A Whole New Bagel

Here we go! I've never blogged before, or even had the desire to share my hilarious life experiences with people... but after working a 219 hour pay period in the last 2 weeks, I came to the realization that maybe not everyone on Facebook wants to hear about my EMT stories and cooking endeavors. And that's how Lights, Sirens, and Gumbo was formed. I plan on using some of my free time (when I'm bored to death on a slow day at work) to share these stories and recipes with you.

72 hours off last weekend was possibly the best thing that ever happened to me. You know that feeling, when you wake up and you know that there are only a few minutes before you have to get up for work? Well, this time, I had that feeling - except I was able to stay in my warm bed... no beeps, no emergencies, no waking up to wash a freaking ambulance at 0545am. Just peace. And when I woke up, coffee. Thanksgiving blend, from Starbucks, to be exact (not the Folgers that the station provides. gag!). So I'm a food snob, who cares! I am a PROCIDO. (Bold because my origins are, also. Thanks, Papa Procido)

I'm fairly sure that when normal people get a weekend off, they use it for different purposes than I do. When I got off at 0700 Friday morning, I arrived home to have coffee with Vincent before he left for class. By 1030 I had the entire house swept, vacuumed, mopped, dusted, sheets changed, laundry x 3, puppies bathed and house smelling like a willow tree. Now then, running time! There is nothing better than a good cold run after a shift at work. Unfortunately, my left tibia and ankle have decided to not partake in my planned run. Swelling, redness, and aggravation set in at its best due to a previous stress fracture in my last half marathon (Rock n' Roll Dallas, March 2010). WHY ME! I just wanted to get some exercise for crying out loud. I've settled for cycling in the meantime. But let me be the first to tell you... if you think you're in shape from running, put on your cycling shoes and helmet and hit some hills with a 30 degree windchill and bless my soul I am not in shape! 30 minutes later I was sitting on the floor in my kitchen sharing a banana with Alpine and Pepper... wiped out.

Naturally, when I've obsessed over cleaning and I have exercised my body, there is only one thing left to do - cook. I was thinking along the lines of baked potato soup, using unsweetened soy milk for a healthier approach. Hmm, I thought, some bread would go nicely with that. Upon  referencing the Bread Bible, I came upon a recipe for Egg Bagels that called for the starchy water created from boiling potatoes. Perfect!!! Potato soup = potato water= Bagels... BRILLIANT! Ok, I got excited. I've never made bagels before, but it couldn't be that hard. Right?

Cinnamon Oatmeal-Wheat Bagels

 Nom Nom Nom. Made with whole wheat flour (30%), rolled oats, and cinnamon. Making bagels was really interesting, and surprisingly enough, it's really not any harder than making a traditional yeast bread. The dough starts essentially the same, with yeast, warm water (from the boiled potatoes), a little sugar to feed the yeast, flour, and some additional ingredients for optimal tastiness - honey, oatmeal, cinnamon. Once the dough is formed and kneaded, it rises, and then you just shape it into very small bagels (they become huge in the cooking process). The fun part is taking a floured finger and poking a hole in the center, and you have to spin it around your finger for about 30 seconds to form a large hole that eventually shrinks into bagel perfection. A pot of boiling water with a few tablespoons of sugar ( use salt if you plan on topping the bagels with something savory like poppy seeds or onions) serves as a bath for the bagel dough and this boiling process creates the nice skin that is characteristic of a bagel. They boil for about 3 minutes on each side. The expansion of the dough at this point is incredible! It really is crazy how huge the bagels become. Once they have boiled, they come out of the water and onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. An egg glaze is applied to the tops and then we sprinkled them with cinnamon-sugar for an added touch of yum! Bake for about 30 minutes and you have golden brown fresh bagels. Probably the best random endeavor I've had in a while.

Sunday I wanted to make something kind of fun to go with the leftover portobello mushroom risotto that I had earlier in the weekend, so I settled on a smoked gouda and broccoli quiche. Initially, I wanted to use spinach... only to realize that we didn't have any :( Oh well, broccoli is just as delicious - and a nice source of veggies for our meal. The quiche turned out fluffy and creamy - delicious! My best friend Fram has already requested a recipe for this baby, so here is a rough draft -

Broccoli Cheese Quiche
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups of skim milk
1 cup grated smoked gouda (or anything you have)
8-10 oz frozen broccoli, defrosted, drained, and chopped
2 Tblsp. butter (optional)
2-3 scallions, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese + paprika to top

Mix the first 8 of these ingredients together and whip with a whisk until fluffy. If you choose to use a crust, which is not necessary - just delicious, line a 8" round baking dish with the crust ( I used Pillsbury this time. Don't hate). Pour the quiche mixture into the crust and sprinkle with 4 Tblsp. of parmesan cheese and a heavy sprinkle of paprika. Freshly cracked black pepper really makes this dish delicious and the green onions give it a fresh taste! Bake in a 400 degree oven on the bottom rack for about 40 minutes, or until firm when the dish is jiggled and it is golden on top. Allow time for it to cool afterwards, as the eggs and cheese will need time to set (15-20 minutes).

Smoky Broccoli Gouda Quiche