Author Archives: vanessa

Roasted Carrots

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  • 12 carrots
  • 3 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. If the carrots are thick, cut them in half lengthwise; if not, leave whole. Slice the carrots diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. (The carrots will shrink while cooking so make the slices big.) Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan in 1 layer and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until browned and tender.
  3. Toss the carrots with minced dill or parsley, season to taste, and serve.

Oat and Wheat Sandwich Bread

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Yield: 2 standard sandwich bread loaves

  • 5 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse salt
  • 3 tablespoons raw or brown sugar, honey or agave nectar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil, plus a little more to coat bowl
  • 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk, any kind
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

Yield: 2 standard sandwich bread loaves

5 cups (635 grams) whole-wheat flour
2 cups (160 grams) rolled oats (I used quick-cooking for the least noticable texture)
1 tablespoon kosher or coarse salt
3 tablespoons raw or brown sugar, honey or agave nectar
1 large egg
1/4 cup (55 grams grams) vegetable or olive oil, plus a little more to coat bowl
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk, any kind
1 1/2 tablespoons (about 14 grams) instant yeast

Make bread dough: In the bottom of large mixing bowl, combine water, milk and sugar or honey, then stir in yeast. Add egg and oil and whisk until combined. Add flour, oats and salt and if mixing with a machine, combine with paddle attachment at the lowest speed for 1 minute. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for 1 minute. The dough will be wet and coarse; do not fret. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

If using a mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix the dough on medium-low for 2 more minutes. By hand, do the same with your spoon. The dough will seem firm and more smooth, ideally supple and sticky, but if it’s still very wet, add a bit more flour, a spoonful at a time. If it seems excessively stiff, add a little more water, a spoonful at a time. Continue to mix with dough hook or by hand for 4 minutes.

Scrape dough out onto lightly floured counter. Knead a few times, then form the dough into a ball. Oil your empty mixing bowl and return dough to it. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 60 to 70 minutes, or until doubled in buik or transfer to the fridge and let it ferment overnight or up to 5 days. If proofing in the fridge, remove the dough before the fridge about 3 hours before you plan to bake it.

Form loaves: [Edited to add:] Lightly coat two standard loaf pans with oil, butter or a nonstick spray. Turn dough onto a floured counter and divide it into two equal pieces. Press each gently into a rough rectangle-ish shape. Fold in sides so that the first dough is roughly the width of your prepared bread loaf pan (about 9 inches). Roll from bottom to top and then put this log into your bread loaf pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining dough. Let proof at room temperature for about an hour, or until the dough has crowned 1 inch above the rim of the baking pan. Halfway through, heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake bread: For 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pans once for even color. A cooked loaf of bread will sound a bit hollow when tapped and the internal temperature should read 190 degrees F. Remove loaves from tins and let cool on a rack.

Apple Walnut Sausage Stuffing

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  • 10 cups (1-inch) bread cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound mild ground pork sausage
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced celery
  • 2 Braeburn apples, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 10-12 minutes; set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; set aside. Melt butter in the skillet. Add garlic, onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in apples, sage and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute. In a large bowl, combine bread, sausage, apple mixture, walnuts and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chicken stock until absorbed and well combined.* Spread bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Place into oven and bake until top is browned, about 45 minutes.

Nan e Barberi

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Dough

  • 1 2/3 to 1 3/4 cups (379g to 397g) lukewarm water*
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast
  • 4 cups + 3 tablespoons (510g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

*Use the smaller amount of water in summer, or when it’s humid; the larger amount during the winter, or in a dry climate.

Glaze

Topping

  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon nigella (black onion) seeds*

*Substitute poppy seeds or the seeds of your choice if you can’t find nigella seeds.

To make the dough: Mix the water, yeast, flour, and salt until well combined. Knead the mixture — using your hands, a stand mixer, or your bread machine set on the dough cycle — until you’ve made a smooth, fairly soft dough. The dough should barely clean the inside of the bowl, if you’re using a stand mixer, perhaps sticking just a bit at the bottom.

Put the dough in a lightly greased large bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough rise until it’s nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into two pieces. Shape each piece into a rough log abut 9″ long. Tent the logs with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow them to rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, prepare the glaze.

To prepare the glaze: Combine the flour, sugar, oil, and water in a small saucepan, bring to a bare boil, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon; this should take less than a minute. Remove the glaze from the heat, and set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone, set it on the lowest rack or oven floor.

Working with one piece at a time, gently deflate the dough, and pat/flatten it into a 14″ x 5″ rectangle. Use your fingers (or the handle of a long wooden spoon) to press five lengthwise grooves into the dough. Press firmly, but don’t cut through the bottom of the dough.

Spread half the glaze onto the dough, rubbing it all over. Sprinkle with half the seeds.

