BBQ Chicken Pizza

Now, if you've never made pizza from scratch, you don't know what you're missing. I finally found a great recipe for pizza crust, and I decided to be adventurous and try making barbecue chicken pizza! Be forewarned-- If you make everything the same day, this will take some time, but it's SO worth it. If you're short on time, use bottled barbecue sauce or pre-made dough or precooked chicken to speed things up. But the way I'm showing you is all from scratch!


Pizza dough:
o 3 and 3/4 cups flour
o 1 packet of yeast
o 1 tablespoon sugar
o 1 and ½ tsp salt
o 1 and 1/3 cups warm water
o 3 tbsp olive oil
o 2 cloves minced garlic
First, put the garlic and the oil together in small bowl and let it sit to really infuse the oil. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water in a measuring cup and mix to dissolve the sugar and moisten the yeast. Add the water to the flour and incorporate all the flour. Then add the garlic oil and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Add a little extra oil to the bowl to prevent sticking, cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1.5 hours (it should double in size). This makes enough dough for two 12” round pizzas. When the dough is ready, stretch it out into a 12” circle, use a fork and dock the dough all over to prevent bubbles. Before topping the pizza dough, prebake it at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Barbecue chicken:
o 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
o 14 oz can of tomato sauce
o ½ cup water
o ¼ cup tomato paste (one of those little cans)
o ½ cup brown sugar (the darker the better)
o 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
o 2 tbsp cider vinegar
o ½ tsp smoked hickory salt or liquid smoke
o ¼ tsp ground chipotle pepper
o 1 clove minced garlic
o 2 tsp olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and then add the onion. After a few minutes, add the garlic and turn the heat to low. Cooking the onions slowly will caramelize them and give incredible flavor to the sauce. When the onions are a deep golden brown, add the other ingredients except the chicken. Bring to a simmer and taste the sauce for flavor. You can always add more seasoning to your liking. Remove some of the sauce from the pan and save it for another time (you’ll only need about 1 cup of it for the pizza). With one cup sauce remaining, add the shredded cooked chicken into the saucepan. Let it simmer in the sauce for 5 to 10 minutes so it can soak up all the smoky wonderfulness.
Onto your prebaked pizza crust: spread the chicken and sauce mixture all over, sprinkle about ½ cup of shredded cheddar or Colby cheese and then add some THINLY sliced red onion on top. Bake for another 12-15 minutes at 375 degrees until the crust and cheese is golden brown. My mouth is watering just thinking about this pizza. . . .Enjoy!!

Tofu Curry with Basmati

I absolutely love to make Indian-inspired dishes, and this meal comes together pretty fast, though you really should take the time to marinate the tofu first (you won't regret it, seriously). I don't know how authentic this is, but damn is it good. . .

For the tofu: Cut 16 oz of firm (or extra firm) tofu into small cubes. Spread them over paper towels in a single layer, place more paper towels on top and put a cookie sheet on top to weigh it down. Let the tofu sit for 15-20 minutes like this. Meanwhile, mix 1/3 cup light soy sauce, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and 1/4 cup water. When the tofu is done draining, toss in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (you could even do this overnight).

Other Ingredients:

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp curry paste (red or green, but I like red)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 to 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• tofu from previous step
• cooked basmati or jasmine rice

Start by whisking the coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and curry paste in a bowl. Set aside to let the flavors meld (this can be mixed ahead of time). Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is heated, add the tofu. Keep it in a single layer, but to get a nice, crisp brown color, let it sit 3 minutes or so before stirring it around to brown the other sides. It takes about 10 minutes for the tofu to brown all the way. Remove it from the pan onto a paper towel or just a plate. Add the green onion and bell pepper and cook the pepper is soft but still crisp. Add the shredded cabbage and cook 2 more minutes or so (it should be nicely wilted). Then add the coconut-curry sauce plus the tofu back into the skillet. Stir around to heat everything up, about 2 minutes. Serve over the cooked rice and enjoy!

Incredible Fudge Brownies

I'm a big fan of rich chocolate fudgey brownies as opposed to cakey ones. I adapted this one (surprisingly) from a Weight Watchers recipe, but I added espresso powder, more chocolate, and walnuts. The result is probably no longer WW-worthy, but if you're going to eat a brownie, it might as well taste good, right? That's my philosophy.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 rounded tsp instant espresso powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate pieces (I recommend Baker's semisweet chocolate chunks)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla

Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, espresso. Add walnuts to coat in flour mixture. In another bowl, whisk egg + egg white and beat in sugar, vanilla, and water. Melt chocolate and butter together (a microwave is fine) and let cool slightly before adding to the egg mixture. Mix the chocolate into the flour mixture and stir until all combined. Spread in pan and bake 19 to 21 minutes. Let cool before cutting into these (if you can wait that long!).

