RECIPE: Focaccia for BC Living "From Scratch"

Focaccia
Recipe for BC Living
June 2024
 
Filling your home with the smell of fresh bread is such a treat, and it can be easy too. You don’t have to be a sourdough expert, or have a stand mixer, to make something like a loaf of focaccia. Just a little bit of time and planning, as this bread is best left to ferment a bit overnight. 
 
The other fun part about this type of bread (besides the step where you get to poke it with your fingers like it’s Play-Doh), is that you can add so many things on top. I went with a simple roasted garlic head and some fresh rosemary from my garden, but you can use olives, cheese, tomatoes, bacon, you name it! 
 
INGREDIENTS: 
 
For the roasted garlic: 

• 1 head of garlic 

• Olive oil 

• Salt 
   

For the dough: 

• 4 cups all-purpose flour 

• 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F/45°C) 

• 8g active dry yeast (1 packet, or approx. 2 tsp) 

• 2 teaspoons sugar 

• 2 teaspoons salt 

• 1/4 cup olive oil 

For the topping: 

• Roasted garlic cloves, from 1 head of garlic 

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped 

• 1/4 cup olive oil 

• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling 
   
   

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Day 1 (Roasting Garlic): 
 
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). 

Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. 

Using a sharp knife, slice off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the tops of the garlic cloves. 

Place the garlic bulb on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Wrap the garlic bulb tightly in the foil. 

Roast the garlic in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and golden brown. 

Once roasted, remove the garlic from the oven and allow it to cool. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and put them in a small jar. Mash the roasted garlic cloves with a fork. Mix them with olive oil and let sit until the next day. 
 

Day 1 (Preparing Dough): 

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy. 

Add flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. 

 
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. 

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 8-12 hours. 
 
 

Day 2: 

The next day, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to come to room temperature. 

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. 

Stretch and shape the dough to fit the 9x13 inch baking pan. Press your fingers into the dough to create dimples all over the surface. 

Brush the roasted garlic-infused olive oil generously over the surface of the dough. Add more olive oil if needed, as you don’t want this to be dry. 

Sprinkle the dough with chopped rosemary and coarse sea salt, pressing them lightly into the dough. 

Let the dough rise again for about 20-30 minutes, uncovered, at room temperature. 

 
Once the dough has risen slightly, bake it in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. 

Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing and serving. 

Enjoy it on its own, as a sandwich, or dip it in some olive oil and balsamic! 

RECIPE: Spreads for BC Living "From Scratch" - Cream Cheese

Spreads - Part 3: Cream Cheese
BC Living - “From Scratch”
May 2024

If you love making homemade jam after a bountiful summer of berries and other fruits, but have never tried to make other spreads at home, this is your sign.  Making peanut butter (or any kind of nut-butter) is very simple, and even if they seem daunting, cream cheese and butter from scratch are well worth it. Not only because you can use fresh, organic ingredients, but you can customize them on the spot!

Cream Cheese

INGREDIENTS: 

8 Cups Whole Milk 
Juice of 1 Large Lemon (approx. 5 tbsp) 
½ tsp salt (or more) 
(Optional: additional herbs and spices for flavoring)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Begin by pouring the milk into a saucepan. Heat the milk over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.  
 
Once the milk is boiling, add the lemon juice and immediately turn off the heat.  
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the milk to curdle. (During this time, you'll observe curds forming and a yellowish liquid separating.) 
 
Once the curds have formed, strain the curdled milk through a cheesecloth (or clean tea towel) lined sieve to separate the liquid whey.  
 
Rinse the curds under cold water to remove any excess whey clinging to them. Squeeze the curdled milk to remove any remaining liquid whey. You may need to do this several times. 
 
Transfer the strained curds to a food processor, or blender, and add the salt (to taste).  
Blend until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, usually within 1-2 minutes, depending on the machine's power.  
 
If desired, add additional herbs or flavorings at this stage. Note that certain ingredients may affect the cheese's shelf-life; dried herbs will make the cream cheese last longer than fresh, but if you’re consuming quickly, go fresh! 
 
Store the cream cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.  
 
ENJOY! 

RECIPE: Spreads for BC Living "From Scratch" - Peanut Butter

Spreads - Part 2: Peanut Butter
BC Living - “From Scratch”
May 2024

If you love making homemade jam after a bountiful summer of berries and other fruits, but have never tried to make other spreads at home, this is your sign.  Making peanut butter (or any kind of nut-butter) is very simple, and even if they seem daunting, cream cheese and butter from scratch are well worth it. Not only because you can use fresh, organic ingredients, but you can customize them on the spot!

Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: 

3 cups of dry roasted peanuts 
salt – optional and to taste 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Three cups of peanuts will amount to about one cup of peanut butter, so adjust this as you see fit for how much you’d like to consume. It will last about one month. 
 
Place the peanuts in a stand mixer or high-powered blender and blend at high speed. Scrape down the sides with a spatula every time the pb starts to build up. 
 
A rough dough-like ball will start to form, keep going and it will smooth and blend itself out. 
 
You can blend until you reach the desired consistency, but a creamy and smooth peanut butter will take approximately 10 minutes to come together 

RECIPE: Spreads for BC Living "From Scratch" - Butter

Spreads - Part 1: Butter
BC Living - “From Scratch”
May 2024

If you love making homemade jam after a bountiful summer of berries and other fruits, but have never tried to make other spreads at home, this is your sign.  Making peanut butter (or any kind of nut-butter) is very simple, and even if they seem daunting, cream cheese and butter from scratch are well worth it. Not only because you can use fresh, organic ingredients, but you can customize them on the spot!

Butter

INGREDIENTS: 

2 cups heavy cream 
Salt - optional 

INSTRUCTIONS:

I made this in my stand mixer, but it can also easily be made in a food processor. It can be a bit messy, so keep a clean tea towel on hand. 
 
Pour the heavy cream into the stand mixer bowl. If desired, you can add a pinch of salt for flavor. 
Attach the whisk attachment to the stand mixer and set it to medium-high speed. Begin beating the cream. Keep an eye on the process; after a few minutes, the cream will start to thicken and form soft peaks. Continue beating until the cream transforms into whipped cream.  
 
Keep mixing beyond the whipped cream stage. The cream will start to separate into butter and buttermilk. This process usually takes about 10-15 minutes.  
The butter will begin to clump together and the buttermilk will separate from it.  
 
Once the butter has formed solid clumps and separated from the buttermilk, you can drain off the buttermilk. You can do this by carefully pouring the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl. Save the buttermilk for later use in baking or cooking. 
 
Some people prefer to rinse the butter to remove any remaining buttermilk - I do and did here. 
Pour cold water over the butter and then gently knead it under the water. Repeat this process until the water runs clear.  
 
Now you can shape the butter into a ball or log, or simply work it into a container. 
 
Store your homemade butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for about a week.  
Use your homemade butter on bread, toast, or in any recipe that calls for butter. Enjoy the rich, creamy flavor of your homemade creation! 

RECIPE: Mozzarella Sticks for BC Living

Mozzarella Sticks
”From Scratch” for BC Living
February 2024
 
Forget flavourless frozen snacks from the grocery store, these homemade mozzarella sticks are sure to level up your game day snack platter. 
 
You can deep-fry, bake, or air-fry these (my choice), and they pair perfectly with a homemade marinara sauce and some fresh parsley. 
 
 
INGREDIENTS: 
 
- low-moisture mozzarella cheese (if you want, you can use string cheese, cut in half) 
- 2 eggs 
- ½ cup bread crumbs (regular) 
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs 
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour 
- ½ tsp garlic powder 
- ½ tsp onion powder 
- ½ tsp dried oregano 
- ½ tsp dried thyme 
- ½ tsp salt 
- ½ tsp pepper 
 
- vegetable oil for coating 
- marinara sauce for dipping 
- parsley for garnish 
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS: 
 
Line a baking sheet or tray (that will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper and set to the side. 
 
Gather three medium-sized bowls. In one bowl, crack the eggs and add 2 tsp of water, and whisk together. 
In the second bowl add the regular and panko breadcrumbs and mix until combined. 
Finally in the third bowl, add the flour together with the garlic and onion powder, oregano, thyme, and salt and pepper – mixing. 

I like to put my mozzarella in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes before cutting it, as it makes it a lot easier. You’ll want to slice them in about 3-inch-long sticks, that are also about ½ an inch to ¾ inch wide. 
 
You’re going to follow the pattern of dipping the cheese in the egg, then the flour, into the egg for a second time, and finally the breadcrumbs. 
 
Be sure to press down into the breadcrumbs to help them stick as much as possible. 
 
