Last night we had fantastic turkey, smoked with wood from Maker's Mark bourbon barrels. I am making a concerted effort to use what we have on hand, so we are not accumulating more food, or worse still, wasting it. This led me to come up with a plan for the leftover turkey.
What could be better than smoked turkey clubs, with a side salad. Must have been a good idea, because Neil went along with it, and made awesome sandwiches.
Fresh sourdough bread, lightly toasted. 3 slices per sandwich.
Smoked turkey, in bite size pieces
Crisply cooked bacon
Roma Tomatoes, Lettuce
Mayo
Medium cheddar, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Build your sandwich, and enjoy!!!
Monday, 8 July 2013
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Pondering about pizza
I spotted pizza dough in the freezer this morning, and dropped a BIG hint about having it for dinner. Was thrilled to get home to a house that smelled like a pizzeria! Slightly prebaked dough, and simmering homemade tomato sauce were in the air.
Since I have already shared our Cajun pizza recipe, I decided to talk about some interesting pizza facts today.
The earliest form of pizza was a crude bread, dating back to the Stone Age. After cooking, the bread was seasoned with a number of toppings.
Throughout history there are regular references to these round breads with toppings. Tomatoes were added in the 1500's when they were brought to Europe from Peru.
Pizza came to North America in the latter half of the 19th century, but didn't really become popular in the mainstream until the 1950's. In 1957, frozen pizza was introduced and became the most popular frozen food.
Since I have already shared our Cajun pizza recipe, I decided to talk about some interesting pizza facts today.
The earliest form of pizza was a crude bread, dating back to the Stone Age. After cooking, the bread was seasoned with a number of toppings.
Throughout history there are regular references to these round breads with toppings. Tomatoes were added in the 1500's when they were brought to Europe from Peru.
Pizza came to North America in the latter half of the 19th century, but didn't really become popular in the mainstream until the 1950's. In 1957, frozen pizza was introduced and became the most popular frozen food.
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Chicken Pillars - formerly called Upright Chicken Wraps
So these Chicken Wraps need a better name. I haven't got it yet, but I am open to suggestions. They look fantastic, and taste fantastic.
We were introduced to this presentation at a shop just around the corner from Neil's office. They put together fantastic wraps, that stand upright on your plate. I wanted to call them towers, but the originating restaurant uses that term for theirs, so Neil did not want to use it.
UPDATE: Decided to call them pillars. My chef says that's okay.
UPDATE: Decided to call them pillars. My chef says that's okay.
RECIPE
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bunch rapini
1 red pepper
1 cooking onion
8-10 asparagus stalks
3 large flour tortillas
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
garlic powder
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Butterfly the chicken breasts and marinate in balsamic vinegar for 30 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from marinade, and cover them with a generous shake of garlic powder.
Slice the onion in half lengthwise and then slice one half into thirds lengthwise. Separate the layers for grilling. Slice the red pepper lengthwise and then slice into strips. Put a small amount of balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a medium size mixing bowl. Toss the onion and red pepper in it.
Grill the chicken breasts on searing hot barbecue. Grill until cooked, taking care not to overcook or to burn edges. The chicken should have grill marks but not be blackened. Remove from grill and allow to sit for a few minute, then cut chicken into strips.
Grill the onion and red pepper on the barbecue. Run 7 or 8 rapini stalks under water and then grill. (The water keeps it from burning, creating a steaming type effect.) Brush rapini with olive oil while grilling. Grill asparagus stalks using the same method as the rapini. When cooked, remove all vegetables from the barbecue and cut into 2 inch pieces. Toss all of the vegetables with the chicken and add salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 3 equal portions and then roll each portion tightly into a flour tortilla.
Put the rolls onto the hot grill and turn as required to crisp the roll, leaving dark grill marks. Remove rolls from the grill and cut across the middle. Stand 3 pieces upright on the cut end on 2 plates and serve with a side salad on the same plate. Fresh baby greens with a balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette is a great choice! Serves 2.
Saturday, 20 April 2013
Excellent Enchiladas
We have been enjoying homemade Mexican food for years, but this particular combination is new, and works so well together, it has quickly become a favourite.
