Breadsticks and/or Pizza Dough

Breadsticks and Pizza Margarita (Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil) 

I love bread.  Bread can make a bad day good and calm an upset stomache.  I also feel it gets a bit of a bad name in the "health food" scene.  While it is no kale, it tastes good, is filling, is so cheap when homemade, and wonderful for your soul (or at least mine...) in moderation. Making bread is an art form, parts of which I am far from mastering (especially at 7900 feet).  This recipe for either breadsticks or pizza dough is one of the easiest yeast doughs to master. It is also quick (90 minutes until you have hot breadsticks). So make your bread and eat it too.

note: I often halve this recipe when I am making breadsticks for 2-3 people.

Breadsticks

Adpated a little from Our Best Bites

• 1 1/2 c. warm (105-115 degrees) water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. yeast
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3-4 1/2 c. flour (I use 2 1/2 cups all purpose and about 1 1/2 cups whole wheat)

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.

2. Add salt and stir. 

3. Add 2 c. flour and mix well on medium low speed with the dough hook attachment of your stand mixer. If you are using whole wheat flour, add all purpose flour first then whole wheat.

4. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.  Make sure flour completely incorporates into the dough.

5. Pull the dough away from the hook. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. 

6. Gently pull dough out of bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Dough ready for shaping

for breadsticks

7. Gently pat into a rectangle and cut into about 20 pieces.

8. Roll out each piece of dough into a snake and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. 

9. Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes.

10. When there’s about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425. When done rising, bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Rub some butter on top of the breadsticks, sprinkle with seasoning, or dip in sauce and soup.

for pizza dough (makes 2 small/medium pizzas)

7. Pre-heat oven to 500 with your pizza stone in the oven if you use one.

8. Cut the dough into two pieces for smaller pans/ovens, or shape into one large pizza. 

9. Gently pull the dough to the edge of the pan working to create an even layer.  

10. Arrange your choice of toppings.  (Pictured: marinara, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, mozzerella, chevre, finely chopped swiss chard, sea salt, and finished with basil after being removed from the oven)

11. Slide onto stone, or bake on sheet about 10 minutes until crust darkens and cheese begins to brown.  

12. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes.  

Friday Links: Meyer Lemons

photo credit

Happy President's Weekend!  We have the honor of Michelle Obama and Joe Biden skiing our slopes this weekend, so naturally Steven and I will be avoiding paparazzi filled hill in favor of bowl hiking and other pursuits this weekend.  We are also excited to celebrate Valentine's Day (belated) tonight at Element 47, Aspen's newest fine dining.

Today's links honor one of America's last truly seasonal fruits.  While many of us know better, we still buy apples in March and Kale in August.  We keep encouraging the excessive use of resources for food transportation.  Meyer lemons are not in season in Aspen, nothing is, but they do represent a dying trend of produce you can only find once a year.  Also, they are delicious.  So buy seasonal and enjoy these lovely, sweet-tart, gems.

Meyer Lemon Loaf from Sprouted Kitchen

Note: I made the Meyer Lemon Loaf with AP flour and it was so good I am making another this weekend.

Cocktail Hour: Meyer Lemon Whisky Sour
First Course: Leafy Salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing
Main Course: Sauteed Chicken with Meyer Lemon and Rosemary
With Afternoon Tea: Meyer Lemon Loaf (gluten-free or not)
After Dinner: Meyer Lemon Curd Tart

Ginger-Maple Glazed Carrots

While the days are getting longer, it is still the season where we eat dinner after dark with condensation around the windows and soft lights glowing.  We linger in conversation, knowing that little will happen between dinner and bedtime.  This is also the season where broccoli has a shocking price tag, and green beans shrivel.  Tired of kale as a side, the other night I made these tasty glazed carrots to accompany creamy polenta, and roasted squash.  It made for an orange meal, but was well worth it.

Ginger-Maple Glazed Carrots

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3-4 carrots, cut into 2 inch sticks
• Sea salt
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet
2. Add carrots in a single layer and sprinkle a little sea salt over the top
3. Cook 20-30 minutes, turning once, until carrots begin to show some deep brown coloring and are almost fully cooked.
4. Whisk together maple syrup, ginger and lemon zest, add to carrots and stir to coat sprinkle cayenne if using. 

     5. Cook another 5 minutes until a glaze forms.

     6. Finish with salt and black pepper to taste.

Friday Links: Healthy Super Bowl Recipes

Photo Credit

I am not a football fan.  However, I do enjoy a good Super Bowl party with good eats and friends.  Snacks for this occasion always amaze me at the huge number of calories for a sedentary crowd.  The recipes below can help you reduce that calorie count significantly, especially if you are not actually playing any football. In addition, the white bean dip and sweet potato fries are both vegan.  Enjoy!

For the main course: Guilt Free Chicken Chili
For dipping the chips and veggies: White Bean and Herb Dip or a yogurt based Spinach Artichoke Dip
For snacking and the cute factor: Turkey Sliders
Fries to go with your sliders: Sweet Potato Oven Fries
For a sweet treat: no fuss Classic Brownies or Blueberry Bonanza Bars

Vegetable Barley Soup and January Gray

It has been a strange January with temperatures ranging from well below zero to 50 degrees, and not much snow until today.  We spent January skiing when the sun came out, ice climbing in Ouray, doing our best to enjoy the chaotic Winter X Games, and celebrating more stable jobs (I am working 15 hours per week in a clinic, and Steven is now a full time salaried employee at the school).  This January seems to be Gray.  Gray skies, gray attitudes, snowless gray streets.  So here is looking towards a February full of blue sky, more snow, health and positivity.  We are crossing our fingers for more snow in the near future, and preparing for a busy February and March.

