OK, this is going to be the easiest recipe I ever shared with you. But this may be one of the best recipes I ever shared with you. And why is that you might ask? Well, for several reasons. Not only is crostini easy to prepare and delicious, it’s crunchy. And who doesn’t love crunchy! Crostini (meaning “little crusts” in Italian; singular crostino (but who could ever eat just one) are simply that much needed crunch so often missing in a meal of soup or stew and bread. And we all know how wonderful soup and stew are when served with a nice soft roll or baguette slices. But with crostini, you have the lovely bread, but also the delightful crunch.
So, what types of bread make the best crostini? Glad you asked. Rustic peasant bread, ciabatta, and different types of baguettes all work great. If you are into baking your own bread, I would recommend Chewy Sourdough Baguettes, Thin Sourdough Baguettes, Overnight Sourdough Baguettes, Soft French Baguettes, or Classic Italian Baguettes. All found on this site.
And then guess what else is great about crostini? You can top the little darlings with any old thing you want. For example – Kalamata Olive Spread, Creamy Feta Cheese Dip, Mushroom Pâté, Herbed Cream Cheese with Black Pepper Spread, and of course bruschetta. (See recipe below.) Or provide a variety of different toppings for family and friends to smear on crostini all by themselves. (Sounds like a party to me.)
Speaking of parties, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to the Whistle Lake Jazz Quartet rehearse in our living room. Furniture scattered to the four winds. Beer glasses everywhere, and happy, wonderful guys truly enjoying themselves making beautiful music. I feel like I’m in heaven. Just sitting in our den, writing up this recipe, it feels like magic happening all around me. There is simply nothing better than live music. And when it’s in your own living room – well, nothing compares. For pictures of the quartet practicing, see the bottom of the post.
So, as always, bring a little magic into your life. Be it listening to beautiful music, looking at fabulous art, reading good books, playing with your children, making someone else’s life a little bit better, or whatever feeds your soul. If it makes you smile, then it’s worth the effort.
Peace and love to all.
baguette
extra-virgin olive oil
flaky or fine sea salt, to taste
Pre-heat your oven to 450-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Slice the baguette on the diagonal into pieces no wider than ½-inch. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with olive oil.
Place the slices in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet and bake them on the middle rack for about 9 minutes, until they are crisp and nicely golden on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve immediately.
Bruschetta
crostini – just out of the oven
1 garlic clove
extra virgin olive oil
chopped fresh basil
chopped tomato
freshly ground black pepper
Scrape the warm crostini with a garlic clove. Drizzle on a bit of olive oil, then top with diced tomato, chopped fresh basil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve to only those who deserve the best.
Mr. C. on piano
Mr. C. and Todd on drumsTim on bass and Jamie on guitarAll together now, all together now……..
For those of you for whom French is not your first, second, or even third language, a “bâtard” is essentially just an oval shaped loaf of bread. It just sounds so much more sophisticated to call it a bâtard rather than referring to it as just an oval loaf of bread. And you know, I am nothing if not the very essence of sophistication. Yah right?!?!
But when it comes to bread, I can get quite high on my horse about it. Especially good homemade bread. Because, frankly, there is nothing more delicious. And this bread is a perfect example of really good bread. Absolutely perfect for toast in the morning and especially fabulous when served as crostini. (See recipe below.)
It is however, a bit of a pain in the patootie to make. And probably not a good bread for a beginner to tackle. Unless of course, you are one of those people who overachieves at everything you have ever tried. On the first try! Then go for it. For the rest of us, I would say a bit of bread baking experience would be wise.
I found this recipe, much changed by me, on the King Arthur baking site. The instructions from the good folks at King Arthur would have me start the process with “fed” sourdough starter. For me, that would make it a three-day process. I simply don’t think that far in advance. As it is, even with my changes, it takes two-days to produce this lovely loaf. That much I can handle. And totally worth the effort.
But my way does require the addition of a small amount of active dry yeast. And even though not called for in the original recipe, I managed to slip in a bit of olive oil action too. (I love olive oil with this type of bread.)
So, in conclusion, if you have the time, discipline, and fortitude, please give this bread recipe a try.
As with everything, you will never achieve if you don’t first try. It always amazes me when people can’t believe I made the bread they are enjoying. When actually, homemade bread is one of the easiest and most forgiving baked good you can produce. But then, if you don’t try, you don’t know. So, try things folks. We are only on this planet for a very short time. Who knows, you might find that collecting the elusive chanterelle mushroom from its hiding place under a Douglas fir to be the best and most rewarding fun you ever had. Or learning to play the ukulele or the joys of down hill skiing in your mid 40’s. There are an infinite number of possibilities. But each require that first step. And with first steps, as in first steps taken by babies, you might fall on your face. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again. It’s called life. And life is meant to be lived! And cherished. Baby steps, successes, failures, and everything in between!
