Pretzelicious

I do not have a lot of experience making breads from scratch, but with an Oktoberfest party on the calendar, I thought what better dish to bring than pretzel bread?!  It seems to be all the rage right now- restaurants are advertising nearly every type of sandwich imaginable on pretzel bread- but honestly it has always been a special favorite of mine. The only problem: I don't know how to make it.  Small problem.  That is what the internet is for, right?  I asked the internet...and it led me to a tasty recipe called Mike's Signature Pretzel Bread (http://twobites.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/signature-pretzel-bread/).  I read several other recipes as well, comparing notes and ingredients, but settled on Mike's.  The ingredient list was not intimidating and the process seemed straightforward enough.  

It didn't occur to me until I was well into the process that I should snap some photos along the way.  After allowing the yeast to activate and mixing in the flour, the dough gets to rest for 30 minutes.  The next stage is kneading the dough (I did it by hand) until it becomes elastic and satiny, and then it gets to rest for one hour.  I was excited to see how large my little ball of dough grew as it rested!

The dough grew so large it raised the towel in the center!

The risen dough unveiled.

I giggled when I read the next step in the instructions: gently degas the dough.  Hehe! After my chuckle I wondered if there was some special technique to degassing the dough, but it sort of naturally happened when I slid the dough out of the bowl.  When shaping the dough, I opted for a  traditional bread round, but you can make any shape your heart desires.  The next step is where the real fun begins.  It's like trying that baking soda volcano science experiment all over again!  The bread rounds take a quick dip in a baking soda bath.

One bread round bathing in the baking soda water.

(If you like playing with gas, this really is the recipe for you.)  After their bath, the dough gets a nice sprinkling of kosher salt before heading into the oven to bake.

Oven-ready dough marked with an X on top and dusted with kosher salt.

Although I enjoyed watching the yeast come alive, kneading the dough until it was shiny and elastic, watching it rise, and playing with gases, I believe my favorite part is the amazing aroma that started drifting through the house as the pretzel bread baked in the oven.  Yum!  I was also pleasantly surprised with how good the bread tasted.  It had the perfect texture- like a big soft pretzel inside and deliciously salty crust outside.  I'm grateful it turned out well and that my friends at the Oktoberfest party were enthusiastic about eating it.  It was a delightful accompaniment to the grilled brats and stew.  It's definitely something to make again, and maybe next time experiment with different shapes.  Maybe perfectly sized "hot dog" rolls for my brats.  Mmmm....

Finished pretzel bread.

A Nod to Greece

While summer produce was at its height, I was fortunate to receive some plump yellow squash from my neighbor.  Though there are many delightful ways to make squash, I was drawn to a recipe for Greek Stuffed Zucchini in my Moosewood Restaurant New Classics cookbook.  I know the difference between zucchini and yellow squash, but hey roll with what you've got, and when it comes down to it the two are incredibly similar. The squash gets roasted in the oven with a bit of sherry to soften it up a bit.  Meanwhile an aromatic cinnamon tomato sauce is prepared to accompany the stuffed squash.  I've never made this type of tomato sauce and was a bit skeptical at first, but the fragrance and incredible taste won me over quickly.  The filling for the squash is toasted walnuts, golden raisins, brown rice, feta, onion, garlic and fresh parsley.  What a winning combination!  Hats off to the cooks at Moosewood for coming up with this delicious meal.  And now that summer has passed, I will enjoy fall and all its warm soups and pumpkin-spiced things, but part of me will be keeping track of the time and looking forward to another fresh squash harvest.

Drop me a line if you'd like more details about making this dish.

Grainy Casserole

Casserole.  The word brings images to mind of a woman dressed like June Cleaver in the 1950's wearing pearls and a fancy apron, waltzing around the kitchen as she whips up a tasty dish for her husband and children.  With that in mind, you may be disappointed to learn that during my casserole-making experience today I was wearing jeans and a Beatles t-shirt.  No pearls.  No fancy apron, well I have one, but forgot to pull it out of the pantry! Despite my less than classical attire, making the dish had a similar feeling of comfort, like a peaceful time gone by when folks still said things like, "Golly gee whiz!"

Making this casserole is fairly simple, but it tastes great and leaves you feeling very satisfied.  Modify the cream of mushroom soup and sour cream additions to suit your dietary considerations.  I love the flavor of the roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup. It smells wonderful as the casserole is bubbling away in the oven. You'll know it's done when the cheese reaches your favorite level of crispness, or gooeyness if that is what you prefer.  I like crispy cheese and will certainly fight you for a corner piece of most baked things!!

Comfort and Warmth

One of my favorite things about fall is soup.  When the temperature starts to dip down, soup warms you from the inside.  It's such a comforting feeling.  One of my go-to favorites is lentil soup.  I love it.  As a kid I really loved it when my parents would put on a pot of lentil soup because the aroma wafted around the house.  I could not wait until dinner time so I could dig in and enjoy!

