Focaccia and Pizza Dough

I make this with a bread machine from a cookbook that my mom got with a different bread machine in the 90s. Something's wrong with the heating element on mine so I only use it for doughs (because anything that's supposed to be baked inside the machine doesn't turn out right).

Verdict: Absolutely delicious. I would love to make it again. I will have to find another way when my bread machine finally gives out, but until then this is how I'm going to do it.

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RECIPE:

Pizza Dough / Focaccia
from Salton/MAXIM Housewares bread machine cookbook, 1998
makes 1-2 lb

for 1 lb (makes 12" pizza):
3/4 cup warm water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast

for 1.5 lb (makes 15" pizza):
1 1/8 cups warm water
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast

for 2 lb (makes two 12" pizzas):
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
4 1/4 cups (531 g) all purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp yeast

All purpose flour, for dusting

For pizza (per 12" pizza; you'll need slightly more of everything for a 15" pizza)
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Toppings of your choice (suggestions: cooked Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers, sliced olives, chopped fresh tomato, cooked bacon)

For focaccia (per 1 lb dough)
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 tsp fresh or dried herbs of your choice (suggestions: Italian seasoning, rosemary, oregano, basil)
- 2-3 tbsp grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Place liquid ingredients in bottom of bread machine pan, then add flour and other dry ingredients on top. Set machine to Dough cycle and let run until done (mine takes 1 hr 30 min). If using immediately, transfer dough to a floured board. If saving for later, place in a bowl greased with olive oil, turn dough over to coat it in the oil, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

For pizza dough: Heat oven to 400°F. If you made 2 lb dough, divide it into two equal pieces. Pat with your hands or roll the dough with a floured rolling pin into a 12 in or 15 in circle (depending on the size of your batch of dough). Transfer to a baking sheet or pizza peel/stone dusted with cornmeal or flour. Spread pizza sauce over dough, leaving at least 1/2" at the outer edge. Sprinkle cheese in an even layer over the top of the sauce. Place toppings over the cheese. Bake for 13-17 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown and cheese is bubbly.

For focaccia: Heat oven to 400°F. On a board or other surface dusted with flour, pat the dough into a circle about 1/2 in thick. Place on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or flour. Spread 2 tbsp olive oil on the top surface of the dough with your hands and dimple the top of the dough with your fingertips (deep enough so that oil will pool in the indentations). Once done, drizzle 1-2 more tbsp of olive oil over the top and sprinkle herbs, cheese, salt, and any optional toppings over the top. Let rise for 15-20 minutes. Bake until golden brown (this took about 20-22 minutes for 1 lb dough in my oven). Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Roasted Squash and Tofu with Ginger

This recipe drew my attention because I had all the ingredients already, and one of my favorite Thai dishes combines squash and tofu, so I really wanted to give this a try. We served it with rice.

Notes:

• I used dried powdered ginger (about 1/2 tsp) instead of fresh, and black sesame seeds instead of white, because it's what I had.
• Next time I want to make this with buttercup/kabocha squash (my favorite winter squash).
  

Verdict: The sauce burned a little (honey always seems to do this) and was a little difficult to clean up because it ran off my foil, but this tasted really good! I would definitely make this again.

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RECIPE: Roasted Squash and Tofu with Ginger (Smitten Kitchen)

Thai Beef Salad

I have always loved getting this from Thai restaurants. I don't normally have the right kind of beef for this in the house, but today I did, as well as enough other fresh vegetables to make it work. Spoon Fork Heart has some nice Thai cooking videos. The video for this recipe is here.

Notes:

• I used brown sugar instead of palm sugar.
  
• I made a number of substitutions in the vegetables to use up what I had (ugh pandemic). Probably not very authentic, but still tasty.
  

Verdict: I loved it and would definitely make it again, especially with the proper ingredients. The dressing is super good.

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RECIPE: Thai Beef Salad, Bangkok Style (Spoon Fork Heart)

Chinese Style Fried Chicken

This recipe scrolled by on one of my social media feeds a few years ago, and it caught my eye because it sounded really similar to a dish I like to get at one of my favorite local Asian fusion restaurants: crispy grilled chicken with ginger-scallion chutney. I was putting away chicken thighs this morning and remembered that I had this recipe, and realized I had everything I needed to try it out.

Notes:

• I served this with jasmine rice.
• I marinated the chicken for longer than directed, about 3 hours.
• I did not have a fresh chili pepper on hand so I used red pepper flakes to taste. If you don't want or can't have it spicy you can leave this out.
• I used fresh baby spinach instead of mizuna because it was what I had on hand, but any salad green would taste good here, especially a slightly peppery one like arugula.

Verdict: It's not exactly the same as the restaurant dish but it is close, and quite delicious! It was relatively easy to make and I was pleasantly surprised that the skin actually got crispy. I would definitely make this again.

