Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:59:06 -0500WeeblyMon, 04 Mar 2013 13:13:49 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-such7When I posted the Lasagna recipe I mentioned I made pizzas with the leftover sauce, but I neglected to include the pizza dough recipe... so here it is including some variations. 

If you like thin crust pizza, divide the dough in half to make 2 crusts. Using the entire recipe for 1 crust will yield a crust  rather like the "rising crust" pizzas in the freezer section at your local grocery store.

It is a simple recipe and can be made into bread sticks, or a loaf of bread instead of using it as pizza dough.

                                          My Pizza Dough

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp brown sugar (honey may be substituted)

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs olive oil

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast & brown sugar in the warm water; let it sit (proof) for 10 minutes.

Stir the salt & olive oil into the yeast mixture. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.

Turn the dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, & knead in enough flour until the dough in no longer sticky. Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, turning once to thoroughly coat; cover with a clean cloth. Let rise until doubled, approx 1 hour. Punch down dough, and form into a ball; allow dough to "rest" for a minute or so. 

If you like thin crust pizza, divide the dough in half now to make 2 crusts. Using a rolling pin, roll to desired size/thickness. Use your favorite toppings, create your own masterpiece! (:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

If you are baking on a pizza stone, place your toppings on the dough and bake immediately. If you are using a pizza pan, cookie sheet, etc, lightly oil the pan and let the dough rise for 15 min or so before topping and baking it.

Bake in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Variations/Additions:

To your dough you can add:

 1 tsp Italian herbs, when you add the salt & oil (or my way: 1/4 tsp each: thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, sage & marjoram)

 1/4 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (use the shredded type not the powdered type) when you add the flour to the yeast mixture

 1 clove of garlic finely minced or grated (I use a fine vegetable/cheese grater) when adding salt & oil

Or add all 3!!!! 

I made the most amazing herb, garlic, Parmesan bread Saturday when I made lasagna! 

After you have punched down the dough and allowed it to rest, roll the dough out to approx 1/4 thickness (try to keep it sort of rectangular in shape as your rolling it out). Melt 2 Tbs butter or margarine  brush this over your rolled out dough. 

Starting on one of the longer sides of the dough, begin rolling it up jelly roll fashion, leaving the seam on the bottom; fold both ends under. place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, cover with a clean towel, and let rise until doubled. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until nicely browned (will sound hollow when tapped when done)

]]>Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:15:58 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-such6I love Lasagna! Well, good lasagna, and lets face it, it doesn't always turn out perfect...sometimes soupy, noodles overdone or not done enough, sometimes the flavor just isn't what it should be... all of which can be distressing if it is for an occasion rather than tonight's dinner. 
My recipe is a combination of 3 recipes I've made throughout the years, and is by far, the best! With good texture throughout, nice balance of flavors, not soupy.
Bear in mind, using quality ingredients makes a huge difference in the product also.(:
The sauce portion of the recipe may be made a day ahead of time if more convenient, it also allows the flavors to meld. It also makes more sauce than needed for the lasagna  I made pizzas with it a couple days later, fantastic! So here we go! 


                                   Pam's Lasagna


1 lb sweet Italian sausage
3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2-4 cloves garlic, crushed 
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 0z) can tomato sauce
1 (8 0z) can tomato sauce
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1/4 cup of water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning (or 1/4 tsp ea: oregano, rosemary, marjoram, thyme...sage)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp parsley flakes

                               Cheese filling
32 oz Ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp oregano


12 Lasagna noodles
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese (in addition to the 1 cup above)
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (in addition to the 1/2 cup above)


In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, & garlic over medium heat until well browned. Drain any excess fat. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, & water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seed, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, & parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. (This is a very thick sauce)
Meantime, prepare your noodles: using a large flat pan (with sides), lay the noodles in the pan, pour in enough very hot water to cover noodles; let sit 20-30 minutes. Check halfway through to make sure they don't stick together.
In a large bowl, combine the Ricotta, egg, 1 c mozzarella cheese, 1/2 c Parmesan cheese & oregano. Mix well, set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over the meat sauce. Spread with one half the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over the mozzarella  sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover with foil, to prevent cheese from sticking to foil spray with cooking spray first.
Bake covered, for 25 minutes. Remove foil, & bake an additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven; allow 15 minutes for the Lasagna to cool and set before cutting/serving.


