Things I like to cook/eat:
Pizza in 30 minutes of effort [1.5 hours total]
Pizza Dough
Heat 0.5-1 cup water in a kettle. Pour into glass container, stir in a little sugar (maybe a teaspoon), add yeast, and stir. Make sure it bubbles.
In a large bowl, dump in a few cups of flour (best is OO-Style flour -- it makes a very thin, light, airy crust).
Dump yeast mixture into flour, stir. If floury, add more water. Once it gets hard to stir, flour your hands and mix by hand -- it should be sticky, so add more flour slowly.
Once you achieve a doughy consistency, knead for a few minutes by hand. Coat with olive oil, cover bowl (so dough doesn't dry out) and let rise for 30 mins - 2 hours (probably depends on how much yeast you put in, but I haven't figured that part out yet).
Pizza Toppings
Preheat the oven to 500. If you have a pizza stone (preferred), you'll want to preheat the oven for 20-30 mins with the stone in.
If you have a pizza peel (you should get one), sprinkle semolina flour generously on peel. (You could use corn meal, but then your pizza will taste like corn meal, which doesn't work.) Stretch out a small bowl of dough on peel. Season tomato sauce (I use a small can of Del Monte or similar; really I should make it, but the tomato and I aren't getting along this year) with a diced garlic clove, pepper, and basil (chop coarsely if fresh). Stretch dough again -- it needs a few minutes to rest between stretches.
Pour on tomato sauce. Generously sprinkle on oregano -- you can never have too much oregano. Sprinkle on olive oil. Add cheese (I prefer fresh mozzerella) and other toppings (try Grandma's Mushrooms, below).
Bake 10 minutes on pizza stone.
If you don't have a pizza stone and peel, you can do as above on a cookie sheet; will probably need more like 15 minutes to bake.
Olive Bread in 15 minutes of effort [4 hours total]
Chop up some Moroccan-style black cured pitted salted olives (available from Fairway -- make sure to get the ones cured in olive oil and rosemary, and not to get the ones with pits).
Follow pizza dough recipe above, but use bread flour (or all-purpose flour if that's all you have), and when you're mixing by hand, dump in chopped olives. Add a bunch of rosemary if you like, and knead for a while.
Line a cast-iron pot with parchment, add dough, and cover (so it doesn't dry out). Place in oven but don't turn on. Let rise a few hours or more.
When ready to bake, gently score a hash into the top of the dough with a long knife (otherwise, the crust will cook first and will prevent the insides from being able to expand, so the bread will be too dense). Turn oven to 450; ready in 1 hour. To develop more crustiness, leave uncovered for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
Olive Bread Variations
Substitute 1/3 of the flour with whole wheat (will make the bread less airy; I prefer white whole-wheat because it doesn't really affect the flavor). Or try substituting part high-gluten flour.
Mom's "Quiche" (Noodles Lorraine)
Noodles Lorraine (that's what they call it)
1 8 oz package of broad egg noodles
2 Tablespoons of butter (I use canola oil)
1 large onion, chopped
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon salt (I don't use)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of pepper (not in original recipe. I thought it
was.)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups diced, grated Swiss cheese (about 1/2 lb)
1/2 cup grated cheese (I don't use).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain. In small saucepan melt butter (or add oil) and cook onion until transparent.
In a large bowl combine eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add noodles, butter-onion mixture, bacon and cheese(s).
Place in a 2-qt baking dish. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables in 1.5 hours
Start with a 3.5-to-4-pound bird. Remember to remove gizzards.
Turn oven to 450. Take roasting pan, add rack and place bird on rack. Pour (or brush) both sides of the bird with olive oil (can make your kitchen smokey -- you could probably use canola oil if you don't want the smoke). Liberally sprinkle kosher salt and pepper on both sides as well. Leave bird breast-side-up. Place in oven; will need 45-60 minutes in the oven.