Peace and love to all.
1 c. sourdough starter discard, room temperature
1½ c. lukewarm water
½ tsp. active dry yeast
2½ tsp. kosher salt
5 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
extra virgin olive oil
In the bowl of your stand mixer, stir together the starter, water, yeast, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat vigorously for 1 minute. (I use my paddle attachment for this rather than my dough hook.)
Cover and let rest at room temperature for 3 hours. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 12 hours. (The dough will expand some during it’s time in your refrigerator.)
The next day, add the salt and enough flour to form, with your bread hook, a smooth firm dough. For me, this took the full 5 cups of flour, and then some. Just be sure to touch the dough. Because, when I first started adding additional flour, 5 cups looked like too much. But when I actually touched the dough after 4½ cups, I quickly realized that the look of this dough is deceiving. It looked like it had enough flour, pulled away from the bottom of the mixer bowl like it had enough flour, but when I poked the dough and actually felt its density, in no way would it have held its shape. Simply not enough flour. So, I added enough more flour to create the dough required to hold a shape.
When your dough is nicely kneaded and ready for the next rise, pour a bit of olive oil in the bowl, and using your hands and a stiff rubber spatula, work the dough into a ball entirely coated with the oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until it’s light and airy, with visible gas bubbles. Depending on the starter you use and the temperature of your kitchen, this may take 4 to 5 hours. (Mine took 4 hours.) For best results, gently deflate the dough once an hour.
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Then pour a bit of olive oil in a small container and lightly grease your hands. (Take your rings off first. Don’t forget where you left them!) Gently pat the dough to deflate it slightly and remove any large bubbles. Divide the dough in half, right in the bowl. Form each half into a loose ball, then gently stretch the dough while tucking the dough under itself as you form an oval. (I know there are fancy ways to shape a Bâtard, but frankly, I don’t have time or the inclination for fancy-schmancy loaves of bread. I just shape the loaves as best I can in my hands, then plop the darn things on the prepared pan! If they look a little misshapen, I mess with them a bit more on the baking sheet.) (If you have any leftover olive oil gently smear it on the loaves.)
Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 2 hours. Don’t worry if the loaves spread more than they rise; they’ll pick up once they hit the oven’s heat. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425-degrees. While the oven heats, place a pan of water on the bottom rack. I use a 9-inch cake pan half full of water.
Spray the bâtards with lukewarm water; this will help them rise in the oven by initially keeping their crusts soft and pliable.
Slash the bâtards. Try one slash down the length of the loaf, two diagonal slashes, or another symmetrical pattern of your choice. Make the slashes fairly deep; a serrated bread knife or lame, wielded firmly, works very well.
Bake the bâtards for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are a nice golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 208-degrees. Remove from oven and cool on a rack before slicing.
Store bâtards, loosely wrapped, for several days at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.
This bread makes great crostini. (See recipe below.)
CROSTINI
crusty bâtard (like this one) or a French baguette
extra-virgin olive oil
flaky or fine sea salt
Pre-heat oven to 450-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the bread on the diagonal into pieces no wider than ½-inch. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with olive oil.
Place the slices in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet and bake them on the middle rack for about 9-11 minutes, or until they are crisp and nicely golden on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve immediately.
We love homemade pizza. And I especially love thin crust pizza. Not so much for the overall taste, but more for the reduction of carbs. Less dough, less carbs and calories. So, I decided to come up with a crust that I could pat out very, very thin. Just enough crust to support all the yummy topping ingredients. And while I was at it, I decided for the pizza I was building that evening, and because I had some fresh basil in the fridge that was quickly becoming tired, I would work up a pesto like sauce. So, you will find that recipe below too.
So, nothing more to say except I didn’t take a picture of the finished product. (Hard to take a picture of the bottom crust of a pizza after it’s been baked. If you don’t believe me, try it yourself sometime. But only if you plan to serve upside down pizza!)
As always, peace and love to all.
1 c. warm water
½ tsp. granulated sugar
1 pkg. or 1 scant T. active dry yeast
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. whole wheat flour
1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, more or less
Combine the water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add the salt, olive oil, whole wheat flour, and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour.
Using your dough hook, mix/knead until the dough is smooth and elastic using as much flour as required.
Cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes. Divide dough in half. (Dough can be used immediately or a portion frozen for later use.)
To bake your pizza on a pizza pan or baking sheet:
Lightly grease a 12-inch pizza pan. Sprinkle with a bit of cornmeal. Place one of the half pieces of dough on the prepared pizza pan and pat it with your fingers until it stretches over the whole pan. Make sure the edge is a bit thicker than the rest.
