Another Rainy Day Pasta

I'm not sure what it is about the rain that inspires me to make pasta but it happened again. It might also have something to do with the Mozza Cookbook that I find myself flipping through on a regular basis now. My Grandma would spend a day making all sorts of pasta. I remember it hanging on modified broomsticks all over the house. My grandpa had made them for her and he loved not only her, but her amazing pasta. Some she would freeze, some would be dried, but all of it was enjoyed.

I haven't made a spinach or sun dried tomato pasta in a really long time. I think they are next on my list. I love the colors and the bright flavors brought by incorporating other ingredients into the dough. I really want to make Black Pasta as well but considering the advances at the market, I no longer have to clean my calamari so that means I'm without ink. Womp, womp. So sad.

Today I made Truffled Cheese Ravioli and Pappardelle. Both easy and delicious. The pasta dough today was great for rolling out ravioli. I constantly change my pasta recipe based on the weather and when it looks right. Today, this recipe worked out extremely well. The recipe made four servings of pappardelle and 24 cheese filled ravioli.

Fresh Pasta:
2 cups AP flour
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
2T olive oil

With the dough hook on a stand mixer, mix all ingredients on the lowest speed, stopping and scraping down to make sure all the flour is incorporated. Once a dough is formed, allow to mix for six minutes. Then turn out the dough onto a board and knead by hand for an additional 3 minutes. Spilt the dough in two and form discs. Wrap in plastic and allow to sit at room temp for 45 minutes before rolling the dough into pasta shapes. Use additional flour when rolling out the pasta sheets.

Cook is salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes and serve.

There is nothing like fresh homemade pasta! I froze my ravioli for another day.

Pizza Party!

My Aunt Toots pays close attention to things I say in passing. I had mentioned that when I ordered the Momofuku Milk cookbook that I wish I had ordered Mozza as well. To add to the endless reasons of her awesomeness, I received the Mozza cookbook in the mail today!

Since I'm a total foodie nerd and chef and always hungry to learn, I think I'm one of the few who reads cookbooks cover to cover before trying a recipe. This doesn't surprise me as I just read The Hunger Games trilogy in four days. *uber nerd*

I digress. I make pizza as often as I can. I have a love of all bread doughs and experimenting with new recipes gives spark to my otherwise consumed life. I spent several years coming up with a couple of pizza dough recipes myself and they have a dear place in my heart, stomach, and kitchen. That said, I'm open to improvements and different textures and techniques. Insert Nancy Silverton's recipe and homemade pizza is now even more awesome. The recipe requires three hours of rising time which seems like a lot, but I age my dough overnight. I think if I use the properties learned from her recipes along with my years of technique, it might make for the most epic dough ever! I have no friends who would ever object to pizza as a meal. I'm fairly certain that I couldn't be friends with someone who would turn down a good slice.

Start your test kitchens! It's pizza party time!

My biggest secret for homemade pizza success is using a pizza screen. They are inexpensive (under $5) and turn your oven into a pizza oven instantly. Don't buy and expensive stone that takes hours to heat and is bulky to store. Even when you're using store bought dough it makes a world of difference. Buy the Mozza cookbook! You will thank me later. Xo

Roy G Bites! Magical Rainbow Unicorn Cookies

The cookie formerly known as Unicorn Poop:
If there is anything I want you to know about me, it is my love of unicorns and rainbows and sunshine! Luckily my sweet JJ figured that out a long time ago and sent me a recipe for Unicorn Poop cookies. Insert my girl Simi and they have a new name! Roy G Bites are magically delicious and when you put on your goggles Rainbow Riders, you will help transform the mood of anyone you share them with.

We all know Unicorns have magic powers. Something special happens when you make these cookies...eating a rainbow covered in disco dust, glitter gel, hearts, butterflies, and flowers will give you super powers. Be warned, you don't want to share them with anyone you don't want smiling at you!

Roy G Bites:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp good salt

Special tools:
Parchment paper
ROYGBP gel colors
Disco Dust
Glitter Gel
Sugar hearts, butterflies etc.
Sugar pearls
Paintbrush
Magical hands and a loving heart

Cream the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour, salt and baking powder until just combined.

Portion the dough into six equal parts. Color each using the ROYGBP gels. I used a portion scoop to make sure I had even amounts of each color. You can weigh it or form a log and cut 6 portions as well. Wrap each of the colored doughs in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Next, roll each of the doughs on a floured board to form six even logs. Cut each log in four pieces. Roll the individual colors out to the length of the original log (mine were about 15 inches). Place the colors on top of each other and cut into four more pieces. This will give you 16 perfectly magical cookies.

Continue rolling the dough (in the same direction) into a long rope about 1 cm thick and then holding one end, roll in one direction making a rainbow stripe. Use additional flour at any point...this is a moist dough from the eggs and will absorb the excess flour or you can brush it off with a dry paint brush.
Form the rope into a spiral and on the last ring, allow it to wrap towards the center, creating the mystical shape.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

Immediately top with sugar pearls, pushing them into the cookies so they don't roll out.

When the cookies have cooled, cover them with a layer of glitter gel, I had pink but white will work also. Use a small paintbrush to coat the cookies. Top with sugar decor and sprinkle with disco dust or other edible sugar sparkles.

Shiny, magical, delicious!

Original source for Unicorn Poop

Guilt Free 2012: Peach Pudding

If I told you it's possible to make a dessert in less than five minutes, with four ingredients, that is only 100 calories per serving, would you forgive me for cooking from a box?

My Peach Pudding is exactly that. I happened to come across no sugar added canned peaches. Banana pudding is a traditional southern treat and I loved the idea of peaches as an alternative. In less time than it takes to read this blog post, you can make a dessert that is guilt free and tastes amazing. If you eat the entire thing it still is only about 650 calories, although I'd prefer you share it with your friends or loved ones.

Peach Pudding

1 can no sugar added peaches, drained
1 small box sugar free vanilla instant pudding
2 cups cold milk
Nilla Wafers to top the pudding

Place the drained peaches in the bottom of your serving dish. Small bowls or glasses can be used for individual servings. Whisk the cold milk and pudding mix in a medium bowl for two minutes. Pour over the peaches and top with Nilla Wafers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Yes, it's that easy and I promise it tastes amazing. For a different twist, use sliced bananas and chocolate pudding mix.

You will have to remind yourself this recipe is guilt free because it tastes so indulgent.