Sourdough Sandwich Bread (can be made same day or next day)

 Ingredients:

300 g warm water

4 g instant yeast

14 g sea salt (I use pink sea salt)

21 g honey

200 g sourdough discard  (same day) OR active sourdough starter (12 hour version)

450 g flour

Directions Using Sourdough Discard:

Mix water and yeast in medium-large mixing bowl until combine.  Add salt, honey and sourdough discard.  Mix until Combine.  Add flour and mix until wet stick dough forms.  Let rest 30 minutes covered.  Do one set of stretch ad folds (basically you get your hands wet, not soaking but wet, and come at the dough from the edges lift and pull into itself in the middle, do this all the way around the bowl - usually I do 20 pulls).  The dough should be smooth and look slick.  Let rise 2-3 hours covered.  If you have a proof setting in your oven, use it.  Prepare a 10 by 6 or 9 by 5 loaf pan (i.e. butter it up).  Place dough on a large floured surface and pat the dough out until it is about 8-9 inches by 16-20 inches.  Then roll it up like wrapping paper (so you end up with a cylinder the same length as your pan).  I like to use a 10 by 6 inch loaf pan.  Place the dough in your prepared pan and drizzle the top generously with olive oil.  Cover and let rise another hour.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve warm.  

Directions Using Active Sourdough Starter:

Mix water and yeast in medium-large mixing bowl until combine.  Add salt, honey and sourdough discard.  Mix until Combine.  Add flour and mix until wet stick dough forms.  Let rest 30 minutes covered.  Do one set of stretch ad folds (basically you get your hands wet, not soaking but wet, and come at the dough from the edges lift and pull into itself in the middle, do this all the way around the bowl - usually I do 20 pulls).  The dough should be smooth and look slick.  Let rise overnight (or about 12 hours) on the counter. Prepare a 10 by 6 or 9 by 5 loaf pan (i.e. butter it up).  Place dough on a large floured surface and pat the dough out until it is about 8-9 inches by 16-20 inches.  Then roll it up like wrapping paper (so you end up with a cylinder the same length as your pan).  I like to use a 10 by 6 inch loaf pan.  Place the dough in your prepared pan and drizzle the top generously with olive oil.  Cover and let rise another hour.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve warm.  

Great with honey and butter (or smart balance for those of us watching our cholesterol).

Italian Pearl Pasta Soup with Veggies

 

Ingredients:

3 carrots diced

3 stalks celery diced

1 onion diced

1 tbsp. butter

6 cloves garlic diced

2 Tbsp. Flour

1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning

1 large frozen chicken breast

1 1/2 Boxes Good Chicken Broth

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper)

1 cup pearl couscous

2 cups fresh Spinach 

Directions:

Sauté carrot, celery and onion in butter over medium heat in a large heavy pot, Dutch oven or deep skillet (it will need a lid later) until vegetables are translucent.   Add garlic and cook about 1-2 minutes.  Add flour and Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Mix to coat.  Add chicken and broth.  Boil about 40 minutes with lid on until chicken is cooked through.  Take chicken out and diced into small pieces.  Turn down to med-high.  Add chicken and Pearl couscous.  Cook into pasta is almost done according to directions.  About 2 minutes before its done add spinach and make sure to cook and mix until wilted.  Stir the pasta so it doesn't stick.  Add more salt or pepper to desired taste.  Serve Hot.

Easy No Mixer Chewy Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

8 oz. (1 cup) dark chocolate chips (or you can use milk if you prefer)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put butter in a large microwave safe bowl.  Melt butter in microwave.  Add sugars and mix.  Add vanilla ad mix.  Add egg and mix.  Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated, adding chips last.  Form about 1 Tbsp balls and place about 1 1/2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake cookies 8 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom (I sometimes bake a little longer up to 10 minutes).  Store in a sealed container after the cool.  Makes about 30-36 cookies.  Enjoy!!!

