Once Upon A Plate...

Brussels Sprout Chips

2012-01-29T08:44:00.001-07:00

We've all had a potato chip, of this I'm sure. Who doesn't love a salty, crispy handful of Lays with a delicious sandwich? I sure do. And I'm guessing the majority of you have experienced the phenomenon of the Kale Chip trend too. This is when you bake kale leaves until they are as crispy as a potato chip, but it's a leafy green instead of a starchy root. Kale, something that is usually cooked down or steamed to tenderness, is now in your mouth with a crunch, and yet oh-so delicate snap. It plays with your mind, and it's awesome.

What I want to tell you though is that this phenomenon is not just limited to kale. Oh no, you shall be restricted no more! You can also use the outer leaves of Brussels Sprouts and still follow the same exact method for making kale chips. When I roast Brussels sprouts I always remove the looser, outer leaves to maintain a tight head of the sprout to stay intact when roasting. Not to go to waste, one day I roasted the leftover leaves in the style of a kale chip and they worked out fantastically. Plus, they are a great appetizer to munch on while you wait for your Brussels sprouts to finish roasting. Crispy, light, flavorful...these chips are arguably better than anything you can find in bag.

Brussels Sprout Chips

To roast the remaining whole Brussels sprouts after taking off the outer leaves, trim the stems and cut each sprout in half. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet, placing them cut-side down. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until they are done to your liking (in my opinion, the browner and crispier the outer leaves and cut-side, the better!)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Brussels Sprouts

Olive oil

Salt

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel off the outer, loose leaves from each Brussels sprout. Keep the whole Brussels sprouts to halve and roast for later (directions above).

Toss the leaves on a baking sheet with about a tablespoon of the oil. Sprinkle with a good pinch of kosher salt. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, then watch closely until the chips reach your desired doneness. Dont be afraid of the browning, the more a leaf is brown and curled, the crispier and more delicious it will be!

Happy Munching

Rice Hippie Treats

2012-01-21T19:17:00.001-07:00

I confess, I have an inner hippie. I mean, I lived in Vermont for four years, what can you expect? She loves to frolic around in nature, talk to plants, and, such as in this case, likes to put a twist on certain recipes to make them a little more mind/body/soul friendly.

She surfaced recently when I wanted to make Rice Crispie Treats for a potluck dinner. I knew I had everything to make a batch at home minus the marshmallows; a pivotal ingredient in this childhood treat. But in both an effort to avoid the store and to improvise, I started thinking about how I could recreate this treat without including the highly processed white puff of an ingredient. Don't get me wrong, I love a good toasted marshmallow, s'more, or old-fashioned Crispie Treat. But if we can avoid ingesting things like, say, tetrasodium pyrophosphate when we don't have to, why not see if something else could do the trick as well?

I had been planning to make a peanut butter version of the treats anyway, so I started with that as a base of the binding ingredients to hold these bars together. To keep with the theme, I used natural peanut butter which contains only ground up peanuts and salt. Honey came in next, and some butter to pull all of the ingredients together. For the dry ingredients, I substituted part of the rice crispies with rolled oats, and added dried cranberries for a contrasting tart/sweet taste, and chocolate chips too because, well, who doesn't like the combo of chocolate and peanut butter?

I had created an almost granola-ish cousin of the Rice Crispie Treat, with all honest ingredients that we can all pronounce and recognize. My inner hippie was proud. And you will be too regardless if you have your own inner hippie or not, since at the end of it all these bars are just plain simple, delicious, and worth making no matter what.

Rice Hippie Treats
My favorite way to eat these is a little cold right from the fridge. Mmmm

Ingredients

4 cups rice crispie cereal

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method
Butter a 9x13 baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Combine rice cripsies, oats, cranberries, and chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine the peanut butter, honey, and butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir until all is melted and combined.

Pour peanut butter mixture over rice crispie mixture and stir to evenly coat the dry ingredients. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and pat down evenly with a buttered or non-stick sprayed spatula (or else the treats will stick and the spreading will not be fun).

Store bars in the fridge to set. Cut into squares and enjoy. In your Birkenstocks.

Oat Soda Bread

2012-01-15T16:44:00.001-07:00

There are some days when I wake up and I think; "today, I want bread". But this doesn't mean I will walk down the stairs and take a slice of bread out of bag from a store bought loaf...no, no. These are the days I want bread that I will know from start to finish; that I will make with my own hands. It's bread that will fill my house with the tantalizing smell of freshly baked goodness, and on which I will promptly smear a slice with butter, only to have the butter melt away from the warm freshness of the dough. Oh yes, this is the bread I crave when I want bread. And sometimes, I cant have it fast enough.

This is why I keep recipes like this Oat Soda Bread around. It is not as time consuming as yeast breads, and the ingredient list is impossibly simple. It is hearty, nutty and sweet from the oats and seeds, and serves equally well as a breakfast of toast with jam in the morning, or buttered with a bowl of soup later in the day. But regardless, when you are having those types of Bread Craving days, this can be your quick go-to without any loss of satisfaction.

Oat Soda Bread Recipe

If you don't have oat flour - which I usually don't, but almost always have old-fashioned rolled oats - you can make your own flour by blending oats in a food processor or blender until it forms a fine powder.

Ingredients

butter, to grease pan
2 cups / 7 oz rolled oats

10 ounces / 285 g / ~2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and kneading

1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt

1 3/4 cups / 415 ml buttermilk, plus more if needed, and 2T. for brushing

mixed seeds - sesame, caraway, poppy, etc.

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C with a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and line a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan (or one with ~8 cup capacity) with parchment paper and set aside. Alternately, you can bake this bread without a pan on a lightly floured baking sheet.

To make the oat flour, use a food processor to pulse the rolled oats a few times. Then process into a fine powder - another minute or two. If you are buying oat flour, not making your own, measure out 7 oz / scant 2 cups.

Sift the flours, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in the buttermilk. Stir just until everything comes together into a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead for 30 seconds or so, just long enough for the dough to come together into a cohesive, slightly flattened ball without many cracks or fissures. If your dough is on the dry side, add more buttermilk a small splash at a time. Now ease the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan - see photo if you need a bit of guidance.

Brush all over the top and sides with buttermilk and sprinkle generously with mixed seeds or flour, 2 tablespoons or so. Slice a few deep slashes across the top of the dough. Bake for about 30 minutes, then quickly (without letting all the hot air out of the oven), move the rack and the bread up a level, so the top of the bread gets nice and toasted. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until a hard crust forms and the bread is baked through. It will feel very solid and sound hollow when you knock on it. Carefully lift it out of the pan, in a timely fashion, and allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy with a good slathering of salted butter.

Makes one loaf.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 50 min

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Breakfast (or lunch...or dinner) Enchurritos

2012-01-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

Enchurrito? Wha? Well, it’s a creation I just made myself for dinner. As I pulled it out of the oven, myroommate walked by, stopped, and said: “you better be blogging aboutthat”. So, here I am.

I was trying to scrounge up something for dinner from myfridge, and once I saw my trusty-always-must-have carton of eggs, I knew it wasbreakfast-for-dinner time. I hadcorn tortillas too, and I knew I wanted them to be involved. Breakfast burritos? Yes please. But wait…then I saw a full jar of peachy green chili madefrom peaches picked from one of the best places on earth (Excelsior Orchard,which you can read and see more about here) and then I had a smothering sauce thatneeded to be incorporated. Thismeant fork and knife. Plus, theywere corn tortillas and not flour ones. Yes, this meant enchiladas…and breakfast burritos….as one. And right then and there, enchurritoswere born. (I thought this was myown crafty creation, but apparently they already exist? Madness I tell you. Let me know if you already knew this orhave had them before. Thatis…before you make these!)

To round them out and make them even more super fantastic, Iadded a bunch of fresh herbs and cheddar cheese to my scrambled eggs, andlayered them with cooked spinach and beans within their tortilla robes. Hearty, cheesy, eggy,smothered-in-a-chili salsa goodness. Topped with a whole lot more freshly chopped herbs and a dollop of sourcream, and you’ve got yourself a helluva breakfast…lunch….or dinner.

Breakfast (or lunch...or dinner) Enchurritos

This recipe is made for one person, but be sure to double,triple, or quadruple to make for as many friends who want in too!

Ingredients

2 eggs

¼ cup (or more) shredded cheese of your choice

½ tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or use any combinationof herbs you like! chives,tarragon, cilantro…)

1/2 cup cooked spinach

1/3 cup black, white, or red beans (optional)

1 cup salsa

2 6-inch corn tortillas

Salt

Pepper

More fresh chopped herbs, shredded cheese, and sour cream

Method

Preheat broiler to high and set a rack to one of the highestrungs in the oven. Cover bottom ofa small, ovenproof casserole dish with half the salsa. Warm up the two tortillas in themicrowave, toaster oven, or in a dry skillet just to make them pliable.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a small skillet over mediumhigh heat. While it heats,scramble the two eggs in a small bowl and add to the skillet when up totemp. Move the eggs around with aspatula until just cooked; add cheese, beans, fresh herbs, salt and pepper totaste. Stir to combine.

