Ham and Swiss Stromboli - Recipe #49

Having lived the saying ¨hell is two people and a ham¨, it has been a while since we've had any ham leftovers with which to make ham and cheese stromboli. Fortunately, we had leftovers from the small slice of ham I purchased from PCC for the arroz con pollo.

Being a fan of both bread and cheese, I highly recommend this recipe, which also gets the Trent seal of approval. I make it whenever we have ham available.

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

• 3 c. bread flour
• 1 c. warm water (100-110 degrees)
• 1 T. nonfat dry milk
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 1/2 t. bread machine yeast
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. dry mustard
• 1/2 c. (3 oz.) chopped ham
• 1/2 c. (2 oz.) cubed Swiss cheese (I used gruyere this time)
• 1 1/2 t. cornmeal
• 1 lg. egg, lightly beaten

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups. Follow manufacturers direction for placing flour and next 6 ingred. (through mustard) into bread pan and select dough cycle. Start machine.

Remove dough from machine. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 30 sec. Cover dough and let rest 10 min.

Roll dough into a 10x8¨ oval on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the ham and cheese onto half of oval, lengthwise, leaving a 1¨ border. Fold dough over filling and press the edges and ends together to seal.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with cornmeal. Place loaf, seam side down, on prepared pan. Make 3 diagonal cuts 1/4¨ deep across the top of the loaf using a sharp knife. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350. Uncover dough, brush with egg. Bake for 35 minutes or until browned. Cool slightly.

I served this with kale salad, which was a nice contrast to the richness of the meat and cheese.

Thursday Thought

The best things in life aren't things.

Attributed to tons of people, so I'm not going to single out just one

Merry Christmas! It's been just over a week since I last posted, which makes me feel like I've been missing in action, even though earlier in the year I would have thought nothing of it.

Right now, I'm at Trent's parents' house in the Tri-Cities. The sun has come out after a day of rain. I'm enjoying the quiet of the morning and the return of my energy after a few days of a mild cold. Over the past few years, we've been simplifying Christmas (though my side of the family has yet to follow suit). We began by drawing names and have transitioned to more simple handmade or consumable trifles, so that we can experience the joy of being together without so much of the stress of seeking out the perfect gift.

At the moment, I'm particularly grateful for my mom's health. She was hit by a car a week ago and spent most of the night in the emergency room. Fortunately, the car was going at a fairly low speed and the driver got out to keep her warm and safe as they waited for the paramedics to arrive. Her ankle's a little sore and she has a mild concussion, but it could have been so much worse.

I'm also enjoying how my new job gives me the opportunity to interact more with people - chatting with a little girl about her favorite Rainbow Fairies books, helping a young immigrant understand the book he is reading or finding directions for a lost traveler. I'm also thankful for the vacation time my job gives me to allow me to spend Christmas away from home.

Over the next few hours, more of the family will emerge from sleep and we'll open gifts, laugh, take pictures and eat brunch - with maybe a Christmas Day walk to throw in the mix. And when it gets to me a more reasonable time of day, I'll call my parents and siblings to let them know how much I miss them. I'm hoping to find a way to do a Google Hangout with some of them (though my mom is restricted from much computer use, so that may not end up happening).

Arroz con Pollo - Recipe #48

One of my go-to menu options at Azteca (though I haven't been in ages) is arroz con pollo. I always end up with leftovers for lunch the next day, since portion sizes are ginormous. This particular recipe was on the back of the Cooking Light page containing Chicken Biryani and I'm not entirely certain which recipe I clipped the page for. It is also entirely plausible that I wanted both of them. And in fact, there is one last recipe that I'll make in the near future from the same article.

My new job sometimes gets me home a little earlier from work, so I had enough time to make this as a weeknight supper, though it is a little lengthier than I usually attempt outside of the weekend. While I preferred the biryani, this was also delectable (and gave me plenty of leftovers). Though it calls for skinned chicken, I chose to skin it post cooking for better browning.

Arroz con Pollo

• 6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 lbs.), skinned
• 6 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs.), skinned
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 t. dried oregano, divided
• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t. ground turmeric
• 3/4 t. ground cumin
• 3/4 t. ground cumin
• 1 1/2 c. uncooked Arborio rice
• 1/2 c. diced ham
• 2 1/4 c. chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 c. frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/2 c. chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives

Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and 1 t. oregano. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides (I cooked it a little longer as I've had some issues with undercooked chicken). Remove chicken from pan; drizzle with lime juice. Cover; keep warm.

