I had been considering making my usual biscuits and gravy recipe ever since I started the small skillet year, but it seemed like a cop-out as it’s just sausage and a general white gravy with store-bought biscuits.
Thankfully, I found a twist on the traditional recipe that allowed me to make one of my favorites *and* try something new. Bless you, Bon Appetit.
Cornmeal biscuits recipe.
Even if I hadn’t been considering biscuits and gravy all along, this recipe had me from its name that implied to me a south by southwest mash-up.
In place of traditional flour biscuits, a cornmeal-based biscuit that very much resembled cornbread. In place of breakfast sausage, chorizo. In addition to all that, and if it wasn’t filling and unhealthy enough, the addition of cotija and avocado, as well as cilantro and scallions.
Of course, it was a delight.
I’m focusing this week just on the biscuits, as I believe each *could* be made individually, and I felt like throwing too much out at this point could be overwhelming.
Chorizo and/or gravy may not be for everyone, and I feel like it’d be possible to just use store-bought biscuits and use next week’s gravy recipe if one were not inclined to bake biscuits.
So, how did the biscuits turn out?
I was nervous that an 8-inch skillet wouldn’t be enough to separate the biscuit batter, and even using a 9-inch it was a single biscuit instead of distinct ones (however, placing them individually still made it easier to separate once baked). I think it must have been a typo. But a medium-skillet will work; even if you end up with a single biscuit, it’ll be possible to pull them apart.
The taste, though, was amazing. It really was like a cornbread in biscuit form. It’s not that they’re interchangeable, but it was the perfect combination of biscuit consistency with buttermilk cornbread flavors, and it worked really well with the particular gravy recipe. It’d also work as just a biscuit with butter, like I may have done with one leftover biscuit.
I used a little more buttermilk than the recipe called for but otherwise stuck to it, though I might recommend a slightly larger skillet (which may affect cooking time).
The giant singular biscuit still tasted like the perfect cross between biscuits and cornbread. So I don’t care, I love it.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
¾ c. cornmeal
1 T. sugar
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
¼ t. black pepper, freshly ground if possible (I did not measure but grinded generously)
½ c. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¾ to 1 c. buttermilk (I used it all but if your consistency is good and sticky after ¾ c., don’t add more)
Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the pieces are chickpea-sized. Add buttermilk and mix to blend until dough is just combined and sticky.
Drop dough by heaping ¼ cupfuls into a medium cast-iron skillet, spacing if at all possible. Bake, rotating once halfway through, until biscuits are puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly and enjoy with butter or next week’s gravy recipe!
Another week of self-isolation, another simple recipe for the end times.
My sweetie found this simple egg dish from the Add a Pinch blog that managed to use ingredients we mostly had lying around the house. We did end up needing to get more eggs by the time I worked up the energy to make it, but so much of the dish called “eggs in purgatory” includes household staples that make this a simple and tasty breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Eggs in purgatory ingredients.
As is typical when I try to poach eggs, I overcooked them. I pretend that one day I’m going to solve this but I have eaten eggs where the whites aren’t quite done and I would rather eat hard yolks for an eternity than have to eat underdone eggs ever again. So, I will live with my choices.
However, for you dear reader, know that 9 minutes is likely waayyyy too long; three minutes definitely was still too short, so somewhere in between is probably good.
Other than that (not very) helpful advice, the only other key is to use a good tomato sauce as it makes up most of the flavor. I ended up using a straight up pre-made pasta sauce, particularly arrabbiata, so if you have that on hand, it’s even better. Oh, and a good bread to serve this with makes this dish go from good to great.
So simple, so good.
Here’s what I did, slightly adapting the recipe:
Ingredients
~1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 ¼ c. tomato sauce or pasta sauce (the more flavorful the better, but whatever you have on hand will work)
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
¼ t. red pepper flakes (I didn’t measure but did not use a lot as arrabbiata is already semi-spicy)
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ c. fresh parsley, chopped, divided
4 eggs
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
Toasted bread, for serving (optional)
Directions
Drizzle olive oil into a 9- or 10-inch skillet set over medium heat. Once the skillet warms, add the onions and cook about 3 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Then, stir in the tomato/pasta sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Add about half of the parsley and cook for about 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and flavors to meld.
