Month: April 2010

Poblano, Potato, and Corn Gratin

Published on by Dawn5 Comments

I love poblano chile peppers.  I love their intense flavor without all the spice – it is a deep rich chile flavor that I just crave.  They are the perfect chiles for kids – especially if your kids are not into spicy foods – which mine are not.  I have been reading Matthew Amster-Burton’s new book Hungry Monkey – and he talks about how his daughter LOVED spicy food as an infant!  I couldn’t believe it.  I remember the first time we gave my older daughter something spicy (because when they are babies, they have to eat what you are eating…or else – which he also covers in his book) and the expression on her face was priceless.  Then she stuck out her tongue and tried to wipe off whatever was in her mouth (which was nothing at this point).  We finally just gave her some milk and it calmed her down.  We were hysterical.

Bon Appetit recently started a section every month called Sunday Suppers – they create a menu that is perfect for the entire family to enjoy.  That is always my mission – create a very tasty meal that all of us will love – and so I have been very interested in this section every since they started it.  This month they roasted a chicken and served it with tortillas – and this gratin.  The roasted chicken was delicious, and lasted us the entire week – and this dish was incredible.  The flavor of the peppers infused the potatoes, and the corn gave it a slightly sweet flavor.  In fact, after we had already finished everything – I realized that it would have been excellent to shred up the leftover chicken and mix it with the leftover gratin for a one dish casserole dinner.  Next time!

Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 large fresh poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, cut into 2 x 1/4-inch strips
  • 1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 cup coarsely grated Oaxaca cheese or whole-milk mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub 9 1/2-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish or cast-iron skillet with 2 teaspoons oil. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano strips and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Arrange 1/3 of potato rounds, overlapping slightly, in prepared pie dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of poblano strips over, then 1/3 of corn and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat with 1/3 of potatoes, 1/3 of poblanos, 1/3 of corn, and 1/3 of cheese. Top with remaining potatoes, poblanos, and corn, reserving remaining 1/3 of cheese. Place pie dish on rimmed baking sheet.

Whisk half and half, flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in small bowl. Pour over potato mixture in pie dish; press potatoes to submerge. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle remaining cheese over gratin. Continue to bake gratin until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Poblano, Potato and Corn Gratin

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Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Published on by Dawn13 Comments

My older daughter knows where I store my recipes in the pantry that I plan on making for the week – and every once in a while, she goes through the piles and points out recipes that she wants me to make sooner.  This was one of them.  She really loves coconut – which started an entire day devoted to coconut.  First we made these cookies – then she decided she and her sister needed to have a smoothie with the very ripe banana on the counter.  She found a can of crushed pineapple in the pantry as well – so we blended together banana, coconut, crushed pineapple, and vanilla yogurt.  This smoothie was so delicious, I even had some – my only mistake was not taking a picture of it to put in the blog – oh well, that just gives me an excuse to make it again!

Ok – back to these cookies.  I saw this recipe in Cooking Light – and I knew it would be a winner.  I only changed one thing in the recipe (which I have adapted slightly below) – instead of sweetened coconut (which I can’t stand) I used unsweetened coconut, and the cookies were fantastic.  They were nice and chewy, and the coconut and chocolate combination is a match made in heaven.  They were plenty sweet – so I really recommend the unsweetened coconut if you can find it.  The only other thing I would change is to add more chocolate next time.  I used what I had in the house – which was about what the recipe called for – but if you like chocolate, please do yourself a favor and add some more – as my husband always reminds me, you can never really have too much chocolate, can you?

Ingredients

  • 1  cup  flaked unsweetened coconut
  • 4.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
  • 1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1/8  teaspoon  salt
  • 3/4  cup  packed brown sugar
  • 1/4  cup  unsalted butter, softened
  • 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
  • 1  large egg
  • 2  ounces  dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
  • Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Arrange coconut in a single layer in a small baking pan. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set aside to cool.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in toasted coconut and chocolate.

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until bottoms of cookies just begin to brown. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire racks.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing

Published on by Dawn4 Comments

My family loves rice.  There was definitely a time when I was making rice at least a couple of times each week.  I always had to time things just right though because it is a good 25-30 minutes from start to finish – and then there is the clean-up.  I hated when the rice would stick to the bottom of the pan…ugh!

