Copycat Recipe: Rudy’s BBQ “Sause”

As a native Texan, I’ve always loved to eat BBQ ribs, chicken, sausage, etc. So while attending graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, I explored various BBQ joints in search of the all-time best place for BBQ. Most people raved about the famous Salt Lick. However, after having ordered a large sampler plate of all their “best” fixins’, my friend and I were quite disappointed with the food and never returned. Then I discovered Rudy’s …

The end. 🙂

Seriously though, eating at Rudy’s was an eye-opening experience for me. That place was so good that I had my order memorized (1/2 lb extra moist brisket, 1/2 a hottie (aka jalapeño sausage), potato salad, large Coke (the Coke seemed stronger there FSR), and extra, soft, white bread). Rudy’s was so good that after my then-husband/friend discovered the place, he ate there almost every single day and requested to go there for his birthday as a “special dinner” even though we had just been there the day before! haha

Now that I no longer live in a city with a Rudy’s establishment (they are primarily located in Texas and Oklahoma now), I have been going through BBQ withdrawals. My first withdrawal prompted my search for a copycat recipe for Rudy’s peppery BBQ “Sause” (with an “s”, thank you very much!). Their “sause” is peppery with a hint of sweetness and tang; it is perfection IMHO.

I found a good recipe on Beth’s Favorite Recipes, but the “sause” tasted a bit too sweet and not peppery enough compared to that of Rudy’s BBQ. So, I adjusted the recipe to match it more with the original taste. Although the “sause” is pretty darn close to how the real stuff tastes, I still miss the brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey, potato salad, bread, paper plates (literally paper!), benches, water bags (to ward off insects), strong Coca-Cola, reusable cups (I used to have more than 20 of them!), quirky signs, automatic hand-washer, and the overall ambiance.

My mother’s lovely hand demonstrates how thick the yummy “sause” is!

Even if you’ve never known the wonders of Rudy’s BBQ, I suggest you give this “sause” recipe a try. All of my friends and coworkers love it and have asked for the recipe on more than one occasion. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add more brown sugar. If you prefer a spicier sauce, add more cayenne and/or pepper. Just try out the recipe as is the first go round and then make adjustments. ENJOY Y’ALL!

The recipe yielded all of the sauce you see in this black bowl (about 2+ cups).
  Copy cat Recipe: Rudy’s BBQ “Sause”
Yield: 2+ cups

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup (236 ml) ketchup
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1/2-1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2-3 tsp coarse, black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until slightly reduced (about 10-15 minutes). Serve hot or allow to cool.
Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

La Pizza Mariangela

While reading my previous post about Mariangela’s Pizza dough, my boyfriend and his parents went through a range of emotions: Upon seeing the title of the post, they became excited. Once they saw the first photos of the dough, their expectations continued to soar. However, as soon as they saw the turkey “pepperoni”, mushrooms, and yellow cheese, their hopes were quickly dashed.

I could just see them – my boyfriend sitting in the office chair in front of the computer, his parents standing behind him looking over his shoulder as he slowly scrolled through my blog post only to reveal one “horrific” photo after the next. *sigh*

 


Anyway, after they complained passionately (accompanied with stereotypical, Italian gestures) about my blasphemous toppings, my boyfriend made comments such as “My mom said she doesn’t use those toppings!” or “That’s not a Pizza Mariangela!” to which I replied, “I know! That’s why I entitled the post “Mariangela’s Pizza Dough” NOT “Pizza Mariangela!”

This feeble attempt to justify my gastronomic “misdeeds” and to pacify my boyfriend’s passion for and determination to do all Italian dishes correctly failed miserably. It failed to the point that I soon felt compelled to remove a batch of dough from the freezer and to make a true Pizza Mariangela!

Use a box/can of tomatoes free from extra, unnecessary ingredients

A true, authentic Pizza Mariangela consists of crushed tomatoes mixed with extra virgin olive oil, capers, oregano, salt, and sugar (sugar: to offset acidity from tomatoes). Next, she cuts up Provola (not the same as provolone) or Scamorza into small cubes and sprinkles them over the tomato sauce. After the pizza is taken out of the oven, she finishes off the pizza with a nice helping of fresh arugula.

I searched high and low in my small city for Provola and Scamorza and could not find them. So, I used smoked mozzarella and provolone instead (with my bf’s family’s approval, of course).

