Peppers, Sausage And Green Olives-Oh My!

Friday nights are BIG nights.  Either we have a nice slab of fish (because it's date night) or it's homemade pizza night.  Tonight was za.  I have been trying for years to perfect my pizza crust recipe.  I have a really good one that I make in my food processor (even though I am afraid I am going to burn it out).  I have another recipe for crust that I make and it's down the same lines as the crusty bread recipe from the book "Artisian Bread In Five Minutes A Day".  You make the dough (no need to knead) and you can use it over the next 12 days.  It is really good and really easy.  2 3/4 cups lukewarm water mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.  Mix this in a 5 qt. size bucket or bowl, and add 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour, mix well.  Cover (not tightly) for two hours.  After that, it's ready to use or refrigerate for later use.  The dough is easier to handle when cold and only gets better over time.  Tonight I made the traditional pizza sauce (after lots of messing around).  1 can of diced tomatoes (with basil, oregano and olive oil)-14.5 ounce and one 6 ounce can of Italian tomato paste (It's chunky and we like it chunky).  I crispy browned some ground pork with kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, red pepper flakes and pizza seasoning.  Our other toppings were thin sliced red peppers, green olives and mozzarella cheese.  Sometimes I add homemade sundried tomatoes (this is a blog post in itself).  Super yummy.  No one complains on pizza night, and that makes me happy.

The Breast Salad Ever

This is a really great meal.  Healthy, easy and super delish!  It's our chicken breast salad meal.  I make a huge salad with all the fix'ins.  Romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, colored peppers, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and craisins.  Sometimes I add hard boiled eggs, avacado, apples, pickled banana peppers and broccoli.  Scott grills up some boneless, skinless, chicken breasts-generously kosher salted and peppered.  We let them cool and give them a chance to redistribute their juices and then, slice into the salad.  I like to mix it up a bit and make a dressing I don't usually make on a regular basis.  It's kinda like Thousand Island.  I take 1/4 of an onion, some fresh cracked pepper, about 1/4 -1/3 cup of mayo, 1/4 cup ketchup and a couple tablespoons of sweet pickle relish.  Whip it around in the Magic Bullet until it's smooth.  Dress the salad with this dressing (because no one likes a naked salad) and you will have a terrific meal.  All my kids eat it up, like there's no tomorrow and it's on Scott's top five list.  This is The Breast Salad Ever, I think you'll agree.

Nice Buns

Oh yeah baby.  Those are some of the best lookin' buns I've seen in a long time.  And they taste good, too.  Looks aren't everything ya know.  I took this recipe and made it in my bread machine on the dough cycle, to save on time.  Worked great.  Heat 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup butter until very warm (120 degrees).  To the bread machine add 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast, 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt.  Add the warmed milk mixture and 1 slightly beaten egg.  After dough has risen and the dough cycle is over, divide dough into 12 parts.  Form into slightly flattened balls and place on parchment paper.  Let rise for 30 to 35 minutes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Perfection.  We wood fired burgers to go with these buns and we could not decide which was tastier-the buns or the burgers.  These buns will make your burgers soar to new heights.  Really, really good-and that's no lie (cause I don't lie).  I have nice buns, even Scotty will vouch for that.

It's Not Easy Bein' Cheesy

I am on a quest.  A mission of sorts.  Driven by the desire for perfect macaroni and cheese.  The definition of comfort food.  I have tried lots of recipes and they have all been good, but not fantabulous (yes, I make up my own words).  Starting out is always the same, a roux (equal mixture of butter and flour) I used 4 Tablespoons of each.  Please always use butter, never margarine.  Then follow with milk (3 cups or so) and whisk continually until it thickens.  After it bulks up a bit, now this is where it can go wrong, add your cheese of choice.  This is where I must explain.  I could just add Velveeta and be done with it.  I would have the creamy, cheesiness I desire.  But any product that claims to be a "pasteurized processed cheese product", just shouldn't be.  It's not right.  Either you are cheese or you are not.  Velveeta is not.  I am on a mission to find the creaminess of Velveeta, but in real cheese.  Sharp cheddar in a Velveeta costume.  A few weeks ago, I purchased some Fontina cheese, specifically to test.  I used Fontina and Aged Sharp Cheddar.  Good, but not great.  Not silky smooth, a little grainy.  Tonight, back at it.  I used about 3/4 of a cup of Fontina and 2 cups of "4 Cheese Classic Melts" (three of the four in this blend are real).  I know, I know, this blend does have an impostor in it, but that's how I figure this whole thing out.  One step at a time.  Three out of four is not too bad.  Don't worry, I won't settle with this.  It's a stepping stone, to greater things to come.  I also added 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard and the unsuspecting secret ingredient-fresh grated nutmeg.  I know it seems weird, but it is a secret ingredient in many delicious cheese based or white sauces.  If you don't believe me, just ask me.  I also always dust the top with panko (Japanese breadcrumbs).  They add a delightful crispy coating to the top of the bubbling dish.  You can use regular breadcrumbs as well, but it will NOT be as delightful.  Trust me.  So the verdict on tonight's macaroni and cheese?  Close, but not quite.  And close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Gourmet Sauce

