Experimentation of Taste

Weekend Cookbook Challenge #18 - red and white

2007-07-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

Sara of i like to cook posted her recipe for Weekend Cookbook Challenge and I realized that I had just made something that would meet the requirements. I have been cooking a little bit more now that my life is getting back to normally. I just had a big life change plus all the family changes (we have had 2 funerals this year).

Raspberry Tart
a deviation of Everday Foods Issue 24
Serves 10

For the crust

1 1/4 C for all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) plus more for dusting
1/3 C sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 C (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the filling

6 C fresh raspberries (rinsed and dried)
2 T cornstarch
3 T lemon juice
pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. In food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter; process until large moist crumbs can be smooshed together and they stay together.
Transfer dough to a round tart pan with a removable bottom; press into the bottom of the pan, working from the center to the edges and up the sides.
Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake crust until golden, 20-25 minutes; cool completely.
While the crust is cooling, start the filling by reserving 1 C of your prettiest berries for the top. In a saucepan, bring 1/4 C water and 1 1/2 C berries (I used frozen blackberries since I was short on the raspberries) to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to break down, 2-4 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 2T water; stir into the pan. Add lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring until mixture begins to thicken, 30-60 seconds.
Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 fresh berries.
Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell, and smooth the top.
Place reserve berries on top, pressing down lightly to help them stick.
Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.

Spicy Steak Soft Tacos, Salsa and Lemonade

2007-05-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe in Cook's Country almost a year ago when I received the June/July issue. It was the perfect end to a day filled with Seafood. We had spent the morning at the Astoria Crab & Seafood Festival. The tacos had just the right amount of spicy and was countered by the tart fresh lemonade.

I had most of the ingredient in the house except the jalapeño chilies for the rub. The meat came from an organic grass fed cow. We have been enjoying the portion that we recived in January. It seems we are coming to the end.

Since we needed to go to the store to purchase extra tortillas and fresh salsa, I decided to make the lemonade recipe that was next to the taco recipe. I loved how perfectly tart the lemonade was.

Steak Soft Tacos
Cook's Country June/July 2006
Serves 4

Serve with shredded cheese, lettuce, sour cream, pickled jalapenos and salsa verde.

1 flank steak (about 1 1/2 lbs), sliced thin - 1/4 in thick pieces
1 T chili powder
1 1/2 t cumin
1 t coriander
3/4 t salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, green parts cut into 1 in lengths, white parts cut in half lengthwise
1-2 jalapeño chilies, minced
4 t vegetable oil
1/2 c canned tomato sauce
1/2 c water
2 t brown sugar
1 T lime juice
12 (8-in) flour tortillas, warmed

Place sliced steak in large bowl and sprinkle evenly with chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Add garlic, scallions, and chiles and toss to combine. (Steak mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)
Heat 2 t oil in large skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of the steak mixture and cook, turning slices once, until just browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and steak and transfer to bowl.
Off heat, add tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, and lime juice to skillet, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Meanwhile, use slotted spoon to transfer browned steak mixture to cutting board, leaving accumulated juices in bowl. Chop steak into rough 1 in pieces.
Add reserved juices to skillet and cook until reduced by half, about 6-10 min over medium heat. Return steak to skillet and cook until meat is glazed and just cooked through, about 2 min. Divide among tortillas. Serve.

Salsa Verde
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 (11 oz) can of tomatillos, drained
1/2 onion, chopped rough
1-2 jalapeño chiles, chopped rough
2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 c packed fresh cilantro
1/2 t salt

Pulse onion, chiles, and garlic in food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer tomatillos to food processor along with lime juice, cilantro and salt. Puree until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. (Salsa can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days.)

Best Lemonade
Serves 6-8

Store the lemonade in a covered container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.

1 large lemon, slice thin ends discarded
1 1/2 c sugar
7 cups cold water
2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
ice (for serving)

Using potato masher, mash lemon slices and sugar in deep bowl until slices release their juice and sugar begins to dissolve. Stir in water and lemon juice until sugar completely dissolves. Strain out lemon slices and chill or pour over ice before serving.

Changes

2007-04-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone

I realize that I have not been posting. Things have changed to the point that I don't have time to post regularly on EOT. I will be posting occasionally but you will be alerted to a post if you read my other blog Pursuit of Fiber. I will be cross posting.

Thanks for staying with me here at EOT for six months of constant posting. If you want to keep up with me check out my other blog.

Sorry for my silence

2007-03-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

We went to Spo Vegas March 3rd to care for my mother in law and she took a turn for the worse. We are currently there until the end. Please understand. I also don't have internet access while I am there except sporadically. I have not been cooking much since people are bringing us food every day. What I do make I will try to share with ya'll with my new camera.

Chrispy

Weekend Dog Blog

2007-02-16T15:23:00.000-08:00

Frankie waiting for her football to be tossed on Saturday morning. Look for all the other dogs over at Sweetnicks on sunday.

A small buttery piece of heaven

2007-02-13T22:57:00.000-08:00

Churchable and I made the trek once again to Spokane for a weekend with Meemo, my mother-in-law. She continues to be a trooper in her battle with cancer and always thinks she can do a little more to help out around the house and kitchen.

Chicken pot pie was my first thought when I read about the Waiter there’s something in my …. blog event over at Cook sister!. Since I haven’t made the dish since I was in college, I got a craving for it and had to contribute. Our fast food culture provides pot pies in the frozen food section at the grocery store. These are a bit salty and somehow unsatisfying. Although frozen foods are cheap and easy, I hope that my experience might inspire someone else as well.

While planning this out in my head, I decided on individual pies. This was based purely on a love of crust. With individual pies, the whole family can have more crust and be certain that the portions were divided fairly. I have the perfect ramekins pining away in my cupboard because I neglected to make more mac n cheese for the freezer. This recipe turned out so good it might become my new freezer go-to or at least it will trade back and forth with the mac n cheese.

Unfortunately in my hurry to pack and head on our 7 hour trek to Spo Vegas, I forgot to pack the ramekins. This was quite an oversight since Meemo’s kitchen is Spartan. A few basic items are readily available, while some essentials are notably missing. Some elegant dishes can be found in dusty corners where nobody has touched them along with forlorn baking goods suffering from old age. I sidestepped this wearisome scene and scampered across the street to borrow ramekins and a large muffin tin from the neighbor.

My husband helped me out on this recipe since he is so good with pie crusts. He made it extra buttery and flaky by accident and I really liked the combination with the creamy filling. I also used the stir fry mix that comes with my CSA share each week for the main bulk of the veggies.

Chrispy’s Super Easy Pot Pie
1 large pie or 8-10 individual pies

2 ½ - 3 pie crusts – use your basic recipe with a little more butter or shortening.
2 T butter
Mixture of spices – these change with my mood, but just pick the spices you like.
2 C medium chopped vegetables ( I used 1 stalk of celery, 3 carrots and the stir fry mix)
2 C shredded cooked chicken (you can get a rotisserie or cook one yourself)
3 T all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
2 -14.5 oz cans of low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 450 F with rack in the center.
Make pie crust mixture and cut into rounds to place in muffin tin, ramekins or pie pan. The individual pies will take up about 1 ½ pie crusts for the bases. Bake the crusts until browned, about 7-8 min. Remove. Reduce oven to 350 F.
While the pie crusts are baking, melt butter over medium heat. Add the vegetables and spices and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for about a minute until it is warm. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, then season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the flour is incorporated. Add the broth to the pan; increase the heat to medium-high, stirring constantly till the mixture thickens slightly, about a minute or two.
Pour the mixture into the just baked pie shells. Cover with remaining pie crusts, crimping the edges so they stick some. Make one slit into the top of each individual pie and several in a main pie.
Bake the pies on a baking sheet until golden brown and bubbly. 15-20 minutes. Remove the pies from the oven, let rest for 10 min, and then serve.

PS The muffin tins are tricky to get the pie out of them. If you are going for appearance, make a few extra in case some can not be lifted out as a unit.

WCC 13: your newest cookbook

2007-02-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

My cookbook challenge comes from a Christmas present I received this week. I didn’t put off buying presents. As a matter of fact, I did my shopping early to no avail. At least I got a cookbook out of it!

I ordered my last Christmas present from Amazon before the month of December even started. My self-congratulating was short lived. A week after making the order my husband got an email stating that it would be late. That’s usually no big deal – except the present was for him. We had a good Christmas and he liked the present I got him.

For some reason the book ordered in November was returned to Amazon in December without ever arriving here. I patiently assumed I would get credit for it. In that time my husband decided that he didn’t want a book of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. He wanted some actual music to play in our house. After lots of confusion, we finally ordered a little over a week ago. He got his CD, and bought me a CD too. Then there was that dreadful Amazon conspiracy – Super Saver shipping. And what better excuse to get a book on interesting socks. And of course I needed a cookbook. I had already picked out something to cook for Sara’s Weekend Cookbook Challenge, but this book came and I had to cook from it.

I originally read a review on Slashfood. It was the cookbook that started my wish list. Now after much searching for a link, I know it was slashfood but I feel like I am losing it.

So the book I got was The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt. I love breakfast. This book is really good too. There are recipes on Beverages, Egg Cookery, Omelets, Frittatas, Quiches, Stratas, Casseroles, Sandwiches, Skillet Entrees, French Toast (yum!), Pancakes, Crepes and Blintzes, Waffles, Meats, Potatoes, Grains and Cereals, Breads and Cakes, and Fruit.

As I perused the book, I thought about the next morning’s breakfast with my husband. We used to be able to have breakfast at least 3 times a week together. My husband had a 8-day work week that had him off 4 days. Now he works days. I guess it is nice to have him home every night but I think I see less of him now and I miss breakfasts with him. I was glad we could have a lazy morning that included breakfast.

I have to admit I love breakfast but hate cooking it. I could make it for dinner or lunch but I really don’t like cooking breakfast. I have a problem with eggs. I love to eat them but I prefer not to cook them. To me it is just as easy to grab a bowl of cereal.

I decided that I wanted to have Ham and Tomato Benedict and Broiled Grapefruit. Wow was this yummy. My only mistake was that I hate pulling out the big blender and I did not grab the correct attachment for the immersion blender. I should have done one of these things so that the hollandaise sauce was emulsified.

Ham and Tomato Benedict

Serves 4

Assemble the ingredients, 2 English muffin halves per plate. Layer ham (about a slice of deli ham), tomato slice, and a poached egg on each muffin half, and top with the sauce. Serve with avocado slices and olives.

Hollandaise Sauce

• 4 egg yolks
• 3 T lemon juice
• 1 T water
• ¼ t salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup of butter (The real stuff, don’t substitute), melted

1. In a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine yolks, lemon juice, water, salt and cayenne.
2. Whisk constantly until mixture bubbles and begins to thicken, 2-3 minutes.
3. Scrape mixture into blender. Add butter in a slow, steady stream and blend until all the butter is used and sauce is thickened, about 30 min. (I think you could use the milkshake glass that comes with your immersion blender for the same result)

Broiled Grapefruit

• 1 grapefruit, cut in half
• brown sugar
• cinnamon

Heat Broiler; place each half on a heavy baking sheet. Sprinkle the flesh with brown sugar and cinnamon. Place in the broiler for 5 min and serve immediately when done.

I think I am back faithful readers

2007-01-31T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Things are hard right now. Not that everyones life is not hard, but I am really struggling with the death of Fred our beloved little doxie. I miss him so much. I thought I was doing great at the beginning of the month and continued on with blogging and then I started to space the day and not blog and missing event after event even though I had cooked the food and taken pictures. Things have been hard. I am sorry I have left ya'll to read other blogs but hey there are some great ones out there.

Hopefully I will be able to put myself together this weekend and cook up some great things to share with ya'll.

Weekend Dog Blog: A new little one

2007-01-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

We don't bring her home till March, but there are other pups at Sweetnicks

Weekend Cookbook Challenge #12: Stew

2007-01-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

I really got into a stew with this Weekend’s Cookbook Challenge hosted by Shaun at Winter Skies, Kitchen Aglow. My problem is that soup and stew seem so much alike to me. They are brothy concoctions that don’t satisfy with their little substance.

I think I could stand stew if it were redefined as a hearty meal that can be eaten with a fork. So that’s my intent. I got this clam chowder recipe from Everyday Food. Here’s how it went.

I tried to convince my husband that for the New Year’s weekend we should go razor claming. Two issues put a damper on this activity. First we went out of town for the weekend. Secondly our tight budget didn’t allow for us to buy licenses and clam guns, etc. Maybe another time we can hunt down these little diggers. We’ll bring our little digger dog, Frankie, and let her go to town. She loves the beach and can now run wild without Fred screaming at her like she’s going to be swept away by the next wave. I suppose that from the dachshund perspective the waves are much more treacherous, but I digress.

As a knitter I stash yarn. In fact I have a full closet that is mostly yarn. I secretly stash food also. Some of my stash is needy – like the squash. The clams are not. A proud crustacean is brought into the kitchen alive. Its protective covering gives it a fighting chance to avoid the hot water that will open it up. These clams have been beaten into a can and made to suffer the complete humiliation of other sea creatures such as tuna and crabs.

Despite the intrigue of whether a clam will be a good one, the can is convenient. This recipe is a real winner also. It is delicious and creamy. Sorry if you’re a Manhattan chowder lover.

The recipe is from an older Everyday Food. If you have not noticed, I am really into Everyday Food. I do have to laugh occasionally. I was reading one of the issues from the first year and noticed in the Reader’s Recipe section an interesting looking recipe and out of curiosity looked at what part of the country it came from. It was from Martha Stewart herself. Too odd. Martha certainly does some good things, but I’m amused that she touts herself so much and thinks so highly of herself. The crafts and home improvements that she presents are obviously more than she could produce by herself. So thanks goes to the Martha Stewart people for this recipe – not necessarily Martha herself.

Yumminess. Follows

Creamy Clam Chowder

Everyday Food November 2003

• 12 cherrystone clams (1 ½ lbs), scrubbed well – I used 1 can 6oz
• 2 slices bacon, finally chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large stalk of celery, finely chopped
• 1 t chopped fresh thyme ( or ¼ t dried)
• 1 lb new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½ in chunks
• ¾ c heavy cream
• dash of hot sauce (always Ring of Fire here at EoT)
• coarse salt and pepper

1. In a large skillet, bring clams and 1 cup water to a boil. Cover; cook until clams have opened, 3-5 min (discard any that don’t open). Transfer clams to a bowl. Strain liquid into a measuring cup; add water to yield 1 cup. Remove clam meat from shells; coarsely chop. (I instead opened the can, drained the liquid into a measuring cup, added water to create 1 cup of clam juice and proceeded to step 2.)
2. In a large saucepan, cook bacon over med-low heat until crisp 8-10 min. Pour off all but 1 T fat. Add onion and celery; cook until soft, about 5 min. Add thyme, potatoes, cooking liquid, and 1 more cup of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 min.
3. Puree about 1 c mixture in a blender until smooth. Stir puree back into soup; add cream. Simmer over low heat until warm through, about 5 min. Add clams and hot sauce; season with salt

Happy New Year!

2007-01-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

The New Year is bringing some new happenings here at the EoT. I’m still hurting from the loss of my dog, Fred, and took comfort in knitting and reading lately instead of blogging. I really miss my little alarm clock/lap heater/worrier/entertainer. In a way Fred was here to help me get ready to be a mom and I treated him like my little boy. I trained him from 2 months old when he was a wee pup. I saw him overcome fears and be adventurous. He kept up with us in so many things. Even though Fred annoyed our bigger dog Frankie, I see that she misses him. She sleeps all day now and does not care to be outside. She used to go outside just to avoid him. Bad winter weather meant this ploy worked - otherwise he was glued to her side.

A happier note follows
My New Year’s ponderings were a chance to look over this blog and make some resolutions. Here are my thoughts and resolutions.

I only started blogging in the last half of the year and didn’t contribute enough to enter the 2006 Top Food Blog Awards. I feel more confident about my blog now.
My goals this year are to blog twice a week. Participate in one event other than WHB each week. I also would like to write two longer articles each month. One piece will be on a local producer of some sort and the second piece will be on a in season produce with several recipes rather than just one. The seasonal produce article might resemble what I wrote up for the entire month of November’s WHB.
December was not so consistent but I chalk that up to being the holidays and memo’s cancer – we were told the day after Christmas that the only option left is hospice.
I went to art school to study Fibers – which incorporates surface design, weaving and much more. I started a Fiber blog called Pursuit of Fiber. NO it doesn’t tout the crunchy stuff that fills you up and helps your New Year’s diet resolution. My first post kind of lets you know what kinds of stuff I do. This blog is still under construction and may not stay on blogger.

I have been making a few things. I thought I would share this morning’s fare. I made scones last night for breakfast. I was motivated by Tummy Treasure’s post on The Bread Bible.

I have had this book since my final year in Art School. Despite my crazy schedule I cooked from it all the time. I would work on my projects all night and have bread rising in the kitchen. I did it all by hand because I did not have anything else and I liked the feel. This book creates amazing breads, but they take forever. I used to hit myself in the head when I was making sourdough because it would take me 3 days to make 2 loaves of artisan bread. I still stick with this book because I made the best focaccia ever – even if it took me 14 hours when I should have been sewing on my Thesis.

So the scones I made took a little longer than ones you would find in the King Arthur’s Flour Baking Companion. So yummy so flaky and so gingery. These were absolutely amazing. I would give you the recipe but it takes up three pages in the book so I will leave you with a picture to droll over.

Goodbye Fred

2006-12-30T12:27:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a sad one for us. Our beloved miniature dachshund, Fred, drowned in my dad’s Koi pond. Fred was a great dog. Sure he had his faults. These were determined almost immediately upon bringing him home from the breeder. “Fred,” I would tell him, “you need to shape up. You smell like a dog. And it’s not nice to steal people’s hearts.” He didn’t listen to me and never really overcame these problems.

Fred and I were both intrigued my wife’s beautiful long hair. If it dangled within reach, he would bite at it and tug gently. “Stop it, Fred!” was her interjection when I did this too. Fred was a great accomplice. Sadly, he lost interest in this game and I started to get in trouble.

We adopted a humane society dog at the same time as we got Fred. Frankie is a lab/pug mix. She came housebroken and already knew how to sit on command. The only trick Fred could do on command was “act cute”. I was always amused to use this command with him because it worked. Not that he did anything, he was just cute anyway. After he did his trick I would remind him of his fault again. “It’s not nice to steal people’s hearts, Fred.”

There are both problems and benefits of being a little dog. Fred used his size frequently in his escape-artist act. He would be placed safely in some space such as the kitchen, the back yard, his crate, etc. “Presto! Heeeere’s Fred.”

Click through for the rest of the story.

On a visit to my parent’s house we put our little puppy in the kitchen and went out to dinner. Fred excitedly greeted us at the front door when we returned. My dad, being a staunch advocate of dogs living outside, was not amused. When we discovered a big yellow puddle on the kitchen floor and another Fred present on the carpet, dad let the little dog have it. It didn’t matter that the yellow puddle was just the crock pot boiling over, Fred would have to perform a bigger trick than his usual “act cute, Fred” to steal my dad’s heart.

It turns out that Fred was just small enough to get through the toe kick at the corner of the kitchen. A toe kick is the little undercut at the bottom edge of cabinetry. Fred became very fond of this space because it was right at his height. It also was associated with interesting snacks in the kitchen. When we finished preparing dinner, he would sniff his way along the toe kick and clean up after us. This must have been a rewarding practice because he would sniff along toe kicks everywhere – at the Home Depot, under people’s dressers, at motels. Fred was definitely an optimist.

The problems with being a little dog are numerous. The lawn gets harder to navigate as it gets bigger. People can’t see you and so they step on you. Fred dealt with these problems in his own creative style. In soggy Longview it is pointless to put posts in the ground lest they rot soon afterwards. My fence is no exception, it has a concrete footing running the perimeter of the yard. We called it the Fred highway. If the grass was wet or long, you could count on Fred using this route. He hated water and to my dismay he would pee on the porch if it was too wet for him.

Fred was my present to Chris during our first Christmas together. Training a dog is certainly a good way to get to know the woman you will marry. We had to deal with all the puppy annoyances like potty training and whining. She was somewhat relieved of these duties since we didn’t live together yet and she couldn’t have pets at her apartment. He grew fairly obedient about coming when called and was very affectionate. He loved everyone and everyone loved him. I figured he was socially adjusted enough to be the ring-bearer at our wedding. Chris agreed but our pastor didn’t. I can still envision him running down the aisle. Running under a few pews. Doing some pirouettes. Excitedly running towards the nearest lady that smelled nice. It was probably a good thing to exclude him.

One night I came to bed and snuggled up close to my new bride. She smiled at me before I was distracted by something odd. “You smell like a dog!” I exclaimed suddenly wondering if Fred’s faults were contagious. She just laughed at me and pointed out that the “pillow” I had my head on was Fred. He didn’t move a muscle and blended in with the navy/plaid sheets better than I figured a black and gray dog would.

Fred did some amazing things in his two years with us. He hiked 20 miles with us on a scout hike. He went on a couple of cross country ski trips and refused to be carried. Frankie got to run and frolic in the snow and so did he. Fred was a little taskmaster when we went hiking. He got nervous and paced back and forth when our party got spread out. He even overcame his fear of water enough to hike through small streams.

My little Christmas present met his end right before Christmas this year. He went outside to do his business and pester Frankie in the snow. He never came back inside. My water-hater found a wet end. I can still imagine him thinking, “See I tried to tell everyone this was bad stuff!”

It amazes me how such a small dog took up so much space in my house. Wherever I was, he was always underfoot. He woke me up in the morning trotting up and down the hallway, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. I always fed Frankie first and Fred’s little head would pop out of the crate and his little eyes would stare at me with this look that said, “Come on! Where’s my food?”

No spot where the sun shines in the house was safe from Fred sitting there. He would even find the sun puddles on the edge of the bookshelves. He would work his way into people’s laps, snuggle close to Frankie in bed, and bark at any critter that came in the yard. The house is definitely more laid back without the little taskmaster.

I thank God that we enjoyed Fred for these years. He will be missed by all the hearts he stole in his short time with us.

Sugar High Friday #26: Spooky Sugar Art

2006-12-29T20:18:00.000-08:00

I was so bewildered with this month's theme of Sugar Art proposed by host Habeas Brulee. I went to art school and I cook but my skills are mainly with bread and yarn not sugar. Right before Christmas I was talking with my Halloween loving friend and the idea came to me; I had been meaning to make her these cool cookies. I had even gotten as far as buying special cookie cutters.

These cookies are a lovely chocolate flavor with a crisp texture. They are basically Chocolate Sugar Cookies. I mixed up a coffee flavored icing based on my friends fav chocolate combos.

Spooky Cookies

Everyday Food October 2006

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t salt
12 T (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 c sugar
1 large egg
sprinkles
icing (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg. On low speed, mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half, and form into 2 disks, each about 3/4 inch thick. Wrap disks in plastic; chill until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 days.
On a lightly floured sheet of waxed paper, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft to work with, refrigerate for a few minutes.)
Using 2- to 3-inch Halloween cookie cutters, cut out shapes, dipping cutters in flour as necessary to prevent sticking; place on a baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.
Bake until surface is dry to the touch, 10 to 15 minutes (if decorating, press candies into dough halfway through baking). Cool cookies 1 to 2 minutes on baking sheet; transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve, or store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

No-Fuss Icing

Cook's Country Charter Issue 2005

2 T milk
1 c confectioners' sugar
food coloring (optional)
2-3 drops flavored extract (optional) - I used coffee

With small wisk, combine milk and sugar in small bowl to make soft, smooth icing. Stir in optional ingredients.

Merry Christmas Ya'll

2006-12-20T23:32:00.000-08:00

Experimentation of Taste will be in the Land of no Internet or at least of Dial-up. So I will be back to post shortly after the new year. I will be back to regular posting and some new things that I have been mulling about in my flu-stricken brain.

Please stick with me as my extended family deals with Memo's extreme ill health. We love her deeply and want to spend as much time with her as possible. We would appreciate your prayers and thoughts at this difficult time. Christmas is being scheduled around Dr Appointments. Hopefully we don't have an emergency room visit until after Christmas. I have planned a super simple meal so that we can spend the time with her and not running around trying to have the perfect day. Perfect is spending time with that important person who means tons to you.

Cookie Exchange 2006

2006-12-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

Click on a cookie to see the recipe

Planning this party took away from my blog time recently. I hope this set of recipes makes up for all that. 7 people came (out of 12 invited) which is a great success during the business of Christmas. We all had fun eating food, talking, drinking coffee and playing Christmas games.

One of the games was present wrapping. We paired people up as teams to wrap a box in wrapping paper. This is no big deal - except that on each team one person could only use her left hand and the other her right. The results were a lot of fun. Everyone wrapped their present quicker than expected.

We had a varied group. All of us are local - several from Longview originally. Two ladies moved here this summer from Europe. Katie, who joined us from England, just married a Longview man. Jenny is here temporarily. She heads back to Germany next year. This provided more variety than the standard sugar cookie and frosting. We barely missed having meringue cookies, since that lady's efforts fell flat.

Katie brought Basic Flapjack cookies.

Jenny brought Kulocha.

Wendy brought Mexican Wedding Cakes.

Carolyn (my co-host) brought Chewy Chocolate-Cinnamon Cookies and Chocolate-Covered Cherry Brownies.

I brought Butter Pecan Cookies and a very flat Icebox Shortbread with cornmeal and lime.

Carolyn and I made extra batches for two friends that have been having a difficult month and still wanted to participate.

Chrispy's Lime and Cornmeal Icebox Shortbread

2006-12-17T21:29:00.000-08:00

Chrispy's Lime and Cornmeal Icebox Shortbread
from Everyday Food Cookie Edition

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c confectioners' sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
2 c all-purpose flour, plus for for rolling
zest of 2 limes
1/4 c cornmeal

With an elecric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until
smooth. With mixer on low speed, add flour, mixing just until a dough forms. Stir in zest and cornmeal. (or other mix-ins)
Divide dough in half; place each half on a piece of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper. Using the paper so the dough doesn't stick to your fingers, gently roll each half into a 1 1/2 - inch - diameter log. Dividing evenly, sprinkle logs (to help coating adhere) and pressing in gently. Wrap logs tightly in the paper, twisting ends to seal; refrigerate until firm, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Can be stored up to 6 months)
Preheat oven to 350F. Unwrap logs; with a serrated knife, cut dough into 3/8 in thick slices (if dough is crumbly leave at room temp, 5-10 min). Place slices on baking sheets about 1 in apart.
Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly golden around the edges, 15-20 min. Cool on baking sheets, 1-2 min; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Other mix ins are available at this link

Makes 3 dozen

These were very tasty but the cookies rebelled in the 9th hour and formed paper thin sheets the size of my baking sheet. I know that once I took my silpat off the sheet it spread less but did not solve the complete problem.

Churchable ate 1/2 dozen for breakfast.

Chrispy's Butter Pecan Cookies

2006-12-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

Chrispy's Butter Pecan Cookies
from Everyday Food Cookie Edition

3/4 c pecans (chopped finely)
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 c sugar, plus more for coating and sprinkling
1 t vanilla extract
1/8 t salt
1 c all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and 1/3 c sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 min. Beat vanilla, salt, and flour, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.
Separate dough into 12 equal pieces. Squeeze dough into balls; roll in sugar. Place balls on a baking sheet, 3 inches apart. gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (reshape sides if necessary). Sprinkle with more sugar.
Bake until cookies are golden brown, about 15 min. Sprinkle with more sugar. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 cookies. I got 21 so your results may vary.
Very flaky and tasty!

Carolyn's Chocolate-covered Cherry Brownies

2006-12-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

Carolyn's Chocolate-covered Cherry Brownies
from Christmas with Southern Living 1998

2 c sugar
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c cocoa
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c butter, melted
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 c miniature marshmallows
10 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained well and coarsely chopped
6 oz semisweet chocolate morsels

Combine first5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter and eggs, stirring until smooth. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13" x 9" x 2" pan. Bake at 350F for 28 min. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over hot brownies; return to oven, and bake 1 more 1 more minute. Sprinkle with cherries, and set aside to cool.
Place chocolate morsels in a 2-c glass measuring cup; microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is smooth. Drizzle melted chocolate over uncut brownies. Let stand until chocolate is set. Cut into bars.

Makes 4 dozen

Carolyn's Chewy Chocolate-Cinnamon Cookies

2006-12-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

Carolyn's Chewy Chocolate-Cinnamon Cookies
from Christmas with Southern Living 1998

1c butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 (3.9 oz) package chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
1 (11.5 oz) package semisweet chocolate mega morsels (or regular)
1 (2 1/2 oz) package walnut pieces, toasted and chopped (2/3 c)

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars and pudding mix, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Combine flour, soda, and cinnamon; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended (do not overbeat). Stir in chocolate morsels and walnuts.
Drop dough by Tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350F for 9 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute. Remove cookies to wire racks; cool completely.

Makes: 5 dozen
These are my favorite but I can't really turn down anything made from cinnamon. What are best friends supposed to make for you?

Wendy's Mexican Wedding Cakes

2006-12-17T21:25:00.001-08:00

Wendy's Mexican Wedding Cakes

1 c soft butter or margarine
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl combine butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla; cream until light and fluffy.
Mix in flour.
Pinch off small pieces of stiff dough and flatten into circles on ungreased baking sheets, or shape into 1 inch balls.
Bake at 400F for 8-10 min or until creamy tan in color.
Roll in powdered sugar while hot. Cool.
Roll in powdered sugar again.

Makes 5 dozen rich crisp cookies
Yummy! They keep seeming to disappear.

Jenny's Kulocha

2006-12-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

Jenny's Kulocha

1 lb cottage cheese (blend until smooth)
1 lb butter
4 c flour
2 c ground nuts
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c canned milk
powdered sugar

Cream butter and cottage cheese together
Add flour slowly then form into balls and chill.
Mix the filling from the nuts, brown sugar and canned milk
Roll out dough, cut into squares and fill.
Bake at 375F for 15min.
Let cool slightly then roll in powdered sugar.

Makes 6 1/2 dozen cookies
Excellent!

Katie's Basic Flapjack

2006-12-17T21:23:00.000-08:00

Katie's Basic Flapjack

1 c Butter
1 c Soft Brown Sugar (packed)
1/2 c Light Corn Syrup
6 c Oats

Directions:

Line 9"x13" Pan with foil and grease inside
Melt first three ingredients (don't boil!)
combine with oats
Spread in pan
Cook 360 F for approximately 20-35 min or until golden
Mark out squares while still warm
Cool in tin
Tip out, remove foil and cut with sharp knife

makes 40 cookies
Additions: you can add anything you like such as coconut, nuts, fruit, chocolate chips, etc.

This created the most buzz at the cookie exchange. At church today, everyone asked me when I would be posting since they really wanted this recipe.

BBM: Holiday Addition

2006-12-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Churchable and I went to Mt. St. Helens to play in the snow. Our dogs frolicked while we took a hike on snowshoes. When we got back home I received my Blogging By Mail package from Gigha at Gigha's thoughts on food and travel. I am excited to share (and eat) those treats as well as show y'all what I am sending for BBM. It was good to get out since I just got over being sick. Today I am also posting several recipes from a cookie exchange I hosted.

Gigha is off on a trip to Asia, but sent me items from Europe. I love Asia but I love Europe so much more. The year I attended High School in Germany was unforgettable. I loved the people, the countryside and of course the food. It took me 2 years to work off all the schnitzel and Kinder Eggs I ate.

She included things from all the places she has lived - Sweden, Scotland and Belgium.
Here is what she sent:
From Sweden: (Gigha's country of origin)

    crispbread with sunflower seeds (They arrived broken, but everything else was intact)

    spices for Glögg (similar to mulled wine)
From Scotland:

    oatmeal and cranberry biscuits (delicious - the dogs ate the last one when we accidentally left it on the couch)
From Belgium: (Gigha's current residence)

    cherry flavored beer (all mine since Churchable hates cherry)

    Christmas tea (lovely black tea with cinnamon. I love cinnamon!)

    gingerbread spices (not yet tried, but I'll have lots of time this winter)

    Belgium beer jam (typically used on foie gras - not something found in this house, but we will find a use for it)

    4 kinds of Chocolate (the bikini had the most amazing smell when I broke into it and the apricot flavor was delicious).

And some doggie treats. The trout and salmon treats were already devoured enthusiastically.

WHB: Freak Snow Storm and the Flu

2006-12-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

My kitchen has been a little slow this week because I have been under the weather. Despite my sniffles, I made it to Portland to see Christopher Kimball from America's Test Kitchen. Fortunately I was able to convince Churchable to drive me because I was too exhausted. My post this week is for Weekend Herb Blogging which is back with it's founder Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen.

The week before Thanksgiving, we went to Meemo's house in Spoke Vegas. I spent my time cooking, making sure she had the things she needed, and decluttering a closet that no one could walk in - now you can and it has a whole empty shelf. I decided early on to only cook tried-and-true dishes for my in-laws, but in our rush to leave I also grabbed those things that I had planned on making anyways. This came with the added benefit of getting to scrub the refrigerator without having to move tons of stuff. I had beets from my farmer Susie and I had been eyeing a recipe in Everyday Food for over 2 years, but did not have the courage to buy beets. I had no clue about them and had never eaten them.

Well the lovely red roots were roasted, chopped up and mixed into a beautiful Beet Risotto. It tasted better than I thought it would. The only problem is that I made it the main dish and it should have been a side dish. Oh well, I will do that next time. The flavor was sweet and creamy - not dirty like I thought it would be. I know that it was decent because my teenage sister-in-law hates beets and she took a second helping.

After we got back, I still had more beets. I should have stopped while I was ahead but I wanted to use up a mess of carrots and other items in army of produce that was successfully taking over my fridge. I decided to pursue a recipe brought to mind by my farmer. It was reminiscent of a carrot based pasta sauce I had while in college in 1998. I loved it but never found the product again nor a recipe. My farmer mentioned that the macrobiotic movement in the 80's had a Winter Spaghetti Sauce that contained Carrots, Beets and Onions. Running with this I looked on-line and found one thing that might have been close. I made it and came up with the disaster below (luckily it was Vegan so the compost pile welcomed it). I really would have preferred it to be more carrot than beet based. I guess that I just needed less beets and more carrots. I don't have the recipe or the link that I adapted but if any of you know of a recipe for a carrot based pasta sauce without tomatoes I would truly be interested.

Hopefully next week will be better and I can actually cook rather than letting the crockpot do it all - or at least smell the crockpot while it's cooking. Churchable came home from work and commented that the house smelled great a couple of times this week and I felt a little left out. Bye for now!

WHB: Thanksgiving

2006-11-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was different for me this year because I didn't go anywhere to celebrate the holiday. Years past I have traveled far (the Middle East) or close (Walla Walla - the home of Washington's sweet onion) but never stayed at home and cooked in my own kitchen. Former plans to have the big dinner at our place were scrapped in order to join friends here in town. Our hostess is a lady I call the Buffet Dinner master. She knows how to make meals simple and easy for large groups. She has three grown sons who I'm sure kept the kitchen busy. She never bats an eye when the church asks her to cook for over 100 people. Earlier this month, our church had a big dinner without her and some of the rest of us had to step up to the plate. It sure made me grateful for her past efforts.

The one thing that churchable and I missed was going around through the group and mentioning what we are thankful for this year. Even though we come from different background this is a tradition that both sides of the family celebrate. So I will do so here

Things that I am thankful for this year:

For churchable, he is such a loving husband and the last year and a half of marriage has been great.
For this blog, I finally have find a focus for my creative energy. (I hated writing, but here I am writing and loving it.)
For my friends, they encourage me even if they never comment here.
For another holiday season with my mother-in-law, Meemo is doing a little bit better.
For getting to celebrate churchable's 31st birthday with friends and great food. (His birthday was on Thursday)
My family's continued safety in the Middle East.
Being able to help my grandparents this spring when they needed assistance.

Now for the really good stuff - the food and recipes. Surprise! I stuck to squash for my contribution to Thanksgiving. I had quite a pile of acorn squash that needed using before it turned bad and vandalized the neighborhood. Thanksgiving was a good excuse to use them before that happened. It was also a good chance to use one of my mom's holiday recipes. My CSA share also contained a good supplement for the holiday - half a sugar pumpkin. I roasted it up and handed off the pie making to churchable with the help of my farmer's recipe. He is the pie maker in our household, since he likes pie so much. He never wants a cake for his bday but a pie always works. I also heard that there was a dearth of cranberries for a side so I whipped up some fresh cranberry sauce. I so refuse to be
subjected to a can of relish with the metal rings molded into its sides, but it
seems we all feel that way here in blog land.

This is my post for Weekend Herb Blogging which is being hosted by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once If you would like further information on squash, please head over to my post at the beginning of the month.

Squash Apple Bake

Serves 12

4 lbs Winter Squash
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
1/8 c flour
1/2 c cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 t salt
1 t nutmeg
4 baking apples; cored and cut into 1/2 in slices

Halve each squash; remove the seeds and fibers. Pare the squash. Cut into 1/2" slices or cubes.
Mix together the brown sugar, butter, flour, salt, and nutmeg.
Arrange the squash in an ungreased rectangle baking dish (12x7x2 in). Top with apple slices. Sprinkle with cranberries. Sprinkle with sugar mixture. Cover and bake in a 350F oven until squash is tender, 50-60 minutes

Fresh Organic Pumpkin Pie

This recipe makes 1 pie. Our squash was big enough to make 2.

You have two choices to prep the squash. I recommend roasting the squash in a 400F oven for an hour or two. If liquid oozes out and starts to burn, don't worry this will help the squash be drier and have a better texture. The pumpkin should be soft when pushed. My farmer suggested boiling the pumpkin till it was soft. (I hate peeling squash so I did not use this route.) Then you drain the pumpkin for about 1 1/2 hour. When dry mash well. Then place into containers to freeze or make a pie.

3/4 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c fresh pumpkin
2 lg eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c hot milk
Your favorite pie crust (churchable's grandmother's recipe - if we ask he may share)

see the link above for instructions. I will post the instructions later.

Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish

Makes 2 1/2 cups

12 oz fresh cranberries
2 md seedless oranges cut into 1/8ths do not peel
1/2 - 3/4 c sugar
1/2 t ginger (optional)

Put half the cranberries and one of the oranges into the food processor; Transfer to a storage container and process the other half. Combine the two mixtures and stir in sugar to taste. Refrigerate, ideally for several days. Always tastes better if made in advance.

Since I also had tons of squash seeds, I decided to find a recipe to roast them. I found the following recipe in Everyday Food.

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Everyday Food October 2004

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice; toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until puffed and browned,
about 10 minutes

Sugar High Friday #25: Truffles meet the deep black

2006-11-25T23:22:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to contribute a truffle recipe to Sugar High Friday! Actually I'm including two different truffle recipes - one of these was a success and the other was a tasty failure. The failure caused a little delay in this post, so I'm blaming it on truffle trouble. Maybe some of you truffle experts can help me make it right.

My husband dragged me out today to White Pass, our nearest Washington ski resort. I sat in the lodge and wrote this while he hit the slopes. I
brought Eat Feed's podcast on "Chocolate - The history" for company. Some of the trivia presented is fascinating. We have all associated chocolate as a potion of love. Chocolate has spread throughout our society to focus on every aspect of our life. So far that if you love chocolate and want to swim in it. You can! at the Hershey pa in Hershey, PA.

Chocolate originated in Central America where the Mayans used it in religious ceremonies. Europeans got a hold of it and added large quantities of sugar. Thus, we in the 21st century wouldn't second-guess that chocolate is a subject of Sugar High Friday. When it was introduced in Europe it was a high society drink. Clubs were created just for Hot Chocolate. These places eventually became coffeehouses when coffee was introduced later in the century.

It is difficult to work with chocolate because it has to go through excessive
processing. Northern Europe started producing chocolate bars for everyone - not just the upper class. Hot chocolate remained popular, but it was a very thick, bitter drink. In America, Hershey chocolate brought the product to the mass consumer. Afterwards came M&M/Mars. (Mars was originally a partner of Hershey). Our soldiers were given Hershey bars with each meal when they were assigned overseas along with a pack of cigs. The chocolate bars are still given out, but cigarettes are now out of vogue. We are a nation in love with chocolate. In fact it seems ubiquitous.

When I was sixteen, I could not eat chocolate. This wasn't because mom forbade it, rather my body seems to reject overly sugary foods. I had so much trouble with it that I could not serve any chocolate desserts at my high school food service without getting horrible sick. I still have troubles with this, but I recently got some help with my allergies from a naturopath. That and some restraint seems to be working. Sugar high Friday wouldn't have been recognized in my youth since my parents considered me sugar-hyperactive. I was able to follow my own sugar pursuits in the 10th grade when I was sent to boarding school in Germany. This led me to prefer European dark chocolate. Since it has less sugar, there is the added benefit that it doesn't bother my digestive system so much. My school in Germany was 45 minutes from Switzerland and France. I had immediate access to some of the worlds best chocolate and cheese. I don't know which lured me more. What a great year! 15 years old and surrounded by great food and wonderful people.

There are two different types of cocoa powder. Basic cocoa powder is bitter by itself. By mixing it with an alkaline material, it becomes Dutch processed cocoa powder. This is not as bitter and is well suited for non-baked foods. Other types of powder are fine for baking since the cooking process and other ingredients reduce the bitterness on their own.

I struggled most of the month to concoct a truffle idea that was different from the basic chocolate, cream and coating. Inspired by the holidays and the idea of parties with mixed drinks I lit on the idea of trying to make White Russian truffles. My other favorite drink, the Appletini, was ruled out as unfriendly towards chocolate.

I also attempted Black Russian truffles. These turned out perfectly. The White Russians, on the other hand weren't so hot. I think this comes from my inexperience with the white chocolate.

My Black Russian truffle yields a rush of chocolate flavor enhanced by espresso powder. I also did not want to do a normal coating since nuts, coconut flakes or any of the other basics wouldn't fit well with the flavor. Doing a tempered chocolate coating, however, takes too much patience for me. Beware. If you dislike coffee, steer clear of this truffle. My husband took one bite and and handed me the other half. He thought the coffee flavor was too intense. I love my coffee, however, and think this situation is fine.

The White Russian ended up as a soupy-sweet, smooth cream. It was very much like a White Russian drink. I even attempted to try the soup with the powdered milk I set aside as a coating. It tasted great. Too bad it refused to work out correctly.

Black Russian

Makes 10 truffles

4oz bittersweet dark cocoa chocolate, broken up into small chunks.
1 T unsalted butter
3 T heavy cream
1 t light corn syrup
3 t Vodka
2 t Kahlua
1/4 c instant espresso powder, for coating truffles

Place chopped chocolate and butter into a medium glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat once more. Set aside.
In a butter warmer or extra small pan, heat the cream and corn syrup over medium heat till simmering.
Remove from the heat and pour over the melted chocolate; let stand 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to stir gently until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the alcohol. Place bowl into the fridge for 1 hour.
Use a melon baller or a mini ice cream scoop, scoop out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the fridge for 30 min.
Remove the truffles from the fridge and shape into balls by rolling with your hands. (To keep clean you can use plastic gloves.)
Dip formed ball into the espresso powder and roll till coated evenly.
Allow to rest one hour in the fridge. The truffles should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve at room temperature so that the flavors are allowed to meld.

White Russian

Makes 10 truffles (supposedly)

4oz pure white chocolate, broken up into small chunks.
1 T unsalted butter
3 T heavy cream (I think this was too much)
1 t light corn syrup
3 t Vodka
2 t Kahlua
1/4 c instant milk powder, for coating truffles

Place chopped chocolate and butter into a medium glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat once more. Set aside.
In a butter warmer or extra small pan, heat the cream and corn syrup over medium heat till simmering.
Remove from the heat and pour over the melted chocolate; let stand 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to stir gently until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the alcohol. Place bowl into the fridge for 1 hour.
Use a melon baller or a mini ice cream scoop, scoop out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the fridge for 30 min. (This concoction sat in my fridge for 3 hours, then 2 more in the freezer without setting up)
Remove the truffles from the fridge and shape into balls by rolling with your hands. (To keep clean you can use plastic gloves.)
Dip formed ball into the powdered milk and roll till coated evenly.
Allow to rest one hour in the fridge. The truffles should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve at room temperature so that the flavors are allowed to meld.

WHB: Squash goes blonde

2006-11-15T00:35:00.000-08:00

This may be my last blog for a week! Tomorrow I'm headed to the Spoke Vegas (aka Spokane, WA) to visit my in-laws who live in an internet-free home. This isn't their choice, rather it has to do with bad luck of two broken computers. More bad luck may head their way as I am scheduled to arrive around the same time as their new Macintosh computer. In my college days I was notorious for breaking Macs so I hope the new machine is made of sturdier stuff. Although we would like to go to Spokane for Thanksgiving, we made alternate plans when my husband, Churchable, was supposed to be working a shift job at the mill.

We feel it is important for us to visit since my mother-in-law "Meemo" is not doing well in her 3+ year long struggle against cancer. I am blessed to have been given the pleasure to meet and get to know her. She is a wonderful sweet woman. Your prayers for her are appreciated. I'm going to cram in my Weekend Herb Blogging entry before I cram my family and the two dogs in the car for the 6 hour trip. On a positive note, Churchable is bribing me with stops at knitting stores. There won't be a break from cooking either since Meemo will need our help around the house. Look for other less frazzled bloggers at Saffron Trail on Monday.

The travel plans interrupted what promised to be a rather leisurely week. I spent most of Monday dreaming up menus and finishing up a new wool sweater to fill in the winter wardrobe. Our plans for the week changed over dinner of warm chicken salad (which needed a boiled egg) and turnip fries. Plans for dinner changed earlier when I substituted Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares for what would-have-been a lovely squash soufflé.

This menu detour satisfied my cravings for a cookie that began when I read the Everyday Foods Cookie Edition. The cookies were good enough to almost forgive Martha for making me scour 3 grocery stores (and then pay money) for a magazine that I already receive as a subscription. This recipe is a definite hit. I made the slight substitution of Guittard Choc-au-lait vanilla milk chips for chocolate chips and was pleased that we had all the ingredients in the house. We were so tempted by the aroma that we dug in without waiting for the cookies to cool. Our dogs enjoyed this too because the cookies were still crumbly and they got the scraps.

Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares
Everyday Food Collectible Cookie Edition

Makes 24
Prep Time 30 min
Total Time 2 hr 30 min

2 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 T. pumpkin pie spice (1 1/2 t cinnamon, 3/4 t ginger, 1/2 t nutmeg, 1/8 t allspice and cloves)
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 sticks (16T) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
1 large egg
2 t vanilla extract
1 c pumpkin puree or any other squash if you prefer
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips (I used a white chocolate with a hint of vanilla chip)

Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin purée (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

WDB: The storm of the century kept the dogs bored.

2006-11-11T23:29:00.000-08:00

The dogs will tell you this has been a hard week. Rain up to Frankie's knees in the backyard. Little butt had issues with that and was very down cast. We went visiting that day since things were less than ideal for frolicking. While there, they made a pest of themselves and Frankie the dear was sick for the rest of the week. You can see her resting in her brother's bed below. She made quite a bit of work for me, but I can say that all her bedding and the living room carpet is really clean and smells like Febreze. Then more rain came and the wind blow so hard the intruder alerts were going off frequently. But today was beautiful. Fred looked longingly out the window this morning till I let him and Frankie outside to frolic. They had a blast since the storm of the century had been keeping them inside. They explored every new place and all the edges of the yard while I shopped for dog toys for Christmas.
Frankie annoyed that mommy sneaked up with a camera and woke her up.
Fred interested momentarily in what mommy is doing with the camera.
As you can see he was really more interested in the outside.

WHB: Get squashed with a secret

2006-11-09T08:51:00.000-08:00

This week I was so absorbed by what was in my farm share on Monday that I almost totally forgot that this month I am sharing squash recipes. Well, my creativity and my obsession got together this week in this recipe.

Today's meal simply needed a good side dish to move it into greatness. I started cooking spareribs in my crock pot about noon. Not sure what the side would be, I considered my options. Then I lit on this new recipe I found just yesterday - bread pudding with Italian sausage. This is a great recipe to make early and pull out of the refrigerator just before dinner.

Squash in this lovely bread pudding qualifies it for Weekend Herb Blogging! This week it's hosted by Meeta at What's for Lunch Honey? It actually could be a meal in of itself. It is savory and not at all sweet like typical squash recipes. My squash-hating husband loved it. So I guess score one for me and I can put it into my round of side/main dishes with squash.

My secret ingredient is Quince. It is an old world fruit. Some even believe that this is the forbidden fruit of Eden rather than an apple. It is similar enough to the apple that they can be substitutes for each other in cooked recipes. It has a heavenly scent that it spreads throughout your kitchen with a mixture between ripe pineapple, guava, vanilla and so much more. Some even say this is the smell of love - leading to quinces tradition of love, marriage and fertility. So far I am in love with it.

Storage: store one your counter so that your house can experience the glorious smell. The rest should be placed in a plastic bag in the fridge. They will store for several weeks. Don't worry about bruising, it will not affect the fruit. Peel the skin before use. If the quince becomes soft, it has rotted or is about to rot.

Uses: Use in place of apples. Create jams, preserves, marmalades because of its high pectin level. The pectin level is so high that raw quinces do not taste good.

Flavor Enhancers: cheese, pork, port, orange, cinnamon, lamb

Health Notes: High in vitamin C. A syrup prepared from the fruit may be used as a great addition to drinks when sick.

butternut squash bread pudding with Italian sausage and roasted quince

Chef Todd Gray of Equinox – Washington D.C.
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients:

6 cups Brioche bread cubes, 1 inch dice
2 cups butternut squash purée
2 cups Italian sausage, casing removed (I used turkey with Italian seasoning)
2 quince, peeled, cored, and diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 eggs, beaten
½ cup Parmesan, grated
2 teaspoons rosemary, minced
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large mixing bowl combine bread cubes and squash purée, set aside. In large pan, cook sausage over medium heat until fat runs out. Add onion and cook 10 minutes. Add to bread squash mixture. Toss quince in olive oil and roast 30 minutes in oven. Remove and add to bread and sausage mixture. Let cool. When mixture has cooled add eggs, Parmesan, rosemary, cream and seasoning. Mix well to combine. Pour into buttered baking dish(at this point I refrigerated it for about 4 hours) and bake about 45 minutes - 1 hour. Remove and sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Serve warm.

Lemon Cream Salmon with whiffs of Quince

2006-11-06T21:38:00.000-08:00

My senses are in a tizzy. I just got my first winter farm share. Saturday I got an email from my farmer Susie about Quinces. I once had grocery store quinces in Saudi Arabia as a young teen, but never ones this fresh. I'm so excited that I can't wait to share with ya'll what I make. Just having them in our house makes the kitchen smell wonderful. I don't like perfume, but if you could bottle this up I would wear it without question. Susie is going to bring over 30 lbs for me to process for her. I get to keep a portion of what I make and the rest heads back to her to be sent out with the farm shares. That's the great benefit of knowing my farmer. Currently I am contemplating Quince Preserve and Quince Empanadas. In addition to the Quinces, I got salad greens after two weeks of nothing as Susie was on vacation. She definitely deserves it after all the hard summer work.

