Snow, Ice, Flour and Yeast

I've been more or less stuck in the house since Friday night. This is probably something that many of you can sympathize with. Is anyone else starting to worry that once they do get out and back to real life, they will have become agoraphobic, like a house cat? On Tuesday, I did get to the pet store (for cat food), liquor store (wine is almost a necessity when snow-bound, I find), and Target for groceries, since the Giant Eagle was unbelievably crowded. While perusing the shelves at Target, I was at a bit of a loss, since our Target store doesn't carry fresh vegetables, etc. I'd been planning on stewing some eggplant and making Chicken Masala, but clearly that wasn't going to happen.

When being snow bound, one has nothing if not time and then some more time, so it occurred to me that this would be a good opportunity to make Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough. It requires hardly any work, but you do need 12 to 24 hours of rising time. I'd tried the bread on Friday/Saturday, and it was really good, especially for something that I mixed together and plunked in my laundry room to forget about for 18 hours!

I used 1 1/2 cups of all purpose white flour and 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour for the pizza dough, partially because a lot of people mentioned that the pizza dough was extremely floppy and hard to work with. I allowed my dough to rise for the full 24 hours, in my toasty laundry room, which seems to make a huge difference for rising dough. I had no trouble working with the dough, even when tossing it to make the crust. However, I wasn't too crazy about the strong wheat flavor with the tomato sauce, so next time I think I will use 2 cups of AP flour and 1 cup of wheat flour, or maybe even 2 1/2 cups AP and 1/2 cup wheat.

And there will definitely be a next time. I'd like to use more sophisticated and creative ingredients than a Kraft Italian cheese mix and some Hormel turkey pepperoni. I did, however, make a really good pizza sauce, which can be found in the comments section of my blog here. It's the first comment, and it was added by my sister, Rachel. It was a very easy, delicious sauce, and I'd definitely recommend using it.



Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza with a Simple Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Co.
Makes four 12-inch pizza crusts, with each crust serving one or two people

3 cups all purpose flour or bread flour, or a combination of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (it is important to use instant)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water

In a large bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended (the dough will be very sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 12 to 24 hours in a warm spot, about 70°.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and lightly sprinkle the top with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour and cover the dough balls with it. Let the dough rise for 2 hours.

Stretch or toss the dough into the desired shape, cover with toppings and bake (the pizzas will probably not be a perfect circle, but rather oblong in shape. I baked my pizzas in a 450 degree oven for about 12 minutes each).

And, More Soup!

Ok, yes, I love soup. I especially love soup for lunch. There's just so much you can do with the formula of soup, and the leftovers are usually even better than a fresh batch. However, I am a little picky. When I think of soup, I usually am craving some kind of vegetable puree with lots of flavor, preferably complex. I don't much like meat or excessive amounts of cream in my soup, though I'm willing to try almost anything. But as I've said before, I love pureeing soup with my new immersion blender. It's more fun than, say, planning a wedding or doing laundry. Definitely more fun than laundry. So, even if you are sick of hearing me talk about soup, I'm not sick of eating it. And you should definitely try this one. It's perfect for a cold winter's day. It might even be good served cold in the summer, as it's very gazpacho-like.


Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Soup
Slightly tweaked from Bon Appetit, March 2001 via Epicurious

This soup is delicious and complex in flavors. It's also pleasantly spicy, but still has a rich and savory flavor. It's a bit labor intensive, so I wasn't initially sure if I wanted to share it with you, but this soup is so wonderfully delicious that I couldn't resist. Just block out a decent amount of time to complete the recipe. After the vegetable roasting, things move on pretty quickly.

1 eggplant, halved
2 red bell peppers
1/8 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing on eggplant
2 small onions, chopped
1 small leek, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced into half moon shapes (white and pale green parts only)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
4 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth (or vegetable broth, naturally)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried basil
lots of salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce eggplants all over with a fork. Brush the eggplant halves with olive oil and sprinkle salt all over. Place the eggplant cut side down on the baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. You could chop and prepare the other vegetables during this time.

When the eggplant is softened and slightly browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove the peel and discard. This will be easy. Cut eggplants into large pieces. Rinse the eggplant pieces under running water. Drain well and set aside. The roasting, rinsing and draining will remove much of the bitterness found in full-sized eggplants.

Char the bell peppers, whole, in a broiler until blackened on all sides. This may take some patience. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel, seed and coarsely chop peppers.

Heat 1/8 cup of olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and leek, season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in eggplant, peppers, chicken stock, and tomato paste and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper once again.

Turn off the heat and allow to cool a bit, so you aren't splashed with scalding hot liquid. Place your immersion blender inside the mixture and then turn it on, moving it around slowly, though the blender will do most of the work. When you are satisfied with the puree, turn off the immersion blender and then remove it from the soup. Unplug and set aside.