Place in a pre-heated 475-degree oven for about 8 minutes to set the crust. Remove from oven and spread with pizza sauce and toppings of your choice.
Return to the oven and continue baking for 10-20 minutes longer or until the crust is a nice golden color and the cheese is melted and starting to brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into slices.
To bake your pizza on a pizza stone:
Pre-heat your oven and pizza stone to 475-degrees. (This takes longer than just heating your oven. So, you may want to start heating your oven at the same time you start making your dough. Rise time and all.)
Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a pizza peel or a baking sheet with only one edge. Pat one of the half pieces of dough out as thin as possible. Then, place your topping ingredients over the crust.
Transfer the pizza (parchment paper and all) off the pizza peel or baking sheet onto your pre-heated pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and wait 5 minutes before cutting. (I don’t have a pizza peel. I use a one-sided baking sheet. When the pizza is ready to come out of the oven, I just slide the pizza, parchment paper and all, back on to the baking sheet.)
BASIL PESTO PIZZA SAUCE
2 garlic cloves
2 c. packed basil leaves
tiny pinch kosher salt
a couple grinds black pepper
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Place all the ingredients in your food processor. Whirl until you reach desired consistency.
Slather the sauce on unbaked or partially baked crust. Use as much of the sauce as you want. That may be only half of the sauce, or every last bit scraped out of the food processor.
I am always trying (most times not terribly successfully) to remove added sugar from recipes. So, the other evening to accompany Vegetarian Lentil Soup, I decided to develop a sugar-free cornbread recipe. I perused a few sites looking for the perfect recipe, but some had bacon fat, or some other ingredient that just didn’t work for me. So, I cobbled together this recipe. And fortunately, it worked. Boy did it work! I can honestly say I had no feelings of guilt eating this cornbread. Of course, there was butter in the recipe. But the no additional sugar helped me from becoming guilt-ridden. And I really didn’t miss the sweetness that I always find appealing about this wonderful and easy to prepare bread. Of course, the next morning I did serve it drizzled with warm maple syrup for a special breakfast treat. But that’s a story for another time.
Anyway, this cornbread is inexpensive and easy to prepare (only 7 ingredients and no mixer required), and a dish that everyone in your family will love. And of course, if you must, you can gently warm the bread and slather it with butter to further enhance its enjoyment. (I can’t speak from experience on this myself. But I’m sure Mr. C. could attest to the fact if gently coerced.)
So, if you too are trying to avoid added sugar, but still want to enjoy life’s little pleasures like cornbread, give this recipe a try. It’s darn good. That’s all I’ve got to say!
Peace and love to all.
½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ c. cornmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
5 T. unsalted butter, melted
1¼ c. buttermilk
1 egg
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Then whisk in the buttermilk and egg until well combined.
Stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients just until blended.
Spoon the batter into a greased 9×9-inch square baking dish, smoothing the top before placing in the oven.
Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
First let me say that I love the flavor and texture of challah. Toasted, buttered, and slathered with local honey is fantastic. But, with these two loaves, I cut them into small cubes and toasted/dried them in the oven for turkey dressing. (Of course, I did save 2 thick slices for toast one morning, but I still had plenty for the dressing.) And just like every other time I’ve made dressing, I over-achieved. Way too much dressing, and not up to my usual standard. I thought I didn’t have enough challah cubes for the dressing, so I used some whole wheat bread cubes, and even cut up a few slices of seed bread I had in the freezer.
So, I must say, the next time I make dressing, I will use only challah bread. The toasted whole wheat and seed bread cubes were just too heavy. Had I just used the challah cubes, the dressing would have been fine. (And a reasonable amount. What was I thinking?)
But please don’t limit your enjoyment of challah to using it in turkey dressing. It has so much more to offer. It is perfect just toasted, but when turned into French toast, even the dullest of mornings becomes special. Slathered in butter and topped with warm maple or berry syrup, absolutely nothing is more delicious. (And yes, always warm syrup before serving it to the most important people in your life. I mean really! Who could possibly be more important or deserving than the people sitting around your breakfast table?)
Well, that’s it for now. I’m not going to bore you any more rhetoric today, except to say, if you are a bread lover, give challah a try. You will forever be thankful for discovering this culinary treasure.
And a big thank you to Lora, from the savoringitaly.com site, for this splendid recipe.
And as always, peace and love to all.
1 c. warm water
1 pkg. or 1 scant T. active dry yeast
1 tsp. plus ⅓ c. granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp. fine sea salt
4½ to 5 c. bread flour, divided
4 lg. eggs, divided
¼ c. vegetable or canola oil, plus more for greasing the mixer bowl
1 c. room temperature sourdough discard
poppy or sesame seeds, opt.