Tonight's dinner reinforces my idea that I should get a rice cooker. My husband scorns my rice sometimes and wonders aloud why I can't cook rice. The salmon entree I planned for Sunday got postponed until tonight in order to reduce the leftovers that were starting to pile up. I started prepping for dinner right after picking up my farm share. The salmon smelled so good when David came home and the rice was bubbling along nicely. Needless to say, I burned it. This was a different twist from my usual rice blunders - it often turns out crunchy or soggy. Well, I guess I'll keep trying.

With the rice out of the question, I scrambled to make an alternate plan. I grabbed the salad greens from the farm share to make a lovely bed for the salmon. With our dinner salad sabotaged, I now needed a salad. Aha! I could make a caprice salad with tomatoes, avocados and Mt Tam Cowgirl cheese. A great save.

Some of you might wonder why I rarely include main dishes in my postings. The reason is that I have a membership to Saving Dinner, a website that sends out weekly menus. This really frees me up to make creative side dishes from our lovely veggies from CSA. Saving Dinner provides a menu and side suggestions (which I ignore or follow depending on my mood) and a shopping list so that a busy mom can save time at the store. I really like the simple and quick meals. There are 7 menus including variations for the southern hemisphere (due to seasonal differences) as well as kosher options for those who follow that tradition. The kosher options were helpful to me when my husband had doctor's orders to avoid beef and dairy products. I get 5-6 recipes each week which allows for a meal out or making a family favorite.

The menu I receive is called Body Clutter. It is for people who are struggling to keep there weight down or to teach themselves healthy eating habits. I don't have a weight problem, but since I find eating alone to be miserable, I don't remember to eat unless its a meal that I make for my husband. The BC menu has breakfast, lunch and snack ideas and it's been helpful for me to finally learn what kind of things are really nutritious for breakfast. I need protein at the beginning of the day but I really crave pancakes, waffles and French Toast. Adding natural peanut butter helps control my cravings.

Anyway, the Salmon recipe that I cooked today came from the BC menu. By permission I have included it for ya'll to try. They have tasty sample menus for anyone to try for free. They also have a Mega Menu mailer which is a response to the Dinner Franchises that help you prepare meals to put in the freezer at a super high price. The mega menu mailer sounds like a great idea for a new mom or someone laid up after surgery since it is so simple and cheap.

Skillet Salmon with Lemon Cream

1 T olive oil
4 salmon fillets
1/2 t basil
1/2 t garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season fish on both sides with basil, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté fish for 5 minutes on each side, or till nicely browned and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with a dollop of Lemon Cream on top.

Lemon Cream (mix all ingredients together in a small bowl)

1/2 c low fat sour cream
1 T low fat mayonnaise
1 t lemon juice
1 t honey

Serving suggestions: Low carb - grilled asparagus and a big green salad. Regular - add wild rice pilaf.

The only changes I really made were to sear all four sides of the salmon instead of just top and bottom and to place it on a bed of mixed greens.

WHB: Easy Ways to incorporate squash into your daily meals

2006-11-05T00:23:00.000-08:00

Last week, I shared with ya'll all basic preparation and uses of squash. Since squash has more nutrition in it than potatoes or basic bread I want to shares some recipes that substitute squash in ways that are both tasty and healthier for you. These recipes are an excellent way to introduce kids (or adult skeptics) to squash in an enjoyable way. There are most likely some other seasonal treats over at Kayln's Kitchen for Weekend Herb Blogging that might entice some veggie haters to try something.

The first recipe is a substitute for French fries. Personally, I can't wait when our regional fast food chain gets pumping out sweet potato fries and pumpkin shakes. Burgerville is priced above the average fast food, so I only go there for this seasonal treat. Remodeling the house and buying into the CSA farm share made the budget a bit tighter this year and, by making my own squash fries and pumpkin milkshakes at home, I staved off the cravings a bit. Adding a hamburger makes this an all-American fall dinner. Oh so good and tasty!

Winter Squash Fries

1 squash of your choice - Butternut or delicate make for easier fry shaping (medium will serve 2-3 people)
Olive oil
1/2 t ground cumin
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut, deseed, peel and cut the squash into 1/2 inch sticks.
On a baking sheet without any nonstick, just your good old metal version; toss together the cumin, salt, and pepper with enough oil to coat the fries. If they are not well coated they may burn and cook less evenly. Spread into a single layer.
Roast till fork tender and a little floppy. 45 min to an hour. Watch carefully. If you cut these uneven, you may need to remove the fries that finish before the others.
You can enhance the flavors with cilantro and/or lime juice.

What else would this southern girl want? Another favorite - Squash biscuits! If you didn't know that I was from the south, don't worry. My husband has a tough time keeping track as well. I have lived many places and I'm pleased to call the Northwest home now. Some Southern comfort food goes a long way, however, in helping me stick out the rainy season. Squash always brightens up a dull day and when you serve something as yummy as country fried chicken with cheesy mash potatoes. These orange biscuits will match the décor and please some picky eaters. Since I can't seem to find a biscuit cutter that I really like, I make these cute 1-inch biscuit dots.

Squash Biscuits

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 T light-brown sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
6 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 c chilled squash puree (see recipe)
1/3 c buttermilk or 1 t of white vinegar and milk to fill the 1/3 c

1. In large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea size lumps of butter remaining. In a small bowl, whisk together squash and buttermilk; stir quickly into flour until just combined.
2. Knead dough on a lightly floured board or surface until dough just comes together but is still lumpy. Shape into a disk about 1 inch thick. With a floured biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits as close together as possible. Gather scraps and repeat. The dough does not hold together after the first repeat. You can squash (pun intended) the remainder into a biscuit lump for an extra ugly duckling.
3. Preheat oven to 425 F with rack on lower shelf. Butter a cake pan. Place the biscuits snugly into the pan or they will become deformed during cooking. Optional - brush melted butter on the tops. Bake until golden about 20-24 minutes.
4. Serve with butter and eat heartily!

WDB: Halloween

2006-10-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Fred is giving the scariest devil-est expression of them all. Be careful - he's watching you.

Some others that are cute and others that just had to be here.

WHB: Winter Squash - The How-to of it all

2006-10-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

Squash, my favorite! I squeal with delight when it appears in the grocery stores in large precarious piles. I hoard them - they get stashed in every room as "decoration" and there's still a pile in the pantry. One of my readers requested some squash ideas, so for the 4 weeks leading up to Thanksgiving I will be sharing many yummy recipes straight from my faves. To start with we will get down to a simple explanation of squash and the basics of cooking them. Look for more in the weeks to come.

As Americans, Squash has been with us since the Pilgrims. For American Indians, it has been part of the diet long before that. The first Thanksgiving dinner probably didn't include a pumpkin pie but likely had some sort of baked pumpkin. The pumpkin was topped and deseeded, filled with milk, honey, and spices and baked until tender. This sounds like a delicious idea to try soon! I love winter squash in every shape and form except pumpkin pie. Don't ask cause I have no clue why this is the case. My husband, on the other hand, loves pumpkin pie and only slightly tolerates other squash dishes.

Squash are native to North America and unlike a similar veggie found in the Americas, they gained their popularity here at home. Corn, beans and squash were the "three sisters" that the North American Indians grew regularly. Squash is the Indian phrase "to eat raw." I don't know many people who would do that now-a-days. It just tastes so much better cooked with delicious spices. Like most things adopted and promoted by Native Americans, almost everything on the plant can be eaten. The seeds are a regular favorite - raw, toasted, pureed or made into oil. The blossoms, shoots, leaves and tendrils all can be eaten. I guess that I should grab my spade, dig up my plant, and make good use of it. Oh wait! It is still trying to make new squash, I'll just leave it till the weather kills it.

As we approach the day of the dead - Halloween, we could pay homage to the history of pumpkins and "bury" our yard decorations with squash to send them off with food for their journey. Just in case there are any other frightful veggies, check out Weekend Herb Blogging over at Kayln's Kitchen.

Storage: Keeps up to 6 months in a cool dry place. If you didn't get your squash from the farmers market or your own garden it might not last as long. Those from the store may last between 2 weeks and 3 months. Keep the squash in a single layer not touching to ensure no rot spread. Only refrigerate after cutting open or cooking, they only keep for a few days. To freeze, cook and puree the squash and place into a container with 1/2 inch of headspace to freeze. Winter Squash can be canned but specific direction to pressure can the jars is necessary to insure proper processing.

Uses: Roasted in salads or by itself, french "fries" (my fave seasonal thing), Baked in spices - sweet or savory, soup, stuffed, mashed, pureed into lasagna, casserole, stews, baked goods or desserts.

Flavor Enhancers: Ginger, orange juice, sage, parmesan, brown sugar, salt, maple syrup, cider, shallots, rosemary, garlic, vinegar, basil, cloves, goat cheese, pepper, allspice, fennel, mustard seed, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. As you can tell it works with many different kinds of flavoring - this is a result of its plain flavor.

Health Notes: High levels of Beta Carotene, Vitamin C & E create a strong link between eating these exceptional veggies and lowered risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and cataracts. For the protective benefits, eat squash every other day. Also has high levels of Fiber.

Safety Notes: Squash are one of the top twelve foods to contain pesticides - a good candidate for organic purchase.

Varieties:

Butternut squash: Beige colored and shaped like a vase and tastes somewhat similar to sweet potatoes. This one peels very easily and is the best for roasting and in soups.
Acorn squash: If the squash is shiny and a very dark green that means it's not quite ripe yet. Wait till it starts to get a little dull with some orange coloring on the skin. You'll know you have a good squash if you cut it open and it's a dark orange, light yellow means it won't be as sweet. Peel (which can be difficult), bake whole or split in half to cook this up.
Sweet Dumpling squash: A yellow and green striped squash that is the sweetest tasting. Creates beautiful stuffed boats for a small dinner party.
Hubbard squash: Huge squash with great flavor. Always good to know ahead of time what you are going to do with the whole squash. It is also a great replacement for a pumpkin on the porch, since it is not orange.
Kabocha squash: Usually very, very dry and flaky but delicious. A dry squash like this one will freeze the best too. Similar to the Hubbard Squash.
Spaghetti squash: These are yellow with stringy flesh. This squash really has a shell instead of skin. Usually not as sweet as the other squashes, but occasionally you may luck out and get some unbelievably sweet and delicious ones. Look for ones with a smooth, dark yellow shell. This is typically used as a low carb option for pasta. The squash can be cooked in the microwave to easily get the stringy interior out.
Buttercup squash: Rich flavor, tastes very much like peanut butter.
Pumpkin: These are all around us right now. The carving pumpkins are typically not good for eating. Look for sugar pumpkins that are specifically bred for flavor and cooking use. Carving pumpkins are bred for size only.

Serving guidelines:

1/3 to 1/2 pound raw unpeeled squash = 1 serving
1 pound peeled squash = 1 cup cooked, mashed
1 pound whole squash = 2 cups pureed
1 pound trimmed squash = 2 cups cooked pieces
1 pound squash = 2 to 3 servings
12 ounces frozen squash = 1-1/2 cups

Tips: (photo tips on how to prep squash)

If you like squash and you prefer not to curse your way through the prep time, make sure you have a good strong sturdy knife to cut through the hard shell.
It is easier to cut a squash after it has been cooked in a microwave for 2 minutes.
Cut the squash from stem to tip instead of across the middle.
Remove the seeds and fibers from the center before steaming, boiling or baking.
Boiling acorn squash ruins the flavor and texture.
To quickly microwave squash, cut two whole squash in half, cover and cook for 13 minutes on high. Do not add water.
If the squash is excessively stringy, place in a blender or food processor and pulse till smooth.

Three Basic recipes: (Roasted, Baked, Pureed)

Roasting is quite simple. Chop up the squash into equal size chunks. Some people like different cuttings for the aesthetic.   You can either chop it up into 3/4 inch squares with or without skin, wedges with skin on, or slices 1 inch thick of half the squash. Place on rimmed baking sheet with oil and your choice of flavor enhancers. Toss together. Spread in a single layer. Roast at 450 F for 35-40 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until brown and fork tender.

Baked is even simpler. This is my preferred method. Chop Squash in half and pierce outside with a sharp knife or fork. Lay cut side up on a baking sheet or baking dish. If the squash is a little rickety, slice a small segment off the bottom so it is level. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in oven at 400 F for 45 minutes.
    Variations:
        Sweet - always the best (tasted like ice cream to me as a kid) - per squash half place into the cavity. 1/2 tablespoon of butter, a dribble of maple syrup, a sprinkling of a Tablespoon of brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and for a little extra moisture apple cider poured into the middle till filled to the brim. These can always be changed to your preferred sweet spice mixtures.
        Savory 1- per squash half place into the cavity. 1/2 Tablespoon of butter. At the last 15 minutes of cook time, sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of bread crumbles. You may mix savory spices or herbs into the bread crumbs.
        Savory 2 - per squash half place into the cavity. A drizzle of olive oil and savory herbs and spices of your choice. During the last 15 minutes of cook time, sprinkle or grate a fine dusting of cheese over the squash. Pick your favorite, but I would recommend parmesan or gruyere.

Puree is by far the more tedious method but the most versatile and it keeps you away from the slightly strange mixture of frozen squash in the freezer of the grocery store. Prep the squash as for baking. Cook at 400 F for 1 hour. Turn occasionally. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides and transfer to a food processor. Process till smooth. Package up for use in other dishes or flavor with butter, salt, and a small amount of ground nutmeg and serve as a side dish.

Weekend Cookbook Challenge #10 - Neglected Gadgets

2006-10-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

When Sara at i like to cook announced this month's challenge, I was at a loss. I don't have neglected gadgets. I would have written about my yogurt maker but I started using it again about a week before the announcement. Since I purge unloved cookbooks and gadgets on a regular basis I have to write about one of my recent acquisitions - mini loaf pans or mini tart pans.

The loaf pans were a birthday present from mom back in April. This was a good chance to use them , since they seem to be more of a fall implement. My mother's mini loaf tin (similar to a muffin tin with 8 mini loaves) regularly got dusted off for Christmas baking. She typically prepared something regional (like date bread) or seasonal (like pumpkin bread or cinnamon apple bread). Each year's offerings changed depending on surplus supplies or mom's mood. Being uber-organized, she keeps a list of gifts she gives so as not to duplicate them. Her baking received the same treatment. None of our neighbors or friends received the same loaf twice.

I have individual silicone muffin cups, which are similar to the loaf pans. I like using them because I can make just a few muffins at a time. Fewer muffins means reduced temptation to eat a dozen fresh muffins right out of the oven. More often, the muffins disappear one at a time as my business takes me past the kitchen. Additionally, I love that no yummy muffin is lost from residue sticking to the paper - all the muffin is mine! The muffin cups work well for me and I was expecting similar results from the loaf pans. Some people argue that silicone is not worth the money because it does not brown properly. I personally like my quick breads to be the color of the inside on the outside. I would never make a loaf of yeast bread in a silicone pan. The pans were super easy to use and oh-so-easy to clean up. The loaves popped out of the pans easily and I could let them cool in the pan without needing a wire rack.

While I was researching ideas to share about squash, I ran across this recipe. It sounded so good and I had to have it right then and there. My taste buds demand comfort food when I'm sick, so it didn't hurt anything that I was sick earlier in the week. This was right up my pumpkin goodness radar. Being me and never being able to leave a baked good alone, I adjusted the spice to fit my preference.

Ginger Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from Everyday Food October 2006

Serves 12

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
2 t ground ginger
1 t ground cardamom (I felt that the recipe needed an extra punch of flavor)
1 t salt
1 c granulated sugar
1 c packed light-brown sugar
1 3/4 c pumpkin purée (I used a mixture of pumpkin and sweet potato, since I had two partial cans.)
12 T (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted (I accidentally melted 2 sticks and used it all)
3 large eggs
Sugar glaze (optional - felt it was sweet enough on its own.) (recipe is at the above link)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Set 4 mini silicone loaf pans on a baking sheet and 12 muffin cups in muffin tin. set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. In a large, mix together remaining ingredients; add flour mixture, and stir until just combined.
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 min for the muffins and 35 min for the mini loaves. Let cool completely. Glaze, if desired

WDB: Two Big Events

2006-10-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

and the second one

check out the rest of the dogs at Sweetnicks

Good-bye sweet summer

2006-10-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

Oh tomato, thou art wondrous and good! My summers are enriched by your sweet, juice. Now that it is fall, I will have to bid you adieu. It is such a bittersweet farewell. I shall miss you. I will also miss your friend basil who will soon also succumb to the cold nights. Many of us in the blogging world love thee. While some people consider you pure evil.

Historically, Europeans might have agreed with this sentiment. They knew tomatoes are a part of the nightshade family and considered them only good for decoration. Some people knew they were edible, however, and America has had tomatoes in its diet since early in its history. The Spanish (not the Italians) spread this fruit around Europe after discovering it in South America. Thomas Jefferson sent seeds back to America, but it still was considered evil by all except the educated citizens. Songs have been written of the tomato's greatness, but elixir sellers in the early 19th century really propelled tomatoes to popularity. They claimed tomatoes had medicinal power. As for me, the tomato has cured some of what otherwise would be a duller existence in the kitchen.

