Orzo Salad

 https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/easy-orzo-salad/

Original recipe link above.

This is a great salad. I added feta to half the recipe since I do not like Feta. 

12 ounces orzo pasta

2  heaping cups baby arugula  

1 English cucumber, chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ small red onion, diced

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ cup chopped fresh basil

For the Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice of one lemon 

3 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey 

3 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

 

• In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente, according to package instructions.
• While the pasta is cooking, make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• Drain the orzo in a strainer and rinse well with cold water. Pour the cooked orzo in a large bowl.
• Add the arugula  cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, onion, feta, and basil to the orzo and gently stir. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir again. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Strips

 

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• MARINADE
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup red curry paste
  
  
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon refrigerated lemongrass paste (from tube)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• CHICKEN TENDERS
• 1 pound chicken tenders (about 6 tenders)
• 4 cups canola oil
• 2 cups (about 8 1/2 oz.) all-purpose flour
• DIPPING SAUCE
• ¼ cup chopped scallions
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoons fresh Thai basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon refrigerated lemongrass paste (from tube)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2  teaspoon peeled fresh ginger
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Instructions Che

• 1.  Prepare the Marinade: Stir together all Marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.

• 2.   Prepare the Chicken Tenders: Add chicken tenders to bowl with marinade; cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

• 3.   Heat oil to 330°F in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.D

• 4.  Dredgechicken in flour, shaking off excess. Place coated chicken in hot oil; fry until coating is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°F. Drain chicken on paper towels; cover to keep warm.

• 5.  Prepare the Dipping sauce: Stir together all Dipping Sauce ingredients. Serve immediately with warm chicken tenders. (If not serving immediately, stir in scallions, cilantro, and basil just before serving.)

• Link to original recipe

• https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-and-spicy-fried-chicken-tenders-with-sesame-dipping-sauce?did=642141-20210608&utm_campaign=dinner-tonight_newsletter&utm_source=myrecipes.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=060821&cid=642141&mid=59400715055
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Sourdough Cheddar Jalapeno habanero Bread

 This is the bread I make for people at work it's a huge hit. I started adding Habaneros to it to give it that little extra kick. You can leave the Habaneros out but if you like spicy I would suggest you add them. You can take all the membranes out and the seeds and maybe just add one or two to start with to see what you think. But I think the Habaneros give it a really nice flavor. I really don't measure my cheese or jalapenos I just grabbed handfuls of cheese and toss it in and I just chop up jalapenos and toss in. I have to admit there was one day that I added too many habaneros and it was a little painful so be careful.

• 3 2/3 cups (18 1/3 ounces)  all-purpose flour

• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt

• 1 1/2 cups plus 4 teaspoons (12 2/3 ounces) water, room temperature

• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) mature starter

• 4 chopped jalapenos with most of the seeds removed.

• 4 chopped habaneros (you can leave these out but I love the extra kick.

• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

• 1 sliced jalapeno seeds left in.    

• 3 tablespoon sharp cheddar cheese 

Whisk flour and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk room-temperature water and starter in large bowl until smooth. Add flour mixture to water mixture along with chopped jalapenos and 1 cup cheddar cheese and stir using wooden spoon (I use my hand), scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until dough comes together, then knead by hand in bowl until shaggy ball forms and no dry flour remains. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours or up to 18 hours.

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam side down, to center of a sheet of parchment. Pick up dough by lifting parchment edges and lower into heavy-bottomed Dutch oven cover with plastic wrap or cloth.

Let dough rise until doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with your floured finger, 2 to 3 hours.

Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 7-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Cover pot and place on middle rack in oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake bread for 30 minutes (starting timing as soon as you turn on oven).

Remove lid and continue to bake for about 10 minutes, then sprinkle 3 Tablespoon cheese and as many sliced jalapeno as you wish. Cook until loaf is deep brown and registers 210 degrees, another 10-20 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving

Sourdough Bread

 This is an American Test Kitchen recipe I thought I would try out. 

I made some sourdough starter about a month ago and have made a few loaves with other recipes or just recipes I threw together. My favorite is my Jalapeno Cheddar loaf so far.

I did not use King Arthur flour nor did I use their starter recipe.

• 3 2/3 cups (18 1/3 ounces) King Arthur all-purpose flour

• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt

• 1 1/2 cups plus 4 teaspoons (12 2/3 ounces) water, room temperature

• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) mature sourdough starter

Directions

1. Whisk flour and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk room-temperature water and starter in large bowl until smooth. Add flour mixture to water mixture and stir using wooden spoon, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until dough comes together, then knead by hand in bowl until shaggy ball forms and no dry flour remains. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours or up to 18 hours.