Rosemary Orange Fizz

Rosemary Simple Syrup 

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

5 springs roaemary (cut to fit in pot)

Place water in sugar in pot on stovetop and cook on hi until all sugar is dissolved.  Turn off heat, add rosemary and steep 20-25 min.  Put in fridge to chill.  Make at least 4 hours ahead (or quicker chill in freezer, but don't freeze)

Rosemary Orange Cocktail

Sugar for sugared rim 

Edible glitter (optional)

1/4 cup good vodka 

1/8 cup rosemary simple syrup 

Fresh squeezed juice of have a navel orange+ slice 

Prosecco or champagne to top it off

(Easy to double, triple, etc.). The above makes 1 glass...

Use slice of orange to wet rim of glass.  Please sugar on a plate, and after glass rim is moistened, sugar rim the glass.  In a shaker put remaining ingredients (I added a glitter sea green edible glitter) with ice and shake it up.  Pour into coupe glass, leaving room for prosecco at top.  Top it off with Prosecco, and enjoy.  Cheers!

Also works with lemon juice!  Juice of half a lemon instead of an orange.  Cocktail is less sweet, more tart and also delicious.

With lemon (and no glitter):

Pretzel Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 heaping teaspoons dry active yeast

2 tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Baking soda

3 tsp. Salt

6 tbsp. Olive oil

1 cup plus 3 tbsp. Warm water

Place all ingredients in this order in bread maker.  Bake at basic setting.  Enjoy warm :)

Hearty Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 fresh or frozen chicken breast

1 bulb garlic chopped

4 red or white potatoes chopped

1 sweet onion chopped

4 carrots chopped

1 zucchini chopped

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

2 boxes chicken broth

1/2 tsp red pepper

2 tsp. Salt

1 tbsp olive oil (preferably flavored such as basil, Neapolitan, Italian herb)

1 cup milk at end

Add all ingredients to crock pot (except milk).  Cook on high for about 8 hours.  Take chicken out and shred, then Add back to crockpot.  Add 1 cup milk and more salt to taste.  Serve hot preferably with crusty bread.

My Marry Me Chicken (full throttle edition)

Ingredients

3 large chicken breasts, cut in half (to make thinner)

Flour, salt and pepper the chicken to coat on each side.

1 box of pasta cooked to instructions

2 tbsp olive oil (or use the reserved oil from the sun dried tomatoes!)

2 tbsp butter

1 head garlic minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk, plus 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 tbsp. Cornstarch to thicken the sauce (I use 1% milk)

3/4 cup shredded parm

1/4 tsp. Red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. Thyme

1/2 tsp. Oregano

2/3 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil with oil drained (save the oil for another day)

Fresh basil to top

Saute the floured chicken in large skillet the butter and oil until cooked through, set aside.

Saute garlic in the same skillet until fragrant.  Add broth and simmer a few minutes, deglase the pan.

Adjust heat to medium, add seasonings, milk and parm.  Simmer to thicken (a few minutes).  Add milk with cornstarch last, slowly and only as much as is needed to get to desired consistency.  Add your sundried tomatoes, mix, then  add chicken.  Simmer 1-2 minutes.  Serve sauce ans chicken over warm pasta.  Serve immediately.  Great with a side of wilted spinach with garlic and butter.

Lower Guilt Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts

1 box Chicken Broth

1 tsp. Oregano

1 tsp. Thyme

1/4 tsp. Red pepper flakes

1 diced bell pepper

2 diced sweet onions

1 head garlic chopped

1/2 bottle sun dried tomatoes in oil (but do not use the oil!)

1 brick lower fat cream cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan 

Add all ingredients except cream cheese and parm to crockpot.  Cook 8 hours or low.  Shred chicken and then add 1 brick low fat cream cheese and parm and mix until melted.  Make pasta of your choice.  Serve hot over pasta.  Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Chickpeas and Cauliflower on Toasted Naan with Guacamole

Chicken:

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts cut into tenders

Prepared Guacamole or Hummus

naan bread

Marinade Ingredients:

1 tbsp minced onion

3 tbsp. Brown sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp. Red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. Seasame oil (olive oil will work)

1 tbsp. Seasame seeds (optional)

Place all marinade ingredients into medium sealable bowl or smaller sealable cassserole dish and mix until incorporated.  Add chicken (chicken should be mostly covered by marinade.  Marinate 6-24 hours.

Toasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas:

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower chopped

1 can chickpeas drained and dried

1 sweet onion diced

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp. Tumeric

1 tap. Curry

1 tbsp. Minced garlic

2 tsp. Salt, plus more to taste

Preheat oven to 450.  Mix all ingredients in bowl until coated.  Cover a baking sheet (jelly roll pan with sides) with parchment.  Pour chickpea and cauliflower mix into baking sheet.  Bake at 450 for 30 minutes until lightly toasted.

When there is about 10 minutes remaining, its time to saute or grill the chicken.  Either grill your chicken on your grill until done, or saute in 2 tbsp. Butter in large skillet (even layer) until done.

With about 5 minutes left, heat your naan until warm and plate, for each serving cover one piece of naan  with a generous layer of prepared Guacamole (or hummus works).  Place some grilled or sauteed chicken slices on top, then top with a generous helping of cauliflower.  Serve hot.

Also see my recipes for Guacamole and Hummus.

Serve hot.

Curry Cabbage with Chicken Sausage Skillet

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage cut into 1/4 inch cabbage steaks, then sliced into pieces

Olive oil (about 1/3 cup)

2 chicken sausages (preferably an apple flavored) sliced into circles

1 generous tbsp. Curry

1/2 tsp salt salt, more to tasrlte

3/4 tsp fried ginger

1 tbsp. Dry mined onion

3 cloves chopped garlic

Heat oil in large skillet.  Add all ingredients and cook on medium until sausage is cooked and cabbage has softened (10-12 min).  Enjoy hot!  Great with a side of hummus and naan.

Curry Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage cut into 1/4 inch cabbage steaks

Olive oil (about 1/3 cup)

Curry, salt, ginger and minced onion to taste.

Preheat oven to 375.  Spread cabbage steaks on a large jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides), do not overlap.  Pour olive oil over the steaks so each has a good coating on both sides.  Sprinkle curry powder, ginger powder, salt and mined dried onion over each steak.  Be liberal with the curry, but only lightly sprinkle the ginger.  Bake for 35-40 minutes flipping about half way through until cabbage has some crisping at edges.  Enjoy hot!  Great with a side of hummus and naan.

Apple Dutch Baby

Ingredients:

2 peeled and sliced apples

2 tbsp. Butter or bacon grease

Batter Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

2 Tbsp. Melted butter

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk (almond milk can be substituted)

1/4 tsp. Salt

3 tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Lemon or Orange zest (optional)

Preheat iloven to 400.  Cook the apples with the butter or grease in a large cast iton skillet until apples soften.  In the meantime, make the batter by mixing all batter Ingredients in a bowl until well incorporated.  Pour batter over hot apples, bake in skillet at 400 for 20 minutes.  Switch to broil for 2 minutes to get a good brown on the top.  Serve immediately with some powder sugar sprinkled on top (or maple syrup).  Great with a side of bacon.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup dried split peas

1 bag frozen peas (16 oz.)

2 boxes chicken broth

4 cups water

1/2 tsp. Red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. Turmeric 

1 tsp. Thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. Paprika 

1 Tbsp. Chicken Bouillon 

1 sweet onion chopped

2 carrots chopped

3 cloves chopped garlic

1 stick celery diced (optional)

1 zucchini diced (optional)

1-3 smaller potatoes diced (optional)

Stovetop method:

Place all ingredients in soup pot. Cook on high to simmer, cover with lid and
cook on medium-low at a simmering boil for 2 hours.  Serve hot with homemade bread.  Take bay leaves out before serving.

Crockpot Method:

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on high for 8 hours.  Serve hot with homemade bread.  Take bay leaves out before serving.

Easy eggplant and carmalized onion pizza

Ingredients:

1 tube biscuit dough (Pillsbury or a store brand)

1 eggplant 

1 sweet onion

1-2 grilling sausages (chicken, pork) OPTIONAL

4 gloves garlic

1 tbsp salted butter

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp oil

1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella 

2 springs fresh rosemary, leaves removed for use (toss the woody sprig)

1.  Get your eggplant in the broiler.  Slice your eggplant into 1/4 inch tick rounds.  Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. On the parchment paper place your eggplant round, liberally cover with 1/2 oil (less a 1 tsp of oil for later).  Slide the eggplants around in the oil to make sure both sides are covered in some oil.  Salt the eggplant to taste.  Broil for 6-10 minutes per side (depends in how hot your broil is) until eggplant has a light toast to it.