Divide spinach and spread in middle of each tortilla. Divide egg mixture and place on top ofspinach. Fold each side of thetortilla to the center over the filling and place seam-side down in the casseroledish. Top with remaining salsa andshredded cheese, if desired.

Place under broiler until salsa is bubbly and cheese ismelted.

Top with herbs, and a dollop of smooth, cool sourcream.

Devour.

Grilled Romaine with a Soft Boiled Egg

2011-11-18T22:07:00.001-07:00

Lettuce? Grilled? Hot? You may be skeptical. Maybe even afraid. But fear not, your world may change forever.

For something that you're so used to having only one way, at only one temperature, with only one texture, it can be scary to do something different with it. But let me tell you that although high heat and a crisp, fresh head of lettuce seem to be instinctively incompatable, they create something on your plate that is texturally and flavorfully delectable.

This dish shines with simplicity, and has a list of ingredients that you can count on one hand; romaine lettuce, an egg, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil (salt and pepper too...but these are mainstay seasonings, not ingredients). And with recipes as simple as this, the quality of each ingredient is tremendously important.

Use a fresh, sturdy head of lettuce, and fresh eggs. Buy a piece of parmesan cut from a certified wheel of parmesan cheese from Parma, Italy, from your local store's cheesemonger (dear god, not from the green can please). And for the olive oil - the one you are drizzling on top with the lemon juice - make it extra virgin; one that actually contains flavor profiles of earthiness and hints of fruit, that finishes with a bite of pepper in the back of your throat. If you have never tried an olive oil like this before, please do. It will change your view of what olive oil actually can, and should, taste like.

From the seared, caramelized marks on the outer leaves, to the steamed, leafy center, to the nutty salty parmesan, the richness and natural sauce of the egg yolk, the grassiness of the olive oil, and the brightness of the lemon, your taste buds will be blown away with every bite, all the way from the first bite until the last (or until you're licking your plate....not that I'm speaking from experience).

In fact, get a good loaf of crusty bread to take care of that. All together you'll have a full and satisfying meal that beats a regular old chopped romaine salad any day.

Grilled Romaine with a Soft Boiled Egg

Ingredients

1 head of Romaine Lettuce (Romaine Hearts work best for this since they are sturdier and not as 'leafy' as regular romaine. It helps maintain texture and structure against the high heat of the grill or skillet)
1 egg, soft boiled (instructions below)
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, to taste
1-2 tablespoons quality Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 tablespoon other oil; either canola, vegetable, or other less-flavorful and high-heat tolerant oil
Juice of a quarter to half of a lemon
Salt
Pepper

Method

Start your method for preparing your soft boiled egg(s) as described below.

In the meantime, heat a grill, grill pan, or saute pan over medium high heat. Rub the Romaine heart with the high-heat tolerant oil and season all around with salt and pepper. Have your grated cheese, lemon wedge, and extra virgin olive oil ready next to your plate to assemble the dish easily once the other components are ready.

Once your egg is done cooking in the water, drain the hot water and let the egg sit in cold water to cool down. Now put your romaine heart on the heat, rotating it with tongs to sear it on all sides. Remove the lettuce when it has slightly wilted but still holds shape when you pick it up - about 1-2 minutes.

Remove the lettuce to your plate and sprinkle with a generous snowfall of freshly grated parmesan, big squeeze of lemon juice, and healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Peel your soft boiled egg and place it on top, repeating with another layer of cheese, lemon, oil, s&p.

Break the yolk with your fork. Cut your first bite of wilted-yet-still-crunchy-and-caramelized lettuce, swirl it within the river of cheesy, yolky, olive-oily, lemony heaven, and taste the salad revolution you've been waiting for. Repeat.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Heat water with a pinch of salt in a saucepot over medium high heat (the right size pot and amount of water for the number of eggs you are cooking to be fully submerged in the water once placed inside.)

Once the water just barely begins to show signs of boiling - beyond a simmer but not at a rolling boil - gently place the egg(s) inside the water, using a spoon to lower them to the bottom of the pan.

Let the eggs cook for 5-6 minutes while never letting the water come to a rolling boil. Exact timing will depend on elevation, which takes a bit longer the higher up you are, and on desired doneness of the yolk. It takes a few rounds of cooking soft boiled eggs to learn your stovetop and your water temperatures and your eggs to know your exact rules to make your own perfect soft boiled egg.

Drain the hot water and run cool water over the cooked eggs. Gently peel off the shells and devour. Dont forget a sprinkle of salt and pepper on top.

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake

2011-11-12T14:39:00.001-07:00

I am in love with what happens to apples when they're baked. In it's natural state, an apple is firm, true to it's shape, solid and crisp throughout. Once baked, however, this persona slowly surrenders to a more mellow and tender self. It gives away easily under your bite, soft and sweet, instead of fighting back with a crisp crunch. Its sugars condense and an intense apple flavor remains, that is eager to pair with warm fall flavors like cinnamon, ginger, and molasses.

Still in the spirit of fall, I wanted to use my orchard-picked apples in a different way than in a crisp or in the muffins that I had just written about. I wanted something more festive, more complex in flavor. Gingerbread has always been a favorite of mine because of these reasons, and to pair it with baked-in apples made it a dish that I could not pass by.

It's an easy cake. It bodes a festive look, yes, but that only equates to its greatness of the flavor, not the level of difficulty to make it. And, with all gingerbreads, especially this one, whipped cream (homemade, please!) is an absolute must. It's practically begging to be on your Holiday Table, so go make one and share it with your loved ones who deserve it most.

Happy Festive Fall!

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Karen Bates at the Philo Apple Farm via the New York Times
Also on smittenkitchen.com

Serves 12

Topping
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing pan
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
4 apples (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges

Batter
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup honey
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Very softly whipped cream

Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch cake pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, four minutes, then swirl in salt. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your cake pan. Make circles of overlapping apple slices on top of the caramel. Chop any remaining slices and place them in the gaps.

Make the batter: Using a mixer, blend 1/2 cup butter and the sugar on medium-low speed. Increase the speed to high and cream until light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next once the last has been incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at least 45 to 50 minutes (thanks to commenter klp for reminding me this took a bit longer) or until a wooden tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a platter (one that will catch spills, unlike what you see in the pictures above).

Serve warm or cool with very softly whipped cream.

Apple-Banana Bran Muffins

2011-10-20T21:30:00.000-06:00

I wish I could tell you that this recipe came from some free-willed creative vision I had. That it came to me while standing on top of a snow-capped mountain looking over a breathtaking vista, or while meditating in a peaceful buddhist sanctuary, and suddenly a vision of Apple-Banana Bran Muffins manifested in my third eye and my destiny was found to create them.

No, not so much. But that sure sounds nice.

In actuality, this recipe came up because of two very common predicaments that home cooks encounter all the time.
The first is this: you bought an ingredient for a certain recipe and have more leftover after you're done that you'll need to use up; What the heck to do with it besides the make the same recipe again?
The second: There's something in your fridge or on your countertop that has Father Time working against it, and you've gotta use it up. Or else into the garbage it goes, unused and unloved. So sad. Too sad. So something has to be done.

So this recipe, you could say, came from necessity. And don't they say that Necessity is the Mother of Invention? (you know, they) And if I do say, it is very true in this case. The two culprits in this case were the end of a quart of buttermilk and some very brown bananas. And we're talking brown bananas, people. Every day I would come home from work and I would see the bananas hanging sadly from the banana hook in our kitchen. I would reluctantly glance at them out of the corner of my eye, blocking out their pleas that sounded something like: "Eat me! Use me! Do SOMETHING! I can barely hold on anymore!" It got ugly. So, like I said with what happens in these situations, something had to be done.

And hence the birth of this recipe. It makes one fantastic batch of muffins, and one of the reasons I enjoy it so much is that is actually makes a hearty, tasty muffin, not a cupcake disguised as a muffin, as so many muffins are these days. There are not pounds of sugar in it, nor cups of oil - only 3 tablespoons! - so a majority of the sweetness and the moist crumb come from the ripe bananas, with a fun addition of the sweet studs of apples amidst the batter. The buttermilk adds great flavor and tenderness, and with nutrition-rich additions of whole wheat flour, wheat or oat bran (use either!), and walnuts if you dig 'em, you can eat these muffins and feel super powered. Breakfast on the go? No problem. Do it and rock it. In fact, make a bunch and throw em in your freezer. Then they'll be ready for you whenever you need them.

How's that for turning a sour situation into a sweet success?

Apple-Banana Bran Muffins
Use any level of overripe banana here, from brown speckled to deep, dark doom. The latter may look ugly, perhaps even dangerous, but these intensely overripe bananas are disguised pieces of gold, with even more flavor from their developed sugars than a just slightly overripe banana. Waste not want not!

Also, I found myself without wheat bran in the middle of making this batter - oops - so I improvised and blended some old-fashioned oats into a fine powder and it worked perfectly. So wheat bran, oat bran, or a Macgyver-ed, on-the-fly oat bran of blended oats will do just fine.

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas, (2-3 naners)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran or oat bran
3 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup small diced apple
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in bananas, buttermilk, wheat (or oat) bran, oil and vanilla.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in apples. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Adapted from EatingWell Magazine

Summer Gems

2011-09-25T17:21:00.000-06:00

As I've continued on this summer with my involvement in the Boulder Country Farmers' Markets, there have been lists of recipes that I have been wanting to share with you. With every Saturday there are tablefuls of overflowing produce from different farmers' that are just screaming "eat me! cook with me! get creative with me! pleaaaase!" And to these pleas we must respond.

So, for now, I have two recipes for you that have been very popular with market-goers when we have sampled them at our table this summer. Plus, they involve Summer's two ultimate gifts from the soil; sweet corn and heirloom tomatoes. These two ingredients are of course amazing by themselves, but are also star team players in a mixed dish.

What I love about these two recipes - a Salsa Cruda and Herbed Corn and Zucchini Succotash - is that they can be served like a dip, a condiment, a salsa, a side dish, AND be a great base for any other addition your mind could wander to - beans, rice, quinoa, lettuce mixes, soups, etc. So get shoppin' and choppin'! These garden gifts will only be available to us for a short time longer...

Salsa Cruda

Ingredients:

2 med. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (1 3/4 cups)

1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro leaves

1 med. onion, peeled and chopped (3/4 cup)

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)

4 ea. scallions, washed, trimmed and sliced (1/2 cup)

¼ cup red wine vinegar

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled crushed and finely chopped (1Tbs.)

1 ea. jalapeno pepper, seeded (if desired) and chopped (1Tbs.))

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

Method:

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients.
For a smooth salsa puree the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Herbed Corn and Zucchini Succotash

(Here we used summer squash!)

Ingredients:

6 Ears of corn

2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

2 Large cloves of garlic, minced

1 Red pepper, diced

1 Medium red or yellow onion, diced

1 Medium zucchini (or summer squash), diced

2 Tbsp. Cream (optional)

2 Tbsp. Flash leaf parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh basil or cilantro or mint chopped

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Using a knife remove the corn from the cob and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add peppers and onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add fresh corn and sauté an additional 3 to 5mintues. Add garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.

3. Add zucchini to skillet and cook until vegetable begins to turn soft, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add cream, herbs and heat through. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Ms. Meg's Mint-Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-08-27T17:31:00.001-06:00

Once Upon a Plate is pleased to announce it's first guest author; my cousin Meg! She is a 15 year old spitfire who is not only a talented student, athlete, and kind-hearted lady, but man can she make an incredible cupcake! Her story and recipe are below...and dont wait too long to make these, they will soon become your staple dessert- Enjoy!

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I lovecupcakes. They are definitely the most adorable and delicious kind of cake! So,when Aunt Jane invited us over for dinner in Maine, I decided to make some tobring. After thinking about lots of different flavors, I chose mint and darkchocolate because they would look pretty and taste really good together! So offto Hannaford’s we went to get cupcake materials for some minty Maine madness.

The night before, I made the cake part of the cupcakes and left them coveredovernight. They were really moist and yummy and it was interesting to use darkchocolate instead of regular chocolate. The next day was frosting day, the bestpart. The peppermint extract smelled bad by itself but when it got mixed inwith everything else it tasted really good…so we ate tons of it while frostingthe cupcakes!

Lizzy appeared on her kayak just in time to help out with pipingthe frosting and making chocolate curls with a dark chocolate bar. In the end,they were a success! The frosting and the cake went really well together, andof course there is no better time to eat a cupcake than after a deliciouslobster dinner on a beautiful summer night in Maine!

Mint-Chocolate Cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

2 cupssugar

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cupHershey’s dark chocolate cocoa

1 ½teaspoons baking powder

1 ½teaspoons baking soda

1teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cupmilk

½ cupvegetable oil

2teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cupboiling water

Linemuffin cups with paper baking cups. Heat oven to 350º.

Stirtogether sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a largebowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Fill cups 2/3 full with batter.

Bake22-25 minutes.

Makes 30.

Mint Buttercream Frosting

2 sticksbutter

4-5 cupspowdered sugar, sifted

¼ cupmilk

1/8teaspoon all natural peppermint extract

Beatbutter until creamy, scrape bowl.

Add 4cups of powdered sugar, the milk, and the peppermint extract. Beat untilcombined.

Gimme mah Pancakes!

2011-07-29T10:16:00.001-06:00

One day, a few weeks ago, I was blindsided by a craving. You know, one of those cravings you don't even see coming, and then BAM, suddenly you cannot be satisfied until you find something like bread and butter pickles or honey mustard pretzels. No, you don't have to be a pregnant woman to want a certain food, and to want it made right...and right now.

For me, it was pancakes. There was something in me that needed that fluffy texture, a buttery edge, and a healthy dousing of that good 'ol Vermont Maple Syrup in my life. When the feeling never subsided, I knew nothing else would do.

After much wait and anticipation, last weekend I was finally able to make this Pancake Daydream a reality. While perusing new recipes for inspiration, I found this recipe on one of my favorite go-to Inspriation Food Blogs; Smitten Kitchen. Recently, the author had made these pancakes and I knew I had to have them. Then, the Whole Wheat Raspberry Ricotta Scones recipe caught my eye, and, surprise surprise, I had to have and make those too (and added lemon zest to boot). The recipe is so simple it's silly, and only requires one bowl, one fork, and one sheet pan.

It was a breakfast of champions, a feast for the eyes, and a craving satisfier like you wouldn't believe. Go take advantage of Blueberry/berry season and make these for yourself and the people you care about! And add the freshly whipped cream and breakfast sausage to the spread....you wont regret it.

Blueberry Yogurt Multigrain Pancakes

Makes 12 to 14 4-inch pancakes

2 large eggs
1 cup plain, full-fat yogurt
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for buttering skillet
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (62 grams) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (68 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (32 grams) barley or rye flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried

Melt half of butter. Remove from heat and stir in second tablespoon of butter until melted. This keeps your butter from being too hot when you next want to add it to the wet ingredients.

Whisk egg and yogurt together in the bottom of a medium/large bowl. If you’re using a thin yogurt, no need to add any milk. If you’re using regular yogurt, stir in 2 tablespoons milk. If you’re using a thick/strained or Greek-style yogurt, add 3 to 4 tablespoons milk. Whisk in melted butter, zest and vanilla extract. In a separate, small bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir dry ingredients into wet only until dry ingredients are moistened. A few remaining lumps is fine.

Preheat your oven to 200°F and have a baking sheet ready (to keep pancakes warm). Heat your skillet or saute pan to medium. If you’ve got a cast-iron skillet, this is my favorite for pancakes. Melt a pat of butter in the bottom and ladle a scant 1/4 cup (about 3 tablespoons) batter at a time, leaving at space between each pancake. Press a few berries into the top of each pancake. The batter is on the thick side, so you will want to use your spoon or spatula to gently nudge it flat, or you may find that pressing down on the berries does enough to spread the batter. When the pancakes are dry around the edges and you can see bubbles forming on the top, about 3 to 4 minutes, flip them and cook for another 3 minutes, until golden underneath. (If you listen closely, after a minute you’ll hear you blueberries pop and sizzle deliciously against the pan.) If pancakes begin cooking too quickly, lower the heat. Transfer pancakes to warm oven as they are done cooking, where you can leave them there until you’re ready to serve them.

Serve in a big stack, with fixings of your choice. Do not anticipate leftovers.

Whole Wheat Raspberry Ricotta Scones

The trickiest thing about these is the dampness of the dough. Yet that same trickiness is they bake into something that seems impossibly moist for a scone, and especially a whole wheat one. Keep your counter and your hands well floured and you won’t have any trouble getting them from bowl to counter to oven to belly, which, after all, is the whole point.

1 cup (120 grams) whole wheat flour
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold unsalted butter
1 cup (136 grams or 4 3/4 ounces) fresh raspberries
3/4 cup (189 grams) whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup (79 ml) heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bottom of a large, wide-ish bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together.

With a pastry blender: Add the butter (no need to chop it first) and use the blender to both cut the butter into the flour mixture until the biggest pieces are the size of small peas. Toss in raspberries and use the blender again to break them into halves and quarter berry sized chunks.

Without a pastry blender: Cut the butter into small pieces with a knife and work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Roughly chop the raspberries on a cutting board and stir them into the butter-flour mixture.

Both methods: Add the ricotta and heavy cream together and stir them in to form a dough with a flexible spatula.Using your hands, gently knead dough into an even mass, right in the bottom of the bowl. Don’t fret if the raspberries get muddled and smudge up the dough. This is a pretty thing.

With as few movements as possible, transfer the dough to a well-floured counter, flour the top of the dough and pat it into a 7-inch square about 1-inch tall. With a large knife, divide the dough into 9 even squares. Transfer the scones to prepared baking sheet with a spatula. Bake the scones for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges. Cool in pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. It’s best to cool them about halfway before eating them, so they can set a bit more. I know, way to be a big meanie, right?

Do ahead: Scones are always best the day they are baked. However, if you wish to get a lead on them, you can make them, arrange them on your parchment-lined sheet and freeze them. If you’re prepping just one day in advance, cover the tray with plastic wrap and bake them the day you need them. If you’re preparing them more than one day in advance, once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Bring them back to a parchment-lined sheet when you’re ready to bake them. No need to defrost the froze, unbaked scones, just add 2 to 3 minutes to your baking time.

