Thursday, April 23, 2020
I Love My Face Mask
So, in my county effective tomorrow (Friday) we are required
to a wear a face mask in public places in which other people are located. And
sure I don’t exactly find mask masks to be incredibly sexy I am willing to do
what it takes to keep people healthy and safe, and to get us through this as
fast as possible….because I miss my false lashes, my facials, and my hair
stylist. Just being real here.
That being said I have tried to think of reasons to love my
face mask since my face mask and I are going to be spending a lot of time
together here for awhile. And this is what I came up with:
1.
People can’t see you smile. Sure this could be a
positive or a negative, however for someone who has no poker face like I do,
this is awesome! This is the only way I will EVER look like a bad ass since I am always smiling.
2.
Face ID doesn’t work and so I have to stop being
lazy and just smiling at my phone and actually type in my password. Ya know it
is making me think twice about whether or not I need/want to be on my phone
since its just not as effortless and so I am definitely more present.
3.
Everyday is like Halloween! This is the only
time in my lifetime that you can truly wear a costume every single day and
people just assume you are trying to protect yourself from a virus. Ummm nope
just felt like wearing a gorilla mask today. Deuces!
4.
Nobody knows if you are the one talking. So, in
a crowded place you can say anything you want out loud and nobody knows if it
is you or the other person on aisle 5. #winning
5.
You only have to wear makeup on your eyes and forehead.
Saves time with make-up application and it saves on product since you are only
covering half of your face. You are welcome.
6.
The mask is incredible for people watching
because nobody can see you laughing at them. Sure, they can still see you
staring, but they will never know if you are staring because you think they are
hot AF or if you think they are a certifiable train wreck.
7.
I live in a small town and its very common to
run into acquaintance wherever you go, but ya know what people don’t recognize
you when they only see part of your face. Sure, this does pose the dilemma of
if you actually do want to say hi and they don’t recognize you, do you take off
your face mask for them? I have decided there are very few people that are
worthy of a face mask reveal…just sayin.
8.
The face mask has forced me to clean my glasses
since they tend to fog up. By the way, I did read that if you wash your glasses
in soapy water that will help with the fogging issue. I haven’t tried it yet,
but I will be soon.
9.
As many of you know I love talking to strangers and
making new friends. However, that is challenging with the face mask and so I am
much safer right now. Y’all don’t have to worry about me being kidnapped right
now.
10.
It’s an excuse to buy new clothes because well I
don’t own face masks and now I need to buy them. And sometimes you end up
buying face masks that don’t match your outfits and so you have to buy new
clothe to match your face mask. #justification
Hope if nothing else this makes you all smile and keep your
face mask on. Stay safe out there!
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Defining Moments & Chorizo Potato Tacos
I think many of us feel like we are currently living in a defining moment. Years from now we will still be talking about how the pandemic of 2020 impacted our lives. And I in no means am trying to take away from that because this is epic.
That being said I have also been thinking about the many defining moments that make up our lives. Some of those are the happiest days of our lives, maybe the day you gave birth to your child, graduated from college, got married, got the job you wanted, or moved into your dream home. And maybe some of those were the most heart breaking moments of your lives such as the death of a loved one, a divorce, or the day you lost your job.
But what I have recently been reminded of is the fact that one minute can change your life, just one minute. And often it is those "one minutes" which are the defining moments that when added together makes a legacy, a lifetime, an adventure and a journey. And I for one feel so blessed to have had so many minutes, so many defining moments, so many celebrations and so many devastations because at the end of the day that is what has made and given me this incredible life.
I would like to take a moment to celebrate those defining moments in my life-the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly...because right now we have been given a minute as we sit here sheltered in place to consider our lives, to consider our new normal, to consider how we want our lives to change when we get out of this.
So here are a few of my defining moments:
1. The day I broke my neck in a car accident. Obviously traumatic, but also the most incredible gift as it forced me to reevaluate my life, look my mortality in the face, and decide I wanted to live and love differently.
2. The day I saw the man I love and no we are not together and this is not a romantic confession of quarantine love. But I will never forget that day and the lessons that I have learned from this experience as it has taught me how to open my heart and love in ways I hadn't allowed myself to feel previously. The heart breaks so it can grow bigger.
3. My abortion when I was 19. It was one of the hardest decisions of my entire life, but it was the right choice for me at that time. That being said it has shaped the rest of my life and has impacted my decisions in regards to having a family and it has been a decision I have questioned and thought of ever since.