2.  Meanwhile get your onions going.  Cut an onion in circles, then in half.  Cook in a frying pan with the tbsp butter and 1/4 salt on med to low heat watching constantly until carmalized (light brown, not burned).  If you are adding sausage, then when the onion is translucent but not light brown, add sausage chopped into circles to the onion and sauté with the onion for the rest of the sautéing time.  Chop your garlic into larger circles (rough chop for larger chunks, you want to taste it).  Once the onion is cooked, add the garlic and sauté 2 more minutes then take off heat.

3.  Prepare your 16 inch round cast iron skillet for baking your pizza (if you don't have one, then a jelly roll pan or casserole dish will do, approximately 12 by 16 or 14 by 14).  Line your skillet with parchment paper.  Take some butter and grease the parchment.  Take out all the biscuit and flatten each one and fit it into the pan so it comes together as one dough.  Brush the dough with the remaining olive oil.

4. Now let's top that pizza!  First spread the mozzarella, neat layer of eggplant to cover the whole pizza (use it all), now cover with caramelized onion mixture, finally sprinkle evenly the fresh rosemary.  

5.  Bake at 430 degrees for 19-24 minutes until crust is lightly browned at edges.  Slice and enjoy.

Asparagus Salad

Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles with Veggies

Peanut Butter Noodles with Ramen

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil

2 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 chopped bell pepper

1 chopped zucchini

1 carrot sliced into circles

Honey roasted peanuts for topping (opt)

4 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning).  

Cook noodles in boiling water according to instructions.  Meanwhile make your sauce.

Sauce:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp ground red pepper flakes

2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Garlic rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp honey

Mix all sauce ingredients in large saucepan until incorporated and hot.  Mix hot noodles with sauce to coat.    Set aside in serving bowl.  In same pan, add sesame Oil and garlic and veggies, and cook for 1 minute (just to warm).  Add ramen back to pan and stir to mix.  Put in serving dish.

 Can also add sauteed chicken or shrimp.  Add more pepper to taste.  Top with peanuts

 Serve hot (also good cold).

Simple White Breadmaker Bread

Easy Bread-maker Bread

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour 

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. dry quick acting yeast

1 Tbsp. salt

1-2 Tbsp. salt free seasoning of choice (or minced fresh garlic)

3 Tbsp. butter cut into slices

1 1/3 cu warm water

Directions:

Put in the Bread Maker in this order, and set to "Basic" cook setting and start.  Serve warm, with butter.

Crockpot Eggplant Gram Masala

Crockpot Eggplant Gram Masala

In crockpot place all ingredients:

1 eggplant thinly slices into strips

1 sweet onion chopped

1 red bell pepper chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 tsp fresh ginger chopped

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp. Paprika

2 tsp. Turmeric

1 tsp. Gram masala

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can chick peas with juice

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Chicken Bouillon

(at end 1/2 can coconut milk; and 1/cup Greek yogurt - optional)

Mix all together except the coconut milk and yogurt.  Cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.  Add 1/2 can coconut milk and about 1/2 cup Greek yogurt.  Serve over rice or coconut rice.  Enjoy hot.

Biscuits

3 cups flour

3 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. Cream of tartar

4 tsp. Baking powder

1 1/2 sticks of butter cut into slices

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

1 egg or egg substitute

Preheat oven to 450.

Place dry ingredients in large bowl and stir.  Add butter and blend with a pastry cutter until coarse.

Add beaten egg and milk, stir to combine.

Makes 11 to 12. Biscuits.  Shape into appropriate size round, and place in cookie sheet (I line with parchment pap
er, or you can grease the sheet).  Bake for 12-16 minutes until done.

Serve hot, preferably with eggs and bacon.

Savory Peach Chicken