One-Pot Sticky Chicken Wings

Your fingers will be definitely be coated with sauce after eating these One-Pot Sticky Chicken Wings, but it will be worth it.

They are coated with a sweet, mildly spicy, Asian flavored sauce, which is reduced as the wings are stirred and tossed in the sauce. The ingredient list is long, but the prep time is only 10 minutes, and the wings take just about 40 minutes from start to finish.

My grandsons loved these wings (after picking off the green onions), although I did have to keep reminding them not to wipe their hands on their shirts.

I can't get enough of these sticky wings. The flavors are amazing.

One-Pot Sticky Chicken Wings

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings, wing tips removed, and cut into two pieces

2 T minced fresh ginger

4 small dried red chiles, tops cut off

2 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1/3 C soy sauce

1/3 C sake

3 T oyster sauce

3 T mirin

3 T brown sugar

1/3 C water

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a large nonstick skillet (mine was 14"), sear the chicken wings about 10 minutes per side, until golden. 
2. Add the ginger, red chiles, star anise, and cinnamon stick and stir for about a minute. 
3. Add the soy sauce, sake, oyster sauce, mirin, sugar, and water, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Uncover and cook with medium high heat for about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is reduced to a thick glaze, and the pan is almost dry. At the end, finish the wings on high heat to emulsify the chicken fat into the sauce. 
5. Remove the chiles, star anise, and cinnamon stick, and toss the wings with the scallions and sesame seeds. 

Enjoy! 

Adapted from Food Network

Tangelo, Date, and Almond Biscotti

These tangelo, date, and almond biscotti are and excellent accompaniment to your morning coffee or afternoon tea. They contain butter, so they are not as rock hard as southern Italian biscotti. Don't worry, they are still nice and crunchy, and will stay fresh for days. They are excellent eaten with our without dunking them in a cup of coffee.

I love the sweetness of the dates combined with the citrus flavor. This is the second time I've made biscotti, and am amazed at how easy they are to make. Homemade biscotti is pretty special.

Impress your friends. All you need is two bowls, a whisk, a spoon and a good serrated knife. No mixer needed.

I made these tangelo, date, and almond biscotti for a virtual baby shower for one of my virtual friends, Tara, of Tara's Multicultural Table!

Her baby was (operative word "was") due in mid March, so Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook thought it would be a fun excuse to make some biscotti and, of course, surprise Tara.

Guess what? Tara's baby came early! You can follow her on Instagram (@taramctable) to see pictures of her amazing food as well as an occasional photo of her cute kids and puppies, Congratulations Tara! 

After the recipe, be sure to check out all of the other wonderful biscotti posts from Tara's friends. 

Tangelo, Date, and Almond Biscotti

Makes 24 biscotti (or you can slice them more thinly to yield more)

Ingredients

270 g (2 cups minus 2 T) all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

100 g (2/3 C) whole almonds

1/4 C (75 g) unsalted butter

1 T finely grated tangelo or orange zest (about one large tangelo/orange)

2 large room temperature eggs

150 g (3/4 C) granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

85 g dried pitted dates, diced

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a half sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the almonds and stir. 
4. In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter and zest, until the butter is just melted, about 40 seconds, in 20 second bursts. Stir and let cool, but not harden. 
5. In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk the eggs. Slowly add the sugar while continuing to whisk, until smooth. Slowly whisk in the butter mixture along with the vanilla and almond extract. 
6. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the flour is absorbed into the liquid. Add the dates and mix them into the dough with your hands. 
7. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a 12 inch log. Place each log on the baking sheet, and slightly flatten them into 3 inch wide by 12 inch long mounds. 
8. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and slightly cracked on top. 
9. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a rack for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. 
10. Slice each log on an angle with a serrated knife into 12 pieces. Place them on their sides back onto the parchment. Bake on one side for 7 minutes. Flip them over, and bake on the other side for 7 minutes. Cool the cookies on a wire rack. 

Recipe adapted from Scientifically Sweet via the Avid Bakers Challenge. 