I found out this was on the menu earlier today, and was so distracted thinking about it I could hardly pay attention at yoga. I convinced myself I was STARVING because I was looking forward to this meal.
The salad is head lettuce chopped into 3/4 to 1 inch chunks, shredded carrot, diced green pepper, diced tomato (we use Roma tomatoes) and diced red onion. This is topped with a Ranch dressing, with salt and ground black pepper.
The rice is wild grain rice, with salsa. (Mild, medium or hot, depending on how you like it.) Diced tomato, a touch of diced green pepper. Put one cup of rice, two cups of water, and the other ingredients in a bowl in the microwave on high for 18-20 minutes.
And the best of all is the Excellent Enchilada.
Recipe
2 lb medium ground beef
2 packets of taco seasoning
diced jalapeno
large flour tortillas
Monterey Jack cheese
medium cheddar
salsa (your choice of brand, and heat level, we use hot)
green salsa (tomatillo)
sour cream
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Cook beef until pink is gone, and then drain. Add 2 packets of Taco Seasoning following directions. (We use El Paso). Simmer until most of liquid has evaporated, leaving a rich sauce. If desired, add a bit of finely diced jalapeno for extra heat.
Use large flour tortillas. Grate a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese (about 1-1/2 cups overall). Place a row of sprinkled cheese along the centre of the taco shell. On top the cheese spoon a light amount of salsa. Place the ground beef on top of the salsa. Fold both sides of the taco over the ends of the row of meat mixture. Fold one side of the taco in, and roll the taco to close. This can be tricky first time you try it.
Put the taco on a serving plate that can go in the oven, and top with shredded cheese mixture. Spoon a moderate amount of red salsa over the cheese and place the plate in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and spoon green salsa (tomatillo) over the top of the enchilada. Put rice on the plate, serve the salad, and you are ready to eat! Serve with a ramekin of sour cream for the enchilada, if desired.
I found out this was on the menu earlier today, and was so distracted thinking about it I could hardly pay attention at yoga. I convinced myself I was STARVING because I was looking forward to this meal.
The salad is head lettuce chopped into 3/4 to 1 inch chunks, shredded carrot, diced green pepper, diced tomato (we use Roma tomatoes) and diced red onion. This is topped with a Ranch dressing, with salt and ground black pepper.
The rice is wild grain rice, with salsa. (Mild, medium or hot, depending on how you like it.) Diced tomato, a touch of diced green pepper. Put one cup of rice, two cups of water, and the other ingredients in a bowl in the microwave on high for 18-20 minutes.
And the best of all is the Excellent Enchilada.
Recipe
2 lb medium ground beef
2 packets of taco seasoning
diced jalapeno
large flour tortillas
Monterey Jack cheese
medium cheddar
salsa (your choice of brand, and heat level, we use hot)
green salsa (tomatillo)
sour cream
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Cook beef until pink is gone, and then drain. Add 2 packets of Taco Seasoning following directions. (We use El Paso). Simmer until most of liquid has evaporated, leaving a rich sauce. If desired, add a bit of finely diced jalapeno for extra heat.
Use large flour tortillas. Grate a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese (about 1-1/2 cups overall). Place a row of sprinkled cheese along the centre of the taco shell. On top the cheese spoon a light amount of salsa. Place the ground beef on top of the salsa. Fold both sides of the taco over the ends of the row of meat mixture. Fold one side of the taco in, and roll the taco to close. This can be tricky first time you try it.
Put the taco on a serving plate that can go in the oven, and top with shredded cheese mixture. Spoon a moderate amount of red salsa over the cheese and place the plate in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and spoon green salsa (tomatillo) over the top of the enchilada. Put rice on the plate, serve the salad, and you are ready to eat! Serve with a ramekin of sour cream for the enchilada, if desired.
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
Veal Parmigiana
The Cajun burgers last week were so good, we were going to have them again this week. Today was a glorious spring day, at least during the couple of minutes I was outside during the workday. We were looking forward to hanging out in the sunshine, and barbecuing.
Mother Nature had other plans. Torrential rain, with no sign of slowing down for a couple of days....