Because I was there, she put some prosciutto on one half of the pizza before placing it in the oven, but she and the rest of the family would NEVER consider prosciutto to be one of the ingredients of a true Pizza Mariangela. 🙂

She also didn’t add arugula on my side. I eat arugula only in salads.

Above and below (in the recipe section) are the photos of her making the pizze during one of my many visits. While my Pizza Mariangela looks a lot more like the real deal than the pizze from the previous post, non vedo l’ora (I can’t wait) to eat her pizza again!

A gratuitous shot of my boyfriend eating his pizza elegantly with a fork. . .and they made fun of the mayor of NYC. . .

My bf is such a romantic; he thinks that the Pizza Mariangela will be the next Fettucine Alfredo, a famous dish that started in Italy but was made famous in the States yet is pretty much unknown in Italy haha.
**********************************************************************************
For more information about the pizza dough, go here.The dough recipe may also be found below:

Mariangela’s dough was noticeably more hydrated than my dough. If you’d like your dough to be more like hers, adjust the liquid amount.
L’impasto per la pizza di Mariangela

2 cucchiaini di zucchero
1 bustina di lievito di birra
500 grammi di farina (Ho usato 250 gr farina 00 e 250 gr farina integrale)
1 cucchiaio di olio
350-400 ml di acqua o latte*
1 cucchiaino di sale

Mariangela’s Pizza Dough

2 tsp of granulated sugar
1 packet of yeast or 2 1/4 tsp of yeast
500 grams (4 cups) all-purpose or bread flour (I used half white-wheat and half AP
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
350-400 ml (1 1/2 cups) warm water or milk*
1 tsp of salt

Stir the yeast, sugar, and warm water/milk together in a large, mixing bowl. Allow the yeast mixture to bubble up and wake up for 5-10 minutes. Add oil, flour, and salt until the dough comes together. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes by hand or 5-7 minutes if using a stand mixer. Once the dough is well-kneaded, place the dough ball in an oil-lined bowl. Cover the dough and allow it to rise until doubled in size (1-2 hours). Once doubled in size, knead the dough again, cover it, and allow to rise a second time (I always did this step once, but I recently discovered she does it twice.). Once risen twice, section off the dough into four parts. Roll out the dough you’ll be using, and freeze the rest in a Zip-loc bag or two.

LA PIZZA MARIANGELA

Crushed tomatoes (avoid boxes/cans of tomatoes with extra, unnecessary ingredients)
Salt to taste
Oregano
Capers (optional)
A small amount of sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Provola, Scomorza, and/or fresh Mozarella
Fresh Arugula

Preheat the oven to the highest temperature possible. For the sauce, mix the first six (6) ingredients together. Set the sauce aside while you flatten out the dough and dice the cheese(s). Bake the pizza for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and dough is cooked to your liking. Once the pizza has fully cooked, place arugula on top of the hot pizza and eat with fervor!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Orange Chicken Revisited

Orange Chicken
Yum Orange Chicken! Here is another recipe I’m revisiting because the original photos are HORRIBLE, and this dish is worthy of being on my blog twice.
QUESTION: Whenever you are in the process of making a dish, do you think about what you are going to write about on your blog for the same dish?
I do. For instance, I wanted to mention that using cornstarch in place of flour makes the chicken pieces look too white while flour browns the chicken more. So, you should combine the two when coating the chicken. Also, I wanted to mention how I didn’t have green onions, so I used white onions (then I found some green onions in the refrigerator after the photo session!).
Orange Chicken
Anyway, the fact that I made this dish again tells you how good it is. Aside from the regular onions, I followed this recipe exactly. I also made some jasmine rice in the used rice cooker my mom just gave me. For the first time, I had to call my mom on how to operate a kitchen-related appliance :D. Now I know why people love their rice cookers! I no longer have to wait for the water to boil. That is so nice.
Orange Chicken
I accompanied the orange chicken and rice with cold, green tea sans the ice. [Did you know that I don’t like ice, but my mom is crazy about ice (she buys a big bag of ice every week! I have no idea what she does with that much ice.)? That is another contrast between my mom and me. Ice interrupts the flow of my drink (like nuts in soft desserts), and when the ice melts, it waters my drink.] Okay, enough of my quirks. Here is the recipe:
Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken
from Blog Chef

Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes) (I used 1.25 lbs)
 
1/2 – 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 – 1 cup cornstarch
1 egg (beaten)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Oil (for frying; I used vegetable or canola oil, but peanut oil is the best for frying)

Orange Sauce-
1 ½ cups water
2 Tbsp orange juice (I used the juice of 1/2 of a large orange)
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp ginger root (minced)
½ tsp garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp green onion (chopped) (I used 1/4th of a regular, white onion)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

Step 1: Combine flour and cornstarch. Place chicken in the egg mixture along with salt and pepper, and shake the pieces in the flour mixture to coat. 

