Focaccia

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 package yeast

1 cup unbleached flour

2 cups unbleached flour

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

2 Tbs fresh rosemary

4 Tbs EV Olive Oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix first three ingredients whisking until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature 3-4 hours or overnight in fridge. Dont allow to sit more than 16 hours.

Bring mixture to room temp for one hour. Combine with next three ingredients with a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until well combined. Continue to mix for about 5 minutes. Dough should be wet and sticky. If not add a couple tsp water and mix.

coat another bowl with olive oil. Place dough in bowl turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Coat a 9x13 metal pan with 3 Tbs olive oil. Press dough into pan with oiled hands. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to raise until 1" thick 30-60 minutes.

Press oiled fingers into top of focaccia to dimple. Drizzle dough with 4 Tbs Olive oil. Sprinkle Rosemary and Salt over top evenly.

Bake at 400 25-30 minutes until top is golden and sides pull away from pan.

Also good topped with carmelized onions or olives

Pesto

Have a bumper crop of fresh basil? Make Pesto!

Great on Pasta or Rice, stir into mayonaise for sandwiches, spread on French Bread and toast in oven or even great on a premade pizza crust. Also good on baked chicken and probably fish

2 cups fresh basil leaves washed and dried

4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts (you can sub chopped walnuts)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan

1/2 cup fresh grated Romano

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


In a food processor combine the basil garlic and pine nuts

pulse to chop. With the motor running slowly drizzle the oil.

Add cheese salt and pepper and puls several times to combine

Makes 2 cups (1 cup is good for 1 lb pasta)

If using with pasta stir in 2 TBs hot pasta water with 1/4 cup cream into the pesto before tossing with the hot cooked pasta

Ziti

A leaner and somewhat easier version using a covered fry pan with an oven safe handle

You can easily use a covered caserole, I just have an aversion to dish duty. Its almost hamburger helper!

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. Hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 yellow onion, chopped

4 oz mushrooms any variety washed and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 can (28 oz.) crushed plum tomatoes with juices
8 oz. ziti, cooked until al dente
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup rinsed chopped Kalamata olives
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 400°F. In a 12 inch oven safe fry pan over medium-high heat add 1 Tbs of the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and crumbling until browned. Drain cooked sauusage on papertowel. Discard all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan. Set the pan over medium and add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine slowly stirring to scape up the browned bits, bring to boil and cook until liquid almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes and juices and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage, pasta, basil, olives, 2 cups of the mozzarella and the tomato sauce to the pan and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan on top. Cover the pan and bake for 25 minutes. remove cover and broil for 5 minutes. Sprinle top with crushed chilies and additional basil .Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Green Beans Tomatoes and Bacon

4 strips bacon

1 lb thin green beans (thinnest are best haricot vert as you stir fry em) washed

1 medium yellow onion sliced

2 cloves garlic chopped

4 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped

handful Parsley chopped

4 tbs red wine vinegar

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

fresh ground black pepper

Fry Bacon in large frying pan until crisp, remove

Stir fry beans over medium heat in bacon fat until bright green, add onions and garlic, continue to fry until beans are crisp tender.

Add chopped tomatoes, parlesy, vinegar, oregano salt and pepper. Cotinue to cook about 5 minutes stirring until liquid thickens slightly.

toss crumbled bacon and serve

Olive's Strawberry Shortcake

2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1/4 tsp shortening

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup milk

2 qts strawberries, washed hulled and lightly dusted with sugar

2 cups whip cream

mix dry ingredients add egg, milk, melted butter and shortening mix well

spread into 2 x 8" greased round cake pans ( i used a 4 cup oven safe glass measure and cut cake into three layers)

bake at 350 x 30 minutes until lightly browned. Turn onto wire rack to cool completely

Layer berries between cakes and on top, cover with whip cream and garnish with additional berries. you will have enough berries to serve extras with the cake

Fresh Ginger and Citrus Sorbet

Had a version of this after a major Flemmings feast

After way too much of Flemmings potatoes this is nice

Also budget and fat friendly

5 cups water

2 cups sugar

3 Tbs finely chopped ginger root

2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 tsp finely grated lime zest

3 Tbs fresh lemon juice

3 Tbs frsh lime juice

mint leaves for garnish

Combine water, sugar and ginger in saucepan. Bring to boil stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Strain liquid into large bowl and discard ginger.

Return liquid to saucepan, add lemon and lime zest. Boil 2 minutes. Whisk in lemon and lime juices. Allow to cool completely. Pour mixture into 13x9 glass dish. Cover and freeze over night.

Transfer mixture to a processer and puree until smooth. I found a dough hook worked well for this. Return to glass dish and freeze until solid, at least 3 hours. Scoop Sorbet into bowls and garnish with mint.

Brenda's Fab Fudge

Smooth, creamy and easy!

1-12oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

in saucepan melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in condensed milk over medium heat stirring constantly. Add vanilla stirring well. Add walnuts and pour into buttered dish and chill for 3-4 hours. Cut into squares.