Rosemary & Olive Oil Whole Wheat Focaccia

   I was happily mistaken about the level of appreciation that was shown for my menu yesterday.  As expected, a few immediately knew quality.  My shock came from the enthusiastic agreement of the rest.  Yesterday was absolute bliss for me.  I cooked all day and was allowed to witness the pleasure my food brought people.

   I upped the "fancy-factor" of my sliders by making my own focaccia.  It will pretty much blow your guests' minds if you make your own bread.  One guy said it was probably the best bread he'd ever had (and later said it may have been the best meal he'd ever had.  Not sure if I believe that, but I know it is a far cry from his normal microwaved ramen.)

  This bread is crisp on the out side with a little crunch of salt and fluffy on the inside.  Tender and just a teeny bit chewy, it is addictive.  Once you get the hange of it, you'll make focaccia every week.  Cut the recipe in half for practice if you are nervous.  But remember, it's basically flour and water, don't stress too much if it doesn't come out perfect the first time.  I've been making dough like this since I was 14 or 15.  I know it wasn't always spot on when I started; practice makes perfect.

Rosemary & Olive Oil Whole Wheat Focaccia
2 1/2 C whole wheat flour
2 pkg active dry yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more
2 1/2 C very warm water
1 tsp salt
4-5 C AP or Better for Bread flour
rosemary
sea salt

   In a very large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, sugar, 1 Tbsp evoo, and yeast.  Mix in water.  Allow to proof for 5 minutes.
   Add 1 C flour and salt, mix.  Mix in flour in 1 C increments until it forms a ball that isn't too sticky.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes.  Add flour as needed so it doesn't stick to your hands or counter.  (Divide dough in half to knead if it is too cumbersome as one unit.)
   Cut dough in half and place into two bowls that have been oiled with extra virgin olive oil.  Spread a little oil over the tops of the dough.  Cover bowls with a warm, damp towel and set in a warm place to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
   With evoo, oil two 13x9 baking pans.  Transfer dough to pans and use your finger tips to spread into the whole pan.  You want those little tears and divots in the dough, so don't try to make it smooth.  Sprinkle the tops with sea salt and rosemary and just a little bit more olive oil.  Allow to rise again in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours.
   Bake at 425 deg F for 17-20 minutes until bottoms are golden and dough is cooked through.
   Serves 12 or more (just depending on your spread.)

Mediterranean Menu for UFC 131

   As far as I know, we are having people over to watch the fight tonight (which I found out yesterday afternoon.)  I think Louis may be upset with me for planning a menu.  Which is unfair, he knows I can't have people at my house and feed them frozen tater tots and fatty, pre-formed burger patties!  I live for this type of thing.  Never mind the fact that I'm just going to be feeding drunk Marines... there are a few who will appreciate it.  While they may take for granted the amount of work I actually put into the menu planning and physical cooking, they will enjoy the food.  Even the dumbest person can discern a bad burger from a good burger; they just may not be able to voice or express the difference.  Wow, um... that came off kind of terrible.  Oh well.  (This is still a work in progress, I'll give you the final menu tomorrow.)

Mediterranean Inspired Fight Night Menu

Sliders with Provolone, Parsley Mayo, and Wilted Garlic Spinach on Focaccia

White Bean and Thyme Dip with Fried Potato "Chips"

Cacio e Pepe Broccoli Spears

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Ganache

*I don't include Louis in this category of Marines just so you know.  That would be awful.  He has a very good palate and adores good food.  I know he is simply trying to spare me when he says I don't have to cook, but it's my choice, buddy!  I love you!

Spanish Summer Pasta Salad

   I know people who trick themselves into thinking they don't like pasta for weird fad diets.  However, I don't know anyone who truly hates pasta.  A big bowl of hot or cold pasta is irresistible even to people who have wheat allergies.  It is something we are hard wired to adore.  For summer, a cold pasta salad is perfect for a light dinner with a salad, on a BBQ buffet, for a picnic, or as starch alternative to potatoes for those really hot days.

   This particular pasta salad was inspired by an old vegetarian cookbook that I've had for about 10 years.  It has great ideas for unique side dishes when I get in a rut.

Spanish Summer Pasta Salad
1 box (13 oz) whole wheat penne, bow tie, or rotini pasta
1 large sweet bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange), cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp pasted garlic
1 tsp honey
juice of 1 large lemon
red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper

   In a large bowl, oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, herbs, garlic, and capers.  Add a little salt and pepper
   Cook pasta according to package directions in very salty water.  2 minutes before pasta is done add bell pepper strips.  Drain.  Add to dressing while still very warm.  Toss.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
   Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight.
   Serves 4-6.

Anchovy and Artichoke Pizza

   I can't say this pizza is for everyone; anchovies seem to be rather controversial as an ingredient.  I had most of a tin left over from the puttanesca so I had to figure out something to do with them.  Laugh if you want, but I thought of Futurama and Fry's love of anchovies when thinking of meal options.  Pizza just seemed obvious.  The artichokes came about because I wanted something familiar but special with a more subtle flavor than the tiny, briny fish.

   Louis and I were surprised at how much flavor the anchovies added to the whole pizza, even though I only put a few on it.  Each bite had a slight seawater hint to it that was absolutely lovely!  The little fish are intensely salty, and I have since learned that you should probably rinse them off before an application such as this.  That is up to you, but I suggest rinsing them so you can add a few more to the pizza and not blow your taste buds out with the nutty saltiness of the anchovies.

Anchovy and Artichoke Pizza
Rosemary Whole Wheat Dough (1/2 recipe, instead of all the herbs in this recipe just use 1 1/2 tsp rosemary)
1 large tomato, thinly sliced and pulp removed
1/2 C shredded mozzarella
1 C shredded fontina
6 artichoke hearts, quartered (~1 14oz can)
8-10 anchovies
cornmeal

   Sprinkle a 13x9 baking sheet with cornmeal.  Stretch dough to fit pan.  Pre-bake for 7-8 minutes at 450 deg F, until bottom is very lightly browned.
   Lay tomatoes onto crust.  Sprinkle cheese over pizza.  Top with artichokes and anchovies.
   Bake at 450 deg F for 10-12 minutes.
   Serves 4.

He LOVES pizza! 

Red Wine Puttanesca

   One of my very first posts was a sort of Americanized bacon puttanesca.  Because, most of my days are spent with Food Network or The Cooking Channel on, I am often heavily influenced by the dishes that are being made on any given day.  One day, not too long ago, it was like a mini-puttanesca marathon!  I had to include it in the weekly menu. 

   This is significantly more traditional recipe than my first with one twist:  red wine.  It adds a really nice flavor, a little sweetness and a touch of sharpness from the tanins.  I know it is said all the time, but use a wine you would drink!  It doesn't need to be expensive, but use something delicious.  You are reducing the wine and if it tastes bad out of the bottle, it will taste bad when it is condesed in the sauce.  Also, the variety of red is up to you:  Shiraz, Merlot, Zinfandel, whatever.

Red Wine Puttanesca
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 anchovy fillets (optional, but I urge you to use them)
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/2 C red wine
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3/4 C chopped black olives
1/4 C capers
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese
fresh, chopped parsley
balsamic vinegar*

   In a large pot or pan, heat evoo over medium heat.  Add anchovies to oil and mash lightly with a wooden spoon.  They will start to melt into oil.  When anchovies are mostly melted, add onions and saute until translucent.  Add garlic and red pepper flake.  Saute for 1-2 min.
   Add wine and oregano, reduce wine by about 1/3.  Add tomatoes, a little salt and some pepper.  Turn heat to med-low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
   Add olives and capers, simmer for about 5 min.  Salt and pepper to taste.
   *When you taste it, if it doesn't taste like it is totally finished, add a splash (~1 or 2 tsp balsamic vinegar.)  Depending on your wine and tomatoes you may need a little acid.  The balsmic should balance everything.
   Serve over spaghetti, top with parmesan and fresh parsley.  Pair with a simple salad, some good bread and olive oil, and the rest of the bottle of red wine.
   Serves 6.

Blackberry Long Island Iced Tea

   Before getting underway with this post let me just say:  I HATE APPLE!!!  I hated Macs in 5th grade when I pretended to use them for reading class (because no one explained how they work), and I hate this god forsaken iPod.  User friendly my ass....

   This would be the perfect thing to make me forget about my burning, passionate abhorrence.  However, it isn't even 9 am.  I will continue to sip my coffee calmly waiting until Louis gets home to transfer the one lonely album from iTunes to the iPod or until 5 pm rolls around so I can make myself one of these bad boys.  (Also, I find Apple rather arrogant in their capitalization of a non-primary letter.)

   Sorry, back to the drink.  T.G.I. Friday has been boasting blackberry drinks for a while now.  Yet, it seems every time I am there, the bar has just run out of blackberries.  I managed to order one once.  It was good, but the blackberries were frozen/thawed.  Frozen berries would be a great substitute out of season, but fresh berries are magical.  We bought some fresh blackberries at a local produce stand.  They are tart, sweet, juicy, and giant!  The perfect fruity compliment to the onslaught of alcohol in a Long Island.   

Blackberry Long Island Iced Tea

1 1/2 oz gin

1 1/2 oz vodka

1 1/2 oz tequila

1 1/2 oz rum

1 oz blackberry liqueur

1 oz simple syrup (more or less depending on sweetness of berries)*

juice of one large lemon

cola

blackberries

   In the bottom of two glasses, mash 2-3 blackberries (more if they are small). 

   In a cocktail shaker, add alcohols, liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice.  Add a handful of ice and shake well.  Divide between the two glasses.  Fill with ice and add a splash of cola.  Garnish with a fresh berry.

   Serves 2.

   *Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated until sugar is dissolved completely into water then cooled.  Make a 1C:1C amount and store the extra in a squeeze bottle so you have it on hand.

   **Use high quality liquors, especially for gin and tequila, so the flavors blend well and nothing over powers the drink.

Church Street Pub and Deli

  I hope everyone had a weekend that was as awesome as mine!  We spent Saturday at the beach.  My "secret" fee-free parking area in Emerald Isle has been taken over by fat, middle-aged men who want to charge $10 for parking so we just kept driving down the island until we got to Indian Beach and I spotted a public access lot.  It ended up being way better than Emerald Isle because there are less drunk Marines, it is less crowded in general, and everyone pretty much kept to themselves.  Quiet, peaceful, relaxing, sunny and breezy!

  Other brief recap:  One of the stray cats around here adopted us; he is in love with Louis!  We saw X-Men: First Class; awesome, go see it.  We grilled fresh shrimp one night and ribeyes the other.  Because of grilling the first night, the backyard was set on fire.  Yup, sometimes 24 hours isn't enough for the charcoal to completely burn down and cool off.  Don't throw those coals into a pile of dry pine needles.  Our new cat is the one who warned us, so it was taken care of very fast.  But still.... backyard on fire.

  Alright, so before we made it over to the island, we stopped at our favorite deli, Church Street Deli.  This place is hands down my favorite sandwich shop ever.  They make simple, uncomplicated, high quality sandwiches, wraps, soups and sides.  They use all natural Pepperidge Farm breads and Boar's Head meats and cheeses which are sliced on site.  I don't mind that those are purchased.  The ingredients are fresh and the adorable building with its lovely kitschy decor is spotlessly clean. 

Everything I've had here is fantastic, but on the weekends, they make amazing shrimp salad from fresh, whole, local shrimp.  It varies week to week but it always has a very light mayo based dressing which is usually flavored with dill.  This past weekend, it was just that with lettuce and incredibly fresh tomato in a sundried tomato wrap.  (Not the cutest thing to eat on the beach though...)

Louis normally gets the same thing:  Shon's Close the Menu Turkey Sandwich.  It is thick-cut turkey, muenster, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and ranch on lightly toasted whole wheat bread.

   If you find yourself in the Swansboro, NC area I strongly urge you to get lunch here!  Pick it up on your way to the beach and then stop by on your way back to grab a beer at the attached pub with a fantastic beer selection.  (The super sweet older waitress can pour a mean Guinness.)  Obviously, this plan depends on where you live/are staying.  But whatever, make plans to eat here even if it is a little bit out of your way.



 Church Street Pub and Deli

105 West Church Street

Swansboro, NC 28584

(910) 326-7572



Quinoa with Onions and Tomatoes

   There is divide concerning quinoa.  Some love it, others find it tasteless and boring.  I happen to love it.  The flavor is nutty, very slightly bitter, and with the hint of sweetness that you find in most whole grains.  It is a great alternative to rice and a really healthy carb option.  It has more protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals than other grains.

   If you've had quinoa before and didn't care for it or you've never had it, I urge you to try this super easy side dish!  The onions and tomatoes are caramelized and sweet but don't over power the quinoa.  And the flavor combination is so classic and basic that you could serve this year round.

Quinoa w/ Onions and Tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped*
1 tsp minced garlic
1 C water
1 C low sodium chicken broth (or veg stock)
1 C quinoa
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh chopped basil or parsley

   Heat oil over med/med-low heat.  Add onions and slowly being to caramelize, stir frequently.  When onions are clear, add tomatoes.  Cook until onions are golden and tomatoes have started to break down and get a little color.  Add garlic, a little salt and pepper(~1/8 tsp each), cook ~1 minute.
   Add water and broth.  Turn heat up to high, bring to boil.  Add quinoa, cover, and turn heat down to low.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Quinoa is done when you can see the germ ring around the grain and the center is lightly translucent with an opaque center dot (like the picture.)  Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
   Serves 4.
*It doesn't really matter what type of tomato you use.  You just want about 3/4 C of "dry" tomato flesh (none of that slimey pulp.)

Serve this with spinach and feta stuffed pork for an easy company-worthy dinner.

Grilled Pineapple with Greek Yogurt and Honey Walnuts

   More grilling!

   I am crossing my fingers that is cools down a touch here so it is not unbearably hot this weekend.  With our 3-side closed in back patio of siding and concrete, it gets a few degrees hotter than the high.  No one wants to fire up a grill in those conditions.  The only saving grace is that is roughly faces east, so it does not get direct sun for most of the day.  We'll see.  Hopefully your outdoor setup is not as dire.  But Louis is the one who does most of the grilling so I can just stay inside.  (This is also one of the Bobby Flay recipes with a couple tweaks:  peaches aren't quite in season and I think it originally called for hazelnuts.)

   If you have not had grilled pineapple, you are missing out!  It is so sweet and delicious.  The yogurt and walnuts even out the sweetness with a little bit of tang and nutty savoriness.  And the honey brings it back to the dessert world with a lovely floral hint.  Oh, and this is the time to break out the gooood honey.  I used a small batch pepper honey (from blossoms of the plant that produces pink peppercorns) that I bought in Maryland from The Bee Folks at the MD Renaissance Festival. 

Grilled Pineapple with Greek Yogurt and Honey Walnuts
4 slices fresh pineapple, core removed, ~1/2 in thick
1 C Greek yogurt
1 C roughly chopped toasted walnuts
~1/2 C honey

   Combine honey and walnuts in a pot, heat through over med heat until the honey is loose and the walnuts are warmed through.
   Grill pineapple over a hot grill for about 2 minutes per side.
   Place a 1/4 C scoop of yogurt in the center of each pineapple slice.  Spoon honey walnuts over the top.
   Serves 4.

The best husbands make dessert for you!

Triple S (Sweet, Sour, & Spicy) Chicken

   It is the first day of June and the temperatures are already over 100 deg F here in Jacksonville, NC.  I don't remember it being this hot last summer.  At least that means the beaches are nice!  Because of the location on the coast, there is a constant gale force wind breeze on the Atlantic side of the islands.  So when the temperatures are in the 80's, it can actually be a little cool.  However, when it is hotter the breeze makes is perfect beach faring weather.

   Now, in my delusional world, I have pictured all of you grilling this past weekend (unless you were working at a Renaissance festival.)  Because you have spent the past weekend grilling, I imagine that your love for outdoor cooking has been dusted off for the summer.  We made this chicken dish a few weeks ago.  Louis found the recipe in Bobby Flay's Grill It!  I accidentally lied to him and said we had red wine vinegar.  So we had to change it, but honestly, I can't imagine the red wine vinegar being better than what we came up with.  Also, our ratios ended up being a little different (the liquid to solid portions of the sauce) but, again, can't believe the original is better.  Our version is spicier, but not too spicy by any means!  Everything is balanced and each note plays off the other flavors in this Caribbean-inspired chicken dish.

Triple S Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 C white vinegar
1/4 C cider vinegar
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/2 C (unpacked) brown sugar
1/2 C pineapple juice
1 lrg jalepeno, roughly chopped (seeds and all)*
2 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
1 lrg clove garlic, smashed
1/4 lrg red bell pepper, diced**
1/4 lrg yellow bell pepper, diced
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro (or parsley)
salt and pepper

   In a pot over medium heat, combine vinegars, sugar, pineapple juice, jalepeno, garlic and ginger.  Bring to a simmer.  Reduce by 1/3, stir occasionally.  Strain through a mesh sieve to remove chunks.  Add bell peppers and cilantro.  (Does not need to be hot for service, but does need to be room temp.  This could be done a day in advance if you like.) 
   Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Use a meat mallet to gently pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about 3/4- 1 inch thick.  Salt and pepper both sides.  Place on a med-hot prepped grill (gas or charcoal).  Cook for 5-7 minutes per side, depending on how large and thick the breasts are.  When done, remove to a plate and immediately spoon some of the sauce over the chicken.  Let rest for 7-10 minutes.  Add more sauce for serving.
   Serves 4.

*Worried about the heat level?  You can use a small jalepeno instead of a large one and/or remove the seeds from the chili.