Orange Chicken
Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked and light brown (around 5 minutes per batch).
Orange Chicken

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.

Orange Chicken

Step 3: Combine 3 Tbsp of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions.

Orange Chicken
Want a piece? That’s all I’m willing to share.
Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangioeviaggiodasola.com

Supplì

My blog has caused me to realize that I like Italian food more than any other International food. The reason could also lie in the fact that I am addicted to ItalianFood.Net and watch their cooking videos almost daily.

When I saw this video for supplì (already in the plural form; pronounced [soop-PLEE], based on U.S. English pronunciation), which are fried, stuffed balls of short-grained rice and ragù. When I saw these nuggets of meat, tomatoes, cheese, and rice, I just knew I had to get over my dislike of homemade, fried foods and make them. The chef even says that supplì are one of his favorite treats, so I had to make them.

*UPDATE* Supplì are not arancini, although they are very similar. The latter are shaped differently and do not include ragù (the tomato & beef sauce). Moreover, supplì are said to have originated in Rome and arancini in Sicily. I hope to try out arancini sometime very soon. 

While this dish takes quite a bit of time, it is well worth it in the end. I made the ragù the day before so that the flavors could meld overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, I made the rice mixture and created my assembly line for the coating. I had never fried in olive oil before, but I didn’t notice a huge difference between using any other type of oil.

Anyway, I highly suggest making supplì for a party, your kids, or just because. I halved the recipe and still had enough for 3-4 people (I don’t know why the chef says the full recipe is for four people!). I decided to roll up the supplì you see in the photos and to save the rest of the rice mixture for whenever I want more. That way, the supplì are always fresh. If I don’t feel like making more supplì, I could also just eat the rice mixture as is, which is made almost exactly like risotto. It tastes amazing with or without the coating. Seriously.

I took the last photo while eating my first bite ever of supplì. I almost ended the photo session at that point. LOL! That first bite was amazing.
Ragù alla Bolognese
reposted from here and adapted from Italian Food Net (video)
You only need a FOURTH of this recipe, but I halved it here so that you can have leftovers for other dishes.

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
4 cups (1 Litre tomato sauce (I used about one box of Pomì crushed tomatoes)
1/2 of tomato paste tube (2.25 oz)
1 big carrot (½ cup) chopped
1 celery rib (½ cup) chopped
1/2 white onion (½ cup) chopped
1/4 cup of red wine (I used about 4 oz of Fre Red Wine, a non-alcoholic wine!! Yeaa!!)
1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1-2 Tbsp fresh sage
1-2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat a large saucepan. Pour in olive oil. Add celery, carrot, onion, and let them brown over medium heat. Then add sage, rosemary, and cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes.

Add the ground beef, divide it well, and cook until the liquid has evaporated (about 5-10 minutes), then season with salt and black pepper.

After 10 minutes of cooking pour in the red wine, and let it evaporate. Add tomato paste, stir well, and add tomato sauce, cover and let it simmer for 1 ½ hour on a low heat. Make sure you season this sauce well before assembling the lasagne.

Supplì 
Make the ragù ahead of time. You could also form the supplì without coating them ahead of time.


3/4 cups (175 gr) (6.15 oz) short-grained rice (I used arborio. Other suggestions: Carciofi, Bomba)
1 cup (250 gr) (9 oz) ragù (meat and tomato) Sauce (homemade or storebought; can be vegetarian)
1 large egg
50 gr (3.52 oz) cubed mozzarella cheese (enough to put in the small rice balls)
1/4 cup (50 gr) (3.52 oz) finely-grated parmesan
2 Tbsp (30 gr) (2.11 oz) unsalted butter, separated
2 cups (500 ml) beef broth or stock (can use chicken or vegetarian stock)
Enough flour and breadcrumbs to coat (I used Italian breadcrumbs)
Extra virgin olive oil for rice and for frying
Kosher salt to taste

Heat up a pot over medium heat then add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 Tbsp of the butter, and let it melt. Once the butter has melted, add rice and toast it for about 2 minutes.

