Artisan Bread

 

Artisan Bread

I'll be honest with you, I've never been much of a baker and am just now beginning to get comfortable with experimenting with recipes. This is my favorite bread recipe. It's easy, delicious, and honestly, there is no greater satisfaction than watching your flour, water, and yeast rise into a fluffy dough. If you want to try your hand at making homemade bread, this recipe is the perfect place to start!

What you need:

1 packet of instant yeast (3/4 tablespoon)

1 1/2 cups of warm water (it should be about 105-115 degrees, test it with your finger and it should feel slightly warm)

3 cups of all purpose flour (no need to sift it)

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of sugar

How to make it:

1. Start by adding your packet of dry yeast to the 1 1/2 cups of warm water. I like to do this in a measuring cup. Let sit for about 10 minutes so the yeast can activate. You should start to see bubbling from the yeast. 

2. Combine your flour, salt, and sugar in a large glass or metal mixing bowl. 

3. Add the yeast and water mixture to the flour.

4. Combine with a wooden spoon. It should form a shaggy dough. The dough should form a ball but will be slightly sticky. I also like to need mine with my hands a few times just to make sure everything is combined.

 

5. Place in a warm spot (about 80 degrees) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it sit for about an hour. It should double in size. Warm is key here. Your dough will not rise if it is not around 80 degrees. 

6. After the dough has risen, place it on a piece of parchment paper that has been slightly dusted with flour. Using a bench scraper (or your hands) carefully fold the dough in on itself about 5 times, be gentle with your dough. This should help make sure the dough has flour on the outside and isn't sticky to the touch anymore. 

7. Place the parchment paper with the dough on it in a large dutch oven (an oven safe pot will work but it needs a lid).

8. Place the pot with dough in a warm spot again for its second rise for at least an hour. 

9. When ready to bake, turn on the oven to 450 degrees and place the pot with dough in the oven as it is heating up. Set the timer for 35 minutes.

10. After the first 35 minutes is up, remove the lid and bake for an additional 5-15 minutes or until the top is  nicely browned. 

11. Remove from the oven, let cool enough to slice and then serve with butter. Give yourself a pat on the back, you made bread from scratch!

Serves 8

Chicken Divan AKA Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

 

Chicken Divan 

AKA

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

My mom and dad were both in the medical field and worked opposite shifts at the hospital for my entire childhood. Dad worked days and mom worked nights, so casseroles were a staple in our home. Mom would put them in the oven while we did our homework, she’d go get ready for work, and by the time dad was home and she was off to be a nurse for the evening, we had a home cooked dinner in our bellies. This was a dinner we had frequently and I still make on a regular basis. In fact, it freezes so well that it was one of our staple -home from the hospital with newborn baby- freezer meal for both my sister and I. Who knew an easy weeknight dinner could be so sentimental?

Serves 6 or 4 with leftovers

4 cups of chopped or shredded cooked chicken (use rotiserrie to make it easy on yourself)

1 lb or 3 cups of fresh chopped or frozen broccoli

1 - 10.5 oz can of cream of chicken soup

½ cup of chicken broth

1 TBSP of yellow curry powder

1 tsp of salt (to taste)

½ tsp of pepper (to taste)

½ cup of Mayo or Greek Yogurt

Juice of 1 large lemon

½ - 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup of sliced, slivered, or chopped almonds (optional)

Serve on top of cooked brown or white rice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine chicken, broccoli, soup mix, ½ cup of chicken broth, seasonings, mayo or yogurt, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20- 30 minutes or until broccoli is cooked and edges begin to bubble. Remove from the oven and add cheese and almonds. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve on top of cooked brown or white rice.

An Unconventional Bolognese with Pasta

 An Unconventional Bolognese with Pasta

This meat sauce is very similar to a Bolognese sauce but has a few unconventional ingredients. With the addition of mushrooms and warm spices of allspice and nutmeg, this sauce is transformed to a new level of yum and is always a hit with my family. Try it for yourself and this will make its way onto your dinner table regularly. This makes a large batch and is perfect for entertaining. Make it a day ahead and it becomes even better as the flavor has time to marry. 

Here's what you'll need:

1 lb ground Italian sausage (turkey or pork)

1lb ground beef (or turkey)

1 diced onion

5-6 cloves of minced garlic

2 Portobello mushroom or 12 oz of baby Bella mushrooms diced fine  

1 cup of dry red wine

2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp of soy sauce

1/2-1 Tbs ground allspice ( I usually start with 1/2 Tbs and then add more if it needs it.)

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper (more if you like it spicy)

2-3 Bay leaves

1 large 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 small 16 oz can plum tomatoes (squish the tomatoes with your hands to break them up)

2 Tbs of sugar (this is to help cut some of the acid of the tomatoes, you may find you need to add more depending on how sweet the tomatoes are)

1/4-1/3 cup of freshly chopped Italian parsley (depending on how much you like parsley, I tend to add closer to 1/3 cup) Save some to the side for garnish. 