That's what my Dad calls it.  Ketchup.  Not gourmet at all, but it has it's place.  Tonight it's place is on top of meatloaf.  A must.  This morning I asked "what should we have for supper?"  Chloe responded with the usual "meatloaf".  Two pounds of hamburger, one packet onion soup mix, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup water, 1/3 cup gourmet sauce an then I added about a cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese.  It just adds a little zing.  I like zing.  I bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, and about 15 minutes before it's done, I drizzle some gourmet sauce on top of the meatloaf and bake it in.  It makes a really yummy treat of a glaze to top off your really yummy meatloaf.  Serve with mashed potatoes (because it's the right thing to do) and a nice salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, onion, red and orange peppers and craisins.  Top that all off with orange, raspberry vinaigrette dressing (that you made because I told you how).  The best part is the leftovers (if you have any).  Meatloaf sammies, slathered with miracle whip-super yummy!  I eat them cold.  Fantastic!  Tonight it's a tribute to my Dad and his favorite mealtime sidekick-gourmet sauce, the artist formally known as ketchup.

Bawk Bawk Who's There

Chicken.  Chicken who?  Super yummy chicken, that's who.  I like to buy my whole chickens at St. Joe Meat Market.  The Amish chickens because they are so cute in their little beards and black hats-no, not really.  I like the Amish chickens because of the way they are raised without antibiotics.  I get crabby when I see labels on the grocery store chickens that boast "all natural" and "no added hormones".  It's a tricky way of pushing their product and what they aren't telling you about is the chemicals in the chicken feed and the way the birds are raised.  It's deceptive and it makes me crabby.  These Amish chickens are really nice and they don't make me crabby, not even a little bit.  I made a brine to soak the chicken in before cooking.  One gallon of water, 3/4 cup salt (either kosher or canning), 2/3 cup sugar, some lemon juice and a tablespoon or so of liquid smoke.  I let him hang out in the mixture for most of the day.  This will not only add flavor, but keep him moist during cooking.  I generously kosher salt and fresh crack pepper and garlic powder the outside of the bird.  Scott puts the chicken on the rotisserie on the grill, sears the outside to perfection and the inside stays delicious and juicy.  The skin is almost as good as the inside-super yummy!  I served with cheesy hashbrowns (like Timberlodge), a recipe that I will share at another time, and frozen peas (because they are easy).  This is a simple meal with big flavor and it's sure to please, even if these chickens drive a horse and buggy-not really.

Bad Hair Day

Don't you hate it when you go through the work of baking some little beauty of a cake or cookie, and you are baking it primarily because the picture in the book is gorgeous, and you know if it turns out your family will think you are amazing....and then it doesn't turn out.  Pretty ugly, but pretty tasty.  It's like you only get half of what you came for.  Shucks.  The good part is that Scott and the kids could care less what it looks like, as long as it tastes good.  Today I tried Finnish Ribbon Cookies.  It was in the plan to make these around the holidays, but plans change.  This was a newspaper recipe, a contest winner and it LOOKED delicious.  But not today.  Start off beating 1 cup softened butter with 1/2 cup sugar, until creamy.  Beat in 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel.  Gradually add a mixture of 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend thoroughly.  Shape dough into ropes about 3/4" in diameter and as long as your baking sheet.  Place ropes 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet and with the side of your finger, press a long groove down the center of each rope.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and fill groove with a jam of your choice (I used raspberry).  Return to oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes.  While cookies are still hot, drizzle with a glaze of 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon water.  Cut at 45 degree angle, into 1" lengths.  What happened to my pretty cookies?  I might have made my ropes thicker than 3/4", and they spread too much and ran into each other-I don't know.   When they came out of the oven the first time, the "groove" was gone (I hate it when I loose my groove).  Anyway, they are delicious, buttery little morsels that are just having a bad hair day...and we are all entitled to that.