Hand Pies, For the Win!

Hello all! I hope that all is going well for you guys. The summer is winding down, but I'm still working on the blueberry theme, as I promised in my last post. The past three weeks have been very...interesting to say the least, and a lot has changed in my life in that time. I had my surgery on July 23rd, and have been recovering as I should since that time - all is going well, thank goodness :-) In addition, tomorrow is my first full day of living life as a college graduate and working adult, as I start my first real job with GlaxoSmithKline (a pharmaceutical company). I can't wait to get started!!

But I digress. This week's recipe is for blueberry hand pies, which are basically calzone-shaped portable pies and is really easy to make. If you made the blueberry jam from my last post, and have some of the tart crust recipe from the A Sweet Little Tart post, you can make these little treasures whenever you want!

Blueberry Hand Pies

1 recipe of my Tart Crust

Blueberry jam

1 egg

1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.) Once the dough had chilled, roll it out to about an 1/8" in thickness, then use a round mold to cut out dough circles

3.) Beat the egg lightly to form the egg wash, then place a small amount of jam in the center of the dough circle, bush on a little egg wash, then fold the dough over and press to seal the edges. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

4.) Once the hand pies have all been made, brush on a little more egg wash on top of each one, then place the pan in the oven.

5.) Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown, then allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before eating.

Like I said, this recipe is really easy to make, especially if you have the crust and jam already made. You can use the store-bought versions to make it even easier. My adviceis to make sure that your kitchen is not too hot; otherwise, the dough will get sticky and hard to shape. I hope that you give this recipe a try, and remember: live life, and eat well!

Saucy Little Jewels

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope all is going well for you guys. As the weekend winds down, and we prepare for another work (or school) week, I thought I'd give you all an easy recipe that can be used for a quick breakfast during the week. I'm still going along with the blueberry theme, and this week's recipe is...mini blueberry muffins!

For me, tomorrow starts my second week of training at my new job with GlaxoSmithKline, and the past week has taught me three things. First of all, I have a lot to learn in the next two weeks, but I also have very supportive team members and resources to get answers to my questions. Secondly, I can be a morning person if I put my mind to it (anyone who knows me knows that morning isn't usually my favorite time of day). Lastly, I have to plan ahead with my meals, because I don't have the energy to make anything elaborate after work, nor the time to do it in the morning. These muffins will make my mornings easier, because I can make them on a Sunday and refrigerate/freeze them to eat later in the week. They're easy to make, and delicious and great for kids (the blueberry juice makes the muffins swirled with blue!)

Mini blueberry muffins (makes 24)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp canola oil

1 egg

1 cup Greek yogurt (or a 7 oz container)

1/2 cup milk 

1 cup blueberries

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two mini muffin pans with non-stick spray, and place muffin cups in the spaces (optional).

2.) Mix the dry ingredients (first 5) together in a large mixing bowl. Form a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

3.) Mix the egg, Greek yogurt, milk, and oil in a separate bowl (or measuring cup). Add to the dry ingredients, along with the lemon zest.

4.) Mix the blueberries with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, then add to the mixture and fold everything together. The batter should be thick and still have lumps in it.

5.) Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, then bake the muffins for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted inthe middle comes out clean. Allow for the muffins to cool for 5 minutes before serving, or completely if you plan to refrigerate or freeze them.

This recipe comes together pretty quickly, and I hope you guys give it a try!! Let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a comment!! Remember, live life and eat well!

Focaccia for everybody!

Change. That seems to be the theme word for my life right now. Last post, I announced that I was accepted to an Italian Culinary Experience program with the International Culinary Center, however I have decided that I will not be pursuing this program after all... Here's a tip for those looking at academic programs (regardless of the subject): if the school doesn't have an itemized list of expenses that you can easily access, look for a different program! They can charge you whatever they feel like charging...be careful!! Instead, I will be working towards starting a Culinary Institute of America program within the next year. I will get to Italy, but it doesn't appear to be my time yet; that's ok, I'm willing to wait :-)

On a happier note, I recently made a batch of homemade focaccia, which is an Italian yeast bread that is very similar to a deep-dish pizza crust. This flatbread is thought to have been made by the Ancient Greeks, or the Etruscans living in Italy before the Roman Empire. The name is derived from "panis focacius", which refers to a flat bread cooked on a hearth or under ashes from a fire. Originally, this bread was cooked by either of those methods, then punctured with a knife to allow the bubbles to escape. Now, the top of the bread is dotted with fingertips before it is placed in the oven; olive oil is drizzled onto the surface of the bread to prevent it from drying out.

2 1/2 cups (unbleached) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. salt
1 package instant yeast
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 cup warm water
Topping(s) of your choice

1.) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2.) Place the flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl, then stir to combine. Create a well in the middle of the flour mixture, then add the oil and warm water. Mix to create a slightly shaggy dough.