Add enough hot broth to cover the rice and when the broth has almost completely evaporated, continue to add enough broth to cover the rice, and keep doing this until there is no more broth, and the rice has evaporated.

When the rice is cooked al dente, season with salt, add remaining butter, ragù sauce, grated parmesan and stir quickly until becomes creamy. Turn off the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.

Make your supplì

Break the egg and whisk. Pick up a handful of the rice mixture, mold into small balls, and firmly press it, place a small cube of mozzarella into the center then reshape into a ball. Firmly press the rice giving the typical elongated oval shape.

(In order to not make too much of a mess, I rolled up half of the rice mixture up to this point, and set them aside. That way I did not have to roll each ball through the coatings, wash my hands, and start over.)

Roll the rice ball in flour. Continue molding the rice to give it the elongated oval shape, then dip the supplì in egg, and finally roll it well in breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the rice is used.

Heat extra virgin olive oil, which should be 3 inches deep, in a pot over high-medium heat, then add supplì. Let them fry until golden brown and crisp on all sides, turning over occasionally. When all supplì are golden brown, remove with a slotten spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain the olive oil.

Transfer supplì to a serving dish and offer to your friends. Remember to eat them with hands!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Daring Cooks?: Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Homemade Pasta

I wrote “Daring Cooks” with a question mark in the title because I didn’t really follow the instructions in this challenge (and I’m two days late!), but I was inspired by one of the dishes we were requested to make with one of the nut butters.

The July 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by Margie of More Please and Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make their own nut butter from scratch, and use the nut butter in a recipe. Their sources include Better with Nut Butter by Cooking Light Magazine, Asian Noodles by Nina Simonds, and Food Network online.

One of the dishes suggested was Chicken with Pecan Cream and Mushrooms from Cooking Light. Well, most of you know that I don’t like any type of nut, so I decided to make a chicken and mushroom dish with homemade pasta to make this dish a bit more fussy so that it could still be sort of a challenge even though I’ve made pasta before. So, I’m aware that this dish doesn’t count as a Daring Cooks’ Challenge; however, I tried to make it work for what I like. Do I get half of a point for doing that? 😀

 I highly suggest clicking on this photo or opening it on another tab and doing a close-up of the cooked, fresh pasta. It is almost translucent and looks so different from the store-bought, dried pasta. I cooked this pasta for 3 minutes and regretted it because it wasn’t al dente, but it was still fantastic. Cook fresh spaghetti for 2 minutes.

Anyway, I took some chicken out of the freezer to defrost for the next day and forgot to put it in this dish! I didn’t realize I had forgotten to include the chicken until my mom and I had sat down to eat! After taking one bite of this dish, though, I forgot all about that missing ingredient. This sauce was AMAZING and so flavorful. I made adjustments to the recipe based on the highest rated comment on allrecipes.com and based on what I had in my kitchen and will never turn back. This sauce was so quick to make that I could eat it at least once a week every week for the rest of my life. I loved the addition of sage and the meatiness of the mushrooms. For any lovers of meat, this dish would be perfect as a Meatless Monday meal or any type of meal; you really won’t miss the chicken. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make this sauce. This sauce is so good and quick to make. I will be making this again very soon.

As far as the pasta is concerned, it came out perfectly. I usually make fettuccine with my pasta cutter, but my mom wanted spaghetti, so I made that. I don’t know if my mom had fresh pasta in Italy, but she claimed that this time was her first known experience eating it fresh. While my mom and I were happily eating this pasta dish, we got into an interesting discussion about the role of homemade pasta versus store-bought pasta (and sandwich bread) when mixed with a good sauce or other ingredients.

HOMEMADE PASTA VS. DRIED, STORE-BOUGHT PASTA: We both agreed that many, not all, store-bought pasta and sandwich bread act more like mere vehicles for sauces, meats, and other ingredients. In other words, some store-bought items serve as a means to a end, i.e., transporting the the savory sauces, and what have you, into your mouth.  Homemade pasta and bread, however, play a larger role in dishes and at times become the star in a dish even if the other ingredients are quite flavorful. In other words, the homemade pasta and bread themselves become refreshing and delectable edible “plates”.

