Finally, a fabulous bread recipe!!

I spent most of last winter trying to perfect a good bread recipe, I had mediocre luck with the only consistently good loaf coming from Jim Fahey's No Knead Bread recipe- the only downside, it takes 17 hours to rise... The bread was delicious, but I was always a bit hesitant to start the clock...

While perusing the NY Times online today, my favorite food writer Mark Bittman posted an updated version- my ears perked right up! I quickly went to the kitchen and whipped up a batch of dough where it had to rise for only 4 hours...

End result, a delicious crusty loaf (just like the other bread) and a nice chewy center (just like the other loaf)!

Although it's taken a year, I believe I have finally found a fantastic bread recipe.

Enjoy, it's sooooo easy...

3 cups bread flour
1 packet ( 1/4 ounce) instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil as needed.

1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl that has been drizzled with a little olive oil. Add 1 1/2 cups warm water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. * I turned my oven on for about 5 minutes, then turned it off and left the door slightly ajar, this helped to give the dough a warmish area to rise.

2. Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.

3. 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 dough and put it into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

4. 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: 1 big loaf.

Cherry, chocolate chip oat scones

It's snowing here (again) and the kids are running around in the neighborhood with their friends. I decided to make something warm for them when they invariably return home, cold and ravenous.

Here's my very easy recipe for scones that everyone will love!

2-1/4 C. Bisquick mix
3/4 C. quick oats
1/2 C. low-fat milk
1 large egg
1 Tbs. vanilla
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. dried cherries or cranberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together.

Line a cookie sheet with a silpat mat or use parchment paper that is sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Place about 3/4 C. balls of scone mixture onto the cookie sheet, leaving about 2" between scones.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until scones are golden brown.

This recipe makes about 10 scones.

Option- cinnamon spiced scones. Omit chocolate chips and cherries and add 1 Tbs. of cinnamon and 1 tsp. of either apple pie or pumpkin pie spice and bake as directed. These are delicious also.

Greek zucchini fritters

I saw this recipe in the NY Times a few days ago and although I've made zucchini fritters (think potato latke) these have some delicious Greek additions. I ate it with tzatziki and a salad. Kirk and I liked them, but the kids-not so much...

Here's my adaptation of Greek zucchini fritters:

2 large zucchini, trimmed and grated on the wide holes of a grater or food processor
Salt
2 eggs
2 cubes each- frozen dill and parsley
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Greek (or Italian) seasoning
1 tsp. celery salt
3/4-1 C. breadcrumbs
Freshly ground pepper
3/4 C. crumbled herbed feta
All-purpose flour for dredging

vegetable oil for frying

1. Salt the zucchini generously and leave to drain in a colander for one hour, tossing and squeezing the zucchini from time to time. Take up handfuls of zucchini, and squeeze out all of the moisture. Alternately, wrap in a clean dish towel, and squeeze out the water by twisting at both ends.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the shredded zucchini, frozen herbs, cumin, celery salt, Greek seasoning, bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste and feta. Mix together well. Take up a small handful of the mixture; if it presses neatly into a patty, it is the right consistency. If it seems wet, add more breadcrumbs or a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour. When the mixture has the right consistency, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or longer.

3. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan until rippling, or at about 275 degrees. Meanwhile, take up heaped tablespoons of the zucchini mixture, and form patties. Lightly dredge in flour.

4. When the oil is very hot, add the patties in batches to the pan. Fry until golden brown, turning once with a spider or slotted spoon. Remove from the oil, and drain briefly on a rack, or keep warm in the oven.

Super Bowl skins and chili

I must admit that although I am not a big fan of the sport, I love the commercials, and nothin' says Super Bowl in my book more than a big ol' pot of chili and some potato skins.

Here's my recipe for both vegetarian and regular chili and some super tasty mini potato skins!

Enjoy.

Mini potato skins.

3-4 Tbs. Olive oil
8-10 baby yukon gold and/or red new potatoes
Smoked sea salt or Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
scallions

Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle olive oil on an aluminum foil lined or Silpat lined cookie sheet. Wash potatoes and slice in half lengthwise. Using a melon baller, gently scoop the inside out of each potato, leaving a good portion of each side and the bottom in tact. Save the little potato balls to roast as well. Toss the potatoes (and balls) in olive oil, smoked salt and pepper. being sure to coat both the inside and outside of each potato.

Place the potatoes skin side down on the cookie sheet so they are not touching and add balls in remaining areas.

Roast for 15-20 minutes until skins are crisp and golden brown.

Before removing from oven, sprinkle potatoes with shredded cheese and broil for 30 seconds.

Remove and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of chopped scallions.

Vegetarian Chili:
1 large diced onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 C. diced button mushrooms
1 can black beans
2 cans pinto/red beans
3 cans diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
2 C. frozen roasted corn (from Trader Joe's, if you can't find it, regular frozen is fine)
4 Tbs. chili powder (or 1 packet chili seasoning)
1 diced zucchini
1 large peeled and diced sweet potato
kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. cornmeal

Saute onion for 2-3 minutes in olive oil in a large pot. Add mushrooms and continue cooking for another minute. Add drained beans and tomatoes. Stir to combine and add frozen corn and chili powder. Finally, add zucchini and sweet potato, and a good pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer on medium low for 25 minutes. Season to taste, add cornmeal and continue cooking until ready to serve.

I served this with a side of jalapeno corn bread and homemade guacamole. If you like it spicy, add a little Tabasco sauce before serving.


Beef or Turkey Chili:


1 tbs. olive oil
1 diced onion
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef or turkey
1 C. frozen roasted corn
1 small can pink beans rinsed
1 small can kidney beans rinsed
1 large can diced tomatoes -I found fire roasted ones, and they were yummy.
3 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. cumin
a good pinch of 2 of kosher salt
optional- red hot sauce

Heat olive oil on medium high in a deep pot. When it begins to sizzle, add onions and saute for 3 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden brown. Add beef and break up in pot with a wooden spoon so you don't have big chunks. Saute for 5-6 minutes until beef is almost cooked through. Add corn, 2 cans of beans and tomatoes, stir to combine. Add chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir to combine, lower heat to medium, cover and cook for at least 25 minutes to let flavors combine.

Mushroom pate

I made the most delicious hors' d'oeuvre tonight, I had eaten something similar a while ago, and was anxious to try to replicate it at home.

Don't let the name fool you, mushroom pate is simply sauteed mushrooms that have been finely chopped in a Cuisinart to make it spreadable.

Bring this to your next party, it will be devoured!

Here's my recipe for mushroom pate.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 C. diced shallot or onion
3 cubes frozen garlic
1 lb. total of assorted mushrooms, I used crimini, poratbello and shiitake, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. celery salt
pinch of black pepper
1 Tbs. Madeira or sherry

**Optional- process 1/4 C. toasted pine nuts and 1/4 C. goat cheese to the mixture.


Saute shallot in olive oil on medium high heat for 1 minute in a large nonstick pan. After about a minute, add garlic cubes and stir to combine. Next, add washed mushrooms, oregano, celery salt and black pepper and saute to 2 minutes. Once mushrooms have begun to release liquid, add Madeira and continue cooking for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until all liquid has evaporated.

Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Add mixture into a Cuisinart and pulse until texture has become finely chopped but not completely smooth.

Add a dollop to a thin slice of baguette or cracker and garnish with a shaving of Parmesan or Manchego and a bit of parsley. Can be eaten either hot or cold.