This soup is basic.  It is the perfect cure for winter blues or grays, and is quick enough for a weeknight meal.

Vegetable Barley Soup
Adapted from Picky Cook

• 2 large or 3 small leeks, cut in small half moons
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 carrots, large dice or half moons
• 1 large russet potato or 3 red potatoes, peeled and 1 inch dice
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup barley
• 1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 cups vegetable stock
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Minced parsley for garnish (optional)

1. Heat olive oil, add leeks and allow to soften.  Add garlic and a pinch of salt, cook until fragrant (1 minute).
2. Stir in carrots, celery and potato and cook about 5 minutes.
3. Push vegetables to the side and add 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Stir tomato paste in oil until it begins to stick and darkens (1-2 minutes).  Incorporate into the vegetable mixture.
4. Add barley and cook stirring 2 minutes.
5. Sprinkle paprika and oregano over the mixture and stir. 
6. Add stock and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.  
7. Simmer 25-30 minutes until potatoes are soft and barley cooks through (this will take an extra 15 minutes at altitude). 
8. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice.  Serve topped with minced parsley.

View from the start deck at the X Games SuperPipe.  We got to slip between riders.

Learning the basics of digging a snow pit during a weekend avy safety course.

Clouds in the valley.

Friday Links: Resolutions and Recipes

Photo Credit

Oh resolutions.  Last year I resolved to bake more cake, which I did.  I am not a fan of the "eat healthier" or "lose weight" brand of resolutions.  However, I do find that January is often a time where my body needs a cleanse.  I am not talking about the only drink smoothies kind of cleanse, but rather just a fresh start to the year filled with winter greens, hearty grains and low in saturated fats and meats.  Just taking how we usually eat and amping up the greens.  Today's links are resolution friendly and tasty.

Eat more dark, leafy greens: Kale and Chickpea Salad, and 14 other kale recipes
Be more creative with vegetarian cooking: Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes
Include winter squash in your diet: Butternut Squash and Shiitake Ragu
Lower your calorie intake (without being hungry): Spiced Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
Cleanse the right way: Bon Appetit's Food Lovers Cleanse

In other news, we spent last weekend at the Ouray Ice Climbing Festival.  Here are a few pics:

Me

Kenz

Hiking In (Ed and Mike in Front)

The Competition

Lemon Risotto and a Merry Christmas

Monty, our tree in Aspen

Happy New Year, and I apologize for the month-long break!  Hopefully you are all relishing in the quiet that comes with the turning of the calendar and having a much needed time to recuperate. We celebrated the turn of the year at my sister's home/work, Emerald City Trapeze Arts and their Gala Luna Blanca, then proceeded to regret certain decisions as we began 2013 with an evening of flying and driving that landed us in bed at 3:00 Wednesday morning.  The beginning of the trip home was spent first with friends and then at our separate families, where I baked and made candy until my feet hurt.  We reunited on Christmas Eve for an afternoon celebration with Steven's family.  After hopping a late-night ferry we awoke Christmas morning and spent lazy hours transitioning from coffee to mimosas and from gifts to a noonish brunch.  Then the real cooking began.  We celebrated Christmas dinner with my parents, sister, sister's boyfriend, 3 uncles, 2 aunts, grandma, and aunt's brother, as well as 3 dogs and many cats.  We cooked an adapted "feast of the seven fishes," a traditional Christmas Eve event in Southern Italy.


The Menu

7 Fishes
Fresh Oyster Shooters
Smoked Salmon
Mixed Seafood Risotto (squid, scallops, shrimp)
Calamari stuffed with Geoduck Clams
Poached Halibut

Vegetable Sides
Eggplant and Tomato Ragu
Sauteed Asparagus
Green Salad

Desert
Tiramisu

Lemon Risotto

I am positive this is not the "traditional" menu, but it was a very fun adaptation compared to the typical American Christmas dinner.  I slightly adapted my lemon risotto recipe by stirring in seafood in place of lemon and using fish stock, but I am giving you the original because I like it better than the adapted.  

Lemon Risotto

• 2 quarts chicken stock, low sodium
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 shallots, small dice
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary, minced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese to garnish

1. Heat stock to a simmer in a large saucepan, and continue to simmer over medium-low heat
2. Heat a dutch oven or other large, heavy pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil and 1 tbs butter and allow to heat for about 30 seconds.
3. Add shallots and saute until soft, 5-6 minutes. 
4. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute.
5. Stir in rice and cook until translucent, 2 minutes.
6. Pour wine over mixture and stir until evaporated.
7. Add 1 1/2 cups of stock and stir.  Simmer until absorbed.
8. Continue to add stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and adding more liquid when the previous is absorbed.  
9. While the rice is cooking whisk together egg yolk, cream, and lemon zest.
10. Continue until rice is al dente (soft with a little bit of a bite), you may not need all of the stock. 
11. Stir in egg/zest mixture, rosemary, remaining butter and lemon juice.  Cover and allow to sit 10 minutes.
12. Serve topped with freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese.