The Art of the Pizza Roll, Tailgate Chefs- Game On!

August 31, 2013August 31, 2013Carroll Leave a comment

Game Day, Game Day, Game Day!! College Football is Kicking Off!! I believe in the Football/Tailgate Cuisine Movement, support it 100%! I love the playfulness of the food, the comradery it inspires between guys and their grills, the artisanal care that nonchefs are putting towards the pop up tailgate table. The craft direction is strong within this mouthwatering cuisine. It is downright hard to find someone that does not have fond memories of tailgate food.

Thank you Emily for the deliciousness, for the loving tenderness you put towards this football food recipe.

Perfect Pizza Crust (if you’re in a jam, buy the premade dough in your grocery store)

2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup hot tap water

In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment place the flour, yeast, and salt. Quickly mix together the dry ingredients. Pour in the oil and hot tap water and stir for about 10 seconds. The dough should be wet enough to leave a little residue on the side of the bowl at this point but not so wet that it’s gooey. Adjust if needed with a little flour or tiny bit warm water. Knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Dough should be tacky to the touch. Do not add any flour or water after the dough is done mixing.

In a deep oiled mixing bowl, place the dough ball and place plastic wrap or damp towel directly over the dough. Allow to rise until doubled in size, I set mine outside in the warm air, but near a window, or even a warm oven will do. Once risen, punch dough to deflate it.

1 cup Pizza Sauce
1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese
4 Tbsp. melted butter
3/4 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning

Make pizza crust according to directions and let raise once. After it has risen, turn it onto a counter sprayed with cooking spray and roll it out thin, in the shape of a rectangle. Spread sauce; you may only need 1/2-3/4 cup but you can use the rest for dipping after the rolls are cooked. Add cheese and start rolling the dough tightly in a neat line. When there’s about an inch of dough left, stop rolling and pull the edge up and over, pinching it closed.

With a serrated knife, gently slice about 1-inch thick. Lay the rolls in a 13×9-inch baking pan, sprayed with cooking spray. You should get about 12 rolls out of the dough. Cover lightly and let the dough rise again until about doubled.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine melted butter and garlic bread seasoning and brush over the tops of the rolls. Bake for about 17-20 minutes.

Serve warm either plain or with extra pizza sauce for dipping. Reheat any leftovers in the same fashion you would with leftover pizzas. Or if you are taking to the tailgate party, wrap them in a sheet of foil and warm them on a low heat grill.

We are heading out to the Alabama and Virginia Tech game today and can’t wait to see what we find at the lot full of tailgate parties!! Roll Tide!

Chewy Toffee Bars- An Answer To A Long Distance Toffee Love Affair

August 25, 2013Carroll 3 Comments

Grocery store rituals. Everyone has them, from when they shop, to which stores they prefer, reusable bags or always forgetting them, do you browse or go straight for the items on your list, if you even made a list. And I would guess that we are all pretty consistent with these habits. One of my rituals is stopping at grocery stores I haven’t shopped at before, so I can search items on my “Can I Find” list, which contains about 10 items I am on the prowl for. Some of the items are things I grew up with in Philly, some that my mom, Queenie, swears by, and some that I have had while traveling and I’m hoping to find again.

One of the things on my list is Heath Bar Cookies at Publix, which are by far the best store made cookie on the shelves. Queenie has spoiled my husband with them, every visit she is sure to bring him a package. He has a long distance love affair with this toffee cookie. In between visits I try to find ways to satisfy his toffee tooth.

These bars came out pillow soft and chewy, very similar to the beloved Publix cookie. The amount of salt is perfect complement to the sweet toffee. Salt and toffee should never be separated from each other. The nuts can stay or go, pending if you are a nut fan or not.

I just barely modified Jamie Deen’s recipe

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup toffee pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray and place a piece of parchment paper over the pan. Give the parchment another spray coating it evenly.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat; stir in the brown sugar until smoothly melted. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

Now in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Freshen the walnuts by toasting them in a medium skillet over medium heat, 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant; remove from hot pan to cool.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, into the cooled butter-sugar mixture, next whip in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Gently fold in the toffee pieces and toasted walnuts into the thick batter.

Spread the batter in the parchment lined pan. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, lift out of the pan and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Makes about 16 chewy, gooey, salty, sweet treats.

I don’t think I will ever be able to walk into a Publix without looking in the bakery for the Heathbar cookies, they are a permanent item on the “Can I Find” list. I know we can buy them in South Carolina when we visit Queenie’s, or get them when she visits us, but the hunt is fun, the idea that one day I’ll find an item on my list is great!

In the meantime these Chewy Toffee Bars are a welcomed substitute! Queenie, this does not mean you don’t need to continue supplying Sir Wes’ love affair.

Late Summer Peach and Mint Bulgur Salad

August 18, 2013August 19, 2013Carroll 1 Comment

We still have peaches filling the produce section of our grocery store with juicy, sweet smelling nectar. I found this summer that I am definitely a peach person. They just translate so well with other foods. I love them with desserts and savory dishes, herbs, wines, fish, pork, chicken, vegetables, grilled, poached, raw, sautéed, flambéed. It’s hard for a peach not to make anything better.

