Calzones

Calzones are a fun twist on the regular pizza night.  My kids enjoy making their own and filling them with whatever toppings they want.  Each person can have their own since you can really make them any size you like.  I like that they reheat nicely in the oven and they are easy to eat.


1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry rapid rise yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
4-5 cups bread flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the dough hook attachment, combine the honey, olive oil, and warm water.  Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and let sit for 3-5 minutes, you should notice it starts to look a little foamy.  Add the salt and 2 cups of flour.  Turn mixture on low and let mix until flour is completely combined.  Add 1/2 cup flour at a time and continue mixing on low until you notice the dough has formed a ball around the dough hook.  It should not stick to the sides of the mixer, add a few tablespoon of flour at a time if it is still sticking to the bowl.  Once the dough has pulled away from the sides of the mixer leave it on low speed and let it knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes.  Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.
Roll/stretch dough out into a 12" circle and place desired filling on lower half.  Fold top half over and crimp dough by pulling lower edge over upper and pushing down and making an indent with your finger.  Brush top with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake in a 500°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
*Extra dough can be stored in the fridge or freezer for use at a later date.

Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

This tasty sandwich is a breeze to put together but it feels dressed up enough to serve for a get together with friends or family.  The first time I made these I followed this recipe for ham and cheese sliders, but I used mini potato rolls.  They were amazing!  They were warm and nicely crisp on the bottoms and they were perfect for our playgroup lunch.  I think the mini version would also make a great 2-3 bite appetizer.  My only problem was that they were not filling enough, so I used torta bread that I had bought from Costco to make a quick sandwich for my lunch the next day.  It was so delicious, much more filling, and it really hit the spot.  I think an entire tray of these would be the perfect food for our next game day meal.

Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
serves 4

4 torta sandwich rolls
12 slices deli ham
4-8 slices swiss cheese
mayonnaise or miracle whip
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1-2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

Line a large baking sheet with foil.  Cut rolls and place bottoms side by side on sheet pan.  Layer the meat and cheese on each roll.  Spread miracle whip or mayo (or a combo of the two like the original recipe) on the inside of the tops and place on rolls.  Melt butter in a small saucepan (or microwave in a pyrex measuring cup) and then whisk in remaining ingredients.  Brush butter mixture over the tops of each of the sandwiches, you do not need to use all of it, and then cover tray with foil.  Bake for 350° for 15 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 5 minutes.  Serve with napkins!

Crustless Quiche

On nights where we are gone for soccer practices or games I need to have something prepped and ready to eat the moment we come home so that we can avoid stopping somewhere on the way or snacking on things because we are too famished to wait for dinner.  Many nights I will have soups, stews, crock pot meals, quesadillas, or grilled sandwiches ready to go at a moments notice.  The other day I looked in the fridge and saw that I was running low on everything...so I threw this quiche together and was delighted that it turned out so great.  You really can't go wrong with additions to the egg base...bacon, ham, peppers, cooked onions or leeks, mushrooms, and more would be great flavors to add in.  It is a great way to use up lots of bits that are leftover from meals you made throughout the week.

Crustless Quiche

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup spinach

1/2 cup cooked protein - I had leftover cooked turkey meatballs

10 cheery tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup broccoli florets

1/2 cup cauliflower florets

2 T chives

1/2-1 cup shredded cheese

salt and pepper

Mix everything in a bowl and pour into a prepared glass pie pan.   Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until egg mixture is set and most of the moisture is gone from the bottom on the pan.  Serve with a salad and a toasted bagel, pita, or hearty bread.

Pizza Two Ways : Take Two

This picture doesn't do this pizza justice.  It was good...so so good.  Both sides were delicious...like, can't stop eating it, reaching for just one more nibble, oh-look-at-that-piece-wasn't-cut-straight-I-am-only-cutting-off-that-sliver-to-balance-it-out delicious.

I went with a thinner crust this time and browned up a bunch of Italian Sausage and then topped it with a whole ball of fresh mozzarella cheese.  All very good decisions I must say!  On one side I added red onion, spinach, and dollops of ricotta cheese...my favorite.  I left the ricotta off of one corner but I found out that it was an unnecessary step...the kids liked it with as well as without.