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RECIPE:

Chinese Style Fried Chicken

adapted from Tasty Japan

Serves 2

2 chicken thighs, skin on

Marinade

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sake

Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1 small scallion, minced

1 birdseye or Thai chili pepper, thinly sliced

4 tbsp canola oil

3 tbsp corn starch or potato starch

4 oz (1/4 lb) mizuna or arugula, or salad greens

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

On a cutting board, de-bone the chicken thighs if they have bones, then either score the skin with a knife or prick the skin all over with a fork. Place marinade ingredients in a quart sized plastic bag, then add chicken. Close the bag and move the chicken around inside it until marinade ingredients are mixed and chicken is fully coated in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

When you're ready to cook the chicken, heat the canola oil on medium-high heat in a shallow frying pan on the stove. Spread cornstarch on a shallow plate. Remove chicken thighs from bag and discard marinade. Gently press each side of the chicken into the cornstarch to coat the entire surface, and shake off any excess. When oil is shimmering, place chicken in the pan skin side down and cook until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 5-6 minutes. Flip each chicken thigh and cook for 2-3 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

To serve, let chicken rest for a few minutes, then slice. Place greens on a plate and place sliced chicken on top. Arrange cherry tomatoes around the chicken, then pour sauce over the top.

White Bean and Chicken Chili

My mom started making this after I left for college, but it reminds me strongly of her. I had it once during a visit home and couldn't get enough of it so I had to get her recipe.

Notes:

• The original recipe called for 1 tsp ground white pepper but I found that a little too much for my tastes. 1/2 tsp is good for my mild-end-of-medium preference.
• If you can find canned Hatch chiles, they are particularly good in this! I accidentally bought the spicy/hot ones rather than mild ones but found that they're not terribly spicy and I was able to handle them.

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RECIPE:

White Bean and Chicken Chili
Adapted slightly from the recipe from the Appleton Post-Crescent, early 2000s
Serves 4

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2-3 breast halves)
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion
1 tbsp bottled minced garlic
15 oz Great Northern white beans
19 oz cannellini beans
4.5 oz chopped green chilies
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp pepper, preferably white (use less)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
14.5 oz chicken broth
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional, for topping)
Sour cream (optional, for topping)

Partially defrost chicken. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop onion, adding to the pot as you chop. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks, add to the pot and stir occasionally. Add garlic and continue to cook. While the chicken cooks, rinse and drain both types of beans and drain the chilies. Add the chilies to the pot along with the cumin, white pepper and cayenne pepper. Raise the heat to high and add the broth and drained beans. Cover the pot and bring the chili to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and water in a small container that has a lid. Shake well to remove any lumps. When the chili boils, the chicken should be cooked through. Add the cornstarch mixture a little at a time, stirring constantly. Continue to boil until the chili reaches the desired thickness. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Beef Marinade

My family has made this for holidays and special occasions for as long as I can remember. Filet mignon is not really something that needs this kind of preparation to taste good, but it definitely tastes good this way to me.

My dad told me about the reaction this got the first time my grandma made it. I'm not sure where my grandma got the recipe. It was for some sort of family party. He helped her prepare a large amount of venison (something like 10 pounds) and mix the marinade, and then ended up needing to go somewhere for a few hours. He came back to find that it was all gone. All of the meat had been cooked and eaten before my dad could have some. Maybe this is why he always makes so much of it, so that he and we will always have as much as we care to eat.

Part of me thinks he'd be upset with me for sharing it here because he's told me not to share it before (I don't know how serious he was) but honestly, what is the point of secret recipes? Who are we keeping it a secret from and why? I sort of get why they were a thing before the internet but not anymore. It's not like we run a restaurant where we stand to gain financially from a proprietary recipe, or have friends that only like us for our delicious food that would stop coming to see us if they could make it themselves. Personally, I love sharing good recipes because then more people can enjoy the delicious things we make.

Notes:

• I realize some things could probably be executed better, but this is how you get it to taste like family nostalgia. If you like doing things a little differently, absolutely go ahead and improve upon it.
• This would probably work well with other cuts of beef and other kinds of meat. My grandma first made this with venison.
• Grilling is by far the best way to cook this. If you can't grill it, broil it.

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RECIPE:

Beef Marinade

from my grandma

Serves 4-6

1 lb beef tenderloin

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp molasses

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 large onion, chopped

Cut beef tenderloin into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Stir remaining ingredients together in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add beef and marinate for 6-18 hours. Grill over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

Szechuan Green Beans and Ground Pork

 

This is a recipe I stumbled upon when I had ground pork and didn't know how to use it. I was looking for recipes and I thought this one sounded good. It's probably the best recipe I've ever tried on a whim, honestly. It's pretty simple to make and incredibly good! Even my parents like it! I have made this many times in the last 10 years or so and the version written below takes my preferences into account.

Notes:

• The photos above depict a double batch.
• This is not meant to be swimming in sauce like a lot of American Chinese food.
• I partially cook my green beans before adding them because adding them in raw results in them being not quite cooked. Be sure you drain the water from your green beans really well or it will prevent the ingredients from frying properly and dilute the sauce.
• The original recipe specifically called for white rice but eat it with whatever rice you like. I have eaten it with white Japanese rice, white jasmine rice, and brown Japanese rice, and all were quite good.

