Challah Bread

Challah is a delicious and labor intensive braided Jewish Egg Bread...Lets place the emphasis on delicious and try not to think about all the labor that goes into it. I got my start with a recipe I found on www.myjewishlearning.com and have been tweaking it ever since. So if you want to delight your friends and family with some homemade bread and have some time on your hands, this is a project for you. You will not be disappointed.


Ingredients
Makes 4 loaves

2 Tbs dry yeast
2 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs beaten (for the dough)
2 egg yolks beaten and set aside (for glazing)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey (for glazing)
About 9 1/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat yeast into water and set aside for about 10 minutes until it bubbles.

Bubbling yeast

In the largest bowl you can find beat your eggs, then add your salt, sugar and oil and beat until combined. Once your yeast has bubbled add to the mixture and beat again. Now its time to add the flour which needs to be done slowly and gradually. You can start combining the flour with a wooden spoon until you have a dough that seems to be sticking together.

Now dump the mixture onto a floured surface and knead vigorously for 15 minutes (set your timer, and do not skimp on this part). You want the dough to be smooth and elastic. You can gradually add flour as needed if needed. Knead until dough is smooth and and elastic (press your finger into the dough, it should press down then rise back up on its own). Your arms will hurt, trust me its worth it. 

Smooth and elastic dough ball

Now that the dough is kneaded pour a little oil into the bowl (make sure to coat it) and place the dough ball into it. Flip the dough over so that each side is coated with oil. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and leave to rise for 2-3 hours. Depending on how warm your house is it could rise faster. You will know its done when it has doubled in size.

Dough that has doubled in size

Once the dough has doubled in size punch it down into the bowl. Remove from the bowl and knead again for about 5-10 minutes. Separate into four equal sections.

Take one of your 4 sections and split into three. Roll each section into a long rope about 12" to 18" long. Lay the three sections next to each other and pinch the tops of them together and fold over to secure. Braid the dough together. When you get to the end pinch the three together and fold under to secure the seam. Complete this process with each of the remaining three dough sections you have left.

Place two loaves each onto well oiled baking sheets and let rise for another hour. If its warm in my kitchen I will cheat sometimes and put the first set into the oven in 30 minutes. Play it by ear, you will know if the dough needs to rise still by looking at it.

Braided and doubled in size

Now you need to take the eggs yolks you beat earlier and combine them with 1/4 cup honey. Generously brush each loaf with the egg honey mixture using a pastry brush. Place into oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. You will know they are done when you tap the bottom of the loaf and it sounds hollow.

Golden Brown

Ready to be served!

As a side note I have burned a lot of this bread in the past since each oven is different. I recommend starting with one loaf in the oven and checking it every ten minutes to be sure its not browning too fast. It's better to burn one loaf then all four.

Once the loaves are cooled I suggest wrapping them in plastic wrap till serving. This is also a great bread for making french toast and bread pudding. But my favorite way to have it is with butter, dipped into my Matzo Ball Soup.

Muffin Tin Quiche's

In an attempt to persuade my boyfriend from eating out for breakfast at his friendly neighborhood coffee shop each morning I attempted and succeeded with Muffin Tin Quiches. I looked at several recipes on the web and pieced together my own version..They came out of the oven smelling and looking delicious...Only problem was I had no way to know how they tasted before serving. I DO NOT like eggs... I sucked it up and bit into one and to my surprise... I went for a second. I think I will be experimenting with different versions of this recipe in the coming future. Here is my first attempt!

Makes 24 muffin sized quiches

Base Ingredients
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
wonton wrappers
garlic powder to taste
onion powder to taste
black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare your muffin tins by spraying them with a vegetable oil spray. Press one wonton wrapper into each section ( this will create a crispy shell to support your quiche).

wonton wrappers pressed into tins

For the first batch I sprinkled mozzarella cheese onto the bottom of each wonton. I sauteed three white mushrooms, 4oz pancetta, and a handful of shredded arugula and divided it up between 12 of the tins. Then I separated half of the egg mixture and poured it equally into one of each tins about 2/3 of the way up on each. Top off with fresh ground black pepper and shredded mozzarella on top of each.

For the second batch I went vegetarian. I sprinkled cheddar and monterrey jack cheese onto the bottom of each. Then I chopped up a handful of broccoli till it fell apart into small pieces and a handful of green onions and mixed it into the remaining egg batter. I poured equal amounts into each and then sprinkled with fresh ground pepper and the cheese blend.

