You are currently in standard theme

You are currently in flex theme

What do the rich and famous, powerful business executives, the President, Kings and Queens, AND the Ireland family have in common? A live-in chef. Well, at least for a few months. 

This may be a dream for many people, but it became a reality in my life this past summer. Well, kind of . . . our pastor was on sabbatical this summer, and he and his family took much of the time to visit friends and family around the country. Their precious 20-year-old daughter is in nursing school and was unable to join them for many of the family’s travels. She spent part of the summer with us. 

Abby is smart, funny, independent, beautiful, adventurous, faithful, and an excellent cook. Abby was raised right. She is one of six children and her mom raised the children to feel comfortable and helpful in the kitchen. Each child is offered a night to cook and help prepare family meals. Abby knows how to take care of herself, help her family, and feed her family. She is a wiz in the kitchen, and when she started staying with us, she offered to make some of her family favorites and other amazing meals. She has been our guest, but she has been in the kitchen more than I have. In between test prep for school, she has been cooking for us, and I can see how someone could very quickly get used to having a live-in chef. 

She and their family cook healthy, simple, and delicious food. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Minimum on meat but maximum on herbs and flavors. It’s creative and new to our home.

These are just some of the meals that she prepared. 

Abby’s Homemade Pizza Dough with Two Toppings

I love to make homemade pizzas and making the dough is quick, inexpensive, and easy. I have a recipe that I have used for years, but Abby’s was slightly different and perfect. The dough seemed softer and much easier to work with. It also had great flavor and has become my new pizza dough recipe.  

4 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, divided 

2 packages instant yeast or 4 1/2 teaspoons 

2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional, as needed 

Combine two cups of the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in the large bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times. Add olive oil and warm water and pulse until mixture comes together and is well combined. 

Gradually add flour and process until dough has formed into a cohesive elastic ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be slightly sticky but still should be manageable with your hands. 

In a large bowl, drizzle with a good bit of olive oil and coat the sides of the bowl. Carefully, remove pizza dough from the food processor and transfer to the bowl. Cover dough with olive oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place. 

Allow pizza dough to rise for about 30 minutes until doubled in size. Once risen, use your hands to gently deflate and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Divide into two equal size balls and slowly begin to work the dough into 12-inch circles. 

Transfer to a parchment-lined pizza pan or cookie sheet and top with Abby’s two favorite toppings. 

In a large sauté pan, heat about one to two tablespoons olive oil and sauté a sliced onion, one sliced red or yellow bell pepper, and one or two fresh jalapeño peppers, chopped and seeds removed. 

Spread pizza dough with a little olive oil and pre-bake in a 450-degree oven for about five minutes. Top dough with vegetables, add about 1/2 cup pitted sliced kalamata olives. Top with one to two cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven for about 10 additional minutes or until crust is crispy and cheese is melted and browned. 

10 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed and coarsely chopped, or one package frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried 

Dash fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste

2 tomatoes, chopped or thinly sliced

Sauté spinach in oil on high heat until wilted. Drain the cooked spinach and press to remove any excess moisture with the back of your spoon. In a large bowl combine spinach, green onions, dill, feta, and ricotta cheese. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Spread the feta spinach topping on the pizza crust and then top with tomatoes. 

Bake for about 10-15 minutes in a preheated 450-degree oven until crust is golden and crispy.

Peach, Ricotta, and Honey Toast

Abby enjoyed going to the farmers market and would pick up fresh fruits and vegetables. One day, she came across some delicious peaches and found a recipe that would use the rest of the ricotta cheese from the pizza recipe above. She adapted this recipe from one she found online. It is fresh, easy, definitely worth a try. It would make a delicious breakfast as well as dessert. 

4 thick slices of crusty bread, such as sourdough or a French baguette 

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 

1 tablespoon honey, more for serving 

1 peach, cut into thin slices 

Drizzle olive oil over each slice of bread and toast in the oven until crisp. Place ricotta and honey in a food processor and mix until smooth and creamy. Place a generous dollop of cheese mixture on each piece of bread and spread to the edges. 

On a stove top grill or an outdoor barbecue, grill peaches for about one to two minutes per side. Top bread with about three to four grilled peach slices and drizzle with additional honey. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.

A sweet neighbor brought us some of their abundance of cucumbers this summer. Abby found this delicious recipe that we enjoyed several times. 

2 medium cucumbers, peeled if desired and sliced very thinly 

Crushed red chili flakes, to taste 

1/2 teaspoon chili oil, optional but good 

Slice cucumbers and place on a paper towel to remove some of the moisture. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the other ingredients and add the cucumbers. Stir to coat. Taste and add more red pepper flakes or chili oil, if desired. 

Best if made a few hours before but served the day that it is made.

