Tour of Italy ~ Day 4... Salute to the Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to my Mason! He is my Pizza Lover, and a Lover of fine Italian style Pizzas he is. Over the years we have spent many hours together in the kitchen perfecting the perfect pizza crust, experimenting with wide varieties of topping combos and enjoying time together and we learned how to mix and match our way through garden of pizza supplies. But I have to admit, we always came back to the standard old Margarita style pizza, add peperoni of course.

Mushroom Margherita Pizza

Ingredients

•   1 cup warm water
•   1 teaspoon salt
•   2 tablespoons olive oil
•   3 cups all-purpose flour
•   2 teaspoons white sugar
•   2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  
  8oz can of tomato sauce
  12 to 16 small fresh mozzarella balls or
  1 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
  2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  fresh Basil
  
  olive oil

Directions

•  Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl to blend. Let stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

• Blend in the oil.

• Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a small well in the center of the flour, add the yeast mixture and blend just until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour. Punch the down dough and divide into 2 equal balls. (The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for 1 day.)

• Position 1 oven rack in the center and the second rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle the cornmeal over 2 rimless baking sheets. Roll out each piece of pizza dough into a 10 to 11-inch-diameter round. Transfer 1 dough to each prepared baking sheet.

• Drizzle 2 teaspoons of oil over each pizza dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the pizza dough, dividing equaling and leaving a 1-inch border around each pizza. Arrange the tomato slices and mushrooms in a single layer over the cheese. Arrange basil leaves on top, drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle garlic all over. Bake the pizzas until the crusts are crisp and brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted on top, about 15 minutes. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil over each pizza. Sprinkle with basil for garnish and salt. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve immediately

Tour of Italy ~ Day 3... Where to start?

Where to begin?

There is an old phrase that states: "When in Rome... do as the Romans do".  The other thing I know to be substantial is the fact every true Italian person I have met, has a full and unbinding love for their families and their Father in Heaven (God). Which I find very interesting and they try very hard to bring that love and passion out in the flavors of their foods. Right up front the magazine suggests that "the best way to understand the Italian Countryside is to understand its regional nature". And on the corresponding page it has a map of Italy and its regions,

So, I decided that is the path we will take. You got to start somewhere... right? Do you have your passports ready?

Tour of Italy ~ Day 2... Filling the Pantry

Tour of Italy ~ Day 2... Filling the Pantry

There are certain pantry supplies that are elemental to Italian cuisine. They help to bring the true flavors to life in every dish.  If you love to cook Italian food, which we will be doing this month, there are certain essentials that you should stock in your pantry.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is a must. You should have a bottle for everyday use, and also a better quality for dipping, drizzling, and dazzling. 

• Balsamic Vinegar, which is used in many dishes. However, it's a good idea to have red wine or white balsamic to have on hand also.

• Pastas.  Stock up on all the varieties and add some new ones, such as curly cavatappi, tagliatelle, or orechiette.

• Yellow Cornmeal, (Polenta), it is a great comfort food that keeps ages.

• Olives in jars are a great Italian staple. Even if you don't use them often, they are an essential ingredient in Italian cooking. They're also a perfect ingredient in antipasti platter.

• Pine nuts are one of the main ingredients in a good pesto. They store well unopened in the pantry, but after opening they should be stored in the freezer or fridge.

• Anchovies (YUCK!) but necessary.  Even if you think you don't like them, try adding one or two to a sauce or a salad dressing. You'll be surprised at the depth they add to flavors. HINT: Make sure you add salt after the anchovies, not before.

• Wines. If you can keep from drinking your supply... :) always have a few bottles of wine on hand; a red, white, a Marsala or any other Italian style wine. They don't have to be expensive but they should be a wine you would want to drink; after all, you're adding it to your food for flavor and depth and the alcohol does cook out. 

 

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe

Ingredients

•  2 cups fresh young basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts 
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 Method:

 I am not a lover of just straight pesto, but I did learn to make pesto the true Italian way from a dear Italian stamping friend of mine while I was living in Connecticut. She would die if she thought that I would ever use a food processor to make my pesto. During the time we spent together,  I think I learned more about true Italian cooking than she ever did about stamping. But we did have alot of fun together and I will always treasure then time we shared. Anyway, back to the pesto... I quickly began to realize that chopping all the ingredients by hand and not blending them in the food processor is the key to good pesto because this prevents the ingredients from becoming a sauce or paste, which I hate with pesto. Chopping keeps things fresh and texturally together, so that when you add it to pastas, bits of pesto will separate and the olive oil will add it to all the right places, you get definition between ingredients and the flavors will pop in a way they don't when they've been blended all into one .

Yield: Makes 1 cup.

Tour of Italy ~ Day 1... The Why!

