Quick Apple Dumplings

Well, there's your picture. It happened before I got back to the kitchen this morning. 8 dumplings. 2 kiddos. 1 Dear Husband.

Ta da.
Poof.
Gone.

Here's the recipe and I believe you'll love it!
Set the oven at 350.

You'll need:
2 apples - Granny Smith are fine, I like Jazz
1/2 stick butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 container refrigerated crescent rolls

Cut the apples in quarters, skin on and core them.
Wrap the apples in the crescent roll strips and place them in a greased 8x8 baking pan.
Melt butter and sugar and whisk together lightly.
Pour over the wrapped apples and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Breakfast? Dessert? Kiddo's snack? Just enjoy.

Tongue of Fire Beans & Love

On my trip to the Santa Monica Farmers Market I was arrested by these beautiful shelling beans, the Tongue of Fire. They we beautifully displayed almost overflowing in baskets by the Fairview Gardens farmers. They grow more than one kind of bean, and have a range of information on them here. 

I felt like I just wanted to run my hands through them and let them dribble out my fingers. Thankfully my hands were full and restrained! Aren't they inviting?

 

Now, these are definitely not dried beans, with which I have lots of familiarity and facility, but fresh. I had trouble remembering their name. They look like they should be the cranberry bean. At any rate, I snagged a pound or so (with a scoop) and brought them home. 

Here's where my ignorance to their freshness set in. I left them in the bag for a couple of days and voila! they began to sprout a bit. So that night, while my summer lovin' family were craving burgers and I was not, I quickly transformed these beans into a plate of sheer delight.

 First, a little bit of bacon in the pan, and then some chopped red scallions. Then I drained and cleaned the pan, added olive oil and let the cooked meat and onions continue. I added some chicken stock, some thyme from the garden and some red pepper flakes, then the beans.

I added a teaspoon of salt and let them simmer about 20 minutes. I later read here, that you shouldn't salt them while cooking because they become tough. I didn't notice a toughness, but they were a somewhat different texture than dried beans. Quite delightful.

Next time I'll wait to salt to see the difference.

 But I won't wait to eat them. I may be in love.

Grab a spoon and join me?

Making Pizza Pie

I've been making Trailer Gypsy's quick pizza crust for a while now... I needed a replacement for the little bags of chemicals and magic (ok it's just dry bagged pizza crust) that costs too much money but is SOOOO easy. And the other quick pizza crust recipes I've tried taste like moonsand. Moist and gritty. And that is not how I like my pizza.

And I can honestly say.... I love this recipe. No moonsand. Just smooth and crispy pizza. Quickly. Who says things can't be quick, cheap and good?

Plus, we make two thin crust pizzas. One with just cheese, chicken and broccoli for the kids. And one with everything for the grown-ups-- this one was three cheese, Manzanilla olives and fresh spinach. Pizza is so versatile for this time of year when gardens are producing, farmers markets are bursting and the CSA box is a treasure trove-- any veggie you can possibly imagine could probably be a topping!

I did monkey with it a little bit. Here's the original recipe.

And here is mine with some tiny tweaks.... honey instead of sugar. High fiber flour (or all purpose flour), I just use high fiber flour. A bit extra salt for  a more rounded flavor-- in absence of extra spices (boo kids and their aversion to 'green flakes' on their pizza. For the record basil is not algae).

Trailer Gypsy's Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
1c. warm water - you want the water really warm, not lukewarm
1 Tbsp. honey
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast - that is how much is in 1 packet
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups flour - unbleached high fiber flour.
Spices-- I had to use 'hidden' spices. Nothing green you know.... onion powder, garlic powder....

Preheat oven to 425.

Mix water, sugar and yeast in a bowl until dissolved.
Add the olive oil, salt, and spices.
Add flour, stir until mixed well.

This will be a stickier dough than if you were making bread but it shouldn't be too moist either. Add more flour if you need to.

Let dough sit for at least 10 min. while you prepare your toppings.


On a floured surface roll dough out into two thin sheets. Will make about 2 medium pizzas.

Looks good doesn't it?!

Raspberry-Rhubarb Crisp 

via Molly

I'm over at my home base for Monday Meals this week.