Now, the fresh pasta and this creamy mushroom sauce that my mom and I enjoyed were great complements to each other. Both the pasta and the sauce stood out so beautifully that I don’t know if I could ever eat this sauce with the store-bought kind.  Okay. . . okay. . .I’m sure that on my lazier days, I will try it out and will just think back to how amazing this dish tasted with the fresh pasta. 

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOMEMADE VS. DRIED, STORE-BOUGHT PASTA OR BREADS?
All of these spaghetti came from only half of the ball of dough you will see below.
Pasta Dough
For the pasta dough, I’ve learned that true Italian pasta dough does not call for any water at all despite the other recipes I’ve seen online. As I always do when I want an authentic, Italian meal, I turned to ItalianFood.Net for a recipe for my pasta dough. This is now my go-to recipe for pasta dough.

 

From ItalianFood.Net (click here for the video)
Reduced for 4 people; the source recipe would be more for 6, not 4, people.

100 grams 00 flour (You could sub AP flour. I bought my 00 flour from a local Italian market)
100 grams semolina/durum wheat flour
Pinch of salt (I used kosher)
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp – 1 Tbsp olive oil (you may need to add more oil if your ball of dough is dry like mine)

Mix the two flours and salt in a bowl and form a hole or well in the middle. Place the eggs and olive oil in the middle. Mix the mixture with a fork well. Form a ball in the bowl, and transfer the ball to a flat surface. Add flour if the ball of dough is too wet, and add more oil if it is too dry.

That little ball of dough is enough for 4 people’s worth of pasta. That little cut piece on the bottom left created those two lonnnng layers of pasta in the lower right photo.

Knead the dough until the ball of dough becomes smooth and homogeneous. Cover the ball of dough completely, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes so that the gluten can relax. Work with 1/4th of the dough at a time to form the pasta. If you have a pasta roller/cutter, follow the instructions for your machine. If you do not have a pasta roller, roll out the pieces of dough as thin as you can with a rolling pin as instructed on the video on italianfoodnet.com.

 

Creamy Mushroom Pasta
adapted from allrecipes

8 oz of fresh or store-bought fettuccine (I used spaghetti)
1 1/2 Tbsps olive oil, separated (1/2 Tbsp for pasta water and 1 Tbsp for sauce)
1 shallot or small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 oz of fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 Tbsp of unsalted butter
1 Tbsp of AP flour
1/4 – 1/2 of a chicken or vegetable bouillon cube or 1/4th cup of chicken/vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp sage (trust me!)
salt and pepper to taste (don’t use too much salt b/c the bouillon is salty. I didn’t need any at all.)

Prepare pasta water and pasta:
Bring a large pot of lightly-salted and oiled water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes (2-3 minutes for homemade pasta!), or until al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water to thin out the mushroom sauce later.

While waiting for the pasta water to boil, make the sauce: 
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet or saucepan over medium heat, and cook shallots and garlic until transparent. Stir in mushrooms, and cook until tender. Add the butter, and add the flour after the butter melts to form a roux to thicken the sauce. Stir the roux with the sautéed vegetables for 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour taste. (Don’t forget about the boiling water for the pasta! It should be boiling by now!)

Mix in heavy cream and sage. Cook and stir until thickened. If too thick, use some pasta water (i.e., the leftover water from the cooked pasta) to thin out the sauce a bit. You can either toss the sauce with cooked pasta, and season with salt and pepper to serve, or add salt (I didn’t add any salt) and pepper in the sauce, and serve it atop the pasta.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

BBQ Wings & My First Online Interview!

I ate these wings with corn and mashed potatoes.

Remember the baked spicy buffalo wings I made last month? Well, since that time, I have made it two or three more times because they are that good. So, I thought I would make the base of these wings with the homemade BBQ sauce I made, and it was fantastic too!

Since I finally made these wings in the daytime, I thought I’d include some process photos. So, whenever you make these wings or the buffalo wings, you can visualize the process a bit more. Please please make one of the two versions of this dish or both! It is a quick, delicious meal.

In fact, I went to a restaurant today and ordered wings, and my mother said that “my” wings tasted considerably better even though the restaurant’s wings were very flavorful. If that compliment doesn’t convince you to try the buffalo and/or these BBQ wings ASAP, then I don’t know what else will.

MY FIRST INTERVIEW: I am so happy to announce to you all that I had my first online interview a few days ago. Marly from Namely Marly contacted me via email after seeing my name and requested an interview about it. We conducted the interview on Skype and by phone; it was so fun! So, if you’d like to learn more about my name changes (yes, more than one) and me, please stop by her beautiful blog, which also features great vegan recipes. Click here for my interview, and feel free to leave comments and thought-provoking questions! Thanks again, Marly!

I’m reposting a photo of the sauce here.
Copycat Recipe of Rudy’s BBQ “Sause”
adapted from Beth’s Favorite Recipes; original post here
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until slightly reduced. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

BBQ Wings
Base recipe comes from Life’s Ambrosia; my original post here

1.5 to 2 lb chicken drummettes or wingettes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
About 1/4 cup canola oil
BBQ Sauce (recipe above)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl whisk together egg and milk. . .

Combine flour, seasoning salt, pepper and granulated garlic in one gallon plastic bag. . .

Put chicken wings in the egg wash first and coat (I sometimes season the wings with seasoning salt and pepper before placing them in the egg wash; I did that after this photo.). . .

Transfer the wings to the plastic bag with flour. Seal the bag and shake to coat. . .

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lay wings in single layer. Drizzle with canola oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for an additional 20 minutes. . .

Wings should be golden brown and crispy. Prepare the wing sauce while your drummettes are cooking.

Enjoy!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Pizza Hut Clone Pizza Revisited

My mom’s pizza: tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, jalapeños, onions, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

In May of last year, I made this clone recipe of Pizza Hut’s Pan pizza and was instantly hooked on it. I love thick and thin dough, but my favorite is the thick, pan variety. Even though this recipe doesn’t yield a pan pizza exactly like that of Pizza Hut, it is fabulous and less oily. I didn’t have any tomato sauce, so I watered down some tomato paste and added Italian seasoning, garlic salt, a little sugar, and pepper. That worked like a charm.

Another burnt creation thanks to my beloved oven. It all still tasted amazing, including the crust. My pizza: pepperoni, sauce, and mozzarella cheese

The maintenance workers came to fix my oven two times, and now it seems to be worse than before. Consequently, I burned my meat pizza and had to watch my mother’s pizza like a hawk; hence, there are more photos of my mom’s pizza than mine. I probably could have cooked the pizza a couple of minutes more to get more color on the crust, but my mother was pleased with how it looked, and it was well-cooked. Even my gently-burnt pizza was still amazingly good.

My mom “decorated” this pizza all by herself haha. I’m so proud of her.

In the original post, I had promised my mom that I would make this pizza for her in July of last year. Well, I am one year late in my promise, but the month is July, so I’m happy I could make this for her. She said this pizza was the best pizza she had ever eaten, and my mom is a pizza addict who has eaten pizza in New York, Chicago, and various parts of Italy. So, that is a major compliment!

I had only one cast-iron skillet, so I split the dough into two pieces. Once I baked my pizza, I transferred it to a plate and started working on my mom’s pizza in the same skillet. I really like making pizza in a cast-iron skillet; it is much easier than making it in a pie plate or on the back of a jelly roll pan.

My mom’s favorite part of the pizza was the crust on the top left part of the above photo, so I had to take a shot of it haha.

I hope you make this one day soon; it is a fantastic recipe. I am submitting this post to yeastspotting!

Pizza Hut Clone Pizza
adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Sauce:
1 (8 oz) tomato sauce (I used one 8oz tomato paste + 1/4-1/2 cup water)
1-2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp dry oregano; 1/2 tsp marjoram; 1/2 tsp dry basil; 1/2 tsp garlic salt)
1/2 tsp sugar (to offset the bitterness of the tomato sauce)

Combine the ingredients. Allow the mixture to sit for 1 hour while the dough rises.

Pizza:
1 1/3 C Warm water (105F/40C) (OR you could use 1 1/2 cups of WARM milk in place of water and dry milk)
1 pk (2 1/4 tsp) dry yeast (I used active)
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 C non−fat dry milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (for dough)
1/2 tsp salt (I used kosher)
4 C AP flour
approx. 6 Oz Vegetable oil (3 oz. per pan)

Preheat oven to 475F (I cooked at 450). Put yeast, sugar, and dry milk in a large (2 qt.) bowl or mixing bowl of stand mixer. Add the warm water, and stir to mix well. Allow mixture to sit for two minutes.

