Sharon's Gazpacho

Sharon's Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a raw vegetable soup served cold. I like mine pureed but others just finely chopped vegetables. There are many variations and you can do a Google search to find them. This is my variation.

5 medium fresh tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 lg clove garlic, peeled
1 green bell pepper, washed, stem removed, membrane and seeds removed, chopped
2 ribs celery, washed and chopped
1 yellow crookneck summer squash, washed and chopped
Handful of fresh baby spinach, washed and chopped
1 carrot, washed, peeled and chopped
I grab a small handful of my fresh herbs (all total, maybe 1 couple of Tbsps of them altogether): parsley, rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, and cilantro; wash and chop
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
2-3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Tobasco Sauce to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste
Water

I use my Vitamix mixer to puree all these vegetables and herbs together. You learn to add enough water to make the soup a soup texture and not a glop. Start with maybe a pint of water and see if that gives you the consistency you want. Keep in the refrigerator and serve cold. You can garnish each bowl with a sprig of fresh cilantro and a tsp of sour cream or crutons.

Note: If you don't have Worcestershire Sauce, use some beef broth and hold back a little water.

One Hour Rolls

One Hour Rolls

Combine:
¾ cup HOT water
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. melted butter
¼ c sugar
Cool to lukewarm.
Add:
2 Tbs. yeast dissolved in
¼ cup + 2 Tbs. lukewarm water
Add 1 egg

Beat well and add 3.5 to 4 cups of flour until easy to work. Knead.
Roll out and cut. Brush with melted butter.
Cover and let rise until double (about 30-45 minutes).
Bake 425° for 12 minutes.

Tomato Chicken Cheese Tortellini Soup

Tomato Chicken Cheese Tortellini Soup

1 package Cheese Tortellini
2 cans chicken broth
2 Chicken breasts cooked and shredded (option: canned chicken)
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1/2 jar sun dried tomatoes
3 handfuls of spinach

Cook chicken and shred. Cook tortellini according to directions and set aside. In large pot add chicken broth and Alfredo sauce and simmer on low (add a pinch of pepper if desired). Add chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach to sauce. Cook for a few minutes until the spinach starts to wilt down a little. Then add tortellini and serve.
Source: http://aprongirls.blogspot.com/2010/02/sun-dried-tomato-chicken-tortellini.html

Homemade Pizza

Pizza Dough
1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package and proof it by sprinkling yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar over warm water in small bowl; stir until yeast is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes or until mixture is bubbly. If yeast does not bubble, it is no longer active. Always check expiration date on yeast packet. Also, water that is too hot will kill yeast; it is best to use a thermometer.)
3 1/2 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crisper crust)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar

1 In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid), add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

2 Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand.

3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

4 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

5 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.

6 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.

7 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.

8 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.

Repeat with the second ball of dough.

9 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.

10 Spoon on the tomato sauce (see below), sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

11 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Gently shake the peel to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off of the peel and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.
Source: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/004239homemade_pizza.php


Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe I
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped
1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
1 Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley. Stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.

2 Remove cover and add the minced garlic. Increase the heat to medium high. Cook for garlic for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, including the juice and shredding them with your fingers if you are using canned whole tomatoes. Add the tomato paste and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. If you want you can push the sauce through a food mill to give it a smooth consistency.

Makes 2 1/2 cups of sauce.
Source: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/004234basic_tomato_sauce.php

Tomato Sauce II:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 fluid ounces water
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion until tender. Stir in tomato paste and water. Season with sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, basil, oregano, marjoram, cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 2 12" pizzas.
Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mikes-homemade-pizza/Detail.aspx


Topping Ideas

Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded
Feta cheese
Mushrooms, thinly sliced
Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
Italian sausage, cooked ahead
Chopped fresh basil
Pesto
Pepperoni, thinly sliced
Onions, thinly sliced
Sliced ham
2 cups (about 5 ounces) sliced eggplant
2 cups (about 1/2 pound) sliced fresh artichoke hearts
Tomato, parmesan and fresh thyme leaves
Grilled eggplant, onions and sun-dried tomatoes with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses
Crumbled crisp bacon, sliced Roma tomatoes, red onions and black olives, with Mozzarella and crumbled Blue cheese or Ranch dressing, garnished with chopped avocado
Ground beef seasoned with cumin and chili powder, onions and tomatoes, with Monterey Jack and Cheddar garnished with cilantro and Guacamole
Green, yellow and red pepper strips, red onions, grilled eggplant and zucchini, with Mozzarella and either Gouda or Goat cheese, on olive oil seasoned with fresh thyme and oregano
Sautéed Portobello and Shitake mushrooms (or whatever is your favorite), black olives, Roma tomatoes and spinach with Mozzarella and a little Blue cheese, on Pesto sauce