Break eggs into each quarter of the skillet on top of the sauce (the recipe, of course, says to place it into a small bowl first, but I’ve never dirtied another dish *embarrassed face*). Top with the grated cheese and any additional salt and pepper, as desired.
Cover the skillet and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are done to desired level (see note above for how long-ish to do that). Remove from heat, sprinkle on the remaining parsley, and any additional cheese, and enjoy with a fancy bread!
I still can’t get over the fact that since the caucuses have ended, my weekends seem freer. Sure, I’m doing my damnedest to fill them up still, but it’s nothing compared to the anxiety of door-knocking, waiting for door knocks, ignoring the multiple calls and texts a day, and all the ways that I worried about the results. (Going to resist a joke about being careful what I wish for here, but needless to say, it’s not like the weeks since have been any smoother for this recovering political reporter.)
So, with an entire extra day of my weekend to do nothing but clean, go to the library, and talk to my mom, I decided it was a good use of my time to once again try to caramelize onions. It has never once turned out the way it looks on TV and in magazines, but it has continued to taste pretty good. This time was no exception.
Surprise, caramelized onions ingredients include mostly onions.
Also, thanks to a picture-filled guide from Food & Wine, I had more guidance, and a good use for my finished product in a quiche.
That’s right. This is a two-fer.
Caramelized onion quiche ingredients.
However, I quickly disposed of the quiche recipe provided and substituted my own version that mirrored something my sweetie had made before. I learned the joys of adding walnuts to a pie crust, of the potentially overwhelming flavor of moldy cheese, and of the fact that a braiser is an amazing pie dish (As a long-time pie lady, I will remember that last one!).
Even if the onions overcooked, didn’t get as moist, and blackened the bottom of my pan, it really only sped up the process of cooking the onions (and reminding me again to adapt!), and they tasted fine. My only regret on the onions is halving the recipe that means we ended up with just enough left over after the cup that went into the quiche to add to the top of two veggie burgers.
For the quiche, I skipped the 1 c. of diced ham, and replaced it with walnuts and Gorgonzola, about a cup-ish of each. However, the 4 oz. of Gorgonzola was a tiny bit overwhelming for me, even as my sweetie adored its flavor. In addition, I added some parsley and some pepper, and tested adding about a half cup of ground walnuts into the pie crust for extra walnut flavor.
The crust was an extra joy, and I have plans for doing that again already. Everything else was also a joy, though YMMV with the Gorgonzola.
It actually couldn’t have been a better way to celebrate the day off than to spend it in the kitchen making something this special.
Couldn’t resist eating some before taking a picture. Oops.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
For the caramelized onions
2 lb. yellow onions, halved and sliced vertically
2 t. vegetable oil
2 t. salt
~¼ to ½ c. water
For the quiche
1 pie crust (my typical is 1 ¼ c. flour, 8 T. butter, 1 t. salt, ice water to form; with this I used ¾ c. flour and added ½ c. ground walnuts… but any crust will due)
1 c. caramelized onions
6 eggs
1 c. heavy cream
2 to 4 oz. Gorgonzola (use according to your love of Gorgonzola; 4 oz. was a bit much for me)
1 c. chopped walnuts
2 T. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
For the caramelized onions
Heat the oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet or braiser on the stove top over medium-high heat. Add half the onions, turning to coat them in oil. Cook for about 2 minutes, and then add the remaining onions by the handful, using tongs to continue to coat the onions. The pan will be kind of full, but the onions will reduce, and continue to reduce. Once the onions are added, continue to cook for about 3 more minutes, adding salt to draw more moisture out. Reduce heat to medium, cover the skillet (braiser), and cook about 10 more minutes, when hopefully a pool of liquid will have collected (it didn’t for me). Remove lid, and continue to cook the onions, folding them over each other and scraping the bottom of the pan as necessary. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 35 minutes. (If like me, there’s not much liquid, just keep stirring and cooking and gauge by color, not by time.) Scrape the bottom of the pan and shape the onions into a patty; add water as/if they stick to the pan, until the browned bits are loosened as much as possible. Keep cooking, stirring often, until the onions look the color of bourbon (that’s from the recipe but good advice!), up to another 35 to 45 minutes, as needed. Remove from heat and use/serve as desired.