Quick and easy, fresh and tasty. All words that matter when we think about school kicking back in. With peaches still hanging on to the season, I saw this salad and knew it would make a perfect cookout side, a last day of summer picnic lunch, or even an on the go salad.

Thanks to Cooking Light–

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup uncooked bulgur
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup diced fresh peaches
½ cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted
¼ cup small fresh mint leaves

Preparation

In a small sauce pot bring 2 cups water and bulgur to a boil. Place cover on the pot, reduce heat to medium, and cook about 10-12 minutes until tender.

While bulgur is cooking combine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Drain the bulgur from the sauce pot and give a quick rinse of cold water. Add warm bulgur to the vinegar and oil mix and toss. Allow to cool to room temperature and add the peaches and mint to the salad. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 4-6

Hold on tight to these last moments of summer; enjoy the longer days, the warm evening sunsets, and the family time. Also- hold on to the peaches, as the perfect fruit will be gone soon.

Cilantro Jalapeño Corn Cakes

August 11, 2013Carroll 1 Comment

Maybe you can tell I like Southwest/Mexican food- Mexican Shrimp Ceviche, Mexican Corn and Poblano Chowder, Texas Caviar, Spanish Turkey Meatball Stew or even Peanut Butter Stuffed Jalapeños. Pretty much, if it has cilantro I am guaranteed to love it. My husband knows that after a bad day for me, chips and salsa are the best Band-Aid. The good kind of salsa, fresh loaded with cilantro with warm thin salted corn tortilla chips. So admittedly, I am a sucker when I see dishes with cilantro or Mexican/Latin flavor profiles. Enter these irresistible southwest spiced corn cakes.

We were smoking a few chickens and needed a side, both of us agreed that a corn cake would be perfect side for the summer cookout. And absolutely, lets add cilantro.

Ingredients

¾ cup flour
¾ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 ears or 2 cups fresh corn kernels, separated
1 egg
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
1 clove garlic
½ cup cilantro
½ small red onion
½ cup low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoon butter
1 ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Using a food processor, combine only 1 cup corn, egg, onion, jalapeño pepper, garlic, cilantro, buttermilk, and butter and pulse until finely chopped but not smooth.

3. Fold the pulsed corn mixture into the flour mixing bowl and mix in the remaining cup of corn kernels and lime juice.

4. Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Spray with pan spray or use a touch of olive oil and scoop ½ cup cakes into the pan. Brown on first side and flip to other, each should take about 3 minutes.

This will make about 8 small pancakes.

Garnish with a simple avocado salad, fresh tomatoes and sour cream, smoked pork or chicken, even a seafood ceviche. Try making them with a ¼ cup measure and use as a canapé.

If you happen to have leftovers, they freeze great- just wrap them tightly to avoid freezer burn. Reheat the thawed cakes in an oven set at 350, for 10-15 minutes.

These are perfect for the end of summer, into fall get together. Even reheating on a tailgate grill on a piece of aluminum foil, anyone ready for football?

Green Tomato and Fig Cakes- Taking Chances In The Kitchen

August 3, 2013Carroll 4 Comments

I saw these a few weeks ago and they have not left my head, my curiosity was peaked, I had to know. The flavor combination in a dessert was too strange to let go, but after thinking about it I realized green tomatoes don’t have a ton of flavor and would likely pick up the flavor you pair with it. I was right.

Not a lot of tomato flavor, but still super tasty, they had a comparable flavor to carrot cake, but less sweet, without as much sugar. The petite cakes are moist even a few days later. Overall I give them an A (skipping the plus as I really wanted to taste the tomato more) but certainly good enough to eat for breakfast, which is of course the international sign of good desserts.

Modified from Cooking Light 2013

Ingredients

8 ounces green tomato, cored and quartered
7.6 ounces cake flour, sifted (2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
4 ounces dried figs
6 ounces orange juice
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
Cooking spray
2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
Sliced figs garnishes

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Place tomato in a blender; blend until smooth.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Place sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until blended. Stir in tomato puree and orange rind. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

In a small sauce pan add the orange juice and dried figs. Bring to a simmer and cover for 5 minutes. Remove from the stove and take out the figs of the juice. Allow to cool to room temperature before chopping into small ¼ inch pieces. Stir in chopped figs and walnuts into the batter.

Place 18 muffin cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Spoon the batter into cups. Bake at 350° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Place cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and dash of salt; beat until smooth. Spread frosting over the top of each cake. Garnish with sliced figs, if desired.

I cut the cream cheese icing in half, as I wanted to lighten them up more. Feel free to double the icing ingredients if your looking for a heavy iced cupcake.

When you see something that you can’t let go, you just have to go for it! It might not be exactly as you hoped, but we all know not everything turns out the way you hope.

Green Tomato with dessert? I am a fan!