Mexican Shrimp and Grits

*SOURCE: www.pauladeen.com*

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp, medium-sized, shells left on
• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 cup white grits
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 oz pepper Jack soft block cheese, cubed
• 1/2 lb chorizo sausage, casings removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, optional
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Vidalia onion
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 2 green onions, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

Peel the shrimp and set aside, reserving the shrimp shells.

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool the shrimp stock, and strain. Discard the shells.

In a large saucepan, bring 3 1/2 cups shrimp stock and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil over medium heat. Add the grits, stirring well. Add the butter and stir until melted. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the pepper Jack soft block cheese, and stir until melted. Set aside and keep warm.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the chorizo and cook until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Remove the chorizo, to a plate or bowl, leaving the drippings in the skillet. Add up to 3 tablespoons olive oil, if necessary. Put the skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook for 4 minutes, then add the red pepper and jalapeño, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Gradually add 2 cups of shrimp stock, stirring to scrape the bottom of the skillet and to prevent lumps. Stir in the cooked chorizo, and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until slightly thickened. Add the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, then add the cream and lime juice. Stir in the green onion, cilantro and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Transfer the grits to a serving platter and spoon the shrimp mixture over the top. Garnish with green onion and serve.

Peasant Bread

*SOURCE: www.alexandracooks.com*

Notes:

The bowls: The vintage Pyrex #441 bowl is my favorite bowl to bake the peasant bread in — the perfectly round shape of the bowl creates a beautiful round loaf. It belongs to a set of four nesting bowls (also called Cinderella bowls, specifically the Pyrex #441, #442, #443, #444), which I have purchased from Ebay. I absolutely love the set in general, but I love most of all that I can bake the whole batch of peasant bread in the second largest bowl (#443) and half of the batch in the smallest bowl (#441). The set runs anywhere from $35 to $50 or higher depending on the pattern of the Pyrex. More pictures of the bowls can be found on this post.

Another cheaper, very good option is the Pyrex 322.

The bread: This is a sticky, no-knead dough, so, while the original recipe doesn't call for one, some sort of baking vessel, such as pyrex bowls (about 1-L or 1.5 L or 1-qt or 1.5 qt) or ramekins for mini loaves is required to bake this bread. You can use a bowl that is about 2 qt or 2 L in size to bake off the whole batch of dough (versus splitting the dough in half) but do not use this size for baking half of the dough — it is too big. Several commenters have had trouble with the second rise, and this seems to be caused by the shape of the bowl they are letting the dough rise in the second time around. Two hours for the second rise is too long. If you don't have a 1- or 1.5-qt bowl, bake 3/4 of the dough in a loaf pan and bake the rest off in muffin tins or a popover pan — I recently made 6 mini loaves in a popover pan. The second rise should take no more than 30 minutes.

 Ingredients

• 4 cups (510 g | 1 lb. 2 oz) all-purpose flour* (do not use bleached all-purpose)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups lukewarm water**
• 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar (I use 2, my mom uses 3 — difference is negligible)
• 2 teaspoons active-dry yeast***
• room temperature butter, about 2 tablespoons
  
  * My mother always uses 1 cup graham flour and 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour. Also, you can use as many as 3 cups of whole wheat flour, but the texture changes considerably. I suggest trying with all all-purpose or bread flour to start and once you get the hang of it, start trying various combinations of whole wheat flour and/or other flours. Also, measure scant cups of flour if you are not measuring by weight: scoop flour into the measuring cup using a separate spoon or measuring cup; level off with a knife. The flour should be below the rim of the measuring cup.
  
  ** To make foolproof lukewarm water that will not kill the yeast (water that's too hot can kill yeast), boil some water — I use my teapot. Then, mix 1 1/2 cups cold water with 1/2 cup boiling water. This ratio of hot to cold water will be the perfect temperature for the yeast.
  
  ***I buy Red Star yeast in bulk (2lbs.) from Amazon. I store it in my freezer, and it lasts forever. If you are using the packets of yeast (the kind that come in the 3-fold packets), just go ahead and use a whole packet — I think it's 2.25 teaspoons. I have made the bread with active dry and rapid rise and instant yeast, and all varieties work. If you are interested in buying yeast in bulk, here you go: Red Star Baking Yeast Also, if you buy instant yeast, there is no need to do the proofing step — you can add the yeast directly to the flour — but the proofing step does just give you the assurance that your yeast is active. I love SAF instant yeast, which can be purchased from King Arthur flour as well as Amazon.

Instructions

1. Mixing the dough:
   • If you are using active-dry yeast: In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top. There is no need to stir it up. Let it stand for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and/or bubbling just a bit — this step will ensure that the yeast is active. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. When the yeast-water-sugar mixture is foamy, stir it up, and add it to the flour bowl. Mix until the flour is absorbed.
   
