#SAVORY_RECIPES

[helenfletcher]

By far and away this is the most flavorful Homemade Pizza Dough I have ever found. It takes minutes to make in the processor, rises in jiffy quick time and makes, pizza and flatbread crusts as well as an outstanding pocket bread discovered by accident. This is a great start for novices and not to be missed by any baker. I wish I could take credit for this wonder but Erin McDowell came up with this recipe. Fine semolina flour is used which gives the crusts their marvelous flavor. To say this is easy is an understatement. Quickly made, this pizza dough rolls out like dream without the spring back that is so noticeable in many yeast doughs. Need some inspiration as to how to top these? See my International Flatbreads featuring Italian, Greek, Southwestern and French toppings. The Summer Vegetable Tart filling works well also. Why You Need To Make this Recipe This is the fastest yeast dough I've ever made. It takes minutes to assemble and make and then just 45 minutes to rise. Despite the fact it rises really fast, the taste of the crusts is outstanding. So many pizza crusts are flavorless carriers of pizza and flatbreads. Not so with this one. The crusts can be frozen and kept at hand in the freezer for really quick work night meals. Just shape and freeze or parbake (my favorite) to make things easier and quicker to make that meal. Homemade Pizza Crust Ingredients FRONT ROW: Instant yeast, olive or canola oil, salt BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, semolina flour, water Fine Semolina Flour is normally used for pasta or couscous in Italian and middle easternrecipes. It is golden colored flour and very high in gluten which also explains the quick rise and increased flavor of the dough. Olive Oil or Canola Oil can be used. Olive oil provides the most taste. Instant Yeast is preferred but active dry yeast is fine also. As a normal practice, instant or active dry, I add it to the liquid ingredients to give it a head start while I prep the rest of the ingredients. I started doing this because I once made a dough where it had all these tiny bumps all over it. I later realized that was undissolved instant yeast. The water should be about 90°F for the best results. Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients and instructions. Step by Step Instructions Step 1. Combine the flour, semolina flour, and salt in the bowl of a mixer. Step 2. Combine the water, oil and instant yeast. Step 3. Mix the liquids and yeast together and let it sit for a few minutes. Step 4. Give the liquids a good mix and pour over the flour in the mixing bowl. Step 5. Mix slowly with a dough hook if available until all is moistened. Raise the speed to 3 or 4 or as called for by your mixer and beat for 3 minutes. Remove the dough, place the top of the dough in the bottom of the mixer and mix again for a minute. Step 6. Spray the container in which the dough will rise and set aside. Remove the dough and knead it once or twice to make a smooth ball. Place it in the container and flatten it. Step 7. Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Mark the time on top. Step 8. Let it rise until it has doubled in bulk. Step 9. If using later, deflate the risen dough, recover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Step 10. When ready to use, turn out. Here I have turned it out without deflating because I wanted you to see the dough will rise again in the fridge. Step 11. Shape into a round if rolling out into a circle. Step 12. Shape into an oval if rolling into an oval. Step 13. Roll the oval into a long oblong. I generally divide the dough into 4ths, using one each for the flatbread or pizza crust. It will be thin. However, any amount of dough can be used. If you like a thick crust, divide into 3, thinner, divide into 5 or 6. Step 14. Prick the dough with a fork. After doing several this way, they seem to rise anyway so I guess it doesn't really matter. Step 15.

For a pizza crust, roll a quarter of the dough into circle. Step 16. I discovered that rolling 75 grams of the dough into a 7" round and baking yielded a perfect "pita pocket". After baking, it will be quite high. As you can see it makes a perfect pocket. Recipe FAQS Should pizza or flatbread crusts need to be par baked? Not necessarily but it's a great when topping and finishing baking. By baking the crust halfway through, it only needs to be topped and baked to heat everything through. What does the oil in the pizza dough do? The oil helps the crust roll out easily and also keeps the finished crust moist if using a thick crust. What flour should be used for the crust? All-purpose flour is fine, adding semolina makes it better. Bread flour because of it's higher protein count is ideal. Expert Tips While the type of oil used, olive or canola, is not a big factor, using it is. It adds elasticity to the dough and allows the dough to stretch and not spring back. Semolina flour adds a dimension to this dough that other crusts do not have. However, if you can't find it, substitute all-purpose flour in the same amount. Unbaked or par baked crusts can be frozen. Freeze the crusts until hard and wrap well in foil. They will last for several months. Thaw at room temperature, top and bake. Sea Salt is ideal but table salt can be substituted by reducing it to 1 1/4 teaspoons. Other Interesting Breads If you love this Homemade Pizza Dough, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you. Homemade Pizza Dough By far and away this is the most flavorful Homemade Pizza Dough I have ever found. It takes minutes to make in the processor, rises in jiffy quick time and makes, pizza and flatbread crusts as well as an outstanding pocket bread discovered by accident. This is a great start for novices and not to be missed by any baker. 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (480 grams)1/3 cup semolina flour (60 grams)1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt1/3 cup olive or canola oil1 1/2 cups warm water (90° F) *If using table salt, reduce to 1 1/4 teaspoonsFit the electric mixer with a dough hook if available. Add the all-purpose flour, semolina flour and salt to the bowl. Mix the water, oil and yeast together. Let sit for a few minutes. Add it to the flour mixture. Mix on low to moisten the flour. Raise the speed of the mixer to 3 or 4 as your mixer suggests and beat for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and remove the dough. Turn the topside of the dough to the bottom of the mixer and mix for another minute. Spray a container at least twice the size of the dough with a non-stick baking release. Set aside.Remove the dough from the mixer and knead several times. Shape into a round ball. Place it in the sprayed container. Cover with plastic wrap and place the top on the container. Let rise for about 45 to 60 minutes until doubled. Use immediately or place in the fridge up to 3 days.Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the oven rack on the lowest rung. Divide the dough into 4 pieces about 230 grams each. For flatbreads roll into a 12" x 6" oval. For pizza crusts roll into a 10" round. Do not let them rise. To par bake, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. They most likely will have some really puffed up areas. They should only be about half baked and without much color. Immediately cover with a folded tea towel until cooled. This keeps the crusts pliable. If they are still puffed up, gently deflate them so the crust is even.These can be cooled, wrapped well in foil and frozen for several months. To use, position the oven rack in the middle. Simply top them as desired, finish with cheese and bake in a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. If the crusts are frozen when thawed, add addtional time. Additional sizes are 6 crusts at 155 grams each for 10" x 5" ovals or 8" crusts. 200 grams makes a 12" crust. Last but certainly not least use 75 grams rolled into 6" rounds to make the "pita pockets" .

There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above. As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency.  Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume.  For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted  all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest. ___________________________________________________________ This is the fastest yeast dough I've ever made. It takes minutes to assemble and make and then just 45 minutes to rise. Despite the fact it rises really fast, the taste of the crusts is outstanding. So many pizza crusts are flavorless carriers of pizza and flatbreads. Not so with this one. The crusts can be frozen and kept at hand in the freezer for really quick work night meals. Just shape and freeze or parbake (my favorite) to make things easier and quicker to make. Wrap well in foil. They will last for several months. Thaw at room temperature, top and bake.  While the type of oil used, olive or canola, is not a big factor, using it is. It adds elasticity to the dough and allows the dough to stretch and not spring back when rolled. Semolina flour adds a dimension to this dough that other crusts do not have. You are looking for fine ground.  However, if you can't find it, substitute all-purpose flour in the same amount.  Semolina flour can be found in Italian markets, Bob's Red Mill is the brand often found in grocery stores and, of course, Amazon. Sea Salt is ideal but table salt can be substituted by reducing it to 1 1/4 teaspoons.   PizzaAmericanFlatbread crust, Homemade Pizza Crust, pizza

[helenfletcher]

As much as I love cooking, the summer months of high 90's have me looking for easy options to feed us. This Smoked Turkey Salad, which came from my take out shop, fills that need. A few easy to get ingredients with the star being the smoked turkey are easily assembled into this winner of an entree salad. Serve it with cold fresh cantaloupe or watermelon and a piece of good bread and dinner is ready! Lacking a home smoker, I visit my local barbecue/smokehouse and buy the smoked turkey from them. It's so much better than deli turkey which is usually pumped with water. A couple of other things to enhance the salad are toasting the pecans and soaking the dried cherries to plump them. I used to make this with the Hot Peppered Pecans we sold at the shop but simplified it by skipping that step and adding cayenne. What makes this salad so special The first thing is the smoked turkey. It adds a distinct flavor that roasted turkey doesn't, although I wouldn't turn down roasted turkey if that's all I could get. Bleu cheese brings a distinct taste to counter the sweetness of the turkey and cherries. Celery brings its crunch to the party. Either apples or dried cherries can be used for the sweetness they impart. If using apples, add them at the last minute as they have a tendency to turn brown. I have found that Gala or Pink Ladies don't brown as quickly. If using the dried bing cherries, soak them first to bring out all of their flavor. Cayenne gives this salad a kick that rounds everything out and makes this so special. Recipe Ingredients BACK ROW: Bleu Cheese, smoked turkey, pecans MIDDLE ROW: Dried cherries, mayonnaise, celery FRONT ROW: Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, salt Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions. Step by Step Instructions Special Note about the Turkey However, you buy your smoked turkey, have it sliced about 1/2" thick so it can be cubed into about 1/2 " squares. Step 1. Place the pecans on a tray and toast for 7 to 9 minutes until fragrant and slightly browner. If using smaller pieces, reduce the time. Cool and chop. Set aside. Step 2. Cut the dried cherries in half. It is easiest to do this with scissors. Step 3. Cover the cherries with really hot water and let them soak until they soften. Squeeze the water out of them before adding to the other ingredients. Step 4. Place the celery, bleu cheese, toasted pecans, cherries and turkey in a large bowl. Step 5. Place the mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce and cayenne in a bowl. Step 6. Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Step 7. Add the dressing to the bowl and mix everything together. Chill, preferably overnight. Recipe FAQ's How long do mayonnaise based salad dressings last? According to FoodSafety.gov, if it has been properly stored, it is safe to eat the salad within four days. 1 This rule also applies to similar mayonnaise-based salads like chicken, tuna, ham, and macaroni salads.Feb 17, 2023 Can turkey salad be frozen? This one cannot. It needs to be eaten within 4 days Can another cheese be used? Yes, but it will alter the taste. Any cheese can be used. Expert tips Dried cherries are difficult to cut with a knife. Scissors work well here. For the easiest way to chop the nuts after roasting and cooling see my post Chopping Nuts - An Easier Way If you're a bread baker, save the water in which the cherries soaked. It is great to use as the liquid or part of the liquid in a rye or whole wheat bread. If it won't be used in a couple of days, freeze it. Thaw to use. If you're not storing your celery this way, you should be. More Simply Delicious Salads If you love this Smoked Turkey Salad or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating in the recipe card and let me know

how it went the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Smoked Turkey Salad This quickly made Smoked Turkey Salad, came from my take out shop. A few easy to get ingredients with the star being the smoked turkey are easily assembled into this winner of an entree salad.Serve it with cold fresh cantaloupe or watermelon and a piece of good bread and dinner is ready! Smoked Turkey Salay4 ounces pecans (114 grams)2/3 cup dried cherries2/3 cup celery, cut 1 pound smoked turkey (454 grams)4 ounces bleu cheese, (114 grams)Salad Dressing3/4 cup mayonnaise1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste1/2 teaspoon salt Smoked Turkey SaladPreheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 7 to 9 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker. Cool completely. Chop coarsely. See my post, Chopping Nuts, A Quicker Way. Set aside.Cut the dried cherries in half. Pour really hot water over them and let the soak until softened. Squeeze the water out of them.Cube the turkey in about 1/2" square pieces. Combine the turkey, cherries, celery, bleu cheese, and pecans together. Mix well. Salad DressingWhisk together the mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Add it to salad ingredients and mix well. Taste for salt and cayenne. I have found mayonnaise and smoked turkey to be very salty so often don't add any additional. If a zippier version is preferred, add cayenne to taste. This is best made the day before so all of the flavors can meld. Apples can be substituted for the cherries.  Refrigerate the salad without the apples overnight.  Add the apples just before serving so they don't turn brown.  I have found Gala or Pink Ladies don't brown as quickly. Dried fruit is difficult to cut with a knife.  Using scissors makes it easy. If you're a bread baker, be sure to save the water the cherries were soaked in to use as the liquid or part of the liquid for rye, whole wheat or multi grain bread.  Freeze if not using in a few days.  Thaw in the refrigerator to use.  It's easier to toast pecan halves and chop them.  If chopped nuts are used, reduce the toasting time.   This salad should be consumed in 4 days or less. Be sure to check out the Storing Celery post to make sure you're getting the most out of your celery. DinnerAmerican

[helenfletcher]

This Simple Black Bean Salad was one of the favorites at our take out shop. It can be put together in less than 30 minutes and is high in protein and low in fat.  This salad is good cold or room temperature making it perfect for a picnic or anywhere refrigeration isn’t to be had and is great with anything barbecued. All this takes is a can opener, a large bowl and a few measuring utensils. Make this a few hours ahead and you're ready to go. Black beans are a favorite of mine, be it in chili or salads such as the Southwestern Vegetable Couscous Salad or the Black Bean Chili. Why You'll Love This Recipe It's super fast to make and literally foolproof. This salad uses basic ingredients easily available in any market. It's packed with flavor that belies its ease of making. A bowl, a whisk and a few measuring ingredients are all that's needed to make this. Quick, easy, simple and delicious - it doesn't get much better than that! It's perfect to take along for any meal and you're sure to be asked for the recipe. Recipe Ingredients Ingredients read left to right. BACK ROW: Black Beans, pimentos, vegetable oil MIDDLE ROW: Green onions, green chiles, corn FRONT ROW: Salt, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, sugar Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions. Substitutions If desired, diced red peppers and fresh corn can be substituted for the jarred or canned variety. Step by Step Instructions Step 1. To make the dressing, place the oil, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a small container. I just use the cup I measured them in. Step 2. Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Set aside. Step 3. Drain the beans and rinse them until the water runs clear. Drain the corn, and pimentos very well. Place them in a bowl along with the beans, chopped green onions and green chiles. Pour the dressing over them; mix well. Refrigerate for several hours or up to a week. Recipe FAQs Are canned black beans cooked? Yes they are. Simply drain them and rinse until the water runs clear. Are canned ingredients as good as fresh? It depends upon the ingredient, how it is to be used and how quickly you want to make the recipe. While many canned goods are overcooked or otherwise undesirable, many are not including beans, red peppers or pimetos, green chiles and corn. Can I use fresh ingredients? Of course. It will just take longer. Expert Tips Make sure to rinse the beans well. Drain the corn and pimentos or jarred red peppers really well. Let the items to be drained sit in a strainer for a bit, shaking them gently from time to time to make sure they are dry. Otherwise, the water will weaken the dressing. When mixing the ingredients, toss gently so the beans don't break up. More Salads Sure to Please If you tried this Simple Black Bean Salad recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating in the recipe card and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Simple Black Bean Salad This Black Bean Salad can be put together in less than 30 minutes and is high in protein and low in fat.  It’s perfect for a picnic or anywhere refrigeration isn’t to be had and is great with anything barbecued. 2 - 15 oz. cans black beans1 - 10 oz. can corn or 6 ounces fresh or frozen corn1 - 4 ounce can chopped green chiles1 - 7 oz. jar pimentos, fresh or roasted red peppers1/2 cup green onion tops only1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, optional1 teaspoon sugar1 teaspoon salt1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil1/4 cup red wine vinegar1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste Drain the black beans and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.Drain the canned corn and pimentos.Chop the green tops of the green onions.Place the beans, corn,

pimentos, green onions and green chiles in a large bowl. Sprinkle the with the salt and sugar.Combine the oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine completely. Pour over the salad ingredients and gently toss. Refrigerate for a few hours or up to a week. It's super fast to make and literally foolproof. This salad uses basic ingredients easily available in any market. It's packed with flavor that belies its ease of making.A bowl, a whisk and a few measuring ingredients are all that's needed to make this. Quick, easy, simple and delicious - it doesn't get much better than that! It's perfect to take along for any meal and you're sure to be asked for the recipe. Make sure to rinse the beans well. Drain the corn and pimentos or jarred red peppers really well. Let the items to be drained sit in a strainer for a bit, shaking them gently from time to time to make sure they are dry. Otherwise, the water will weaken the dressing. When mixing the ingredients, toss gently so the beans don't break up.       Side DishAmerican, fast salad, black bean salad

[helenfletcher]

Southwestern Roasted Vegetable Couscous summer side is super easy, super tasty and the vibrant colors want to make you dive right in.  Serve it with a grilled or roasted chicken breast or salmon fillet for a complete meal.  Toasting the couscous first insures it will not clump together when it’s finished.  It’s easily done while you cut up the veggies. While often thought of as a grain, couscous is actually made of semolina or barley and water and is considered a pasta. Types of Couscous There are three types of couscous. Moroccan couscous is the smallest—about the size of semolina—and cooks in minutes. Israeli couscous, also called pearl couscous, is larger and resembles tiny pieces of pasta. It takes about 10 minutes to cook. Lebanese couscous, also called Moghrabieh couscous, is larger than Israeli couscous and takes the longest to cook. This salad can be made ahead and lasts for days in the refrigerator. 1 cup uncooked couscous 1/4 cup water 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup diced red pepper 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup diced carrots 1  - 11 ounce can whole kernel corn drained well ( I use Niblets brand) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 – 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained 1/3 cup chopped green onions, green part only Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the couscous in a rimmed baking pan and shake it to even it out to one layer. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly browned.  The edges will most likely be browner than the middle.  Stir the couscous, shake it again and let it brown for several minutes until it is more uniformly colored. Bring the water and broth to a boil in a small saucepan.  Gradually stir in the couscous.  Remove from the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid and fluff with a fork; set aside. In the meantime, cut the veggies and place the red pepper, mushrooms, carrots, corn, and garlic in a bowl.  In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cumin.  Sprinkle over the veggies and stir well.  Add the vegetable oil and stir to coat the vegetables.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray.  Pour the vegetables into the pan and shake to distribute evenly in a single layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until nicely roasted. Combine the couscous with the roasted vegetables and beans.  Serve with the onions sprinkled on top. This summer side can be served hot or warm or room temperature. Yields:  4 servings. Other recipes to brighten your summer: Summer Vegetable Tart Mayfair Salad Dressing - Better than Caeser