Time to switch it up and have veal. Veal Parmigiana is actually a dish I used to make way back when I cooked. Pretty straightforward to prepare, and good success rate.
Ingredients:
2 slices of milk fed veal
1 egg
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs (have extra available, if needed)
vegetable oil
1 jar (750 ml - 1 litre) tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
grated parmesan cheese (1/4 cup for veal, 1/4 cup for pasta, or to taste)
2 servings of good quality Italian pasta
Recipe
To begin, pound veal with a tenderizer. Whisk an egg, you can remove the yolk first, but we don't. Take the veal, and run it through the egg while it is still in the bowl, and then through Italian bread crumbs which have been poured onto a plate.
Put a splash of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Let oil get hot, then add veal, with stove set medium high. Fry until breadcrumbs on veal become golden.
Put a thin layer of tomato sauce in a casserole dish. The dish should be big enough to accommodate placing the pieces of veal in it side by side. Place the veal on top of the tomato sauce.
Put a layer of sliced or shredded mozzarella on top of the veal. Spoon more tomato sauce over cheese. Sprinkle a generous helping of grated parmesan over top. Cover, and place in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.
Prep tomato sauce for side of pasta. Today we are prepping a homemade tomato sauce by adding fresh basil. Simmer over medium heat.
Boil water and cook pasta al dente. Drain pasta and let sit for a couple of minutes. Put a little oil in frying pan. Heat to medium high temperature. Toss pasta in hot pan for a couple of minutes. Add pasta sauce and continue to toss.
To serve, place veal parmigiana on plate, with pasta on the side.
Mother Nature had other plans. Torrential rain, with no sign of slowing down for a couple of days....
Time to switch it up and have veal. Veal Parmigiana is actually a dish I used to make way back when I cooked. Pretty straightforward to prepare, and good success rate.
Ingredients:
2 slices of milk fed veal
1 egg
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs (have extra available, if needed)
vegetable oil
1 jar (750 ml - 1 litre) tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
grated parmesan cheese (1/4 cup for veal, 1/4 cup for pasta, or to taste)
2 servings of good quality Italian pasta
Recipe
To begin, pound veal with a tenderizer. Whisk an egg, you can remove the yolk first, but we don't. Take the veal, and run it through the egg while it is still in the bowl, and then through Italian bread crumbs which have been poured onto a plate.
Put a splash of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Let oil get hot, then add veal, with stove set medium high. Fry until breadcrumbs on veal become golden.
Put a thin layer of tomato sauce in a casserole dish. The dish should be big enough to accommodate placing the pieces of veal in it side by side. Place the veal on top of the tomato sauce.
Put a layer of sliced or shredded mozzarella on top of the veal. Spoon more tomato sauce over cheese. Sprinkle a generous helping of grated parmesan over top. Cover, and place in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.
Prep tomato sauce for side of pasta. Today we are prepping a homemade tomato sauce by adding fresh basil. Simmer over medium heat.
Boil water and cook pasta al dente. Drain pasta and let sit for a couple of minutes. Put a little oil in frying pan. Heat to medium high temperature. Toss pasta in hot pan for a couple of minutes. Add pasta sauce and continue to toss.
To serve, place veal parmigiana on plate, with pasta on the side.
Thursday, 4 April 2013
Bourbon St. Burger
Neil got his idea for these Cajun burgers from a restaurant on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. We had some awesome meals in Louisiana! We didn't actually try the burgers at the restaurant because there were too many other fantastic choices, but the description of the burger inspired this creation.
You may be surprised to see toast in the photo. WHAT??? Neil is serving burgers on plain old white toast? This is an idea from another restaurant, Marilyn's Lounge. Marilyn's was one of Neil's favourites back in the 80's in Pointe Claire, Quebec. Try it. You might be surprised. The benefit to using the toast is that the burger patty is the real star.
I have also suggested that we try it out on a gourmet onion bun next time for a different taste. I'll let you know....
Recipe
1 lb. medium ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 pkg onion soup mix
2 tsp garlic
1-1/2 tbsp. Cajun spice
1 tsp Creole seasoning
1 medium cooking onion
Mix the ground beef and ground pork thoroughly. Add the seasonings and knead them in thoroughly. Form into burger patties and barbecue.
