Mini Pot Pies

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Wendy

1) Use up stuff in the fridge.

2) Goes together quickly.

3) Kids actually excited to help AND eat.

Score!!!!

This ingenious recipe from Kiwi Magazine uses egg roll wrappers instead of crust, saving both time and calories. I make it even quicker by saving a few cooked chicken breasts in the fridge from a previous night’s dinner and skip the chicken cooking step.

Active time: 40 minutes

CHICKEN POTPIE BUNDLES

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 cup all natural chicken broth
4 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan
12 egg-roll wrappers

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until they soften, about 5 minutes.
Add second tablespoon of olive oil and garlic, and cook 1 minute more.
If someone in your house eats one of the chicken breasts you had planned to use in this recipe, some chopped steamed potato works well too. (Yes, the chili covered mango and dark chocolate is an essential snack while making dinner).
Add chicken, tarragon, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk chicken broth and cornstarch until well combined. Add to skillet, along with peas and corn, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer and stir gently until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
To prepare the bundles, use a nonstick muffin pan with 12 medium-size cups. Gently place 1 egg-roll wrapper into each cup, letting it extend over the sides.
Place a generous 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into each wrapper.
Fill, top with parm cheese, then twist closed.
Sprinkle Parmesan evenly on top.
Bring the corners up and over the top of the filling, pressing and folding to seal the edges together (it doesn’t have to be perfect!).
Ready for the oven.
Brush the remaining oil on top of each bundle. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
These are a HUGE hit in my house. Whatever is left over from dinner goes to school in lunches the next day or is gobbled up as an after school snack.

Serves 6Per serving (2 bundles): calories 380, fat 9g, protein 24g, carbohydrate 48g, fiber 4g, sodium 650mg

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Posted on October 23, 2012 by SheilaAnn

GreasyCamera has kindly asked that I share some information about a subject near and dear to my heart: Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza. I posted last night’s dinner on FB (in honor of the game). Which Da Bears won, I might add!

DISCLAIMER: I am not writing about this pizza to say it’s better than any other pizza out there. This not a a Pizza War post… I promise! I like lots of different pizzas, lots of styles of crust, sauce and ingredients. That said….

My Key Points:
Crust – the recipe should be specific to Chicago style (deep dish) and preferably with corn meal. If gives the extra body you need for all the toppings and a great crunch.
Sauce: I make a crushed tomato sauce from scratch.
Cheese: Shred/slice it yourself. The pre-shredded garbage has added junk to keep the cheese from clumping.
Toppings: fresh, sweet Italian sausage and sauteed mushrooms are my favs.
Assembly (in this order): oiled, cast iron pan dusted with corn meal, dough, cheese toppings, sauce, fresh grated Parmesan or Romano. Bake until bubbly and the crust is browned.

I am slowly working my way though one of my new favorite cookbooks: American Pie, My Search for the Perfect Pizza by Peter Reinhart. Amazing book, amazing baker, amazing teacher. I have been using these recipes for a while now and they are dang near fool-proof! Here is last night’s slice, with a little extra grated Romano cheese added.

Soup’s On

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Wendy

You know it’s fall in the Pacific NorthWest when I haul out my bright-orange dutch oven and start making soup. Albóndigas (Mexican meatball) soup has been in my regular rotation since discovering it in a Cooking Light cookbook years ago. You could speed up the prep time significantly by tossing in a bag of Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs or even make a vegetarian version with their tofurky meatballs from the freezer section. Add a loaf of Beer-Cheese bread and you have a dinner to warm even the dampest PNW evening, plus your house will smell amazing.

Low-Fat Albóndigas Soup

Ingredients

1/4 cup cooked long-grain rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces ground turkey
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg white*
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion**
1 cup chopped seeded peeled tomato***
1 cup water
2 (15.75-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or 1 32oz box
2 cups sliced celery**
2 cups sliced carrot**
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and drained****
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped avocado for garnish

* I use the whole egg. I am far too lazy to separate it.

** I use the food processor and chop the onion, celery and carrots small enough that that kids can’t pick them out.

*** Does this really say to peel the tomato? I have never done that and I am not about to start. I do seed it though unless I use cherry tomatoes.

**** I use the roasted corn from Trader Joe’s and have never thawed/drained it.

Preparation

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl, and shape the mixture into 24 (3/4-inch) meatballs.
Yes, I am wearing gloves and don’t care if you mock me. I am not touching raw egg AND raw meat at the same time!

Don’t make them too big. They need to cook all the way through.