Strawberry Pie with Rosemary-Orange Crust

2011-07-03T23:40:00.007-06:00

Do you know one of the main reasons I love food?

Flavors.

I know.... it sounds stupidly simple. But, here's the thing;

Flavors are why we eat (well, besides the whole maintaining life thing). Flavors entertain us, they please us, they add variety to our lives. Without flavors, why would we love food?

Let's say you have a base flavor that you love. Say...strawberries.

You love the flavor of strawberries. It is a unique taste only owned by a strawberry, and it is delicious and pure in its natural, untouched form.

Then, one day you have an experience where your familiar strawberry flavor meets another, and transforms into an experience.

Say, you were in Spain. An Ecuadorian woman, who is married to a Frenchman, just served you a dessert of the finest french cheeses paired with a strawberry and rosemary salad on the side.

Let's just say.

At that moment, two separate but familiar flavors come together and completely transform each other into more than the sum of their parts. A new flavor is born.

Because of flavor experiences like this (combining familiar yet uncommonly paired tastes together like rosemary and strawberry), you find yourself in a constant search to discover more of them. Not only that, but once these combinations are discovered, it also becomes an on-going challenge to apply them in even more unexpected places.

Like in a pie.

In a series of fortunate events, I found myself at the doorstep of creating this recipe. First, it started in Spain (okay, maybe the hypothetical Ecuadorian woman story a was a true, personal story); A flavor combination was born. Then, a friend moved into a new house; A pie had to be made. After, a conversation was held with a dear friend, coworker, and Baking Empress; Creative genius was piqued. Then, multiple flavor combinations formed into one big harmonious new flavor, in a completely foreign dessert setting; A recipe was born.

Strawberries and rosemary...rosemary and orange...orange and fig balsamic vinegar...fig balsamic vinegar and strawberries...

Yes, it had to be done. And yes, it is good. A homerun, high-fivin', 'no way!', 'what the...', 'this is cool', head back, eyes closed, rockin' good pie. And a one-way ticket to Flavor Town.

Strawberry Pie with Rosemary-Orange Crust

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (you can use all AP flour)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons orange zest

1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut up into ½” cubes and thoroughly chilled

½ cup ice cold water

Filling:

2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered

2/3 cup sugar (or less depending on sweetness of strawberries)

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar (you can use regular balsamic, but the fig is just that much more sweet and unique)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

Finish:

1 egg, slightly beaten with a splash of water or milk

Coarse sugar

To make the crust:

Pulse flours, sugar, salt, orange zest, and rosemary in a food processor until combined. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the ice water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough just comes together and you can squeeze it in your hand to form a mold without it falling apart. The amount of water needed will depend on the day.

Turn the dough out onto the counter and press down with your palm, smearing the dough out in a few different directions before bringing it together and forming a loose ball.

Divide the ball in two and form each piece into a flattened dish about 1” thick. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

To make the pie:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees 10 minutes before taking out your first dough disk. Once chilled, take one dough disk out of the fridge and roll it out with a rolling pin - …or, if you’re me…a wine bottle… - to 1” beyond the edge of your pie pan. Press the dough into the pie pan, making sure it is an even thickness and height all around the pan. Trim any excess dough, leaving a bit on the rim for the top crust to eventually adhere to.

Place a piece of tinfoil over the crust and fill with pie weights, uncooked beans,

- or…if you’re me…rocks that you’ve gathered (and washed and dried) from the patio outside. This is to prevent your crust from puffing up too much and to maintain its shape.

Blind bake (that is what it’s called when you bake your bottom crust before adding a filling) your bottom crust for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the filling and roll out your second pie disk, making sure to keep it cold if there is a time gap. Pour filling into the bottom crust and brush exposed edge with egg wash. Cover with the top rolled out crust. Crimp edges to form crust rim.

Brush egg wash all over top crust and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut small slits in middle of pie with a sharp paring knife.

Place the pie back in the oven at reduced temperature of 375 degrees. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes longer. If the outer crust gets too brown in the middle of baking, cover just the edge with thin strips of foil and continue baking.

Let cool almost completely before diving in. This is the most difficult part of the recipe.

Curried Sweet Potato Pie with Veggie Crust

2011-06-04T22:05:00.000-06:00

Whenever I am stuck for what to make myself for dinner, I always default to a 'vegetable medley' (as I like to refer to it). I chop up whatever veggies my fridge and pantry have to offer, throw them in a skillet, saute them up, season it somehow, probably add some vinegar or citrus juice in the end, an herb of some sort, and voila, dinner in a bowl. Thrilling, I know.

But it's always good to make sure veggies make it onto your meal plate, and the more often they appear as a starring role the better. I like to incorporate spinach whenever I can, or whichever hearty green for that matter, since they are packed with nutrients. Adding a starch adds a nice balance, and sweet potatoes are bursting with color, flavor, and not to mention Vitamin A, C, E, iron, and beta carotene. These are two of my 'go-to's' for Vegetable Medleys, and I am always trying to find ways to spice them up.

That's why I became so excited as I was looking over a friend's collection of Moosewood Cookbooks one day and saw their different flavor combinations and applications of certain wholesome ingredients. After piecing different ideas together, I came up with this Curried Sweet Potato Pie with a Veggie Crust recipe concoction. It takes a Vegetable Medley from a mundane saute to a sophisticated dish without much more effort, but lightyears more satisfaction.

The curry pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the sweet potato, and the creaminess of the coconut milk adds body and just enough richness to the filling, along with the two eggs that make it part-souffle. The fresh lime juice adds the necessary brightness to it all, and the toppings of what will come out as toasted pecans and coconut flakes just put it over the top. And the crust? Earthy spinach, carrot, and parsnip, ground the spicy and exotic filling so well that you'll never miss a buttery crust of a quiche.

This dish is so incredibly flavorful and satisfying, you'll never think of it as 'just vegetables'.

Curried Sweet Potato Pie with Veggie Crust

Ingredients

1 3/4 lb sweet potatoes
1/3 lb green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1-2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup chopped leeks
1/2 cup diced Anaheim chiles
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (juice of one big lime)
1 Veggie Crust, baked (recipe below)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
Minced scallion or chives for garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Roughly chop the sweet potatoes into large chunks (peel them first if you desire, though I never do). Place them in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until very soft, then drain and place in a medium sized bowl. Mash well and set aside.

Cook the green beans for 1 minute in boiling salted water until bright green. Drain and run them under very cold water or place in a bowl full of water and ice to maintain their color and crunch. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the Anaheim peppers, curry, and salt and cook for another 5 minutes. Add to sweet potatoes.

Beat together the eggs and coconut milk. Add this to the sweet potato mixture, along with the green beans. Add the fresh lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, and spread the filling evenly over the cooked veggie pie crust.

Bake for 30 minutes, then sprinkle with the chopped pecans and coconut if desired. Bake for an additional 15 minutes after adding the toppings. Once out of the oven, sprinkle with a garnish of thinly sliced scallions. Serves 4-5.

Veggie Crust

Ingredients

2 ten-ounce packages of frozen spinach, thawed
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup grated parsnip
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of nutmeg

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9- or 10- inch pie pan, or equivalent baking vessel.

Squeeze out all of the excess water from the spinach. Transfer to a medium bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Transfer veggie mixture to the pie pan and push the mixture onto the sides and bottom of the dish to form a crust shape (fingers or spoon or fork work well).

Bake for 40 minutes, brushing the crust with oil or melted butter half way through the baking time. You do not need to cool the crust before filling it.

Asparagus Dip

2011-05-28T21:34:00.004-06:00

There is only a small window of time in the year in which we can all enjoy the wonders of fresh asparagus. Yes, I know, it is one of those food items we can find in a regular grocery store all year round – I get it. But it is also one of those food items that, when harvested and eaten fresh and in-season, completely blows the always-available version out of the water. I want you all to experience this difference. And now is our window.

First, find local asparagus at your nearest Farmers’ Market. Buy a double amount that you think you want or need. Then, prepare the first half so simply it seems silly. Olive oil, salt, pepper, in the oven or on the grill only long enough until it just turns bright green. Munch. Devour. Be blown away.

Then, you can get a bit more creative with your second half since you’ll be hooked. Enter: Asparagus Dip. This involves a similar very quick cooking process as it was with your first batch. Only here, the asparagus is placed in boiling water and cooked just until bright green and then dunked into ice water to stop the cooking process and retain that beautiful color (this is called ‘blanching’). Then, you add that and a lot of other easy and delicious ingredients into a food processor, turn it on, and voila; Dip.

At the market (see the Spiced Rhubarb Chutney post for more details about my Farmers' Market season) I was describing this dip as a “lighter, cheaper, and local guacamole”. It’s delicate, but still bright with flavor, and would be a star on an appetizer plate with veggies and crackers. I myself was craving it on a burger with lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese. But that’s just me. Give it a taste and your tongue will tell you what it wants to pair it with.

