Bread

Mark has been the bread baker in our house, but last week I was on a roll in the kitchen, so I kept on going. Well, I was also on a loopy roll - I ended up roasting the chicken upside down (wierd!) and then didn't read the "warm" milk in the bread recipe. Yeast needs to be warm to work. Mark came to the rescue, and we ended up with lovely bread.

Here's a recipe for what James Beard (Beard on Bread) named a "Basic Home-Style Loaf". Good for toasting and sandwiches.

Basic Home-Style Loaf

Beard on Bread

1 package yeast

2 cups warm milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tablespoon salt

5-6 cups flour (The recipe says all-purpose -- I used 2 cups whole wheat, and the rest white.)

Add yeast and sugar to 1/2 cup of the milk, stirring until dissolved. Allow to proof (i.e. it will bubble). In another bowl add the rest of the milk, butter and salt and then add the flour one cup at a time. After 3 cups, add the yeast mixture. Continue stirring in flour until firm (about 4 to 5 cups).

Put dough on flowered board and knead, adding flour as needed until dough is "supple, satiny, and no longer sticky." Butter a bowl, place dough in turn to coat, and cover. Allow it to rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size (about 1.5 to 2 hours).

Punch the dough down, put it back on the floured board and knead another 4-5 minutes. Divide into two equal parts. Shape into loaves and place into well-buttered 9x5 inch loaf pans. Set aside to rise again until doubled.

Bake at 400F 40-45 minutes.

Chicken and Yellow Rice

After New Year's Chad and I met his family down in Florida for a family vacation at Disney World. We also made the hour and a half drive down to Tampa to tour what used to be the old family homestead in the suburbs. We stopped in Ybor City, which was/is a center of cigar factories and Cuban restaurants. We ate at the Columbia, which I highly recommend. Jane was nice to treat me to a cookbook from the restaurant. Tonight I'm trying the Chicken and Yellow Rice which I actually ordered for lunch the day I was there. It was wonderful then. I'll have to let you know after dinner how my version is. It has some variations:

1. Saffron. I can't afford saffron (the most expensive spice there is. apparently because it is the dried stigma of a Crocus Sativus Linneaus - member of the iris family. and there are only 3 stigma on each flower. so that is a lot of stigma for a 1/2 teaspoon) So I finally did what anyone does when they need to know something, I googled "saffon spice substitution." A dash of tumeric apparently replaces the color. We'll see.

2. I cut up a whole chicken for the first time in my life. Again, I did have to google "How to cut up a chicken," but found a very nice website with good descriptions, step by step instructions and pictures. Here you go - http://gourmetsleuth.com/cutupchicken.htm

3. I also made the asparagus and white wine optional since I didn't have it on hand.

And now the recipe:
3-lb. chicken fryer, cut into quarters
2 onions chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 med tomatoes diced
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups long grain rice
1/2 t. saffron
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup small green peas cooked
4 asparagus tips
2 roasted red peppers
1/4 cup white wine

In a skillet, saute chicken in heated oil until skin is golden. Remove chicken and place in casserole . In same oil, saute onion, green peppers, tomatoes and garlic for 5 minutes. Pour over chicken. Add chicken broth, saffron, salt, bay leaf and rice. When mixture begins to boil, cover casserole and bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Sprinkle with wine and garnish with peas, roasted red peppers and asparagus tips. Serves 4.

Chicken & Rosemary Dumplings

Of course, I chose the hottest day of the year (so far...) in Central Texas to make chicken & dumplings, but oh, well. The chicken was already thawed... I love my Mom's very traditional chicken and dumplings, but I found this recipe a few years ago in Cooking Light and fell in love. The original recipe calls for celery but this time I used leeks because 1) Clint doesn't like celery and 2) I had leeks that needed to be used. I also halved the onion (because leeks have a similar flavor), doubled the garlic, and used whole milk instead of light buttermilk. My variances in parentheses.

Soup:
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 lb chicken drumsticks
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced carrots (approx. 3 carrots)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (or leeks)
1 cup diced onion (I used 1/2 cup w/ the leeks)
1 garlic cloves, minced (4 cloves)
1/2 tsp salt

Dumplings:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (or whole milk)
1 large egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water

1) Combine broth, water, chicken, and thyme in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken & cool slightly. Strain broth & discard solids. Remove chicken from bones and chop into bite-size pieces. Set chicken aside.

2) Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Saute 6 min. or until onion is tender. Add reserved broth mixture and salt; simmer 10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. Keep warm.

3) To prepare dumplings, combine flour, rosemary, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

4) Return chopped chicken to the broth mixture; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Combine 1/4 flour and water, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Add flour picture to pot; simmer 3 minutes. Drop the dumpling dough, 1 tbsp per dumpling into chicken mixture to form 12 dumplings (use 2 spoons to handle the sticky mixture). Cover and cook 7 minutes-do not let broth boil. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste. Yield: 6 servings.

Pizza Dough, Italian Sausage and White Whole Wheat

We've been attempting to cook at home more as well - so as not to go out much. The latest secret to our success has been Italian Sausage. Yeah, not so healthy, but oh so tasty! I buy the package of 5 links, and then freeze them individually, cause one here and there in something just adds a little something. For example, one sausage browned with an onion, some garlic and a can or two of tomatoes = pasta sauce! Or the other night, Mark did this with sausage, mushrooms, onion, and a little bit of beer. I've added some to quiche, or even the Shepherd's Pie I made the other day.

Tonight, I made pizza - and made the dough myself (something I've been wanting to do for a while now). The recipe below makes two 12-inch pizzas, but my plan next time is to double the recipe, and then freeze some, so its ready on a weekday when I don't have time for yeast. Topped with sausage, garlic, canned tomatoes (our other new staple item!) and some mozzerella, it was perfect with salad and a glass of cider.