Cut the onion into medium thick slices and fry.
Serve the burgers topped with the fried onions and other condiments of your choice. Serve with a side of homemade fries.
New option: Instead of usual condiments, top with fried onions and Bourbon BBQ sauce. We found a fantastic one called Bourbon Q's. Seems we got this sauce in Louisville, Kentucky at the Liquor Barn. It is an awesome place to get interesting sauces! And now that we have found how terrific this sauce is on the burgers, we are going to make a trip to Louisville for some more. One of our favourite restaurants is in Louisville, so there will be more to follow on that in a couple of months.
I had started off calling this the Cajun burger, but now I have renamed it the Bourbon St. burger, as that is how it will be served here.
I know everyone is not going to head off to Louisville to pick up this sauce, but it is available online. www.bourbonq.com
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
Ground Beef Shepherd's Pie
Neil will be the first to tell you that real Shepherd's Pie is not made with beef. He will ask if you have ever seen shepherds herding cattle? But Lamb Shepherd's Pie is harder to find these days. We had a fabulous version at Baker St. Station in Guelph last summer. It was so good we went back 2 weeks in a row and ordered the same thing. But alas, it is no longer on the menu. They tell us it may show up as a special now and then.
Still have some good things on the menu, a little out there with some of the choices, but there should be something for everyone. http://bakerstreetstation.ca/
But back to our Ground Beef Shepherd's Pie. One of those great comfort food meals that is easy to enjoy.
RECIPE
Serves 4. Oven temp. 375 degrees
Dice one medium carrot, and very finely dice 1/2 an onion. Brown 2 lbs. ground beef in fry pan. Add about 3 tablespoons of garlic powder (lots), or to suit your taste. While beef is still slightly pink, drain it and set it aside. Dissolve 2 beef Bovril cubes in 1-1/2 cups of water. Put the ground beef back in, add diced onions and carrots, and 1/4 cup of frozen peas. Simmer until liquid is nearly gone.
Cut 5 large white potatoes into cubes, and boil. After potatoes are cooked, and drained add 1/4 cup of milk, and salt, pepper and mash until medium texture.
Put the beef mixture into 1 large shallow casserole dish (10-12") and top with the potatoes.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, uncovered, until potatoes are golden.
I recommend making this dish for 2, and then you have great leftovers for lunch!
Still have some good things on the menu, a little out there with some of the choices, but there should be something for everyone. http://bakerstreetstation.ca/
But back to our Ground Beef Shepherd's Pie. One of those great comfort food meals that is easy to enjoy.
RECIPE
Serves 4. Oven temp. 375 degrees
Dice one medium carrot, and very finely dice 1/2 an onion. Brown 2 lbs. ground beef in fry pan. Add about 3 tablespoons of garlic powder (lots), or to suit your taste. While beef is still slightly pink, drain it and set it aside. Dissolve 2 beef Bovril cubes in 1-1/2 cups of water. Put the ground beef back in, add diced onions and carrots, and 1/4 cup of frozen peas. Simmer until liquid is nearly gone.
Cut 5 large white potatoes into cubes, and boil. After potatoes are cooked, and drained add 1/4 cup of milk, and salt, pepper and mash until medium texture.
Put the beef mixture into 1 large shallow casserole dish (10-12") and top with the potatoes.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, uncovered, until potatoes are golden.
I recommend making this dish for 2, and then you have great leftovers for lunch!
Monday, 1 April 2013
Teriyaki Stirfry
After a long weekend full of great food, it was a little harder to find inspiration today. Days like this are perfect for an old favourite that is easy to prepare, fresh and healthy.
Recipe
green cabbage
bean sprouts
snow peas
one chicken breast
3/4 cup sticky rice
Teriyaki marinade (thick sauce, we use VH)
Terikayi sauce (thin sauce, we use Kikkoman)
Thinly slice green cabbage, so that you have 2-3 cups of shredded cabbage. Cut a dozen or so snow peas on an angle, so that pieces are about 1/2 inch each. Slice one chicken breast into very thin slices. Slice across the shorter length of the chicken breast rather than the long edge, so pieces are a little smaller.
