g a z p a c h o... my first time

g a z p a c h o... my first time. 

Okay... So it's someone's birthday. Your thinking of what you can bring to the event. What do you cook for someone who is an amazing cook themselves and really knows his way around the kitchen? Think about it because it has to be good... really good. I've got it!!! Only the best, that's what! From one food lover to another this is some great gazpacho.

I used a recipe I found online and followed it exactly being that I was a 33 year old woman who never had gazpacho in her life. Just saying it g a z p a c h o..... fun!

This photo was taken about a week after I made it. 

It had just come out of the fridge and I thought I'd grab a quick photo before lunch. 

Still delicious! 

I'd love to share the recipe as if the contessa needed any more publicity. Well, what do they say? Give credit where credit is due? Bravo!!! 

Copyright 1999 The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Surprise Beach Party

Ingredients

• 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop. 

This summer, try this recipe and share with loved ones. Also if you are growing your vegetables this year good for you. even better. 

Laugenbrötchen with Household Baking Soda

Laugenbrötchen (Pretzel Bread Rolls) 

Let me first send a big thank you to a friend Lindsey B. for inspiring me to recreate one of my fond German memories. She also gave me this recipe which is super easy and delicious. 

Laugenbrötchen with Household Baking Soda

Ingredients

375 gr All purpose flour – 3 cups bread flour

1 pkg Yeast – 1 tbs

1 tbs sugar

1 tbs salt

250 ml warm water – 1cup

(Optional: after dough is formed work in 2 tbsp of room temperature butter)

For the Soda Solution (Lauge)

1 liter Water – 4cups

30 gr Baking soda – 2tbs

For Topping:

Coarse salt, caraway seed, grated Gouda Cheese

Prepare yeast dough. Cover and let rest in warm place until almost

doubled in size. (approx. 20-40 minutes) On lightly floured work area,

knead several times and divide into 10 equal pieces. Shape into

brezels, sticks, rings, or Brötchen.

To prepare the soda (Lauge) solution, bring water to boil in a deep

pot, remove from heat and slowly pour baking soda into water (careful,

it will bubble/sizzle quite a bit)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place one Brötchen on wire ladle and dip into solution for 10 seconds,

swing/turn ladle so Brötchen will swim, remove and while holding on

ladle let excess liquid drain. Place on a baking paper-lined cookie

sheet and sprinkle with salt, seed, or cheese. With a very sharp knife

cut cross into Brötchen.

Bake at 400 F for 15 – 20 minutes, preheated. 

oppps... better to cut when directions say and not jump the gun like I did. 

sprinkle with sea salt

why did I put flour on the bread stone? Don't do this. 

Lunch, turkey sandwich ;)