Focaccia BLT

Yes, I am an advocate of baking from scratch as often as possible and yes, I try to avoid processed foods as a general rule of thumb – but realistically, sometimes you just need a shortcut! When I do resort to a package mix of any kind, I add my own fresh ingredients to the mix so it feels homemade. For example; if I make package brownie mix I add Kahlúa and chocolate covered espresso beans.

Today I made Focaccia bread from a box and added – well, you know those Everything Bagels? – That’s kind of what I was aiming for.

Italian-Style Focaccia Bread
1 package Focaccia bread mix (I used and Italian-style Asiago and Sweet Basil blend)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon chopped, dried onion
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh rosemary (in keeping with the Italian theme)

I made the mix per package instructions, except I switched out their packet of yeast for my own Rapid Rise Yeast, and I added the above ingredients.

Also, instead of baking the loaf on a baking sheet as suggested, I put it in a small casserole as I wanted to add height to the loaf for the sandwiches I’d be making for dinner.

Mmm...Smells like Noah’s Bagels in here!

After the loaf cools on a wire rack, slice in half horizontally and drizzle each side with approximately 1 tablespoon each, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.



 
To assemble the BLT - Spread both sides of the focaccia with mayonnaise - top with crispy bacon, sliced tomatoes (salt and pepper to taste) - then pile on the lettuce - add some fresh basil leaves if you wish. Serve with a dill pickle spear and a side of salad or fruit. Tonight we had potato salad.




Bakin’ Bacon
Thick cut bacon, for two I made used 10 slices
Fresh ground pepper

Spray a rimmed baking sheet and a large baking rack with non-stick cooking spray. Place the rack over the baking sheet. Put the bacon slices on the rack - over the baking sheet. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Bake at 350-degrees F. for 12-15 minutes – remove from oven and flip bacon over – bake another 12 minutes and flip one last time – continue baking to desired crispness, approximately 3-5 minutes for thick cut bacon. Be careful not to splash bacon grease as you remove bacon from the oven.

Baking your bacon separates the bacon from the grease – less fat to ingest and you don’t have to give up the crunch! I just know that in heaven, bacon and chocolate will both be fat-free and calorie free!

I will give you my recipe for my basic potato salad in another posting. Instead let me quickly tell you my trick for the perfect hard-boiled egg every time.

In truth, the perfect hard-boiled egg is not really boiled. But I promise, if you follow these easy steps, (and you are using fresh eggs!) you will never have to worry about sticking shells or slightly raw yokes, etc. Here is how you do it:

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs EVERYTIME
In a small sauce pan, place 4 inches of cool water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Set aside.

Meanwhile, using a small straight-pin, poke a hole in the wide-rounded end of each egg – be careful not to puncture too deeply, just pierce the shell. What this step does is allows for water to seep into the shell and help separate the membrane from the shell so that when you go to peel it, it does not stick to the egg.

Place eggs into water and place pan over high heat, cover with lid and bring to a rolling boil. As soon as the eggs come to a boil, remove it from the heat - leave the lid on. Set the for 18 to 20 minutes, depending on the number of eggs being cooked. (I usually cook 6 at a time for 18 minutes).

While the eggs are resting in the hot water, fill a bowl with 3 cups ice and cold water until approximately 5-6 inches deep. When the timer goes off, drain the eggs and then plunge them into the ice water.

Leave the eggs sit in the ice water until cool to the touch, approximately 5 minutes – this step stops the cooking process and prevents the eggs from getting a green sulfur ring around the yolk.

Another helpful hint regarding hard-boiled eggs is when you go to crack them open, always rap the larger rounded end of the egg on the counter first (it has to do with the air pocket in that end of the egg - I don't remember the exact details of why - just trust me - it helps). Then rap the pointed end on the counter, follow by rolling the sides on the counter breifly - then peel under cold water.

It Smells Like Autumn

Squash roasting in the oven, onion sizzling on the stove - soon it will be stuffed turkey and pumpkin pie scents wafting through the house. Ah, autumn.