Alternately, turn off the heat and allow to cool even more, then transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor. Be sure not to fill the blender or food processor too much, as hot liquid expands.

After the blending, stir the soup, then add butter and lemon juice; stir over low heat until soup is heated through, about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan all at once and stir. The soup is ready to serve, or pack some for lunch, like me.

Winter Warming: A Pot (or Two) of Soup

Is it any wonder that I've been craving soups lately? Warming, delicious, and nutritious, they are a great way to get a balanced meal. Especially for lunch, so I've been toting plastic containers of the stuff to work all month. These soups have been delicious and satisfying, and they just get better day after day (which is good, since I make a big pot on Sunday night and then eat it all week).

Unfortunately, I didn't think to take any pictures of the soup. However, both looked pretty much the same: smooth and orange. I recently acquired an immersion blender, and this tool has changed my life, so to speak. You see, I love a good, smooth pureed vegetable soup, but swapping cooked vegetables out to a blender or food processor is slow, annoying, messy, and potentially dangerous, if the liquid expands and you get burned. You can still do it this way, but now I gleefully puree these soups with the push of a button. It's just so satisfying, and I think I may be addicted to using it. I'm even beginning to wonder how I ever functioned without it. And so, without further ado, I offer two tasty and nutritious soup recipes that will make you feel warm and cozy.


Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with an Apple
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, by Ina Garten, and Orangette

This soup gets a lot of its warm flavor from spices, which isn't to say that it's spicy. It has a savory sweetness, and Sean even thought it smelled a little like maple syrup. I'd recommend using a two or three of these spices, in addition to the curry powder:nutmeg, allspice, mace, or cardomom. Whatever you have available. Mace and cardomom are expensive, so I skipped them. Just be sure to season carefully, or the flavor of the spices could become overwhelming. A day or two after I made this soup, I saw this article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. This version of a butternut squash soup with apple suggests the addition of a sweet potato and apple cider vinegar. I'd like to try that version soon. Plus, they actually show you a picture!

1/4 cup canola oil, or light tasting olive oil (no EVOO here)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into two inch pieces, about 2 cups (I chopped these last to avoid the icky browning)
1 large onion or 2-3 small, peeled and coarsely chopped, about one cup
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1+ quart vegetable stock (or chicken, if that's what you have)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in your largest pot over medium heat. Add the squash, apples and onion, and stir to coat with the oil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and transparent, about ten minutes. Stir in the spices and continue to cook until the onion is nicely browned. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the hear to medium-low and allow it to simmer, covered, for 35 minutes, or until the squash is very tender.

Turn off the heat and allow to cool a bit, so you aren't splashed with scalding hot liquid. Place your immersion blender inside the mixture and then turn it on, moving it around slowly, though the blender will do most of the work. When you are satisfied with the puree, turn off the immersion blender and then remove it from the soup. Unplug and set aside. Stir the soup and add salt and pepper, as well as any additional seasonings, to taste. The soup is ready to serve (see below, however).

Alternately, turn off the heat and allow to cool even more, then transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor. Be sure not to fill the blender or food processor too much, as hot liquid expands. Place all of the soup back in the pot and reheat, stirring occasionally. You will need a large bowl or another large pot to successfully maneuver this. When the soup is sufficiently warmed, add salt and pepper, adjust the seasonings, and stir again.

This soup becomes significantly better after a day or two. Right after making the soup, I thought it was weak and underwhelming. By Thursday afternoon, it was a rich, complex puree.

_____________________________________________________________________

Week 2:

Ginger Carrot Soup

Adapted from The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market Cookbook, by Christopher Hirsheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker.


The end result of this soup is quite spicy. This is a very low-fat soup, with the creaminess coming from the addition of potatoes. I particularly enjoyed this with a piece of whole wheat baguette, buttered and toasted.


3 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil (EVOO would be fine here)
2 large or 4 small onions, chopped
About 5 ounces of fresh ginger root, chopped into six to eight pieces (do not make the ginger too small, as you will be removing later, but you do want to add enough of it, as the ginger is central to the flavor of the soup.)
2 pounds of carrots, trimmed, peeled and chopped
2 or 3 red-skinned potatoes or one russet potato (whatever you have at home), peeled and quartered
Salt and ground pepper
4 cups chicken stock (homemade is always nice!), or vegetable stock

In your largest pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about ten minutes. Add the ginger, carrots and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and stir. Pour in the stock, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and allow the soup to simmer. You want the carrots to be very soft, and to give the ginger enough time to incorporate its flavor to the soup. Expect this to take about one hour.
When the carrot has softened, turn off the heat and remove the ginger. It's too strong tasting and fibrous to remain in the soup, so it is important to get it all out. Allow to cool a bit, so you aren't splashed with scalding hot liquid. Place your immersion blender inside the mixture and then turn it on, moving it around slowly, though the blender will do most of the work. When you are satisfied with the puree, turn off the immersion blender and then remove it from the soup. Unplug and set aside. Adjust the seasonings. The soup is ready to serve.

