Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

April 17, 2011

Feeling sick is terrible. And especially inconvenient over the weekend you were planning to try a pile of new recipes because you start work on Monday morning and might not have so much free time ever again. But instead you’re spending your last valuable hours comfortlessly rotating between the couch, the futon, the floor, the bed- everywhere but the kitchen. Up half the night watching episodes of The Kennedy’s (thank goodness for the DVR in your time of need). Because you’ve got the aches and chills and just the thought of food makes you feel queasy. Not cool.

Maybe I should be more concerned about recovering in time to make it to work tomorrow instead of what I’m not eating. It crossed my mind, but with my luck I’ll be perfectly recovered by 6 am in the morning and left frustrated that my weekend plans (cooking, baking, and ice cream-making) were thwarted. Actually, ice cream is the only thing that sounds appealing at all right now. That one might still happen.

On a much cheerier note, back when I was feeling more like myself (hearty appetite in-tact), I baked this wondrous loaf of rosemary bread. I was inspired by my sisters’ (yes, plural- they’re twins) roommate, Laura, who made something similar while I was a guest inhabiting their couch. (I’ve clocked a lot of nights on the couch lately it seems.) While I managed to get a peek at her recipe, I was foolish enough not to write it down. So when I arrived home with the urgency to bake my own version of the bread, I sought advice from a second recipe source. The main tinkering I did was to incorporate whole wheat flour and to use fresh rosemary instead of dried (either works fine). I was very happy with the result- a loaf so flavorful that it needs no accompaniment. The rosemary is prominent but not overwhelming. And while this bread is best enjoyed warm out of the oven, it can be frozen and reheated later.

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm water (100-110 F)
1 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (or pinch of each ground garlic, dried oregano, and dried basil)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour + extra for kneading
1 egg, whisked + 1 Tbsp. water, for egg wash
dried rosemary, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes to proof.

2. Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, olive oil, and whole wheat flour. Add the bread flour and stir until the dough forms a ball. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth.

3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about1 hour.

4. Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf. Place it on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel or parchment paper; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 400 F. Once the dough has risen, gently brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with dried rosemary.

6. Bake on preheated stone for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Makes 1 round loaf.

(Adapted from Laura A. and All Recipes)

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Mango Macadamia Crisp

April 15, 2011

Mango crisp never crossed my mind until recently. I’m crazy about mangoes and wondered for some time how I could incorporate them into a dessert. And then it just came to me. Soft, sweet mangoes bubbling under a crunchy oatmeal crust. With vanilla ice cream melting on top. It sure sounded good in my head. It was one of those rare occasions where I dreamed up what I wanted to make before ever finding a recipe. So I went on a search and found that several other people had the same brilliant idea.

I based my version on a Cooking Light recipe that incorporated macadamia nuts into the crumbled topping and freshly squeezed lime juice in the filling. I spiced it up with ginger and cinnamon, but cardamom and nutmeg sound like plausible options, too. This crisp was just as wonderful as I’d imagined it would be. A light and refreshing tropical treat!

Mango Macadamia Crisp

INGREDIENTS

Filling:
4 cups ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. butter, melted

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbsp. cold butter, diced
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup roasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly butter or grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.

2. To make the filling, whisk to combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add mango, lime juice, and butter and toss to coat. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

3. To prepare the topping, whisk to combine flour, sugars, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender until pea-size chunks remain. Stir in the nuts and oats until the mixture clumps. Sprinkle evenly over the filling. (This step can also be done in the food processor. Mix the flour, sugars, and spices and then pulse in the butter until coarse. Add the nuts and oatmeal and pulse several more times until clumps form.)

4. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling (cover partway through cooking if it is browning too fast). Let cool several minutes before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Fills an 8-inch square pan.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

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Spinach, Green Onion, and Smoked Gouda Quiche

April 11, 2011

I didn’t realize how atrocious my grammar was until I started blogging. Blogging is like writing in a journal, except there’s one big difference: the whole world (or at least a few people) will read it. You have to worry not only about what you say, but how you punctuate and spell it. And you become suddenly aware of your imperfections. I’ll be honest, when I sit down to type a post I’m usually focused on being expressive and creative. And I assume that spell-check will catch my mistakes. Not so. On occasion (when boredom strikes) I read through old posts and encounter all the grammatical errors I’ve shared. They’re everywhere! Each improperly used pronoun or misplaced comma makes me cringe slightly upon discovery, but then I fix them and move on. And hope that someday I’ll learn how to spell.

