I never use my bunt pan so I thought I’d toss a pizza in it and see what happens. I made a basic pizza dough, topped it with sauce, lots of cheese and seasoning. Rolled it up like a jelly roll but longways (not from the short end) and then placed it in a bunt pan. I’ll be honest and admit it’s not as great as a real pizza because I couldn’t get a nice crisp crust. But hey! It’s something different and did come out very tasty.

Ingredients for about 10 servings

1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons or 1/4 oz)

1 1/2 Tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cup warm water 100-110 degrees F

3-4 cups bread flour (sometimes it takes 3 and today it took 4……WTFork knows why?…maybe I packed it looser?….I know I used a different brand flour…normally I never measure and just wing it)

1/4 cup scant  extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon course sea salt

1 cup bread flour – (this is for kneading, letting the dough ball rest in and also flouring for rolling)

1 1/2 cup tomato sauce – preferably home made

1 1/2-2 lbs of mozzarella and mild provolone (about 50/50….for a pizza I use much less..)

fresh ground sea salt  – to taste to top the cheese

fresh ground black pepper – to taste to top the cheese

3 pinches basil –  to top the cheese

3 pinches oregano –  to top the cheese

2 pinches granulated garlic – to top the cheese

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil….(1/2 to season top of cheese and 1/2 over top of dough in bunt pan)

non stick spray

1/4 cup either semolina flour or corn meal

Directions

In a large bowl add the yeast and sugar. Next add water and mix. let sit till foam develops so you know that yeast is working (this will take 10-30 minutes). Add 3 cups of flour. If it’s still too wet add another cup. Mix well. Add olive oil and salt and mix well. Add a cup of flour to the bowl. Knead your dough into a ball and use flour as needed for your kneading. When the dough feels right to you set the dough ball in the flour and cover with plastic wrap. Leave it alone for at least an hour. Punch down, knead it good again and cover with plastic again. Leave it alone for at least an hour.

Set oven to 450 degrees F

Dust your rolling surface with flour from the bowl.

Hand stretch your dough ball into a rectangular shape. Flour the top a little and use a rolling pin. Flip the dough over and repeat until the dough is around 17 x 23 inches.

Top with sauce and cheese.

Season

I did a little more sauce.

Roll like a jelly roll.

Spray bunt pan with non stick spray Then dust with either semolina flour or corn meal.

Transfer dough log to bunt pan.

Set oven to 450 degrees F.

Let it rest on the counter at least a half hour.

Drizzle remaining olive oil on the top. (I also added a little seasoning to the top of the dough but not necessary)

Put in the oven for about a half hour. Halfway through loosely cover with foil.

Put it out of the oven. You have to guess when it’s done because it’s MOLTEN HOT and you can’t do anything with it for several hours.

Leave it on the counter for at least an hour and then set in the Refrigerator for a few more hours. This bunt Pizza is similar to a lasagna. It needs to set before you can dish any out.

I plopped may bunt pizza out around 4 hours after it came out of the oven.

We cut a few pieces, warmed them slightly and the bunt pizza Bread was tasty. It’s sort of pizza flavored but it’s more like delicious cheesy bread.

Something Different!

 

I made a big batch of Pimento Cheese Potatoes and used some to fill baked potato shells. The filling is really delicious! My husband couldn’t stop eating it and I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough leftover for these potatoes. He kept saying this is so tasty! I used medium sized potatoes. I split each potato in half and made each two servings. Leftovers can be frozen. Let thaw and reheat in a covered pan.

Ingredients for about 12 servings.

2 lbs potatoes peeled and cut in half and in a pot of water

1/2 onion – just peeled and kept whole (for boiling with potatoes)

1 hot pepper – (for boiling with potatoes)

1 garlic clove – (for boiling with potatoes)

2 Tablespoons kosher salt (for boiling the potatoes)

6 whole potatoes

fresh ground sea salt

1/4 cup canola oil

sea salt to taste

2 oz sweet butter – room temperature

1/8 cup heavy cream

2 1/2 oz xtra sharp cheddar cheese – shredded

3 1/2 oz. cream cheese – room temperature

6 hot and sweet jarred cherry peppers – drained – chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon course sea salt

2 large eggs – beaten

non stick spray – canola or vegetable

fresh ground sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

sweet paprika to taste

6 teaspoons canola oil

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F

Wash the 6 potatoes well. Pierce each potato with a small knife on both ends and three times on all four sides. Rub each potato with canola oil. Lightly add fresh crushed sea salt all over each potato. Spray a rack (like rack from a broiler pan) with non stick spray and place rack on a pan. Place potatoes on rack with air space in-between.

