My Way, No. 20

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I had a fab indulgence last week with the Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza) recipe. So tasty! The recipe calls for gobs and gobs of cheese, though, which I cannot have. I probably used less than a fourth of what it called for, but it was still quite delightful. I compromised with myself by tossing on a part-skim mozz vs. provolone. If I have dairy with any fat, I just have to limit my portions. Instead of a sheet pan, I made the Fugazetta in a 11.5 inch cast iron pan. My crust was probably a little thicker, but I absolutely loved it. It was pillowy-soft throughout and crispy on the bottom. I pushed the dough around the edges to make an even thicker crust around the rim. It reminded me of a thick-crust pizza from a restaurant in Texas. Even if it’s not my traditional NY-style, this familiarity brought me comfort. I just wished I had one of those neat-o Scizzas to cut it with! I had to make do with my boring pizza wheel. The instructions said to put the pan on the bottom rack to bake, but I was scared it would brown too quickly. My oven temp varies in different parts, so I thought it best to put it on the top rack. I let it go for 10 minutes, then gave it a hit under the broiler. I made a honey-whole wheat dough adapted from the original recipe. Toppings are just cheese (provolone or mozz), caramelized onions, green olives, oregano, and red pepper flakes, so it’s easy peasy. I added a bit of smoked salt (as I did when I made the sriracha-garlic knots) to give it a “brick-oven” appeal. I’m almost mad I found this recipe! You forget how much you love pizza until you have pizza again.

Most of the time, I use my food processor when making bread doughs. I find it to be fairly quick and easy. You just need to make sure your processor is big enough to handle the volume of dough you are making (and that you have a strong motor). Many of the recipes I come across are for stand mixers (or hand mixing/kneading), so I usually use this simple food processor method (for non-sourdough breads) instead:
1) In a warm area (usually the top of my stove while it’s warming up) add sweetener (honey, molasses, etc.) and warm water (whatever temp range is indicated on yeast packaging) to a bowl, stir until sweetener is dissolved; stir in yeast until dissolved and let the yeast activate. Mixture should be bubbly and foaming after several minutes (sometimes, recipes will indicate an allotted activation time). *You can stir all 3 at once, I just find it’s easier for me to get the sticky honey, etc. from the bottom of the bowl when I can see it a bit better (without the yeast).*
2) While the yeast is activating, in the food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade, add flour, vital wheat gluten or xanthan gum (if using), salt, and any other dry ingredients that are OK to be broken up into smaller pieces. (If I have ingredients I want to remain whole — perhaps raisins, nuts, candied peel, etc. — I will incorporate them after the wet ingredients have been added.) Pulse the dry ingredients for a bit (maybe a minute or less) until they are well combined.
3) When the yeast has activated, stir in any other liquid ingredients (eggs, oil, etc.).
4) Add the liquid ingredients to the food processor bowl, and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Some directions might tell you to slowly add the liquid through the chute, but I’ve never had a problem just putting it all in at the beginning. I want to see a recipe one day that says, “Do this fast, as fast as you possibly can!” lol. 😀 The dough will pull away from the sides, and I usually let it go for a bit longer (just to make sure the gluten is well developed). If the dough is too sticky, I add a little flour. Too dry, a little water.
5) If I’m adding any of those dry ingredients I mentioned in step 2, I add them at this stage. I may coat them with a little flour first, to keep them from sticking and/or bleeding. I tip the dough into a bowl, then incorporate them by hand. Otherwise, I just proceed to tip the dough into an oiled bowl, form it into a ball, Misto a little oil on top, and cover the bowl. I then follow the recipe instructions concerning rest periods, rise time(s), and shaping the dough.

This is the method I’ve used for years and years, and I’ve always been pleased with the results. Online, I found you can sub xanthan gum if you run out of vital wheat gluten (useful for doughs made without white flour). From what I’ve been reading, you should use 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour (vs. 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten).

— Speaking of food processors, I am on the lookout for a new one soon. I have investigated several models, but haven’t completely made up my mind yet. I like this Cuisanart Elite 12-Cup model with a 1000-Watt Peak Motor | Cuisanart.com.