Perfect Pizza Rules
Perfect Pizza Rule #1 There is a specific order of assembly:
Sauce, Cheese, Toppings, Cheese, Garnish.
Or: Oil, Cheese, Toppings, Cheese, Oil, Garnish.
Two or three tablespoons of sauce are all you need for a small pizza. Spread it on with a large spoon. Or, apply oil to the dough with a pastry brush and drizzle a little more on the top of the pizza, if desired. (Watch out for chili oil, it's hot.) Apply half the cheese over the sauce or oil, and half on top. Apply garnishes, if any, after the pizza is cooked.

Perfect Pizza Rule #2:
Spread sauce, oil and toppings only within the rim of the crust. Never cover your pizza dough clear to the edge; it's just not done in polite circles.

Perfect Pizza Rule #3:
All ingredients on your pizza should finish cooking at the same time. If need be, pre-cook toppings that take longer to cook, like bell peppers. Likewise, pre-cook foods that tend to get watery, like eggplant and thick-sliced mushrooms, unless you want pizza soup.

Perfect Pizza Rule #4:
Cool all cooked ingredients before applying them to the dough. Hot toppings on pizza dough will ruin the dough. Again, pizza soup.

Perfect Pizza Rule #5:
Less is more. Avoid putting 'some of everything' on your pizza. As a rule, use only 2 or 3 well-chosen toppings. There are always exceptions, though.

Perfect Pizza Rule #6:
Bake your pizzas in a very hot oven. A 500° oven is perfect. A lower temperature is OK if your oven doesn't go that high; just cook it a little longer. Crisp, restaurant-quality pizza calls for cooking it on a pizza stone. A pizza stone and peel set is recommended.
Source: http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/perfectpizzarules.html

For other great ideas, search the Internet like I did. Here is a place that has lots of pizza recipes: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,homemade_pizza_sauce,FF.html

Cheesy Potatoes

Cheesy Potatoes

Ingredients
5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups chive-flavored cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cooking Instructions
Place potatoes in a large pot of water and boil until tender when pierced with a fork.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, onion, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Transfer mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Top with Cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes.

Source: Recipes.kaboose,com

Coffee

I love coffee. I admit it!

Not caffeine. My body reacts badly to too much caffeine. I get the heart flutters and will talk 90 miles a minute. So it's mostly decaf.

My family knows how I love my coffee.

I don't like a heavy, bitter, cigar-butt coffee. I like flavored coffee but NOT the kind that is syrupy sweet. So I'm pretty particular but will keep a cup in my hand if it's made the way I like it.

I like my local Hess station's coffee. I will get a 24 oz cup and fill 1/4 of it with a flavor like French Vanilla, English Toffee, etc. Then I finish it off with their decaf coffee. If I need a little wake-up I will put a couple of Tbsp of regular coffee in it. A brand new cup is $1.61 but I save the paper cups and re-use them a few times because a refill is only .85 per cup. Plus, I use a coffee card that gives me a free coffee after 10 purchased cups (including the refills). I also like my local Hot Spot's coffee. I purchased their plastic mugs and get a mug refill for .27. I don't think you can beat these prices with a Starbuck's stick can you? As for Starbuck, I only like their Chai tea. In my opinion their coffee is too bitter or, the flavored ones, are too sweet. But I do love their Chai tea. It's a real treat.

At home, I buy fresh hazelnut coffee beans from Fresh Market. I grind them in my Vitamix mixer.

Then I store them in a Gevalia Kaffe canister that I got when I used to be a member of that coffee-of-the-month club.

Gevalia Kaffe has great coffee too, but it's just more convenient for me to pick up what I want at Fresh Market which is only about 4 miles away. I buy Sugar Free French Vanilla creamer powder and Fat Free French Vanilla creamer powder and combine the two so that each tsp is 1/2 fat free and 1/2 sugar free. I put 1 tsp into each cup and then add a sprinkle of cinnamon and cardamom in it.

