Artisan-Tuscan Bread

Made this recipe and I incorporated other ingredients to it.  I added sugar and corn meal.

3 ½ to 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.  Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours.  Overnight works great.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pour dough onto a lightly floured corn meal or oat bran parchment paper and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.  Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough.  dust with corn meal, cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  

Moroccan Chicken Brochettes

Thought I'd try this new recipe I found on Bon Appetit.

Garlic Sauce

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Kosher salt
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
• fresh dill

Chicken

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2” pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil (for grilling)   

Garlic Sauce

Place garlic in a mortar; season with salt and pound to a very fine paste. (Alternatively, place garlic on a cutting board, season with salt, and mash with the side of a chef’s knife.) Transfer garlic paste to a small bowl and gradually whisk in oil.

Very gradually whisk yogurt into garlic mixture until emulsified. (Add too fast and sauce will break. If it does break, gradually whisk in 1 tsp. water just before serving.)

DO AHEAD: Garlic sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Chicken

Toss chicken, garlic, parsley, cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl; season with salt. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Prepare grill for medium-high heat and oil grate. Thread chicken onto skewers. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 8–12 minutes. Serve with garlic sauce, pita bread, labneh, tomatoes, and mint.

DO AHEAD: Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Garlic Herbed Scalloped Potatoes

This is a new recipe.  Simple ingredients not too much food prep.
Recipe courstsy of Food Network Kitchen(R)

1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 lbs potatoes
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives
Garlic herbed cheddar cheese
Pinch nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the garlic around the inside of an 8 by 8 by 2-inch casserole dish and let it dry. Reserve the remaining garlic. Rub the butter around the inside of the dish. Reserve the remaining butter.

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes on a mandoline or vegetable slicer (about 1/8-inch-thick slices).

In a medium saucepan, combine the garlic, butter, potatoes, half-and-half, salt, pepper to taste, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring, until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Shake the pan so the potatoes are distributed evenly.

Bake the potatoes, basting occasionally, until lightly browned and bubbly, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.