Thoughts of Pizza

The recipe that I want to tell you all about right now is one of those things that someone just told me how to make.

There is a woman I have known for about twelve years who is a fantastic cook. She has inspired me to make so many different dishes. As a teenager growing up I remember going to her house and there was always food. I decided then and there I wanted to be like her. I have tasted her food over the years and I find myself asking over and over again, "How did you make that?". Hers was the first cheesecake I tried and the recipe I am writing about today I had for the first time at her house.

We start with pizza dough. I will include a recipe for homemade pizza dough, which I like to make and divide in half and freeze one half for later. You then cook up some Italian sausage (I use spicy) add lots of garlic and some spinach. I put mozzarella in it, but my friend doesn't. Sometimes I serve it with marinara for dipping. She uses frozen spinach, but I prefer fresh. Now, when you read about this you will probably think, 'what's the big deal?' It is a big deal. It is absolutely amazing and delicious. There is never a scrap left over. My sister who is not a big veggie person gets excited when I tell her I am going to make it. My sons eat it and my husband gorges himself every time we have it (seriously).
You have to try it.

Spicy Italian Sausage Pizza Roll
1/2 recipe pizza dough (recipe follows)
1/2 lb spicy sausage (Jimmy Dean Hot is good)
10 cloves minced garlic
1 bunch of spinach, washed, trimmed and chopped
1 cup grated mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Saute sausage in a pan over medium heat. Add a little olive oil if you need to. Once the sausage is browned and broken into small pieces add the garlic. Cook for about two minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the spinach. Cook for 2 or 3 more minutes, or until the spinach is completely wilted.
Roll out the pizza dough into a square, and spread the sausage mixture evenly around. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella over the sausage. Roll up the dough on the long side, tucking the dough as you roll. Place on a baking stone and put stone on the middle rack of the oven. Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until you can knock on the dough and it is firm. The crust should be brown.

Pizza dough recipe

Shhh...don't tell

I was going through recipes in my mind, trying to decide what to write next. I thought about a main dish I had made recently, but then I realized, I have not posted a dessert in a while (that is because I am trying to give you other things besides desserts!)
And then, it hit me. This cake is fantastic. It is actually a beautiful union between a fudgy, delightful chocolate cake, and some brownies I had. This cake could stand alone and be perfect for birthdays, dinner parties, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Columbus Day (trust me, you will be trying to find reasons to make this cake).

What makes this cake sooooo good? First, it is four layers high, which tends to impress in and of itself. But add to that fudge frosting, and the fact that you use a cake mix, and you have the makings of an easy, delicious dessert that can be made ahead. Add orange peel and you have taken it to the next level. Now, if orange turns you off, leave it out, but if you have ever enjoyed one of those chocolate oranges at Christmas time you will love love LOVE this cake. The zest of two oranges is all you need to take this cake over the top. Be careful with the frosting, it is what really makes this cake amazing!
Let me tell you something about this, you want to make two cake recipes if you want an extra tall cake. This is what I usually do. It turns out fantastic this way. I have listed the ingredients for a single batch, but you should try the four tiered version for company! You will also need to clean out your bowl to use it for the frosting. Do not try to hurry and make this cake before company comes. You want to start early in the day or even the day before.

Chocolate Orange Fudge Cake
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/3 cup corn oil
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
zest of 1 orange

Icing
3 cups (1 1/2 bags) semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) butter, cut into pieces
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 nonstick 8-inch cake pans. Cut parchment to cover bottoms of pans and place inside. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
To Make the Cake: Combine the cake mix, water, eggs, oil, sour cream, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, use and electric hand mixer. Beat on low speed until the mixture is well blended. Increase the speed to medium if using a stand mixer (high for a hand mixer) and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips and orange zest. Pour the batter into a prepared baking pans and bake until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely on the racks. If you are making the four layer cake, repeat.
To Make the Icing: Put the chocolate chips in the metal bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Alternatively, use and an electric hand mixer. Combine the sugar, milk, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let boil vigorously for exactly 1 minute. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the chocolate. Add the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken to a spreadable consistency, 10 to 15 minutes.
To assemble, place 1 cake, flat-side up, on a platter. Spread one quarter of the icing (about 3/4 cup) over the top of the cake. Top with the second cake, flat-side up and spread one quarter of the icing (about 3/4 cup) over the top. Repeat with layers three and four. Spread a thin layer of the remaining icing over the op and sides of the cake.
Note: if your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the cake for about 15 minutes after frosting the second layer. This will prevent the cake from sliding.

Russets Vs. Reds: The Battle of the Spuds

So, here it is. I am including this recipe because I have had so many requests for it. I came by it over a very long and tedious process, but I am so happy with the results!
It all began many moons ago. I decided to try my hand at homemade au gratin potatoes. I LOVE au gratin potatoes, and, in accordance with my life motto, Everything must be better homemade! How could that little bag of powdery cheese, some dried potatoes, milk and butter taste better what was created at home?
I began trying different things. I put peeled, chopped russet potatoes, thinly sliced onions, minced garlic, whole milk, sour cream and plops of butter in a pan and baked it. After a very long time in the oven, it emerged. Good, but not what I wanted. Plus, I had to keep testing to see if the potatoes were done. Sometimes when I made it the potatoes were done, other times there were still some crunchy ones left.
I tried a cheese sauce, similar to the one I now use, but in the oven I still was left with potatoes that were not done, or, if they were done, it was an incredibly long, undetermined cooking time.
Another very disturbing factor was that I could not easily adjust the recipe. I am always cooking for a different amount of people and definitely do not like not being able to change amounts and cooking time with pretty standard results.

I had a huge fiasco one Easter. I had made my potatoes and they never finished cooking. They were way too crunchy, just gross, and I was mortified because everyone took one or two bites and left them on their plate. I wanted to apologize profusely, but I had just read that you are supposed to pretty much pretend like all the food tastes the way you want it to. I mean who wants someone to apologize all through the meal? It sounds like you are fishing for a compliment or something. And where do you draw the line? "I'm sorry, the rolls are not perfectly round and all the same size." "I'm sorry, this isn't as hot as I wanted it." "I'm sorry it took so long." "I'm sorry you don't like rice." "I'm sorry the cake is a little taller on one side." On and on and on...So I tried really hard not to do it. I just sat there and ate quietly, hoping for the meal to be over.
Then, I stumbled across this technique. I precooked the potatoes, made the sauce, assembled the two and popped them in the oven. This creamy, dreamy potato cheese ensemble is wonderful. The red potatoes retain their shape perfectly, and the sauce is surprisingly cheesy and oh so gooey. If you have cooked ham, dice it and throw it in with some broccoli and you have yourself a one meal deal! It can be done ahead of time and refrigerated, which makes it great for crowds or special occasions, and your potatoes are never, ever crunchy!

Au Gratin Potatoes

3 lbs red potatoes
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup grated sharp white Cheddar
2 cups plus 1 cup grated sharp yellow Cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Peel potatoes and chop them into 1/2 inch pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the potatoes, reduce the heat to medium low, and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until done. Drain potatoes place in a 9x12 baking dish.
Preheat oven to 375.
Meanwhile, heat a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and heat until it melts. Raise the heat a bit and whisk in the flour and cayenne pepper. Whisk until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more. Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil. Once it bubbles, drop the heat back down to a simmer and cook until sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the white Cheddar and 2 cups of the yellow Cheddar to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over potatoes and top with remaining cheese.
Place in oven to melt cheese and rewarm potatoes.