Hungarian Pancakes

 

 

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

In celebration of fall, we made one of my husband’s Hungarian favorites—pancakes. I’ve mentioned his Hungarian grandmother (nagyanya) in previous posts. My father-in-law found her hand-written recipe and deciphered it for us. The original recipe calls for pot cheese, which is near impossible to find. We use farmer’s cheese from the local grocery store. We make the pancakes as a team. I make the pancakes and my husband fills them with the prepared filling.

Ingredients for pancakes:

2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar

Make pancakes one at a time on a griddle or in large sauté pan. Using a ladle, spread mix thinly (like crepes) with a whirl of the wrist.

 

Ingredients for filling:

1 pound farmer’s cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh dill (minced)


Roll filling into pancakes and return to pan to brown on each side.


Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and sprig of fresh dill. Makes 8 - 10 pancakes. Enjoy!

 

 

~Dawn Marie

 

Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

I mentioned in a previous post, Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage, my grandmother in-law, Anna, and the little pamphlet of Hungarian recipes she gave to me. Within its pages, I found a clipping with a recipe for Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles. My husband doesn't remember her serving it, so I made it this weekend. His statement on the dish—delectable.

We had the cabbage and noodles as a main course, though I think it would make a nice side dish for a buffet. Here is the slightly tweaked recipe.

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups chopped cabbage
4 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked
1/2 cup sour cream
paprika


1. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove from skillet, and set aside.

2. Stir sugar and salt into bacon drippings in skillet. Add cabbage and toss to coat. Cover and cook over medium heat until cabbage is tender (about ten minutes.)

3. Crumble the bacon and combine with cabbage and cooked noodles then transfer to a 1 ½ quart baking dish with lid. Cover and bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and uncover. Add dollops of sour cream to the top and sprinkle heavily with paprika. (Use Hungarian paprika if you can.) Cover once more and return to the oven for 5 additional minutes.

2 to 4 servings. Delectable. Enjoy!

White Clam Pizza

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

When the weather cools, Friday is pizza night.

We like thin crust pizza at our house. You can start with a ready-made pizza crust or make the crust from scratch. I've been experimenting, trying to make a crust containing whole wheat that isn't heavy. I think I've finally come up with a recipe I like, using whole wheat pastry flour and unbleached white flour.

The recipe makes enough for two 15-inch crusts. I use one crust on Friday with one topping and keep the second in the refrigerator for Sunday night with a different topping.

Ingredients for two 15-inch pizza crusts:

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (100°F-110°F) (or more if necessary)
2 cups unbleached white flour
1¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for topping for one 15-inch pizza pie:

2 tablespoons olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup coarsely minced fresh basil
1 6.5-ounce can chopped clams, drained
1 6.5-ounce can minced clams, drained
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
ground black pepper

Preparing the crust:

1. Combine flours, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. (I use a food processor with a dough blade.)

2. In a large measuring cup, combine water, honey, and olive oil. Pour into flour mixture and stir or whirl until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. (Add a wee bit more water if too dry.)

3. Remove dough from mixing bowl and lay on floured surface. Flour hands and knead dough with the heel of your hands until no longer sticky, adding additional flour as needed. (About five minutes.)

4. Place in large, oiled bowl and flip to coat. Cover and place out of drafts. Let rise for one to two hours, until doubled in size.

5. Remove dough from bowl and divide into half. Shape one half into a disc and place on a seasoned 15-inch pizza stone or well-greased baking pan and roll out dough with a floured roller to within 1/2 inch of edge.

I've found it helpful to prepare the dough the evening before and store in a cake pan with a plate on top in the refrigerator until needed.

Hint: Sprinkle surface of baking stone with cornmeal to help prevent crust from sticking.

Preparing the topping:

1. Mix oil with minced garlic in a small bowl and spread evenly over prepared crust. Sprinkle minced basil over garlic. Evenly spread chopped clams then minced clams over top. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste.

2. Drop teaspoonfuls of ricotta over top. Complete with shredded mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes until slightly brown on top.

