I know, I know–I have (once again) fallen off the blogging band-wagon! Thank you, to those that have written asking “where the heck are you?!”

This summer has been amazing–and it’s all been about family. Although I know it’s just the beginning of August, sadly, I can feel summer leaving. Not only has one of my daughters (Julie) just departed from her month-long time with us here at home (she’s working for her doctorate in clinical psychology in San Francisco) but my eldest, my son (Ben), recently left for Bangladesh (of all places!) for business. And, my youngest (Jessie) is gearing up to soon begin her last year of graduate school to become an art-therapist –while also maintaining a rigorous work schedule. So, although this summer I’ve had some of the best and most loving times with Jon and my kids, I’m more than a bit bummed to feel the physical scattering. There have been so many delicious things for us all to remember…

Here are some scrumptious “homemade highlights” from summer, 2010…

Jules, Me and Jess 

Benjamin taking a snooze on the grass.

The kids playing soccer in the yard.

Mango Margaritas!

Jules, Jess, Jen (Ben’s wonderful girlfriend.)

My wood-burning oven, all seasoned and I’m ready to cook!

Here, I’m cooking butterflied chickens with a medly of fresh herbs from the garden, olive oil, minced garlic, Kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper. The chickens cook covered loosely with foil–that way, they brown beautifully while keeping the meat succulent. When the fire is prepared properly, the chickens cook in the same amount of time it takes to cook in a conventional oven.

Hot out of the oven–A mixed berry double crust pie.

The pie didn’t last long…

Potato Gnocchi–made to celebrate Jen’s birthday.  Oh, don’t worry–A detailed blog is coming about how to make this. 

I actually made gnocchi twice for Jen and Ben. Once for her birthday (June 24th) …

 Jen’s birthday cake.

And I made gnocchi again, when Julie and Jessie were at the table to celebrate Jen’s birthday as a family.

This is a berry free-form tart—Ben said it was the best dessert he’d ever had!

A “No-Knead” Bread that I’ve been working on…

“Work” is SO satisfying!

Wouldn’t you like to relax like this? Mango might seem like she’s sleeping–but (trust me)  if I took out a vegetable peeler, she’d immediately run and stand by my side. She loves vegetables–She’s a Lab.–she’d eat a can.

Here are two focaccia’s I made with my daughter, Julie. They had fresh tomato wedges, pitted olives (two kinds, oil-cured and kalamata) and small fluted rounds of zucchini. The shaped dough was swabbed (both before and just after baking) with extra-virgin olive oil, lots of fresh herbs from the garden, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper. Mama Mia!

A Mixed Berry, Peach and Banana Crisp–I served this with creme fraiche that I whisked with some superfine sugar and vanilla.

My fig trees, netted to protect the fruit from nature’s little thieves.

Hey, it’s my tree–I’m allowed to pick the fruit!

The neighborhood always knows when I’m up to something good…

Fig leaves, fresh picked just after the rain (I have a reason.)

Fig leaves, doubled and seasoned with salt and pepper. (I really do have a reason.)

Branzino laying on seasoned fig leaves. (My reason.)

Mango is happily on “Branzino watch” while I check the grill…

When the charred fig leaves are peeled back (at the table) the reward is THE MOST SUCCULENT, DELICIOUS fish imaginable. Beyond good–

An assortment of heirloom cherry tomatoes, seasoned with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper and ready to be roasted in a very hot oven (450F) for 20 minutes. This, then, gets poured over freshly cooked spaghetti that goes into a pan with crisp pancetta–and then the whole thing (the pasta, pancetta, roasted tomatoes with all their seasonings and juices get’s tossed with lots of fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons).

Plain and flavor-all braided challah. I purposely made this two-loaf dough externally different. One was a “flavor-all,” which we ate with dinner on a Friday night–the other one (plain) was in case I had any “French toast” requests over that weekend. 

 Blueberry Muffins with a Sugar-Nut Topping

Heaven on a plate: Rotisserie chicken on the outdoor grill. Purposely made for our dinner on Julie’s last night home (before heading back to San Francisco) –The gentle, gorgeous outdoor wafts of these chickens spit-roasting surely spells love.

The Point: I thought I’d let you see why I haven’t been able to blog this summer. Sometimes it’s just impossible to write about life without sacrificing the literal things to do to create the yummy, loving life one wants. So, for me, living will always come first–and writing next. I’m always here, though. Just an email away! xoxo Lauren

It’s so amazing how,  in the 21st century, I’m immediately filled with the feeling of romance simply by opening my fridge and gazing up at…

a bowl of fresh picked figs from my back yard. Beyond delicious, my devotion to growing figs has a story–as does most of what fuels me in my kitchen.

So, a fig story is coming soon–just waiting to be able to make Fig Jam.

Laur..

As a cook (and as an eater), I’m very passionate (ok opinionated) about certain foods–For instance, I feel the texture of matzo balls must be extremely light and tender and literally swollen with flavor. Then there’s roast chicken, which should be incredibly crisp and well-seasoned with cooked flesh that’s perfectly succulent (even the white meat). Ethnic, artisan breads (the large round and/or oblong kind) need to be externally VERY crusty–actually cracking in places– The color of the crust should be deep and dark–which indicates a caramelized, slightly charred taste–and the inner crumb needs to be soft–tender, yet chewy–but never tough. (FYI: Some recipes that aim for “big holes” in the baked flesh sacrifice tenderness–so home-bakers beware!) I like gravies that cling without being gloppy, tarts that celebrate the crust as much as the fruit and muffins that are so good that you eat the whole thing–not just the tops.