In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, combine the warm water, yeast, and the 1 teaspoon sugar. Let the yeast bloom for about 5 minutes. Then slowly mix in the salt and 1 cup of the bread flour until well combined.
Mix in 3 of the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in the remaining one-third cup sugar, oil, and sourdough discard. Add enough remaining flour to create a dough that is a bit sticky, but soft and smooth. (This should take several minutes of kneading to achieve.)
Pour a bit of oil over the dough and form into a ball. There should be a film of oil over the entire surface. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes).
When the dough has risen, punch it down. Shape each portion per instructions given below for either classic or batard shaped loaves.
Classic Challah Shape: (this method makes 2 challah loaves)
Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and allow to rest covered with plastic wrap for 5-10 minutes.
With clean, lightly floured hands, begin to shape and gently stretch three of the dough balls into log shapes. Place the dough logs on a very lightly floured work surface and use your hands to roll and pull them into long rope-like strands. Use even pressure as you roll the dough to maintain an even thickness along the length of each rope. Place the challah dough ropes on a baking sheet that has been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper. (The ropes should be lined up, side by side, but not touching. Leave at least an inch between each rope so that you have enough room to braid. If one of your dough ropes is thicker or smaller than the others, make that one the center strand.
Firmly pinch the ends of the dough ropes together at the top end. This will hold the top of the loaf together while you braid the dough. Tuck the braid ends under the loaf to help hold them together while you braid, and while the challah bakes.
Begin to braid the challah by lifting the dough rope on the right and passing it over the center rope (the rope to the immediate left). The rope that was originally on the far right now becomes the center rope. The original center rope is now on the right. The rope on the left has not moved. Take the dough rope on the left and pass it over the center strand (the rope to the immediate right). The rope that had been on the left is now in the center. Continue braiding the challah by alternately placing the right rope over the center rope, then the left rope over the center rope. Try to keep the braid fairly tight as you work your way down the loaf. When you’ve braided all the way to the bottom of the loaf, pinch the ends of the dough ropes together, and tuck them under the loaf. This will give your challah an attractive, tapered shape, and help hold the braid together while the loaf rises and bakes.
Repeat the process with the other 3 strands of dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft free place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
When ready to bake, brush with egg wash. (Egg wash is made with the remaining egg and a few drops of water whisked together). Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if desired.
Bake the challah in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 190-degrees. (Check after 30-minutes. If the bread is getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time in the oven.)
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Batard (Football) Shaped Loaves: (this method makes 2 large loaves) (I bake the bread this way when I am using the bread for bread pudding, stuffing/dressing, or any recipe that calls for an egg rich bread.)
After the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into 2 pieces. Shape into 2 elongated loaves and place on a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover, and allow the loaves to rise for 45-60 minutes. Brush with egg wash. (Egg wash is made with the remaining egg and a few drops of water whisked together).
Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 190-degrees. (Check after 30-minutes. If the bread is getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time in the oven.)
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
OK, Christmas is over, New Year’s Eve has come and gone, and all that’s left to do is undecorate the house, finish eating the Christmas goodies, and prepare for the long, cold, dreary days of winter. Sounds depressing, right? But it need not be. Because this is also the season of soup and bread. And of course, I mean homemade soup and homemade bread. And as much as I enjoy the lovely long and warm days of summer, I really think I prefer the stormy and rainy days of winter. It’s the coziness I love. Fireplace on go, no watering the yard responsibilities, and more of my favorite dishes, all in the “comfort food” category. So, for me, there is nothing like a hot bowl of soup and a slice of homemade bread to put me in my comfort zone. And I especially love a bread that is hearty and full of flavor. And this bread should be the poster child for the perfect bread to go with a big old steaming bowl of soup, or chowder, or chili.
And the best part, this is a very easy bread to prepare. In fact, most breads are easy to prepare if you get right down to it. They require time, but most of the time is taken up in allowing the little yeasty beasties to gobble up the sugars in the flour, which in turn releases the carbon dioxide that makes the dough rise. But the actual assembly time is only a matter of minutes.
And I know, you are probably tired of me expounding on the virtues of homemade bread. I do it only because I find homemade bread to be one of life’s simple pleasures. It’s not expensive to make, and if eaten in moderation, even someone with type 2 diabetes can enjoy the right kind of bread. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) puts it this way: “Starchy foods can be part of a healthy meal plan, but portion size is key. Breads, cereals, pasta, rice (whole-grain options are better), and starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, peas, and corn can be included in your meals and snacks.”
And I know, for those of you who still work for a living, bread baking may only be accomplished on your days off. I get that. So, bake bread on your day off. Then work the rising and baking around the housework, laundry, grocery shopping, yard work, etc. etc. that also requires attention on your day(s) off. (Never forget, I’ve been there too.) But what a treat it will be for your family to sit down to dinner (oh yes, there’s dinner also to be made on your day(s) off) with homemade bread to fill all those hollow places in your kid’s legs.