I've also recently discovered White Whole Wheat Flour - it is mild enough to make cookies with, but still whole wheat. So I used some of that in it too.

Before I type this, I credit Betty Crocker. Thankyou. :)

Pizza Dough

2.5-3 cups flour (all-purpose, white whole wheat, or a combination of wheat and white)

1 T sugar

1tsp salt

1 package yeast

3 T olive oil

1 cup warm water

Mix 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add oil and water. Beat in an electric mixer about 3 minutes medium speed. Stir in enough remaining flour until the dough is soft and leaves the side of the bowl. Put on floured surface and knead 5-8 minutes until dough is smooth and springy (adding flour as you need to). Put in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.

*(I think you could freeze it at this point)*

Heat oven to 425. Grease two cookie sheets/pizza pans. Divide dough in half, and pat each into a 12-inch circle. Bake 7-8 minutes until dough just begins to brown. Add toppings and bake an additional 8-10 minutes.

cake baking and other extreme sports

When my sister, Jenny, called me and asked me to bake a chocolate cake for my niece's first birthday there was no question I would do it. First, there's something about making a chocolate cake frosted in pastel pink and purple icing that unlocks this primal Martha Stewart urge inside of me. Second, who can say no to baking a cake for your niece?? I am only a year into this whole aunt business and I'm not about to shirk off any opportunity to spoil an unsuspecting Beth who, up until today, has yet to discover that I have better things to offer her than books and shiny toys.

Of course, I wait until this morning, the day of the party, to make the aforementioned chocolate cake. And, because I am a total overachiever, I have promised carrot cake cupcakes as well. Go figure. 9 A.M. and I am trucking away. Baking is a breeze! I melt yummy Ghiridelli chocolate over the stove, sampling liberally and fantasize about the elaborate message I am going to write on the cake.
I whip up the batter for the carrot cake in no time. I use the recipe from the Joy of Cooking figuring these classics are harder to mess up as I have never made either recipe before. The cupcakes are in the oven by 10:30 A.M. and I am feeling like a champ.

The devil's food chocolate cake recipe is for a 2 layer cake. I've never made a layer cake before but, hey, I'm feeling pretty good. It can't be that hard! My Martha alter ego is getting pretty out of control. I imagine the years of cakes that lay ahead: sculpted bunny cakes, kitschy doll cakes and triple layer stacked cakes topped by flowers. I can't imagine why people don't make more cakes! They're so easy!

Its 11:20 and the two layers of chocolate cake are in the oven. I'm beginning to get a little nervous about time as we have to be in south Austin at around 1 P.M. which doesn't really leave much room for the unexpected.

12 noon. Fantasy Martha has morphed into evil-Stepford-wife-Martha. I am pretty sure Ian is hiding from me as I have been charging dangerously around the kitchen for about half an hour. The cream cheese icing I have doubled is turning out to be a bit of a pain to make. Why didn't I buy those cute little containers of pre-made icing that spreads so smoothly and is magically pliable? My icing still feels like cream cheese. I take big breaths and remove my watch. The cakes aren't near being done yet even though they have been baked for the normal time. This is not good.

12:45 P.M. I am a crazy frosting machine. Nevermind that the cakes are not totally cooled and one layer is a bit crooked. Its now or never. I try to keep from crying at the thought of just making everyone split carrot cake cupcakes. "It will all come together" I chant over and over. I know these things just mysteriously comes together. I debate praying over this sloppy pink pile of cake. The cats are watching me in morbid fascination as if they are watching a car accident in slow motion.

1 P.M. By some alchemical process I still don't quite understand, I managed to successfully ice the still warm, lopsided cake with the help of a warm knife. Its not perfect but its passable. No writing just lots and lots of multi-colored sprinkles flung on this pink creation in a mad fury out the door. I'm pretty sure I have icing all over my skirt but I am beyond caring at this point. Why anyone would do this for fun I have no idea.

The cake is a success! Even though it didn't have a fancy message on it or flowers or anything, loaded with plenty of candles Beth was mesmerized. And once she tasted the chocolate-y goodness she loved it and fell asleep in her mama's arms soon after in a sugar overdose.

4 P.M. I come home with Ian to a completely trashed house and two bewildered cats surveying the wreckage that used to be our kitchen. I think I have definitely put in my time baking for the year. I brush the sprinkles off my skirt and fall into bed for a much deserved nap.

Yay For Food & The People Who Love it...

I am so excited that this blog is off & running! My only suggestion is that we add 'labels' or 'tags to the posts, so that if someone is looking for a recipe or a restaurant recommendation, they will be easier to find. This is located in the bottom right corner when you are typing the blog.

So, I am thinking about planting a Spring garden, now that I finally have a backyard. Does anyone have any suggestions about books/guides for organic gardening or knowledge about what grows best in spring in Central Texas?

Creativity is often the result of the necessity for lightbulbs

Creativity in the area of cooking has found motivation lately in three goals: 1) like Emily, we are eating at home more and 2) I really want to stay in our grocery budget. 3) we need lightbulbs. I'm not kidding. Our bedroom ceiling light has been out for a month and we just lost the lights in the kitchen. The reason this impacts my cooking is that lightbulbs get paid by the grocery budget. So if we have money in the grocery budget, we have lights in the house.

As a result of these goals I, too, am cooking things I have not often cooked before - from scratch. Meals I'm excited to try in coming week: roast chicken and then broth I can make after, black bean soup, some kind of pork chop/cous cous meal cooked in my dutch oven that I have not determined yet. I'll keep you posted. It might be the failure meal for the week!

By the way, I discovered a website called www.cheapcooking.com that has some great ideas on simple and inexpensive recipes.