All ready for the soup pot.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomato, water, and broth; bring to a boil. Add celery, carrot, corn, and cumin, if desired.
Mise en place.
Return to a boil; drop meatballs into pot. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked. Stir in 3 tablespoons cilantro and garnish with avocado if desired.

Albondigas soup.

Cooking Light
JANUARY 2001

Fine, I’ll just do it myself…..

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Wendy

Churros are a great disappointment in my life. They are the culinary equivalent of a false promise, never living up to the hype of the smell. Churro-scented air is amazing. The actual article, not so much. According to people who know churros, the solution is 2,000 miles and a border crossing away. Pass. I’ll just do it myself.

Thanks to Pintrest-trolling friends (yes, I’m looking at you Clare), the solution to my churro craving is only 24 hours and 1 1/4 cups of sugar away.

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread by DelishHH

Adapted from: Joy The Baker

Yields: one 9x5x3-inch loaf | Prep Time: 2 hours | Bake Time: 35 minutes

For the Dough:
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 oz unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 oz unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.

Dough mixed, ready for a slow rise in the fridge overnight. The slow fermentation overnight creates more flavor in the dough.

Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Note: The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

After a slow rise in the fridge, ready to be rolled out.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.

Use a pastry or basting brush to coat the dough with melted butter.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. But just go for it.

It is an obscene amount of sugar. Do it anyway.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares.

It won’t look perfect but that’s fine. When it rises it will even out a bit.

Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and a clean towel to keep the dough warm while it rises. If the pan is on a tile counter, place a towel under your loaf pan also.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board.

Cooling in the pan. Coffee brewing.

Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up. Serve warm with coffee or tea.

Out of the pan, beginning to pull it apart.

This bread is best served the day it’s made, but it can also be wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Like it’s going to last for two days…we ate 3/4 of the loaf in one sitting.

It’s not a churro, but I was not disappointed. And my house smelled like churros for an entire day. I can settle for that.

Savory Beer-Cheese Bread

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Wendy

My Great-Aunt Lora’s beer bread recipe written in my grandmother’s hand.

One of the first breads I learned to bake was my Aunt Lora’s beer bread. It goes together quickly and is impossible to screw up. It had been my standby quick bread for years but there was always a slight off taste to it which I suspect was the self-rising flour. (I can hear my grandmother’s voice in my head wondering Why would anybody would want to see an old recipe card on their computer???? Damn, I wish she was still around, for a lot of reasons, but the top two related to cooking would be to bake bread with her and to show her all the pictures I’ve taken of food and watch her shake her head in disbelief. Who would be interested in what you had for dinner???? You’d be surprised, Grandma.)

Over the years my last-minute quick bread has been the cornbread mix from Trader Joe’s. Throw in a handful of cheese and possibly a can of green chilies, bake in a cast-iron skillet and it’s as good as cornbread from scratch.

Yes, it’s Grandma’s cast-iron skillet too.

The beer bread I made today is my current favorite, a basic Beer & Cheese bread from Cooking Light. The sauteed onions and garlic add a savory touch and makes your kitchen smell heavenly. I substitute white-wheat flour in place of the all-purpose. In place of the Monterey Jack cheese I used a shredded blend from Trader Joe’s- it’s what was in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
13.5 ounces white-wheat or all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (12-ounce) bottle lager-style beer (such as Budweiser)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons melted butter, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute.
Get into the habit of weighing your flour. It is so much faster.
Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion mixture, cheese, and beer to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
Make a well and place the cheese and onions into the well.

Slowly pour in the beer.

Stir until ingredients are combined but do not overmix.
4. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.
Ready for the oven.
Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon butter over batter.
Halfway done, time for the rest of the butter.
Bake an additional 25 minutes or until deep golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
The recipe specifies 16 slices, I get about 8 but I like it thick to dip into soup.

OTHER OPTIONS: Apple-Cheddar Beer Bread: Substitute 1/2 cup minced shallots for onion. Place 1/2 cup shredded peeled Gala apple in paper towels; squeeze until barely moist. Cook shallots and apple in oil over medium heat for 7 minutes. Substitute 1 cup shredded extrasharp white cheddar cheese for Monterey Jack. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) bottle hard cider for lager. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Harvest Wheat Berry Salad

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Wendy

What, exactly, is a wheat berry?

The term wheatberry or wheat berry refers to the entire wheat kernel (except for the hull), composed of the bran, germ, and endosperm. Wheatberries have a tan to reddish brown color and are available as either a hard or soft processed grain. They are often added to salads or baked into bread to add a crunchy texture. If wheat berries are milled whole-wheat flour is produced. It is also similar to farro. Thank you, Wikipedia!