For the quiche
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out the pie dough to fit in a 9- to 10-inch braiser, or skillet. Lay the dough into the braiser/skillet, pressing around the edges, and shaping the ends as desired. Poke with a fork, layer with pie weights or aluminum foil and dried beans. Bake for about 15 minutes, until parboiled.
Meanwhile, in a large boil, mix together the eggs, cream, onions, gorgonzola, walnuts, parsley, and salt and pepper.
When the crust is ready, remove pie weights, and pour in the egg mixture.
Carefully place braiser/skillet back in the oven, and bake for about 35 minutes until the eggs have set and the top is browned, and enjoy!
It’s been nearly a decade since my family made a trip to Spain. It was, as many family trips, an experience filled with unforgettable moments, both good and bad. I’m thinking Vacation here, but like, scaled-to-reality levels of joys and traumas.
Among my favorite memories, though, was our cooking class with Josetxo.
I learned about drinking wine to cure hangovers, how to make mayonnaise from scratch, and the joys of anchovies. I also learned how to make a tortilla.
Frittata (*cough cough* tortilla) ingredients.
To American ears, this is not what you’d expect. It’s like a large frittata, not a flat flour- or corn-based wrapper for tacos or burritos. It was also the simplest and most satisfactory meal I knew immediately I’d be bringing to my kitchen at home.
My only issue with it is that it’s an egg dish that requires flipping, which usually results in a kind of eggy plate. Of course, in Spain, they make matching skillets that take care of this with ease. I never sprung for one, so I do it the difficult way.
That is, until I found a frittata — the French version of the Spanish dish — that had all the Spanish flavors I was hoping for … and some greens too.
Thanks to Bon Appetit I could make this at home easier.
However, I still am no expert in using my own broiler. The recipe said to cook in the broiler for 5 minutes; it was brown after 2 and not jiggly, but cutting in to the eggy dish revealed it was not finished yet. Trial and error minutes later it was ready. Thankfully, it never got browner but it was touch and go there for a bit.
Either way, it was worth it. I got a cleaner plate but still got my fix of eggs, potatoes, and Spanish chorizo.
Seriously, eggs, potatoes, and chorizo (and sure, greens) are the simplest but most incredible meal.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
8 large eggs
1 c. Manchego cheese, grated
1 T. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 T. chives, chopped
4 oz. Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced (I used D’Artangnan chorizo, and 1 sausage link was 1 oz, shy but I went with it because I used extra cheese)
½ small onion, diced
6 fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced
1 small bunch Swiss chard, ribs and stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Heat broiler.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl, and whisk in the cheese and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
On the stove top, add the oil and cook the chorizo in a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet, over medium heat. After the chorizo is crisped, about 3 minutes, transfer to plate. Then, add the onion to the oiled skillet (or braiser), and season with salt, stirring often. Cook for about 1 minute, and then add the potatoes, until they are just softened, about 5 more minutes. Add the chard in batches, and cook each batch until wilted and fits in the skillet. Add salt and pepper, and mix back in the chorizo.
Pour the egg mixture on top of the sausage mix, tilting to ensure even distribution. Cook for about 2 minutes on the stove top, and then transfer to the oven and broil until the egg is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Again, it seemed to me to be done after about 2 and then wasn’t so keep a close eye to ensure it’s not burnt but the eggs are also cooked through.)
Run a spatula around the edges to loosen, and slide on to a plate (or cut into wedges), and enjoy!
This recipe was recommended to me, and as soon as I saw it, I had to move it to the top of the queue. And not just because I was too lazy to come up with anything else on my own.
Mostly, the breakfast Yorkshire pudding recipe won me over with bacon, a limited ingredient list, and, of course, a specific skillet size. Like last week, it did say 10 inches, but I was hoping that 9 inches would work Spoiler: It was fine.
Yorkshire pudding with eggs ingredients.
Aside from the skillet size, I pretty much obediently followed the recipe from Serious Eats. Since I was using a slightly smaller dish, I did start checking the oven a little sooner, but unlike last week, the change in size didn’t seem to affect the cooking time.
Overall, I frickin’ loved this recipe.
