Pain du Jour

This is a part whole wheat, oatmeal, sunflower seed, honey and molasses bread. Just because I felt like it.

No real recipe.  About 2 cups of water, 1 packet yeast, some honey (2 or 3 tablespoons), some molasses (about 1/4 cup), let it sit a bit; add a little butter ( about 2 tablespoons) a good teaspoon of salt, a cup and a half of whole wheat flour, beat well.  Add a good handful of quick oats, a handful of sunflower seeds, and unbleached white flour until you have a nice sticky, but not too sticky dough.  Knead for a few minutes dusting with flour as needed.  Let rise a couple of hours (our house is kept at about 63 degrees), cut, form into loaves, put into greased bread pans, let rise another hour, preheat oven to 475 degrees, bake for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 375 for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Voila, pain.

Dinner was ready... the bread was baking during dinner, so it will be great toasted for breakfast in the morning.

Snow - Comfort Food - Shepherd's Pie

No barbecue tonight...

If shepherds made their pie with lamb, it would make sense, unless they were so fond of their sheep that they went for beef.  Shepherd's pie is a good comfort food.  Can anything with melted cheese  be bad?

This is one of Leon's favorites, and as such it has NO tomato sauce.  Saute ground beef with onion, season to taste.  Layer the Dutch oven with the meat, veggies (using frozen veggies here), mashed potatoes (not from a box - you all know how to make mashed potatoes) and cheese (cheddar, jack, whatever).  Pop it in the oven until the cheese melts and browns.

Photos here:

Dinner's Ready!
Plenty of leftovers.

You Say Rissolli - They Say Rissole

Russ,
I found several rissolli recipes - only they spell it rissole.  Does this count?  A rose is a rose is a meatball.  So I don't need to invent a new dish.

Wouldn't you know, I've been making them for years - it's my family's basic meatball recipe, (which I've already done with turkey).  In some of the versions, they include various minced veggies like carrots in addition to the onion and herbs we use.  Here's one recipe, gleaned from the net, that's most like my meatballs or meatloaf, just make into patties and cook up in a skillet.  In summer, we put them on the grill and serve them on buns.

• 2 lbs mincemeat (ground beef)
• 2 eggs
• 1 medium onion (chopped finely)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (you may need more)  (I use dried bread, moistened)
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce (ketchup) (No, I don't think so)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (No, I don't think so)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried herbs (or fresh mixed herbs such as sage, parsley, thyme or what ever you have in the garden) (Definitely fresh or frozen parsley and fresh or frozen basil)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder  (No, I don't think so)
• 2 tablespoons plain flour, for dusting the rissoles (Who needs it?)
• 2 tablespoons oil for frying, you may need more oil.

Schiacciata Siciliana - Spinach Pie

NOTE: I am not sure where the term "Schiacciata" comes from as it means "crushed" (schiacciare - to crush). I've also seen recipes on line where it is spelled "scacciata" which sounds more like the Sicilian word, but is not in my Italian dictionary.

I like to make dough.

Bread dough fascinates me.

But I am not a patient person, nor am I one to plan three days in advance to make a loaf of bread, which the "experts" require in their recipes.  See The Bread Baker's Apprentice and Crust and Crumb, by Peter Reinhart.

All of his artisan, crusty breads require a starter made two or three days in advance and an overnight in the fridge for the final dough.  Jeez, I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow morning, let alone three days from now.  I've been waiting for a big grant writing project to come along.  I was supposed to hear on Monday but I'm thinking the meeting they had at the agency on Friday did not result in a decision, so I have no work this week.  But I digress...

I like the "direct method" of bread making.  That's a technical term for "make your dough today AND eat your bread TODAY".  I've been experimenting with a wetter, softer dough - a little less flour in the water.  And it seems to be producing a good product.  Not superior, but with a nice crust and chewy interior.  I'd prefer a thicker, crunchy crust, so will keep trying.

A good hot oven with an oven hearth, supposedly makes the best bread.  I have to make do with my 10-year-old Kenmore stove from the Sears Dent-and-Scratch Store.  It has served us well, and, god knows, we are not starving.

I don't even bother to always "proof" the yeast according to the rules.  Two coffee mugs of warm water, about one and a half packets of dry yeast, a cup of flour.  It foams up after a few minutes.