3.) On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it becomes elastic. Oil another large mixing bowl, then add the dough and turn to coat in the oil; cover with plastic wrap. Sit the bowl in a warm place, and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.

4.) Cover a baking sheet with foil, then add a little bit of olive oil and coat the foil. Then, punch down the dough to force out some of the air, and stretch it into a rectangular shape on the baking sheet. Be careful not to force the dough or tear it! Dimple the surface of the dough, then allow it to rise again for 45 minutes. Once the dough has been rested, drizzle the dough with olive oil, then add the toppings of your choice.

5.) Bake the bread for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the dough to cool for about 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. Then, enjoy!!

I picked up a package of unbleached all-purpose flour from my local grocery store, although at the time, I hadn't really given much though to why. It sounded like it should be healthier for me (I feel as though I probably shouldn't be eating anything that's been in contact with any sort of bleaching agent - Clorox comes to mind, although obviously that's not what is used.). When wheat is ground to make flour, it has a natural yellowish tint to it; once it is exposed to air for a period of time, the pigment naturally oxidizes to a white color - this is unbleached flour. In order to make the flour even whiter, the flour is then exposed to benzoyl peroxide or chlorine gas to turn it even whiter.

I was very surprised to learn that the nutritional value of bleached and unbleached flour is actually the same; the only real difference is that unbleached flour has more protein in it, making it a better choice for breads and doughs that need gluten in them. So, before you toss out your regular all-purpose flour, I'd suggest that you keep it around for batters and pastries! For the focaccia toppings, I'd suggest dried herbs and sea salt (simple really is best here); if you are going to use fresh herbs, I'd suggest adding them at the end of cooking so that they don't burn.I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and try it out - let me know how the results turn out!

Sources:
http://suite101.com/article/the-italian-flatbread---focaccia-a295419
http://www.abigailsbakery.com/bread-recipes/history-of-focaccia-bread.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/533356-nutrition-of-bleached-vs-unbleached-flour/

Pizza and a Lovely Trip!

Hello all! Oh, how I've missed you! I'm sorry I've been so MIA on here, but it's been an interesting time...thank you for bearing with me. Since my last post, I've received some exciting news - I have been accepted to the International Culinary Center's Italian Culinary Experience program! As many of you know, I have dreams of owning my own restaurant and absolutely LOVE to cook any and everything - this program will allow me to study in New York City, then Parma, Italy, for 4-5 months towards the end of this year. I'm so excited!!! As a result, I will be taking a break from the usual set-up of the posts on this blog, and will be sharing my journey with you all (as well as new recipes and tips that I learn along the way).

Although I made this recipe before I received the news, I decided to make pizza from scratch for the first time last week. I was amazed to find out that pizza is actually ridiculously easy to make, and now I have enough dough leftover to make 3 more personal pizzas! This dough freezes brilliantly, and I love that because now I can have a scratch-made pizza in about 20 minutes after letting the dough thaw out; this is perfect for weeknight meals, especially for students. My only warning? It does take some time to make the initial batch of dough, so I'd advise doing it on a weekend morning, then portioning and freezing the dough for later meals throughout the next couple of weeks.

Pizza dough
(I was able to get 6 personal pizzas' worth, but the servings depend on the size of the portions you make.)

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. sea salt (regular salt also works fine)
1 packet of instant yeast
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup of warm water

1.) Mix the first three ingredients in a large mixing bowl, until they are combined.

2.) Add the water and olive oil, then mix to form the dough. Then, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, then knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. This takes a little elbow grease, but it will come together.

3.) Add some olive oil to a large bowl, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Allow the dough to rise for about 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen (warm room? 1 hour should be fine. Not so warm? Let it rise for longer.) The goal here is for the dough to double in size.

4.) Once the dough has risen, punch it down a little bit then turn it onto a floured surface and knead it a little more. At this point, you can portion the dough and freeze or refrigerate it.

5.) Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Make sure the dough has had time to thaw completely before using it (if you choose to freeze it).

6.) Place some olive oil on a baking sheet, then stretch the dough to form a disk and place on the sheet. Add the toppings of your choice.

7.) Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the dough is lightly golden brown on the edges. Let it rest for about 5 minutes on a plate before you cut into it, then enjoy!

I hope you guys try this recipe, and let me know how it turns out!

P.S. I've been going on a natural kick lately - I've turned to using natural olive oil soap on my face, and recently got another natural soap that I love so far. Today, I'm proud to say that I made lip balm for the first time, and I'm calling it my honey double butter balm; it has shea and cocoa butters, and is very moisturizing on my lips - I may never buy another lip balm again! If you're in the Charles Village, Baltimore area and would like to try one as well (I have 8 more), let me know!

Sweet potato biscuits

Hello all! As promised, I have another dessert recipe for you guys! Even though the holiday season has passed, I still love working with sweet potatoes & came up with this recipe one night when I realized I didn't have the ingredients for a pie. Thank goodness this worked better than I expected!!