I am glad I read it the night before I planned to make the Yorkshire pudding, because the batter should be made the night before (and up to three nights before). It was really quick, so it wasn’t a problem, but it would have been had I checked it Saturday morning.
My only two notes for the next time (or, more importantly, for readers):
The recipe recommends cooking the bacon for about 8 minutes before adding the batter. It didn’t look quite done so I did it for a minute or two longer … but I didn’t realize that much of the bacon would continue to cook slightly in the oven, so it was quite well done and this is coming from someone who likes her bacon extra crunchy. Next time, let it cook for 8 minutes (or until mostly done) and call it good enough.
Honestly, and this is just a taste thing for me, I would skip making the fried eggs to serve on top, and instead use the optional Hollandaise sauce that I skipped. I enjoy a fried egg just fine, but it’s nothing special to me (unless served on top of fried potatoes with hot sauce), and I also frickin’ love Hollandaise. I should have included it, but it was optional and I was lazy. But for my tastes, I’d rather enjoy this bread-y treat with an eggy sauce than with just eggs.
The only other thing I know for next time is that there will be a next time.
Eggy pudding with 2 eggs. So good, but so lacking in Hollandaise.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
3 large eggs (plus 4 more for serving, if desired)
~¾ c. flour
~½ c. plus 1 T. whole milk
~1 ½ T. water
½ t. salt
8 oz. bacon, diced (I used kitchen shears)
2 oz. grated Parmesan (optional, but not for me)
Hollandaise sauce (optional, but not for me in the future)
Directions
Combine (3) eggs, flour, milk, water, and a half teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl, and whisk until a smooth batter is formed. Refrigerate overnight (and up to three days). Remove from refrigerator during preparation.
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Meanwhile, heat the 9- to 10-inch skillet on the stovetop. Once warmed, add the diced bacon. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until crisp and mostly browned, about 8 minutes (don’t overcook; it will continue to cook a bit in the oven).
Pour prepared batter into the skillet once bacon is ready and immediately transfer to oven.
Bake until the batter is puffed, and deep brown and crispy, about 20 to 25 minutes (I started checking at 15 minutes for my 9-inch braiser; it was fine but best to err on the side of caution and check earlier if using 9-inch skillet).
About 5 minutes before pudding is ready, sprinkle on the Parmesan (if using). At about the same time, begin to prepare the (4) fried eggs to your liking (if using) and/or the Hollandaise sauce (if using). Enjoy!
My mom got me a great gift for Christmas a couple years ago. All this silly chef could ask for, really. A Le Creuset. With a beautiful lilac finish. That I just love.
The problem? There isn’t one at all. Except that for years and years I’ve been thinking too big, most recently with sheet pans and Dutch ovens, and my little pseudo-skillet hasn’t gotten nearly as much love as it deserves. So, this year, I’m thinking small.
While I’ll be using my specialty equipment (sold as a braiser, apparently), the recipes I’ll be making this year will work in a 9- or 10-inch skillet, though a lid (or some aluminum foil) will be useful this week, and likely throughout the year.
I’ve done some minor research on recipes to ensure that I’ll have plenty to work with, but it’s not super easy to find recipes that say the exact size of the pan, pot, or otherwise that should be used for each recipe.
My vague memory is that pies were a rare exception among the hundreds of recipes I’ve looked at since recording my foodie adventures that specify the size of the equipment I should be using. So aside from thinking small, the challenge this year will be kind of a more literal version of “if it fits, I cooks.”
Mexican breakfast ingredients that fits so I cooks.
Mercifully, as I was thinking small, I remembered that one of my favorite cookbooks (another Christmas gift, this one from my brother) has recipes that uses just 5 ingredients. Now, this doesn’t have to mean small, but there are options. And even better, the author Jamie Oliver does occasionally list the size skillet. None were my 22 cm small, but several were close enough. I hoped.
With my fingers crossed, I tried my first recipe and prayed that a can of beans plus 4 other ingredients would fit. If it didn’t, I may have been reassessing my choice. I breathed a heavy, happy sigh of relief when my first test of Mexican breakfast was a success. I still overcooked the eggs.
I’m still working out some kinks in becoming an expert but I hope you, dear readers, will be patient and stick with me through the ride. Welcome to small skillet 2020!
