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You may have noticed that lately there has been talk of making pizza, but no new pizza posts have surfaced. It is because I haven’t loved them. The crusts have all been meh. At best.
And I have tried lots of crust recipes. From chefs and cookbooks and bloggers that I trust. Really trust (although I am not saying who, for it is too embarrassing). And I really don’t know where things are going wrong. I’ve tried all kinds of options – hand kneading and mixer; baking sheet, pizza stone, bake, bake and broil; hand forming, tossing, rolling, pulling … and the outcome is always (about) the same.
They have just all been a bit doughy. And not in a good way. Dry too. And almost dense. Doughy, dry and dense. No thanks.
But after the last bust, I was determined to make something good with a basic dough. And when I remembered that I had recently seen perfectly golden herbed flatbreads on the (beautiful new) Sunday Suppers website, I figured that was a good place to start.
Master the bubbly crispy cracker like base I was longing for, and then learn and adapt from there.
Thankfully we had success.
I am going to guess that you haven’t had a strawberry margarita in quite a while. And considering that too many are made too syrupy sweet, that is a good thing.
But I have one that will make you remember the genius of the tequila and strawberry combo. Well, rather Back Forty has one, but for upcoming Memorial Day BBQs and parties, I’m going to call it mine, and I think you should too.
What makes you come back for another one on this drink is the black pepper. The rim is coated in a mix of sugar and freshly ground back pepper and it is amazing. I love when pepper is in a bloody mary rim mix, but there it is salty and expected. Here, twinged with a hint of sweet, it is the best kind of almost-summer surprise. Kind of like strawberries themselves. When perfectly ripe, way better than you remember or imagined.
But for all the allure of the rim, the drink itself it simple.
Please tell me I am not alone in the fact that some days (weeks) you just don’t want to cook. And I don’t mean, just through together a quick pasta or frittata and not spend time cooking, I mean if I have to go in the kitchen for anything more than water I might scream.
Thankfully there are 1,000,001 options here for amazing food, so it’s not like we have to starve or anything. And what is even better, 1,001 of those options deliver. Which means that I can eat what I want without cooking while on the comfort of my couch with Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (maybe not what he had in mind … oh the irony).
What is even better is when you realize you live in the delivery zone for Porchetta.
This may be glaringly obvious to you, but it wasn’t to me and for years I grappled with this.
With how exactly to keep the tea bag from completely falling in the teacup whilst pouring hot water and not burning my hand on the handle which way too hot.
And then while visiting my friend M, I noticed that she slipped a little knot around the handle, and voila, nary a lost teabag in sight. So if you already knew this, move along. If you needed some help here (as I did), you can thank M.
I just thought of this while making some tea and trying to stave of my hunger until dinner…which hopefully will be ready soon.
My new friend Jordan‘s posts about spring cleaning inspired me to share with you one of my absolute favorites in the cleaning world. And the fact that you find it with the vitamins rather than the clorox, makes it all the better.
I am mildly obsessed with tea tree oil. Last time I caught myself rambling to someone about all the ways I use it, they said I’m like the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding – just with tea tree oil instead of windex. I can’t help it – I think its one of those rare miracle products.
You can find it just about anywhere these days, and a small bottle lasts forever, as you use it most often diluted a bit. Just make sure the bottle you purchase is 100% pharmaceutical grade.
Tea tree oil has antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties and therefore can be used in as many ways.
Here are just a few of the ways I use it:
- diluted with water (say 1 teaspoon oil to 1 cup of water) and in a sprayer to wipe down counters and other hard surfaces – this is the mix the use in pilates studios to clean the reformers.
- diluted in a spray bottle for a natural air freshener/air cleaner. It helps keep the air clean, particularly during the months of heaters and no windows/fresh air. Febreeze (blech) and lysol aren’t really my style.
- full strength – dab on a q-tip and dot on blemishes (clean skin if not exactly clean home). One of the few things I am allergic to is benzoyl peroxide, and I love having a natural (and non-irritating) spot treatment.
- pet freshner – I don’t have a dog, but when my friend’s dog had spent a bit too much time near the stables, no amount of bathing would help with the stink. I suggested spraying the pooch with the diluted version and it worked, without any irritating of the dog’s skin.
A few more uses for tea tree oil, that I haven’t personally used, YET:
- spray the diluted version on mold or mildew, and do not rinse.
- add ½ teaspoon to towels or other laundry that is prone to getting a bit mildew-y.
- mix the diluted solution with kosher salt to use as an abrasive in the bath or shower against soap scum – use a sponge, make sure to wear gloves, and rinse.
Do you have any other uses for tea tree oil? Or other home remedy cleaning tricks up your sleeve?
Note: do not ingest tea tree oil, and if using topically, keep the applications light and check with your doctor to be sure it works for you.
Some of the great vegetables that pop up in spring are a bit like the season itself – bright and colorful (a nod to the sunshine that is beginning) but still require a bit of time to prepare or at least prep (like the slow dishes of winter).