Put 3/4 cup of sticky rice in a bowl. Add 1 tsp. of flour, and mix with the rice. Add 1-1/2 cups of water and cook in microwave at power level 8 for 20 minutes.
Stir fry chicken in a pan with a touch of oil, and a little water to keep it moist. Set aside.
Stir fry cabbage and snow peas. Add a little water to keep it moist.
When cabbage gets cooked appearance (loses rigidity), add 2 cups of bean sprouts. Continue to stir fry for about 3 minutes at medium high heat. Remove from heat.
On serving plate, place rice on one side, cabbage mixture on the other. Place the chicken on top, centred between the rice and vegetables. Mix heavy teriyaki sauce, with light teriyaki sauce to get a medium consistency. VH makes a nice thick one, for the heavy sauce, and there are lots of the lighter, thinner sauces on the market. Put about 1/8 cup of sauce on each serving.
Can be served with Sriracha sauce to heat the flavour up a bit. Just sprinkle some on top, to taste.
Recipe
green cabbage
bean sprouts
snow peas
one chicken breast
3/4 cup sticky rice
Teriyaki marinade (thick sauce, we use VH)
Terikayi sauce (thin sauce, we use Kikkoman)
Thinly slice green cabbage, so that you have 2-3 cups of shredded cabbage. Cut a dozen or so snow peas on an angle, so that pieces are about 1/2 inch each. Slice one chicken breast into very thin slices. Slice across the shorter length of the chicken breast rather than the long edge, so pieces are a little smaller.
Put 3/4 cup of sticky rice in a bowl. Add 1 tsp. of flour, and mix with the rice. Add 1-1/2 cups of water and cook in microwave at power level 8 for 20 minutes.
Stir fry chicken in a pan with a touch of oil, and a little water to keep it moist. Set aside.
Stir fry cabbage and snow peas. Add a little water to keep it moist.
When cabbage gets cooked appearance (loses rigidity), add 2 cups of bean sprouts. Continue to stir fry for about 3 minutes at medium high heat. Remove from heat.
On serving plate, place rice on one side, cabbage mixture on the other. Place the chicken on top, centred between the rice and vegetables. Mix heavy teriyaki sauce, with light teriyaki sauce to get a medium consistency. VH makes a nice thick one, for the heavy sauce, and there are lots of the lighter, thinner sauces on the market. Put about 1/8 cup of sauce on each serving.
Can be served with Sriracha sauce to heat the flavour up a bit. Just sprinkle some on top, to taste.
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Flatiron Steak Beet Salad
fionn maccool'sToday is St. Patrick's Day, and I want to talk about a really great dish that I have at Fionn MacCool's in Kitchener. They have a live band for St. Pat's and a great environment!
My favourite dish there is the Flatiron Steak Beet Salad. The salad is full of fresh mixed greens, grape tomatoes, onions, peppers. A little bit like a greek salad, but then it has two colours of cooked beets, an orange type and the traditional red-purple beets. It is topped with an oil and vinegar type dressing, and goat cheese feta. Who knew goat cheese was soooo delicious? Love it on so many things these days.
The salad is topped with strips of grilled flatiron steak, cooked medium rare, with spicy seasoning. Really fantastic!!!
We haven't tried this at home yet. Beets have never been cooked in this house, which is too bad, since I think they are really great. I will keep working on Chef Neil whenever I order this, and one day he might break down and cook it.
My favourite dish there is the Flatiron Steak Beet Salad. The salad is full of fresh mixed greens, grape tomatoes, onions, peppers. A little bit like a greek salad, but then it has two colours of cooked beets, an orange type and the traditional red-purple beets. It is topped with an oil and vinegar type dressing, and goat cheese feta. Who knew goat cheese was soooo delicious? Love it on so many things these days.
The salad is topped with strips of grilled flatiron steak, cooked medium rare, with spicy seasoning. Really fantastic!!!
We haven't tried this at home yet. Beets have never been cooked in this house, which is too bad, since I think they are really great. I will keep working on Chef Neil whenever I order this, and one day he might break down and cook it.
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Johann's Roasted Potatoes
So glad our good friend Johann loves to cook too! We have had lots of fantastic meals at Johann and Denise's house. The guys like to try out different recipes, and the girls like to hang out and enjoy the great food. Today we had Flintstones steaks. Well really they were ENORMOUS t-bones grilled to perfection, but I swear I have never seen such a big steak since the Flintstones were on TV.
The steaks were served with Greek salad, roasted potatoes, grilled mushrooms and peppers. Today's recipe is for the roasted potatoes. Super easy, and taste so great Neil makes them regularly.
Select mini white potatoes. Put a generous splash of oil in a casserole dish. Roll the potatoes in the oil to lightly coat them. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and cilantro. Another great option is to use rosemary instead of the cilantro. Roast at 350 for about 40-45 min.
The steaks were served with Greek salad, roasted potatoes, grilled mushrooms and peppers. Today's recipe is for the roasted potatoes. Super easy, and taste so great Neil makes them regularly.
Select mini white potatoes. Put a generous splash of oil in a casserole dish. Roll the potatoes in the oil to lightly coat them. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and cilantro. Another great option is to use rosemary instead of the cilantro. Roast at 350 for about 40-45 min.
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Spicy Mediterranean Thin Crust Pizza
I am a big fan of homemade pizza. There are so many options for toppings that there is something for everyone. This one is pretty spicy, not for those who don't love a bit of zing!
Neil buys fresh pizza dough at an Italian supermarket. It is available in a lot of local supermarkets that have instore bakeries, but is often sold frozen. Frozen dough is still workable, but needs to be bought ahead of time so that you have time to thaw it. Best bet is to place it in a bowl covered with a damp cloth, and allow it to rise before stretching out.
For the past several years, we have been using pizza stones from the Pampered Chef. For a thin crust pizza the stone is a definite advantage, as the surface keeps the dough from shrinking away from the edges before it is cooked. Stretch out the dough on the stone, and bake for 3-5 minutes maximum, just until the top has lightly dried. Remove from the oven, flip the dough over, and you will not only have the perfect crust to place your toppings on, you will never have a soggy bottomed pizza.
Pizza Recipe
Makes 2 pizzas for 4 hungry people.
Preheat oven to 375.
1 bag pizza dough
1 pkg fresh basil
Maestro Calabrese hot salami, THINLY sliced
1/4 medium green pepper
1/4 medium red pepper
8-9 sundried tomato slices in oil (cut in thin strips)
1 small plum tomato, very thinly sliced
6-8 mushrooms, thinly sliced
14-16 medium Kalamato black olives, halved lengthwise
grated mozzarella cheese, spread thinly
grated asiago cheese, spread thinly
Clubhouse Cajun spice
homemade tomato sauce - spread thin on both crusts
Apply flour lightly to 2 pizza stones. Divide pizza dough into 2 balls and flatten each, then roll directly onto stones. Add Cajun spice to tomato sauce in fry pan, and cook gently to reduce. Prep vegetables. Thinly spread tomato sauce on prebaked dough. Sprinkle basil and then spread mushroom slices over pizza, followed by salami slices, both peppers, and more basil. Spread a small amount of mozzarella, followed by sundried tomatoes, then more mozzarella. Add olives, and then asiago cheese. Bake at 375 for 5-10 minutes, the change temperature to 400 until crust is lightly browned.
Alternatives: We have used flatbread from the supermarket, and even Naan as a crust. The fresh pizza dough is best, but making pizza on the premade alternatives is quick and easy.
We use our homemade tomato sauce in all of our recipes, but store bought sauce will also work. Our sauce is thin, and contains only tomatoes, onions and garlic. Read the ingredients when selecting your sauce, and stick to the more natural ones for best results.
Neil buys fresh pizza dough at an Italian supermarket. It is available in a lot of local supermarkets that have instore bakeries, but is often sold frozen. Frozen dough is still workable, but needs to be bought ahead of time so that you have time to thaw it. Best bet is to place it in a bowl covered with a damp cloth, and allow it to rise before stretching out.
