Souvlaki

I have to admit that Thursday night we had hamburgers and hotdogs for supper, after a day of lugging water from our pool to the upstairs so we could even flush the toilet I had, had enough, so I opted for the easy way out.  I love living in the country but sometimes having a well is not such a good thing.  Because when the power goes out you have no water.  Oh by the way for lunch the chillins had crackin dinner done on a camping stove.  Note to self, do not use propane camping stove in the house the carbon monixide monitors will go off.  Which is a good thing it alerted me to get the kids outside and the stove and to open the windows.

Friday night though I made Souvlakia, or a version of it.  In a large pampered chef stoneware rectangular baker.  I place right on the BBQ grill and then turn the BBQ on so as not to shock the stoneware.  Yes even without power or a stove I can still cook.  I mixed up the meat and let it set all day, I then cleaned and cut up six (6) potatos and mixed them in as well as some green peppers then I placed the whole casserole on the BBQ on medium heat and in 30 minutes supper was ready

 

 

Souvlaki

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1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 bay leaves

freshly ground pepper

2 onions

juice of 2 lemons

1 garlic clove crushed

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tblsp oregano

3 green peppers

12-18 small mushrooms

small tomatoes

 

In a large bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, bay leaves, salt,  and oregano.  Mix well and add the meat, pepper, and onions.  Marinate for up to 24 hours.  Two hours before cooking add the peppers and tomatoes.  BBQ or put under the broiler.  These are just great.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

So for the last 3 days yes three days we have been without power, phone and yes even cell service.  Totally cut off from the world.  We were situated in the middle of the bad storm that passed through southern Ontario.  Finally today we had our power restored.  Yea to Hydro One, those guys have been working non stop since Thursday at 1:00 in the afternoon and the power was not restored until today at Saturday at 4:00 pm. So what did we eat in the last 3 days you ask.  Well Friday morning my kids came running in saying they were going to starve.  The novelty of not having power was dawning on them.  Thank goodness we live in the country and there was lots to do.  So Friday morning there I was on our deck whipping up chocolate chip pancakes which both of my kids say they were the best they ever had.  Now I made these pancakes on a BBQ friddle sprayed with pam.  My kids could not believe I could make breakfast on the BBQ but I did.

Pancakes

1 1/3 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbs sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cup milk

3 tblsp vegetable oil

1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix together.  Drop by 1/4 cup fulls on hot pancake griddle or frying pan

Yield 10-12 pancakes

Variations of pancakes
Chocolate Chip pancakes - Make pancake batter as above and add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Sour Milk Pancakes - Make pancake batter, using sour milk or buttermilk.  Reduce baking powder to 1 1/2 tsp, add 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon warm water.

Blueberry pancakes - Make pancake batter increasing sugar to 1/3 cup.  Reduce milk to 1 cup.  Add 1 cup blueberries.  Cook slower and on lower heat than regular pancakes.
Apple pancakes - Make pancake batter increasing sugar to 1/3 cup.  Reduce milk to 1 cup.  Add 1/4 tsp vanilla. Add 1 cup grated or cut small apples.   1/2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon warm water Cook slower and on lower heat than regular pancakes.

Fettucini My Take

 Fettucini

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In this recipe you can add any fresh vegetable that you would like or you can serve with none.  My kids love broccoli in it.  The other thing you can do is exchange the chicken for just about anything, beef, pork, whatever meat you like.

3 Chicken Breasts, cooked and cut up

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion chopped up small

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup grated parmesan

2 cups heavy cream ( I use either table or whipping cream)

black pepper to taste

1 cup milk

2 tbsp corn starch

1. Start a large pot of abundantly salted water to boil and begin cooking the pasta. In a large saute pan, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. When the butter is foaming, add the onions and garlic and saute.  Once the onions are clear, add in the cream and Parmesan.  Continue cooking slowly add in the milk and cornstarch this will start to thicken the cream broth.
2. When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and add the cream liquid and toss the pasta and contents until the butter has melted and coated the pasta.  Grind in black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Pizza Sauce

Here is the excellent sauce that my kids just rave about.  It is great for pizza's, bread sticks and mozzarella sticks for dipping.

Pizza Sauce Recipe

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1 (28 oz) can tomatoes or crushed tomatoes

2 pinches of Italian seasoning

pinch of salt

3 tsp oregano

pepper

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp fresh garlic

Combine in saucepan mashing tomatoes, cook approximately 10 minutes just enough to marry the flavors.  When dough has raised 2 hours put on floured board and work out air bubbles.  Roll with a rolling pin thin to fit greased sheets.  spread sauce over dough adding chopped green peppers, mushrooms and whatever topping you like.  Grate 1 lb mozzarella cheese and put on top. 

Pizza Dough

I have made my fair share of pizza dough’s and my family considers themselves, pizza dough connoisseurs.  I have in my own way spoiled them rotten, they no longer like pizza delivery, they want my pizza and they would never consider eating a frozen pizza.  This recipe is their favorite; I also usually have to make a double batch so that they can have bread sticks as well to dip into the leftover pizza sauce that yes I make from scratch.

                                                         Pizza Dough

The Best Dough Ever

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Yeast  4 ½ teaspoons
Little bit of Gingerale or 7 up probably quarter can or half, its upto you.
2 Teaspoons of sugar
4 cups of flour
1 tea spoon of salt
¼ cup of olive oil (or any oil , I prefer olive oil)
1 ½ cup of WARM Water .

How to Make Dough:

Take a mixing Bowl . Put sugar first , then add yeast , wait for 5 mins so it can mix then add warm water in it, mix it well then add , salt olive oil ,gingerale or 7 up mix it well, then at the end pour the flour slowly and keep mixing till all the flour is mixed then mix for at least 10-15 mins . If the flour sticks to the bottom or the sides of the bowl then that means you have to add little bit more water. So add and mix till it doesn’t stick on the side. But the more you mix the better result you will get.

Take it out from the bowl cut it in to to pieces , make it round like and place it in something round which can be covered tightly and place it outside for 10 mins . After that place it in the fridge for the whole night because that yeast will make it rise, well it takes practice to be perfect on pizza making. The next day you will get Your perfect. Dough. 


Bake 425 for 20 to 25 minutes

You can also let it rise all day I make it at 1:00 in the afternoon and then let it rise till 3:30 then pat it down and make pizzas.