I’m also very particular about my meatballs. First inspired by Mabel, a large, round, southern woman-of-color (who had a gold front tooth), she worked for my parents when I was growing up in Long Island. Mabel was–how should I say it?–She was on the mean side–but she also made a mean meatball, which were almost base-ball sized, very tender and always gurgling in red sauce. (I think her sauce of choice was “Ragu”). I loved her meatballs so much that just smelling them simmer made me like her –even though she had absolutely no personality–except when being mean.

Since I didn’t grow up cooking (along side the meanie) I just would sit and ponder how making my own meatballs someday might make my children feel–My initial reaction to Mabel’s meatballs is actually quite integral to why I became so committed to “the power of cooking”  for my “someday” family–I would fantasize about how my kids would walk into our home (after school) and feel immediately kissed –completely bathed in sensory deliciousness–and I would be at the helm.  From the time I was the ripe-old-age of seven, I knew, for sure, that being the creator and orchestrator of such a satisfying dimension to life would be something to be very proud of–I still do. I also felt that doing so would be very healing for me–it was and still is.

So, you see, great meatballs are a big deal to me and growing up in a house that didn’t actually teach me how to make meatballs–I’ve had several twists and turns along the way to being able to make them successfully and (now)  to teach them to you.

Meatballs after Mabel…

As soon as my two older brothers were secured in college,  my parents decided to fire Mabel, give away Peter, my Maltese dog, and to sell our house in Long Island. Since I was only 15, they were stuck with me. So, the three of us (me and my parents) moved to NYC, where I finished high school. They employed a Chinese couple, the female (named MiMi) cleaned and the male (pronounced “I-O” as if saying each letter alone) –he cooked. I would try to watch I-O cook–He was very good at making Chinese food (duh..)–His food was more refined, though, and more of a French-Chinese fusion cuisine—So (I know) I should have thought twice before I adopted his “meatballs” as my own, especially considering they didn’t speak to either his Chinese heritage or his French-Chinese specialty…But, then again, I learned early on that sublime-ness can be found in the most unexpected places (remember who my original inspiration was (!) Don’t get me wrong–it’s not that I-O’s meatballs weren’t tasty–they were–and tender, too (although much smaller, they were almost as good as Mabel’s).  But, his ingredients would make any Italian worth a dime gag.  Listen to this: He reconstituted crushed cornflakes in milk and added this to the ground meat–See, I told you.

So, although these, my first stab at making homemade meatballs, were a good start, (I actually came up with a pretty good concoction and put that recipe in my first cookbook) they weren’t close to the meatballs that I make now –which I do believe are simply perfect.

The night I heard how to make real meatballs…

One night, a few years back, Jon and I were out to dinner, at an Italian restaurant.  Because it was crowded, we decided to eat at the bar–which we actually choose to do often, since we’ve met some very nice, interesting people that way. This night, the conversation (amongst the bar-tender and several women at the bar) turned to meatballs. As they talked, my life in Long Island (and my passion for meatballs) flashed before me–I became totally quiet and, with an intensity in my eyes that my husband knows well,  I looked at Jon with that “oh my God, I’m going to finally hear how real Italians make meatballs” look. I was determined to hear every word. 

Like all Italians that cook innately, they don’t measure anything –they just talk about food as if a dish would appear simply by uttering the words…(Trust me, I was being internally serenaded–visualizing meatball heaven, just by listening). I came home and, the very next day, I went to work—It took several times–and I deviated a bit from what I learned that night at the bar–adding a few ingredients that I feel made exactly what I wanted: Meatballs that are loaded with flavor and an oh-so-soothing texture.

Finally, here is my meatball recipe that I proudly give to you, with love.

(I think I’m gonna cry…)

Homemade Meatball Heaven

OK, don’t be mad but I’m going to give you a large recipe–simply because these meatballs are so delicious (and freeze so perfectly) and also because you need the exact same amount of tools and cookware to make a small batch. Having said this, I purposely created a recipe that can be halved right down the middle.

Another thing–I make BIG meatballs–I like it that way–so if you want yours smaller, be my guest (that’s part of the beauty of home cooking).

Ingredients for 22 to 24 large meatballs (mine start out the size of small soft-balls but, after simmering, they end up smaller):

• 4 slices “hearty” style white or wheat bread, crusts removed and the bread cut into small cubes
• ½ cup milk
• 2 extra large eggs
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into quarters
• 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup prepared basil pesto (homemade or your favorite store-bought brand)
• ½ cup freshly ground best-quality Parmesan cheese (plus more for rolling meatballs and serving)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 pounds ground meat (Ask the butcher to grind equal amounts of beef and veal together. You can also include ground pork in the mix.)
• Between 5 and 6 quarts Marinara sauce (preferably with lots of fresh basil and sautéed mushrooms)

To soak the bread: Put the cubed bread in a bowl and add the milk. Use your hands to help the bread absorb the milk. Set aside.

