Sweet-Spicy Glazed Salmon and Thin-Crust Pizza

The first thing I made a few nights ago that was fantastic and extraordinarily easy is Sweet-Spicy Glazed Salmon. To make it, put up to 4 salmon fillets into a foil-lined pan (makes cleanup a breeze), season to taste with salt and pepper, and bake at 425 for 12 minutes. While that is in the oven, combine 3T brown sugar, 1T low-sodium soy sauce, 4t Chinese-style hot mustard and 1t rice vinegar in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and then remove from heat. After the fish has been in the oven for 12 minutes, take it out and pour/brush the glaze over it, then broil about 3 minutes or until it flakes easily. Makes an absolutely delicious and very easy dish that can be made in a hurry. I forgot to take a picture, so here is one from the recipe. From: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=549833

Next, I decided to try my hand at thin-crust pizza dough. After pouring over many different recipes and opinions on different methods, I finally settled on one. The recipe I chose goes into excruciating detail on every step of the process, but I simplified it quite a bit, and I think it turned out quite well. This recipe makes enough for 4-6 pizzas, each 10-14 inches round. For the dough, combine 4.5C bread flour, 1.75t salt and 1T yeast; then stir in1.75C cold water and 1/4C olive oil if you want. Combine, then kneed for 5-7 minutes or until smooth. Divide into 4-6 pieces depending on how big you want the pizzas to be (I did 4), form into balls, flour the outside and then wrap in plastic wrap. At this point, you can either freeze it and then refrigerate or just refrigerate it depending on how long until you are going to be using it. Either way, it should be in the fridge for a day or two before it is used to allow the gluten to develop. When you are ready to make the pizzas, take the dough out of the fridge and press into about a 1/2 inch thick disk on a floured surface, then let sit for an hour or so to warm up. At some point while the dough is warming up, begin preheating your oven to basically as hot as it can get (I just left mine on broil - it got to about 550 degrees F) with your pizza stone in the oven as well. If you really want to make fresh pizzas, I highly recommend getting a pizza stone, because it results in a much better crust and is not all that expensive; otherwise, a pan would suffice. Regardless, once the dough has warmed up a bit, stretch it into the size and thickness you want. There are many different techniques to doing this, but I like the gravity method, because it is pretty easy and less likely to make a mess. Making sure that your dough remains lightly floured, take your disk by near the edge and hold it like you would a washcloth you are preparing to hang up, then work your way around the edge, stretching it to make the circumference of the outer edge larger and letting gravity pull the center into shape. Watch carefully that you do not tear the dough in the center, and if you do get close, let it sit on the counter for a few seconds and retract, then work carefully to the desired size. One of the two that I did turned out more rectangularly than circular due to avoiding tears, but it had no impact on the taste. Once stretched to your liking, transfer to a flat pan that is lightly dusted with semolina flour or cornmeal, and spread on a thin layer of sauce(I included a picture of the one I used, which was delicious, if a bit salty) and any toppings you want. Keep in mind that fewer toppings can be better, and the crust is quite thin and not of structural integrity for an 'everything'; mine just had sauce and sliced fresh mozzarella. Once topped, remove the stone from the oven (if you are using a stone), and slide the pizza from the pan to the stone, then place the stone into the oven. You can tell when the pizza is done when the bottom of the crusts begins to get lightly browned and it maintains some rigidity when a corner is lifted with a spatula, about 5-8 minutes. Wait a bit after taking it out of the oven for easier slicing, and enjoy your fresh and delicious pizza! Based on: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001199.html

Soft Pretzels and Stuffed Tomato

Happy Sunday! I've been wanting to try my hand at soft pretzels for a while now, and decided that today was a great opportunity to do so. I also needed a side dish for my dinner, so made a stuffed tomato with what I had in the house, and I think it turned out pretty well.

Soft pretzels have a dough that is very similar to a lot of breads. What makes them have their unique crust is a short bath in baking soda. Years ago, lye was used instead with the same result, but cooks today use baking soda because it is safer, cheaper, and easier to work with. To make the dough, combine 1.5t activated yeast, 2T brown sugar, 1T heaping salt, 1.5C warm water, 3C all-purpose flour and 1C bread flour and kneed for 8-10 minutes, then let rise for an hour. Make the bath in a 8x8 pan with 2C warm water and 2T baking soda. Then, divide the dough into 12 pieces, roll out to ~3 feet and pencil-thin, create pretzel shape, dip in bath, and place on pre-greased pan. Let rise on the pan for an additional 15 minutes, then bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. When they come out, brush with melted butter and whatever toppings you like; I used coarse salt. When rolling out the pretzel dough, I found it easiest to angle my hands 90 degrees apart, then roll them forward and apart to stretch the dough while rolling it because of the stretchiness of the dough. Also, I twisted the middle of the pretzel twice and massaged the dough where the arms end on the body so that it would stay together in transit to the pan after forming the pretzel shape. Makes 12 delicious pretzels. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mall-Pretzels/Detail.aspx