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in 1/2 t. oregano, turmeric, and cumin, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in rice and ham; cook 1 minute. Increase heat to medium. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add chicken, nestling into the rice mixture. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed. Stir in peas; cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with olives

Green Beans with Butter & Herbs (#46) and Steamed Mussels with Curry and Mint (#47)

After holiday parties and too many nights of leftovers, it was time to step up my game again with two loose recipes for one dinner. I purchased provisions at PCC, where the bagger kidded me that I could be French with my baguette and kale leaning tantalizingly out of my grocery bag and all the ingredients needed for mouclade (which according to the Cooking Light blurb is "from the region of France near La Rochelle, famous for its oysters and mussels").

Simply superb. This was one of my favorite dinners so far. The mussels were new to me (from a time in my life where I had discovered the joys of fresh shellfish from the Farmer's Market and clipped every promising-looking recipe to come my way), but I have made the green beans several times.

Green Beans with Butter and Herbs

• 1 lb. beans
• 1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped
• 3 T butter
• 2 T parsley
• 2 T fresh thyme
• 2 T tarragon/basil (I did 2 t. dried tarragon)
• 2 T chives
• salt/pepper
• lemon wedges

Bring large pot of salty water to boil. Blanch green beans 3-4 minutes, place in ice water bath, drain pat dry. Heat butter on medium-high in a large saute pan. Cook onions until translucent (2-3 min.). Add beans. Cook 2-3 min. more, stirring frequently. Add herbs, salt & pepper. Cook 1 min. more. Serve with lemon wedges.

(Use as many fresh herbs as you can, as they add a burst of flavor).

Steamed Mussels with Curry and Mint

• 1 1/2 t. curry powder
• 1 c. dry white wine (Muscadet for us, of course)
• 1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
• 4 pounds mussels
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh mint
• 2 T. whipping cream
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread baguette (about 4 ounces)

Cook curry in a small saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Remove curry from pan, set aside.

Bring wine and shallots to a boil in a large Dutch oven, cover and cook 5 minutes. Add mussels, cover and cook 5 minutes or until shells open. Remove mussels from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid, discard any unopened shells. Keep warm

Add curry, mint, cream and pepper to reserved cooking liquid in pan. Place pan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Divide mussels evenly among 5 large shallow bowls; spoon curry mixture over mussels. Serve with bread.

I made 2 lbs. of mussels instead of 4, since I don't think they taste as good as leftovers, but made the same amount of sauce.

Chicken Enchiladas and Yummy Beans (Recipes #44 & #45)

I'm slowing down a bit with the Recipe Challenge - in part because I have so many leftovers to eat and not much freezer space. For example, I have eaten this dinner 3 times so far and have enough for one more lunch portion of enchiladas and a few more servings of beans. It certainly makes meeting nights and choir night easier.

This chicken enchilada recipe is from Aubrey, one of my lifelong friends, given to me at my bridal shower. I wrote down that the bean recipe came from Joy the Baker, but I can't find it anywhere online - maybe it's from her cookbook?

Chicken Enchiladas

• 12 flour tortillas (6-8" in diameter - I only used 9)
• 4 chicken breasts (I used two ginormous ones instead)
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• 1 tsp. dried minced onion (I substituted a small chopped onion instead)
• 1 (20 oz.) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (8 oz.) package grated Jack cheese (I used pepper jack)

Cook chicken breasts in boiling water for about 15 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Spread 4-6b oz. of enchilada sauce onto bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 375. Shred chicken with a fork. Mix in cream cheese and onion. Spoon mixture into tortillas, roll them, and place side by side into dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Then uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake additional 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

My modifications: I added chopped mushrooms to the filling, since I had some that I needed to use up and I didn't have a veggie dish planned with the enchiladas. Plus, we both love mushrooms. I added a couple of spoonfuls of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers to the enchilada sauce for a smoky flavor. I added chopped green onions and cilantro on top when I sprinkled the cheese.

Yummy Beans

Soak overnight. Drain. Cover with 2" water. Add parsley stems, bay leaf, salt, pepper & chili or olive oil (really yummy with the chili oil, but I didn't have any on hand). Simmer & cook until tender. I'm fairly certain you could do this with any type of dried beans, but I used black beans. Yes, this is not very different from the directions on the back of the bag, but I do like the addition of the herbs and oil.