Add a teaspoon or so of salt. One cup whole wheat flour and about 3 and a half cups more of unbleached, all purpose or bread flour added a little at a time and beaten with a wooden spoon into a batter-like mass.  As you add flour you may have to use your hands.  You'll get a dough that is sticky but pulls away from the bowl.  Cover and let rise for about 2 hours.

(EDIT 2/11/2020: I have changed my method somewhat, or I should say, I use variations on this bread dough recipe. I often use just King Arthur Bread Flour and only occasionally add whole wheat; I have come to understand that using less yeast (about a teaspoon or two for thee full coffee mugs of water) will work, especially if you let the dough rise in the fridge over night. The more yeast, the faster the rise I think, but the texture and taste is diminished)

I cooked up some mushrooms in olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes, added a bag and a half of washed spinach and let the spinach wilt.  Then drain and squeeze out the extra liquid.

Meanwhile, your dough will have doubled - I WISH MY DOUGH ($) WOULD DOUBLE!

You can punch it down and let it rise again if you are not ready to use it - it can go in the fridge if you need more time.  Then, divide into two or three pieces and shape as you like.  This can be pizza or focaccia too.

For spinach pie, put the spinach on half the round, put cooked Italian sausage on top and fold the pizza over like a turnover.

The sausage bread is similar but long instead of round.

Fold over the pie and roll over the bread

Seal the edges with your fingers

Bake at 500 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Bake the bread for slightly less time.

Critique: Good, but still want a crustier crust and a more airy texture.  By the way schiacciata is pronounced  "Ski-ah-chaht-a".  Variations: Add cooked potato sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper;  broccoli and sausage;  ricotta cheese with a little salt, pepper, nutmeg;  ricotta and spinach; etc....

Dinner's Ready!

Not Dinner but ...Morning Glory

 

Always on the lookout for a bargain, I discovered this item at our local Discount Food Outlet.  Sticky Fingers Bakery Morning Glory Muffin mix. $1.48, makes six large muffins.  OK, the expiry date is 2/23/11 but what's to expire?  I went back and bought 10 more.  They're that good.

I won't buy just any baking pre-mix.  Sometimes I'll settle for something less than "all natural" if I really need a quick brownie or a chocolate cake.  Usually I'll make from scratch so there's no transfat or artificial ingredients or high fructose corn syrup.  If it's a muffin mix, I end up "doctoring" by adding raisins or nuts or fruit. 

No need with these muffins.  The ingredients are "all natural" and include raisins, carrots, coconut, sunflower seeds, natural vanilla, spices.  Just add 1 cup of water, 1 egg and a third cup of vegetable oil.  Bake.  It keeps the house warm.

Probably won't be making dinner tonight ... maybe a can of soup or a grilled cheese ... we have puppy training class and gotta be out by 6:15. 

Cod Poached on Spinach Over Rice

I would like to eat more of a Mediterranean diet which includes lots of fish.  Even though we live in New England, fish is expensive.  Today's fresh cod is exactly eight times more expensive than the split chicken breasts.  $8 per pound, vs $1 per pound.  And then one must determine if the type of fish has too much mercury, and whether it is sustainable.  How do you know if that fish at the market is line caught, or wild caught? whether it is North Atlantic or Pacific?  Whether it is farmed in China next to a toxic computer waste facility or farmed in Alabama next to a pig farm?  It's difficult to stick to a politically correct diet.  Anyhow, here's some cod:

Easy!
Get out the frying pan/skillet,
Put in a couple pats of butter and some olive oil
Chop an onion and saute for 2 or 3 minutes - a little garlic won't hurt
Add 3/4 cups rice and stir until the rice is coated with oil
Add a scant 1 & 1/2 cups water and a little salt - bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer
Place washed spinach on top of the rice (about 3/4 bag - two handfuls or so to cover the rice)
Place 1 pound of cod fillets (or other mild fish) cut into pieces, on top of the spinach
A little salt and pepper, a few slices of lemon
Cover and simmer until the rice is cooked about 12-15 minutes.
Dinner's Ready - in less time than an episode of Rachel Ray.

Butter, oil, onion, rice, water

 Put the spinach on top

 Put the cod on top of the spinach, simmer until the rice absorbs the liquid.

 Serve hot.

