Main Dish

05 |28| 2015

Pizza Crust

It seems as though we have fallen into a routine of eating pizza once a week. We do not repeat any family meals more than once a month- but somehow pizza makes the weekly list. I have started to make crusts to put in the freezer to use for quick lunches as well. These little crusts are super easy to make and bake perfectly after they are thawed.

Usually, when I need more freezer crusts, I make an extra large batch of dough one night for dinner. Then, the next day I use the refrigerated leftover dough to make individual style pizza crusts. Simply portion the dough to make the size crust that you want, for mine I do about the size of a golf ball. Roll each portion out onto a floured surface. Poke a few time with a fork to prevent air bubbles. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Allow to cool then place into a gallon freezer bag, and freeze. To thaw them for use I either microwave them for 20 seconds, or leave on the counter to thaw for a half hour. Top and bake at 400 degrees or until sauce is lightly browned.

Pizza Crust

Yield: 2- 12 inch pizzas

Ingredients

1 cup Warm Water
1 tsp Yeast
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Honey
+/- 2 cups Flour- I use Bread Flour

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl combine warm water, yeast, oil, and honey. Whisk to allow yeast to dissolve. Stir in 1 cup of flour with the whisk. Switch to a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining 1 cup of flour. Mix with wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms. Turn onto floured surface and knead until the dough is no longer sticky- add flour as needed. Place in cleaned mixing bowl with a bit of oil to prevent sticking. Allow to rise, covered with a clean towel, until doubled. About 1 – 1 ½ hours.
To prepare pizzas roll ½ of dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin. Transfer dough to a greased baking sheet, or one lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough. Decorate pizzas with desired toppings and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.
This dough can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator after it has risen. Cover tightly and use within 2 days. You can also par-bake the dough by baking without toppings for 5 minutes at 400 degrees. Par baked dough can be frozen or refrigerated until use. Refrigerate for up to one week .

http://www.staceycooks.com/pizza-crust/

05 |1| 2015

Basil Pesto

What do you do when your basil plant desperately needs a haircut? Make pesto! My husband says I am the grim reaper of indoor plants- he is very right…. I have killed a cactus! How do you under water a cactus?

I am trying very hard to be successful at my second attempt of an indoor basil plant. I also have a cilantro and rosemary plant that are awaiting their fate. I did not prune my previous basil plant enough, therefore it got overgrown and root bound. This time I am determined to prune the plant if needed and to use it in fun creative ways. Here is my little basil plant before and after its haircut….

Pesto is a simple formula all you need is a leafy herb, olive oil, parmesan cheese and a nut of some type. I made a traditional pesto with basil, and pine nuts as my main ingredients of choice. You can change the recipe by using cilantro or parsley, almonds or pecans… there are many possibilities.

You can use pesto to make a quick pasta recipe for dinner, or toss it with cooked pasta, salami pieces and fresh mozzarella balls for a pasta salad. Spread onto crostini with a garnish of parmesan is amazing. Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, so make a double batch and play around with it.

Basil Pesto

Ingredients

12-15 Large Basil Leaves
2 Tbsp Pine Nuts
¼ cup Parmesan, grated
1 tsp Lemon Zest
½ tsp Salt
¾ cup Olive Oil

Instructions

In a small sauté pan over medium heat toast pine nuts until golden brown. Remove from heat.
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and chop until mixture is a rough paste.
Toss with hot cooked pasta and season to taste. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese.
You can also serve this pasta dish with sautéed shrimp.

http://www.staceycooks.com/basil-pesto/

04 |16| 2015

How to Fry an Egg

There are some techniques in cooking that seem so simple, but are difficult to master. Frying an egg is one of those things. I have fried countless eggs in my life and not always had success. Whether it is a broken yolk, an egg stuck to the pan or a shell in the finished product disaster… I have had them all. Watch the video to see the technique that I now use to have perfect eggs every time.

04 |1| 2015

Marinated Chicken Burrito Bowl

As we move into springtime it is time to transition from heavy meals to fresh, light recipes. I am officially retiring gravies, grits and pot pies in favor of salads, marinades and this awesome rice bowl. This recipe seems like a knock off of everyone’s favorite Mexican food chain… and it is! We live far from civilization so we often make do with homemade versions of big city meals. The homemade versions are always better tasting, and much better for you.

