Mushroom Bourguignon

This recipe from Smitten Kitchen is one I’ve made a few times, and we’ve really enjoyed as a filling, comforting, and meat-free meal. It’s also great as a lighter alternative to the heavy and decadent foods of the holiday season. I’ve added the nutritional breakdown’s from My Fitness Pal to show just how “healthy lifestyle” friendly, notice I didn’t say “diet”, the recipe is, even with the pasta. Enjoy!

 

Serves 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices (save the stems for another use) (you can use cremini instead, as well)
• 1/2 carrot, finely diced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup full-bodied red wine
• 2 cups beef or vegetable broth (beef broth is traditional but vegetable to make it vegetarian; it works with either)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
• Egg noodles, for serving
• Sour cream and chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional)

 

1. Heat the one tablespoon of the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from pan.
2. Lower the flame to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, a few good pinches of salt and a several grinds of black pepper into the pan and cook for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.
3. Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five minutes more.
4. Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10  more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency. Season to taste.
5. To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, dollop with sour cream (optional) and sprinkle with chives or parsley.

 

Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar

Total:	1,896	237	56	65	1,844	19
Per Serving:	237	30	7	8	231	2

Lighter Chicken & Dumplings

Bridget at The Way the Cookie Crumbles is one of my favorite bloggers. I find myself going to her blog constantly, and this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated is another reason why. This was a delicious recipe that I am happy to have leftovers of and will definitely be making again. I loved that the broth was rich and flavorful with a nice balance of broth vs. “stuff”. That being said, I did add some extra carrot and celery pieces at the end to give a little more crunch, Bridget’s idea, not mine. I think the best part of this dish were the dumplings. They were perfectly fluffy with a dry, not dense, center that was a delicious compliment to the overall dish. Yes, this was the perfect dish for a cold Wisconsin evening.

Ingredients:

Stew:

• 6 bone-in, skin-on Chicken Thighs (about 2½ pounds), trimmed of excess fat
  
• Salt
  
• Black Pepper, freshly ground
  
• 2 tsp Vegetable Oil
  
• 2 small Onions, chopped fine (about 1½ cups)
  
• 2 medium Carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 2 cups) + 1 carrot cut on the bias into ½” pieces
  
• 1 medium Celery rib, chopped fine (about ½ cup) + 1 celery rib, cut on the bias into ½ “pieces
  
• ¼ cup dry Sherry
  
• 6 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
  
• 1 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, minced, or ½ tsp Dried Thyme Leaves
  
• 1 lb Chicken Wings
  
• ¼ Fresh Parsley, chopped
  

Dumplings:

• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
  
• 1 tsp Sugar
  
• 1 tsp Salt
  
• ¾ cup Buttermilk
  
• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly
  
• 1 Large Egg White
  

Directions:

Stew:

1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook until skin is crisp and well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown on second side, 5 to 7 minutes longer; transfer to large plate. Discard all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot.
   
2. Add onions, carrots, and celery to now-empty pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in broth and thyme. Return chicken thighs, with any accumulated juices, to pot and add chicken wings. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until thigh meat offers no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but still clings to bones, 45 to 55 minutes.
   
3. Remove pot from heat and transfer chicken to cutting board. Allow broth to settle 5 minutes, then skim fat from surface using wide spoon or ladle. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin from chicken. Using fingers or fork, pull meat from chicken thighs (and wings, if desired) and cut into 1-inch pieces. Return meat to pot.
   

Dumplings:

1. Whisk flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Combine buttermilk and melted butter in medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small clumps; whisk in egg white. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl.
   
2. Return stew to simmer; stir in parsley, and remaining carrot and celery pieces, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
3. Using greased tablespoon measure (or #60 portion scoop), scoop level amount of batter and drop over top of stew, spacing about ¼ inch apart (you should have about 24 dumplings). Wrap lid of Dutch oven with clean kitchen towel (keeping towel away from heat source) and cover pot. Simmer gently until dumplings have doubled in size and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 13 to 16 minutes. Serve immediately.

Crab Mac & Cheese

I don’t know about you, but when I think of a fancy meal, I often find my mind wondering toward something that includes crab. So, when Jim said that he would like steak and mac and cheese included in our New Year’s Eve plan, I knew just the way to make everyone happy. Alongside the Two-Bite Beef Wellingtons, I would serve some crab mac and cheese in mini-muffin form.