More biscotti recipes from Tara's blogger friends:

Biscotti Bites from Nicole at I am a Honey Bee

Blueberry Pecan Biscotti from Renee at Magnolia Days

Cinnamon Biscotti from Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti from Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Dark Chocolate Orange Biscotti from Amy at Amy's Cooking Adventures

Green Tea Biscotti Cookies from Rebekah at Making Miracles

Jam-Filled Mandelbrot from Kelly at Passion Kneaded

Maple Walnut Biscotti from Sally at Bewitching Kitchen

Nut-Free Anise Biscotti with Chocolate Chips from Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian

Orange and Dark Chocolate Biscotti from Lynsey at Lynsey Lou's

Parmesan-Peppercorn Biscotti from Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Tangelo, Date, and Almond Biscotti from Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories

Spa Water from of Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

Stir-Fried Aromatic Potatoes | Wok Wednesdays

These stir-fried aromatic potatoes are not anything like French fries, even though they look like them in this photo (I love French fries, it's just that the texture of these potatoes is quite different).

The recipe calls for a pound of new potatoes, rather than the more starchy russets. They are stir-fried in just 2 tablespoons of oil with some minced ginger and garlic. They are finished with shredded scallions, salt, and a bit of rice vinegar. The potatoes are slightly al dente, evenly cooked throughout, and not at all mushy.

I used a mandoline slicer to cut my potatoes (there is no need to peel them), and I think I cut them a little too thick. They are supposed to be a scant 1/4 inch thick, and mine were slightly thicker. The stir-fry process is supposed to take about six to seven minutes, but my potatoes were still a little raw in the middle at the eight minute mark. Because I was worried about the ginger and garlic burning, I finished these on a quarter sheet pan in a convection oven for about five minutes. That worked out well, and the potatoes had the "crisp tender" texture called for in the recipe. Next time I'll hand cut the potatoes to make sure they are the right size.

It's amazing how Asian cooking techniques and ingredient combinations can unexpectedly transform an ingredient native to the western hemisphere. These potatoes are very tasty.

We served these with Asian inspired chicken wings and a cabbage salad. So good.

The original recipe is on page 210 of Grace Young's Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories. The recipe can also be found on Google Books. 

If you'd like to join a group of avid wokkers, check out the Wok Wednesdays page for more about our adventures.

Oven Fried KFC "Copycat" Chicken

Super easy oven Fried healthified KFC "Copycat" Chicken!

It's Secret Recipe Club time again. "Secret Recipe Club?" you ask. It's a group of food bloggers who are secretly assigned another member's blog each month. We get to spend a month secretly "stalking" our assigned blog in order to choose something to make for Reveal Day. I enjoy the chance to "meet" other bloggers as well as try out a new recipe.

This month, my assigned blog is Burnt Apple. Traci is a wife and mom of three trying to cook healthy dinners at home. She confesses that she used to be a terrible cook. I find that hard to believe. There are so many delicious recipes on her site.

After spending plenty of time making a long list of recipes to try, I chose to make her KFC Fried Chicken recipe. Some recipes I plan to try later: Turkey club wrap, Chili's queso dip, and her taco soup. Check them out.

This healthified boneless skinless chicken is coated in seasoned flour and then baked in a few tablespoons of butter in the oven. The resulting chicken is super tasty, and would be a huge hit with the kids (I can't wait to make them for my grandsons). This chicken would also be excellent in a sandwich. Does it taste like KFC? Kind of (haven't been to a KFC in years. I'm kind of partial to the gloriousness that is super crispy chicken skin... sheepish grin). Regardless, it's really good on its own.

Oven Fried KFC "Copycat" Chicken

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or about 1 pound of chicken breast tenders

1/2 C milk

1 Cup flour

2 tsp paprika 

1 T Morton's Season All (I think Laury's Seasoned Salt would work well too)

3/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cut the butter into pieces and place them on a 9 inch by 13 inch baking pan (I used a quarter sheet pan). 
3. Place the pan in to oven for a couple of minutes to melt the butter, and remove it. 
4. Dip the chicken into the milk, and then completely coat with the flour/spice mixture. 
5. Place the pieces onto the buttered baking pan, and bake for 20 minutes on one side.
6. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the chicken pieces over, and place the pan back in the oven. 
7. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove the pieces from the butter immediately and place on a plate. 

