispensing.

Capellini with Fresh Ricotta

Tonight I made a quite simple dish, with a bit of an interesting twist. It is basically just pasta and sauce, but the fresh ricotta adds a really nice touch, and is something that you might not normally think to make at home. It has light flavor and is very creamy, and can have a quite nice presentation

To make the Ricotta, just take 2C whole milk, 1/4t salt and 2T lemon juice and microwave for about 4 minutes. The milk should separate into curds and a translucent whey, and you can pour this into a colander lined with 2 or 3 layers of cheesecloth to collect it. For this, I used 2C of milk worth of cheese for each bowl.

To assemble, cook capellini or angel hair pasta. While the pasta cooks, warm up good quality tomato sauce with a little olive oil and pour in bowl. Then, stir some more olive oil and a little salt into the cheese to thin it. Twirl the pasta on top of the sauce and top with the ricotta and a little Parmesan. Tasty, light, quick and easy. Based on http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/dinner-tonight-capellini-with-fresh-ricotta-recipe.html and http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/how-to-make-fresh-ricotta-fast-easy-homemade-cheese-the-food-lab-recipe.html

Sliders Guest Spot

I wrote a guest-spot for The Amateur Gourmet blog about Sliders, take a look here:

http://www.amateurgourmet.com/community/2010/04/sliders.html#more

French Bread and Awesome Scrambled Eggs

Today I've got a basic french bread recipe that is pretty easy to make and adds some class to a meal, as well as my version of scrambled eggs that taste pretty awesome.

First, the French bread. To make the dough, combine 3C all-purpose flour, 2.5t yeast, 3/4t salt and 1C warm water. mix and kneed for about 10 minutes, then let rise for an hour or two. Then, roll or stretch out into a largish rectangle, and roll up from a wide end. Moisten the edge with water to seal it, taper the edges and place onto a lightly cornmeal'd pan. If you want a lightly brown and glossy top like in my picture, brush lightly beaten egg whites on top. Then, cut 3-4 about 1cm deep slices into the top of the bread and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. This is best right out of the oven and, once sliced into, will begin to become stale rather quickly. I made a dipping sauce for this out of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper, black pepper, oregano, rosemary, basil, parsley, garlic powder and minced garlic, and it was fantastic. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/French-Bread/Detail.aspx

Next, my version of scrambled eggs. This is largely personal preference, but I make them by combining 3 eggs, about 1.5t each of basil, oregano and thyme, and about 1.5T Parmesan. Whisk well, then cook on high heat. When the eggs are beginning to become differentiated, take the pan off the heat for about 15 seconds while still stirring. This makes them fluffier for some reason. Then, continue cooking until they are 97% done and put them on a plate; they will finish with their internal heat.

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

Since I've already had experience with thin-crust pizza, I decided to go to the other end of the pizza spectrum and try a Chicago-style deep dish recipe I found. It is actually made for a 14-inch pan, but I made it work with 3 8-inch cake pans, and it turned out great; be prepared for a lot of pizza though!

To make the dough, combine 3.5C All-purpose flour, 1/2C cornmeal, 2.25t yeast, 1t sugar, 1t salt

1.5C water and 1/2C vegetable oil, then kneed for 7 minutes or until well combined. Then, put it large bowl (it expands to 2-3 times initial size), cover with saran wrap with a couple holes and refrigerate overnight.

To make the pizza, start by taking the dough out of the fridge an hour before you want to work with it so it warms up enough to be malleable. Once it's sat for an hour, move your oven rack to the lowest setting and preheat your oven to 450. Then, coat the bottom of your pan(s) with non-virgin olive oil and spread the dough (or divided dough) to fill the bottom of your pan(s). Next, you need to work it up the edge to form the crust. After some trial and error, I found the best way was to use 8 fingers to draw up the dough while spinning the pan around. The suction created by the oil in the crack of the pan helped, and eventually it held its form, but be patient and just keep working it. Then, spread mozzarella or provolone cheese on the bottom and then layer whatever toppings you want (I did pepperoni). Then, add tomatoes. I used high-quality diced tomatoes (Hunts fire-roasted diced tomatoes), and it worked great, and 2 cans was perfect for my 3 8-inch pans. Then, sprinkle basil and oregano and top with Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the crust looks deliciously browned, let sit for a few minute and enjoy. I got the pizza out of the pan with a couple spatulas and cut on a cutting board, beware of knives in Teflon pans. End result was a nice lightly crunchy cornbread-y crust that held form and blended with the fillings in a most delightful way. 3 8-inch pans should serve about 6 for dinner. Based on http://www.pizzamaking.com/dkm_chicago.php

Cheddar Beer Triangles and Polenta with Leek & Mushroom Ragu

Having finally gotten to the store, I have a fresh batch of recipes I'm looking forward to making. First on the list is a recipe for biscuits that are unbelievably soft, fluffy and delicious. They bare a striking resemblance to The Red Lobster biscuits. To make them, combine 2C Bizquick, 3/4C cheese (mozzarella or cheddar), 1/2C beer (I just used Keystone), 1T minced garlic, a bit of basil basil, oregano and thyme until well combined, then keep stirring in a kneading motion for a few minutes. Then, shape into a 6-8 inch circle and cut into 8 triangles. I used saran wrap sprayed with Pam to shape, then a lightly Pam'd knife to cut. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. When you take them out, lightly brush with butter and dust with Old Bay seasoning. I had trouble getting the camera before eating them all, they are really delicious. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cheddar-Beer-Triangles/Detail.aspx

Next, I wanted something new to make on a Sunday, so I found a recipe for Polenta with Leek and Mushroom Ragu. Polenta is a cornmeal-based dish, and is generally bought rather than made, and for some reason has a reputation for being difficult to make, however I found quite the contrary.

