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Fiesta Week Part 2 – Chicken Tacos

To go along with the chorizo tacos and the beef tacos I had made on Sunday I also wanted to make some chicken tacos. I didn’t want to do something with just shredded chicken, which would have been easy to do with some chicken, but I wanted something a little different with some nice sauce to go along with it. I had looked at a few different recipes I found on the Internet, but then I came upon this one from Michael Chiarello on the Food Network for a chicken taco filling. It looked pretty easy to make, only used a few ingredients and I could get it done along with all over the other things I was making that day. The original recipe is for a pretty large quantity, so I ended up scaling it down quite a bit to fit my crowd and I still had a lot left over, so you could make it even smaller if you only have a couple of people to feed. The recipe shown here is in the amounts that I actually used. If you want the larger quantities, all you need to do is double this recipe.

Chicken Tacos

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 onions, minced

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch chunks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 Serrano pepper or jalapeno pepper, sliced thin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground oregano

2-3 cups chicken broth or water

For the Tacos:

Red onion, sliced thin

Lettuce, shredded

Radishes, sliced thin

Salsa (homemade or store-bought)

Guacamole (homemade or store-bought)

Flour or corn tortillas

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until the vegetables are soft and nicely caramelized, about 10 to 12 minutes.

In the meantime, season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken pieces and toss the chicken to coat it well. Heat another large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cook the chicken until it is lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Once the onion mixture is caramelized and softened, add the chile peppers, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cumin and oregano. When the chicken is done, transfer it to the pan with the onions. Pour in the broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve the tacos, place all of your chosen toppings and the chicken filling in separate bowls along with the warmed tortillas so people can construct their own tacos.

This was a simple recipe for the chicken that yielded some great flavor thanks to the spices used. You could certainly substitute some rotisserie chicken and just heat it up with the onion mixture and spices if you have left over chicken from another meal or do not want to cook the chicken yourself. The sauce is nice and thick and clings nicely to the chicken to add another level of flavor to the dish. I would choose to make chicken tacos this way every time.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

2 Comments

Posted by MikeG on May 6, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, One Pot Meals, Poultry

Tags: chicken taco recipe, chicken tacos, Cinco de Mayo recipes, food network, homemade chicken tacos, Michael Chiarello

Fiesta Week Part 1 – Chorizo Tacos

05 May

I decided to make a bunch of Mexican dishes yesterday as kind of an early Cinco de Mayo kind of meal for Sunday since we were having some guests over. I made three different kinds of tacos, some re-fried beans, vegetable slaw, guacamole, salsa, confetti corn, pickled onions and radishes, southwestern egg rolls, avocado dip and more, so there were lots of things to choose from, some of which I have made before and posted here and some new things. Unfortunately, I got so caught up in all of the cooking that I forgot to take pictures of a lot of it, so I hope to take some pictures of some of the leftover items tomorrow. The only thing I did not have anything left of was the chorizo tacos, which seemed to be quite a favorite. I had bought the chorizo at Adam’s Farms since they make their own, but you could also make your own as well at home if you have all the ingredients or a favorite recipe you like to use. I saw a bunch of different recipes, but this one from Williams-Sonoma struck me as the best one of the bunch, so I used this one.

Chorizo Tacos

8 ounces (1 cup) Mexican chorizo sausage

3 medium potatoes

Salt, to taste

2 medium poblano chiles or red bell peppers

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

Guacamole (homemade or store-bought)

Salsa (homemade or store-bought)

Flour or corn tortillas

With a small knife, slice down the side of the chorizo casings. Remove the chorizo from the casing and discard the casing. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the chorizo. Cook, stirring regularly to break up the clumps, about 4 minutes, until the chorizo is cooked through. If there is a lot of rendered fat, discard some of the excess and remove the chorizo to a bowl. Set the pan aside for later use.

Peel the potatoes and cut them in half, and then dice the halves. In a medium bowl, add the potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and toss the potatoes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave them on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Roast the chiles or bell peppers by placing them directly over a gas flame (don’t use a pan), or 4 inches below the broiler in the oven, turning the peppers occasionally with tongs until they are evenly blackened all over. Place the peppers in a plastic bag and allow them to cool. Peel off and discard the blackened skin of the peppers. Pull out the stems from the peppers and the seed pods and discard them. Tear open the peppers and rinse off the seeds and bits of black skin. Cut the peppers into 1/4-inch pieces.

In the empty skillet, add the vegetable oil to a bit of the rendered chorizo fat set over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring regularly, until the potatoes are browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chile peppers and the chorizo and cook for 3 or three minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Warm the tortillas and scoop the chorizo filling into a serving bowl. Set the bowl on the table with the warm tortillas, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce and any other accompaniments that you like.

Everyone really loved the chorizo tacos. They had just the right amount of spice and adding the potatoes to the mix really added something great as far as taste and texture to the mix. This mix would be great without the tortilla as a main dish with some rice or even as a breakfast with some eggs. You could even omit the chorizo altogether and just have the potatoes, onions and peppers if you wanted a vegetarian taco mix instead. I wish I had taken a picture of it as they were really good. Next time I make them I will post a picture of them for sure.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe from our Mexican fiesta. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

3 Comments

Posted by MikeG on May 5, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, One Pot Meals, Pork, Potatoes, Vegetarian

Tags: chorizo sausage, chorizo tacos, chorizo with potatoes tacos, Cinco de Mayo recipes, guacamole, re-fried beans, salsa, taco recipes, tacos, vegetarian tacos

For a Fun Side, Try This Caramelized Onion Focaccia

03 May

Focaccia bread is one of the great additions to all kinds of meals or it can be perfect for you to use for sandwiches of all kinds. There are lots of different ways you can make it, from having a plain and simple bread to one loaded with all kinds of toppings. There are lots of different things I would like to try on focaccia but I was looking for something pretty simple to start with for my first time out giving this type of bread a try. I found this recipe on Williams-Sonoma’s website and the original recipe calls for a bacon, Gruyère and caramelized onion focaccia, so I decided just to go with the caramelized onions as a topping as I thought it would be a nice side for the pork dinner I was making that night anyway. It gave me a good starting recipe that if I liked I could use again as the basis for one with other toppings.

Caramelized Onion Focaccia

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons ) active dry yeast

2 teaspoons firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup warm water (110°F/43°C)

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar in the warm water. Let the mixture stand until it is foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the flour, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and the salt. Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, put it back into the bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron frying pan add 1 tablespoon of butter and melt it over medium heat. Add the onions and saute over medium-low heat until they start to wilt, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar and a pinch of salt and continue to cook until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat and allow them to cool.

Oil a rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Dump the dough onto the prepared pan and press it into a rough rectangle. Using your fingers, stretch the dough into a rectangle about 10 by 14 inches Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until it is puffy, about 1 hour.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Dimple the surface of the dough with your fingertips. Gently brush the dough with olive oil, then sprinkle the dough evenly with the onion mixture. Bake until the bread is golden, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cut the focaccia into squares and serve them while warm.

This bread is perfect as a side dish for any meal, or as an appetizer before the meal. If you want to add the cheese and bacon, add the Gruyère into mixture when you add the olive oil and salt when you are making the dough. The bacon can be added when you are sauteing the onions and added as a topping. You could certainly add some extra cheese as a topping as well if you wanted. I thought it was perfect with just the onions this time and it was great to use the squares for sandwiches later on for lunches.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

1 Comment

Posted by MikeG on May 3, 2014 in Breads, Cooking

Tags: bacon caramelized onion and Gruyere focaccia, Caramelized onion focaccia bread, caramelized onions, focaccia bread, williams-sonoma

A Fresh and Fulfilling Side Dish – Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon-Parsley Dressing

02 May

I like cauliflower, but I often have a couple of problems with it. Number one, when it is not in season it can be quite expensive to get a fresh head of cauliflower around here. I usually have to wait until it goes on sale someplace before I pick some up. The second problem I have is that by itself it can be quite bland. If you have ever steamed cauliflower or boiled it you know that it doesn’t always have a lot of flavor to it by itself and a lot of people get put off just by the smell of cauliflower as it is cooking. One of the reasons I do not often buy frozen cauliflower is that it can be pretty tasteless in my opinion unless you do something with it. So when I bought some fresh cauliflower last week, I set out to try to find a good way of cooking it. I love roasting vegetables myself; it brings out much more flavor and you get the chance to add some herbs, dressings or sauces to it to make it even more flavorful. This works particularly well with cauliflower, so I was glad when I found this recipe from Bon Appetit for roasted cauliflower with lemon-parsley dressing and decided to give it a try.

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon-Parsley Dressing

1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the cauliflower florets and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season the cauliflower with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower, tossing it occasionally, until it is tender and golden brown, about 25–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pulse the parsley, the lemon juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a food processor until it is very finely chopped; season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the roasted cauliflower with the lemon-parsley mixture and top the cauliflower with the lemon zest.

It is a very simple side dish that really gets the flavors of the cauliflower brought out by the roasting. The lemon dressing really helps to bring it all together as well. You can use this as a side dish for really any type of entrée you are making, such as steak, lamb, chicken or pork. I used it as a side when I made the molasses-glazed pork tenderloin I had made and it went perfectly with the meal. You can also make the dressing ahead of time since it is easy to put together and keep it chilled in the refrigerator until after you have roasted the cauliflower. it makes for a great option for you if you are tired of steaming or boiling.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I just want to take a quick moment to thank everyone who has been following along or reading the blog as it continues to grow. it has been a lot of fun for me and I hope you can find some great recipes that you want to try for you and your family. If there is ever anything that you want to see, a question you may have or a recipe of your own you would like to share, please feel free to leave a comment below, send me an e-mail at IguanaFlats@msn.com or catch up to me on my Facebook or Twitter page. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

Quick, Easy and Tasty – Molasses-Glazed Roast Pork

01 May

Roast pork is always a favorite meal and when you make pork tenderloins it means you can get an elegant meal on the table pretty quickly. The tenderloins do not take long to cook and take very well to all kinds of sauces and glazes so you get a lot of room to experiment with different things that you like. I had a pork tenderloin in the freezer last week so when we were looking for something a little different for dinner one night I decided to take it out and find a new recipe that we can make fast during the week. I came across this recipe from Williams-Sonoma for a molasses-glazed roast pork tenderloin and it looked really easy to make so I thought I would give it a shot. The original recipe calls for it to be made with sweet potatoes, but I actually didn’t have any on hand that day so I just went with the pork instead.

Molasses-Glazed Roast Pork and Sweet Potatoes

2 pork tenderloins, each 10 to 12 ounces
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup light molasses
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Season the pork tenderloins lightly with salt and black pepper. Set the tenderloins aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the molasses, mustard, rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the potatoes with salt and black pepper and toss to coat the sweet potatoes evenly. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a space in the center of the pan. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and roast them for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the pork tenderloins and brown them on all sides, about 6 minutes total.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the pork in the center; set the fry pan aside. Brush the pork and potatoes with some of the molasses mixture. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the potatoes are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 145°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork and potatoes to a warmed platter.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the fry pan and set the pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently to scrape up the browned bits, until the shallot begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining molasses mixture and the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.

Slice the pork and drizzle with the sauce. Serve the pork and potatoes immediately, passing any remaining sauce at the table.

It is a very simple meal that you can prepare and make in under an hour and gives you something different for a weeknight. The molasses glaze tastes great with the pork and I imagine it will taste great with sweet potatoes as well. I served the pork with some of the leftover Tex-Mex rice and beans that I had made as well as a new cauliflower recipe that I will be posting and some homemade focaccia bread that I made (I’ll be posting that recipe as well). It was a nice change of pace for a weeknight dinner that you can put together pretty easily.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

1 Comment

Posted by MikeG on May 1, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Pork

Tags: molasses glazed roast pork, molasses-glazed roast pork and sweet potatoes, roast pork tenderloin, williams-sonoma

Getting Peachy – Upside Down Peach Bourbon Cake

29 Apr

I had a slow work day a few days ago and took the opportunity to try out a bunch of recipes all in one day. I made a great entrée and some good side dishes too that day that I will be sharing soon, but I think the star of that day was actually the dessert. I had seen this recipe from Kitchen Daily in my e-mail a few days before I wanted to try it and the way it looked and sounded I knew it was going to be good. It is for an upside down peach bourbon cake. I love pineapple upside down cake, so I just had a feeling this was going to be a winner. While it is not the season for good fresh peaches around here by a long shot, I did have some nice looking jarred peaches that I was trying to figure out what to do with and this worked out perfectly for those.

Upside Down Peach Bourbon Cake

To Make the Topping:

3 medium peaches, cut into medium slices, or two jars of peaches, drained

1 stick butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

To Make the Batter:

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup bourbon

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch cake pan.

To make the topping, lay the peach slices over the bottom of the baking pan. Melt the one stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and simmer the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the sugar is melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture over the peaches in the cake pan.

To make the batter, Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is soft, then add the granulated sugar and mix the two together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and the bourbon and mix well for 1 minute. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix on low-speed just until the mixture is blended. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix again on low-speed just until everything is blended.. The batter may appear to be slightly curdled, but that is how it should look. Spoon the batter over the peach slices and spread the batter evenly in the pan.

Bake the cake on a middle rack in the oven until the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the cake stand for 5 minutes in the pan after taking it out of the oven. Invert a clean plate over the top of the pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Slice and serve.

I think this cake turned out great and would be even better with fresh peaches, but if you have some good jarred peaches it will certainly work well for you. The taste of the peaches in the sugar is wonderful as it glazes and crusts on the cake and you can get a hint of the bourbon flavor through the cake as well. If you did not want to use bourbon, Kitchen Daily notes that they have used milk in the recipe instead and achieved good results too. I’ll have to keep this one in mind as it would be great for the early summer in peach season to bring to someone’s home or to a party.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

1 Comment

Posted by MikeG on April 29, 2014 in Cakes, Cooking, Dessert

Tags: Kitchen Daily, Kitchen Daily upside down peach bourbon cake, pineapple upside-down cake, upside down peach bourbon cake, upside down peach cake

A Tasty One Pot Meal – Smoky Chicken Brunswick Stew

28 Apr

I am always on the lookout for one pot meal ideas. Whether they are made in the slow cooker or on the stove, one pot meals can make life so much easier, particularly during the week when you may not have a lot of time to throw together and entrée and a couple of side dishes and then have to deal with all of the clean up after the fact. When I came across this recipe from Guy Fieri of Food Network for a smoky Brunswick stew, it seemed to fit the bill perfectly and made use of all the ingredients that I already had in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer to make it even easier. While it may seem like a lot of ingredients, the whole meal comes together pretty easily for you and with some great flavor.

Smoky Chicken Brunswick Stew

1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 pinches cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1-pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut 3/4-inch dice
One 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
One 15 1/2-ounce can pinto beans, drained
One 15 1/4-ounce can lima beans, drained
Hot sauce, to finish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the chicken marinade by combining the granulated garlic, brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard, cayenne and some salt and pepper together. Mix well then place the chicken thighs into a resealable plastic bag and pour the dry seasoning over the chicken. Seal the bag and shake it around so the chicken is seasoned evenly.

Transfer the chicken to a roasting pan. Pour over the chicken 2 tablespoons of the chicken stock, the wine, Worcestershire sauce and the liquid smoke. Cover the pan tightly with foil then place it in the oven and roast the chicken for 30 minutes.

Uncover the foil from the pan and continue to roast the chicken for another 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on the stovetop. Remove the chicken to a plate and turn the burners on to medium heat.

Add the bacon and vegetable or canola oil and cook until the bacon is brown and the fat has rendered slightly, about 7 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set it aside. Add the garlic, celery, onions, peppers and potatoes to the pan and cook in the bacon fat until the vegetables are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, add the reserved chicken back to the pan. Cook the chicken to add a little color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return the bacon to the Dutch oven, add the tomatoes and their juices and pour in the remaining chicken stock. Stir well, and then simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the barbecue sauce, corn, pinto beans and lima beans to the stew. Stir everything well and simmer the mixture until the chicken is very tender, the vegetables are soft and the beans are heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

When the stew is done, stir ir well and taste. Season with salt, pepper and a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired, to taste.

This dish had great flavor and the combination of the spices, vegetables and barbecue sauce really made it a hit. If you don’t have fire-roasted tomatoes around, you could easily substitute a can of whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes. The same goes with the beans added. I did not have lima beans on hand and put in some kidney beans instead and they were fine. The best thing about this dish, besides it being made all in one pot, is that it tastes even better after a day or two. We enjoyed it for lunches for a few days and the flavors just seemed to get richer and better each time. I’ll be making this one again as it was so easy to do and tasted awesome.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

1 Comment

Posted by MikeG on April 28, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry, Soups & Stews

Tags: Brunswick stew, Brunswick stew recipe, chicken Brunswick stew, chicken thighs, food network, Guy Fieri smoky chicken Brunswick stew, smoky chicken Brunswick stew

It’s National Pretzel Day! Make These Alton Brown Soft Pretzels!

26 Apr

Since there seems to be a day for just about everything you can make or cook these days, I shouldn’t be surprised that it is National Pretzel Day today. There is nothing like a soft pretzel when you want a tasty snack. One of my favorite memories of all-time is getting a hot pretzel on the streets of New York City or just outside of Shea Stadium when we would go to see a ballgame. Guys would heat them right in a shopping cart and while it may not have been the most sanitary thing in the world, the taste and the smell were fantastic. I have made soft pretzels before, but when I saw this recipe from Alton Brown it sounded easier than what I had done in the past and they looked great, so I had to give them a try today.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Salt

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow the yeast to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment of your mixer, mix on low-speed until the dough is well combined. Change the mixer to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush the pans with the vegetable oil. Set the pans aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place the pretzels onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return the pretzels to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle each pretzel with the salt. Bake the pretzels until they are dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the pretzels to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Wow, those were really easy to make and they taste fantastic! You can throw these together in under two hours and have a great snack anytime you want them for a party, watching the game or just because you feel like having them. Michelle, Sean and I loved them and we still have a few left over to enjoy tomorrow, if they last that long. I will definitely be using this recipe from now on when I make pretzels.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

2 Comments

Posted by MikeG on April 26, 2014 in Cooking, Snacks

Tags: Alton Brown, Alton Brown soft pretzels recipe, food network, homemade soft pretzels, soft pretzel, soft pretzels

Try a Classic Pizza Recipe – Roberta’s Pizza Dough and Pizza Margherita

24 Apr

Pizza is always a great option for dinner and to me it tastes even better when you can make your own at home. I have tried a lot of pizza recipes and started making my own dough about a year ago. Once I saw how easy it actually was and how much money I could save by making my own pizzas instead of ordering out from one of the local pizza places, I decided to do it almost all the time. Sure, like anyone else there are times when you are too tired to cook or just feel like having a slice of pizza from your favorite pizzeria, but if you are planning ahead, you can make some great pies on your own. Recently the New York Times posted recipes for pizza dough and pizza Margherita from Roberta’s, a well-known pizzeria located in Brooklyn. The pizza looked very good so I thought I would give it a try and see how it came out.

Roberta’s Pizza Dough

153 grams 00 Italian pizza flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
153 grams all-purpose flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons)
8 grams fine salt (1 teaspoon)
2 grams active dry yeast (3/4 teaspoon)
4 grams extra-virgin olive oil (1 teaspoon)

: In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours and the salt. In a small mixing bowl, stir together 200 grams (about 1 cup) lukewarm tap water, the yeast and the olive oil, then pour it into the flour mixture. Knead the dough with your hands until it is well combined, approximately 3 minutes, then let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.; Knead the rested dough for 3 minutes. Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place the dough on a heavily floured surface, cover the dough balls with a dampened cloth, and let them rest and rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature or for 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (If you refrigerate the dough, remove it 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for pizza.); To make pizza, place each dough ball on a heavily floured surface and use your fingers to stretch it, then your hands to shape it into rounds or squares. Top and bake as you like.

Just as a note, the measurements for the dry ingredients are given by weight for greater accuracy. If you have a scale that you use for baking you will get the most accuracy. The equivalent measurements that are provided are by volume and are approximate. The dough was very easy to make and to work with and had some great flavor, making it perfect for the Margherita pizza recipe also from Roberta’s that was supplied by the New York Times.

Margherita Pizza

1 12-inch round of pizza dough, stretched (see recipe)
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 3/4 ounces fresh mozzarella
4 to 5 basil leaves, roughly torn

Place a pizza stone or tiles on the middle rack of your oven and turn the heat to its highest setting. Let the oven heat for at least an hour.

Put the tomato sauce in the center of the stretched dough and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly across the surface, stopping approximately a 1/2 inch from the edges.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the pie. Break the cheese into large pieces and place these gently on the sauce. Scatter basil leaves over the top.

Using a pizza peel, pick up the pie and slide it onto the heated stone or tiles in the oven. Bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, approximately 4 to 8 minutes.

If you want to make a quick homemade tomato sauce that is perfect for the pizza, in a food processor, whiz together whole, drained canned tomatoes, a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and you are good to go. I actually put a couple of slices of tomato on mine as well just to round it out and I used a little more cheese than the recipe called for. The pizza has a nice thin crust and great flavor with just the simple ingredients so you can make this easily at any time.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

2 Comments

Posted by MikeG on April 24, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Pizza

Tags: margherita pizza, new york times, New York Times pizza dough recipe, pizza dough, pizza dough recipe, pizza Margherita, pizza Margherita recipe New York Times, Roberta's pizza dough, Roberta's pizza Margherita

Use Up Those Easter Eggs in a Classic Cobb Salad

23 Apr

If you are like our home you ended up with at least a dozen brightly colored hard-boiled eggs after Sunday and needed to try to find a way to use them all this week. Sure, you can make the standard egg salad for lunches or even just enjoy a hard-boiled egg for breakfast or as a snack during the day, but you can also make good use of them in an easy meal. Cobb salad has always been one of my favorite and I have ordered it out a number of times for a meal when I want something a little different. It is the perfect combination of vegetables, protein and some nice additions like avocado, egg and blue cheese. First made at the Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles by the owner, Robert Cobb, I got this recipe from Saveur magazine. While this recipe has the traditional dressing recipe along with it, I actually made my own dressing, which I will share following the recipe for the salad.

Classic Cobb Salad

FOR THE DRESSING:

¾ cup vegetable or canola oil
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE SALAD:

½ head iceberg lettuce, cored and shredded
½ head romaine lettuce, chopped
½ bunch watercress, some of the stems trimmed, chopped
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
6 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into ½ inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons minced chives

To make the dressing: Combine the vegetable or canola oil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and garlic in a blender. Purée the ingredients to make a smooth dressing and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the dressing aside (or refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week).

To make the salad: On a large platter, combine the iceberg and romaine lettuces along with the watercress. Arrange the blue cheese, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, and avocado on top of the greens in neat rows. To serve, drizzle the salad with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and top with the chives. Alternatively, toss everything together in a bowl.

It is very quick and easy and tastes great. I actually added some black olives to the one I made along with some sliced English cucumber and red onion to help round things out. I also used mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese instead of the blue cheese since we did not have any on hand and Michelle and Sean are not big fans. Instead of using the traditional dressing, I opted to make my own buttermilk ranch dressing using another recipe I got from Saveur magazine. It is a simple way to make your own dressing, tastes better than most of the things you can get in a bottle and costs less for you to make.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon onion salt
1⁄4 teaspoon dried chives
1⁄4 teaspoon dried parsley
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Pinch ground dried oregano
1 cup buttermilk

Put the mayonnaise, onion salt, chives, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Beat the mayonnaise mixture with an electric mixer on low-speed for about 5 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is smooth, about 20 seconds. Scrape the dressing down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the buttermilk, beating constantly until all the buttermilk is incorporated and the dressing is very smooth, about 2 minutes more.

Cover the dressing and refrigerate the dressing for at least 12 hours. Stir the dressing well before serving. The dressing will keep, refrigerated in a cover container, for up to 2 weeks.

It has great flavor thanks to the spices and I thickened it up a little bit by adding some plain yogurt to it as well. You could easily use this as a dip as well if you wanted to or as a flavoring for other meals, like a topping for burgers.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!