Is the tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

The debate over fruit vs. vegetable will likely stand forever - just like the debate over toe-may-to vs. toe-mah-toe and do you spell it with an 'e' on the end? Some people have even petitioned the Supreme Court to claim it as a fruit to be exempt from veggie import tariffs. But today I take the stand of veggie and add this to Kayln's Weekend Herb Blogging event that introduces recipes for herbs, flowers, and veggies. It is being hosted this week over at Pat at Up A Creek Without A PatL. Yes I know you have already seen an entry from me this week, but I missed last week and wanted to make up for it.

I was a tomato hater from a young age. Tomatoes were only tolerable on pizza 'cuz I didn't know about oil-based and white sauce pizzas. My ignorance is due to my mother's ulcer which she had when I was an infant. Mom couldn't eat any tomatoes or other acid fruit. Even if I caused the ulcer, it's a shame I was kept away from this culinary delight. Even during my years of vegetarianism, I avoided the tomato and the ubiquitous sauce found at the college vegetarian counter in the cafeteria. My avoidance of tomatoes ended 3 years ago when I met a lovely grape tomato. It was the only food being offered as a snack at a party and I was starving. Now I'm a tomato evangelist and try tomatoes in many forms - even this summer's delicious mistake of tomato syrup (it was supposed to be jam). I even eat raw tomatoes. Shocking!!

So when I was leafing through my collection of Everyday Food back issues, I had to make this scrumptious looking tart. I have had tarts that were sweet and savory. I preferred the sweet - not even a Walla Walla Onion Tart could change my mind. The pretty circles of red contrasted with creamy white caused me to question that preference. I must say I still like the wonderfully sweet berry tarts I create, but this slice of goodness will be a favorite.

Storage: Tomatoes should not be refrigerated, because they tend to become mealy and lessen the flavor. Instead store them on the counter stem sides down. This way the ripe fruit does not become damaged by its heaviness but is supported by the burlier stem portion. Also you will be able to predict which piece will need to be used first. Depending upon ripeness, tomatoes should store from a day to 2 weeks in this manner. If you need to speed up the ripening of tomatoes, place them in a paper bag with holes punched in it. They should be ripe in the next 1-5 days. If you have to store your tomatoes in a fridge, use the butter compartment. Remove them 30 min prior to use to lessen the damage done by the cold. Tomatoes can be frozen for future use by removing the stems and core before freezing. This method of storage produces tomatoes that are good for sauces, stews, soups or casseroles. Of course we all know that tomatoes are the easiest to can in every form.

Uses: raw, sautéed, grilled, stewed, stuffed and oh so many ways. Another form to try tomatoes in is sun-dried, a great additive to bread. I have known people to have to have some form of tomato on all foods they eat. I have a great way to incorporate tomatoes with your french toast and pancakes. I let ya'll in on that when I start tasting each item that was canned this summer.

Flavor Enhancer: Basil, Fruity olive oil, celery seed, chives, oregano, tarragon, thyme and pepper. Also salt can improve a tomatoes flavor as proven in Hanna's Tomato tasting.

Health Notes: Vitamins E and C can be found in this veggie along with potassium, fiber and vitamin A in the form of health promoting beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Tomatoes are also a source of lycopene, which has become the latest health promoter to heal cancer or at least fight it. It is especially beneficial for prostate cancer, so take heart men and eat more tomatoes than you get on pizza or on fries with catsup. My dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer despite pizza being his all-time favorite food. You need to eat at least 4 to 10 servings of tomatoes a week to benefit.

Safety Notes: Do not cook tomatoes in aluminum, and non-stainless steel cookware as it will effect the taste negatively and it will have unexpected negative consequences on your health. Also copper cookware and tomatoes create a toxic reaction. Only eat the tomato itself and avoid any other part of the plant. Canned tomatoes in glass containers are healthier because acid from the tomato leaches out materials from metal or plastic containers. If you suffer from acid reflux, eliminate tomatoes from your diet for 2-3 weeks and see if your symptoms improve. Your condition might be aggravated by too many tomatoes.

Tomato-Ricotta Tart

From Everyday Food July/August 2003

Serves 4

Prep time: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing over tart
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced tomatoes

Preheat oven to 450°. In a 9-inch spring form pan, toss breadcrumbs with olive oil; press evenly into bottom.
In a bowl, whisk ricotta with Parmesan, eggs, and basil; season generously with salt and pepper.
Spread over crust; arrange tomatoes on top. Brush with olive oil.
Bake until tomatoes are almost dry, 35 to 45 minutes; let cool. Unmold. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bring on the grey; Bring on the comfort

2006-10-16T16:36:00.000-07:00

I love macaroni and cheese! I don’t like Kraft except in a pinch – or maybe an inescapable vise. After a tough and busy week, I knew that having mac ‘n cheese would lift my spirits. It’s warm and easy. To save time, I make individual portions and freeze them. Since we are out of these emergency rations it’s a good time to share the recipe.

I have been making this recipe for almost a year. Each batch gets tweaked till I get things just right. The texture of this dish balances creamy and crunchy with just enough spicy kick to please my husband. One of my friends who does not like anything hot says that this is just right and that the spicy factor is not too much. She thinks that mild salsa is too hot.

This recipe incorporates a bag of thinly sliced kale, cabbage, swiss chard, spinach, and other seasonal green goodies that my farmer Susie creates in her Dark Greens Blend. The addition of greens allows my comfort food to participate in Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging which has roamed over to Pat at Up A Creek Without A PatL.

Dark Greens Blend can be mixed into any pasta mixture. It’s especially good in lasagna and lovely eaten raw as a salad. It also can sit in as a stir fry mix for those of us who are less into cabbage. It lasts for a week to two weeks in this state. Normally waiting for me to make a casserole of some sort.

Mac n Cheese
Inspired by Everyday Foods
Serves 10 people
Total Time: 1 hour

This recipe is to be frozen for up to three months before ice crystals form. Add pasta, cheese and bread depending on what is on hand. If you are not into hot sauce, you can omit but flavor may be a little flat and a bit more salt and pepper maybe needed.

Salt and Pepper
1 lb small pasta, cooked and drained
4 T butter
1 medium red onion, chopped
¼ c whole wheat flour
4 c milk
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/8 t nutmeg
1 T Ring of Fire hot sauce - "Tomatillo & Roasted Garlic"
2 ½ c (10 -16 oz) shredded cheese
8 oz of cooked meat – diced into small pieces (optional)
10 oz of Dark Greens Blend (serves 8 if you don’t include)
2 slices wheat bread, coarse ground into breadcrumbs

Cook the pasta and set aside. While you wait for the pasta, in a large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook till soft, about 3-5 min. Whisk in flour to coat the onions.

Pour in the milk while stirring to avoid lumps. Cook until thick and bubbly and mixture coats the spoon with which you are stirring, about 6 min.

Stir in spices and hot sauce and add 2 cups of cheese. Season with 1 t salt and ¼ t pepper. Add the dark green blends and cook till wilty. Add pasta and ham (optional).

Transfer to individual portions. Mine fits into 6 Ikea ramekins and a double portion bowl for that night. This should fit into ten 12-16 oz baking dishes or a 9 by 13 pan.

Mix breadcrumbs and ½ c cheese. Top pasta with the mixture. Pressing in to stick.

At this point freeze with plastic wrap on top (I recommend Press and Seal because it stays stuck and reduces freezer burn.)

To cook fresh, preheat to 375 F and cook individual sizes 15-20 min or larger size 30 min.

To cook frozen, remove from freezer and place directly into the oven while it is cold and turn oven on to 375 F and set timer for 1 hour and 15 min.

Enjoy! This is my favorite lazy day meal. It never grows old. Especially with warm bread and a fresh salad.

Let me introduce my other dog: Frankie

2006-10-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

It is WDB over at Dispensing Happiness, since Sweetnick is on a cruise.

Does salmon really need that pretty sprig of parsley?

2006-10-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Maybe. Read on for the reason why…

I cooked salmon twice this week. One of my recipes needed cilantro – badly. It
wasn’t the same without it. Cooking fish twice was a bit much and reheated fish had no appeal. What to do? Fish sticks of course! Not those fish sticks. This month’s Everyday Food had a recipe for freezer friendly fish cakes. Using leftovers cut the prep time in half and made this an enjoyable remake.

I was mistaken when I thought this meal might need something more. My husband made a wrap with fish cakes and tartar sauce and agrees that the tortillas were superfluous. I’m sure there’s a great side dish to compliment this meal, and since a friend from church just gave me a fresh-caught salmon, I’ll get a chance to think of what it is.

Parsley normally just decorates the side of your plate or freshens your breath after the meal. The revival of cooking with fresh herbs hasn’t aroused the public consciousness about parsley’s long and storied history. This recipe incorporates this humble herb into the mixture, but the flavor is still just hinted at. I would love to have a bit of the flavor enhanced more. You can bet I’ll experiment some more and report the results.

Ruth at Once Upon a Feast is hosting Weekend Herb Blogging this week. She just survived the Jewish holidays and is headed toward Canadian Thanksgiving. Hopefully this event doesn’t put too much on her plate.

Storage: In the pot in the yard of course! If you have to buy yours from the green grocer, it’s ok. Wrap it in a dry paper towel and place it in Ziploc bag. Chopped leaves freeze well and whole leaves can be dried. Frozen herbs retain a better flavor over dried.

Uses: bouquet garni, salads, garnish, fried (to retain the parsley essence), sauces, chimichurri, pesto (replaces basil), compound butter, risotto, soups, egg and cheese dishes, salad dressing, tabouli, and meat and fish dishes. Flat parsley is more flavorful than curly parsley. Two European sauces use this as the main ingredient: Persillade and gremolata. Our lovely hostess blogged about gremolata back in January. Shelley from S’kat and the food gave us a clear entry on chimichurri back in May. If you are interested in parsley pesto, it had a lovely entry for WHB back in August at Salt and Pepper.

Flavor Enhancers: None came up in my research and I just let my plant grow. Offer me up some ideas down in the comment section.

Health Notes: Eating parsley after alcohol or garlic freshens the breath; it also aids digestion. It contains vitamin A, B, and C and iron. Parsley increases appetite and allows your body to absorb more nutrients from food. It encourages nursing mothers to produce more milk.

Safety Notes: Avoid using medicinally if pregnant or have kidney disease, but continue to cook with it. Do not self-dose this herb medicinally. Always use the guidelines of a professional. On a non-human note, don’t feed this to your pet bird or you may have a dead bird on your hands.

Lemon-Horseradish Fish Cakes
Everyday Food October 2006

Serves: 8 (I divided my version in half because I only had a lb of fish)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min

3 T olive oil

2 lbs of fish (tilapia was called for, I used salmon)

salt and pepper

2 large eggs

½ c light mayo

½ c chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs for garnish

¼ c fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

3 T bottled white horseradish

1 ½ c coarse saltine cracker crumbs (I used matzo meal because I did not want to smash the last of my crackers)

tartar sauce, for serving (optional) recipe below

Cook the fish in a 400F oven with ½ T of olive oil, salt, and pepper for 10-15 minutes. Cool completely. Flake the fish with a fork into small pieces. (I skipped this step since I had flaked fish in the freezer.)

In a large bowl, combine eggs through horseradish with ½ c of coarse crumbs. Season with salt and pepper (use more if you are not using Saltines). Place remaining crumbs on a plate to dredge the fish cakes through. Form 16 cakes using ¼ c of mixture for each one. Gently dredge in crumbs and press into cakes to help adhere.

At this point you can freeze these on a baking sheet til firm, then wrap individually and placed in a bag labeled with info. Use before 3 months is up. Defrost in the fridge before using.

For the cooking part, Heat a skillet to medium high with oil. Place 8 cakes in skillet; cook until golden brown, 4-6 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve with tartar sauce.

Tartar Sauce (our own mixture)

½ c Mayo

1 Dill Pickle, chopped

1 t Dijon mustard

1 t capers

a dash of lemon juice

mix together and serve.

Let me introduce one of my dogs: Fred

2006-10-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

The classic craving combined

2006-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today was a lovely day. My husband and I enjoyed some leisure time by borrowing a friend’s sailboat and having two hours of leisure on a local lake. The trip was relaxing, but my thoughts turned to poor Cate at Sweetnicks, who is prepping to move and probably not having a very relaxing start to her weekend. She has asked us all to bring our “Go-to” dish to I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours #5. I imagine Cate could use some of my double chocolate bread when her bowls are all packed from the move and that Egg McMuffin from the local golden arches doesn’t sound appetizing.

I took this bread to one potluck and now it is requested frequently by friends who invite us over for dinner. Some days I am lazy and let the bread maker to do all the work, on other days I just miss the feel of bread dough and I’ll mix up a batch by hand. My most requested bread is Double Chocolate Yeast Bread. It has just enough sweetness not to overpower but all that great yeasty goodness that we all enjoy right out of the oven.

Double Chocolate Bread
1 ½ pound loaf (16 slices)

My recipe is a bread machine recipe that I have had to fine-tune to work just right. I have included instructions for those of you who would like to cook this bread outside of a machine.

¾ c milk
1 egg
2 T water
1 T butter, cut up
1 ½ t vanilla
3 c bread flour
3 T packed brown sugar
4 t unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ t salt
1 t active dry yeast
2/3 c (4 oz) semisweet chocolate pieces (or your favorite chocolate chip) taken straight from the freezer

Add the ingredients to the machine according to manufacturer’s directions or mix in the regular bread order by hand.

For the bread maker select basic white cycle with a light crust (my machine undercooks this bread with a light crust so I use medium.) or pick the dough cycle which has a rise time of one hour included.

The rest of the steps are for non-machine baking – after the first rise, remove, punch down, let rest 10 min, and shape into 2 loaf pans.

Place in a room temperature area with no draft. Let rise for 55 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 F. After placing loaves into the oven lower to 350 F. Cook for 30 min till internal temp reaches 204 F and the bottom of the loaf is hard. Because of the chocolate, this bread is hard to judge when it is done by color.

Weekend Cookbook challenge: “The Northwest Essentials Cookbook"

2006-09-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

Sara at I Like to Cook recently had herWeekend Cookbook Challenge mentioned in a major newspaper about blogging events. The article specifically mentioned this wonderful adventure in cookbook exploration. I envy those with loads and loads of cookbooks since my collection is limited to what fits neatly above the stove. If that space ever got overcrowded I don’t know what I would do with the surplus. Therefore, I dutifully review what has been accumulating and decid what to keep. My older books are tried and true, so mainly I decide about recent additions. My dilemma continues as magazines seem to be multiplying like rabbits up there. At least it provides fodder for the cookbook challenge!

A friend gave me Greg Atkinson’s Northwest Essentials cookbook for my birthday soon after I moved to the Pacific Northwest from the Deep South. It collected dust for two years until a sale on salmon filets kindled some interest in cooking fish. The filets were a real head scratcher since my interest wasn’t backed by any know-how. My lack of experience about fish goes way back. Dad’s idea of fish is Gorton’s fish sticks. In fact his doctor tells him to eat fish and he hates it. The fish turned out to be a good idea and this cookbook saved the meal.

I like the simple-to-follow instructions and details given about each featured Northwest treat. Atkinson wrote chapters about: Apples & Pears, Salmon, Stone Fruits, Herbs, Oysters, Prawns & Crab, Wild Mushrooms, Berries, Mussels, Clams & Scallops, Other Fish in the Sea, Lentils, Split Peas & Chickpeas, and lastly Hazelnuts. He describes the history or nostalgia associated with each item and why each is specifically associated with the region.

I have really enjoyed this delightfully uncomplicated salmon recipe. It fit my budget and schedule well.

Buying Salmon: The quality and price of the salmon will depend on its origin and how it was caught. Wild‑caughtCopper River Salmon tends to be the most expensive and high‑quality whereas farm‑raised Atlantic Salmon is much cheaper. The biggest difference between the types
is the potential health risk and environmental concerns about aquaculture. I personally don’t notice a difference in the quality of fish. If you are inexperienced at prepping your fish, ask your store’s meat department to filet it for you. The waste fish parts (head, etc) can be used to make a nice stock or for crab bait.

Cooking methods: King salmon cooks well on the BBQ. All salmon do well in the broiler, especially silvers that which tend to dry out on the BBQ. Baked salmon is moist and flavorful without much effort. A classy parchment paper parcel can steam themselves effortlessly for entertaining. Poached salmon creates its own sauce and adds flavor. Alder-plank-smoked salmon has layers of flavor and is a Northwest tradition.

Flavor Companions: Blackberries, Citrus, Sorrel, Tarragon, Watercress, Dill and other favorite herbs

Perfect Oven-Broiled Salmon

Serves 4
Prep 5 min
Total Time 15 min

1 side of salmon (about 2 lbs) or 4 8 oz fillets.(Any size has worked for me) skin on

2 T of vegetable oil

Kosher salt and Pepper

Blackberry Butter Sauce or Three Citrus Butter (I have included the Blackberry)

Set up the oven racks so that the salmon will be as close to 6 in (no less) from the heating element and set your broiler to preheat (If your broiler gives you a choice use the high setting.)
Prep the broiler pan with foil on the bottom and spray the top with oil. Brush or Spray the salmon with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place salmon in the oven for 5 minutes. Turn off and leave the fish in the oven for another 5 min without opening the door. They should be cooked to perfection if they are of average thickness.