The other thing I made came to exist because I wanted a side dish with dinner and didn't have anything specifically planned. I started out by hollowing out a large tomato like a pumpkin - carve a circle in the top and clean out most of the guts with a spoon. Then, I combined a bit of the guts with 2 strips of crumbled bacon, ~1.5T cream cheese, parsley, oregano, ~1T tomato paste, ~1/4C sauteed onion and ~1/4C milk, spooned it into the tomato cavity and baked at 350 for about half an hour. I served it in a ramekin because of the soupyness of the contents, and it worked very well, and the flavor was delicious, delicate and creamy. Also, it had bacon in it, which makes anything awesome. If you want sauteed onion but don't want to take the time to make it, try putting the chopped onion in a pile in the skillet, then placing a small pot lid over it. The steam causes it to cook quickly and become limp in only a few minutes.

Sweet and Sour Glazed Chicken and Thoughts

Happy Friday! I was at the store today, and so was able to pick up the things to try a new recipe I've been eying. This is an extremely easy and delicious recipe that can make 4 or 5 chicken breasts worth, and leftovers should be equally good. To make it, stir together ~10 fl oz French salad dressing, 1C of apricot preserves, 1 package dry onion soup mix and ground red pepper to taste; if you want, you can also add onion powder and Tabasco for added flavor. Pour over 3-5 chicken breasts and bake for about an hour at 350. Goes really well on a bed of Jasmine rice (1C rice to 1.5C water ratio: boil water, then add rice and cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed). Based on: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-And-Sour-Glazed-Chicken/Detail.aspx

On leftovers:

They are awesome. I was talking to someone the other day that said they didn't like leftovers, so I had to make a little note here on how nice it is to make a big dinner one night, and feast on the leftovers with no work for another couple nights.

On precision:

One thing that I have found as I cook is that amounts of various ingredients that recipes call for are not set in stone. While some recipes are really important to have precise amounts, it's really not that big of a deal. For example, in this recipe, I put in precisely one biggish squirt of dressing and a couple spoonfuls of preserve, and it turned out excellently. If you like something, add more of it; if you want more of a specific flavor, add it. Again, in this recipe, I wanted a little more kick and onion flavor, so I added a bit of onion powder, ground red pepper and a bit of Tabasco. Not necessary at all, but a modification I made to suit what my particular tastes were at the time. It is not the end of the world if you add too much or too little of something; those small differences are what makes home-cooked food amazing.

Interesting Video:

I found this interesting video from TED of Jamie Oliver discussing teaching kids about food. Quite interesting and recommended watch.

http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html

Quiche and "Wings"

Yesterday was a bit busier, so I only made two things - personal quiches and a healthier version of chicken wings.

The quiches I made were made for a muffin tin, so they are easy grab-and-go breakfasts. To make them, combine 8 slices chopped and cooked bacon, 1 chopped onion, 5-6 eggs, 1 heaping cup bisquick, 2T dried parsley and 2C shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until well combined, then spoon into 12 greased muffin tin cups and bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Very easy and very good. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Mini-Quiches/Detail.aspx

The other thing I made was an attempt at healthier chicken wings. Instead of starting off with whole chicken wings, I began with a couple chicken breasts and cut them to roughly wing sized. I then marinated them in a sauce overnight. The sauce contains 3/4C soy sauce, 1/4C water, 1/2C brown sugar, 1T of Dijon mustard, 1T garlic powder and ground red pepper to taste for a kick. After marinating, bake in a shallow pan with the marinate in with them for an hour at 375, turning and basting every 15-20 minutes. They turned out very flavorful and moist, and will make great snacks or meal on rice. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Party-Chicken-Wings/Detail.aspx

Breads, Bisque and Pork, Oh My!

So in honor of not having much to do today, I decided to do some baking. Lately, I've gotten into baking breads in muffin tins, I think that they last a lot longer than a partially cut loaf. I made a rosemary bread recipe that is one of my favorites and a new bagel bread recipe in the tins. I also made a tomato basil bisque that turned out absolutely spectacularly and a very simple pork chop recipe.