This recipe from Closet Cooking was a delicious find that I only slightly adapted, and that was due to my being cheap more than anything else. See, the original recipe includes gruyere and fontina cheeses, and when I found them at the store, they cost me almost $20, and I wasn’t prepared to spend that much on one part of one recipe. The block of white brick cheese I chose worked perfectly, as it was mild and smooth and let the spices and crab shine in this cheesy dish, at about a quarter of the price of the originally called for cheeses.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Small Pasta, shells, macaroni, etc., cooked to al dente
  
• 5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided
  
• 2 cloves Garlic
  
• ½ – 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
  
• 2 Tbsp Flour
  
• 2 cups Milk
  
• ½ cup Cream
  
• ½ tsp Seafood Seasoning, Old Bay or similar
  
• 2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
  
• 1 Tbsp Mustard, whole grain
  
• Kosher Salt
  
• Black Pepper, freshly ground
  
• 12 oz. White Brick Cheese, shredded
  
• 1 6 oz. can Lump Crabmeat
  
• 4 Green Onions, thinly sliced
  
• 3/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  
• ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
  

Directions:

1. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a pan. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about a minute.
   
2. Mix in the flour and cook until it turns a light golden brown in color.
   
3. Add the milk and cream and cook until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
   
4. Add the old bay seasoning, mayonnaise, mustard and season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Mix in the cheese and cook until it melts.
   
6. Mix in the pasta, crab and green onions and remove from heat.
   
7. Melt the remaining butter in a pan.
   
8. Add the breadcrumbs and toss to coat, remove from heat and mix in the Parmigiano reggiano.
   
9. Pour the mac and cheese into a baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs.
   
10. Bake in a preheated 350⁰ oven until golden brown on top and bubbling on the sides, about 20-30 minutes.

Classic and Delicious Chicken Pot Pies

Alright, I hate to do this again, but it’s by special request that I post this recipe, even though I wasn’t able to get a great pic of the final product. If you really, really need to know what pot pie looks like, feel free to check out the original recipe on Ezra Pound Cake’s blog. I promise to update next time we enjoy, so that I can include the picture, but please make it without one, and soon. This is everything you want pot pie to be, and more. The epitome of comfort in a bowl topped with a flakey and savory pastry. The pastry recipe makes a large batch, so if you’re planning on freezing the filling, only make half the topping, and then make a fresh batch when you’re enjoying the leftovers.

Here’s a picture from some leftovers:

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
  
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
  
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 to 3 large, bone-in, baked Chicken Breasts
  
• 4 cups frozen vegetables such as peas, cut green beans, diced carrots, and/or corn
  

Sauce:

• 5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  
• 1 cup 1% Milk
  
• Dash of hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
  
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
  

Crust:

• ¾ cup, 1 ½ sticks, Unsalted Butter
  
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  
• 6 ounces chilled cream cheese
  
• ¾ to 1 cup Ice Water
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  
• 1 large egg
  

Directions:

Filling:

1. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and potato; sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms and sauté about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the crushed red pepper and add salt and pepper to taste.
   
2. While the vegetables are sautéing, skin the chicken, pull the meat off the bones, and shred the meat or cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
   
3. Stir the frozen vegetables and chicken into the vegetable mixture. Set the filling aside.
   

Sauce:

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook the sauce over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup. Add the milk, hot pepper sauce, and salt and white pepper to taste.
   
2. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken filling and stir to combine.
   
3. Fill individual 1 ¼ cup capacity oven-safe bowls three-quarters of the way to the top, or a large casserole dish, with the creamed chicken filling.
   

Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 375⁰.
   
2. Cut the butter into 16 pieces. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the butter and flour until crumbly. Add the cream cheese, salt, and white pepper. Add water about 2 Tbsp at a time while continuously pulsing just until the dough forms a ball.
   
3. Set the dough on a flat surface dusted with flour. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness.
   
   1. If making individual pot pies, measure the diameter of the pot pie bowls and cut out dough rounds that are 1 ½ inches larger in diameter. Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Lay the dough rounds on top of the pot pies, making sure the dough hangs evenly over each bowl.
      
   2. For a casserole: Either cover the entire dish with one large sheet of dough, or place the dough on a separate cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Cut into desired shapes, you could get creative and seasonal here, and bake. Once they’re done, you can spoon the filling into individual plates or bowls, and then top with the crusts.
      
4. Brush the dough lightly with the beaten egg.
   
5. Bake the pies for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately.
   

 

Servings – 12

WW Points – 9 pts per serving

Chipotle Chicken Sloppy Joes

This popped into my head one day when I was using one chipotle out of a can of 20. I based the recipe below off of Tyler Florence’s
Ultimate Sloppy Joe recipe from Food Network.com.