Spinach and Beef Lasagna

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Many years ago, my sister, Lynn, introduced her lasagna recipe to our family. Since then, hardly a family gathering has gone by without one of the Hamilton girls making 'the lasagna'. I added spinach recently at my husband's request. We really like the new recipe…

Ingredients

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup water

8-ounces lasagna noodles (12 noodles), cooked
1 pound part skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup finely ground parmesan cheese

16-ounce part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Pour oil into a frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, brown beef. Drain off excess fat. Stir in garlic, salt, parsley, oregano, basil, sugar, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water. Bring to boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, slice ¾ of mozzarella cheese into 27 pieces and set aside, cube remaining ¼ of mozzarella cheese to mix into ricotta in step 3.

3. Mix ricotta, cubed mozzarella cheese (step 2), egg, spinach, salt and pepper.

Add sauce and repeat layers.

4. Spoon a small amount of sauce into bottom of lasagna pan. Layer 4 noodles, 1/3 ricotta mixture, 1/3 parmesian, 9 slices of mozzarella, sauce. Repeat for 3 layers. Cover pan with aluminum foil.

5. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!!

Swedish Meatballs

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

We could always count on my mom to make Swedish meatballs during the holidays and for other festive occasions. Sometimes she served the rich, delicious meatballs as an appetizer with fancy toothpicks, other times she served them over egg noodles as a main course. Either way, we devoured the lot. Mom passed in 2010, but I think of her each time I make her recipe. The following is my rendition of this family favorite.

Ingredients:

2 pounds meatloaf blend*
1 cup homemade breadcrumbs from stale bread
1 cup milk
1 onion, minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
pinch nutmeg
2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons flour
pinch lemon peel
1 cup sour cream
chopped dill or parsley for garnish
egg noodles (optional)

* Alternately use—as my mother did—1 pound ground beef, ½ pound ground pork, and ½ pound ground veal.

1. Blend meat, breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl. Meanwhile sauté minced onion in 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion, eggs, pepper, salt and nutmeg to meat. Mix well and roll into small balls.

2. Brown meatballs in 2 tablespoons butter. Remove meatballs from pan to clean bowl. To pan juice, add beef broth and whisk in flour until smooth. Add lemon peel. (The gravy will not be thick at this point.) Return meatballs to gravy and simmer for 1 hour.

3. Remove meatballs to serving bowl. Stir sour cream into gravy and heat. Pour gravy over meatballs and serve as appetizer or over egg noodles as main course. Garnish with dill or parsley.

6 generous main course servings. Enjoy!

Ratatouille Made Easy

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Traditional Ratatouille recipes call for the vegetables to be sautéed then baked as a casserole. This easy recipe skips the sauté step, adds the flavor of baby bella mushrooms and uses tomato sauce instead of whole tomatoes.

As with many of my favorite dishes, this colorful recipe doesn't require exact measurements.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant (1.5 pounds), ends trimmed, unpeeled, diced
2 zucchini (1 pound total), unpeeled, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6-8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stems trimmed, quartered
5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup roasted garlic pasta sauce
6 large cloves garlic, halved (optional—add garlic if using plain marinara sauce)
pepper

1. Toss vegetables in large bowl with olive oil and season with pepper to taste.

2. Arrange on two parchment-lined baking sheets in single layer.

3. Place on center racks in 350 degree preheated oven and roast for thirty minutes. Switch pan positions and roast for additional thirty minutes. (total baking time: 1 hour)

4. Heat pasta sauce and mix with roasted vegetables in a large bowl.

Serve over rice or pasta as a meatless main dish or as a side dish with your favorite meat. We like it as a side for chicken. Serves 4 as main dish with rice.

* Can be made a day in advance and reheated with meal.

Slow Cooker Rosemary Chicken

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

This summer was hot in Southern Maryland. I didn't cook much. Now that the weather has cooled, I'm back in the kitchen.

There are many great techniques for preparing roast chicken. As an aspiring author with a busy schedule, I appreciate the convenience of a slow cooker. A 6-7 quart size slow cooker is required for this recipe.

