Notre Pain Quotidian

Rehearsal dinner fun ala pinterest

2012-01-31T14:50:00.000-08:00

The world of pinterest found me at just the right time in my life: Rehearsal Dinner Time! I have found terrific recipes to try AND cool DIY projects for everything from burlap place holders to colored glass candle holders. I am having way too much fun.

Stay tuned for more brainstorming. Final decisions will most likely come way too close to the date (which is June 28th...our 26th wedding anniversary!)

Some of my favorite ideas at this point:

Source: 4men1lady.com via Diane on Pinterest

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Diane on Pinterest

Source: blueeyedbakers.com via Diane on Pinterest

Source: weddingchicks.com via Diane on Pinterest

Source: tastykitchen.com via Diane on Pinterest

Source: gimmesomeoven.com via Diane on Pinterest

November: The Month of Loaves and Fishes

2011-11-26T12:37:00.001-08:00

Well, I am not sure how this has worked, but we have only spent $319.61 on food this month. And that includes all Thanksgiving necessities (even the turkey and the wine), and all the Tree Day fun foods: fritters and eggnog and white mocha makings. After two-and-a-half days of turkey feast, we still have a good meal or two of leftovers waiting to be devoured. We have eight loaves of bread in our freezer, made this week. We have two gallons of milk in the frig. There are also two big bags of turkey/lemon/ginger broth in the freezer, a butternut squash cooking that will be made into soup, two acorn squash being made into appetizers (recipes for soup and app to follow), and a big pot of applesauce cooking on the stove. I can't help thinking of the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes with some fish and a few loaves of bread. There is heavenly magic being performed in the dark recesses of our cold storage and our pantry. I am grateful.

Chile-roasted acorn squash
(from Sunset Magazine's Best Recipes 2010...the cookbook I use more than any other.)

2 large acorn squash
3 1/2 T minced canned chipotle chiles
About 2 t kosher salt
7 T canola oil (I used olive oil))
6 T packed brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds. Cut each half into wedges (whatever size you want...I cut them into 1" pieces.) In a small bowl, stir remaining ingredients together with 1 T water.

2. Slather wedges with chile mixture, holding them over the bowl to catch the drips (use about half the mixture.) Set in an oiled rimmed baking pan; cover loosely with foil.

3. Bake squash 15 minutes. Uncover and drizzle with remaining chile mixture. Bake until very tender, about 25 minutes more. Sprinkle with salt, if desired (I did not.)

To make ahead: Chill, covered, up to one day. Reheat 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger
from epicurious.com

2 butternut squash (about 4 3/4 pounds total), halved lengthwise, seeded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cinnamon stick
5 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil baking sheet. Place squash, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake until squash is very soft, about 50 minutes. Using paring knife, remove peel from squash; discard peel. Cut squash into 2-inch pieces.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Mix in onion, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cinnamon. Cover pot and cook until onion is tender, about 15 minutes. Add squash and 5 cups chicken broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Discard cinnamon.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.) Return soup to pot. Season soup with salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, thinning soup with more broth if necessary. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

November update: sick but still sailing

2011-11-14T14:04:00.001-08:00

Well, illness has both thwarted and supported our efforts to save money on food in November. While adding to our OTC medicine budget (which is non-existent), this $%#@ flu has resulted in sipped tea in lieu of meals and eventually a meal provided for us (thank you, dear Lori). Chicken and potatoes and salad became one as-is dinner, two breakfast plates of potatoes, the greens for a tostada lunch and one pot of chicken soup that lasted for two dinners and two lunches. It was almost worth the horrific body aches and fatigue. Almost.

So far this month I have spent $123.09 on groceries. My husband picked up milk and bread when I was knocked out, so our totals probably come to $150.00. And we are almost half way through the month!

Since a large part of my goal this month is to use up what we have, I took a few hours on Friday and wrote detailed lists of everything we have in our frig, our freezers, and in our pantry. With careful planning, we are well stocked for several weeks, needing only to add dairy and produce. One of the most welcome discoveries was that I have everything I need for Thanksgiving except some produce and a turkey. I even have a great wine stored away for the occasion.

It is a great relief to finally feel better and to see that we are in great shape for our budget goals instead of being firmly entrenched in a big ol' fail. Tonight's menu: homemade pizza. Yumola.

For the month of November

2011-11-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Beauty that Moves via Tonia, I will be posting my own grocery challenge here for the month of November. I will post weekly updates, ideas and inspiration that I trust will come. My goals are different:

1) To use up our pantry and freezer excess in a creative way.

2) To be disciplined about documenting food expenditures (I can't even put a number to spending half of what we usually spend, as I can only guess how much that is. I want to know what we are spending.)

3) To learn how to live on less for the long haul. This month we will be able to save a large amount with the things we have on our shelves, but I want to significantly decrease our monthly budget for as long as it takes to lessen some of our financial stress. I will put the money I save on groceries directly into debt reduction for our family.

4) To eat healthfully, including plenty of produce.

What this means for us:

1) I usually include everything I buy at the grocery store in our grocery budget. This month I will not include alcohol, laundry/cleaning supplies, or our Thanksgiving meal. I will keep track of every penny spent.

2) I will be cooking. A lot. Our oven has been broken for a while; I am excited that it should be fixed this week and we can bake again. I am ready for homemade bread. Our budget is ready for homemade bread, bagels, and more. I will include any recipes that seem worthy of note.

3) I will be praying. Tightening our budget is important for us, and I need God's grace. I do love to cook, but penny pinching in the kitchen gets a little soul wearying for me. I am hoping that adding the word "challenge" to the equation will release all those competitive impulses our family is known for.

Welcome, November. This is going to be a good month.

2011-08-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

PIZZA: A Family Staple

Crust of your choice (I use artisan bread dough)
Sauce
One can of tomato paste.
Five cloves of garlic confit (one tablespoon of garlic oil included).
Two tablespoons chopped fresh basil.
Plenty of other fresh herbs of your choice (I like oregano, marjoram, thyme) to taste.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Heat and let simmer until all the flavors mingle.
Cheese
I strongly encourage you to use fresh mozzarella. Costco has good prices, WinCo has it, too. Find it. Use it. Slice it as thinly as possible.
Toppings
Use your imagination. My favorite is basil, tomato, caramelized onions, artichoke hearts, olives. We have meat lovers that prefer sausage, pepperoni, and ham.