Homemade Chorizo and Abby’s Breakfast Burritos

As I said, Abby is in nursing school at UMMC and also works there as a nurse tech. She tries to eat a hearty and healthy breakfast or mid-morning lunch for energy for her busy schedule. 

One day she made a large batch of breakfast burritos. She made about a dozen, wrapped them up individually and put them in the freezer. In the mornings, she would zap one in the microwave for pack it frozen for an early lunch or a snack between classes. This is an easy, economical, and delicious breakfast. These are perfect for families to have in the freezer for those busy mornings. 

 For Abby’s breakfast burritos we used store bought chorizo, but consider mixing up at batch of homemade. Chorizo is a type of Spanish/Mexican pork sausage that is spicy and flavorful. It can be smoked in the casings or uncooked such as the recipe below. You can find fresh ground pork at several grocery stores or use a grinder attachment or chop in your food processor.

2 pounds fresh ground pork, not pork sausage (or 2 pounds pork butts, ground)

2 to 3 tablespoons paprika (I use half regular and half smoked) 

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 

1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste 

1/2 to 1/4 cup ice cold water, if needed

If using whole pork, Grind pork butts or ask your butcher to do it.  Place pork in a stand of a mixer. Add all remaining ingredients except water and mix well until all the spices are evenly distributed. Add water a little at a time to make a good mixing consistently.

To taste for seasonings: cook a small patty in your microwave for about 60 seconds to test for salt and pepper, and spice level. Add more if desired. 

Chorizo freezes well. Divide into several portions and wrap well to store in the freezer.

12 whole wheat or regular flour burritos 

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican cheese

1-2 cups tater tots or hash browns

1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained (optional if you are using onion and pepper)

Salsa of your choice for serving

Cook and drain chorizo and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Cook tater tots using the package directions until they are golden brown. Leftover has browns or breakfast style potatoes also work well if available. Add to bowl. Sauté onion and pepper in a small amount of oil until slightly browned and add to the bowl. If using, stir in the drained Rotel tomatoes. 

In a separate bowl crack the eggs and whisk until well combined. Scramble and add to mixing bowl with other ingredients. Toss to combine all ingredients. Set aside to assemble burritos.

Set out all burritos and top with eggs -sausage mixture and top with a little cheese. folding or folding to contain the mixture. Fold or wrap each to contain the mixture and put in individual sandwich bags. Store in freezer until ready to eat. Heat or allow to defrost before eating. Serve with salsa, if desired. 

Another breakfast option that Abby made was something she called “Overnight oats.” This is an easy and genius way to have a hearty breakfast. 

1/2 cup milk or almond milk

1/3 cup to 1/2 cup yogurt, plain or flavor of your choice 

2 tablespoons Chia seeds, optional but good

A pinch of sea salt 

1/2 cup rolled or “old fashion” oats 

1/4 cup fruit, nuts, or whatever combo you would like 

The night before, layer all the ingredients, in the order listed, in a large jar with a tightfitting lid such as a mason jar. Store in the refrigerator overnight. 

When ready to eat, simply combine with a spoon and enjoy. 

You can add coconut, chocolate chips, chopped banana, almond butter or peanut butter, cinnamon powder or cocoa powder or anything else that you prefer. Feel free to provide a variety and allow your kids to build their own.

Red Onion, Feta, and Sweet Potato Galette

One evening, we invited some people from our church for dinner and Abby made one of her family’s favorite meals. A galette is like a pie without a pie plate. 

1/2 stick or 4 ounces cold butter, cubed 

2 to 3 tablespoons ice cold water

1-2 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

1 -2 large red onions, sliced in half moon pieces 

About 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 

Add the flour, butter, salt, and herbs into the small bowl of your food processor. Pulse for a minute and mixture should resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add about two tablespoons of the ice water and process again until the dough forms a ball. You might need to add another tablespoon of water. 

Carefully remove from processor and form into a disk shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. 

To prepare the filling mixture: 

Preheat oven to about 425°. Toss sweet potato with a little olive oil and salt to taste. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until sweet potato is cooked but with a little bite to it. 

In a separate pan, sauté red onions in a little additional olive oil until they are cooked through and slightly brown. 

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll out the dough and lightly floured surface into a 12- inch circle. You can keep the edges ragged as it makes it look a little more “homemade.”

Transfer the dough to the parchment lined baking sheet. Top with sweet potato and onion mixture leaving a couple of inches from the edge of the pastry. 

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle on the feta cheese and herbs. Fold the edge of the dough over the mixture pleating, as necessary. Brush the edges with egg, if desired and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.

