Winter is a great time for soups. They taste delicious and keep you warm. Today we are experiencing a blizzard and I am soup ready! This vegetable soup is on the stand by for when we lose power. This is what I call TBTND: tastes better the next day. Over the years I’ve added a few things to make it even better. I like to add a small piece of parmesan rind to the soup. As it heats up, the cheese on the rind melts into the soup. I still like to garnish the top of my soup bowl with grated parmesan, but this addition to the simmering pot is a bonus. It adds a creaminess and flavor. After all the ingredients are added and heated through, I like to make a roux, of equal parts butter and flour. I cook it until it’s a dark brown and stir it into the bubbling pot. This adds a nutty flavor and helps thicken the soup.
I love to bake because it’s a precise science but I love to make soup for the opposite reason. It’s a free for all! It’s your time to be creative Soup recipes are more of a guide than a rule. You can add or take away from a recipe, to your liking. The most important part of making soup, is to have enough liquids to cook your ingredients. I like to think of soup as a meal in bowl which includes a protein (usually beans), vegetables, and a starch (potato or pasta).
Let’s make some soup!
Ingredients
Piece of parmesan rind
32 ounces of vegetable or chicken stock
15 ounces cannellini beans (or any bean of your choice)
15 ounce can of diced tomatoes (petite diced is my favorite)
16 ounce package of frozen mixed vegetables
1 large onion, diced
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 can of water
heaping 1/2 cup of uncooked ditalini or 1 large potato, diced or tortellini or uncooked rice
2 tbsp tomato paste
olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 celery stalk, diced
1 dried Bay leaf
1+ tsp of seasoning of your choice, such as Umami, Creole seasoning , oregano, etc.
handful or two of baby spinach
Roux
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
In a large pot, heat oil olive until it shimmers. You will need about 1 tbsp. You want to cover the bottom of the pan to saute the onions. Add the onions and celery, and sprinkle about 1 tsp of salt over them. Stir. Cook on a medium heat until the onions are almost translucent. Add the garlic cloves and stir for one minute. Add the tomato paste and stir until it’s totally mixed in.
Add the broth, the diced tomatoes and water to the pot and bring to a low boil. Once the pot is boiling add in your frozen vegetable, beans and parmesan rind. You can use a bag of mixed vegetables or chose several bags of the vegetables you like, and use a portion of the bags. If you are inspired, you can chop your own fresh vegetable. Once, it starts to boils again, if you’re using potatoes or uncooked rice, add them now. Add what ever seasonings or herbs you like. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir it a few times so the rind doesn’t stick to the pot bottom.
Once the soup base is heated through and the vegetables are cooked, add the ditalini. Stir the mixture until the ditalini starts to soften. It tends to stick to the pot bottom. Let this cook for about 12 minutes or so. Once the ditalini is cooked through, toss in your fresh baby spinch. This will take only a minute to cook. Continue stirring. Taste your soup and add additional seasoning if you’d like.
If you would like to thicken your soup, you can make a roux. In a small frying pan, melt your butter and stir in the flour. Use a medium high heat. Keep stirring as the color darkens. You cannot walk away from this or it will burn. Bring the soup to a boil. Keep stirring this mixture until it’s a dark brown.
Once the roux is done, quickly stir it into the pot of boiling soup. It will sizzle! Keep mixing until it’s incorporated. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. The color should have changed and it will have thickened a bit.
I like to serve this soup with a fresh roll, or two! It’s a great bring to work lunch. If you need to feed a crowd, this soup will not disappoint.
Store in the fridge for about 5 days. This freezes well too. When you reheat it, you will need to add some water, as it gets thick when it cools.
Pizza for breakfast! I have found a way to make two meals about cheese and bread! This pizza includes TWO cheeses, soft-scrambled eggs in a creamy béchamel sauce with sausage, sautéed red pepper and onion. All of my favorite foods. I made it for dinner, because I don’t have the patience to do all the parts in the early morning. It’s delicious for brunch or lunch. The leftovers were even fantastic.
As usual, I increased most ingredients. How can you have too much of a good thing? You cannot! I was sure that I had made too much of the veggie/sausage topping. I convinced myself that I would use it in an omelet later in the week. Nah…I made it all fit.They key was to stretch the dough close to the edge, and make a little ridge, so the béchamel doesn’t leak out. Mine did a little and it was ok. I made my own pizza dough, because I could. It’s really simple. Store bought pizza dough is also great. I used it to make pizza on the grill recently.
