No-Knead Pizza Dough

I got this recipe from my coworker who mentioned Jim Lahey and Mark Bittman, two names that really did not compute into anything in my mind, but when she said No-Knead, I was intrigued!  Perhaps the hardest part about this whole process is leaving the dough alone.

No-Work Mostly Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
(Adapted from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook)

ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. instant dry yeast activated in 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbs. olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 cup water (at room temperature)

directions

1. Combine first four ingredients plus 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl. Stir in water. The dough should be relatively sticky and wet, like biscuit batter.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and put it in a warm spot. Let the dough sit for at least 6 or up to 12 hours.
3. When you're ready, heat the oven. Generously oil a baking sheet. Dust your hands with a little white flour and fold the dough over in the bowl a few times. It will be sticky, but don't use too much flour. Dust your hands again only when absolutely necessary and use a light, gentle touch. Gently press the dough into the baking sheet.
4. Brush the top of the pizza with a little olive oil, cover, and let sit while you get the toppings together, but no more than 60 minutes or so. 
5. Bake at 400F, for about 20 minutes.

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zucchini and ricotta galette

Zucchini and Ricotta Galette
(adapted from smittenkitchen)

ingredients

• 1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
• 1 Tbs and 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced 
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 Tbs slivered basil leaves
• 1 ready-made pie crust

for glaze:

• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water

directions | filling
Spread the zucchini out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes; gently blot the tops of the zucchini dry with paper towels before using. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and the garlic together; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon of the garlicky olive oil together and season with salt and pepper to taste.


Prepare galette
Preheat oven to 400F. Roll the ready-made dough onto ungreased baking sheet. You can also roll it into a pie tin. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Shingle the zucchini attractively on top of the ricotta in concentric circles, starting at the outside edge. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of the garlic and olive oil mixture evenly over the zucchini. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush crust with egg yolk glaze.

Bake the galette until the cheese is puffed, the zucchini is slightly wilted and the galette is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with basil, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.


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Aunt Judy's Popovers

Aunt Judy's Popovers
(makes 6) 

ingredients

• 1 cup of low fat or 2% milk, warmed
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 +/- Tbs salt
• 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
• non-stick vegetable spray
• Popover pan

directions

1. Place the popover pan in the oven, heat the oven and pan to 350F
2. Gently warm the milk over the low heat
3. Whisk the eggs until frothy
4. Slowly whisk the milk into the eggs
5. Slowly add the flour and salt into the eggs mixture
6. Once the combined mixture is smoothed, remove the pan from the oven, spray the non-stick vegetable spray.
7. Fill each popover cup 1/2 full top and add the grated gruyere cheese to each cup
8. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes

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Orzo Alfredo with Pancetta, Peas & Shrimp

Orzo Alfredo with Pancetta, Peas & Shrimp

ingredients

• 1/2 box of orzo
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• peas
• shrimp
• pancetta, cooked
• salt & pepper

directions

1. Cook orzo according to directions on box.
2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, mix cream, peas, butter, parmesan, pancetta and shrimp. Heat over medium low heat, whisking constantly until parmesan & butter have melted and shrimp has cooked.
3. Combine with orzo, season with salt & pepper and served topped with additional parmesan cheese.

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Chili Relleno Casserole

 

One of The Husband's favorite things to order when we're eating at a Mexican Restaurant is chili relleno. The photo really doesn't do this dish any justice...it's much more delicious than it looks with just a hit of spice. This version is also much healthier than your usual chili relleno and since we're meat-lovers in this family, I packed on the ground meat.

Chili Relleno Casserole
(adapted from For the Love of Cooking)


ingredients

• 5-7 Anaheim chilies (depending on the size)
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tbs flour
• 3 Tbs sour cream
• 1 (3oz) can of sliced black olives
• 2 cups Mexican blend cheese
• 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 lb ground meat
• 1 can green enchilada sauce

directions

1. Rinse chilies and place on a baking sheet covered in foil. Broil chilies for about 5 minutes on each side or until skin is blackened.
2. Remove from oven and place in bowl with cover. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove chilies. Skin and remove veins and seeds. Cut into strips.
3. Preheat oven to 350℉. Combine eggs, flour, sour cream, olives, salt and pepper to taste then mix thoroughly. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
4. Add a layer of the chilies. Then egg mixture, then cheese, then black beans, then ground meat; repeat layers until gone. Top with enchilada sauce and a more cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Serve with optional toppings like sour cream, avocado, salsa & more cheese! 

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Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake
(adapted from epicurious.com)

ingredients

• 1/2 cup fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Scharffen Berger)
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
2. Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler, melt the butter first then chocolate, stirring, until smooth. 
3. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. 
4. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. 
5. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

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Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi
(adapted from Epicurious)

ingredients

• olive oil
• peeled, deveined large raw shrimp
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• salt and pepper
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• pasta, preferably, angel-hair or linguine 
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• zucchini, diced - optional

directions
1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil.
2. Heat oil in skillet over high heat and saute shrimp, turning over once.  Cook for about 2 minutes, just until through, with a slotted spoon, move shrimp to plate.
3. In same skillet with shrimp removed, cook zucchini until through, remove to plate.
4. Add garlic to remaining oil, red pepper flakes, wine, salt & pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally for about 1 minute.
5. Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted, and stir in shrimp & zucchini.  Remove from heat.
6. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta.  Toss pasta well with shrimp mixture and parsley in large bowl.  Add some reserved cooking water if necessary to keep moist.

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