Eggplant Parmesan

I'm always leary of recipes with eggplant because they usually don't turn out well for me. That said, since Dr. Sweetpea's favorite Italian dish is Eggplant Parmesan, I searched for a no fail Eggplant Parmesan recipe search and found it! It's not surprisingly from America's Test Kitchen and just absolutely addictive. Plus, I think the Eggplant Parmesan is healthier since the eggplants are baked and not fried. Dr. Sweetpea kept telling me that it's better than anything he has tried at restaurants. The only things I did differently than what was in the recipe is I used our store bought marinara sauce and used a very deep 9X9 inch baking dish. I'm definitely keeping this in our regular rotation.

 

Eggplant Parmesan

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

    Eggplant

    2 pounds globe eggplant (2 medium eggplants), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

    1 tablespoon kosher salt

    8 slices high-quality white bread (about 8 ounces), torn into quarters

    1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

    Salt and ground black pepper

    1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

    4 large eggs

    6 tablespoons vegetable oil

  

   Tomato Sauce

    3 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

    4 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 generous tablespoon)

    1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

    1/2 cup fresh basil leaves chopped

    Salt and ground black pepper

    8 ounces whole milk mozzarella or part-skim mozzarella, shredded (2 cups)

    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)

    10 fresh basil leaves torn, for garnish

FOR THE EGGPLANT: Toss half of eggplant slices and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in large bowl until combined; transfer salted eggplant to large colander set over bowl. Repeat with remaining eggplant and kosher salt, placing second batch in colander on top of first. Let stand until eggplant releases about 2 tablespoons liquid, 30 to 45 minutes. Arrange eggplant slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible, then wipe off excess salt.

While eggplant is draining, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions, place rimmed baking sheet on each rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about fifteen 1-second pulses (you should have about 4 cups). Transfer crumbs to pie plate and stir in 1 cup Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; set aside. Wipe out bowl (do not wash) and set aside.

Combine flour and 1 teaspoon pepper in large zipper-lock bag; shake to combine. Beat eggs in second pie plate. Place 8 to 10 eggplant slices in bag with flour; seal bag and shake to coat eggplant. Remove eggplant slices, shaking off excess flour, dip in eggs, let excess egg run off, then coat evenly with bread crumb mixture; set breaded slices on wire rack set over baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

Remove preheated baking sheets from oven; add 3 tablespoons oil to each sheet, tilting to coat evenly with oil. Place half of breaded eggplant on each sheet in single layer; bake until eggplant is well browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets after 10 minutes, and flipping eggplant slices with wide spatula after 20 minutes. Do not turn off oven.

FOR THE SAUCE: While eggplant bakes, process 2 cans diced tomatoes in food processor until almost smooth, about 5 seconds. Heat olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and garlic is light golden, about 3 minutes; stir in processed and remaining can of diced tomatoes. Bring sauce to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes (you should have about 4 cups). Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO ASSEMBLE: Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer in half of eggplant slices, overlapping slices to fit; distribute 1 cup sauce over eggplant; sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Layer in remaining eggplant and dot with 1 cup sauce, leaving majority of eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and cheese is browned, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; scatter basil over top, and serve, passing remaining tomato sauce separately.

 

Oven Roasted Chicken with Basmati Rice Pilaf

I love buying chicken thighs when they're on sale at the grocery. They're super delicious grilled or roasted in the oven. Plus, they are perfect for easy weeknight meals. Seriously, these oven roasted chicken thighs with Basmati Rice Pilaf took less than 1 hour from start to finish. Now that's what I call easy weeknight cooking. As I was taking the chicken thighs out of the oven, Dr. Sweetpea walked through the door after a long day of work and devoured the chicken thighs and the rice in no time flat. This is definitely on our regular weeknight menu rotation. Dr. Sweetpea, approved!

Basmati Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Almonds

(Source: Once Upon a Chef)

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions, from one small onion

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/4 cups water

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup dried fruit, such as currants, raisins or finely chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted until golden

Place rice in medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Repeat four to five times, until water runs almost clear. Using a fine mesh strainer, drain water from rice. Place strainer over bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic to sautéed onions and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add rice to pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add water, salt and pepper to rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Off heat, remove lid, and sprinkle dried fruit over rice (do not mix in). Place lid loosely over pot and let stand 10 minutes. Toss in toasted almonds, fluff rice with a fork, then serve.