I’ve had good experiences with Cuisanart products in the past, so they were one of the first brands I scoped. A good processor (with a powerful motor) is an investment, for sure, but it’s a piece of equipment I use multiple times during the week. A quality processor will last for years and years. This one has a smaller work bowl, as well, so you get 2 for 1.

— The 2-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce from the last ‘My Way’ post saved me quite a bit of time last week. I made batches of my standard ‘red’ the previous few weekends, so a change was in order. Totally simple, but I added a few things like garlic, chives, & hot pepper sauce. You just whizz it right up in the blender. I chose the option of nutritional yeast vs. parm & replaced the milk with the hot pasta water (my milk was frozen!). A couple of times, I added a bit of tinned salmon and finished with ground almonds — a quick and fab meal! I made another batch this past weekend. Make sure to check out the recipe if you get a minute.

— I am making another folding side table, this time a much easier version. I just spray painted the base of an old, beat up table, then staple gunned a DIY waterproof fabric to the top. I found a tip on another site: if your wax is a little white and streaky (from cooling) when applying the oil & wax mixture, use a blowdryer on the fabric for a bit. I tried this, and it worked beautifully. I have updated my How to Waterproof Fabric post with this tip.

— OK, so those are just temp pieces of furniture, not meant to stay up for any length of time — just a quick fold out, then up. But, I am trying to rethink a space to permanently store a few items. I really like this practical wooden boxes approach: DIY: VERSATILE USE OF WOODEN BOXES | Scandinavian Deko.

I have no idea what this says (as it’s in Spanish), but this looks like a fun place to be: Glamourosos y Coloridos Dormitorios de Niñas | Decoracion.IN.

— Love this article on How to Get Healthy Skin: A Natural Approach to Healthy Skin | DIYNatural.com.

“I’ve been asked over and over how old I am. I chuckle quietly to myself while someone tries to guess – often well below my actual age. I have good skin, and although I hit 51 last December, my skin is one of my best features. How do I do it? By using quite a few herbs and supplements that promote healthy, younger looking skin,” she says. Along with other types of oil, I like to use dabs of olive oil on my face (in certain spots) — fab for moisturizing the hair, as well. Also, if you haven’t done so already, check out my previous post: 10 Homemade Facial Scrubs.

— Cute iron-on appliques if you are not a machine sewer:
Hotfix Paris Eiffel Tower Applique Design for Fashion and Home Decor | Etsy.com | KBazaar.

— The Local First Arizona website gives a few tips on ‘keeping it local’ for upcoming graduations (they’ll be here before you know it!). If you’re in Tucson, we have SO many fine restaurants to celebrate at. Check out some of the pics under the Restaurants category of my blog menu.

— Today’s Nommy Treats:

One-Pan Jalapeño Kale & Roasted Garlic Egg Scramble | naturalchow.com.

Cold Sesame Coconut Noodle Salad | internationalrecipes.net.

Chocolate Garam Masala Truffles

Sea Bass in Coconut Cream

Pumpkinseed Butter Goji Cookies | Golubkakitchen.com.

Cherry Whiskey Smash | threadsence.com.

The Perfect Chinese Chicken Salad | toastytalk.com.

Well, I posted the whimsical Fish-Shaped Puff Pastry Entree, but have you ever made puff pastry from scratch? It’s easier than you think, more economical, and you can control the quality of the ingredients. If you can roll out pie crusts, tortillas, etc., then you can make puff pastry! It can take a bit of time, but it is well worth it. If you have little patience for the longer traditional French technique (the horror! lol), check out this quicker version: Homemade Puff Pastry ~ a quicker version | aflockinthecity.com.

Or, this: Quick Whole Wheat Puff Pastry | pinchandswirl.com.