Blackberry Butter Sauce

Serves 6 or a few more

½ c blackberries or similar berry

Juice of 1 lemon, about 3T

2 T sugar

¼ c white wine or grape juice with a splash of vinegar

1 t crushed garlic

salt and pepper

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1 inch chunks

Puree the blackberries with the lemon juice, sugar,wine, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender or in the pot with an immersion blender. Strain if you don’t like seeds.
Boil rapidly over high heat until puree is reduced to ¼ cup.
Quickly stir in butter. Do not return to a boil.
Serve immediately over fish
Can be kept in the fridge for up to a year.

I served this with locally grown edible flower salad mix and sweet corn from my CSA.And here is the rest of it.

WHB # 52 What is your favorite herb?

2006-09-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

I would really like to know how to make pasta. I am a bread guru and it seems pasta should be simpler than that. Alas, my attempt to make Gnocchi went awry, so now I go to the store and buy fresh pasta. Two words, however, might revive my fervor for making pasta from scratch – squash ravioli.

My good friends know that I hoard squash. When I see squash for less than 50 cents a pound I squeal in delight. Sometimes I pick up the squash just to pet it appreciatively. I’m sure part of this comes from growing up in Saudi Arabia. All the squash there is irradiated, expensive, and gross. I may even be provoked into international humanitarianism to help those poor Arabs who are deprived of squash.

I am happy to post this feature for Kayln’s Kitchen’s first anniversary of weekend herb blogging. Sadly, squash ravioli is not the substance of my favorite herb dish – Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Fried Sage Leaves.

The choice of sage as my favorite herb wasn’t easy. I’ve enjoyed Rosemary since I bought my first bush as a practical joke on my best friend and decorated it as a Christmas tree. Thyme had an interest too as it’s a part of my favorite herb mixture za’atar which I add to lots of things including my tomato sauce. I thought of Mint – since Longview has a history of mint production. Chives only had an interest as being cute. So I disregarded Fennel, Basil, Cilantro, and Oregano to get to sage.

I’ve had a rough history of growing my own herbs recently. My cilantro was stolen from my front porch, the oregano is trying to crowd out other plants in its pot, and I refuse to plant mint since it grows so easily here. I’ve had no problems with sage, however. I’m growing Sage in a pot, but it is thriving like it’s going to colonize the yard. If I don’t harvest the leaves frequently it threatens to crowd out a neighboring thyme plant. I recently freed up some garden space and may just give it a chance to start its colony after all.

Storage: Store your sage alive! The plant is obviously easy to grow even for this novice. If you have to buy yours at the store it keeps well in a plastic bag with a piece of paper towel. Kayln talks about the possibility of freezing it for one of her WHB entries. Jeanne talks about drying them for a WHB entry.

Uses: Sage can be used as a tea to drink over at Haalo blog for a WHB entry. Other uses are poultry stuffing, salads, breads, cheese spreads, and in basting mixtures for broiled pork or salmon. I have personally enjoyed the woodsy flavor of sage in sausage. Unlike most fresh herbs sage stands up to long cooking times that temper its strong taste.

Flavor Enhancers: Using too much sage creates a musty flavor in food. Apples compliment the taste. Sage is a great addition to various salt, oil, or vinegar mixtures. It pairs well with rosemary, thyme, savory, and oregano as well as the lemon herbs

Health Notes: Scientists are currently testing the effects of Sage on Alzheimer's patients. It is thought to combat the chemical that is found lacking in their brains. The tea helps during cold season by calming sore throats and coughs. You can also use the fresh leaves as a toothpowder by rubbing them on your teeth to clean them. There are many more uses listed for herb medicinal use. It contains high levels of vitamin A & C.

Safety Notes: smelling sage oil can cause intoxication and giddiness. If you are pregnant only use this as a culinary seasoning and not for medicinal purposes. Alcoholic infusions can be highly toxic. The essential oil can be poisonous in too large of doses.

Meeta has a similar post from a past entry but she is braver than me in her ability to make gorgeous gnocchi – and hers doesn’t disintegrate.

Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Fried Sage Leaves

1 package of whole wheat four cheese ravioli (or other stuffed pasta)

½ stick of butter

1 clove of garlic

4 sprigs of sage

1. Boil ravioli per package directions
2. About a minute or two before the pasta is done, melt butter till browned.
3. Grate garlic into butter.
4. Drop one sage leaf in to make sure the temp is high enough; you should hear a crackling noise. Then drop the rest in until they turn a slight browned or grey color depending on your sage variety.
5. Remove and pour over ravioli

SHF 23: Steamed Bao

2006-09-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Steamed Bao, in all forms, is a favorite lunch or snack for me. I particularly like the Sweet Lotus Seed Paste and Red Bean Paste buns from Uwajimaya in Portland, OR. These may seem run of the mill but I still like them. Since this month’s theme was surprise inside, a variation of Bao seemed like a perfect idea.

Nic’s Baking Sheet blog inspired me to try making steamed buns before, but without success. Maybe this was due to old ingredients. Further investigation of who motivated Nic made me think I should try Steamed Buns again. The post at I was really just very hungry helped me make buns that turned out soft and moist –not containing weird lumps as I experienced previously.

Now for the surprise: I mixed together a nice ganache and place a bit of crystallized ginger or chili spiced mango. The ganache is very sweet and this added ingredient adds a little extra sweet or a little spice. Served warm, the buns are tasty and the centers soft. I prefer to dip a piece of the bun into the gooey chocolate. Adding one sliver of ginger or mango worked well, but next time I will chop the dried fruit up into smaller pieces and mix into the ganache more complete experience of the added flavor.

Rice flour is traditional in making bao. A Chinese friend gave me some and that added to this recipe.

Chocolate Ganache (truffle thickness)
From Sally’s Place

½ cup Heavy Cream
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces.
Crystallized Ginger or Chili Spiced Mango cut into 1 cm squares

Place cream in a sauce pan over high heat, bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
Immediately add chopped chocolate, beating vigorously until well blended. If chocolate mixture becomes stiff, place the bottom of the pan in another pan of hot (not boiling) water to soften the chocolate.
Let cool.
When slightly thickened, separate Tablespoon-sized scoops of ganache on a paper plate
Place the ganache into the freezer for up to 10 min.
Slide your cut bits of ginger or mango into the ganache balls

Bao
From I was really just very hungry

7 cups of all-purpose flour (I mixed together rice flour and all-purpose flour. 3 c of all-purpose flour and 4 c of rice flour.)
4 ½ t active dry yeast
½ c sugar
¼ c lukewarm water
1 c boiling water
1 c warm whole milk
2 T vegetable shortening
1 t baking powder
Parchment paper, cut into 24 3” squares

Proof the yeast in a bowl with ¼ cup of warm water and a pinch of sugar until foamy.
In a large bowl, put in 5 cups of the flour (3 all-purpose and 2 rice). Make a well in the center, and add the hot water and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and the rest of the ingredients except the extra flour. Mix well. Continue adding rice flour a little at a time till the dough no longer sticks to the bowl.
Place on a floured kneading bench, knead till soft and pliable.
Place in a large plastic zip lock bag. Leave it to rest until the bag bursts open. (45 min to 1 ½ hour).
Roll the dough into a long sausage and cut into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and let rest a few minutes.
To fill the buns, flatten each ball so that the middle is slightly thicker (a thin spot will allow the goo to rupture). Put a ball of your previously-separated ganache into each bun. (Using a spoon kept melted chocolate off my hands and the dough.) Gather up the edges and pinch together firmly to seal, then turn over and place on a parchment square. Let buns rest another 15-20 min before steaming.
Steam in a steamer for 20 min. Eat piping hot.
Extra buns freeze well for later use (don’t steam first).

Note: I was wrong about freezing and then cooking the buns. Steam them according to the recipe and then freeze. TO eat remove from freezer and steam for 5 min or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 1 minute.

I don't feel my photos are quite up to par on this post due to some technical problems. I will add better photos later this weekend when I steam more bao for lunch.

Don’t Get So Parsnippety

2006-09-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, I had a friend over for some cooking, relaxation and a good movie. We had a side salad and main dish of fish topped with veggies. Something was missing. That something turned out to be parsnips. I had seen this recipe years ago, but hadn’t been near a parsnip until it appeared in my CSA share.

The only hitch to the meal was a minor mishap with my favorite tool. This side of parsnip & chestnut croquettes really made the meal. They were like healthy mozzarella sticks. So mentioning parsnips might be the only turnoff for this recipe. Thanks for reading my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging over at Kayln’s Kitchen this week.

Storage: Remove the tops and placing the parsnips in the fridge. They will keep in a plastic bag for several weeks. If you happen to grow this root vegetable, store them in the ground and pick them fresh. In many places, you can leave them in the ground during the winter until spring growth starts. For longer storage, you can blanch, cool, thoroughly dry and then freeze them. Also parsnips stay nicely in a root cellar for 8-10 days or longer based on your location.

Uses: Parsnips can be eaten raw, baked, sautéed, steamed, or boiled and mashed like potatoes. Parboil these white roots before adding them to dishes, as they usually need a long cooking time to develop and release their flavor. Watch out for overcooking, however, because they can get mushy. During the middle ages parsnips, were used as a sweetener like carrots. They were the main starch since potatoes had not been introduced. For variety, substitute parsnips for carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Wash them as you would carrots, but they only need to be peeled if tough. In less common culinary applications, parsnips are made into jams, desserts, beer and wine. This is mostly found in traditional English cooking. Parsnip wine has a sherry like flavor to it and is a highly prized country wine.

Flavor Enhancers: Parsnips have a nutty, spicy or peppery flavor that blends well with Cinnamon, Ginger, Orange, and Tarragon. Butter and honey are a simple way to bring out the flavors.

Health Notes: Parsnips are an excellent source of vitamin C and Folic Acid. They are believed to be first-rate detoxifiers and help fight some cancers.

Safety Notes: If you are looking for these in the wild be very careful since they look very similar to poison hemlock.

This recipe utilized some very creative improvisation. My husband, God bless him, bought water chestnuts instead of chestnuts. My friend tried to soften them with boiling, but of course water chestnuts are eternally crunchy. We also had a hard time following the directions.

Parsnip & Carrot Croquettes

Loosely adapted from The Best-Ever Vegetarian Cookbook by Nicola Graimes and repeated in The Vegetable Encyclopedia and Cookbook by Christine Ingram verbatim.

½ lb parsnips and carrots, cut roughly into small pieces
2 T butter
1 large garlic clove
1 T cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ oz seasoned bread crumbs
walnut oil or other vegetable oil for frying (this is to make up for the lack of nuts)

Cover parsnip and carrots with enough water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes
Melt the butter in a butter warmer or saucepan and cook garlic till fragrant. Drain the parsnip and carrot mixture and mash with garlic butter. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Mix egg till sticky. Mix in bread crumbs till just combined.
Form 1 Tablespoon amounts into logs and place in hot oil. Using a slotted spoon. Turn till all sides are browned.
Drain on a paper towel and serve.

please forgive the lack of extra photos. You can see the in process photos here. Blogger is crashing firefox every time I try to compose and add pictures.

Carroting Around the Issue

2006-09-12T16:32:00.000-07:00

If I haven't posted much recently, it is because I've been buried under lots and lots of produce. Nobody piled heaps of fruit on top of me, but I have been struggling to can things before they go bad. So far I have done two more batches of strawberry-rhubarb jam, tomato jam, red hot cinnamon wedges. Next on my agenda is tomato preserve, followed by salsa, apple butter and tomato sauce. It's been so exhausting that after this post I'm taking a break to knit up a cute top. I wish I was kitting along with the ladies at Sexy Knitters Club, I will just have to dive into Knitty for some free patterns.

In the future my goal is to post once a week. Expect to see a lovely veggie introduction on the Weekend Herb Blog Round-up the brainchild of Kayln's Kitchen. The goals seem to match up with my desire to introduce things for you the readers to be able to learn more about and to maybe add your own experiments to the Weekend Herb Blog. Anything else will be a happy suprise.

The carrots I recieved in my farm share this week were crying for some special attention. The results were this delicious carrot bread:

Storage: Cut off the green tops and place carrots in perforated plastic bags in the veggie drawer. (Stab a ziploc a few times to let the bag breathe and get out any aggressive feelings). The carrots should keep 1-3 weeks this way. If they become limp, you have two choices - soaking them in icy water can revitalize them or turn on the creative juices and make a baked treat! Carrots can be kept frozen also, but remember to blanch them before placing in the freezer Also carrots were the first veggie to be canned, so grab your pressure cooker and save all those sweet slices.

Uses: Carrots are a great addition to salads as well as a great snack. Steaming allows more of the available vitamin and minerals to be processed by your body. But that of course is only the beginning, Fall has arrived and with it the ubiqitous soups, stews and casseroles. At other times of the year or now you can try this delicious veggie roasted, boiled, stir-fried, grilled, pureed, sauted, fried, or baked. Carrot Juice is another tasty alternative with less benefits.

Flavor Enhancers: Bay Leaves, Chives, Cilantro, Cloves, Curry, Dill, Ginger - fresh or ground, Honey, Mace, Maple Syrup, Marjoram, Mint, Nutmeg, Parsely

Health Notes: Carrots pack a wallop in the Beta Carotene and Vitamin A camp, but also let some other vitamins tag along such as B3, C and E. If you eat them raw you get additional benefits from 4 other minerals - potassium, calcium, iron and zinc. These sweet veggies will not raise your blood sugar but rather lower it. Bring on the carrot cake! Oh, wait that has sugar.

We all grew up being told one of two things as a kid. Most commenly that we would have improved eye sight from eating carrots. Less common is the belief that you will gain a natural tan by ingesting large amounts of carrots (they told us this at my high school to get the girls to eat their veggies). The Germans stared speculating about improved eyesight of the British during WW2 during air raids, since the British populace ate lots of carrots. This was not accurate because of carrots but rather for the multiple radar stations. It is true that lack of vitamin A causes night blindness so eating a carrot every couple of weeks can be beneficial. Most of the carrot's nutrients are found in the outside wall. To preserve this, eat them freshly washed. If that turns you off, take a sharp knife and scrape away a thin layer. Only peel really thick carrots.

Safety Notes: If you do eat a lot of carrots to prove that they will give you a tan, be prepared for yellow skin or at the least slightly orange skin. Avoiding them for a while will reverse the coloration. If you don't return to your normal color in two weeks, consult a doctor about jaundice. Amazingly carrots can help combat food poisioning by killing some food-poisioning bacteria. So next time you travel make friends with some nicely bleached and rinsed carrot sticks instead of the chalky pink bottle. Much more tasty.

Raisin-Carrot Bread
loosely adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookboo k
I doubled the recipe but this makes a single loaf

3/4 c raisin yellow raisins were used for extra color
1/4 c rum or orange juice I used Bacardi but wonder if carrot juice would be good
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground allspice
1 egg
1 c finely shredded carrots (about 3 large carrots made enough for two loaves)
1/4 c cooking oil
3/4 c chopped walnuts

Spray the bottom of bread pan with oil. In a small bowl begin intoxicating the raisins with the juice.
In a 2nd larger bowl, mix dry ingredients to create a well in which to later add wet mixture.
In 3rd bowl - hopefully you have enough - combine egg, carrots, and cooking oil. Throw in the now bloated-with-goodness raisins. Once all is mixed together, place in the well of the dry mixture and combine till just moist.
Gleefully dump into pan. Bake in average temp oven of 350F until toothpick passes the clean dip test. This was about 50 min for me. It should not be more than 60 min. Cool on racks.
Eat small chunks of the fresh warm bread to savor the hint of rum. Then send to work with your husband to feed the rest of the crew.

I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours #4 - What can you not live without?

2006-09-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

The item I can’t live without are my microplane graters. When my husband and I got married, I was so excited to register for these. I had other graters but those pale in comparison to how easy these are to use. Since then I have gotten rid of almost all of the inferior ones except for one to grate small amounts of mozzarella and cheddar. I have been known to take them camping and to my mother-in-laws just so that I don’t have to zest an orange with a zester (I have never gotten one to work for me) or to get the cloves of garlic just so on a trip.

This is an event hosted by Sweetnicks.

Weekend Cookbook Challenge: “A Taste of Asia”

2006-09-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

I debated a lot about what to cook for the Weekend Cookbook Challenge. Since I was supposed to use a cookbook that doesn’t get used often, my first inkling was my garage sale special – a French cookbook that I bought for 25 cents. I bought it and then never opened it for 8 years. Alas, it was already donated to the Boy Scouts’ garage sale.

We have Mediterranean food often as my parents have lived there since 1991, so that got vetoed. I pulled out my Chinese cookbook from Australian Women’s Weekly (my favorite series of cookbooks) without much inspiration. My choices thus narrowed down, I found a really cool Crate and Barrel cookbook some friends gave us for our wedding. Each page of the “book” is really a flash card with a picture on the front and recipe on the back. It makes me think of ordering at an Asian restaurant – except that I do all of the work. I love eating dim sum, sushi, steamed foods, noodles and rice with the spice flairs for the Orient. Hong Kong remains my favorite trip for the cuisine. If I could go back again, I would hop from one temple restaurant to another – so many good mixes of flavor. If I had a recipe for sweet and sour fried walnuts, I would have made it without question.