Potatoes go in the oven till soft and cooked. (usually 60 minutes)

While potatoes are in the oven work on the filling now.

To your pot with the half potatoes add the onion, garlic, hot pepper and 2 Tablespoons salt. Bring to a medium/high boil till fork tender. (about 15-20 minutes)

When potatoes are done drain the water and discard the onion, garlic and hot pepper as they were only used to add flavor to the potatoes. If you have a really good masher you can go on and add the sweet butter, heavy cream, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, cherry peppers, paprika, dry mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sea salt and two beaten eggs to the potatoes and mix well.

If your masher isn’t so good get a new one because then you will need to use a potato ricer and add everything after the potatoes are riced. Set the potato mixture to the side.

When your 6 potatoes come out of the oven you need to let them cool enough so you can handle them. Split them in half and with a spoon scoop out the centers. Mash the centers well and add the centers to your potato mixture.

Drizzle about a teaspoon of canola oil on each potato. Season each potato shell with fresh crushed sea salt, black pepper and paprika. Put the potatoes back in the 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes remove the potatoes from the oven and fill with the pimento cheese potato filling by either piping a bag or a spoon.

Use a fresh new non stick sprayed baking sheet(s) and place the potato shells on it.

The potatoes go back in the oven and get baked again till they look crusted. Sorry I forgot to time this…I know it was between 15-30 minutes.

They came out really delicious and have a fluffy light texture. They are cheesy and slightly spicy.I think just about everyone will love the potatoes. Leftovers freeze and re-heat just like fresh made.

 

 

 

I had a bag of avocados, a lot cabbage and I just got these really special Chiltepin Peppers. Crocked Sky Farms sells them at Pinnacle Peak Farmers Market. I learned about the Chiltepin Pepper at The Barrio Reserva. One of the dishes I tried there had these special little peppers in it and the pepper has a really great long lasting taste to it and don’t seem spicy at first but then they turn extremely spicy. I only used three at first of the tiny Chiltepin Peppers in that big bowl but later added two more. I was told that Chiltepin peppers are sold at Ranch Market so you might be able to find them there. An easier to find pepper that’s very similar and cheaper is the Chile Pequin. I found them at WinCo. This slaw is tasty and healthy…I thought the avocados are rich and creamy so I didn’t use any added oil here. All the flavors go together well most people will enjoy it. The slaw also stays fresh for about a week.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

2 lbs avocados (about 8 small sized ones)

1 lemon (just the fresh squeezed juice)

1 lime (just the fresh squeezed juice)

1 1/2 lb cabbage – shredded very thin

1 carrot – shredded

1 15oz can 50% less sodium black beans – drained and rinsed at least three times

1/2 cup scallions – chopped

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds – toasted (save to top the slaw)

2 garlic cloves – grated

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

3 CHILTEPIN peppers – (to start with….add one more at a time to your liking) you need to crumble the peppers well – (you can substitute Chile Pequin if you can’t get chiltepin peppers) – or to taste you might want more or less

4 Tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/2 cup cilantro – chopped

1/4 cup parsley – copped

Directions

Get out a large mixing bowl. Carefully cut into the avocados and go around the big seed inside. Twist the avocado halves, remove the big seed. Score each avocado half and scoop out with a spoon. Repeat till you did all the avocados.

Pour the lemon and lime juice over the avocados.

Add the cabbage and carrots.

Add the kosher salt and sugar and mix.

Let the bowl sit on the counter for a half hour.

Add the remaining ingredients (except for the pumpkin seeds…use them to finish) and mix well.

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Top with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Serve in tacos, over fish or chicken or just as a side.

 

 

I had a bunch of yellow mangos…..I made some into mango salsa and the rest into this Habanero Spicy Yellow Mango Orange Ice.  It came out good……but then I added some strawberries and the flavors GO BANG! ……I made this originally just like the picture…..It was mostly mango with orange and one habanero……I did the photo you see here and didn’t eat it because I wasn’t hungry but ate it a few days latter and OMG…it’s good without the strawberry but the strawberry has this AMAZING just right acid, sour and sweet to make these flavors FORKING AWSOME so I added strawberry to the recipe. Each serving MUST include a strawberry. Either chop up at least 8 good size strawberries and add them at the end and freeze or serve with one strawberry. It makes a world of difference.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

1 1/2 lbs yellow mango flesh – cut in cubes

2 oranges – just the juice and zest

1 habanero pepper – fine chopped – (use disposable gloves on your hands or you’ll be sorry)

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

pinch of course sea salt

8 strawberries to either chop and add to recipe or to serve fresh with the Mango ice.

Directions

Boil the sugar and water for about ten minutes. Reduce to simmer. Add the rest of ingredients and blend.. Let the mixture sit out to cool off a little for about an hour.

Freeze and scrape in about 8 hours…..let sit over night and scrape again. I don’t know why but so far every time I made a fruit ice of some sort the texture always improves after about two -three days…..

Ready to serve but best two – three days to serve. A Strawberry is a MUST!

Yummy, natural and different.

 

I wasn’t going to publish this recipe because after I made the meatballs I thought they were ok but needed something. Then the next day we had them for dinner. I DON’T KNOW if the flavors needed to settle or they are just FORKING GREAT with the herb sauce…..Anyway the meatballs ARE Forking Delicious with the herb sauce. So make them, let them sit a day and serve them with herb sauce so you can be amazed too!

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb ground turkey 85% lean

2 large eggs – slightly beaten

1 cup + 3 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons turkey base (instead of salt) (I used better than bouillon brand)

1/4 cup scallions – chopped

2 garlic cloves – ground to paste

fried jalapeno – to taste – They differ greatly , this time I used one

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 lime – just the fresh squeezed juice

1/2 teaspoon fresh epazote (it’s very funky….all Mexican grocery stores sell it) Fresh oregano is about the closest to it but not)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

2 Tablespoons tequila (I used silver Patron)

Non stick spray – preferably canola or vegetable

1 bunch fresh parsley – rough chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro – slightly less – rough chopped

1 good sized shallot – rough chopped

1 large lemon – just the fresh squeezed juice

a roasted or fried hot chili to taste – I used part of a very spicy hatch – rough chopped

1 teaspoon course sea salt

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F and spray baking sheet(s) with non stick spray.

In large bowl hand mix together the turkey, eggs, panko, soup base, scallions, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, sugar, cinnamon, lime juice, epazote and a 1/4 cup fresh cilantro.

Scoop out meatballs with a small scooper leaving a little space. You should have about 29 meatballs. Spray the tops of the meatballs lightly with oil or canola spray. They go in the oven till done. (about 15 minutes)

Make the Herb sauce

In a blender or a container with a blending wand add the parley, cilantro, shallot, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, hot chili pepper and sea salt and blend till smooth. This sauce is really great! You will want to use it on other things besides the meatballs however this sauce and the meatballs are amazing together.

 

 

 

 

 

I usually stock up on Turkey around Thanksgiving time and purchase a few whole already brined turkeys from Trader Joes and break them down and keep what I’m not using in my freezer and cook them up over the next few months.   I have a lot of room most times of the year but at Thanksgiving time I don’t have the room to brine Turkeys. I think the Trader Joe Turkeys are far greater and much tastier and also come out far better than pretty much all the turkeys from our local big chain supermarkets. (of course a local free range Turkey would be best…….but it will cost you much much more.  I am a big fan of breaking down the turkeys and preparing each part different. I usually sous vide the turkey breast for perfection…….well anyway for Thanksgiving…..but often I just pan sear each half pounded breast in a fry pan. I recently made this half turkey breast in a fry pan with just salt, pepper, a little granulated garlic and just one teaspoon of flour on each side with nonstick spray in a fry pan on medium high heat. My husband was amazed (again…I guess he forgot) on how well turkey can come out in a fry pan and he thought I sous vide it……..I wasn’t planning about writing about how I prepared this Turkey breast but many people and maybe some restaurants out there can benefit on how this was prepared because it came out FORKING DELICIOUS! I don’t know why turkey isn’t featured more on menus…..this was really something special…

I just pound out the half already brined turkey breast (with a Worcestershire bottle on both sides) I hit the meat with fresh ground sea salt and fresh ground tellicherry black pepper…… a small amount of granulated garlic………Then one teaspoon of flour on each side. The 1/2 breast then goes on a already heated, canola sprayed lightly covered fry pan for about ten minutes on one side and about 10 minutes uncovered on the other side.

Here you are…..Crusty, Moist and FORKING DELICIOUS! I do chicken breast the same way but timing varies depending on size. (usually half the time or less) See it was very easy. I don’t know when I go out to eat I don’t get something this tasty.

Honestly you might  lose a few friends over this…..some people get very angry when you make something this tasty and good…

 

 

 

A few months back one of the food magazines had a recipe for a twisted dessert bread that looked something like this.I think it was for a Babka? I remembered how they twisted it (because it was very easy) and I thought I could do something similar with the dough I make all the time. I make a basic dough that I also use for focaccia, onion rolls, challah, pizza and cinnamon buns. Then I just rolled out the dough, made the date filling and rolled it up from the LONG ENDS. Then I just sliced the long rolled dough in half and just twisted the two pieces together. It was pretty FORKING EASY! I threw the dough in the oven and I almost burnt it but I didn’t. It got really dark and got me nervous but isn’t burnt! I put it in at 450 degrees F and pulled it out at about 18 minutes. I didn’t cover the bread but maybe I’d recommend to lightly cover halfway because it was that close. The bread is delicious and moist. Only a minimal amount of sugar was used because the dates are so sweet. You will have some extra date filling but it’s so delicious you won’t mind. You can use it for breakfast on toast or in your oatmeal. The two clementines and their zest I added just accent the date filling so well. I think next time I’d spread the date mixture a little thinner than I did. I thought some would bake into the dough but it didn’t. This technique is great for all kinds of different breads.

Ingredients for about 16 servings

1 packet active dry yeast – (2 1/4 teaspoons or 1/4 ounce)

1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water 100-110 degrees F

3 cups bread flour

1/4 cup scant extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon course sea salt

1 cup bread flour – this is the extra flour that you knead into dough, let dough ball rest in and also use to flour surface and rolling pin.

1 lb 6 oz dates pitted and chopped (I note I had about a cup of extra filling I didn’t use for recipe)

2 1/2 cups water – Your amount of water may differ…..depends on how dry or moist your dates are…

2 clementines – just the zest and fresh squeezed juice

1 Tablespoon cinnamon (I used Vietnamese)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

pinch course sea salt

1 large egg –  beaten with a teaspoon of water

Directions

Start out with a large bowl and put the sugar and yeast in a bowl and add the 1 1/2 cups of 100-110 degree water. Mix it up and wait for a foam to develop on the top to make sure your yeast is alive and working. It should take between 10-30 minutes.

After you got foam add the (3 cups) flour, oil, salt and mix well. Keep mixing till the dough comes off bowl and your hands. Make a dough ball and get the remaining cup of flour. Let the dough ball rest on most of the flour and sprinkle the top of the dough ball with flour.

Cover with plastic wrap. Now work on the dates.

In a sauce pot on medium heat add the dates, One of the cups of water (start with less than the 2 1/2 cups I don’t know how much you will need keep adding water as you need it. That’s what I did) clementine juice and zest, cinnamon, dark brown sugar and pinch of course sea salt. If your dates are like what I used they kept absorbing the water quickly. I slowly added water until the dates stayed at a jammy consistency. Then I took them off the heat and used a stick blender and blended them up. I’d say they were close to apple butter like. Then I set them to the side.

Around this point you can turn your oven to 450 degrees F

Your dough should have doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and keep kneading it till it feels smooth and doesn’t stick to anything. Use the extra flour in the bowl to dust surfaces. Make it into a rectangle.

Pat the dough out as much as you can to a big rectangle shape and finish with a dusted rolling pin,

From LONGWAYS you roll the dough like a jelly roll.

Then you cut in half LONGWAYS.

Then you put the two pieces of dough next to each other with the date side up and start on an end.

You just keep laying one piece over the other BACK and Forth! Like the right piece goes over the left piece till you get this. I made this on a Quilon Baking Sheet and I lifted the whole thing up on to a baking sheet and made it fit by squishing it together but you can cut the bread in half or make a circle…..

 

Then I cut off the ends of paper than hang off the sheet so they don’t burn. Next I brush the beaten egg mixture on the bread twice and avoid where it meets the paper so it doesn’t stick.

I put it in the 450 degree F oven for 18 minutes but next time I’d put a loose cover on it half way threw because another minute and it might have burnt…I got it out just in time and it was done. I don’t like cutting it that close…got lucky.

Came out Forking Delicious and I think it’s kind of pretty too!