Sausage Bread

Sausage bread is a tradition in many Italian-American families. This recipe can have many variations. I will share two, however, as with all recipes, you can add and delete ingredients as you see fit. Your kids will love making bread with you. 

Ingredients 

Dough - (Our Recipe or Bakery)

Olive Oil 

Garlic 

Garlic Powder

Broccoli Cuts (Frozen) 

Sweet Sausage 1lb (Hot or any variation you enjoy)

Four Cheese Italian Blend

Parmesan Slice

Grated Romano 

Salt

Pepper

White Onion (Diced)

Sausage Links (Sweet Italian) or Prepared Sweet Italian Ground Sausage

1-2 eggs

First Step - Double risen dough

Layout your baking sheets. In the center of the sheet, roll out about 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil in the center of the sheet. Place a dough ball on top of the olive oil. Spread the dough so that it overlaps the baking sheet. Set aside and allow the dough to rise again as you prepare the rest of the recipe.

In a skillet, prepare the sausage. I prefer Italian Sweet Sausage in the link. The flavors have been infused in the link, and I think you get a better result with links, You can buy prepared ground sausage as an alternative. Coat the skillet with olive oil and thinly sliced garlic. Saute the sausage until lightly browned. Do not over cook the sausage. Be sure to finely chop the sausage into crumbles.  

You will coat the bottom of the dough with a thin layer of Parmesan and Four Cheese Blend. The thin layer will combine with the dough to make a firm base. This firmness allows for cuts to stay a bit firm.

In the skillet, (leave sausage oils) cook up the broccoli cuts so that it is tender. (You can use a steamer bag and do a quick infusion of the sausage flavors as an alternative) Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs into a scramble. 

Layering your bread - You will layer the sausage crumbles on top of the cheese. Add a thin layer of grated cheese. Next, infuse half of your egg mixture lightly on the crumbles and cheese. Next, add a layer of broccoli and sausage crumbles. Lightly add an additional layer of the Cheese Blend. Add what is left of your egg mixture, diced onion, and garlic powder. You also can add salt and pepper to your own preferred taste. 

You will fold the dough into 2 layers. One side on top of the other. You will add a thin layer of olive oil on top of the dough with seasoning. (You can also add a thin layer of grated cheese if you would like) 

Some people overlap the layers throughout the bread. I prefer the layers on top of the bread. The thickness allows for the seasoning to immerse itself on the top to compliment the inside of the bread.

As with all recipes on this blog, experiment with your kids a bit. Use different seasonings, meats, and cheese combinations. This recipe also serves as
a base recipe for calzones and pepperoni bread which we will add to our blog in future posts. 

Gnocchis - Ricotta Cheese Recipe

Gnocchis are a lot of work, and if you are a dad wanting to spend time with your kids, this is a great activity. You will need a gnocchi board, or you can use a fork. Truly simple.

Ingredients

6 cups flour
2 eggs.
Garlic Powder 1-2 tsp
Salt 1-2 tsp
16ox Ricotta Cheese

 

Equipment - Gnocchi Boards


In a large mixing bowl, add the 6 cups of flour. Swirl once or twice around the bowl the garlic powder and salt. Mix both into the flour. Add 2 eggs and hand mix the eggs. Next, add the Ricotta cheese and you will start to form a consistency for pasta dough. During this process, you want to monitor the moisture of the dough. Spread a thin layer of flour as needed on the surface you are

kneading the dough. You want the dough to form a firm ball. Once firm, continue with the next step.

Using a knife, slice a 1/2 inch (similar to a slice of bread. Roll the dough into a long snake (like when you were a kid playing with playdough) Center your hands on the Gnocchi Board. Roll your dough one complete cycle. Your ridges will generally connect once a full circle is achieved. 

You want to place the gnocchis on a cookie sheet. Wax paper is generally recommended as a foundation. You want to freeze the trays once full for firmness so you can place the gnocchis in one-quart freezer bags. Gnoccis generally freeze well for 6 months when you use a high-quality freezer bag. Squeeze the air out or use a vacuum sealer. 

It takes a long time to accumulate a pound on Gnoccis. That's why this is a great father/child activity. You will have a few hours to chat and enjoy the activity. 

The Iron Skillet, Oven Roaster, and a Good Steak

Wintertime and grilling can be a challenge in the northeast. Some dads think the best steak comes from a grill. Not true. You can have a great steak using your cast iron skillet and an oven roaster.
Great cuts of steaks are T-Bone, Prime Rib, Sirloin, and Tenderloins. A marbleized flank steak is also one of my favorites. With this recipe, you should be good with most grades of steaks.