Do whatever you see fit with this dip, but at least do me the favor of making it and serving it up for Memorial Day celebrations. Seasonal Eating Haven has arrived, and we have to kick it off right.

Asparagus Dip

I fancied adding a bit of herbage to this base recipe - cilantro and chive. Parsley would work great here too.

Ingredients:

2 cups asparagus, about 1 lb. (my asparagus came from Thistle Whistle farm in Paonia, CO! I've written about Mark's amazing farm and vegetables in my 'An Unbeetable Meal' post both here, and on Local in Season)

2 tsp. lemon juice

3 tsp. onion chopped

1 clove garlic minced

1 tomato chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/3 cup sour cream

dash hot sauce

Method:

1. Blanch and shock asparagus.

2. Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Transfer into another bowl and chill overnight.

4. Serve cold and enjoy.

Spiced Rhubarb Chutney

2011-05-24T22:46:00.010-06:00

I have always thought of rhubarb as an exotic and mysterious food. Why, you ask? Well, first there's the often tomato-centered conundrum: fruit or vegetable? I know what youre feeling - the word fruit is on the tip of your tongue, but something stopped you from officially categorizing it as such. But is it a...vegetable?

Although it may feel strange to say...yes, yes it is! Go on, say it with confidence now. Rhubarb = vegetable. Although we often pair rhubarb with fruit, or apply it to fruit-like applications in cooking, it is actually a good 'ol veg. It's a beautiful, large-leafed plant that sprawls far and wide with the ruby sweet-tart stalks that we put in pies and jams.

Some people love it. Hooray for rhubarb! It signals the coming of summer and is versatile in its culinary applications. Some people, on the other hand, in the reaction to hearing the word 'rhubarb', or when presented with it's long, red stalk in front of their face, will only respond with; "What the...?" and feel slightly afraid. My conclusion? It's time to spread the word of rhubarb. Tis the season for it, and I'm here to tell you all about it's multifaceted - mysterious and exotic - personality.

That's right, I'm pushing your Rhubarb comfort zone. Although we love this fruit-disguised vegetable in our pies, muffins, cobblers, and preserves, it's savory side is too often ignored...or never even addressed! This recipe responds to Rhubarb's Other Side, and I think you will be delighted to get to know each other. Here it is made into a chutney; a sweet and savory condiment that hits your tongue on so many levels that you'll be thoroughly entertained with every bite. From fresh ginger to cloves to red onion to crushed red pepper and golden raisins...no flavor sensation is left behind.

I was able to share this recipe and chutney with the Longmont Market-goers last weekend, as I have the special opportunity to run the Farmers' Market booth for the Culinary School of the Rockies this season in both Boulder and Longmont, CO. We offer seasonal recipes every week to market shoppers, with one in particular that we make and of which we give out samples. The featured recipe always centers around a peak produce item that is shooting out of the soil at that moment, and is therefore flowing off of the farmers' booths at the market that week. Our visitors can therefore taste our dish, take the recipe with them, and continue to shop for the freshest ingredients right there to make the dish and wow their friends at home. It's seasonal cooking and eating at it's finest.

So go on, head to the next market nearest you and grab a double handful of rhubarb. You're allowed to make your pie, don't worry, but reserve some for a savory treat too.

All-Star Tasters!

Cut right from the soil of Grant Family Farms and Miller Farms

Spiced Rhubarb Chutney
This chutney is fantastic on grilled meats, my favorite being grilled or roasted pork. I also love it simply as a condiment, either in sandwiches, mixed into yogurt, or for breakfast as you'll see below; on toast over a good smear of creamy goat cheese.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Sugar (feel free to adjust sugar levels to your liking)
1/3 cup Cider vinegar
1 Tb. Minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Tb. Minced garlic
1 tsp. Ground cumin
1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground cloves
1/4 tsp. Dried crushed red pepper
4 cups Fresh rhubarb (about 1 ½ lbs.) cut into ½ inch cubes
1/2 cup Chopped red onion
1/3 cup Dried tart cherries or golden raisins (or both!)

Method:

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large heavy pot with lid. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb, onion and dried cherries or raisins. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until rhubarb is tender and mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Let mixture cool completely.

Can be refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Homemade English Muffins

2011-04-24T20:45:00.002-06:00

Today was one of my favorite types of days. It was a day of discovery - food discovery to be specific - and nothing gives me more joy and excitement as do these moments. I get to experience something new, something delicious, and I feel that much more knowledgeable about the world around me than before. The food world is infinitely full of these moments. Each one builds upon the next, and I get to continuously experience them every day. I'll never get over how lucky I am for that.

But guess what? It's actually the fact that I get to share these discoveries with you that means the most to me. Yes, you! If I can do it, you can do it. And since I need to eat, and you need to eat, there's no reason I should be more informed about this human necessity than you are. I therefore feel an obligation to pass along this knowledge to as many people as possible, and I do it both gladly and eagerly. "Food is our common ground, a universal experience" after all... right, James Beard?

I felt similarly on the day I got to tell you that you can make your own Nut Butter at home, since it is something that is commonly only thought to be accessible in a store. But alas, it's not true! And today I feel the same way. Only today I'm telling you that you can make your own English Muffins. Standing there, in your PJ's, in your own home, makin' muffins. Yes, it's true!

This recipe has been on my 'must make' list for a while, and when I came across it recently on one of my favorite blogs Smitten Kitchen, I knew I had to finally check it off the list. It uses a cooking technique similar to an English Muffin recipe by Alton Brown (using tuna cans as molding rings to shape the muffins) but the ingredients are adopted from a Ruth Reichl recipe. The only ingredient I wanted to add but unfortunately forgot to buy at the store was cornmeal. My plan was to sprinkle it on each side of the muffin before cooking them on the griddle to get that nice, crunchy, hint of toasted corn flavor with every bite. But oh well, there's always next time, and now I know they are perfectly delicious without it too.

All I can really say is: sorry Thomas', but we've got your number now. I will pass by you at the store and give you a glance and a slight grin, but nothing more, and simply continue in stride.

Homemade English Muffins
Makes about 15 muffins

1/3 cup warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 2/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

5 cups all-purpose flour

Mix 1/3 cup warm water with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 package active dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in 1 2/3 cups milk. When cool, add to yeast mixture along with 1 egg, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Add 2 1/2 cups flour and mix, at medium speed, 5 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups more flour and mix well. Cover and let rise 1 hour.*

Preheat a griddle to 300 degrees F, or a heavy duty skillet to medium low heat.

Place metal rings or tuna cans (both tops and bottoms removed) onto the griddle and coat lightly with vegetable spray. Using #20 ice cream scoop**, place 2 scoops into each ring and cover with a pot lid or cookie sheet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and flip rings using tongs. Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack, remove rings and cool. Split with fork and serve.

* You can also mix this by hand, adding all of the flour at once and not for five minutes.
** Unable to figure out what size scoop this was, I can only caution you to not fill the ring more than halfway. It puffs plenty while cooking.

Fluffy, steamy centers...

...turn into those nook and cranny crags you crave after a run in the toaster. More like butter capsules really.

Inspiration for a brunch to remember: Homemade english muffins smeared with butter, and topped with fresh radish slices, scallions, sea salt and lemon juice. An uncanny combination.

Swiss chard-goat cheese eggs and purple potato garlic hashbrowns to round it all out. Happy Easter! holy food coma

Simple, wholesome ingredients

Big discoveries

Beer Bread

2011-03-22T16:39:00.023-06:00

Beer. Bread. Together. As one.

I cannot tell you how happy I am that I was finally introduced this epic culinary creation. Seeing that beer and bread are two of my favorite things, it seems as though I would have anxiously anticipated making this recipe after extensive research and taste tests. But the reality is, this recipe was actually the farthest from premeditated as you can get. It came about in an unanticipated moment; a type of moment when culinary creativity can reach its utmost potential.

It's the type of moment when you know you want to make something, but the inspiration comes so quickly that there was no prior preparation for it (and that includes shopping). Due to this spontaneity, you are therefore left to the already existing stock of the closest pantry to see what seemingly unrelated ingredients can come together to create something fantastic. It's a test to see if you can make something work, and work well, using only the things you already have.
It’s kind of like as if you were trying to survive on a desert island. Only there's no island. Or SOS calls. Hopefully.

I had decided that I wanted to make bread (...shocking, I know). But after a failed attempt to locate any yeast, I was left to dig deeper into my archives of culinary know-how. Luckily my friend chimed in during my active brainstorm throughout the kitchen. "What about beer?" he suggested.

Beer....beer....ah, yes, beer! Brilliant, I say. Yeast is a pivotal ingredient in beer production just as it is in most breads - therefore basically making beer a liquid form of bread in many ways.

In very basic terms, yeast plays an important role in the chemical processes of both beer production and bread making to enhance flavor, produce alcohol, and release carbon dioxide. In beer the alcohol is contained, but in yeast breads it is mainly cooked away, but with no loss of that yeasty fermented flavor that makes us all swoon at the smell and taste of freshly baking bread. And the carbon dioxide? In beer, if carbonated naturally, creates that bubbly efferrvesence to your pint, and in bread, the gas is released into the flour in the dough, filling your bread with delicious, chewy air bubbles in between the strands of gluten.