I love slathering on pizza sauce on a regular pizza. Surprise surprise, this pizza has no tomato based sauce, but uses a béchamel sauce that is easy and brings it to another level of pizza love. The original recipe calls for 4-6 large farm fresh eggs. I used 5 large grocery store eggs and no one complained. I was nervous about adding the eggs to the sauce and wondered, what is soft-scrambled? Well, mine was a little too-soft-scrambled and it worked. I whisked the mixture until it was getting thicker and had some soft chunks, because I didn’t want to over cook it. The oven finished it off perfectly.
I tend to increase the bests ingredients in recipes. I used 12 ounces, instead of the recommended 8 ounces of breakfast sausage. I used a whole red pepper instead of measuring out a 1/2 cup. My rationale is, when will I use the rest of the sausage or pepper, if I follow the original recipe? Never. My onion addiction had me use two medium onions instead of 1/2 cup. I don’t like measuring some things. I grated my own mozzarella and cheddar cheese. I measured THOSE, but added extra for “good luck.” I mean, CHEESE!
Let’s make some pizza!
one pound of pizza dough
12 ounces of bulk breakfast sausage
two medium onions, diced
1 large red pepper, diced ( a mix of red and yellow peppers is purdy)
3 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 cup of whole milk
5 large eggs
1+ cup of shredded mozzarella
1+ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
Pat out your pizza dough onto a baking/cookie sheet. I lightly coated the pan with olive oil and a dusting of cornmeal. Let it rise while you prepare the topping. I stretched the dough from the middle in an outwards motion. Gently. Let it rest a few minutes and continue to stretch a few more times. Pizza dough is funny like that. I like to form a ridge at the edge so the egg mixture doesn’t drip onto the pan.
In a large saute pan, cook the onions and peppers in a touch of butter or a glug of olive oil, until they begin to soften. You don’t want them to brown. If the pan gets too hot, take it off the burner and add a splash of olive oil to help cool it down. Add the sausage, breaking it up with your hands as you put it in the pan. Cook until the sausage is cooked through but not browned. If there is excess fat, drain it off. Let the mixture cool slightly.
In a medium saucepan, cook the 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour for a few minutes. Whisk it so it all cooks. You do not want it to brown, but to cook off the flour taste. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the milk. Return the pan to the heat and cook and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken.
Crack the eggs into a bowl, and then whisk them into the mixture. Continue to cook and whisk the eggs until soft set. Avoid overcooking or the eggs can become rubbery.
Spread the egg mixture over the crust, and top with the sausage mixture, spreading evenly. If you have more sausage mixture than pizza, save them for an omelet later in the week. If you have more eggs than you need, save if for scrambled eggs. I got mine to fit!!! Top with both cheeses. Stand back in awe. How beautiful is THAT?
Bake the pizza in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes, until well-browned and bubbly. I like to slip a metal spatula under the crust to see if it’s browning.
Enjoy!
The original recipe, from the good people at King Arthur Flour, is in the hyperlink above.
You want to bake, but the butter and eggs are ice cold. I know, first world problems. But there’s a hack for that.
To warm your eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water from your faucet. Not hot water, just warm. Let them sit for about 10-15 minutes. Voila! Room temperature eggs at the ready.
The butter. It will takes hour on the counter to soften. When you microwave it, some of it becomes puddles of butter, while the rest is still hard. How do you soften it quickly? There’s a hack for that! Fill a heat resistance Pyrex bowl with hot water. I have an electric kettle which makes the process faster. Fill the bowl about half way with hot water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Slice your butter on a heat resistant plate. Dinner plates are usually ok if you can microwave them. Don’t pile the slices of butter on top of each other, like I did. Rookie mistake. I had to do the process twice. Check to make sure the bowl and plate are compatible sizes. Ok. Now, throw in that laundry and fix your “no-show” socks that keep slipping. Empty the bowl, giving it a quick wipe and then place the empty, hot bowl over your plate of single layered sliced butter. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. Ok. Now fix those stupid socks again. Prepare your baking pans. Make sure the oven is heating up. Measure your dry ingredients and your wet. This process does not take away time from your baking. Maybe it even lets you manage it better? (insert shrugging shoulders emoji) Check your email and the weather. Butter is ready for baking!
My last hack involves vanilla extract. My measuring spoons have straight sides. No matter how I tip them to pour in the vanilla extract, there is some residual in the spoon. So, I place the empty spoon in the milk. I hate wasting delicious vanilla.
So, what’s your excuse? Get baking! I have a cake to frost. Bye!
Breakfast doldrums got you down? Months and months of boring breakfasts, during the pandemic make you dread the question “What’s for breakfast?” I have a solution for you. Egg bites!
Even the pickiest eaters will enjoy breakfast. This will make Easter morning more festive. You can add whatever you want to them. The recipe makes 7 bites, and you do have to follow the ingredient quantities so the egg molds don’t overflow. You can double the recipe and cook them both at the same time in the Instant Pot. If you like something more than another, add it! I prefer to use ricotta over cottage cheese. Ricotta isn’t watery like cottage cheese and I think it adds a richness to the bites! I mix my cheeses so the total is still 1/2 cup. Tonight I had some smoked gouda and cheddar that I shredded. I had some leftover bacon and some deli ham. I filled a 1/2 cup measure with the meats. I didn’t have fresh parsley so I added approximately a 1/4 tsp of dried parsley. The original recipe gives you more mix in ideas!
Ingredients
1 cup of water for the Instant Pot
4 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped bacon or preferred meat(s)
1/2 cup of shredded gruyere cheese or your favorite cheese(s)
1/4 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1/2 tablespoon of chopped parsley or 1/4 tsp of dried parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Spray the silicone egg molds with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour the water into the pressure cooker pot and place a steam rack trivet in the bottom.
In a medium bowl whisk the eggs. Stir in the bacon, cheese, cottage cheese/ricotta cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic powder until well mixed.
Pour the mixture evenly into the seven egg bite mold cups. Place the egg bite mold on top to the trivet, uncovered.
Close and lock the Instant Pot. Make sure the pressure/steam release switch is set to sealing and use the manual button to set the cooking time to 11 minutes at high/normal pressure. It will take a few minutes for the Instant Pot to get to pressure.
After the cooking time ends, allow the pressure to release from the pot naturally for 5 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure with a quick release. The egg bites will rise up and then fall down, so don’t be concerned. You just flip them on a plate to have the rounded part on top, and the flat on the plate.
I like to let the egg bites cool in the mold on a wire rack. They are very hot to handle. The directions say to remove them from the mold and cool on a wire rack. Whichever is best for you. Sometimes you need a spoon to remove the bites from the mold.
Have fun with them. If you have children, let them pick what their favorite mix ins.
King Arthur Flour (KAF) has done it again. This recipe produces a very soft and pillowy roll that tastes fresh even the next day. They prove again, that technique is important. The vanilla icing is rich and wonderful. As they state, “the result is truly the ultimate cinnamon roll.”
Whenever you bake, it’s important to use fresh and quality ingredients. Make sure your yeast is still fresh, the flour is the correct flour for the recipe and not expired. I sometimes only use a flour once because of a recipe, and it just sits on the shelf until the fateful expiration-date-trash-toss. You can freeze flour if you don’t think you will be using it soon. It’s important to have the right space. If you have to roll a dough, you should have the space to roll it and for excess flour to splash about. I cover counter items with dish towels so I don’t have flour between olive oil bottles and such. Most importantly, you need to make time. Look at the recipe and see if it accounts for the prep, bake, or total time. Add on to whatever time is stated. Professional bakers are more skilled. The equipment they use is not the same as ours. I have started using a kitchen scale to weigh my ingredients. It does make a difference.
I’m not a librarian but I play one in real life. I love to research. So, I approached this recipe with caution. I was glad there wasn’t a “best” snuck into the title. There is no “best.” I follow KAF on Instagram (@kingarthurbaking). They made a video on how make this recipe. Several tips, not included in the recipe, were shown in the video. I was unfamiliar with the Japanese technique, tangzhong. After watching the video, I knew how to do it and what it should look like. Confidence booster. This technique pre-gelatinizes the flour’s starches, which helps them retain liquid, thus enhancing softness and shelf life. Food science! I also followed the suggestion of adding the rest of the milk to the tangzhong, when it was done, to take the chill off the milk. One more trick I learned was to brush the rolled out dough with some milk, to make the cinnamon filling stick. Also, somewhere between the video and printed tips, I learned that rolling it too tightly, makes the center “pop” when it’s cooked. Yes. More information that I needed to stop the cursed mountain-looking roll.
Ingredients
Tangzhong:
1/2 cup (113 grams) whole milk
3 tablespoons (23 grams) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
Dough:
2/3 cup (151) whole milk, cold
2 1/2 cups (300 grams) King Arthur Flour Unbleached Bread Flour
1 to 2 tablespoons (14 grams to 28 grams) milk or cream enough to thin to desired consistency ( I like it thick)
Instructions:
To make the tangzhong, combine both ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until there are no lumps. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened. It should be thick as paste. If you drag a spoon along the bottom of the pan, the mixture does not cover the drag line. It should take about 1-3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. Add the 2/3 cup of milk to the pan, to take the chill off. Warm milk helps the yeast rise quicker. Hot milk, over 110 degrees, will kill the yeast.
To make the dough, transfer the tangzhong and milk from the pan into a the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the ingredients to the mixing bowl in the order listed. If you didn’t add the milk to the tangzhong, add the 2/3 cup of milk to mixer, to warm the cold milk.
Mix on low speed of a stand mixer with the dough hook. Once it’s mixed, knead the dough until it’s smooth, elastic, and tacky. This will take about 10-12 minutes on medium-low speed of a mixer. I periodically stopped the mixer and scraped the dough off the hook, and then turned it back on. I wanted to make sure it was getting kneaded.
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a reusable cover (shower cap!) Let the dough rise until puffy, but not necessarily doubled in bulk. This should take from 60-90 minutes depending on the warmth of your kitchen. I like to turn my over on to 200 degrees, and place the dough near the back of the stove, so the heat from the oven helps it rise. Keep an eye on it. I turn the pan so both sides get some warmth. If the pan seems hot, pull it toward the front of the stove. You don’t want them to cook, just warm enough to help the rise.
To make the filling, while the dough is rising, put the melted butter into a medium bowl and add the rest of the remaining ingredients, stirring until the mixture is the texture of damp sand. I used Vietnamese cinnamon. It’s very strong. I used 3 tablespoons and it was still strong. Next time I will use only 2 tablespoons. If you are using regular grocery store cinnamon, use the recipe recommended amount. You can add less and then add more once you have tasted it. Always taste. Set the bowl aside.
Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper. I prefer parchment paper.
To assemble the rolls, transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and press it into a 10″ x 12″ rectangle. I treated myself to this rolling mat and don’t regret it. It’s made of silicone, so there’s no sticking, no grease to wipe off. I use it when I roll out my pie dough too. Handy but not necessary. For evenly shaped rolls, try to pat the dough into an actual rectangle (with corners). You don’t need a rolling pin for this. I did use one after I patted it into a rectangle.Try to handle it as little as possible. You don’t want it to snap back on you. If it does, give it a rest before you continue. It’s very pliable, so it should be easy to shape.
To help the cinnamon mixture stick, I brushed the dough with a little milk. Sprinkle the filling over the dough, covering all but the 1/2″ strip along one long side.
Starting with the filling-covered long side, roll the dough into a log. Don’t roll it too tightly. This will cause the center to pop out when it’s baking. Pinch the seam together with your fingers. This recipe makes 8 generous rolls. I would not change the size, but you can. I score the log in the middle. Then I score each half, at the half point. And then again to make 8 scores. Using dental floss is the best way to cut the dough into individual rolls. Slip it under the dough, cross it on the score mark, and pull the ends. Voila! The rolls are not squished. Save the minty floss for your teeth. Only use unflavored floss for your rolls. But you knew that!
Place the rolls on your baking sheet. The directions say to space them 2 inches apart. I like to space them closer. I like when they rise and bake to be touching. Pulling apart warm rolls is one of life’s joys. Keeping them close helps keep the rolls from unraveling too. I put them about an inch apart. You can lay them out in a 3-2-3 pattern. If you do space them further apart, to hold the ends in place, you can tuck the ends of the spirals underneath the rolls.
Cover the rolls with a clean dish towel and let the rise for 30-60 minutes (depending on the warmth of your kitchen). The rolls should be puffy and the dough shouldn’t bounce back immediately when pressed. About 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake, position a rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bake the rolls for 14 to 18 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of one roll reads 190 degrees. Bake for the lesser amount of time for extra-soft rolls, and the longer amount of time for rolls with a bit more color and slightly firmer texture.
Remove rolls from the oven, place pan on a cooling rack, and brush the hot rolls with 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter. Let the rolls cool for 10 to 15 minutes before icing.
To make icing, combine the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 grams) of melted butter with the remaining icing ingredients in a medium bowl. I sift my sugar through a mesh strainer. Nothing fancy. Mix with a spatula until smooth. I did not divide my butter. I used only one bowl to melt the butter. and brushed enough to coat the rolls. I used the remaining melted butter for the icing. Not quite what the directions said, but it worked out wonderfully. I had to add a little more milk. I like the icing to be thick. When the rolls are warm, thick icing melts a little into crevices, while some stays on top. It’s magical.
If you have any left you can store them at room temperature for a few days, or freeze them up to 1 month.
Next time I may add cooked cinnamon sugar apples to the filling. You can also add raisins.
BACON!! There. I got your attention! Woo hoo. Brussels sprouts! Wait!! Come back! I promise you will love them. I’ve adapted this recipe from my favorite food blogger on Instagram, Diane Morrisey. She’s fab. Her recipes are fab.
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 or so pieces of bacon
1 pound Brussel sprouts (fresh not frozen) quartered with stems removed
bacon grease
olive oil
salt and pepper
The beauty of this dish is the use of bacon grease as a cooking oil, and crispy bits of bacon mixed in with perfectly roasted vegetables, topped of with dried cranberries. Put it in a fancy bowl and you WILL impress your family. It’s so easy. The preparation can be done in steps, which is my favorite approach to anything.
I start with cooking the bacon on the stove top, low and slow. You want it crispy. Once it’s crispy, put it on a paper towel lined dish. After it cools, you will break it up or chop it, and add the bacon to the vegetables, later. When I am feeling particularly lazy, I use microwave bacon. Don’t judge. It’s still bacon!
The next step is to prepare the sweet potatoes. I peel and dice them. You want them to roast quickly, so make sure they are not too large.
Then I trim the Brussels sprouts. Once the end is cut off, I cut the sprouts in quarters, pulling off the outer leaves. Sometime they are spotted or wilted. Just toss them.
Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the vegetables in a bowl. Use the bacon grease and some olive oil to coat the vegetables. You’ll have a nice shiny coat. Ha! Add salt and pepper. You can always add more while they are cooking.
Arrange the vegetables on a sheet pan, in a single layer. You don’t want them overlapping. They need to be separated to roast.
Roast them for about 20 minutes. Give them a toss or a stir. They may start caramelizing. You can add a sprinkle or two of more olive oil if needed. You want them in some olive oil to roast and not burn. Just look at the sheet pan. You will know! Cook them for another 15- 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven when all the vegetables are fork tender. Taste some and see if it needs more salt and pepper. I like to add the chopped/broken up bacon and dried cranberries to the sheet pan. Let them all warm up together. You can serve this room temperature or hot.
This is good side dish for chicken, beef or pork. I hope you try this recipe. Roasted vegetables are a fantastic way to introduce vegetables to your family. The leftovers also make a great lunch.
The other day I headed to Trader Joe’s and the lines stretched out past several store fronts. I kept driving and headed to Whole Foods. No lines. I found some frozen scallops and grabbed them. It was meant to be! The day before I found some prosciutto on sale at another grocery store. Dinner. Planned. For the side dish, Cacio e Pepe seemed seemed like the perfect match for the scallops and the cream sauce.
Cruising the web I found a recipe that did not wrap the prosciutto around the scallops. The concept just did not seem right. And it involved cream. And wine.
My only warning, besides be hungry, is to watch how much you salt the pasta water and the scallops. The prosciutto is salty and the pasta has two different salty cheeses. Use salt judiciously. You can always add salt, but you cannot remove it.
Make sure your scallops are dry. I put them on a plate with paper towels on top and bottom, to absorb any water. When they hit the pan, you don’t want hot oil spitting at you. They will also brown better if they are dry. I had about four scallops for each of us as I was also serving pasta. The portions were good.
This dish cooks relatively quickly. I was concerned with making the quick pasta dish at the same time. I made sure I had ingredients for both recipes measured out so I could work quickly. I started cooking the pasta first knowing it goes back into a hot pan with melted butter and then cheese. It would warm up quickly. After I drained the pasta, I started cooking the scallops. It all worked out perfectly. Everything was hot and delectable.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz scallops (about 10 large scallops)
3 oz prosciutto (roughly chopped or just torn into large pieces)
2 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
First step is to make sure all the ingredients are measured out or ready to be used.
Season the scallops lightly with salt and pepper.
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium high heat. Add the scallops to the skillet in a single layer and sear them on each side until slightly golden. Remove the scallops from the skillet to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet add the chopped prosciutto and fry until nice and crispy. Leaving the prosciutto in the pan, add the butter and the garlic to the skillet and cook until butter melts and the garlic becomes aromatic.
Stir in the wine to deglaze the pan. Add the heavy cream and stir while it thickens and reduces. Taste the sauce after it reduces a bit. If you think it needs salt you may add it now. I strongly suggest you taste it first. Cook the sauce until it thickens. I would double the cream. Or triple it. I like to reduce cream sauces until they are very thick. You’ll also want enough sauce to drizzle on the pasta. If you think there’s too much, then don’t use it all. But you will want more! Add the scallops back into the skillet. You can garnish it with fresh parsley.
I like to plate the pasta first, and the put the scallops and sauce on top. Enjoy!
I have never made fudge before and I don’t know why. It’s fantastic. You can gift it in a box, or put it in a clear food bag with a bow. Better yet, keep it in the fridge for yourself. I was inspired to make fudge on the pretense it would give me some Christmas spirit. It failed at that, but the fudge was delicious. I found a recipe that used both semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips. We loved it. As much as I love semi-sweet chocolate chips in cookies, milk chocolate chips add the sweetness fudge needs. I love marshmallows, so I added one cup of mini-marshmallows to the fudge. It made me smile.
Ingredients:
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (6 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Optional: 1 cup of chopped nuts or mini-marshmallows
Lightly grease an 8 inch square pan. Line it with plastic wrap leaving the ends out over the edge, to cover the finished fudge. The ends will also serve as “handles” to lift out the fudge from the pan.
In a double boiler or a bowl over simmering water, combine the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and vanilla. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Be patient. It takes a little while and it gets very thick. Stir in nuts or marshmallows before pouring into the pan.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Spread gently, then cover light with the ends of the plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until the fudge is firm. Lift the chilled fudge out of the pan and cut into small squares. I use a long serrated knife to cut the fudge.
Serve and enjoy.
Recipe variations:
Gently press in 1/2 cup of toffee bits into the top of fudge once it’s in the pan.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of bourbon or rum into the fudge along with the vanilla.
Add 1/2 to 1 cup of dried cranberries, raisins or chopped dried cherries.
I have posted this pizza dough recipe before, Where many of us are working from home, or avoiding dining out, it’s a good time to try making your own pizza.
I used to buy grocery store pizza dough for the convenience. I still love a hot Domino’s pizza showing up at my front door. Over the years I have discovered, how easy it is to make pizza dough. Making pizza dough requires few ingredients and, time and planning. I found this recipe in the NYT. There are many many many pizza dough recipes in the universe. They all require, flour, yeast, water, olive oil and salt. What differs is the ratios of these ingredients and the process of making the dough. Roberta’s recipe calls for 00 pizza flour. I have bought the Antimo Caputo Chef’s Flour on Amazon. I made last nights pizza with King Arthur Flour’s 00 pizza flour. Both brands worked well. You can also use only all-purpose flour in this recipe. The dough is a little stiffer, but it still works well. The key to making your own pizza dough is giving the dough time to develop flavor. Make it, at least, the night before you plan on using it. It will last in the refrigerator for several days. You can also freeze the dough after the first rise for future use, or gift it.
The process of making this dough is quick and easy. You either measure the ingredients or weigh them on a kitchen scale. The dough only needs a few turns in the bowl, in two steps. No messy kneading on a flour splattered counter. The first kneading creates a sticky dough. A few minutes later, you knead a relaxed, firmer dough. It’s amazing. Pizza dough is a science experiment that ends up edible. And, you CAN do it!
153 grams 00 flour ( 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
153 grams all-purpose flour ( 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons )
8 grams fine sea salt (1 tsp.)
2 grams Rapid Rise yeast (3/4 tsp.)
4 grams extra-virgin olive oil (1 tsp. )
1 cup lukewarm water (approximately)
In a large mixing bowl, combine fours, yeast and salt. Stir to combine dry ingredients.
You will need a little less than 1 cup of warm water. It should be under 110 degrees or it will kill the yeast. If you’re not sure, let the warm water sit for a few minutes. Cool water won’t hurt the yeast, it will just take a little longer to start working. The amount of water can depend on temperature and humidity in your kitchen. Winters are drier and may require a little more water. Summers are more humid and require less water. If after you mix the ingredients you find there is some flour in the bottom of the bowl, add a few sprinkles of water at a time. You want just enough water for the ingredients to hold together.
Add the olive oil and lukewarm water to the flour mixture. Set a kitchen timer for 3 minutes. With your impeccably clean hands, mix the dry and liquid ingredients together. When it comes together, flour the dough over itself, and push down with the heel of you hand. Turn the bowl, and repeat. I don’t even do this for the whole three minutes. The dough will be sticky and your fingers with be doughy. It’s okay. Pull off what you can from your fingers. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes. When you wash your hands, use cool water. It seems counterintuitive, but it works better than warm water. You will use cool water in your bowl when you’re done making the dough. Trust me.
After 15 minutes, you are going to set the kitchen timer for 3 minutes, and repeat the quick kneading process. Fold and turn the bowl. Nice and easy. It’s not a race. The dough should not be sticky. The yeast has started to work with the gluten in the flour. It will be easier to knead this time. After the three minutes, coat the same bowl with a little olive oil. I form a dough ball, and either lift it out of the bowl, or push it to the side. Put a little olive oil in the bowl and use the dough to coast the sides and bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. I usually use a glass or ceramic bowl. You can cut it into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. It depends on what pan you will be using and how many people you are feeding . I use a cookie sheet for my and do not divide the dough. You can still use 1/2 the recipe on a cookie sheet, for a smaller pizza. This dough also freezes well. This is the perfect time to put in a ziplock back and pop into the freeze. When you use the frozen dough, let it rise in an oil coated bowl. Don’t defrost it in the ziplock bag. Rookie mistake.
If you are using the dough the same day, let it rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature. If you using it a different day, and/or want the dough to develop more flavor, place the covered dough in the refrigerator. It will continue to rise, slowly in the refrigerator. The day you want to use it, let it sit at room temperature for about 3 hours. It will rise a little more. After reading the comments, I let it sit for a 1/2 hour on the counter just to make sure it the dough will rise. The plastic wrap will get cloudy and the dough will spread out. I won’t lie, it kinda excites me to see that and to know I made dough! Even after years of making yeast breads, the rise is exciting. As the dough rises, it will bubble. Bubbles are good, it means the yeast is working and developing flavor.
I like to use a cookie sheet for my pizza in my oven heated to 425 degrees. I use a little olive oil to coat the pan and sprinkle a little corn meal. The dough usually stretches to almost the edge of the pan. I don’t use corn meal near the edges as it will burn if there is no dough over it.
I put the dough in the center of the pan and gently stretch it out. Here is where you will need some patience. This dough stretches beautifully, you just have to take your time and work with it. I put a little olive oil from the pan on my finger tips. I gently push the dough from the center, towards the pan edge. Don’t get ambitious and use the palm of your hand. It will break the dough and the dough will stick to your hand. Let it rest for a minute and push it outward a little more. You may have some patches that look thin. It’s ok. The dough will rise more when it cooks.
Once you stretch it out, you can add your pizza sauce. I like to make mine. I use a small can of tomato paste, one small grated onion, water and oregano. I heat the grated onion in olive oil until it starts to become translucent on medium heat. I sprinkle a little salt over the onions. Then I add the can of tomato paste and stir it into the onions. I use the tomato paste can to add water. I start with half a can of water, and stir. If you want more sauce, add another 1/2 can. This makes enough for two pizzas. You can even water it down a little more. I add some oregano and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Sauce done! You can make it ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you need it.
Add your toppings and bake. I like my cheese to really melt and the bottom of the crust to start to brown. I slip a spatula under the pizza to peek at the bottom of the crust. Enjoy your hot pizza!
Here is the original recipe. I like to read the comments to get ideas.
In 2014 I posted this recipe, but foolishly buried it with a recipe for breadsticks. Those breadsticks are delicious, but the soup is the real rock star. Luckily no one saw it. I forgot an ingredient and have, since 2014, made some intentional changes.
Instead of using 2 cans of chicken broth, I now buy a 32 ounce carton of broth. Sometimes I use vegetable stock. Whichever you have. I sometimes use apple juice instead of apple cider. Apple cider is somewhat seasonal. I have even used other fruit juices. It’s a small amount, and I think it just acts against the acid in the tomatoes. Sometimes people add sugar to tomato sauce. That’s my theory and I’m sticking with it. I used frozen tortellinis. Well, hello 2020! I now prefer Barilla’s Three Cheese Tortellini. They are found with all the other pastas in a 12 ounce bag. I like them, because they don’t take freezer space, and the dried tortellinis are much smaller. They fit on a soup spoon better! Sometimes I forget, and use the whole 12 ounce package. Oops. Nothing a little more water or chicken broth can’t fix. What do you do with 2 ounces of tortellinis? They just get pushed to the back of a shelf. I still stand by my decision to use petite diced tomatoes and a parmesan rind. I use a whole pound of sausage instead of three links. What do you do with the rest of the sausage in the package? It’s just heartier. I also switched from a can of plain tomato sauce, to 1/2 a jar of Raos Homemade Pizza sauce. It was purely accidental. I didn’t have plain sauce one night and I used what I had. Pizza sauce. The family asked if I did something different to the soup. I hesitated to answer, thinking they were going to complain. They thought the soup tasted better! The pizza sauce is full of flavor! You can freeze the rest of the pizza sauce. No waste!
Let’s make some soup. ‘Tis soup season in New England…
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage, removed from casings
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup water
32 ounce chicken broth
1/2 cup apple cider
1 16 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
8 oz can of tomatoes sauce or 1/2 jar (6.5 ounces) Raos Homemade Pizza Sauce
1 cup of diced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. dried parsley
2 medium zucchini, grated
8-10 ounces of uncooked tortellinis
1 tbsp. tomato paste (optional)
1 small Parmesan rind (optional)
1 or 2 cloves garlic
Before you start cooking, grate your zucchini. Chop your onions and place them in a bowl. Do the same with the carrots. Mince the garlic and put it in a small bowl. Pull out the herbs from your cabinet. It makes cooking less stressful if you have everything ready before you start cooking. Trust me.
Heat a large pan on medium heat and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and begin to sauté them, until soft. You can add more olive oil if they start to brown. You don’t want browning. Add the sausage to the pan and break it into large pieces with a spoon. The soup may or may not taste better if you use an old wooden spoon. Let the sausage cook and brown slightly. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce (or pizza sauce), juice, water, broth, carrots, oregano and basil to the pan. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. I usually add some tomato paste, after I add the garlic and let it cook up. If you’re using the pizza sauce, you don’t need to do this. The tomato paste is completely optional whether you use tomato sauce or pizza sauce. I just like tomato paste. Add the Parmesan rind to pot. It may stick to the bottom of the pan, so give the soup an occasional stir. The Parmesan adds a creaminess. Again, completely optional.
Add the parsley and zucchini (including the juice) and simmer for about 15 minutes. Give it a stir. The zucchini melts in the soup. I use a box grater with my zucchini. You can also use a food processor.
Add the uncooked tortellini and simmer the soup for about 10-12 minutes. Give it a stir or two. If you have time, let the soup sit for about 20 minutes before you eat it. The tortellini will continue to cook and the soup thickens. Serve this with bread or breadsticks. I like to add some fresh grated Parmesan on top.
This should feed your family and your soul. This soup makes a great work lunch. It also freezes very nicely. I freeze it in meal-sized containers. You may need to add some water when you reheat it.
Knosh and Knit: the world according to Nora 