Tonight's dinner was pork chops with a fig-heirloom tomato relish, roasted acorn squash and Brussels sprouts. The recipes are below. Please note that when I came up with this fig-relish, I orignally added pomegranate seeds - you will notice I did not list that ingredient in the recipe. It's not that the flavor didn't go well, it was the "surprise" texture - almost unsure if you were crunching bits of porkchop bones. If you want to add the pomegranate seeds to this dish, I would advise you did so by sprinkling the seeds atop the relish just prior to serving. I was very pleased with the flavor of the fig-heirloom tomato relish - very interesting blend of flavors. I hope you try it!

Pork Chops with Fig and Heirloom Tomato Relish

3 pork chops, bone-in
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large heirloom tomato
10-12 small fresh figs
2 shallots, minced
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 c. white wine
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toss in heirloom tomato and figs to blanch for 30 seconds, remove to a rack to cool slightly. Peel and coarsely chop tomato and figs. Set aside.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. Place chops into hot skillet and sear for approximately 3-5 minutes, on each side, until nicely browned. Remove chops to a plate and set aside.

Return skillet to the burner and turn heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add diced shallots and cook just until translucent. Add chopped figs and tomato mixture. Stir in maple syrup, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until relish starts to thicken slightly, then add chops back into skillet and cook with relish for approximately 20-25 minutes longer, turning chops once halfway through.

Simply Roasted Acorn Squash
2, acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
Salt and pepper

Halve the squash and remove seeds. Cut a small sliver off the rounded edge of each half so that when set upright like a bowl, it does not wobble. Sprinkle each half with salt and pepper. Place center cut side down in a shallow baking dish with 1/2 inch of water. Microwave the same time you would two baked potatoes on Auto Cook (approximately 10 minutes-high heat). You should be able to pierce the flesh of the acorn easily with a fork but it should not be mushy.

Remove from microwave and set upright (like a bowl) on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and honey - add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to center of each half. Bake in a 350-degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, until slightly browned.

 
Basic Brussels sprouts:


Bring a pot full of salted water to a rolling boil. Wash the sprouts and peel off any shoddy looking outer leaves. Cut the very end of the stem off and – to insure even cooking – cut an “X” into the stem end of each sprout, taking care not to cut all the way through the sprout.

Put the prepped sprouts into the boiling, salted water and continue to cook, boiling, until sprouts are firm but easily pierced with a fork (approximately 8-10 minutes).

Strain, add butter, salt and pepper as desired.

Got lemons? Make lemonade! Got a lemon computer? Make a call to your friendly teckkie.

After an unexpected afternoon spent on the phone with a Dell Technician (my laptop and I had a very bad day together). It became obvious I would not have time to make the GF (gluten-free) pizza dough from scratch as I had planned, when I noticed my husband making his nightly pre-dinner walk-thru the kitchen, nostrils flared – checking for signs of food in the making. The aroma from the roasting heirloom tomatoes, herbs and garlic drew him in like a bee to a soda can. So I, being the overly prepared person that I am, conveniently turned to a GF pizza dough package mix that I purchased yesterday while stocking up on wheat flour substitutes, figuring I may at some point in time, need a short cut.

As with all bread machine mixes, I tweaked this recipe a bit as I've yet to find a packaged bread mix that supplies a yeast that proofs up well. (Blooms when fed). To be honest, I don’t even bother trying the enclosed yeast packets anymore. I go right to my own supply of Rapid Rise Yeast.

After preparing this packaged dough mix I readied myself for a letdown. The texture of the dough was very odd  – not the firm but cushy feel of a booby like a typical yeast bread – but sticky and airy. However, I must say, the outcome was a pleasant surprise. The crust had a good texture; light but crunchy, and the flavor actually tasted like Fench bread. I will definitely be stocking up on this mix for future quick pizzas!

PRE-PACKAGED GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA DOUGH MIX

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

This is my version of the package instructions which require an addition of water/or milk, eggs, oil, sugar, vinegar, salt and yeast. My fool proof method for package bread mixes is in the proofing of the yeast - it should bloom when fed. I measure out the water (or milk) per the instructions. (In this case I used water). Make sure it is just hot enough that you can hold your finger in it without wincing. If the water temp is comfortable it is not warm enough. If it is too hot you will not be able to hold your finger in it.