Alternately, turn off the heat and allow to cool even more, then transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor. Be sure not to fill the blender or food processor too much, as hot liquid expands. Place all of the soup back in the pot and reheat, stirring occasionally. You will need a large bowl or another large pot to successfully maneuver this. When the soup is sufficiently warmed,adjust the seasonings, and stir again.

..And, we're back!

Thanks for all of your kind words and support during my hiatus. I really appreciate it, along with your patience. While I still haven't found a concrete answer for what is ailing me, certain kinds of fat is definitely part of my problem. So, that means minimal amounts of dairy, no red meat (though I did sneak a piece of bacon), and avoiding hydrogenated oils and fake fats. Staying away from these types of foods seems to help my discomfort. I've had to change some cooking habits, but I don't mind a challenge.

It's been over a month since I last posted here (!), and I never intended to be away for so long. I've been pretty busy with Christmas, making cookies (I was able to eat a few--small amounts of homemade baked goods seem to be OK), a yule log cake (I'm showing it off above--again, a small slice), and a bunch of other things. It seems a little late to share those with you, though. Next December, I hope to have a wide variety of recipes to share as the holidays approach. But for now, It's time to taper off from the near constant doses of sweets and other rich foods.

I've wanted a juice extractor for quite a while, and now that I have a limited diet, it seemed like a good time to have one. I was very generously given two kinds of juicers for Christmas--an extractor and a specialty juice blender--so now I can make lots of juice and smoothies. Without a juice extractor, you could also purchase pre-made juices and mix them yourself, though that is liable to become expensive.

While juice extractors can also be very expensive, they are a healthier alternative to buying juice at the grocery store. Probably the best price for a quality juicer is the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer, sold for about $75.00 on Amazon.com. But according to reviews, this machine, and its upgraded model, the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer Pro ($149.99 on Amazon.com), are really no match in quality and price, respectively, for the Breville NJE200XL 700 Watt Compact Juice Fountain, $99.00 at Amazon.com and Best Buy Stores. Can you tell this is what I have? I did some research and this was the conclusion that I came to. I should also note that other high quality models are sold for $250-300 and up, which I really don't think is necessary, unless you are planning on opening a juice stand!




The Breville Compact works nicely and cleanup is fast. Since I haven't tried any other juicers (the $75 Jack Lalane would be my second choice), I really can't say how it works in relation to others, but I am very pleased with it. There is still some peeling and pit removal involved--basically, anything that you wouldn't eat doesn't go in the juicer), but you can put in whole, unpeeled carrots and apples, for instance. The chute has a vacuum power that is quite impressive.

Some good combinations that I have tried:
Mango and kiwi
Kiwi and cucumber
Carrot, apple, ginger

The juice that results from these concoctions is surprisingly sweet, so there is no need for sugar. You can also use the pulp from the fruits and vegetables to make a variety of other things, especially cakes and breads. And while I am consuming more of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables than I would otherwise, I still have to be sure to consume fiber.

And, in case you were wondering, I do still intend to cook treats and goodies and write about them here. I just got a new cookbook, called Gingerbread, that is full of delicious-looking, gingerbread-based desserts. While most of them are just perfect for a cold winter's day, there are some summer desserts, too. Gingerbread has inspired me to invent a ginger dessert of my own, which I hope will be good enough to feature here...

An Interruption in Regularly Scheduled Programming

Dear Friends,

I'm sorry to announce that I don't have a recipe for you today. In fact, it may be a while before I can offer you much of anything. You see, it appears that I may have gallstones. Either that, or some other malady is plaguing my stomach and surrounding parts. It's very unfortunate, since my favorite thing to do is eat. Not that I do it constantly. It's just what I look forward to most in my day. So gang, it looks as though you'll be eating that asparagus gratin without me.

Who knows, by the time I recover, I may become a health and exercise nut, and this blog will have changed direction! Would you like that? No, neither would I. I'm pretty sure that won't be happening. As a respite from a constant stream of herbal teas and Netflix movies, I promise to stop in from time to share some kind of recipe with you. Most likely, it will be gallbladder friendly, so we'll all win. That sounds nice.

