New Food 2020 - Pizza Dough Garlic Knots

   

Pizza Dough Garlic Knots

Ingredients

• 1 pound pizza dough ball* homemade or store-bought
• 6 tablespoon salted butter
• 8 large garlic cloves pressed with a garlic press
• 1 teaspoon water
• 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pizza sauce for dipping optional

Instructions

PREP THE BAKING SHEET:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.

KNOT THE DOUGH:

• Place the pizza dough onto a floured surface and roll it into a 12x6-inch rectangle.
• Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 12 6-inch strips.
• Stretch and roll each strip into a 12-inch long piece.
• Tie a piece of dough into a knot.
• Tuck one end of the dough into the center of the knot.
• Pull the other end of the dough up through the center of the knot and tuck in the end.
• Place the knot on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining strips of dough. Please each knot 2-inches apart on the baking sheet, and cover the knots loosely with plastic wrap.
• Let the knots rise until doubled in size, about 40-60 minutes.

PREHEAT AND MAKE THE GARLIC BUTTER:

• Move oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• After the knots have risen for 25 minutes, make the garlic butter. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the garlic and water and cook, stirring frequently, until the tiny pieces of garlic are straw-colored, about 2-3 minutes. Take the saucepan off the heat, stir in the parsley and salt and set aside.

BAKE THE GARLIC KNOTS:

• Once the knots have doubled in size, discard the plastic wrap and bake the knots for 5 minutes.
• Remove the knots from the oven, brush with half of the garlic butter, rotate the pan, and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.
• Brush the garlic knots with the remaining garlic butter. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Finally, serve warm.

We made this because we had all the ingredients.  The kids love to bake and cook, and with the grocery store like  weird, scifi movie, we thawed some pizza dough from the freezer and whipped these up.  It's basically a garlic herb butter over knotted dough with a little salt on top.  These are definitely delicious with a little marinara to dip into.  We thought they should be cooked a little longer, but they were solid and delicious when considering the small amount of effort required.

10 possible points - Taste (possible 5), Was it worth the effort?  (possible 3), Appearance (possible 1), Would we make it again? (possible 1)

 

Standings:

Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp - 9 points
Orange Chicken - 9 points
Crepes - 9 points

Pizza Dough Garlic Knots - 8 points

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Sugar Snap Peas - 8 points

Vanilla Cake - 7 points

Movies We Watched - Onward

We watched Onward yesterday.  We all enjoyed it.  As I expected, it was a little sad mostly at the end.  There wasn't anything questionable though - Captain wasn't scared at any part.  There were some funny moments and some sweet moments.  I think Little Miss liked it the most out of all of us.  I promised the kids I would take them earlier in the year.  Then, Captain got the flu and then the coronavirus kept us home so I didn't feel bad at all buying it and watching it at home.  We popped popcorn and ate some leftover candy.  It was just like being at the theater... but in our pjs!  If you didn't promise to take anybody, I think it'll be fine when it hits Disney+, no need to watch it as soon as possible.

Hanging in There

So, this has been a fun month.  I hope this isn't "going out like a lamb."  We've all kind of adapted ok so far.  

We wake up.  The kids start school work around 10AM.  Little Miss has set their room up with two trays as desks and two chairs.  She guides him through his lessons and does her own work.  They come out for lunch.  Normally, this is when they are done for the day, but the work load has ramped up this week to be more interactive so they went back to work after lunch time.  We've been very consistent with bedtime which has helped at least.  

They've been pretty calm.  There are some questions here and there.  In general, they've been more active with us though.  You'd think close quarters would make them crankier, but it hasn't really.  Maybe it's the extra sleep.  Little Miss has been getting up 2-3 hours later than her usual school schedule.  We've played some board games, watched movies, popped popcorn.  We've had some interesting conversations about guns, politics, passing on germs.  Captain has a lot of interesting perspectives.  For example, he may need a gun to protect himself from bad guys... or just a shield.  So, maybe he just thinks he's actually Captain America.  

Book Opinion - Rafe

After many recommendations, I finally read Rafe. by Rebekah Weatherspoon.  I bought it awhile ago, but I didn't get into it.  I will, in all fairness, mention that I never really read more than a sentence before putting it down or getting distracted.  So, it's not the book's fault.  Anyway, last week, I sat down to read it.  I really liked it.  

Sloan's nanny up and walks out leaving the cutest set of twins home by themselves.  Rafe just finishes a nanny (manny?) position and is trying to find his next steps.  Sloan hires Rafe.  They are super attracted to each other.  They fall in love quite quickly which isn't usually my thing, but I love how honest they were with each other, how great they were with the kids and maneuvering around life's obstacles, how Rafe was with his own family.  It was super steamy, but it had to be because the tension is just tangible.  They were about to combust!  However, if you're not into that type of thing, maybe not read this one.  

New Food 2020 - Garlic Parmesan Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar snap peas , trimmed, rinsed, dried
• 3 tablespoons STAR Roasted Garlic Olive Oil (see notes if using regular olive oil)
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Combine sugar snap peas and olive oil in a mixing bowl and toss to coat.
4. In a separate bowl mix together panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
5. Add the panko mixture to the sugar snap peas and toss to combine.
6. Arrange in previously prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
7. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crispy, turning once during cooking.
8. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

If you do not have "garlic olive oil", use 2 tablespoons minced garlic for the peas mixed with regular olive oil.

WW SMART POINTS: 2

We really liked this.  It was easy, and the crunch made it worth it.  We made our own garlic oil.  We just put smashed cloves and heated them in the oil on low for awhile and let it all hang out.  We probably should have let it rest longer, but we didn't.  It didn't make much difference.  I don't know why I've never roasted sugar snap peas before.  I probably would rank this higher than crepes, but we take an average and that's how the numbers played out.

10 possible points - Taste (possible 5), Was it worth the effort?  (possible 3), Appearance (possible 1), Would we make it again? (possible 1)

 

Standings:

Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp - 9 points
Orange Chicken - 9 points
Crepes - 9 points

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Sugar Snap Peas - 8 pointsVanilla Cake - 7 points

New Food 2020 - Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp

Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta 

INGREDIENTS: 
8 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions (half of a 1-pound box) 
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) 
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste 
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and cleaned with tails off (I prefer 12-15 count shrimp) 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon pepper 
1/4 cup lemon juice 
1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional 

DIRECTIONS: Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside. To a large skillet, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt. Stir in the garlic powder. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes total, or until just pink and cooked through. Flip shrimp halfway through cooking. Cooking time will vary based on size of shrimp and pan used; don’t overcook or shrimp will become rubbery and tough. Add the lemon juice, optional lemon zest, and stir briefly to combine. Turn the heat to low, add the pasta to skillet with the shrimp, and toss to combine and coat. Taste, check for seasoning balance, and make any desired tweaks (add more salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, etc.). Serve immediately. Dish is best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently prior to serving.

Link and recipe from website above.  Here's how we changed it.  We doubled the recipe.  We used linguine.  We used large shrimp, but we cut them in half.  We had leftovers so, when we reheated, we splashed some chicken stock on it, squeezed a lemon wedge and sprinkled some more garlic poweder (and mixed).  In the future, I would use real garlic instead of garlic powder.  That said, when you do that, it sometimes turns green from the lemon OR I would season the shrimp with garlic salt and pepper.  I think it would up the flavor a little, but that depends on your taste.  I would maybe sprinkle some red pepper flakes in there, too.  Anyway, solid recipe, easy, and it was a hit in the house.   It does taste best right after you make it, but with the tweaks, it was a decent leftover meal, too.

10 possible points - Taste (possible 5), Was it worth the effort?  (possible 3), Appearance (possible 1), Would we make it again? (possible 1)

 

Standings:

Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp - 9 points
Orange Chicken - 9 points
Crepes - 9 points
Vanilla Cake - 7 points

February 2020

February was a long month.  The first weekend, Little Miss and I went to Williams Sonona to make and decorate Valentine's Day cookies.  It was a private class!  We got the cute little conversation heart cookie cutter set.

