Daring Cooks February Challenge: Mezze

Probably one of my favorite challenges, hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums, this challenge is called Mezze which really means a whole bunch of side dishes with pita bread which is presented as a type of communal eating at one's leisure. Yes please. I love the idea of slowly eating a bunch of different items when you please. No pressure of people asking why you haven't finished your 8 ounce steak, mashed potatoes, garlic bread and broccoli. Well, ahem Mom, it's because I've been tasting these mashed potatoes for more time than I would like to consider, salting and whipping and buttering and mashing-tasting, tasting and re-tasting! Okay? Sorry. My friend Kassi put it perfectly at Thanksgiving when she saw my meager plate and called it the "cooks plate". Thanks Kassi for understanding :) She understood that as someone who cooks constantly you are also eating constantly. Trust me and just ask this extra 20 lbs I've grown to know. But that's not how we do things in North America. We are a people of large portions and don't get me wrong, I like to eat large portions. Just not all at one sitting.

But back to the challenge of the Mezze which is essentially a variety of snacks, where we were only required to make our own pita bread and hummus. Love it. Next, there was an option of any of our choices of side dishes and I chose a little ditty of baba ghanough and tzatziki.

While I loved this challenge for all of the reasons above, the pita bread was a total bust for me. The dough recipe itself was great but the cooking instructions proved to be less than favorable for me. The oven method that was recommended resulted in more of a pita chip than pita bread. I was looking for the bread so in a second attempt, rather than the oven method I used the stovetop with a cast iron skillet. This way you would follow all of the same instructions for the pita bread except after rolling the pita bread out into rounds, heat a skillet to medium high heat and place the rolled out pita onto the hot skillet. Fry in the dry skillet on one side about 30 seconds or until golden brown, flip the bread and fry another 20-30 seconds or again, until golden brown.
Click a href="http://www.veggienumnums.com/2008/07/mezze.html">here for the>original Pita Bread and Hummus Recipes from Veggie Num Nums

Another of my favorite dips are Baba Ghanoush and my favorite Tzatziki from Kalyn's Kitchen

Bread Machine Bagels

I've professed my love affair with my bread machine here, here, here oh, and here. And guess what, I'm about to do it again. I LOVE my bread machine! This time around we're talking bagels. I mean, is there anything this wondrous machine can't do? I'm serious, apparently the thing can even make jam or something but that just sounds crazy to me. Anyway, I can't believe I haven't made bagels before. I love them and once again, the bread machine makes it so easy. You just throw all of the ingredients in the machine, press a button and essentially, there you have it, homemade bagels. Did I mention they are utterly delicious? Plus, you can make any flavor you like. My favorites are everything bagels, which are dehydrated onion (reconstituted in warm water,) poppy seeds, sesame seeds and I like to add a little sprinkling of garlic salt and I also love sesame bagels. What are your favorites?

Recipe slightly adapted from allrecipes:
3 cups bread flour
1 cup warm water (my bread machine requires a little more water so I use about 1 1/4 cup)
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg white

Place all ingredients in your machine according to instructions. For mine that means, water then flour, sugar and salt and lastly the yeast. Set your machine on "dough" setting. When the cycle is complete, remove the dough and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment (the parchment is optional.) Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Take one of the pieces of dough and roll into a strand that is 1" thick (the piece will probably be about 9" long.) Continue rolling the dough with the remaining pieces. Form a circle with the strands and pinch the dough together at the ends to form a circle. When all of the dough has been formed into circles, cover the bagels with a clean damp cloth or a large piece of parchment and allow to rise for 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, place 1 or 2 bagels into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds on one side, flip the bagels and boil the other side for 30 seconds. Remove the bagels with tongs or a slotted spatula and allow to drain on paper towel for a few seconds. Continue boiling the rest of the bagels. Once all of the bagels have boiled and drained, place them back on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the bagels with egg white. Sprinkle the top of the bagels with your favorite topping or leave plain. Place the bagels in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 20-30 minutes or until browned. Remove from the oven and allow the bagels to cool on a rack.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

I've posted before about Grilled Fish Tacos but that was before I came across Homesick Texans' Homemade Tortillas. I can't even express to you how amazing these tortillas are. I don't know what I ever did without them.

I'll keep this short and sweet because I think you should stop reading, step away from your computer and run, don't walk, to your kitchen and make these. In fact, double the recipe and freeze whatever leftover dough you have. You'll always want to have these on hand. Trust me. Oh, and while you're at it, pair these amazing tortillas with these fabulous fish tacos.



RECIPE (courtesy of Homesick Texan:)
2 cups of all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-wheat flour for white flour)
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes. After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.) After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook. In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done. Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat. Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil. While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

Makes eight tortillas.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

When I was a teenager I worked at a clothing store in the mall. Of course at fifteen I loved everything from the Food Court, however bad it was. But across from my store was one of those pretzel places. You know the ones, fully equipped with different flavors...cheese, nacho cheese, covered in garlic powder or cinnamon and sugar. This is where my love affair with soft pretzels began. I thought these were the best thing in the world. My absolute favorite were the ones covered in rock salt with the fake cheese dip.

As I've told you before, my bread machine has made my life so easy and delicious. Here's another example of how great it really is. Simply add the ingredients, press a button, a little rolling and twisting and voila, delicious soft pretzels, just like at the mall. Obviously many things have changed since my days working at the mall. My soft spot for soft pretzels and clothing though, is as strong as ever.

RECIPE courtesy of http://www.recipezaar.com/45567:
1 package dry active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil

Place ingredients in bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select White Bread setting, Manual and then press Start. After the machine has completed the second rising cycle, it will beep. Remove the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 parts. Divide each fourth into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into an 18” rope. Shape rope into a circle, overlapping about 4” from each end, leaving ends free. Take one end in each hand and twist at the point where dough overlaps. Carefully lift ends across to the opposite edge of circle. Tuck ends under edge to make a pretzel shape; moisten and press ends to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise, uncovered, until puffy, about 20 minutes. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine 2 quarts of water and 1/3 cup baking soda; bring to a boil. Lower 1 or 2 pretzels into the saucepan; simmer for 10 seconds on each side. Lift from water with a slotted spoon. Return to greased cookie sheet. Let dry briefly. Brush with 1 egg white slightly beaten. Sprinkle with course salt or sesame seeds or leave plain. If you leave them plain, after they bake you can dip into melted butter then in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake 425 for 4 minutes – then turn cookie sheet around and bake 4 more minutes.

Makes 12 pretzels

Cornbread Muffins

My search is finally over. I have been searching for the best cornbread recipe since I lost my last one. You see, I did have the perfect cornbread recipe for years but somehow she crept out of my kitchen and jumped ship. I searched high and low for the rattled piece of paper I had scribbled it down on, and nothing...I've never seen it again. Of course I should have treated that piece of paper with a little more care. Had I known how things were going to turn out, I would have locked her up in a secret place.

Since that awful day I have searched and searched and experimented until I had almost given up hope on finding such a delicious recipe....Until now. Yes, I have finally found another perfect cornbread recipe from For the Love of Food. I can't tell you how bittersweet this day is. Don't get me wrong I still love my old recipe and would give anything to have her back but I have to move on, it's been far too long. You want to know the worst part about this whole endeavor? I think this cornbread recipe might just be a little better than my last. And now I know why she left, her time was up. We both needed to move on, she was doing me a favor. I'll always love her for that.

NOTE: I baked the batter in a mini muffin tray but I have also baked this recipe in a loaf pan and a regular sized muffin tray with beautiful results. If baking mini muffins, adjust the baking time to about 12-15 minutes.

RECIPE, courtesy of For the Love of Food:

1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Cornmeal
6 Tablespoons Sugar
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Milk
¼ Cup melted Vegetable Shortening
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
½ Cup shredded Cheddar cheese
½ Cup frozen Corn

Directions:
Heat oven to 200°C(425°F). Grease (not oil) a 8 or 9-inch square pan. In medium a bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Stir in remaining ingredients beating by hand just until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Mother of All Inventions-The Bread Machine

Over the holidays, my boyfriend's Ome gave me her bread machine. I had no idea what a difference it was going to make in my life. I was always too chicken to attempt making bread before, I have a secret fear of working with yeast, don't ask me why. Since receiving the bread machine my life has forever changed. We haven't bought bread since December and probably never will again. The bread machine is one of the best inventions ever!

I should note that I've never actually baked the bread in the bread machine, I've only used it to make the dough. In my opinion baking the bread is the easy part and that way I can shape the dough the way I like. So far I've made bread and buns (2 times a week, every week,) pizza dough and these sinfully delicious cinnamon buns. These are the best Cinnamon Buns I've ever had. My boyfriend took a batch to work and everyone loved them. I honestly don't know how I lived without a bread machine. I have the utmost respect for people who can make bread without one but for those of us who don't have that confidence, the bread machine is indispensable. Once again, here's another example of how Ome has changed my life.

RECIPE (courtesy of Recipezaar):

1 cup milk
3 TBSP water
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
3 1/3 cups all purpose white flour
3 TBSP granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast

FILLING
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP softened butter

GLAZE
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
2-3 tsp milk

Put yeast in bread machine first on bottom, then flour, sugar and salt. Then melt butter in microwave. Add beaten egg, milk and water. Pour onto dry ingredients in bread machine. When dough is done, put it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough flour to make it easy to handle. If it is too elastic, cover and leave 10 minutes. Use floured rolling pin to roll out dough on floured surface. Roll out into rectangular shape to approx 1/4-inch thick. Use filling and spread over entire surface of dough with spoon. Roll up dough. Cut into circle with a sharp knife about 1-inch thick; place these in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for approx 30 minutes, until double in size. Bake in a 350° oven for about 25 minutes, light brown on top. When done, make glaze and swirl over buns.