Take care,


Lauren

Delightfully Crispy, Buttery, Creamy, and Cheesy...All in One Dish

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I've said before that Easter is a great holiday for food, and Thanksgiving is more set in stone when it comes to the menu, but there is something so cozy and comforting about a feast with family and friends in the fall. The sentiment surrounding the holiday--giving thanks for all that we have-- is just right, and it's never really been marred by rampant commercialism. I look forward to Thanksgiving every year, though it seems to have crept up on me this time. But I've still got two weeks left, so that gives me plenty of time to think about what I'm going to bring this year.

Usually, my Mom asks that I make a side with butternut squash. I'm considering keeping it simple this year, and serving my squash mashed, with an additional offering. We'll have to see what the second dish is. Something that's a bit less expected would be ideal, as long as it's not totally out of place. I'm not really one for flagrantly non-traditional dishes at Thanksgiving; it needs to adhere to the idea of a traditional harvest-time feast. Whatever tradition it follows is up to you, but I like an "honest American" type of cuisine.

Regardless of your tastes, the possibilities are endless. I'm heavily leaning on making these biscuits, which, as I've mentioned before, are ridiculously good. But, as there are a lot of conflicting needs in my family (two vegetarians, one turkey hater, two vegetable haters, and three people who will pretty much eat it all--I'm a member of the last group), maybe a vegetable dish that everyone--except for one person--will enjoy could be just thing (maybe he'll try it, too). It's more of a spring dish, but it's very special and oh-so-good. It would also make a great Christmas dinner dish, as it's rich, cheesy, and something that should be eaten once, maybe twice a year, tops. But you'll want it more often. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Asparagus Gratin
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens' Easy Menus for Dining Inn
Feel free to insert your favorite vegetable in place of the asparagus, maybe something that's in season for Thanksgiving. I'd recommend artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or turnips for fall. However, my version was inspired by another recipe for a gratin using leeks. I tried it this way, but the leeks were a little stringy. With the asparagus, it's got a pleasant crunch.

Ingredients:
2 bunches tender asparagus, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons dried marjoram, or 3 tablespoons fresh, snipped
2 slices French or Italian bread, or 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for the dish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Run two or three slices of bread through a food processor to make larger-sized breadcrumbs that will crisp wonderfully in the oven.

Generously butter a 2 quart rectangular baking dish or gratin dish (something you can bring from the oven to the holiday table is ideal). Arrange the asparagus in the bottom of the dish, overlapping if necessary.

In a small bowl, combine the whipping cream and broth, pour over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt pepper, and half of the marjoram. Carefully cover the dish with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. About halfway through, check the asparagus to make sure it is not cooking too quickly, as asparagus can vary greatly in thickness.

While the asparagus is baking, combine the remaining marjoram, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter in a small bowl. Remove the asparagus from the oven and remove the foil. The asparagus should be fork-tender, but not limp. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the asparagus. Bake the gratin uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, checking halfway through. The cream will have thickened, and the bread crumbs and cheese will be browned.

Chicken or Beef?

Happy Halloween! I guess I can still get away with saying that, since today is El Dia de los Muertos.

Anyway, what I really wanted to show you is a picture of our Halloween pumpkin. It's supposed to be cat. I like the cartoonish quality of the cat (and the twinkle in its mouth).


Right now, I've got a few recipes in the works, so please bear with me during this slow period, so to speak. For this week, I am going to share with you two of my favorite marinades, which could be used for chicken or beef. Both marinades can be made the day before and poured over your choice of meat (or maybe even vegetables or tofu), and placed in the refrigerator over night (overnight might make the vegetables limp). You'll have a delicious and simple meal to come home to the next day. And with early evenings approaching, I think that will be a huge help.


Teriyaki

Reprinted with notations from the New York Times Cookbook

1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated fresh ginger, or 1/2 tablespoon powdered ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar (raw/demerara/turbinado sugar recommended
1 cup of low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry or white wine, even good quality Marsala can work in a pinch

Combine the ginger, garlic, onion, sugar, soy sauce and sherry. Pour the mixture over 2 pounds of chicken or sirloin beef that has been thinly sliced or cut into bite sized pieces. Let stand one to two hours or overnight. Grill or broil, on skewers and serve hot. This marinade is especially good for beef.


Indonesian Ginger Marinade

Adapted with notations from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and the Food Network

1 cup of honey (orange blossom preferred, rather than lavender, etc)
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
8-12 cloves of garlic, minced (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh ginger root (go with fresh ginger, as it really makes the dish in this case)

Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger root in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Arrange four or five bone-in chicken breasts or 2 1/2 pounds of sirloin or flank steak in a baking pan. Chicken should be placed skin-side down. Pour the sauce over the meat, cover with foil and marinate overnight.

The following day, beef can be grilled or broiled. For chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for thirty minutes, then uncover the pan. Turn the breasts over, then continue to bake for 30 minutes longer.

This recipe is especially good with chicken, and I imagine that it would be delicious with salmon or a delicate white fish, too.