Serve with salad and garlic bread, enjoy!


Serves 12-15



]]>Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:26:19 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-such5It's definitely been awhile since I added to this blog, lots of personal and family issues this year...
This is a great recipe for pork, chicken or rabbit, easy to make, but a bit time consuming There are instructions for cooking in a Dutch oven as well. 
 My substitutions are in blue  as I cannot get/find some items in this area.


Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos.


3 whole ancho chiles      I used 4 Arbol chiles
3 whole pasilla chiles          2 40z cans chopped green chiles 
4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 to 3 chipoltes in adobo sauce
medium white onion, roughly chopped
3 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbls. honey
1 Tbls. cider vinegar
Kosher salt
2 tsp. dried oregano
3 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder (untrimmed), cut into chunks (or chicken or rabbit)
Freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
Corn torillas, warmed, for serving
Assorted taco toppings, for garnish


Directions


Put the chiles and the garlic in a bowl: add 2-3 Tbls. water. (If using the canned green chiles, do not add them at this point) Microwave on high until soft 2-3 minutes. Seed and stem chiles (in using the dried Arbol chiles, I skipped this process); peel the garlic. Transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender. (if using the green chiles, add now)
Add the chipoltes, onion, 2 Tbls. olive oil, honey, vinegar, 1 Tbls. salt & the oregano to the blender; puree until smooth. Heat the remaining 1 Tbls. oil in a large skillet over high heat; add the chile sauce and fry, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Pour in the broth and reduce until slightly thickened.
Season meat all over with salt and pepper and transfer to a lage slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, then pour in the chile sauce. Cover and on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours. (Or cook the meat in a large Dutch oven, covered, for 1 hour 45 minutes at 350 degrees; uncover and cook an additional 30 minutes)
Discard bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Shred meat using 2 forks; season with salt and pepper.
Serve in torillas along with assorted toppings.]]>Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:32:19 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-such4Today, 2 recipes! A recipe for homemade buns and a spicy jerked beef to accompany them.
My husband actually liked this and he's not much for spicy foods.
First the rolls as they are a bit time consuming (the meat takes a total of 15-20 minutes!)

Heavenly Buns

2 pkgs (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110F - 115F), divided
4 Tbls sugar, divided
1/3 cup olive oil 
2 tsp salt
6 - 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add 1 Tbls sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the oil, salt, remaining warm water & sugar and 4 cups of flour. Beat until smooth.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth & elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 16 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets, cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.



Jerk-Steak Sandwiches

3 scallions including green tops, cut in quarters
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 Tbls lime juice
4 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbls plus 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 Tbls dried thyme
1 Tbls five spice powder**
2 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs skirt steak, cut in half  (I used a small chuck roast and split it into 2 steaks)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Rolls or buns
Optional toppings: Mango chutney, red onion, arugula, watercress, lettuce

Light the grill or heat the the broiler. In a blender or food processor, puree the scallions & garlic with the oil, lime juice,soy sauce, 1 Tbls Tabasco sauce, thyme, 5 spice powder, allspice, salt & pepper.
Put the steak in a large, shallow glass dish or stainless steel pan. Rub the meat with the spice mixture. Marinate 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the mayo & remaining 1/2 tsp of Tabasco. Spread the mayo on the bottom 1/2s of the rolls & the chutney on the top 1/2s.
Grill or broil the steaks for 3 minutes. Turn & cook to your taste, 3-4 minutes longer, depending on the thickness, for medium rare. Transfer to a carving board and let sit for 5 minutes. Cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Sandwich the meat, onion, and arugula in the rolls.


** homemade "5" spice powder
1 1/2 tsp aniseed, crushed (or 1/2 aniseed 1/2 fennel seed)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients well (I put the aniseed through a spice mill)
]]>Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:31:12 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-such1This is an easy recipe and can be made with either a whole chicken, which would be either roasted or rotisseried. or with chicken breasts which would be baked.
The chicken comes out mildly flavored, juicy, delectable! I usually serve with mashed potatoes and green beans and a simple side salad.

Maple-Brined Chicken

3 cups water
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup salt (I use a 1/4 cup)
2 bay leaves crumbled
1/2 tsp peppercorns
Chicken - either 1 whole chicken or 4 boneless chicken breasts 
1 Tbls. butter, cut into small pieces

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of the water, maple syrup, salt bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves. Pour into a large bowl. Add remaining 2 cups of water and let cool.
Add the chicken to the cooled brine and let soak as follows: for a whole chicken, soak for 2-4 hours turning occasionally to insure even saturation
for chicken breasts, place in cooled brine and let soak for 30 minutes
Remove from brine, pat dry.
For whole chicken: Heat oven or rotisserie to 350F, lightly rub chicken with butter, roast for 60-90 minutes until golden brown and juices run clear when pierced trough thickest portion of thigh.
For chicken breasts: Heat oven to 450F, put chicken in roasting pan skin side up. Dot each one with butter and roast until just done, about 25 minutes.

Serves 4

NOTES:
Instead of a bowl, I use a ziplock bag for brining.

Brown sugar variation - if you don't have any maple syrup on hand, you can use 1/3 cup dark brown sugar instead.  

1 tsp Rosemary may be used instead of bay leaves

]]>Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:26:11 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/post-title-click-and-type-to-editI realize it's been some time since I "reciped"; it's simply been one of those months where, life...just gets in the way!
Today I'm going to share a couple links for rabbit recipes.

The first link is cool, Vintage Rabbits Recipes, they are dated so you know the time period... makes for some interesting reading! I have tried several recipes, no complaints from the family.
http://www.vintagerecipes.net/recipes/meat/rabbit/

And  with this second link, I've also had success with the recipes I've chosen to make. 224 recipes - Just Rabbit Recipes

 http://www.justrabbitrecipes.com/  ]]>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:32:48 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-such3Simple, nutritious, elegant... this dish is wonderful for either an everyday type dish or a formal dinner. 

Any mild flavored, white cheese may be used in place of the swiss 

Chicken Asparagus Roll Ups

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

12 asparagus spears

4 slices of swiss cheese

salt and pepper 

flour for dredging

2 Tbls cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Trim asparagus, breaking off tough woody ends, wash set aside. 

Cut each chicken breast in 1/2. Place each 1/2 between plastic and pound out to 1/4 inch thickness (ziplock bag works well for this) 

To assemble: Salt and pepper each pieces of chicken. Place 1 slice of swiss cheese on prepared piece of chicken, add 3 spears of asparagus; roll up, secure with toothpicks. repeat for other pieces.

Heat 2 Tbls. cooking oil in large skillet. Lightly dredge chicken portion of each roll-up with flour. Lightly brown on all sides in skillet; remove to baking dish, bake 25 minutes. Serve on bed of rice

4 servings

]]>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:25:19 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-such2Sorry for the delay in posting, this time of year is crazy... taxes... life...lol! This recipe is amazingly hearty, easy to make, though a bit time consuming, but well worth the effort.

Red Beans and Rice

1 lb. dried red kidney beans

Water to cover beans

1/4 lb. salt pork(with as much lean meat on it as possible), cut into 1 inch squares, about 1/2 inch thick; OR coarsely chopped bacon

4 cups water

About 5 qts (total) Chicken stock

3/4 lb. tasso, or other smoked ham such as Cure 81, cut into 1/2" cubes

2 1/2 cups finely chopped onion

1 1/2 cups finely chopped green pepper (for me this is too much, I use about 3/4 cup)

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 Tblsp minced garlic

salt to taste (I find with the meats & chicken stock, generally not much additional salt is needed)

About 6 cups hot cooked rice

Cover the beans with water at least 3 inches above the beans; soak overnight. Drain.

