Ratatouille

When I was pregnant with Stella, I started a bad habit.  Because I was so sick, when lunch time rolled around, I would spread a blanket out on the floor in front of the TV and Preston would eat lunch on the blanket while watching part of a movie.  It was our pretend "picnic".  Well, this tradition is still going strong even though I am not pregnant.  The only change is that now it is with Stella (Noah and Preston still join in on Saturdays).  Every day for lunch we set out a blanket and eat our lunch on the floor while watching part of a movie.  The movie that is now showing is Disney's Ratatouille and is also the current inspiration for wanting to try the recipe, Ratatouille's Ratatouille from Smitten Kitchen.

Ratatouille's Ratatouille

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

1 cup tomato puree

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small eggplant

1 smallish zucchini

1 smallish yellow squash

1 longish red bell pepper

Few sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way.  Drop the slice garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash.  As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables.  You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper.  Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem.  Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside.

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp.  They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

Serve soft goat cheese on top.

*I served the ratatouille on pan-fried polenta and goat cheese on top (for Todd, not for me, I don't love goat cheese, so sad) with crusty French bread to soak up the tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan.

*The picture was taken before it was cooked.

This recipe is from Smitten Kitchen

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

My sister Stephanie called me (or I called her) this past weekend and told me about a very delicious pizza that she had made and so of course I had to try it.  This Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is it!  I loved making this pizza.  The dough was so lovely to work with, it made me very happy (a good dough will do that too me).  I know I've said this before, but I love having a sister who loves food like I do and who sends great recipes my way!

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

Dough

3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/4 cups water, room temperature

3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons softened

1 teaspoon plus 4 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup grated onion

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ground black pepper

Toppings

1 pound whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)

FOR THE DOUGH:  Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook on low speed until incorporated.  Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally.  Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes.  (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on.  When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.)

Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, rubbing excess oil from fingers onto blade of rubber spatula.  Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl, turning once to oil top; cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

FOR THE SAUCE:  While dough rises, heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted.  Add onion, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer.  Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes.  Off heat, stir in basil and oil, and then season with salt and pepper.

TO LAMINATE THE DOUGH:  Adjust oven rack to lower position and heat oven to 425 degrees.  Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto dry work surface and roll into 15- by 12-inch rectangle.  Using offset spatula, spread softened butter over surface of dough, leaving 1/2-inch border along edges.  Starting at the short end, roll dough into tight cylinder.  With seam side down, flatten cylinder into 18- by 4-inch rectangle.  Cut rectangle in half crosswise.  Working with 1 half, fold into thirds like business letter; pinch seams together to form ball.  Repeat with remaining half.  Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40-50 minutes.

Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each.  Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into 13-inch disk about 1/4 inch thick.  Transfer dough to pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin and unrolling into pan.  Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides.  If dough resists stretching, let it relax 5 minutes before trying again.  Repeat with remaining dough ball.

For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella evenly over surface of dough.  Spread 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce over cheese and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce.  Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.  Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

*I need to buy 9-inch round pans that have higher sides.  My rolled out dough went above the rim of my pan, so I folded it down a bit to make the dough more level with the rim of the pan.

This recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen

Apple Slices with Peanut Butter and Granola

Since school started last week, I'm in the afterschool snack mode.  There is nothing incredibly special about this snack; it's just simple and really good.  These apple slices with peanut butter and granola have definitely earned a spot in the afterschool snack lineup.

Apple Slices with Peanut Butter and Granola

Apples, cored and sliced

Peanut butter (I use crunchy)

Granola

Core and slice apples.  Place some granola on a plate.  Spread apple slices with peanut butter and then press peanut butter layer against the granola so that the granola sticks to the peanut butter.

*My Aunt Traci gave me my first taste of one of these apple slices and I went right home and made plateful for me and my kids to share.

No Bake Cookies

These no bake cookies are a favorite afterschool snack for our family (even the neighbor boys love them)!

No Bake Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup cocoa

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

Melt butter in saucepan.  Add sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt to melted butter.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Place oats in a large bowl and pour chocolate mixture over oats, stir to combine.  Drop spoonful’s (I use an ice cream scoop) on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate until cookies firm up a bit (I love them really cold).  Eat!  Keep any extra cookies refrigerated.

Fish Tacos

I love these tacos!  They make me and my mouth happy!

Fish Tacos

Beer Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup beer

White Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 lime, juiced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon minced capers

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2-1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 quart oil for frying

1 pound cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions

Corn tortillas

Cabbage, finely shredded (I like to use red cabbage to add color)

To make beer batter:  In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.  Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture (don't worry about a few lumps).

To make the white sauce:  In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise.  Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny.  Season with jalapeño, capers, oregano, cumin, dill, and cayenne.

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees.

Dust fish pieces lightly with flour.  Dip into beer batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown.  Drain on paper towel and lightly salt. 

Heat corn tortillas on skillet (I like to butter one side of the tortilla and heat that side first) and keep warm. 

Place fried fish in tortilla, top with shredded cabbage and white sauce, eat and eat again and maybe again!

Adapted from Alllrecipes

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches

I made these key lime pie ice cream sandwiches for a family party.  When it was time to serve dessert, my cute little sister Savannah and I left some hidden in the freezer so that there would be more for us!

Lime Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons lime zest

1/2 cup lime juice

Whisk together or blend (using a hand blender) milk and sugar until sugar nearly dissolves.

Add cream, lime zest and juice.

Add mixture to your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.

Transfer ice cream to a freezer safe container and freeze for several hours or, ideally, overnight.

To assemble:  Generously scoop the ice cream onto a graham cracker.  Gently push down with another cracker to make a sandwich.  Wrap each sandwich with saran wrap and freeze for several hours before serving.

Recipe from One Hungry Mama

Graham Crackers

School is starting soon and my little ones love these graham crackers dunked in milk for an after school snack.

Graham Crackers

2 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt

7 tablespoons butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen

1/3 cup mild flavored honey, such as clover

5 tablespoons milk, full-fat is best

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Topping

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Make the Dough:  Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Pulse or mix on low to incorporate.  Add the butter and pulse on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract.  Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together.  It will be very soft and stick.  Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.  Wrap it, the chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.  Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.

Roll out the crackers:  Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator.  Sift and even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.  The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary.  Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide.  Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers. (This makes a traditional graham crackers shape, I made mine smaller.)

Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping.  Chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer.  Repeat with the second batch of dough.  Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Decorate the crackers:  Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (again, this is for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form tow dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.

Bake for 15-25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch.  Let cool and eat with milk.

Recipe is from Smitten Kitchen