Daring Bakers October, Pizza

This month's challenge had a sad note to it. One of the Daring Bakers, Sherry, who was also one of the members slated to choose this month's challenge recipe, passed away. In honor of Sherry, Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums went with Sherry's original recipe choice for this month's challenge: Pizza Napoletana from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice. Rosa threw in a twist though--throughout October, Daring Bakers across the globe would be throwing their dough high in the air as they made their hand tossed pizzas. Not only would we be tossing it, we'd be photographing our efforts as well. Yikes. We were free to choose our toppings, sweet, savory or both, we just needed to make two. I opted for one of each, making a chicken club pizza for the savory, and a gorgonzola, pear and honey pizza for dessert.

My first job in high school was at Shakey's Pizza...ugh the memories. But despite such incredible gourmet experience (LOL), I still couldn't seem to hand toss this dough. Apparently I have square hands because both of my pizzas turned out square.

Chicken Club Pizza is really just CPK's California Club. Easy and I think the homemade version tastes just like the CPK version. The only thing of note is that I don't really like mayo, so my version was pretty light on that--it can easily be increased.

Chicken Club Pizza

1 pizza dough, hand tossed

oil for brushing dough; I used garlic oil

1.5 c mozarella

1 small chicken breast, grilled and diced

4 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled

2 c. shredded lettuce and tossed with 2 tbsp mayo/1 tsp water mixture

1 medium tomato diced

1 avocado sliced

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with pizza stone in oven.

Place hand tossed dough on semolina topped pizza peel or back of a baking sheet. Brush with garlic oil and top with mozarella.

Slide pizza onto hot pizza stone and bake for 5-8 minutes.

Remove from oven and top pizza with crumbled bacon, the diced chicken, half the tomatoes, the mayo dressed lettuce, the rest of the tomatoes and the avocado slices.

The gorgonzola, pear and honey pizza is a fabulous combination of sweet, salty, cruncy and chewy and is an altered version of a recipe found in Tyler Florence's Eat This Book.

Gorgonzola Pear and Honey Pizza

1 hand tossed pizza crust

1 cup toasted almonds

1/3 c. sugar

1 tbsp water

sprinkle of cinnamon

gorgonzola cheese

1-2 pears

honey

Heat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone in oven.

Place almonds, sugar, water and cinnamon in small food processor and process to make a paste.

Place hand tossed dough on semolina topped pizza peel or back of a baking sheet.

Top with almond paste, pear slices, drizzle of honey and crumbled blue cheese.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is golden.

Cookbook #57 Silver Palate Cookbook

One mother, and a birthday cake required.  Being the only daughter who lives in town, somewhere along the line, it was just assumed that I was the cake person.  No worries...a million cookbooks and very few opportunities to make cake.  I have been in need of a reason to bake a cake.

Since this was a family cake, there could be no tricks.  Broccoli or spinach would be rejected, beets would have been immediately identified and I would have been cast out of the party.  But as it turns out, I'm pretty sure carrots are veggies, and carrot cake would be well received.  Ignore the amounts of sugar and oil this recipe calls for.

Silver Palate Cookbook doesn't really need an introduction.  A cookbook doesn't get to celebrate twenty five years in print without being a winner.  I actually had an older version, well used, well loved and definitely beat up.  When this new version came out, I waivered.  Well loved cookbook has sentimental value, but this version had photos.  Food photography eventually won out over sentimentalism.  The recipes are easy to follow,  and while the cookbook is known for introducing the home cook to more gourmet cuisine at the time, the ingredients are pretty mainstream and easy to find for today's cook.  It's definitely a keeper.

This carrot cake called for cooked and pureed carrots which I'd never done for a carrot cake.  I reduced by a bit and threw in some grated carrots for good measure.  What's a carrot cake without visible carrots?

It was also a busy cake...lots and lots of stuff in this cake....carrots, pineapple, coconut, walnuts.  I thought to ask my mom which of the add-ins she wanted and made it per her specs.  Too bad I forgot to take it over to her house for her birthday dinner.  My coworkers got this birthday cake. 

Dear Mom, the above photo is of your birthday cake.  Hope you enjoy the photo.  Happy Birthday, loves and kisses.  Mary.

Silver Palate Carrot Cake

Ingredients
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cups pureed cooked carrots
3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
Cream Cheese Frosting


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 9-inch springform pans.
2. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon into a bowl. Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in walnuts, coconut, carrots and pineapple.
3. Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth tops with a rubber spatula. Set on the middle rack of the oven and bake until edges have pulled away from sides and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
4. Cool 15 minutes, then remove sides of pans and place layers still on pan bottoms on cake racks to cool completely, 3 hours.
5. Gently remove layers from pan bottoms and use Cream Cheese Frosting to fill cake and frost the sides. Dust top of cake with confectioners' sugar. Serves 10 to 12.

Goodbye My Love...

The journey is over...at some point you just have to cry "uncle."  What started out as a old sweater from the Goodwill, turned into an Earth Day recycling project and then into a beast of another sort  before reaching its final destination as Big Montana.  In this house at least.  I could frog it again, but this time it's going into the donation pile. Such is the way with about 80% of my knitted clothing.  Scarves, easy.  Blankets, easy.  Clothing that needs to fit right and curve in and out in just the right places?  Not so much. 

I have to admit to a certain amount of sadness.  I love the pattern and I love the vest concept.  I adore the big cowl neck.  I even saw it all the way to the end.  What I don't love is the outcome: bulky, wrong, misfitted.  Sad. Very, very sad.

Looks harmless enough laying flat.  I wondered as it progressed if it still wasn't too big.  I wondered if it really should flare out quite so much at the waist.  My concern was not misplaced, it just did not fit my body.  It was shapeless around the middle, dipped down too much below the lace and felt a little too square.  I think I would benefit from learning how to knit short rows for bust shaping before I ever attempt another sweater.  It should be mandatory in patterns really.

And that's not even mentioning the little big mistake I made in the cowl neck. See the front of the stockinette stitch visible when the cowl is turned over?  Yeah, it should have been the back of the stockinette stitch so that it matched the purl stitch visible on either side of the lace panel.   The thing that gets me though, is that I had it right the first time.  I second guessed the pattern because it seemed wrong and ripped it all out and started again.  If only I'd trusted the first time.

Look at the sad curl of that cowl...It would have curled differently if I hadn't reversed it.  It definitely wanted to curl out instead of in.

 

I'm more sad that it didn't fit right than I am over the time it took to knit. I absolutely love, love, love a great cowl...even if my brothers said it made me look like a Star Trek character.  That's why a girl has brothers  really, to keep it real.  And look at the fabulous inset lace pattern...sniff, sniff.

Roasted Hatch Green Chili Goodness

Is there anything quite like the scent of freshly roasted Hatch chilies? Once you get over the initial fumes that have you coughing and sputtering, you can really hone in on that fresh chili goodness.  When Whole Foods was roasting them onsite, well I was right there waiting for them to finish up a batch.

And what about this concept?

I found this spice at the Savory Spice Shopa couple of weeks ago and was intrigued.  I had a little southwestern brekkie planned for both of these chilies....

No recipe needed really.  Take a basic homefry recipe and throw in some freshly chopped green chilies.  For the eggs florentine, take any hollandaise recipe and add 2 tsps of the green chili powder.  Tried and true recipe with a bit of southwestern flair.

The other beautiful thing about green chilies, is that they really are working girl friendly.   Throw the ingredients for a green chili into the crockpot before work.

Come home after a long day and just start pulling out some leftover grilled veggies or whatever fresh veggies you want, open a can of beans, and grab some tortillas.

Top your "leftovers burrito" with some fresh chicken green chili and cheese it's like you made a homecooked meal just that day.  All courtesy of fabulous Hatch green chilies.  Versatile little suckers.

Chicken Green Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 finely diced green tomatillas
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
2 cups freshly roasted green chilies, cleaned and diced
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons lime juice
freshly ground black pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a crockpot and cook for 8 hours.
2. Remove chicken and let cool slightly before shredding
3. Use stick blender to puree half of the chili mixture (or add half to a blender)
4.  Return shredded chicken to pot and serve

Sundried Tomato Risotto

Summer's over and produce is sadly missed.  Gone are the days of fresh local vine ripened tomatoes.  But each season does bring its own culinary excitement.  What would Laura Ingalls do with fresh non GMO tomatoes dwindling?  Probably buy up a stash and dry them for the long hard winter.  That's the name of one of her books...just in case you aren't quite at the same level of fanhood that I'm at. 

So phenomenal...

After sitting overnight in a 170 degree oven, they look more like this...

I've been a little lazy to look through my cookbooks.  You'd think I'd use them more than I do, but whenever I do find a recipe, I don't seem to have the ingredients.  By the time I remember to buy the ingredients, I forget what recipe I wanted to make...it's a vicious circle really and the reason for the lack of cookbook posts.  I have to make a concentrated effort at some point to sit down with a pad and paper and list the recipes and ingredients.  That is not happening this week.  What is happening though is some Sundried Tomato Risotta. 