Recipe adapted from Burnt Apple, adapted from Our Life Uncommon. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Pain Au Levain with a Firm Starter

This particular Pain au Levaine is a rustic bread that includes a mixture of bread, whole wheat, and pumpernickel flours. The dough is fairly wet, and produces an interior with smaller holes, yet not too dense.

While the bread is naturally leavened, it is not very sour, and is excellent for toast, sandwiches, and simply dunked in olive oil, soup, or sauce.

Don't be intimidated by making your own sourdough bread. Once you get your starter going, you will be hooked. It's a wonderful thing.

This recipe calls for "stretches and folds." This involves grabbing the dough from each of the four "sides" with wet hands and stretching it out and folding it over itself in order to develop the gluten. You will feel the gluten develop as you do this. I promise. It's pretty cool actually.

This bread calls for a firm starter. You can find the recipe as well as an alternative substitution using yeast >here<.

Pain au Levain with a Firm Starter

Ingredients

109 g firm starter

551 g (19.4 ounces) water at 80 degrees F

408 g all purpose flour

204 g whole wheat flour

68 g pumpernickel flour

16 g salt (I used fine sea salt)

Instructions

1. Place the starter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water and stir with the paddle attachment for about 30 seconds. 
2. Add the flour and mix for about 2 minutes on low. 
3. Let the dough sit in the bowl for 20 minutes, uncovered. 
4. Switch to the dough hook, add the salt, and mix on low for about six minutes. 
5. Scrape the dough with a bowl scraper out into an oiled bowl or dough rising bucket (I use a large Cambro bucket). Cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes. 
6. Do three "stretch and folds" at 30 minute intervals. 
7. Cover the container with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 2 to 3 hours. There should be bubbles on top of the dough. 
8. Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out. Loosely form the dough into ball, and let sit for 10 minutes.
9. Prepare a basket, banneton, or towel lined 9 inch bowl with a mixture of wheat flour and bran to prevent sticking. Form the dough into a ball and place it, seam side up, into the basket/bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 to 3 hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
10. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. I baked my loaf on a preheated stone covered by an upside down stainless steel bowl, but you can use a parchment lined baking sheet. 
11. When the dough is ready, place a parchment sheet on a peel, and turn the dough out onto the peel. Slash the top of the dough in a pattern that you like, and place the dough, parchment and all, on top of the stone, cover with the bowl, and close the oven door. Reduce the oven to 400 degrees F. 
12. Bake for 25 minutes, remove the bowl, and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread is golden and has reached an internal temperature of about 205 degrees F. 
13. Cool completely on a wire rack. 

This recipe has been adapted from the wonderful Della Fattoria Bread: 63 Foolproof Recipes for Yeasted, Enriched & Naturally Leavened Breads.

According to the authors, this Pain au Levaine bread was inspired by the Poilane bread from Paris.

Here is another Poilane style miche using actual Poilane flour, which is sifted to partially remove part of the bran. 

Amaretto Tricolor Cookies

These Amaretto tricolor cookies are also known as Neapolitan cookies, as well as Italian rainbow cookies. Typically, they are made in the colors of the flag of Italy; red, white, and green; and they are an Italian American tradition. If you are ever at an Italian American party, wedding, or holiday celebration, you are likely to see these as part of the cookie platters.

One of the primary ingredients for these cookies is almond paste. Did you know you can easily make your own almond paste? It is so much fresher than the packaged paste, and you can whip it up in about two minutes (I've included a recipe in case you'd like to try making your own).

Don't they look festive?

The cookies are faintly flavored with orange zest and are held together with an apricot jam and Amaretto mixture. The layers are all from the same batter, and then divided to add the colors.