I came across a recipe for Lentil and Broccoli Soup in my cookbook, Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen. As many of you know, I am huge fan of Lidia Matticchio Bastianich.  I am always pleased with the results when I make a recipe from one of her books or TV shows.  I'm happy to report that my experience with this soup was no less wonderful.  Something unique in the recipe, cooking the peeled and diced broccoli stalks with the lentils, is such a wonderful way to use up all of the broccoli parts and add delicious flavor to the soup.  I will make that addition to lentil soup from here on out.  The broccoli florets go in nearer the end of cooking so they remain a brighter green for serving.  In addition to the recipe ingredients of lentils, potatoes and broccoli, I added shredded carrots and some diced black forest ham.  Having the delicious aroma drifting around the house made me feel cozy and warm.  

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

After a month-long hiatus, it feels pretty good to be back at my computer "talking" about food again!

I had the pleasure of dining out with a group of ladies I've known nearly all of my life at a fun restaurant called The Bonzer Shack in Kill Devil Hills, NC (http://www.bonzershack.com/).  We selected The Bonzer Shack on a recommendation from a gal in the group.  The menu was playfully done, perfect for our festive spirits.  And spirits were certainly not in short supply either (you should probably try the Bushwhacker if you ever find yourself there).  Making a selection from the menu was no easy task for me considering I'd heard excellent reviews of their Crab Cakes (I am such a fan of crab cakes!) and I was salivating over the description of Lobster Mac 'n Cheese.  I finally settled on Bigger Better Bonzer Shrimp, however.  According to the description, two skewers of their BBQ grilled bacon-wrapped jumbo shrimp served over top a smoked Gouda grit cake.  Bacon?  Shrimp?  Smoked Gouda?  SOLD!  When dinner arrived at our table, I looked over at the steaming plate of Lobster Mac 'n Cheese one of my friends ordered and began to feel remorse for my ordering selection.  Thankfully, my taste buds were not disappointed when I began to dig into my own plate.  The shrimp and grit cake were also accompanied by sauteed zucchini, squash and onion.  They actually got it right- the veggies had taste and texture, but were neither mushy nor crunchy.  The shrimp were in fact jumbo and the combination of their BBQ sauce and bacon formed a delicious glaze on the grilled shrimp that I could not get enough of.  Once I tasted the grit cake my taste buds were in love.  I was kind enough to share a bite with my sister, but then I hoarded the rest of it to myself!!  Mmmm...great dinner.  The other ladies were also extremely satisfied with their dinners.  The atmosphere was upbeat, on the Friday night we were there an acoustic band was playing on the other side of the restaurant.  It was a good volume- we could still talk with each other comfortably- and the music was fun.  Outside there is a fenced in area where a group of people were playing corn hole.  I give The Bonzer Shack an enthusiastic thumbs up!

Bigger Better Bonzer Shrimp

Granola Girl

I think you might agree when I say that I just don't have enough time to do all the things I want to do.  There's a list floating in my head, but that flow is inevitably interrupted by something else fighting for my time and attention.  Or maybe five or six somethings! At the end of the day, I sigh and wonder where all the time went.  Why didn't I get to any of the stuff on my list?!  Those were the things I really wanted to do.  Bummer.

With the continual time-crunch gnawing away at each day, why do I invest time in making food from scratch?  This granola recipe is a prime example.  You can buy granola that's pre-made.  Yep.  I know it's out there in stores and I don't have to spend any time in the kitchen making it.  I get it.  It's fast and easy, and there are endless varieties to choose from.  And honestly, I have even purchased granola from the store! (My particular favorite is the pumpkin flax granola from the bulk bin at Whole Foods- yum!) But for me, kitchen time is like therapy time.  I tune into the ingredients in front of me and start the preparation I know will make my body healthier and happily satiated.  I also experience joy when I share my creations with family and friends because I want them to be healthy and happy too.

And so I found myself carving out some precious time to make granola from scratch.  I decided to follow a recipe from Julie Morris' cookbook, Superfood Kitchen, called Banana-Hemp Granola.  (The recipe is not mine to share, but drop me a line if you'd like more details about how to make the granola.)  The smell of the wet ingredients, particularly the warmth of the vanilla which evokes comforting memories of baking with my Mom, enchanted me right from the start.  It was fun to mix the wet ingredients into the dry, mushing the puree through the oats and hemp seeds with my fingers and feeling like a kid.  In fact, this would be a great experience to try with your kids.  Let them help mix it all together and when it's on the baking sheet and ready to go into the oven, you don't have to feel bad about letting them lick their fingers!  As it bakes the aroma will definitely make your mouth water.  Once you pull it out of the oven, you must exert some self-control by letting it cool a bit before you devour it.   I brought some to work for use as a topping on ice cream during an ice cream social.  I ate some with milk just like cereal.  I also used some as a topping for yogurt (pear was my favorite choice with this granola).  And then I found myself all out of it.  It was fun to make, fun to share with my co-workers and fun to eat.  Something so good is worth the time.

Eat This NOW!