Slide the bread onto the stone and bake it for 15 to 18 minutes, until it’s golden brown. If you’re not using a stone, place the bread on a baking sheet and bake it on your oven’s middle rack. Remove the bread, and cool it on a rack.

While the first loaf is baking, prepare the second loaf. Bake as directed.

Sandwich Bread

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  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups flour

Heat the milk to a simmer, and pour it over the butter in a large mixing bowl. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm, then add the yeast and sugar.

Once the yeast softens, add the remaining ingredients and stir until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine set to the dough or manual cycle). Add a bit of additional milk or flour if needed — the dough should be soft, but not sticky.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise until puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8″ log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan, cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 60 minutes, until it’s domed about 1″ above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, until it’s light golden brown. Test it by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or by measuring its interior temperature with a digital thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf).

Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on rack before slicing.

Ginger Rye Cookies

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  • 2 cups medium rye flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup molasses

Coating

  • 1/3 cup (76g) coarse sparkling sugar or 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using either a hand whisk, an electric mixer, or a stand mixer, whisk the sugar and oil until combined.

Add the egg and whisk until smooth.

Stir in the molasses.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir until well combined.

Use a spoon to portion 1 1/4″ balls of dough.

Roll the dough balls in granulated or sparkling sugar to coat before placing onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave 2″ between them on all sides; they’ll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re puffed and their edges are set.

Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool completely right on the pan.  

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

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  • 8 chicken drumsticks
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp celtic sea salt
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  1. In a small bowl, combine herbs and spices.
  2. Set aside.
  3. Place drumsticks in a bowl or a plastic bag and drizzle with olive oil.
  4. Toss to coat.
  5. Sprinkle herbs and spices all over drumsticks to coat them.
  6. Preheat air fryer at 400 for 2-10 minutes.
  7. Place drumsticks in air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes on 400.
  8. Remove basket and flip chicken drumsticks.
  9. Cook at 400 for another 10 minutes.
  10. If chicken is not 165 degrees internally, add another 5 minutes of cook-time.
  11. Time can vary based on drumstick size, so do check the temperature with a digital thermometer after cooking to prevent over or under cooking.
  12. When chicken has reached 165 degrees internally, serve immediately.

Air Fryer French Fries

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  • 3 large russet potatoes
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes into fries. Place potatoes in a cool water bath. Completely submerge the fries in water.Let fries sit one hour. This helps to remove excess starch and will help the fries crisp up more in the oven.Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees.After an hour, drain the water, and pat fries dry with a paper towel.Toss with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.Add fries to bottom of air fryer basket, making sure they are all on the same level.Cook 13 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.Place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and a cooling rack over it.Place in warm oven (set to the minimum temperature, not over 250 degrees) and let rest while other batches of fries are cooking.

Chicken Sausage and Rice Skillet

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  • 14 oz. sausage
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • Slice the sausage into ¼-½ inch thick slices. Add the sausage and cooking oil to a deep skillet or Dutch oven and sauté over medium heat until the sausage is well browned. Don’t worry if the sausage begins to brown on the bottom of the skillet. That’s extra flavor that will cook into the rice later.
  • While the sausage is cooking, dice the bell pepper. Once the sausage is browned, add the bell pepper to the skillet and continue to sauté for about one more minute.
  • Add the spices (smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper) to the skillet with the sausage and bell pepper and continue to sauté for one minute more to toast the spices.
  • Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), rice, and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir to combine and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
  • Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come to a full boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let the skillet simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the skillet from the heat and let it rest, with the lid on, for an additional 5 minutes.
  • After the skillet has rested, remove the lid, and fold the sausage and rice to redistribute the rice and sausage throughout. Top with sliced green onions and serve!

Chicken Piccata Meatballs

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  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley (plus more)
  • 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)
  • 1 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (scant)
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup capers (plus 2 tsp caper brine)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  1. MEATBALLS: In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix together all the ingredients except the ground chicken. When the ingredients are combined, add the ground chicken and mix until *just* combined. Just be sure you don’t overwork the meat. Roll into 20-22 meatballs using a cookie scoop or about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
  2. SEAR: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a little oil. Add the meatballs to the skillet but do not overcrowd. Cook in batches if they don’t all fit. Sear the meatballs for 4-5 minutes, flipping to brown all sides evenly. We’ll finish cooking the meatballs through in the sauce later. Remove meatballs to a plate.
  3. SAUCE: Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet along with the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the flour and whisk. Once the flour cooks for 30 seconds, slowly drizzle in the chicken broth with one hand while you continue to whisk with the other hand. Add the caper brine, capers, lemon juice, and allow the sauce to gain a simmer. Then add the meatballs reduce the heat to medium and let thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Lower the heat to low, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and allow them to slowly melt into the sauce as you stir. The butter will help thicken the sauce further. Serve with additional chopped parsley on top if desired.