Sausage, Spinach, and Ricotta Cheese Pizza

for the dough (makes enough for two pizzas):

3 3/4 cups flour

2 1/2 t active dry yeast

3/4 t salt

3/4 t sugar or honey

1 1/3 cups water, room temperature

Mix flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.  Add water and mix with a spoon until blended.  Cover the bowl and let rest at room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours.  Divide the dough into two portions.  

I like to sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on my sheet pan and then place the dough on top and press down with my hands.  This dough is meant to be thin and it takes a bit of elbow grease to get it stretched across the entire pan.  Keep working at it until you get it this and uniform.  Then spread your favorite sauce, cheese, toppings, and more cheese before baking at 500 degrees until cheese is melted and crust is browned.

Orzo with Roasted Veggies and Feta

This recipe is loosely based on one I found in a health guide that came with some workout videos. I actually really like it and would enjoy it regardless of the calorie count. It is pretty simple and there is no sauce for the pasta, a splash of balsamic vinegar and the feta work to bring the dish together. We enjoyed it with some whole grain orzo from Whole Foods, which I highly recommend.

Orzo with Roasted Veggies and Feta

1/2 pound whole grain orzo

1 zucchini

1 red onion

1 medium red pepper

1 medium green pepper

(mushrooms, fresh diced tomato, and cauliflower work well too)

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 cup feta cheese

olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. All of the vegetables work best if they are chopped and left rather large since they will shrink as they cook. Place on a foil-lined tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat and roast vegetables for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and place in a large serving bowl. Add roasted vegetables and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat. Crumble feta on top of warm pasta and serve.

Polenta "Pizza"

My pictures don't do this pizza justice. I love polenta, but topping it and baking it make it even better!! We liked the idea so much that we have made three or four versions of this pizza. The original was our favorite but the others were very tasty. I think I would like almost anything on this polenta!

I made an Italian sausage, sauteed onion, and Fontina cheese version as well as a sausage, marinara, and Fontina cheese style pizza. We preferred the first, but they were both mighty yummy. I liked these enough that I made a second batch of the sausage and onion pizza a few days later, but I used a different recipe for the polenta crust. I love this version from Barefoot Contessa. The rosemary in the polenta added another dimension of flavor to the pizza and made it really tasty.

Polenta "Pizza"

1 recipe polenta - see above

1/4 lb sweet italian sausage, browned

2 large onions, thinly sliced and cooked in a bit of oil until tender and caramelized

1-2 cups fontina cheese, freshly grated

Distribute toppings evenly on polenta.  Cook in a 400 degree oven until cheese is melted and pizza is heated through.  Remove and cut into squares.

Steak Sandwiches with Mac and Cheese

My oldest turned four last weekend. How time flies! He was sure he wanted a big birthday bash with all of his friends and lots of cake and decorations...so I set to work! I had an easy time deciding on decorations and entertainment, it was the food that I spent the most time worrying about. I wanted something pleasing to the kids as well as the adults, but nothing too simple or boring. After a few trial runs and much flip-flopping I decided on steak sandwiches (since we had lots of dads attending!) and mac and cheese for the kids and vegetarians attending.

I did a lot of researching for the mac and cheese and settled on this version from Smitten Kitchen who originally got it from the Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. I'm going to repost it here mainly so that I do not ever, ever lose this recipe. It is that good. It was so cheesy and delicious and reheated like a dream...just like she said it would. I got so many wonderful comments and requests for the recipe that I couldn't be happier with the results.

Best Ever Mac-and-Cheese

Adapted from smittenkitchen.com who adapted it from Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics

I left out the cubed bread topping and just sprinkled the remaining cheese on top. This worked for me, but go ahead and add bread or breadcrumbs if you like. If you are making this for 4 or less people I would advise you to only make half the recipe. It more than filled one big casserole dish.

6 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for casserole

5 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyère or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 pound elbow macaroni
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter or spray a 3-quart casserole dish.
2. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.
5. Cook the macaroni in salted water until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Gruyère (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano). Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and serve.

The second time I made this I did a small batch and reserved extra cheese sauce to use the second day when reheating the noodles and it was really good. It was still creamy and did not have the separated oil or curdled look that other mac and cheese dishes had in the past.