They turned out really well, and remind me of the biscuits that the English's Chicken restaurant in my hometown (hey Salisbury!) makes. These are not the same, but they do fill the craving that I often get for those biscuits. I hope you guys enjoy this recipe!

1 29-oz. can of sweet potatoes
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cubed

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet, then set aside.
2. Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl & stir well to combine.
3. Making sure that the butter is cold, cut it into the dry mix with a pastry cutter, 2 forks, or your hands.
4. Drain the sweet potatoes, then add them to the mixture and mix well.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4" thick, then cut out the biscuits using the cookie cutter of your choice; place them on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Place the biscuits in the oven and bake them until they are golden brown around the edges, about 15-30 minutes (depending on their size). Allow them to cool slightly before serving.

I love these biscuits so much, and they can be served in several ways. My favorites? I can eat them all day with a little cinnamon sugar compound butter! I hope you try this recipe, and let me know how it turns out! Remember, live life and eat well!

A Crisp for Pears...? YES.

Hello all! I hope that everyone on the East Coast is getting back into the swing of things after Hurricane Sandy last weekend; my heart goes out to those directly affected by it, and I'm praying for all of you!

Since we are in the season of fall, and on the cusp of winter, I figured that a nice warm dessert is in order; usually, this crisp is made with apples, but surprisingly it's actually better with pears! Just to make things a little more interesting, I also added a drizzle of caramel on top and it turned out AMAZINGLY! (Gotta love when a plan comes together :-) ) This dessert is seriously easy; you can easily substitute apples, peaches, or whatever fruit you desire for the pears (the decision on whether or not to add the caramel is completely your call). I will feature apples in a later segment, and will make a twist on the typical apple crisp then, so I won't cover the history of the recipe this time. (Don't worry, it's coming though!) Let me know what you think of this recipe in a comment, and remember: Live life, and eat well! 

Pear Crisp:

1 can of pears
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp of granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp butter

1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2.) Cut pears into pieces and place them into 2 ramekins (or small oven-proof bowls). Place into a baking pan.

3.) Place the dry ingredients into a bowl; stir to combine. With a fork, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. (Basically, mash the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is broken up into small pieces.)

4.) Sprinkle the topping onto the pears, then place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden-brown on top. Allow to cool slightly before adding the caramel.

Caramel topping: (makes a lot, so if necessary cut this recipe in half!)

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp of heavy cream, plus more if needed

1.) In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium heat.

2.) Cook the mixture until it turns a light golden color. Be very careful; once this mixture starts to turn yellow, it progresses really fast to burnt so turn off the heat when the color is somewhat lighter than what you'd consider done.

3.) Add the butter to the mixture and allow to melt, then add the heavy cream; stir to combine. If needed, add more cream to achieve the right consistency.

4.) Drizzle on top of the crisps, then dig in!

PSA: I'm working on trying to make weekly posts, so bear with me until I can get this together! Thanks for the support, you're awesome :-)

A Sweet Little Tart

I don't know about y'all, but when it comes to desserts, pies and tarts are definitely among my top favorites - if I could get my dad's key lime pie for every birthday for the rest of my life, rather than a cake, I'd be a happy girl. That being said, it's only natural that a tart recipe would be the first in my tribute to the lovely pear. I've gotta say that this was the first time I'd made a tart from scratch, and it turned out much better than I'd expected. This recipe is designed to be very easy to make; honestly, the hardest part is waiting for the dough to set-up, but the results are definitely worth it!! I hope you enjoy this recipe, and let me know what other types of recipes you'd like to see me post.

Sweet Tart Crust

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
8 tbsp cold butter, cubed
1 egg
1 cup ice water

1.) Sift the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt) into a large mixing bowl.
2.) Using a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter becomes pea sized or a little smaller. I suggest using a fork for this, because the heat from your hands can melt the butter (making a huge mess), and a pastry cutter doesn't necessarily need to be bought.
3.) Add the egg and water to the dough, and mix until it becomes too hard for you to stir; form the dough into a flat disk, and cover with plastic wrap.
4.) Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, or freeze the dough for 10 minutes. Either way, make sure that the dough has time to set up.
5.) Flour a flat surface, then roll the dough out until it's about 1/8 inch thick; cut out rounds with a 2 inch cookie cutter. You are now ready to assemble the tarts.

To make the tarts:

1 or 2 cans of sliced pears
Honey or apricot preserves (optional)

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Drain the pears thoroughly, then arrange them on the dough rounds any way that you'd like. Make sure to leave the edges of the dough free, then fold the dough up over the pears and press down to seal it.
3.) Place the tarts on a floured or greased baking sheet, then bake for 45 minutes or until the dough has turned golden brown.
4.) Warm the honey or preserves, then use a pastry brush (or drizzle) the topping onto the tarts, then serve once they've cooled somewhat.

Remember: live life and eat well!