With summer comes such delightful fresh produce.  My most recent trip to the market led me to deliciously fragrant peaches and sweet, juicy cantaloupe.  Each of these sumptuous fruits leaves your face and hands sticky as the juices burst out with each bite.  That in itself can be a pleasure.

The cooks at Moosewood Restaurant took some inspiration from a loyal customer and created a dish called, Oya's Peaches and Pistachios.  The dish is so simple, the fresh produce really does all the work for you.  Chop fresh peaches and cantaloupe into bite-sized pieces, then sprinkle on just a hint of cardamom, freshly grated lemon zest and freshly grated orange zest.  Add a little juice from either or both citrus fruits and the base of your salad is done.  It tastes very refreshing when chilled, so pop it into the refrigerator until serving time.  When it's time to eat, sprinkle each serving with some shelled, unsalted pistachios.  That's it.

I made a batch about a week ago and portioned it out to be my breakfast over the course of a few days. It was definitely something worth waking up for!  I enjoyed it so much that I made a second batch this week, and this time added some fresh mint leaves to the salad.  I'll have to admit mint is a pretty tasty addition.  Whether you want it for breakfast or even dessert after a summer dinner on the grill, your taste buds will thank you if you eat this now!

I Said Millet, Not Mullet!

Millet is one of a variety of small-seeded grasses grown around the world as a cereal crop or grain.  Ninety seven percent of its production is in developing countries, particularly Asia and Africa, as a staple food crop, and with good reason.  Millet has a protein content similar to that of wheat and contains both iron and phosphorus.  It is also a rich source of B vitamins, calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc.

Haven't tried millet yet?  What are you waiting for?!  It's simple to prepare, combine 1/2 cup millet with 1 1/4 cup water (or stock, if you prefer).  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until millet is tender, about 20 minutes.  If you can make rice, you can make millet.  You can use millet in much the same way rice would be used as well, though the grain is much smaller creating new textures for whatever dish you are preparing.  Tonight's preparation is from the June 2013 edition of Vegetarian Times, Millet Fritters with Feta, Spinach and Golden Raisins (http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/millet-fritters-with-feta-spinach-and-golden-raisins/).  Trust me, you don't need to be a vegetarian to find some mouth-watering treats inside the pages of Vegetarian Times!  These fritters went nicely with a fresh garden salad and a crisp glass of riesling.  The next day they made a tasty lunch rolled up in an Engine 2 sprouted grain wrap.

Millet fritters cooking in olive oil

Crispy millet fritters are calling your name

Experience

On some rare occasions, my life does not revolve around food.  Friday, July 12 is one of those occasions.  What could eclipse the thoughts of food that dance around in my head?  The Beatles.  I love  the Beatles, and have since I was a kid.  A few years ago I was having a particularly difficult time training for the Shamrock Half Marathon (a race I began running in 2006 and aim to participate in annually provided my body will let me).  I tried all sorts of things to help my training along, but nothing worked.  I was in a funk.  Finally I made an all-Beatles playlist for my iPod.  It contained over three hours of my favorites, naturally.  And before I knew it I was running.  The Beatles carried me through the training months, and then through the 13.1 mile trek on that cold race day in March.  Their music brings me to a happy place.

So you can imagine my excitement when the opportunity arose to see Paul McCartney in concert!  I called some of my Beatle-minded friends and our road trip to Washington, D.C. was born.  The experience is one I will not soon forget.  Paul played for roughly three hours, a nice mix of his solo work, Wings and best of all the Beatles.  It was a dream come true, not to mention that we had absolutely dreamy seats inside Club 3 at the Nationals Stadium.  Our "suite" friends felt just as fortunate to catch the show, so the night passed in blissful enjoyment.  His boyish charm, anecdotal stories in between songs, enthusiasm on stage and best of all his beautiful voice belting out songs like Get Back, Day Tripper, Paperback Writer and the final montage from Abbey Road...came together for a spectacular performance that still lingers in my head.

Stadium snacks on our private ledge

Sir Paul McCartney

Three enthusiastic Beatles fans

Happy 4th!

Summer is here, along with its sticky humid temperatures and punctual afternoon thunderstorms- just wet enough to make things even more steamy.  The humid days make playing outdoors a bit more uncomfortable, increasing the need for hydration.  Right on cue, Runner's World put out a recipe for Tomato Watermelon Salad (here's the link to the recipe: http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/refreshing-tomato-watermelon-salad).  This completely refreshing treat is part salad part liquid replenishment because the tomatoes and watermelon chunks are so juicy and delicious.  Fresh mint adds to the overall refreshment you get from eating it.  As the article notes, "keep this recipe on hand, and you'll never be the lame barbecue guest who comes bearing a bag of chips again."  Advice taken!  As I head to my favorite Annual Family 4th of July Backyard BBQ and Beer Tasting (would it really be a barbecue if there wasn't a beer tasting?!), I am excited to share this new creation with my friends.  Now it's time to enjoy the company of friends, chow down, taste some beer and watch the fireworks.