Hatch Chiles are FORKING DELICIOUS and if you live in an area that sells them most likely you will stock up your freezer with these Hatch Chiles so you can enjoy them all year. Today I thought I’d bake a Hatch Chile and Cheese Bread. I’ve been making pizza dough at home for many years, I never measure so I have the knack for baking bread. It’s hard to teach how to make bread because many things will throw bread recipes off and you just have to get the feel for it. Humidity, water, your oven, and actually the brand of flour you use will slightly differ the recipe. Be aware your dough should never be sticky (unless it’s something like a German Style Pumpernickel). When your done making dough it should pull away from the bowl and shouldn’t stick to your hands. You also should be aware that the extra flour in your bowl that the dough rest in is used to knead the dough. Hope that helps. Back to the Hatch Chile Cheese Bread. The bread is very light textured and moist…..you can taste the hatch chiles and do get some heat. I don’t really get the cheddar cheese I added but it’s in the background and maybe adds to the really nice texture. My loaf came out bigger than I expected and the chiles melted into the dough. Next time I might cut the chiles in small chunks instead of fine chopping the chiles so I get to see the chiles more. The only other thing I would have done different would be to make two loaves instead of one so I’d possibly get a thinner crust because of less oven time. But this bread came out so tasty with such a great interior I would certainly make it again.

Ingredients for one loaf or about 10 servings

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 oz active dry yeast – or one packet

1 cup water -100 – 110 degrees F for the yeast to bloom

4 cup bread flour (one cup at the beginning of recipe – 3 cups soon) Plus extra flour for your dough to rest in.

2 XL eggs beaten

2 hatch chiles – roasted, peeled, seeds and stem removed, then chopped

5 oz extra sharp aged cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt

1/4 cup corn meal – for resting the bread on

non – stick spray canola or vegetable

Directions

In large bowl add the sugar, yeast, water, and one cup of bread flour, combine and put in a warm place till it looks foamy.

Get out your stand mixer and put on the dough hook.

Everything goes in your mixing bowl expect for the nonstick spray and the corn meal that’s used to rest the bread loaf on.

Turn your mixer on to stir and as soon as everything is mixed then turn the mixer up to medium-high for about 5 minutes.

It should look like this.

The dough should be nice and elastic like. Your bowl should be mostly clean and the dough shouldn’t stick to your hands.

In a large mixing bowl add extra flour and make your dough into a dough ball and let it rest in the flour in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough in a warm spot until it doubles in size…an hour or so….

Then punch in down and knead it a bit. Make the dough into a loaf shape and place in in a non-stick sprayed pan that’s topped with a layer of cornmeal. The cornmeal will add a nice nutty crust to the bottom of the bread.

Leave the dough in a warm place for about an hour.

I set my oven to 350 degrees F…I note I had a casserole in the oven at the same time so I don’t know if that effected the timing but after 45 minutes the bread looked like this.

It looks done but it’s not…I knocked on the top and sides and it made a sound like I knocked on a watermelon and seemed done but when I knocked on the bottom I didn’t get the sound so I flipped the bread upside down and put it back in the oven for another 1/2 hour and that’s what it took.

The texture of the bread is fine and moist. Crust is a little thick. I get the hatch chile taste but not too much.

My husband said this bread would be good for any sandwich.

Came out very tasty. The interior of the bread has a very delicate light moist texture. The Hatch Chiles gives this bread a kick!

This salad is very light, spicy and a little sweet. It’s easy to prepare and is also very flavorful. I used a mild Korean Radish but really any radish will do.

Ingredients for about 4 servings

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon black vinegar

2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon shaoltsing rice wine

1 Tablespoon garlic – minced

2 Tablespoon gochujang

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger – minced

1 Tablespoon honey

2 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon hoisin sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Korean Radish – peeled and shredded (about 4 cups)

1 carrot – peeled – shredded

1 apple – shredded

4 scallion – sliced on a diagonal

2 Tablespoon sesame seeds – toasted

Directions

In a small mixing bowl combine soy sauce, black vinegar, rice wine vinegar, shaoltsing rice cooking wine, garlic, gochujang, chile flakes, ginger, honey, sugar, hoisin, sesame oil and mix well and set to the side.

In a large mixing bowl combine the radish, carrot, apple, scallions, and then pour in the contents from the small bowl to dress the vegetables.

Chill in the refrigerator for about a half hour and top with sesame seeds to serve.

Top with a little bit of fresh cilantro if you happen to have any.

It easy, it’s light and full of flavor and spice.

 

 

 

This is just a basic meatloaf recipe. I like to make plain meatloaves in individual servings. Leftovers freeze well. I usually whip up a sauce made from tomato paste, water, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne sauce as the topping but you can also use ketchup mixed with Worcestershire and cayenne sauce to your liking.

Ingredients for 22 servings.

3 lb ground beef (brisket, sirloin, chuck and rib)

6 XL eggs – beaten

1/2 onion –  chopped fine

1 celery stalk – chopped fine

1 hot pepper – chopped fine – any favorite hot pepper- I used a roasted hot hatch chile with the skin a seeds removed. (doesn’t make the meatloaves hot but adds flavor)

3 Tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt

1 Tablespoon black pepper

1 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock

3 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 Tablespoon thyme

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon cayenne sauce ( I prefer Franks Red Hot)

1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped well.

Non-stick spray

Directions

Spray your small fry pan with non-stick spray and put your pan on medium high heat.

Add celery, onion, garlic and your hot pepper if it’s raw. Cook until the onions are transparent and remove from heat and set to the side.

In a large mixing bowl add, beef, eggs, all liquid and all spices (except parsley) mix well.

If or when your fry pan vegetables are about at room temperature add them now and mix well.

Now mix in bread crumbs and parsley.

You can pinch off a small piece of meat and make a meatball shape tester to adjust seasonings if you care too. About ten minutes in a 350 degree F oven will cook it threw.

Get out your sprayed baking sheets and a scale.

Portion the mixture into 4 oz oval shapes and fill baking sheets.

Recipe should make 22 meatloaves that freeze perfect.

“Tasty Meatloaf”

 

 

 

 

Picked up a pint of sweet tri-color tiny tomatoes so I made them into salsa. This salsa taste better than any jarred tomato salsa that you can buy at the store.

This recipe will make about 4 servings

1 pint tri-color small sweet tomatoes – quartered

1/4 sweet onion – chopped fine

1 scallion – sliced thin

1 jalapeño  – chopped fine

3 garlic cloves – made into paste

splash apple cider vinegar

1 small lime – just the fresh squeezed juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. I note if your tomatoes aren’t surgery sweet like mine were you might need to add a teaspoon of sugar.

Enjoy.

 

Yummy!

 

 

This recipe is based on Cook’s Illustrated French Apple Cake Recipe. The Cook’s French Apple Recipe is described as…… “Neither a Cake” “Nor a Custard” “Nor a Clafoutis” “But is a Bit of Culinary Magic that’s all three!” I made the Cook’s Illustrated French Apple Cake (you can see it on TheForkingTruth) and I thought it was a most interesting recipe but for my taste it wasn’t sweet enough and could use some more flavor. What I least liked about the recipe is that it was terribly greasy. I do note I am not the only blogger that felt this way. After I tasted this cake I looked into the internet to see others felt and I found many others felt the same way I did. I do note that Cook’s Illustrated Recipes are well known and cherished and are usually iron clad perfect….but this one recipe needed another day in the test kitchen for me and most people. That’s not to say it’s a bad recipe……It’s still a very good recipe but I just have to tweak it. I also note I never would have came up with exactly with what I prepared if it wasn’t for Cook’s Illustrated.I thought that if I cut the one cup of oil and replaced it with 4 oz of butter I might hit two birds with one stone. I was hoping for less grease and more sweet. I added 1/4 cup of almond flour hoping the taste of almonds would lace the cake and I also added almonds for the topping. I thought instead of apples I would add soft ripe pears that don’t require the pre microwaving. The pears are also much sweeter with a stronger fruit flavor than the apples. The pears also don’t require the added lemon juice so I can leave lemon juice out and the batter will seem sweeter. I also used 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk  with one cup of water instead of whole milk due to that’s what I had around.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

1 1/2 lbs ripe pears

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons flour (2 T for latter)

1 cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar ( 1 T for latter)

1/4 cup almond flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 XL egg – beaten

2 XL yolks – beaten

4 oz stick unsalted butter – melted

1/2 cup non-fat dry milk

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup almonds –  sliced and lightly toasted

neutral non-stick spray – canola or vegetable

Directions

set oven to 325 degrees F

In one bowl whisk together, 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Set to the side.

In another bowl, whisk egg, butter, milk, water, vanilla.

Now add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir till incorporated.

REMOVE one cup of batter and stir in the 2 Tablespoons flour and almonds and set to the side.

ADD the 2 beaten yolks to the BIG BOWL OF BATTER.

Peel the pears and cut into small chunks a little smaller than bite size and toss into batter till done.

Spray your springform pan with non-stick spray

Fill with the main bowl of batter.

Top that with the cup of batter (with almonds).

Sprinkle the one T of sugar over the top.

Place in preheated oven at 325 degrees F

Turn oven light on after 20 minutes if it’s browning just place a loose sheet of aluminum foil over the top.

After 40 more minutes remove the foil.

leave in oven another 15 minutes and remove.

Let it rest a half hour or so on the counter.

Then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Use a soft knife and slide it around the edges to make sure the cake will release and then release the cake.

Cut and serve.

SUCCESS! By NOT adding any additional sugar, changing the fruit, swapping out a cup of oil for 4 oz. sweet butter the cake is much more flavorful, sweeter and not greasy.

Forking Yummy! ……….It’s light custardy, moist, taste studded with sweet pears, laced with a mild almond cream with caramelized ends. It’s just delicious. This cake will please just about anyone. Even people who usually don’t enjoy dessert will enjoy this cake it’s sweet but not too sweet, buttery but not greasy and the pear and almond flavor are delicious.

 

 

 

I saw the Julia Child’s Poached Egg Trick on the internet and I thought why haven’t I seen this before??????

Well any who I thought I’d give it a try!

First take a sterilized pin and poke a hole in the wider end of the egg.

Place the egg in boiling water for about 10 seconds. The directions say exactly ten seconds. I have XL eggs so a gave it one-two more seconds.

Remove the egg from the boiling water and turn the water down to a simmer.

Break the egg and carefully place in the water.

Remove from the water when the egg white is cooked. The directions say 3-4 minutes but on my stove with my pot I got it that way in less than 2 minutes and dried the egg off on a clean paper towel.

Then use as you please.

 

This was so forking easy and quick. What a great trick!

Julia Child’s Easy Poached Egg Trick

 

Chef Lidia Bastianich made this lovely Rice and Zucchini Crostata on her cooking show that I will make sometime in the near future. It looked FORKING Delicious! I don’t have fresh ricotta cheese today or even Zucchini to make it but I will use her crust recipe for the Crostata. I got 4 pounds of ripe sweet white nectarines today so I thought they’d be great in a Crostata Crust. This really came out FORKING Amazing. The filling is delicious with the right amount of moisture and sweetness. The crust is thin, tender and crisp. This is a great crust recipe too. You will be pleased with this recipe. This certainly is a #CrowdPleaser!

Ingredients for about 12 servings

2 cups flour – plus extra for rolling dough

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup cold water-  plus more if needed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 lbs ripe white nectarines – rustically cut into into about 6 pieces a fruit with stone removed

1/4 cup tapioca flour – you can always grind tapioca to make tapioca flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1/4 cup apricot spread – thinned down with water

1 XL egg – beaten

1/4 cup course sugar

Non-stick spray

Directions

To make the dough get out a large mixing bowl. I used a fork and mixed the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, olive oil and cold water. I do note Lidia’s Recipe suggest using a food processor to mix the mix. It might be better I don’t know? I don’t have a large processor and have no plans to purchase one. When your done with the dough wraps it in plastic wrap and let it rest about 1/2 hour.

Set your oven to 375 degree F. Put a baking stone in your oven.  Spray your pan with non-stick spray.

Cover your rolling mat with some flour and slowly roll out your dough.

After your dough is rolled out dust it and your rolling pin with some flour. To transfer the dough to your pan….roll the dough around your rolling pin.

As best as you can unroll the dough over your pan.

Don’t worry if it’s not perfect because it’s not suppose to be perfect.

In a large bowl add your nectarines, tapioca flour, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and lightly mix.

Put the nectarine filling into your pan with dough.

Fold down the ends. (I trimmed off an end and added it to the right)

Place Crostata on the stone in your pre-heated 375 degree F oven.

After 45 minutes remove the crostata.

Add beaten egg with a pastry brush to the crust.

Add thinned down apricot to the top of nectarines.

Add course sugar to top the crust and put the crostata in the oven for about 15 more minutes.

15 minutes latter it will look like this.

You need to let it cool for at least a 1/2 hour before you serve it.

Absolutely Forking Delicious and Perfect. No need to add whipped cream or ice-cream. The taste is absolutely forking perfection.

 

 

 

These Mexican Inspired Meatballs come out delicious and very flavorful and Forking Awesome. You can use them in tacos or burritos. The Mexican Meatballs would also be great with a bean and corn salad or with  corn pasta and a green or red chile sauce and salsa. If you are a fan of tacos you will forking love these Mexican Inspired Meatballs.

Ingredients for 8 servings

2 lb ground beef – Fresh ground at home preferably (brisket- Chuck – Rib)

4 XL eggs – beaten

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/4 sweet onion chopped fine

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 cup whole wheat panko

1/4 cup masa flour

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup cooked corn kernels

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – chopped fine – with some of the sauce

3/4 cup scallions – chopped

1 carrot shredded

4 garlic cloves – grated

1 teaspoon annoto

1/2 cup fresh cilantro – chopped well

non-stick spray

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F and spray your baking sheets with non-stick spray.

Get a large bowl. Add the meat, all vegetables, all liquids and spices and mix well. Lastly add panko and masa flour. Mix till incorporated. Get a small scooper and scoop out and make the meatballs until you are done with the mixture. Place the meatballs in the oven till they are cooked threw. (about 12 minutes)

Forking Delicious! These Mexican Inspired Meatballs are so good you are going to have to throw a party! #CrowdPleaser

 

 

 

 

 

Celery is an over looked and under used vegetable and can be a delicious vegetable course in a meal. Think about everything you add celery to in recipes and the flavors and then it’s easy to turn celery into a delicious side dish. One of the tricks to delicious celery is that you have to peel the ribs just like you peel a carrot. The oil that the celery gets cooked in will get infused with flavors that will penetrate the celery to make it tasty.

Ingredients for 2 servings

2 cups celery – cleaned – peeled and cut into bite size pieces – save the leaves and put them to the side

1 sprig rosemary

1 sprig sage – just the leaves

2 sprigs thyme

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Calabrian Chili Pepper – chopped fine

1 garlic clove – mashed fine

sea salt – fresh cracked to taste

black pepper – fresh cracked to taste

Parmesan Cheese – shredded to taste

Directions

Use a small fry pan and place it on medium high heat with the butter and oil.

When the butter is almost melted add the rosemary, sage and thyme to the pan and cook till herbs are crisp. (this is only a few minutes) Remove the herbs and let drain on a paper towel.

Turn down the heat to medium.

Add the chili and garlic and mix around well and then add the celery. Cover with foil until the celery is tender crisp. ( a few minutes)

Stir in the celery leaves and they only need up to a minute to wilt.

Add the fresh cracked salt and pepper and stir.

Plate up and add one of the fried herbs and fresh shredded parmesan cheese to the top .

Enjoy

Forking Good!