Have a wonderful day, & I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 15

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Hope you had a terrific Valentine’s and President’s Day! My Valentine’s treats to myself were spaghetti with red sauce, wine, and macarons. As you know, I do not bake a lot of confections. I’m good with breads, quick breads, or simple “one bowl” type of desserts. I’m not sure when I first had macarons, but they quickly became a favorite. I know we did not prepare them in the pastry portion of my culinary training. I thought I would attempt them for Valentine’s Day weekend for a couple of reasons: 1) the price of bakery-bought macarons and 2) the price of bakery-bought macarons. It’s a shame that pastries are not my forte. What you can charge for a little flour, sugar, and butter, haha! Anyway, even though I absolutely love macarons, I have put off making them. I read so many blogs that said making them is akin to rocket science…painful, grueling rocket science, wherein your rocket will never get off the ground…so don’t even try! Then, I found these links last year, and finally got around to it:

The Macaron 10 Commandments

Macaron Myths

If blogs have scared you beyond belief about making macarons in your own kitchen, I suggest you read these, lol! Many of the recipes I’ve seen over the past year make a relatively large quantity, so I found this recipe that made “just enough” for me: “Jelly Donut” Macarons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z4htgSdd8I. It’s a vid, so that’s helpful. I made a few heart-shaped for Valentines & some rounds. The ‘feet’ on a couple of the round ones turned out wonky (perhaps from over mixing the batter, or maybe because my oven temp varies in different parts???). Right after they were done, I took a pic of one with a real poofy foot. It got less poofy after sitting with the filling for a bit:

So, after you let them sit, they may change shape a bit. Even if a few looked wonky, they tasted fab! I decided on pina colada macarons, so I made a pineapple-rum curd, and added a little toasted coconut on top. I used the icing from the “jelly donuts” recipe with beet powder for coloring. I found that macarons are so yummy fresh out of the oven, so I might forego the filling next time! I had to force myself to not eat them all (pre-filling) right then! I’ll keep practicing my macaron technique, and hopefully I’ll improve over time. You can also make nut-free macarons, so I would like to try that eventually.

— I made a few chocolate-covered strawberries (as I posted about here) in a mug for my mom:

I took the pic before I let them chill in the fridge. I chose a very simple mug that matched some other items (the heart is a graphic! Cute!), as I know she has too many vases already. I went the easy route and coated a few with ground almonds and shaved chocolate. So sorry, but I totally forgot: when I saw fruit bouquets prepared professionally, they used iceberg lettuce to secure the skewers (vs. the floral foam I mentioned). I decided to use cabbage as a 2 for 1. My mom LOVES cabbage, so that was just an added bonus (I gave her the rest of the head). Of course, she made the cabbage right after eating a few berries, haha! I think a big bouquet would make a fab party centerpiece. It doesn’t take much to make one yourself, and the savings from purchasing shop-bought are quite considerable.

— I recently caught a couple minutes of a wonderful piece my mom was watching. It featured a woman who raps about Parkinson’s disease. What an awesome way to raise awareness! You can check out some of her story here: Sharon Kha’s Parkinson’s Disease Rap.

— Roll with it, baby…Rolling storage from crates, to wire baskets, to magazine trolleys. Check it out here: Easy Rolling Wire Baskets for Storage | Remodelaholic.com.

— Cute typographic serving trays: DIY Serving Tray Ideas | The Graphics Fairy.

— Typography with a fashion twist: Bleached and Stenciled Typography Shorts | Audrey Moyer | Pinterest.

— I read on a few British sites that we’re supposed to eat pancakes (or crepes) today as it’s Shrove Tuesday. I didn’t know what Shrove Tuesday was, so I had to look it up. I figure any reason to eat pancakes is fab. I made a couple small Tea & Honey Pancakes for myself this morning. I have been craving and drinking mucho Earl Grey for a couple of months, so I decided to use it in my pancake batter. I made these with a combo of oat flour and the coconut flour I recently made. I steeped the tea in skim milk and added a bit of lemon zest. I went with a dusting of powdered sugar vs. syrup. Yums! Of course, I had a little hot Earl Grey to go along with it. Even though it was a small portion, the oats were very filling. Another tasty Earl Grey concoction is to serve it hot with a little honey and bourbon. I had that a couple of weeks ago and am still thinking about it. Will have to make it again soon! Maybe I’ll have crepes for dinner.