Chipotle Chicken over Pan-fried Polenta

I'm quite proud of this recipe since it really is my own creation. Quite honestly, I needed a Latin/spicy chicken dish to go with this corn and bean salad that I had made for dinner. So I picked some Mexican spices that I know go well together and took it from there. My first choice would have been to serve the chicken over rice (like the rice that Chipotle puts on their burritos) but there was none in the pantry! I found a tube of polenta in the refrigerator and I thought, "I could make this work. . . "

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of chicken breast or chicken breast tenderloins
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground chipotle pepper (you could substitute chili powder, but you won't get the same smoky flavor that is SO wonderful)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp vegetable or canola oil, plus 2 tbsp for when you pan fry the polenta
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 14 oz can of tomato sauce
• one 16 oz tube of polenta

If the chicken is in very large pieces, then cut the breast in half so they cook a little faster. Mix all of the spices together in a small bowl. Start by heating 2 tsp of oil in a medium or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Spread the chicken in a single layer and then sprinkle them with the spice mixture (all of it). Cook the chicken all the way through, stirring to get a nice golden brown on all sides and to cover each piece with the spices. You can put the lid on to speed up the cooking process if necessary. Once it is cooked through, drizzle it with the lime juice, then remove the chicken from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Turn the stove off momentarily. With your fingers or two forks, shred the chicken and put it back in the saucepan. Add the tomato sauce and stir to coat the chicken. At this point I highly recommend adding more cumin, chipotle and ground coriander (about 1/4 tsp each). But as always, season it to your liking. Let the chicken come to a simmer and keep it on low heat for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the polenta into thin rounds (about 1/4 inch thick) and let them sit on a paper towel to drain off the excess moisture. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Be patient and let your pan get hot enough. If the oil isn't hot enough when you add the polenta then it won't brown as well. Add the polenta to the hot pan in a single layer and let cook for 2 or 3 minutes per side (it should be a nice golden brown before you turn it).

Serve the chicken over a few polenta rounds. It is delicious as it is, but feel free to dollop sour cream or sprinkle some cheese on top for good measure ;-)

Spiced Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Call me boring or stuck-in-a-rut, but this is the oatmeal recipe that I make EVERY morning for breakfast. Sure, hot oatmeal is really perfect on a cold morning in autumn or winter, but who says it can't be an all-year-round breakfast staple? I started making it this way because I get to control how much sugar is in it, unlike the sickeningly sweet instant oatmeal packets.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick oats
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tbsp peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
• 2 tsp brown sugar, unpacked
• dash of salt
• cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste

Put the oats, the dash of salt, water, and milk in a microwaveable bowl. Stir slightly and put in the microwave (cook according to the oatmeal container). When the oatmeal is cooked, sprinkle on the brown sugar and then put the peanut butter in (spoon and all). I typically don't measure the peanut butter, I just eyeball it with the spoon I'm going to eat with. If you wait a few seconds, the oatmeal will heat the peanut butter all the way off of the spoon, so it is much easier to clean! Then add a couple sprinkles of nutmeg and liberal amounts of cinnamon, to taste. Stir and enjoy!

Tofu Parmesan

Wow this is getting pitiful--over a month since I last posted anything. There are so many recipes that I have tried since then, but I can actually take credit for this one, so it takes first priority! A lot of people claim to not like tofu when I'm sure they've never even tried it. The trick is to add as much flavor as possible because tofu itself tastes incredibly bland. I made my own tomato sauce for this as well, but feel free to use whatever you have.

Tofu Ingredients:

• 8 oz extra firm tofu
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano and 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper (no more than 1/4 tsp each)
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• more pepper

Sauce:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 14 oz can whole tomatoes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried basil (or fresh if you've got it!)

Slice the tofu into thin 2'' squares (the thickness should be about 1/2 an inch). Lay out some paper towels and lay the tofu in an single layer, then put more paper towels on top. Put a sheet pan on top and something to weigh it down like a can of beans. Let the tofu sit like this for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the wine, water, olive oil, herbs, salt & pepper. When the tofu is done draining, put it in the marinade and make sure all slices are coated. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight if you want.
After the tofu has marinated, dump out the marinade and set the tofu aside. In a bowl, beat one egg. In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and a couple dashes of pepper. Dip each slice of tofu in the egg and then cover with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it in a little so it sticks. Lay each tofu slice on a foil-lined baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray). Bake them at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. While the tofu is baking, start on the sauce.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook several minutes until the onion is soft and then add the garlic for 30 seconds or so. Next add the tomato sauce; using your hands, carefully crush the whole tomatoes into the pan (the juice will squirt everywhere, just a heads up). If the sauce looks too thick, add some of the juice that comes in the whole tomatoes can. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

You can serve the tofu and sauce with pasta if you like, or just a salad for a light supper. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Let me just start by saying that this isn't an authentic recipe; let's face it, I'm not Hispanic! I actually based this recipe off of one from the Vegan Planet cookbook; it is no longer a vegan recipe, but it is still vegetarian! Adjust the spice level to your liking--as for me, I like my mouth on fire so I use quite a bit of jalapeno.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium flour tortillas (I used whole wheat ones)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 of a medium red onion, chopped fine
  
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
• minced jalapeno, to taste (I use the jarred slices and chop them really fine, maybe 10 rings or so)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  
• 8 to 10 ounces enchilada sauce
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (add more to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat the sweet potato cubes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and spread onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked completely and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, add the other tablespoon of oil to a skillet or saucepan and heat over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Then add the garlic, jalapeno, and spices, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn. After about a minute, add the black beans to warm them through, then add your cooked sweet potato cubes. Once everything is warmed, you can remove the pan from the heat and begin assembling. Using, an 8x8 baking dish (or a slightly bigger one if possible), add enough enchilada sauce to generously coat the bottom of the dish. Divide the black bean-sweet potato mixture between the four tortillas, rolling them up as best you can and placing them seam-side down into the dish (they don't have to look perfect!). Then cover the tortilla rolls with the remaining enchilada sauce, and cover the dish with foil; bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully take the foil off. Sprinkle your cheese all around and put back into the oven another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and wonderful. If you want to get fancy, you can serve the enchiladas with some sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips, of course!
Enjoy!