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

8 (6- to 8-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Pepper

Vegetable oil spray

Adjust oven racks to middle and lowest positions, place rimmed baking sheet on lower rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using metal skewer, poke skin side of chicken thighs 10 to 12 times. Season both sides of thighs with salt and pepper; spray skin lightly with vegetable oil spray. Place thighs skin side down on preheated baking sheet. Return baking sheet to bottom rack. If preparing sauce (see related recipes), place foil packet on middle rack. Roast chicken until skin side is beginning to brown and meat registers 160 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pan and, if preparing sauce, removing foil packet after 10 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and heat broiler. While broiler heats, flip chicken skin side up. Broil chicken on middle rack until skin is crisp and well browned and meat registers 175 degrees, about 5 minutes, rotating pan as needed for even browning. Transfer chicken to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. While chicken is resting, finish sauce, if using. Serve chicken, passing sauce separately.

Ground Chicken Tacos

This is a super lean but tasty chicken taco recipe that Dr. Sweetpea and I absolutely love right now. The tacos are healthy, flavorful, simple, and perfect for a weeknight dinner. Definitely going on our regular rotation.

Ground Chicken Tacos with Creamy Salsa

(Source: Sunny Anderson)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, grated on a rasp or minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon (1 packet) sazon seasoning

1 pound ground chicken

2 teaspoons flour

1 cup chicken stock

12 taco shells, kept warm in a 200 degree oven

Shredded lettuce, for serving

In a large saute pan with straight sides over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the red and green bell pepper, onion and then season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Saute until the vegetables are tender then add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and sazon seasoning. Cook for a minute or so then add the ground chicken and cook, breaking up the chicken with a wooden spoon while stirring. Make sure to really break up the ground chicken on this step so there are no large clumps.

Once the chicken is cooked through, sprinkle the flour over the top and stir while cooking to allow the flour to blend into the chicken for a few minutes. Add the chicken stock then raise the heat to a simmer and cook until the stock thickens a bit, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve in warm taco shells topped with shredded lettuce and a dollop of Creamy Salsa.

Creamy Salsa

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 scallion, finely chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, scallion, sour cream hot sauce, garlic powder, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Greek Pizza

I haven't posted a lot for the month of February but I definitely have been cooking up a storm! There definitely have been some flops but I'm still chugging along and trying out new recipes. Some won't have pictures to accompany the recipe this month, but I promise, if I post the recipe, it's delicious. Today's is quite easy. It's another homemade pizza recipe but with different toppings. I also tried a different pizza crust as well, and loved it! Dr. Sweetpea devoured his entire pizza in one sitting, it's that good :o)

(Source: tv show but I don't remember what it was)

Your favorite Pizza Dough (our current favorite will be listed below)

Pizza Sauce

Crumbled Feta

Shredded Mozzarella

Thinly Sliced Roma Tomatoes

Sliced Black Olives

Dried Oregano

Red Pepper Flakes

After the pizza dough has been rolled out, and pizza sauce spread on the dough, do the following: Sprinkle mozzarella over the crust, then layer thin slices of tomatoes on top of the shredded cheese, sprinkle feta on top, then some black olives, dried oregano, and then red pepper flakes. Bake in oven at 450 for about 20 minutes or until done. 

Pizza Dough

(Source; Laura Vitale)

1 1/3 cups warm water (110 degrees F)

2 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 (0.25 oz) envelope active dry yeast

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

3 teaspoons salt (I use 1 1/2 teaspoons)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Add the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the yeast; set aside so the yeast can proof. Oil two bowls with a little olive oil and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, mix together the olive oil, salt, 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Stir the yeast in the water to make sure it’s all dissolved and add it to the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until everything is combined. Increase the speed to medium and allow the machine to knead the dough, adding more flour if necessary, until it is smooth and comes away from the side of the bowl, 6 to 7 minutes. Divide the dough in two pieces and roll each into a ball. Place a ball in each of the oiled bowls seam-side down, and brush the tops with a little oil to stop them from drying out. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and place in a warm place (inside a microwave or a turned-off oven works best) until it doubles in size and when poked with a finger, the indent remains (it doesn't spring back), about 1 1/2 hours. Once the dough has risen, use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Lemon Lime Jello Salad