The steak sandwiches were really simple...it was just a bit of work at the last minute to slice and assemble the sandwiches before serving. I bought 4 dozen pumpernickel rolls from the bakery, sliced them, added a slice of beef, and allowed guests to finish them with horseradish sauce, red onions, baby spinach , and mayo.

A Guide for Beef Sandwiches

The beef was pretty easy. I night before I trimmed the beef 5 pound beef tenderloins and cut them into 10 inch sections. The morning of the party I liberally seasoned them with salt and pepper. I browned each side in a large pan with a little olive oil. I put all 3 sections onto a large sheet pan and baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes. The best way to check if they are done is to insert a meat thermometer. It should read about 150-160 degrees for medium, about what you want for a large group.

Mexican Fiesta Night

Tonight we tried out a couple of new recipes and both were big successes. The main course tonight was this layered black bean pie. It is pretty rare for us to have a vegetarian entree for dinner, but to tell the truth I didn't even miss the meat in this tasty pie. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it and I liked the quick and easy prep. I assembled this a few hours before dinner and then baked it at the end of the day.

After we cleaned up the dinner dishes and put the baby to sleep, I found this recipe for churros in the latest edition of bon appetit. They are super delicious and Gabe couldn't seem to stop eating them. I actually stopped frying the dough because I didn't want to have tons leftover, otherwise he would eat them for breakfast in the morning

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
adapted from Everyday Food Great Food Fast

4 flour tortillas
1 Tablespoon oil
1 large onion, diced
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper
1 bottle beer
2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz can corn, drained
3 large scallions, sliced
6-8 oz. colby jack or cheddar cheese

Heat oil in medium saute pan. Add onion, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Saute until onion is soft. Add the beans and beer, bring to a boil. Simmer until beer has nearly evaporated. Stir in corn and scallions and remove from heat. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a springform pan or cake pan lined with parchment paper. Spread 1/4 bean mixture on top and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat three more layers and finish with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove and garnish with additional scallions.

Cinnamon-Dusted Mini Churros
recipe from bon appetit May 2009

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
6 Tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon-divided
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
vegetable oil

Whisk together eggs, 6 T sugar, juice, peel, vanilla, and 1/2 t cinnamon. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Place dough in pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Heat 1 inch oil to 355 degrees. Pipe 3-4 inch long strands of dough into hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Roll churros in a mixture of 1 cup sugar and 2 1/4 t cinnamon.

Foccacia Panini

Nothing could be easier than making sandwiches. We have our fair share of sandwiches around here, but I love to dress up our plain ham and cheese and make it something special. Sometimes we grill them, add special sauces, or extra veggies. Today, however, I went to the grocery store and picked up a loaf of foccacia bread to go with our sandwich fixings. I didn't think much of it, I just figured it would make our dinner a little more interesting. So, when my husband bit into his panini-that took just minutes to prepare-and went on and on about how much he liked it, I was surprised. After I sat down and gave it a try I was pleased with myself and my bread selection as well. These were truly tasty sandwiches. These were out of the ordinary and quite delicious.
These ham and provolone sandwiches were good. The bread had crisped up nicely in the panini press and they had a good bite to them. I also liked the fact that I could buy one round of foccacia, make one big sandwich, and share it between us. I'm pretty sure we're going to be having these often. They will definitely be replacing the regular old sandwiches and would be a great option for serving to lunch guests. I can't wait to play with other meat and cheese combinations.

Foccacia Panini

1 loaf foccacia, sliced

deli meats and cheeses of your choice

olive oil

Drizzle a little olive oil on the insides of the bread. Assemble the sandwich to your liking. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on the outside of the bread. Place in a preheated panini press until browned and crisp. (If you do not have a panini press, you could use a griddle, grill pan, or saute pan and either place a heavy cast iron pan on top of the sandwich or use a tin-foil wrapped brick on top of the sandwich to press it down.)