Before going into the oven

This is as about as it easy as it gets. I baked each tin for about 20 minutes on 350. They were done when the tops of the wontons browned and they seemed to be pulling away from the sides of the tins.

"Cleaning out the Fridge" Pizzas

With all of the wonderful veggies in full bloom at the markets I found myself with too much produce that needed to be used today or pitched. Being thrifty as always I made two personal pizzas and managed to clean out my fridge at the same time....Is there such a thing as a bad pizza? The toppings and flavor combinations are endless.

Note: I literally cleaned out the fridge, so portions were not measured.


Kale, Italian Sausage, and Zucchini Pizza, Pizza #1 (Best pizza I have made to date!)
Serves 1-2 people

Before Baking

After Baking...So Delicious!

Ingredients
1/2 of a of Trader Joe's pizza dough ball
Trader Joe's pizza sauce
shredded kale
sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
1/2 diced zucchini
mozzarella
fresh grated Parmesan
fresh ground black pepper
olive oil
sea salt
red pepper flakes
garlic powder

After rolling 1/2 of the dough ball out into a personal size pizza I baked at 350 for about 7 minutes and then removed from oven. While the dough was par-baking I quickly sauteed the kale and zucchini on high heat with a little olive oil, sea salt, and garlic powder. Once the kale wilts and the zucchini browns slightly remove from heat.

Brush par-baked dough with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Spread on pizza sauce then add half the amount of mozzarella you want you use. Then top with sausage, kale, and zucchini. Top with remaining mozzarella and some fresh grated Parmesan.. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and fresh ground black pepper. Bake until crust and cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes.



Colorful Pizza, Pizza #2
Serves 1-2

Before Baking

After Baking...So Delicious!

Ingredients
1/2 of a of Trader Joe's pizza dough ball
Trader Joe's pizza sauce
green pepper, diced
red pepper, diced
frozen corn
pineapple tidbits
green onion, chopped
mozzarella
red pepper flakes

After rolling 1/2 of the dough ball out into a personal size pizza I baked at 350 for about 7 minutes and then removed from oven. Once the dough is removed from the over, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Spread on pizza sauce then add half the amount of mozzarella you want you use. Add all of your veggies then top with remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and bake until crust and cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes.

Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad

This is a quick and easily modifiable creamy summer fruit salad..Any excuse to eat Greek Yogurt!

Ingredients
Serves 2-4

1 nectarine, diced
1/2 mango, diced
1/2 green apple, diced
raspberries, handful
blueberries, handful
blackberries, handful
6 strawberries, halved
1 container Greek Goddess Honey Flavored Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
juice from one lime wedge

Combine and chill. Serve with brunch, a side dish to a summer BBQ, or as dessert on a hot day!

Channa Masala & Curried Potatoes

I love Indian food and have been experimenting in my kitchen with my own take on some of my favorite dishes...While not always a success from the beginning I think I have finally mastered Channa Masala...Sure its not cooked by someone one's Indian grandmother, but this is my take, and its pretty delicious!

Channa Masala
Ingredients
Serves 4-6

1 large white onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tomato segmented and set aside for final presentation
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 lime
garlic paste
olive oil
cumin
turmeric
coriander
paprika
salt
garam masala
dried mango powder
grated fresh ginger
hot chili powder
bay leafs1/2 cup water


In a large pot, on medium heat,  brown your chopped onion with olive oil and garlic paste (I used 1 heaping tablespoon, use your own judgement with the garlic and all the spices in this dish). Once the onions are browned add all of the spices, except the bay leaves. I would start off with a small amount of each spice if you are not familiar with the flavors, about 1/4-1/2 tsp. You can always add more of a flavor you prefer, but you can't back peddle and take them out. Combine spices and onions, the onions should be a dark yellow to orange color at this point. Now add your two chopped tomatoes and stir.

Onions, tomatoes, and spices!

