Beet Smoothie

Ingredients

2 small beets peeled and cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 apple, cored and quartered
dash or two of lemon juice
1/2 piece fresh ginger root*
1 cup cold water

* I used a few pieces of crystallized ginger

Directions

Put all ingredients in the Vitamix and blend thoroughly. At this point, you can drink as is or strain through cheesecloth for more of a juice. Store in fridge for up to 3 days if desired.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sourdough Bread

This comes from Maurizio Leo, and I found it on the internet when I was looking to break out of my usual sourdough routine. It has the taste of pumpkin bread, but it's much lighter and no so sweet. Delicious!

Ingredients

199 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (see flour mix note below)
199g high-protein bread flour (see flour mix note below)

18g sourdough starter

39g sugar

140g water

120g pumpkin puree
3g ground cinnamon
80g whole milk
8g fine sea salt

64g butter, unsalted

80g dried cranberries (recipe calls for raisins, but I prefer cranberries)

FLOUR MIXTURE NOTE: I have unbleached all-purpose flour (protein varies by brand but usually 11-12% protein) and gluten flour (70-80% protein). Using a flour mixture protein calculator (Google it), it looks like I need to use 373.5g of all-purpose flour and 24.5g of gluten flour.

Instructions

Prepare levain (the night before mixing, 9:00pm)

In a small container, mix together the following and keep at 77F for 12 hours:

46g all-purpose flour
9g sugar
46g water
18g ripe sourdough starter

Mix (baking day, 9:00am)

Cut butter into 1/2" pats and let warm to room temperature. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add:

154g all-purpose flour (see flour mix note above)
199g high-protein bread flour (see flour mix note above)
120g pumpkin puree

30g sugar

3g ground cinnamon

94g water

80g whole milk

8g fine sea salt

119g ripe levain (from step 1 above)

Mix at speed 1 (or Stir on a KitchenAid) for 1 to 2 minutes until homogenous. Then mix at speed 2 for 8 minutes until dough clumps around the paddle.

Let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for 10 minutes.

Next, add the butter, one pat at a time, while the mixer is running on speed 1. Continue this for 5-8 minutes until all the butter is added to the dough and it's glossy and soft.

Finally, add the dried cranberries (or raisins) at the very end of mixing and mix on low just to incorporate.

Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.

Bulk Fermentation (3 1/2 hours)

Give the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, where the first set starts 30 minutes after the start of bulk fermentation.

Chill dough (15 minutes)

Place the bulk fermentation container, uncovered, in the fridge for 15 minutes to make shaping easier.

Shape dough

Butter or grease the baking pan. (I just use a regular loaf tin.) Scrape the dough out of the bulk fermentation container to a floured surface and shape the dough as a tube. Place into baking pan and cover.

Proof (2 hours)

Proof the dough at 77F for 2 hours.

Bake (about one hour)

Preheat your oven to 400F. For the egg wash, whisk together one egg and a splash of whole milk. When the oven is preheated, brush on the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes. Then rotate the pan 180 degrees and reduce oven temperature to 375F. Bake for an additional 30 minutes until the top is well-colored. Remove the pan from the oven and gently knock the oaf out to a wire rack. Return the loaf (without the pan) to the oven to bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Internal temperature should reach about 205F. Let the loaf cool for 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower (about 4 cups when grated, see instructions below)

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing the crust)

Directions

To rice the cauliflower:

1. Grate the cauliflower into a rice-like consistency.
2. Put riced cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 5-6 minutes.
3. Transfer the cooled cauliflower to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as possible. You should end up with about 1.5 to 2 cups of dry pulp.

To make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Combine the dry riced cauliflower, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to create a dough.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture to the parchment and press it into a thin, even circle or rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Brush the surface generously with the olive oil.
5. Pre-bake the crust for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and firm, especially around the edges.
6. Add your favorite pizza sauce and toppings.
7. Return to the oven and back for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Fridge's Ramen Soup

Ingredients

For broth:

Mushroom broth

Chicken broth

Ham broth

Roasted garlic broth (or minced garlic)

Fresh ginger

Add to broth:

White ends of green onions, sliced (separate the green from the white and save for later)

Tofu, cubed

Put the broth over the following when ready to serve:

Ramen noodles

Brisket (or other meat, if desired), cut into bite-size chunks

To add to individual servings as desired:

Pepper sauce

sliced green part of green onions

Baby bok choy, chopped and sauteed

Bean sprouts

Cilantro

Thai basil 

Water chestnuts (chopped)

Directions

Make the broth:

1. Fill up about 4 liters of water, which is a bit more than a gallon. 
2. Add the following: 2 tablespoons of the mushroom broth, one heaping tablespoon of the better than bouillon chicken broth one heaping teaspoon of the ham broth and one tablespoon of the roasted garlic broth.
3. Add two large chunks (about 1 tablespoon each) of peeled fresh ginger.
4. Cook the broth until it boils and then back it off. You’ll want to taste it. If you need to add more, add it incrementally, starting with a little bit more mushroom broth and then a little bit of the ham base. 