I usually slow cook the chicken early in the week so we have leftovers for several days, and I have time to write instead of preparing meals. On the first night, I like to serve the chicken with Garlic Green Beans and Shitake Mushrooms.

Ingredients:

1 6-7 pound roaster chicken
1/2 lemon
6 cloves garlic, cut in halves
4 sprigs rosemary, plus 2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Remove giblets and neck from cavity of chicken.

2. Place garlic, rosemary sprigs and lemon in chicken cavity.

3. Blend minced rosemary, sea salt and black pepper. Rub on outside of chicken.

4. Place chicken in crock, cover and cook according to manufacturer's recommendation. Internal temperature should measure at least 165°F (74°C).

For my slow cooker: HIGH for 4 hours. LOW for 8 hours. My old cooker had an auto-shift option. Since I like to start the cooker around noon, I simulate the auto-shift by cooking on high for 1 hour then switching to low for 5 hours.

Fettuccine with Asparagus and Summer Squash

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

I like to serve at least one veggie main course each week. This week, I created a recipe from a picture I found a while back in a chef's equipment catalog. Although I lusted after the advertised sauté pan, the pasta and vegetables in the pan was what had my mouth watering.

In the picture the chef appears to have used regular fettuccine. I mixed regular fettuccine with whole-wheat fettuccine. This is a very easy recipe not requiring precise measurements.

Ingredients:

8 ounces fettuccine (semolina/durum)
8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine (durum whole grain)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch asparagus, each spear cut into thirds
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 medium yellow squash, sliced thin
zest of one small lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook fettuccine according to package(s) for desired doneness, keeping in mind that each type might have a different cooking duration. Time accordingly.

2. Meanwhile, pour olive oil into a large sauté pan. When hot, add garlic, asparagus, zucchini and yellow squash. Cover and cook on medium-low until desired tenderness. Add lemon zest near end of cooking time.

3. Toss cooked vegetables with cooked fettuccine, black pepper and parmesan cheese. Place in bowls and serve with a favorite wine.

Makes 4 generous servings. Enjoy!

Zucchini Potato Pancakes

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

My husband came home from work on Friday with a bag of zucchini from a coworker's garden. So I smiled when I read Pat's recipe for Middle Eastern Zucchini Salad. Another zucchini recipe to try.

But what else could I make?

How about these delicious zucchini potato pancakes, which I served with smoked salmon and a bottle of pinot grigio for Sunday brunch. The pancakes were such a hit I made them again for breakfast on the 4th.

Using a food processor makes shredding the vegetables a snap.

Ingredients:

3 cups peeled and shredded golden potatoes (about six size B)
2 cups shredded (with skins on) zucchini
1 cup shredded onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup unbleached flour
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 teaspoons oil
sour cream

1. Place shredded vegetables between layers of paper toweling and squeeze out excess liquid.

2. In a large bowl, combine vegetables with eggs, cornmeal, flour, oregano and pepper.

3. Heat 1-teaspoon oil in a griddle or large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, drop just a bit less than one cup of mixture into the pan and spread into a 5 to 6-inch circle. Cook until golden brown on both sides. (About 3 minutes for first side and 4 minutes for second side.)

4. Remove from pan to a parchment lined baking sheet and place in warm oven.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for six pancakes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Garlic Green Beans and Shitake Mushrooms

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Store bought produce just isn't as tasty as fresh-picked veggies. My dad used to grow a variety of string bean (green bean) known as Kentucky Wonder. I remember sitting on the patio in a webbed chair on a hot summer evening, helping my mom snip the ends and remove the strings from the beans before she'd cook them for dinner. They both have passed, but I think of my parents every time I cook green beans.

Most green beans purchased from the local grocery store no longer have strings—all you need do is wash and snip the ends.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound green beans, washed and ends snipped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
pepper
¼ cup sliced almonds

1. Pour olive oil into a large sauté pan. When hot add beans and whirl in oil to coat. Cover and cook on med-low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until beans are al dente and mushrooms are softened. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Stir in almonds and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes.