Each layer is baked in an 8 inch square cake pan and then stacked on top of each other. The whole thing is topped with a dark chocolate glaze, and then cut into squares. I used a large chef's knife to cut the squares, wiping it clean between each cut.

Almonds, dark chocolate, citrus... practically health food, right? I love the combination of flavors. So Italian! Plus, making these will give you an excuse to buy a bottle of Amaretto!

Speaking of booze, after the recipe, check out all of the links to cookies containing booze from my pals at the Creative Cookie Exchange.

Amaretto Tricolor Cookies

Ingredients

Almond Paste

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 

1/2 tsp almond extract

2 Tbsp water

Cookie Layers

1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

7 ounces (by weight) of the almond paste

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

3 large eggs

Zest of one orange (I used a tangelo)

Orange gel food coloring (or a color of your choice), enough to create a bright layer

2 tbsp. dark unsweetened cocoa

Filling

2/3 cup apricot jam

2 tbsp Amaretto liqueur

Chocolate Glaze

6 ounces dark (60 percent cacao) chocolate

1 tsp light corn syrup

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

Almond Paste

1. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. 
2. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until needed. 

Cookie Dough/Batter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter three 8 inch square cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and butter the parchment. If you do not have three pans, you can bake the layers one or two at a time. 
3. Whisk the flour and salt together in a small bowl. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the almond paste, sugar, and almond extract with the paddle attachment until crumbly. 
5. Add the butter and beat at high speed until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. 
6. Add the zest and stir until mixed in. 
7. Add the flour mixture, in thirds, mixing on low until just combined. 
8. Divide the batter into three bowls (I weighed the dough to make sure each layer had an equal amount). Mix the cocoa into one, the orange food coloring into one, and leave one plain. 
9. Spread the dough/batter into each cake pan, and smooth to create an even layer. 
10. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. 
11. Cool in the pans for 20 minutes, and then turn the layers out onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment.

Filling

1. In a saucepan, mix the jam and the Amaretto and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. If your jam is too lumpy, blend with a hand blender. 
2. Let cool for a few minutes before using. 

Chocolate Glaze

1. In a double boiler, or in a stainless bowl over a simmering pan of water, mix the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter. 
2. Stir constantly until smooth. 

Assembly

1. Place the chocolate layer in a parchment lined quarter sheet or jelly roll pan. Spread it with half of the filling.
2. Place the white layer on top of the chocolate layer and spread with the rest of the filling.
3. Place the orange layer on top and press the layers together gently with your hands. 
4. Refrigerate the layers for at least 5 minutes, while you make the chocolate glaze. 
5. Spread the glaze over the layers. 
6. Refrigerate for at least an hour. 
7. Remove the pan from the refrigerator, and let sit for about 30 minutes.
8. Lift the parchment onto a cutting board, and cut the layers into bars. I cut mine into generous one inch squares, which yielded 36 cookies. 

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Adapted from the amazing Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.

The theme this month is Drunken Cookies! Cookies made with booze and/or inspired by booze, we have them all! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.
You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Rosemary Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Smoked Sea Salt from The Spiced Life
• Tipsy Chocolate Cherry Cookies from Our Good Life
• Cherry Blossom Tea Cookies from NinjaBaker
• Cinnamon Raisin Blondies from What Smells So Good?
• Chocolate Macarons with Bourbon Praline Buttercream from Sweet Cinnamon & Honey
• Amaretto Tricolor Cookies from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Whiskey Raisin Oatmeal Bars from Food Lust People Love
• Frosted Orange Cookies from Magnolia Days
• Coffee and Irish Cream Sandwich Cookies from Spiceroots
• Amaretti Biscuits from A Baker’s House
• Chocolate Rum Balls from Noshing With The Nolands
• White Chocolate Chip & Frangelico Hazelnut Cookies from Made With Love
• Nutella Baileys Cookies from Basic N Delicious

Pamplemousse Ginger Martini

This pamplemousse martini so refreshing! 

"What the heck is pamplemousse?" you ask. It's French for grapefruit! 