— I’ll leave you with a few recipes for your consideration. Don’t forget you can always adjust the recipes with what you have on hand, or make substitutions for items that you cannot eat (or do not eat). Vegetable Pakoras with Coconut Dahl, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (with a polenta crust..mmm), Pad Thai Popcorn, Slow Cooker Honey-Ginger Chicken, Artisan Ciabatta Rolls, Sweet Orange and Almond Buns, Red Lentil and Cardamom Soup, New York Strip Steak with Whiskey-Mushroom Sauce, The Monkey Gland Cocktail (great cocktail stories on this blog!).

‘Til we meet again!

Recipes: Valentine’s Day Desserts

Gourmet Chocolate Dipped Strawberries | hoosierhomemade.com.

I’m back with sweet treats for Valentine’s Day! I turned my attention to chocolate-covered strawberries as I do every year about this time. This comes from fond memories of a chocolate shop in Austin, TX that sells giganormous CCS for Valentine’s. They sell a lot around Mother’s Day, as well. You can purchase a dozen in an egg carton, if you like. I really like the idea of putting them in a mug or vase, too, as is pictured on this site:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries | Pinterest | Zena.

This is a very popular idea, and all you need is floral foam (to put your skewers in) and a little greenery (looks like they used kale in this pic). You can be as simple or as fancy as you like. This particular site also has several other ideas pictured, so make sure to take a look. If you use good quality dark chocolate, this can be a relatively healthier type of treat (unless you eat several dozen, which I always want to do, lol. I try to remember portion control!). I don’t care for microwaving too much, but melting chocolate in it is super quick in a pinch. If you don’t feel like pulling out your double boiler, micro is the way to go. It also eliminates water possibly getting into your chocolate and making it seize up. Either way, I think chocolate-covered strawberries are one of the easiest and most elegant things you can make for your Valentine.

Here are a few other desserts to tempt you:

White Chocolate Semifreddo with Pistachios and Raspberries

Strawberries and Champagne (must see — may not be what you think! très chic.)

Gemma’s Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake (video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLjHDpj_bmQ

Slice and Bake Valentine’s Biscuits (Cookies)

Blood Orange Sorbet

How to Make Heart Cupcakes

Waffle Cone Fortune Cookies

Whole Wheat Chocolate Wine Cake with Caramelized Figs

Valentine’s Recipes with CHOCOLATE!

Mini Victoria Sandwiches

Chocolate Cream Pie

Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart

Hippie Chocolate Bourbon Balls

Raspberry Coconut Scones

Heart-Shaped Raspberry S’More Macarons

Instant Strawberry Gateau

Raspberry, Dark Chocolate, Oat, & Coconut Muffins

Double Chocolate Layer Cake

Red Velvet Crepes

The food blogs on my blogroll also have many recipes that would be fab for the occasion. I only have time to post so many, so please check out their sites! A couple of them are primarily dessert focused.

Happy Valentine’s Day, & I’ll see you next week!

My Way, No. 14

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— It’s been a homemade condiment week! I love to look at recipes for homemade condiments, but I usually end up making them with the ingredients I have on hand. I did go ahead and make mirin as I posted about last week. I’ve yet to use it on anything, but I am sure I will re-make the sesame seed tofu (and hopefully salmon, as the recipe originally called for). I didn’t boil the entire mixture, I just added my syrup to my sake:

The great thing about making mirin is that you can enjoy the leftover sake when you’re done! After having those awesome Sriracha Garlic Knux at Maker House, I set about making a whole wheat version. I merged ingredients and concepts from about 4 or 5 pizza dough recipes. Perhaps I will post my actual recipe at some point, but I would like to test it out a few more times. In the meantime, I thought I would link you to a Homemade Lacto-Fermented Sriracha recipe. I just found this and have never thought to do a lacto-ferm version. Anyway, I added parm & garlic to the dough, then basted it with a Siracha-Extra Virgin-Garlic Oil, and finished with a little parm, smoked sea salt, and red pepper flakes. I would have loved butter, but my body has been averse to it (and I was trying to keep it a bit healthier). I was pushing it with the cheese, but it was a small amount per roll. One recipe I gleaned from said a bit of smoked salt can give pizza dough a ‘brick-oven’ appeal, so I thought, ‘why not try it?’ I didn’t have smoked salt, though, so I had to smoke the sea salt I had in the pantry. Maker House had a nice thick ranch they served with them, but I just dipped them in a little extra of the Sriracha Oil. It was a great accompaniment to the Spinach, Red Lentil, and Sweet Potato Curry I made again this week:

I decided to make an individual portion this time, but the pan is almost like 2 servings (with bread) because it’s so filling. Again, I added a little kale and had to improv the curry ingredients. Really a quick and delish dish! More condiment making for Game Day: BBQ Sauce. Yay for my 2nd fave football team winning the Bowl (the first, of course, being the Giants)! After preparing the tofu Fajita Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing, I had a bit of the chipotle in adobo leftover. So, I thought BBQ was in order. I made a “kitchen sink” BBQ with just about anything I could get my hands on, adjusting and tasting as I went. I especially love fresh or dried fruits in BBQ sauce. I added a little orange zest to the Sicilian Roasted Potatoes (with a mix of Yukons, Reds, and Sweet Potatoes) this past week and loved it…so, I thought I would add a bit to the BBQ. I cooked the sauce stove top this time, but I love the slow cooker for a big batch. The BBQ went on roasted garbanzos and these BBQ Garbanzo and Brown Rice Tacos with Dried Figs, Pistachios, and Raisins:

Finished with more orange zest. I made the corn tortillas with a press and baked some for ‘hard shells.’ I Misto the baked ones and use a mold so they stay open. It was tricky getting the taco to stand up for the pic, lol. I also cut a few of the soft ones for chips. I made some plain (served with lacto-ferm salsa verde) and brushed BBQ on a few. I Misto’d them, then baked them off in cast iron pans. I cook the plain ones on only one side, but I prefer to cook the seasoned ones on both:

— If you are renting and want to create a bit of personalized style, check out this link on Decorating Ideas for Renters. And, love this link for 15 Shower Curtain Projects, including using a painter’s drop cloth and turning any curtain into a shower curtain.

— I love vintage-style full aprons. There’s no reason why you can’t look stylish while dicing potatoes! I think you could easily make one similar to this black and white damask apron with just iron-on fabric tape (if you do not machine sew, like myself). I have a friend who cleared out her closet and only has clothing that is black, white, or black and white. She said this was an attempt at simplifying her life. She doesn’t have to concern herself with the items matching or not, haha. Even though black is not my color (on top, anyway), I admit to using the black-and-white-clothing-simplification method all the time now. If you have procrastinated and haven’t planned your outfits for the week…just grab something black and white. It goes from cas to business to formal very easily.

— Baby Chicks Have Left-Right Number Bias Like Humans.

— A few mental health articles that touched me this past week: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/nj_assembly_acts_to_let_teens_seek_mental_health_t.html, http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/sloppy-word-selection-feeds-mental-health-stigma-expert-1.2206217, and http://globalnews.ca/news/1797926/watch-coffee-shop-in-north-vancouver-offers-employment-and-hope-to-people-with-mental-illness/.

— I adore this picture:

Click on the pic or this link to take you to: Dr. Kathleen Young: Treating Trauma in Tucson | Mindful Monday.

— As always, I like to include a few tantalizing recipes that have come my way: Root Veggie Crisps in a Crispy Pancake Bowl (looks fun!), Roasted Makhana, Cheesy Greek Swirls, Mussels, Bacon, and Brie Tartlets, Cold Busting Coconut Gummies (cute & healthy!), Beef and Blue Cheese Risotto. I had a nice 1/2 iced tea & 1/2 lemonade with Bourbon for Game Day, so I thought I would look for other tea cocktails: Chamomile Honey Whiskey Cocktail. 15 Easy and Low Calorie Healthy Fruit Desserts.