To assemble the meatball mixture: Put the eggs, onion, garlic, pesto, ½ cup Parmesan and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper into the blender. Puree until smooth.

Put the ground meat into a large (preferably wide) bowl and pour the pureed mixture on top of the meat.  Add the softened bread cubes to the bowl, as well.

Using your hands, work the pureed mixture and moistened bread into the meat, using a tender hand—you’re not squeezing or kneading the meat aggressively—which can toughen the meat. Just use your hands to fold the two consistencies together, turning this into one mixture.

To set up to form meatballs: Line two large shallow baking sheets (or trays) with wax paper and then sprinkle the paper generously with more grated Parmesan.

To form meatballs and chill: Use your working hand to scoop up some of the meat mixture (again, mine start out the size of a small soft-ball–but they get smaller after simmering). Gently round the shape by rolling the meat mixture between two hands. Lay the round on the cheese-lined tray and continue until you’ve finished shaping all the meatballs, dividing them between both trays (expect the meatball mixture to be soft).

Then, one by one, roll each meatball in the cheese, then round the shape again, helping the cheese to adhere.

When all the meatballs are coated with the cheese, cover the sheets with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (and up to several hours).

To set up to cook the meatballs: Bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a 10-quart heavy bottomed saucepan, over low-heat, with the lid ajar. Remove the meatballs from the refrigerator.

To brown the meatballs and simmer: Heat one or two large non-stick skillet(s), over medium-high heat, with a shallow layer of olive oil. When the oil is hot, brown the meatballs, in batches, turning the meatballs over carefully, to brown on at least two sides—(Before placing the meatball into the pan, use your hands to re-round the shape and avoid damaging the meatball when turning—using a non-stick turning spatula as well as tongs, will help give you the dexterity you need.)

Try to shift the meatballs, so they brown on three sides…

As you brown the meatballs, place on a clean tray. Once all the meatballs are browned, lower them into the simmering sauce. Once in the pot, don’t stir—using oven mitts, shimmy the pot –using the side handles—to help the meatballs settle in and become submerged in the sauce. The sauce should be on VERY low heat.

Cover the pot and simmer the meatballs (very gently!), over very low heat, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don’t wait for the sauce to return to a simmer before you begin timing–If the sauce was simmering at the start, you will only see the barest bubble at the center of the sauce, after adding the meatballs. If your meatballs are smaller, you’ll simmer them less.) Turn off the heat and add more black pepper and, if desired,  a few cloves of minced raw garlic and more fresh basil, to taste.  Shimmy the pot to distribute things. Take the pot off the stove.

Now…Dat-sa nice-a!

No joke. This recipe makes the best meatballs I’ve ever had.

To divide and store: If not serving right away, allow the meatballs to cool in the sauce (uncovered). Divide the meatballs between squatty-shaped plastic tubs. If you’d like to serve some and store the rest, transfer the amount of meatballs and sauce you’d like to serve into another pot and, if planning to reheat within two days, store that in the refrigerator, covered. (If planning to serve withing a few hours, leave the pot at a comfortable room temperature.) Place the rest into a freezer container and attach a label with the contents and date. Freeze. To thaw, remove from the freezer and leave in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, reheat very gently until piping hot, adding some more fresh pepper and basil, to taste.

To reheat and serve: Reheat the meatballs, covered, over very low heat, shimmying the pot as needed, to help things heat evenly. Serve the meatballs with sauce, piping hot, over freshly cooked spaghetti or linguine.

Click here, for a printable version of this meatball recipe.

Tags: how to make the best meatballs, Italian meatball recipes, meatballs and spaghetti recipe, my best meatball recipe, tender meatballs

In the paper this morning, on the front page, was the big news about finally finding Abby Sunderland, the 16 year old girl that was allowed to attempt to set a new world record for being the youngest person (ever) to go around the world on a 40-foot sailboat (ALONE!)–in what proved to be treacherous (extremely life-threatening) conditions (duh). Her brother had done it at 17–and you know what sibling rivalry does… 16 became the number that would beat her brother–What if instead of finally being located–if she had gotten irrevocably swallowed up by one of those 50 foot waves? Is that what it would take for her parents to be charged with child endangerment? I doubt it. Who’s idea was this anyway?? Oh, that’s right–it was Abby’s passion for sailing (and for beating her brother’s record)–I guess that makes it all OK.

Two pages later, there was an article about a 2-year old baby boy that was taught (by his father!) to chain-smoke cigarettes and, in this article, the father was boasting about how he had gotten the boy to “cut back” from two-packs to just a mere 10 cigarettes per day! If I hadn’t seen a video of this baby smoking like an out-of-control fiend (on a TV news show), I wouldn’t have believed that this was possible!  (Did I mention that this baby is also clinically obese?)

On the next page was an article about a 12 year old girl who was left home alone for a week because her mother decided to get married and go on a honeymoon (sans her child)! At least this woman was locked up and is being held on $100,000 bail.