   • If you are using instant yeast: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add the water. Mix until the flour is absorbed.
2. Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour. (If you have the time to let it rise for 1.5 to 2 hours, do so — this will help the second rise go more quickly.) This is how to create a slightly warm spot for your bread to rise in: Turn the oven on at any temperature (350ºF or so) for one minute, then turn it off. Note: Do not allow the oven to get up to 300ºF, for example, and then heat at that setting for 1 minute — this will be too hot. Just let the oven preheat for a total of 1 minute — it likely won't get above 300ºF. The goal is to just create a slightly warm environment for the bread. My mother always covers the dough with a tea towel that she has run under hot water and rung out so it's just damp.
3. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grease two oven-safe bowls (such as the pyrex bowls I mentioned above) with about a tablespoon of butter each. (My mother might use even more — more butter not only adds flavor but also prevents sticking). Using two forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl, which it will be clinging to. As you scrape it down try to turn the dough up onto itself if that makes sense. You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure you've punched it down. Take your two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions — eye the center of the mass of dough, and starting from the center and working out, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Then scoop up each half and place into your prepared bowls. This part can be a little messy — the dough is very wet and will slip all over the place. Using small forks or forks with short tines makes this easier — my small salad forks work best; my dinner forks make it harder. It's best to scoop it up fast and plop it in the bowl in one fell swoop. Let the dough rise for about 20 to 30 minutes on the countertop near the oven (or near a warm spot) or until it has risen to just below or above (depending on what size bowl you are using) the top of the bowls. (Note: I do not do the warm-oven trick for the second rise. I simply set my bowls on top of my oven, so that they are in a warm spot. Twenty minutes in this spot usually is enough for my loaves.)
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and make for 15 to 17 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. If you've greased the bowls well, the loaves should fall right out onto the cooling racks. If the loaves look a little pale and soft when you've turned them out onto your cooling racks, place the loaves into the oven (outside of their bowls) and let them bake for about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Variations:

#1. Cornmeal. Substitute 1 cup of the flour with 1 cup of cornmeal. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

#2. Faux focaccia. Instead of spreading butter in two Pyrex bowls in preparation for baking, butter one 9x9-inch glass baking dish and one Pyrex bowl or just butter one large 9x13-inch Pyrex baking dish. If using two vessels, divide the dough in half and place each half in prepared baking pan. If using only one large baking dish, place all of the dough in the dish. Drizzle dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if using the small square pan) and 2 tablespoons of olive oil (if using the large one). Using your fingers, gently spread the dough out so that it fits the shape of the pan. Use your fingers to create dimples in the surface of the dough. Sprinkle surface with chopped rosemary and sea salt. Let rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes at 425ºF and 17 minutes (or longer) at 375ºF. Remove from pan and let cool on cooling rack.

Tater Tot Casserole

*Taken from http://themagicalslowcooker.com*

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

  Cook Time: 4 hours

  Total Time: 4 hours, 20 minutes

  Yield: Serves about 8

• Ingredients

  • 32 ounce bag tater tots
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 cans (10 3/4 ounce each) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) green beans
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

  Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef in a skillet with onion, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Add the cans of cream of mushroom soup, and milk, stir to combine.
  3. Fold in green beans to meat mixture.
  4. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray
  5. Place entire bag of tater tots on the bottom of your slow cooker
  6. Pour the meat mixture over the tots.
  7. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours
  8. Add cheese to top, and unplug slow cooker.
  9. Let set for 5-10 minutes before serving.

  Notes

  I used a 6 quart slow cooker. This recipe could be cut in half if you have a smaller slow cooker.

Pan Fried Italian Chicken Thighs

*Taken from http://www.barefeetinthekitchen.com*

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon coconut oil or light flavored olive oil
4 chicken thighs, depending on size (4 large pieces fill my skillet)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
granulated garlic or garlic powder
dried oregano
dried basil
herbs de provence

Pour the oil into a large stainless or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. (A non-stick skillet will work as well, although it isn't required.) Generously sprinkle the skin side of the chicken thighs with spices and then place them in the hot skillet, skin side down. Sprinkle the other side of the thighs and then, without moving them, cook uncovered* for about 20-25 minutes. Let them cook until the fat has rendered and the skin is deep golden brown and crisp; this could take as long as 30 minutes.

If the skin is sticking to the pan, it likely isn't finished on that side. Reduce the heat as needed if the skin starts to burn before it is evenly golden brown. Turn the thighs over and continue to cook for about 20 more minutes. When the meat closest to the bone is cooked through, the chicken is done. Enjoy!

* A splatter-screen for your skillet and a bowl of vinegar set next to the stove will cut down on both the mess and the lingering aroma of this recipe through the rest of the night!