Anyway, I know I am obsessed with bread baking. But I’d rather have a mania for bread baking than, say, gambling or watching Fox News. So, if you too love a great slice of bread, give this recipe a try.
As always, have fun in your kitchen. Keep trying new recipes. And always endeavor to eat healthy and if possible, locally sourced ingredients. And use your herbs and spices with shear abandon. Spicing dishes up a bit is rarely a bad thing.
Peace and love to all.
1 c. room temperature sourdough starter discard
1½ c. lukewarm water
1 pkg. or 1 scant T. active dry yeast
1 T. granulated sugar
2½ tsp. kosher salt
2 c. bread flour
1¾ c. whole wheat flour, plus more as needed
olive oil
Combine the room temperature sourdough starter, water, yeast, and sugar; let sit for 5 minutes. Add the salt, bread flour, and about 1½ cups of the whole wheat flour in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Knead on slow speed until a smooth dough forms, about 4-6 minutes. Add additional bread flour as required. (If you are used to bread dough that forms a nice clean ball around the dough hook, pull back a little on the amount of flour you usually use. This dough is a bit different. It is perfect when you touch it with your finger and it’s not sticky, while some of the dough is still clinging to the bottom of the mixing bowl.)
Pour a bit of olive oil over the dough and using your hands and a stiff spatula, form a ball completely coated in the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and allow to double in size, about 60 minutes. (Could need up to 30 minutes more.)
Punch down the dough. Form into a boule, then place the dough ball, smooth side up on a piece of parchment paper long enough to allow you to lower the dough into a Dutch oven or cloche (clay baker). Cover the dough with greased plastic wrap and let rest for 60 minutes. (It should just about double as it rises.) Near the end of the rising time, place your Dutch oven or clay baker (cloche), lid and all, in your oven and pre-heat to 425-degrees.
When the dough has risen sufficiently, carefully remove the Dutch oven or clay baker from the hot oven. Immediately use a sharp knife or lame blade to score an X about ¼-inch deep into the surface of the bread dough. This allows the bread to expand without tearing as it bakes. (Don’t press down too hard. You don’t want to deflate the dough ball.)
Carefully remove the lid of the Dutch oven or cloche and place the parchment paper and loaf in the bottom of your Dutch oven or on the bottom portion of your cloche. Then cover and place in the pre-heated 425-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 10-13 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. (Your instant read thermometer should read between 200 to 205-degrees.)
Remove from oven and carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Let me begin by saying that Mr. C. loves leftovers. So, one of the benefits of cooking too much food for Thanksgiving is having just what he loves at his disposal. (Remember that word – disposal, because it’s going to be used again in this post, but in a very different context!)
But after the first meal of all things leftover, and even a second attempt to present him with yet another opportunity to enjoy all the delicious flavors that make Thanksgiving such a special occasion, his desire to eat anymore of the leftovers began to wane. And I could hardly stand to open the refrigerator. So, that meant that I had to figure out a better way to use up the leftovers. Thus, this recipe.
So, with 3 cups of shredded turkey to use in a dish that would hopefully be welcome, even if the name included “leftover turkey”, I came up with this recipe. But what to serve it over? That part came next.
So, I went online to find a drop biscuit recipe that didn’t require getting out the food processor or my stand mixer. (I’m still recovering from all the cooking I did for Thanksgiving, so the simpler the food prep for now, the better.) I found this recipe on the cookingclassy.com site and the biscuits turned out perfect for the intended purpose. Split in two, they weren’t smooth surfaced like so many of my biscuit recipes produce. (Which is perfect in most cases.) However, these biscuits had the perfect crumb to absorb the lovely gravy base that makes this àla King so delicious. And, best of all, the drop biscuits had been super easy to prepare.
As for the leftover mashed potatoes, dressing, and corn pudding, well you remember that word I used above – disposal, that’s exactly where they ended up. Sometimes you just have to do what’s best for everyone concerned. And for my own sanity, not having the leftovers stare me down every time I opened the refrigerator, was a prudent move towards keeping me mentally healthy. Of course, the guilt is still there, but then, that’s another story for another time.
As always, keep staying healthy, keep making decisions that benefit not only yourself but those around you, and stay positive. Your positive outlook on life can be contagious. You never know who might need positive inspiration from time to time.
Peace and love to all.
¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ c. minced onion
¼ c. shredded carrot
¼ c. finely diced celery
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
¼ c. dry sherry
1½ c. turkey or chicken broth, or more as needed
¾ c. whole milk
¼ c. heavy cream
2-3 c. diced turkey (and yes of course, you can used cooked chicken in place of turkey)
1 sm. (4-oz.) jar sliced pimento, well drained
½ c. frozen petite peas
2 T. freshly chopped parsley
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté onion, carrot, and celery until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour, seasoned salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and thyme and cook a minute or two. Add the dry sherry and let it evaporate for about 30 seconds.
Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. If too thick, add a bit more broth. Add the cooked turkey, drained pimento, frozen peas, and fresh parsley. Cook only until the chicken is hot. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve over halved biscuits, steamed rice, or mashed potatoes.
See recipe below for quick and easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits.
BUTTERMILK DROP BISCUITS
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. granulated sugar
¾ tsp. kosher salt
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 c. buttermilk
In a small mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together.
Place the butter in a medium sized microwave safe dish and heat until about ¾ of the way melted. Remove and stir to melt fully.
Pour the buttermilk in with the butter and whisk until mixture appears lumpy.
Pour the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture and stir gently just until all the flour is incorporated.
Using a #16 ice cream scoop that has been coated with cooking spray, scoop the dough onto a parchment paper lined baking pan at least 1½-inches apart. If you don’t own a #16 ice cream scoop, spray a quarter cup round measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake in a pre-heated 475-degree oven until tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205 to 210-degrees, about 12 – 14 minutes. Remove from oven, split, and serve topped with plenty of the à la King.
Some days are better than others. Because some days I have leftovers from the previous evenings dinner and only need to fix a little “something” new to make the second dinner a pleasure rather than a chore. So, the other evening I was thinking what would go nicely with leftover pot roast, veggies (plenty of veggies) and of course, pot roast gravy. (For my recipe, search under Pot Roast with Potatoes, Onions, and Carrots.) I decided some kind of herby buttermilk biscuit would be perfect. So, using a recipe I found on the justalittlebitofbacon.com site, with the addition of roasted garlic that really needed to be used up, I baked up a batch of these amazing biscuits. So, so delicious. And as tender as any biscuits I have ever had the pleasure of eating. And for those of you for whom turkey dressing/stuffing is a waste of ingredients (all 2 of you), these biscuits would make a perfect alternative for a “bready side” on your Thanksgiving table.
I think the secret to these savory biscuits lies in the fact that the recipe calls for all fresh vegetative ingredients. And because I happen to grow Italian parsley, chives, and rosemary it made using these terrific ingredients a snap. And thyme, well I’ve tried growing it, but for some unknown reason, I’ve had no luck with this herb. So, I always have one of those small plastic containers of thyme in my fridge. So, for me it was no problem to follow the instruction as written. But if you don’t happen to have all the fresh ingredients on hand, I would say use dried. But of course, only about a third as much since the flavor of dried herbs is so much more concentrated. And if you do use dried chives and herbs, and the biscuits come out perfect, please let me know so I can pass on your comments to anyone reading this recipe. But for now, I’m going to stick with fresh chives and herbs.
Well, that’s it for today. We are expecting at least 15 guests for Thanksgiving dinner, so I am busy strategizing for the event. Even though others are bringing a dish or 2 I still feel compelled to make sure everyone ends up with at least one of the dishes they hold sacred on any Thanksgiving table so that we can send everyone out the door, full and happy. At least, that’s my plan.
This feels like such a special Thanksgiving to me. We have received our covid-19 booster shots and will be with a good portion of our extended family for this day of thanks. And everything else in our lives seems to be happily perking along. So, we have a lot of positive in our lives to be extremely thankful for. May you be as similarly blessed.
Again, Happy Thanksgiving to all. And of course, peace and love.
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. fine sea salt
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. chopped fresh chives
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves roasted garlic
8 T. (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, (can even be frozen butter), cut into small pieces
¾ c. buttermilk
Pulse the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Add the parsley, chives, thyme, and rosemary and pulse a few more times to distribute through the mix.
Add the roasted garlic and butter; process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal and there are no large lumps of butter left.
Add the buttermilk and pulse a few times, until the dough gathers into clumps. Scrape the biscuit dough out onto a lightly floured board.
Pat the dough into an oblong shape at an even 1-inch height. (This will give you 8 good sized biscuits.) Cut with a floured bench scraper or large butcher knife. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake in a pre-heated 450-degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Serve warm or toast for a wonderful breakfast bread.
So, our good friend Rudi sent me this recipe. We didn’t happen to have any Jack Daniels on hand, so Mr. C. and I had a deep and informative (at least for me) discussion regarding the relative merits of Jack over Jim (Jim Beam that is!) (Both being bourbon whiskey, or so I was informed.) And whether it would be true enough to the recipe if I used Jim instead of Jack. We came to the conclusion that Jim could stand in for Jack this time, so, to the kitchen I proceeded.
Now one thing you should know. I have my own stash of liquor and liqueurs readily at hand in the pantry when a dish I am preparing requires a bit of booze. So, in my haste to prepare this bread, I grabbed the cognac bottle rather than the bottle of Jim Beam. So, not only did my mistake ignore all the fine facts I had learned regarding bourbon, my haste changed the flavor of the bread.
But, regardless of my error, the bread was delicious. Absolutely delicious! And knowing that the flavor of bourbon is fabulous in all kinds of dishes, I have no qualms about suggesting that you use Jack Daniels when you make this recipe. But of course, if all you have is cognac, go for it. Just make this bread. You will be so glad you did. And thank you so much Rudi for this awesome recipe. And Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Speaking of giving thanks, every year at this time I remember to be thankful for the many blessings I have received over the years. My husband, my family, my friends, the fact that I have a roof over my head, and more than enough to eat. But this year, I am especially aware of how lucky I am. I didn’t get covid-19, I haven’t lost a family member to this horrid virus, and we are still friends with people who have differing opinions from ours. And that isn’t easy. I tend to get on my high horse and think I am the one in the right. (And of course, that’s mainly true!) But I haven’t walked in the other person’s shoes, and they haven’t walked in mine. The very fact that we are still respectful of each other makes me thankful. And hopeful that we can all get through this dreadful time if we continue to think of the greater good for everyone.
So, as always – peace and love to all. And again, HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
1½ – 2 c. chopped Medjool dates
4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temp., sliced into 4 pieces
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. kosher salt
¾ c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. hot brewed coffee or 1 c. hot water and 1 tsp. espresso powder
1 lg. egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. Jack Daniels or other bourbon or cognac
½ tsp. baking powder
1¾ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed
1 c. coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Lightly grease an 8.5-inch x 4.5-inch or 5 x 9-inch loaf pan. Then line the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the chopped dates, butter, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour the hot coffee into the bowl, stirring to combine. Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes.
Add the egg, vanilla, liquor, baking powder, and flour, beating gently until smooth. Stir in the pecans.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, gently tapping the pan on the counter to settle the batter.
Bake the bread for 50 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 200-degrees. (If you don’t own an instant-read thermometer, now is the time to get one! Just sayin’!) If the bread starts to get too brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil.
Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before gently turning the bread out of the pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Croissants and pain au chocolatCroissantsView of the flaky interior of a croissantUp close look at pain au chocolat
Well, once again I stepped out of my comfort zone and made THE BEST croissants I have ever tasted. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the croissants were still warm when I bit into my first one. (And yes, I had two. OK, three. But in my defense, they were small croissants, by plan, I might add.) So, thanks to Bincy at merryboosters.com, I no longer have any reason to pay excruciating prices for my all-time favorite accompaniment to bacon and eggs. And the best part – the darn things were easy to prepare. Really!
First of all, you don’t need a mixer to make the dough. And no kneading required. But granted, it did take most of the day to prepare these delicacies because there is a lot of time the dough is busy rising. But so what?! I had nothing else planned yesterday. And during the time I wasn’t actively involved in the process, I dusted the house and cleaned the bathrooms, posted a recipe, and did research for another recipe I plan to present in the future. So, basically, no time wasted.
But patience required, I will certainly admit to that! Mainly because I could hardly wait to chomp into the final product. And of course, terribly concerned that the final product would not meet my expectations. Because little old me, unschooled baker that I am, actually trying my hand at building croissants and pain au chocolat (for Mr. C.)! How extraordinarily presumptuous of me! But still game enough to at least give it a try. And not only making croissants but pain au chocolat as well. (Frankly I don’t see what all the fuss is about when it comes to pain au chocolat. But Mr. C. is a devoted fan. And when it comes right down to it, I like making him happy.) So, 4 pain au chocolat were made along with 12 regular croissants. And since you are concerned with the disparity in my 12 to his 4, forget it! He loves regular croissants too.
And another thing we both really love, is that all 12 of the croissants and 4 pain au chocolat I made cost less than 2 croissants from our local French bakery. Because really, the only expensive ingredients are the European butter (which I buy at Grocery Outlet for $1.99 for 8-ounces), and the really good dark chocolate (about a third of a 3.5 oz. dark chocolate bar from Libeert (Belgian Chocolate Creators). (Probably about a dollars-worth of chocolate.) The rest of the ingredients, not appreciable.
So, for those of you who have been afraid of making homemade croissants – let it go! These are so easy to build. And so delicious. Yes, they take time. But boy are they worth the effort.
As always, have fun in your kitchen. Try new recipes because you may never know what amazing new discoveries you might make. And please don’t wait until you’re 77 (like me) to make homemade croissants and pain au chocolat. All I can think right now, is, why in the world did I wait so long? And should I make some more tomorrow, or wait a couple of days?
