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. 19

*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 lovely St. Patrick’s Day! This past week, I made the celery juice from this blog post, another batch of the Chunky Corn & Black Bean Falafel, as well as the Crab & Goat Cheese Guacamole posted some time back. All were delish! The falafel will frequently be in my rotation, for sure. After posting the Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups, I made one with fruits and herbs I had in the freezer: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pom, lime, and purple basil. So far, I’ve just used it to top off a little sparkling water, and it’s very nice.

And, I made the cherry-vanilla. A cherry-vanilla float with my Holiday bourbon sounds good. These syrups are super versatile, easy to make, and do not require any cooking. I am thinking I might do pineapple-mint next. If you haven’t done so already, check out the honey syrups here.

OMGoodness, the Spicy Carrot & Hummus Sandwich from my Healthy Work Lunches post really hit the spot!

I made an open-faced sandwich on whole wheat sourdough toast. I used the No-Knead Whole Grain Sourdough (no herbs or garlic this time). The recipe actually calls for einkorn, but I still need to pick some up. One of the reasons I wanted to make this sandwich was that I had leftover garbanzo bean dip. It wasn’t actually a traditional hummus, but it worked. From the picture posted, I initially thought the carrots were raw, but they are sautéed until just wilted. I opted for the alternative suggested cumin vs. caraway seeds to flavor the carrots (as caraway seeds are not my favorite). I can tolerate caraway, but I have never really loved them. I added toasted sesame seeds on top, and it was quite a lovely sandwich!

Just an update, I made a few more ‘energy bites,’ this time chocolate-peanut butter. I made them in the style of the chocolate-orange, but baked them. So, I guess they were more like ‘granola bites.’ I didn’t have peanut butter, so I blended whole roasted peanuts with the rest of my wet ingredients: cooked sweet potato, egg (I had a bit already beaten I needed to use up), powdered chocolate, raisins, maple, vanilla. The dry ingredients were (I think): Oats, ground oats, ground chia & flax seeds, wheat germ, chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, and salt.

I can see using the sweet potato puree as perhaps a pie filling, maybe a base for a mousse, or just a pudding. The chocolate (and peanut butter) makes the sweet potato pretty much undetectable. Sweet potato puree is a great vehicle if you cannot have dairy, in that respect. You can use dates in place of raisins, but that’s just what I felt like using at the time.

And, the last bit about my eats for this post…I baked a few individual soda breads for St. Pat’s in ramekins on the weekend. I haven’t made another batch of the ‘green muffins‘ yet as I still have a few in the freezer. I think Irish soda bread was my first (non-yeast) bread-making venture. I’ve never made separate portions, though.

I still use the same recipe from way back in the day, but I replaced the AP flour with whole wheat pastry flour and butter with coconut oil. The recipe calls for caraway seeds, but I’ve never included them (as I’ve said, they’re not my fave). I love soda bread for toast. SO good! I wanted a hot cup of Irish coffee to go alongside (I didn’t add too much liquor), but ended up with an Irish coffee frappe/smoothie-type drink. I had a few sips hot, then blended in frozen banana, non-fat homemade yogurt, oats, flax, chia, wheat germ, and almonds. I topped it off with a coconut cream-yogurt whip and blackstrap molasses (I am not really fond of chocolate sauce, so I decided molasses would be nice). I forget how nice Irish coffee is until I’ve had it again!

— I made my folding side table! I wanted this to be a table I could quickly set up when needed, then quietly tuck it away. As it wasn’t meant to be a stable piece of furniture, I just wanted it to be presentable without much expense. To achieve this, I decided to re & up cycle as many items as I could. Pic:

Several years back, I cut down and stowed away a large piece of bamboo. It was meant to be a curtain rod, but I ended up using another (thinner) piece (of bamboo). I decided to pull it out of storage and use it for the table base. I cut it into 4 pieces, and put holes (to join the pieces, with glue) in 2 of them. When I was cutting the holes, I thought, Oh, I should make a flute (even though I don’t play the flute, lol!). I made the holes a little smaller than I wanted, then carved away a little at a time for a snug fit. I drilled a hole to adjoin both legs, put a screw through it, then secured it with a washer and nut. I wish the screw was a little shorter, but I used what I had. I purchased 4 rubber leg tips to keep the base from moving around. I then glued two sides of a pic frame to the top of the legs. The spray paint I used did not have primer, so I primed it first, gave it a coat of (leftover) black then a light coat of (purchased) gold. I tried to allow some of the black to show through. Then, I sprayed alternate wisps of black and gold until it looked the way I wanted it to. I do not care for the finish of a lot of metallic spray paints, so I dulled the shine with leftover frosted glass spray. I’ve used it before for other glossy spray paints as well.
The top: I used a picture covered with one of my many fabric remnants. I was going to use wallpaper (as was suggested in my Using Wallpaper Remnants post), but this fabric seemed to fit the space better. I made it waterproof by brushing on melted oil & wax (method found here). You can use beeswax, paraffin, perhaps soy wax, and any fixed drying oil. Some of these are healthier options than others. More on that in an upcoming post. I staple gunned the fabric to the frame and added decorative nails (originally intended to re-upholster a chair. I did it freehand, so some are a bit wonky. I will go back & fix them later. I just wanted to take the pic while I still had a little sunlight). The top is not attached to the legs, so I added “stoppers” (synthetic corks) on the back of the picture to hold the top of the legs (the frame sides) in place. All in all, I think I made out pretty well with just the purchases of the rubber leg tips and gold spray paint!

— I love macrame! There are tons of vids out there if you want to learn how to craft something for yourself. I think you could totally DIY something like this: Glass & Twine Lantern Set | shopterrain.com.

Here’s a sweet macrame bracelet tutorial: DIY Shamballa Style Macrame Bracelet Tutorial | rings-things.com.

— I have tons of plaid. It’s one of my fave things. This is a cute idea: DIY Clothes DIY Refashion: DIY: Ombre Dip Dyed Plaid Shirt | Pinterest | Lacy Hall.
This dress sort of encompasses several styles. A versatile piece, I think: Streetcar Dress in Black Plaid (with pockets) | trendvee.com.

— After looking at the ‘supoon’ and ‘clongs’ from the last ‘My Way‘ post, I checked out some of the other kitchen products they have available. Some really neat items like jots, onpots, teafus, levoons. I love this Scizza | Dreamfarm Products. 

— I saw that Bibi won the election in Israel. Yay! I am not that political of a person, but I like him because he’s dashing, charming, handsome, suave, and did I mention dashing? 😉

— I read an article that mentioned “fashionable food,” meaning certain food, dishes, etc., should (not just do) go in and out of style. This wasn’t referring to dining out. I thought this an odd concept. I mean, it’s one thing if you want to be “trendy” to sell things….but, common folk usually eat (or prepare for others) what is readily available to them, what is at the market during the time of their visit, and what they can afford (if they can afford to eat at all). The average person doesn’t live in a restaurant or test kitchen. They are not usually concerned if their meat and potatoes, beans on toast, Grandma’s prize dessert, or whatever, is “in style,” haha! Most people do not care that much about their clothing being in style, let alone their everyday (or even special occasion) food. It seemed like the article was targeted at your average person, but perhaps not. Perhaps it was more like people who struggle with dilemmas such as, “Should I take the Bentley or the Benz”? Or, more importantly, “Should I ask Jeeves or Parky to pull the car around when I make my decision between the Bentley and the Benz? lol 😀 Anyway…Here are Today’s Featured Recipes (fashionable or not, I couldn’t say…they just looked darn good to me!):

Breakfast Stuffed Peppers | eatwell101.com.

Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza) | Bourbon and Brown Sugar.

Lemon Meringue Pie with Poached Oranges and Basil | Great British Chefs.com.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Grilled Cheese | wellplated.com. Saw this last year and still thinking about it! Great St. Patrick’s Day leftovers idea.

Great tutorial: How to Ice a Cake | stylesweetca.com.

2-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce

Shellfish Risotto | ciaoflorentina.com.

Have a fabulous day!