Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Football season, school functions, and get-togethers are upon us as is the pressure to produce spectacular foods and desserts in record time.This recipe is a delicious go-to dish that everyone will love.The recipe looks a bit complicated, but it’s worth the bit of extra time it takes to prepare. The bread makes it special.The filling ingredients can be altered to suit your taste and can be made ahead of time. All it takes is a tight wrapping of plastic followed by aluminum foil or an airtight food bag. Just keep it refrigerated and uncut until serving time. Then you can warm nd serve. This can be done up to 3 days in advance.This will make 12 large pretzels or 3 heroes.
Pretzel Dough
2 cups Rye Flour
2 cups Wheat Flour
2 cups White Flour
2 ¼ cups Water
4 tablespoons of sweet butter, plus more for brushing
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 teaspoons of kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 packet of active dry Yeast
3 tablespoons Minced Jalapeno, seeds removed Or 3 Tablespoons minced jalapeno pickles; omit salt if using pickles
Topping: caraway, fennel, minced dried onion, minced dried garlic poppy seeds , sesame seeds, coarse salt ; mixed or your favorite
Combine 2 cups of warm water,( 110*-115*), butter, and brown sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast and let stand until foamy, usually about 10 minutes. If the yeast does not foam, skim off and discard and start with fresh.
For Pretzels: Add 3 cups of flour, one of each, and the 2 teaspoons of salt. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed. Add the jalapeno. Then, increase the speed to medium as the flour begins to incorporate, and then add the remaining 3 cups of flour. Mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a board, counter, or table , and knead until smooth . This usually takes 5-8 minutes. Brush a large bowl with butter, add the dough and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap followed by a towel ,and let rise until doubled in size; usually takes about 1 hour. Punch down and knead for about 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a 24 inch rope, then cut the rope in 3 pieces and roll, then shape into pretzel shape of your choice. Place on oiled wax paper while you boil a large pot of water to which 2 tablespoons each of sugar and baking soda have been added. Reduce to a simmer. Cut parchment and slide one pretzel at a time into the water. When it floats, remove with as slotted spoon and place on oiled wax paper. Repeat until all pretzels are boiled. Heat the oven to 425. Place pretzels on a prepared sheet. Brush with egg wash
and add toppings. Bake on top rack until nicely browned, about 12 minutes. Serve plain or with assorted sauces or mustard.
For Heroes: Follow recipe as above up until the one hour rise. After rising, knead for about 10 minutes until very smooth. Line cookie sheets with parchment and coat with spray or oil. Punch down and divide into 3 pieces. Cover the 2 remaining pieces. Roll and stretch the dough into a 3 sheets. Add the fillings of your choice. Make sure ends are pinched to avoid losing filling.Roll up like a jelly roll. Then twist roll into a pretzel shape. Or if you prefer leave it as a log. Wash the top with egg and top with seeds and spices as above. Let rise about 30 minutes covered. Bake at 400 until browned, about 15 minutes.
Filling Suggestions: Ham, Salmi, Provolone
Turkey, Swiss, Hot ham
Roast beef, Munster
To any of these, add your favorites; roasted peppers, fried peppers, fried eggplant slices, roasted tomato,etc
Pretzel Dough
2 cups Rye Flour
2 cups Wheat Flour
2 cups White Flour
2 ¼ cups Water
4 tablespoons of sweet butter, plus more for brushing
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 teaspoons of kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 packet of active dry Yeast
3 tablespoons Minced Jalapeno, seeds removed Or 3 Tablespoons minced jalapeno pickles; omit salt if using pickles
Topping: caraway, fennel, minced dried onion, minced dried garlic poppy seeds , sesame seeds, coarse salt ; mixed or your favorite
Combine 2 cups of warm water,( 110*-115*), butter, and brown sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast and let stand until foamy, usually about 10 minutes. If the yeast does not foam, skim off and discard and start with fresh.
