My Many Morsels

Breakfast: same as it's been for the past year. Trader Joe's hash brown and homemade sausage patty.

Lunch: Hotdog and cheese on homemade sourdough.

Snacks: Watermelon with feta, fresh mango, fage yogurt with mango puree, TJ's sour cream & onion corn puffs, cheese sticks & crackers, spanikopita

Dinner:

Kimchi rice paper dumplings

Creamy pasta (add spinach) & chicken breast (add lemon)

In a large mixing bowl, add one packet (2 1/4 tsp) of yeast and 1/2 tsp of sugar into 2c of warm water, stir to dissolve

Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to water/yeast mixture, then 4c all-purpose flour and 1 Tbsp diamond crystal kosher salt (or 1tsp other salt brand) stir to combine until there are no flour lumps left, dough should be relatively wet and sticky

[Optional] hand-knead dough for a few minutes; the more you knead, the chewier and less cake-like the final product

Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and kitchen towel and [if possible] place in a warm area (e.g. inside of turned-off oven, on countertop near oven if it is on), allow to rise until near double in size (can take up to a few hours)

Prepare a sheet pan with a layer of parchment paper, and pour a generous few tbsp of olive oil on the parchment

Preheat oven to 500+ degrees, convection if possible

Turn out the risen dough onto the sheet tray / cookie sheet; using oil-covered hands, stretch and pull the dough so that it fills the majority of the tray

If the dough is stubbornly elastic, wait 5-10 mins and try stretching again; the gluten strands will have temporarily relaxed and you can finish stretching the dough to fill the tray

Cover the dough with oiled plastic wrap (I use cooking spray) and let it rise again for 30-60 mins in the tray

Prepare toppings: some of my favorites are rosemary, cherry tomato, green olive, garlic, or plain (topping-free!)

Prepare brine: in a small bowl or jar, mix 1/3c water with 1 tsp of diamond crystal kosher salt (large pinch of other brand), 1-2 Tbsp olive oil; stir or shake to dissolve salt

Once the tray rise is complete and the oven is ready, use oiled fingers to push toppings deep into the airy dough; if they sit on top it is likelier they will burn

Use fingers to create rows of dense, deep dimples in the focaccia surface; more = better and it is ok to push the toppings down further into the dough

Vigorously shake or stir brine to temporarily emulsify; pour in an even layer over focaccia surface - it should mostly settle into the dimples

Bake in the middle-to-top of the oven for 10+ minutes (depends on oven and convection vs. regular bake); focaccia should have risen a bit more in the oven, and the top should be deeply golden brown

Salad Ingredients

Oven roasted cauliflower seasoned with salt, pepper, tumeric, chopped into bite-size pieces

Arugula or arugula salad mix

Candied pecans

Shaved parmesan

Raisins

Dressing ingredients

Olive oil

Lemon juice

Yogurt

Smoky chickpea, red lentil, and veggie soup

2. Marry me chicken & fresh pasta

1 can black beans

10oz frozen chopped spinach

8oz frozen corn

Can of diced green chile

Green enchilada sauce

Mozarella cheese

Fajita spices

Corn tortillas

1c greek yogurt

Oops yes the ingredients are indeed inexact. This is a note to self and I made this recipe from memory of something I ate years ago and didn't use measurements 🙃 It came out tasty, though.

Stir together the filling (beans, veggies, green chiles). Add 1c sauce and as much cheese as will make you happy (remember there will be more on top). Add fajita spices (think salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne to taste, etc.).

Spread sauce on the bottom of a large glass dish so that your enchiladas don't stick. Wrap your enchiladas and place them seam side down. Make sure the tortillas are warm, otherwise they'll crack when you roll them up. Makes around 30.

For the sauce, mix 1/2c greek yogurt to 1c enchilada sauce. Whisk to combine and add [very little] water until it's a pouring (rather than spreading) consistency.

Spread cheese on the enchiladas and top with sauce. Foil = wetter enchiladas, no foil = dryer enchiladas.

Dinners:

Pepperoni pizza- dough recipe, with crushed tomato sauce

Chickpea or lentil curry with garlic naan

Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup with focaccia

Snacks:

Matcha chia seed pudding

Rainbow salad (bell pepper, cucumber, onion, tomato)

Breakfasts:

1. CREAMY LOADED WHITE BEAN CHILI & Dinner rolls

2. Grilled Chicken Breast, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Couscous

1) Grilled chicken Shwarma Wrap

2) Pub style Shepherd’s Pie

3) Creamy Fettucini with spinach and sausage

4) Pretzel dogs

A cheesecake factory imitation.

Cheesecake: 

16 oz. cream cheese (room temp)

5/8 c. sugar

1/4 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla 

2-3 large eggs

-Blend ingredients and divide into 2 (optional: use food coloring of choice) 9″ parchment lined springform pans. 

-Bake in a 1/2″ water bath. 

-Oven @ 475°F; bake for 8 min. Turn down to 350°F and bake for an additional 45 (until golden). 

Confetti cake:

-follow directions on a boxed cake mix (Pilsbury is my preference)

-also add in a dallop of mayo

-Divide into 3 9″ pans and bake at recommended temperature, but decrease time by 2/3 and monitor closely. 

Assembly (chill all parts first)

-Cut off rounded tops of cake layer if necessary

-Alternate cake & cheesecake, starting and ending with cake.