Taster’s Bite

Trying something new can be intimidating sometimes. Cooking something new may actually cause anxiety! “How do I cook it? What can I eat with it? What do I cook it in/on/with? Will it turn out okay? Will my family eat it?”

The rule at my table is a “taster’s bite.” My mother went by that same motto for fourteen years when she taught in the Head Start program. All you have to do is try one bite of whatever is on the table. I do this even when I’m sure about not enjoying something, like beets (oh, yes, CSA beets have been my downfall, but they’ve still been cooked and tried at my house!). It can take up to twelve times of offering a new food before you child may even try it, and adults may actually have more hesitation at new foods!

Being a part of the Forest Hills CSA, grabbing something new to try at one of the many Farmer’s Markets in NYC, and keeping your mind open to new recipes will lead your taste buds into territories that they’ve only dared to dream about!

The newest thing in our house has been switching up our carb intake. We bake our own bread and biscuits, and recently I took the leap into pizza dough and breadstick territory. I was a bit nervous, but what’s there to lose? One dinner flop once in a while is no big deal.

As it happened, both meals ended up being delicious, and I’m excited to try out CSA toppings this week! A new twist on sweet potato “pie,” perhaps? Leeks and celeriac on pizza? Why not? There are endless possibilities, so go for it! And remember, a salad with organic veggies on the side always tastes great!

 

Pizza Dough

(Pizza Dough III Recipe, from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar

Directions

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups bread flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar and the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Beat well until a stiff dough has formed. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Form dough into a round and roll out into a pizza crust shape. Cover with your favorite sauce and toppings (mmm, CSA veggies!!!) and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

 

Best-Ever Breadsticks

(A slightly tweaked recipe from Cooks.com)

Ingredients

• 3/4 C milk
• 1 T sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 T butter
• 1 (1/4 oz) package quick-rise yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/4 C warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
• 3 1/8 C flour
• Topping: garlic powder, 2 T butter

Directions

1. In a saucepan, heat milk, sugar, salt, and 1 T butter. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
3. Combine milk mixture, yeast, and 1 1/2 cups flour, then beat until smooth.
4. Add enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough.
5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 4-5 minutes).
6. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
7. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
8. Punch dough down. Pinch off golf-ball-sized pieces, and roll into marker-size strips.
9. Place on greased baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise 15 minutes. Yields about 20 breadsticks.