Has this world gone crazy? Has the word “parent” totally lost it’s meaning? Listen, I’ve raised three kids–and several dogs–and, just this morning on my walk with Mango, while she was on a leash, we met another dog who was also on a leash. The dogs were pulling, twirling, sniffing, snorting–pleading to be set free to play–Did I and the owner of the other dog look at each other with empathy and compassion for how our dogs felt? –Of course. Did we ever doubt that there was anything but the purest of intentions to their desires? No. Did we also know that if we let them off leash, that they could run into the street and get injured by a moving vehicle? Yes.

So what happens? Do we, as dog owners, decide to throw caution to the wind, remove their leashes and just hope for the best?

Do we, as parents, allow our children’s desires to outweigh our first job–which is to protect them? I think not.  I hate to use a dog example, but I think there are a lot of parents (and pet owners) out there that need to wake up! Abby S. is a very lucky young lady, despite her parent’s lack of back-bone. There should be laws that protect children from an ineffective parent–She should have never been legally allowed to take this trip alone. (And these parents have an 11 and 12-year old at home and they’re already “accepting” that these kids might make this same attempt… Help!)

And, all I can say about the big, fat smoking baby is that his parents should be arrested and locked up (for a long time) for child abuse.

All three of these stories are examples of how people are actually able to live with themselves after blatently disregarding the most consequential job given to humanity: Parenting. It’s just horrifying.

Tags: Abby Sunderland, bad parenting, child abuse, children left home alone, children's rights, effective parenting, home alone, parental rights, Parenting, smoking baby boy

Ok, so my back tooth (that broke at a wedding) now has a temporary crown–which I don’t trust–so I will eat only soft things until I get the permanent one. ( Sheesh. This could get old quick)…Having said that, could there be anything more delish than eggplant parmesan, when needing to eat soft, soothing things?

This was din-din two nights ago…

Of course, I thought there could be NOTHING as soothing as eggplant parmesan until last night, when we had …

Wild mushroom stuffed agnolotti, by Buitoni (a great product).

First, I sweated the leeks in melted butter on the stove under a lid made of parchment.

This is to keep the condensation extremely flavorful–which will drop back down and into the leeks.

Then, I added leftover cooked fresh green peas that I served the night before (with the eggplant parmesan).

Then came some delicious chicken stock (thawed from the freezer) and the shaved black truffle…

Jon bought me a truffle on Arthur Avenue for an amazingly low price!

I brought the whole lot to a simmer, then seasoned with salt and pepper. Then added the cooked agnolotti.

Just to remind you of what we ate.

So, I figure–this could be kind of fun–having to eat soft things (for a while…)

Tonight’s dinner…

Oh baby–Now, THIS is the best. (Stay tuned for my meatball story.)

Tags: eggplant parmesan, soft foods to eat when having dental issues, wild mushroom agnolotti

Today, when passing my “set” dinner table, I saw that the roses that I clipped just yesterday had released a lot of petals. One by one, as I picked them up, their intense fragrance captured me, as if each one contained the magnificence of the whole flower. So, instead of throwing the petals away, I decided to put my bud-vase on a coaster and then surround the base with all the fallen petals.  

Doing this not only bought me another day, without having to clip more flowers, but it also made my table more beautiful and seemingly twice as fragrant–Becoming present to these fallen petals deepened my understanding of the overall potency–and power for flowers (especially roses) to provide sensory pleasure.

The Point: Just like when we’re about to shrug off a “person of years” (or some really ripe, speckled bananas) if we take the time to stop, rethink and open up–that’s often when some of life’s most unexpected gifts are revealed.

Tags: fresh roses on the table, how to extend the life of a fresh rose centerpiece, what to do with rose petals

Being my dentist. 

No joke, just ask my mother– Trust me, this is something she would remember.

All throughout my childhood, poor (aptly named) “Dr. Silver” would end our appointments MUCH more silver-haired than he was at the beginning. Literally having to chase me around the dental chair (his breath reaking of Luden’s licorice-flavored cough drops)–I would shreak the same way I would when my mother would come at me with a comb after washing my waste-length hair (these were the days before the invention of cream-rinse or conditioner–so don’t judge me harshly until you’ve experienced this nightmare yourself). 

Anyway, the doctor would beg (I mean beg) my mother to ”pleease” take me to another dentist–but no, Dr. Siver was stuck with me.  

The only thing worse than being my dentist is being my husband either before or after I visit the dentist–especially if it was like today–when I HAD to go because this past weekend, when having a grand-old time at a wedding, my back tooth split in half and I had to spit it out into my napkin (lovely, I know).

Here’s the $64,000 question: How does someone break a tooth while eating quinoa??

So, I went to see my dentist today and I just felt so badly since she happens to be the MOST WONDERFUL dentist–actually she’s one of the kindest, most gentle, caring people I’ve ever met…and the poor thing is the lucky dentist that’s now stuck with me. (No, I didn’t make her chase me but I was shaking (quaking) like Mango does before she gets her yearly shots)… I kept trying to snap myself out of it by reminding myself (internally) “Lauren, there are people enduring chemo therapy!” Oh, today I was a mess–it’s so embarrassing.

Then, poor Jon–When I got home–he answered the door (and, after seeing me leave the house this morning all bent out of shape in fear) I could see him looking at me–wondering if I was going to snarl or smile.

Can you guess?