Stuffed Pizza

These pizza rolls are a fun and interesting alternative to the normal pizzas that we enjoy around here. I used our standard pizza dough but I rolled it out thinner and then spread it with toppings/fillings before rolling. This one happens to be a sausage, cheese, and onion pizza roll...but nearly any combination would work. These are also great because each one can be individualized to meet each diners' taste.
Once they are filled and rolled they should be placed seam-side down, brushed with egg, topped with sesame or poppy seeds, and baked at 500 until golden. I would also suggest having a little extra sauce on the side for dipping.

Pizza Dough

¼ cup white wine
1 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water
1/2 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp honey
Flour
1 Tbsp olive oil

In a bowl combine everything except flour. Let mixture sit for 4-5 minutes. Next, stir in flour ½ cup at a time until mixture comes together and forms a ball. Continue adding flour until the dough is not sticky. Turn out onto floured counter and knead until dough forms a smooth ball. (2-3 minutes) Rub a small amount of olive oil on dough and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and then cover with a towel. Place in a warm spot for 1-2 hours. Dough should double in size.When you are ready to make the pizza, roll out dough and add desired toppings. Bake pizza in a 500 degree over until cheese is browned and bubbling.
(I never follow a recipe when I make this dough...so you may have to tinker with the measurements until you get it the way you like it.)

(This is a breeze if you have a stand mixer. Simply combine all ingredients except flour and mix with the dough hook. Then gradually add in flour until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. After that just leave the mixer on for 4-5 minutes to knead the dough. Follow above instructions from this point on.)

BLT Pizza

This BLT pizza is a great alternative to the traditional pizza and toppings we usually opt for. This happens to be my favorite type of pizza when we go out to California Pizza Kitchen so I thought I would recreate it at home. It turned out just as tasty and was a hit all around. Needless to say, we'll be having it often!

BLT Pizza

1 lb pizza dough

2 cups mozzarella cheese

6 strips bacon, browned and drained (you can cut before cooking or crumb it afterwards)

1 tomato, diced

3 cups lettuce, shredded

1/4 cup mayonnaise

salt

pepper

olive oil

Prepare pizza dough and preheat oven to 500 degrees.. Brush flattened pizza round with olive oil and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on round. Bake 8-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing lettuce.

Toss lettuce with mayonnaise (use as much or little mayo as you like...we go for moderate) and spread on slightly cooled pizza. Sprinkle with bacon. Toss tomatoes with salt and pepper and then spread evenly on pizza. Enjoy.

Bechamel Sauce

Sauces play a major role in contributing flavor to any dish. Every sauce from a basic vinaigrette to a thick brown gravy enhance the foods they accompany. Even a simple pan sauce can transform a chicken breast or pork chop from ordinary to spectacular.

Bechamel is a basic white sauce. It can be used for a base to macaroni and cheese, alfredos, and cheese sauces. Once the actual bechamel is made any number of cheeses can be added to tailor the taste to the type of food you are serving. I like to add cheddar cheese for a sauce to use on top of potatoes or broccoli. Parmesan cheese is a good addition if making an alfredo sauce and gorgonzola makes a delicious sauce for beef.

Today I worked on my bechamel making skills and took a few tips from various sources to come up with the best looking white sauce I have had made. It was just thick enough, smooth, and creamy. I started the sauce by steeping a slice of onion and a bay leaf in the milk. This added a nice aroma and taste to the sauce. It was just slightly noticable in the final cheese sauce for today's macaroni.

Bechamel Sauce

1 slice onion
1 large bay leaf
2 cups milk
3 T butter
3 T flour
1/2 t salt
Place a small saucepan over medium-low heat with the milk, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. In a round-bottomed pan melt butter. Add the flour and whisk together, let this bubble for about 2 minutes, making sure to stop before it turns color.
Slowly add the milk and rapidly whisk to incorporate all of the liquid. Bring it up to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Let this simmer for 5 minutes to cook out the flour taste and thicken the sauce. At this point you should taste the sauce and season it. If you are adding cheese to the sauce add it first and then adjust the salt to taste. (It took about 2 cups of extra-sharp cheddar to make this a cheese sauce for macaroni.)