Quick-Baked Pasta Family Style - Recipe #43

In my normal meal routine, my goal is to have at least half of my dinners be vegetarian or pescatarian. The recipe challenge is throwing a wrench into that scheme, as I have now cooked most of my non-meat main course loose recipes. So far this month, I've eaten just one vegetarian dinner - but I plan to make up for it by using more of the side dish/dessert recipes as the month continues and making a few of the recipes from Bold Vegan, the book that inspired the Vegan Cooking Extravaganza with my mom (and written by some of my brother's friends).

But back to this decidedly non-vegetarian recipe...

My aunt and uncle really came through for me the year I asked for favorite recipes for Christmas. Strangely, I had not made a single one until now - probably because many of them call for one or two ingredients that I don't normally stock (and in some cases am not even sure of the best source for them). In this recipe it was the "good brown gravy" that scared me off. I have never made my own gravy (outside of a mushroom one) and I wasn't exactly sure what constituted "good". However, I took a leap of faith at the grocery store and bought a jar. This is also a far cry from the Cooking Light approach. Tasty, but probably not one that will go into my normal rotation (though Trent agrees I should make it again).

Quick-Baked Pasta Family Style (Frugal Gourmet)

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 lb. lean coarse ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3/4 c. red marinara or spaghetti sauce (good way to use up the leftover sauce from manicotti-making)
• 3/4 c. good brown gravy
• 1/2 c. half and half
• 1/4 c. Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1 t. dried whole oregano
• 1/2 t. dried wle. rosemary
• salt and pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• 3/4 lb. penne pasta
• Topping: 1 c. Mozzarella or Swiss cheese

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Heat a large frying pan and add the oil, beef, and garlic. Saute until the meat is tender and then drain excess fat. Add all remaining ingredients except the cheese for topping and the pasta. Simmer the mixture while the pasta cooks until just barely tender. Drain the pasta and mix it with the sauce. Poor all into a 3 quart rectangular glass baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until all is bubbly hot.

Thursday Thought

If you have more projects than you have time for, you are not going to be an unhappy person....Things will come to you if you have the interest in the first place.

Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living

Today was my last day working in the building I've worked in for four years. I'll be starting a new job on Monday and tomorrow I have a retreat with my current work group to set priorities for 2015. Much of this week was spent on more projects than I had time for. (In fact, that's why I'm posting this after work, rather than my normal pre-work post). And even though I experienced a little anxiety that I couldn't get it all done, I have also felt privileged to have so many meaningful projects to participate in.

I am all for cutting back on unnecessary commitments, but the key to this quote for me, is to make sure that you are whenever possible following projects at work and at home that you have a genuine interest in. Therein lies happiness.

What I'm Reading Wednesdays

For over a month, I've had a draft for this blog posting. I've so enjoyed having one regular feature, that I thought I'd add in another alliterative day of the week. While this may end up being only an occasional feature, I now present the first "What I'm Reading Wednesday".

Somehow, I am in the middle of four books, which is not typical. Usually two to three is more my speed. One adventure read-aloud with Trent and another book for me (sometimes one fiction and one non-fiction at the same time).

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides. I have an addiction to polar adventure. Fiction, non-fiction - it matters not - and I am love, love, loving this read-aloud which features a brave leader convinced by the best minds of the time that he will find a balmy polar sea at the North Pole and an eccentric newspaperman, who sponsors the expedition (and also sponsored Stanley's search for Livingstone).

Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation by Sharon Salzberg. I've read so much on the benefits of meditation and keep hoping that it will both calm my mind and lower my blood pressure - but I'm such a beginner that I can use all of the tips and encouragement I can get.

Working by Studs Terkel. On our way back from Shilshole one day, Trent turned up the radio saying, "I think you'd be interested in this". In honor of the 40th anniversary of the book of interviews of people from all different professions, they were playing an interview from a taxi driver. I was riveted and immediately placed the book on hold. Unfortunately, it lengthy with fairly tiny type, so I waited until the last day before running out of renewals to start reading and then promptly checked it out again.

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage. The one children's novel on my list, this one has tons of starred reviews and is on lots of end of year "best book" lists. Yes, there are a number of other kids books with spunky Southern orphans, but even so, there's something special about Mo LoBeau.

What are you reading?

Non-veal Paprikash - Recipe #42

The tour of my college cooking career continues. The summer between my sophomore and junior years, I moved to the campus apartments. I was eager to begin cooking more often, as the kitchen was shared with 5 other women, instead of dozens and I no longer had a dining plan. That Christmas, under my parents' tree was a copy of the November/December 1997 Cooking Light magazine, along with a promise of more to come to my mailbox (hooray for something other than bills and junkmail!)

I have made this recipe a number of times since then. The last time was about three years ago, when we had to move from our rental home and were waiting for our house to finally close. Our wonderful friends let us stay with them for two or three weeks and we had a number of meals together. I enjoyed alternating cooking with Emi (who is a fantastic cook). This is best made on a weekend or a day when you get home early from work, as it takes at least two hours from start to finish.

While the recipe is for Veal Paprikash, I have always made the substitution of boned sirloin steak or sirloin tip round roast. As I am no longer a broke college student, I also try to purchase ethical, high-quality ingredients whenever possible. I had quite a time of it at the grocery store, nearly succumbing to the 50 cent cans of broth before noticing that they had MSG and that the chicken broth had "chicken flavor" listed as an ingredient. I quickly changed my choice. Why is so much of our canned food or processed food not real food? Shouldn't the default for chicken broth ingredients be chicken, water, vegetables and maybe a few spices? [end of rant]

• 1 T. butter, divided (original called for margarine, which I avoid buying whenever possible)
• 1 (2 1/4 lb) lean veal tip round roast or boned sirloin steak cut into 1" pieces
• 1 1/2 c. sliced carrot
• 1 c. sliced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 T. paprika
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 1 c. low-salt chicken broth
• 1 c. fat free beef broth
• 1/2 c. dry white wine (I picked up some Muscadet from my local wine store, City Cellars. Trent still has some relatives in France that produce Muscadet. While we can no longer get the family wine in the U.S., it's still a go-to favorite.)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 5 1/4 c. hot cooked medium egg noodles (3 1/2 c. uncooked)
• Chopped parsley (optional)

Melt 1 t. butter in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray (or lightly oiled) over medium-high heat. Add meat; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove meat from pan. Set aside.

Melt remaining butter in pan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic; saute 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Add broths, wine and bay leaves; stir well. Return meat to pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over noodles, garnish with parsley if desired.

Meatless Monday - Cheese Manicotti - recipe #41

Whew - another blast from the past. Trent and I ate this recipe on our first Valentine's Day together as a couple back in 1997. To make it extra-romantic, I baked it in a heart-shaped pan. Interestingly enough, I bought the same brand of pasta, which had a virtually identical recipe on the back, except the more recent recipe doubled the eggs, salt and nutmeg and cut the pasta sauce by a 1/2 cup.

I also said good bye to some untried recipes and it was surprising how painful it was to do, considering I've never made them and I had good reason to let them go. One was a new focaccia recipe that called for a pizza stone (which I don't have and don't feel the need to purchase) and baking at 500 degrees (which always makes the smoke detector go off). The other was a crockpot dressing from a coworker, when I don't ever host a turkey dinner and don't have a large enough crockpot. Plus, when I asked this year if she made it she said she had found a healthier recipe online that was just as tasty.

Cheese-Filled Manicotti

• 1 package (8 oz.) manicotti
• 1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 2 c. (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 T. chopped parsley
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 2 c. (8 oz.) spaghetti sauce

Prepare pasta as directed on package; drain. Rince with cold water, drain and arrange in single layer to fill. Meanwhile, mix ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 c. mozzarella, 1/4 c. Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spoon mixture into manicotti shells. Sprinkle remaining cheese; Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until hot (I upped it to 400, as it was baking with bread, and reduced the time to 20-25 minutes). Makes 4 servings.

Pizza Night - Spicy Garlic Chicken Pizza (Recipe #39) and Italian Dressing (Recipe #40)

Trent and I met my freshman year at the U.W. in Haggett Hall. Every Friday night was pizza night, which ranged from delicious to barely edible (depending on the cook and how long it had been under a heat lamp). In my sophomore year, I moved to Hansee Hall, where every room was a single and they had more convenient cooking facilities. It may have been there that I first cooked this pizza recipe, courtesy of the Boboli pizza shell wrapping via our friend Ryan (who jokingly predicted that we would get together weeks before we did).

This used to be in the rotation far more often, but now I generally prefer to make my own pizza crust. For nostalgia (and the Recipe Challenge's) sake, I went with the traditional version. And while in pizza nights of yore we didn't worry about vegetables too much, this time I made Italian dressing for our baby greens. I picked up the dressing recipe after buying a "gorgeous Manhattan Cruet" from my sister's Southern Living at Home party, when she lived in an apartment on Alki (I miss that apartment - it was great for watching fireworks displays - but I digress...) I will recycle the recipe, as I have plenty of cookbooks with alternate Italian dressing recipes that seem fairly similar.