I use wheat berries from Bluebird Grain Farms, mainly because they’re available from my CSA Full Circle. Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry them and I hate going to Safeway. Whole Foods and other big stores may carry them in bulk. I should do a separate post on my CSA (community supported agriculture) since I’m such a big fan.

My favorite use for wheat berries is in a fall salad. Seasonal fall produce is so different from the stone fruits and melons of summer and gathering the ingredients for this salad together here, I feel slightly less sad about the end of summer. My favorite tweak for this salad is to swap out the dried cranberries for pomegranate seeds. The juicy, crunchy sweetness of the seeds is well worth the extra time it takes to seed the pomegranate. Try seeding it in a large bowl of water. It keeps the mess to a minimum.

Resist the urge to eat the entire thing while seeding it.

Harvest Wheat Berry Salad, Relish Magazine

Salad:: 2 cups uncooked wheat berries; 1 cup pumpkin seed kernels; 1 cup chopped apples; 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots; 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or one seeded pomegranate); 1 cup finely chopped parsley
Ginger Ale Vinaigrette:: 1/2 cup ginger ale; 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

To prepare salad, put wheat berries into a large bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of water and set aside to soak at least 1 hour. Drain well.
Put 7 cups water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add wheat berries, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until thoroughly cooked about 40 minutes. (Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked.) Drain and let cool.
Transfer wheat berries to a large bowl. Add pumpkin seeds, apples, apricots, cranberries and parsley.

This task seems to take forever.

It takes nearly a full bunch to create a cup of finely chopped parsley. I do about 1/4 cup at a time.

This task is so slow but pay attention and don’t lose a finger.
To prepare dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well. Add to salad ingredients and mix well.

Get a microplane and grate your own nutmeg. It’s worth it.

Toss the salad before adding the dressing.

Whisk, add to salad, toss then chill for a few hours before serving.

Focaccia for Beginners

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Wendy

Focaccia is one of my favorite breads to bake, mainly because it is both very forgiving AND can be ready at dinner time when you realize at 3pm that you do want fresh bread with dinner after all. An excellent starting point for beginning bakers, it can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. And like me, some days I’m easy and some days I’m more complicated.

I use a lot of the Cooking Light recipes for bread. They’re written for the home cook with some skill but not a degree from the CIA. I have their baking book but I’m intimidated by most of the recipes in it. Here are two of my most-used focaccia recipes.

Herbed Focaccia from Cooking Light

Ingredients

All-purpose Pizza Dough (I add about a TBSP of honey and 2TBSP olive oil to dough, click link for recipe).
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Roll prepared dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle the parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme over the dough. Fold the dough into thirds. Knead lightly 1 minute or until the herbs are blended into the dough. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Roll dough into a 14 x 12-inch rectangle. Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place 35 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 450°.
Uncover the dough. Make indentations in top of dough using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips. Gently brush the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake dough at 450° for 15 minutes or until browned.

When you’re ready to attempt one that’s a bit more time consuming, here’s another one I like (tweaked of course). It calls for creating a sponge first which is a lot less complicated than it sounds. I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light’s Rosemary Focaccia, which is also very good, especially in the winter when good tomatoes are hard to find. Thinly sliced potatoes are another winter topping option.

Tomato Basil Focaccia

Ingredients

Sponge:
1 teaspoon honey
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/4 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (60 grams)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray
Topping:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup basil, cut in a chiffonade
1 cup very thinly sliced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

To prepare sponge, dissolve honey and yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife or weigh flour. Add 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons oil to yeast mixture, stirring until well combined. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour.
The sponge covered with plastic wrap to keep the humidity in. I place a towel under and one over the bowl too.

After an hour.
To prepare dough, lightly spoon 1 cup all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife or weigh. Stir 1 cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and chopped basil into yeast mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed 6 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic (dough will be sticky). Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size (dough will be wet).
Dough is sticky, scrape into a bowl or dough doubler to rise or cover mixer bowl and leave to rise.

I use a tightly sealed container to rise dough.

Dough was ready in about an hour, deflate then scrape out onto pan.
Preheat oven to 400°. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is really hot.
Scrape dough into a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.
Resist the urge to touch it with your fingers. It’s still really sticky.
Gently press dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape dough and push into shape.
Brush dough with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Brush dough with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise again for about 30 minutes.
Cover; let rest 30 minutes.
Slice tomatoes thinly. Chiffonadebasil.
I used a mandolin to slice the tomatoes.

About a cup of each.
Par-bake bread for 15 minutes if you are using a wet topping.
Bake the bread for 15 minutes, then pull out of oven to add the toppings.

Quickly add toppings then finish in the oven.
Bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Slice with a pizza cutter.