Perfect Saturday breakfast for two, and maybe kinda healthy too.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
1 can (14 oz.) black beans
4 eggs
½ jalapeno, diced, divided
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
Juice from 1 lime
Olive oil
Directions
Add the olive oil to your small (9- to 10-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add about half the diced peppers. Once they start to sizzle, crack in the eggs, and then immediately spoon in the black beans, including about half the juice from the tin. Cover and simmer the eggs to your liking, probably around 4 to 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the avocado slices by squeezing on some lime juice.
Once the eggs are ready, remove from heat, top the mixture with the avocado around the pan, and then add the remaining peppers, and enjoy!
I was looking for another savory breakfast food when I was reminded that for years I’ve thought about making the Middle Eastern egg and sauce dish called shakshuka.
There were no hard-to-find ingredients; it just never quite made the cut when I was looking for something new to try. Until this week.
Green shakshuka ingredients.
My now-beloved Cook It In Your Dutch Oven cookbook even had a recipe all ready for me. Sure, it’s a different take than the traditional — it has a green sauce rather than a red tomato-based one. But that sounded even better. I can always use more greens in my diet.
The recipe turned out fine, if not my favorite. It calls for adding herbs in at the end, though I think adding them to the base sauce and then again at the end would be better — so that more of their flavor seeps into the sauce but also has the fresh zip that their late addition adds. (I should add that my sweetie quite liked the dish so maybe I just don’t appreciate greens as much as I should.)
Other than that, be prepared to buy a lot of Swiss chard, and preferably the kind without red stems if you want it to look vibrant green rather than my brownish-green.
Look at all those beautiful herbs. Noms.
Here’s what I did, roughly following the recipe (though changing some proportions):
Ingredients
3 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed and reserved and leaves chopped
12 oz. baby spinach
¼ c. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
Salt, to taste
2 t. ground coriander
½ c. vegetable broth
1 c. frozen peas
2 T. lemon juice
8 eggs
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 T. chopped dill (I recommend more for sauce)
2 T. fresh mint (I recommend a little more for sauce)
1 t. dried Aleppo pepper, optional (I had on hand but it’s a mild crushed pepper so regular crushed pepper isn’t a good substitute unless you want to add a little spice)
Directions
Chop chard stems to yield 1 cup. Discard the rest or save for another use.
Heat Dutch oven on medium heat. Add 2 T. olive oil. Add the chard stems, onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and coriander, and cook for about another minute.
Add the chard leaves and spinach (I had to do it in batches so they would wilt down), and cook until wilted but still green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Here I’d recommend adding some herbs for more flavor, to taste. Remove the mixture from heat and add 1 to 1 ½ c. of the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, about a minute. Stir the blended mix back into the Dutch oven.
Add lemon juice and peas, and stir.
Place back on heat, medium to medium-low. Make 4 indentations in the mix and crack 2 eggs into each indentation. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper, if using, and more salt as desired. Cover the pot and cook until egg whites are just set, 5 to 10 minutes (You have to keep a close eye on it). Remove from heat and let sit, covered, until the whites are fully set, another 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the herbs, feta, and drizzle with more olive oil.
During my year of bread, babka — or the similar povitica — was always on my list but I was too afraid to spend the time needed to make this beautiful treat.
Fate tempted me back when I found a wonderful looking babka recipe in my Cook It In Your Dutch Oven cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen.
I won’t lie, it’s a multi-day affair. That bothers me less now that I work your standard 9 to 5 with weekends free. But it does take some planning, say, when you’re scheduled to have 3 hours of your afternoon spent at the theater with Avengers: Endgame.
Forgot an ingredients photo but here’s my table with the 18 x 24 dough covered in filling, pre-roll.
Even with that, I found it to be worth the effort. So much so that I made it two weeks in a row. (I may have also seen Endgame two weeks in a row.)
Mostly I just wanted to try to redo the recipe with my favorite filling. I know, I know it’s sacrilege to think there’s something better than chocolate, but I frickin’ love cream cheese filling.
The second time worked slightly better in some ways, but I think that’s mostly just the nature of breads. Sometimes the mix needs some tweaking.
