Simple Summer Flatbread

This month's focus is on eating well with as little time in the kitchen--time-efficient, cost-effective, taste-satisfying college cooking--nothing deserves this title more than this simple flatbread or pizza crust! 

Once the dough rises, it can be refrigerated 2-3 days before grilling or baking--makes enough for four personal size pizzas...each one made to your heart's content with any topping combo imaginable!

(Adapted from The Birchwood Cafe in Minneapolis, MN)

Simple Summer Flatbread

Equipment:

Mixing Bowls

Pizza Pan or stone

Ingredients:

2 tsp dry active yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tsp granulated sea salt 

1 cup warm water

2-3 cups of bread flour

Red Sauce:

San Marzano Tomatoes, hand-torn in their sauce

Kosher salt, to taste

Toppings:

Fresh Mozzarrella 

Basil

Red Pepper flakes

Grated parmesan or pecorino

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands. 
2. Preheat oven to 450-500F degrees.

3. Combine water, yeast, salt, sugar and 1/4 cup of flour. Set aside.

4. Once you notice foaming of the yeast mixture, begin adding just enough flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough begins to form and become "shaggy" without being sticky.

5. Oil a large mixing bowl.

6. Place dough in oiled bowl, cover and set aside in a warm environment to let rise for at least one hour.

7. Once doubled, punch dough, turn it out on a floured board and knead with a little flour by folding dough back on itself with a little flour until no longer sticky. 

8. Divide into quarters when ready to use and stretch or roll out on lightly floured surface.

9. Transfer the flatbread to pizza pan and bake x 5 minutes before toppings.

10. Remove from oven and lightly spoon 1/4 cup of tomatoes and sauce on top--you will think it is not enough--but do not add more.

11. Add mozzarrella, parmesan, and bake at 450F degrees until sauce is bubbly and cheese begins to melt.

11. Broil for 1-2 minutes before removing and topping with basil.

Experiment with any other combos but be careful not to overload the flatbread.
Practice makes perfect!

Spaghetti DeepDish 4 College Cooking

Finding new ways to have traditional meals is always fun and great for putting a twist into dinner.

I have seen this concept of a "spaghetti pie" on multiple occasions, but when I realized how darn easy it was to make (and super delicious)...it seemed perfect for college cooking!! Let's go!

Spaghetti DeepDish

Equipment:

12" Springform (or plain old pyrex rectangle)

Large mixing bowl

Large skillet

Ingredients:

1 lb ground hamburger or sirloin

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb spaghetti, cooked al dente and drained

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cups marinara sauce

1/2 cup ricotta

1 cup mozzarella, divided half

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

Fresh ground pepper

1-2 Tbls freshly chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 350F degrees and spray your pan with non-stick PAM.

3. Saute onions until translucent.

4. Add meat, garlic, 1 tsp salt, and ground pepper. Brown meat. Set aside.

5. Boil and drain pasta. Drizzle with oil. Set aside.

6. In a large mixing bowl, add marinara, ricotta, 50% mozzarella, parmesan, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

7. Add pasta and cooled meat mixture.

8. Stir well and pour into the prepared form.

9. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and a little extra parmesan.

10. Bake at 350F degrees x 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown.

Always try to invite a few friends for this dish. Prep some extra marinara sauce and parmesan for sprinkling! Add awesome Garlic Bread or a simple salad.

Purple Kale Citrus Salad

Everyone is eating kale--kale chips, kale (or green) smoothies, kale everything--so why miss out on this health craze? Kale has gotten a bad rap because folks don't know anything other than grinding it or roasting it with salt! It is all about the context that makes kale pop and taste delicious, i.e. how it is prepared and what it is combined with!

Kale is a simple alternative to lettuce or arugula, another option in your salad and side-dish 'arsenal' that is tasty, healthy and trendy...perfect for any college student living off campus! 

In this simple salad, the shredded kale absorbs an incredible citrus dressing that makes the whole concoction pop, awesome, and fresh--rather than just another "salad"!

(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman and her latest cookbook 'Dinnertime'. If you are in Chicago, The Pump Room makes a fantastic version of a kale salad as well!)

Purple Kale Citrus Salad

Equipment:

Mixing Bowl

Chopping Board & Knife
Whisk

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh kale--green or purple

1 small jalapeno, thinly sliced & seeded

1 cup mandarin slices, drained

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta 

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Dressing:

1/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbls olive oil

1-2 tsp honey
1 Tbls (generous) Greek yoghurt or Light sour cream

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Wash the kale and separate the stems from leaves.

3. Roll the leaves and slice them into thin strips until you have a nice pile of them.

4. Prep other ingredients, i.e. sliced jalapeños, drain mandarin slices, & crumbled cheese.

5. Combine your salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.

6. Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together.

7. Combine the salad and dressing just prior to serving.

8. Here's to your health with the best of flavors and without compromise! So simple!

Autumn Chili 4 College Cooking

PMy travels to Europe and South Africa have finally ended, and returning to Chicago found me bedridden with illness after 22 hours of steadfast flying--but, I also came home with a great recipe for low-budget college cooking after meeting up with friends in Germany who made this simple supper (a variation on Chile Con Carne) while we reminisced about high school and the good 'ol days!

This is an easy one-pot meal for the cold fall and winter days ahead. Packed full of vegetables, nutrition, protein and flavor; and, this is yet another option to limit your meat consumption and stretch your grocery dollars--for an apartment of college students this will satisfy any hunger with leftovers to spare. 

(Not a chili or stew fan? Try these alternatives to make winter's chill bearable: Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, Corn Bacon Chowder with Shrimp, or Loaded Baked Potato Soup.)

Another benefit to any chili-stew recipe is that if you only have black beans instead kidney beans...use them...or add some corn...or not! Don't like green peppers...skip them...exchanges are easy...wanna go vegetarian or save on grocery dollars...omit the meat altogether!

Don't sweat the small stuff with one-pot meals!

Add a simple salad, like a simple Arugula Salad with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper, and some Cheesy Toasts for a meal worth sitting down for. Make time to connect (and re-connect) with the folks that matter in your life no matter where you are...never eat alone! Share a meal! Invite a friend and find out what's going on in their life! 

(Courtesy recipe from Dorothee Reiniger-Pointer--thanks for a wonderful evening and welcome back to Germany!)

Autumn Chili 4 College Cooking

Equipment:
5qt-sauce pan with lid
Can opener
Wooden spoons

Ingredients:
1 lb ground hamburger
2 onions, coarsely diced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick rounds
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 peppers (red, yellow, green--or as available, cheapest), cored & coarsely chopped
3 (15oz) crushed tomatoes
1 (15oz) light red kidney beans
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sambal oelek (optional if you like it spicy, or substitute 1/8 cayenne pepper)
Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche

Add-Ons:
Baguette with cheese, cold cuts, or plain ol' butter
Salad

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands and produce.
2. Prep all of your ingredients before starting the skillet.

3. Brown hamburger meat, garlic and onions in a large non-stick 5 qt-saucepan

4. Add carrots and cook 5-6 minutes.

5. Add peppers.

6. Add tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, and sambal oelek.
7. Simmer on low-heat x one hour.

8. Add kidney beans (or black beans or corn) and simmer another 15 minutes.
9. Prep your add-ons, i.e. cheesy toasts for the broiler and/or salad.

10. Call some friends over for supper tonight!