The second weekend, we went back to Williams Sonoma to make some orange chicken which was just a jar of sauce and chicken in the air fryer.  It was so good (see other post).  The next day, we went back to make salted caramel pretzel cheesecake and chocolate molten cake.  They were so delicious and so easy to make!   It's in the Instant Pot, takes no time at all, and we got to take the cookbook home.=

The third weekend,  we went to the Parents' winter vacation house and met up with family.   We celebrated Mom's birthday a little early.   I played beer pong for charity.   Poorly.  Sister and Brother-in-Law won the tournament,  Cousin won pint glasses,  and I won the 50/50 cash raffle and a shirt.  Great time all around!  We also think Captain has his first crush on my youngest Cousin's girlfriend (above). 

The last weekend was relatively quiet.  We ran a lot of errands.  Little Miss scored her third goal in four weeks at hockey and is in the playoffs.  Captain got new sneakers.  It was not earth-shattering.

Book Opinion: Blame It on the Billionaire

Blame It on the Billionaire is not my typical book fare.  I mean, I read romance almost exclusively, but I stay away from the billionaires and workplace romances.  I'm not sure what inspired me to pick this one up especially because it's Book 3, and I haven't read the other books in the series.  I don't know what the other 2 books are, but I can guarantee you do not have to read them to get what you need out of this one.  

Grayson is super upper-crust, comes from money but also started his own company of which he is CEO.  Nadia is a receptionist in the company (not his) and also cares for her younger brother.  Grayson has some family pressure both professionally and personally.  He wants no part in any of it.  Nadia has some family baggage of her own stemming back to her childhood - her mother had a reputation in the small town which reflected poorly on her children.  

Anyway, there is a black out where the two get cozy and then a feigned engagement.  All delicious things in a short little Harlequin book.  I read it in a day, started it on my morning commute (you're welcome to any who read over my shoulder) and finished it before bedtime.  

I don't read a lot of category books, but every so often, a little Harlequin is perfect for a commute especially when I don't know what to read next.  Any suggestions?

Book Opinion: Ignite on Contact

Earlier this week, I read Ignite on Contact.  This was Book 2 of a series.  I had forgotten almost all of Book 1.  It was like a dream.  So, I refreshed my memory and then went onto this book.  I found it really cute.  The backstory is that a group of 3 homeless boys were found by a firefighter.  He raised them with his wife.  The 3 boys become the firefighter main characters of this series.  

This book centers around Rafe and Carmen.  Carmen lives next door and is an ER nurse.  She lives with her grandfather after her mother and grandmother pass away (separately and before the book takes place).  She is living with her grandfather after he had a stroke - again, before the book takes place.  She is not interested in a relationship after a sour divorce.  

Rafe lives next door with his two brothers and his older brother's girlfriend (see previous book).  He doesn't do relationships.  I got the impression he's sort of a serial monogamist with nothing lasting more than a handful of months.  He's the always-upfront, never-looking-for-something-serious type of guy but always shows a girl a good time.  

Anyway, the two are friendly and then more than friendly.  The book is a little predictable in that they get close and then get too into their own heads and then resolve it all at the end.  I don't think it was very heavy, but the characters are very likable including Carmen's grandfather and his love interest as well as Carmen's best friend and colleague (and other folks in the first responder world also were individuals showing the characters had friends and family and could cultivate relationships outside of their romance).  It was the perfect book for a busy week.

Book Opinion - Break Shot: My First 21 Years: An Audio Memoir

I had dabbled in Audible before.  I guess I had a trial membership briefly last year, but I never listened to anything or purchased anything.  Anyway, I really wanted to read James Taylor's memoir, but I found out it's only an audio.  So, I signed up for Audible again and got Break Shot: My First 21 Years: An Audio Memoir.  It's free which was cool.  It took me a week, but I got through it.  I hope he's going to do the next few decades.  This book just started getting good musically.  

I liked the format of James Taylor narrating his early life but also singing little interludes.  His voice was calming, and I think he was very fair to places and people where I would not be as kind, but he treated himself with the same fairness.  I'm still cynical and realize that, as the author, he's still writing what he wants us to know and how he wants us to hear it, but I appreciate the care taken.  

The book touches upon milestones with a lot of time spent with his family and parents which, as a memoir that focuses on the first 21 years, you would expect.  It ends with his career (and meeting Carol King - squee!) and the introduction to drugs though that runs a bit throughout.  So, I would imagine the next 21 years are a roller coaster.  

Captain Update - Week 2

2 full weeks!  No accidents at school or at home.  He has taken to peeing standing up which is a new development.  BUT he has also successfully pooped at home, at school, and while we were out running errands.  This is a big corner and has made for a much happier household.  The household is still full of rampant hormones of the toddler and teenage variety, but this looks to be improving.  

Now we just need to work on his aim... 

Captain Update

We went to the pediatrician last week thinking we were heading into the worst, but it went well.  Captain didn't have one accident last week after a 2-day long journey with daily suppositories.  Then, after a long weekend, he had some bathroom time on Monday with everything working normal.  We continued, so far, this week with no accidents.  He's so happy - and we're so happy.

Long story short, the pediatrician thinks this can be controlled by diet.  I heard many went gluten-free so I was preparing for that, but it turns out, we're doing the opposite and doing as much fiber as possible.  So, it's whole-wheat snacks, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat pizza dough.  We have upped the amount of fruit to his diet, and he's allowed to have juice quite often along with water at school per doctor's orders.  We are continuing to limit dairy and applesauce and bananas which were off his diet for the most part already.  He's been such a trooper and asks if the doctor said it was ok to eat this before every new food.  He's embraced everything we've thrown at him, and we haven't had to eliminate treats yet (like cookies, cake, etc.)  Because he's avoiding the white flour, I was afraid it would be drastic, but we're good if it's offset enough.  I know one week isn't much, but you have to start somewhere.  Next test will be vacation, but summer vacations always have so much fruit that it's not so bad.  Fingers crossed!

Book Opinion - Golden in Death

Last night, I finished Golden in Death, J.D. Robb's 50th book in the In Death series.  As with the rest of the series, the mystery is not why I read the books.  I found this one a fun one showing the evolution of Eve and Roarke's relationship and marriage and showing Eve's growth as a character throughout the series.  Plus, any book with Mr. Mira makes me smile.  It was only one scene, but I could feel his hug throughout the rest of the book.

If you don't read the series, you get the most out of it if they are read in order (though, to be honest, I stopped reading the short stories and just read the full-length books).  The futuristic aspects kind of blend together after the first few books and aren't as distracting after awhile.  Murder is still murder.  Many don't like the violence, but I'm an odd duck.  I love a good romance, but once in awhile, I like a lot of dead bodies piling up and needing justice.  It's called balance. 

I don't think this was a perfect book, but it's always good visiting with old friends.  There's a comfort in that.  Oh, and it doesn't hurt that Peabody was the Bad Cop which doesn't happen often because she's so natural at being empathetic and the Good Cop.  So, that was refreshing and made me want to stand up and applaud. 

New Food 2020 - Vanilla Cake with Fruit Filling & Homemade Buttercream

Full disclosure: we made this recipe before as a cakelet and loaf.  It's a really good vanilla cake.  We wanted to see how it was with a fruit filling and buttercream, a more traditional cake.  We tweaked and made it for Mom's birthday.

Vanilla Cake

Ingredients

• 4 whole eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup shortening
• 1 tbs pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp lemon extract (optional)
• 3 cups cake flour (To make cake flour, replace 2 tbsp of flour with cornstarch per cup. So, for this recipe, add all the flour to a bowl, remove 6 tbsp and then add 6 tbsp of cornstarch. Whisk well to combine.)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk, full fat, at room temperature

 