Well – I was talking to my sister-in-law on the phone (who happens to be a food consultant) telling her about the rice I found at Trader Joes in the freezer section – and how easy it is to make – and how delicious it is.  In 3-4 minutes, I have a perfect batch of rice – with absolutely no clean-up.  Then she told me about the latest product she was working on – she said, if I liked the rice at Trader Joes – wait until I tried this.  So I did – and not only does it taste amazing, it is ridiculously healthy.  It is really the perfect rice – especially when using it in a recipe – when the recipe calls for a cup of rice – no problem, just measure it out, and put it in the microwave.  In minutes, it is done.  So – when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit – I knew that the Brown, Red, Wild Rice Medley would be perfect.  I was right.  I served this to a bunch of moms at my daughter’s Book Club, and they loved it!  It was definitely a hit.  Half of them even thought their kids would love it.

Now, this new product is not available everywhere – so if you happen to live in an area where this rice is not available, go to their website and send them a message. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Brown, Red and Wild Rice Medley
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 ears) or frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 cup chopped fresh poblano chiles or green bell pepper
  • 1 cup diced seeded red bell pepper
  • 1 cup 1/2-inch cubes yellow zucchini
  • 1 avocado, halved, peeled, diced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Cook rice using package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add corn, poblanos, yellow bell pepper, and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are just tender, 6 to 7 minutes; scrape into large bowl. Add rice, avocado, green onions, cilantro, and dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing

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Cheddar, Bacon, and Fresh Chive Biscuits

Published on by Dawn5 Comments

There was a period in my life when I thought that biscuits were only made from Bisquick.  Boy am I glad I was wrong about that.  I just couldn’t understand why the biscuits I would make tasted so different from the biscuits I would get elsewhere.  Then I made my first buttermilk biscuit, and I was forever changed.  Biscuits made from flour and buttermilk can be so fluffy they almost melt in your mouth.  I love when they get crisp on the outside, and so nice and tender on the inside.  My favorite way to eat a biscuit is dipped in honey.  Although, a biscuit stuffed with a fried egg and ham is also pretty fantastic.

I saw these biscuits in Bon Appetit, and they were calling out to me.  Ok – biscuits made with bacon and cheddar – what could be better?  Nothing.  And these biscuits, they were amazing.  Beautifully fluffy on the inside, and so buttery tasting, they didn’t even need butter.  After I had one plain, I took another and dipped it in honey, and oh my goodness – what a treat.

This recipe makes 12 large biscuits – if you are looking for smaller biscuits, drop them by 1/3 cup instead of 1/2, and cook them for about 15 minutes or less.  Also – I cooked the bacon in the oven using my convection setting – at 400°F.  I left the recipe as is, since many people prefer to fry bacon up in a pan – but if you have a convection oven, I highly recommend that – it is easy, clean, and makes very crispy bacon.

Ingredients

  • 6 thick-cut bacon slices
  • 3 3/4 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus melted butter for brushing
  • 2 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
  • 1 3/4 cups chilled buttermilk
  • Honey (optional)

Preparation

Position rack just above center of oven and pre-heat to 400°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then chop coarsely.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter cubes. Blend until coarse meal forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Add cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and chopped bacon; toss to blend. Gradually add buttermilk, stirring to moisten evenly (batter will feel sticky).

Using lightly floured hands, drop generous 1/2 cup batter for each biscuit onto prepared baking sheet, spacing batter mounds about 2 inches apart.

Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Brush biscuits lightly with melted butter. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve biscuits warm or at room temperature with honey, if desired.  Makes 12 large biscuits.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Cheddar, Bacon, and Fresh Chive Biscuits

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Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Published on by Dawn3 Comments

For most of my life, I thought that pizza slices were always square.  That’s because where I grew up, the pizza slices were square – except for the 4 tiny baby slices you would find on the corners of each pie.  They cut the pizza in a cross-wise fashion, instead of cutting wedges.  Ok, I am not doing a good job explaining this, so here is a visual:

We would always fight over the pieces with the crust – especially the baby triangles – and what  novel concept, that people like their pizza in triangles!  We never wanted to eat the inside pieces with no crust.  The funny thing is my younger daughter would have loved growing up with pizza cut into squares – because she hates the crust!  Let me tell you, it is very hard to eat a piece of pizza with no crust.

When I went to college and polled my friends, I realized that I was the only one that had strange shaped pizza in my town.  Triangles were it – they were the preferred shape of pizza – and I definitely agreed.  Everyone got a piece with crust – there was no fighting  – and the triangles were big – not tiny baby pieces.

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit – and since we had just come back from NYC where we feasted on the best pizza ever – I decided to give it a try.  No, it was not as good as the pizza in NYC – but the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella topping were excellent.  I thought about cutting it into squares, but I just couldn’t do it.  I just love my triangles – even if I have to cut the crust off for my daughter.

Ingredients

  • 1 13.8-ounce tube refrigerated pizza dough
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 12-ounce bag cherry tomatoes, stemmed
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed in plastic bag
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • 1 4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella in water (ovoline), diced
  • 4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, diced
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves plus small leaves for garnish

Preparation

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Unroll dough on heavy large baking sheet; pull to about 12×8-inch rectangle, pinching any tears to seal. Fold over edge of dough to make border.

Heat large skillet over high heat 2 minutes. Add oil, then tomatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are charred and beginning to break down, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in garlic, fennel, and crushed red pepper. Using back of fork, crush tomatoes in bowl, leaving large chunks intact. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Toss cheeses and chopped basil in medium bowl.

Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over dough, right up to border. Spoon on tomato mixture in dollops, leaving some cheese uncovered. Bake pizza until crust is crisp and brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Loosen pizza with metal spatula and slide onto board. Garnish with basil leaves.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

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Black and Tan Brownies

Published on by Dawn5 Comments

Wow, it is hard to believe that I have made it to 100 posts!  I feel like I have barely scratched the surface.  Thanks everyone for reading – it just gives me incentive to post more – which I definitely plan on doing.  I also want to thank my husband for putting up with me when he is starving – and I have to tell him – nope, we can’t eat yet – I have to take a picture!  I’m very glad he is so supportive.

What unusual brownies – that’s all I have to say.  You have to make them to believe them.  I saw this recipe in Cooking Light– and still had some Guinness left in the refrigerator from the stew I made for St. Patrick’s day.  The recipe just looked so interesting, I had to give them a try.  The bottom layer is basically a Blondie – a nice caramel flavored Blondie – that is nice and moist and chewy.  The top layer was not nearly as chocolatey as I imagined, and definitely had a beer flavor.  People either LOVED them – or thought the beer flavor was a little to bitter.  My older daughter was not a big fan, but my younger one scarfed one down.  I brought them into work – and people either had a couple – or took a bite and that was enough.  I have to say though, aside from the flavor, they were soft and chewy and just deliciously moist.  You may have to try them just to see what I am talking about!

Ingredients

Tan Brownies:

  • 6  tablespoons  butter, softened
  • 1 1/2  cups  packed brown sugar
  • 2  large eggs
  • 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
  • 4.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
  • 1  teaspoon  baking powder
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  cup  chopped pecans
  • Cooking spray

Black Brownies:

  • 3  ounces  unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
  • 4  tablespoons  butter
  • 1  cup  granulated sugar
  • 2  large eggs
  • 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
  • 1  cup  Guinness Stout
  • 4.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt

Preparation

Place one rack in lower third of oven; place another rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare Tan Brownies, place 6 tablespoons butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 4.5 ounces flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well. Add flour mixture and pecans to sugar mixture, beating just until combined. Spoon into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly with a knife or rubber spatula. Bake at 350° in lower third of oven for 15 minutes.

To prepare Black Brownies, melt chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter in a large microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 1 minute or until melted, stirring after every 20 seconds until smooth. Add granulated sugar, stirring until well combined. Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and Guinness, stirring with a whisk until well combined. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 4.5 ounces flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring to combine. Pour mixture evenly over Tan Brownies.

Bake on the center rack at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack; cut into squares.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Black and Tan Brownies

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Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote

Published on by Dawn6 Comments

Making sure we don’t waste any food is almost like a game to me.  I am always trying to make sure nothing gets thrown away.  Before we left to go on vacation, we had 3 semi-ripe pears sitting on the counter.  I had no time to do anything with them, so I decided to just put them in the refrigerator to see if they would stay good until we returned.  Sure enough, they didn’t ripen anymore, but they looked fine – they just didn’t seem ripe enough to eat by themselves.  I was looking through my Bon Appetit magazine, and noticed this recipe – the Buttermilk Spice Cake looked delicious – but it was the Pear Compote that really caught my eye.  I decided this was exactly what these pears in the refrigerator were meant for.  I followed the instructions, and they turned out beautifully – even my husband was impressed – since he is usually the one that has to eat up all the fruit.  The cake was also delicious – although it did not get as fluffy as I expected.  I was picturing it more like this cake which is so rediculously light it almost melts in your mouth.  Even so, it went perfectly with the Pear Compote – and there was not a piece left the next day – except for the piece I saved my daughter to put in her lunch…and boy was she happy about that.

Ingredients

Pear compote:

  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • Large pinch of salt
  • 3 Bosc pears (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Buttermilk spice cake:

  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon (scant) baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground whole star anise*
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 3-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime peel
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • Powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche or whipped cream

Preparation

For pear compote:
Mix sugar, lime juice, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Add pears and toss gently to coat. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until pears are just tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

For buttermilk spice cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides; line pan with round of parchment paper. Sift first 9 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add lime peel; beat to blend. Beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions, scraping down bowl occasionally. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until beginning to brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on cooling rack. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack; peel off parchment and turn right side up onto platter. Sift powdered sugar over. Cut into wedges. Serve with pear compote and dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream.

For a printer-friendly recipe, please click here:  Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote

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Moroccan Carrot Soup

Published on by Dawn11 Comments

From the day my older daughter started eating solid foods, she was hooked on carrots.  She loved them so much, there was a time that she had an orange hue to her skin – I guess it is common for infants who eat a lot of orange vegetables.  Even today, there are very few vegetables that she will eat, but I can always count on her to eat a pile of carrot sticks if I set them down in front of her.

A couple of weeks ago we were in one of our really nice local markets, and they were serving samples of their carrot soup – she took a sample, and immediately started asking me to make some at home.  How can I resist my daughter begging me to make her healthy carrot soup?  Ok, maybe not complete healthy because the carrot soup in the store must have had tons of butter and/or cream, as it sure tasted delicious.  That week I was reading my Bon Appetit – and what did they have?  A recipe for a Moroccan Carrot Soup – what a perfect coincidence.  Unfortunately though – I decided to make this when some friends were coming over for dinner – I doubled the recipe (there were 6 adults) – and we devoured it.  My daughter only got a very small bowl…    This soup was amazing – beautiful flavor, wonderfully creamy – no one could believe there was no cream.  The toasted cumin and yogurt on top went perfectly with the deep flavor of the soup.  I see more carrot soup in our future.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
  • 1 cup chopped white onion
  • 1 pound large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 2/3 cups)
  • 2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred to loosen

Preparation

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in carrots. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes; cool. Finely grind in spice mill.

Remove soup from heat. Puree in batches in blender until smooth. Return to same pan. Whisk in honey, lemon juice, and allspice. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle yogurt over; sprinkle generously with cumin.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Moroccan Carrot Soup

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No-Knead Overnight Parmesan and Thyme Rolls

Published on by Dawn3 Comments

Yeast is very tricky.  When I first started baking bread almost 20 years ago, I didn’t understand what the big deal was.  I realized later that I was just getting lucky.  I never used a thermometer to make sure the water or milk was the right temperature to proof the yeast, I just felt it – and gambled.  I had a really great streak going for quite a while.  Until one day, my yeast just didn’t look at bubbly as it usually did – but I made the bread anyway.  That’s when I figured out why it was so important for the yeast to proof before mixing in the ingredients.  My dough didn’t rise – I had killed the yeast because my water was too hot.

Now I actually use a thermometer to check the liquid before adding in the yeast.  I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and it caught my eye because it was an overnight yeast batter.  I had to give it a try.  The only problem was when I finally decided to make them (in order to have them ready for the next night’s dinner) it was 9pm.  The recipe looked pretty easy though, so I decided to go for it.  For some reason I couldn’t for the life of me get the yeast to proof.  The water seemed to be the right temperature, so maybe it was the yeast?  Whatever it was, I just didn’t see any action happening at all.  After 3 attempts, I decided to try just one more time – I was getting very tired, and extremely frustrated.  The fourth time worked – and the rolls were delicious.  Don’t be alarmed when the dough doesn’t rise after sitting in the refrigerator over night – they still bake beautifully.  Eat them right out of the oven, and if you happen to have a nice pot of soup to go with them – you will be even happier.

Ingredients

  • 1/2  teaspoon  dry yeast
  • 2  tablespoons  warm water (100° to 110°)
  • 2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1  teaspoon  dried thyme
  • 1/3  cup  2% reduced-fat milk
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
  • 1  tablespoon  sugar
  • 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
  • 1  large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1.1  ounces  whole-wheat white flour (about 1/4 cup)
  • 5.6  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups), divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/2  teaspoon  cracked black pepper

Preparation

Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add thyme to pan; cook 1 minute or until bubbly and fragrant. Add thyme mixture and milk to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk; add 1/4 cup cheese, sugar, salt, and egg, stirring well.

Weigh or lightly spoon whole-wheat white flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Using a wooden spoon, stir whole-wheat white flour into yeast mixture. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add all-purpose flour to yeast mixture, stirring well. Add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to form a smooth but very sticky dough. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Dough will not double in size.)

Remove dough from refrigerator. Do not punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a floured surface; sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Roll dough into a 12 x 7–inch rectangle. Brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese evenly over dough; sprinkle with pepper. Beginning with a long side, roll up dough jelly-roll fashion. Pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 8 (1 1/2-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until rolls have risen slightly.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place pan in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 375°. Bake rolls at 375° for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Parmesan Rolls

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Chicken Carne Asada Tacos with Pickled Onions

Published on by Dawn2 Comments

 

I love a good taco – in fact, I often crave a good taco.  Not one with a crunchy shell, but one with a deliciously soft corn tortilla that is stuffed with shredded chicken or pork, a fresh tomato salsa made with cilantro, and to top it off a delicious dollop of guacamole made with fresh avocado.  Even just chunks of avocado will do just fine.

The best tacos are usually found at the taco trucks, although I have to say I had one of the best tacos in my life in Los Angeles at the Farmer’s Market.  Thinking about them right now makes me want to get on an airplane and go straight there.   Lately we have been having taco night more and more, now that my kids are getting into it.  They love all the bowls of condiments I put on the table – and the fact that they can pick and choose, and basically make their own dinner.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and I had to give it a try.  What interested me the most were the pickled onions – and they were a fantastic addition to the tacos.  They were sweet, yet tangy and crunchy – they went so well with the avocado and chicken, and that warm corn tortilla that it was wrapped in.  The recipe made a lot of pickled onions, so you will have plenty left-over to enjoy in other ways – like on salad or just grilled chicken.  I need a taco!

Ingredients

  • 1/2  cup  fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
  • 1/3  cup  fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • 1  teaspoon  sugar
  • 1  teaspoon  cumin seeds
  • 1  medium red onion, thinly vertically sliced
  • 1 1/2  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thin strips
  • 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
  • 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
  • 3/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 8  (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1  cup  diced peeled avocado (about 1 avocado)
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled Cotija cheese
  • Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place onion in a small saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; drain and plunge onion in ice water. Drain onion; add to juice mixture. Chill until ready to serve.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned and done, stirring occasionally.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide chicken evenly among tortillas. Drain onion; divide evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons avocado and 1 tablespoon cheese; fold over. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Chicken Carne Asada Tacos with Pickled Onions

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