Prepping is the most important aspect of a good steak. I am a strong proponent of a 1-hour salt bath. For prime rib, I recommend an encrusted rock salt recipe for the entire process of cooking. However, for this recipe, we are going to keep it simple.

A good cut of meat will come with fat. Trim the large chunks of fat from the steak. On a cutting board, place a layer of Himalayan or  Kosher salt cuts. Firmly press the front and backside of your cut of meat so that the chunks of salt are embedded into the meat. Let the steak set out at room temperature for about an hour. The salt will draw out the liquids and break down proteins tenderizing the steak. The thicker the steak, the more salt you want to use for your preparation. Some chefs call this process osmosis.

Ingredients

Cut of steak.
Salt - Himalayan, Rock, Sea or Iodized
Olive Oil 3 tablespoons
1-2 cloves of garlic

The next step is to warm up your skillet. Skillets hold the flavor better than any cooking device for the stovetop. For this recipe, you will turn the heat on your stove to med-high or slightly higher. Poor in the olive oil and bring the heat to the desired temperature. Prior to adding the steak, mince some garlic to flavor the oil.

The purpose of the skillet is to seal the brine from tenderizing your steak. You will cook on both sides for 3-4 minutes. This will brown the surface of your steak while leaving the center rare, which is exactly what you want. If you have multiple steaks, you can brown longer for a med-rare center for one steak, and keep the other rare.

Ingredients for Roasting Oven

6-8 potatoes
2-3 carrots
2-3 celery
4-6 cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
(Feel free to add corn or anything else you like)
Cracked pepper and salt
Italian seasoning
Olive oil 2-3 tsp.

Cube and slice your vegetables and place them in a bowl.  Pour the olive oil on the vegetables and mix to ensure they are coated. Next, add the cracked salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Again mix to ensure they are well seasoned. In the oven roaster, place 2 sheets of aluminum paper on top of the metal basket (optional - makes clean up easier) Spread the vegetables evenly across the roaster. Place your seasoned steaks on top of the vegetable mixture. Close the lid. Set the cooker for 200 degrees. The next step is up to you. You can cook for 2 hours at 250 degrees for a rare steak. Or you can slow cook for 4 hours at 200 degrees for a med-rare steak. The longer you cook the steak, it will become increasingly tender. Use a meat thermometer to check for a safe temperature prior to removing from the oven. You may have to cook the vegetables a bit longer for a rare steak. You can turn the oven up to 350 or 400 degrees. You should have tender vegetables in 20-30 mins.

Turkey Stock

Turkey stock is easy to make and freeze for multiple soup recipes. After making a Turkey in the oven or an oven roaster, take out the turkey. Using a skimmer, take out the impurities (bones, meat fragments veggies etc.) Allow the liquid to cool and congeal. After many hours, the liquid will turn into a gel. Skim the gel use about a cup for every 7 quarts of water to make a great broth. I use 1 cup freezer Tupperware to save the gel for future soups. You can put the frozen mixture in your water and it will dissolve perfectly The nice thing about making your own broth like this is that the flavors from your preparation of the turkey are concealed in the gel. This gives a rich flavor you can not get from commercially made broths. Simple to make, it will serve you well as a substitute for chicken broth. 

Gochujang Hummus and Veggie Plate.

Over the past year, I have really advocated ghochujang as an addition to many recipes. This week, I tinkered with my hummus recipe, and really came up with something special. The kids tried it and loved the subtle difference this amazing Korean addition made to my hummus recipe.

I did change up the ingredients a bit, which might have added to this recipe. I replaced olive oil with grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil is commonly used with ghochujang at times with stir fry. In my opinion, they compliment each other and this was the case for this recipe.

The pepper base of ghochugang and the hummus truly go well with a veggie platter. Experiment and see what you can do with this recipe.

Ingredients

2 Cans of organic Chick Peas drained
Cracked Sea Salt and Pepper 1/2 tsp each
3-4 whole garlic cloves. (Local Pink Garlic Cloves have some heat)
1-2 tsp of Grapeseed Oil
1-2 tsp of Organic Tahini
1/2 - 1 tsp of Gochujang - (
start small and adjust to your tolerance of heat versus flavor)

In a chopper, place all of the ingredients except the ghochujang. Blend until a smooth consistency. Chick peas and garlic chunks can hide in the hummus. Blend for an additional minute to ensure everything is consistent. Add the ghochujang and test for your level of heat and flavor. I like a little extra heat, however the kids might like a milder hummus at first.

Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger (YEP - It's Amazing)

I went for a mini-vacation on Cape Cod and tried a local favorite in Provincetown MA knows as the Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger. I have to say, at first the idea of a peanut butter and bacon burger did not sound that appetizing. The person I was with ordered the burger, and shared it with me. Truly, a big culinary surprise. I had to come back to Taberg NY and make this for my kids.

They had the same reaction at first. However, once they tried the burger, everyone loved how it tasted. Easy to make, I highly recommend it. (And, there are many ways to have fun with the recipe)

3lbs ground beef
Cracked Pepper
Cracked Sea Salt

Peanut Butter
Sesame/Coconut Oil (Either is fine)
Honey or Maple Syrup

Uncured Thick Cut Bacon

Bacon Prep - In a cast iron skillet, prepare the bacon. With a thick cut bacon, ensure it is crispy but not over cooked.  Drain most of the Bacon Grease. Leave enough to prepare the burgers.

Burger Prep - A good burger for this recipe should be 1/3lb or larger. You can use 1/4 burgers, however a thick juicy burger is in order for this recipe. In a bowl, mix in the cracked pepper and salt then create the patties. I personally like cooking the burgers in bacon grease. You can also use cooking oil if this does not appeal to your healthier senses.

Peanut Butter Sauce - In a small sauce pan, add 1 cup of peanut butter as a base. On top of the base, add the oil and honey. I love raw honey, but any honey will be fine. You will only need about 1 teaspoon of oil and 2-3 teaspoons of honey. Over a low heat, stir the mixture until all the ingredients are blended together.

The rest is quite simple. Immerse your burger with the peanut bu

tter sauce and bacon.  This recipe is meant to be messy.

(Additional Options)
I have seen this recipe with a fried egg, jalapenos, red onions, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes. I like the recipe as is, however as with all of our recipes, I encourage dads to experiment with their kids. Have fun, and make it your own.

Eggplant-Broccoli Rabe Parmesan - WHOA!

When you cook with your kids, it is important to build on a previous recipe. For example, in the spring, we pick and clean wild Broccoli Rabe. We freeze some for future recipes. This fall, Eggplant Parm is the big dish we enjoy from the garden. Warm and inviting, it will be a dish served throughout the holidays. This year, we combined the spring rabes with the fall eggplant. Along with the garden goodies, add some sausage and you have an amazing main entree. Try this variation of eggplant parm,  you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients.

Bag of Broccoli Rabe (roughly 1 lb.)
l - l/2 pounds of sweet or hot peppers - (sliced or crumbled)
1 red onion
Minced Garlic Cloves (3-5 cloves)
Sliced Eggplant
Olive Oil
1 pound of Mozzarella Cheese or 4 cheese Italian Blend
3 eggs (and a 1 tablespoon of heavy cream if available)
Italian Bread Crumb Mix
Course Salt and Pepper
Garlic Powder/Salt
Spaghetti Sauce (See recipe or use your own)
Crushed basil and oregano

Directions

Using a potato peeler, peel the skin off the eggplant. (Some people leave the skin on, however I prefer the skin off.) Slice into 1/8th inch slices. Setup a bowl for 3 eggs with cream and scramble. Setup another bowl with the bread crumbs, course salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning. (Tsp each or adjust to your flavor. You can also add crushed pepper flakes) Warm the skillet to a medium heat using olive oil as a base for frying. (1/8- 1/4 inch of oil) When oil is at the right temperature, fry the eggplant to a light golden brown on each side. Setup a tray with paper towels and let the eggplant sit as you prepare the broccoli rabe mixture.

Broccoli Rabe - in a cast iron skillet, coat the skillet with olive oil and garlic. Warm the skillet at a medium heat. Prepare the sausage first. Save the sausage grease and oil for the broccoli rabe. Add the minced garlic, cracked salt and pepper. Saute for 15 mins or until tender. Set aside.

In a 9x13 baking pan, set forth a layer of fried eggplant for you base. Add a layer of cheese and spaghetti sauce. Add another layer of eggplant. Next add the broccoli rabe. You can also disperse sausage crumbles in the your layers to flavor the mix. Continue this pattern until you reach within a 1/4 inch of top of the pan. The last layer should be sauce, crushed oregono, crushed basil, and parm.

Preheat the oven for 350 degrees. Bake the casserole for 45 mins to an hour. Take out of the oven and let it settle for 10-15 mins prior to serving.