Roasted Broccoli and Hummus Toasts

You guys know how much I like broccoli, so it should be no surprise that this might be my new favorite appetizer in the history of the World of Appetizers.  There's a world, it exists.  I was inspired by a recipe in Bon Appetit for Spiced Sweet Potato and Roasted Broccoli Toasts, and I adapted it to fit the ingredients I had on hand.  You probably have these ingredients on hand, too!  It was such a fun departure from plain old cheese and crackers, NOT that there's anything wrong with that (hashtag: Wisconsin Alumni).  The basil and lemon juice brightened the whole thing up, and the toasted pine nuts paired perfectly with the flavors in the hummus.  It's an easy starter dish that you could prepare ahead of time and throw on warm toast at the last minute.  And then you will be crowned Queen of the World of Appetizers.

Roasted Broccoli and Hummus Toasts

(Makes 12 toasts)

Printable Recipe

1 head broccoli, chopped into florets

6 T olive oil, divided, plus more for bread

Sea salt and pepper

1 T lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)

1 heaping T fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted until golden brown

3 slices sourdough toast (or a dozen slices from a baguette)

Hummus

Preheat oven to 425.  Toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool, and then coarsely chop (turn oven down to 400).  In a medium bowl, toss chopped broccoli with lemon juice, basil and pine nuts.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Brush olive oil on both sides of bread, and toast in the oven until golden brown, flipping once.  Spread desired amount of hummus on toast, and top with broccoli mixture.  Cut into fourths and serve warm.

*Broccoli can be prepared ahead of time, but appetizer tastes best when toasts are warm.    

Panache Pantry Chicken, Pasta + Giveaway

Have you ever heard of gourmet bread crumbs?  I had not, until the nice people of Panache Pantry sent me some samples.  Panache, a company founded by two at-home moms, have taken bread crumbs to a whole new level, whether it be their classic Sicilian line or their more modern products like Banana Nut Curry or Pumpkin Cajun (which I plan on sprinkling over ice cream as soon as I go buy ice cream).  It's such a brilliant, simple idea, and saves you the time of adding fresh herbs and spices to your boring old bread crumbs.  So far, I've sprinkled the Zucchini Rosemary crumbs over pasta...     

...and the Vintage Sicilian with chicken.  Take boneless, skinless chicken breasts, coat with mayo on both sides, sprinkle with bread crumbs on both sides, season with salt and pepper and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Trust me, if you don't like mayo, you will still love this.  It just makes for SUPER moist chicken.  And the Sicilian bread crumbs add such a depth of flavor.  Easiest dinner ever!

SO, Panache Pantry wants to give one of YOU some samples (any 2 crumbs from their 5 lines, your choice)!  Please "like" Panache Pantry on Facebook, comment below to win, and let me know how you would use these crumbs.  I will pick a winner Monday morning (10/28).  Good luck!    

Crispy Smoked Salmon Toast

I finished my last post by telling you people that I am a genius.  I lied to your faces.  The truth is, I am one of the biggest idiots I know.  Last weekend, I went to the same baby shower twice.  Saturday morning, got all dressed up, got my daughter all dressed up, braved the 405 for 45 minutes, showed up at the restaurant only to find out the baby shower was Sunday, not Saturday.  The maitre'd even offered me a glass of champagne on the house because he felt so embarrassed for me.  The valet guys were SO thrilled to park my car only to fetch it 30 seconds later.  My daughter ABSOLUTELY LOVED the drive back home.  See?  Monster idiot.  

However, I redeemed myself a little by recreating one of the appetizers they passed around at the real baby shower on Sunday: smoked salmon atop creme fraiche and crispy toast.  I ate an entire plate (but justified it in my head by pretending it was one plate over TWO baby showers).  This morning I whipped it together in 5 minutes: easy, impressive, delicious...

Cut sourdough toast into squares or rounds.  Heat a small amount of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute bread until it browns on both sides, being careful not to burn.    

Top with a dollop of creme fraiche (or sour cream, even cream cheese would be good), smoked salmon (lox) and chopped chives.  

Whole Wheat Soft Pretzel Bites

You would think after the debacle I experienced last time I volunteered to bake snacks for Jack's preschool, I'd be over doing it again.  But you can fool me once, or twice, and never again, as George W said, I think.  What I'm trying to say is... I don't learn from my mistakes!  No, I kid, this time it was actually a leisurely, enjoyable experience.  And I found a new recipe that I will absolutely try again!  Very healthy (I subbed whole wheat flour for all-purpose) and allergy friendly (dairy-free).  Great dipped in peanut butter (or soy butter if you have a nut allergy).  I doubled the recipe and it made A TON.  Plenty to feed a schoolyard of crazy kids.  I'm never there when the kids enjoy snack time, but I'd like to imagine the table chatter goes something like this:

Kid:  What a delicious and healthy snack for my tummy.  Who MADE these?
Jack:  MY MOM.  The BEST mom in the whole wide world.
Kid:  Wow.  You should totally bring her home a medal or at least a candy bar or some new shoes.      

