Food Pr0n!

[Wizzard419]

Nah, we aren't your insuance adjusters.

[Amy]

Should I put the pictures of everything we had to throw away here?

Ick ~ no! That wouldn't be tasty looking at all

[NaCler]

I KNOW what the Wizz is going to say... but I made a stuffed Chicken Parmesan for our Mothers on Sunday. They were visiting from Florida so I decided to renew the tradition that ended 3 years ago.

[Wizzard419]

Didn't I post that a few months back? Anyway, I'm actually making up the sauce for that right now for dad's birthday dinner. This week sucks every year since it's both Mother's day and Dad's birthday so I get double hit for everything. On the plus side I also get all gift giving holidays, sans Kattanaka and Christmas, done within a short timeframe.

[NaCler]

Wiz - I meant that you were going to say that no pictures = didn't happen. I'll try and get a leftover pic today. Did you post a stuffed Chicken Parm recipe earlier? I must have missed that one. This was one I dreamed up one day and was pretty good so we kept it.

[Amy]

Wiz - I meant that you were going to say that no pictures = didn't happen. I'll try and get a leftover pic today. Did you post a stuffed Chicken Parm recipe earlier? I must have missed that one. This was one I dreamed up one day and was pretty good so we kept it.

Ah-ha-ha-ha! You two are funny! I knew where you were going with it NaCler

[NaCler]

Here's the pic. Sorry it's not very clear (it's from my phone) and sorry it's of the leftovers...

[Jacca5660]

LEFTOVERS???? Now all we get are pictures of leftovers?!?!?!?

[Wizzard419]

Not stuffed, but I think I posted one, nice work.

Jacca always gets mad when he gets sloppy seconds.

[Amy]

Here's the pic. Sorry it's not very clear (it's from my phone) and sorry it's of the leftovers...

It's Messy Mickey! Looks tasty NaCler

[Wizzard419]

All right, time for updates.

Here we have Korean BBQ, Galbi I think is the proper name (not pictured the scissors or the bulk of the banchan).



Lemon and Vanilla Poundcake with caramelized pineapple (think Bananas foster but with pineapple) and vanilla ice cream



My family has always been into horse related sports (I am more into jumping than racing myself but they like them both, I only wish they could euthanize the jockeys that lose) anyway here are some cocktails I replicated from the box.

Dancing Duchess (fresh grapefruit and vodka as well as other stuff)



I forgot which horse this was named after, it was Kentucky something, a champagne cocktail with bourbon



The classic Mint Julep (after I poured it I realized I forgot to put it in the sterling silver cup)




Now the diner classic, the Chinese Chicken Salad



A nice side (with tri tip this night) of pasta salad.



A chopped salad



While looking over potential people to lose last week (darn potential money coming in!) I made pretzel rolls, I need to figure out what they use at the bakery to get them so dark on the outside and white on the inside. I am wondering if it's the alkaline they use for the bath, it might be a lot stronger than baking soda.



I also had a left-over hot dog, so I made the pretzel dog! I am ashamed that it tasted so good.



Ok for Mother's Day breakfast I made blintzes with blueberry compote and bacon



and, what the Hawians call "coco puffs", Choux pastry (cream puffs) filled with chocolate pastry cream and topped with chocolate chantilly.



Today I also made some sourdough bread, super easy no kneading at all and it bakes in a dutch oven.

[Amy]

Oh! That was all worth the wait Wizzard! Yum, yum, yum Those pretzel rolls look really tasty and that first drink, the Dancing Dutchess, that looks perfect for the weather we've been having so far this week ~ 88 and huuuuuuumid...
Yum!

[Wizzard419]

The rolls are actually supposed to be dinner rolls, I know at some places they shape them like breadsticks but I wanted something that sat nicer on the plate. I also made some sliders with a few of them and those turned out great.

[NaCler]

I'll take the pretzel rolls recipe if you are offering Wizz... please.

[Wizzard419]

Sure

Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown muscovado sugar (or any sugar)
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
2 whole eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper and spray liberally with vegetable spray.

Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape: take the right side and cross over to the left. Cross right to left again and flip up. Boil the pretzels in the water solution, 2 at a time for 30 seconds, splashing the tops with the warmed water using a spoon. Remove with a large flat slotted spatula or a spider. Place 4 pretzels on each baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating.

If you want to make the rolls, just shape them into the balls, do the alkaline bath, egg wash, salt, and then (in my case) snip the tops with kitchen shears or knife to get the nice opening.

If you can get pretzel salt locally that's good (kosher salt isn't coarse enough) but you can always pick it up on amazon for a few bucks a bag.