For Pretzels: Add 3 cups of flour, one of each, and the 2 teaspoons of salt. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed. Add the jalapeno. Then, increase the speed to medium as the flour begins to incorporate, and then add the remaining 3 cups of flour. Mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a board, counter, or table , and knead until smooth . This usually takes 5-8 minutes. Brush a large bowl with butter, add the dough and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap followed by a towel ,and let rise until doubled in size; usually takes about 1 hour. Punch down and knead for about 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a 24 inch rope, then cut the rope in 3 pieces and roll, then shape into pretzel shape of your choice. Place on oiled wax paper while you boil a large pot of water to which 2 tablespoons each of sugar and baking soda have been added. Reduce to a simmer. Cut parchment and slide one pretzel at a time into the water. When it floats, remove with as slotted spoon and place on oiled wax paper. Repeat until all pretzels are boiled. Heat the oven to 425. Place pretzels on a prepared sheet. Brush with egg wash
and add toppings. Bake on top rack until nicely browned, about 12 minutes. Serve plain or with assorted sauces or mustard.
For Heroes: Follow recipe as above up until the one hour rise. After rising, knead for about 10 minutes until very smooth. Line cookie sheets with parchment and coat with spray or oil. Punch down and divide into 3 pieces. Cover the 2 remaining pieces. Roll and stretch the dough into a 3 sheets. Add the fillings of your choice. Make sure ends are pinched to avoid losing filling.Roll up like a jelly roll. Then twist roll into a pretzel shape. Or if you prefer leave it as a log. Wash the top with egg and top with seeds and spices as above. Let rise about 30 minutes covered. Bake at 400 until browned, about 15 minutes.
Filling Suggestions: Ham, Salmi, Provolone
Turkey, Swiss, Hot ham
Roast beef, Munster
To any of these, add your favorites; roasted peppers, fried peppers, fried eggplant slices, roasted tomato,etc
Saturday, December 03, 2016
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
There is no shortage of vegetable soup recipes , but this one is very special. It’s so good , you forget you’re eating something so healthy. Roasting the cauliflower and toasting the walnuts makes all the difference. Do not skip this step. For a special treat, serve the soup with grilled cheese and bacon croutons ! Add brown Basmati rice on the side for a light lunch . Let guests help themselves. We usually have it as a first course or light meal with garlic rye croutons.The soup is very thick but can be successfully thinned with small amounts of unsalted veggie, chicken broth, or even milk. We like milk because it does not overpower the taste of the cauliflower . We all know that milk flavor and aroma is changed from contact with other foods.The milk just picks up the flavor and aroma of the soup.
To Roast Cauliflower
4 cups cauliflower
4 cloves Garlic, or more if desired
Olive oil, as needed
To Make Soup
1 quart of light broth or water
2 tablespoons of sweet butter
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 cup of yogurt; Greek style is best
2 teaspoon of corn starch
5 tablespoons of shredded reduced fat cheddar
Break cauliflower into florets. Toss with olive oil , 3 tablespoons or more if needed, 2 teaspoons of pressed garlic, and sprinkle with salt. Place in a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet and roast in a slow oven on top rack until soft and lightly brown. Next process cauliflower and pepper until smooth. Add half the water/broth and process. Pour into a saucepan and cover. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, then add the rest of the water/broth that has been mixed with the cornstarch. Add the yogurt and heat thoroughly. Adjust seasonings and consistency. You can cook it down uncovered to thicken it, or add a little more yogurt or milk . Add liquids only at a spoonful at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Add butter and stir. Stir in cheese. Serve with garlic toasted rye croutons and toasted walnuts.
Rye Croutons
Sliced rye bread Butter or oil Pressed garlic; can substitute granulated garlic Cut bread into small cubes. Toss with oil or melted butter and garlic. Toast on a cookie sheet until browned and crisp
Toasted Walnuts 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts Oven should be as low as possible; nuts burn fast. Place nuts on sheet and toast lightly .
Grilled Cheese and Bacon Croutons
8 thin slices of white bread
4 thin slices of smoked gouda, fontina, or a good sharp cheddar
4 crisp slices of bacon
unsalted butter or olive oil
Crumble bacon. Place one slice of cheese on each of 4 slices of bread. Top each with some of the crumbled bacon. Cover with the remaining bread slices. Coat with butter or oil and grill until crispy and brown. Cut into small cubes and top soup.
There is no shortage of vegetable soup recipes , but this one is very special. It’s so good , you forget you’re eating something so healthy. Roasting the cauliflower and toasting the walnuts makes all the difference. Do not skip this step. For a special treat, serve the soup with grilled cheese and bacon croutons ! Add brown Basmati rice on the side for a light lunch . Let guests help themselves. We usually have it as a first course or light meal with garlic rye croutons.The soup is very thick but can be successfully thinned with small amounts of unsalted veggie, chicken broth, or even milk. We like milk because it does not overpower the taste of the cauliflower . We all know that milk flavor and aroma is changed from contact with other foods.The milk just picks up the flavor and aroma of the soup.
To Roast Cauliflower
4 cups cauliflower
4 cloves Garlic, or more if desired
Olive oil, as needed
To Make Soup
1 quart of light broth or water2 tablespoons of sweet butter
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 cup of yogurt; Greek style is best
2 teaspoon of corn starch
5 tablespoons of shredded reduced fat cheddar
Break cauliflower into florets. Toss with olive oil , 3 tablespoons or more if needed, 2 teaspoons of pressed garlic, and sprinkle with salt. Place in a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet and roast in a slow oven on top rack until soft and lightly brown. Next process cauliflower and pepper until smooth. Add half the water/broth and process. Pour into a saucepan and cover. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, then add the rest of the water/broth that has been mixed with the cornstarch. Add the yogurt and heat thoroughly. Adjust seasonings and consistency. You can cook it down uncovered to thicken it, or add a little more yogurt or milk . Add liquids only at a spoonful at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Add butter and stir. Stir in cheese. Serve with garlic toasted rye croutons and toasted walnuts.
Rye Croutons
Sliced rye bread Butter or oil Pressed garlic; can substitute granulated garlic Cut bread into small cubes. Toss with oil or melted butter and garlic. Toast on a cookie sheet until browned and crisp
Toasted Walnuts 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts Oven should be as low as possible; nuts burn fast. Place nuts on sheet and toast lightly .
Grilled Cheese and Bacon Croutons
8 thin slices of white bread
4 thin slices of smoked gouda, fontina, or a good sharp cheddar
4 crisp slices of bacon
unsalted butter or olive oil
Crumble bacon. Place one slice of cheese on each of 4 slices of bread. Top each with some of the crumbled bacon. Cover with the remaining bread slices. Coat with butter or oil and grill until crispy and brown. Cut into small cubes and top soup.
Fusion Pork
We call this a fusion dish because of the mix of flavorings and spices. It’s a little bit Polynesian with the pork, coconut, and pineapple; a little bit Mexican with the cumin and chipotle, and a little Asian with the Ponzu,garlic, and rice. Speaking of rice, we use a fragrant variety for this dish such as Basmati or Jasmine, both are available in brown variety which adds chew and is far healthier.This is a quick and easy dish , very similar to a stir fry but with a twist. It is lightly “stewed” if you will, to produce a tender bite, as the pieces are cut larger than a stir fry.Serve with rice or Asian style noodles; buckwheat noodles are great!