Other factors made my choices easy as well – I refuse to pull ink sacks from baby squid. It seems too much like preparing the kind of sushi you could die from.

Being thus inspired, I scheduled several days to prep the food and invited several friends over for a dinner party.

Here was our menu: (I must say the names are very basic – I wish I knew the correct names)

Soybeans with peanut sambal
Make sambal – 1 day ahead
Shell beans – well I forgot this till almost the last minute
Soybeans steamed 2-6 min – aprox start 6:15pm

Herb and Chicken Spring Rolls
Cook chicken – 1 day ahead
Assemble rolls – 3hrs ahead – 3pm
Make dipping sauce – 1 day ahead

Sticky rice with chicken skewers
Marinate chicken night before
Cook rice in the morning
Wrap rice – 12pm
Steam rice 10min – 6:15pm
Broil chicken 12 min – 1pm
Make sweet chili sauce – 1 day ahead or more

Spicy Tuna Roll
Make seasoned rice – 1 day ahead (I probably should have done it about 1 or 2 pm that day)
Make rolls – 2 hrs ahead – 4pm

Black Rice with red fruit
Soak rice overnight
Soak bamboo steam – 1st thing in the morning (I know they say don’t on the care instructions but its fine.)
Steam rice 1hr – 10am
Make syrup 15 min before rice is done – 10:45am
Serve cool – room temp

Keep warm stuff in oven on low till people arrive

The party was a blast. Preparing the food on multiple days kept me from feeling overly stressed, although it was a lot of work. Our guests were amazed that I had never made any of this kind of food before. They loved it and ate almost everything. We had one left over pudding and some spring rolls and sticky rice. I have posted the pictures over at my flicker site

Here is a recipe to wet your appetite. If you want any of the others let me know and I will post them later in other blog entries.

Herb and Chicken Spring Rolls
Makes 24

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 6 oz/150g each

1/4 cup/4 T dark soy sauce

2in/5cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 T Shao Hsing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry (optional)

24 small rice papper wrappers, 6 1/2 inches/16 cm diameter

a small bunch of cilantro

a small bunch of mint

a small bunch of Thai basil

dipping sauce (optional)

1/2 c/100g sugar

freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of 2 unwaxed limes

2 green chiles, thinly sliced

1/3 c/80 ml white rice vinegar

1. Put the chicken in an oven cooking bag, add the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sherry, if using. Knead the bag so the chicken is throughly coated. Marinate in the refriferator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Transfer the chicken in the bag to a roasting pan and cook in a preheated oven at 350F (180C) Gas 4 for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the bag. Slice each chicken breast diagonally into 12 pieces, transfer to a plate, and pout any juices over it.

3. To assemble, dip a rice papper wrapper in warm water to soften. Put it on a damp work surface and top with 2 pieces of chicken and a few leaves from each herb, then wrap up. Repeat until you are out of wrappers.

4. To make the dipping sauce, if using, put all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer fast for 5 min. Transfer to a small bowl and serve with the spring rolls.

Do you Zucchini?

2006-09-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone jokes about the high productivity of zucchini. Who hasn’t had a gardening friend try to pawn off some of his overgrown surplus? I fondly recall a series of Fox Trot comics where the mother thinks she’ll get a dozen zucchini because she planted a dozen plants. Then she spends the rest of the summer harvesting. This year the joke was on me - namely because my own plant didn’t produce. I started a few and gave some to friends. They have zukes now while the one I kept is taunting me.

I received zucchini in my farm share last week and immediately knew what I would cook with it – zucchini lasagna. My plant must have been inspired too, because it put out a blossom. I’m a huge fan of squash while my husband is a detractor. The lasagna was going to be made with yellow squash, but when the menu changed to zucchini he brightened a little, even complimented me on it, and then wanted seconds.

So here’s my entry into the Fiesta al Fresco at La Mia Cucina and Cream Puffs in Venice:

Storage: Refrigerate in a plastic bag in the veggie drawer and use within 2-7 days. The older they get the less flavor they retain. You can also freeze them, but first slice or grate it and blanch it (dump in boiling water for 2 minutes then transfer to a cold water bath).. You will notice blanching was effective because the zucchini becomes translucent. If you love Zucchini bread, you can freeze the bread or just the grated veggie to save space. The blossoms are also edible and will keep for 1-2 days in an ice water bath in the fridge. Alternately, seal them in a plastic bag blown up with air and tied shut.

Uses: raw in salads or just plain, steamed, sautéed, baked, grilled, included in stews and soups and even shredded and baked in a cake or bread. Since it is a summer squash, it may be substituted with any other summer squash. The zucchini flower is a delicacy and can be stuffed, fried or eaten raw in salad. Be very careful not to overcook zucchini since it tends to get soggy – like really bad cafeteria veggies. To avoid watery dishes when cooking, lightly salt your fresh-sliced zucchini and place on a paper towel. The towel will soak up some of the water in a few minutes. Rinse off the salt and continue to prepare your dish.

Flavor Enhancers: Garlic, Onions, Tomatoes, Sesame Seeds, and of course salt and pepper. Herbs and spices to use are marjoram, cumin seeds, parsley, dill, rosemary and savory.

Health Notes: Zucchinis are a diuretic to help remove toxins from the body. Also they are high in potassium which is helpful to all of us who suffer from high blood pressure. 1 cup of sliced zucchini is only 20 calories. The fiber in the zucchini also helps to lower cholesterol. Also high in vitamin C and manganese.

Safety Notes: This vegetable is completely unsuitable for canning. It turns to mush and there is no know method to keep it via canning methods. You can use it in pickling in place of cucumbers.

This dish was amazing. It made four servings, which provides a good dinner for two and leftovers for lunch the next day. This makes me remember to eat lunch on a regular basis. The lasagna almost didn’t make it to lunch because it was so yummy. This will definitely go on the regular cycle of dishes.

Zucchini Lasagna
From Everyday Food September 2006 (with my own mix up)
Serves 4
Prep Time; 15 min
Total Time: 1 hour

Olive Oil, for baking dish

8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature (this is really important)

1 container (15 oz) part-skim ricotta cheese

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 medium zucchini (8 oz each), halved lengthwise, then sliced thinly crosswise

1 garlic clove, minced

2 t. dried oregano

6 no-boil lasagna noodles

2 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/2 c)

1. Preheat oven to 425O. Lightly oil an 8 in square baking dish; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese and ricotta; season with salt and pepper. In another medium bowl, combine zucchini, garlic, and oregano; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
3. Spread ½ zucchini mixture in prepared baking dish; top with 2 noodles, then ½ ricotta mixtures, place 2 more noodles and repeat with the remainder. On top of the ricotta mixture sprinkle the mozzarella. (It was supposed to be divided in thirds but i miss read.)
4. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil; bake until bubbly and noodles are tender, 30-35 minutes. Remove foil; bake until golden brown, 15-20 min more. Let stand 10 min before serving.

A Dog as an Ingredient?!

2006-08-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Recipe:

2 Dogs
2 Adults
2 Kids
A tent or two

Mix up and throw into the outdoors to have some fun.

We spend lots of time camping here at this household. This weekend and part of next week we will be taking one of my best friend's kids camping with us. I will post a bunch of recipes of quick things to eat while camping. Most of our recipes can be used while backpacking, but this time we are car camping since the littlest one is not so sure of no bathrooms.

I am including this in the weekend round up of dogs over at Sweetnicks.

Sugar High Friday #22: Rhubarb Strawberry Jam my way

2006-08-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine lent me a pressure cooker to use with my canning. I decided to take it to the extension office of Washington State University to check the seals, pressure gauge, etc. I asked them for a reference on using my pressure cooker and they lectured me not to experiment with it. The ladies told me only use an “Approved researched recipe” when canning. So for your information, I’m noting that the ladies at the WSU extension do not approve of Sugar High Friday and think that these experiments might be dangerous.

This admonition took some wind out of my sails from making Strawberry Rhubarb jam with a friend last Friday. I dutifully gathered up the available publications from WSU and went in search of the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. I ended up having to order it on Amazon - with a few other cookbooks of course!

My Strawberry Rhubarb jam was inspired by a comment from my pastor’s wife. She said that it would be awesome to have strawberry-rhubarb pie bottled as jam. I contemplated that while searching my cookbooks for canning recipes. I looked in Joy of Cooking – which I was informed I should not follow it because their health and safety precautions are outdated – and The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook – which is newish but mostly freezer jam. These stirred the creative juices and I came up with the recipe below. I grabbed the box of low sugar pectin, measured the rhubarb and cooked it down, added Strawberries and something wonderful came out.

I now stare sadly at my jam. My husband, David, and I had some with our pancakes this morning and both agree that it tastes wonderful. It has just the right balance of sweet and tart, strawberry and rhubarb. The dilemma remains: will it need to be refrigerated to be safe to eat? Are my previous canning experiments dangerous? I feel this is only a test of how tough my stomach got from living overseas. So far the test has been delicious and my husband thinks that the WSU warnings are just to cover their bases. Preliminary trials of this experiment suggest that it will be long gone before anything bad will happen to it and it will certainly be gone before the Plum Jam from last summer. Since it is taking up my nice wide mouth half pints, I might have to chalk that up to experience and toss it.

From now on I will rigidly follow all canning instructions in any book I get my hands on. Since two are on their way to me right now, I eagerly await their arrival. Then start canning with renewed fervor.

This morning’s pancakes and David’s reassurance have eased my doubts a little, so I am including the recipe. You may make it as a freezer jam, or can it at your own discretion.

At my home we have our very own rhubarb plant. It was split from my husband’s best friend’s plant in the middle of July. We do live in Washington State and the hot weather almost killed it, so I don’t recommend doing this. It has survived and given us many wonderful pies that my David is so famous for.

Storage: Trim off the leaves and dispose of them since they are poisons and only good for setting natural fabric dyes or cleaning stains. If you get yours from the grocery store, skip on to the great debate of fridge or freezer. They need to be tightly wrapped in plastic and can be kept for up to 3 weeks in the fridge. If you can not use them in that amount of time, cut them into 1 inch or smaller slices and freeze them in a bag for up to 6 months. Of course you can dry or can this precious veggie at once.

Uses: Hmmm….I remember my introduction to Rhubarb Applesauce in Holland. It was so good. If I can find a recipe, I will post it on this blog. Rhubarb can be treated as a veggie or a sweet. Pies, Jams, Compotes, Sauces, Quick Breads and the like are the typical treatment for this red beauty. It is used less traditionally in some great soups, stews, or savory dishes., Some people even eat it raw like celery.

Flavor Enhancers: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Berries, Apples and Pears

Health Notes: High in Vitamin C, Fiber and Potassium. The Center for Disease Control considers these something that you should include in your diet to attain the 5-A-Day Veggie requirement.

Safety Notes: Don’t eat the leaves or roots or you can become very sick. A little girl ate some at my mother-in-law’s daycare to impress a boy in the group. She got sent home with instructions to watch her closely. Use non reactive pans when cooking or it will create a very unappetizing appearance and contain metal it flaked off by its acidity.

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam my way

6 cups Rhubarb (cut into 1 inch sections)
4 cups sugar
1 cup water

Simmer for 30 minutes until the Rhubarb has broken down into an applesauce consistency. Taste to adjust for sweetness. This one had a good balance of sweet and tart.

Add 2 cups of hulled strawberries to the pot. Simmer till strawberries soft about 2 hours.

Add one package of low sugar pectin. Cook till mixture sheets off of a spoon.

Fill Sterile Hot Jars and Process in Boiling Water Bath for 15 min. Remove immediately when done and place on a rack or dishtowel to cool overnight. Check the seals. If seals are not tight, place in fridge or reprocess by heating the mixture and cleaning the jars and using new seals.

This recipe was a loss variation on a freezer jam.

PS Alanna over at Veggie Venture has put together a great list of Canning Tips

Farm Share this week 8/5 to 8/12

2006-08-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

This is what my farm share looks like. Normally I get a little bit more than I recieved here and they tend to be more unusual. Instead of the 4 heads of romaine lettuce, I get a bag similar in size to the bag on the upper left hand side filled with salad mix and edible flowers, but since the heat has been so bad I think I get what I get. Also I normally get a dark greens blend which works great mixed in to pasta sauces and mac and cheese and casseroles to add that extra nutritious punch. The bag in the upper left corner is a stir fry mix. I normally give this one away to friends but this week I kept and used half of it.

Seed Savers Peppers to spice up life.

2006-08-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

The above peppers I received with my farm share. It was not know if they were hot or sweet peppers, since they came from Seed Savers, which supplies CSA farmers with free or low cost seeds to introduce to their customers. I think one of them is from the Garden Sunshine Mix. So I will be discussing chili peppers in general. This is for weekend herb blogging over at Kayln's Kitchen this week

Storage: Place unwashed Peppers in a paper bag or wrap in paper towels before placing in the crisper. They will keep like this for about a week. If they are stored in a plastic bag, they will spoil sooner. Also you can dry them in the sunlight and then have fresh ground chili powder.

Uses: Who doesn't know this one? Salsas, spicy food - if you like it hot try some in it. Mexican, Indian, Far Eastern, Caribbean and Creole cuisine are all famous for using some form of chili. Here is an article I came across this morning about peppers with a quick recipe.

Flavor Enhancer: Chili Peppers tend not to need flavor enhancement but if you like the flavor of a specific pepper which tends to be too hot for you add or drink a flavor neutral dairy product (soy milks and the like do not contain the cooling component). In addition salt and citrus juices bring out the freshness factor.

Health Notes: Chili have many beneficial properties. They stimulate circulation and help prevent blood clots. They help flush the body of toxins and bacteria thus making them great additions to your diet during cold and flu season and temporary relief from allergies. Your digestion speeds and heats up so that bacteria is killed and foods are broken down more effectively. It also allows your metabolism to heat up with as little as 1 teaspoon of chili sauce. These attractive little fruits are very high in vitamin C but we don't eat them in large does so they are not useful to add nutrients to your diet.

Safety Notes: If you have or are at risk for stomach cancer, avoid chilies. Also be very cautious when cutting, de seeding, and de veining peppers, if you touch your eyes or any cuts it can burn badly. Immediately flush area till burning ceases. To lessen this I use disposable gloves or a veggie bag from the grocery store to use like a glove when cutting the peppers. Then I wash my hands and tools to be extra safe. Also if you intend to grind your own chili powder do so in a closed grinder or use a dust mask and goggles.

Fresh Salsa

4 Tomatoes

1 Red Onion

2 unknown peppers

2 Green Onions

2 Tb Lime Juice

Handful of Cilantro

Chop up the above ingredients and mix together in a bowl and refrigerate for a hour before serving. If you feel something needs to be added, salt, pepper and garlic enhance the flavors nicely.

Tomatoes: The Season has started. Start your canning jars!

2006-08-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

Ok so most of you just want to ripe the plump deliciousness off the vine as soon as it shows its rose head. I decided to not grow tomatoes this year but need them do to my sad state of being forced to buy tomato sauce instead of the sauce my husband says is near perfection or closer than he ever got with his attempts during his bachelor - pizza tossing days. (My man did a stint in college as a gourmet pizza prep guy in Seattle.)

I beg and scrounge all summer as I hear people proclaim..."I planted tomatoes this week hopefully I planted enough so I put 3 more in just in case." After church BBQs, I even stoop to the low point of swiping all the leftover homegrown tomatoes that no one wanted just so I can make enough sauce for our consumption since tomatoes and I don't seem to work out. I have decided to give it another go next year so I will have a year of planning and research and well a garden plot hopefully.

My Farm share came with a few (about a dozen) cherry and plum tomatoes. Oh heavenly sweetness, my mother would be shocked because even in my staunchly vegetarian days I stuck my noise up at tomato sauce and pasta or tomato anything... I even picked them out of the salad and told Olive Garden wait staff that my chicken parmesan must have cream sauce and no sign of red or it would be sent back and it did. Man was I confused and missing out. I don't remember when someone handed me a pint of cherry tomatoes and said try one, but since then tomatoes beware you have a stalker. Well maybe not that extreme but I will beg and borrow and trade sauce for tomatoes.

So here goes my simple but effective method of tomato sauce from tomato to creaminess. Take out and dust off your crock pot. The super large one (that you rarely use because when you prepare a normal portion of food all it seems to do is burn much to fast) set it to low or even better if you have a newer one warm. I like to slow cook my sauce, when without a crock pot the stove sits on the lowest setting it can maintain heat at for days. In art school, I would have a pot on the back burner for at least half the week.

Now that you have the pot out and the heat on, slice off the stem point and drop in whole until no more fit and cover overnight. Yes whole...it will work its way to gorgeously smooth sauce. Be patient. It helps to distract yourself by making a couple of loaves of bread to dip in the sauce later or do something creative.

Once you can poke hole in the tomatoes with a blunt spoon and the level has drop about an inch or so, pull out a blender. Most preferably an immersion blender and break up all the large chunks. If you are stuck with a basic blender, take the tomatoes out in groups and place in blender with the center of the lid removed and a kitchen towel placed over the top to avoid burning yourself if the mixture splashes. A few pulses should do the job.

