Lots of Pizzas in the Cast
Fruit bread & Herbed Bread
3 cups water lukewarm
1 1/2TBSP active dry yeast
1 1/2TBSP salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
In a bowl add the warm water, salt and yeast stir.
In another bowl add flour & salt, then pour the yeast mixture over the flour and mix with wooden spoon.
Place the dough in a large container, and cover well. but do not close completely, there needs to be one corner left open to let the gases escape.
Let the dough rise for 2 hours up to 18hours.
The dough will be very sticky and elastic.
Add flour to your hands, and divide the dough in two pieces. Add more flour to your hands as necessary. Shape the dough into the desired shape for your bread and place it seam down in a hot Dutch oven. Sprinkle some more flour on top of the loaves. Let the loaves rest for another 30 minutes so that they can rise a bit.
Preheat oven to 450 F degrees.
Bake the bread for 30covered then about 8-12minutes uncovered til browned and crisp
Cool on a rack.
Peek a Boo Hehehe
For the herb loaf. Add to the flour/salt- 1TSP each of crushed chilis, garlic powder, minced onion, rosemary & thyme. I also put 1/2CUP of extra old cheddar as well.
Steak bites & Szchewan Beans
One of hubby and I’s favorite late night snack. Inspired by 2 dishes we loved from restaurants. The Steak bites served with sesame sauce at Canadian Brewhouse in Canada are awesome, one of their best sellers!
These Szchewan Beans we used to eat at Milestones in Alberta. We just loved them. Although they are not on the menu anymore. Costco Canada now actually sells a szchewan green bean kit to make these, they aren’t bad!
Steak bites. Marinated in soya sauce for a couple hours. Then put your favorite steak spice on them. Pan fry high heat to get that color and flavour. Serve with toothpick and sesame sauce to dip. I do prefer a homemade sauce but it isn’t a sauce that lasts long so yeah, I normally buy it.
These beans, I could eat this whole pan lol!
The green beans I put them in that pan just covered with water and boil til almost cooked. I drain water. And add about 2TBSP of this sauce. Mix, heat, and top with some sesame seeds. I make this sauce ahead, this stores in my fridge til needed.
1TSP Szchewan peppercorns
1/4CUP soy sauce
3TBSP honey
1TBSP sesame oil
1TBSP rice wine vinegar
1TBSP Chinese cooking wine or mirin
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2TSP fresh ginger, finely minced
1TBSP garlic chili paste more for more spicy or 1TSP chili flakes
1/2TSP Chinese five spice
Sugar Cookies
2 1/2CUPS (625 ml) all-purpose flour
1/4CUP (60 ml) cornstarch
1TSP (5 ml) baking powder
1 pinch of salt
3/4CUP (180 ml) unsalted butter, softened
1CUP (250 ml) sugar
1TSP (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 eggs
Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
In another bowl, cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until smooth. With a wooden spoon, combine with the dry ingredients that you have put aside.
Use your hands, shape the dough into two discs. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerator for an 1 hour.
On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to about 3 to 5-mm (1/8 to 1/4-inch) thick. Cut out cookies, using a cookie cutter. Spread the cookies of the same size on the same sheet, because the cooking time may vary.
Bake, one sheet at a time, 8 to 10 minutes take out before edges get browned. Let them cool.
Nougat Bars
2 bags white chocolate chips
2 bags of mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups chopped red and green gumdrops (I buy these from bulk Barn in Canada)
Peek a Boo lol
Cut the gumdrops in half.
Melt the butter, white chocolate chips and marshmallows together. To do this I create a double boiler. This ensures that the mixture doesn’t burn.
Stir the mixture until it is smooth and melted together, making sure not to cook the mixture…just melt, not cook.
Remove from heat.
Let cool couple minutes.
Stir in the gumdrops. Mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
The mixture will be very sticky, so I use a lightly greased piece of parchment paper to help spread and pat the mixture down into the pan.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting, overnight is best.
I used a pizza Pan so mine are thiner. I find they do work better in the 8×8 pan.
Lucky saids Hi!