Spicy Garlic Chicken Pizza

• 1/2 c. sliced green onions, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T. rice vinegar or white vinegar (I have always used the rice vinegar)
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halve, cut into 1/2" pieces (with the super-sizing of chicken breasts, I usually use only two and have meat covering virtually every inch of the pizza)
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1 Italian breadshell (12")
• 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 c. Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 2 T. pine nuts or sliced almonds (this was the first time ever using these - and I went with the almonds)

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 c. of the green onions with garlic and next 5 ingredients. Add chicken, stirring to coat. Let stand 30 min., then drain, reserving marinade. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 T. oil and add chicken. Cook 3 min. or until done, stirring constantly (it always takes far longer than that for me). In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and reserved marinade; stir well. Add to chicken; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Spoon over breadshell. Top with cheese and bake 12 min. Remove from oven; top with remaining green onions and nuts. Return to oven and bake 2 more minutes.

Italian Dressing (from Southern Living Ultimate Cookbook)

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 T. white vinegar
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. dry mustard
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/8 t. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly, and shake vigorously; chill thoroughly. Shake before serving. Serve over salad greens.

Curried Split Pea Soup (in the Slow Cooker) - Recipe #38

This time of year I bring out the slow cooker almost weekly. On choir nights, I have 20-30 minutes between when I arrive home and when I need to head out the door again (we used to start 15 minutes earlier, so time was even tighter). Since I don't get home again until 9 or 9:30, it is imperative that I have something quick and easy - or even better, something already hot and ready to go.

Curried Split Pea Soup (originally from The Best Slow Cooker Cookbook Ever)

• 16 oz dried green split peas
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 c. boiling water
• 2 1/2 T curry powder
• 6 carrots, peeled and chopped (this time around, my carrots were jumbo-size, so I used 3 - I probably could have cut back further to 2)
• 2 celery ribs, chopped (my celery ribs were skinny, so I used 4)
• 1/4 t. seasoned salt (I have Johnny's on hand to feed my love of popcorn)
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1 c. chopped Canadian bacon (opt.)

Mix ingredients (except 1/2 T. curry powder) in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low 9-10 hours. Stir in remaining 1/2 T. curry. Add more seasoned salt & pepper to taste.

Easy-peasy!

I don't have many slow cooker recipes in my rotation, but this is one of the best. 

Gruyere and Green Olive Rolls - Recipe #37

"Are you going to be around the dock later today?" I asked my librarian friend, who recently moved aboard a sailboat, after a chilly run around Green Lake. "We're testing out our new inflatable kayak and I could bring you some of the bread that I'm making."  She informed me that indeed, she'd be at home most of the day. We finished our coffee at Revolutions and parted ways, as I knew it was time to pop the rising loaf into the oven.

This recipe for Gruyere and Green Olive Rolls was not originally a part of the recipe challenge, but I've now decided that any new loose recipe obtained during the time period of the challenge must be included. And it looked good enough to rival the savory rolls from Hiroki. I'd meant to make it the prior Sunday for breakfast, forgetting that it calls for overnight rising. Blast! But this time, I had carefully set out the dough the night before in eager anticipation.

Trent was off at Grandma's house, fixing the sound on her television, which had mysteriously disappeared after Thanksgiving (causing no end of worry that she would miss Jeopardy - or that her troubleshooting phone call with Trent would make us miss Jeopardy). I placed the four, enormous rolls in the oven and entertained myself while they baked. As they baked up, a delicious odor permeated the living room, which only strengthened when I took the ooey-gooey rolls out.

Though the recipe said that you could split a roll, we each ate one ourselves for lunch. We decided to avoid the 30 knot winds, by postponing our trip to Shilshole to another day. That is where my conundrum began. The rolls were so tasty, I wondered if perhaps no one would be at the boat the next day. Or maybe I could "forget" to bring one to the dock. Fortunately, the more generous side of my nature won out (but just barely). I will have to bake these rolls again sooner, rather than later, possibly substituting ingredients (adding prosciutto or using blue cheese instead to mirror some of our favorite Hiroki treats).