For the past several years, we have been using pizza stones from the Pampered Chef. For a thin crust pizza the stone is a definite advantage, as the surface keeps the dough from shrinking away from the edges before it is cooked. Stretch out the dough on the stone, and bake for 3-5 minutes maximum, just until the top has lightly dried. Remove from the oven, flip the dough over, and you will not only have the perfect crust to place your toppings on, you will never have a soggy bottomed pizza.
Pizza Recipe
Makes 2 pizzas for 4 hungry people.
Preheat oven to 375.
1 bag pizza dough
1 pkg fresh basil
Maestro Calabrese hot salami, THINLY sliced
1/4 medium green pepper
1/4 medium red pepper
8-9 sundried tomato slices in oil (cut in thin strips)
1 small plum tomato, very thinly sliced
6-8 mushrooms, thinly sliced
14-16 medium Kalamato black olives, halved lengthwise
grated mozzarella cheese, spread thinly
grated asiago cheese, spread thinly
Clubhouse Cajun spice
homemade tomato sauce - spread thin on both crusts
Apply flour lightly to 2 pizza stones. Divide pizza dough into 2 balls and flatten each, then roll directly onto stones. Add Cajun spice to tomato sauce in fry pan, and cook gently to reduce. Prep vegetables. Thinly spread tomato sauce on prebaked dough. Sprinkle basil and then spread mushroom slices over pizza, followed by salami slices, both peppers, and more basil. Spread a small amount of mozzarella, followed by sundried tomatoes, then more mozzarella. Add olives, and then asiago cheese. Bake at 375 for 5-10 minutes, the change temperature to 400 until crust is lightly browned.
Alternatives: We have used flatbread from the supermarket, and even Naan as a crust. The fresh pizza dough is best, but making pizza on the premade alternatives is quick and easy.
We use our homemade tomato sauce in all of our recipes, but store bought sauce will also work. Our sauce is thin, and contains only tomatoes, onions and garlic. Read the ingredients when selecting your sauce, and stick to the more natural ones for best results.
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus
We had a fantastic meal at Entertaining Elements in Kitchener, with my sister Lori, and Clarence. Dinner with a Chef features a meal cooked by a local chef. The 12 guests sit around the large cooking island, so we can all chat and watch the chef prepare our meal. Tonight's meal had mussels as the appetizer. Lori didn't think she was a fan, but bravely tried them, and enjoyed them. The key to mussels is truly the broth, and this one was excellent. The rest of the meal consisted of salad, Chateaubriand and asparagus wrapped in proscuitto.
I was not familiar with Chateaubriand, but knew it was beef tenderloin which is one of my favourites. Turns out it is a very thick cut of beef tenderloin, and it was amazing. This was not the item that Neil chose to try at home, but I will be suggesting that in the near future.
The item that was chosen from this meal to try at home was the asparagus wrapped in proscuitto. This is very easy, and very tasty.
When shopping for this dish, select the thinner stalks of asparagus. Group stalks of asparagus into bundles of about 8 pieces (serving for one). Wrap a piece of proscuitto around the center of the bundle. Place bundles on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Prosciutto will be crispy and asparagus will be tender but not overcooked.
Of course Neil did an adaptation to this recipe, by taking the remainder of the proscuitto and placing the strips across the lengths of asparagus sending all that flavour down into the asparagus as it cooked. The result is crispy proscuitto, tender asparagus, and superb flavour.
I was not familiar with Chateaubriand, but knew it was beef tenderloin which is one of my favourites. Turns out it is a very thick cut of beef tenderloin, and it was amazing. This was not the item that Neil chose to try at home, but I will be suggesting that in the near future.
The item that was chosen from this meal to try at home was the asparagus wrapped in proscuitto. This is very easy, and very tasty.
When shopping for this dish, select the thinner stalks of asparagus. Group stalks of asparagus into bundles of about 8 pieces (serving for one). Wrap a piece of proscuitto around the center of the bundle. Place bundles on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Prosciutto will be crispy and asparagus will be tender but not overcooked.
Of course Neil did an adaptation to this recipe, by taking the remainder of the proscuitto and placing the strips across the lengths of asparagus sending all that flavour down into the asparagus as it cooked. The result is crispy proscuitto, tender asparagus, and superb flavour.
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