My first attempt had the stand mixer get the dough perfectly concocted in well short of the 10 to 12 minutes recommended, so I stopped it. But that meant that I had to let my dough rise for longer because the yeast didn’t activate as well. The second time it was sticky and slow like it was supposed to so everything rose well.
The second time my filling was softer because I probably could have used a little more cream cheese. (I replaced 12 oz. of chocolate chunks/cocoa with 8 oz. cream cheese, and I think 12 oz. may have made a better, thicker consistency, but it still worked.) The first time it was smooth and just stiff enough to spread and keep a nice firm shape.
Either way, as long as you’ve done a handful of breads before, I think anyone can make this one. It wasn’t even *that* hard to make it look pretty.
The creamy cream cheese one.The gooey chocolate one.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
For Dough
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. yeast (The recipe calls for instant or rapid-rise, which I didn’t use. If you knead well in the stand mixer, it didn’t seem to matter. I had a good rise the second time.)
1 t. salt
1 c. whole milk (I used 2% the second time and didn’t notice any major differences.)
½ c. granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 t. vanilla extract
2 sticks (16 T.) butter, softened
For Chocolate Filling
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick (8 T.) butter
6 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ c. confectioners’ sugar
2 large egg whites
For Cream Cheese Filling
8 to 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick (8 T.) butter
½ c. confectioners’ sugar
2 large egg whites
For Finishing
1 large egg, lightly beaten, with 1 T. water and pinch of salt
Directions
For Dough
Whisk together flour, yeast, and salt, in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a separate bowl (that holds at least 4 c.), mix together the milk, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla, until the sugar has dissolved. Use a dough hook attachment on low, and begin to slowly add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, and continue to mix until the dough starts to form.
Increase the speed on the stand mixer to medium-low, and add the 2 sticks of butter 1 T. at a time, until the butter is fully incorporated, about 3 to 4 minutes. Continue to knead in the stand mixer for another 10 to 12 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and clears the sides of the bowls. (Like I said, this happened within a couple minutes the first time, and I should have kneaded by hand for longer instead of stopping when a clump formed, but the second time it was definitely too sticky to handle until about 10 to 12 minutes, and I even added a titch more flour.)
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead by hand for about 30 seconds and form a smooth, round ball. Place the dough, seam side down, in a large greased bowl. Cover and let rise by about half for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Once risen, refrigerate dough until it is firm, at least 1 hour to up to 24 hours (an ideal time to go watch a long action-packed superhero movie). Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes if you refrigerate for much longer than an hour.
For (either) Filling
Microwave the chocolate chunks, cocoa, and butter OR the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl for about 3 minutes at 50 percent power, stirring often, until the mixture has melted and a smooth, soft filling forms. Add the confectioners’ sugar, and then let cool for about 30 minutes. Then, whisk in the egg whites, until fully combined and the mixture looks glossy (less noticeable with the cream cheese filling, so mix well).
To Combine
Press the dough down to deflate, and then transfer to a lightly floured counter (I had to use my whole damn kitchen table so make sure you have space). Roll dough into an 18 inch by 24 inch rectangle, keeping the shorter side parallel to the counter. Once rolled out, spread the filling on the dough, leaving about a ½ inch border around the edge.
Roll the dough away from you into a firm, taut cylinder. Pinch to close the seam. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate (on a large baking sheet if possible but mine weren’t big enough so I just cleared a space on a shelf) for about 30 minutes.
To Finish
Meanwhile, make a foil sling for the Dutch oven by folding in half 2 long sheets of aluminum foil, so you have 2 long, roughly 7 inch sheets. Place sheets perpendicular to each other, like a lowercase t, and carefully smooth down into the Dutch oven bowl. Spray with a little bit of oil.
When dough is ready, transfer the log back to the lightly floured counter with the short end facing you. Carefully cut the dough in half lengthwise so that you will have the swirls of filling facing up to you. Pinch together the two dough halves and then braid end over end, as tightly as possible. Pinch the second end together, and then wrap into a spiral with the ends tucked underneath.
Put the dough in the prepared Dutch oven, and let rise for another 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and brush the egg mixture on top of the dough.
Cover pot, and bake for about 20 minutes. Uncover, rotate pot, and continue to bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, until the loaf is a deep golden brown.