Manchego Cheese Bread

*@#$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!$#@*

I really don't know what else to say about this bread.  I can't properly describe it's wonderfulness without cursing like a criminal.  I need you to make it, right now, so you can understand me.  By the way, it's really easy.  No kneading, no big floury mess.  A few simple ingredients like bread flour and CHEESE.  Chunks of manchego that melt and bubble up in the oven.  You do have to let the dough rise over night, but come morning time you will be hugging your own body because... FRESHLY BAKED CHEESE BREAD.  Because of that.  There aren't many better things in this world.  Don't care for Manchego?  (WHY)  Use whatever semi-soft cheese you fancy.  But I'm obsessed with this salty, Spanish cheese and it worked wonderfully in this loaf from heaven.  

Look at that crispy crust and chewy center.  I have to go say more swear words. 

         

Manchego Cheese Bread

(Makes 1 loaf)

Slightly adapted from My Bread

Printable Recipe

3 cups bread flour

3/4 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups Manchego cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/3 cup cool water

Cornmeal for dusting

In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt, pepper and cheese.  Add water and stir until you have a sticky dough.  Cover the bowl with a towel, and let rise (on the counter) for 12-18 hours.  

After the first rise, set a towel on the counter and cover it with cornmeal.  With lightly floured hands, lift the dough and place on the towel.  Grab the sides of the dough and fold them into the center, creating a round ball.  Flip the dough so the seam-side is down.  Cover the dough with the rest of the towel and let rise (again on counter) for 1-2 more hours.

30 minutes before the second rise is finished, preheat the oven to 475.  Place a heavy, oven-safe pot on the lower third rack while the oven is preheating, uncovered.  Once 30 minutes is up, remove the pot and carefully place the dough in the pot, seam-side up.  Cover pot and put back in oven for 30 minutes.

Uncover pot, and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until top is golden brown.  Remove bread from pot and let cool on wire rack.

The House of Flu

Yup, both of my kids caught a stomach bug.  At least one got better before the other got sick, thank you tiny miracles.  One thing you can count on when kids get the stomach flu is a lot of sleep (for them, not you).  So while they're busy napping the day away, I decided to make no-knead Manchego Bread.  It needs to rise for 12-18 hours, so more on that tomorrow... later gators!    

English Muffin Pizzas

I know I always talk about the english muffins at M Street Kitchen but GAH!, I wish I could send one to each of you so you knew why I said things like GAH! when referring to them.  Last night, in an effort to do more with our farmer's market vegetables, I made mini pizzas with the muffins.  They were ridiculously perfect.  Of course, you can use any english muffin for this, but if you're able to purchase some from a bakery DO IT.  They're usually larger than the supermarket kind and made with more butter, which results in a crispier pizza crust.  Jack had a regular old cheese pizza (with a can of crushed tomatoes as the sauce) but our adult version included sautéed red chard (olive oil, salt, pepper)...

...and roasted garlic (Power Ranger hands not included).  

For the adult versions, instead of the shredded mozzarella I used for Jack's pizzas, I used these mozzarella pearls.  I love having these on hand for salads or school lunches...

450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  They were PERFECT.  And a fun way to shake up dinner, because I say things like that because I write a food blog.    

Spinach Pesto and Sausage Strata

My friend Beth made this Rachael Ray egg dish yesterday and it was absurd (recipe here).  Incredibly filling and delicious in many ways.  She also made Monkey Bread and I practically had to roll myself out of her house.  I don't have willpower, especially when it comes to bread and cheese.  If you ever have to torture me into revealing information, just put me in a room full of bagels and cheese curds.  You'll win.  You'll also witness a frightening amount of bagels and cheese curds enter my body.  Anyways, the above dish would make a lovely Mother's Day brunch.

And remember this?   

Egg Salad and Pancetta on English Muffins

Egg McMuffin Schmegg SchmcSchmuffin.  (Did you say that out loud?  Did you sort of think you sounded like Sean Connery?  Do you feel embarrassed now?  There, there.)  Who needs fast food breakfast when you can whip this delicious concoction together!?  It's so easy, even Sean Connery can do it (I know that Bond has many talents but do you EVER see him cook?).  English muffins, a leeeeeedle bit of butter, egg salad and crispy baked pancetta (or bacon, whatevs).  I HIGHLY recommend you go to M Street Kitchen if you're ever in the LA area and pick up their Homemade English Muffins.  They're the stuff love songs are written about.            