I came across this jello salad while browsing Pinterest the other day. It sounded interesting, and since Dr. Sweetpea loves anything with lime jello, I gave it a try. As odd as the combination sounds, it's actually really really tasty. That said, none of the pictures turned out very well, so I decided to not post a picture with this recipe. I still wanted to post the recipe so I have it somewhere to reference when we make it again. Definitely a different type of dessert, but it's very tasty. 

Lemon Lime Jello Salad

(Source: Pinterest and Myblessedlife.net)

1 (3 oz) box lemon jello

1 (3 oz) box lime jello

1 cup hot water

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups cold water

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained (I actually didn't drain mine)

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 – 1 cup chopped nuts (I omitted the nuts)

In a large bowl mix both packages of jello with hot water, stir well.  Beat in softened cream cheese at low speed until it’s melted and incorporated into the jello mixture.  Add cold water and stir.  Add pineapple, sweetened condensed milk and mayonnaise, mix well.  Sprinkle nuts on top and chill until firm.

Chocolate Madeleines

Dr. Sweetpea loves eating Madeleines with his cup of coffee in the mornings. It's not as rich as a coffee cake and it's perfect to dip in your coffee. I found this Chocolate Madeleine recipe in one of my cookbooks and decided to give it a whirl. I mean, who wouldn't love anything with Chocolate? These were super simple to make. The flavor was wonderful, and I think the espresso powder really deepened the taste of chocolate in these little gems. Absolutely wonderful!

Chocolate Madeleines

(Source: America's Test Kitchen Christmas Cookie Cookbook)

3/4 cup cake flour

1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 mold madeleine pan.

Whisk flour, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt together in small bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat eggs and yolk on high speed until frothy, 3 - 5 minutes. Beat in sugar and vanilla until very thick, 3 - 5 minutes. With rubber spatula, gently fold in flour mixture, followed by melted butter. 

Spoon half of batter into prepared pan, filling mold to rims. Bake until golden and tops spring back when pressed lightly, about 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. 

Let cookies coll in an on wire rack for 10 minutes, then flip onto wire rack. Let pan cool, re-grease, and repeat with remaining batter. Let cookies cool completely before serving, about 1 hour. 

Best Seasoned Taco Meat

Earlier this week, I wanted tacos for dinner and Dr. Sweetpea wanted homemade pizza. So I used this taco meat recipe to satisfy our cravings. I made tacos for myself and used the meat to make a taco pizza. Both turned out delicious, and Dr. Sweetpea told me to keep this taco meat recipe. 

Seasoned Taco Meat

(Source: Taste of Home)

1 1/4 pounds ground beef

2 small onions, finely chopped

1 cup water

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add water and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.

Chicken Korma

Dr. Sweetpea and I both love love LOOOOVE Indian food! I love the mild flavor of Chicken Korma that I had at Indian Restaurants and found an excellent version to make at home! This is super creamy, flavorful, and has a hint of sweetness because of the raisins. Dr. Sweetpea devoured his huge plate, and told me to make this again ASAP. We will be eating this more often :o)

Chicken Korma

(Source: mattawamum.com)

For Marinade:

4 chicken breasts

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne/red pepper

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon cumin

For the Sauce:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 small onion, diced

3 teaspoons garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1/2 teaspoon cayenne/red pepper (for medium, no cayenne for mild, 1-2 tsp for hot)

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 (15oz) can chopped tomatoes

1 (15oz) can coconut milk

4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream (I omitted)

cashew nuts (about 3/4 cup)

golden raisins (about 1/2 cup)

cilantro and white rice to serve

Cut the chicken into 1″ pieces. Place in a ziploc bag with all the other marinade ingredients and set in the fridge until ready to use (anywhere from 2 hours-24 hours). In a pan over medium high heat, add a little olive oil and cook the chicken in two batches for 4-5 minutes on either side until no longer pink in the center. Melt the butter in a high-sided pan. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the spices: ginger, turmeric, cayenne, garam masala, salt, and coriander. Stir for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, heavy whipping cream and golden raisins. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Add the cashews right at the end, taste and season according to taste. Garnish with cilantro, cashews and golden raisins. Serve with white rice and garlic naan.

Hearty Beef Stew

Dr. Sweetpea is huge fan of beef stew. In fact, he raves about the beef stew that he used to eat while growing up. I don't have his family's beef stew recipe yet, but I did try to make a delicious one for him. It was -17 with a windchill of -35 this weekend, so I thought it would be perfect to make a hearty beef stew for him. The stew is cooked in the oven for the majority of the time, which makes this a very easy recipe. The only downfall is that the meat wasn't as tender as we would have preferred. There was a discrepancy between the video associated with the recipe and the recipe itself. The video said to cook the stew at 250, while the recipe said 300...I decided to cook the stew at 300, which is probably why the meat was slightly tough. The next time I make this, I'll cook it at 250 to see if the meat is more tender. Regardless, the flavor of the stew was amazing and the vegetables were cooked perfectly.

Hearty Beef Stew

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

3 pounds chuck-eye roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup red wine (preferably full-bodied)

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved

4 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 cup frozen peas (6 ounces), thawed

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive soup kettle; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour. Remove kettle from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.) Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Korean Chicken Wings and Pork Patties

Dr. Sweetpea was telling me that when he played football in high school, him and his teammates ate a ton of Korean Chicken Wings from a local grocery store. He hasn't eaten any in over a decade, but he still remembers the distinct taste and how much he loved those wings. So I asked my mom for her recipe so I could make the wings at home for Dr. Sweetpea. To be honest, Dr. Sweetpea was a little skeptical when I bought all the ingredients, but it only took one bite for him to be absolutely blown away! The sweet, salty, spicy flavor and crunchy texture was exactly what he remembered. He told me to never forget how to make these wings!

Korean Chicken Wings

(Source: My mom)

For the wings: 

2 1/2 - 3 pounds chicken wings

Ground Black Pepper

Ground Ginger powder

Salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Mirin (sweet rice wine)

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 - 4 heaping rounded tablespoons of corn starch

4 heaping rounded tablespoons of Korean Frying Mix

Place the wings in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle some black pepper, ground ginger powder, and salt over the wings and use your hands to mix everything together. Then add minced garlic, Mirin, soy sauce, and use your hands to mix everything together. Sprinkle the corn starch and Korean Frying Mix over the chicken wings and use your hands to coat the wings with the dry ingredients. Make sure the wings are thoroughly coated with the dry ingredients. Set the wing mixture in the fridge until ready to fry. 

For the Sauce: 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons corn syrup

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons gochugaro (Korean red chili pepper powder)

Freshly ground black pepper

Sesame seeds

In a medium sized saucepan, saute the onion in about a tablespoon of vegetable oil until it's slightly translucent. Add the minced garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add the remaining sauce ingredients to the onion mixture. Cook until the sauce is starting to bubble. Remove from heat and set aside. The sauce will thicken up as it cools down. 

To cook the wings:

Heat vegetable oil in a fryer until it's 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in batches, add a few chicken wings into the hot oil and fry until it's golden brown, about 10 - 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken wings from the hot oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. Once all the chicken wings are fried, toss them with the sauce mixture until all the wings are coated. Place on a platter and serve! 

Game Day Chili

It's been really cold in Minneapolis, so I decided to make a big batch of Chili to warm us up. Plus, since it's football season, Dr. Sweetpea loved eating this with some tortilla chips while watching football. I think this is by far the best Chili that I've made at home so far. Definitely a keeper for us.

Game Day Chili

(Source: MyRecipes.com)

2 pounds ground chuck

1 medium onion, chopped

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer (We used Sierra Nevada Pale Ale)

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can beef broth

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Garnish: pickled jalapeño pepper slices

Cook first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well. Combine meat mixture, beans, and next 11 ingredients in Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 hours or until thickened. Garnish, if desired.

The Best Pizza Crust Ever

Dr. Sweetpea and I love making pizza at home for an easy weeknight meal. I make the pizza dough from scratch for our pizzas and have tried a variety of recipes. I've tried some that are flat out bad, and others that were great. Then I came across this recipe on AllRecipes.com and read all the reviews. I gave this recipe a try because since has over 1000 reviews saying that it's a great recipe. Needless to say, I'm so glad that I gave this a chance! I think this pizza crust beats all the others that we have tried at home. Even Dr. Sweetpea has mentioned that this is the best pizza crust so far.

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust

(Source: All Recipes)

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees Fahrenheit)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 1/3 cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Stuffed Pork Chops with Gravy

Dr. Sweetpea is a huge fan of pork chops and I wasn't until now. One of my New Years Resolution was to learn to cook more meat dishes without overcooking/drying the meat out. Since pork is such a lean cut of meat, it's so easy to overcook it and as a result the pork is extremely hard once it's cooked. Then I came across this recipe where it brined the meat prior to cooking, and I personally think brining and using a meat thermometer is what really perfected our pork chops. Dr. Sweetpea devoured his pork chops and told me it's the best that he has had, ever!

Stuffed Pork Chops with All Purpose Gravy

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

Chops

4 bone-in rib loin pork chops 1 1/2 inches thick (about 12 ounces each)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), or 6 tablespoons Morton Kosher Salt, or 1/4 cup table salt

Ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Stuffing

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, diced small

1 medium rib celery, diced small

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

2 cups bread cubes (1/4 inch cubes) from 1 baguette

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

FOR THE CHOPS: Cut a small pocket through the side of each chop. Dissolve the sugar and salt in 6 cups of cold water inn a gallon-size, zipper-lock plastic bag. Add the pork chops and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour.

FOR THE STUFFING: Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the foaming subsides. Add the onion, celery, and salt and cook until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the bread cubes, cream, and pepper, and toss well to combine. Using a rubber spatula, press the stuffing lightly against the sides of the bowl until it comes together.

TO STUFF, SEASON, AND COOK THE CHOPS: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position, place a shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the chops from the brine, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels. Place one quarter of the stuffing (about 1/3 cup) in the pocket of each pork chop. Season the chops with pepper.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Lay the chops in the skillet and cook until well browned and a nice crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Turn the chops over with tongs and cook until well browned and a nice crust has formed on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Using the tongs, transfer the chops to the preheated pan in the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing registers 130 degrees, about 15 minutes, turning the chops over once halfway through the cooking time. Transfer the chops to a platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest at least 5 minutes. Check the internal temperature; it should register 145 degrees.

All Purpose Gravy

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

1 small carrot, peeled and chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)

1 small rib celery, chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)

1 small onion, chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

5 whole black peppercorns

Salt and ground black pepper

In food processor, pulse carrot until broken into rough 1/4-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses. Add celery and onion; pulse until all vegetables are broken into 1/8-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses.

Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and well browned, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add broths; bring to boil, skimming off any foam that forms on surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 3 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer into clean saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Soft and Chewy Dinner Rolls

I rarely make dinner rolls from scratch at home because yeast can be very finicky and it's also very time consuming. However, when I came across this recipe that listed instant potato flakes as an ingredient, I wanted to try making these at home to see how they would taste. Honestly? I was blown away by how good these rolls are!!! They weren't super complicated to make and the rolls were super tender. Definitely a keeper for us.

Soft and Chewy Dinner Rolls

(Source: Cooks Country)

1 1/4 cups water, heated to 110 degrees

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant or rapid-rise yeast

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup instant potato flakes

Salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease large bowl.

Whisk water, oil, sugar, and yeast in liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, potato flakes, and 1½ teaspoons salt until combined. With mixer on low, add water mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 6 minutes.

Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form smooth, cohesive ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in turned-off oven until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Punch down dough on lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into quarters and cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces. On clean surface, form each piece into rough ball by pinching and pulling the edges under so that the top is smooth. Then cup each round with your palm and move in a circular motion on an unfloured surface to shape a smooth ball. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and return to turned-off oven until doubled in size, about 20 minutes. (Or refrigerate rolls for up to 24 hours.)

Remove rolls from oven and discard plastic wrap. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with egg and sprinkle evenly with ½ teaspoon salt. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through cooking. Cool rolls on sheet 10 minutes. Serve.