Italian bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups water, lukewarm
• 1 3/4 ounces cake yeast (1/3 cup)
• 5 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

Place the water and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and allow the yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes. Using a dough hook attachment, add the flour and sugar to the water and mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Drizzle the oil and salt into the dough and beat on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a smooth, firm, elastic dough is formed. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in a warm, draft-free place for 11/2 hours or until doubled in size. Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and flatten the rounded dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after each roll. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and rounded (not pointed) ends. Preheat the oven lined with a pizza stone to 425 degrees F. Alternately, an inverted baking sheet may be used in place of a pizza stone. Place the dough on a baker's peel heavily dusted with semolina flour, or cornmeal, or alternately on an inverted baking sheet. Allow the dough to proof, loosely covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score 3 (1/4-inch deep) slashes across the top of the dough at a 45 degree angle. Spray the dough generously with water from a water bottle and place in the oven on the baking stone. Immediately close the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Open the oven door and spray the dough again with the water bottle. Close the oven door and bake for an additional 3 minutes before spraying the dough for a third time (the spraying of the dough will ensure a crisp golden brown crust). Bake the dough for 45 minutes, or until a hollow thud is heard when the bread is whacked with the bowl of a wooden spoon. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

Hot Sauce

 Hot Sauce

Makes about 2 cups 

INGREDIENTS

8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 cup peeled, roughly chopped carrot (you'll need 1 medium carrot)
1/2 cup roughly chopped white onion (you'll need about half of a small onion)
12 medium (about 5 ounces) orange habanero chiles, stemmed, or substitute other types

1 cup apple cider vinegar
About 2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

DIRECTIONS

Roast the garlic in a skillet over medium heat, turning regularly until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.  Cool and peel.

In a small saucepan, combine the carrot, onion and habanero chiles with the vinegar and 1 cup water.  Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the carrots are thoroughly tender, about 10 minutes.  Pour into a blender jar, add the roasted garlic, salt and sugar.  Blend until smooth.  Thin with a little additional water if you think your hot sauce is too thick. Taste and season with additional salt if you think necessary. 

Pour into jars or bottles and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to add some dazzle to a dish.

Huevos Rancheros

1 T butter
1 tortillas
½ C shredded cheddar cheese
1 T butter
3 eggs
¼ C sour cream
¼ C taco sauce
¼ avocado, sliced in wedges
1 T cilantro, minced

Heat a saute pan over medium high heat.
Add the butter and once melted, a tortilla.
Top tortilla with cheddar cheese and second tortilla.
Brown bottom side of the tortilla, then flip and brown other side.
Remove from pan and cut into wedges. Arrange on a plate or platter.
Add remaining butter to the pan and crack the eggs into the melted butter. Reduce heat and cook the eggs until the whites are firm and the yolks are soft and runny.
Place the eggs in the center of the quesadilla wedges.
Drizzle taco sauce over the eggs, avoiding the yolks.
Top with sour cream and arrange the avocados on the side.
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.

Orange Rum Glazed - fish

Orange Rum Glazed Snapper ( subistiute any other fish filet, tilapia, cod, halibut)1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic, chopped (1 clove)
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (this is usually found in the Asian
section at the grocery store)
1/4 cup rum (Regular or Dark)
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 large fennel bulb, white part only, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
4 Snapper fillets, skinless
Salt and pepper to taste
4 orange slices
Aluminum foil

Preheat an indoor grill or conventional oven (If the indoor grill
has a temperature control, preheat to 350 degrees, for the oven,
preheat to 400 degrees).

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, sauté the olive oil and
garlic for 3-5 minutes.

Mix in the sweet chili sauce, rum, and orange marmalade and stir
often until a syrup is formed and all the marmalade is melted,
remove from heat.

Meanwhile, tear off a piece of foil about 3 feet long. Mix the
fennel and red pepper slices and lay out on the foil, covering
about half of the foil & drizzle with 1/4 cup of Orange Rum glaze.

Place the Snapper on top of glaze and season the fish with salt &
pepper. Pour the remaining glaze over the Snapper, coating the fish
well.

Place an orange slice on top of each piece of Snapper. Fold over
the rest of the foil and crimp the edges to seal the pouch.

Place on the indoor grill or in the oven and cook until fish is
white and flaky. This took about 10-12 minutes on a hinged top
indoor grill and about 20 minutes in a conventional oven

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 chicken breasts; boneless, skinless
3 quart chicken broth
1 red onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 boiling potato, diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 bay leaf
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile en adobo, pureed
1 teaspoon pickled jalapeno chile seeded, chopped
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/8 teaspoon cumin
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoon sweet Sherry
    1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
4 corn tortillas--cut into thin strips
Oil
1/2 pound Jack cheese, shredded
12 slices avocado
cilantro sprigs

Poach chicken breast in simmering chicken broth until done through, about 10 minutes.
Set aside until cool enough to handle and shred. Combine chicken broth, chicken, red onion,
carrots, potato, tomato paste, bay leaf, garlic, chipotle and jalapeno chilies, oregano, cumin
and salt and pepper in large saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Correct seasoning, if necessary. Add zucchini, squash, pepper, lime juice and Sherry.
Bring again to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add cilantro and mint. Stir,
then remove from heat. To assemble, fry tortilla strips in hot oil until crisp. Drain on
paper towels and set aside. Ladle soup into each bowl. Sprinkle with shredded cheese
and tortilla strips. Garnish each bowl with avocado slice and sprig cilantro.
Serve

Creamy Pecan Pralines

Serves:

about 10 pralines

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup pecan halves

Directions

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, heavy cream, butter, and water. Place over a medium-high heat and stir constantly until the pralines reach the softball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F. Add the pecans to the candy, and pull the pan off of the stove. Continue to stir the candy vigorously with a wooden spoon until the candy cools, and the pecans remain suspended in the candy, about 2 minutes. Spoon the pralines out onto a parchment or aluminum foil lined sheet pan and cool completely before serving.

Black Cherry Guava Mojito

1.5 oz Cruzan Black Cherry Rum
0.5 oz Cruzan Guava Rum
1 Lime Wedge
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
1 oz Soda Water
5 Mint Leaves
Mint Sprig Flower (Garnish)

Place 5 mint leaves in glass.

Squeeze lime wedge in glass and drop in glass.

Add simple syrup.

Muddle well to release mint flavor in mixture.

Add ice.

Add Cruzan Black Cherry Rum & Cruzan Guava Rum.

Mix all contents. Don't forget your soda water.

Garnish with a crisp, mint sprig flower.

Serves 1