Then, add oil and stir again. Add flour and salt, and mix until dough forms and flour is absorbed. Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes (If using a stand mixer, mix the ingredients with a dough hook and then knead the dough for 5-6 minutes.)

Divide dough into two balls (about 450-460 grams each). In two cast-iron skillets (or you can use two 9′ cake/pie plates or one 9-inch pie plate and one 9 x 13 dish), put 1-2 Tbsp of oil in each skillet/plate making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin or your hand, roll/pat out each dough ball to about a 9″ circle in the skillet (you probably won’t be able to spread the dough to the edges at this time).

Cover with a towel or a plate. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Then, pat the dough once more to the edges of the skillet.

Poke holes in the crust or use pie weights, and parbake the crust for 2-5 minutes to prevent sogginess of dough after adding the sauce.

Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough. Distribute 1 1/2 Oz. shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce. Place toppings of your choice. Top with 3 oz. mozzarella cheese. Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown about 15 minutes. Then brush outer edge of crust with garlic butter.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Chocolate Sybil Cake

I don’t know who Sybil is, but she gave Paula Deen a fantastic recipe for Texas Sheet Cake. It is easier to make than another version I’ve made, yet tastes the same, if not better. I halved this recipe, and baked it in an 8×8 square pan, but I have posted the full recipe below. It is rare that I take a bite of something and have a food orgasm, and this cake definitely did that for me. I gobbled one of these slices so fast that I didn’t realize I had eaten it all. It is so rich that I paired it with (skim) milk instead of vanilla ice cream, but if you have the stomach for it, go for the gold!

Since I didn’t have any chocolate syrup at home, I made it myself using Alton Brown’s recipe (posted below). It was easy to put together and gives you more than enough to make at least half of this cake. I have so much syrup left now that I can use the rest either for another one of these cakes or for chocolate shakes, ice cream, or chocolate milk.

Because my mom is in town, I won’t be as active on my blog or visiting other blogs as much I usually do. I hope you all are enjoying your summer and that all the Canadians and USicans 🙂 enjoyed their national holidays!

 I will be posting the winner of the giveaway soon. 

Cocoa Syrup
Adapted from Alton Brown

1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa (I used Guittard’s Cocoa Rouge Dutch-Process Powder)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

In a medium pot, bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, salt, and corn syrup.

Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, and add the vanilla extract. Strain and cool to room temperature. Pour into squeeze bottles or an easy-access container.

Other Uses: Squeeze into cold milk and stir for delicious chocolate milk, or serve on your favorite ice cream.

Chocolate Sybil Cake
Halved and adapted from Paula Deen’s friend

Cake:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
16 oz (2 cups) of chocolate syrup (recipe above)

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I omitted)


Prepare cocoa syrup first, and allow it to cool while making cake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Cake: Using an electric or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift or whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl. Add to creamed mixture while continuing to beat. Add vanilla and chocolate syrup to batter and mix well.

Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Just before cake is done, prepare frosting.

Frosting:

Put butter, chocolate chips, sugar and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Stirring ingredients together, boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and nuts (if using). Pour over warm/hot cake.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

BBQ Chicken and Macaroni & Cheese

I was craving barbecue. I was sifting through one of my now favorite blogs, Deep South Dish. I found a recipe for BBQ chicken on it. I looked for a recipe for a copycat of my favorite BBQ sauce at my FAVORITE BBQ restaurant, Rudy’s BBQ (the “sauSe”). I ran to the kitchen and made BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, and green beans. I took photos. I prayed for my meal. I ate the meal heartily. I thanked God again for the ability to make such a wonderful meal. The End.

I hope you make this meal soon. It would be even better on the grill, but if you don’t feel like using it like me, then make it in the oven. Just be sure to line your jelly roll pan with foil for easy cleanup!

BBQ Chicken
adapted from Deep South Dish

Brine for a moist, flavorful chicken:
2 lbs drumsticks (about 6), with or without skin based on your preferences
2 Tbsp of kosher salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Fill a large pot or container with enough water to cover the chicken well. Whisk the salt into the water until dissolved; whisk in the vinegar. Add the chicken, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Dry Rub Marinade for added flavor, spice and a kick!:
2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp freshly-cracked pepper
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp celery seed (didn’t have)
2 tsp of Cajun seasoning, or to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Remove the chicken from the brine, and drain well. Discard the brine. Pat the chicken pieces dry, laying out on a platter or baking sheet that will fit in the fridge. Combine the dry rub ingredients and rub the chicken well with the dry rub, cover loosely, and refrigerate one to several hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the rubbed chicken pieces on a rack on a foil-lined large baking sheet. Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes. [Use your tongs for this!] Turn the chicken over after 25-30 minutes. After 40-50 minutes, add the BBQ sauce on both sides with a brush or via a squeeze bottle. If you’re a sauce lover like me, add more sauce once they are done.