The finished product- YUM!

Best-Ever Banana Muffins

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Wendy

Another confession…..I am a total tweaker. I’ll make something the way it’s written once and before I’m even finished the recipe has already evolved and changed in my mind. This one is a great example. Cooking Light has a fabulous banana bread recipe that I have been making for years. The structure hasn’t changed much (eggs, yogurt and butter provide the fat and the binding ingredients) but I’ve added flax seed for crunch (and avoids the nut-allergy issues), swapped the all-purpose flour for a combo of AP and whole wheat or all white-wheat flour for added fiber and protein and cut the sugar in half. If I’m feeling especially generous I’ll toss in half a cup of mini chocolate chips. The purchase of my latest favorite kitchen gadget, the one-tablespoon cookie scoop along with a few mini-muffin pans ensures that I can make these quickly, and do so at least once a week. They’re eaten as fast as I can make them and are a great during or after-school snack.

Ingredients

2 cups flour (240 grams) white-wheat OR 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/8 cup flax seed
Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife or measure by weight. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Add flax seed and mix briefly.
I use my stand mixer and toss the bananas in whole.
Scoop batter into mini-muffin tins coated with cooking spray.
Fill using one-tablespoon cookie dough scoop. Do not overfill.
Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. (Can also bake as a loaf. Coat an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and bake for 1 hour).
Cool in the tray for a few minutes then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Cooking Light
SEPTEMBER 2003

Basil Beer Bread

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Wendy

I am a big fan of spoon breads (breads you mix up with a spoon as opposed to a yeast bread that needs to be kneaded and rise and be kneaded again and rise again….) A spoon bread can be ready for the oven before the oven is ready for the bread. I was intrigued by a spoon bread that also required yeast but no rise time. After a rainy afternoon spent on the soccer field I wanted a bread that could be ready quickly but also complemented the baked ziti I was making for dinner. Beer breads usually go best with chili or stew but I was willing to give this one a try. As a added bonus, it was easy enough to put together that Princess Leia could actually do most of the work.

Basil Beer Bread from Real Simple

Makes 1 loaf | Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 1hr 05m

Ingredients

olive oil for the baking sheet
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (390 grams)
1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan
1 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably ale
flour for the work surface
1 cup chopped or torn fresh basil

Get into the habit of weighing your flour. It’s faster, less messy and more accurate.

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F. Oil a baking sheet. In the bowl of a standing mixer on low, or in a large bowl using a spoon, combine the flour, yeast, salt, pepper, and Parmesan.
Lots of jobs for little hands.

2. Add the beer and mix just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with the basil and knead gently just until incorporated. Shape the dough into a round loaf and transfer to the prepared sheet.

3. Bake until the loaf is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn the loaf onto a wire rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

The finished loaf.

The bread looked finished at 40 minutes, but upon cutting it open I realized it needed that additional 5 minutes. Err on the side of overcooking it a bit. It’s so moist it can handle it. I think I would use a slightly lighter beer next time (I used a Newcastle). Fans of ales or darker beers would probably be just fine with the result. That being said, there’s hardly any left post-dinner tonight. Toasted in the morning with breakfast? Absolutely.

PS This is the baked ziti we had for dinner.

It’s Pronounced Keen-Wa

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Wendy

Quinoa…it’s a nutritional powerhouse, a complete protein, a whole grain that satisfies like a starch and cooks up faster than rice. Yep, I’m in love with it. And this is one of my favorite recipes for it from the Real Simple magazine.

Zucchini with Quinoa Stuffing

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 20m| Total Time: 55m

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
4 medium zucchini
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup almonds, chopped (about 2 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces)
4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F. In a large saucepan, combine the quinoa and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Arrange in a large baking dish, cut-side up.

3. Fluff the quinoa and fold in the beans, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, ½ cup of the Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons of the oil.

4. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini. Top with the remaining tablespoon of oil and ¼ cup Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake until the zucchini is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

GreasyCamera.com

Pictures and stories from my kitchen.

Monthly Archives: October 2012

Mini Pot Pies

Ingredients

Directions

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Soup’s On

Low-Fat Albóndigas Soup

Ingredients

Preparation

Fine, I’ll just do it myself…..

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread by DelishHH

Savory Beer-Cheese Bread

Ingredients

Preparation

Harvest Wheat Berry Salad

Instructions

Focaccia for Beginners

Ingredients

Preparation

Ingredients

Preparation

Best-Ever Banana Muffins

Ingredients

Preparation

Basil Beer Bread

Ingredients

Directions

It’s Pronounced Keen-Wa

Ingredients

Directions