So, I did what I always do when I need to feel better. I started to cook…and cook…and cook. I even decided to make a celebration birthday cake since we’ve got a birthday girl on June 24! (Oh please, you already know that, two blogs back, I spoiled the gnocchi surprise–And, anyway, in this family, this particular cake is not ever a surprise–after all these years, it’s considered a birth-right.   

So, what did I learn today?

1) It’s not easy to be strong when you have people putting needles into your gums.

2) Using ones bare hands to crush Oreo cookies is EXTREMELY therapeutic when feeling unraveled.

3) My husband still loves me, even after being a brat. I’m a lucky girl.

Tonight’s din-din: grilled whole fish, fresh vegetables and garlic toast. I’m looking forward to being able to chew! 

To read my blog on how to make the ice cream cake, click here. And, click here for to see the video and here, for the printable recipe.

Yesterday, I got home late in the afternoon–Jon and I were planning to go out for dinner since I’ve been cooking like a maniac all throughout the holiday weekend and beyond…. As soon as I got home I learned that Mango, my dog, had quite a hard day–Her birthday was the day before (her fourth) and, apparently, she was too much of a party girl!–To help her celebrate we (OK, I) gave her a HUGE beef knuckle (one of those gross dark-bony-crispy-smoked things that looks like it came from a dinosaur–a heavenly site to a dog).  Mango opened her jaws wider than ever before and, as she finally latched down on it and ran into the yard with a crazed look of glee–my intuition spoke–”we’re all going to pay for this.”   

Sheesh. I was right.       

Anyway, Mango ended up with a really bad case of the runs (which she had all day long, both IN and out of the house). Not a pretty picture. I tried to give her plain boiled rice but she wasn’t interested–Then I really got worried. Mango has NEVER refused food–ever. I called the Vet and was instructed: “don’t give her any food at all–wait to see what happens over night.”    

So, after spending A LOT of time with Mango in the back yard (over and over again) I knew I couldn’t leave her to go out to dinner. Jon was also somewhere “out there” at a golf tournament and called to say he was in the midst of a rain-delay–so I had no idea what (or when) dinner would be.   

I wanted something easy, cheesy (soothing) and flexible in terms of timing. I decided to make pizza. Since it was late, I thought I would go to the neighborhood pizza shop and pick up a dough–but, then it started to rain (I mean POUR–along with thunder and lightening–) So, I had to rethink things. It was now six o’clock.   

It’s certainly not that I was opposed to putting up my own pizza dough–It just never occured to me that I could, should, would make a yeast dough at 6 pm and end up with a great-tasting pizza crust–in such a short time. (Thus, the reason why I’m writing this blog…). My pizza was SO DELICIOUS!!   

It only took me 10 minutes, from start to finish, to make the dough. I divided it, and formed two taut rounds and placed each on it’s own shallow baking sheet that was first generously brushed with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with freshly cracked black pepper. 

I covered one sheet with a kitchen towel (that one was to be for our dinner) and the other I covered with a towel and then plastic wrap (over the towel) and put it in the fridge (That one is for tomorrow’s dinner, when I’ll turn it into focaccia.  

I’ll bet you didn’t know you can do that!…   

Here’s what a Focaccia (made with pizza dough)  looks like before baking …   

Here (above) the chilled dough is allowed to rise on a bakers peel that’s heavily doused with a mixture of cornmeal and white flour (rubbed into the peel), then the dough was brushed with a fresh-herb-garlic-oil and allowed to rise until billowy (at least 2 hours for a well-chilled pizza dough). The oven gets preheated to 450F for at least 30 minutes (preferably longer) –I use the convection mode. 

(Note: This dough is on the sticky side–especially after having risen on the peel. If not experienced working with a baker’s peel, I suggest allowing the dough to rise on a square of parchment paper, first brushed or sprayed with extra-virgin olive oil and then sprinkled with cornmeal (and why not add some sesame seeds?!). Then, just slide the dough (with the parchment) onto the hot stone. By the way, when using parchment to bake artisan breads, use the unbleached kind–it’s darker color will encourage more heat retention by the dough–thus a darker color. Expect the paper to become charred.  Just discard it after baking.) 

Then, once risen, instead of poking the dough (to give a focaccia a traditional dimpled look) I just planted halved heirloom cherry tomatoes (cut sides up) into the dough. I gave the top a light application of Kosher salt and black pepper then slid the dough onto a hot pizza stone (with steam) for 18 to 20 minutes. Then, I opened the oven and carefully sprinkled the top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and baked for another 3 to 5 minutes.   

Here’s the Focaccia after baking:   

Then, immediately upon leaving the oven, I brushed the top of the Focaccia with more of the herb-garlic-olive oil mixture (actually, I had added just a bit of lemon zest, which gave the finish a nice perky taste-but that’s optional and only one of a gazillion ways to flavor/season focaccia).   

Anyway, (so sorry to deviate).  Back to my impromptu pizza…   

I preheated the oven to 500F (I always keep a pizza stone in my oven) with a cast iron skillet on the rack underneath (this is how I create steam–just before shoving the raw, shaped pizza onto the hot stone, I place about 6 ice cubes with a tiny bit of water into the hot skillet–then shut the door, go get the peel with my pizza–open the door and slide the pizza into a steamy oven, on a very hot pizza stone).   