I use a Bunn coffee maker and really like it. The only problem I've had with it (I've had it 4 years now) is cracking in the plastic around the warming plate. But it still works and so I keep using it. I love how quickly it makes the coffee. You have to use Bunn filters because they are a special size. This is a little inconvenient but they are cheap enough, I just have to remember to get them at Walmart when I'm there. I use a fresh filter each time. I don't pile fresh coffee on top of old grounds and "build" on it. I do keep my coffeemaker clean. When I clean it, I use a little bleach in a carafe full of water. This may not be recommended by the manufacturer and I take no responsibility for suggesting it. I'm just saying, I do it. I will use a bottle brush to scrub around the opening where you pour water. I let the bleach/water sit about 10 mins and then pour in another carafe of plain water to force the bleach into the 2nd reservoir. I let it sit another 10 mins and then flush it with 2 carafes of plain water flowing through the system. Then I use white vinegar in a carafe of water. Let it sit about 10 mins and then pour aa carafe of plain water and let it sit another 10 mins. Then begin flushing with up to 5 carafes of plain water. This can take about 30 mins but you can do it while cooking or tidying up the kitchen. You want to be sure the last carafe of water does NOT smell like vinegar. Thats how you know you are finished flushing. Wash the carafe and filter holder. Wipe down the outside and underneath the coffee maker and you have a fresh clean coffee maker.

Coffee beans you aren’t going to grind and brew within two weeks can be kept in the freezer, but they should not be stored in the refrigerator. Moisture isn’t good for coffee. So, when I buy a new bag of coffee, I put it in the freezer door. You can keep whole beans that are well wrapped, in the freezer for a couple of months but mine only stay in there a couple of weeks at most. I have heard that frozen coffee beans will sweat while defrosting and the moisture will destroy the flavor. This means you should let it dry before storing in airtight container. I haven't had this problem but I'm throwing the tip out there. I also read that dark coffee beans should never be frozen. When I'm ready for it, I grind all the beans with my Vitamix mixer and then store in the air tight canister. According to the Joy of Cooking, “The best way to store coffee beans, ground or whole, is in an opaque airtight canister at room temperature.” Don't open the bag and then keep it in the freezer. The coffee beans are porous will take on the smells of anything else in the freezer and can suffer freezer burn. Put it in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature. Some people say you should only grind the beans as you use them instead of grinding the whole bag at one time like I do. There are a lot of variations and comments about purchasing, storing, grinding and brewing coffee. Everyone has their own thoughts on it and it makes interesting reading if you do a Google search on the subject.

What about your coffee mugs? Many people seem to pick up all kinds of mismatched coffee mugs, especially free advertising ones or cute gift mugs. You can quickly end up with way more than you need. Some people have their favorite mugs and don't use all the others that clutter up the cabinet. I decided to have some matching cups for company. You know, the ones that match my everyday china. I also have china sets for each season of the year with, of course, their own matching cups. But, then I have 2 that are my favorite mugs. One pretty much matches my everyday china but is a larger mug. The other is a bright, sunny yellow. I also have some Krispy Kreme coffee mugs. Stan likes those and they commemorate my mother's family who own the Krispy Kreme in Spartanburg, SC. I don't have any other mugs in my cabinets...it's my 2 favorites, the KK mugs or the matching mugs. No mismatched, advertising mugs for me. No gaggle of stacked cups. I've paired down. I have 8 matching teacups and 8 matching coffee mugs and my 2 favorites. I got rid of everything else. (By the way, Stan will only drink Folgers coffee and he will only drink it from styrofoam cups!?! So I keep 20 oz styrofoam cups for him. It's funny how set in our ways we are!)

Stan put up some cup hooks in my cabinet that holds all my cups except for my 2 favorites that rarely get a chance to "sit" in the cabinet. This is a photo taken about 2 yrs ago. The tall paisley mugs are my favorites but I broke one so I got the bright yellow one to replace it.

I also have my travel mugs. I have several and keeping them and their matching tops is it's own little problem. I also have some travel thermoses that I picked up at yardsales...those good stainless steel ones!

I will take coffee on trips in those. I also use them for iced tea or hot soup for picnics. I have a shelf in a cabinet just for these thermoses and travel mugs. I don't keep more than I use and this is where they all go. I try to pop the lids on them (as long as they are dry) to keep them together.

