No Knead Artisan Bread

Makes 1 loaf. 

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups luke-warm water
2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and using a wooden spoon stir together until the mixture forms a shaggy dough.

Cover dough with a plastic wrap and let sit in room temperature for 12-18 hours. Dough will bubble up and rise.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and with floured hands form the dough into a ball. Cover with the plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

While dough is resting, put a dutch oven into the preheated oven. When dough is done resting,  remove the dutch oven and with floured hands place dough into dutch oven.

Replace the cover on the dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes covered. Then remove the cover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered, until bread is golden, crusty, and hollow sounding.





Lemon and Pine Nut Broccollini

1 large bunch broccolini
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1 clove large garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Blanch the broccolini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain immediately and add to a bowl of ice water.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the lemon zest and garlic and stir. Drain the broccolini and add it to the garlic mixture and heat until warmed, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and toasted pine nuts.

Fingerling German Potato Salad

Serves 8. 
 
3 pounds baby fingerling potatoes, halved
1/2 pound cooked and chopped bacon
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves





Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add baby fingerling potatoes, and cook until they are fork tender, but still somewhat firm, about 10-20 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes). Drain, set aside, and keep warm.   




While the potatoes cook, make dressing. Whisk together vinegar, dijon, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Add onions, parsley, and cooked bacon into the cooked potatoes and gently fold in. Mix in dressing and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold. 

Dark Greens + Leek Frittata

Serves 2-3. 

1 leek, halved, cleaned, and sliced
1 large bunch (4-5 cups) swiss chard or kale (or a combination), stem and ribs removed, chopped
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6-8 eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat enough olive oil in an 8-inch oven-proof skillet to cover the bottom. Add leeks and cook, over medium high heat until softened and beginning to caramelize.

While the leeks cook, whisk the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and cheese together.

Once leeks are beginning to brown, add greens (and a little more oil if needed) and saute with a little salt until wilted. Pour egg mixture over the leeks and greens, stirring everything a little bit so the vegetables are evenly distributed.

Cook frittata over medium heat until eggs start to look cooked at the edges. Transfer pan into oven and cook until the eggs are no longer jiggly and are cooked through. Remove from oven, cut into wedges, and serve.





Pull Apart Cheese Bread

Serves 4-8.

1 large Italian, French, or sourdough loaf or boule
1/2 butter, softened
1 large clove garlic, minced
12-16 ounces cheese (cheddar, Jack, mozzarella, combination, etc.)
Chopped parsley or scallions, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut a cross-hatch pattern into the top of bread by slicing bread partially through 1/2-inch apart width wise, then length wise. Keep bottom of the loaf intact. Place bread on a large piece of foil.

Stir together butter and garlic. Gently separate bread and spoon the mixture into all the seams, evenly distributing it. Sprinkle cheese on top, pushing the cheese down into the cracks. Wrap up in foil, then place in the oven for 10 minutes. Open foil and bake until cheese is melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown, another 15 minutes or so. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and/or scallions and serve warm.


Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve or store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Milk Chocolate Buttercream

Makes enough frosting for 24 cupcakes or a layered 8 or 9 inch cake. 

1 C. unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ C. powdered sugar
4 quality milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz. each), chopped
¼ C. heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ to 1 teaspoon salt 

Put the chopped milk chocolate bars into a small bowl. Heat the chocolate in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment, until chocolate is melted. Let cool.

Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream until light and fluffy, a few minutes. Add powdered sugar, and cream again until light and fluffy. Add in the whipping cream and vanilla gradually while mixing. Beat in the cooled melted milk chocolate, and beat for another 2-3 minutes until well incorporated and fluffy.