Sourdough discard focaccia

360 grams warm water (about 100 degrees F) 1 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons yeast

113 grams sourdough starter (discard or active) (½ cup)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil for dough

480 grams bread flour (4 cups)

4 tablespoons olive oil for pan and topping

flaky sea salt for topping

  1. Add warm water to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle over sugar and yeast and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes or until you see some foaming.
  2. Add sourdough starter, olive oil, and salt and stir to combine.Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon, dough whisk, or by hand until a shaggy dough forms with no flour visible.
  3. Cover and rest for 15 minutes before performing first set of stretch and folds (detailed instructions and photos are in blog post). Repeat this every 15 minutes for the next hour. So you will perform 4 total sets of stretch and folds.
  4. After last set of stretch and folds, cover dough and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 hour until doubled in size. Or cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours (see make ahead option in notes section below).
  5. Prepare pan while dough rises: generously oil a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil and line with a sheet of parchment paper so that the edges hang over the long sides of the pan. This will prevent sticking and help lift the focaccia out later. Use a metal pan for an extra crispy and browned bottom and sides. If you use a ceramic baking dish you will not get as much browning.
  6. After dough has doubled, transfer to prepared pan and press into an even layer that covers the pan. You can stretch the dough a bit to make it fit. 
  7. Cover and allow the dough to rise again until doubled and very puffy. This will take 60-90 minutes.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F with a rack in the lower third during last 20 minutes of rising time. If you have a baking stone or steel this is a great time to use it.
  8. When dough has risen, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil (and any optional toppings). Press your fingertips into the dough making the signature focaccia dimples all over the dough. Press all the way down and through the dough so you feel the bottom of the pan. 
  9. If you have not added any toppings, simply sprinkle with flaky sea salt after dimpling and bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and baked through. The internal temperature should be between 190 and 210 degrees F. If desired, tent loosely with foil or parchment after 15 minutes to prevent any toppings from becoming overly browned or burnt.

Make ahead and store in fridge:

  1. To make ahead, prepare dough through the stretch and folds then cover tightly and transfer to the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. This will rise a LOT!!! Make sure you have plenty room for expansion. When ready to bake, spread cold dough into prepared baking pan and allow to rise according to recipe instructions. Keep in mind the rising time will be longer since the dough is cold. I also used some dough to make a few sourdough dinner rolls – they were light and airy and quite lovely.
  2. Like all breads, focaccia is best eaten fresh the first day, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and warm before serving.

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder Recipe

This New England Clam Chowder recipe has a creamy broth that’s loaded with delicious clams, savory bacon, simple seasonings, and perfectly cooked potatoes

Prep Time15minutes mins

Cook Time1hour hr

Total Time1hour hr 15minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9 cups

Calories: 281kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon can sub salt pork
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce or ½ tsp tabasco sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 cups Half and Half
  • 8 oz. clam juice
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ¼ lbs. potatoes see notes
  • 3 (6.5 oz. cans) chopped clams juices reserved
  • Fresh parsley & Freshly cracked pepper for serving

Seasonings

  • ½ teaspoon EACH: dried oregano, dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon EACH: smoked paprika, pepper

Instructions

Prep Work

  • Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. (I cut my bacon in half, it’s easier to fit it in the pan and have it cook evenly.) While the bacon cooks, measure out remaining ingredients. Once the bacon is cooked, set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Chop once cooled and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
  • Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can, as that will add flavor to the soup.

Make the Soup

  • Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the diced onions and celery. Toss to coat and soften for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously, until the raw flour smell is gone.
  • Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously, and wiping the pan “clean” again as you do so. Add the half and half in the same manner.
  • Stir in the chicken bouillon and add the bay leaf. Add the juice from the canned clams to the soup, but don’t add the clams yet. Stir in the additional ( 8 oz.) clam juice.
  • Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer, so that its just gently bubbling. Simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
  • Peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the soup. Bring back to a very gentle bubble and let the potatoes cook through for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender. Reduce heat to low.
  • Stir in the clams and let them heat through, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
  • Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with roughly chopped parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and chopped bacon.