Place the salt pork in a 2 qt. saucepan with 4 cups of water. Place over high heat & bring to a boil. (If you use bacon omit this step) Reduce heat to maintain a strong simmer & cook about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain well, & set aside.

In a heavy 5 1/2 quart saucepan or large Dutch oven, combine the beans with 7 cups of the chicken stock. Place over high heat & bring to a boil, stirring frequently and scraping bottom of pan well so beans won't stick. Continue boiling until the liquid barely covers the beans; about 25 minutes, stirring & scraping frequently so beans won't scorch. NOTE: If they do scorch... change to a new pan without stirring them.

Stir in 2 cups more stock & return to boil, stirring frequently. Continue boiling until liquid has again reduced enough that it barely covers beans, about 15 minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom frequently. Add 2 more cups of stock; cook and stir about 15 minutes. Add 3 more cups stock; cook and stir until beans are very tender (both centers and hulls) and don't taste starchy, about 30 -40 minutes. NOTE: If beans require longer cooking to be tender, continue cooking adding stock or water as needed, 1 - 2 cups at a time.

Now stir in 2 more cups of stock and add the tasso (ham), onions, bell pepper, celery & garlic. Return to a boil & cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved salt pork (or bacon) and continue cooking over high heat about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer & cook until flavors meld, about 30 minutes, stirring & scraping pan bottom frequently.

Finally, you may stir in chopped green onions and parsley if desired at this point and add more stock or water if you want "juicier" beans; continue cooking about 10 minutes more, stirring frequently & being careful not to let the beans scorch. Remove from heat& add salt, if needed. Serve immediately.

To serve, allow about 3/4 cup rice mounded in the center of a plate, surrounded by about 1 1/2 cups of cooked beans.

Enjoy!

6 - 8 main dish servings

]]>Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:36:35 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-such1This has to be my favorite "comfort food" type soup. It's easy to make, and tastes great as leftovers the next day. Serve with hot crusty bread..... yum. 
As a variation you can add 1 1/2 - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese.

Potato Soup

3 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced ham
3 cups water
2 Tbls. chicken bouillon granules
Salt and White Pepper to taste 
I use 1/2 tsp. white pepper & no salt (as bouillon & ham have plenty)
3 Tbls. butter or margarine
3 Tbls. flour
2 cups milk

Cook potatoes, onion, celery seed and ham in a large stockpot with the water until potatoes are tender but not mushy (time will vary dependent upon variety of potato used). Add bouillon, salt, and white pepper. In a separate saucepan, combine butter and flour to make roux, add milk and cook and stir until thickened. Stir into potato mixture, heat through, and serve.
8-10 servings as first course of a meal
4-6 serving as a meal in itself ]]>Sun, 01 Jan 2012 13:41:43 GMThttps://www.twistedoaksflemishgiants.com/blog/twistedoaks-recipes-and-suchHappy New Year! This week it's supposed to be cold here, so here is one of my favorite cold weather chili recipes. This is a great recipe for using leftover chicken, turkey or rabbit.

White Bean Chili

• 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed  (or 2 cups cooked meat)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 4oz. cans of mild green chili peppers, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided
• 3 cups chicken broth, divided
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream and minced fresh cilantro, optional

Directions

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken, onion, jalapeno, oregano and cumin in oil for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is browned and vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Note: if using leftover/precooked meat, omit the salt in this step; saute the veggies and add the cooked meat for the last couple minutes)
• Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, mash 1 cup of beans; add 1/2 cup broth and stir until blended. Add to the slow cooker with the remaining beans and broth. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until heated through.
• Stir before serving. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

.




Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 334 calories, 15 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 64 mg cholesterol, 1,063 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 24 g protein.

]]>