*A reeeeeally old post on how to hard boil eggs.

Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

This picture is a hot mess.  A food stylist would slap my wrists with a ruler (because food stylists are also grammar school teachers from the olden days, right?).  In my defense, trying to take this photo was not easy because there were hands everywhere... reaching, grabbing, snatching (that's not redundant).  Basically, this was the best appetizer I've ever had.  Everything about it was perfection.  And I cannot take credit... my friend made them, Martha Stewart Beth Grealy, and she doesn't make mistakes.  The crostini was toasted perfectly, just the right amount of crisp.  The feta, whipped until it reached a heaven-like consistency, was salty and creamy.  Lemon, garlic, minced onions, heirloom tomatoes, basil, etc... THEY WERE SO GOOD.  And why wouldn't they be, Ina is responsible.  (Recipe here) 

Black and White Banana Loaf

I get pretty excited when I notice my bananas have ripened past the point of eating.  As I'm sure you know, that means it's time to bake!  And just when I think I've made every banana recipe known to man, google and the Internet come through for me.  Oh Internet, you're so Googly.  I found this recipe, which sounded awesome, and it was.  Perfectly moist, somewhere between a bread and a cake in consistency, intense banana (with a hint of rum) flavor and swirled with rich chocolate.  I used 2 bananas and buttermilk instead of whole milk, because I had it.  Wouldn't change a thing.   

Parker House Rolls

As chronicled here and here, I have had many dramatic Thanksgivings, which is why I was very thankful to be a guest this year in someone else's home, eating their wonderful food and contributing just one, simple side.  I made these rolls, and while they were simple they were also delicious.  I was unfamiliar with a Parker House Roll, but according to Wikipedia it's buttery, soft, made with milk, and folded in half.  Key word there: buttery.  Or "boooooooootery" as Paula would say.  And even though she had nothing to do with this dish, she would have been proud, because I brushed these babies with butter like I was basting a turkey with "aaoooowl" (that means oil in Paula's language).  These rolls would make a great side dish any time of year, but they were perfect for sopping up gravy and everything else on my plate this past Thursday.  

I hope you all had wonderful meals as well.      

Garlic and Sage Croutons

It's soup weather.  And stew weather.  (Don't you dare add stewp.)  We've been eating a lot of both in our house.  Yesterday, instead of the same old toast accompaniment, I decided to make homemade croutons!  Before you get all, "that's way too Martha for me" just stop.  STOP, COLLABORATE AND LISTEN.  (Oh my god, I'm so old now and I do things like that.)  Making homemade croutons is as easy as making a fool out of yourself with Vanilla Ice lyrics.  All you need is some bread.

For these, I decided to add garlic and sage.  You don't need to get all fancy with the garlic - just infuse 2 cloves in a few tablespoons of olive oil for a few minutes over medium heat.   

Add your chopped bread and chopped sage and sauté until golden and crispy.    

Carson called these "cracktons" : )

Egg in a Hole

As a very new mother to two children, I've found that in order to get through the day without overwhelming myself it helps to make very mini goals.  Like, today I'm going to tidy up.  Today I'm going to organize that drawer.  Today I'm going to the drug store.  Today I'm going to blog.  Today I'm going to shower.  (That's right friends, showering doesn't happen every day or even every other, deal.)

But one thing I HAVE to do everyday is cook dinner, pack a school lunch, and make sure my son eats a big breakfast.  It's very easy to fall into the "same old same old routine", but today I decided to get wild and crazy with breakfast.  Egg in a Hole!  Egg in a Minnesota Hole (thanks for the cookie cutter, Katy).  Put some butter in a pan, cut out a shape in your bread, place bread in pan, crack egg into hole, sprinkle with salt, cook to your desired yolk consistency.  Fast, easy and delicious!     

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

I don't have many words for you today.

(One week left, one week left, one week left...)

But I do have a FANTASTIC recipe I tried out that you MUST make.

Perfect for a lazy, Labor Day weekend brunch.

Especially because you prep it the night before and throw it in the oven when you wake up.

It's somewhere between french toast, bread pudding and heaven.

The recipe is HERE.

Bye!  

**WAIT!  The winner of the Madhava Gift Basket is RossAnne - 

please email me at siri (dot) siriouslydelicious (dot) com**