Now it is time to add the spices - I normally add the following - garlic powder (it survives the long cooking process better), ginger, black pepper, salt, oregano, cumin, marjoram, zatar, basil, sage, parsley and a ring of fire habanero sauce but sometimes these change depending on what choices I have and what smells good mixed together that day. If you are new at mixing spices without precise measurement: Take a pinch or so of each spice you pick and place them in a small bowl and smell them. If something smells off to you, pull something out or put something in if it seems to be missing. Your smell and taste are your guide at this point.

At this point remove the lid and keep the sauce at a happy simmer till the liquid stops pooling at the surface and causes the sauce to thicken. Now beware hapless snackers have been known to dip tortilla chips in a good fresh sauce much like they would in a salsa and you might have less to can than you thought. Case in point my picture above has only a jar and a half.

Now comes the point of ladling your work of art into glass jars and canning it cleanly to last the winter. I will leave that for another day.

Happy Planning of all the delicious things you can do with tomatoes fresh or made to last the season cuz you could not consume that many in so short a time.

Starting back with something easy: Yellow Squash

2006-08-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

My farm share this week included more vegetables that I recognized. That was exciting. I do enjoy experimenting but sometimes I prefer to know what I am working with rather than research it to excess and then make something.

I decided to get back into cooking after vacation by doing simple things. It will be included in the Weekend Herb Blogging Event #44 at Calendula & Concrete . My veggie of choice is Yellow Squash.

Storage: Store unwashed in a plastic bag in the veggie drawer of your fridge. If you get them wet, try to dry them as thoroughly as possible since water causes them to spoil faster. Wash them as needed. They are highly perishable so use them within 2-7 days. The glossier and firmer the skin the longer they will last before you need to cook them. (Maybe some lucky food bloggers that are growing them might be able to keep them longer.) For those of you with more than you can eat or give away, you can freeze them by blanching the sliced squash in boiling water for 2 months or if saving for a nice quick bread or such you can grate it raw and freeze either method up to 4 months.

Uses: small ones can be eaten raw, others can be steamed, blanched, boiled, grilled, roasted, fried or used as a container for stuffing. If blanching or boiling be careful of overcooking which results in soggy squash which is probably only appetizing to a baby who needs it extra soft. If you are cooking the squash in a dish and the dish tends to get watery, lightly salt the squash and place it on absorbent paper towels and rinse before adding to the dish.

Flavor Enhancers: Basil, dill, pepper, marjoram, chives, and mint work well with the mild flavor of yellow squash. Be careful of adding too many herbs and masking the squash entirely. They are paired well with garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

Health notes: They act as a diuretic and because they are high in potassium people with high blood pressure benefit from eating them. Since they are only 20 calories per cup, eat as many as you like.

Safety notes: if you have kidney or gallbladder problems, be careful in the amounts of squash you consume. Also for those taking calcium supplements wait 2-3 hours between taking your pill and eating squash.

Since we were having friends over to enjoy our nice outdoor dinning room, I decided to keep things simple. I sliced up 3 medium yellow squash and sautéed them over high heat. I did not use oil but my pans recommend no oil to limited oil, so you might need to add oil to prevent sticking. I cooked them till the seeds and edges turned a little brown then transferred them to a bowl. Since my herbs have been going wild with all the heat we have been experiencing recently, I cut off some purple basil and variegated oregano. I roughly cut them with my kitchen shears and tossed everything with safflower oil. Since my guests were running late, I stuck it in my oven at its lowest setting and then got just a tad bit softer. All in all a hit. Creamy Crisp slices of squash with just enough flavoring.

vacation

2006-07-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

hi all, I am headed to the wilds of montana and idaho to go camping. Hopefully I will come back with some unique backpacking recipes for ya'll to try. Be back in 2 weeks.

A little info about myself

2006-07-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

I have grown up in many areas of the world. Texas (which considers itself its own place), Oklahoma, Saudi Arabia, Germany, New Hampshire, South Carolina and eventually landed me out here in the Pacific Northwest. I love this area. I hope to never leave.

My parents did a good job of training my taste buds to not be afraid of much. My mom likes to say that i thought that winter squash was ice cream and that spinach was yummy. I have gone through the culinary whims of my dad who wanted to go soy prefered in the early 80s. I remember being the only one who would drink his homemade soy milk. I also hated hamburgers till probably college. Before that time I was really into tofu burgers. I have not had one recently but I am seriously tempted to make some when I get back at the end of July.

By the time we moved overseas no food was too weird unlike my cousin who would run screaming from tuna fish sandwiches. I fell in love with Mediterranean cooking - Greek, Turkish, Italian, Spanish, Arab, or Moroccan. I had little problem diving into a whole animal on a bed of rice, which is the traditional dish in Saudi Arabia.

I went to boarding school and became a stanch vegetarian, who preferred raw veggies and grains - most likely from the overcooked food and open can and dump techniques that some schools and colleges have.

After about 7 years of this I realized that I was missing out on some wonderful foods. The farm's markets in Portland, OR drew me into amazement at the choices. The varieties of mushrooms to make ragout, fresh green beans that tasted better than any that i had tasted cooked, farm fresh cheese to spread of thin crispy crackers and birch beer made to sweet perfection.

About that time I came to the realization that my health needed help. I consulted a few allergist - the first few found no problems and wanted me to come back when i was having a minor attack. I found an allergist that helped diagnose my problems but not help. They took away mushrooms and aged cheese - oh it twas a sad day. (So far it has been almost three years without these things.) After complete frustration of not getting better and being denied my loves and desires (more foods were taken from me). I quit follow doctors orders. Then I found this wonderful doctor that diagnosed me and said that I had to avoid more foods but that it would only be for a short time not indefinitely. Now after only 3 and half months with this doctor, I only have two groups of food to avoid - chocolates and mold based food (mushrooms and cheese.) I had a total of 7 or 8.

Through this time I have come to rediscover foods and stretch myself as a cook to make things i like that don't include things i used to eat all the time. I have learned to bake bread without sugar or yeast which ever is called for at the time - I started baking bread from scratch in junior high or early high school (hmmm nothing beats the smell of bread just out of the oven.) I have learned to eat my nemesis - beef. It's ok but I am picky about it still.

I love reading about food and used to sit and eat breakfast or lunch as a kid with a cookbook in front of me thinking about all the grand things that i would love to eat. I still do this as an adult but i am very careful about which books come to live in my house. I just tossed a giant tome of French cooking because I have had it over 5 years and not had the desire to cook from it or use it for reference.

I am excited about showing everyone the things i have learned through trial and error (like don't ever cook yogurt for too long at too high a heat) or that I am learning because something new has come my way or I want to make something better.

Enjoy and experiment away in your kitchen
Chrispy

Chinese Chard, Pak-Choi or Bok Choy? It's up to you to decide.

2006-07-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

This week I got my share a wee bit late, so I was unable to ask my farmer Susie Kyle to identify items. The above item I identified as Chard plain simple everyday chard. Oops. My mistake. It is called Pak-Choi or to the average joe, Bok Choy. Typically used in Chow Mein.

I am also participating in the #39 Weekend Herb Blog over at Kayln's Kitchen. It is where people post recipes and other things about herbs, veggies, plants, or flowers.

Storage: Place in Plastic Bag. Use within 2-5 days. The Chinese are known to dip the leaves in boiling water and hang to dry for storage through the winter.

Uses: It has a nice mustard flavor to add to many dishes. Stir-fried, boiled, steamed or in soups, noodle and meat dishes, salads for young leaves, and pickling for larger coarser leaves.

Flavor enhancers: ginger, hoisen sauce and soy sauce

Health note: When cooked, Pak-choi has 20 calories and 144% of dv of vitamin A and 74% of dv of vitamin C.

Safety note: Don't cook cabbage in an aluminum pot, which causes a chemical reaction and alters color and flavor.

I wanted to do something interesting this time break this stereotyped veggie out of it's Chinese take out box. Can I make it more European? Why not? My veggie encyclopedia stated that its name translates into English as Chinese celery cabbage. This must be because the stalk looks like celery and its part of the cabbage family. This brought up memories of a creamy smooth celery gratin and I decided right there to make up a Pak-Choi gratin.

I doubt that soy sauce would go well in the gratin but salt and some ginger to spice things up.

Below is my very first recipe that has detailed info. My in-laws dropped by today (no the norm...they live about 7 hours away). We had left over meat dishes and this uniquely flavored delicious gratin. Everyone one loved the flavor.

Pak-Choi Gratin

Serves 4-6 as a side dish
Prep time: 30-40 min
Total time: 55 min - 1 hr 5 min

3 Tablespoons butter

3 garlic gloves (minced or grated finely)

1 shallot (minced or grated finely)

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions

12 oz Pak-Choi, stems cut off and sliced, leaves cut into thin ribbons

1/8 cup water

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup white wine

1 teaspoon or to taste fresh grated ginger

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon sambal oelek (asian hot chili sauce)

1/4 cup matzo meal

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (bread crumbs with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme)

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Sauté in frying pan on Medium-High with lid 1 Tablespoon butter, garlic, shallot, and red onions until fragrant, stirring. Add Pak-Choi stems, stirring occasionally 6 min.

2. Add leaves and lower temp to medium-low after about a minute add water and cover till wilty and bright green about 4 min. Remove from heat and place in 1 qt baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese over veggies.

3. In Medium saucepan on medium heat, add cream, milk, wine, ginger, salt and pepper, sambal oelek stirring 5-10 min till you can smell ginger and the edges are starting to bubble. Pout over contents of baking dish.

4. In a small bowl, cut 2 tablespoons butter into remaining cheese, matzo, and bread crumbs. Spread over the top of the mixture. (If you would like a crunchier top add before turning on broiler.)

5. Place in oven on middle rack for 20 min. Turn broiler on till brown about 2 min or less.

My husbands solution to the spice colony.

2006-06-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

He has been a little hooked on the Dune series recently but this addition to my kitchen came about a year ago. He hated dealing with the mass quantities of spices that I have collected from all over the world and continue to receive from my parents continued travels in far away lands.

I am including this in Sweetnicks' I'll Show You Mine, If You Show Me Yours #2 which is showing off your spice rack/cabinet or other place you keep them all.

Now for the sexy close up shots. Too bad I don't have one of his installation of it. It was sure simple. I think he spend all of 20 minutes on this project.

The rainbow colored green - Swiss Chard.

2006-06-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

photo from Live Earth CSA Farm in California

Last weeks Farm Share included Swiss Chard. It is a beautiful rainbow of color on the stems. This leafy green is similar in use to Spinach. It is part of the beet family and is grown for its leaves and stems.

Storage: After sorting out any withered, limp or yellow leaves, place in a plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture (replace when it gets soggy) and press out excess air. Mine has kept for 2 plus weeks in this manner, but be careful since they can perish faster depending on if it is the end of the growing season. Blanched leaves can be frozen but not stems.

Uses: Can substitute Leaves for Spinach and stalks for Asparagus in recipes. Both the leaves and the stalks are eaten. Young tender leaves can be eaten whole in a salad or sandwich. The stalks can be chopped in 2-3" segments and boiled/ sautéed till tender. The leaves can be shredded and steamed in the small amount of water that clings to them after washing. Then the leaves can be sautéed or mixed with a oil and herb/spice mixture.

Flavor Enhancers: Garlic, nutmeg, oregano, tarragon

Health note: Swiss chard is considered one of the top rate veggies for its nutritional benefits. It is high in many vitamins and minerals. 1 cup of Swiss chard has 35 calories, 300% of the dv of vitamin K, 109% of the dv of vitamin A, and 52% dv of vitamin C.

Safety note: People with kidney or gallbladder problems should avoid eating Swiss chard. As with Kale, Chard interferes with calcium absorption. Wait 2-3 hours between uses of both.

I have never had Swiss chard before. I was fascinated by the colorful foliage. I sat down to do my menu planning for the week and to go through my recipe clipping file and was ecstatic to find a recipe that used Swiss Chard from the August 2003 Martha Stewart Living.

The Swiss chard and Goat Cheese Galette (tart) was delish. My husband and I almost polished off the entire thing. We could not believe the wonderful mixture of flavors and creamy goodness.

Swiss Chard and Goat Cheese Galette

Serves Aprox 6
Prep Time 1 hr 30 min
Total Time 2 hr 15 min

Note: You can mix and refrigerate the dough the night before. When removing the stems from the Swiss chard, cut all the way into the upper portion of the leaf so that you cut in half so that the entire stem is removed. It will make cutting into the tart easier. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet so that are cool by assembly time.

12 oz Swiss Chard, washed, stems removed and reserved

2 Tbs olive oil

1 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4" thick

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves

6 oz fresh goat cheese, room temperature

Oatmeal Tart Dough (recipe follows)

2 Tbs pine nuts, toasted

2 Tbs golden raisins

1 large egg yolk

1. Slice Chard stems into 1/4" pieces. In a large skillet, heat Tb oil over medium heat. Add stems and onions, and cook, stirring until slightly brown, 8-10 min.

2. Cover skillet, and reduce heat to low. Cook stirring occasionally, until stems are very soft, about 15 min. Add the vinegar, and cook, stirring, until liquid is reduced by half about2 min. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and transfer onion mixture to nonreactive bowl; set aside.

3. Heat remaining Tb of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chard leaves, and sauté until slightly wilted, about 1 min. Stir thyme; season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

4. With electric mixer, combine the goat cheese and 2 Tbs of cream. Beat mixture until smooth, about 1 min. Stir in the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper and set aside.

5. Preheat oven to 375 F. On a large piece of parchment paper, roll out dough to a 1/4" thick round or rectangle. Arrange onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 3" border around the edge. Spread goat cheese mixture over onion mixture, and top with the chard mixture. Sprinkle with pine nuts and golden raisins. Fold edges of dough over, and press down gently to seal. Transfer tart on paper to baking sheet and refrigerate 15 min.

6. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with remaining Tbs of cream. Brush exposed dough with egg wash and bake until golden, 40-45 min. Serve warm or room temp. (I transferred the tart with paper onto my pizza stone after being in the fridge and it cooked faster than the stated time.)

Oatmeal Tart Dough

Makes enough for one tart

Note: if dough is too crumbly add one to two Tbs ice water in a slow steady stream.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) of chilled butter cut into small pieces.
3 oz cream cheese (I used sour cream instead which made the dough extra sticky)
1 large egg yolk

1. In a food processor, pulse the flours, oats, and salt to combine. Add the butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk, and process until the dough just holds together, 15 to 20 sec.

2. Turn dough onto a clean work surface. Flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hr or overnight.

What do I do with Kale?

2006-06-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

photo from Live Earth CSA Farm in California

The last two weeks I received a bunch of Kale in our Farm Share. I did a little bit of research on Kale to make sure I used and cared for it properly as not to waste it.

Storage: Place in a storage bag in the fridge. I normally place a paper towel to soak up excess moisture so that the kale lasts longer. Kale can be frozen for many months after being cooked and chopped in a container. It's time to throw out when it starts to turn yellow, brown or wilted.

Uses: Salads, in its tender state, and stir fries, steamed, sautéed, or mixed with pasta. Normally combined with strong flavors to balance it’s own intensity. Frozen Kale is good in soups and casseroles (lasagna).

Safety note: Kale interferes with Calcium absorption. So don't take supplements and Kale at the same time. Kale also is not beneficial in its raw form for individuals with a thyroid problem.

I have had Kale before in a Portuguese soup called caldo verde. It was a nice comfort potato soup but not really a summer item to cook. Even so, I do not remember cooking with it. My husband begs to differ. So, I dragged out my cookbooks and debated what would work and some of my friends passed on recipes and suggestions.

I finally decided I would mix it in with something because I was not sure I wanted to experience the pure version. I will eventually. The recipe I chose was from Everyday Food with some changes.

It was delicious especially with perfectly sweet tomatoes that popped with every bite.

Lasagna with Sausage and Kale

Serves 8
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 1 hr 20 min

Notes: You can assemble up to one day ahead and refrigerate, covering tightly; cooking time will be the same. Kale can be replaced with 2 boxes of 10 oz frozen chopped spinach; thaw and drain before adding to noodle mixture in step 3 (skip step 2). Regular lasagna noodles can be cooked instead and added in step 3.

Ingredients :

16 oz of Pork Sausage no casing

2 large Onions, halved and thinly sliced (4 cups)

4 Garlic Cloves, coarsely grated

2 bunches of Kale (12 oz), thick stems removed

coarse salt and pepper

9 sheets of Lasagna Noodles, no bake, broken into small pieces

1 pint of Cherry Tomatoes

3 cups Ricotta Cheese

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400F. In a 5-quart pot, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring often, until browned, about 5 min. Stir in onions; cover and cook until softened, 5 min. Uncover, cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10-15 min. Add garlic; cook 2 min. Transfer to large bowl.

2. Add Kale and 1/2 cup water to pot; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook over medium-low heat, until tender, 10-15 min Drain; coarsely chop. Transfer to bowl with onions.

3. Add noodles, tomatoes and ricotta to the bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish; smooth top with a spatula. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, about 40 min. Cool 10 min before serving.

2006-06-11T20:05:00.000-07:00