Lift dough out of pot using the foil overhang, and let cool completely (about 3 hours) on a wire rack, and then finally, enjoy!
I love it in all its forms, but one of my favorites is the one I made earlier this year, since it’s so simple and yet so tasty. I also love the store-bought jalapeno-cheddar bread, but I’d never thought to make it myself.
Then, I came across a recipe from 50 Campfires that pretty much combined the two. It basically took the recipe I used earlier this year, and then just added jalapenos and cheddar.
I forgot to snap a pic before I started, but picture the ingredients from my earlier bread recipe and then picture them mostly combined to look like this floury dough ball.
I decided to give it a shot.
My only concern as I was making it was the sheer amount of jalapenos. I like spicy but I have my limits, and this bread includes two in the dough (and rises for nearly 24 hours with them in it) and then one on top.
Mercifully, if you follow the instructions to remove the seeds from the two that go in the dough and just keep them for the one on top, it’s not overly spicy. There’s a little kick from the top slices but otherwise, it’s pretty mild. I’m sure the yeast and cheese help.
It’s more effort than store-bought but even better, and considering how quickly this stuff disappeared, I’ll be making it again (and again).
The cutest and tastiest little ball of bread ever.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. active dry yeast
1 t. salt
1 c. grated sharp cheddar, divided (I didn’t really measure but this is a good reference amount)
3 jalapeno peppers, divided
1 ½ c. warm water
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add in all but 4 T. of the grated cheddar cheese. Seed and chop two of the jalapenos, and add into the flour mix. Stir to combine all.
Add the water, and stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms (a dough scraper works really well for this).
Cover the bowl, preferably with plastic wrap (grease it if you expect it to rise to touch the wrap). Let the dough rise in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) for 12 to 24 hours.
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Place the Dutch oven in the oven, covered, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the dough to a heavily floured surface and shape it into a rounded loaf, but don’t knead it.
When the Dutch oven is ready, carefully remove from oven and remove lid. Carefully place the dough inside, and cover again. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Carefully remove from oven, and remove lid. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the remaining cheddar, and the sliced jalapeno (with seeds, if desired) and set slices on top. Bake uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes until the bread and cheese are golden brown.
Carefully remove loaf from the Dutch oven, place on a rack to cool (for at least an hour before slicing), and enjoy!
When I made this week’s recipe, I was mad at myself for not making it sooner and not making it more often throughout my life. Seriously, what have I been doing missing out on the best, easiest brunch dish ever?!
Strata is the ultimate impress-company-without-doing-much-work meal, and I didn’t think to make it regularly so that I could have breakfast, brunch, and/or lunch for almost a week. I’ve been a fool.
Strata ingredients.
I’ve learned my lesson now, though.
Recipes abound for how to make this but there’s no real universal dish or way to make it, so I did it my way, and therefore I loved it. But this is one of those recipes where you can substitute pretty much anything.
For my tastes, I wanted sausage, pepper, and onion. I also wanted the, well, sour taste of sourdough bread instead of the plainer french bread. But your mileage may vary and that’s fine.
Prefer bacon? Do it. Hate onions? Skip ‘em, or replace with another veggie.
Oh, and it can all be made in one pot.
It’s truly an amazing dish and so universal. I’ll definitely be making it again soon.
*nom nom noms*
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
1 lb. breakfast sausage
1 T. oil, depending on how fatty your sausage is
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 sourdough boule, roughly torn into pieces
2 c. cheese, plus more for topping (I used Cabot’s Mac & Cheese that’s a mix of Parmesan, Swiss, and cheddar, but whatever works)
12 eggs
3 c. milk
1 ½ t. dried oregano
1 ½ t. dried (or fresh) basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
The night before you plan to cook the strata, thoroughly cook the sausage (using oil if necessary) in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, adding onions and peppers part-way through so that they are softened.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.
Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, milk, herbs and spices, and cheese. Place the torn bread pieces in the Dutch oven with the sausage mix, and stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture. It’s OK if it’s a little soupy, as the bread will absorb it over time.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight.
In the morning, heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the Dutch oven, still covered, in the oven and bake the mixture for 45 minutes to an hour until the the eggs are cooked through, adding another half cup or so of cheese to the top about 15 minutes before the dish is complete.