Pesto Bruschetta II

I know, I know, this is my second pesto bruschetta post in a very short time. However, I had to share this version I made today because it was so yummy. Today was my day to host our playgroup friends. We usually get together and have a light kid-friendly lunch consisting of crackers, cheese, fruit, and meats. Today I made those trays and I also added a couple of things for the adults and this bruschetta was a hit. Tonight I'm going to make a smaller version of today's lunch. I know Joseph is going to love the bruschetta as well.
Pesto Bruschetta

1 french baguette
olive oil
4 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
¼ cup onion
½ cup fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
salt
pepper
1 cup fresh basil pesto

Cut tomatoes into 1/3 inch slices and then run your finger around each piece to remove the seeds and extra juices. Continue to dice tomatoes and place in a medium sized bowl. Add minced garlic, diced onion, and basil chiffonade (Remove basil from stems, roll like a cigarette, and slice into very thin strands.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. This can be done 10 minutes to 1 day in advance.


Cut the baguette into ¼ inch slices. Place on a sheet pan and brush with a light coating of olive oil. Broil on high for 3-4 minutes or until lightly brown . Remove from oven and let cool. Spread a layer of pesto on each piece of bread. Place a heaping spoonful of the tomato mixture on top and finish with a layer of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Stuff It - Rosemary and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I really enjoy recipes that allow me to get most of the prep and clean-up done ahead of time. With a young baby it is hard to get dinner ready while watching him...especially since he can crawl. I find that he tends to follow me everywhere and crawl up my leg as I'm working in the kitchen. This makes moving around to get ingredients quite a challenge. He also seems to get frustrated if I dodge him and go around the island in the kitchen to avoid getting caught. So I try to get a lot of my cooking done when he is asleep. That means I have to use Gabe's afternoon nap to start dinner and get things prepared so that I can focus on feeding and entertaining him once he is awake. I find that this system works out pretty well. If I use my time wisely I can even get the house cleaned up and a load of laundry started as well - sometimes. Today Gabe slept really well so I got to work on dinner and even had some time to myself to spend blog-hopping. Yay!
Today I made stuffed chicken breasts, parmesan asparagus spears, and sauteed mushrooms. This worked really well. I really enjoy rosemary, so this dish was a big hit. The chicken remained tender and juicy because of the addes butter inside of the meat and the fresh cheese kept it's shape and didn't ooze out which has happened with other varieties. This is definitely a keeper and if I was in a huge time crunch I could stuff the chicken and put it in the fridge until closer to dinner or even until the next day.

Rosemary and Mozzerella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Large Fresh Mozzerella Cheese Ball
1 T Fresh rosemary
3 T butter
1/2 c flour
1/2 c Italian Bread Crumbs
1 egg - beaten
salt
pepper

1. Pound chicken breasts until 1/4 inch thick. Lay flat skin-side down.
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary.
3. Place 1/3 of cheese and 1 Tablespoon of butter on bottom half of breast. Tightly roll chicken over filling and secure all sides with toothpicks. (At this point it would be a good idea to refrigerator for 1 hour or up to 1 day before breading. This will give the chicken time to firm up and it will hold its' shape better.)
4. Make an assembly line of 3 dishes. The first with flour, the second egg, and the third bread crumbs. Cover each breast in flour, then dip into the egg wash, and finally cover with crumbs.
5. In a skillet, brown each breast in a little butter or olive oil. (I actually use a little of both - the butter for taste and the olive oil for the higher burn temp.)
6. Transfer browned chicken to an oven safe dish and finish cooking in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

La Festa al Fresco - Margherita Pizza

I noticed creampuffsinvenice announced her La Festa al Fresco challenge awhile back and I have been thinking about what I'd like to make... for a long time now. I even stopped by the library and picked up a few cookbooks to get a little inspiration. I brought home a few including Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian. This cookbook is not only inspirational and beautiful but it makes you so hungry you have to keep sopping up the drool as you flip the pages.
After finding a few recipes that looked mighty delicious I settled on Pizza Margherita since the others didn't have much in terms of fresh ingredients. Plus, I was planning on company today and I wanted something fun to make with them. So, I got to work on a double batch of the dough before heading out to stop at the local farmstand. Once the dough was tucked away to rise I set out to pick up the plum tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella to complete the meal.
Once home I sliced everything up and arranged it for easy pizza assembly and started on dessert.  Make you own pizza night is one of my favorite way s of entertaining.  Everyone can help themselves to the toppings they like and everyone gets involved.

