Doktor Dough

Basil Pesto (as given to me by my sister)

2 Tblspn pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 cloves garlic, minced if you are not using a processor of some sort
2 cups packed basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tblspn parmesan cheese, grated
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Lightly wash and dry the basil leaves (salad spinner or a dishtowel work well). I am generous with the pine nuts and I toast them in a dry pan on the stovetop or in the toaster oven for just a few minutes – watch that they don’t burn! Let cool until ready to use. To cut the sharpness of the raw garlic, I crush a couple cloves and then put them in a small bowl with a little olive oil (almost to cover) and microwave for 20 seconds. Put all the basil into a food processor, blender or, my favorite, a 2 cup mini-chopper (cost about 20 bucks), add the oil/garlic mix, some salt and pepper and a bit more of the oil. Process until things start to move about and then add the rest of the oil and nuts and process until smooth. I add little Parmesan here but I add most of it when I serve it, freshly grated on top. Serve tossed over hot pasta.  The pesto does NOT get cooked at all and is best left at room temperature to serve or brought to room temperature if it has been stored in the fridge or freezer.

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King Cake – New Orleans Style
I blended a couple of recipes to make this one… the hot roll mix can be substituted with a plain yeast roll dough.

1 box (16 ounces) Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix, prepared according to directions on box
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
(for a cream cheese filling use 8 oz cream cheese instead of butter)
For icing:
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 cup granulated sugar (large crystals)
3 or 4 drops of purple, green or yellow food coloring.

Preheat oven to 375F.
Cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon together.

Make the dough by following the instructions on the  package. Put half the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 2-foot-by-1- foot rectangle. Spread half the filling mixture on top of dough.

Roll the dough toward you into a long circular shape approximately 2 inches in diameter. Do the same with the second half of the dough. Place dough roll seam-side down on a well-greased baking sheet. Curve each roll to form the circle and pinch ends together.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until doubled in size.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

To prepare the icing, mix the sugar, lemon juice and water.
Slowly add more water by the teaspoon until it spreads as easily as a thin icing.
Place 1/3 cup sugar in three small jars. Add three drops of food coloring to each. Cover with lid and shake.

Coat the cake top with glaze. Sprinkle colored sugars in 2- to 3-inch alternating rows of purple, green and yellow.

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Berta’s Carrot Cake from The New Basics Cookbook

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup corn or canola oil (see note below for substitution*)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups pureed cooked carrots (chop, cook in microwave and puree in mini-chopper or blender)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded (unsweetened) coconut
3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained

*Oil substitution: take the pineapple juice you drain from the pineapple, add applesauce to make about 1/3 – 1/2 cup, then add oil to bring to 1 cup liquid volume.

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift flour, sugar, baking soda,  and cinnamon together into mixing bowl. Add oil, eggs, vanilla and beat until well-combined (electric mixer is fine). Fold in the carrots, walnuts, coconut and pineapple (can use the mixer, just don’t overbeat).
Prepare a baking pan by greasing and lining with waxed paper. Generously fills one 9 x 13 or 2 round layer cake pans. Or makes lots of mini-muffins. Pour cake batter into pan of choice. Bake on middle oven rack until edges begin to pull away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean; about 1 hour for the 9 x 13, 35 to 45 minutes for the round layers.
Cool 10 minutes in the pan then unmold it onto cooling rack.

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Yakisoba
1/4 cup beef (in stir fry sized pieces)
1/4 cup pork (as above)
1/4 cup chicken (same)
4 shrimp, peeled and cut as above
vegetable oil for stir frying
1 – 2 packages soba noodles
3/4 cup water, very hot, per package noodles
1 – 2 bags spinach (usu. about 10 oz bags if prepackaged)
3 scallions, chopped
fried egg, optional

Sounds hard? Ok, here’s what you do… you only need 2 of the meats or shrimp – don’t worry about getting all 4 things. Put a small chicken breast or small piece of beef aside in the freezer when you buy some for another purpose and pull it out when you want to make this. If you cut the meat in thin strips while it is partially frozen it’s a bit easier.

Cut the meat(s) or shrimp and put aside in separate bowls or plates. Chop scallions. Wash the spinach, get as much water out as you can easily. At this point you can put everything to the side until ready to use (meats in the fridge if it will be a while).

Heat oil in the bottom of wok or heavy-bottomed pan on med-high to high heat. Add one of the meats, stir fry quickly until done and remove to a fresh bowl with some paper towel at the bottom to absorb extra oil. Repeat this step with each of the meats or shrimp, adding a bit more oil as needed. Little bits of stuff will build up on the bottom of the pan – don’t worry. After the meats are done, remove any excess oil and add about 3/4 cup boiling water to the pan for each packet of noodles (I keep the kettle hot on another burner while cooking the meat, then it goes quick). Add the noodles and a little bit of the seasoning packets; if you add it all, it is too much. Cook about 3 minutes, reducing heat so the water doesn’t all boil away. Scrape the bits from the bottom of the pand and add a little more water as needed. Then add the spinach, put on low heat and cover until spinach wilts. Then add the meats/shrimp back in and the scallions and heat through. Mix thoroughly and serve hot with soy sauce. (I have never added the egg but give it a try!)

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Swiss Chard – get your greens!
According to the Joy of Cooking, you can “cook the leaves like spinach and the stems like asparagus.” So this is what I did with the leaves.
fresh bunch of Swiss chard
chopped onion
clove or 2 of garlic, mashed
olive oil to saute
Wash the chard and separate the leaves from the stems. Chop leaves coarsely. Heat olive oil in a saute pan and add the garlic and onion. After a couple minutes, add the chard and saute until wilted – 5 minutes or so. You can briefly place a cover over the pan to speed it up. Serve and enjoy! I read somewhere there is a BIG difference between fresh chard and not-so-fresh for taste, so beware. Mine was one day old from the Farmer’s Market in Alameda.

Roasted Cauliflower
This little gem was passed from my friend Joellen to my mom to me. I am always trying to be a better veggie eater, so simple veggie recipes are right up my alley.
1 head cauliflower
olive oil or mix of olive and canola oils, 1 – 2 Tblspn
salt, about 1/2 tspn for a good-sized head
Preheat oven to 375F. Core the cauliflower and cut into flowerets, about 1 -2 inches in size. Rinse. Toss in a bowl with just enough oil to add a sheen and then sprinkle in the salt and toss again. You may need to do this in 2 shifts if it is too much cauliflower for the size bowl (I made a mess!). Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet (with sides is nice). Bake about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Very tasty.