Makes 4 side-dish servings.

Serve with chicken, steak or lamb. Try Slow Cooker Rosemary Chicken.

Enjoy!

Sangria Pops

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

My nephew's wedding was this past Saturday. My sister-in-law, Lois, wanted to serve sangria pops at the family party the night before from a recipe she'd found in a local newspaper story by Vicki Hyman. So, on Friday morning, we prepared these frozen treats with a few minor changes to the original recipe.

Ingredients:

24 small 3-ounce plastic cups
24 wood craft sticks
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
2 kiwis, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup red grapes
½ cup green grapes
½ cups strawberries, stems removed and thinly sliced

For red sangria pops:

¾ cup merlot
1¼ cups orange juice
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

For white sangria pops:

¾ cup sauvignon blanc
1 cup white grape juice
¼ cup mango mixer

1. Arrange cups on a baking sheet and place a few pieces of different fruits in each one. (We left the rind on the citrus fruit. Although I liked it, some of the guests suggested removing it next time.)

2. In one pitcher, combine merlot and orange juice with powdered sugar and stir. In another pitcher, combine sauvignon blanc and white grape juice with mango mixer and stir.

3. Fill 12 of the cups with red wine mixture and 12 with white wine mixture. Cover each cup with a square of aluminum foil. Prick a hole in the middle of the foil with the tip of a sharp knife and insert a craft stick into each cup.

4. Freeze cups for at least four hours, cut cups off pops, and serve.

Make a couple extra with orange juice for the kids.

Group dynamic at the party: The men preferred red pops and the women selected white.

Note: You can find the craft sticks at the local craft store.

Original recipe from On a Stick! by Matt Armendariz.

Shrimp Scampi with Rice and Spinach

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Gardening is one of my many hobbies. The other day I was at the garden center, ogling this plant and that, when I found the cinnamon basil plant pictured above. Of course, I had to have it. I took the herb home, snipped off a few of the spicy-sweet leaves and used them in a romantic shrimp scampi dinner for two.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown rice
2 cups spinach, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound shrimp
6 leaves basil, minced
¼ teaspoon dried mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
black pepper

1. Add rice to two cups boiling water, cook on medium heat (low boil) with no lid for 30 minutes. Stir in spinach, cover with lid, remove from heat and set aside.

2. Melt butter in sauté pan. Add olive oil and garlic and stir over low-medium heat to flavor oil. Raise heat to medium, add shrimp, basil, mustard and lemon juice, and stir often until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

3. Drain rice in colander. Split rice and spinach between two bowls. Pour scampi over top of rice mixture and sprinkle with pepper to taste.

Serve with white wine. Enjoy!

Creamy Carrot Purée with Pesto

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

This creamy puréed soup with a dollop of pesto is delicious. Either prepared pesto can be used or follow Pat's directions for making fresh pesto in her post for Shrimp Risotto with Green Beans and Pesto Sauce. The use of a food processor makes slicing carrots a snap.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced thin
3 golden potatoes (size B), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fat free, sodium reduced, chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon pepper
prepared pesto

1. Pour olive oil into a large pan. When hot, add onion and stir until limp. Add carrots and potatoes, coating with onion flavored oil. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover pan, lower heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender when pierced.

2. Using the purée setting on a blender, purée in small batches until smooth. Pour into a large prep bowl. When finished, return pureed soup to pan. Heat, stirring often, until hot.

3. Pour into bowls, top with dollop of pesto, and serve with toasted sourdough bread.

Makes 4 generous servings. Enjoy!

Black Bean Chili

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Last year, after my chili entry finaled in a local charity chili cook-off, I shared the recipe at my writer's group blog 'Voices From The Heart'. The mention of using chocolate in a chili recipe seeded the idea in my mind. After tasting a wonderful chocolate flavored mole sauce at a restaurant, I decided to experiment with my chili recipe. Here's the results.