4. The first time I heard 11-99 or shots fired on the radio, which means an officer has been involved in a shooting. I knew the day I was sworn in as a 911 Dispatcher the responsibility that came with the profession, but until you hear the voice of someone you care about desperate for help....the profession becomes a completely different ballgame. That voice on the radio haunts me, makes me celebrate life, and makes me remember how quickly that can change in a minute.
5. The day I sat at the airport in Flint, Michigan talking to my Uncle and I decided to move "home." It has brought me back to where I grew up, helped me come back to my roots, mend relationships, make new ones, spend time loving my family and friends, and learn how to love myself, unapologetically.
There are countless other defining moments in my life, but these are my top 5 or at least the top 5 in this minute. And I don't tell you these to overshare, but to remind all of us, myself included, that this moment is a defining moment...but we have others before this and we will definitely have others after this. For years we have talked about 9/11 and it has been a common question to ask where were you when the towers came down? But I have noticed that as time has elapsed that question has been asked less and less frequently. Last year when I was teaching at the Dispatch Academy there were some people in my class who were too young to remember 9/11 and it was not a defining moment for them. That put a lot into perspective for me.
And so I am confident that we will all get through this together especially the more we band together, support each other, love each other, and try to keep our chins up.
Now to move onto a slightly lighter topic. I also have to say that we have all had defining moments when it came to food. For me, one of those defining moments involved the first time I had potato tacos in Atlanta, Georgia. I was a kid in the ATL visiting one summer and I was taken to a hole in the wall Mexican place that had potato tacos. I was encouraged to order them and although I thought the idea was super strange I went with the program. And my life was changed FOREVER!
However, that Mexican restaurant has since closed and I have been on a quest to find those tacos or a recipe that replicates those tacos ever since. I found this recipe in Cook's Illustrated for Chorizo and Potato Tacos and so of course I had to try it. And....welll….they are damn good tacos....but they are not THE childhood tacos of my dream.
I absolutely loved the avocado and tomatillo sauce on these tacos! I could drink that! However, I wish the tacos themselves had a little more spice. And it was great that the recipe had you make your own chorizo so they were a little healthier, but to be honest I would probably use already made chorizo if I made these again. I think the added liquid and spice that comes with commercial chorizo would have given the tacos a little more moisture. That being said, if you want to try a different take on tacos while you are quarantined at home, I totally recommend you giving these a try.
Chorizo and Potato Tacos
Filling
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Salt and pepper
3 T vegetable oil
1 T ancho chile powder
1 T paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon ground
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch ground allspice
3 T cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces ground pork
Sauce
8 oz tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well, dried, and cut into 1" pieces
1 avocado, halved, pitted and cut into 1" pieces
1-2 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 T lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp salt
Tacos
12 (6") corn tortillas, warmed
Finely chopped white onion
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
1. For the filling: Bring 4 cups water to boil in 12" skillet over high heat. Add potatoes and 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until potatoes are just tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside.
2. Combine oil, chile powder, paprika, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper into a skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbling and fragrant. Off heat, carefully stir in vinegar, sugar, and garlic. Let stand until steam subsides and skillet cools slightly, about 5 minutes. Add pork to skillet. Mash and mix with rubber spatula until spice mixture is evenly incorporated into port.
3. Return skillet to medium high heat and cook, mashing and stirring until pork has broken into fine crumbles and juices are bubbling, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in potatoes, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until potatoes are fully softened and have soaked up most of pork juices, 6-8 minutes. Off heat, mash approximately one-eighth of the potatoes. Stir mixture until mashed potatoes are evenly distributed. Cover and keep warm.
5. For the sauce-process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
6. For the tacos-spoon filling into center of each tortilla and serve with sauce, onions, cilantro and lime.
Thinking of all of you during this difficult time. I hope we use every minute to the best of our ability because we are never quite sure when that minute will become a defining moment. Cheers!
That being said I have also been thinking about the many defining moments that make up our lives. Some of those are the happiest days of our lives, maybe the day you gave birth to your child, graduated from college, got married, got the job you wanted, or moved into your dream home. And maybe some of those were the most heart breaking moments of your lives such as the death of a loved one, a divorce, or the day you lost your job.
But what I have recently been reminded of is the fact that one minute can change your life, just one minute. And often it is those "one minutes" which are the defining moments that when added together makes a legacy, a lifetime, an adventure and a journey. And I for one feel so blessed to have had so many minutes, so many defining moments, so many celebrations and so many devastations because at the end of the day that is what has made and given me this incredible life.
