Nutella Stuffed Espresso Rolls

These little rolls here are so delicious and addicting. They are perfect for a morning pick-me up on a lazy Sunday. But I can testify that they taste just as good at all points of the day. Similar to my cinnamon rolls, these rolls require two rises. The dough is a great base, so feel free to switch up the insides to your delight. I bet some citrus flavor would go great with the richness the espresso powder adds to the dough. I might have to try that out for next time!

Recipe yields 12 rolls

Ingredients 

1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3 tsp espresso powder
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup Nutella

To the bowl of your stand mixer, add melted butter, warm milk and yeast. Allow to sit for 5-8 minutes while the yeast becomes active. 

Mix in 2 teaspoons of espresso powder, the granulated sugar and the egg. Be sure to mix until fully incorporated.

Slowly mix in the flour until the dough begins to form. You want the dough to be workable, not too dry or too sticky. Add additional flour or drops of water to get your dough where it needs to be.

Using the dough hook to your stand mixer (or your hands) knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes elastic. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rest for about 2 hours. You want the dough to rise and double in size.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and use a rolling pin to form a rectangle, about 11 X 15 inches.

Spread the dough evenly with the Nutella, being sure to leave roughly 1/2 inch border around the edge. You want to leave some space so the Nutella doesn't ooze out the edges when you have to roll the dough.

Mix together the brown sugar and remaining teaspoon of espresso powder. Sprinkle the mixture over the Nutella layer.

Roll up the dough, making sure to keep it tight and pressed together as you roll it up.

Slice the dough into 1 1/2 inch rolls. Arrange in a baking dish and cover. Allow the dough to rise for a second time, about 1 hour. The rolls should double in size and should all be pushed together. During this wait, preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Once the dough has risen, place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. The tops should be golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

Pasta alla Ratatouille

A quick disclosure - this is MY version of a ratatouille. It does not follow classic French cooking standards, but I think it tastes just as good. I had a surplus of great vegetables on hand from my crop share and this was one great way to use them up. This is great as a side dish, but you can also throw it over pasta or rice to serve it as a meal.

Recipe yields 8-10 servings

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 head of garlic
3 large zucchini
1 large eggplant
1 medium yellow onion
5 lbs. tomatoes
1/2 lb. green beans
1-2 tbsp salt (this is based on a taste test and preference)
1 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 lbs whole wheat pasta

Start off by preparing your vegetables. You are going to want to mince the garlic, slice the onion and dice the zucchini and eggplant. If your green beans are extra long, you can cut them in half to make them more manageable when it comes time to eat.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add your garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant and add in the onion, zucchini and eggplant. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, start to dice the tomatoes. You want to cut them into about 1/2" cubes. Add the tomatoes and all the juices to the pot and stir it all together. Using the back of your spoon, 'smoosh and squish' the tomatoes to extract more juices. Remember, this is a very rustic dish, so nothing has to be perfect. After all the tomatoes are added, bring the mixture to a boil. Add your salt, pepper and chopped basil and continue to boil. You can lower the heat to medium, but you still want to see some bubbles. Cook for about 15 minutes before adding the green beans.

Cooking time will vary depending on the sizes of the vegetables and how small/large you cut them. Continue to check the vegetables until they are tender. The zucchini is likely to take the longest to cook. Overall, my pot sat at a slow boil for about 15 minutes. Once your comfortable with the flavors and textures (remember, you can always add more salt and pepper depending on your tastes), shut off the heat and mix in the chopped parsley.

Now you can pour this delicious mixture over your pasta and serve alongside a crispy French baguette. Delicieux! Bon Appetit!

Sauteed Mahi Mahi

So for those of you who are regular visitors to The One Behind The Apron, you will notice this post is a little different than normal. (Hint: a LOT less photos) My kitchen is currently under construction and it is enough of a challenge to cook the meals, never mind simultaneously photograph them. So for the next few weeks, some of my recipes might not have as many photos as your used to. However, I do have some posts saved up from the pre-construction days, so I will sprinkle those in as well. With that in mind, if you have any questions on the recipe below (or the ones to come), do not hesitate to shoot me an email.

In the Northeast, it is not everyday that you catch Mahi Mahi. For those of you that don't know, Mahi Mahi is a dolphin - but don't worry, not like Flipper! So, when my grandfather came home from a day fishing with one, I jumped at the chance to cook it up for all of us. This is a simple recipe that can be used with any fish, so if you can't find Mahi Mahi, you can try this out with other white fish such as sea bass or striped bass. Also, this is delicious on a sandwich with some lettuce and tomato and a little Old Bay Mayonnaise (Mayo + Old Bay Seasoning = Old Bay Mayo).

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
4 lbs. fresh Mahi Mahi (Our fish was a lot bigger, so we just put the extra in the freezer for another time)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp basil

Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper so there is an even coating. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the fish and cook 4-5 minutes, per side, depending on the width of the fish. You want the fish to be white all the way through, with no signs of pink in sight!

Once the fish is finished cooking, remove from the pan and place on a serving dish. Add the butter to the pan and use your spoon to scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom and mix with the butter. Add the basil and mix it in. Once the butter is fully melted, pour the mixture over the fish right onto the platter. Serve with fresh steamed vegetables for a healthy meal! Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken & Rice Skillet

With Fall around the corner, and school back in session, we are all looking for hearty meals that can come together quickly and painlessly. This dish only requires one pan and very minimal prep work which makes it great for a weeknight dinner. Just throw everything into a big pan and let it work on its own. As a bonus, the leftovers make a great choice for lunch the next day.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb chicken breast
1/2 medium yellow onion
2 tsp taco seasoning (See here for my taco seasoning blend)
1 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 cup long grain brown rice

Mix together all of your spices in a bowl before adding to the chicken. This will help to make sure the flavors are evenly distributed.

In the largest skillet you own, add your oil, sliced onions and cubes of chicken. Cook on medium-high heat so the outsides turn brown. Sprinkle on the seasonings and stir to combine.

Continue to sear the chicken for another minute or so until there are no longer signs of pink from the outside.

Now it is time to toss in the corn, black beans, salsa and chicken broth. Give everything a good stir and then bring it all to a boil. Once boiling, add the rice and put on the cover. Lower the heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes. (I used brown rice so the cooking time is a bit longer, if you chose to use white rice be sure to check the time on the package).

When time is up, your rice should be plump and most of the liquids should be all soaked up.

Remove the contents into a serving bowl and sprinkle with grated cheese if you prefer.

Serve with tortillas or on its own for a filling meal. Enjoy!

Red Onion & Zucchini Chicken Sandwiches

I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing Labor Day Weekend. This has been my go-to sandwich for lunch on Saturday's all summer long. It is so quick to put together and is filled with refreshing flavor. Whether we were going to the beach or spending the day out on the boat, I was constantly getting requests to prepare these sandwiches to bring with us.

Recipe yields 3 sandwiches

Ingredients 

1 Rotisserie chicken

1/2 red onion

1 medium zucchini (in a pinch, I've substituted cucumbers as well)

1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp fresh parsley

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 loaf Italian bread

Shredded lettuce, optional

Start off by thinly slicing the onion and zucchini. You want the zucchini to look like thin ribbons.

Mix together the onion, zucchini, olive oil, vinegar, juice from one lemon, about 2 tbsp lemon zest, chopped parsley and the salt and pepper. Let that marinate for at least 15-20 minutes while you get the chicken ready.

In the meantime, remove the breasts and legs from the chicken. Remove the skin and using two forks, shred the meat into bite sized pieces.

Mix together the shredded chicken with the marinated vegetables. Add extra olive oil if the mixture seems too dry. Use your judgment and preference here. Slice open your Italian bread and load it up with the mixture. 

Top off your sandwich with shredded lettuce, if you prefer. You could even add some tomato slices if that is your thing. Cut into individual sandwich size pieces. Either wrap up to enjoy later on at the beach or on the boat, or serve with a bag of chips and enjoy it right now!