Notes

Pro Tips

  • Clams: I use Bar Harbor Chopped Clams and Clam Juice for this recipe.
  • Using Fresh Clams: 1 heaping cup of chopped fresh clams can be used in this recipe along with 1.5 cups of clam juice. (1.5 cups = the 8 oz. jar + reserved juices from the can.) Make sure the clams are cleaned and steamed prior to chopping. 
  • Potatoes: I use Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe because I love their creamy consistency, but red potatoes are always a great candidate for soups and chowders because they hold up the best. Russet potatoes may also be used, but they’re also the starchiest, which makes them more prone to falling apart.
  • Bacon: Salt Pork can be used instead of bacon if preferred!
  • The longer this soup simmers, the thicker it gets, so you can control the consistency with that in mind. I always let it simmer, reduce, and concentrate for at least 20 minutes before I add the potatoes. Once you add the potatoes, you don’t have as much flexibility with cooking time, as you don’t want to overcook them
  • The Hot Sauce is a flavor enhancer that you can’t taste outright and it won’t make the soup spicy. I use Frank’s Hot Sauce.
  • The Worcestershire Sauce adds umami and also can’t be tasted in this soup. Soy sauce can be used as a substitute if needed.
  • Be sure to pair this with my crusty, airy, No Knead Bread for dipping!
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 221 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!

https://thecozycook.com/wprm_print/clam-chowder-recipe

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients 

Red Velvet Cake

  • ▢2¼ cups (275 g) flour – regular all purpose (see note 3 if you want to use cake flour)
  • ▢3 tbsp (18 g) cornflour – also known as cornstarch
  • ▢3 tbsp (14 g) cocoa powder – unsweetened
  • ▢½ tsp baking soda
  • ▢1 tsp baking powder
  • ▢½ tsp salt – omit if using salted butter
  • ▢6 tbsp (86 g) unsalted butter – room temperature
  • ▢¾ cup (141 g) unflavoured vegetable oil – I use canola
  • ▢1¾ cups (344 g) white granulated sugar
  • ▢3 large eggs – room temperature
  • ▢1 tbsp (12 g) vanilla essence/extract
  • ▢1½ tsp white vinegar
  • ▢3½ tbsp (38 g) red liquid food colouring
  • ▢¾ cup (158 g) buttermilk – room temperature

Cream Cheese Buttercream

  • ▢1 batch of my cream cheese buttercream frosting recipe – see note 4 if piping rosettes around the cake like I have

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 7 if you don’t have a fan function) and grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release).
  • In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine – see note 6), cream together for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
  • Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).
  • Add in your vanilla, vinegar and red liquid food colour, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
  • Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in all of your buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 1).
  • Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins, and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to open the oven door too early otherwise this can cause the cake layers to sink (see note 2). Also avoid overbaking the cake layers otherwise they will dry out.
  • Once baked, allow them to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting with my cream cheese buttercream frosting. For tips on how to frost your cake, check out the blog post above where I walk you through how I decorated mine with pictures, or watch my YouTube video below 🙂

Notes

Note 1. By gently folding in the ingredients, it prevents too much gluten from forming, thus giving us a softer cake. Only mix until the strands of flour have disappeared and the batter is uniform. 

Note 2. Opening the oven door too early and allowing cold air to rush into the oven can cause cakes to collapse if the structure hasn’t set yet. If your oven runs hot and you want to check your cake layers earlier than the stated cooking time, then allow at least 3/4s of the cooking time to pass before checking the cake layers. 

Note 3. You can use cake flour in replacement of the all purpose flour and cornstarch in this recipe (293g total required). 

Note 4. If you’re doing a lot of additional piping like I did with my red velvet cake, then make 1.5x my cream cheese frosting recipe to ensure you have enough frosting. Otherwise, 1 batch will be enough. 

Note 5. Once your cake is decorated, pop it into the fridge to allow everything to firm up. This will make it easier to cut. We don’t want cold cake though, so bring it out of the fridge about an hour or so before it’s going to be cut. If you cut into the cake and it’s cold, just let it come to room temperature for about half an hour before eating. 

Note 6. If using a stand mixer, then use the paddle attachment for the initial mixing, but continue to do the last step by hand as stated in the recipe. 

Note 7. In this recipe I use an oven with the fan function turned on. The fan forced function cooks cakes/cupcakes faster, so if your oven doesn’t have a fan option, then you will need to increase the baking temperature to 175°C (347°F) so that the cake/cupcake bakes at the same rate as mine 🙂

https://cakesbymk.com/wprm_print/soft-red-velvet-cake

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened (113g)
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable) (226g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar* (500g)

Instructions

  • Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.
  • Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.
  • With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.
  • Use to frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.

https://sugarspunrun.com/wprm_print/cream-cheese-frosting

Pancit

INGREDIENTS US CustomaryMetric

  • 4 tablespoonsneutral-flavored oil
  • 8 ounces pork shoulder, belly, or loin cut into ½” cubes
  • 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1” cubes, skin optional
  • 1 peeled, julienne medium-sized yellow onion
  • 7 to 8 finely minced garlic cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground achiote powder, optional
  • 2 peeled, julienne medium-sized carrots, about 1 cup
  • 2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced on a bias, about 1 cup
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced on a bias
  • 4 cups green cabbage, cut into 1” pieces
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons fish sauce, optional
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 8 ounces noodles
  • Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large wok over medium-high heat and heat until it begins to smoke lightly. Place the pork in the pan, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry until browned on all sides and cooked through. This will take about 3 to 4 minutes. Set it aside in a large bowl or platter.
  • Next, pour in 1 more tablespoon of oil, add the chicken, season wit
  • Add the remaining oil, turn the heat to high, and add the carrots, celery, snap peas, and cabbage. Gently season with salt, then stir-fry for 90 seconds. Set it aside with the pork, chicken, onions, and garlic.
  • In the wok over medium heat, add the oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and chicken stock, and bring to a simmer.
  • Once simmering, add the noodles and cook, stirring constantly, until they have absorbed all the liquid and are cooked, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the cooked meat and veggies to the wok and stir until combined.

https://www.billyparisi.com/pancit/#recipe

Instant Pot Refried beans

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeds & membranes removed, minced
  • 1 pound (approximately 2 cups) dried pinto beans, rinsed & sorted
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock, OR vegetable broth/stock (for vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano, OR regular oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus addition
  • Measure the olive oil into a 6-quart (or larger) Instant Pot insert and set to the SAUTÉ function. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño; cook, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes. Press CANCEL after sautéing.
  • Add the beans, green chiles, broth, vinegar, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt, and pepper to the pot; stir to combine. Seal the lid according to the owner’s manual and cook on HIGH pressure for 50 minutes.
  • When the timer is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then carefully vent to release the remaining pressure (consult your owner’s manual for more specific instructions). Open the lid and use a ladle to remove as much cooking liquid as possible to a large measuring cup or bowl. Drain the beans into a colander (you can save or discard the remaining liquid), and transfer the beans back to the Instant Pot insert.
  • Use an immersion blender to puree the beans until smooth and creamy, slowly and gradually adding cooking liquid back to the beans until your desired consistency is reached (typically between ½ to 1 cup total liquid). Adjust the seasonings to taste if desired, adding more salt, pepper, and/or vinegar. Serve hot.

