Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Roasted Eggplant with Saffron Yogurt, Orange Segments, Arugula and Walnuts

and

• • Garlic Hummus with Whole Wheat Pita Bread
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  • Whole Wheat Pita Bread
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  • 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (105–115°F)
  • 2 cups bread flour or high-gluten flour, plus additional for kneading
  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Cornmeal for sprinkling baking sheets
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  • Stir together yeast, honey, and 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
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  • While yeast mixture stands, stir together flours in another bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup flour mixture into yeast mixture until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Stir in oil, salt, remaining 3/4 cup warm water, and remaining 2 1/2 cups flour mixture until a dough forms.
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  • Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, working in just enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
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  • Punch down dough and cut into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Flatten 1 ball, then roll out into a 6 1/2- to 7-inch round on floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer round to 1 of 2 baking sheets lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 7 more rounds in same manner, arranging them on baking sheets. Loosely cover pitas with 2 clean kitchen towels (not terry cloth) and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
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  • Set oven rack in lower third of oven and remove other racks. Preheat oven to 500°F.

Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, directly onto oven rack. Bake until just puffed and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs and bake 1 minute more. Cool pitas on a cooling rack 2 minutes, then stack and wrap loosely in a kitchen towel to keep pitas warm. Bake remaining 4 pitas in same manner. Serve warm.

Thanksgiving Apple Pie

Looks wonderful doesn't it? We used the recipe that we had collected from a pie-making class.

For those who prefer not to squint  the recipe is below.

That recipe calls for mixing the dough in a food processor. Well - we wanted to follow directions but do not have a decent food processor, so we had to work with what we had:

Somehow, we were able to mix up all of this in that little guy...and it turned out just fantastic....though next time, if by then we do not have a decent food processor, I'll stick to a pastry cutter!

Flaky Pie Dough

from Baking Arts

yields 1 double crust of 2 bottom crusts

2.5 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

6 oz butter, chilled (1.5 sticks)

1/4 cup vegetable shortening or lard 

1/2 cup cold water + more if needed

For best results on warm days, chill flour in a covered metal bowl for 30 minutes. Place dry ingredients and shortening or lard in the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 15 seconds until it has the appearance of sand. Add the butter and pulse in 1 second increments until the butter is no larger than small  pebbles. 

Turn mixture into a mixing bowl and drizzle in almost all of the water. Fold together using a plastic scraper or spatula. Add additional water, if needed, to blend all the ingredients. Chill for 2 hours before using. Can be frozen for several months.

Rolling and Forming:

Lightly flour table and dough on both sides. Work rolling pin over the dough to help soften and flatten. Begin rolling dough, pivot dough frequently to keep dough a round shape and to check for sticking. Dust with flour as required. Press edges together if they crack. Roll dough to 1/8" thick. Place dough into a 9" pie pan. Allow dough to rest in bottom edges of pie tin. 

Trim dough 1/2 past the edge of the pie tin. Chill and rest dough before filling and topping with second crust. 

If creating a single crust pie, fold overhanging edge under itself so the dough is resting on the edge of the pie tin. Crimp edges of dough. 

For double crust pie, after placing second rough of dough on top, trim top crust to 1/2 inch and fold the bottom and top edges of dough under and crimp.

Homemade Pizza Dough from Cook's Illustrated

Margarita

Speck, Artichoke, Arugula and Burrata

Homemade pizza dough from Cooks Illustrated recipe:

Pizza Dough from Cooks Illustrated
published May 1, 1995

This dough can be used for any size pizza with thick or thin crust; simply adjust the cooking time to fit the pizza. Make sure you heat the oven to 500 degrees for thirty minutes before you start cooking. Your tiles or stone need at least that long to heat up; if they’re not properly heated, your pizza crust will be thin, blond, and limp. Once the dough for the crust has been topped, use a quick jerking action to slide it off the peel and onto the hot tiles or stone; make sure that the pizza lands far enough back so that its front edge does not hang off. For a cornmeal-flavored dough, substitute three-quarters cup of cornmeal for three-quarters cup of the bread flour. Editor's Note: This recipe was updated in 1997, when we found that adding more water resulted in a tastier pizza. This recipe contains a total of 1 3/4 cups water, while the original that appeared in the magazine in 1995 contains 1 1/2 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups water divided, 1/2 cup warm, remaining at tap temperature
• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 envelope)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing dough
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• Vegetable oil (or cooking spray) for oiling bowl
• Semolina for dusting peel