Ingredients:

1 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup catsup
½ cup water
½ cup celery, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
3 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, rinsed
3 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
2-3 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, minced
1 teaspoon adobe sauce
2 squares (2 ounces) 70% Cacao Extra Bittersweet Chocolate
Shredded Mexican blend cheese
(Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla and Asadero Cheese)


1. Sauté onion in olive oil. Add beef and brown lightly. Drain off excess fat. Add catsup, water, celery, lemon juice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Simmer covered for 30 minutes

2. Add black beans, diced tomatoes with liquid, chili powder, chipotles, adobe sauce and chocolate. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve chili over brown rice with generous sprinkling of cheese. Tortilla chips on side. Enjoy!

Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage (Töltött Káposzta)

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Last weekend's cold snap and snow in Southern Maryland had us craving something warm and satisfying. Stuffed cabbage.

Shortly after we married, my husband asked me to attempt some of his favorite Hungarian recipes. We called his paternal grandmother (nagyanya) and she provided me with a terrific little pamphlet from 1957.

Anna emigrated from Hungary to the United States at the age of fourteen with her soon-to-be husband's family. She lived a hearty ninety-seven years. We fondly called her Nagy-mama. We miss her terribly.

This recipe combines Anna's variation of the original recipe along with my modernization.

Ingredients:

1 large head of cabbage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 pound meatloaf mix (beef, pork, and veal)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup brown rice
2 14-ounce kielbasa
water (approximately 5 cups)
16-ounce refrigerated sauerkraut
Spicy Hot V8 juice (approximately 3 cups)
1 cup sour cream

1. Core cabbage and place in enough boiling water to cover. With a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, cut off the cabbage leaves as they wilt. Drain and trim the thick center vein from each cabbage leaf.


2. Sauté onion in olive oil until limp. Transfer to a large bowl. Add meat, seasonings, and rice and mix well. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling on each cabbage leaf and roll, tucking sides in.

3. Place kielbasa in the bottom of a large pot. Arrange rolled cabbage leaves over top. Add water until two thirds full. Cover cabbage with sauerkraut. Add V8 juice to fill. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 2 hours. (1.5 hours if you substitute white rice for brown.) Pour sour cream on top and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

6 to 8 servings. Enjoy!

Meatloaf -- Home Style Comfort Food

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

A local restaurant has a 'Cozy Comfort Foods' section on their menu. Meatloaf is front and center. There are probably a million and one (okay, maybe I exaggerate, but still) ways to prepare meatloaf. I use a variation on my mother's recipe.

Ingredients:

1½ pounds lean ground beef
1 large egg
1½ cups wheat cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup (no salt added) diced tomatoes

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into a loaf and place into a 5 by 9-inch loaf pan.

2. Bake for about 40 minutes in a 400-degree pre-heated oven. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

I serve meatloaf with brown rice and a vegetable, but potatoes are also a tasty side.

Lamb and Barley Soup

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

In celebration of Robert Burns' birthday, the famous Scottish poet, I thought I would share this thick and hearty Scottish inspired soup. Soups are wonderful comfort food especially appreciated on chilly winter evenings.

This recipe begins with the preparation of roux, a paste like thickener.

Ingredients:

1 pound medium barley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons flour
43 ounces fat free, sodium reduced, chicken broth
1 pound ground lamb
2 medium carrots, finely diced
1 medium turnip, finely diced
3 stalks celery
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Cook barley according to package directions and set aside.

2. In a large soup pot, sauté onion in oil over medium-high heat until limp. Reduce to low-medium heat and add garlic and flour to make roux, stirring often for about 10 minutes.

3. Add chicken broth to roux and blend, then bring to a boil. Add lamb and cook for about 15 minutes.

4. Add pre-cooked barley, carrots, turnips, celery, milk, basil and pepper and simmer until vegetables are tender.

This recipe freezes well. Add a small amount of chicken broth when reheating to thin soup.

Chicken and Baby Portobello Pizza

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

It's Friday pizza night, and chicken and baby portobello mushrooms are two of my favorite ingredients. Add those to garlic, basil, and mozzarella and you have the makings of a great pizza.

