Happy Friday and happy first official weekend of SUMMER 2011.  With that, I offer a recipe that is just right for this weather.  I made this last week, on one of those nights when I was determined to use the half empty containers of food, rinds of cheese, and produce drawer remnants in my refrigerator to make something super yum.  It worked!

Spicy Tomato Tart

1 9″ tart shell, prebaked – I made mine, but do whatever suits your fancy

16 ounces diced tomatoes (my last half of a quart jar that I canned last summer!  Grow tomatoes, grow!)

1 tablespoon chipotles in adobo (I whirl the contents of a can in the food processor and keep in a jar in the fridge)

1 clove garlic, diced or pressed fine

salt, to taste

1/2 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and diced

1 cooked chicken breast, diced

1/4 cup fresh cheese (I used Black Sheep Creamery, but ricotta or cream cheese would be great, too)

1/4 cup white cheese, grated or in small pieces (I used Ancient Heritage Hannah, but jack, cheddar, or a low-moisture mozzarella would be good)

smoked paprika (optional)

Cook the diced tomatoes, chipotle, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Let it get a good boil going and reduce until thick and just a tad watery (5-10 minutes) before adding salt, to your taste.  I should note that this is kind of spicy, so use less chipotle if you don’t want a warm mouth.  Spread the tomato mixture over the tart bottom.  It will look a little chintzy, but I assure you that it is just right.  Spread the bell pepper, chicken, and cheeses evenly over the surface.  Sprinkle with smoked paprika, if desired.  It looks pretty and adds a little flavor.  Bake at 400 until cheese starts to melt (5 minutes?).  Put under the broiler for a minute or two for nice color.

This is delicious served straight from the oven, at room temperature (picnic anyone?), or cold for breakfast the next morning.  It tastes really good with red wine, too.  I’m not normally a fan of reds (oh the headaches!) but we had this bottle of Sokol Blosser Meditrina (I’m a sucker for pretty packaging), and it was just right. Luscious, just like the label said.  Goldilocks was happy.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Alan and Chaz…

Happy Wednesday!

I hope you are warm and happy and getting around safely in all the crazy weather.  I think we Pacific Northwesterners have got the best of the lot, dry and frigid, so I won’t complain about my toes being in a permanent state of cold.  Which also reminds me, the hubster brought home something nasty from the woodshed, tee hee, no not really, from somewhere virus laden, and has been battling a cold for a week.  I was feeling a bit smug thinking my immune system superior and all the yoga I’ve been doing acting like a samurai defense system.  Alas, I have been taken down a peg.  My nose is stuffy and my throat a bright shade of crimson.  Boo.  I still practiced yoga this morning (there’s no stopping the challenge today!), and actually feel a tad better.

Anyhoo, I hosted a little Valentine making party last night with some of the ladies and made these pretzels.  Truth be told, I’ve been on a bit of a pretzel bender.  I’ve made a couple of batches, ordered them at restaurants (Gruner – you’re next! Sorry about the missing umlaut, too.  I can’t make them here.), and gone to the mall just to feed my craving.  As for these, they are pretty darn good: chewy, with a slight crunch, and super easy to make.  The ladies and the hubster loved them, too.  Double happiness!  Or would that be triple?!

Pretzels

adapted from All Recipes

1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees)

3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups warm water (110 degrees – it’s the magic number!)

2 tablespoons baking soda

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons coarse salt

Dissolve the yeast, brown sugar, and salt in the warm milk and 3/4 cup warm water.  Allow to sit until the yeast blooms and is slightly frothy.  Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about eight minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat the surface.  Cover and let rise for one hour.

Grease two full size cookie sheets, set aside.

Combine the 2 cups warm water and baking soda in a bowl with enough room for you to swish your hands.

Cut the risen dough into 12 pieces.  Roll each piece into a long, thin rope, about three feet long.  If you leave it too thick, your pretzels will be more like rolls.  Dip the rope into the warm baking soda and water mixture.  Place on the cookie sheet, and twist into a pretzel shape.  Sprinkle with salt.

Bake at 550 degrees for about 8 minutes or until a dark golden brown.  Brush with butter immediately after removing from the oven.  Remove to a cooling rack.

I recommend eating them as soon as they are cool enough to handle, served plain or with coarse ground mustard.  They’d also be great sprinkled with cinnamon sugar,  black pepper, or garlic.  Come to think of it, I might add coarse ground pepper to the dough next time.

Enjoy!

To be more precise, the preparation of what is left of my egg.  Raised by our friends’ hen, I might add.  I should also mention that I am not engaging in hyperbole.  This simple recipe knocked my socks clean off (now that is some hyperbole!).  I don’t know if you, like me, sometimes have a struggle with egg preparation, specifically, over-easy.  It can be over-difficult and not at all pretty.  Maybe there’s not quite enough butter or oil in the pan; maybe I let it go a tad long; maybe the turn of the wrist isn’t just right, and out oozes the yolk.

Well, my friends, this solves all of those problems, is beyond easy (no flipping!), and the final product looks like something served at a restaurant.  Here’s the score:

butter or olive oil – enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan

Egg (s)

1 tablespoon water for every egg

Heat oil or butter in a small fry pan over medium heat.  Have a lid or a plate large enough to cover the pan on the ready.  When the butter bubbles somewhat briskly but does not burn, add an egg or two.  I haven’t tried three but am pretty confident it would work fine.  Once the bottom of the egg has cooked, meaning it is no longer translucent, add the water.  Immediately cover with the lid or plate, and wait one minute.  Remove the lid and slip the egg out of the pan. It will look gorgeous, and the texture, almost creamy, definitely delectable.

I should note that I found this method over at Duckspoon, (in the breakfast category – basted eggs) a terrific and very informative website focused on home cooking.  They have a quick video if you want to watch the magic!  I would also like to mention that Daniel, the man behind Duckspoon, is an ever so kind and skilled bartender at one of our favorite restaurants, the Country Cat.  He does good things with whiskey.

It’s actually sunny here, so I better get it while the getting is good.

Enjoy!