---

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325. Grease and flour three or four 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper that is also slathered with a bit of butter or shortening.
2. Separate the 4 whole eggs, placing the 4 yolks in a small bowl and the whites in a separate medium size bowl. Add the 3 additional egg whites to the other 4 for a total of 7 egg whites. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy. (*See note.) Slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the sugar, beating as you pour. Continue to beat until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form when you lift the whisk from the beaten egg whites. Set aside.
3. Fit the standing mixer with the paddle attachment and cream the butter, shortening and remaining 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl a time or two. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
4. Add 2 of the egg yolks and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining 2 egg yolks, beat for about 20 seconds, until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg to a large bowl and mix with a wire whisk just to combine.
6. Beating on low speed, add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour: 1/3 of the flour, 1/2 of the buttermilk, 1/3 of the flour, 1/2 of the buttermilk, 1/3 of the flour. With each addition, beat on low speed, just long enough to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
7. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter just until distributed. You should still see some streaks of egg white throughout the batter. Do not over mix.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. If baking 3 layers, bake for 40-50 min. If baking four layers, bake for 30-35 minutes. When done, the cakes will be golden brown and pulling away from the sides of the pan. To check for doneness, stick a toothpick into the center of one of the layers. Remove the toothpick and look for signs of raw batter. If only cake crumbs stick to the toothpick, the cake is done. You can also scoop a tiny amount of cake from the center of one of the layers to check for doneness. (You’ll be covering the cake with frosting anyway.)
9. Let the cakes cool on wire racks for 5 minutes in the pan, then gently turn them out of the pans onto the wire racks to cool completely. If you don’t plan on frosting the layers immediately, wrap each tightly with plastic wrap. The layers can be stored at room temperature for 1 day, or frozen for up to 2 months.

We used this buttercream and not the one in the above link:

Buttercream

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon Butter Vanilla Bakery Emulsion (or vanilla extract)
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter. Beat butter on medium speed with the whisk attachment for about 1 minute, until butter is smooth.
2. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, and beat until combined. Repeat with 1 more cup.
3. Add bakery emulsion and heavy whipping cream and beat until combined.
4. Add the remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until combined after each addition.
5. Beat for about one additional minute, until frosting is thickened, smooth, and fluffy.
6. The frosting should be smooth and fluffy, but stiff enough to hold its shape. If it's too stiff, add more whipping cream, half a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the desired texture (2-3 tablespoons total).

For time, I just added Smuckers jelly as the filling (and not enough), but if you go full fruit preserves and liberally apply, I think it would be tasty.  This recipe makes a decent amount of cake.  I made 3 square layers.  That said, the buttercream did not make enough to cover the entire cake so I added the strawberries along the bottom to cover it up best I could.

So, the points are below.  Little Miss gave it a 6 because she doesn't like jelly.  I gave it an 8.  The average is 7 points.

10 possible points - Taste (possible 5), Was it worth the effort?  (possible 3), Appearance (possible 1), Would we make it again? (possible 1)

 

Standings:

Orange Chicken - 9 points
Crepes - 9 points
Vanilla Cake - 7 points

New Food 2020 - Crepes

This week, our new food was crepes.  I know this wasn't much of a risk, but there had to be some slowballs in there to balance out the ones that were going to bomb.  We used the recipe linked, but I cut and pasted it below.  I didn't add butter/oil to the pan, but our new nonstick pans are magic.  Maybe it would help with some taste, but they weren't bad.  I wanted them to be sweater, but I also don't think I added enough filling.  We filled with hot fudge and fresh strawberries and topped with whipped cream.  Little Miss really liked them.  Based on our scale (below), I rated them an 8, and Little Miss rated them a 10.  So, we averaged the rating for a 9.  I deducted points for taste.  I will say that we got the consistency and color down until I got lazy at the end.  Our scoop worked well to get the uniform shape as well (medium scoop which is about just shy of 1/4 cup).

10 possible points - Taste (possible 5), Was it worth the effort?  (possible 3), Appearance (possible 1), Would we make it again? (possible 1)


Standings:
Orange Chicken - 9 points
Crepes - 9 points

Basic French Crepes

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Resting Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr

 Course Breakfast

 Cuisine French

 Author Aline Cueni

 Servings  Crepes

 Calories per serving 108kcal

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Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk
• 1 cup (128 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch of salt

Instructions

• Add all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, mix it in a large bowl using a whisk. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Preheat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
• Add one tablespoon of butter or oil, let it melt and add about 1/4 cup (60ml) of the batter into the pan. Swirl until the bottom is covered.
• Cook each side for about 2 minutes until golden.
• Repeat this procedure with the rest of the batter. 
• Serve the crepes with your preferred filling.

Notes

• If you don’t use the whole batter, you can store it in your fridge for up to one day and make fresh crepes the next day with it.
• If you like to use nut milk for this recipe, add ~1/4 cup of water. Nut milk is usually thicker than cow milk, therefore it’s the best to dilute it with water to prevent the batter to be too thick.