Proscuitto and Smoked Mozzarella Stromboli

 

I'm sorry to all of my fans (if there are any of you still out there). Life has gotten ridiculously busy and I haven't had time to post the new things I've been cooking. 

 

I was watching a recipe of Best Thing I Ever Made on food network and saw this recipe for stromboli. I thought, "how could bread baked with cheese and meat on the inside be bad?". And I was right! The fresh bread and the melting cheese was worth the 3 hours it was to make it. Make this recipe only if your bored or if you have a lot to get done at your house. 

 

I switched up the recipe from the show to fit my tastes. Originally the  recipe called for Genoa Salami instead of proscuitto but I thought the proscuitto was more widely available. The next time I make this I'm going to try the extra toppings of herbs and tomatoes. :)

 

Ingredients
Dough:

1 tablespoon dry yeast
Extra-virgin olive oil
5 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt

Filling:

2 cups grated smoked mozzarella
Salt
1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces proscuitto, sliced thin
Extra-virgin olive oil

Toppings:

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt, such as Maldon
1/4 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

For the dough: Whisk together 2 cups cold water, the yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Put in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix on speed 1, or low speed, for 5 minutes. Add the flour and continue mixing for an additional 5 minutes. Then turn the mixer to speed 2, or medium speed, and mix for 5 minutes. Add the salt until incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon oil at the end of the 5 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a large hotel pan greased with oil. If you don't have a hotel pan, you can use a large bowl; just make sure there is ample space for the dough to double in size. Put a little oil on top as well, about 2 tablespoons.

Wrap all the way around with plastic wrap and put on top of the oven (or other warm, draft-free area) with something in between, such as a kitchen towel or a baking tray, for about 1 1/2 hours. The dough will double in size.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

When ready, transfer the dough to an oiled table or flat surface. Form into a log to make it easier to portion, and cut into two equal pieces. Cover with plastic so it doesn't dry out. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Lightly brush a baking tray with oil. Spread out the dough on the oiled countertop with the palms of your hands, don't use your fingertips. It should be even all the way around, with no fat edges.

Place half the fillings on one piece of dough in the order listed: mozzarella, salt, basil, garlic, pepper and salami. Fill two-thirds of the surface, leaving the bottom third and a little on the sides empty. Roll the dough over twice, seal the sides with your palm, fold over the bottom and then the sides. Transfer to the oiled tray. Rub a little oil on top. Repeat with the second portion of dough. Put the rosemary, sea salt and tomatoes on top. Cover the tray with plastic and let sit for 15 minutes to rest.

When ready, put a pan of ice in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove. Place the tray in the oven and bake for a total of 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn 180 degrees. Bake another 20 minutes, then turn again and bake the remaining 5 minutes.

Transfer to a new baking sheet lined with parchment. Allow the loaves to cool. Slice and serve

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/scott-conant/scarpetta-stromboli-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Chicken and Pasta Bake

This was a new recipe I wanted to try when someone said they wanted pasta for dinner. I wanted something that I could make mostly ahead so I could enjoy hanging out. You could put this all together in about an hour.  If making ahead you can put everything together in the buttered dish, cover it tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to bake it. Just follow the same baking instructions as you would below.

I served my pasta with a simple side salad of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette. It added a nice freshness to the dish since the pasta is so rich.

Ingredients

1/2 lb whole wheat rotini pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/4 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1/4 cup of cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs(combo plain and panko)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

2. While the water is coming to a boil, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.

3. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta.

4. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.

5. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter.

6. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Easy Garlic Bread

 I wanted to make a simple garlic bread to go with my pasta dish. I love being able to scoop up delicious sauce while I eat my pasta. To make it really garlicky I added both roasted and powdered garlic. Roasting the garlic in this recipe helps remove the harshness of the garlic. Make sure to have the butter at room temp so it's easy to incorporate all the garlic and spread it on the bread.

Ingredients:

5 cloves of garlic, roasted
2 tbs. butter, at room temp
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
1 french roll, split in half lengthwise

Directions:
1. Roast garlic: place the cloves of garlic onto a square of aluminum foil. drizzle olive oil onto garlic and season with a pinch of salt. Wrap up package of foil so liquid doesn't come out. Place in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes or until garlic is soft and golden brown. Allow to cool and squeeze out of papery skin.

2. Combine everything together, except cheese, in a small bowl. use a fork so you can mince the roasted garlic while you stir.

3. Split your bread and spread with butter. Cover with cheese.

4. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until bread is golden brown on top.

Pineapple and Onion Chicken

This chicken with pineapple and onion dish is something I used to eat as  a kid that was created by my babysitter. The sweetness from the onions balances well with the acidity of the pineapple. To mix it up and make it more "chef-y" I decided to top it with a quick pineapple salsa. I used some of the canned pineapple for the salsa. It tasted good but lacked the bright color of a fresh pineapple so it's up to you which pineapple you'd like to use. 

Chicken Marinade:

1 can pineapple chunks and liquid
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp red pepper flake
zest of one lemon
1 tsp. honey

Pineapple Salsa:

2 pinapple rings, caremelized in a saute pan
1 small piece onion, carmelized in a saute pan
1 tbs. chopped chives or cilatnro
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lime
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a plastic bag. Stir  well and then add chicken. Remove as much air as possible from bag so marinade has maximum contact with the chicken. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours and up to 8.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove chicken from marinade and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake chicken until it reaches an internal temp of 150-155, about 20-30 minutes.

