Crustless Pizza by Nigella

I was excited when I came across this recipe.  When, I read what was in it and how it was made, I had doubts about it coming out, like pizza, and I was correct.  It did turn out to be a delicious dish and I would make it again with a few changes.  I would put the vegetables in the batter and possibly add just a bit of oil.  I would start with half a tablespoon.

Crustless Pizza  (adapted)

From Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson.

Serves:  2 to 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup gluten-free brown rice mixture
• Salt
• 1 cup  milk
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup grated Cheddar
• 1 tomato, sliced thin
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• Special equipment: 1 round ovenproof pie dish, 8 or 9 inches in diameter

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the flour, salt, to taste, and milk to make a smooth batter.  (Mine was slightly lumpy)

Spray a round ovenproof  dish, then stir half the grated cheese into the batter, before pouring it into the dish.

Bake for 30 minutes. Take the dish out of the oven, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and tomatoes, bell pepper and scallions. Return the dish to the oven and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes to make sure it’s heated through.

Once the cheese on top is melted  take it out of the oven and serve, cut into slices. A green  salad on the side would not be a bad idea…

Leftover Note:

Leftovers can be reheated the next day in a hot oven for 8 to10 minutes, but sadly they won’t be as nice as the first time around.

Linked to Pennywise Platter Thursdays

Prairie Story

Ultimate Recipe Swap

Remodelholic

Veggie Converter



Moist Mocha Cake — CEiMB

CCraving Ellie in My Belly CEiMB

Moist Mocha Cake

Host – Chaya from Comfy Cook — Hey, that’s me.

It is unusual for the bakers and chefs of CEimB to make desserts.  I decided to be a little different and select a cake.  What, I did not realize was that this week, I would be baking for four different groups, two of them where I was the host.  Did we ever have baked goods in this house.  Dorie’s cinnamon cake was a winner for this family.  I brought the Mocha cake to school and my class jumped for joy.  They did not know what mocha was and it ended up they love it.

My confession:  I left this for the last minute and was half a sleep, this morning, when I baked it.  I kept making mistakes and then figuring out how to rescue the cake.  In the end, we had a good cake, despite this.

Usually, when I pick the recipe, I follow it to the most minute point.  This time, I could not do that.  Since we have dietary restrictions both in our being kosher and hubby’s being gluten-free, I had not choice but to make changes.   I could not make this a dairy cake.  (long explanation that will have to wait)  I substituted Tofutti sour cream and cream cheese.  I did not use yogurt at all.  I will put in bold anything I altered, in the recipe.  Ellie’s recipe is here as it was written.

This is a rich mocha cake, more like a chocolate one with a creamy cream cheese topping.  That sounds good and it tasted great.

Moist Mocha Cake

Prep Time: 25 min

Inactive Prep Time: –

Cook Time: 25 min

Level: Intermediate                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Serves: 16 servings (1 serving equals 1 square)

Directions

For the cake:

Ingredients

Cooking spray

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour  (substituted gluten-free brown rice flour mix for the whole wheat and all-purpose.)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (see above)

1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons butter, melted  (margarine)

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 1/2 cups lowfat yogurt  (used Tofutti sour cream)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water   (had not expresso – used instant coffee)

2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate

For the frosting:

1 (8-ounce) bar Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese), softened  (used Tofutti cream cheese)

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon espresso powder dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water

1 teaspoon coffee liqueur or vanilla

1 small square chocolate

Method:

Arrange rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.  (made in square)

Whisk together flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl, then sift ingredients through a fine mesh strainer.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and oil. Add eggs and egg whites and whisk to incorporate.

Fold in yogurt, vanilla, sugar and dissolved espresso powder.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 90 seconds or over a double boiler. Fold chocolate into batter.

Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated; do not overbeat.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool completely.

While cake is cooling, make the frosting:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until soft and creamy. Spread frosting evenly over cake and cut into squares. Finely grate one small square of chocolate. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the cake.  I made a crumbly topping by chopping up four of the Viennese Crunch bars.  This makes a fantastic topping.

Eat and Enjoy!