       I have always been fascinated with the Italian Countryside and several years ago when we were perusing our dreams of owning our own restaurant, I was given an older copy of a "BON APPETIT" magazine dated May 1997. I have treasured it all these years, knowing that some day I was going to cook and love my way through it. Then, we left the restaurant business and not to long after, I started enjoying the benefits of the "Biggest Loser" plan. Next came our move to the beach and I enveloped myself with the styles and charms of the southern comfort foods of the Carolina's. So, while going through one of my old boxes last month, I came acrossed my magazine and decided that since June was my Birthday month and I have some extra daylight hours to spend in my kitchen, I am going to spend the month on a luscious tour of the Italian Countryside. And I would like to bring you all along with me... Why you ask? Because Italian food is always better when shared with family and friends. So let's have some fun in the kitchen together and let's start off with some yummy

Tomato & Broccoli Tapenade

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh broccoli, finely chopped
• 2-4 small white button mushrooms, chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 narrow Italian or French loaf of bread
• 1 head garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise

Directions

1.   Place chopped tomatoes, basil & mushrooms in a large saute pan. Stir in the 2 tablespoons olive oil, (save the other 2 for bruschetta), red pepper, garlic, basil, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar and mix well, warm up on low for 2 minutes. Cover and chill for at least four hours before serving.
2.   To make the bruschetta base: Slice the loaf of bread, on the bias, into 1/2-inch slices, (about 12-15 per loaf). Rub each slice   with fresh garlic clove and then brush with olive oil. Place bread in oven on sheet pan, bake on 350 until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve warm with chilled Tapenade.
3.    To serve: Fold feta into Tapenade, Place bread slices on serving dish, spoon 2 tablespoons of Tapenade onto each slice of bread and serve.

Nutritional Information 

Serving size is 2 pieces... 
Amount Per Serving:   Calories: 114 / Total Fat: 11.1g / Cholesterol: 8mg / Sodium 110mg / Protein 2.0g

"Tuesday's with Dorie" - Pecan Sticky Buns

Pecan Sticky Buns
(Bread Machine Recipe)

I have tried today's recipe several times and just like in the past... it just really doesn't work for me, so I thought I would share our favorite. I am very heavy handed in my kneading, therefore I use the bread machine recipe to help cut down on the handling time.

 Ingredients
* 1 1/4 cups milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 2 teaspoons instant yeast
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon cinnamon
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1/3 cup butter
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup light corn syrup
* 1 cup pecans, chopped

1. Place the flour, white sugar, salt, yeast, milk, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of butter into your bread machine as directed in your user's manual. Program it for the "Dough" cycle.
2. While the dough is mixing, prepare the filling by mixing the 3/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon together. Let the 6 tablespoons of butter come to room temperature.
3. Grease the bottom and sides of a 13"x9" baking pan.
4. When the dough cycle is nearly finished, make the caramel topping by combining the 1/3 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and corn syrup in a small pan over moderate heat. Heat and stir just until the syrup is dissolved, then pour it into the baking pan and spread it out. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the caramel.
5. When the dough cycle ends, remove the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to make a 12" by 15" rectangle.
6. Spread the softened butter across the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the butter.
7. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll, lengthwise. Pinch the seam closed.
8. Cut the dough into 1 1/2" sections and place them in the baking pan, close together, with the spiral cut down.
9. Cover the buns tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
10. In the morning, take the pan out of the refrigreator while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
11. After the dough has been out of the refrigerator about 20-30 minutes, bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes, or until buns are nicely browned on top.
12. Remove from the oven, then place a wire rack on top the pan. Place another baking sheet or pan over that. While firmly holding these three together, flip the buns over, being careful not to let the hot caramel drip on you.
13. Let the buns cool 20-30 minutes before serving.

NOTE: If you prefer to bake them right away, let the buns rise at room temperature, lightly covered with plastic wrap, about 45 minutes or until they are puffy and the tops are about as high as the pan itself.

"Tuesday's with Dorie"... Chocolate Truffle Tarts

I am not one who enjoys warm soggy raspberries in with my chocolate, but I have to admit these are pretty good. I would make these again...

Join in the fun & Check out other great at  "Tuesday's with Dori".

Make-Over Monday - Mashed Cauliflower

I was so excited when my hubby gave me a copy of Chef Anne Burrell's "Cooking like a Rockstar" Here is our first attempt!  "Big Brown Braised Short Ribs" We really enjoyed the ribs and since I am trying very hard to be good and semi-stick to my "Biggest Loser" plan, we chose to replace the mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. It was all very tasty! :)

Mashed Cauliflower 

Ingredients

• 8 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
• 2 - 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 1/3 cup nonfat milk or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Snipped fresh chives for garnish

Preparation

1. Place cauliflower florets and garlic in  boiling water, cook until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place florets and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl with 1/4 cup water, cover and microwave on High for 3 to 5 minutes.)
2. Place the cooked cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Add milk,  butter, salt and pepper; pulse several times, then process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl.  You can drizzle with the  2 teaspoons oil and garnish with chives, if desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Per serving: 107 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 3 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 339 mg sodium; 288 mg potassium