Yeast Phobic

Although my first love is baking I almost always avoid recipes that call for yeast. I do not know if it is because I am impatient or I am too afraid to knead the wrong way but yeast and I only get along when it comes to homemade pizza dough. However, one of my resolutions in the kitchen this year is to overcome my fear of baking with yeast. I saved the following article in December and finally got around to giving it ago. The bread turned out great even though I baked it about 15 minutes too long. Here is the recipe, a link to the orginal article, complete with a short how to video and the pizza dough recipe I am not afraid of.

No-Knead Bread

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.


Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.


The original article that launched thousands of comments in the baking world

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?ex=1320642000&en=8b6c36e563bf5c05&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss



Pizza Dough

½ to ¾ cup warm water (105° to 115° F)
1 package (1 tablespoon dry yeast)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven and a pizza stone to 425°.

Combine ¼ cup water with the yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve the yeast, and let stand until bubbly, about five minutes. Put the flour, oil, and salt into a food processor, and process about five seconds with a steel blade.

Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and process about 10 seconds, or until blended. Turn on the processor and drizzle just enough of the remaining water through the feed tube so the dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl. Process so that the ball turns around about 25 times.

Put the dough ball onto a 14 inch greased pizza pan or cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl, and let stand 10 minutes.

Pat the dough on a cornmeal dusted pizza paddle so that it covers the paddle, leaving a ridge on the edges. Spread with pizza sauce, and add the cheese and toppings.

Bake at 425° F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese in bubbly.

The Breakfast Cookie

The kids and I went to the airport today to see my niece off on her semester abroad to England. Grantham, England to be exact. Home of Harlaxton. It is hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that my friend Beth took off for the same place and Cortny and Heaps to Ealing. Now I am beyond thirtysomething with three children in tow and the security gate is as close as I get to international travel.

In honor of S and the adventures she is embarking on tonight I give you a second scone recipe, the one that has earned the nickname The Breakfast Cookie. I first had this type of scone at a teahouse in Woodbury, MN and my sister found the recipe on epicurious.com. I like it because it is egg free, makes a great mix to give as a gift, the unbaked scones freeze well, and I always welcome an excuse to have Heath Bars in the house.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Scones


3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate-covered English toffee bits
2 cups chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Additional sugar

Preheat oven 375°F. Lightly butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and toffee bits. Beat cream in another large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into dry ingredients. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently until soft dough forms, about 2 minutes. Form dough into ball; pat out to form 1 1/4-inch-thick round. Cut dough into 12 wedges.

Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheets, spacing apart. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 12
Bon Appétit, September 1997

The Clogged Contessa

I received my first Ina Garten cookbook this Christmas Barefoot Contessa Family Style. I am not that familiar with the Contessa but I have family members that are big followers. This recipe is from her 1999 book The Barefoot Contessa. I first had it on the Menominee River last summer and I made it for the first time on New Year's. It is amazing. Just ask the neighborhood bagpiper.


Pan-Fried Onion Dip

2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise

Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

One of the Best Things I Make

GARLIC-LIME SHRIMP
WITH SPICY BLACK BEANS AND QUINOA

This family favorite is a blend of three recipes from three different sources. All together it is a great meal. Start the quinoa, a grain I find in the refrigerated section of my natural foods store, then get the beans going. While those pots are simmering assemble and prepare the Garlic-Lime shrimp. When all is finished stir the quinoa and black beans together and top with the Garlic-Lime Shrimp.

QUINOA


1 cup Quinoa, rinsed in several changes of water
2 cups water, plus ¼ cup if needed
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Combine the quinoa, water, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

If all the water has been absorbed but the quinoa is not tender, and ¼ cup water and continue to cook until tender. If any water remains, remove the lid and raise the heat a bi t. Cook stirring, until the water evaporates.

How to Cook Everything


SPICY BLACK BEANS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce can) spicy stewed tomatoes, undrained. I like Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 (15 ounce) can black beans with spices, undrained, I use Kuner’s Southwestern Black Beans with cumin and chili spices
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder


In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook and stir until tender. Add beans, tomatoes, oregano and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

GARLIC LIME SHRIMP

1 stick of butter
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons grated lime peel
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 pounds uncooked shrimp, shelled and deviened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Mix in next 6 ingredients. Sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp; sauté until opaque in center, turning occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper; serve.

