creamy spinach artichoke chicken

 A delicious dinner from The Forked Spoon, which I modified slightly. Everyone really liked this (Elle liked everything but the artichokes...) over GF pasta. 

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoon olive oil - divided
• 1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied 
• salt + black pepper
• 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoon butter 
• 2 shallots - minced
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 2 (15 ounce) cans artichoke hearts - drained and roughly chopped
• 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
• ½ cup chicken broth - 
• 1 cup half-and-half 
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded

Instructions:

1. Place chicken breasts to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, mixing well to coat the entire surface of each chicken breast.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Work in batches, if needed , to cook the chicken until golden, approximately 5-6 minutes per side, (or until nearly cooked through). Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter and shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and stir continuously for 30 seconds more. Mix in the artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, and chicken broth. Mix well to combine. Cook until the spinach has just wilted. Add the half-and-half and bring just to a simmer. Stir in the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
4. Return the chicken back to the skillet. Reduce heat to prevent the half-and-half from boiling. Allow the chicken to simmer and finish cooking for an additional 5 minutes or so. Serve over pasta. 

mini oreo cheesecakes

 Elle's 12th birthday was the first celebratory meal that we needed to make gluten free. She picked these mini oreo cheesecakes from Live Well Bake Often and we made them with Goodie Girl cookies. They were SO easy and really good! Kory wants us to try with vanilla cookies or graham crackers and plain cheesecake as another option. 

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

• 12 Oreos (we used Goodie Girl chocolate sandwich cookies)
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter , melted

For the cheesecake filling:

• 12 ounces brick-style cream cheese , softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) sour cream , room temperature
• 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg , room temperature
• 6 Oreos , crushed (we used Goodie Girl chocolate sandwich cookies)

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray each cavity of a 12-count mini cheesecake pan well with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. You may also use a regular 12-count muffin pan, I suggest lining each cavity with cupcake liners for easier removal.
2. Add the Oreos to a blender or food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Scoop the crumbs into a mixing bowl and add the melted butter. Mix together until all of the crumbs are moistened.
3. Evenly distribute the filling between all 12 cavities in the mini cheesecake pan, making sure to press each one down firmly into one even layer.
4. Bake at 325°F for 5 minutes, remove from the oven, and set aside to cool. Keep oven temperature at 325°F while you make the filling.

To make the cheesecake filling:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, add the cream cheese and mix until smooth.
2. Add in the sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract and continue mixing until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add in the egg and mix on low speed until just combined, then gently fold in the crushed Oreos.
4. Evenly distribute the cheesecake filling between all 12 cavities of the pan and return to the oven. Bake at 325°F for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the cheesecakes are set.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Once the cheesecakes are chilled remove them from the pan, serve, and enjoy!

beef and broccoli

 Easy beef and broccoli recipe from Damn Delicious that is easy to make gluten free!

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup gluten free sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, chicken stock, honey, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, cornstarch, Sriracha, ginger, red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup water; set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add steak and cook, flipping once, until browned, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in broccoli and soy sauce mixture until tender and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Serve immediately.

orange chicken

As an attempt to start recreating some of Cael's favorite meals, but gluten free, we tried this recipe from Mama Knows Gluten Free.  I did increase the OJ and decrease the vinegar, but it turned out really sweet, but still an acceptable alternative to Trader Joe's. Next time I will make it as below. 

Ingredients 

Chicken:

• 3 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch sized pieces
• 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying I like peanut oil for frying.