The picture above is from Fitzpatrick Winery. We loved their Friday night Pizza dinner last week, and I am now coveting the oven...I really want a wood fire pizza oven in my yard. Maybe someday.

Ginger Cucumber Margarita

2011-04-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

a more traditional option from last year's margarita season

1. Put four or five peeled slices of cucumber and one small (maybe 1T) chunk of peeled, fresh ginger into a shaker. Muddle.

2. Add 1 shot glass of ginger liqueur, 1 shot glass of tequila, 1 shot glass of lime juice. Sweeten to taste, should you wish.

3. Add crushed ice. Shake.

4. Strain and serve in the glass of your choice. Add a sliver of cucumber or a slice of lime for garnish.

Delicious.

Anticipation: ad hoc

2011-04-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the generosity of a friend, we are looking forward to a May evening at Thomas Keller's ad hoc restaurant. I am so excited.

Have you seen the cookbook?

(click image to go to amazon.com)

I plan to distract myself by cooking my way through as much as I can before May. It is going to be a tasty wait.

Cream Puffs

2011-02-22T22:48:00.000-08:00

I'm not the only one inspired by cooking these days.

Someone wanted a break from school so she set to work making cream puffs.

Equipped with Julia Child's recipe and Gram's apron, she did a beautiful job.

They didn't last long. Yum.

Julia's recipe: (Cream Puffs posted by Gourmeted)

Cookbook recommendations or If It Is Good Enough for Christopher Kimball...

2011-02-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

I got the information below in an email recently. The sale that Kimball mentions will only last until February 20th, but the cookbook recommendations will stand. Disclaimer: I am a HUGE Christopher Kimball fan. For information on Cook's Illustrated, go here, for America's Test Kitchen, go here.

From the desk of Christopher Kimball

Dear Home Cook,

I am often asked about my Top Ten list of cookbooks and, until recently, I had never given this a lot of thought. Sure, I have plenty of go-to books that I use regularly, but since I have read so many cookbooks over the years, a Top Ten pick would have to be truly special. And we are not just talking recipes here. The book’s basic organizing idea, the writing style and quality, the personality of the author, the approach to food and cooking—all of these things have to be unique and enduring. So, with all of that in mind, I offer the following list. Some of my selections will be unexpected, even serendipitous, but they are the 10 works that have stood my test of time in the kitchen.

In addition, we have worked out a special deal with Barnes & Noble to offer these volumes to you. (No, I am not making any money off of this deal!) You can download a special coupon and take it to any Barnes & Noble store to receive an extra 15% off any one of the following titles. Or, you can visit their website, enter promo code T8Y9D4T at checkout, and receive the special discount (you’ll also find that many of these cookbooks are available on BN.com at up to 33% off and that they offer free shipping on orders greater than $25. The promo code entitles you to an additional 15% off one cookbook.) Hope you enjoy these works as much as I do.

French Cooking in Ten Minutes, Edouard de Pomaine

Any cookbook that begins, “First of all, let me tell you that this is a beautiful book” just has to be worth a peek. Written by a Frenchman of Polish extraction in 1930, it reflects de Pomaine’s unique ability to make cooking appear simple enough that any oaf could walk into a kitchen and produce good results. His advice is as breezy and useful today as it was 80 years ago. (His directive to compose menus with three items, one of which requires no last-minute preparation, is advice I still follow today.) I even find myself turning on the oven and heating up a big pot of water the minute I walk in the front door at night—words of eternal quick-cook wisdom.

The Breakfast Book, Marion Cunningham

I love this woman and I love this book. Marion did for breakfast what Julia did for French cooking—she made it both interesting and approachable. Her Dewey Buns, a Pennsylvania Dutch specialty, are so good that one could build a franchise around them. The Zeppelin Pancakes, the Chewy Brown Sugar Muffins, the Raised Waffles, the Buttermilk Baked Egg are all part of my morning repertoire. She walks fresh culinary ground here and does it with energy and panache.

Chez Panisse Vegetables, Alice L. Waters

This is a little gem of a book if you want to look at vegetable cookery in a whole new light. Yes, it does assume that you can get a wide assortment of tasty, local veggies (hey, we don’t all live in Berkeley!) and the directions are often on the sparse side (this book assumes you can cook). But it is beautifully produced and some of the taste combinations and cooking methods are more than worth the price and preparation time. I find myself going back to this volume time after time for inspiration as well as for recipes.

The Italian Country Table, Lynne Rosetto Kasper

Once in a great while, a cookbook author does original work using an original voice. Lynne Kasper, host of The Splendid Table public radio show, hit a home run with her second volume, The Italian Country Table. This is the real deal: Italian farmhouse cooking with big flavors and a fresh point of view. Espresso Ricotta Cream anyone? Iced Summer Peaches? And, as an added bonus, you’ll never make a boring pesto again.

The Union Square Café Cookbook, Danny Meyer and Michael Romano

I have loved this restaurant since I first visited it—and still do. It is consistent, the service is excellent, and the food is interesting without being silly. I am not often a fan of restaurant cookbooks, since the recipes rarely work well at home. But Danny Meyer and Michael Romano have produced recipes that do work if one is willing to put in the time and effort. Charred Tomatoes with Onions and Mint, a whole chapter on mashed potatoes, and Mocha Semifreddo are just a few of their superior offerings.

Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duquid

Alford and Duquid have created one of the most gorgeous travel/cookbooks ever published, with stunning photos and well-researched recipes from Southeast Asia. Although this is not, for the most part, Tuesday-night supper material, not all of these dishes lie beyond the domain of the typical American home cook. Above all, this book displays the joy of creating something both beautiful and original—it’s not just another travel tome for the gift market.

Bistro Cooking at Home, Gordon Hamersley

The author, Gordon Hamersley, is a celebrated Boston chef and also a friend. I love his food because he obsesses over it and does not run around the world opening new restaurants—he is a one-trick pony in the style of the great French chefs. His cooking is both solid and eye-opening, seducing diners with quality and execution rather than flights of fancy. Locals who are familiar with Hamerlsey’s Bistro will recognize many of his signature dishes in this book, including variations on duck confit, his Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Sandwich, and one of my favorite desserts, Gordon’s Souffléd Lemon Custard. This guy is a pro and so is his cookbook.

Epitaph for A Peach, David Masumoto

Masumoto is a writer as well as a farmer. This book is one of my favorite pieces of food writing because Masumoto brings to life his passion for the family farm and the heartbreak of trying to maintain an heirloom peach in a tough market. It all comes through in a mixture of poetry and philosophy. If you want to understand the life of a farmer, this is the book to read.

American Cookery, James Beard

Jim Beard was a walking encyclopedia of American cooking, and this is his flagship book. Part anthropology, part history, and part cookbook, Jim allows you to read between the lines, to get a sense of what he really thinks about a recipe. If I want a good starting point for any recipe in the American repertoire, I always turn to Beard and American Cookery.

The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook, Jack Bishop

OK, Jack is a friend and colleague, as well as the Editorial Director of America’s Test Kitchen, but this book is a winner all on its own. I keep coming across folks who have discovered this unheralded classic because the recipes work, they are straightforward, and they use the big earthy flavors of Italy to transform what are too often lackluster vegetable preparations.

This exclusive Barnes & Noble coupon is only available through February 20, so if you'd like to order any of these cookbooks please don't delay.

Cordially,

Christopher Kimball

Founder and Editor

America's Test Kitchen

Where did the muffins go?

2011-02-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Mom's friend Rosemary brought these muffins over with a dinner meal after we brought Mom home, assuming that we might need some breakfast food as well. They didn't even make it to dinner; in fact, they were gone almost instantly. I highly recommend them, not because I loved them; I didn't even taste them. I just know that at my mother's service at least one child asked Rosemary for the recipe.

If I hover close enough to the oven, maybe I will get one this time.

Banana Muffins (or cake)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. flour
1 t. soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and 1 c. sugar; add eggs (one at a time) until well-blended. Add bananas, vanilla, sour cream and mix well.

In separate bowl mix together flour, soda, baking powder, salt.

Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing just until combined.

Bake in muffin tin for approximately 20 minutes.

What list? Or, Tenderloin for Christmas Dinner.

2010-12-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

The List has been ignored due to the need to blow one's nose, nap and worry about things.

BUT, Christmas is Christmas, and the dinner must be special. And we had:

BEEF TENDERLOIN!

I have no photo to show you, but the recipe is:

1 lb. fresh mushrooms
1 T plus 1 t butter, divided
1 t lemon juice
1 (6 lb) beef tenderloin, well trimmed
Cooking spray
2 t minced fresh rosemary
1 t fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry

Clean mushrooms; remove stems and reserve for another use. Combine 1 T butter and lemon juice in a large skillet. Place over medium heat until hot. Add mushrooms to skillet, cap sides down, and saute for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add sherry to skillet; cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove mushrooms and keep warm while reserving sherry mixture.

Trim fat from tenderloin. Fold until 3-4 inches of small end. Place on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a shallow roasting pan. Have beef at room temperature. Sprinkle with rosemary and pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Place mushrooms around tenderloin; pour sherry mixture over them. Bake for an additional 10 minute or until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (rare) to 160 degrees (medium).

Place on a serving platter, over loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Arrange mushrooms around meat.

Yield: 12 servings.

Highly recommended.

Served with roasted acorn squash, green salad and Yorkshire pudding. Wine pairing: 2007 Fitzpatrick's Syrah.

The list - first update

2010-11-30T07:57:00.000-08:00

I am working my way through my recent list of recipes to try (see the list here).

I have tried two so far:

Asian pear, persimmon, almond salad - FANTASTIC. Basic instructions are to add very thin slices of persimmon and Asian pear to greens, sprinkle with toasted almond slices, and dress with a lime and oil dressing that had a little salt and a little cayenne and a big spoonful of honey. Terrific flavors, and the colors of the persimmon against the green is very festive.

Coffee-braised spoon lamb - Not a hit. Not bad, not disliked, but we all agreed that we wanted to taste the lamb more than we could. And maybe my coffee was too strong, because it tasted a little heavy on the coffee to me. And coffee is not a taste I usually think there is too much of. This is the FIRST recipe I have tried in this cookbook that I do not want to make again.

Both of these recipes are from the Sunset Best Recipes 2010 magazine pictured above. It is not available from Amazon, but I link it so that you can know what it looks like; if you ever see it, I recommend it heartily.

Next up:
Bean and chicken taquitos (same cookbook)
Flank steak and red onion (unknown source)
Chicken in a pot: the garlic and lemon version (from Around My French Table)
Long and slow apples (from Around My French Table, too.)

Cornbread stuffing: the jewel in the Thanksgiving crown

2010-11-23T13:57:00.001-08:00

Hallelujah! My friend Aimee sent me the recipe for my favorite Thanksgiving food. I made three copies of the recipe, plus I am posting it here, so I will never have to imagine going without cornbread/sausage/apple stuffing...ever again.

Martha Stewart's Cornbread Stuffing with a few changes

1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup brandy
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 1/2 cup chopped tart apples
1 cup chopped celery
Corn bread, cut into cubes and left overnight
1 can water chestnuts, sliced and diced
1/2 cup snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 T dried sage leaves
2 t dried marjoram leaves
1 t dried thyme leaves
1/4 t ground cloves
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 t coarse kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs beaten

Soak the raisins in the brandy overnight. In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in the butter over medium heat until soft, about five about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and shallots, cook until sausage is brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the apples and celery; cook until soft,about 10 minutes. Drain. Combine corn bread cubes, raisin mixture, sausage mixture,and remaining ingredients except eggs. Toss; stir in eggs.

I do not stuff the turkey; I cook this on a baking sheet until it is slightly browned and a bit crunchy on top. Pack it tightly on the baking sheet...this allows for a crunchy layer on the top and a moist layer underneath. I will at least double this so we have plenty of leftovers. The mingling of the flavors makes leftovers extra yummy.

The new cooking list

2010-11-11T00:15:00.000-08:00

My plans for cooking in the next few months include:

Bean and chicken taquitos (SBR)
Cheez-it-ish crackers (AMFT)

Asian pear, persimmon, almond salad (SBR)
Couscous salad (AMFT)

Cheese-topped onion soup (AMFT)
Provencal vegetable soup (AMFT)

Coffee-braised spoon lamb (SBR)
Shot-and-a-beer pork stew (SBR)
Flank steak and red onion (?)
Gratin Parmentier (from dear friend Marcia)
Spicy Thai noodles (from my recipe box)
Cousin Jack pasty (from Mom's recipe box)
Chicken in a pot: the garlic and lemon version (AMFT)
Chicken tangine with sweet potatoes and prunes (AMFT)

Pumpkin pancakes (Libby's label)
Oatmeal bran breakfast cookies (TBB)
Ginger shortbread (TBB)

Plum kuchen (from Mom's recipe box)
Long and slow apples (AMFT)
Chocolate peppermint cookies (MS)
Tuiles (MS)

Sources:

Around my French Table (AMFT)
The Breakfast Book by Marian Cunningham
Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies (MS) (I am using a current magazine that was at the grocery store, but I could not find an amazon link for it. Holiday cookies, pinkish red cover, in your grocery aisle most likely.)
Sunset Best Recipes 2010 (SBR) (FYI: By far the best choice I made for recipe inspiration this year.)

Pimm's No. 1

2010-11-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

Pimm's No. 1

What is Pimm's No. 1?

Go here to find out:

The official Pimm's site: Pimm's
Molly Wizenberg's recipe for Pimm's success: Orangette

Now if I could just find Pimm's Winter in the states.

Simple breakfast pleasures

2010-10-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

My favorite pancakes got spiced up.

Added to dry ingredients: 2 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t. ground cloves, a generous grating of nutmeg.

Mix as usual. When cooking, pour in batter and then create a circle of very thinly sliced apples. Makes a beautiful fall breakfast.

A delightful cooking site (with a giveaway)

2010-10-16T09:17:00.001-07:00

I found Erica Lea's Cooking for Seven site by way of Tasty Kitchen, and it has become a favorite of mine. From her website:

To me, quality not only means a dish that’s delicious, but one that is nourishing as well. It is my belief that irresistibly scrumptious and healthy are not mutually exclusive. Admittedly, I sometimes splurge and eat/cook something totally unhealthy. But I try to keep things natural.

Her beautiful photography makes it all the more of a pleasure to go visit.

Highly recommended.

And she is giving away the scale pictured above. Go check it out here.

Cool tool

2010-10-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick Perforated Baguette Pan
(click on image to see at amazon.com)

A great way to spend some birthday money.

Highly recommended.

Great post on improving your cooking

2010-08-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Cooking from Pastor Ryan at This is Reverb.

I love reminders that cooking does not have to be expensive or complicated. Simple ingredients, as fresh as possible, cooked with a little know-how = good stuff.

Summer

2010-08-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

Continuing through the list

2010-08-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

Last night's Lavender Creme Brulee was a hit. My next brulee I will make in smaller dishes, though. It is very rich. My uncle once got a trio of brulees at a restaurant; they were served in teensy little cups, sort of a sampler, or flight, of brulees. That seems perfect to me. Two tastes of each, and you have just enough.

We've also had Thai-Style Grilled Chicken (you can see the recipe online if you join here.) It, too, was a hit. I love the combination of flavors in Thai food.

I hit two snags in my list: asian pears and persimmons are (duh!) autumn harvest here, so I will wait for that salad. Instead, I have made a pasta salad that I will post soon. Also, my roses stopped blooming before I could get their petals, and roses for rose water have to be pesticide-free. I'm working on finding some elsewhere, but I'm not sure I'll be able to. I have ordered rose water to make my ice cream, though. It will take more than a missing rose to keep us from that ice cream.

Next up: Scallop and snow pea stir-fry.

My favorite pancakes

2010-08-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

We had delightful company who arrived at our house yesterday, fifteen minutes before we returned from being on the road for nine days. You know they have to be pretty special friends for that to be a welcome thing; this was MOST welcome.

This morning I had the pleasure of fixing pancakes that were loved by even the most particular of guests. What a satisfying experience. I thought I would share my pancake recipe with you, simple as it is. I am sure there are special instructions for mixing the ingredients, but I just lump them all in a bowl and mix them well. Cook as you would any pancake.

Traditional Pancakes

Wet Ingredients::
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
6 T oil (they recommend butter, but I use vegetable oil)
2 t vanilla

Dry Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
5 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt

HT: The Ultimate Cookbook

I highly recommend this cookbook, as I have before. They have alternative recipes for Buttermilk Pancakes, Buckwheat Pancakes, Gingerbread Pancakes and Multigrain Pancakes, all delicious.

List update

2010-07-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Cranberry margaritas: yum. Easy to make non-alcoholic for a family-friendly drink.

Oat waffles: Must have done something wrong in my tripling of the recipe. Not good. Will try again soon.

Mojito granita: Excellent. Not sure why the picture is yellow...this is a lovely, clear ice with hints of green from the mint. So good. So easy.

Soft-boiled eggs. Boil water, set a timer. Couldn't be easier. YUM.

Blackberry lime rickeys

2010-07-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

2 cups blackberries, divided
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup gin
Ice cubes
1 liter sparkling water
6 to 12 thin lime slices

1) In a blender, whirl 1 1/2 cups blackberries, the sugar, and lime juice until smooth. Rub through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher to extract juices. Stir in gin.
2. Fill each of 6 glasses halfway with ice. Pour gin mixture into glasses and fill with sparkling water. Garnish with remaining 1/2 blackberries and the lime slices.

Date night beverage of choice

The list gets started

2010-07-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Lunch today:
Roast beef and two-chile grilled cheese sandwich on onion rolls

Onion rolls
Sliced roast beef
Mayonnaise
Pepper jack cheese
Whole green chiles (Canned. I removed seeds and rinsed it off.)

Spread mayo on both sides of onion roll. Layer meat and a flattened whole chile on one side of an onion roll; put slices of cheese on top. Put both sides under the broiler until cheese is bubbly.

Fab-u-lous. My only tweaking plan: roast beef was over-cooked; rare would taste better.

Dinner tonight:
Central American Slaw (varied to create more color, to use ingredients already in the frig, and to make a bit more flavor)

Green cabbage (approx. 2 lbs.)
Red pepper (one)
Red cabbage (I used enough to add color, about 1/4 of small)
Jicama (one small)
3 nectarines
1/2 fresh pineapple
2 T (plus if desired) cilantro

Shred cabbages and pepper (you can use a cheese grater, or chop finely.)
Chop jicama, nectarine, and pineapple into small chunks
Chop cilantro finely

Add all ingredients to a large bowl.

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3 T lime juice
1 t cumin, freshly ground
1 t salt
Lots of freshly ground pepper, to taste
Several dashes of tabasco, to taste

Mix all ingredients, add to vegetables in the large bowl.

Chill. Can be kept covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

The initial taste test had me adding the pineapple. The dressing is fantastic, but it needed some more flavors to mix with. Love the pineapple addition. I'll let you know how it tastes after one and two days of flavor mixing.

My summer list

2010-07-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

The To Cook and Eat (or drink) Version

Blackberry lime rickeys (SBR)
Cranberry margaritas

Asian pear, persimmon, and almond salad (SBR)
Mint Pesto (TUC)
Central American Slaw (TUC)

Roast beef and two-chile grilled cheese sandwich on onion rolls (SBR)

Thai-Style Grilled Chicken (CSG)
Hoisin-Sesame Glaze (for Chicken) (CSG)
Scallop and snow pea stir-fry (SBR)

Soft-Boiled Eggs (TUC)
Oat Waffles (TUC)

Mojito Granita
Lavender Creme Brulee
Rose Ice Cream
Rose Water

TUC: The Ultimate Cookbook by Weinstein and Scarbrough
SBR: Sunset Best Recipes 2010
CSG: Cook's Illustrated: Summer Grilling

Simple summer salad

2010-07-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Asian Cabbage Salad
(AKA: Clean Out The Frig Salad)

1/2 green cabbage, sliced and chopped thinly
1/4 purple cabbage, sliced and chopped thinly
1 can water chestnuts, sliced into thin strips
1 cup almonds, thinly sliced (toasted if desired)
1 medium sweet onion, chopped finely

Dressing (I am guessing here...didn't write down)

1/4 cup sesame oil (or 1/2 sesame oil, 1/2 vegetable oil)
6 T rice vinegar
2 T brown sugar
lots of salt and pepper

Mix it all and enjoy as a side or as a whole meal. It tasted even better on day two, after all the flavors could mix together. I keep thinking of things I would like to add to this; I think I'll add chicken and some fruit next time.

Cooking inspiration

2010-07-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

Where do I go for new ideas in the kitchen? Well, it depends. Sometimes it is my own refrigerator. I see a pile of basil and a bag of limes, both ready to be used immediately, and I do an online search with those two ingredients. Voila the Basil Lime Refresher.

This morning I have been searching for recipes for Lavender Ice Cream. Why? Last week's visit to Screamin' Mimi's Ice Cream in Sebastopol, California is my inspiration. I had a small scoop of lavender and a small scoop of rose ice cream. Oh.my.word. Subtle. Sublime. Perfect.

My partner in crime preferred his scoops served affogato (ice cream with shots of espresso poured over.) I can't remember what kind of ice cream it was, but I am sure it was chocolate and goopy with stuff mixed in (nuts? caramel? cookies?) It didn't last long.

There was also plenty of inspiration for home decorating. If I could have put this chair in my car....

Lavender ice cream recipe to try.
Rose ice cream recipe to try.

And for another time...Mojito Sorbet? MOJITO SorBET?? YES! Off for more recipe searching.

Just in time for Fourth of July!

Sunset Best Recipes 2010

2010-06-27T02:02:00.000-07:00

The Sunset Best Recipes 2010 has this after its amazon.com listing:

Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.

That is a tragedy. This is a GEM of a magazine/cookbook. I have made several recipes in it, and I don't plan on stopping.

My latest favorite:

Spicy Beef Cross-Rib Roast with Caramelized Clementine Sauce (try saying Caramelized Clementine Sauce ten times fast!)

2 1/2 pounds clementines
1-2 t crushed red chile flakes (I strongly suggest you take note of the small t. If you mistake it for a large T, you can cut the heat with some cream after the sauce has thickened. I would know!)
3 T coarsely chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 T kosher salt
3 T vegetable oil
1 boned beef cross-rib (chuck) roast or boneless chuck roast (about 3 1/2 pounds)
6 T each sugar and soy sauce
3 T dry sherry
3 green onions, cut into 2-in matchsticks

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Finely shred zest from 2 large clementines; save clementines for another use. In a food processor, whirl zest, chile flakes, ginger, garlic, and salt to mince. Blend in oil. Put meat in a 12 by 17 inch roasting pan, rub all over with chile mixture, and set fat side up.

2) Roast beef until browned, 20-25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of meat reaches 90 degrees, about 20 minutes.

3) Juice remaining clementines (to yield about 2 cups). Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add clementine peels and boil gently minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain, rinse with cool water. Scrape out and discard pulp and white pith. Cut peels in half, then stack a few at a time and cut into long, thin strips. In a bowl, combine clementine strips, sugar, soy sauce, sherry and 2/3 cup clementine juice.

4) When meat is 90 degrees, pour clementine soy mixture around it. Cook, stirring sauce occasionally, until meat reaches 130 degrees for medium-rare, 30-40 minutes; as pan juices begin to caramelize, stir in a few T clementine juice to prevent scorching.

5) Transfer beef to a cutting board and let rest, tented loosely with foil, 15 minutes. Pour remaining clementine juice into roasting pan, set pan over high heat, and cook, stirring often, until juices are thickened and shiny, about 7 minutes. Scrape sauce into a bowl.

6) Thinly slice meat crosswise. Serve with sauce and onions as garnish.

The Ultimate Cook Book

2010-06-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

I continue to be thrilled with Weinstein and Scarbrough's Ultimate Cook Book. One of the latest favorite recipes:

Malt Waffles

Oil to grease the waffle iron
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
4 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plus 2 T all-purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
3 T sugar
3 T malted milk powder
1 T baking powder
1 t salt

1) Lightly oil waffle iron and preheat.
2) Whisk the eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside.
3) In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, malted milk powder, baking powder, and salt until the cornmeal is even throughout the mixture.
4) Use a fork to stir the wet ingredients into the dry, just until any lumps disappear and the batter is fairly smooth.
5) Spoon the manufacture recommended amount of batter into your preheated waffle iron (I use about 1/2 cup.) Close the iron and bake until lightly browned or crispy...however you prefer. I have used this recipe all spring for travel food. I made a large batch of lightly browned waffles and froze them; we were then able to toast them in the mornings, making breakfast on the road particularly simple. You can keep waffles warm in a 225 degree oven.

The cornmeal adds a terrific crunch to the waffle, and the malted milk adds a fresh flavor. We love these.

Cooking with Guiness

2010-03-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

Since the rain shows no sign of stopping , hot comfort food is the special du jour around here. This weekend we had:

Guiness Stew (adapted from a Guiness Meat Pie recipe found on Facebook)

1/4 C oil, preferably olive
1 1/2 lbs beef top round, or stew meat
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
8 oz mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
2 Tbsp. flour
1 C beef stock
1 C Guiness beer
salt
pepper

Heat oil in a medium pot. Add beef and bacon; sear over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until beef is browned on all sides. Add onion, garlic clove, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and cook 8 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute before adding the beef stock, and Guiness.

**At this point stop and breathe deeply...the stew smells heavenly**

Season with salt and pepper, turn down heat and simmer at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

You can make a double pie crust and serve this as a meat pie, but we served it to a football watching group as stew with french bread on the side. Excellent.

Serve with Guiness or a peppery red wine.

Next Guiness recipe to try:

Irish Brown Beer Bread

2 c. raisins
1/2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. allspice
1 (16 oz.) bottle Guinness Stout beer

Soak raisins in warm water for 10 minutes until they fluff up a bit. Dry on paper towels and coat with a little flour. Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs and mix well by hand. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, salt, and allspice; add to creamed mixture alternately with beer. Then add floured raisins. Bake in greased tube pan at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes -- check with toothpick.

If we like the bread I will then try and replicate the Guiness Bread Pudding we had in Eugene. We'll see how it goes.

Valentine's meal 2010

2010-02-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

(Photo kept small to hide lamo blurriness.)

Our special Valentine's dinner happened tonight. It was spectacular. I am not usually one to make a main dish with so many steps, but the sauce for the pork roast was unbelievably delicious. If, however, you don't like wine...well....I suggest you find another recipe. There is a bottle of Pinot Noir in this and it reduces into a fragrant, complex, thick sauce that was worth every pot used and every minute spent. Yumola barely does it justice.

The menu:

Pork Shoulder Roast with figs, garlic and Pinot Noir
Potatoes
Green beans
Artisan rolls
Chocolate Panna Cotta

Pork Roast Recipe

1 1/2 cups (10 oz.) dried Mission figs, stems removed, halved lengthwise.
1 T sugar
1/2 t anise seed
2 T plus 1/2 t chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus thyme sprigs
1 bottle Pinot Noir, divided
1 boned pork shoulder (butt) roast (about 3 1/2 pounds)
8 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into large slivers
About 1 1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
3 T olive oil
About 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1. Put figs, sugar, anise seed, 1 T thyme, and 1 cup wine in medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until figs are just tender when pierced, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

2. With a small, sharp knife, make 16 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts into roast, each cut about one inch long and one inch deep. Insert a garlic sliver, then a fig half into each cut, closing meat over figs; make cuts bigger if necessary. Set aside remaining figs and their liquid.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using kitchen twine, tie up roast. In a small bowl, combine 1 T thyme, 1 1/2 t salt,1/2 t pepper, and the oil. Rub all over roast. (If you don't have twine, but you do have fruit skewers, you can use them to create a sort of modern art look to your roast. Ask me how I know.)

4. Heat a 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown pork all over, turning as needed, 8-10 minutes total; adjust heat if needed to keep meat from scorching. Transfer pork, fat side up, to a 9x13 baking pan.

5. Reduce heat to medium. Add reserved garlic to frying pan; cook, stirring often, until light golden, about one minute. Pour in remaining wine from bottle and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Pour mixture over pork and cover tightly with foil.

6. Bake pork until almost tender when pierced, 2 1/2 hours. Stir reserved fig mixture into pan juices; bake, covered, until meat is tender, fifteen to twenty more minutes.

7. Spoon pan juices over pork to moisten, then transfer meat to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Skim fat from pan juices. Pour juices with figs into a large frying pan and boil over high heat until reduced to two cups, about five minutes. Stir in 1/2 t thyme. Season with lemon juice and more salt and pepper if you like; pour into gravy boat. Remove twine from pork, then cut meat crosswise in thick slices. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve with sauce.

Potatoes

Small, red potatoes. Peeled. Cut most of the way through to create a ruffly-looking potato. Sprinkle with olive oil, freshly ground pepper, kosher salt and herbes de Provence. I cooked in the convection oven at 425 degrees for thirty minutes. Adjust for your oven. Basically cook until browned and crispy.

Green beans

Skinny french green beans, stir fried until bright green and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Artisan rolls

The basic artisan bread recipe, three balls of dough for each roll. Let rise in cupcake pan. Cook approx. 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Cook ahead; reheat in warm oven just before dinner.

Chocolate panna cottas

2 t. unflavored gelatin
2 cups low-fat milk, divided
3/4 cup sugar
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 2/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 t. vanilla extract
Chocolate shavings

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup milk. Let stand 1 minute, then stir and let stand about ten more minutes for gelatin to soften.
2. In a medium saucepan, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, the sugar, semisweet chocolate, and cocoa over medium-high heat until steaming, about three minutes. Add gelatin mixture and whisk gently until it dissolves, two to three minutes. Let cool for fifteen minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk yogurt with vanilla until smooth. Poor and stir chocolate mixture through a fine strainer into yogurt, then whisk mixtures together.
4. Oil eight ramekins (2/3 cup size). Divide yogurt mixture among ramekins. Chill, covered, until set, 4 1/2 hours and up to two days.
5. Run a small metal spatula between panna cottas and sides of ramekins to loosen. Immerse ramekins one at a time to just below rim in hot water until edges of dessert soften, twenty to thirty seconds; lift small plate over each. Hold plate and ramekin together and give a firm shake to release panna cotta, easing it out gently with the spatula if needed.
6. Scatter chocolate shavings over desserts if you like.

Both pork and panna cotta recipes are from Sunset Magazine's Best Recipes 2010. My mother worked for Sunset Magazine a lifetime ago, so I have always been partial to their publications, but this one is particularly good. Lots of ethnic recipes, plenty of fresh flavors and creative ideas, but not overdone. I will be making lots more recipes in the weeks and months to come. Next up: Tarragon bubble fling and spicy mango shrimp -- yum!

Faith's Not Pumpkin Donuts

2009-11-16T14:33:00.000-08:00

1 egg + enough warm water to make one cup
1/2 cup more warm water
1/3 cooking oil
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
4 1/2 T sugar
3/4 t salt
3 T powdered milk
3 t instant yeast
Frosting of choice

Put egg in measuring cup, beat thoroughly.
Add enough warm water to make one cup.
Put egg/water in mixer bowl.
Add 1/2 cup more warm water, cooking oil, flour, sugar, salt, powdered milk, yeast.