Sundried Tomato Risotto

Ingredients
1- ounce sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino
fresh basil

Directions
1.In a large saucepan cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until they are softened, add the rice, stirring until each grain is coated with oil, and stir in the tomatoes.
2. Add the white wine and cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly.
3. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each portion be absorbed adding the next, until the rice is tender but still al dente. (The rice should take about 17 minutes to become al dente.)
4. Stir in the Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the risotto with the basil.

Cookbook #32 Barefoot Contessa Family Style

After any trip, I am just so happy to be home again. My first returning home ritual involves indulging my laundry obsession. Once piles are happily sitting in front of the washer and the comforting sound of the swishing is coming from the washer, I can move to my second ritual--chop, chop, chopping.

Sometimes during this adventure of cooking through all of my cookbooks, I've taken the easy route and sometimes I've gone out on a limb. Returning from an exhausting business trip, I chose the route with almost guaranteed success. Combine three great loves--risotto, butternut squash and Barefoot Contessa--and it's almost impossible to have a miss. Barefoot Contessa, well what can I say about her cookbooks that I haven't already said? Fabulous pictures and perfect recipes that are comforting enough to be considered homestyle cooking, but without the words "1 can of cream of mushroom soup" anywhere in the recipe. Her butternut squash risotta was perfection, as expected. But what wasn't expected was her little twist--she threw in a bit of saffron as well. Those elegant twists are why I love her.




Butternut Squash Risotto
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties

6 cups of butternut squash (a little under 2 lbs)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ounce pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

The Neverending Quest

I'll never give up my quest to incorporate spinach into all foods.  Total spinach world domination...quite an endeavor for a deserving little veggie.  Adding spinach into savory dishes has been more successful than the spinach desserts.  The last batch of brownies was not too shabby really, but let's not lie here...it could not have held its own next to a warm, super fudgy brownie.  Today's Blueberry and Oatmeal bars with Spinach however--well I think it might hold its own against another blueberry bar.  Stay with me here...I am telling the truth.

If I learned anything from the spinach brownies, it's puree, puree and then puree some more just to be safe.  Nothing can ruin dessert faster than pulling a long veggie stem out of the bite you just took.  This time I pureed like a mad woman.  It was spinach goo at that point really.

I based this off a recipe with in Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook with the following adaptations:

• Instead of the 3/4 cup of margarine, I used 1/2 a stick of real butter and 1/2 c of lowfat yogurt.  I'm more of the school of eating real foods vs. man made substititions. If you haven't ever cooked with yogurt before--a heads up that it produces a chewier textured baked good. If you want a crispy cookie type crust, then you'll have to replace the yogurt with butter or margarine.  It's the law of fat in baked goods.
• Instead of a low sugar preserve, I used an all fruit spread, and threw in a pint of fresh blueberries for good measure.

The look scrumptious, because they were. I'm guessing that 1/2 a cup of cooked spinach isn't enough to flavor anything, but it just made me happy to be able to put it in there.

 

 

Blueberry Spinach and Oatmeal Bars

2 cups oats (not fast cooking)
1 1/4 cups  flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 stick butter chilled
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1 cup blueberry all fruit spread
1/2 cup spinach puree
1 pint fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and vanilla and stir to mix well.
3. Add the butter and cut it quickly into dry ingredients with pastry cutter or two knives until the butter is the size of peas. Stir in plain yogurt and stir just to combine, being careful not to overmix.
4. Set aside about half of the oat mixture; press the rest firmly into the pan. Bake until lightly browned at the edges, about 15 minutes.
5. Mix the all blueberry all fruit with the spinach puree.
6. Spread blueberry mixture over the partially baked oat layer,  then top with frest bluberries.  Top with reserved oat mixture. Bake until topping is slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting into 12 bars.

Comfort Food from Julia

It's inexplicable really...having no desire to eat something, does not deter one from making it.  Case in point: beef.

I may not actually crave eating beef, but that definitely does not mean I don't have longings to prepare it.  The Julie and Julia movie has kept Beef Bourginion front and center in my mind, I was just waiting for the weather to change to put a pot on. What's not to love? Browned bits on the bottom of the pan, with a bit of brandy to scrape them up...

A "bit" of burgandy...

And the last of the thyme from your summer herb pots...

A few hours of relaxing while oven does all of the work, and you have some pretty flavorful comfort food.  Bring on the cold weather.

Beef Bourginion

Ingredients:
8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
2 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 large onion,  sliced
6 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)
3 cups canned beef broth
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
1 750-ml bottles red Burgundy wine
1 pound crimini mushrooms
1 cup baby carrots
1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Directions:
•Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute bacon in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Season beef generously with salt and pepper; coat with 1/3 cup flour, using all of flour. Working in 3 batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to large bowl. Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.
•Add 1 cup broth and Cognac to pot; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar, tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
•Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving.