Bonnie Antonini

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WHITE CHIPS CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES – A Chocolate Lovers’ Dream!

choc-crinkle1If you’re craving a rich, chocolate dessert, then look no further. WHITE CHIPS CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES will satisfy your urge, and then some! Warning: they’re a bit messy from the powdered sugar…so just wear white and you’re good to go.

No need to drag out the electric mixer for this one – these cookies are made by hand. There’s even some rolling in sugar to do, so put the kids to work.

WHITE CHIPS CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES – makes 18 to 22, depending on size

  • 130g (4½ oz) (1 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 37g (1¼ oz) (1/2 cup) cocoa – sift to get rid of any lumps
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 142g (5 oz) (1 cup) white chocolate chips (I use Nestle’s)
  • 4 tsp instant coffee crystals
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 234g (8¼ oz) (1½ cups) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 114g (4 oz) unsweetened baking chocolate bar (I use Ghirardelli)
  • 52g (4 T) butter
  • about 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • about 3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and white chips. Set aside.

In a small bowl, dissolve coffee crystals in vanilla. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar, smashing out any lumps. Add in the coffee/vanilla and mix well.

In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt together the butter and baking chocolate.

With a spoon, begin stirring the egg mixture. Dribble in a small amount of the melted chocolate, stirring constantly, to temper the eggs. Slowly add more chocolate while stirring, continuing on until all the chocolate is incorporated. (If you add the hot chocolate to the eggs too quickly, you could cook them.)

Pour the flour mixture into the chocolate and stir until blended. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool and firm up.

Preheat oven to 325º Fahrenheit.

Fill 2 shallow, wide bowls (such as a cereal bowl): 1 with the granulated sugar, and 1 with the powdered sugar.

To form cookies, drop about 3 T batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) into the granulated sugar (you don’t have to roll them first).

With your fingers or a spoon, start gentle rolling the dough until it’s well-coated with sugar.

Gently press dough into a ball with your fingers or a spoon.

Then drop the dough ball into the powdered sugar. Gently toss until it’s well-covered with powdered sugar.

Place on a cookie sheet that’s greased or lined with parchment paper. Don’t crowd cookies – you can get about 8 or 9 on a large sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes at 325º F. They may not look done, but remove from oven – they will continue to cook on the hot sheet. Let cool completely on cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack.

These cookies taste great for days – if they last that long! Bonus: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies freeze well!

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PISTACHIO-FETA BISCUITS – Saving Money Never Tasted So Good!

pistachio-feta-biscuit-textAs a woman who hates waste (yeah – I’m cheap!), I was trying to come up with something to do with leftover feta cheese. True, it can always be a crumbled topping for salad, but I wanted something new. As I was looking for a bread recipe to post, I decided to merge the two. Biscuits! There were also a handful of pistachios lurking about, so I threw them in for crunch.

Once again, my frugality prevailed – PISTACHIO-FETA BISCUITS were a success! For those of you who have never made biscuits, it’s easy as pie (I felt obliged to use a food simile).

Note: I toyed with the idea of adding in leftover dried cranberries. Next time, I think I will.

PISTACHIO-FETA BISCUITS

  • 390g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 11g (2 T) baking powder
  • 60g (1/3) cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 112g (8 T) butter, room temperature
  • 83g (2/3 cup) pistachio nuts
  • 70g (2/3 cup) feta cheese, crumbled 
  • 2 eggs
  • 243g (1 cup) milk or cream (sometimes I use nonfat, sometime I use cream)

Preheat oven to 500º Fahrenheit. (You will lower the temperature when you bake the biscuits.)

Into the work bowl of your food processor, put the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Pulse a couple of times to mix. Cut butter into about 8 pieces and add to flour. Pulse 20 times to incorporate butter. Mixture should be crumbly.

Note:  If you don’t have a food processor, then do this by hand: using 2 knives, cross-cut the butter into the flour mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with a fork just to break them up. Pour in milk, as you continue to beat eggs.

Set aside 2 tablespoons of this mixture to glaze the biscuits.

Stir the feta and pistachios into the egg mixture. Pour the flour mixture into the eggs, blending with a spoon until most of the flour is incorporated.

Empty the bowl onto a floured large breadboard or counter. Knead the dough about 20 times to unite all the flour into the batter. With your hands, shape the dough into a 1″ thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 squares.

Note: I prefer to cut squares – it’s faster and there’s no waste. You can cut circles, if you want, then gather the uncut dough and reform it so you can cut more circles. BUT – overworking dough can cause it to become tougher – not a good thing. So, after re-gathering one time, just bake the odd bits as is – they’ll still taste wonderful.

Place cut pieces on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or greased. Brush with the egg/milk you set aside (you probably won’t use it all).

Put sheet in preheated oven. IMMEDIATELY LOWER OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 425º. (I can’t stress this enough!) Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve immediately for best quality.

Note:  Leftovers can be reheated in oven at 375º Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes – until hot to the touch (they’ll brown a wee bit more).

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CHILI CHEESE NIBBLES -Easy To Make, Hard To Resist!

chili-cheese-nibbles-textAnyone who owns a television, computer, or has been to a store lately knows it’s the holiday season. People will gather for small get-togethers and big galas. And where people celebrate, there’s always food. (It’s a rule!)

Party food can be tricky business – you don’t want it drippy, crumbly, or something that can’t be cleanly bitten into (you know – like when the entire top layer comes with the bite, slapping your chin with a greasy mess).

CHILI CHEESE NIBBLES are an hors-d’oeuvre that passes all my criteria. Did I mention they’re delicious?! In fact, they are so good (especially hot out of the oven) that I suggest you make extra – especially the crispy edges.

CHILI CHEESE NIBBLES – makes about 20 squares

  • 2  4-oz cans diced green chilies (I use one can mild, one can hot)
  • 12 oz Jack cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
  • 6 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1½ cups)
  • 2 T milk (any kind)
  • 1 T flour
  • 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375º fahrenheit.

Discard excess juice from chilies – there won’t be much.

Grease an 8″x 8″ pan (or its equivalent).

Combine cheeses.

shredded-cheese-in-bowlIn a small bowl, combine the milk and flour to form a smooth paste.

flour-paste In a larger bowl, beat the eggs. Pour the flour paste into the eggs, beating to combine.

flour-paste-into-eggsSprinkle about one-third of cheese (you don’t have to measure) onto baking pan. Top with one can of chilies, spreading evenly. Add half of the remaining cheese, then the other can of chilies, the rest of the cheeses, and, finally, pour egg mixture over chili-cheese mixture, smoothing top.

chili-cheese-directionBake at 375º F, uncovered, for 45 – 50 minutes – until browned. Don’t worry about the edges being too dark – they’ll be discarded into your mouth. Remove from oven and let set for about 15 minutes.

chili-ch-doneRun a spatula around edges and underneath to loosen.

chili-ch-remove1Place a plate on top and flip to remove – it will plop down…hopefully. Then place another plate on top (which is the bottom of the chili-cheese mixture) and flip again. Now, it’s right side up. Here’s the BEST part – cut off the 4 edges and eat them (you won’t be serving them). They are an irresistible crispy, warm, cheesy temptation.

chili-cheese-removeLet the square rest a few more minutes to make sure it’s firm, then slice into squares. TIP: I used a large pizza wheel.

 

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ONE-DISH “TURKEY” FEAST- Something Different For Thanksgiving!

turkey-pie

I’m not sure how it came to pass that American Thanksgiving became firmly linked with turkey, but people don’t feel like they’ve celebrated properly without it. Of course, this is a dilemma for vegetarians.

Fortunately, there are some good imitation turkey products out there – and some NOT good ones, too. My favorite is Worthington’s Smoked Turkey Roll. This 4 lb log comes frozen and can be a little tricky to find. I’ve had luck at Adventist Book Stores and some natural food stores. It, also, can be purchased on Amazon.

Turkey fake color bkgBut let’s be honest. A slice of fake turkey is NOT the same as a slice of the real thing. So I decided to create a layered Thanksgiving pie, incorporating the fake turkey into the bottom layer with the dressing, thus giving the essence of turkey flavor. Layer  with other traditional Thanksgiving dishes of mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and gravy – and you’ve got yourself a vegetarian Thanksgiving.

By the way, if you’re not a fan of turkey, real or fake, then leave it out completely. It will make a delicious and very pretty side dish.

WARNING:  Make sure you tell people this is NOT a dessert.  It’s so pretty, my husband took a bite, thinking it was a pie (probably because I originally called it Thanksgiving Pie), and spit it out. Very disconcerting to expect pastry crust, cream filling, and cherries, getting instead , “turkey”/stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

ONE-DISH “TURKEY” FEAST

  • 8 oz whole cranberries
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (I use dark)
  • 1 cup onions, chopped small
  • 1 cup celery, chopped small
  • 7 T butter, divided
  • 2 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/2 lb imitation turkey
  • 5 cups herbed bread cubes (I used Mrs. Cubbison’s)
  • 1 cup vegetable stock (I used my homemade VEGETABLE STOCK)
  • 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4″ slices
  • MUSHROOM GRAVY (you don’t have to use my recipe – but it’s delicious & super easy)

Make the cranberry sauce ahead of time to give it time to thicken. In a saucepan combine the cranberries, water, and brown sugar. Bring to boil, and let simmer UNcovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Refrigerate when cooled.

Preheat oven to 350º fahrenheit.

In a large pot melt 4 T butter. Add in onions and celery. Sauté until onions become translucent – about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Note:  I used herbed bread cubes. You can use plain ones and add your own herbs to the cooked onions and celery.

While onions are cooking, cut the fake turkey into 3/4″ cubes and pulse in food processor 12 times to form crumbs.

Cook potatoes in salted water until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, add 3 T butter, and 1 tsp salt. Mash. Add milk, if needed so they’re not too dry. Cover to keep warm.

When onions are done, turn off flame and mix in crumbled “turkey”, bread cubes, 1 tsp salt, and vegetable stock. Stir several minutes to moisten the bread cubes – add in extra stock (or water), if needed. (The mixture will need to stick together.) Pat firmly into a greased 10″ x 7½” casserole dish or a 10″ pie pan. (or any other size equivalent).

Cover with foil and bake at 350º F for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes.

Spread mashed potatoes on “turkey”/stuffing layer. Top with cranberry sauce.

Pass the gravy separately.

Note: This dish can be created with Thanksgiving leftovers – just to perk up those bits and bobs.

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PASTA ALLA NORCINA FLORENTINE: Molto Buona!

pasta-alla-norcina-florentine-textThe one imitation meat that really does taste like the real thing is “sausage”. (quotation marks denote fake meat.) My go-to brand is Morningstar Sausage Patties. (I’ve never actually tried any other brand since these are so good!)

So when I saw an episode of America’s Test Kitchen featuring Pasta Alla Norcina, I was pretty confident their recipe could be adapted quite well for vegetarians. And, was I right! I went one step further and added spinach – I happened to have some extra in the fridge. (Waste not, want not.)

Not only is my PASTA ALLA NORCINA FLORENTINE a tasty delight, but it can be made in about half an hour – great for busy schedules.

Note: Try and use the orecchiette pasta. The name means ‘little ears’, since that’s what they look like. They’re perfect for capturing the other ingredients in the dish, so you get everything in one bite.

PASTA ALLA NORCINA FLORENTINE – makes about 5 cups

  • 343g (12 oz) orecchiette pasta
  • 4 “sausage” patties (I use Morningstar original patties, but their spicy ones add a nice kick)
  • 227g (8 oz) mushrooms (I prefer the common white mushrooms)
  • 1 tsp salt + more for pasta water
  • 166g (3/4 cup) cream
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 tsp garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 tsp crushed dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 98g (1/2 cup) white wine
  • 18g (1½ oz) (about 1 cup) fresh spinach, chopped
  • 57g 2 oz) Pecorino-Romano cheese, grated
  • 18g (1/2 cup) parsley, chopped (tip: put parsley in a cup and use kitchen shears to chop)
  • 1 T lemon juice

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.

As the pasta is cooking, bake the “sausage” patties per package instructions (about 15 minutes). Set aside to cool when done.

Pulse the mushrooms 10 times in the food processor. If you don’t have one, chop them very small. (Then, add “food processor” to your gift list for the holidays!)

 

In a skillet, heat oil over medium/high flame and sauté mushrooms for 7 minutes. Add in salt, garlic, rosemary, pepper, and wine. Cook until wine has evaporated. Keep an eye on it – it doesn’t take long (about 3-5 minutes).

As the mushrooms are cooking, break up the cooled sausage patties into bite-sized pieces and mix with cream in a bowl. Set aside.

When pasta is cooked, save 1½ cups of the pasta water, then drain. (FYI, pasta water is a great thickener.)

Into the mushrooms pour 3/4 cup of the pasta water, the “sausage” and cream, and spinach. Simmer 3 minutes.

Into the now empty pasta pot, combine the pasta, mushroom mixture, Pecorino-Romano, parsley, and lemon juice. Add in extra pasta water, if needed (I never need to).

 

 

 

 

 

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FLAN -There’s Always Room For This Silky Dessert!

flan-textI’ve been known to suggest (some might say ‘nag’) ALWAYS setting a timer when directions call for a specific amount of time. Even if it’s 5 minutes! It’s so easy to get distracted.

I, now, need to expand on this edict. Set a timer AND make sure it’s the kind that keeps beeping until you shut it off.

Lesson learnt last night when I ended up having to cook 2 batches of FLAN because I became so engrossed working on my computer that I didn’t hear the timer – even though I was in the same room. By the time I remembered I was baking something, my FLAN had overcooked by 20 degrees, transforming my creamy dessert into rubber. Sigh!

Fortunately, Batch #2 came out perfectly: silky smooth that melts in your mouth.

Note #1:  FLAN is a very easy dessert to make, but needs to be prepared the day before to set properly and chill.

Note #2:  As Queen of Freeze, I feel obliged to encourage you to freeze the unused egg whites for future use.

FLAN

  • 1/4 cup + 2 T water, divided
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
  • 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 T vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp salt

The first thing to do is make the caramel. For those of you multi-taskers, try and restrain yourself to this task – caramel goes from nearly done to burnt in an instant!

In a sturdy saucepan (I use my All-Clad for this – it conducts heat evenly), pour in 1/4 cup water. Add sugar in the center of the pan, not letting the sugar touch the sides. Very carefully stir water into the sugar so it’s completely moistened but still not touching the sides of the pan or it could crystallize.

Turn the burner to medium/high and let sugar-water boil – without stirring – until it begins to turn golden – about 5 minutes. You’ll notice it becoming thicker as the water evaporates. Once it’s golden in a few spots, slowly swirl the pan to even out the caramelization. It will continue to darken in color. When it’s light brown throughout, lower the heat to very low, continuing to swirl. Once it becomes reddish color (and you may see steam puff up), swirl in 2 T water. Immediately pour caramel into a loaf pan. (You can use either a metal or glass loaf pan, but cooking time will vary accordingly.)

At this time, preheat oven to 300º Fahrenheit and boil about 4 cups of water.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the whole eggs and yolks together, just until blended. Add in the condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, and salt. Whisk together gently – you don’t want air pockets. (I’ve found sliding my whisk down the sides and lifting it up in the center, letting the liquids run back into the bowl, works well.)

Hold a strainer over the loaf pan and pour egg mixture through it onto the caramel – the strainer will catch unwanted tiny bits. Cover with foil. Put loaf pan in a larger pan (such as a casserole dish), and pour the boiling water around the loaf pan to about halfway up the side of the casserole dish.

Place in oven and bake at 300º F for about 75 minutes (1 hour, 15 minutes). SET TIMER! The goal is for the flan to reach 180º F – you need to use a thermometer for this. If you’re using a metal pan, it will probably be done. The glass Pyrex loaf pans are not as wide, and taller so, if you’re using glass, plan on another 20 minutes.

Once the flan reaches 180º F, remove from oven, leaving it in the water bath for 90 minutes, UNcovered. Then, remove pan from water bath, cover with the foil, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

To serve, run a round tipped knife (so it doesn’t scratch the metal pan) along the sides, place serving platter on top, and invert. The flan will plop down. Carefully lift off loaf pan. You can scrape any caramel remaining in the loaf pan over the top of the FLAN – one can never have too much caramel!

 

 

 

 

 

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APPLE-POTATO FRITTATA: A Spooktacular Recipe All Year ‘Round!

halloween-frittata-text-horizontalI’ve been struggling with a post topic for Halloween – there’s only so much pumpkin one can eat. Then I came across a wonderful article by Helen Nichols – 34 Science-Backed Health Benefits Of Apples. A lightbulb went off!lightbulb-moment-croppedInspired by my new-found apple information and beautiful photos, I decided to create an apple based recipe. A memory shot out from the deep recesses of my mind of a college friend who told me she made an apple omelette because it was all she had in the fridge. She couldn’t believe how delicious it was. I was skeptical, but obviously intrigued enough to file it away in my memory-bank.

Ideas began floating around me: apples… potatoes… onion… Halloween. Finally it hit me – a frittata filled with apples, potatoes, and onions, topped with melted orange colored cheese to resemble a pumpkin.

Like most egg dishes, APPLE-POTATO FRITTATA needs to set before eating so it’s firm enough to retain its shape. This is perfect for a Halloween dinner – you can make it before the trick-or-treaters come knocking at your door, then eat it during lulls in between visits. It doesn’t need to be piping hot to enjoy.