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Measure 1/4 cup of warm water into 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup warm water plus remaining 1 1/4 cups tap water and olive oil. Meanwhile, pulse flour and salt in workbowl of large food processor fitted with steel blade to combine. Add liquid ingredients (holding back a tablespoon or so) to flour and pulse together. If dough does not readily form into ball, stop machine, add remaining liquid, and continue to pulse until ball forms. Process until dough is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds longer.
2. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand with a few strokes to form smooth, round ball. Put dough into medium-large, oiled bowl, and cover with damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
3. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and use chef’s knife or dough scraper to halve, quarter, or cut dough into eighths, depending on number and size of pizzas desired. Form each piece into ball and cover with damp cloth. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape as shown in illustrations below. Transfer to pizza peel that has been lightly coated with semolina, brush dough very lightly with olive oil before topping and cooking.
4. Use the following guide to determine cooking time for pizza crust with topping but without cheese. All pizzas need to be cooked an additional two or three minutes after adding cheese, or until cheese is completely melted.

Molasses Spice Cookies with Orange Essence (from Cooks Illustrated)

This recipe, from Cooks Illustrated, is a real winner. I have gotten nearly perfect results every time I have tried it. They are soft and chewy and have a real kick with the ginger and a bit of brightness from the orange zest. A perfect holiday treat!

Molasses Spice Cookies with Orange Essence (from Cooks Illustrated)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup granulated sugar (about 7 ounces) 
• 3 teaspoons grated orange zest 
• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (11 1/4 ounces) 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt 
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool 
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar (about 2 1/2 ounces) 
• 1 large egg yolk 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/2 cup molasses (about 6 ounces), light or dark 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In workbowl of food processor, process 2/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons orange zest until pale orange, about 10 seconds; transfer sugar to 8- or 9-inch cake pan and set aside. 
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in medium bowl until thoroughly combined; set aside.
3. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and 1 teaspoon grated orange zest with brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses; beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to lowest setting; add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl down once. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Dough will be soft.
4. Using tablespoon measure, scoop heaping tablespoon of dough and roll between palms into 1 1/2-inch ball; drop ball into cake pan with sugar and repeat to form about 4 balls. Toss balls in orange sugar to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), about 11 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake. 
5. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature and serve. (Can be stored at room temperature in airtight container or zipper-lock plastic bag up to 5 days.)                                                                                                                          

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON

A Thanksgiving staple at our house.

Yield: 4 servings

 INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
• 2 medium white onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves removed and trimmed
• 4 ounces slab bacon, cut into medium cubes (about ¼ cup)
• 5 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 medium lemon Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
• Crushed red chile flakes

 DIRECTIONS

1.  In a large skillet set over low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are sweet and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2.  In a large stockpot, blanch the Brussels sprouts in salted, boiling water until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the Brussels sprouts from the water and set aside to cool. Cut some of the larger Brussels sprouts in half but leave the smaller ones whole.
3. In a medium skillet set over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp on all sides, about 5 minutes. Pour off the excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the halved Brussels sprouts cut side down to the pan and cook without stirring over medium heat until the sprouts are tender and nicely caramelized. Add the remaining sprouts to the pan and cook until browned, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the caramelized onions and sage. Finish the dish with a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice, sea salt, chile flakes and a drizzle of olive oil, all to taste. Serve immediately.