There is actually a Crème de Pamplemousse liqueur, and as you can tell by the bottle on the right, I've taste tested it... a few times. It's quite wonderful. It's not as strong or syrupy as limoncello, and has an aromatic and citrusy flavor. It definitely tastes like grapefruit. 

This martini combines the flavors of herbal gin, ginger, grapefruit, and lime. Seriously tasty. 

Pamplemousse Ginger Martini

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces gin

1/2 ounce ginger liqueur

1 ounce pamplemousse rose liqueur

1/2 ounce lime juice

lime wedge

Instructions

1. Add the gin, ginger, pamplemousse, and lime juice to an ice filled cocktail shaker.
2. Shake for about 30 to 60 seconds, and strain into a chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Enjoy!

Malaysian Style Stir-Fried Turmeric Shrimp | Wok Wednesdays

Have you ever experienced preparing a dish, tasting it, and then experiencing that "I can't believe I actually made this myself!" moment?  This Malaysian Style Stir-Fried Turmeric Shrimp had this impact on me. I had to pinch myself. It is so delicious.

We are in the midst of the two week period leading up to the Chinese New Year, and shrimp is, according to stir-fry guru Grace Young, considered a dish symbolizing happiness, and traditional for the holiday.

This shrimp recipe was developed by Mei Chau, who is owner/chef of the New York City restaurant Aux Epices.  She is of Hakka descent and grew up in Malaysia, the youngest of eleven children. This shrimp combines the traditions of Chinese stir-fry and the spiciness of Malaysian food.

The recipe is simply shrimp marinated in red chiles, dill or fresh curry leaves (I used fresh dill), turmeric, ground pepper, and then sprinkled with sugar prior to stir-frying.

The only other ingredients, besides peanut oil, are garlic, shallots, and salt. That's it. It's pretty magical.

The shrimp are cooked in their shells, which add so much flavor. The shells are cut across the back and the shrimp are deveined before being washed and dried.

This recipe is stunning, and can be found in Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories by Grace Young.

Check out my friend Cathy's mis en place for this dish >here<.
The recipe can be found >here<

Classic New York Water Bagels #BreadBakers

Bagels. Can we tawk? First, let me just say that these Classic New York Water Bagels are simply wonderful. In fact, the two recipients (outside of my family) of these bagels told me that they were the best bagels they have ever had. I am not making this up.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef Brisket

The slow cooker is the perfect vehicle for preparing brisket. This cut of meat was made for "low and slow." This may look like an "ugly buggly" pile of beef, but it's sooooo tasty.

The meat is first coated with a spice rub and then refrigerated for several hours, preferably overnight.

One of my favorite secret ingredients in this dish is canned chipotles in adobo. Whenever I open a can of this magical stuff, I blend it with a stick blender, and keep the mixture in the fridge. It's so good in scrambled eggs, quesadillas, guacamole, and even Bloody Marys.

There are 16 ingredients in this brisket, and it is loaded with flavor. If you like meat, make this. It is "melt in your mouth" amazing.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef Brisket

Serves 8

Ingredients

1/2 C dark brown sugar

3 T minced canned chipotle chile in adobo, divided

1 T ground cumin

1 T sweet paprika

Salt and pepper

1 five pound beef brisket, trimmed

2 onions, minced

2 T tomato paste

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 T vegetable oil

1 T chili powder

1/2 C water

1/4 C ketchup

1 T apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Instructions

1. Combine the brown sugar, 2 T of the chipotles, the cumin, paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tsp of pepper. 
2. Prick the brisket all over with a fork. 
3. Rub the brisket with the sugar mixture, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate the meat for 8 to 24 hours. 
4. Unwrap the meat and place it in a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker. 
5. In a medium bowl, mix the onions, tomato paste, garlic, oil, chili powder, and 1 T of the chipotles. 
6. Place the bowl in a microwave, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. 
7. Add the water to the slow cooker. Cover, and cook for 9 to 10 hours on low. 
8. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let it rest for about 30 minutes. 
9. Skim the fat off the top of the braising liquid, add the ketchup, vinegar, and liquid smoke. Whisk and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
10. Slice the brisket and place it on a serving platter. 
11. Spoon the sauce over the meat, and serve. 

This meat makes great leftovers too. 

Slightly adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution.

Stir-Fry Sichuan Beef

This Stir-Fry Sichuan Beef recipe is super flavorful. The sauce combines the flavors of soy, ginger, ketchup, hoisin sauce, and chili bean sauce. The vegetables include onions, green bell peppers, and a garnish of scallions, all ingredients that are readily available. The sauce is amazing.

The dish is simply wonderful over sticky rice. Can you see the steam rising?

I used some flank steak I had in the freezer to make this Sichuan Beef recipe and discovered how easy it is to slice semi-frozen meat into bite sized pieces. Doh! Why did I not know this?

I've been on a stir-fry obsession, second only to my bread obsession, and recently purchased The Breath of a Wok by Grace Young. I have been cooking from her book, Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge every other week for two years now, and decided to dip into one of her earlier books. Why should I have to wait for Wok Wednesdays to stir fry, right?

I will definitely making this again and again. Trust me, it's good.

Stir-Fry Sichuan Beef

Serves three as the main course, four to five as part of a multi-course meal

Ingredients

8 ounces flank steak 

2 T Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry

1 1/2 tsp plus 1 T soy sauce

5 slices ginger, smashed
2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 T ketchup
2 T hoisin sauce
2 tsp chili bean sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 T water
1 T peanut or vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 C chicken broth
2 scallions, cut into 1 inch slices

Instructions

1. Cut the flank steak with the grain into two inch wide strips, and then cut each strip into 1/4 inch wide pieces against the grain. 
2. Marinade the beef with the rice wine, 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and 2 slices of the ginger for 30 minutes. 
3. Drain the beef and toss it with 1 tsp of the cornstarch. 
4. Mix the ketchup, hoisin, chili bean sauce, sesame oil, and 1 T of soy sauce in a small bowl.
5. Mix 1 1/2 tsp of cornstarch and 1 T water in another small bowl and set aside.
6. Heat your wok over high heat.
7. Add 1 T of peanut or vegetable oil to the wok. Add three slices of the ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
8. Add the marinated beef and spread it into a single layer over the surface of the wok. 
9. Let it cook for one minute. 
10. Stir fry the beef for 30 seconds. 
11. Transfer the beef to a colander and let it drain over a plate.
12. Add the bell peppers and onions to the wok and stir fry for one minute. 
13. Add the broth and bring it to a boil over high heat. 
14. Add the ketchup mixture and bring it to a boil. 
15. Add the cornstarch/water mixture and boil until the sauce has thickened. 
16. Add the beef back into the wok and stir for 30 seconds. 
17. Garnish with the scallions. 

Enjoy!

Olive Campagne Boule

This Olive Campagne Boule is one of my favorite breads for serving as an appetizer. The crust is super crunchy, and the interior is so incredibly moist. I love setting out small slices of the bread along with  a carafe of roasted garlic infused olive oil for dipping.

The dough for this bread is incredibly soft and supple, and even though it is a wet dough, it is really easy to handle.

It is such a relief that this Olive Campagne Boule worked out. Every time I get a little confidence in my bread baking skills or a little too casual about what i'm doing (or not paying enough attention), it seems that drama ensues.

First, the shaped dough stuck to the banneton when I tried to turn it out. Once it released from the basket, it started to flatten out. When I lifted it into a hot Dutch oven, the dough caught on one side and the loaf got hung up like a hammock. Aaack! I shoved it down with a knife, slashed the dough, covered it, stuck it in the oven, and crossed my fingers.

Fortunately, the hot oven did its thing and the bread recovered just fine. The only evidence was a few wrinkles on the side of the loaf where I pushed the dough down.

I used kalamata olives, but any type of olive would be good in this bread. While I made mine with a starter, I've included instructions for creating a "short cut" starter with instant yeast.

To find more bread made with olives, check out the links from the #TwelveLoaves bakers after the recipe.

Olive Campagne Boule Recipe

 Starter

69 g active starter (100% or less hydration)
153 g room temperature water
270 g unbleached all purpose flour
30 g whole wheat flour

Mix the ingredients in a stand mixer until smooth. Place the dough into an oiled container and cover with plastic wrap. Let ferment at room temperature overnight.

If you don't have a starter, you can create a biga with 153 g of water, 270 g of all purpose flour, 30 g of whole wheat flour, and a pinch of instant yeast. Cover and let sit overnight, until it is quite puffy. Also, add about 1/4 tsp of yeast to the final dough.

Final Dough Ingredients

126 g firm starter
506 g water at 80 degrees F
704 g unbleached all purpose flour
19 g fine sea salt or non-iodized table salt
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, cut in half

Instructions

1. Put the starter and water in the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix it with the paddle attachment on low for about 30 seconds. 
2. Add the flour and stir a few times to moisten the flour. Mix on low with the paddle attachment for two minutes.
3. Scrape down the bowl and let the dough sit for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the salt over the dough, and mix with the dough hook on low for 6 minutes. 
5. Scrape the dough out onto the counter, and press the olives into the dough (the olives will distribute evenly as you stretch and fold the dough). Form the dough into a ball and and place it in a large oiled bowl or dough rising bucket, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
6. Do three stretch-and-folds, once every thirty minutes, covering the bowl/bucket each time. 
7. After the final stretch and fold, place the dough container in a spot in your house that is warm, and let rise for 2 to 3 hours. The dough will have bubbles on top. 
8. Pre-shape the dough into a ball and place it seam side down on the counter. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes. 
9. Turn the dough over, and shape it into a ball.
10. Flip the dough over, seam sided down, and drag the dough toward you on the counter to tighten the outside by cupping it with your hands on the other side of the loaf. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, and drag it again. Rotate a couple more times. The purpose of this is to encourage the loaf to rise up, not out like a pancake. 
11. Place the boule, seam side up, into a floured 9 inch basket or in a bowl lined with a floured tea towel. 
12. Cover the dough, and let rise until quite puffy, two to three hours. 
13. Place a large Dutch oven into your oven and preheat it to 450 degrees F. 
14. When the dough is ready, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and uncover it. 
15. Turn the dough out, seam side down, onto a piece of parchment. Slash the top of the dough in a pattern that you like, and place the dough, parchment and all, into the Dutch oven, cover with the lid, place it in the oven, and close the oven door. Reduce the oven to 400 degrees F. 
16. Bake for 25 minutes, remove the lid, and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread is golden and has reached an internal temperature of about 205 degrees F. 
17. Cool completely on a wire rack. 

This recipe was adapted from Della Fattoria Bread: 63 Foolproof Recipes for Yeasted, Enriched & Naturally Leavened Breads. I am completely smitten with the book. The forward is written by Thomas Keller, who used to order his breads for The French Laundry from Della Fattoria.

#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Cake Duchess and run with the help of Heather of girlichef, and run smoothly with the help of all of our bakers. Our host this month is Karen from Karen's Kitchen Stories, and our theme is Olives! Check out all of the wonderful breads listed below.

For more bread recipes, visit the #TwelveLoaves Pinterest board, or check out last month's tempting selection of #TwelveLoaves Challenge Breads!

• Eliopsomo (Greek Olive Bread) from A Shaggy Dough Story
• Greek Bread from NinjaBaker.com
• No-Knead Green Olive and Feta Flatbread from Rhubarb and Honey
• No Knead Olive Bread from Cake Duchess
• Olive and Tomato Focaccia from Never Enough Thyme
• Olive Campagne Boule from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Olive Oil Crackers from Ma Che Ti Sei Mangiato
• Olive Tapenade Focaccia from girlichef
• Rosemary Olive Bread from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Sun Dried Tomato and Olive Bread from A Baker's House