Note:  Make sure your skillet is oven-proof. The ideal pan for this recipe is cast-iron.

Additional Note:  I leave the apples and potato unpeeled for added nutrients and fibre.

APPLE-POTATO FRITTATA – makes 4-5 servings

  • 1 cup onions, chopped
  • 1 lb Yukon potato, UNpeeled
  • 1 lb apples (I prefer Golden Delicious), UNpeeled
  • 6 T olive oil, divided
  • 1½ tsp salt, divided
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 8 oz orange colored cheese (I used Colby Longhorn), shredded

Into a medium sized mixing bowl put 4 T olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and the pepper. Add in onions. Slice the potato in half, then cut each half in half in the same direction. Thinly slice each quarter in the opposite direction. Stir into onions, mixing well.

Heat 1 T olive oil in cast iron 10″ skillet over medium/high flame. Pour in onion mixture. Press down with a spatula, making an even layer. Cover pan with lid. Set timer for 15 minutes. Stir, pack down, and cover again every 5 minutes until 15 minutes is up.

Note:  Trust me on this:  set your timer, when indicated!  I realize it’s for a short period of time and you’re sure you’ll remember. Been there, done that. These short periods of time are just long enough to think you can squeeze in a small chore, which always takes longer than expected. SET YOUR TIMER!

While onions/potatoes are cooking, cut the apples: with apples sitting upright, cut down along edge of core. Turn apple 45 degrees and cut again. Do this 2 more times. Discard core. Take the 4 pieces and half them horizontally. Then make thin slices vertically. When timer goes off, stir apples into onions/potatoes. Pack down and continue cooking, covered, for 5 minutes more.

While apples are cooking, break eggs into the same mixing bowl you used for the onions and potatoes – no point in dirtying another bowl. Add in sour cream and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Lightly whisk together.

When apple/onion/potato mixture is finished cooking, stir into eggs. Heat 1 T olive oil in skillet over medium/high and pour in egg mixture. Run a heat-proof spatula along edge of skillet for 15 seconds to stir up the eggs a bit. Smooth top, cover, and cook 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350º fahrenheit.

Uncover skillet and place in oven. Set timer for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle on cheese, covering entire top. Put back in oven and bake 5 more minutes to melt cheese.

Remove from oven and decorate, if desired. I used black olive slices. Let set for, at least, 20 minutes before slicing. (If you’re feeling decadent, you can slather extra sour cream on top!)

Thank you, Helen Nichols, for the motivation to create this delicious recipe!

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NAAN BREAD – A Super Scooper

naan-bread-textThe subject of my previous post was Saag Paneer,  a delicious spinach/paneer cheese Indian dish. The best way to enjoy Saag Paneer is by scooping it up with Naan Bread. So, naturally, I decided to try my hand at this soft, chewy flatbread.

Traditionally, Naan Bread is cooked by throwing it on the sides of a tandoori oven. While I do like to do things the right way, there are limits. Fortunately, a cast iron or nonstick skillet does the trick.

While it’s not difficult to make Naan Bread, one does have to plan ahead – after making the dough, it needs to rest in the refrigerator for, at least, 16 hours.

Note:  Obviously, historically, bread was made by hand. But I’m a gal who likes to save time and energy when I can, so I HIGHLY recommend using a food processor. If you don’t own one, look into buying one – I often see them at thrift stores, if a new one is beyond your means.

NAAN BREAD – makes 8

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¾ cups bread flour
  • 1 tsp dry yeast
  • 2½ tsp sugar
  • 1 cup ice water
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 6 T vegetable oil
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2½ tsp salt
  • 1½ T butter

Into the work bowl of your food processor, pulse together the flours, yeast, and sugar. Add in the ice water, yogurt, oil, and yolks. Blend for 10 seconds, then let rest for 10 minutes. Add in the salt and process until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides.

Empty dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Place in an oiled bowl, pressing down, then flipping dough to coat other side. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap. (I use the free shower caps they give you in hotels. The elastic holds tight to the bowl, and you can use them over and over.) Place in refrigerator for, at least, 16 hours.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Lay them on a board or greased cookie sheet, not touching. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.

Cooking the 8 dough pieces can be done by one person, as long as you keep at it and don’t get distracted. But if you have an assistant – so much the better.

In small pan, melt butter. Set aside.

Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a 10″ skillet (I use cast iron) over a medium flame. While it’s heating, roll out one ball on a very lightly floured surface to about 6″ in diameter. Stab (it’s called docking) rolled out dough all over with a fork to prevent it puffing up. Hold dough splayed out in one hand away from other balls and spritz it with water with the other hand. Then place dough circle wet side down onto heated skillet. (Make sure you lay the dough down carefully rather than tossing it, which will cause the heated oil to splash.) Spritz dry side with water and cover.

While first side of dough is cooking, roll out the next circle and dock with fork. When the first piece is browned on bottom (about 2 minutes), flip, cover, and cook until browned. Remove to large tea towel. Brush with a little melted butter.

Add a small amount of oil to empty skillet, pick up prepared dough, spritz with water, and place wet side down. Spritz top with water, cover, and begin on next piece. Continue as before until all pieces are cooked.

 

 

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SAAG PANEER -Surprisingly Simple!

fullsizerender-20SAAG PANEER is one of my favorite dishes to order when we go to Indian restaurants. And, as it turns out, it’s quite easy to make.

One thing to bear in mind when shopping for the spinach is to buy the amount specified in the recipe – 20 ounces. It may look like enough to feed an army, but spinach wilts down tremendously when cooked.

I recommend making the paneer cheese ahead of time – even a day or two – before serving. This gives the cheese plenty of time to drain.

NOTE: In reading through the directions, you may be tempted to skip the separate cooking steps and just throw everything into the pot at once. Don’t! The onions take longer to cook than the jalapeño and garlic, which takes longer than the tomato. Cooking things in stages allows the ingredients to end up at their peak of flavor.

SAAG PANEER – makes about 1 quart

  • 1½ quarts whole milk
  • 2½ cups buttermilk, divided
  • 1/2 T salt
  • 20 oz fresh spinach leaves
  • 3 T butter
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cardamon
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 jalapeño, finely minced (remove seeds and ribs)
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 14 oz tomatoes, chopped (fresh or canned)
  • 1/2 cup cashews, toasted, divided

To make the paneer cheese, heat whole milk just to a boil. Stir in 1½ cups buttermilk and 1/2 T salt. Remove from heat. Let sit 10 minutes to coagulate. Line a colander with 3 layers of cheesecloth and set in sink. Pour in milk and let drain 15 minutes. Bring the 4 corners of the cheesecloth together to form a sack. Gently twist to expel more liquid. Finally, hang the bag for several hours to complete the draining process. To do this, tie corners together, insert some sort of stick (such as a long wooden spoon), and rest the ends on something tall enough to allow the sack to hang freely. Be sure to place a container underneath to catch the liquid unless you’re doing this over the sink.

Thoroughly wash spinach – it can be very muddy. Place in a large bowl (you may need to do this in batches), cover with a plate, and microwave for 3 minutes. Discard liquid.

In a large skillet or saucepan, melt butter. Add in cumin, coriander, paprika, cardamon, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne. Stir over medium heat for 30 seconds to bloom spices. Add in onions and 3/4 tsp salt. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add in the jalapeño and garlic, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add in tomatoes and cook 3 more minutes.

Chop 2/3 cup of the cooked spinach – I use my kitchen shears for this. Set aside.

Into a food processor or blender put the unchopped spinach, half of the cooked tomato mixture, 1 cup water, and 1/4 cup of the cashews. Pulse several times to purée. Pour back into saucepan with the other half of the tomato mixture. Add in the chopped spinach and remaining 1 cup of buttermilk. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes to heat through.

Cube the paneer cheese into 1/2″ pieces. Stir into the spinach mixture.

Serve over rice, topped with cashews.

 

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What’s Up Doc? CARROT FETA SALAD!!!

carrot-feta-salad-textIn our house we have broccoli nearly every night. It’s fast, it’s tasty, and it’s healthy. But sometimes one has to shake things up a bit.

So I came up with CARROT FETA SALAD to expand our horizons. No cooking is involved and can be made ahead of time. BTW, this recipe is a success at potlucks.

NOTE: Shred the carrots yourself rather than buying pre-shredded. If you have a food processor, it can be done in seconds. If you don’t have a food processor, the holidays are coming up so put it on your list. I use mine nearly everyday!

CARROT FETA SALAD – makes about 3 cups

  • 1½ cups carrots, shredded
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 T honey
  • 1/2 T Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 T lemon juice
  • pinch salt

Put carrots, feta, oranges, and cranberries in a bowl.

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, lemon juice, and salt. I use a mini-whisk for this – a spoon just won’t blend the dressing as well. Pour dressing over carrots and mix.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.