Cook the noodles and add onions/tofu to broth:

1. In a separate pan, boil water. Put the ramen noodles in boiling water and then back off the heat until they are ready. Drain.
2. Remove the ginger chunks from the broth.
3. Slice the green onions, separating the white ends from the green. Put the sliced white onions in the broth, but save the sliced green parts to add when serving.
4. Cube the tofu and put the chunks them in the broth. 

Prepare the meat and the bok choy

1. Take a paper towel and wet it and then ring it out so it’s slightly damp. Then put it over the top and bottom of the sliced brisket. 
2. Warm the brisket in 30 second bursts in the microwave. 
3. Slice the baby bok choy in half lengthwise down the middle and then into quarters. Remove the tough end but keep the vegetable intact. 
4. Sauté the bok choy.

Serve:

1. When meat, broth and noodles are ready, slice the meat and put it into the bowl with the noodles. 
2. Pour the hot broth on top of the meat and noodles. 
3. Add toppings as desired: bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, water chestnuts, additional
4. Take about 3/4 of a teaspoon of the pepper sauce and mix it in with the hot broth. 

Fridge's Notes:

• When I refer to tablespoons and teaspoons, I am talking the ones out of your drawer that you eat with not necessarily the actual ones that you measure. 
• Remember you kind of want to keep in that same proportion for adding more stuff if you need to strengthen the broth, do not just add salt, as that will not get you the taste you want. The majority of the broth should be mushroom, Followed by chicken broth, followed by the garlic broth and followed that by the ham broth, if that makes sense.

Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa

This recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Ingredients

1/2 bunch cilantro (about 1/2 cup packed) - see Note

1 jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed (leave seeds for more heat)

1/4 of a medium red onion

1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced garlic (2-3 cloves)

2 cans (15 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well-drained

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Note: No need to measure exactly. Just grab half of a cilantro bunch by the leafy ends and twist off the top part, leaving most of the stems behind. Throw the leafy bunch into the food processor.

Directions

1. Add the cilantro, jalapeno, red onion and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
2. Add the tomatoes, salt and lime juice. Pulse until the salsa reaches desired consistency. 
3. Add additional salt and lime juice to taste, if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Extra liquid can be drained off before serving, if desired.

Rafer Burnham's Honey Wheat Bread

Rafer's original recipe was created for a bread machine. I've modified the directions for making bread by hand or with a KitchenAid.

Ingredients

2 cups very warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 - 1/2 cup honey

3 tablespoons butter

6 cups whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Mix water, sugar and yeast in a bowl to activate yeast.
2. Once yeast is activated, add egg, salt, honey and softened butter.
3. Gradually add about 6 cups of flour.
4. Knead dough for several minutes. (Note from Alec: He finds the bread to be fluffier if he goes straight from kneading to extended rising time in the loaf tins, skipping the usual first rise in the bowl.)
5. Divide into two loaves and put in greased loaf pans.
6. Let rise until dough just about reaches the top of the pan.
7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Smothered Pork Chops

This recipe comes from Delish.

Ingredients

4 thick, bone-in pork chops

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. butter

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Step 1

Season pork chops all over with salt and pepper.

Step 2

In a shallow dish, mix together flour with garlic powder and chili powder. Coat pork chops in flour, shaking off excess. Reserve 2 tablespoons seasoned flour.

Step 3

In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, heat 1/4 cup oil until shimmering. In batches, cook pork chops until golden, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Wipe out skillet.

Step 4

Reduce heat to medium low, pour in remaining oil, and add onions. Season with more salt and pepper and cook until very soft and slightly caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Add butter and let melt, then sprinkle in reserved flour. Cook until flour is no longer raw, about a minute. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream and bring to a simmer, until sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Return pork chops to skillet and cook until pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes more.