Peel if necessary and chop root vegetables -- I prefer to use 2-3 different colors of potato, some carrots, a head of garlic, 1-2 beets, 1-2 turips/rutabega, and a celeriac if I have one I need to get rid of; place in bowl. Pour in some olive oil, salt, and pepper and mix. Dump into roasting pan under bird; will need 30-45 minutes in the oven. You want these to finish about 20 minutes after the bird, so don't put them in until the bird has been in for 20 minutes or so.
Pull out the bird when it looks ready (if there juices are mostly clear when you cut the leg, I don't worry about a little red from inside the bird). Let sit 15 minutes, covered in foil. Carve (remove legs, then breasts, then wings). By now the root vegetables should be ready.
Frittata in 15 minutes
Sautee fresh seasonal vegetables (asparagus, radishes, scallions, leeks, anything really) in a small amount of canola oil in a large oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat. While cooking, whisk together 8 eggs (give or take). Chop up cheese (gruyere, emmentaler, goat cheese, or whatever you've got). When vegetables are done, dump eggs into skillet, throw in cheese. Make sure vegetables are well distributed -- mix slightly if not.
Cook on stove until the mixture is just starting to firm up (you want it to be cooked on the bottom, but not yet on top). Transfer to oven and broil 2-4 minutes; be careful not to leave too long or it'll burn.
Chicken Caesar Salad in 15 minutes
Put chicken breast on George Foreman grill, add olive oil, salt, and pepper, and cook for 9 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast a piece of bread. Rinse romaine lettuce, dry, and break into pieces. Cut up tomato or pepper and add to lettuce.
Let chicken sit for 2-3 minutes to let juices redistribute. Cut chicken and toast into bite-sized cubes and dump into lettuce. Pour in creamy Caesar Salad dressing.
Grandma's Mushrooms in 45 minutes
(She used white mushrooms, but should work with any fresh mushrooms. 8 oz fresh mushrooms can disappear in one serving, so use more.)
Using a damp paper towel, clean dirt off mushrooms, but don't go crazy. Don't wash the mushrooms, or they'll absorb too much water. Leave stems on.
Heat a decent amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (if the oil just coats the bottom of the pan, you need more oil). Throw in 1-4 cloves garlic while it's heating up.
Chop mushrooms into slices, about a half-centimeter in width. Dump into skillet. Stir a bit at first, but resist the temptation to stir constantly. The water will come out and they will darken; ready when tender, 15-20 minutes.
Cranberry Nut Bread in 1.5 hours
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups white whole wheat flour, 1.5 cups sugar, 1-2 teaspoon salt, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda. Cut in 4 tbsp butter (use a pastry blender).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a separate bowl, combine 2 eggs, 1.5 cups orange juice, and zest of 2-4 oranges.
Chop 2-3 cups cranberries and 1 cup walnuts.
Grease 2 loaf pans
Once all of the above are ready, combine it all in the large bowl, and then pour it into the loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Scones in 30 minutes
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 cups white whole wheat flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, half a cup of sugar, a pinch of salt.
In a separate bowl, zest 4 lemons, and add 1 cup raisins.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In another a separate bowl, combine 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, and 3/4 cup milk.
Using a pastry cutter, cut a cold (but not frozen) stick of butter into the dry ingredients, until it leaves pea-sized clumps. Stir in lemon zest and raisins, and then stir in wet ingredients.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and drop on small heaps of dough -- you'll probably want to do a 3-2-3 pattern.
Bake for 7 minutes, then swap the position of the two sheets, and bake 7 more minutes.
Mom's Dip (for veggies)
mix together:
1 cups sour cream
.5 cup mayo
1 tablespoon onion (finely chopped)
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (lawry's)
garlic powder to taste
needs a few hours in the fridge to meld
Peggy's Pizzelles
Makes 5-6 dozen. They keep for months, and taste even better after a week.
6 eggs beaten
1.5 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil (or another neutral oil)
1 Tbsp anise seed (or more, to taste)
1 Tbsp anise oil
.5 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
5 tsp baking powder
5 cups flour
In mixer bowl, beat eggs with mixer whisk attachment. Add sugar gradually. Add oils, anise, and vanilla.