For my topping (on the pizza) I used some of the leftover marinara sauce from the night before.   

Anyway, with the pizza dough made and rising at room temperature, the sauce in a bowl, I went through the fridge to see what else I could use for my dinner. I found some sliced mushrooms, peeled garlic, marinated long-stemmed artichokes, roasted red and yellow peppers, cleaned lettuce, hot soprassata and (of course) a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano–and some shredded cheese (muenster and mozzarella). Needless to say, I had more than enough to make a delish impromptu din-din: A big salad and a crisp, sizzling hot pizza.  

Here’s a completely hand-driven, homemade 15-inch pizza–made at the end of the day–using just what I had on hand.   

Baked at 500F for about 12 minutes or until it looks the way any great pizza should–golden, crispy and bubbling on top.   

The point: With all the talk lately of “no-knead” dough–with having to wait 18 hours before using it!–I thought I would remind you of how incredibly easy it is to make a yeast dough the old fashioned way–even spur of the moment!   

Oh–and the aromas from all my cooking made Mango feel MUCH better! She came to me with that oh-so-familiar look…   

"I'm SO hungry, Mama!..."

So, the food was great, Mango felt better and JON WON HIS GOLF TOURNAMENT!!! Life is good. To see me making a pizza dough (and learn a sane way to make pizza for a crowd), watch this video. And, to see the recipe for the dough, click here.

Tags: easy homemade pizza recipe, focaccia recipe, homemade pizza recipe, pizza dough recipe, pizza recipe, ways to use pizza dough

Ok, I get it–I need to blog more often. Believe me, it’s not for lack of wanting to but I’ve been so busy teaching (with all the inherent shopping, schlepping and prepping), life-coaching my individual clients and taking care of my family, that I’m practically comatose after the dinner dishes are all dried and tucked away. Yesterday, after teaching cooking all day in Brooklyn–I was so exhausted that in insides of my ears hurt and the only way to get a second wind, so I could cook dinner for my family, was to turn on the radio and start to dance around the kitchen. (By the way, this really shifted my energy–I felt so much better once I allowed myself to be moved by (and to move to) the music (on a classic rock station on XM) that my dog, Mango, (after first looking up at me like I had lost my mind) she became so excited that she started to jump and wiggle along with me!) 

So, after saying to myself “Lauren, people are going to think you’re ill or (worse)–that you’ve stopped living with opinions and have nothing to say” I’ve decided that it’s time to finally connect. (It’s a bit like when you’ve waited too long to call a friend because you feel like there’s just TOO much to say so you put off calling –and then feel guilty–and then end up forgetting all the things you would have told them way back when those things felt important to share (I knew you’d understand…).

I’m glad I got that off my chest!

Ok, so about the food. I’m “in process”–Meaning, I’m working on some stuff that’s important to me and I’m not 100% finished so I haven’t wanted to blog about it but I’ve decided to let you in.

One of the things I’ve been working on (and very excited about) is homemade potato gnocchi. (Personally, I never liked gnocchi–only had it once and it was so heavy and monotonous that I couldn’t figure out what the big attraction was until one day my son’s girlfriend Jenn told me that her “all time favorite food is potato gnocchi–just like grandma makes.” And so (you know me…) ever since that night I’ve been driven (I’m tempted to say “haunted” or “hounded” but both seem too dramatic and/or negative–and this feeling of wanting to understand Jenn’s devotion to gnocchi was the opposite of negative–Actually, this feeling is what makes me tick, tickled and, yes, turned on to the ever deepening ways to experience deliciousness!) Now was my chance–I finally had a real reason–a person–to help me get inside what makes gnocchi so adored by so many. The plan is to reveal my light, tender and scrumptious darlings for Jenn’s birthday dinner–it’s coming in June.

Yes, you might be saying to yourself “Lauren, shut up! Why would you want to spoil her surprise?!”

Well, it’s been done already…Jon (my adorable husband who, like me, is just so excited by this gnocchi) spilled the beans to Jenn in a restaurant. He said “Jenn, get ready, Lauren is working on potato gnocchi for your birthday and it’s SO delicious–you’re gonna love it!”  As the words were coming out of his mouth, I wanted to yelp “NO, PLEEESE…..DON’T SAY IT!” First, because I wanted it to be a surprise–but mostly because of the PRESSURE that I now feel! HOW CAN I, A JEWISH GIRL FROM LONG ISLAND, A GNOCCHI VIRGIN, POSSIBLY MEASURE UP TO JENNIFER’S ITALIAN GRANDMOTHER’S HOMEMADE MASTERPIECE? (Oy vey.)

Anyway, this particualr blog is not to tell you how to make gnocchi–that’s coming–this blog is to show you how WELL I’m doing! Take a look at this…

I am now a HUGE gnocchi fan! Ok, gotta go. (My blogging slump is now officially over.)

This past Sunday morning, I woke up, went to the kitchen and found Jon all dressed and perky (at 8 am), with his “I’m SO ready to go to the golf-course “vibe.”  This wasn’t hard to figure out–especially since the weather is finally gorgeous (after a winter that made even us devoted New Yorkers envision packing up and relocating…).       

I said “are you going to the course?” He said “yes–I’m hoping that you’ll come with me so we can practice together and maybe play a few holes.”       

I thought “how sweet”…       

And then I thought about it some more…”Hmmm–do I want to spend the day hacking away at a small dimpled ball, sending it in every direction except straight?  Or, do I want to stay home and make HOMEMADE CROSSIANTS?!       

I then envisioned…my youngest daughter, Jessie, who usually comes home on Sundays, meeting a gorgeous batch of currant-cinnamon croissants!

Actually, I had planned to make croissants and had already created my base dough (the day before) and had it chilling. (Croissant dough is a yeast dough that, after it’s initial rise at room temperature, it needs a second “cool rise” in the fridge–then it gets treated much the same as puff pastry, with a series of rolling and  folding in butter, and then chilling the dough after every couple of “turns.” (A formal recipe is coming soon.)       

For the base dough…       

First brush the interior of a medium-size mixing bowl with melted butter and set this aside.       

Whisk and then sift together…       

• 3 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (plain, not salted or leavened)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fine table-salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Heat until warm (not hot):       

• 1 2/3 cups whole milk

Take the warmed milk off the stove.       

Dissolve the yeast: Add two packages active dry yeast (not fast rising yeast) to 1/3 cup warm (not hot) water, with a pinch of sugar. Allow the yeast to become creamy and visibly active (5 minutes).       

Pour the warmed milk and dissolved yeast into the flour mixture and, with a strong arm, stir with a wooden spoon (in one direction) until well mixed (expect this to take some muscle and don’t expect it to be perfectly smooth–This can also be accomplished in the bowl of an electric mixer with a central paddle attachment.) Cover the bowl with greased plastic wrap and then a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest and double in size (2 hours at a comfortable room temperature, with little temperature fluctuation.)        

Turn the risen mass (which will be sticky) out onto a lightly floured surface (but don’t wash the bowl) and, with a floured hand,  pat it down into a rectangle that’s about 10 x 7. Using a pastry scraper as an aid, fold the dough like a business letter (bringing the top half of the short-end of the rectangle in to the center, then bring the bottom half up and cover the top, enclosing it). Lift the folded dough and place it in the original bowl. Recover the bowl and let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight.       

Some things I never forget…       

A few weeks back, I remember Jessie saying “I would love a croissant.” (I never forget these types of statements–they sit inside my head until I find just the right opportunity.)        

Some things I can’t control…       

Wouldn’t you know it? Right after I put up the base-dough I got a phone call from Jessie saying “I can’t come home this weekend.” (Oh well.) I was bummed but still excited to make the croissants.       

Let the games begin!       

So, Jon left for the golf course and I, after “suiting up,” created my butter package: I unwrapped 4 sticks of cold unsalted butter and, after lining them all up in an even rectangle, I placed one of the paper wrappers on top and started whacking them with my rolling pin to soften them.       

An important clarification: the sport of “whacking” versus “hacking” …       

A “whack” in the sport of cooking and baking is much different than a “hack” in golf –Whacking is deliberate (and fun)–hacking is the complete opposite of deliberate and/or fun (trust me on this)…       

Meet my “club” of choice–       

For the most control, when setting out to roll dough evenly (and for very efficient whacking) this is my most favorite pin–solid wood, no ball-bearings and with slightly tapered ends. The power source is always at the center of the pin.       

Back to the whack…       

After repeatedly hitting the cold butter into pliable submission, I sprinkled 3 tablespoons of unbleached, all-purpose flour on top. Then, I took the heel of my right hand and started to schmear the butter/flour mixture out (away from me), to help it homogenize and to remove any lumps in the butter (Although the butter must stay cold– it also needs to be lump-free so it can be encased and rolled into the base dough properly. The flour will absorb any excess liquid in the butter, which would otherwise ooze out when the raw assembled crossiants eventually meet a hot oven. ) After several schmears, I use a pastry scraper to gather the butter back up onto itself and keep doing this until I’m satisfied with the texture. Then, I wrapped the butter package in plastic (flattened it into a rectangle) and stuck it back in the fridge.       

Rolling, folding (called “turning”) and chilling:       

First: The butter package gets added to the refrigerated dough: I took my cold dough out of the refrigerator and placed it on a cool, floured surface, (use marble, Corian or granite, which are all much cooler than wood). Flour more heavily than you think necessary because you’ll be continually brushing off any excess as you accomplish your folds.       

Turn # 1: Pat the dough into a rectangle approximately 12-inches long by 8-inches wide. Remove the prepared butter from the refrigerator and unwrap. Spread the softened butter on the bottom two-thirds of the dough. (Use your fingertips to help flatten and spread the butter.) Bring the un-buttered portion of the dough down to the center. Use a pastry brush to remove excess flour, then bring the bottom portion of dough up and over the top portion, as in a business letter. (The dough will resemble a book with one bound side and one open side.) Position the dough so that the bound end is on your left.       

