Tag: recipes

Focaccia Bread Recipe

Focaccia Bread Recipe

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time

25

hours 
Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • 6¼ cups bread flour

  • ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon sea salt

  • 3+3 tablespoons olive oil

  • ~2 cups water

Method

  • Combine yeast, sugar, and one cup of water. Wait until foamy on top.
  • Combine flour and sea salt, mix to combine.
  • Add yeast/water mixture and mix for a few minutes
  • Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and kneed until a shiny dough ball forms, adding water as needed
  • Let dough rise for 24 hours
  • Coat a half-sheet baking pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt
  • Spread dough over baking pan
  • Coat with 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • Allow to rise for 60 minutes
  • Preheat oven to 450
  • Coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt
  • Bake for 25-35 minutes

Low Yeast, Long Rise Bread

There’s been a run on yeast. Well, there’s been a run on a lot of things. But most things have viable alternatives. No broccoli, get some carrots. No tomato sauce, get diced tomatoes and use a blender. While there are unleavened breads, and breads leavened with baking soda … it’s not yeast bread. I’ve found some recipes using brewing yeast for bread, but I wanted to see how little baking yeast would make bread. Last night’s pizza dough used a quarter teaspoon of yeast. I took a cup of warm water, added about a tablespoon of sugar, and a quarter teaspoon of yeast. That sat until there was activity. Mixed together three cups of whole wheat flour, one cup of white flour, a few tablespoons of vital wheat gluten, and a teaspoon of salt. Added the water/yeast, then added enough water to make a dough. The dough sat overnight to rise. I gently deflated it in the morning, then left it to raise again. Gently deflated it around lunch time, and left it alone until dinner time. Very good crust — great flavor, nice crunchy crust to it. And beautifully leavened.

Oat Nut Bread

Oat Nut Bread

Recipe by LisaCourse: BreadCuisine: BreadDifficulty: Easy
Prep time

6

hours 
Cooking time

35

minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

  • 1 1/4 c warm water

  • 2 c all-purpose flour

  • 2 c white whole wheat flour

  • 1/2 c rolled oats, chopped

  • 2 T honey

  • 1 t salt

  • 1/4 c walnuts, chopped

  • 1/4 c sunflower seeds, chopped

Method

  • In a large bowl, combine the yeast (about 1/4 oz.) and 1/4 cup warm water. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
  • Stir in remaining water, 1 cup of flour, the oats, and honey. Mix well. Add in salt, nuts, and an additional 1 1/2 – 2 cups flour. Stir, adding remaining flour gradually, until the dough comes together into a ball a begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (this can also be done in an electric mixer with the dough hook attached).
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead, adding flour a tablespoon at a time as necessary to prevent sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
  • Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  • After dough has risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface again. Gently deflate dough into a rectangular shape. Fold up the two long sides of the rectangle and pinch the seam together. Place seam-side down into prepared loaf pan.
  • Again cover the bread with a piece of plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  • While the bread is going through its final rise, preheat oven to 375F.
  • Bake loaf for 35 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the bottom reads about 200F.
  • Cool loaf outside of pan on a wire rack completely before slicing.

One-Pot Pasta With Mascarpone

One-Pot Pasta With Mascarpone

Recipe by LisaCourse: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • 16 oz fusilli

  • 1 T olive oil

  • 1/2 large red onion, chopped

  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1 T Italian herb blend

  • 1 T salt

  • 28 oz petit diced tomatoes

  • 5 oz tomato paste

  • 2 T balsamic vinegar

  • 4 c vegetable stock

  • 1 T fresh basil

  • 16 oz fresh spinach

  • 4 T butter

  • 1/4 c mascarpone

Method

  • Heat a large pot, add olive oil, and sauté onions.
  • Add garlic and dried herbs, sauté for a minute.
  • Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
  • Add fusilli. Reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes.
  • Add basil, spinach, and butter. Stir to combine.
  • Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone.

Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup

Recipe by LisaCourse: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 T butter

  • 1 T olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 t Italian seasoning

  • 1/2 t red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 c. flour

  • 4 c. vegetable stock

  • 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes

  • 5 tbsp. tomato paste

  • 1 c. almond milk, reduced to 1/2 c.