Bottom line: Yeast is behind everything that is awesome about both beer and bread. Be sure to thank it over your next brew or sandwich, since yeast is why both will be so tasty.

So after reaching this brilliant yeast epiphany, it was clear that Beer Bread was the decided creation on the horizon. And besides this recipe being a conglomeration of so many incredible ingredients all in one loaf (beer, bread, cheese, ground mustard, aromatics...), it is so easy to put together that it's almost silly. It has the steps and time appeal of a quick bread (the baking powder assists with the rising), but has the flavor and aroma of a yeasted bread that would normally take much more time to rise and develop.

And when you take it out of the oven, a loaf scented with a hint of beer that is encapsulated in a buttery, crunchy crust awaits you. It sits there, teasing you, and once slightly cooled, it is ready to be sliced into to reveal the scattered pieces of caramelized shallots, fragrant garlic, and melted savory cheese.
It is impossible for me to read that sentence and not have my mouth water.

You can certainly enjoy this bread on it's own, but once you bite into it your mind will instantly know it's undoubted potential for other applications. It practically begs to be dipped into a chili or soup, or put in a toaster, or to be bookends for a healthily sized barbecue pulled pork sandwich.

I've already started to imagine versions with corn flour or corn meal, perhaps some whole wheat flour, fresh herbs (cheddar/dill, sundried tomato basil), even different cheeses... and not to mention all of the different types of beer you could test out with each loaf! You could get quite a different outcome making this bread with a Guinness vs. a light lager. Maybe try an oatmeal stout with some oats scattered within the bread...or a porter with a hint of chocolate or coffee...
Here we go with the mouth watering again.

Clearly I need to get cooking. And so do you.

Beer Bread

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 small shallot, cut into a small dice

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1 cup grated cheese (I used a cheddar/smoked gouda combo)

12 oz of your favorite beer (yes, that is one can's worth)

2-3 tablespoons butter, melted

Method

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a bread loaf pan with butter and flour or nonstick cooking spray.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft, and slightly brown if desired (caramelized). Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant (you do not want the garlic to brown or else it will be bitter). Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and ground mustard. Mix in the cheese and shallot/garlic mixture. Add the beer and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky.

Transfer dough into greased loaf pan. Pour melted butter over the dough. Place loaf into middle of oven followed by a baking sheet below it to catch any butter that falls out of the pan as the bread rises. Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until the bread has risen and formed a golden brown, cragged crust and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached. Let cool - for as long as you can stand it - on a wire rack.

Slice, crack a beer, enjoy.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

2011-02-25T22:21:00.013-07:00

Chocolate, peanut butter...I pretty much should have you sold already. The appeal of this recipe could certainly lie solely within in its flavor combinations (admit it, you just thought about how you can locate a Reese's right now), but this recipe's hidden X factor is something that you cannot detect with your taste buds. It's the fact that it requires no baking whatsoever.

No-Bake recipes should really be a part of every cook's recipe arsenal. It's important to be able to know how to make something when you are in a situation sans all of your regular cooking resources, and a lack of an oven is a big one. There's that, and then when it's just too hot out to deal with oven temperatures but you still crave a baked-like sweet, you wont have to leave yourself and your friends unsatisfied. Plus, these bars have oats in them, so they're heart healthy.

I snagged this recipe from Martha Stewart in my research for good go-to no-bake bars. I played around with the recipe a bit and was pretty satisfied. I replaced the wafers with chocolate graham crackers and upped the butter and PB just a wee bit. My experimentation left the bars a bit crumbly, but no less delicious. I have the original recipe below, and play around with yourself if you see fit. Just think, there's no way you can burn them!

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars

· Vegetable oil cooking spray
· 9 ounces chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups)
· 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
· 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
· 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
· 5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
· 1 cup chunky peanut butter
· 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
· 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
· 1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides.

2. Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.

4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes.

Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. (Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Read more at Marthastewart.com: No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars - Martha Stewart Recipes

Nut Butter, Your Way

2011-02-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

I'm about to let you in on a little secret that could possibly change your culinary life. It's one of those secrets that you'll respond to saying "No way, how did I not know that before?", and you'll wonder how and why you have lived so uninformed. This specifically applies to all of my fellow peanut and nut butter lovers out there; those who shamelessly go at a jar with a spoon and cannot really imagine a day without the tasty nutty delight. For those of you who fall under that category, I'm about to empower you with a skill that will make your nut butter experiences that much more fulfilling, tasty, and economical to boot.

It's the simple fact that you can make your own nut butter. Yes, you, sitting there; you can do it. With all those years you passed grocery store aisles thinking some far away factory could be the only one to provide you with your nutty fix, you now know it can come from your own home.

What's even better about making it yourself is that you have full control over both the quality and creativity of the final product. All of those jars that have ingredients like corn syrup, thickening agents, and extra oil? There's just no need for them. On the simplest level, all you really need is your desired nut. That's it. You put a whole bunch of them in a food processor, turn it on, and within 5 minutes you'll find yourself hovered over the bowl unable to cease licking the warm, freshly churned nut butter from your spatula (not that I'm speaking from experience or anything...). Then add what you like. Salt, honey, coconut, a combination of nuts, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, flaxmeal, cayenne pepper...you name it! And, of course, don't forget to add that dash of gratitude you now have after being awakened to such a gift as freshly homemade nut butter.

Homemade Nut Butter

Okay, a few more helpful facts before you get started:

- I like to use either all roasted nuts or part roasted and part raw. The roasting process brings out the nuts' natural oils which makes churning easier, and also lends that tasty roasted flavor. My go-to combination is a 2:1:1 ratio of peanuts to almonds and walnuts.

- A food processor really is the key tool here. It's powerful enough to fully demolish the nuts to create that creamy spread for your ideal PB&J. You may be able to use a blender, but make sure it's a quality one that packs a lot of punch. Don't be deterred if you don't have a food processor - you can certainly test it in your blender and see how it goes. In my opinion a food processor is an absolutely worthwhile purchase with all of the other applications you can use it for (pesto! hummus! bread dough! frosting! I could go on!) Or, go bug a friend who knows all of this and therefore has one.

- Be patient with the process. Don't freak out after 2 minutes and your nut butter looks dry and chunky. Have the machine running for at least five full minutes and you'll see the transformation unfold. I usually like to watch the bowl like a small broadway show; the thrilling plot of how the big mass of chopped nuts all of a sudden starts swirling around the bowl as it surrenders to become a silky spread. You could also do a chore in the meantime. Personally I've come to like hula-hooping and watching it churn simultaneously.

- Store the nut butter in a tightly covered tupperware container in the fridge. The natural oils will keep better in there than on a shelf.

Ingredients:

- Around 4 cups of your favorite nut or combination of nuts. Use more if you want more. Use less if you want less.

- Any additional flavors or spices you feel like eating with your nut butter

Method:

- Place nuts in food processor

- Turn food processor on

- Wait five minutes. (if you feel the urge to scrape down the sides with a spatula, go ahead)

- Enjoy watching the churning process, or go do your 5 minute chore, or do both at the same time

- Open food processor and smell the warm nuttiness wafting into your nose. Don't resist tasting.

- Add your other ingredients if applicable (a pinch of salt does wonders at the very least)

- Mix them all together

- Taste again

- And again

- And again...

A perfect pair. Test out your next batch of Banana Mash with your new nut butter.

You wont turn back!

French Toast Casserole

2011-01-17T17:58:00.003-07:00

Ah, breakfast. So essential, so versatile...it makes an alarm clock a little less offensive knowing that it's not too far away. I know every person has their own breakfast staples as a part of their everyday routine, but it's nice to know a thing or two about throwing a special breakfast together when the time comes for such an occasion.

I agree that pancakes and french toast are great options, but I start to get cranky just thinking about all of the pans and bowls and utensils I have to get out and use so early in the morning, only to be left to clean them after my food coma has kicked in after eating. I want the paper (or...lets be honest, a good food book or magazine) and a warm cuppa' Joe to be waiting for me at that moment, not a counter full of dirty dishes.

This recipe is one of my favorite things to make when I want to make something special for breakfast, but don't feel like doing all of the hard work in the morning. It's great for holidays, vacations, when staying with friends, or on a Saturday morning to surprise someone special. I actually made a few of these casseroles last week for a catering gig and they were a hit with the gracious conference attendees. The casserole sits in the fridge overnight, with flavors mingling and developing, and is ready for the oven when you step into the kitchen in the morning.

And once everyone is awake and with a healthy appetite after the smells begin to waft from the oven, a glorious dish full of light custard soaked bread awaits the table...and your fork.

French Toast Casserole
I want to tell you that this recipe is a mere backdrop to infinite varieties. Go crazy with other ingredients as additions: dried fruit! fresh fruit! nuts! exotic spices! flavored liquors! Some stellar combinations await you.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of crusty french bread, cut up or torn into bite size pieces
12 eggs
3 cups milk (or half-and-half or cream)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (half stick) butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Maple Syrup

Method:

- Place bread pieces in a 9x13 baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

- Pour egg mixture over bread. Press the bread pieces down to make sure they are fully submerged in the liquid. Cover with aluminum foil and place in fridge overnight.