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, diced
• 1 Red Pepper, diced
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground Chicken
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 to 2 Chipotle Peppers, depending on taste, finely minced
• ¼ cup Dijon Mustard
• ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• ½ Cup Beer
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• Rolls

Directions:

1. Set a heavy-based pot over medium-high heat and add a 3-count of olive oil.
2. Add onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in red pepper and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes longer.
3. Add ground chicken, season well with salt and pepper and brown well all over, breaking it up with a wooden spoon – about 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Add ketchup, chipotles, mustard, cayenne, brown sugar, tomato paste, and beer.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Finish with a splash of red wine vinegar and season it once more before serving

Dark Chocolate Mousse with Fresh Whipped Cream

When it came time to plan dessert for my Valentine’s Dinner Party, I knew at least one truth: There had to be chocolate. I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day, how can you not have chocolate? I landed on a chocolate mousse because it’s a classic, and something I hadn’t tried in a long, long time. In fact, I really couldn’t remember the last time I made mousse, and, I hate to admit this, but it may have even been out of a box. The horror!

This was a nice basic recipe, from Not So Humble Pie, that pleased grown-ups and little men alike. My friend “B” helped me finish mine. I take that as a seal of approval. You can see him waiting behind the mousse if you squint and tilt your head. The deep rich chocolate flavor was also a nice pairing to the Amaretto Madeleines I served alongside, as it gave a nice crunchy contrast to the creaminess of the mousse and even gave you something to dip with if you like that sort of thing.

Ingredients:

• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, coffee, or water
• 8 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (preferably 66% cacao), finely chopped
• 2 cup Heavy Cream, chilled
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. In a heat safe bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is uniform and light in color. Place over a double boiler and whisk until slightly thickened. A ribbon of the egg sugar mixture should flow back into the bowl when the whisk is lifted and the sugar should just be beginning to dissolve.
2. Add the flavoring liquid of your choice and then continue to whisk over the simmering water until the mixture hits roughly 160°F and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add the finely chopped chocolate. Stir until your arm cramps or the mixture becomes cool to the touch, whichever comes first (roughly 10 minutes).
3. Set the chocolate aside and beat 1 cup of the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the cream into the chocolate, then cover and chill for 4 hours.
4. Prior to serving beat the remaining cup of heavy cream to soft peaks and add in the sugar and vanilla and beat for an additional 30 to 60 seconds to combine.
5. Place about a ½ cup of the mousse in a small serving dish, or even a coffee cup. Top with the whipped cream. Enjoy!

Baked Fish Sticks with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Jim requested Macaroni and Cheese be included in this week’s menu, and the first thing that popped into my head to go with it was fish sticks. When I actually said it aloud, I was told that it sounded like a good match. I Googled about, and landed on this recipe from Life’s Ambrosia. It looked like it would fit the bill, and I thought it would only be fitting if I used her tartar sauce recipe as well. So, our Sunday dinner was a complete “throw-back” meal from childhood: macaroni and cheese, fish sticks and tartar sauce, sweet potato fries, and steamed broccoli.

These turned out great. Nice and crunchy without needing to deep fat fry. The sauce was great too, as it provided a great tangy balance to the fish.

 

Ingredients:

Fish Sticks:

• 1 pound firm white fish fillet such as halibut, cod, or orange roughy, skin removed if present, cut into 3″ x ½” sticks
  
• ½ cup milk or buttermilk
  
• 2/3 cup plain bread crumbs
  
• 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
  
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
  
• non-stick spray
  
• 1 lemon cut into wedges
  

Tartar Sauce:

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
  
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  
• 1 tablespoon minced yellow onion
  
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  
• 2 teaspoons minced dill pickle
  
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  

Directions:

Fish Sticks:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
   
2. Pour milk into one bowl.
   
3. In another bowl combine plain bread crumbs, panko bread crumbs, kosher salt and pepper.
   
4. Season fish sticks with salt and pepper. Dip the fish sticks into milk and then dredge in bread crumb mixture to coat completely. Place on plate. Let stand 5 minutes.
   
5. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Place in oven for 3 minutes to warm.
   
6. Remove prepared baking sheet from oven, place fish sticks on sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn. Bake for another 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
   
7. Turn on the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes or until fish browns.
   
8. Transfer to serving platter with lemon wedges. Serve.
   

Tartar Sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
   
2. Enjoy!

Lower Fat Macaroni & Cheese

I was looking to try a new macaroni and cheese recipe, but Jim requested that there wouldn’t be any “crap” in it. In Jim’s vocabulary, this “crap” means vegetables or anything else I might be able to hide within the pasta and cheese. Now, while I respect my husband’s requests, (what good wife wouldn’t?), I also want to find ways for us to eat some of our favorites without having to be rolled in out of places. Since this recipe from Savory Spicy Sweet got rave reviews from Liz and her husband Tim, I decided we would give it a go.