4 large lean boneless pork chops; we used sirloin
1 large green bell pepper
1 large red pepper
1 large onion
1 large carrot
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of oil; we used coconut for this
3 quarter sized discs of ginger
¼ cup of smoky chipotle cooking sauce or 2 smoked chipotles
3 tablespoons of Ponzu with lime
¾ cup of crushed pineapple in juice
Pinch of crushed dried red pepper
½ cup water
Cumin
1 large green bell pepper
1 large red pepper
1 large onion
1 large carrot
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of oil; we used coconut for this
3 quarter sized discs of ginger
¼ cup of smoky chipotle cooking sauce or 2 smoked chipotles
3 tablespoons of Ponzu with lime
¾ cup of crushed pineapple in juice
Pinch of crushed dried red pepper
½ cup water
Cumin
Cut the pork into bite-sized cubes and set aside. Slice the pepper and onion into strips. Add the coconut oil to a heavy skillet and heat. Add the porkand cook, while occasionally stirring, until brown. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon. Add the onion and pepper to the skillet and saute until wilted. Add the garlic, ginger, and 2 smoked chipotles finely chopped, if using the whole pepper in lieu of the jarred sauce. Return the pork to the pan and add 1 cup of halved cherry or grape tomatoes. Stir and cook adding ½ cup water. Add the 2 bunches of broccoli crowns and cook leaving it slightly crunchy . Add the pineapple and dash of cumin. Stir in shredded carrots and cover. Remove from heat and prepare rice according to package directions.
Scoop rice/noodles onto a rimmed platter or shallow serving bowl. Ladle pork and veggies into the center, working out to the edge. Leaving a little “border “ of rice/noodles.
Scoop rice/noodles onto a rimmed platter or shallow serving bowl. Ladle pork and veggies into the center, working out to the edge. Leaving a little “border “ of rice/noodles.
Sunday, August 07, 2016
Individual Stuffef Chicken Breasts
If you like chicken cordon bleu, you will really like this tasty, but guilt free version. Plus, it can be sauteed or even baked, we make it in Summer on the outdoor grill where it takes on those lovely caramelized grill marks. It is easy and quick. Sides can be simple or more elaborate.You can substitute your preference of ham and cheese, but we like black forest ham and smoked Gouda. We do alternate and sometimes go prosciutto and provolone .
Sides can be simple or more elaborate. Some good choices to choose from are mashed yams, asparagus, rice, pasta, broccoli di rapa, or a simple green salad. Your choice. Drinking wine? We like this with a fruity white or rose. Recipe feeds 4.
4 whole chicken breasts, bone in or boneless. We always go boneless and save the breast frames for broth or stock; cooks quicker too.
4 ounces of thin sliced lean ham
4 ounces of smoked Gouda
4 tablespoons of flour
Roasted garlic bread crumbs
4 tablespoons of compound butter; recipe follows
4 teaspoons of butter
Create a deep pocket in each breast by slicing horizontally almost completely through to the opposite side of where your cut begins. If using bone in, cut very close to the bone. If boneless, just make your cut midway with an equal amount of chicken on top and bottom. Next open the pocket and spread a teaspoon of plain unsalted butter inside ,top and bottom. Sprinkle with black pepper. Lay half of the cheese on the bottom half, top with 1 ounce of ham, finish with the rest of the cheese. Using small skewers or toothpicks, seal each breast, closing completely. This is important to avoid losing the butter and cheese. Next coat each breast with 1 tablespoon of the compound butter. Finally roll it gently in the bread crumbs, covering all sides. Refrigerate.
If grilling : oil the surface and when very hot, place chicken on grill. Brown on one side and then turn only once. Use a thermometer to check doneness
If baking : Coat a non-stick, parchment, or foil lined shallow baking dish with a small amount of olive oil. Place the chicken in the pan and cover .Bake at 350 until cooked though , about 30 minutes.Then uncover and raise flame allowing crumbs to turn golden brown.
To saute: saute inn butter or oil, or a mixture of both. Cook until golden and crisp. Remove from pan and serve.
Serve with lemon wedges or a creamy honey mustard.
Compound Butter
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon of finely minced parsley leaves
1 teaspoon of finely minced tarragon or rosemary leaves
A healthy dash of garlic powder, not salt
Dash of paprika
Mix all ingredients together and keep refrigerated until using.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)