2. Lay 12 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper on counter and spray generously with vegetable oil spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam side down, to center of parchment. Pick up dough by lifting parchment edges and lower into heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Cover with plastic wrap.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and place loaf or cake pan in bottom of oven. Place pot on middle rack and pour 3 cups of boiling water into pan below. Close oven door and let dough rise until doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with your floured finger, 2 to 3 hours.

4. Remove pot and water pan from oven; discard plastic from pot. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 7-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Cover pot and place on middle rack in oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake bread for 30 minutes (starting timing as soon as you turn on oven).

5. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

These are my all time favorite green beans.

 http://aprilshomecooking.blogspot.com/2009/08/green-beans.html?m=1

Learning cookie decorating.

 It's been awhile since I have posted. I hope to get started again and be better at sharing recipes. It's been a crazy few years. Had surgery on my hand which pretty much left my left hand useless. Still need to have surgery on my right hand but I'm afraid the same things going to happen. I've always wanted to learn how to cookie decorate so I figure I better get busy with it while I can still use my right hand. 

Thought I would share a few of the cookies I've been working on. I need to practice on not putting my fingers in the cookies as I move them. 😁

May the little space cookies for my grandson. Today's his 4th birthday and on Wednesday he's having surgery for his hernia. He won't get them in time for his birthday but they'll be there the day after his surgery. It's been a crazy month, we've been on the road since April 11th. We left California right after church on April 11th and headed to Louisiana to visit my mom and stepdad. Our way home was an adventure. We left Louisiana and went to Tennessee, we stayed in pigeon forge. Visited Gatlinburg and Dollywood. Then we had it off to Kentucky to visit the Ark. I know I'll forget some places and I won't get them in order but from there we made our way to Indiana, drove through Nebraska and missed a tornado by an hour. Had to stay a couple of days in Colorado because of the snow storm. Made our way over to Utah to visit Zion. Oh we also visited the Mammoth caves and I want to say Tennessee but it could have been Kentucky. Also visited the Smoky mountains which was beautiful. But by far I think Zion was our favorite. Stopped off in Southern California to visit a couple of the grandkids which was far better than Zion or any place we went. And we also stopped off at Indiana and boy has that place change, Chicago is inching its way in to Indiana.

Keep your eyes out for some new recipes I'm working on some sourdough starter right now and hope to make some bread.

Carne en su jugo

 6 slices bacon

4 fresh tomatillos, husk removed

3 Serrano chili peppers (or jalapeños) seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled

3 cups water

2 pounds flank steak, cut into 1/2" squares 

Salt and pepper

1 t cumin

1 T better then chicken bullion 

2 (15.5 ounce) cans pinto beans.

1/2 onion, chopped

Roasted jalapeños 

Chopped fresh cilantro 

1 lime, sliced into wedges.

Roasted jalapeños 

Cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over  medium-high heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Combine the tomatillos, peppers, garlic, and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. 

Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; salt and pepper the steak. cook the steak in the hot skillet until completely browned. Pour the tomatillo mixture over the beef and bring to a boil. Stir the  chicken bouillon and cumin into the mixture, reduce heat to medium.  Cover the skillet and simmer until tender, 30-60 minutes.

Roast jalapeños over flame.

Add rinsed beans and bacon and heat over medium heat until hot.

Garnish with chopped onions, cilantro, roasted jalapeño, lime wedge and  tortilla.

No knead bread with a twist.

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I USED THIS RECIPE AS MY BASE.

No-Knead Bread

MARK BITTMAN

• YIELDOne 1 1/2-pound loaf
• TIME1 hour 30 minutes, plus about 20 hours' resting time

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No-Knead Bread

Jospeph De Leo for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Here is one of the most popular recipes The Times has ever published, courtesy of Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery. It requires no kneading. It uses no special ingredients, equipment or techniques. And it takes very little effort — only time. You will need 24 hours to create the bread, but much of this is unattended waiting, a slow fermentation of the dough that results in a perfect loaf.

Featured in: Three Recipes To Savor To The Last Crumb. 

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3 cups bread flour and more for dusting.

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the jalapeno cheddar cheese you will need jar jalapenos drained, chopped and liquid squeezed our. Mix in with batter

For the garlic herb parmesan, 1 cup shredded parmesan, 1 bulb of garlic, peeled and chopped and cooked in olive oil, set a side to cool. Mix cheese, garlic and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning in with batter.

 PREPARATION

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

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ITIMES CLASSIC

I used this recipe as my base and changed it up a little.

No-Knead Bread

MARK BITTMAN

• YIELDOne 1 1/2-pound loaf
• TIME1 hour 30 minutes, plus about 20 hours