Gingersnap Streusel Pumpkin Pie

This has easily become my favorite Thanksgiving dessert. Never being a huge fan of pumpkin pie in the past, I was looking for a twist on the classic when I was tasked with hosting my first Thanksgiving (original post here). Fast-forward a few years and this pie has become a staple at my Thanksgiving table. This pie is outstanding in every way. It has a bit of crunch from the pecans and some additional spice and depth of flavor from the gingersnaps that make this level above the traditional pumpkin pie.

Gingersnap Streusel Pumpkin Pie 

1 flaky pie crust, unbaked
2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 40)
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup melted butter
1 15 oz can pumpkin

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup ground ginger

Streusel:
¼ cup flour
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp melted butter
¾ cup chopped pecans.

Preheat oven to 350F. Fit pie crust into a 9 inch deep pie pan (preferably ceramic). Fold edges under and crimp as desired. Stir together crushed gingersnaps, chopped pecans, powdered sugar and melted butter. Press mixture on the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of the pie crust.

Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes).

Whisk together pumpkin and next 6 ingredients until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Place pie on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. 

Sprinkle streusel around the edge of the crust. Bake 40 minutes longer or until set, shielding edges with aluminum foil during last 25 minutes of baking if necessary. Insert gingersnap cookies around edge of crust. Let cool completely.

Serve with fresh, whipped cream.

Root Vegetable Pan Roast with Chestnuts and Apples

A fantastic side dish for Thanksgiving can came out wonderfully. I used Satsuma sweet potatoes (a Japanese variety with light flesh rather than orange) that I found to be really delicious. They were sweet and had a wonderful texture. And the blend of the sweet vegetables and fruit with a savory vinegar sauce created the perfect balance of ingredients that were a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving feast.

Root Vegetable Pan Roast with Chestnuts and Apples 

1. 1/2 cup cider vinegar
2. 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or canned low-sodium broth
3. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4. 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup  (I substituted honey)
5. 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
6. 2 medium red onions, each cut into 8 wedges through the core
7. 1 cup vacuum-packed whole chestnuts (6 ounces)
8. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
9. 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
10. Salt and freshly ground pepper
11. 2 medium beets, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
12. 2 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and cut into eighths

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, combine the cider vinegar, chicken stock, butter and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large shallow roasting pan, toss the sweet potatoes, onions and chestnuts with the olive oil and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Tuck the beets among the other vegetables and roast for 20 minutes. Gently turn the vegetables, add the apples and roast for 20 minutes longer, or until all of the vegetables and the apples are tender and lightly browned. Add the sauce and toss gently. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Rosemary Bread Stuffing with Speck, Fennel, and Lemon

Anything with Fennel, Lemon, and Rosemary is automatically delicious in my book so when I saw this recipe for a dressing/stuffing for Thanksgiving, my decision was simple. Though this recipe has quite a few components to it and requires some time, it was well worth it. I made this as a "dressing" - i.e. outside of the turkey - and I wonder - why is it only once a year that we make this type of dish? It is a fantastic and flavorful side dish that would go well with any normal chicken or meat dish - at any time of year. Though perhaps the rarity of eating dressing/stuffing makes it all the more special. This one was no disappointment.

Rosemary Bread Stuffing with Speck, Fennel, and Lemon
Bon Appétit | November 2010

• 1 14 1/2- to 16-ounce purchased rosemary-olive bread, crust removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
• 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted, divided 
• 1/3 cup dry white wine 
• 1/3 cup golden raisins 
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 
• 2 cups chopped fresh fennel bulb (from 1 large) plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh fennel fronds 
• 1 cup finely chopped shallots 
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 8 ounces thinly sliced Speck or prosciutto, coarsely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel 
• 1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth 
• 2 large eggs, beaten to blend 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss bread cubes, 3 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons melted butter in large bowl. Spread mixture on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bread cubes are golden, stirring occasionally, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool. (Before Baking - and EVOO/butter)

(After Baking)

Mix wine and raisins in small saucepan; let soak 10 minutes. Boil 2 minutes. Cool. Stir fennel seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and slightly darker, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer fennel seeds to plate to cool. Finely grind seeds in mortar with pestle or in spice mill. Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel bulb, shallots, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; sauté until fennel is tender and shallots are pale golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in ground fennel seeds, Speck, lemon peel, and fennel fronds. Stir raisins into fennel mixture; cool. DO AHEAD: Bread cubes and fennel mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Store bread airtight at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate fennel mixture.

Preheat to 375°F. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Toss bread cubes and fennel mixture in large bowl. Add 1 cup broth and eggs; toss until moistened, adding up to ¼ cup more broth if dry. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil coated lightly with oil, oiled side down. Bake until stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until top is crisp and golden, about 30 minutes.

Sweet Pumpkin Muffins

When I think of the holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas - there are a few key dishes that stand out in my mind as every year MUSTS as it would simply not be the holidays without them. These Sweet Pumpkin Muffins are one of those recipes. And for years now, I've been helping to make them...whipping up multiple batches as they seems to disappear as quickly as they are made. Perhaps this has something to do with that fact that we always make them in mini-muffin form. That way you can snack on them throughout the day. A large muffin is much more of a commitment but when you can simply pick up a three-biter (more or less) as you roam around the house - I find myself incorporating these delicious muffins into my diet throughout the day. They also always make their way to the Thanksgiving dinner table (yes, muffins for dinner...remember my family also served fruit pizza -aka sugar cookie dough with cream cheese frosting and fruit - for dinner). We are the "Sugermeyers"!

 So this year, when I spent my first Thanksgiving without my family, I had to bring part of them into my apartment and did so by whipping up a batch of these muffins. And though I tweaked them slightly (added a little chinese five spice and vanilla), they still served their purpose to bring me to my family through memorable food. While these muffins may not bring back nostalgic feelings to everyone who eats them, they are sure to please - and hopefully - become a part of your daily diet while they are still around in the home! Enjoy!

Sweet Pumpkin Muffins

• 1 ½ cups flour 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp. Baking powder 
• ½ tsp. Baking soda 
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp. Cloves 
• 1/4 tsp. Chinese Five Spice Powder 
• ½ cup raisins 
• 1 cup chopped pecans 
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla 
• 4 Tbs. butter 
• 2 eggs 
• 4 Tbs. plain yogurt or sour cream 
• 1 cup pumpkin puree 

Mix dry ingredients, add raisins and pecans. In separate bowl, melt butter, add eggs and beat well. Add vanilla, yogurt/sour cream and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Mix contents of bowls and stir until barely combined, but still lumpy. Pour batter into muffin tin cups. Fill each cup no more than 2/3 full. Bake 375 for 25 minutes for large muffins or 15 minutes for mini muffins. Makes 12 large muffins and 12 mini muffins.

Israeli Couscous with Pumpkin, Dried Fruit and Pistachios

I made this for the Halloween pot-luck at work and it turned out amazing! I had never had turkish apricots, and not being a fan of regular apricots, I was skeptical. However, they are more like a mix of an apricot with a date and were fabulous in this recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed the leftovers for a few days (it made quite a bit!!)

Israeli Couscous with Pumpkin, Dried Fruit and Pistachios Couscous

2.5 cups israeli couscous
1 bay leaf
3 cups vegetable stock salt (if using low sodium stock)
1/2 cinnamon stick

Prepare couscous according to directions, using vegetable stock as the liquid and adding the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Set aside.

3-4 shallots, sliced into 1/4 in rings
6 cups sugar pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2 in cubes
EVOO
salt and pepper

Toss shallots and pumpkin with EVOO. Season to taste. Roast at 400 degrees until pumpkin is tender. Make sure shallots are not burning. Best to place them on a separate roasting pan to ensure that each vegetable can cook for its optimal time. Set aside to cool.

10 dates, chopped
10 turkish apricots, chopped
1/2 cup pistachios, toasted
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 lemon, zested and 2 tbsp juice reserved
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
3-4 Tbsp. EVOO
salt and pepper

Mix together and set aside. Once all of the elements are prepared and cooled, mix together. Add additional seasoning if desired. Serve alone or over a salad. Would also be a great compliment to a simply prepared lamb.