Olive Bread

Recipe found in ‘Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day’

2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup high-quality olives, pitted and halved
cornmeal
cornstarch wash (see directions below)

Ingredients for Cornstarch Wash
Using a fork, blend 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with a small amount of water to form a paste. Add 1/2 cup water and whisk with the fork. Microwave or boil until mixture appears glassy, about 30 to 60 seconds on high. It will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks; discard if it has an off smell.

Directions
1. Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded food container.

2. Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you are not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.

5. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a grapefruit-size piece. Using your hands and a rolling pin, flatten the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cover with olives and roll up to seal inside the dough.

6. Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

7. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 1 hour.

8. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won’t interfere with the rising bread.

9. Just before baking, paint the surface of the loaf with the cornstarch wash, slash a cross, “scallop”, or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife.

10. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the top crust is deeply browned and very firm.

11. Allow to cool on a rack before slicing or eating.

Bonnie’s Buns (ha!)

These buns were a great alternative to traditional holiday rolls. Yummy wheat buns with a honey butter glaze. Great tasting, and healthy!

Thanksgiving Turkey (by Brandon)

Brandon amazes me by the tasks he sets for himself. He stepped up and claimed the duty of cooking the Thanksgiving turkey this year. I on the other hand, get freaked out if I have to cook something that everything else centers around. Brandon is always confident that whatever he cooks will come out fine. For me, I like to test cook dishes before bringing it to a party or cooking it for a special holiday. Not Brandon! I was nervous about him cooking the turkey since he had never done it before, but it came out awesome. Juicy and flavorful. I was very impressed, and I am lucky to be with someone who can cook so well.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 lb)  frozen young turkey

For the brine

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon allspice berry
• 1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
• 1 gallon ice water

For the aromatics

• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• canola oil

Directions

1. Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stock pot and bring to a boil.

2. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

3. Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5 gallon bucket.

4. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours.

5. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

6. A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees.

7. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

8. Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.

9. Discard brine.

10. Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels.

11. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage.

12. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

13. Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500F for 30 minutes.

14. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350°F.

15. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161°F.

16. A 14-16 pound bird should require a total of 2-2 1/2 hours of roasting.

17. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

Parmesan Cheese Risotto with Mushrooms (by Aimee)

I never cooked risotto before I met Brandon. I always passed it by because it seemed like too much trouble. It does require a lot of work (constant stirring), but I think in the end it is well worth your efforts. I have now made risotto on three seperate occassions, and all have came out quite good. I made this recipe last night, and there were no leftovers!

Ingredients:

4 cups of vegetable or chick stock (I used chicken)
2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil (I used olive)
generous 1 cup of risotto
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped (I omitted this)
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I used green)
8 oz./225g mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried (I used dried)
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring the stock to a boil in a pan, then reduce the heat and keep simmering gently over low heat while you are cooking the risotto.

Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add the rice and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, until the grains are thoroughly coated in oil and translucent.

Add the garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the oregano.

Gradually add the hot stock, a ladeful at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition. Increase the heat to medium so that the liquid bubbles. Cook for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes 5 minutes before the end of cooking time and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the Parmesan until it melts. Ready to serve!

Cornbread Casserole (by Natalie)

This past weekend me and Brandon visited my brother and sister-in-law in Lafayette. We ate salmon burgers for lunch, and Natalie cooked the yummiest cornbread casserole. I could have seriously eaten the whole dish myself. I have to make this! I think Thanksgiving will be the perfect opportunity to cook this up. Picture coming soon!

Cornbread Casserole

• 1 can kernel corn, drained
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 (15 ounce) container of sour cream
• 1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
• 1 package of shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together (mix one cup of the cheese in and save the other cup for the topping) and pour into a cooking dish.  Bake for 1 hour at 350ºF, or until it has a custard texture and is browned on top. *about 10 minutes before taking the casserole out, put the remainder of the cheese on top.