  • 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

  • 3 c. spinach, chiffonaded

  • 4 c. cheese tortellini, cooked

Method

  • In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and add olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and flour and whisk to combine. Cook 1 more minute.
  • Add broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, and tortellini. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add the almond milk, Parmesan, and tortellini. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in spinach.

Notes

  • Can use cream instead of reduced almond milk.

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

Add enough water to fully cover seeds (2 cups, in my case)

Add a tablespoon of salt for each cup of water. Stir and let sit for a few hours (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Boil seeds in the saltwater for ten minutes, then spread across a baking tray.

Bake for 15 minutes, stir to flip seeds over, and make for 5-10 more minutes.

Pressure Cooked Oat Groats

Add equal parts groats and water (i.e. 2c water with 2c groats) to pressure cooker. Add a teaspoon of oil to reduce foaming (butter, olive oil)

Bring to high pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to release pressure naturally.

To serve – shred an apple, mix into hot groats. Add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup of almond milk.

Birthday Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

  • flat iron steak
  • 4T butter
  • 3 cloves roasted garlic
  • 16 oz mushrooms
  • 1 large onion
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 cups beef broth (pressure cooker: beef bones, carrot trimmings, onion trimmings, celery trimmings, potato peels)
  • 1-2T mustard spice blend
  • 2-5T porcini mushroom powder
  • 2T corn starch
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • package wide egg noodles cooked for lowest time on package directions

Mustard spice blend: mortar together 1c brown mustard seed, 1T salt, 3 bay leaves, 1t rosemary needles, 1/2t sage

Method:

  1. Slice beef across the grain into strips. Season with salt & pepper. Divide meat into small batches so pieces can be placed in pan with an inch between them. Divide 2T of butter into same number of pieces. Put pan on medium heat (6), melt a piece of butter then sear a batch of meat. Remove from pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining batches.
  2. Slice mushrooms. Divide into 4 batches and sprinkle with salt. Divide the remaining butter into four batches. Melt a piece of butter in pan, saute mushrooms until they become golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining batches.
  3. Slice onion into thin pieces about 1″ long. Sauté for a few minutes.
  4. Add flour to onions & stir to coat them in flour. Remove from pan.
  5. Deglaze pan with 1/2c of beef broth. Add mushroom powder and spice blend. Stir to remove any lumps.
  6. Mush garlic cloves and stir in.
  7. Lower heat to simmer. Add remaining beef broth. Return onions to pan and stir to distribute flour.
  8. Put corn starch in a bowl or glass. Add *just* enough water to turn it into oobleck. Drizzle into pan, while stiring, to form a thick gravy.
  9. Return beef and mushrooms to pan and simmer until beef is cooked.
  10. Stir in sour cream.
  11. Serve over egg noodles.

Quick and Easy Carrot Slaw

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded carrots (about half a pound)
  • 2T Dijon mustard
  • 2T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5T red wine vinegar
  • 1t fresh orange zest (or 1/2 t Penzey’s Mural of Flavor)

Method:

  1. Combine the Dijon and vinegar, whisk to combine
  2. Slowly drizzle olive oil into mixture, whisking constantly
  3. Stir in zest or spice blend
  4. Stir in carrot shreds, making sure to coat the shreds evenly
  5. Cover in clingfilm and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour
This recipe is a version of the Dijon carrot salad I ate during trips to Lyon and Geneva. It’s got a lot of Dijon, so you might want to start with half the amount and taste as you add more.

Cheddary Cheesy Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons Northwoods seasoning
  • 1 cup buttermilk (or put 1 tablespoon of vinegar in measuring cup & fill to 1 cup with milk)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Optional add-ins like diced scallions, sautéed onions, diced spicy peppers

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Combine buttermilk and melted butter, mix well.
  4. Pour milk/butter into dry ingredients and stir to form a sticky dough.
  5. Gently stir in cheddar cheese and any optional add-ins
  6. Divide into sixteen equal pieces, roll and flatten to form biscuit
  7. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown and puffy.