And so I officially apologize to all my past English teachers and to you, my readers, for my writing blunders. You put up with a lot. I swear I read through posts before they’re published. But I guess that’s the hazard of self-editing. Much eludes me. But I didn’t start a blog to share poetry or short stories or anything more than recipes, really. We’re both here for the food, so let’s focus on that, shall we? (I know you’ll all be searching this post for errors now that I mentioned them. Today calls for triple-editing!)

Now for a word or two about this quiche. It’s wonderful. Delightful. Makes for an outstanding breakfast or brunch. Though, personally, I’d be happy to devour it any time of day. I’ve determined that anything containing smoked Gouda tastes good. It just has to. If you are trying to save a few calories, you can forgo the flaky butter crust. Skip steps 1 & 2 and just lightly grease a pie dish and pour the filling in. It should take approximately the same amount of time to bake.

Spinach, Green Onion, and Smoked Gouda Quiche

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe butter pie crust
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
3 large eggs, whisked
1 cup milk
packed 3/4 cup smoked Gouda, grated
dash freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare crust according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake crust for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute several minutes until tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped spinach to wilt.

4. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, cheese, nutmeg, salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the spinach mixture. Pour filling into the crust.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and the center is set. Cool slightly before serving.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

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Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

April 1, 2011

I contemplated starting this post with an ode to spring. But it doesn’t look much like spring out my window. Lately it has been blustery and cold and frankly, I’m not willing to extoll a season that has been dragging its feet, teasing us with its arrival. A hint of warm warm weather and then right back to dreary drizzle. I’m in no mood for picnics and smoothies by the pool. I need bowls of soup and warm comfort food. And so that’s what I’ve been making.

Last week my brother arrived home after spending two years in Ukraine in desperate need of some good “American” home-cookin’. My mom and I made him this lasagna and then I settled on carnitas (adapted for the slow-cooker). I assumed he hadn’t eaten too many tacos in Ukraine and could use a dose of Tex-Mex. Chili-rubbed garlic-infused pork slow-simmered all day (or night actually), wrapped in warm tortillas with cabbage, cojita, and guacamole- comfort food at it’s best.

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

INGREDIENTS

3 lb. pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of excess fat
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
1-2 tsp. chipotle chili powder (I used 1 tsp., but it was hardly spicy at all)
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, sliced
juice of one orange
salta and freshly ground black pepper

whole wheat flour or corn tortillas, warmed
guacamole
red and green cabbage, shredded and tossed with freshly squeezed lime juice and seasoned with salt and pepper
cotija cheese, crumbled
sour cream
fresh cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine chili powders and cumin in a small bowl. Season pork with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub spice mixture over entire surface of pork.

2. Place seasoned pork, garlic, orange juice, and about 1 cup of water in a large slow-cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the meat shreds easily with a fork.

3. Remove the meat from the slow-cooker and set aside to cool. Drain the juices from the slow-cooker into a large bowl and also set aside to cool. Shred the meat once it is cool enough to handle, removing any fat and gristle. Skim the fat off the surface of the reserved juices.

4. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker to re-warm, adding some of the reserved juices to keep it moist. Serve in warm tortillas with cabbage, guacamole, cojita, sour cream, cilantro, and lime.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from The Year in Food)

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Coconut Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

March 28, 2011

Another recipe that I grew up on. Addictive oatmeal cookies stuffed with raisins and coconut. Little clusters of happiness. The key to the perfect cookies is slightly under-baking them. Take them out just before you think they’re done. This way once they set they’ll stay irresistibly moist and chewy. Even the raisin and coconut-hater around here appreciated these.

Coconut Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups raisins
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or line a large baking sheet.

2. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until well incorporated. Stir in the oatmeal, raisins, and coconut. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack.

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

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