Use the ingredient amounts as listed on the package instructions. Add the sugar to the heated water/or milk and stir to dissolve. Then stir in a pinch of the boxed flour mix- yeast thrive on the combo of flour and sugar. Sprinkle the Rapid Rise Yeast over the top (or use the yeast package provided if you’re feeling lucky). Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the yeast to feed and erupt into life. You will see it bubbling and raising to the surface of the liquid.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl (remaining package mix and salt) with a wire whisk - and because I was making a pizza dough, I also added a teaspoon of Italian Seasoning to the dry ingredients.

Dump the dry ingredients into the bread machine. (I have a 1 and 1/2 lb. capacity machine). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the proofed yeast mixture into the well.

Mix the remaining liquid ingredients in a separate bowl  with a fork until well blended (in this case, the eggs, vinegar and oil) and pour atop the yeast mixture with the rest of the dough ingredients. Set your bread machine to the dough setting. When the dough is ready, remove it from the machine and set it aside to rest for approximately 5 minutes. As I only needed half of the dough for a two person pizza, I sprayed the inside of a quart-size Ziploc baggie with non-stick cooking spray - placed the other half the dough inside - let out as much air as possible - sealed it up and stored it in the fridge for another use.

Prepare a cooking sheet by spraying with non-stick cooking spray (or coat lightly with oil). Sprinkle oiled cooking sheet with approximately 2 tablespoons cornmeal. This will help crisp up the bottom of the crust, as well as make the pizza easy to serve.

Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and form a rustic rectangle approximately 12”-14" x 8" in size. Drizzle dough with olive oil and rub to lightly coat. Use the tips of your finger to make dimples in the dough (like you'd find on a Focaccia bread). Sprinkle top of dough with 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano and press lightly to adhere. Besides adding another depth of flavor, the cheese will prevent a soggy crust as it provides a shield between the sauce and the dough.

Place the prepared crust in the oven and cook for approximately 10 minutes or so; just until the dough loses t shininess. You don't want it to start browning just yet. Remove from oven and top with your favorite choice of toppings. Continue to back for approximately 12-15 more minutes, until pizza is golden brown.

HOMEMADE HEIRLOOM TOMATO SAUCE WITH CARAMELIZED ONION

Slice 6, medium-size heirloom tomatoes in half . In a medium bowl, gently toss tomatoe halves with 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 large sprig of rosemary (6" or so) cut into four pieces, 4 garlic cloves-flattened with the broadside of a chef's knife, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste), 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper.

Place a baking rack over a large cooking sheet (with a rim) and place seasoned tomatoes atop rack. Pour any remaining ingredients in the bowl over the top of the tomatoes. Roast at 200 degrees F for approximately 4 hours. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, heat medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon raw sugar. Cook stirring often until onion is limp and caramelized into a lovely golden color.

After the seasoned, roasted tomatoes have cooled, remove the rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves and toss out. Peel the tomatoes and chop roughly. Mix caramelized onion and seasoned tomatoes. This makes a wonderful basic pasta sauce. However, if you plan on using this for a pizza sauce, prior to adding the caramelized onions to the tomatoes, place the roasted, seasoned tomatoes into a sieve to strain out the juices. Nobody likes a wet pizza. (Save juices for another use - they are amazing!) Then add in the caramelized onion and you have a beautiful pizza sauce.


CRISPY PANCETTA

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray and place 4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta pinwheels in single layer on the pan. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Watch the meat closely - once it starts browning it can go from crispy to burnt in a matter of seconds! Remove from heat as soon as the bacon is browned. It will get crisper as it cools.

Great on salads, pizzas, in pastas, Panini’s - or by itself!

GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA WITH ROASTED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, CARAMELIZED ONION, CRISPY PANCETTA, HERBS AND FRESH MOZZARELLA

Using the pre-cooked crust from the above recipe, spread the tomato/onion mixture evenly over the top of the crust. Crumble crisped pancetta atop tomato/onion mixture. Thinly slice fresh mozzarella into 1/4 inch thick rounds and top in single layer over pizza. Finish with a final layer of 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 12-15 minutes or until cheese and crust are nicely browned. Removed from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

*(Tip - I find cooking pizza at 350 - 375 degrees F, although it takes longer, will result in a more evenly cooked pizza. Often pizzas cooked at a higher temperature will result in burning the edges and top of the pizza while leaving the center undercooked.)