To make the polenta, start off by bringing 6 cups of water with 3/4T of kosher salt to a rolling boil. Then, whisk 1 3/4C into the water, pouring it in a thin stream to avoid clumps. Then, bring to a very low simmer and cook for ~45 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until it becomes smoother and more porrage-like; add more water if it appears to become too think while cooking. Once it reached the porrage-like state, add 3/4C Parmesan and 2T butter and stir to melt and combine.

When you start the polenta, also start the Ragu. To make it, sauté 2-3 leeks (just the white and tender green parts, cut into thin semicircles), 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2t sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste in 2T olive oil until softened. Then, add 1T parsley and 1 pound sliced mushrooms and cook until browned. Then, add 1/2C dry white wine to deglaze.

To serve, put polenta in a bowl and the ragu on top. Then add feta crumbles and a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar. Makes a filling, delicious meal, and enough to serve 4-5 people. Based on http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/vegetarian-polenta-with-a-leek-and-mushroom-ragu-recipe.html

Finally, I organized my spice cabinet (more than 45 different spices, thank-you-very-much), and thought I'd include a picture of what some college students work with. Also, I'm quite proud of the organization, given the variety of sized containers.

Honey Mustard Mozzarella Chicken

Now that break is over and I'm still yet to go to the store, I wanted to come up with something I could make with just what I had in the freezer, and this made a deliciously sweet dish that makes plenty for a group or leftovers. To make the sauce, combine 3/4C honey (slightly warmed in the microwave makes it easier to work with) and 1/2 cup mustard (I did a combination of yellow, spicy brown and Chinese, but anything you have would work), and a tablespoon of flour if you want the sauce to be a little thicker. Put a little sauce in the bottom of a aluminum foil-lined pan that just holds 3-4 chicken breasts, then put in the chicken. Lightly pepper the chicken in the pan, and if you want, sprinkle on some minced garlic. Then, pour the remainder of the sauce into the pan to cover the breasts, and bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Then, add mozzarella cheese over the top of the chicken, and put back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Comes out tasty with sauce for rice. Based on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-honey-mustard-mozzarella-chicken/Detail.aspx

Beef Curry, Bread Sticks and Teriyaki Sticky Chicken

We start off today with an very easy Teriyaki Sticky Chicken recipe. This is really easy, as you just stir the sauce ingredients together and then bake it, so good when you're tight on time. For the sauce, combine 1C Ketchup, 1/3C brown sugar, 1/4C vinegar, 1/4C lite Teriyaki sauce and 1t dry mustard. pour a little of this in the bottom of an appropriately sized pan (I used 9x9 glass, sprayed with Pam), put in 3-6 chicken breasts, and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Makes lots of sauce for putting over rice, and is great for leftovers as well. A tangy sauce and, while not the best, still a very good recipe and hard to beat on prep time.

Next, we have what happens when you get hungry and are almost out of food. It actually turned out really well, so I'm including a list of ingredients, but everything was just add until added. First off, brown some lean ground beef with sweet curry powder, then set aside. Then, sautee a large onion and a couple peppers in butter and a little cumin. Once brown, add in low sodium soy sauce, ketchup, a little brown sugar, more sweet curry powder, regular curry powder, cream cheese (this is what really made it), and simmer with the meat until delicious. Served over noodles, it made for quite the dish.

Finally, some bread sticks that I've made probably a dozen times. These are always a hit at parties, and they can be made in bulk several different ways, which is really nice. To make the dough, combine 1.3C water (or 1/2C milk, the rest water), 3T melted butter, 4C bread flour, 2t salt, 2T white sugar, 2.5t yeast(activated with honey), 1T onion powder and 1t garlic salt. Kneed for about 7 minutes, then let rise for an hour. At this point, I have made them two different ways. If you are making a lot of bread sticks or you want them thinner and crispier, I found that the best way is to spread out the dough on the counter in one huge sheet. Then, spread a thin layer of olive oil on the dough and sprinkle onion powder and garlic salt, then cut with a pizza cutter and bake. Alternatively, divide the dough into about 15 pieces and roll out individual bread sticks like you would pretzels (see previous post). Then, individually olive oil and onion powder and garlic salt them. Either way you decide to form them, bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of them, so these are from the recipe they are based off of: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Paulas-Bread-Sticks/Detail.aspx