Marinated Chicken Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

For Chicken Marinade

2 Pounds Chicken Tenders
Juice of Half a Lime
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Salt

For the Rice

2 cups Basmati Rice
3 ½ cups Water
1 tsp Chicken Base
2 Tbsp Butter
½ tsp Salt
2 tsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped

For Tortilla Strips

2 , 8 inch Tortillas
1 tsp Olive Oil
½ tsp Taco Seasoning
½ tsp Salt

Toppings

Lettuce
Tomato
Avocado
½ cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
½ cup Corn, frozen
½ cup Black Beans, drained
Sour Cream

Instructions

To prepare chicken, remove tendon from chicken tenders- With your fingers pinch the end of the white tendon that runs through the center of the tender. Using a paring knife, while still holding the end, scrape the tendon away from the chicken. Repeat for all tenders. Combine all ingredients for marinade together in a medium bowl and add chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours.
Bring water to a boil and add chicken base, butter, salt and lime juice. Then add rice and bring water back up to a boil. Once it has boiled turn heat to low, allowing water to simmer, sprinkle in cilantro. Cover pan and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside for service.
To make tortilla strips cut tortillas into thin strips and place on a baking sheet. Toss with oil, taco seasoning and salt. Spread strips out so they are only in one layer. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes. Set aside for service.
While the rice cooks prepare the rest of your topping for the burrito bowl. Wash and shred lettuce. Wash and cut tomatoes as desired. Prepare avocados. Sauté corn and black beans until warmed over medium heat in small sauté pan. Set aside for service.
To cook chicken heat medium sauté pan with 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken tenders and cook over medium heat until cooked through.
Finally, prepare your burrito bowls. In 4 shallow dinner bowls place about 1 cup of rice, in each. Then in a pie chart pattern place your toppings – Lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, corn and black beans and chicken . Then top with a dollop of sour cream.

http://www.staceycooks.com/marinated-chicken-burrito-bowl/

02 |16| 2015

Homemade Flour Tortillas

What do you do when you are out of tortillas and want to make Mexican for dinner? More specifically… what do you do when you are out of tortillas and there is 4 inches of ice on your driveway, and it is 0 degrees outside? You make your own tortillas.
Tortillas are simple to make and the flavor of homemade is so much better than that of store bought. By that I mean, the kind of tortillas you can buy at your local Walmart. I have a good friend, who is a Chef and lives in Texas. When she wants tortillas she can just run to the store and buy freshly made, warm tortillas. We, here in the Tundra of Ohio (as she calls it) are not so lucky.

Flour Tortillas
Makes 12, 6-8 tortillas

2 ½ cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Baking Powder
1/3 cup Shortening
2/3 cup Warm Water

Vegetable Oil for cooking

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder and shortening. Mix with hands until shortening is well blended with the flour. Add water, 1/3 cup at a time. Fold with wooden spoon to incorporate water. Add only enough water necessary to soak up all of the flour, but not make dough sticky.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a log and cut in ½, then cut pieces in half again, and then each piece into 3 slices. This should give you 12 even dough discs. Roll each disc into a 6-8 inch round tortilla, with a rolling pin. Tortillas should about 1 millimeter thick.

I use a folded paper towel secured with a rubber band as a make-shift oil brush. I grab it with tongs and brush the pan between each tortilla.

Once all of the tortillas have been rolled out, heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Pan is ready to be cooked in when you can feel the warmth of the heat while holding your hand one inch from the bottom of the pan. Brush lightly with vegetable oil and cook tortilla on one side until large bubbles form, then flip and cook until browned in a few spots.

Continue this process until the remaining tortillas are cooked, brushing pan with oil between each tortilla.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one week.

02 |4| 2015

Chicken and Dumplins

No… That isn’t a typo. It is against my families’ nature to put the “g” in dumpling. There is something wonderfully comforting about this soup, and it is not just because of the improper grammar. Whether you are tired of Winter’s cold… or you have a winter cold, this soup is the perfect remedy. It takes some time, but it is well worth it when you taste the end result. My mom always boils a couple of extra chickens when she makes this soup. That way you have the broth and picked chicken frozen and ready when you need it.

Chicken and Dumplins
Makes 6-8 large servings

2 whole Chickens
Water
2 cups Potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups Carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup Peas
1 cup Corn
1 cup Cut Green Beans
Salt and Pepper to taste

For Dumplings:
2 cups Self Rising Flour
½ cup Shortening
1 Tbsp Sugar
¾ – 1 cup Buttermilk

Place chickens in a large stock pot and cover with water, about an inch higher than the chicken. Simmer for 2-3 hours uncovered. Remove chicken from the broth and set aside to cool. Strain broth using a wire strainer and another large pot to catch the strained broth. Pick chicken from the bones and set aside to be added to the soup later.

Add the potatoes and carrots to the strained broth in a large stock pot. Boil until veggies are nearly tender, then add remaining vegetables (I use frozen peas, beans and corn).
While potatoes are cooking mix your dumpling dough. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine self rising flour, sugar and shortening. Mix with your hands until shortening is well incorporated. Add buttermilk a ½ cup at a time, and blend with a wooden spoon. Add enough buttermilk to moisten all of the flour. Do not over mix the dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 3-4 times, then press into a circle about the size of your soup pot. Cut dough into even squares with a large knife.

Once you have added all of the vegetables to the broth, season the soup to your tastes. Add picked chicken. Bring soup back to a boil. Carefully place each dough square onto the top of the soup, in the same pattern that you cut them in. Be careful not to drop them in and splash yourself.

Place lid on stock pot and boil soup on medium heat for 10 minutes. Do not remove the lid. It is important to keep the steam in the pot to thoroughly cook your dumplings. After ten minutes remove the lid and simmer for 5 more minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes:
You can add shredded cheese, garlic, or herbs to your biscuits if you prefer.
This soup base is very versatile and you can add whatever vegetables your family likes. Some others can include: onions, celery, peppers, squash and lima beans.
If you don’t want to make dumplings simply add egg noodles at the same time you add your final vegetables, Boil for 10 minutes to cook noodles.

05 |15| 2014

Potato Bacon Soup

In honor of this rainy and dreary day I thought I would make a hearty potato soup. Though I normally consider soup a winter food, I look forward to rainy summer days to enjoy a bowl… or two!

Potato Bacon Soup

½ cup Bacon, diced
1 Tbsp Butter
¾ cup Flour
4 cups Chicken Broth
2 cups Potatoes, Peeled and Diced
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
½ cup Milk
2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook bacon in medium saucepan over low heat until crisp. Remove bacon- leaving grease in pan. Add butter to grease and melt. Over low heat, stir in flour and cook for one minute. Then add chicken broth- and scrap the pan drippings from the bottom of the pan to incorporate into the soup. Add diced potatoes and simmer until tender. Stir in cheese, milk and cream. Season to taste.

03 |31| 2014

Hashbrown Shepherd’s Pie

This take on shepherd’s pie is quick to throw together, and can be prepped ahead and refrigerated or frozen before baking. I used frozen hash brown potatoes for a quick option- you could also boil then shred your own potatoes.

½ lb Ground Beef
1 cup Zucchini, diced
½ tsp Garlic
¼ cup Flour
1 ½ cups Beef Broth
½ cup Swiss Cheese, shredded
½ cup Milk
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Pinch of Cayenne
2 cups Frozen Shredded Potatoes

In a medium saucepan cook beef over low heat, adding zucchini and garlic half way through. Cook until zucchini is nearly tender, then stir in flour. Cook for one more minute and add broth- scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get any browning incorporated into the sauce. Add cheese and simmer until thickened. Stir in milk and season to taste. Place in greased oven safe bake ware- I used two oven proof bowls. Top with potatoes. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (time my need to be longer if they have been refrigerated or frozen- look for bubbling sauce to determine doneness). Optional- turn your oven on broil to crisp the top of the potatoes.

02 |18| 2014

Simple Chicken Salad

This light chicken salad can be made with cooked whole chicken, whether from home or the grocery store rotisserie type, shredded chicken breast, or even canned chicken in a pinch. It is quick to throw together and only requires about a half an hour of chill time. Serve as a sandwich or with crackers.

4 cups Cooked Chicken, shredded
½ cup Sour Cream
½ cup Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Fresh Grapes, Dried Fruit, Roasted Nuts- optional

Combine sour cream, mayo, vinegar and sugar. Whisk to incorporate all ingredients and season to taste. Add the ratio that you prefer of fruit and nuts- or none at all. Refrigerate for at least one half hour and up to three days.

11 |30| 2012

Apple Stuffed Pork Loin with Cider Gravy

Apple Stuffed Pork Loin with Cider Gravy

½ cup Diced Apple
¼ cup Bacon, uncooked and diced
½ tsp Garlic, minced
2 Eggs
½ cup Milk
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
2 cups Bread Cubes
1 Boneless Pork Loin, about 8 inches in length
Additional salt and pepper for pork

In a small sauté pan over medium heat cook bacon with diced apples until bacon is near crisp. Stir in Garlic and sauté for about 1 minute- remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly . In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. For bread cubes you can use any bread that is handy such as day old sandwich bread or a loaf of Italian bread. For a variation you can also try rye bread, or even whole wheat. Cut bread into ½ inch cubes and stir into egg mixture. Allow bread to fully absorb egg. Stir in apple mixture and set aside. Keep the sauté pan used for apple mixture to make the gravy.

To prepare pork loin cut into the loin about one third from the top (which will be the fatty side). Make the cut by holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, and slice the loin horizontally, stopping one inch shy of going through the whole loin. For the second cut you will hold the knife in the same way and start your cut at the end of your previous slice- but going the opposite way. Cut the lower portion of the loin in half stopping one inch shy of going through the whole loin. This will make the pork loin lay flat on your cutting board. Once the loin is cut flat, place stuffing over the top, leaving one inch empty for rolling. Roll pork towards the empty area and then place the seal side down onto a greased baking sheet.

Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 for 30-40 minutes. Until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees when inserted into the center of the roll. Remove from oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice to serve.

For Gravy:

½ cup Butter
½ cup Flour
½ cup Apple Cider
2 cups Chicken Stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Use the same sauté pan that was used to fry bacon for making the gravy. The bottom of the pan should have bacon drippings and will help to add flavor to your gravy. In that pan melt butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted, stir in flour. Allow to cook, while stirring for 2 minutes over low heat.
Add cider and chicken stock and simmer until well thickened. About five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir any juice drippings from the pork loin pan into your sauce for added flavor.