On my mixer I pulsed until all the ingredients were well mixed, and then put it on auto-knead until well kneaded.

Roll out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut into whatever shape you like. We did a large round glass with a shot glass for donut holes. Some (aka: Faith) cut into 3"x6" bars. Put on a pan to rise in a warm place (my house was cold yesterday so I put them in a 170 degree oven.)

When they have risen for "a bit" (can't remember how long or how high), cook in hot oil. I used a few holes for my sacrificial bits...at first the oil was too hot and the dough got too brown too fast. By the time we got to the big ones, though, we were set. Make sure you have something on which to put your hot, greasy donuts. This doesn't have to be a messy project, but it sure can be. It's up to you.

Frosting: we like maple donuts, so we just added maple syrup to powdered sugar until it was spreadable. Make sure you wait until the donuts are cool enough so the frosting does not melt off. You can see the fruit of our impatience if you look closely at the donut pictured.

Another good option would be dusting with powdered sugar or dipping in cinnamon sugar.

*Disclaimer: If anyone in your family is coming home more than five minutes after these donuts are served, hide a few in the cupboard so that there are some left. They go fast. Also, I could never make these if I didn't have a house full of hungry people. A donut hole or two is more than enough for moi.*

HT: Miss Faith who helped a very Mondayish Monday become almost Fridayish.

Faith's Pumpkin Donuts

2009-10-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

Faith's Frosted Pumpkin Doughnuts

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon lemon juice (very important)
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup evaporated milk
Oil for deep-fat frying

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and butter together. Add the pumpkin and lemon juice, and mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to pumpkin mixture alternately with milk. Then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours(ish).

Once refrigetated, turn onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 5-6 times. Roll out 3/8-in.(ish) thickness. Cut into donut rounds (I use a large-rimmed glass and a shot glass for the donut hole.)

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Then fry the doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden, turning once. Supposedly the frying time is 3 minutes. Once golden brown and perfect-ish, remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Let cool for a few minutes before frosting.

I enjoy frosting them with maple frosting, though the most common frosting for pumpkin doughnuts is the orange flavored kind (which is pretty good too), so I'll include that here:

Orange Frosting:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon evaporated milk
I teaspoon grated orange peel
--------------------

With thanks, again, to Faith. And to my children, who make sure I only have one.

Graduation Dinner

2009-06-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Appetizers

Crostini
One bag crostini.
Spread with pesto.
Add one sun-dried tomato on each.
Cover with grated cheese of choice.
Broil just until cheese bubbles; serve warm.

Sliced baguette with brie.

Shrimp wrapped in snow peas.

Salad
Two bunches of romaine.
Two bags of fresh salad mix from Farmers' Market, including purple and green leaves and some flowers.
Two bags sunflower greens.
Ten radishes, cleaned and cut in quarters
Ten nasturtium blossoms, cut into small pieces
Sugar snap peas, cut into pieces with some peas loose in salad

Vinagrette Salad Dressing
One cup olive oil
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Two sprigs rosemary
Two cloves garlic
1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
Pulse until blended.

Pork Tenderloin
4 tenderloins (1-2 pounds each)

Marinade
2 cups orange juice
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 heaping tablespoon crushed garlic
4 tablespoons berry jam
4 tablespoons honey

Marinate for 8-24 hours.
Remove meat from marinade; place in shallow pan (9x13).

Tenderloin rub
Big bunch of fresh rosemary sprigs (needles only, no sticks).
Big spoonful of crushed garlic.
Pulse in blender until a paste.

Rub paste onto tenderloin.

Poor marinade over paste-covered tenderloin.
Bake in 350 degree oven until 170 degree.

Adapted from this recipe.

Bread
One loaf challah.
Three baguettes.
One loaf of artisan bread with chunks of garlic.
(All from the Farmers' Market)

Dessert was grapes, chocolate/white chocolate/butterscotch chip cookies, cheesecake and strawberry/rhubarb pie. Recipes coming.

Wine: Lorca Gary's Vineyard 2003 Pinot Noir from Trader Joe's

Cranberry Salsa

2008-12-16T19:05:00.000-08:00

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped orange sections (about 3 oranges)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
3 T sugar
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 t salt
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Place cranberries in a food processor; pulse 2 to 3 times or until coarsely chopped.
Combine cranberries, orange sections, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently to combine. Cover and chill.

I recommend you serve this in a glass bowl -- it really is beautiful. I would post a picture, but it never lasts long enough to photograph.

Yield: 3 cups (we have three hungry boys around here, so I triple it.)

Cinnamon-Raisin (Currant) Wheat Bread

2006-01-27T19:51:00.000-08:00

*Remember: I use a K-Tec Champ mixer. This will make 5-6 loaves of bread. Make sure your mixer can handle the dough.

6 cups warm water (110 degrees)
3 T instant yeast
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T salt
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup oil
2 T cinnamon
1 1/2 c. raisins or currants
8 cups whole wheat flour
8-10 cups all-purpose flour (it recommends bread flour but I have had no problems using AP flour.)

Put water and raisins or currants in blender. Blend until fruit pieces are desired size. I like them very small. Pour water/fruit mixture into mixing bowl. Add yeast, honey, oil, vinegar, cinnamon and 8 cups of freshly milled whole wheat flour, pulsing to mix ingredients together. Let mixture sponge (sit and bubble up) for approximately 20 minutes. Add 8-10 cups of all-purpose flour (one cup at a time) until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. Knead.

I form three loaves of bread (using 1 lb. 4 oz. of dough for each) and use the rest of the dough for rolls. I put the loaves into the oven at 170 degrees to rise, allowing the rolls to rise on their jelly roll pan on the oven top. Loaves should rise for approximately 25 minutes, and then cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Rolls, once risen, can bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

We occasionally put a powdered sugar glaze on top of this loaf for a sweet treat. Also, the bread makes excellent french toast.

This recipe, in its original form, can be found in the excellent cookbook, Martha's Family Cookery Book. I have made small changes.

Whole Wheat and Seed Bread

2006-01-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

*I have a K-Tec Champ that allows me to make five-six loaves of bread at a time.*

Place in mixer bowl:

6 cups hot water (92-110 degrees; can be low especially when using the warm fresh ground flour.)
1/3 cup canola or olive oil
1/3 cup honey (I use about 2T molasses and the rest honey)
2 TB instant yeast
1/2 cup pure gluten
1 cup ground seeds (I use flax, sesame and sunflower seeds, whirred up in the blender)
5 cups whole wheat flour

Mix together. Let sponge (sit and bubble up) for 25 minutes

Add:

1 1/2 T salt (I always put my salt container on the mixer because I have been known to forget to add it. Not a good idea.)
Enough whole wheat flour to clean sides of bowl. This recipe used approximately 13 - 14 cups of flour in all, but the moisture in the air can impact how much flour is needed.) I put in the majority of the flour, then set my mixer to its bread cycle. The last few cups I add one at a time, making sure that I don't add too much flour. Once the bowl starts coming clean, I set my mixer to auto-knead. I just press the button and it mixes just the right amount and turns off. No thinking on my part...that's my idea of a mixer.

I put 1lb.4oz. of bread dough in each bread pan, and then place it in a 170 degree oven to rise. Once it has risen to the desirable height (usually about 25 minutes), I switch the oven to 350 degrees. I bake them for 25 minutes, including the time the oven is heating up to 350. You know the loaf is done when you tap the bottom and it sounds hollow. I grease the pans with a mixture of oil and liquid lecithin (I purchase the lecithin at the local health food store.)

I cool on racks for as long as I can keep the hungry residents from attacking. It technically should cool at least ten to fifteen minutes, but that is asking a lot sometimes. It just gooshes more easily if not cool.

For storage, I have purchased bread bags. I originally bought these because we sold bread in order to pay ourselves back for the cost of the mixer (and the grain mill we use to grind wheat.) For our own use, we recycle them over and over and over. They are very sturdy.

This recipe was adapted from the Basic Whole Wheat Bread recipe in Hearth and Home by Karey Swan. A favorite cookbook.

Truffles

2006-01-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Truffles

12 oz. sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 whipping cream, scalded
1 1/2 tsp. flavoring
Powdered sugar
12 - 16 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces. Or, high quality milk or white chocolate.

* Use dry bowls and utensils. Can use wooden spoon. *

1. Melt sweet chocolate on high for two minutes. Stir. Melt on high approximately thirty seconds more until done (time may vary according to microwave.)
2. Melt butter on high thirty seconds at a time.
3. Mix the melted butter with the melted sweet chocolate.
4. Slowly strain 1/4 cup of the hot cream into the chocolate mixture, whisking by hand until the cream is absorbed. Repeat procedure twice, using 1/4 cup cream each time.
5. Drizzle flavoring into chocolate mixture, stirring until mixture is smooth.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chocolate mixture is firm, at least two hours (overnight, if desired.)
7. Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Spoon out one inch mounds of chocolate. Chill on baking sheet.
8. Cover hands with powdered sugar. Cover chocolate mound in powdered sugar; roll into ball with sugar covered hands.

At this point, truffles may be frozen. They should be chilled thoroughly before continuing.

9. Melt chocolate of your choice. Keep "melty" by having it over hot water (do NOT let water get into the chocolate.) Dip chocolate ball into the melted chocolate; place on waxed paper. Store in air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Flavoring notes:
I have used two tablespoons of peppermint syrup, rum flavoring, real rum, kahlua, brandy, espresso, mint flavoring, and orange flavoring.

Chocolate notes:
I have used Baker's, Ghirardelli, and Guitard chocolate, as well as the hunks of dark, milk and white chocolate sold at Trader Joe's.

Topping notes:
I have tried to do different things to distinguish the fillings. Powdered sugar for peppermint truffles (dusted over the top), cocoa mixed with a skosh of sugar dusted over the top for dark chocolate, a coffee bean for mocha, a green or orange colored dab of white chocolate on mint or orange flavored ones. On rum ones I tried to make a skull and crossbones (symbolizing the pirate-ish nature of rum) but it just become a swirly design. That's okay. Have fun and be creative.

Manicotti

2005-12-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

(6) 8 oz. boxes manicotti, uncooked
90 oz. ricotta cheese
48 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
48 oz. cottage cheese
3 cups grated parmesan cheese
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 T salt
1 T pepper
6 T parsley flakes
(6) 27-30 oz. cans spaghetti sauce
5 pounds lean ground beef (optional) -- I do not use this

Brown hamburger and drain fat (if using it.) Add spaghetti sauce and simmer ten minutes. In a large bowl (and I do mean LARGE), mix cheeses, eggs and spices. With a small spoon, spoon mixture into uncooked manicotti shells (I use a ziploc bag loaded with the filling, cutting just the corner off of the bag and squeezing it into the shells. The kids love that job!)

Line a 9x13 pan with foil -- with enough foil that sauce won't leak through. Pour spaghetti sauce to lightly cover the bottom, place filled shells in a single layer on top of the sauce, pour remaining sauce evenly over the shells. Drop any remaining cheese mixture by the teaspoon on top of shells and sauce. Wrap completely in foil and freeze. Repeat until you have six pans ready to freeze.

To serve: thaw completely and bake loosely covered at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Serve with tossed salad and french bread.

Taco Soup

2005-12-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

6 cups grated cheddar cheese (reserved for serving)
(6) 2 oz. cans black sliced olives (reserved for serving)
4 pounds lean ground beef (I use only 1 1/2 pounds -- enough for flavoring.)
2 onions, chopped
(1) #10 can kidney beans
(1) #10 can whole peeled tomatoes
(1/2) #10 can tomato sauce
3 envelopes taco seasoning
4 pound bag frozen corn

Put 1 cup cheese into each of six small ziploc bags and set aside. Brown meat and drain fat. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients (do not drain beans.) Divide evenly between six 1-gallon ziploc bags. Attach one cheese bag to each soup bag and freeze.

To serve: thaw and heat over medium heat for approximately fifteen minutes. Top with sour cream, olives, tortilla chips and reserved cheese. Serve with additional tortilla chips.

2005-09-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

Quiche

2005-09-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

2 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
2 T flour
2 cups cheese
vegetables or meat to your taste. I usually add a handful of meat (bacon or ham) and some vegetables (onion, broccoli, squash sliced thinly, and/or tomato slices arranged on the top, depending on the intended recipient.)
1pie crust

Mix eggs, mayo, milk, flour thoroughly. Set aside.
Put cheese and any other meat or vegetables in the crust. Pour egg mixture over the top.
Cook at 350 degrees for one hour.

I multiply this recipe by six or eight, bake four at a time, and then cool. Once cool, I wrap them in foil and freeze.