Minestrone Soup (by Aimee)

Sadly there is no picture for this soup, but it was oh so yummy! (ask Brandon, he ate it all)

I upped all the spices, and added red pepper flakes..but I kept the original measurements on this recipe

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup minced white onion (about 1 small onion)
• 1 link of smoked sausage (1lb)
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup frozen cut italian green beans (or canned, or omit)
  
• 1/4 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
• 8 cups vegetable broth (Swanson is good *note: Do not use chicken broth!*)
• 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
• 2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or great northern beans, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded (I threw these in the food processor)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach ( you can omit, added no flavor but I enjoyed eating it)
• 2/3 cup small shell pasta

Directions

1. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2. Saute onion, sausage, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.Add 4 cups vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, and spices.
3. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add the other 4 cups of veggie broth and bring back to a boil
5. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.

I kept this on the stove for about an hour to make sure all the spices settled in, and to get the soup thick.
If for some reason it never thickens to your liking, you can blend up some beans and throw it in, adds flavor and thickens!

Flank Steak (by Brandon)

Recipe coming soon!

Sesame Shrimp Noodles (by Aimee)

The first time I made this dish it came out really good, but it needed more kick. Second time around, I made it nice and spicy. The whole dish was consumed in 30 minutes. It has a good smooth sesame oil flavor which I love. I like this dish because you can add whatever you want in it like broccolli, water chestnuts, peanuts, etc.

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti or linguine, broken in half
1 pound of shrimp (or you could use 6 or so chicken thighs)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 red bell pepper sliced
1 orange pepper
8 ounces of mushrooms, slice (or 16 ounces)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (we used around 1-1 1/2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Cook pasta
2. While pasta cooks, in a skillet (deep enough to hold liquid and pasta later on) put a little olive oil and throw in your bell peppers and mushrooms. Cook this down to your liking, and set them aside on a plate.
3. Add some more olive oil to your skillet and throw your shrimp and garlic in. Season your shrimp how you like them, I like to add a little Tony’s. After cooked, set this aside.
4. In the same pan add the soy sauce, broth, red peppers, mushrooms, cornstarch (make sure you mix the cornstarch and sherry together with a fork in a separate bowl before adding) Keep stirring till mixture starts to thicken and bubble. I added an extra half tablespoon because I wanted my sauce a little thicker. Keep stirring constantly to make sure it doesn’t burn.
5.Once thickened add vinegar and crushed red pepper.
6. Take off heat, add pasta, shrimp, sesame seeds. Toss well to combine all ingredients.

Ma Maw Stella’s artichokes

I haven’t made this yet, but I am thinking I will make this sometime this week or next. Liz gave me this recipe last month, and I had forgotten how yummy these were when Mary Anne would make them.

Picture coming soon!

Recipe:  (For one artichoke)

About 2 cups stuffing.   Stuffing is equal parts bread crumbs and finely grated cheese.  (Cheese is one half freshly grated Parmisan and one half freshly grated Asiago; grate with small cheese grater so that cheese is fine).

Italian seasonings:  dried oregano, thyme, rosemary;  probably about one to tablespoons mixed into stuffing.

Mince at least 1/2 head of garlic and toss into stuffing.

Add Salt to taste.

Mix stuffing with fork.  Spoon into leaves of artichoke and drizzle olive oil on top of artichoke.  Wrap with aluminum foil- leave a small opening at top.  Steam for at least one hour.

Asiago pasta (by Brandon)

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled
• 3/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped prosciutto (optional)
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
• 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 tablespoon parsley flakes

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups cream to a simmer, stirring often. Whisk in bouillon and cheese until well blended and bouillon has dissolved completely. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water, and whisk into mixture. Cook and stir till the cream thickens, then remove from heat and set aside.

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Stir in prosciutto, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup cream and parsley flakes. Heat through.

To serve, place pasta in a large mixing or serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and pour in cream sauce. Toss well, and serve.