3. While chicken cooks prepare salsa and any side dishes you like. For salsa: Chop all ingredients into a fine dice and combine together. Stir and allow to sit for a few minutes so the flavors meld.

4. Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve everything together. For a fresher/brighter taste I like to squeeze a little lemon or lime on top of the chicken right before serving. 

Birthday Braised Short Ribs

My birthday was a few days ago so last night I decided to make some braised short ribs to celebrate. I love the taste of braised beef. It's something that is really cheap to buy but takes forever to cook so I usually only make it for special occasions.

I used my old short rib recipe but with a few twists. Here's the link to the other recipe:

http://kleinanddine.blogspot.com/2010/05/beef-short-ribs-and-mashed-potatoes.html


Updates:

1. Allow the dry rub on the short ribs to marinate for as long as possible. You could even do this the night before and store the ribs in plastic wrap.

2. When cooking the veggies: cook over medium heat  and allow veggies to sweat down and get soft.

3. When adding wine to the pan, allow wine to reduce by half before adding beef stock or water. This really helps concentrate the flavor.

4. Once ribs are finished, instead of blending all of the braising liquids together I decided to strain the liquid. This made a much more luxurious sauce then the blender. If the sauce isn't thick after straining out veggies, cook it over high heat and allow it reduce to the thickness you like, stirring every few minutes so it doesn't burn.

Fish Tacos

I wanted to eat something healthy and while looking through my fridge I realized I had the leftovers to make fish tacos. I had some leftover cooked salmon, refried beans, tortillas, and lettuce. To make the taco extra delicious I made a creamy chive and cayenne sauce along with some crispy fried onions for extra texture. This was super easy to throw together since it was mostly leftovers.

Crispy Fried Onions:

1. Slice a sweet onion into thin rings. The thinner the better.

2. Add flour to a bowl and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Add onions to flour and toss gently. Make sure to break up all the layers and coat everything lightly in flour.

3. Heat a few cups of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the onions in batches until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Place on a paper towel to drain and season with a pinch of salt. Set aside.


Assembly:

Here's how I assembled my tacos. Basically it's heating everything up and throwing it into the warmed tortillas.

1. Warm leftover fish in a saute pan with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Cook over low heat for a few minute until warmed through.

2. Rewarm beans in microwave, stirring every 15 seconds until heated through.

3. Warm tortillas over a gas burner Just flip it a few times directly over the open flaming using your fingers or tongs.

4. Place tortilla on a plate. Add a smear of beans. Add salmon that is flaked into medium sized pieces. Sprinkle lettuce on taco. Top everything with the crispy onions and enjoy!!

Lasagna Updated

I'm having friends over to watch the first Ducks game of the season (hooray the lockout is over!) So since I didn't want to be cooking while the game was on I needed a dish that could be made ahead but everyone would love. I decided to make this lasagna extra special by mixing both white and red layers. It gave the finished dish a nice color contrast and a ton of flavor!

I ended up having a ton of leftover lasagna so I cut off a large chunk, wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap, and then wrapped it with aluminum. I labeled and dated it and tossed it in the freezer for a quick meal in the future. I'll just place it on a sheet tray, cover it with foil, and cook in a 350 oven until warm and melty.

Ingredients
1 jar tomato sauce
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 package of lasagna noodles (make sure they are the pre-cooked or no boil kind)
1 lb ground spicy italian sausage
2 cup container marscapone cheese
10 basil leaves, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
3 tbs. chopped chives
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 cups of packaged shredded mozzarella
1 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Do Ahead:
1. Place some olive oil in a large saute pan. Add ground sausage. Cook over medium high heat until sausage is browned. Carefully drain fat from pan using paper towels. Add 1/4 jar of marinara sauce to sausage and mix together. Set aside.

2. Place the marscapone in a bowl. Add 3/4 of chopped basil, chives, squeeze of lemon, 1/2 mozzarella cheese, 1/2 parmesan cheese and some salt and pepper. Mix. Make sure to taste and check seasoning/balance. Set Aside.

3. Prepare a 9 x 13 casserole dish by rubbing butter around the outside. Now add a thin layer of alfredo sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer noodles (takes about 4) over sauce in 1 even layer. Make sure layers slightly overlap like roof shingles.

4. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining marinara sauce on top of noodles. Noodles need to be covered in liquid or they won't cook right. Add 1/2 of sausage mix on top of noodles in a thin, even layer.

5. Do another layer of noodles. Cover noodles with alfredo sauce. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture on top of noodles. Do this gently so you keep all the layers separate.

6. Do another layer of noodles. Top with 1/2 of marinara sauce left and rest of sausage mixture.

7. Do another layer of noodles. Top with most of remaining alfredo sauce and rest of cheese mixture.

8. Top everything with one last layer of noodles (this is your 5th layer of noodles). Cover noodles in marinara sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top of the lasgana. At this point your lasagna is built. If you're making this dish ahead, cover the lasagna tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to 2 days or the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

9. Cooking instructions: Remove plastic wrap and cover with foil (make sure it doesn't touch cheese or it will take off the layer. You can spray the foil with some non-stick spray) and cook for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 oven. Uncover and cook another 20-25 minutes or until top is melted and slightly browned. Let set after cooking for 10-15 minutes. (this is a good time to cook garlic bread) Then just slice it up and serve!

note- if freezing, cook an extra 15-20 minutes while it's covered.