Take fava beans – they need to be shelled twice. Once to remove the outer pod, and then once to removed the casing? membrane? little fitted jacket? And they are totally worth the effort, especially when mixed with some mint and maybe onion or fennel for a salad that tastes like the best part of a new season. Or pureed and served on toast – coming together for a perfect creamy/crunchy bite.
But sometimes you don’t want that much work, but you still want the flavors of the new gems popping up at the market. That is where these charred favas are perfect!
Think of them as a love child between edamame and blistered shishito peppers, in other words…Heaven!
I first read about these on 101 Cookbooks and thought that I had to give them a try. A quick google search found this method mentioned lots of places – NY Times Food Section, Food and Wine Magazine, Saveur, etc. – but they all had one thing in common. Grill the pods.
Which sounds perfect, but I don’t have a grill. Or even a grill pan (here anyway).
And so decided to would try in on my trusty frying pan – figuring it could get hot enough to char the outsides and steam the insides. But just in case it didn’t work (and the air pockets on the grill/grill pan were really necessary), I only did a few this way – making the rest of the bunch in the more traditional method.
Big mistake!!
They char up just fine on a regular old pan, so there is no excuse not to make these as soon as you see the fresh favas in the market.
I only seasoned them with salt, but next time I will definitely add some chili flakes and maybe lemon juice. The options are endless … assuming you can wait long enough to season them before you tear them apart.
Did I mention that they are like a cross between edamame and blistered shishito peppers? Otherwise known as the perfect snack! (Uh-oh popcorn…you may be safe for the season).
Recipe…
I have a bit of a habit … some foods (like roast chicken) I usually make at home and rarely order in a restaurant. Unless I am at a place that is famous for it or I can split a few dishes with friends and try other things, I keep those home-y foods in my own kitchen.
And then other foods – whole cuisines actually – I generally save for eating out (or at least taking-out).
It’s not that I can’t cook them (or at least attempt – I’m willing to try just about anything), but I really don’t have the pantry for it. Of course I have some of the basics and can hobble together dinner with a slight “Asian” or “Indian” flair, but I am lacking the authenticity that generally comes from a larger spice collection (and a clue as to what you are doing – however some things cannot be helped).
So when I want the real deal Indian, I generally find a good restaurant, or at least a good phone number.
But after reading about my friend’s dinner of divine Indian food, I have had a serious craving for chicken curry with cashews at home. And stocked pantry or not, I couldn’t wait any longer.
Thankfully epicurious came to the rescue with a recipe that even my spice drawer could handle (curry powder, cumin and cayenne) and 514 positive reviews claiming that the recipe had depth and actually tasted pretty legitimate.
When you buy ginger, chances are you will have a piece much larger than the 1″ you need for a particular recipe. If that is the case, pop the rest of it in a ziploc (or other freezer-safe bag) and put it in the freezer.
It will last for eons that way, and you will always have fresh ginger on hand. Which is helpful when trying to make authentic meals out of the dredges of your pantry.
Also, when frozen, ginger is even easier to grate.
I really don’t mean to be boring and predictable, always linking weather to what I eat (or drink), but I just can’t help it. It has been over 80ºF here lately and so I am in a summer state of mind. And to me summer = backyard BBQ’s and lots of fresh libations. So, I am taking this weather to mean we should get a head start on those drinks.
One of my favorites for summer (and spring) is to make a big batch of fruit puree for an instant “specialty” drink. You can use fresh fruit of course, but frozen is easier, cheaper and means you have to wait until actual summer to get peaches.
Just puree any frozen fruit of your choice (peach, raspberry and strawberry are my favorite – but keep them separate, this isn’t a smoothie) with a little bit of liquid (I use peach nectar for the peach version and simple syrup with the raspberries) to thin it out. It’ll keep in the fridge for a few days, if you want to get a head start on things.
You won’t be disappointed … these unexpected additions to the bar (as well as the CB2 bottle decanters) were the (or rather, one of) the hit of a recent party.
A few ways to use fruit purees:
- Pour a bit into the bottom of a champagne glass and top with bubbly of your choice for a bellini. Have multiple flavors, instant bellini bar!
- Jazz up your standard vodka-soda
- With a bit (or more) tequila, Cointreau and fresh lime juice on the rocks for a fruit margarita that isn’t quite so embarrassing
What drinks would you make with these purees?
Am I the only person who feels disproportionally proud when I change the light bulb as soon as it burns out. It’s a really easy and obvious thing to do, but how often does it take you a day or two (or week) to change a light bulb … especially ones that require ladders or step-stools?
These strawberries are a bit like that. Nothing special at all and no real work, but not going to lie – felt a little self-satisfied (and like a resourceful pioneer woman) after I did this.
And what did I do exactly?
Took the forgotten and now-sorry-looking leftover strawberries out of the fridge and instead of tossing them (they were past the point of eating as is, but nothing suspicious about them that required immediate disposal) sliced them up and popped them in a small pan. Added some water and a teeny touch of sugar (lemon zest or a bit of a vanilla bean would be a nice touch too) and let it all cook down. The result – instead of more trash, I now have a simple strawberry sauce on hand, perfect to add to yogurt and granola.
Breakfast hasn’t looked this good (or smug) in a while.