Port Wine Jam

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds (1 kg) red onions, quartered and thinly sliced

½ cup (125 mL) red wine vinegar

1 ½ (375 mL) cups port wine

2 tsp salt (10 mL)

1 tsp (5 mL) ground black pepper

1 tsp (5 mL) mustard seeds

1 cup (250mL) cold water

3 tbsp (45 mL) Ball ® Low or No Sugar Needed Pectin

½ (125 mL) cup sugar

Prepare jars and lids for canning

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes, or until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.

Stir in water and pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down stirring constantly.

Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Turn off burner and remove from heat. Ladle hot jam into a hot jar leaving a ¼ inch (0.5 cm) headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.

https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=red-onion-port-jam

Simple Pizza Dough

  • 1 packet Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 cups TIPO 00 Flour (Can also use all-purpose flour)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Warm Water
  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

Mix flour and salt together and add to a mixing bowl. Create a well in the center and pour water into the well. Add the sugar and yeast to the water and mix within water. Gradually mix flour into the water in small increments and as the dough begins to form, take it out of the bowl and continue to work it by hand on a floured surface. If the dough is too sticky, add flour in small increments until the dough no longer sticks to your hands or the kneading surface. Knead the dough thoroughly until it becomes smooth, then place a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of a bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and leave it out about 20 minutes or until the dough has completely risen. To tell if the dough is fully risen, make a small indentation in the center. If the indentation does not rise, the dough is ready. NOTE: This recipe yields one large pizza. It can be cut in half to make two smaller pizzas if desired.

https://www.cento.com/recipes/pizza/pizza_dough_ball.php

Thin Crust Sourdough Pizza

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place skillet inside and let the skillet heat for 10 minutes.
  • Wear silicone gloves to take the skillet from the oven to the stovetop. I put a little EVOO in the bottom. Pour the sourdough starter discard into the skillet and tilt it in circles to spread the starter evenly across the bottom of the skillet. (If your starter is thick, spread evenly into the bottom of the pan with an off-set spatula.) I used about 1/3 cup for an 8 inch skillet and added a few spices and garlic powder. Put the skillet back in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Check it at the 10-minute mark to prevent the crust from burning.
  • Once more, use silicone gloves to remove the skillet from the oven. I added cheese to the crust, put back in oven until melted. I heated the sauce and other toppings in the microwave. Topped the cheesy crust with the toppings, added another layer of cheese, and returned it to the oven to melt.

Based onhttps://littlespoonfarm.com/thin-crust-sourdough-pizza-recipe/comment-page-2/#recipe

ZUCCINI CRUST PIZZA

Zucchini Crust Pizza is the BEST low carb recipe to make with fresh garden zucchini and your favorite pizza toppings. This recipe works well with almond flour, all-purpose flour, and coconut flour.

Ingredients

  • ▢2 cups shredded zucchini
  • ▢¼ tsp Salt
  • ▢3 large eggs, beaten
  • ▢½ cup all-purpose flour, see notes
  • ▢1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ▢1/3 cup pizza or marinara sauce
  • ▢1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ▢12 slices pepperoni

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spread the shredded zucchini out on a lightly greased baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and transfer the zucchini to paper towels or a cheesecloth.
  • Increase oven temperature to 450°.
  • Squeeze out as much additional moisture from the zucchini as possible. Add the zucchini to a large bowl along with the whisked eggs.
  • Sprinkle the flour in gradually, stirring to incorporate. Continue to add flour until desired consistency is obtained. (I use the entire ½ cup for all-purpose flour.)
  • Spread out onto a lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan, leaving 1-inch or so around the edges. Use a fork to gently poke holes in the dough to prevent the crust from bubbling up as it bakes.
  • Top with shredded Parmesan cheese and bake for 18 minutes, until it begins to brown slightly. Remove from oven.
  • Reduce heat to 400°.
  • If possible, let the crust cool for extra crispy results.
  • Top with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni (or desired pizza toppings). Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Top with parsley, red pepper flakes, and/or grated Parmesan cheese and serve!
Zucchini Crust Pizza