I’m sorry to say that we didn’t really like this at all. In fact, Jim said something he’s never said ever, “Just toss the leftovers”. Unfortunately, the onion and mustard made the whole thing too tangy for us, and the cheese didn’t really melt into the smooth sauce that we wanted it to. So, I guess it’s back to the drawing board.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 ½ cup skim milk or buttermilk
• 2 tsp mustard
• pinch of cayenne, or more to taste
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp onion, minced
• 1 cup/4 oz. sharp cheddar, grated
• ½ lb. macaroni, or similar pasta, uncooked
• 2 Tbsp Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ cup bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375⁰.
2. Lightly grease 9 inch square baking pan with nonstick spray.
3. In a large bowl, with an immersion blender, combine cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, onion, salt and pepper and puree until smooth. Add the onions, cheddar and uncooked macaroni to the pureed mixture. Stir well.
4. Pour macaroni and cheese mixture into the baking pan.
5. Combine the grated Pecorino or Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over top.
6. Bake about 45 minutes, until topping is browned and the center is firm.

Ain’t Nothin’ but a Pizza Party!

(Title hummed to 2 Pac’s “Gangster Party”. What? You mean you don’t own the 2-disc set of his greatest hits? Tragic, doesn’t begin to describe this situation.)

 I found this recipe on The Way the Cookie Crumbles, and have to give huge loads of praise to Bridget, as it is perfection on a platter. In her post, she gave herself a hard time for “being so braggy”, but she should brag about this one to anyone who will listen, and even people who are only half listening.
 

It really needed no changes, but being me, and having the “need” to concoct that I do, I made a few minor tweaks to suit our tastes. I have reflected those changes in the recipe below. This has become the request for “pizza night”, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Not only does this mean that I know exactly what we’re putting into our meal, it also keeps us from having to wait for delivery and pouncing on the pizza guy like two rabid dogs.
Making pizza from scratch really isn’t difficult at all. I think a big part of that comes from the fact that this is a very easy dough to work with, so there is no need to get all nervous about making bread products. The dough yields 2 to 4 “personal” plate size pizzas, depending on crust thickness, and a 4 to 6 serving portion of garlic sticks. I love this, because we can each have a pizza topped with what we want, and then have left-overs for the next day or two, depending on how hungry we were the first night.

Jim’s with Cheese, Sausage, Mushrooms, and Onions

Mine with Cheese, Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Black Olives, and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for rising
  
• ½ teaspoon dried herbs, i.e. oregano or Penzey’s Pasta Sprinkle
  
• 22 ounces (4 cups) bread flour
  
• 1¾ teaspoons salt
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  
• ¼ cups white wine (vermouth works as well)
  
• 1½ cups water
  
• cornmeal for dusting
  

Sauce:

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  
• salt and pepper
  
• 5 cloves garlic, roasted*
  
• 2 Tbsp to ¼ cup fresh basil, torn
  

Assembly:

• 10 ounces (2½ cups) part-skim mozzarella, shredded or sliced
  
• 2 ounces (1 cup) parmesan, grated
  
• toppings of your choice, such as:
  
  • Sausage – hot, mild, pork, turkey, chicken, etc.
    
  • Pepperoni
    
  • Bacon
    
  • Ham
    
  • Chicken
    
  • Bell Peppers
    
  • Onions
    
  • Mushrooms
    
  • Black Olives
    
  • Diced Tomatoes
    
  • Jalapeño
    
  • Pineapple
    
  • Basil
    
  • Fresh Mozzarella
    

  What is your favorite pizza topping
  (polls)

 Garlic Bread:

• 6 cloves garlic, roasted*
  
• 6 Tbsp butter, room temperature
  
• 1 tsp Kosher salt, added to taste
  
• ¾ cup pizza sauce
  
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  

   

 

Directions:

For the dough:

1. Heat the oil and herbs in a small saucepan over low heat until fragrant. Mix in the water and wine.
   
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. With the mixer on low speed, pour in the liquid mixture. Continue mixing on medium-low speed until the dough comes together, and then knead on medium-low speed for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour or water as necessary to form a dough that is sticky but does not cling to the sides of the bowl. When the mixer is running on medium-low speed, the dough should not stick to the bottom of the bowl.
   