Dry Coating:

• ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (cup4cup).
• ½ cup cornstarch .
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 large eggs, whisked

Orange Sauce

• 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce 
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup orange juice
• 2 TB rice vinegar (or white vinegar) 
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Combine the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and ground ginger in a large plastic storage bag, (Think Shake and Bake). This is the easiest method, but you could also dredge the chicken pieces in a bowl.
2. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch size pieces. 
3. Whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add chicken pieces to the egg and stir to fully coat the pieces.
4. Place all of the chicken pieces in the plastic storage bag of the gluten-free flour mixture and seal the top of the bag. Keep turning over the bag until the chicken pieces are fully coated. Place in the refrigerator while the oil is heating up.
5. Heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok, until 350°F.
6. Carefully add the chicken pieces to hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, until light golden brown. You may need to cook the chicken in several batches depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the skillet.
7. Remove the chicken pieces from hot oil to drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate.
8. Either spray your skillet with a nonstick gluten-free cooking spray or put a little oil back into the skillet and set to it medium heat.
9. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, and, ground ginger to the skillet and stir to combine. Add in the orange juice, stirring occasionally, until the sugars dissolved.
10. Add in the gluten-free rice vinegar and gluten-free soy sauce, and stir to combine.
11. Whisk together the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the skillet and stir. Cook the sauce until it looks like maple syrup consistency, stirring occasionally.
12. Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and stir to evenly coat the chicken with the sauce. Serve and enjoy!

baked ziti

 Kory, Elle, and I all really liked this giant pan of comfort food from Ree Drummond. Neither of the boys love Italian food, so it was no real surprise that they were less excited. Next time I would divide the recipe into to 9x9" pans and cook one and freeze the other for a future meal. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 large onion, diced 
• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1 pound Italian sausage 
• Two 14.5-ounce cans tomato sauce or marinara sauce 
• One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice 
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ziti
• 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella, grated 
• One 15-ounce tub whole-milk ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 eggs 

Instructions 

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sauté until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
4. In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
5. Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.
6. Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
7. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.

pork stir fry with green beans

 Another successful stir fry meal from Recipe Tin Eats to counteract the holiday flavors a bit. I increased the sauce volume in the recipe below. Kory and I agreed we'd make this again with either ground beef or sliced chicken breast too. 

Ingredients

• 12 oz green beans
• 1 lb. ground pork 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 tbsp veggie oil
• Sauce
• 1/3 cup gluten free dark soy sauce
• 1/3 cup mirin
• 1/6 cup Trader Joe's sweet chili sauce

Instructions

1. Mix Sauce ingredients in a bowl.
2. Trim the tough end of the beans, then chop into 1" pieces.
3. Charred Beans: Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a heavy based skillet over high heat (I use cast iron) until smoking. Add beans, spread out to cover base. Leave for 1 minute. Quick stir, spread out, cook for 30 seconds. Stir, then leave for 30 seconds, then repeat once more (so 2 1/2 minutes in total cook time) until beans are charred but tender crisp (not withered and floppy). Remove into bowl.
4. Turn heat down to medium high, add 1 tbsp oil. Add onion, then garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute until edges of onion are golden.
5. Turn heat back up to high. Add pork and cook, breaking it up as you go. Cook for 2 minutes until the pork is cooked through, then add Sauce. Cook for 30 seconds, then add beans and stir for another 30 seconds.
6. Serve over rice.

korean beef bowls

Everyone but Gage enjoyed these Korean beef bowls from Cooking Classy. The recipe below doubles the sauce from the original, which I'd do next time. 

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp honey
• 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar (light can be substituted)
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup gluten free soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp water
• 18 oz. 85% lean Angus ground beef
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions, only white and light portion
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
• Chopped green onions (green portion), chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, Sriracha (optional)
• 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
• Sautéed or steamed veggies (I used Trader Joe's fresh stir fry mix stir fried in veggie and a bit of sesame oil)

Instructions

1. In a small mixing bowl whisk together honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce and water. Set aside.
2. Preheat a 12 to 14-inch non-stick skillet over moderately high heat. Crumble beef into about 1-inch pieces into skillet, leaving a little space between.
3. Let beef cook undisturbed for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes until nicely browned on bottom. Sprinkle in green onions (white/light portion), garlic and ginger.
4. Toss and break up beef and continue to cook until beef if fully browned and cooked through, about 2 - 3 minutes longer. 
5. Pour in honey mixture. Reduce heat to medium, then let simmer, stirring frequently, 1 minute.
6. Serve over rice with veggies and toppings of choice.

mediterranean fish soup

The kids were a bit indifferent to this recipe from The Mediterranean Dish, but Kory and I both liked it as an option for more seafood-based meals and thought the raisins added way more to the soup than expected. 

