Cooking

Pizza Night

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The other night we had friends over after work.  I decided pizza would be easiest on me and satisfying for everyone-adults and kids.  I typically make my own dough, but I was short on time so I decided to try Grand Central Bakery’s pizza dough out of their freezer.  It turned out to be light and airy and I would definitely use it again.  And as an added bonus, if you have their cookbook, the recipe is included!

I made two veggies, one pepperoni and sausage and one pepperoni and pineapple.  An added bonus was that it was so nice, we got to eat outside!

 

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Butternut Squash Barley Risotto

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I love to try new recipes.  You will often find me tearing out recipes in the latest magazines.  Of course, lots of people do that but I actually make the recipe.  Tonight I made Rachel Ray’s Butternut Squash Barley Risotto that was in her latest issue.  Check out the recipe here.  This was an easy recipe to make and the kids actually ate it (squash and all).

I also made Madelines.  Again, a super simple and delicious cookie that is easy to make.  You will undoubtedly have all the ingredients in your pantry.  They look so impressive and when you serve them, the recipients know they are getting something extra special!

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Popovers

Posted on by Seniye Groff

My friend, Melissa, is always touting the merits of popovers.  I have never made them but decided tonight to give it a try.  I made homemade vegetable soup and wanted to pair it with something special–something to elevate the status of mundane vegetable soup.  So, I decided popovers would definitely make the meal special.  I used The Joy of Cooking’s recipe, even though there are tons of other recipes out there.  I wanted a good basic recipe.  Now that I mastered the basics, I definitely will add other ingredients such as herbs and cheese next time.  They really were delicious and what was most amazing is that when you look at the popover from the bottom, you will see it has a huge, airy hole in it…amazing!

Cheese Making Part Deux

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Because I refuse to be beaten by a little citric acid and rennet, I attempted to make mozzarella cheese again today.  I am happy to report that I mastered it by not over heating the cheese this time.  I have a ball of ooey, gooey mozzarella goodness to eat tonight with fresh tomatoes and basil!  Cheers to persistence!

Making Mozzarella Part Two

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Not sure why my words did not show up on my last post, but here goes again…

I have always wanted to learn to make mozzarella cheese since it is one of my favorites…all you need is olive oil and basil and prefection has been reached.  I purchased a cheese kit from Urban Cheese Craft .  It is a straight forward and simple process and the kit contains everything you need except the gallon of milk.  The kit contains enough supplies to make 10 batches, which means I will be in cheese heaven for a while!

My cheese progressed exactly as the directions said until the end when I needed to stretch it.  I think I overheated it during the last heating session because it was really difficult to stretch.  Of course, the true test comes tomorrow when I taste it…I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Love Learning, Love Change

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I love to learn new things.  I love change.  That point of discomfort is when I know I am forcing myself out of “comfort zone”.  I know that most people try to stay as far away as possible from that discomfort zone, but I guarantee that if you are willing to color outside the lines once in a while, you will be amazed at how many new things you can learn. 

Here are some ways that I try to erase the ordinary, both at work and in my personal life:

  • I try at least two new recipes a week.
  • I try to have lunch or coffee with someone I haven’t met at least once a month.
  • I have a list of things I want to learn how to make.  I have mastered cheese, yogurt and bread and my next thing is roasting my own coffee beans.  I will be able to check that item of my list next Saturday, by the way!
  • I read voraciously and read a varied reading list.
  • I volunteer a lot and with a variety of organizations with various missions.
  • I have eclectic interests which means I have an eclectic group of friends and acquaintances which means I am exposed to a wide variety of views, interests and knowledge.
  • I love to travel.  Nothing will get you out of your comfort zone faster than going somewhere that doesn’t speak English!
  • I attend all sorts of webinars on a variety of topics…they cost nothing but my time and I usually garner at least one new nugget of information, thought or idea.