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RECIPE:

Szechuan Green Beans and Ground Pork
adapted from a recipe by Leeann Chin and Katie Chin, originally published in Cooking Light, April 2006
Serves 3-4

2 cups hot cooked rice

2 tbsp hoisin sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand is my favorite)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (more if you like it really spicy)
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tsp corn starch
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper (if you don't have white pepper, black works too)
1 tsp peanut or canola oil
1 tsp minced garlic
2 1/2 cups cut green beans, partially cooked and drained very well (I partially cook frozen ones in the microwave and then squeeze some of the water out before adding to the pan)

Stir together hoisin sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine pork, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a bowl or on a plate until just mixed.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add garlic and fry until fragrant and very light brown, being careful not to let it burn. Add the pork mixture to the pan and fry until it is no longer pink, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula to break it into large crumbles. Add the green beans and fry for about 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Make a well in the center of the pan and pour the sauce into the well. Once it has heated up and starts to thicken and bubble and caramelize (about 1 minute), stir it into the pork and green beans to coat. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Teriyaki Pork Rice Bowl

Today's adventure in cooking is once again brought to you by Just One Cookbook! I turn to Nami's blog for many a Japanese food recipe because it covers a lot of good home cooking recipes that I miss from my host family, and new home cooking recipes to try. Donburi (rice bowls) remains one of my favorite genres of Japanese food, so I was excited to try this when I saw it.

Pork chops are something that can be hard to make interesting. When I was a kid my mom would bread them with crushed crackers and pan fry them, and I liked them even if they could be kind of dry. My husband had only ever had them coated in Shake-n-Bake and it was a frequent meal at his house. He didn't like it all that much to begin with and quickly got sick of it, so for the longest time he was convinced he hated pork chops. He was really suspicious the first time I said I was making pork chops, but once I assured him there would be no Shake-n-Bake anywhere near it he agreed to try it. I am slowly trying to make his knee jerk reaction to the words "pork chops" go away, and so far he's liked all the ways I've prepared them. Just don't call them pork chops when you tell him what it is and it's fine. ;) We've half jokingly taken to calling them "pork steaks" instead, haha.

This, however, was the first way I've had pork chops that I thought was exceptional.

I tripled the recipe since I had a family size package of pork chops, and it seemed like it would make good leftovers. I made very minor substitutions: bottled minced ginger and garlic instead of fresh because it's what I had, and baby spring mix instead of iceberg lettuce. I made sure the garlic was drained really well since it was going to be cooked in oil. I also cooked the sauce down slightly after removing the pork chops from the pan to make it a little thicker. I tasted the sauce all by itself after reserving it from cooking and it seemed like it was missing something, but on top of the finished dish, it's perfect! Resist the urge to add anything to it. I feel like the amount of cornstarch listed is very generous and you could easily do with less; I used maybe 3/4 of that amount.

Verdict: For how easy this is to make, it was REALLY good. My husband also really liked it. I will definitely be making this again!

RECIPE: Teriyaki Pork Donburi

Carnitas (Mexican Braised Pork)

Today's adventure in cooking is brought to you by The Homesick Texan!

My oldest brother introduced this recipe to me when he made it for one of our family gatherings at Christmas. I have made it a couple of times since then, both with my family and on my own. This latest iteration was made while hiding from the insane cold the polar vortex brought this winter. Sounded like the perfect thing to make when it's absolutely frigid outside.

I like to keep it very neutrally flavored so that I can use it for a variety of things. You can put it in any Mexican or Tex-Mex dish that calls for carnitas. You can put barbecue sauce on it and eat it in a sandwich. I've put it in ramen (though I'm not sure everyone would like that).

RECIPE: Carnitas, Houston Style

Chinese Five Spice Chicken

Sometimes you don't know how good you have it until things change. Our local grocery store has a pretty decent Chinese food hot bar, and one of my favorite things on it was Five Spice Chicken. It was not breaded and had a really tasty sweet-salty sauce with Chinese five spice (a savory warming blend of star anise, fennel, clove, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns).

Then one day, it disappeared from the bar and we thought it was just temporary but after a month or so it was still not back. We finally asked why they don't have five spice chicken anymore, and they told us that the cooks that knew how to make it had stopped working at the store. Baffling that they don't have standard recipes since they often have the same things on the bar.

Chinese restaurants in my area don't seem to have it on the menu, so then I decided to see if I could figure out how to make it and came across Marc Matsumoto's recipe. The picture looked really close to what used to be served at the store, so I gave it a go. You marinate skin-on chicken thighs for about a day, then broil in the oven or grill.

Notes:

• I used honey instead of maltose.
• I marinated the chicken for 48 hours and it was quite flavorful.
• It says you can boil the remaining marinade but I had almost none to speak of. If you want an appreciable amount of sauce for your chicken, consider making extra marinade.
• I think this would taste even better grilled.
• I served it with rice and steamed broccoli.

Verdict: It was a lot of work because I only have a small cooking rack and had to cook it in small batches. It was surprisingly close to the stuff at the grocery store! If it had more sauce it would have been perfect. I want to try this again but maybe double the marinade/sauce and see how things go. Rasa Malaysia also has a five spice chicken recipe I might try to compare.

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RECIPE: Chinese Five Spice Chicken