- In the morning, remove the casserole from the fridge and let sit on counter as the oven preheats to 350 degrees. Mix together the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Once the oven is at temperature, place the casserole in, uncovered, for about an hour. You want a puffed up, golden brown crust and a knife to come out clean from the center (that wont jiggle if you shake the pan). If it gets too brown before its done, simply cover it with the foil and continue baking until its cooked through.

- Pour some maple syrup over the top and serve - making sure there's more maple syrup to pass around too. And for goodness sake make sure it's the good stuff.

(I unfortunately wasn't fast enough to snap a picture of last week's casseroles, but the photo above is close to what you should be going for! courtesy of http://candcdish.wordpress.com/ )

Cranberry Ginger Oatmeal Bars

2010-12-19T18:18:00.003-07:00

Ho ho ho! Merry Hakwanza everybody. The holiday season is upon us whether we're ready or not.

Apart from all of the decorations and lights and road-raged parking lots that give us such cheer every year, the holiday season also means many festive parties to attend. Although it certainly is a time to gather with family and friends, it's also a time to brainstorm what to bring to the party when you're a guest. This causes a problem for some. What to contribute? We tend to lean towards wine or some sort of booze as a go-to, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. But I think it's time to broaden our horizons.

Sure, we all love a good drink, but food is an equally important part of a good shin-dig. That's why I look to homemade baked goods when I can. It shows you went the extra mile - spending the time to take on a recipe and bake it - and it adds a sweet finish to the party that you know everyone is looking for, even when they wont admit it. We need something to accompany that mug of holiday-mix-of-liquors-from-the-punch-bowl, am I right?

These oatmeal bars are not only tasty, but they trump cookies in difficulty level too. You mix a batter, spread it in a pan, and put it in the oven until they're done. No dropping spoonfuls on baking sheets, waiting for 12 minute intervals near the oven, having to use all of the pans in your kitchen. Once cooled you simply cut them into bars, and you instantly have individual portions of the tasty treat. I will give you fair warning though; I wouldn't count on each person to eat just one, so plan accordingly.

Cranberry Ginger Oatmeal Bars

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup craisins

2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place rack in middle position.

- Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside.

- Beat butter and sugars together in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix in.

- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture with the machine on low and mix until just combined. Stir in the oats, craisins, and chopped ginger.

- Spread batter in an ungreased 9x13" pan. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Let completely cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.

Pitza Time

2010-11-28T19:26:00.001-07:00

Now posted on Local In Season as well! Check it out.

Although we don’t associate this time of year (tell me how it came to be the end of November again?) with bountiful harvests from the garden, there are still some edible gems left in the surviving vines that keep us going throughout the winter. They are the brave warriors who withstand the cold fall nights when other vegetables bow out until next season. I’m talking about winter squash of course, and they’re about to take center stage on your table during the holiday season.

If you think about it, even our favorite ways to cook winter squash remind us of their seasonality; roasted slowly in a hot oven that first warms our homes from the cold outside, and then warms our bodies once we devour the soft, sweet, and nutty roasted flesh of the squash. It comforts us as we hunker down for ski-jacket and window scraper season.

Recently though, I have been thinking about how we tend to be set in our ways on how we use winter squash. Butternut squash? Soup. Acorn squash? Stuffed. Pumpkins? Jack-o-lanterns and pie. I realized it was time for a little more culinary exploration of these cold weather combatants.

Enter the Curry Pumpkin Apple Pitza. I created this recipe one night when I wanted something different and delicious, but without requiring a large amount of time or energy. The solution? Mini pizzas made out of pitas instead of dough (hence Pit-zas…get it! gosh I love food word puns) and topping them with flavor combinations that you’re definitely not going to find at your local pizza joint. Pairing ingredients like pumpkin and apples with curry, coconut, and lime, I went around the world and back with my first taste. Now you can enjoy an exotic spin on classic fall flavors too with every bite of this pita-pizza hybrid.

CURRY PUMPKIN APPLE PITZAS
Pair with a fresh green salad.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup ricotta cheese

¾ teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon lime juice

½ teaspoon lime zest

6 whole-wheat pitas (see Tip)
1 medium apple, thinly sliced (about 1/8” thick)

1 ½ cup grated gruyere cheese

3 tablespoons chopped scallion

METHOD

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Set oven rack to middle position.

In a bowl combine the pumpkin, ricotta, curry powder, cayenne, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, and lime zest. Set aside.

Spread pitas out on a large baking sheet and place in preheated oven. Toast pitas until slightly crisp and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.

Remove pitas from oven. Evenly spread 2 tablespoons pumpkin mixture onto each pita, following with a single layer of apple slices, and topping with cheese. Place pitas back into the oven and cook until the cheese melts and starts to bubble, 3-5 minutes.

Remove pitzas from oven and place on serving plates. Let cool at least 5 minutes. Drizzle each pitza with 1-2 teaspoons of the coconut-lime milk and evenly top with chopped scallions. Serve immediately.

Tip: Cut a small 2-inch slit on the side of each pita so steam can escape while in the oven.

Bread & Cookies

2010-11-05T05:21:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I go through food streaks. They come over me every once in a while, and there's no stopping once they've started. I zone in on one type of food or dish, and I cant stop making it in every form it comes in. Recently I've been on a baking streak, and I fear the end is not in sight.

On baking streaks I read every book on baking I have, fascinated by all of the complex processes that occur when heat meets batter. I think that every recipe I pass over MUST be tried, as if there was no other alternative. I MUST try it and I MUST bake it. Or else I will NEVER know what it's like to make it or what it tastes like. (!!!) You can imagine the anguish.

My oven gets a workout and my kitchen becomes dominated by smells of browning sugars and butter. Before I know it the counters are overflowing with full cooling wracks and dirty measuring cups. I feel kind of like the Cat Lady... But instead of cats and milk bowls all over my house, they're treats from the oven. Maybe that just makes me the Crazy Food Lady? Anyway, all I have to say is God bless the freezer.

My latest fixations have been Bread and Cookies. I think that the smell of freshly baked bread is next to hallucinogenic, let alone eating a warm slice, and cookies... well, cookies are just delicious. If you don't like cookies, I don't know if I can trust you. That's all.

With these food streaks come marathons of photo shoots of the final products. The other day I baked a loaf of bread and ended up with 75 photos on my once blank memory card. What? How did that happen? I didnt know whether to be embarrassed or impressed. Not many people could have 75 different visions of a loaf of bread. We'll call it special.

The following are some of the recent recipes I've made with their respective photo shoots. Enjoy, and seriously try these recipes out. Theyre as delicious as they look.

Multigrain Molasses Bread

1 large loaf, 14 slices

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 24 hours

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/multigrain_molasses_bread.html

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour, plus more as needed
1 1/3 cups unbleached bread flour, (see Note)
1 cup bran flakes cereal, crushed into fine bits (see Tip)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon yellow or white cornmeal, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant, quick-rising or bread-machine yeast
1 1/2 cups ice water, (see Tip), plus more as needed
1/3 cup mild molasses, (not blackstrap)
3 tablespoons corn oil, canola oil or other flavorless vegetable oil

PREPARATION

Mix dough: Thoroughly stir 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour, bread flour, bran cereal, 1/3 cup oats, 1/4 cup cornmeal, salt and yeast in a 4-quart (or larger) bowl. Thoroughly whisk ice water, molasses and oil in a medium bowl. Vigorously stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides and mixing just until the dough is thoroughly blended. The dough should be moist and a bit sticky, but fairly stiff. If the mixture is too dry, stir in just enough additional ice water to facilitate mixing, but don’t overmoisten. If the dough is too wet, stir in just enough whole-wheat flour to stiffen slightly. Lightly coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
First rise: Let the dough rise at room temperature (about 70°F) for 12 to 18 hours; if convenient, stir once partway through the rise. For convenience (and improved flavor), you may refrigerate the dough for 3 to 12 hours before starting the first rise.
Second rise: Generously coat a 9-by-5-inch (or similar large) loaf pan with oil. Vigorously stir the dough to deflate it. If it is soft, stir in just enough whole-wheat flour to yield a firm but moist dough (it should be fairly hard to stir). Transfer the dough to the pan. Lightly coat the top with oil. Smooth and press the dough evenly into the pan using a well-oiled rubber spatula or your fingertips. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon each oats and cornmeal and pat down. Using well-oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife, cut three or four 1/2-inch-deep, evenly spaced slashes diagonally in the top of the loaf. Cover the pan with plastic wrap.
Let rise at warm room temperature until the dough nears the plastic, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. (For an accelerated rise, see Tip.)
15 minutes before baking: Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°F.
Bake, cool, slice: Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Bake the loaf on the lower rack until the top is lightly browned, 60 to 70 minutes. Continue baking, covering with foil if necessary to prevent overbrowning, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on the tip (or until an instant-read thermometer registers 204-206°), 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the loaf out on the rack and let cool to at least warm before serving. The loaf is good warm but slices best when cool.

