Focaccia

From The Joy of Cooking Book

Made this today. Filip has been turning his nose up at my bread, but he ate this up, sans the tomato and olives. It must be the rosemary.

Prepare Pizza dough:

Combine in a large bowl and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes:

1 1/3 cups warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Add:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

Mix my hand or on low speed for about 1 minute.

Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Focaccia:

Divide in half and roll each piece out to a 1/2-inch thick round.

Transfer to well-oiled 8 or 9 inch round or square baking pans.

Let rise, covered with oiled plastic wrap, for about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Ten minutes before baking, press the dough with your fingertips to make indentations all over the dough. Drizzle with:

Up to 1/2 cup olive oil

Top with:

2 tablespoons grated cheese, such as romano, parmesan, or Asiago

1 teaspoon dried herbs, such as rosemary, dill, basil, thyme, or oregano

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Optional: Slices of sundried tomatoes, olives, caramelized onions

Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the pans to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, as is, or sliced open horizontally to use as sandwich bread.

Fast White Bread

From Joy of Cooking book.

Making bread is nothing to be afraid of! I'm sure mine would have turned out much better with a bowl mixer with a hook. It still was good. I'm going to make grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Stir together in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer:

2 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry or quick-rise yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Add:

1 cup very warm (115 to 125 F) water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted or softened

Mix by hand or on low speed for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is moist but not sticky:

1 to 1 1/4 cups bread flour

Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it over to coat with oil.

Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 40 to 45 minutes.

Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Punch down the dough, form it into a loaf, and place seam side down in the pan.

Oil the surface and cover loosely with a clean cloth.

Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 20 to 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Bake the loaf for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350F and bake about 30 minutes more. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove the loaf from the pan to a rack and let cool completely.

Bulgogi

This is a Korean dish of beef marinated and grilled. Wrap it in romain leaves with a dab of bean paste, which you get in an Asian grocery store.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Japanese or Korean dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for grilling
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
3 medium garlic cloves, crushed, peeled, and grated
3 scallions, root and dark green ends trimmed, and 6-inch stalks minced
2 pounds marbled sirloin or rib steak, sliced paper thin against the grain

INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk together the soy sauce and sugar in a bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the vegetable and sesame oils, sesame seeds, garlic, and scallions until well combined. Add the beef, tossing it with your hands to make sure it is evenly coated on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it, allowing the meat to marinate for 30 minutes. Drain the beef, shaking off the excess liquid and scraping off the scallion and garlic.

Grill the beef, laying the slices flat on a table hibachi. If using a grill pan, brush a generous amount of vegetable oil on the cooking surface and heat it over medium-high heat. When it starts to smoke, add the beef slices and grill to your preferred doneness, but no more than 5 seconds on each side, so the beef remains tender.

Beet Salad

This pic does not do the color of it justice. It's really a bright pink and orange from the beets and carrots.

I got this recipe from http://www.elanaspantry.com/


It's all about organic, gluten-free food.

1 cup jicama, grated
1 cup carrots, grated
1 cup beets, grated
2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
¼ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

In a large bowl, combine jicama, carrots and beets
In a glass jar, combine orange juice, lime juice, oil and salt; shake well
Toss dressing into salad
Serve
Serves 8

Squash Souffle

Got a big ol' squash you're wondering what to do with? Try this. I made it for dinner tonight, and it was good.


Ingredients:
2 pounds sliced yellow summer squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons flour
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
seasoned salt and pepper, to taste
buttered bread crumbs

Preparation:Combine squash, onion, and salt in a large saucepan; cover with water and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and mash well. Stir in milk, eggs, melted butter, flour and cheese. Add salt and pepper and garlic powder to taste. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole for about 30 minutes. Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake for about 10 minutes longer.Serves 4.

Sugar Solution

Beef and Grits Dish

I forget where I got this recipe. Plus, all the spices are add to taste, but you should get the gist of it.

1 cup Stone ground grits
1 lb ground beef or venison
1 large onion

Shredded cheddar
butter
salt & pepper
garlic powder

Optional: creole powder or old bay, pure maple syrup

Directions:

Bring 4 cups water to boil and stir in 1 cup grits. Cook on medium low until thick
Add butter, cheddar, salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
Pour into a 9x12" dish

Cook ground beef or venison, stirring to keep it crumbly. Add salt, Bragg's Aminos, Creole season, 1/4 cup or less Maple syrup, pepper, garlic powder. All to taste
Drain meat, and spoon meat on top of grits, leaving a space around the edges of the grits for the onions

Slice onion into rings, saute. Pour all around the space on the grits, going around the meat.

Serve.

Shrimp and Grits

I got this from a cookbook Amber gave me, called 'The Best of the Best'.

1 cup stone-ground grits
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, roughly chopped
6 slices bacon
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped up onions
1 large clove garlic, minced

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add the grits and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well with a whisk. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook the grits until all the water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Keep covered until ready to serve.

2. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp, then drain on a paper towel. Add the shrimp to the bacon grease in the skillet and saute' over medium heat just until they turn pink, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook! Immediately add the lemon juice, parsley, onions, and garlic. Remove the skillet from the heat.

3. Pour the grits into a serving bowl. Pour the shrimp mixture over the grits. Garnish with the bacon bits.

Fried Squash

My friend Kim gave me this huge squash. She gave me the idea of frying it up.

Cut it in thick slices and coat it in oil.
Dip it in a bowl of flour, salt and grits (I didn't have corn meal)
Let fry until brown, and flip.
Put on a plate and shred cheese on top. Put lid on plate so cheese melts.
Eat!

Chicken with Peaches

This is a good recipe if you're a fan of meat that's sweet. I liked it. It almost tastes like cobbler.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) sliced peaches, drained

PREPARATION:
Wash chicken pieces and pat dry. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or food storage bag. Coat peaches with the flour mixture.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or deep heavy skillet; brown chicken on all sides. Add the orange juice, honey, vinegar, and chopped parsley. Cover and bake (if necessary, transfer to a baking dish or ovenproof pan) at 350° for 45 minutes. Add peaches; bake 5 minutes longer.Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

This is my standard dish for bringing to parties. Everyone loves it, and you can substitute ingredients easily. Make sure you have the tortilla chips. It makes it so good.

Original recipe yield:8 Servings (from allrecipes.com)
PREP TIME
15 Min
COOK TIME
7 Hrs
READY IN
7 Hrs 15 Min

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla