Turkey Croquettes

What do you do with those turkey leftovers? Make croquettes, of course!

Simple and nice and crispy, you'll enjoy the texture and much as the taste. They reheat well in a toaster oven as well. Enjoy!

Turkey Croquettes

Yield: 20-22 croquettes
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, minced
• course salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups finely chopped cooked turkey
• 1/8 cup milk
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• canola oil

Cooking Directions

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in thyme, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in turkey, then milk, and cook until liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl, and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, flour, and egg to turkey, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Form 2 tablespoons turkey mixture into balls and drop into a shallow bowl of breadcrumbs, turn to coat, and pat into 2-inch disks. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Heat a very shallow layer (sheen) of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook croquettes in a single layer until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pat tops with more paper towels.

Modified from Martha Stewart.

Pickled Green Tomatoes

They taste like pickles!

Pickled Green Tomatoes

Yield: 1 quart jar
Ingredients

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 pound firm green tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced in half
• 2 tablespoons pickling spices
• 1/4 tablespoon whole black pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Sterilize the jar by submerging them in a boiling water bath.
2. Add the garlic, dill seeds, and peppercorns to the jar.
3. Thoroughly wash the tomatoes and slice them in quarters. Cut out all bad spots and the stem ends. Cram them in the jar leaving about 1/2" to 3/4" of space at the top.
4. Make the brine by combining the vinegar, water, and salt in a non-reactive sauce pan or pot. Bring to a boil, and stir until all the salt is dissolved.
5. Pour the hot brine over the tomatoes to within 1/4" of the top. Wipe the jar top, put the lids on and tighten. Age for at least 1 week in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Meathead at AmazingRibs.com

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce

Yield: 1 quart
Ingredients

• 32 oz plain greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cooking Directions

1. Place the yogurt in a medium-sized bowl. Add the crushed garlic to the yogurt.
2. Peel the half cucumber, slice it in half lengthwise, remove the seeds with a spoon, and shred the cucumber using a cheese grater. Squeeze out any excess water from the cucumber and add it the yogurt mixture.
3. Add the olive oil, salt, and fresh lemon juice. Stir the mixture well. It is optional to add a tiny amount of fresh parsley for garnish or color.

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)

Yield: 1 big pan of pie
Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds spinach, rinse and chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1 cup feta, crumbled
• 8 sheets phyllo dough
• olive oil for brushing

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely. This is very important!
3. Squeeze spinach of excess moisture. This is very important too!
4. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Crispy Baked Falafel

Crispy Baked Falafel

Yield: 12-24 falafels
Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 green onion
• 1/4-1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin
• pinch cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F with rack in the center. Coat a baking sheet with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil.
2. In a food processor, combine the soaked, drained, and rinsed chickpeas, green onion, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
3. Scoop out about 1-2 tablespoons (depending on how big you'd like them) of the mixture at a time. Shape the falafel into small patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Place each falafel on your oiled sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove the falafel from the oven and carefully flip each one. Return the pans to the oven for another 12 to 13 minutes, until the falafels are lightly browned on both sides.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Homemade Kimchi

Kimchi is kind of a rage. It's pretty much in everything with any kind of fusion. It's also damn awesome on its own. So instead of buying expensive kimchi in the store, make your own on the cheap. It takes no time at all, and you can adjust the heat level later if you like. Everyone's kimchi is different, so experiment until you get it right. Then add it to some fried rice. Enjoy!

Kimchi

Yield: 1 large jar of kimchi
Ingredients

• 1 large napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 50 ml fish sauce
• 30 ml vinegar (white or rice)
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) chili paste (or chili sauce and/or sriracha)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 4 green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces

Cooking Directions

1. Remove the tough outer leaves of the cabbage and slice it lengthwise in half. Remove the core.
2. Cut the cabbage into 1-2-inch pieces. Toss the cabbage with the salt in a large bowl, then transfer it to a colander set over a bowl. Set a plate on top then weigh it down with something heavy for 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours, mix together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Add the cabbage in handfuls to the marinade, taking small bunches at the time and squeezing them of any excess water before adding them to the marinade. Mix the cabbage with the marinade.
5. Pack into a jar, cover tightly, and let stand at room temperature 48 hours. Then chill for 4 days before serving.

This will keep for a long time, but it could be very fermented after 3 weeks.

How to cook any steak

How to cook any steak

Ingredients

• 1 steak
• oil
• salt and pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Season with a generous amount of salt.
2. Let sit for 2 hours.
3. Rinse off steak.
4. Pat dry with paper towels. For a crispier crust, lay on paper towels for another half hour or more.
5. Put a large skillet on medium high heat. Lightly oil it.
6. Crack pepper on one side of the steak. Lay that side down in the skillet. Crack pepper over the other side.
7. Sear until browned. Flip and sear the other side until browned. Then flip and cook an additional minute or two, depending on thickness of steak and desired level of cooking. Then flip and cook an additional minute or two.
8. Take out of pan and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Roots Vegetables

A larger chicken can be used. Just adjust the cooking time. Also, various other root vegetables would be perfect. More delicate vegetables can be added later in the cooking time as well. In addition, I would suggest cutting the oil and butter down if you prefer less oily vegetables. Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Roots Vegetables

5 stars

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 1 4 to 4.5 lb whole chicken
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 2 large leeks
• 3 tennis-ball-sized rutabagas
• 2 tennis-ball-sized turnips
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in half
• 1 small onion, cut into quarters
• 8 golf-ball-sized red potatoes
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

Cooking Directions

1. Let chicken stand at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours.
2. Remove innards. Generously season cavity with salt and pepper, add 3 cloves of garlic and 5 sprigs of thyme and massage the inside. Truss the chicken.
3. Cut off the dark green leaves from the top of the leeks. Trim off and discard any darkened outer layers. Cut the leeks and rinse well.
4. Cut off both ends of the rutabagas, then cut off the skin. Cut into 3/4 inch wedges. Repeat with the turnips.
5. Combine all the vegetables and remaining garlic and thyme in a large bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a large cast iron or roasting pan.
6. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
7. Rub the remaining oil all over the chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Make a nest in the center of the vegetables and rest the chicken in it.
9. Cut the butter into 4 or 5 pieces and place over the chicken breast.
10. Put the pan into the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 and roast for another 45 minutes or until the thighs and under the breast are 160 degrees and the juice runs clear. Add 5 more minutes if needed.
11. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 20 minutes.
12. Just before serving, reheat the vegetables over medium heat on the stove, turning an glazing them in the juices.
13. Cut the chicken into serving pieces, arrange over the vegetables, and serve.

Slow Cooker Apple Spice Cake

Another easy cake to make that requires absolutely no nasty frosting, icing, or the like. Just like the Slow Cooker Chocolate Cake, it's easy. It might come out a little denser and more like a bread pudding consistency. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Apple Spice Cake

Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Cooking Directions

1. Spray crock of a 2 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, and egg. Beat until smooth.
4. Add the applesauce mixture to the dry ingredients and beat until smooth and fluffy.
5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared slow cooker.
6. Cover and cook on HIGH until puffed and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 2 1/2 hours.
7. Turn the cooker off and let it stand with the lid on for 30 minutes to cool.
8. To remove the cake, run a rubber spatula around the edge and lift it out.

Spent Grain Sandwich Bread

When you have leftover spent grains from that wonderful batch of home brew, here's exactly what you should do with it. Sure, you could throw it out, feed it to your pets, add it to your fertilizer, or make porridge with it. But that's not as much fun. So take a little time and make the tastiest spent grain bread ever. Enjoy!

Spent Grain Sandwich Bread

Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients

• 1 cup spent grain, drained
• 300 g warm water
• 200 g white flour
• 200 g whole wheat flour
• 25 g canola oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp yeast

Cooking Directions

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl, mix the water, spent grain, canola oil, and yeast.
2. Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add the salt and mix.
4. Add the flour and mix until uniform. (The dough will be too wet to knead by hand.)
5. Cover with a kitchen towel, plastic wrap, or foil for 2 hours. The dough will rise considerably and then flatten on top.
6. Oil a loaf pan. Using either wet hands or by flouring the surface of the dough and your hands, fold the dough under itself inwards two to four times and place in the pan.
7. Let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.
8. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour.
9. Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing from pan and let it cool on a rack. Do not cut into it until it has cooled completely.

Belgian White Ale (Wit) - Boil in a Bag

For all you Boil in a Bag (BIAB) fanatics, here's a recipe I adapted from various others. BIAB is currently my favorite way to brew, and I can't recommend it enough. This Belgian white ale is delicious, probably the best beer I've ever brewed. As you can see, it's got great color and that thick head and long retention is due to the wheat.

It tastes like a better Hoegaarden or Blue Moon and a less-spiced Allagash White. Mellow and completely drinkable on any day of the year, especially a warm summer day. Next time, I may increase the ginger to give it a bit more kick. It's the kind of beer you dream of to quench your thirst and just want to relax. Enjoy!

Belgian White Ale (Wit) - Boil in a Bag

Yield: 5 gallons
Ingredients

• 5 lbs Belgian pilsner 2-row
• 3 lbs flaked wheat (unmalted)
• 1 lb wheat malt
• 0.6 oz Saaz hops (8.2% AA)
• 3/4 oz coriander, broken with a rolling pin
• 1/2 oz dried sweet orange
• 1/4 oz dried bitter orange
• 1 g ground ginger
• 1 packet Belgian Witbier Yeast (Wyeast 3944)
• 113 g corn sugar, for priming

Cooking Directions

1. Line the kettle with the mesh bag. Heat 3 gallons of water to 160 F. Turn off burner.
2. Slowly add the grist (crushed grain) to the mesh bag, immersed in the water. Stir well to mix, breaking up any clumps of grist.
3. Mash at 152 °F for 75 minutes. Cover and let rest.
4. While stirring, raise to 168 F. Hold for 10 minutes. Drain bag in fermenter bucket.
5. Boil for 60 mins. Add all but 2 or 3 hops pellets at 60 mins, then the 2 or 3 pellets at knockout. Add coriander and orange peel at knockout.
6. Cool the wort in ice bath in the sink to approximately 100 F.
7. While the wort cools, sanitize the fermenting equipment – fermenter, lid, fermentation lock, hydrometer, etc – along with the yeast pack and a pair of scissors.
8. Pour the cooled wort into your fermenter. Leave any thick sludge in the bottom of the kettle.
9. Add cold water as needed to bring the volume to 5 gallons. Aerate the wort.
10. Measure specific gravity of the wort with a hydrometer and record.
11. Add yeast once the temperature of the wort is 78°F or lower (not warm to the touch). Use the sanitized scissors to cut off a corner of the yeast pack, and carefully pour the yeast into the primary fermenter.
12. Seal the fermenter. Add approximately 1 tablespoon of water to the sanitized fermentation lock. Insert the lock into rubber stopper or lid, and seal the fermenter.
13. Hold in primary fermenter for 14 days at 69 °F (21 °C).
14. Bottling
15. Boil corn sugar in 16 oz water. Pour into fermenter and gently mix. Wait 15 minutes then fill and cap bottles.
16. Allow to carbonate and age for 14 days.

Baked Chicken Souvlaki

Have a hankerin' for chicken souvlaki but no grill? Or is it winter and too damn cold out for such nonsense?

Then hurry on up and get your baked souvlaki on! Easier than the grill and just as good! Serve with some warm, soft pita bread and maybe a tzatziki sauce. Enjoy!

Baked Chicken Souvlaki

Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 onion, cuty into quarters
• 1 bell peppers, cut into large pieces

Cooking Directions

1. Place all ingredients into a zip lock bag. Shake to coat evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
2. Dump contents into a baking dish, spreading evenly.
3. Bake at 350 F for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken begins to turn golden brown.

Baklava

Baklava, that super treat that goes for a crazy amount per piece. Well, you can probably get half this dish (well, close enough) for the same price by making it at home. Super easy, simple, and exceedingly delicious. Guests will rave for days about it. Enjoy!

Baklava

Yield: a whole lot of baklava!

Calories per serving: you don't wanna know

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup honey
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• pinch cloves
• 1 pound walnuts, or mix of any nut
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 pound phyllo dough, thawed

Cooking Directions

1. Combine the sugar, honey, water, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and cloves in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the syrup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Finely chop the nuts or pulse in a food processor. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the nuts, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt and stir well to combine.
3. Melt the butter.
4. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat a 13 by 9-inch or 15 by 10-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter.
5. Open the package of thawed phyllo and lay the thin sheets on a clean work surface. Measure the phyllo sheets; if the type you have purchased measures approximately the same size as the baking dish you are using, then proceed from here. If they are larger than your baking dish, use a sharp knife to cut the phyllo sheets approximately the same size as your baking dish. Keep any scraps for another use. Cover the sheets with a piece of plastic wrap and a lightly damp kitchen towel, as the sheets of phyllo dry out very quickly if left uncovered.
6. Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Place 1 of the sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the buttered baking dish and lightly brush with some of the melted butter. Repeat this procedure with 6 more sheets of phyllo, for a total of 7 layers. Measure about 3/4 cup of the nut mixture and spread the nut mixture evenly over the buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat with 7 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each layer as before, and top these sheets with another 3/4 cup of the nut mixture. Continue this layering process, buttering 7 sheets of phyllo and topping each 7 sheets with 3/4 cup of the nuts, until you have used all of the nut mixture. Layer any remaining sheets of phyllo on top, buttering between each layer, until all of the phyllo sheets have been used.
8. Use a sharp knife to make 4 cuts lengthwise through the layered phyllo at 1 1/2 inch intervals. (You should end up with 5 lengthwise strips 1 1/2 inches wide.) Now use your knife to cut diagonally across the strips at 1 1/2-inch intervals to form diamond shapes. You should end up with approximately 36 diamond-shaped pieces of baklava in the baking dish.
9. Bake the baklava until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
10. Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baklava from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Using a ladle or small measuring cup, slowly drizzle the cooled syrup over the warm baklava. Allow to stand several hours before serving.
11. Adapted from Emeril.

Folded Steamed Bao Recipe

Now you too can be a fancy schmancy gourmet chef at home with these homemade folded steamed buns (or baos). Made with more or less the same dough as traditional baos, the folded style allows for cramming in a lot more pulled pork or, as is popular right now, crispy pork belly. Enjoy!

Folded Steamed Bao Recipe

Yield: 16 medium buns
Ingredients

• 3 cups (12.5 oz) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Cooking Directions

1. Put the yeast in a small bowl, add the lukewarm water and set aside for 1 minute to soften. Whisk in the oil to blend and dissolve the yeast. Set aside.
2. Combine the sugar, baking powder, and flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Slowly stir with a wooden spoon, moving from the center toward the rim, to work in all the flour. Add lukewarm water by the teaspoon if this doesn't happen with relative ease.
3. Keep stirring as a ragged, soft mass forms. Then use your fingers to gather and pat the dough together into a ball.
4. Transfer to a work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth, fingertip-soft and slightly elastic.
5. Lightly oil a clean bowl and add the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm, draft-free place to rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes. The dough is now ready to use.
6. Roll into two logs, and cut into 16 pieces.
7. Flatten each piece with a rolling pin into a slightly oval shape.
8. Lightly oil one side and fold in on itself. Place on a cut piece of parchment or wax paper.
9. Steam the buns for 10 minutes.

Couscous Tabbouleh

Traditionally, tabbouleh is made with bulgur, a "cereal food made from the groats of several different wheat species, most often from durum wheat." Sounds so dry and boring. So jazz up your tabbouleh with a happy helping of couscous instead. It'll feel lighter and most likely will soak up the flavors better.

Serve on a bed of lettuce or next to a beautiful piece of moussaka. Enjoy!

Couscous Tabbouleh

Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup dry couscous
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley
• salt and pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Mix boiling water with dry couscous.
2. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Stir well.
3. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Fluff with a fork. Add diced tomato, chopped onion, and fresh parsley. Add Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss lightly. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Thin Crust Pizza on Steel

Maybe you've tried the other great pizza crust recipe we've featured here before. Okay, well while that is good, this new recipe is great!

And it's easier! I recently received a Baking Steel, which is like a pizza stone but better because it gets hotter and holds its temperature better. That means a quicker cooking time and a charred crust underneath - perfect for those Neapolitan-style pizzas you've always wanted to make at home. They are done in a little under 5 minutes!

If you don't have a piece of steel, this new dough recipe will work great on a pizza stone or upside down cookie sheet. It'll just need to bake a little longer.

Give it a whirl, and remember not to overload the pizza with too many toppings. Some of our favorites are sauteed mushrooms with spinach and feta, with a little mozzarella baked on the pizza, and one with mozzarella, sauce, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, and ricotta. Enjoy!

Thin Crust Pizza on Steel

Yield: 3 pizzas
Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups (310 g) lukewarm water
• 3/4 tablespoon yeast
• 3/4 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 3 1/4 cups (423 g) all-purpose flour

Cooking Directions

1. Mix the yeast, salt, and olive oil with the water in a non-airtight lidded container.
2. Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon.
3. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and flattens, about 2 hours.
4. At this point, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week or dust the top with flour and cut into three pieces. The other pieces may be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for several months.
5. Preheat oven to its highest temperature and place baking steel or stone on the lowest rack. Let preheat for 20-40 minutes.
6. Shape dough into a ball by stretching the surface around to the bottom on all four sides. Do this minimally.
7. Flatten with your hands on a well-floured surface. Get the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Use a floured rolling pin if needed. The dough will spring back some, so you may need to stretch it further than you think of stretch it again. Once stretched and relaxed, place onto a cornmeal-covered pizza peel.
8. Place your toppings on the dough. Be minimalistic.
9. Slide the pizza directly onto the steel or stone. Pizza may be done in as little as 4 minutes, so check to make sure it's not overcooking.
10. Allow to cool for a minute on a rack to allow the cheese to set.

Blueberry Muffins

A couple years back, we spent a wonderful weekend at a B&B in New Hampshire. It was amazing, and one of the best B&Bs we've ever been to. One of the huge pluses was the breakfast, which was made completely from scratch every morning for us and that was different every day. Apparently, over the years others like us have requested the recipes because they were so good!

These blueberry muffins are bursting with flavor and were one of the many highlights of the trip. And when they're warm and fresh out of the oven, oh man, there's almost nothing better. Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

Yield: 16 muffins
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat 400F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add the blueberries and toss.
3. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix quickly with a fork, until flour disappears. Do not overmix. Batter should be lumpy.
5. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins about 3/4 full.
6. Sprinkle each muffin with a little sugar, up to 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Serve warm.

Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca, or Pasta alla Puttanesca, literally means "whore's-style pasta." You may think that ladies of the night would whip this up to lure customers to them, but that isn't true.

Now if that doesn't make you want to chow down, I don't know what will. Well, maybe the following description will help. Puttanesca is a tangy, slightly salty sauce that gets its flavor and aroma from the combination of capers, olives, and anchovies.

It's simple and takes only about as long as it does to cook the pasta. You can easily omit the anchovies, but they add such a great depth of flavor. Enjoy!

Pasta Puttanesca

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 16 ounces pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup strong-tasting olives, chopped
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 1 tin anchovy fillets
• 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 32 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• black pepper, to taste
• parmesan, shredded (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, anchovies, and red pepper until anchovies dissolve, about 3 minutes. Stir in capers, olives, parsley, oregano. Saute 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
3. Add tomatoes and simmer 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until desired thickness.
4. Toss pasta with sauce, and serve. Top with optional parmesan cheese.

Guest Post: Ahi Poke

Today is Guest Post Day! Yay! Thanks to Tom Lee for sharing. Sounds delicious.

Tom Lee is a business development associate for the Santa Barbara Fish Market where you can support local fishermen and buy fresh seafood online or buy fresh fish online.

Ahi Poke

As a college student that is health and budget conscience, I am always looking for something that meets these requirements. The best way to do so, is to make something yourself. One of my favorite dishes is Ahi Poke. Ahi Poke is a dish that is enjoyed by many, but made by few. It consists of fresh raw tuna mixed with a few seasonings. Besides being so tasty for how simple it is, it also is very healthy. 4 ounces of tuna (Yellowfin tuna) itself yields about 27 grams of protein in just 123 calories. It’s a great source of lean protein. While the ingredients are simple, some people are a bit scared of handling raw fish, but it’s really no different then another other meat. In fact, most fishmongers at any fish market or fish department will clean the fish and hand you a perfect fillet that is ready to be used for a meal. The only real important requirement for this dish is to have the freshest tuna possible.

Ingredients:
8oz Fresh Tuna
1 Tablespoon Shallots
½ Tablespoon Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/8 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
¼ Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Siracha Garlic Chili Sauce
¼ Whole Avocado
½ Whole Cucumber

Instructions:
1. Mix sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic chili sauce, shallots, and green onions into a small
bowl

2. Take the ¼’d avocado and take the seed out and peel the skin off. Cut into to small
¼ inch pieces.

3. Cut the cucumber in slices. You want them thin, but still thick enough to carry the
weight of the Ahi Poke that will be served on it.

4. Make sure to keep the tuna cold until being handled. Cut the tuna into ¼ inch
cubes.

5. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let sit for about 10-15 minutes. It
can be served immediately, but a few extra minutes will let the sauce penetrate a bit
better.

6. Top each cucumber slice with about a spoonful of Ahi Poke, serve, and enjoy!

Tips: What’s great about this recipe is that all the ingredients can be easily adjusted
to taste. If you prefer a spicier sauce, just add more of the garlic chili sauce. Big fan
of avocado? Add more! Cucumber is suggested hear as a lower-calorie alternative,
but Ahi Poke is also great served on top of your favorite crackers or toasted bread.

Vegetarian Moussaka with Sweet Potatoes

A vegetarian version of our original Moussaka. Instead of meat, we chose portobello for its meaty qualities. Plus, how can you not love portobello and eggplant together in one dish? This one also includes a layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom that really goes nicely with the cinnamon and nutmeg spices used throughout the dish.

Moussaka

Yield: 8-12 servings
Ingredients

• 3 eggplants, peeled and cut into half-inch slices
• 1 sweet potato, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• salt, to taste
• white pepper, to taste
• 1.5-3 cups parmesan, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cooking Directions

1. Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the portobello, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the mushrooms have lost some of their liquid, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
3. To make the bechamel sauce, begin by heating the milk to about boiling. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Remove from heat and gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
4. Arrange a layer of sweet potato as shingles, then a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the portobello mixture. Cover with remaining eggplant. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg.
5. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Mint Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

Mint Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
• 1 3/4 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• ~18 ounces Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 ounce dark chocolate, finely chopped

Cooking Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup milk.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1 1/4 cups milk with sugar over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. When mixture is boiling, pour into bowl with milk and gelatin and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
3. Stir yogurt into gelatin mixture. Whisk in peppermint extract.
4. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions.
5. Toward the end of freezing time, add chocolate.
6. Serve immediately or freeze to desired consistency.

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

If you love spaghetti squash, or have never tried it before, here's a simple, easy recipe that is sure to please. It's like having a nice bed of tasty pasta without the pasta. You can easily add chicken of anything else that you want to this, and you've got yourself a complete meal. Yum. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved and seed removed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup feta or similar cheese
• 3 tablespoons black olives, sliced
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm (throw back in the pan if need be).

Strawberry Summer Cake

This is a delicious cake, perfect for the summer months when all we want to do is eat strawberries. It is light and goes well after a summer dinner. The addition of barley flour makes it even lighter and smoother. Don't worry if you don't have any though; it works just fine without.

If you have a regular pie pan, this will work fine. If you have a larger one or a deep dish one, either double or 1.5 times the recipe. Extra springiness! Enjoy!

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Strawberry Summer Cake

Yield: 1 cake
Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1.5 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (can swap half with barley flour)
• 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound strawberries, halved

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a pie pan.
2. Whisk flour or flours, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.
3. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk, and vanilla until just combined.
4. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.
5. Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the strawberries.
6. Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 to 60 minutes.
7. Let cool in pan on a rack.

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Best homemade thin pizza crust yet. Light and crispy on the outside. Soft and airy on the inside. The trick is...well, follow the instructions and you'll see. Really, it's absolutely delicious. And there are a few easy tricks to it. Enjoy!

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Yield: 1 large pizza
Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups (448g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• optional: 1 tablespoon sugar or honey

Cooking Directions

1. Mix yeast with water and sugar or honey, if using. Let sit for a few minutes.
2. Mix in oil and salt.
3. Mix in flour until just mixed together. Do not knead.
4. Right before kneading, let rest for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to form and moisture to spread throughout.
5. Knead until smooth and elastic. Cut into two. Store one in the fridge or freezer for another time.
6. Let rise until doubled (about an hour).
7. Preheat oven to highest temperature and place a pizza stone or upside down baking sheet on the highest rack.
8. Stretch dough into pizza shape by hand.
9. Let dough relax for 5 minutes before placing in the oven.
10. Add toppings and immediately put in the oven.
11. Bake until browned and crispy (about 8-12 minutes).

Garlic Confit

Garlic Confit is a special secret. It's the secret that makes everything better. Everything. And it's one of the easiest secrets to make ever. Use as is or blend into a spread.

Just do as the recipe says and then add to soups, a stir fry, a spread for sandwiches, etc. Go nuts! It's good on anything. Enjoy!

Garlic Confit

Yield: 1 small jar
Ingredients

• 6 bulbs garlic
• olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Peel garlic. Place cloves in a saucepan.
2. Use enough olive oil to cover cloves just slightly.
3. Heat on medium to boiling.
4. Reduce to simmer. Let simmer for about 40 minutes.
5. Let cool before blending or storing.