Gruyere and Green Olive Rolls

For the Starter:
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast (mine says for bread-machines on it, but it works the same way)
• 1/2 cup warm water
For the Dough:
• all of the starter
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
For the Filling:
• 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (I used a combo of Gruyère, sharp white cheddar, and another swiss cheese - you really don't need quite this much cheese, I would probably use a little less next time - even the picture in the original Joy the Baker posting does not appear to use quite this much)
• 1 cup sliced green olives
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. To make the starter, mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Mix till well combined; the starter will be very dry. Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature.
2. To make the dough, combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, and yeast. Stir until thick and well combined in a bowl then dump onto a well floured work surface to knead by hand until soft and smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size. 
4. Gently deflate the dough, and pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12". Use your finger tips and hands to stretch out the dough. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and olives.
5. Starting with a long side of the dough, roll it into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Place the log, seam-side down on a lightly floured surface.
6. Gently cut the log into four crosswise slices, for mini-breads. Place them on a 9x13-inch pan, cut side up. Use your fingers to press the rolls down and spread them open a bit to more fully expose the cheese.
7. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 hour until it's puffy but not necessarily doubled in size. (I got distracted at coffee and it probably rose a little more than it needed to). Towards the end of the rising time, place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
8. Lightly brush loaves with egg wash.
9. Place in the oven to bake.
10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
11. Slice into wedges. The recipe suggests serving warm with mustard, though I skipped the mustard. Rolls will last, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. They are best reheated gently in the oven or toasted before serving.

Thursday Thought

I’m curious, I love life. Until I am buried, I want to live. That’s it.

Diane von Furstenberg quoted in The Seattle Times

After reading this recent Seattle Times article, I'm eager to read von Furstenberg's book, The Woman I Wanted to Be. From the portrayal in the article, she seems to be vital, engaged, interesting and constantly learning - the kind of woman I want to be. Not to mention that fact that I am a big believer in any kind of clothing, like the wrap dress, that looks chic, but feels like you're wearing a bathrobe...

Family Recipes - Cinnamon Flop - Recipe #36

When Trent and I first started spending Thanksgivings and Christmases together, I asked if there were any family traditions that he would miss by spending the holiday with my family. He mentioned cinnamon flop, a simple recipe handed down from generations, so I have taken over making this when we are far from his family. This Thanksgiving was my family's turn to spend the holiday with us, so I made sure to have the ingredients for Cinnamon Flop on hand. I first got the recipe from Trent's aunt on an extended-family trip to Myrtle Beach. It's written on a post it found in the time-share with the phrase "Don't let anybody kid you, It's the gift that counts!". I've fixed this for book club getaways, as well as my sister and brother-in-law. It is best served with bacon, eggs, and a fruit salad.

• 1 c. sugar
• 2 c. flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 3 T melted butter
• 1 c. milk
• brown sugar and cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except brown sugar and cinnamon. Put in a greased baking pan (mine is about 9x13). Sprinkle a top with cinnamon and brown sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until done (mine always takes 5-8 minutes longer).

Trent's mom has made this vegan and gluten-free, but I think the traditional version really is best.

Meatless Monday - Quick-fix Sweet Potato, Spinach, Fire-roasted Tomatoes and Peanut Butter Soup - Recipe #35

I am so in love with savory sweet potato stews. It's no coincidence that three of my favorite vegan recipes include this nutritional powerhouse. This recipe is faster than any of my others, making it perfect for a weeknight or a low-stress dinner with friends. Another keeper from the Healthy Librarian - and one that I actually follow to the letter (well, except the ground ginger that I used this time around in place of the fresh when I realized I was out and the regular soy sauce, rather than reduced-sodium). This time around I served it with buttermilk biscuits fresh from the oven.

Enlightened Quick-Fix Sweet Potato, Spinach Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and a Bit of Peanut Butter Soup

• 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 T. fresh grated ginger
• 2 t. ground coriander
• 1/4 t. cayenne
• 1 14.5 oz. can of Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 c. creamy peanut butter
• 4 c. of low-sodium veggie broth + 1/4 c. to help saute the vegetables, if necessary (mine was homemade)
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 c. unsweetened non-dairy milk (this time I used soy, but I often use almond)
• 4 c. of fresh baby spinahc
• 2 T. chopped peanuts (opt.)

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sweet potato. Cover and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Check halfway through to stir, and add a little big of broth if the vegetables are sticking.

Stir in ginger, coriander and cayenne. Add tomatoes and soy sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter with 1 c. of the broth, stirring until smooth. Smooth the peanut mixture into the soup, then add the remaining broth and season to taste with the pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the nondairy milk and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.

Serve hot, sprinkled with some chopped peanuts.

Serves 6, which means that we've had lots of yummy leftovers!