For instructions on how to grill the chicken, go to the source.


Copycat Recipe of Rudy’s BBQ Sause (with an “s”)

from Beth’s Favorite Recipes who adapted it from Chaos in the Kitchen

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until slightly reduced.Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Quick Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

1/2 lb macaroni shells
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp regular flour
2 cups WARM milk
2 tsp mustard or dry mustard
kosher salt to taste
pepper to taste
1-2 cups of cheese that melts, to taste (I used regular American cheese because that was all I had)

Cook pasta according to instructions (al dente). Make a roux by melting the butter in a separate saucepan and then adding the flour. Cook the roux for about 3 minutes, and stir frequently. Add the WARM milk 1/4 of a cup at a time at the beginning. Stir between each addition. Once you can no longer see the bottoom of the saucepan, add more milk in generous portions until you use it all. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cheese until it tastes cheesy enough for your tastes. Turn off the heat.

Immediately, add in the al dente pasta, and then stir well. Once pasta is well-coated, you’re done.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Baked Spicy Buffalo Wings and Fries

Has anyone caught the football* fever yet? I am not into sports, but it is nice to see my international colleagues get excited about their countries for the Copa Mundial/World Cup being held in South Africa. I haven’t been seeing much coverage of the games on English-speaking channels here, but on the Spanish-speaking channels, it has been big news.

Even though I’m into sports, the Copa made me want to cook sports-related food items like wings and fries. Now that I can eat solid foods again, I decided to make these wings and fries my first real meal. I don’t know if the positive, delicious outcome of this meal was because it was my first solid-food meal or if it was because of the recipe. I am sure the answer lies in both of those reasons. These wings and fries are crunchy and beyond flavorful on the inside and moist and yummy on the inside.

Whether you have football fever or not, you must make these wings and fries. They are beyond amazing and so flavorful. My teeth, tastebuds, and stomach enjoyed them very much. And what did I watch on TV while eating them? Toy Story 1 and 2 haha. So much for football fever in this household!

TEETH UPDATE: I would first like to thank my oral surgeon, his assistants, and my two good friends for making this wisdom tooth procedure so easy and pain-free. I requested to be sedated during the process and allowed my oral surgeon to remove not one but all four of my wisdom teeth! I didn’t feel one ounce of pain during and after the procedure. My good friend took me to the dentist and back home. Then, she removed and replaced my gauze and monitored my medicine intake for most of the day. Later, my other friend took over and brought over ice cream and stayed with me until I could fend for myself. I truly am grateful for them. I am also thankful to all of my blog readers for thinking and praying for me. It is nice to graduate from mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding, and baby food. 🙂

Well, enough of that. Here are the recipes!

YUM! I want more right now!
Spicy Buffalo Wings
adapted from Life’s Ambrosia

1.5 to 2 lb chicken drummettes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
About 1/4 cup canola oil
Wing sauce (recipe on her site) I used Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and butter because I had a bottle in the cupboard (follow the recipe for the sauce on the back of the bottle).

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Combine flour, seasoning salt, pepper and granulated garlic in one gallon plastic bag.
In a bowl whisk together egg and milk. Put chicken wings in the egg wash first and coat (I also seasoned the wings with seasoning salt while sitting in the egg wash). Transfer the wings to the plastic bag with flour. Seal the bag and shake to coat.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lay wings in single layer. Drizzle with canola oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Wings should be golden brown and crispy. Prepare the wing sauce while your drummettes are cooking.

Jo Jo Potatoes
reduced and adapted from Life’s Ambrosia for one person

Non-stick spray
1 tablespoon butter, melted (I didn’t use)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 6 – 8 wedges each
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, set aside.

Pour olive oil in a bowl over the cut potatoes. Combine seasoning salt, flour and cayenne pepper over the potatoes to coat.

Bake on prepared cookie sheet for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for 10 more minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 5–7 minutes or until browned (I skipped this step).


*I am referring to the definition of football recognized by the majority of the world, not U.S. football.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com