BBQ Chicken Pizza

I wanted to order pizza last night, but it's not in the budget right now so I made one instead.  

This could be whole-wheat dough.  Just replace 1/4 of the flour with WW flour.  The egg is optional, but it makes a chewier and thinner crust.  

2 cups hot water

1 1/2 t. yeast

2 T. olive oil

1 egg

2 t. salt

5-6 cups flour (I use sir galahad flour.  It is high gluten all purpose flour which is less powerful than bread flour, but more so that regular AP flour)

1.  Dissolve yeast in water with a pinch of sugar (or honey if making whole wheat crust)

2.  Add oil and egg if using. 

3.  Add half the flour and salt.

4.  Add the rest of the flour little by little.  You may not need it all.  

5.  Knead until it is soft, smooth, and sticky.  It will be stickier than French bread.  

6.  Proof until it doubles in size.  ( I proof in the microwave with a cup of hot water.  Don't turn on microwave, I just use it as a hot box)

7.  Use when it's done rising or freeze.  

8.  Put cornmeal on a pizza stone stretch dough to a round pie shape, top, and bake at 550ºF for 10-15 min.  Until brown.  

You can top it with anything you want to, I made BBQ chicken because I had a chicken breast I needed to use.  

1 chicken breast.  

1 small onion.  

3 cloves garlic, minced

Your favorite BBQ sauce (homemade is best, bottled is fine)

cheddar cheese.  

Salt and pepper

1.  Mince chicken and marinate in BBQ sauce.  

2.  Slice onion really thin and caramelize.  Cook on low heat for a long time until the onion is brown.  Add minced garlic.  Continue to cook until garlic is soft.  Season at the end.  If you add salt before the onion is caramelized, it will sweat and you won't get good results.  

3.  In a different pan, cook the chicken.  Drain any juice and add a little more bbq sauce.  

4.  Once dough is on the stone, put a thin layer of sauce, onions, chicken and cheddar on the dough.  

5.  Bake 550ºF for 10-15 minutes or until brown and cooked.  

I don't use much cheese, because I don't think it needs much and I'm trying to reduce fat intake. I think a little goes a long way, but by all means, load it up if you want to.  

If you want to use fresh herbs on your pizza, dip them in oil to prevent burning them, or drying them out too much.  

Rice cereal.

We tried to feed Clare her first food besides breast milk, rice cereal.  Of course we got the special, hippy store, all natural kind.  We mixed it up with plenty of breast milk and sat down for an exciting first, solid food.  Well, she didn't like it too much.  She gave it a good try, but all in all she ate about 7 spoons-full.  At first she was alright, she swallowed it without a problem.  After the first couple of bites she started to act like it gagged her a little.  She made the same face she makes when I have to feed her breast milk that has been frozen.  A what the hell is this type face. We saved the rest and will try again later.  I think it's just really new to her.   I'm sure she'll catch on in the next day or two.  

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

What I love about this recipe is you can use any kind of curry paste and it works out.  I love massaman curry and use it most often.  This recipe can use shrimp instead of chicken.  Just buy the shrimp that aren't peeled.  Peel them, and boil the shells and you have instant shrimp stock. Shrimp stock is quick and freezes well.   

1 t. oil

1 1/2 stalks lemon grass, minced

2 T. ginger, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 T. red curry paste

6 cups chicken stock

3 T. fish sauce ( I wear gloves when I touch my bottle, which lives in a plastic bag)

2 cans unsweetened coconut milk.  

shitake mushrooms, or any kind

3 tbsp lime juice

2 chicken breasts, cubed raw 

1.  Heat a heavy bottomed pot and add oil, brown chicken on all sides, remove from pot.  

2.  add a little more oil if needed and saute lemongrass, ginger, and garilc.  

3.  Add curry paste, saute briefly. Add Chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.  Strain.  

4.  Add fish sauce, coconut milk, lime juice. 

5. add a pinch of sugar if you want it a little sweet.  

6. Add chicken and mushrooms  simmer until both are cooked.  

Black eyed peas

It's winter.  I love soup and  I could live off of beans and rice, and right now the way the economy is, that's a good thing.  I don't really use exact measurements when I make soup or beans.  I just eyeball it and add water if I need to.  If you need to follow exact water to bean ratios, look on the back of the plastic bag.  I used this recipe to make black eyed pea tartettes.  I blind baked brisee for the crust and oil cured some grape tomatoes for the top.  Then I broiled the whole tartlette to slightly brown the tomato.  Then I ate it with rice.  Add more stock and blend and it's a soup.  Get it?  

1/2 lb black eyed peas (don't weigh them, use 1/2 of a 1 lb bag or a big old scoop:-)

3-4 qt's chicken stock (homemade is better, canned will do)

1 yellow onion, 

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

3 stalks celery 1 ham hock

2 bay leaves

a few stalks thyme

1 10 oz can of stewed tomatoes (homemade is better)

Salt.  (always salt the whole way through cooking.  Salt the veg as it sautes, salt the chicken stock, but always taste it first.  The canned stuff is already seasoned some).

1.  Sort through beans to remove any debris or off colored beans.  

2.  Bring beans to a boil, turn off and let sit 10 minutes, drain.  This is a quick soak so you don't have to soak them overnight.  

3.  Heat a large pot, add  a little oil, saute garlic, onion, and celery.  

4.  Add thyme, bay leaves, beans and chicken stock, ham hock and bring to a boil. 

5.  Reduce to a simmer and add tomatoes, cover.  You can add them whole, and break them up as you stir.  I usually turn my beans to low because the lid creates steam makes the water simmer with much less flame.  

6.  Stir every so often and taste.  

The last ham hock I had recently was really meaty and gave off a lot of salt.  I had to remove it about halfway through.  Be involved with your cooking.  I always save ham hocks if I feel they still have some flavor to give.  Just wrap really well and freeze.  

Easy Lentil Soup 1

You can find really good deals at Indian and Pakistani grocery stores in Richmond, VA.  I've been going to Indo-Pak by Books-A-Million on Broad for years.  Those little expensive spice jars at  the grocery store are become obsolete when you can get fresh spices for a fraction of the price. Spices, lentils, rice, jaggery, and all of the latest Bollywood movies.   We also have Tan-A asian market that is great for seafood, herbs, produce, packaged food etc....  Don't get me started on all of the little ethnic markets I had within walking distance in Adam's Morgan, Sigh.  

Any kind split lentil will work for this recipe.  I used split udad dahl, but I never worry about what type of lentils I have.  I just buy a variety and cook all types.  There are lots of ways to do lentils. I have an Indian cookbook dedicated strictly to lentils.   I like this recipe because I can throw it together in minutes, due to the Sambar Powder, and lentils don't take very long to cook at all.  Everything you need for this recipe can be found at a local Indian spice store.  

2 cups split lentils

about 2 1/2 qts. water.  I don't measure the water as explained in the directions.  

2-3T Sambar powber (It's a soup mix of spices and ground dahl, found in the packaged section)

1/4 t. ground turmeric

1T ground coriander, I always toast and grind mine a little at a time and keep it in a jar.  

1 T. clarified butter, butter, or oil.  

2" piece of ginger,  chopped fine

4 cloves garlic,  chopped fine  

1 yellow onion, chopped fine 

4 stalks celery, chopped fine 

2 large carrots, chopped fine 

3 curry leaves

Salt to taste 

Season the whole way through.  Season the veggies, salt the water, adjust to taste. It won't taste good without plenty of salt.  Don't be afraid

1.  Spread lentils out onto a cookie sheet.  Sort through and pick out any debris or odd lentils.  

2. Rinse lentils in a sieve.  Set aside.  

3.  Heat a 4 qt pot over high heat and add your butter or oil.  Let it heat.  

4.  Add ginger and garlic, saute briefly until it becomes aromatic.  

5.  Add veggies and sauté until they are tender.  Reduce heat to medium.  

6.  Add sambar powder and other spices including curry leaves, stir well for a about a minute to toast the spices a little.  

7.  Add lentils, stir.  Pour in water to about an Inch over the  lentils.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cover.  

8.  Cook, stirring occasionally until lentils are done.  Add more water if you need to, bring it back to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Depending on the lentils it will take between 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.  Just taste a lentil to see if it's cooked.  If you want it thicker, cook longer, thinnner, add more water.  Just remember to season more if you add more water.  Taste all the way through.  Don't be afraid to add more spices if you are so inclined.  

8.  Remove curry leaves.  

 

Jumparoo, Jumparoo

A couple of weeks ago we traded out Clare's swing for the Jumparoo.  The first time I put her in it she looked really glum and sat motionless with her arms down and  her head hanging.  Today she really started to play in it more.  She discovered her legs a and can push herself around a little and is even playing with the built in spinning toys.  I swear there is nothing in the world like watching your little one discover, learn, and grow more coordinated day to day. Aw shucks I love my family.  Here she is my happy little daughter in her Jumparoo.  

Little miss coordinated!

Today Clare held her own bottle from start to finish, twice.  She's been holding her bottle one her own, but gives up about half way through.  Today she got halfway through, took out the bottle and looked at it.  She tilted it up and aced the rest of it, let out a sigh, and threw the bottle.  The next time I fed her I tried again.  Sweet!! She did it again.  

So far this week I've made Lentil soup, black eyed pea and tomato tartlettes, roasted veggies in puff pastry, Thai coconut soup, and a strawberry salad.  Recipes to come.  Time is scarce.  

Clare rolled over!!

Clare stayed up late on Tuesday night.  She and Whitney came with me to help with boxing up chocolates for a couple of wholesale customers.  She was up until about 10:00 and ended up sleeping in until 9:30 Wed. morning.  I'm used to her being up before 7:00 and taking a nap by 9:30.  Anyway, she woke up stronger than she went to sleep.  I could tell by the way she grabbed her toys and in her overall focus and deliberate movements.  She was pulling so hard on one of her hanging toys that she was lifting herself up a little bit.  We had a normal day, except for her really short naps.  Right before W got home, Clare started acting really sleepy.  It was a little early for bedtime, but  read her Goodnight Moon and put her in her crib.  She started laughing, then fussing, and then was wide awake.   I though great now W will be able to hang out with her when she gets home.  Tummy Time!  One nano-second after I set her on her belly she flipped herself over.  It seemed so effortless.  Then she fussed and wanted to go to sleep, like she used up all of her reserve energy doing her new amazing trick.                                 This Video is of her second attempt.