TIPS & NOTES

Make Ahead Tip: Wrap airtight and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Note: Milled from high-protein wheats, bread flour develops strong gluten, resulting in well-risen loaves. It helps give breads with a high percentage of whole grains better structure and a lighter texture. Find it near other flours in most supermarkets.
Tips: The easiest way to crush bran flakes is to put them in a small sealable plastic bag, close it tightly, then press down with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand.
To prepare “ice water” for this recipe, add a heaping cup of ice cubes to cold water and stir for about 30 seconds before measuring out the water.
You can turn your microwave into a warm, moist environment to help accelerate the second rise of the bread dough. Begin by microwaving 1/2 cup water in a 1-cup glass measure just to boiling. Set the water in one corner of the microwave, place the pan of dough on the other side of the turned-off microwave and close the door. The dough will double in size in 45 minutes to 11/2 hours.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 163 calories; 4 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 275 mg sodium; 207 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Iron (15% daily value).

Homemade Oreos

http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/my-kingdom-for-a-glass-of-milk/

Adapted from Retro Desserts, Wayne Brachman

Let’s talk about the sugar for a minute, shall we? This is a sweet cookie. A good, sweet cookie. Yet, if you think of an actual Oreos, the wafers are fairly un-sweet and actually on the slightly salty side, which contrasts with the super-sweetness of the filling bringing harmony, happiness, yada yada. If you want your cookie closer to that original, you can take out a full half-cup of the sugar. If you want to make the cookie by itself (as I did a while back for ice cream sandwiches), go ahead and use the full amount.

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

Paonia and Excelsior Best Of Pics, Summer 2010

2010-10-31T20:13:00.002-06:00

All of the pictures took up a bit too much memory space for one blog post so I put the whole album up on Facebook to browse in full. Click here to check them out! And feel free to share your feedback

A Proper Farewell

2010-10-04T18:57:00.003-06:00

Recently I have found myself at a crossroads during visits to farm stands. The other day, for example, I walked down to Verrill Farm in Concord, MA and stood in their outdoor produce section presented with a predicament. To my left I saw crates of butternut, acorn, and delicata squashes, practically asking me to crack them open, roast them, and make soup…all next to a warm fire, and probably while watching a football game. Then, to my right, I saw crates of the last ears of corn, and an entire table of…what’s this? The last-man-standing summer tomatoes? I must’ve looked like the most conflicted shopper the produce section had ever seen.

Do I let summer go and embrace fall, or hang on until Mr. Frost makes me let go? I decided that that moment at the stand was probably the last living breath these summer treats would have before becoming compost, and I had to act accordingly. With that, I reached for the tomatoes – the more delicate of the two summer options – and filled my up my basket. Sure, technically it was fall, but that didn’t mean I still couldn’t give summer a proper goodbye.

That’s when I knew what I had to make; a sandwich so simple in principle that it would showcase the pure tomato justly, but with enough room for alteration to make it worthy of the fruit’s final bow (or vegetable’s, depending on who you ask).

That’s right, we’re talking about The Ultimate BLT. This is when you go for the best of the best for every ingredient; bakery fresh bread (thanks Nashoba Bakery!), farm fresh lettuce and tomatoes (thanks Verrill!), high end bacon (thanks Vermont Smoke and Cure!), and an ultimate dressed up mayo spread (ingredients also thanks to Verrill). The end product leaves you with a sandwich stacked so high with quality ingredients that the symphony of flavors in your mouth will lead you into a meal of silence. Homemade black pepper candied bacon? Lemon-garlic-herb mayo? A slight tang of warm sourdough? A refreshing crisp of lettuce, with a final hurrah of that juicy, sweet, and meaty tomato? Go get a napkin and wipe off your drool, then get to the kitchen and give the tomato the proper farewell it deserves.

Ultimate BLT Recipe

Serves 4

1 loaf of bakery fresh sourdough bread

1 head of fresh leaf lettuce

3 large garden tomatoes, cut into ¼” slices

1 lb package of bacon

¼ c. packed light brown sugar

Black pepper

1 c. mayonnaise

½ c. packed fresh basil leaves

I TB chopped fresh chives

1 clove garlic

Zest of one whole lemon plus the juice of half of it

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place an oven safe cooling rack on top. Cover rack with strips of bacon. Generously sprinkle cracked black pepper over each strip of bacon. Then sprinkle brown sugar evenly over bacon slices. Bake in oven for around 20 minutes, depending on how you like your bacon. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place the mayonnaise, basil, chives, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a food processor or blender. Blend - while pulsing to chop all the ingredients - until everything is evenly distributed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slightly toast 8 slices of bread. Spread each side of bread with herb mayo, and layer on the slices of tomato, bacon, and lettuce leaves. Devour immediately.

Long Live the King

2010-10-01T19:29:00.008-06:00

Another article posted on Local In Season, catch the specific link here. Slightly belated, but enjoy!

Every year when summer time approaches, there are specific things I really look forward to. There are of course the longer days, the warm rays of sun, the nightly ice cream cones. It just wouldn’t be summer without these things. But, I must tell you, there are few things that get me as excited as what I consider one of the Kings of Summer. He’s tall, he’s strong, his history lies within the roots of this continent. He is Sir Sweet Corn. And not just any sweet corn, but local sweet corn. Those imposters available year round in the grocery store simply will not do. When I take my first trip to the local market and find those green treasures piled high on produce stands, I know the epitome of summer’s treats are upon us.

From then on I cannot resist eating straight up roasted corn on the cob every night for dinner for days straight. Seriously though, it’s a problem. Each year I become more and more nervous that I will overdose and never be able to eat corn ever again. The horror! In light of this though, I try to mix up the menu as much as I can while still incorporating the golden seasonal treat. This salad thankfully has enough supplemental ingredients – and delicious ones at that - to ensure me that I will still be able to eat dozens upon dozens of ears every year without losing touch with my love for every sweet, crunchy, and summery morsel.

Take some to your next summer potluck. That is, if there’s enough left after you can’t stop eating it straight from the bowl.

Summer Corn and Black Bean Salad

(serves 6 as a side dish)

Ingredients

6 ears of fresh sweet corn

1 can of black beans, drained

1 red bell pepper, cut into ¼” dice

1 small jalapeno pepper, minced, ribs and seeds removed for less heat if desired

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

¼ teaspoon cumin

Juice of one lime

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (red wine vinegar would be fine too, I just love the hint of sweetness in the rice vinegar)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Method

If you are using fresh ears of corn, cut off all the kernels on each ear with a sharp knife. Preheat a skillet over medium high heat and add some oil to coat the pan. Sautee all of the corn kernels in the skillet, stirring often, until they are cooked through – I even like to get a bit of char on them for extra flavor. This recipe is also perfect for leftover ears of corn from an earlier-in-the-week dinner. Simply cut the kernels off of the leftover cooked ears and save them until you make the salad.

Add the cooled corn kernels to a large bowl. Add the rest of the prepped ingredients and mix to combine, adding salt to taste. Enjoy the gifts of the King.

'Tis The Season

2010-09-28T20:18:00.001-06:00

Due to a busy end of summer and a bit of traveling (oh, you know, just driving cross country), there has been a bit of neglect to OUAP operations. For that I apologize...though it's not for lack of material that's for sure. So stay tuned, I hope to get some of the orchard material up soon.

In the meantime though, it is football season. Therefore, it is tailgate season. Therefore, it is Christmas in September.

Except Santa's Sleigh is replaced by a heavy duty truck, his elves wear chef's hats, and the presents come smothered in barbecue sauce. And there's a chance the eggnog is replaced by rum punch and bloody mary's...

What can we say? 'Tis the season you know.

Unloading the sleigh

Best bar in the lot

The bloody mary aficionados

Mad Dog pulls through with a ready-to-eat app while we wait for the grills

Ultimate BM garnish

Dusted with celery salt...how classy

Because sometimes you just need a good glass of pinot noir to get psyched up

Santa.

Elf.

Ah, the return of Bobby's Mystery Layer dip.

How many layers are there? What are they??

You just have to taste and find out.

Here come the ribs, wrapped in foil with care

With the introduction and debut of Bobby's 'Bobby-Q Sauce'

A drizzle of honey added to the finishing brush strokes to get that nice caramelization

Come out from your home little one...

...and hit the heat!

Perfect resistance off the bone. Bravo Bobbo

Steak tips in an asian marinade next

A coveted 'was stuck to the grill' treat

Tender, juicy, flavorful

Warren's spud spears get some heat

Salt, pepper, paprika, and a grilled crispy edge? We'll take it

God Bless the Meat and Potato

Santa grilling his custom made lamb sausage for his main event.

take that, and add some fresh corn salad with basil and red onion...

...smother with a cilantro/mint yogurt sauce...

...and stuff in a pita with fresh tomatoes, chopped cucumbers (from Santa's own garden...in the cape... you cant expect him to be in the North Pole all year), and homemade pickled onions.

Gimme more a that corn salad...

Couldn't lose with any bite

Mad Dog Approved. Now that's a good dish.

Another successful tailgate. Post-game the Pats attested their own win to the inspirational smells of success coming from our side of the parking lot.

What can we say? We do what we can.

Happy Elves.

Merry 'gaiting!