I am headed South for the winter. I will hopefully stay there for at least six more seasons after winter. That's right, my garbage cans are full so it's time to move again and in the spirit of the times, I'm going to downsize. I've narrowed my potential next home down to two choices, so the fun part is over.
Now to pack. I hate moving.
The good news, though, is that I have the opportunity to expunge the collection of junk I've built over the past three years in my current place. I will also avoid a grocery bill for the next few weeks as I work to eat everything in my pantry (cans in a box = no fun). Eating 24 cans of vegetables is easy, but what to do about the 20 lbs of flour? Why do I have 20 lbs of flour? I can answer only one of those questions: BAKE!
Tonight's meal started with my decision to try baking my own pita bread. Pita bread demands Greek or Middle Eastern food... easy choice for me. Enjoy this Persian-Style Braised Chicken over the Spiced Rice and don't be afraid to try baking the Pita; it was simpler than a loaf of bread!
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
Dissolve yeast in ½ cup of warm water, stirring gently, but well. Add teaspoon of sugar and stir until dissolved. Allow yeast mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes until frothy.
In a large bowl, combine salt and flour. Add frothy yeast mixture to flour and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Slowly add additional 1 cup of warm water stirring until dough becomes elastic and sticky.
On a floured surface knead dough approximately 10 minutes or until the surface is smooth and no longer sticky (re-flouring the kneading surface as needed).
Put dough ball into a large bowl coated with cooking spray and spray exposed dough surface with cooking spray. Cover with a cloth and let dough rise in a warm spot for approximately 3 hours or until it has doubled.
Separate dough into 8 small dough balls and allow the smaller dough balls to sit, covered, on a floured surface for about 10 minutes (they'll rise a bit again and gain a uniform shape).
Roll dough balls out to about ¼ inch thickness (will be between 4-6 inches diameter).
Future Pitas!
Bake on a baking sheet at 500 degrees for about 3-4 minutes or until dough is slightly puffed up. Turn each circle over and bake 2 more minutes until lightly browned.
Remove cooked pitas from baking sheet, flatten slightly, and immediately store in a plastic bag.
Persian Spice Blend
Combine 2 tbls each coriander, cumin, nutmeg, and smoked paprika with 1 tbls each crushed red pepper and sea salt. Store in an airtight container.
Persian Style Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-3 tablespoons Persian spice blend (to taste, it can be hot!)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tbls olive oil
3 tbls lemon juice
¼ cup diced onion
1 additional garlic clove, minced
1 cup chicken broth
½ can diced tomatoes, drained
¼ cup raisins
Combine spice blend, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Pour over chicken breasts in a zipper bag and marinate for at least 1 hour. Saute onion and additional garlic clove in olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, with marinade, browning chicken on all sides.
Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and raisins. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and simmer additional ten minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over Spiced Rice.
1 tbls olive oil
1/2 carrot
1/2 celery stalk
¼ cup diced onion
¼ small red bell pepper, diced
1/4 vermicelli broken into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbls olive oil
Handful of toasted pine nuts
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt.
Handful of toasted pine nuts
Mince bell pepper, onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor (or by hand, but finely mince). Saute vegetables and vermicelli in olive oil.
Add all remaining ingredients, except pine nuts to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Stir in pine nuts.