3. Drizzle about 2 Tbsp of olive oil into the bowl. Rub your hands on the sprayed bowl to coat them with oil, then quickly form the dough into a ball. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
   
4. Either set the dough aside to rise at room temperature, which will take 1½ to 2 hours, or refrigerate it until the next day. If it’s chilled overnight, it will take about 5 hours at room temperature to warm and finish rising. You can also reduce the yeast to ½ teaspoon and let the dough rise on the counter for about 8 hours after it has been chilled overnight.
   

For the sauce:

1. Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor 10-12 times, until they’re pureed.
   
2. Transfer them to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and let them drain, stirring occasionally for at least 10 minutes. You can get away with less time if you actively stir and press the tomatoes through the strainer; if you wait longer, you can stir less.
   
3. Transfer the tomatoes from the strainer back to the bowl of the food processor or previous bowl, and roasted garlic, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Start adding to the sauce slowly, tasting along the way. You can always add in more seasoning, but once it’s in there, . . . well, you know the rest.
   

Assembly:

1. Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500ºC. Place the garlic on the hot pizza stone for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant.
   
2. Divide the dough and shape each portion into a ball. You have a few options of how to divide it. It makes enough dough for three 12-inch pizzas. However, I always cut it in half and freeze half. Then I divide the remaining dough into two more parts, one twice the size of the other. I make the larger one into pizza and the smaller into cheese bread (no sauce or toppings). Let the balls of dough relax for 10-30 minutes.
   
3. Using tongs remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Mince.
   
4. Work with one ball of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough, then pick it up and gently stretch it out, trying to keep it as circular as possible. Curl your fingers and let the dough hang on your knuckles, moving and rotating the dough so it stretches evenly. If it tears, just piece it together. If the dough stretches too much, put it down and gently tug on the thick spots.
   
5. Dust a pizza peel lightly with cornmeal and transfer the round of dough to the peel. Rearrange the dough to something reasonably circular; stab it several times with a fork. Add 1/3 of each of the garlic, sauce, and cheese, followed by toppings of your preference, and then transfer to a hot pizza stone.
   
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is spotty brown. Let the pizza cool on the peel for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
   

Garlic Bread Sticks:

1. If using hand blender, place garlic, salt, and butter into blender cup and blend until smooth. Otherwise, mince garlic as finely as possible and blend into butter and salt. You’ll have to taste the mixture when you first make it, as you want the salt to bring out the garlic flavor rather than overpower it.
   
2. Shape the reserved dough into a rectangle of your desired thickness. I usually aim for a 11×14″ sized sheet.
   
3. Spread butter mixture over dough, leaving a slight edge. If you wanted a cheesy bread, you could sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan at this point.
   
4. Bake for 10 minutes at 500º. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.
   
5. If you want a dipping sauce, simply use some extra pizza sauce. I give ours a kick by blending in some crushed red pepper flakes.
   

 

Notes:

• You can substitute up to 7 ounces (about 1½ cups) of whole wheat flour for the white bread flour, but expect longer rising times and a more stubborn dough. But if you’re patient during shaping, your crust will be just as light and crisp as dough made completely with white flour.
  
• Another important aspect of pizza crust is how you work with it. Be gentle with your dough. I need to stress that you really don’t want to use a rolling pin. Pull and stretch the dough. Pick it up, hanging the edges on your knuckles, and let gravity do the work. If it’s tearing or thinning unevenly, put it back down and just pull at the thicker parts. If it’s fighting you, walk away for five minutes to let it relax.
  

*
I’ve used the roasted garlic in olive oil from the olive bar at the grocery store, but you can also roast your own. Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500ºC. Place the garlic on the hot pizza stone for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Oatmeal & Pecans

I have been trying to find a new chocolate chip cookie recipe that I like as much as the one on the back of the Nestle bag. It’s tough, because it’s a darn good and consistent recipe, but I think I have a new favorite. I started with Ina’s recipe for Chocolate Chunk Cookies in Barefoot Contessa Parties!, and made a few modifications. I like pecans over walnuts for my cookies, and I threw in some oats for texture. These turned out better than I could have hoped, and had that nice balance of a slight crunch and chewy texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound, 4 sticks, unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 Cups Oats
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups chopped Pecans
• 24 oz. semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰.
2. Cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
3. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter with the mixer on low speed, mixing only until combined.
5. Add in oats and mix until combined.
6. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chunks.
7. Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Use the back of the scoop to flatten the dough slightly.
8. Bake for exactly 15 minutes, the cookies will seem underdone, but that keeps them chewy. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

. . . that is only if you can resist the temptation of a warm chocolate chunk cookie and an ice cold glass of milk.