Almost Grandma's Parmigiana

Parmigiana, as far as I can tell, is something breaded, sautéed and sprinkled with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Period.  It can be eaten hot or “cold” or taken to a new level with tomato sauce and mozzarella.  Grandma was always frying up some eggplant or cauliflower.  We would eat it at room temperature as a snack or antipasto. Sometimes it made it into a casserole oven baked dish with tomato sauce.  Mom was great at doing the veal.  My cousin Rose thinks killing baby calves for parmigiana is cruel, so I started using chicken.  I guess it’s OK to be cruel to chickens.  Turkey anyone? Combos of these recipes (veal and eggplant especially) take what is great to sublime.


Parmigiana is not as difficult as you might think.  This is a chicken assembly line

Veal or chicken prep: 

            Buy veal or chicken cutlets pre-sliced; or slice whole chicken breasts about a quarter             inch thick.  Pound with a meat mallet if you like.  For eggplant, slice, salt, let sweat on paper towels.

Set up your assembly line as follows - amounts will depend on how much you are making -  this is for about a pound of chicken:

Place some flour (3/4 cup)  in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. 

Beat 2 eggs in another bowl.

Place breadcrumbs (about a cup) in another bowl. 

*Cover the bottom of large skillet with olive oil, over medium high heat.

Flour both sides of a piece of prepared eggplant, veal or chicken by dredging in the flour until well coated.  Then dip both sides into the beaten egg, then into the breadcrumbs, coating both sides completely.  Sauté* in the olive oil, and turn over when the first side is well browned.  Eggplant will tend to soak up olive oil.  Add more oil as needed.  

*(Alternative method: place breaded cutlets on an oiled cookie sheet, spray with olive oil and bake at 350-375 till browned)

Remove from the skillet and place on paper towels on a large platter and dust generously with grated Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan) cheese while still hot. The veal and chicken make a great main course as is or layer in a casserole with tomato sauce and top with mozzarella and bake at 375 degrees till the cheese browns.

Saute

Layer with tomato sauce

Top with just a little mozzarella

Serve with garlic bread and veggies, wine.

Back to the Leftovers

Grabbed the last chunk of leftover pot roast from the fridge along with those leftover sliced bell peppers, some onion, garlic, celery and broccoli and made a little stir-fry over white rice.  The carrots were in the pot roast so they came along for the ride.  A little soy sauce, some juices from the roast.  Not gourmet, but quick and tasty.  Speaking of leftovers in the fridge, there are two pieces of cheesecake left that Ed and Jeff brought for the New Year's Eve get together.  Coffee's Ready!

Happy Carnival - "Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler"

KING CAKE #1 for 2011 - The picture doesn't do it justice

It's 12th Night, (technically 13th Night but I made the Cake last night), Three Kings Day, Epiphany, the beginning of Carnival Season in New Orleans and elsewhere.   OK, I've done this before so I'll just link you there: Home Made King Cake.  So this is more of a "Dessert is Ready" post.

Like I said, I made the cake last night.  Followed the recipe I linked to above but, even though the yeast "proofed" OK, the dough hadn't risen noticeably after two hours.  No way was I going to throw out all the time, effort and ingredients that went into making that dough.  So I mixed up another packet of yeast with a little water and a little sugar and a little flour and let it foam up for a while.  It made a"sponge" or "poolish" which I then incorporated into the "bad" dough and let the whole mess rise again, which,  it did.

I was surprised that I actually salvaged the dough and that it baked up as well as it did.  We had some for breakfast and will probably have a slice with coffee in a few minutes...."Laissez le bon temps rouler" ...."Let the Good Times Roll"... yeah, right.  So, save a link, the recipe is below:

KING CAKE

This is the traditional New Orleans Carnival dessert or Brioche. Carnival (Goodbye to the Flesh/Meat) begins after Epiphany and extends through Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent. Some lucky party-goer will find the plastic baby ( which is the Christchild - the King) and must bring a King Cake to the next get together. Commercially baked cakes bear a warning about the hidden choking hazard baked in the cake.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup warm water

2 pkg active dry yeast

1/2 cup plus 1 tsp sugar

31/2 cups unsifted flour; 1 cup additional flour

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 cup warm milk

5 egg yolks, scrambled with fork

10 tbsp softened butter (1 stick + 2 tbsp)

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 small plastic baby doll (or dried bean or coin)


DIRECTIONS

Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl, add yeast and 2 tsp sugar. Mix and allow to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes until the mixture bubbles. Add the 1/2 cup of warm milk and the egg yolks.