One of Abby ‘s passions in life that she hopes will become the focus of her ministry and work, is serving the people in the Middle East. She has been fortunate enough to work with a mission group and took a trip to Jordan this past year. Her future plans involve returning to Jordan. She loves the food, culture, and people. She is committed and passionate to finish nursing school and then use her skills to help the people in that area of the world. She told me so many stories of the hospitality of the people she met in Jordan. Just like the Southern Hospitality, much of the culture involves sitting together and sharing food.

For one of our final cooking adventures together, she told me about this amazing Arabic rice dish that she was served, and she has enjoyed making and serving to family and friends. Everything is made in a large pot and is flipped upside down from the pot when ready to serve. It is delicious and while it may take a little bit of time to gather all the ingredients and assemble the first time, it really is an easy dish to prepare and something that a large group would enjoy.

To prepare the meat and broth you will need:

About 2 pounds of meat of your choice. I used 3 bone-in chicken breasts or you can use a small whole chicken, lamb, or other meat you choose

4 pods green cardamom or about 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 

4 whole allspice or about 1 teaspoon ground

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns or about 1 1/2 teaspoons ground 

1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste 

3 cups of water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock

2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 head cauliflower, broken into flowerets 

2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 large onions chopped or sliced into rings

2 large red or orange bell peppers, not green 

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for coating vegetables

2 1/2 cups basmati rice, well rinsed and drained 

5 1/2 cups total liquid (A combination from the meat broth and spices and additional water) 

1/2 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts 

To begin preparing the Maqluba:

In a large Dutch oven, begin making the stock and meat. Sear the meat on medium high heat using 2 tablespoons of oil. Add 3 cups of water and all the whole spices to the pot. Cover and simmer until meat is done, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove meat and allow to cool slightly, debone and shred the chicken. Set aside.

Strain stock into a measuring cup. Add the tomato paste, turmeric, additional salt and pepper to taste. Combine well and add additional water or stock to bring the total amount of liquid to 5 1/2 cups.

Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange eggplant, potatoes and cauliflower on rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil and salt to taste. Roast in the oven until each vegetable is done, about 15 to 20 minutes.

In a separate large skillet, cook the peppers and the onions in olive oil. Add salt to taste. Cook until softened or about seven minutes. Set aside.

At this point you’re ready to begin to layer the Maqluba.

In a large stock pot, 15 quarts or more, spray with nonstick spray and add 2 tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pot. Add the tomato slices, followed by the eggplant, potato, and cauliflower, add shredded meat, and onions and peppers, in that order. Top with the basmati rice. Pat the rice down firmly and then carefully pour the stock on top. Pat down again using a spoon to ensure the stock is fully covering the rice. 

Place the pot on medium high heat and bring to a simmer. It should take about five minutes. Once simmering, cover it with a tight-fitting lid and decrease the heat to low. Cook for about 50 minutes until rice is done. When rice is completely cooked, turn off heat and allow to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. 

When ready to serve, find a large tray that has raised edges. Remove lid from pot and place tray it on the top of the pot. Using both hands carefully, but swiftly, flip the pot and the tray over together. 

Allow to sit for a few minutes and allow gravity to slowly drop the Maqluba. Gently jiggle the pan if needed and remove the pot showing off all the different layers. Lift the pot slowly to keep the layers intact. 

Serve with yogurt or jajik and enjoy.

3 small or one large cucumber 

Combine all ingredients except olive oil and allow flavors to come together for at least an hour. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

This is a quick and easy flat bread that is delicious and makes the perfect side dish to Maqluba. Abby learned to make it on one of her mission trips.

Mix flour and salt and a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add about 1 ¾ cup water and olive oil. Mix to form a sticky dough. Add a little bit more water only if needed. 

Turn onto a floured surface and knead for about 15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add more flour to the surface, if needed. You can use a stand mixer and mix for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into five equal pieces and form into balls. 

Allow to rest for about 10-20 minutes. Once the dough has rested, roll it out into 5 thin circles about 12 inches diameter. Heat a little butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet and cook the bread on one side until small brown dots appear. Carefully turn over with tongs and cook on the other side. Do the same with each of the five balls and store in a towel until ready to serve.

What an amazing summer with a new “adopted daughter.” The food was wonderful and I learned a lot. I guess the best message here is to get your kids in the kitchen. Plan a night and allow them to prepare a family meal. It may take some patience and a little cleanup at first. Sometimes the meals may not be perfect, but soon you will be enjoying your very own live-in chef.

Click here to view this author's last article or here to see all of their content.

Click here to see all E-editions

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 0 mph.

Based on data from National Weather Service and OpenWeather.

$10 per thousand reads up to $50 per post.

Neighbors $10 per thousand reads up to $50 per post.

News $30 per thousand reads up to $200 per post.

© Copyright 2022 The Star-Herald, 207 N. Madison St.- Kosciusko, MS 39090 - (662)-289-2251  | Terms of Service  | Privacy Policy