The rosemary bread is one of my absolute favorites. It is very herb-ey, moist, light and fluffy, and is overall just awesome. I combine 2.5C bread flour, 1C water, 3T olive oil, 1.5t white sugar, 1.5t salt, ~1/2t each oregano, basil and thyme, pepper to taste and 1.5t activated yeast (put in dish with honey and warm water for a few minutes) in a bowl, then kneed for about 5 minutes. Then, add 1.5T or more dried rosemary and kneed for another 5 minutes. This dough is the stickiest I've worked with, so be prepared for lots of dough sticking to your fingers. Let rise an hour, punch down, then let rise another hour. Then, either form into loaf or divide into a muffin pan, and rub with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, Bake until lightly browned at around 375. Always delicious. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jos-Rosemary-Bread/Detail.aspx

Next, I tried the bagel bread. This is a much tougher and denser bread, much like the bagel it emulates. It has almost a cake like consistency on the inside, and would be great with cream cheese or other spreads on it. This dough has 2.25C bread flour, 1T white suger, 1t salt, 1.5 t activated yeast, 1 egg, 1/3C water, 1/2C milk. Kneed for 5-7 minutes, then divide or form loaf, then bake for about half an hour or until browned at 375. Not bad at all, but definitely more of a meal than other breads. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bagel-Bread/Detail.aspx

The tomato basil garlic bisque turned out awesomely. The final product tastes like a heavy cream dish, but the thickness is from flour, so it's actually not too bad for you at all. Sautee a chopped onion in 3T butter and 2T olive oil until wilted, but not browned. Add 2T minced garlic and sautee a bit longer, being careful not to brown it. Then, add in 4.5C chicken broth, 2T dried basil, 1 large chopped tomato, 2T tomato paste, 1/2t thyme, salt and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes. Then, combine 1/2C chicken broth and 1C flour, and add to everything else once it is combined. Incorporate as best as you can, then puree everything. If desired, simmer a bit longer, but I don't think it's needed. This could easily be a sauce or bread dip, or is a delicious soup. Highly recommended, based on http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1648,153175-252199,00.html . This says to make a roux with the flour and broth, but a roux requires butter or oil, and applying heat to the combination cooks it like a pancake; therefore I don't recommend that. EDIT: after being refrigerated, the quantity of flour causes it to firm up to a stiff pudding consistency. Next time, I would add at most 1/2C flour instead of the 1C in the recipe.

Finally, a very simple pork chop recipe. First, rub the chops with garlic powder, onion powder and pepper, then brown in butter in a skillet. Then, put in a pan and cover with sauce. How much sauce you want depends on how many pork chops you have, but for 4 chops, combine 1C ketchup, 1C cola and ~2T brown sugar and a little flour to thicken it if you want. Once combined, just pour over the browned chops and cook at 375 for 30 minutes. Quite tasty and copiously simple. Based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cola-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx#

Beginnings, Cream Cheese Bread, Beer Bread, Beef Casserole

I was going through my RSS feeds today, and realized that I had quite a number of cooking feeds, but was not really happy with any of them, because the recipes they posted were often either something I had no interest making or absurdly complicated. Since I cook a pretty often, I figure that I will post what I make, what recipes I use and what modifications I make. I make pretty much everything, and have a special penchant for breads. I got my love of cooking from my mother, who cooks every day, and rarely the same thing twice.

Since Tuesday afternoons are when I have free time, that is when I have been doing most of my cooking lately. Last Tuesday, I made red velvet cupcakes with strawberry frosting (in honor of Valentines Day), a cream cheese bread in cupcake tins, beer bread, and a really easy beef casserole. The cupcakes were very simple and from a box, but I'll go through the other three recipes.

The cream cheese bread sounds a little odd, but I assure you, it makes for a very moist final product. I also made them in cupcake tins instead of a loaf, which makes small, roll-like breads that keep a lot longer than a cut loaf. To make it, combine 1/3C milk, ~2/3C cream cheese (I used about half a Philadelphia block; the more you use the creamer your result), 1/4C butter, 1 egg, 4T sugar, 1t salt, 3C bread flour, 2.5T yeast. I prepped the yeast with honey and warm water, and melted the butter and cream cheese in the microwave, then stirred everything together. After it has become almost dough-like, dump it onto a CLEAN counter and kneed for 5-10 minutes. Kneading makes the dough into a very uniform, stretchy form that ends up making a very nice final product. I then separated it into 12 cupcake cups and baked at 375 for ~25 minutes. From http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-Cheese-Bread/Detail.aspx

Beer bread is the simplest bread I have ever found, and it always is a hit when you get it fresh out of the oven. All it takes is 3C self rising flour, 3T sugar and 1 can flat beer (pour it between 2 cups a couple time to flatten it). Mix and pour into a loaf pan, then bake at 350 for 1 hour. If you want, you can grease the top with butter for a shiny presentation. Tastes just dandy with the cheapest of beers, and is best eaten fresh. I got this recipe from my mother a long time ago.

Finally, the very easy beef casserole, almost a stew. In a crock pot, put 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 package fresh mushrooms, 1 onion cut up however suits your fancy, 1 large envelope onion soup mix, 1/2 C milk, and 1 to 1.5Lb stew beef. I cooked it on low for ~10 hours, served it over egg noodles, and it was delicious. One recipe makes enough for 3-4 servings (depending if you eat like a college guy or not), so it's great for leftovers. From http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/42/Easy-Beef-Casserole131756.shtml