Hopping Johns and Collards

It's suppose to be lucky to eat Hoppin' Johns and Collards on New Years day as it represents coins and paper money.

The black-eyed pea, also known as the cow pea, is thought to have originated in North Africa, where it has been eaten for centuries. The peas were probably introduced to the New World by Spanish explorers and African slaves, and have become a common food in the southern United States. Hoppin' Johns consists of black-eyed peas (or field peas) and rice, with chopped onion and sliced bacon, seasoned with salt. Some people substitute ham hock, pork sausage or fatback for the conventional bacon; a few serve with chopped raw onions, green peppers or relish/chow-chow. Smaller than black-eyed peas, field peas are used in the Low Country of South Carolina and Georgia. On the day after New Year's Day, leftover "Hoppin' John" is called "Skippin' Jenny". This thriftiness brings hope for an even better chance of prosperity in the new year. According to Wikipedia, "one tradition common in the Southern USA is that each person at the meal should leave three peas on their plate to assure that the New Year will be filled with Luck, Fortune and Romance. Another tradtion holds that counting the number of peas in a serving predicts the amount of luck (or wealth) that the diner will have in the coming year." I don't think I'll be counting my peas but it might be a fun exercise to get kids involved in eating their black eyed peas.

Collards are greens cultivated for its thick, slightly bitter edible leaves. Plant in early spring for a summer harvest and again in midsummer for fall and early winter harvest. As you can see, they are available year-round, but many people believe that they are tastier and more nutritious in the cold months, after the first frost. For best flavor and texture, the leaves should be picked before they reach their maximum size. The plant is grown mainly in Brazil, Portugal, the Southern United States, many parts of Africa, Montenegro, Spain and Kashmir. They are often prepared with other similar green leaf vegetables, such as kale, turnip greens, spinach, and mustard greens. A mixed batch of greens is referred to as "a mess o' greens" in the South. They are generally eaten year-round here. Typical seasoning when cooking collards can consist of smoked and salted meats (ham hocks, pork neckbones, fatback or other fatty meat. Add diced onions, vinegar, salt and pepper, butter, or relish/chow-chow. Collards are considered to be a healthy food as they are good sources of vitamin C, soluble fiber and contain multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties. Though greens did not originate in Africa, the habit of eating greens that have been cooked down into a low gravy, and drinking the juices from the greens (known as "pot likker") is of African origin. Pot likker is a highly concentrated, vitamin-filled broth left over from cooking the greens. The slaves of southern plantations were given the leftover food from the plantation kitchen. Some of this food consisted of the tops of turnips and other greens.

Hoppin' John
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 pound spicy bulk pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups beef broth, homemade or canned
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups long-grained rice

In a large saucepan, bring the peas and water to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly, and let stand for 1 hour. (Or in a large bowl, combine the peas with enough cold water to cover by 3 inches, and let stand overnight at room temperature.)
Drain well.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven, cook the sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat, stirring often to break up the sausage, until it loses its raw look, about 10 minutes. Pour off all excess fat.

Add the drained peas, water, and red and white peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, until the peas are tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.

Meanwhile, bring the beef broth, butter, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff the rice and transfer it to a deep serving bowl.

Pour the peas over the rice, mix well, and serve immediately.

**Note**
In my family, we didn't add the sausage (although that sounds delicious). We cooked the beans in the crockpot with a ham bone, ham, or some raw bacon and add the cooked peas to rice just before serving. We like to sprinkle chopped raw onions on top or add a little relish called chow-chow.

Collards
Fresh collard greens, washed, chopped with thick stem removed (Keep in mind that greens can fill a pot when fresh but they cook wwaayy down.)
Chicken or beef broth
1-2 pieces of raw bacon (apple smoked Gwaltney bacon is good)
Hot red pepper flakes to taste
Salt to taste
Apple cider vinegar to taste
Sauteed chopped onions

After sauteeing the onions, put all ingredients into your crockpot or a dutch oven pot on the stovetop. Add enough water to make sure greens are covered. Cook them covered, slowly for 3 hours.

**Note**
We serve them with butter, chopped raw onions, sprinkled with vinegar or chow-chow. You can substitute white wine for the apple cider. You could also add a couple of teaspoons of brown sugar if you like your greens sweet.