 

Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake – Nigella

It was almost a year ago that I made a flourless cake from Nigella Lawson. It has remained the most popular recipe on this blog. I am thrilled to share that I have another Nigella recipe for a flourless cake. Her recipe was for Chocolate Lime but I was not sure we would like the lime flavor in such a rich chocolate cake, so I used orange. I think, I overdid how much zest I used. You can only imagine the aroma that floated through my house. Heavenly.

I got this recipe from her newest book, Nigella’s Kitchen, a stunning book. It is filled with information and personal cooking tidbits besides the wonderful recipes and magnificent photos. This is one book, I am glad to have in my cookbook library.

You can find the recipe here.

The original recipe can found here.  It is dated October 9th, 2009.

Eat and enjoy!   I did.

Stuffed Meat Loaf – influenced by Mark Bittman

Years ago, when I made meat loaf, more often, I used to stuff  it with all kinds of goodies including hard boiled eggs.  Years have passed and I thought I had learned to be more creative with meat loaf, actually missing some of the creativity brought forth by Mark Bittman, in this video, where you will also find the recipe for this meat loaf.  Mark demonstrates just a few fillings and additional toppings.  The choices are many and one could make meat loaf nightly, for months without repeating herself.  Once again, I enjoy Mark Bittman’s easy approach to cooking, giving information in a simple way while really showering with you knowledge and variety.

Basic Meat Loaf

Adapted from Mark Bittman, author of “How to Cook Everything”

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup taco crumbs or corn meal

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth or tomato sauce

• 2 pounds mixed ground meats: beef, turkey, veal

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 

  

  Push the eggs down, gently.

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Soak the bread crumbs in the broth until  absorbed, about 5 minutes.
2. Mix together all ingredients. Shape the meat into a loaf in a baking pan. Bake 45 to 60 minutes, basting occasionally with rendered pan juices. When done, meat loaf will be lightly browned and firm, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meat loaf will read 160 F.

How to spice up meat loaf – only a few from Bittman 

Cover the eggs with meat mixture.

Mix in options:
Ginger/soy/scallion
Dried mushrooms
Fresh herbs: Parsley, chives, basil
Chili/curry powder/other spice mix
Cooked onions
Shredded carrots or other veggies
Sundried tomatoes
Corn

Topping suggestions:
Barbeque sauce
Tomato sauce
Pesto
Chili sauce
Mustard-honey
Satay sauce (peanut butter based)

“To add any of the additions in the list, just integrate them into the raw mixture as you mix it. Use your judgment as to amounts; you’ll want a teaspoon or two of most spices or strong herbs, a tablespoon or more of mild herbs like parsley or basil, and up to a half cup, or even more, of shredded or diced vegetables.

To use any of the toppings, spoon them over the top of the loaf about halfway through cooking. About a cup should do it, though you can use more if you like.

To make free-form meat loaf, just use your hands to shape the raw mixture into a loaf in a baking dish and bake as usual. It will hold its form.

To make meat loaf stuffed with zucchini or hard-boiled eggs, put half the raw mixture in the bottom of a loaf pan, and nestle a medium zucchini or two or three hard-boiled eggs in it. Cover with the remaining meat mixture and seal the sides.”

Serving Size

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Linked to Ultimate Recipe Swap

Linked to Eat At Home

Make it With…..Mondays

Four Cheese Baked Penn CEiMB

When I first saw this recipe on our list to cook for, Craving Ellie in My Belly, in February, I started guessing which exotic cheeses were going to be used, figuring, I could not make the recipe, since cheese is either too expensive or hard to get.  When, I saw cottage cheese, ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella, I was let down.  All of a sudden, a glorious sounding recipe sounded bland.  So,  the challenge was to show how Ellie took cheese that are easy to get and made a wonderful casserole.  The ending flavors melded into one delightful melody.  (I am listening to Roy Orbison which is where the melody comes from.)

Now that I have eaten of this really good pasta dish, I want to thank Lindsey of 71 Cookbooks.  This was a good choice and a warming meal as we look out of the window, at the snow piled from one end of the street to the other.

Look at the cheese shredding.

Combine cheese.