2 Tbs of butter (this is another secret ingredient that helps give your sauce richness)

Salt and pepper to taste

Dried cavatappi pasta - cook according to package.

How to make it:

In about 1 Tbs of oil, brown your sausage and ground beef in a large pot. Add onions until soft (not browned). Add finely diced mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes. 

Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Reduce for 3-5 minutes until it's almost evaporated. Add your Worchestershire sauce, mustard, and soy sauce. Give it a good stir. 

Add allspice, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Stir again.

Add your tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves and sugar. Stir together then bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 1-2 hours. Stir the sauce every 15 minutes or so to keep it from burning on the bottom. 

After it simmers for at least an hour or about 15 minutes before serving, take the lid off and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken. You want your sauce to be on the thick side and not too watery. This is a meat sauce after all! Add your chopped parsley and allow it to cook while the sauce is reducing (don't forget to reserve a small amount for garnish). Stir in butter to melt and add salt and pepper to taste after the sauce has reduced.

While you are waiting for the sauce to thicken, cook your pasta. I prefer using dried cavatappi with this recipe. 

Once you are ready to serve, combine some of the sauce with the drained noodles in a separate bowl to get them nicely coated. You want the sauce to coat the pasta and seep into the holes of the pasta. Add to your serving plate and top with more sauce. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese. 

Serve with your favorite garlic bread or a nice tossed salad. 

Enjoy!

 Asian Salmon with Macadamia Nuts

This is my go to salmon recipe. I'm pretty sure I could drink the marinade alone, if I didn't puff up like a balloon because of the sodium. I have found that Asian meals require a small arsenal of ingredients. Once you've stalked up though, you can cook Asian meals for weeks. Also, my husband is a sucker for macadamia nuts, but cashews and pistachios work great as well. I hope this becomes a favorite for your family!

First preheat the oven to 350 F and assemble the marinade...

Mix the following in a bowl:

4 TBS of rice wine vinegar

2 TBS of soy sauce

1 TBS of Chili Garlic Sauce...more if you like it spicy. (This is found in the Asian section of the grocery store. It has a green lid and rooster on the front)

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 tsp sesame oil

1 inch of grated fresh ginger

1 garlic cloves chopped

2 TBS of diced scallions

2 TBS of chopped cilantro

1 tsp fish sauce

1 TBS lemon grass paste (optional)

1 TBS honey or brown sugar

Add the marinade to a gallon size Ziplock bag. Add 4-6 individual portions of fresh salmon to the bag. Marinate for 10-15 minutes. You do not want to marinade longer than this, the acid will cook your fish. 

In the meantime...make your nuts.

Combine:

1 tsp Chili Garlic Sauce

1 tsp fresh lime zest

1 tsp honey

1 cup of macadamia nuts (cashews and pistachios work good too)

Mix until nuts are coated

Pour out onto a lined baking sheet in an even layer.

Bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn them...nuts are expensive and there's sugar on them!

Once nuts are done and removed from oven, increase the temperature to 425 F.

Take marinaded salmon out of the bag and place it on a lined baking sheet.

Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

To serve:

Squeeze the juice of a lime on top of salmon. Place 1 piece of fish on a plate and top with nuts. Serve with your favorite side. I like rice and a crunchy cucumber salad. Enjoy!

Cream of Garlic Soup

 

This year I decided to try my hand in growing garlic. I broke all the rules and planted it in the spring instead of winter. It grew well, but finally the plant died off and they needed to be harvested because of the summer heat. As a result I grew the cutest little garlic bulbs ever. They smelled so strong and were sweeter than any garlic I've ever seen in stores. I decided with something that had so much love put into growing it, I wasn't just going to throw it in some pasta sauce...this garlic was going to "be" something. Last summer I had the most delicious cream of garlic soup at an Italian restaurant while visiting family in Texas. I knew that recreating this dish was what this garlic were was for, and boy, was I right! 

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic roasted (I roasted all my baby garlic because they were so small)

4-6 cloves of garlic chopped

4 shallots diced

1/2 cup of white wine

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 TBS of fresh thyme

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 TBS Dijon Mustard

1 TBS of grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Roast head of garlic (wrapped in foil with a drizzle of oil) in an 350 oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat about 1 TBS of oil in a large soup ot and cook the diced shallot until soft. Add chopped garlic and cook for about an minute until fragrant. 

Add white wine and reduce until 1/2 the liquid is gone.

Add chicken broth, thyme, mustard, and roasted garlic. Simmer about 30 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low, add cream (you do not want your soup to be boiling when you add your cream). Thicken with a corn starch slurry if needed.

Stir in Parmesan Cheese and salt and pepper to taste. 

*I topped my soup with thinly shaved pieces of garlic that I fried in a little oil until lightly browned and some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. 

Enjoy! 

Chicken Milanese

This version of Chicken Milanese is full of lemon and Parmesan flavors; an elegant dinner without the fuss. 

Ingredients:

For Chicken

4 small chicken breasts (pounded thin)

4 Tbs spoons flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)

2 eggs (whisked)

2 cups of Italian Breadcrumbs

1 tsp of garlic

1 tsp of onion

1 Tbs of grated Parmesan cheese

Zest of 1 lemon

oil for pan frying

For Arugula Salad

4 cups of baby Arugula

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tb olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Shaved Parmesan cheese

Have three separate plates with the following ingredients: 

First plate: flour with salt and pepper, second plate: whisked eggs, third plate: Breadcrumbs with garlic and onion powder, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest combined.

Heat a pan for frying with a layer of vegetable oil to fry in. 

Coat each piece of chicken in flour mixture, then eggs, and finally breadcrumb mixture. Add to pan and fry on medium heat until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken as soon as it comes out of the pan. 

Let rest on a tray lined with a paper towel. 

In the mean time make salad by doing the following: 

Add baby Arugula to a bowl. In a separate bowl combine lemon juice, Dijon, salt and pepper, whisk in olive oil until it comes together as a dressing (you may need more or less oil depending on how much oil you like).

Slowly dress the Arugula (add about a tablespoon of the dressing at a time to the salad while tossing. Do not over dress the salad, you may find that you will not use all the dressing). Add shaved Parmesan cheese and toss.

Place a piece of chicken on a plate and top with 1 cup of salad.

Makes 4 servings. 

Mediterranean Chicken Marinade

Mediterranean Chicken Marinade

 This marinade is full of citrus flavor with a hint of warm spices that make it perfect for the grill. We like to eat it with grilled veggies, hummus, and on either orzo or couscous, or wrapped up in a pita. A dinner that is so full of flavor that you forget it's good for you. 

To make this marinade, combine the following ingredients in a gallon size zip lock bag. Add chicken thighs or breasts and let sit in the fridge for a couple hours. After grilling, to really add flavor, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes and add a drizzle of olive oil and an extra squeeze of lemon before slicing. 

Ingredients:

2 lemons - zest and juice

1 tsp of dried oregano or 2 springs of fresh oregano (light chop)

2 springs of fresh mint (light chop)

3-4 cloves of garlic (light chop)

1 tsp of onion powder

1/8 tsp of cinnamon

1/8 tsp or clove

1/8 tsp of allspice or 5-6 whole allspice

1/2 tsp of turmeric

1 tsp of paprika

1/4 tsp cumin 

1Tbs honey
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

This will coat approximately 4 chicken breasts or 8 chicken thighs.

We like to grill red onion, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, cherry tomatoes in a grill basket along side.

Serve on top of orzo, couscous, or in a pita. Top with kalamata olives, feta cheese, and hummus or tzatziki sauce. 

Summer Berry Meringues

Blow everyone away with this beautiful light and airy summer dessert. It seems like work, but it is really very simple and stores well for a make ahead dessert. It would be perfect to take to a weekend BBQ with friends. No one would know how easy it was with how elegant it tastes and looks.  

Instructions:

For Meringues

8 egg whites

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/4 teaspoon of cream of tarter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 225 F

For Meringues:

Step 1: Add egg whites to electric mixer. Mix on medium until egg whites are frothy. 

Step 2: Add sugar and cream of tarter.

Step 3. Mix on high for approximately 10 minutes or until peaks are shiny and stiff.

Step 4: Mix in vanilla on low. 

Step 5: Line baking sheets with parchment paper and divide egg mixture into 8 even dollops. Smooth dollops gently and shape into cups by gently and slowly twirling spoon into center of each dollop. Smooth the edges.

Step 6: Bake at 225 F for 2 hours. Turn oven off and allow meringues to cool and dry out in oven for at least 1 hour. 

In the meantime mix up the berry compote

For Compote:

2 cups of berries (I used blackberry and raspberry)

Zest and juice of one small lemon (or zest of lemon and tablespoon of Lemon liqueur)

2-3 Tablespoons of sugar (depending on how sweet your berries are)

Add ingredients into a saucepan and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes until some berries have macerated and juice has thickened some from sugars. (Note: Do not over mix. You want to leave some berries whole to add texture to your dessert). Chill in fridge until ready to serve. 

For Whipping Cream:

1 small container of heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix on high for 2-3 minutes or until stiff peaks. Do not over mix (you don't want it to become butter.)

Composing the dish:

Place meringue on a plate. (Optionally you may want to spread a tablespoon of lemon curd on the center of the meringue). Add a heaping spoonful of whipped cream and top with berry compote. 

For a chewier consistency of meringues bake at 250 F for 1 hour and let rest in oven for at least 1 hour. 

Serves 8