Turn #2: Roll the dough once again into a rectangle (use more flour on your work surface, on the dough and on your pin, as needed), but this time roll it about 1/4-inch thick, keeping the ends as even as possible. (Do not roll over the ends but, instead, roll just right up to them. And, use the pin to knock the sides back into shape, as needed.) As you roll, use your pastry scraper to occasionally lift the dough and apply some flour underneath it. (This is important, because every time the dough sticks you could lose a buttery layer of pastry. You can also turn the dough over to roll on both sides, but make sure that the bound end always remains to your left. (Be aware: As you roll the dough thin, it becomes more difficult to tell which is the bound end.) Once the dough is about 1/4-inch thick, fold it again but, this time, fold the top end to the center, then fold the bottom up to meet the top at the center, leaving 1/4-inch space between them. Brush off any excess flour (from the top) and then fold the bottom up to enclose the top. (You will now have a rectangle that’s longer than before, but you’ll still have one bound end and one open end.) Either write yourself a note, or gently press two fingers into the dough as a reminder that you have completed two complete turns. Wrap the dough carefully in overlapping plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (This resting time is important. It gives the butter a chance to firm up and the gluten in the dough a chance to relax, making it less obstinate when continuing the rolling and turning process.)       

Turn # 3: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap. Place it on a floured work surface, again with the bound end to your left. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and roll it out again into a very large, thin 1/4-to 1/8-inch thick rectangle, keeping the sides as even as possible. Turn the dough over as necessary (just keep track of the bound side). Fold again, as you did before with each short end meeting in the center with 1/4-inch in between. Then brush off the excess flour and fold the bottom up to enclose the top. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.       

Turn #4:  Roll and turn again as for turn #3.  Wrap the dough carefully and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.       

You are now ready to roll, fill, cut and shape the croissants. (YAY!)       

To roll, cut and shape ”cinnamon-currant” 16 large or 32 small croissants:        

First get ready: Have two to four baking sheets lined with parchment paper ready and set aside until needed. Make an egg wash by mixing 1 extra large egg with 2 yolks and 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and a small splash of water (about 1 tablespoon). Strain this into another bowl.  Place 2 cups of dried currants in a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Let steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and place currants on doubled paper towels. Whisk together 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons cinnamon.      

Remove the rested, fully turned croissant dough from the refrigerator, unwrap and place it on a floured work surface. Once again, position the bound end of the dough on your left. Using a very sharp knife, cut the dough in half width-wise through the middle. Wrap one half and refrigerate.       

    One half of a fully “turned” croissant dough.    

Roll the other half of the dough out into a long, wide, 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, keeping the sides very even. Brush the dough lightly but evenly with the egg wash. Brush the dough lightly but evenly with the egg wash. Generously sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over the glazed surface and use your hand to help distribute evenly. Scatter on half the currants.   

With a sharp knife, cut the dough in four equal sections (if wanting to make 32 smaller croissants, you’ll cut the rectangles width-wise in  half). Then cut each rectangle diagonally in half, so you will have two long triangles out of each rectangle (for 8 to 16 croissants, per each half of dough).    

Carefully lay one triangle in front of you, on the work surface, with the wide edge nearest you (the long point will be pointing up). With the sharp knife, cut a tiny slit (1/2 inch) in the wide edge. (When making smaller croissants, lift the pointed end and gently elongate (pulling away from  you) to help create a longer triangle, and then lay it down again. This will allow you to make more revolutions when doing what comes next).    

Grasp the broad edge and gently widen it, trying not to tear the dough. Roll the dough up toward the tip, starting at the bottom, until you reach the top of the triangle. As you roll, make sure the tip of the triangle remains under the roll of dough and does not show. Curve the two ends of dough, that slightly protrude from either side of the roll of dough, downward toward you. (This is what creates the crescent shape. You should now have a perfectly shaped croissant.)  

Carefully lift the croissant off the work surface and place it on the parchment lined baking sheet, making sure that the tip of the triangle remains secure under the un-risen croissant. Repeat with the remaining triangles.  

Cover the baking sheets with a clean kitchen towel and let the croissants rise until light, billowy and almost triple in size. This may take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the temperature of the room. Mine usually between two and three hours. If making 16 large croissants and working with a double oven, repeat the rolling, cutting and shaping procedure with the remaining half of the dough. If working with one oven and making 32 croissants, allow the first half to remain in the refrigerator until you are almost ready to glaze and bake the first batch. (If you have enough refrigerator space, you can also shape all of the croissants and keep them chilled until you take them out, sheet by sheet, to rise. )

Here are 8 shaped croissants that are almost fully risen.  

To bake: Preheat the oven to 400F (375F if using a convection mode). When fully risen, paint them thoroughly with the prepared glaze being mindful not to let the glaze drip or form puddles around the croissants. Place the croissants in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. (15 to 20 minutes for small ones.) When done, the croissants will be golden-brown and should feel very light, when lifted. If, at any time, the croissants seem to be over-browning, cover them loosely with aluminum foil (shiny side up). Remove the foil for the last minute or two of baking.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using a metal spatula, place the baked croissants on wire racks to cool until just warm, before serving. (You can bake croissants, cool them thoroughly and then, for the best longevity, store them in a plastic bag at room temperature. Reheat, uncovered, on a baking sheet, in a preheated 375F oven, for 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp. )

Guess what? Jessie was able to come home on Sunday, after all! 

Who says dreams don’t come true?… I love Sundays.

Tags: cinnamon sugar, croissant recipes, French pastry recipes, homemade bread recipes, homemade pastries, pastry recipes, the best homemade croissant recipes