Have a wonderful day, and I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 9

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Made any New Year’s resolutions? Gonna get fit, stop smoking, treat your spouse better, cut down on coffee, etc? I must admit I do not make them, but I think it’s a good idea. It’s always a good idea to set goals (IMO), but I tend to set them at random times throughout the year. My mini-goal for this week is to eat plenty of salads (in addition to the juices I posted) to help cleanse from Holiday foods. As salads are one of my fave things to eat, I don’t see it as some sort of post-Holiday self-torture. Here’s a list of 10 Homemade Salad Dressings (nothing exotic or fancy, just everyday dressings).

— So sorry, I found a lot of typos in the last ‘My Way’ post. I usually find something after I post, but there were quite a few. My eyes can get tired after staring at text for so long. It doesn’t help when the writer is also the editor, lol. I’m sure you will be patient with my mistakes in the future (pretty please?). Thanks for understanding.

— Are you a DIY cook? Take the quiz. It’s from a British site, so some of the questions may be geared a little more towards British culture. I am more of a DIY cook if I have decent space to work in, proper equipment, and accessibility to certain foods (and am not pressed/stressed for time). I am good with space, equipment, and food accessibility (for the most part) right now, but I have had limited resources in the past. In those instances, I tend to rely more on pre-packaged or store-bought items. And, sometimes I buy items that are perhaps better homemade, but they are ‘familiar’ or convenient (items I grew up with a lot of the time). I think many people do that…familiarity can bring comfort sometimes.

— Speaking of familiarity, I was telling my mom I find it odd that companies that sell a lot of processed food (many times not very wholesome) also sell medicine. So, it’s like…after you become sick from eating their unhealthy foods, you can purchase their medicine. And, stores that market a lot of processed and junk foods also have pharmacies. Once you become ill from what you’ve eaten, you can get prescriptions to help you feel better. That’s really one-stop shopping!

— I am not the best at gardening, etc., as I grew up with other folks taking care of things like that. My weeds were getting out of control, so someone gave me a recipe for homemade weed killer: 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of salt, 2 cups of vinegar, and 2 TBSP dish soap. I used this for a while, and it works well. I saw a gentleman just sprinkling salt on his weeds, so I just recently tried that. It rained right afterwards, so I thought all my work had gone to pot. It worked beautifully, though! A great alternative to traditional methods.

— My Holidays were filled with lots of cooking, baking, jam making, and pickling. I made the potatoes recipe I posted for Christmas and absolutely loved it. It was super simple. It had a mixture of tomatoes and olives (which are, of course, faves of mine), but I would have never thought to add raisins. Really different and tasty! I also made a few loaves of the bagel/baguettes as gifts and decided at the last minute to make biscotti. As I’ve said, I don’t bake a lot of confections, but biscotti is fairly easy. I usually just make almond biscotti dipped in chocolate, but I added dried cranberries and orange zest this time (sans chocolate). I took a pic on my kitschy vintage Christmas platter (I inherited it from my step-family, lol). Isn’t Santa cute?

And, I let myself have a small portion of those scrumptious Cranberry-Sage Goat Cheese Crostini and Panettone.

I made individual panettone to help with portion control. I baked some in ‘soup cans’ lined with parchment paper. I used homemade candied citrus peel (with citrus from my grandmother’s tree), dark and golden raisins, and dried cranberries. I was a little heavy-handed with the dried fruit. I used a bagel/baguette for the crostini, so it saved a lot of time. I think I will have to make poviticas another time. I’ve had my fill of heavy foods for now, haha.

— I love to work with wood and collect pieces as I find them. A pallet is ideal for a lot projects, and this link gives a few pointers on disassembling one without injuring yourself.

— Someone gave me a pair of jeans that do not fit, so I’m trying to come up with a way to up-cycle them. I found this link, so I thought I would share it. I particularly like the flip flops, iPad cover, and crop top ideas.

— A few recipes: Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos, Sugar Snap Pea and Carrot Soba Noodles, Vegan Coconut Butter check out her links for soy-based butters from another site as well, Salmon Noodle Soup, Beer Cheddar Waffles, Chinese Duck Tarts w/ Plum Sauce, Pear-Vanilla Upside-Down Cakes.

‘Til next time!