Switch to mixer paddle. Blend in flour, salt, and baking powder.
Mix well.
Refrigerate 1 hour, then make in pizzelle iron (about 30 seconds).
Peggy's Stuffing: The Next Generation
1 bag of Pepperidge Farms Herbed Seasoned Cubed Stuffing (red bag)
Original recipe called for 1.5 bags
Chicken broth: start with 3 cups, add up to 1 more (to taste)
3 bags celery
Original recipe called for 8 sticks
2-3 packages mushrooms
Original recipe called for 1 package, but the kids always ask for more mushroom pieces
1 onion
1 pat of butter
Original recipe called for 3/4 stick butter; Alex calls for a lot more
1 lb bulk spicy Italian sausage (order from Whole Foods meat counter)
Sage, dried, 2 teaspoons (or more to taste)
(optional, we don't use) Dried cranberries (1/4 cup to 1/2 cup, to taste)
Cook sausage in frying pan by itself on stove.
Cut mushrooms and saute in olive oil.
Chop onion and saute in butter until just before it turns translucent. Add celery and saute together for 3-4 minutes; celery should still retain some crunch.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients except the broth in a bowl.
Use two 9x13 or slightly larger pans. Using a single pan will take too long to cook.
Spray the pans with PAM, then add the mixture.
Drizzle in some broth to desired moisture level. Do not overdo the broth, or there will be a soup in the bottom and the stuffing will cook too slowly.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes; then remove foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes to crisp up the top.
Christmas Breakfast Casserole
2 cups cheddar, shredded (historically "Longhorn cheese")
1 bag Pepperidge Farms Herbed Seasoned Cubed Stuffing (red bag)
2 lbs bulk spicy Italian sausage (order from Whole Foods meat counter)
6 eggs
3/4 teaspoon mustard
2.5 cups milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 packages fresh mushrooms
Cook sausage in frying pan by itself on stove, and drain.
Slice mushrooms and saute in olive oil.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Pam a 9x13 (or slightly larger) pan.
Add stuffing. Grate cheese and place over stuffing. Add sausage in a layer over cheese.
Beat eggs and mix with mustard, milk, soup, and mushrooms.
Pour egg mixture over sausage.
Bake, covered in foil, for an hour; remove foil and bake another 10 minutes.
Spinach Pies
Recommend making a double batch and freezing some.
Dough
6 cups flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1/2 cup butter (original recipe calls for shortening / Crisco)
1 packet dry yeast
2 cups Luke warm water (105-110 degrees)
1 teaspoon sugar
Proof yeast (let it sit for 15 minutes for yeast to bloom)
Put all ingredients into stand mixer, with the dough hook attachment. Combine and knead in the stand mixer.
Let rise covered 45-60 mins.
Filling
4 bags frozen cut leaf or whole spinach (do not use ‘chopped’), thawed.
Takes ~2 days to thaw in the refrigerator.
Squeeze out water (use potato ricer). Put a handful in flour sack or drying kitchen towel and wring water out.
Squeeze about 3/4 cup lemon juice.
Chop 2 large onions.
2 pounds spicy italian bulk pork sausage
Fry in frying pan until cooked through
1 pound sheep milk feta (Mt Vikos sheep-only feta is the best; do not use the sheep-cow blend)
(optional) Kalamata olives, sliced. Dianne recommends putting olives in some but not all.
Combine all of the above in a very large mixing bowl. Salt to taste. You need more salt and more lemon juice than you'd think.
Pies
Cut dough into small balls about the size of small lemons.
Cover with towel and let rise 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Flatten balls to make round.
Add filling to center.
Pinch two opposite sides together and fold third side up to make a triangle.
Brush vegetable oil on cookie sheet and put pies on top.
Cook for 12 to 15 or until brown.
Cool on cooling rack.
Playdough
2 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1-1.5 cups boiling water (add slowly until the consistency is right)
food coloring