Pizza Dough
adapted from Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian

1 7-gram packet actice dry yeast
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c cake flour
1 tsp. salt
extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c cornmeal

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 c lukewarm water in a large bowl. Set aside until yeast begins to activate, about 10 minutes. Combine flours and salt in a small bowl. Add 1 cup flour mixture to yeast and stir well. Mix in 1/2 cup water, then add another cup of flour and continue to stir. Add remaining flour, then gradually stir in about 1/4 cup water and mix well. The dough should be fairly soft but not too wet.
2. Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and knead with the heels of your palms until it has a smooth, uniform texture, about 10-12 minutes. Divide dough into 2 equal balls. Coat the insides of 2 medium bowls with 1/2 tsp. oil each. Place dough in bowls, cover with damp cloths or plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 1/2 - 3 hours.
3. Punch down dough from one bowl, make a ball, and flatten it on a cornmeal sprinkled peel or sheet. Stretch dough into a 12" circle with a slightly raised edge. Add toppings and slide onto a hot pizza stone.
4. Bake until crust is golden brown and crisp, about 10 - 12 minutes at oven's highet setting. Drizzle with a little olive oil on each and serve.

For the Margherita toppings I sliced, seeded, and salted 2 pounds of plum tomatoes. I let the salt pull out the extra moisture before layering them on the dough. I also added a little pepper for taste. Then I added the sliced mozzarella and topped it off with the torn basil. After pulling them out of the hot oven I added a little extra fresh basil and oilve oil. Ciao!

Mushroom Ravioli

I've never been much of a mushroom fan - until lately. It started with the Mushroom Ravioli that Joseph ordered while eating out last year. I didn't even want to try them but he insisted. I gave in and took a bite and I'm pretty sure I begged to switch plates so I could have a little more. A few months later I dug around and found a recipe for mushroom ravioli...honestly I can't even remember where I found it...but, boy, are they wonderful. They turned out just like the ones we ordered in the restaurant. They have a wonderful mushroom flavor and the sauce is so creamy and delicious. I've made them a few times since...and it always feels like a special occasion when we eat them.

Today my son happened to cooperate and gave me a little extra time so I prepared the pasta from scratch. This doesn't always happen, so I've been known to use the wonton wrappers when in a crunch. I've also frozen fresh ravioli when I've made a large batch and they've turned out nicely. (Just make sure to freeze them on a pan before storing them to make sure they don't stick together.)

This pasta recipe also lends itself well to adaptations. This time I switched out over half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. This made the ravioli dough taste a bit more substantial...if you like tender dough use all-purpose only. (We happened to like the whole wheat though.) I have also used button and baby portabello mushrooms...both were very good. I also reduced the amount of cream and replaced it with milk...just to lighten things up a little.

All in all, it's a lengthy process...but very well worth it!
Mushroom Ravioli

Pasta Dough
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2 eggs
Place ingredients in a food processor and pulse until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides. (You can also place the flour on a counter, make a well and add the salt and eggs. USe a fork to pull in as much flour as you can.) Knead the dough for a minute or until all of the flour is incorporated. Roll out using a pasta machine.
(I used a champagne glass to cut out the actual circles. I have a ravioli cutter...but it never cuts all the way through and seems to be more work than is necessary.)

Mushroom Filling
1 smal package mushrooms - chopped
1 onion - diced
1 Tbsp butter
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic - minced
1/4 c heavy cream
1 1/2 c white wine
1/2 c asiago cheese - grated
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onions and saute until golden brown. Add thyme and garlic. Saute without browning. Add mushrooms, wine, cream, salt, and pepper. Reduce until almost dry. Remove from heat and add cheese. Puree and let cool.

Cream Sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 c onion
4 cloves garlic - crushed
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 c white wine
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and saute until onions are translucent. Turn heat to high and add white wine, salt, and pepper. Reduce wine until it is almost dry. Add heavy cream and simmer until slightly thickened. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Assemble ravioli and drop in boiling water until they float. Remove. Drizzle with sauce, add a little more asiago cheese, and broil until lightly browned.

Leave a comment if you have a second, I'd love to know that people are actually reading this!!