Combine 31/2 cups of the flour, salt, lemon zest, the remaining sugar, nutmeg, and sift into the liquid mixture about a cup at a time, mixing well with a wooden spoon. After adding about 2 cups of flour, beat in 8 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp at a time until you can't see the butter. Add the rest of the flour mixture. Place the dough on a floured counter or bread board and knead, gradually adding up to 1 cup more flour. Knead about 10 more minutes, till the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into a large buttered bowl and butter the surface of the dough ball. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 11/2 hours, till double.

Coat a baking sheet or pizza pan with butter. Place the dough on a floured counter, punch it down a bit and sprinkle with cinnamon. Divide the dough in two and shape each into a cylindrical or rope shape, lay them side by side, pinch the ends together and twist them around each other. (Or make three ropes and braid). Form the twist into a ring or wreath and place it on the buttered baking sheet. Hide the plastic doll inside the ring. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for at least 45 minutes in warm place.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the cake with an egg wash (1 egg with 1 tbsp milk). Bake for 25-35 minutes till golden brown. Allow to cool.

ICING

Optional: Prepare colored sugar by putting 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar into each of three small plastic containers with tight lids. Into one place a few drops of yellow food coloring and shake well till all the sugar is yellow. In the second, place a few drops of green and do the same; in the last place three drops of red and one or two drops of blue to make purple and shake till well blended. (adjust color if you like).  As an option just divide the icing below in three parts and color one green, one yellow, one purple.

Use about 1/2 box of confectioners sugar (about 11/2 cups) and add 1 tsp real lemon extract. Add cold water one tsp at a time until the sugar icing stirs easily but not watery.

When the cake is cool drizzle the white (or colored) icing on the cake until it is entirely coated. Take the colored sugars and sprinkle on in bands of yellow, green and purple. (Three bands in each quarter of the cake). Place Mardi Gras beads around the cake for presentation.

(WARNING: Plastic toy in cake may be choking or dental hazard).

Weekday Pasta - Spaghetti and Turkey Balls

This is a quickie recipe.  I always like to use leftovers in completely different dishes so this spaghetti sauce borrows the turkey burger I mixed up last week and put in the freezer.  We had turkey burgers on buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and bacon.  That way the turkey (healthy?) balances out the bacon (heart attack).

Today I made meatballs with the turkey burger mix which has the same basic ingredients as ground beef meatballs.  I don't know how traditional "polpette di tacchino" are in real Italian cuisine, but meatballs are a tradition in our family and most Italian-American families.

A pound of ground meat (beef, pork, veal, turkey)
A few slices of dry Italian or French bread, moistened with water (when using turkey, less water as the turkey produces a softer concoction)
One small onion, diced
1 or 2 eggs (one for turkey)
1/4 cup or so grated parmesan or romano cheese
Salt, pepper, garlic powder (or use fresh minced garlic)
Chopped fresh or frozen parsley
Chopped fresh or frozen basil leaves
Mix together and make burgers, meatballs or meatloaf.

Any of the above can make an appearance in the tomato sauce if left over.
I had the burger already mixed and thawed so made some turkey meatballs.
Tonight I just opened a jar of prepared marinara spaghetti sauce - that's the weekday part.  I never use prepared meat sauce ... I like to see the meat I'm going to eat... This $1.50 jar of gourmet sauce came from the discount food store, my favorite place.

Added the turkey balls along with half a leftover pork chop and a few chunks of the pot roast we had the other evening - left over pork roast is the absolute best thing to add to your sauce.  It makes for the ideal sweetness and flavor. .  A little more basil and some parmesan cheese. Let it all simmer on low for a while - at least an hour, no more than three.

Serving with whole wheat spaghetti tonight.

Dinner's Ready!

Rachel Ray, Eat Your Heart Out

Pork Chops with Onions and Wine, 

Microwave Red Potatoes, 

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples 

- for two. 

 This expedient meal was ready and on the table in less than 25 minutes.  OK, the garlic was already chopped and in the freezer.  You'll need two skillets and a microwave safe bowl.  Start your burners.  In one skillet drizzle a little olive oil and add some chopped garlic, about a clove or two for the chops; in the other skillet 2 tablespoons of butter for the cabbage.  Shred a half of a small head of cabbage or a third of a large one and add the cabbage to the skillet with the now melted butter.  Move the cabbage around, keep an eye on it; it should wilt and not burn.