I cheat on the crust by starting with a prepared mix. I use 'Pizza Crust & Roll Mix' offered by The Pampered Chef. Other brands are available at the local grocer.

Ingredients for one 15-inch pizza:

pizza crust mix or pre-prepared crust
2 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup coarsely minced fresh basil
3 cooked chicken thighs, meat cut from the bone into small pieces
4 ounces baby Portobello mushrooms, diced
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
Crushed red pepper

Preparing the crust:

Follow directions for whatever pizza crust mix you choose. I like a thin crust, so I divide the dough from one pouch in half and use a 15-inch pizza stone. I've found it helpful to prepare the dough the evening before and store it in the refrigerator in a cake pan with a plate on top until I'm ready to use.

1. Place dough ball on a seasoned pizza stone or well-greased baking pan and roll out dough with a floured roller to within 1/2 inch of edge.

Hint: Sprinkle surface of baking stone with cornmeal to help prevent crust from sticking.

Preparing the topping:

1. Mix oil with minced garlic in a small bowl and spread evenly over prepared crust. Sprinkle minced basil evenly over garlic spread. Spread chicken pieces and diced mushrooms evenly over top. Complete with shredded mozzarella cheese.

2. Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes.

3. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over top to taste.

Hint: When baking two pies, switch position in oven halfway through cooking time.

Almond Cookies

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Happy Holidays! It's cookie time. One of my favorite things about the holidays is all the wonderful cookies. Several years ago, I found this recipe in a magazine and revised it a bit for my more mature taste buds by reducing the amount of sugar and replacing some of the white flour with whole-wheat pastry flour for an earthier flavor. The final product is delicious.

*Check out the note below on blanching nuts.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
blanched whole almonds
sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a large food processor bowl, whir butter and sugar. Add whole egg and almond extract and blend. Add flour and baking powder and blend again. Remove dough and place into a bowl, cover, and chill until firm, about one hour. (hint: If dough is left in refrigerator too long, it will need time to soften before it can be shaped into cookies.)

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, flatten with thumb, and place 1-inch apart on buttered or parchment-lined cookie trays. (hint: trays should be at room temperature—otherwise cookies may lose their shape.)

3. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with milk to blend. Lightly brush cookies with egg mixture. Press an almond into the center of each cookie and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. (note: discard excess egg mixture.)

4. Bake cookies in preheated 325 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack. (hint: For more even baking when making two trays of cookies at the same time, switch tray position halfway through cooking time.)

Makes approximately 48 cookies. Enjoy!

*Note on blanching nuts: Place the whole almonds with skins in boiling water for less than one minute and drain in colander. Pour cool water over top and drain again. Pinch nuts between thumb and forefinger and rub off skins.

Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

I have a 'thing' for kitchen gadgets and equipment. Two food processors sit on my kitchen counter, a large one and a mini-prep. I call them 'Big Moe' and 'Little Moe'. For this recipe, I use Big Moe to shred the cheese and Little Moe to mince the garlic. I just love my power toys.

I usually make this dish with leftover chicken after I've either baked or broiled or barbequed a large family-pack of thighs. I use a stoneware baking-dish, but any baking-dish will do. This recipe is spicy and rich and delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 cooked chicken thighs, meat cut from the bone into small pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package (8 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers,
shredded (split into 2/3 and 1/3)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (10 ounces) hot enchilada sauce
8 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas

1. Pour oil into a frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot add onion and jalapeno. Stir frequently until onion is limp.

2. In a large bowl, mix onion mixture with chicken, garlic, spinach, 2/3 cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, chili powder, chipotle chili pepper, and black pepper.

3. Pour just enough enchilada sauce into a 9 by 13 inch baking dish to cover bottom. Place a rounded 1/2 cup of chicken mixture onto a tortilla, roll, and place in pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas, arranging in a single layer over the sauce. Top evenly with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle remaining 1/3 cheese over top

4. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Cheese should be brown and bubbling. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Makes eight enchiladas.