When coated, place on the prepared baking sheet with parchment paper, and repeat with the mozzarella, until you’ve made your desired amount, or run out of breadcrumbs. 
 
Place the sticks in the freezer for at least one hour. Freezing the cheese means that the coating will cook evenly with the cheese melting. 
 
At this stage with the sticks frozen, you can also place them in an airtight container to store until ready to make. 
 
If using an air fryer to cook, preheat to 390F. 
 
Spray the sticks with cooking spray or use a brush to place oil on them. 
 
Test on stick by cooking for 4-5 minutes, rotating and watching closely to see how long it takes to brown, before making as many batches as you’d like. 
 
Place on serving dish, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with a marinara sauce on the side. 
 
[Note: If you’re frying in oil, bring vegetable oil to 350F, and cook sticks for approx. 2 minutes, and drain on paper towels. If baking heat to 450F and bake for approx. 8 minutes. You may want to make a test with either method first to be sure, as ovens can all be different.]

RECIPE: Cinnamon Rolls for BC Living

Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe for BC Living
February 2024

---

There’s nothing like warm cinnamon rolls on a weekend morning that you pull right from the oven and melt some delicious icing on. The benefit of this recipe is that you can do all the work the day before, so in the morning, the only thing you must do is wait patiently for the buns to rise! 
Also, your kitchen is going to smell amazing. 
 

INGREDIENTS 

Dough: 

- ¾ cup of milk (2% or 3%) 
- 1 package of dry active yeast (about 2 ¼ tsp) 
- 3 cups flour (bread or unbleached all purpose) 
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar 
- 1 egg, 1 egg yolk (room temp) 
- ¼ cup butter 
- 1 tsp salt 

Filling: 
 
- 2/3 cup brown sugar 
- 1.5 tablespoons cinnamon 
- ¼ cup soft butter 
 
Frosting: 
 
- 2 cup powdered sugar  
- 2 tablespoon butter (melted) 
- 2 tsp vanilla  
- 4 tbsp milk 
 
*Note: You’ll also need a 9x9 inch baking pan 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
Heat the milk to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit – this will be about lukewarm. 

Once heated, add it to a large bowl, and mix in the yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 15 minutes until bubbly. Now add in the room temperature eggs and melted butter (make sure the butter isn’t hot or it might cook the eggs!). 

Now add the flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. 

If you have a stand mixture, transfer in the dough with the dough hook attachment, and run at med speed for 5 minutes, then scrape down the sides, and run for an additional 3-4 minutes until a ball forms. If it’s too sticky, you can add a bit more bread flour. 

If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes on a clean and floured surface. 

Oil a bowl and place the dough ball inside, and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and a tea towel over top. Let this stand for 1 to 1.5 hours, just until it has doubled in size. 

While the dough is rising, you can make the filling mixture, by mixing the brown sugar and cinnamon together. If you prefer to add more cinnamon or other spices, like nutmeg, here is your chance. 

When the dough has risen, place it on a well-floured surface and gently roll it out until it is approximately 9x14 inches. 

Now spread the softened butter on top of the dough, leaving one small edge on the shorter side un-buttered. 

Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly across the buttered dough, lightly patting it into place. 

Roll the dough, starting on the 9-inch side, tightly across, and finish by pinching the un-buttered seam into place, and finish with the seam side down. 
 
If there is excess on the ends that do not have filling, you can cut these off with a sharp knife. 

Now, either using the knife, or using un-flavored wax floss, cut 9 sections out of the log (about 1 inch each). 

Grease the 9x9 baking pan and place the rolls evenly into it. 

Now is the time, if you want to make the rolls the next morning, to cover the pan with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. 
 
If you're making them the same day, cover the pan with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let rise again for about 30 to 40 minutes. 
 
While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and when they’re ready, place the rolls in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. (I like to rotate halfway through.) Check after 20 minutes, and see if they’re beginning to turn golden brown, if not bake for a few more minutes, watching them carefully. 
 
In the meantime, while the rolls are baking, you can make the frosting by placing the icing sugar, butter, vanilla and milk in a bowl, and whisking until smooth. You’ll want it thicker, as it will melt when placed on the warm cinnamon rolls. 

Let the rolls cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan and placing them on a plate and spreading the icing across. 
 
ENJOY! 
 
*Note: If baking from the fridge after resting overnight, let the rolls come to room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before baking.