I would like to take a moment to celebrate those defining moments in my life-the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly...because right now we have been given a minute as we sit here sheltered in place to consider our lives, to consider our new normal, to consider how we want our lives to change when we get out of this.
So here are a few of my defining moments:
1. The day I broke my neck in a car accident. Obviously traumatic, but also the most incredible gift as it forced me to reevaluate my life, look my mortality in the face, and decide I wanted to live and love differently.
2. The day I saw the man I love and no we are not together and this is not a romantic confession of quarantine love. But I will never forget that day and the lessons that I have learned from this experience as it has taught me how to open my heart and love in ways I hadn't allowed myself to feel previously. The heart breaks so it can grow bigger.
3. My abortion when I was 19. It was one of the hardest decisions of my entire life, but it was the right choice for me at that time. That being said it has shaped the rest of my life and has impacted my decisions in regards to having a family and it has been a decision I have questioned and thought of ever since.
4. The first time I heard 11-99 or shots fired on the radio, which means an officer has been involved in a shooting. I knew the day I was sworn in as a 911 Dispatcher the responsibility that came with the profession, but until you hear the voice of someone you care about desperate for help....the profession becomes a completely different ballgame. That voice on the radio haunts me, makes me celebrate life, and makes me remember how quickly that can change in a minute.
5. The day I sat at the airport in Flint, Michigan talking to my Uncle and I decided to move "home." It has brought me back to where I grew up, helped me come back to my roots, mend relationships, make new ones, spend time loving my family and friends, and learn how to love myself, unapologetically.
There are countless other defining moments in my life, but these are my top 5 or at least the top 5 in this minute. And I don't tell you these to overshare, but to remind all of us, myself included, that this moment is a defining moment...but we have others before this and we will definitely have others after this. For years we have talked about 9/11 and it has been a common question to ask where were you when the towers came down? But I have noticed that as time has elapsed that question has been asked less and less frequently. Last year when I was teaching at the Dispatch Academy there were some people in my class who were too young to remember 9/11 and it was not a defining moment for them. That put a lot into perspective for me.
And so I am confident that we will all get through this together especially the more we band together, support each other, love each other, and try to keep our chins up.
Now to move onto a slightly lighter topic. I also have to say that we have all had defining moments when it came to food. For me, one of those defining moments involved the first time I had potato tacos in Atlanta, Georgia. I was a kid in the ATL visiting one summer and I was taken to a hole in the wall Mexican place that had potato tacos. I was encouraged to order them and although I thought the idea was super strange I went with the program. And my life was changed FOREVER!
However, that Mexican restaurant has since closed and I have been on a quest to find those tacos or a recipe that replicates those tacos ever since. I found this recipe in Cook's Illustrated for Chorizo and Potato Tacos and so of course I had to try it. And....welll….they are damn good tacos....but they are not THE childhood tacos of my dream.
 |
| I put a pig in this pic because they are pork tacos...get it! |
I absolutely loved the avocado and tomatillo sauce on these tacos! I could drink that! However, I wish the tacos themselves had a little more spice. And it was great that the recipe had you make your own chorizo so they were a little healthier, but to be honest I would probably use already made chorizo if I made these again. I think the added liquid and spice that comes with commercial chorizo would have given the tacos a little more moisture. That being said, if you want to try a different take on tacos while you are quarantined at home, I totally recommend you giving these a try.
Chorizo and Potato Tacos
Filling
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Salt and pepper
3 T vegetable oil
1 T ancho chile powder
1 T paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon ground
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch ground allspice
3 T cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces ground pork
Sauce
8 oz tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well, dried, and cut into 1" pieces
1 avocado, halved, pitted and cut into 1" pieces
1-2 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 T lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp salt
Tacos
12 (6") corn tortillas, warmed
Finely chopped white onion
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
 |
| Just in case you needed a reminder as to what a potato looked like. You are welcome! |
1. For the filling: Bring 4 cups water to boil in 12" skillet over high heat. Add potatoes and 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until potatoes are just tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside.
2. Combine oil, chile powder, paprika, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper into a skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbling and fragrant. Off heat, carefully stir in vinegar, sugar, and garlic. Let stand until steam subsides and skillet cools slightly, about 5 minutes. Add pork to skillet. Mash and mix with rubber spatula until spice mixture is evenly incorporated into port.