8 servings

Adapted from Bon Appétit, August 2001
The recipe in its original form http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/105353

Recipe Exchange

Once again a recipe exchange request has landed in my inbox. Now usually I delete these sort of things. I always delete the emails that tell me I need to forward them to the eight people that mean the most to me and that I will get a special email in return, sorry Moe and Mary. However, the last time I participated in a recipe exchange my friend Kelly the marathoner provided me with the following recipe that immediately became a family favorite.

If you do not have a crock pot, and you have extra time, you can bake this in the oven at 350 for about an hour, or until the chicken breasts easily shred apart. My friend Keri has a lot of variations that she has developed with this recipe, enchiladas, soup, maybe she will share them in the comments. Now I just need to figure out what recipe I will share this time around.


CREAMY BLACK BEAN SALSA CHICKEN

2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained, I use frozen
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place chicken in greased 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Pour broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hrs or on high heat 3-4 hrs [note from kelly: high heat 3 1/2-4 hrs seems to be much better than the longer time]. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and place on serving dish. Stir sour cream and cheese into sauce in slow cooker, then pour over chicken. Makes 3-5 servings.

Serve with warm flour tortillas and spanish rice.

FYI from Kelly- I use low sodium chicken broth, low sodium black beans, low fat sour cream and it comes, instant brown rice and corn tortillas and it still tastes superior. This has become one of our favorite meals.

Maternity Meal

My neighbor had a beautiful baby girl last Friday and tonight I am bringing the family dinner. This is my go to meal for the maternity leave circuit. It is easy to make, and has few ingredients that would offend a sensitive palette or a newborn's digestive system. Both of these recipes come from Milwaukee Junior Leaugue cookbooks. The chicken is in Be Milwaukee's Guest and the carrot cake from Gatherings. I took my own advice this weekend and checked my local thrift store for Junior League cookbooks and scored one from Colorado. I will have to see if I can get two recipes out of that one.


CHICKEN ROSE

1 cut up fryer or assorted chicken parts with bones, dark meat is best, skin removed
1/2 cup sherry, I buy a cheap bottle at the liquor store, much more cost effective than buying cooking sherry at the grocery store
1/2 cup soy sauce, I prefer low sodium
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons water
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoon ground ginger, fresh ginger can be used as well
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Place chicken in a covered casserole dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover and bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Turn chicken over and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
Pour off marinade, remove as much of the oil as possible and serve marinade over rice and chicken.


CARROT CAKE

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup applesauce)
3 eggs
2 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts (I omit these)
1 teaspoon vanilla


Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 13 x 9 inch pan. Sift flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. Beat sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture. Fold in carrots, pineapple, coconut, walnuts and vanilla. Pour into pan. Bake 1 hour. Cool.

Frosting (this recipe makes more than enough)

8 oz package cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar.

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Frost cake.

Adapted from Gatherings Cookbook

A Little More Sherry

My friend and neighbor Sherry is an amazing cook. She is always good for a borrow whether it is a cake pan, elusive spice, extra cup of sugar or bottle of wine on a Sunday. What I most admire about her cooking prowess is her eye for a great recipe. Here is one of them. So many of my recipes have their roots in Sherry’s kitchen that she will have a label of her own . . A Little More Sherry

Bucatini All’Amatriciana

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 thin slices (4 ounces) pancetta, finely chopped, you could substitute thick sliced bacon, Farmland is good
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut in ¼-inch dice
Scant 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Scant ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1 pound bucatini or spaghetti
6 quarts boiling salted water
¾ cup to 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook the pancetta 5 minutes, or until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Take about half the tomatoes from the can, poking each with your finger to drain the seeds and juice back into the can, and add to the pan, along with half the onions and the red and black pepper. Sauté, stirring often, over high heat 5 minutes, or until the onions are golden and the tomatoes are thickened and taste very rich.

Stir in the rest of the tomatoes with their juices, the remaining onions, and the reserved pancetta. Adjust the heat so the sauce simmers gently. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Turn off the heat and cover the pan while you cook the pasta.

Cook the pasta in the fiercely boiling water, stirring often, until tender yet firm to the bite. Drain in a colander.

Toss the pasta with the sauce over medium-low heat. Turn into a heated bowl and serve hot, passing the cheese separately.

Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish.

Pasta Alla Gricia

Double the amount of pancetta and eliminate the tomatoes and onions. Increase the cheese to 1 ½ cups. Toss the pasta with the browned pancetta and red and black pepper. Turn onto a bowl and toss with the cheese.

The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rosetto Kasper