Slice and add a couple of small onions to the oil and garlic and saute until the onions start to wilt and get a little brown.  Meanwhile wash three or five Red Potatoes and cut into 1/4 inch slices.  Place them in the bowl, drizzle with oil, place a pat of butter on top, salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap.  Place in microwave set for six minutes.

Put three pork chops (one and a half each or one for the dog) in the skillet with the garlic and onions which you have to move to make room for the meat.  Keep the heat on.  Add salt and pepper.

Peel and slice an apple and add to the cabbage; add a good tablespoon of brown sugar and a sprinkle of vinegar.  Add a little water - 1/4 cup should do.  Keep stirring and lower the heat and cover.  Cook for a few minutes and turn off the heat.

Turn over the chops, let them cook another minute or so, then add 1/4 cup of red wine.  OK, the wine has been open for more than 72 hours or whatever.  Like I care.  Wine snob, I'm not.  The bottle will be served at the table too, even if we opened it two weeks ago.  Cover and simmer for another couple of minutes.

Check the potatoes...they may need another 2 minutes in the nuker.  I think that does it.

Yell, "Dinner's ready."

Unstuffed Cabbage

I grew up in a very ethnic town.  Polish and eastern European friends and families introduced us "Italians" to the golumpki or golabki, along with pierogi and garagekis.  Never heard of garagekis?  That's what you used to use to open the garage door - before they invented remote controlkis.  Groan.

Well,  this cabbage dish is for lazy cooks.  It has all the right elements for golumpki but is a lot less work.  I made it for New Year's Eve.  Serves eight.  You'll need a pound and a half of ground beef; one small head of green cabbage, an onion, one and a half cups of (raw) rice, two small cans of Hunt's tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce unless thats all you have), some seasonings.

Chop the onion and saute it in a little oil and butter in a large cast iron skillet.
Add the ground beef, salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste and cook, breaking up the meat until the meat is cooked through.  Remove the meat from the pan.

Prepare the rice by melting a tablespoon of butter or oil in a sauce pan.  Add the rice and stir to coat the rice in butter/oil.  Add three cups of water and some salt.  Bring the rice to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until all the water is absorbed (about 12-15 minutes).  Remove from heat and fluff the rice.

Core and shred the cabbage like you were making cole slaw.  Add a little oil to the skillet along with any juices from the beef.  Braise the cabbage, stirring it until it is well wilted and softened.  Return the ground beef to the skillet, add the tomato sauce and cook the cabbage, sauce and beef together for 5 or 10 minutes.

Transfer the meat mixture to a large roasting pan or casserole, add the cooked rice, mix it all together evenly and place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Serve Hot. Yum.
Photo not available just yet - the guys ate it (the Unstuffed Cabbage, not the photo) before I even thought to take a picture!

New Year's Mac and Cheese

Here's a Mac and Cheese dish that you can do anytime, but which makes a great way to use those leftover cheese squares and veggies from holiday party trays.

Have a few guests over for New Year's Eve and make your party trays extra large.  Be sure to include a veggie platter with fresh broccoli, cauliflower, and grape tomatoes. A nice sour cream dip with crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola goes well with this.  Be sure to include a cheese platter with plenty of sharp cheddar, Monterey jack, jalapeno, even Muenster, or other cheeses. Make enough of everything to ensure leftovers.

Next day you'll make a great Mac and Cheese - a hearty comfort food for your New Year's Day buffet.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add three tablespoons of flour and whisk for a minute until blended and the flour cooks in the butter but don't let it burn.
Add about 2 cups of milk, 2% is fine - a little at a time while whisking, allowing the sauce to thicken.
Lower the heat and add the cheese chunks - about 16 ounces or 3 cups of cubed cheese bars.
Add the sour cream dip (about 8 ounces sour cream and 4 oz of blue cheese or gorgonzola)
Continue to whisk over low heat until all the cheese is melted.

Meanwhile bring a pot of salted water to the boil (a six quart pot with 1 tablespoon of salt)
Add a pound of pasta - elbows, cellantini or other shape you like - to the boiling water.
Follow the directions on the box for boiling time (al dente) and about 4 minutes before the pasta is done add the cut up broccoli and cauliflower to the pot along with the pasta.  Continue to cook for four minutes.

Drain the pasta and veggies and put into a large casserole or baking dish.
Add the cheese sauce and mix in well.
Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese.
Place grape tomatoes on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Serve hot.  Yum.