3. Return skillet to medium high heat and cook, mashing and stirring until pork has broken into fine crumbles and juices are bubbling, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in potatoes, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until potatoes are fully softened and have soaked up most of pork juices, 6-8 minutes. Off heat, mash approximately one-eighth of the potatoes. Stir mixture until mashed potatoes are evenly distributed. Cover and keep warm.
5. For the sauce-process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
6. For the tacos-spoon filling into center of each tortilla and serve with sauce, onions, cilantro and lime.
Thinking of all of you during this difficult time. I hope we use every minute to the best of our ability because we are never quite sure when that minute will become a defining moment. Cheers!
Friday, April 17, 2020
Ricotta Spinach Dumplings & Other Virus Comforts
I would love to tell you all that I have been immune to the fear, negativity, and frustration that so many of you have felt during this pandemic. But that would be a straight up lie. Sure, I try everyday to focus on positivity and gratitude because I know I have so much to be grateful form. However, lets be real. This is hard...for everyone...we are all creating a "new normal." And you take a country that loathes changes and force them to change in an environment where it is completely and utterly out of their control....we are all just reeling....even if it's just a little bit.
So, I have found that it is the small things that I have found comfort in, food being one of them. However, here are a few other comforts that have helped pick me up when I am feeling like a caged animal:
1. Wine-not to sound like an alcoholic, but I have honestly had a glass of wine every night. It symbolizes the end of my work day and the beginning of my play day...even though it is all in the same environment (aka.my house).
2. Zoom/FaceTime-my Mom and I got to color our hair together via FaceTime and Thursdays I have a standing happy hour date with my girls from So Cal (aka Thirsty Thursday). This is the shit that keeps me going.
3. Exercise-whatever the form! My Peloton has been a god send, but so has Zoom and You Tube yoga classes and running/walking outside.
4. Netflix in bed. I am one of those that doesn't believe a TV should be in the bedroom, so taking my iPad into the bedroom and crawling into bed to watch Tiger King or Surviving R Kelly. Guilty f'ing pleasure!!
5. Humor-I have tried to find a way to make myself laugh every single day. That might be a stand up comedy special, it may be a conversation with a good friend, it may be the most recent book by Chelsea Handler or a podcast with Amy Schumer or just laughing at myself trying to color my hair. Force yourself to laugh!
Now, let's go back to food. As many of you know I was raised by an Italian family so Italian food is my comfort zone. That being said, I was not raised on Ricotta and Spinach Dumplings (and I am sure they have an Italian name so if you know what that is, please tell me) and so I wanted to give this recipe a try as it represented a little bit of comfort and a little bit of an experiment. And let me just say these are straight up amazing!!
I have fond memories of my Mom make cheese ricotta manicotti as a kid and my favorite part was taking a spoon to the ricotta container and eating the leftover cheese. So, that is exactly what I did with this recipe and I swear to God nothing has made me happier in a really long time.
This recipe is comforting, but light. It is flavorful and I was so impressed with how quick and easy the sauce was to make, but seriously it is so much better than any jar sauce out there. This felt like eating cheese and spinach pillows and they made me beyond happy!
So, I have found that it is the small things that I have found comfort in, food being one of them. However, here are a few other comforts that have helped pick me up when I am feeling like a caged animal:
1. Wine-not to sound like an alcoholic, but I have honestly had a glass of wine every night. It symbolizes the end of my work day and the beginning of my play day...even though it is all in the same environment (aka.my house).
2. Zoom/FaceTime-my Mom and I got to color our hair together via FaceTime and Thursdays I have a standing happy hour date with my girls from So Cal (aka Thirsty Thursday). This is the shit that keeps me going.
3. Exercise-whatever the form! My Peloton has been a god send, but so has Zoom and You Tube yoga classes and running/walking outside.
4. Netflix in bed. I am one of those that doesn't believe a TV should be in the bedroom, so taking my iPad into the bedroom and crawling into bed to watch Tiger King or Surviving R Kelly. Guilty f'ing pleasure!!
5. Humor-I have tried to find a way to make myself laugh every single day. That might be a stand up comedy special, it may be a conversation with a good friend, it may be the most recent book by Chelsea Handler or a podcast with Amy Schumer or just laughing at myself trying to color my hair. Force yourself to laugh!
Now, let's go back to food. As many of you know I was raised by an Italian family so Italian food is my comfort zone. That being said, I was not raised on Ricotta and Spinach Dumplings (and I am sure they have an Italian name so if you know what that is, please tell me) and so I wanted to give this recipe a try as it represented a little bit of comfort and a little bit of an experiment. And let me just say these are straight up amazing!!
I have fond memories of my Mom make cheese ricotta manicotti as a kid and my favorite part was taking a spoon to the ricotta container and eating the leftover cheese. So, that is exactly what I did with this recipe and I swear to God nothing has made me happier in a really long time.
This recipe is comforting, but light. It is flavorful and I was so impressed with how quick and easy the sauce was to make, but seriously it is so much better than any jar sauce out there. This felt like eating cheese and spinach pillows and they made me beyond happy!
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can no-salt-added whole peeled tomatoes in puree
8 large fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and finely chopped
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
2 large egg yolks
Pinch of grated nutmeg
 |
| Whenever possible use San Marzano tomatoes. It so seriously makes a difference. The flavor is out of this world! And although the recipe calls for whole tomatoes I always prefer to use diced or crushed and so that is what I did with this recipe as well. I used crushed and I still blended them and I honestly could drink this sauce. |
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
 |
| There is truly no better smell than garlic and olive oil cooking. It makes me happy. Talk about comfort! #happygirl |
Stir in the tomatoes and mash into a chunky sauce using a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 12 minutes. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender; puree.
 |
| Use whole milk and not part skim ricotta. It makes a difference in a recipe like this. And just to be a ricotta snob, I have to admit that I like my ricotta to have an Italian name like Galbani! And yes my family says ricotta with a "g" like rigggotta….just sayin. |
Dust a rimmed baking sheet with flour; set aside. Mix the spinach, ricotta, parmesan, egg yolks, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the flour and stir until just combined.
 |
| This is the mixture. And sorry, but I don't have anything sassy to say about it. |
Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the flour-dusted pan, shaking the pan from side to side to coat the dumplings in the flour and smooth out their edges. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
 |
| I honestly probably could have used a little more flour to roll them in because they were a little sticky and that may have impacted their consistent shape and aesthetic. But hell I don't have lash extensions right now so we are all sacrificing our beauty for this pandemic! |
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Add the chilled dumplings and cook until they float to the top and are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
 |
| When I first put the dumplings in the water this is what it looked like. I was pretty sure they were all falling apart and becoming a giant puddle of goo in that water, but thankfully when they started to floating to the top I was ecstatic!! |
Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel¿lined plate to drain.
 |
| My dumplings lost some shape while being cooked, but it didn't impact their flavor and so I decided to celebrate their diversity! |
Serve on top of the tomato sauce and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with more parmesan.
Thank you to all of our first responders and essential employees. I know you all don't hear thank you enough, but please know that I am grateful. Cheers
Monday, April 6, 2020
When Pizza and Cinnamon Roles Mate
There is a time and a place for comfort food, and that time is now!! As many of you know, Italian food has a special place in my heart, since that is what I was raised on. However, in general I don't usually cook Italian food due to the high carb and high cheese content, which is not exactly the most healthy for me.
However, right now we are all trying to find small things to celebrate as we deal with being quarantined, away from family and friends, changes to our routines, fear, a pandemic, and health concerns near and far. So, for me I go to the kitchen to find comfort and that is where I spent the majority of my rainy weekend.
We have all heard the social media jokes about the population and baby boom that will be exploding in 9 months as a result of the shelter in place orders. And yes we have also heard about the increase in domestic violence and divorce. This is a great time to be single. Joking.....sort of!!
But let's go back to the baby boom because this recipe is honestly what would happen if a cinnamon roll and a pizza mated. It is basically the pizza toppings wrapped into a cinnamon roll dough. yeah don't worry there isn't any actual cinnamon or sugar....that might be good....but I just can't go there as I tend to be more of a traditionalist with my Italian food.
And let me tell you I am scared of making pizza dough because I was raised by a Mom who is the pizza queen, but this dough is made in the food processor and its truly foolproof. Also, how can you go wrong with marinara sauce (use high quality or homemade if you can), mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. However, honestly you could fill these with any of your favorite pizza toppings. These are so good and portable....um but wait none of us are going anywhere so you don't care that they are portable #oopsie! But seriously try these! So good!! And I know you all have a ton of yeast, since I can't find any at the grocery store....even my Google search only gave me the option for Monistat, which is not the yeast accoutrements I need right now.
Side note, has anyone else noticed that it is nearly impossible to find fresh garlic right now? No offense, but I thought we were dealing with a pandemic and not a vampire apocalypses. I am not late to the garlic stockpile game, am I? So frustrating!!
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
1 T olive oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
For the Rolls:
1/2 cup marinara sauce
4 oz sliced pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 T grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil
1. Make the dough. Combine the yeast, sugar, and 1 cup warm water in a food processor and pulse once.
2. Let sit until foamy, 5 to 10 min.
3. Add the olive oil and pulse to combine.
4. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, then add to the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together.
5. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball.
6. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 4 hours.
7. Make the rolls. Stretch the dough into an 8x12 rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
8. Spread the marinara sauce on the dough all the way to the edge; top with pepperoni and 1 3/4 cups mozzarella.
9. Starting from a long side, tightly roll up the dough, slightly stretching as you, to form a 14 inch long log.
10. Line the bottom and side of a 9" square baking dish (I used 8" and it worked fine) with parchment paper. The original recipe said to spray it with cooking spray first and then add parchment paper, but I didn't do that because that made no sense to me. Cut the log crosswise into 9 rounds. Arrange cut side up in the prepared pan in 3 rows of 3, slightly touching. Cover with foil and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls, covered, until the cheese begins to melt and the rolls are puffy, about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until golden brown, about 20 minutes more.
12. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and the parmesan, continue baking until the cheese melts, about 7 more minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan. Top with basil.
Stay safe everyone!! I miss hugging you all! Cheers!!
However, right now we are all trying to find small things to celebrate as we deal with being quarantined, away from family and friends, changes to our routines, fear, a pandemic, and health concerns near and far. So, for me I go to the kitchen to find comfort and that is where I spent the majority of my rainy weekend.
We have all heard the social media jokes about the population and baby boom that will be exploding in 9 months as a result of the shelter in place orders. And yes we have also heard about the increase in domestic violence and divorce. This is a great time to be single. Joking.....sort of!!
But let's go back to the baby boom because this recipe is honestly what would happen if a cinnamon roll and a pizza mated. It is basically the pizza toppings wrapped into a cinnamon roll dough. yeah don't worry there isn't any actual cinnamon or sugar....that might be good....but I just can't go there as I tend to be more of a traditionalist with my Italian food.
And let me tell you I am scared of making pizza dough because I was raised by a Mom who is the pizza queen, but this dough is made in the food processor and its truly foolproof. Also, how can you go wrong with marinara sauce (use high quality or homemade if you can), mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. However, honestly you could fill these with any of your favorite pizza toppings. These are so good and portable....um but wait none of us are going anywhere so you don't care that they are portable #oopsie! But seriously try these! So good!! And I know you all have a ton of yeast, since I can't find any at the grocery store....even my Google search only gave me the option for Monistat, which is not the yeast accoutrements I need right now.
Side note, has anyone else noticed that it is nearly impossible to find fresh garlic right now? No offense, but I thought we were dealing with a pandemic and not a vampire apocalypses. I am not late to the garlic stockpile game, am I? So frustrating!!
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
1 T olive oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
For the Rolls:
1/2 cup marinara sauce
4 oz sliced pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 T grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil
1. Make the dough. Combine the yeast, sugar, and 1 cup warm water in a food processor and pulse once.
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| Foamy yeast |
2. Let sit until foamy, 5 to 10 min.
3. Add the olive oil and pulse to combine.
4. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, then add to the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together.
5. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball.
6. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 4 hours.
7. Make the rolls. Stretch the dough into an 8x12 rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
8. Spread the marinara sauce on the dough all the way to the edge; top with pepperoni and 1 3/4 cups mozzarella.
9. Starting from a long side, tightly roll up the dough, slightly stretching as you, to form a 14 inch long log.
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| I am sorry there was no way to make a photo of this look any better. |
10. Line the bottom and side of a 9" square baking dish (I used 8" and it worked fine) with parchment paper. The original recipe said to spray it with cooking spray first and then add parchment paper, but I didn't do that because that made no sense to me. Cut the log crosswise into 9 rounds. Arrange cut side up in the prepared pan in 3 rows of 3, slightly touching. Cover with foil and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls, covered, until the cheese begins to melt and the rolls are puffy, about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until golden brown, about 20 minutes more.
12. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and the parmesan, continue baking until the cheese melts, about 7 more minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan. Top with basil.
Stay safe everyone!! I miss hugging you all! Cheers!!
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