INGREDIENTS

• extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 28-oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes, juice separated and reserved
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
• 2 lb skinless sea bass fillet (or other firm white fish), about 1 ½-inch thick, cut into large cubes 
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
• 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in 5-quart Dutch oven (like this one) over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and a little salt and pepper (about ½ tsp each). Cook, stirring regularly, until softened (about 4 minutes). Add thyme, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook briefly until fragrant (about 30 more seconds).
2. Now, stir in the white wine and reserved tomato juice from can. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about ½. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, raisins, and capers. Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat until flavors combine.
3. Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Insert the fish pieces into the cooking liquid, and give everything a gentle stir so that the fish pieces are nicely covered in the cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and cover. Let sit off heat for another 4-5 minutes so that the fish will finish cooking. Fish should be flaky when gently pulled apart with a paring knife. Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.
4. Ladle the hot fish stew into serving bowls, top each with a few toasted pine nuts, if you like. 

cioppino

 Kory and I loved the Moqueca recipe we tried recently, but the kids didn't love the coconut soup base, so we tried this Bobby Flay recipe from Food & Wine. We used a half pound of scallops in place of the clams, which was just a safe entry point because we knew the kids would eat scallops. The meal was a success and we might even try with clams next time! It was a really simple recipe too!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth 
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 1 cup drained, diced tomatoes (from a 15-ounce can)
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more for serving
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 3/4 pound skinless snapper fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, clam juice, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and hot sauce and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes
2. Add the clams, cover and cook just until most of them open, about 5 minutes. Add the snapper and shrimp, cover and simmer until they are cooked through and the remaining clams have opened, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the seafood to 4 bowls. Add the butter and parsley and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute, swirling the pan. Spoon the broth over the seafood and serve with sourdough toast.

carne adovada

 I found this recipe from America's Test Kitchen and Kory thought it looked worth a try. I halved the recipe and made it a day ahead, reheating on the stovetop. A lot of fat rendered out of the pork, so we definitely had to serve it with a slotted spoon and let the fat drain before dishing it out onto tortillas with cilantro, onion, and cheese. All five of us had seconds and finished the entire pan. 

Ingredients

• 1 (3½- to 4-pound) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces 
• Kosher salt 
• 4 ounces dried New Mexican chiles, wiped clean, stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces 
• 4 cups boiling water 
• 2 tablespoons honey 
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 5 garlic cloves, peeled 
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano 2 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 

Instructions

1. Toss pork and 1 tablespoon salt together in bowl; refrigerate for 1 hour. 
2. Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour boiling water over chiles, making sure they are completely submerged, and let stand until softened, 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. 
3. Drain chiles and reserve 2 cups soaking liquid (discard remaining liquid). Process chiles, honey, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt in blender until chiles are finely ground and thick paste forms, about 30 seconds. With blender running, add 1 cup reserved liquid and process until smooth, 1½ to 2 minutes, adding up to ¼ cup additional reserved liquid to maintain vortex. Add remaining reserved liquid and continue to blend sauce at high speed, 1 minute longer. 
4. Combine pork and chile sauce in Dutch oven, stirring to make sure pork is evenly coated. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until pork is tender and fork inserted into pork meets little to no resistance, 2 to 2½ hours. 
5. Using wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits from sides of pot and stir until pork and sauce are recombined and sauce is smooth and homogeneous. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve with lime wedges. (Leftover pork can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.) 

moqueca

I found this recipe from Cook's Illustrated online for free at numnums.com. I used sweet cherry peppers instead of hot and would leave out last addition of cilantro for the kids next time. 