While your tomatoes and onions are cooking on medium heat you can prepare your garbanzo beans. I cheated and used canned ones because its much quicker. If you have time or a pressure cooker than use dried ones..They always taste better. Open the can and remove about 1/3 of the beans (do not drain) and either blend them with your immersion blender or mash them until they are soft (I find this helps make the dish a little more saucy). Add the mashed beans to the tomatoes and onions and stir, then add the rest of the can of beans. At this time you can also add a 1/2 cup of water. Stir everything well and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Once the pot comes to a light boil turn down the heat and add 2 bay leafs. Cover your pot and cook on medium to low heat for 30-40 minutes. Stirring occasionally. It's at this point that its a good time to taste your Channa Masala and see if you need to add anymore spices. I tend to go heavy with the garlic, cumin, and mango powder (which adds a slight tang). If you like your curry hot add some more chili powder. At the very end of the cooking cycle I like to add the juice of 1 lime. This combination of spice, heat, and tang is very satisfying! Pour into a serving dish and garnish with a raw segmented tomato. Serve over Basmati rice.

The final product, with raw segmented tomatoes as a garnish!

Basmati Rice with Green Peas
Serves 4-6

1 cup Basmati rice
1 cup frozen sweet peas

The ratio for Basmati rice is one cup rice to two cups water..This will make plenty of rice to compliment your Channa Masala. Combine rice and water and bring to a boil. Once water has came to a boil cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, stir as needed. Once the rice is cooked remove from heat and add one cup of thawed green peas. I generally just dump them on top of the rice and cover with a lid. The steam from the rice cooks the peas while you finish up the final touches on your dinner. Adding green peas to the rice adds a nice pop of color and adds texture and sweetness to the rice. It's one of my favorite combinations!

Basmati Rice and Green Peas

Curried Potatoes
Serves 4-6
Ingredients

3 peeled red potatoes, boiled and diced
1/2 onion, dices
mustard seeds
olive oil
cumin
turmeric
garlic

Peel three red potatoes and boil until soft enough to put a fork through. Do not boil them too long or they will get mushy. Drain water and set aside.

Place skillet on high heat and let the pan get hot adding a few Tbs of oil, enough to cover the pan. Add the mustard seeds and stir them constantly allowing them to toast. Now add your spices and stir into the olive oil and mustard seeds to create a spice paste, once it starts to bubble add your onions and turn down the heat. Cook the onions until they soften and then add your potatoes. Combine until all the potatoes are coated and then allow them to cook as you would hash browns. Flipping once our twice until they begin to crisp. Serve along side your Channa Masala and Basmati Rice.

Curried Potatoes

Timing is everything when cooking multiple dishes. I started both the rice and potatoes about half way through the last 30 minutes of the Channa Masala cook time, and they both took about 15-20 minutes to complete.
I served these dishes with Trader Joe's Samosa's and Garlic Naan, both which require about a 10 minute cook time in your oven...I plan to attempt homemade Samosa's next time around. However Trader Joe's will do in a pinch.

My attempt at an Indian Fest!

Fancy Zucchini Bread

I love to make zucchini bread to give to friends as gifts. It is a simple yet delicious bread that can be eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or jazzed up with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for a dessert.

Ingredients
Makes 2 loaves

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 1/4 cup white sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cups crushed hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 325.
Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon into one bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla. zucchini, and pineapple. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Once well combined add the chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour into two greased and floured 4 x 8 bread tins. Bake on on 325 for about 45 minutes. It may need to cook a little longer depending on your oven. Check the middle with a toothpick to be sure its is completely baked.

Once completed remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once you can safely handle the pans and bread turn them out of pans and let cool on a baking rack.


And finally ENJOY!

Gandules Salad

This recipe is based on my favorite appetizer from La Isla,, a Puerto Rican  restaurant in Ballard. This simple yet robust salad can be used as a side dish or a garnish. La Isla serves it as a garnish to plantain cups. I recently took it to a party and served it with tortilla chips as you would a salsa. I think it would be great as a side dish for pork or as a chilled summer salad.

The base of this is Gandules also known as Pigeon Peas. Gandules are a high protein legume and also contain many amino acids. You can usually find them in the Latin Foods section of your grocery store.

Ingredients

1 15oz can gandules, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
juice from one lime
sea salt, chopped garlic, and fresh black pepper, to taste
white vinegar
olive oil

Combine all of the vegetables and lime juice into a bowl. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup white vinegar, mix well. Once well combined add your spices. You may want to play around with the vinegar and olive oil ratio to get it to a point that you like. I prefer a little more vinegar for a more tart taste. Starting with 1/4 cup of each though is a great start.

Chill until ready to serve

http://www.laislaseattle.com/menu.aspx