So, thank you again Bincy for this fabulous recipe. And for helping me keep my reputation as a “well-rounded” cook. (Define well-rounded any way you like!)
Peace and love to all.
1 c. + 1 tsp. slightly warm whole milk, divided
1 tsp. active dry yeast
¼ c. granulated sugar
2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed
¼ tsp. fine grained sea salt
¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (European butter* is best for this recipe or any other laminated** pastry for that matter)
1 tsp. vegetable oil (for coating the dough)
1 egg
semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (if making pain au chocolat)
Whisk 1 cup of the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
Add the salt and flour, and mix by hand until you have a smooth, evenly hydrated dough. Pour the veggie oil on the dough, and using your hands and a stiff rubber spatula, form the dough into a ball thoroughly coated with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough sit and rise for 1½ to 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size. (Mine took 2 hours.)
After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, place it on a lightly floured surface and flatten it into a rectangle. Then roll it into a long log (like you were preparing cinnamon rolls) and divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces.
Using a rolling pin, shape each piece of dough into a circle approximately 6½ to 7-inches in diameter. Spread the first dough circle liberally with butter, then place on a piece of plastic wrap, butter side up.
Then flatten the next piece of dough and slather with butter and stack, butter side up, directly on top of the first piece. Continue until all the dough circles have been buttered until the last piece. Place dough circle number 12 unbuttered on the top of the pile. Wrap securely with as much plastic wrap as it takes, and place in your freezer for about 35-40 minutes. (The time spent in the freezer will allow the butter to harden a bit, but still be pliable enough to roll the dough into a rectangle, 12×16-inches.)
Place the rectangle with one of the longer sides furthest away from you. Using a pizza cutter*** or knife, cut the long sides into 4 top-to-bottom rectangles, then the short sides into thirds, right to left. This will give you 12 (4×4-inch) equal size squares.
For Regular Croissants:
Cut each square into two triangles. With your hands, shape the triangle into a long pie shaped piece of dough. Cut a small incision into the triangle in the middle of the larger end. (This small incision helps keep the center of the croissant from becoming too thick.) Then starting at the larger end, gently force the cut apart while you roll the dough towards the thin pointed end, making sure you are rolling the croissant tightly, but without squeezing the dough. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet pointed ends down and about 2-inches apart.
Whisk the egg with the remaining 1 teaspoon milk and brush on each croissant. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours or until they puff up a little. (And yes, the plastic wrap will stick a bit to the croissants.) Then, gently but liberally brush each croissant again with a bit of the egg wash being careful not to deflate the dough.
Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375-degress and bake for another 7-8 minutes or until the croissants are a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 210-degrees. Don’t under-bake the croissants.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature. Re-heat in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes.
For Pain Au Chocolate Croissants:
Do not cut the 4-inch squares. Place about 3 teaspoons of the chopped chocolate about half an inch up from one of the sides. Fold the dough up over the chocolate and continue rolling until you have created a cylindrical shape. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, seam side down about 2-inches apart.
Whisk the egg with the remaining 1 teaspoon milk and brush on each croissant. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours or until they puff up a little. Then gently brush each croissant again with the egg wash being careful not to deflate the dough.
Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375-degress and bake for another 7-8 minutes or until the pain au chocolat croissants are a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 210-degrees. Don’t under-bake.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature. Re-heat in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes.
*European-style butter: Excerptfrom an article on thekitchen.com. site “Overall, European-style butters are favored for their rich taste — a direct result of the higher butterfat content. More butterfat also means a softer texture, faster melt, and often, a saturated yellow hue. With less water, European-style butters are often the preferred butter for baking — especially when the flavor of butter is just as important as its function.”
And according to our good friend Keith, who spent many years as a professional baker (and I paraphrase) – “The best butter for the home baker making croissants, or any pastries, is slow-churned European style butter that contains at least 82% butterfat. This type of butter contains less air and water which makes it more pliable and resistant to being absorbed in dough during lamination**.”
**Lamination: Lamination is the process of folding and rolling butter into dough over and over again, or in the case of this recipe, spreading soft butter over layers of thin dough, to create super-thin layers. These layers, which alternate between butter and dough, are what give croissants their signature honeycomb interior structure and their fabulously flaky texture.
***Pizza cutter: My dear friend Vicki explained to me why she preferred using a pizza cutter rather than a knife when cutting dough. Cutting dough with a pizza cutter makes a nice, thin cut. And unlike using a knife, a pizza cutter doesn’t flatten the dough next to the cut. Plus, it doesn’t stretch the dough as it’s being cut. Thanks Vicki for sharing your experience with all of us.