Ingredients

Pepper Sauce

• 4 whole pickled hot cherry peppers, about 3 ounces, stemmed
• 1 half onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• salt

Stew Base

• 1 whole onion coarsely chopped
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 14.5 ounces
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Stew

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed (26-30 per pound)
• 1 lb cod, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 whole red bell pepper, stemmed, de-seeded and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 whole green bell pepper, stemmed, de-seeded and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can coconut milk, 14 ounces
• 2 tbsp lime
• 2 tbsp pepper sauce from above
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions

food processor prep

1. For the pepper sauce, process the cherry peppers, onion, olive oil and sugar for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
2. Adding 1/4 teaspoon increments at a time, season to taste with salt. We usually just add a total of 1/2 teaspoon. Empty the sauce into a separate container and reserve the sauce in the fridge.
3. For the stew base, add the onion, tomatoes (and juice), and cilantro to the now-empty food processor. Combine until pureed, about 30 seconds. Reserve.

for the stew

1.  Toss the seafood with garlic, salt and pepper. Reserve in fridge.
2. Preheat the large Dutch oven over medium-high heat then add the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the bell peppers and salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
3. Add the pureed tomato mixture and salt to the pot. Drop the heat to medium and stir frequently for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
4. Mix in the coconut milk until fully incorporated. 
5. Heat the pot over high heat. Once the mixture comes to a full boil (entire surface is bubbling, not just the edges), toss in the seafood and lime juice, then stir to evenly coat and submerge. Cover and transfer the pot away from heat. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
6. Gently mix in pepper sauce and cilantro, saving a few pinches of cilantro to top individual servings. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve in low bowls with remaining pepper sauce on the side.

ciabatta

This recipe from Holy Cow! Vegan was the weirdest, slimiest bread dough I've ever worked with, but oh my goodness was the result amazing. Most recipes I could find called for bread flour and a multi-day process, so this one caught my attention for the pantry ingredients I had. A couple tips to remember for next time

1. Keep an eye on the first rise-- mine about quadrupled in an hour, so I cut that rise short
2. Really use the cues of "flapping sound" and "cleanly pulling cleanly of the sides of the bowl" to time the kneading and do actually turn the mixer to medium high (it seemed so fast for bread!).
3. I pre-heated the oven with my cast iron griddle on the middle pan to use as a baking stone. I then put the whole backing sheet on top of the griddle.
4. Trim the parchment to the shape of the pan. I set off the smoke alarms (twice!) because the parchment was hitting the sides of the oven and smoking.

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 2 ¼ cups warm (not hot) water (you might need more if you are in a dryer area)
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp sugar (not usually found in traditional ciabatta, but it really helps speed the rise)

Instructions

1. Mix the sugar, water and yeast in a bowl and set aside for five minutes for the yeast to start working.
2. Add the flour and salt and mix in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. You want the mixture to be just slightly thicker than a pancake batter-- it should definitely not pull together into a firm dough.
3. Let the mixture stand for about 15 minutes. Then turn on the stand mixer to a medium-high setting. After about six minutes, the dough will start to make a flapping sound and start rising up the sides of the bowl.
4. At this point, switch the paddle for the dough hook and knead for another six to seven minutes until the dough starts pulling cleanly off the sides of the bowl. It will be smooth at this stage but still very sticky and loose.
5. Grease a bowl and pour the dough into it. Cover with a plastic wrap or kitchen towel and place in a warm spot, like an oven with the pilot light on.
6. In about 1 ½ to 2 hours, the dough would have tripled.
7. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper and then dusting the paper liberally with flour.
8. Pour the dough out of the bowl and into the center of the cookie sheet. Dust the top with flour.
9. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into two pieces. Using the bench scraper and a wet hand if needed, shape the dough, tucking the irregular pieces underneath, until you have two flat logs. The logs should be about six inches apart. This is a rustic bread, and the wet dough is not going to hold a definite shape, so don't even try for a beautiful, even look. This is known as an Italian slipper bread for a reason. The baked bread will turn out absolutely gorgeous, trust me, with a translucent, lit-from-within look and those gorgeous air holes.
10. Dust some more flour over the logs, then cover them with a loose kitchen towel and place in a warm spot for about an hour or until the logs are risen and all puffy-looking.
11. About half an hour before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone or baking stone in place. Place an empty pan in the bottom rack while preheating, then add a cup of water to it just before you place the bread in the oven.
12. Place the ciabatta loaves directly on the baking stone by sliding the parchment off your cookie sheet. If you are really not sure how to do this, just place the entire baking sheet on top of the baking stone.
13. Bake for 25 minutes or until the loaves are golden-brown and the bottom sounds hollow then tapped.
14. Cool thoroughly on a rack.

no knead buttermilk pull-apart rolls

 We used this recipe from Alexandra's kitchen for our rolls to go with ham on Easter. So good!

Note-- my new trick for a warm place to let bread rise rise is to fill the crockpot about half-way with hot water, put the lid on upside down and set the crockpot on low. Put the bowl/pan or rising dough on top of the inverted lid. 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups (512 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
• 2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, see notes above
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 cup (236 g) boiling water 
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 6 tablespoons melted butter, divided
• flaky sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour salt, sugar, and instant yeast.
2. In a 2-cup liquid measure, pour the boiling water over the buttermilk and let stand for 10 minutes. Give it a stir. The buttermilk will likely look curdled. This is okay.
3. Pour the buttermilk mixture and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter over the flour mixture. Stir until a sticky ball of dough forms. Cover the bowl with a tea towel, cloth bowl cover, or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
4. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Flour a work surface and sprinkle flour lightly over the dough and around the edges. Gently coax the dough out of the bowl onto the floured work surface and shape into a rough ball. Use a bench scraper or knife to divide the ball into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion roughly into a ball, then use a bench scraper to divide each ball into 6 roughly even portions to create 24 small pieces total.
5. Using as much flour as necessary, shape each piece roughly into a circle. It’s okay if each piece is a little misshapen. Place the dough balls into the prepared pan, spacing them evenly apart.
6. At this point, you can cover the pan and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, heat the oven to 375ºF. Let the dough rise, uncovered, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the dough pieces have puffed to almost fill the pan. (Note: If you refrigerate overnight, remove the pan 30 to 45 minutes prior to baking.) 
7. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove pan from the oven and immediately brush the surfaces of the rolls with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle flaky salt over top to taste. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the pan out onto cooling racks and invert onto a plate or serving platter.
8. Serve warm with more butter on the side.

giardiniera and italian cheese scones

 I had half a jar of giardiniera in the fridge and was craving a spicy snack, so I modified a cheddar and jalapeno scone recipe from The Black Peppercorn to use giardiniera and mozzarella instead. Cael and I both loved them!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter cut, grated on a box grater
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup hot giardiniera, drained of as much oil as possible
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Grate cold butter into the flour mixture and stir gently to just incorporate Stir in the grated mozzarella and migiardiniera.
4. Pour the milk into the flour and stir together until just combined. Work gently and be careful to not over-mix the batter.
5. Spread a little flour on a flat work surface. Dump the batter onto the floured work surface and pat down to make a 7 inch square. Cut into 4 quarters. Cut each quarter into 4 more quarters.
6. Place wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Sprinkle with parmesan. 
7. Bake for 14-16 minutes. The scones should be just starting to brown on top.

smoked mozzerella pasta salad

Kory, Gage, and I love this pasta salad from the Whole Foods deli, but found this copycat recipe from Made in a Day to make a bigger batch for much cheaper at home.

Ingredients

• 16 oz organic rigatoni pasta
• 9 oz roasted bell pepper strips
• 8 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed
• 2.5 oz shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 oz white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more as needed
• 5.5 oz mayo
• 5-6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• salt & pepper 

Instructions

1. Boil water in a large saucepan and cook rigatoni as directed. While pasta is cooking, place fresh spinach in the colander When pasta is al dente, pour hot pasta and water over the spinach to blanch it. Rinse, drain and run cold water over noodles and spinach to cool .
2. Whisk together in a large bowl (big enough to hold pasta salad), vinegar, garlic, parsley, cayenne pepper, and mayo.
3. Add rigatoni noodles, spinach, peppers, smoked mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Toss with a large spoon until blended. 
4. Chill for 30 min to 1 hour. Tossing every 15 minutes to blend. Serve as a side dish with your favorite summer meal!