May 30, 2008
What's For Dinner?
It's going to be a warm one today so I don't want to heat up the oven and thus the house. I've missed my window for anything slow cooker related, so that's out. We have a few left overs so we may just make it a left over night. I might have another salad since I have steak and blue cheese dressing left over, or we may get take out...Hibachi for Jamison, sushi for me and rice and edamame for Alexis, but I need to balance the checkbook first.
As you can see I'm as indecisive as I was yesterday.
What are you having?
Update: 5:47 PM: Leftovers it is!
Posted by Dianne at 12:59 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Gluten-Free Buttermilk Waffles
A few times a month we like to have breakfast for dinner. When we discovered that Jamison couldn't have gluten anymore this became infinitely more complicated since that breakfast for dinner was often pancakes or waffles. So far we haven't experimented with pancakes since the gluten discovery, but we have played around with waffles.
Our first journeys into waffledom used Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix
These waffles could easily fool a gluten eater. They would have no idea they were eating something that was gluten free. The waffles are tender and fluffy. Pair them with some fruit and/or maple syrup and you're set! We'll definitely make these again.
What You'll Need:
1 cup of sweet potato flour
1 cup of sorghum flour
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
2 tablespoons of xanthum gum
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup of safflower oil
2 1/2 cups of buttermilk
Pre-heat waffle maker.
In a large bowl sift or whisk together sweet potato flour through organic cane sugar. Set aside.
Separate eggs and whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Add egg yolks, safflower oil and buttermilk to dry mixture and stir until mixed. Gently fold in egg white until incorporated.
Spray your waffle iron with non-stick spray or brush with oil. Place a dollop of batter in the middle of each square (or circle...my iron makes 4 square waffles) and lower the lid. Cook for 4-6 minutes until waffles are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Makes 8-10 waffles
Notes: These kept well and Alexis enjoyed some the next few days. Something during the cooking process caused the waffle iron to pop open. This happened on each batch, but it happened right before they were done so it didn't make a mess, but it was odd. We joked that they were explosive waffles! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 9:15 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 29, 2008
What's For Dinner?
I have no clue what we're having for dinner tonight. I can't even decide what I want to eat for lunch! It's like my brain is on permanent freeze today. Do you ever have days like that? I'm sure I'll figure it out...Maybe! ;o)
What are you having?
Update: 12:57 PM: It didn't take me long to figure out what to do for dinner! I'm going to make version two of Gluten Free Cheeseburger Macaroni for Jamison. He didn't like the first version that I made with real cheese (you see what I'm dealing with here? ;oP) so I got some gluten free dried cheese powder to play around with instead. I'll make some sort of salad and/or vegetable for Alexis and I as well. We'll see what develops. We may just be eating sandwiches instead! ;o)
Update: 3:08 PM: I still plan on making the GFCM for Jamison, but I've decided I just want a steakhouse salad. Spinach, some cucumber, tomato, boiled egg, carrot, sunflower seeds, a little steak and some homemade Thousand Island dressing. I just can't make up my mind today! Hopefully this will stick as I'm boiling eggs right now! ;oP
Update: 3:25 PM: Just discovered I have no pickle relish to make Thousand Island so make that homemade blue cheese dressing instead!
Posted by Dianne at 12:40 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Not Your Mama's Mashed Potatoes
As I've mentioned before Jamison is a super picky eater. Meat and potatoes, the occasional fruit and a few vegetables and that's about the extent of what he eats. As a result mashed potatoes are often seen on his menu and thus there are often mashed potatoes left over. So what do you do with those left overs? You can make bread, or jazz up the mashed potatoes with goat cheese, or you can really soup them up like the variation below! Who says you can't have a little pizazz on the side?
Oh and for the record Jamison wouldn't touch these with a ten foot pole! ;o)
What You'll Need:
2 cups of mashed potatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
6-8 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
1/3 cup of black olive slices
1 ounce of goat cheese
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded
1-2 tablespoons of oil from the sun dried tomatoes
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a medium sized pan sauté onions in a little extra virgin olive oil until tender. Add sun dried tomatoes, olives and cheese and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
Add mashed potatoes to the veggie/cheese mixture and add a little of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes. Stir until mixed.
Place the potato mixture in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and baked for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Makes 3-4 servings.
Notes: You can add in other vegetables if you like. Mushrooms would be good, as would chopped bell pepper. You could also switch around the cheeses if you like.
Posted by Dianne at 7:11 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
May 28, 2008
What's For Dinner?
One day last week I saw a demo video on how to butterfly a chicken and I've been wanting to try it ever since. So the plan is to butterfly the chicken and then split it into two halves. I'll season one half with Old Bay and then season the other with thyme and rosemary for a bit of choice. Too bad we can't grill the sections because that would be superb! Anyway, I'll pair it with some roasted asparagus, corn on the cob and a spinach salad.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 12:01 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Daring Bakers May 2008 Challenge: Opéra Cake
This month's challenge was the Opéra Cake and was selected by Lis from La Mia Cucina, Ivonne from Cream Puffs in Venice, Fran from Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie and Shea from Whiskful and this challenge was also dedicated to Barbara from winosandfoodies.com. Whew! Now that we've covered all of that information let's see how things went, shall we?
Opéra Cake...Oh where to start? When the challenge was first announced and I saw the pictures given of various examples, I was a bit sad that chocolate was ruled out because the chocolate examples looked heavenly! After I got over my initial bumming about the chocolate my mind immediately started envisioning layers of coconut and key lime, because well we know how I am about key lime. The rules said we had to keep it light colored in honor of spring and what's lighter than coconut and key lime? My cake however turned out to be a disaster. We'll talk more about that in a minute.
Normally when I have a kitchen disaster I don't post about it, because well we all have them, but who wants to talk about them? I didn't blog about the time I made soup with simple syrup instead of broth because I got the two containers confused or the time I baked bread and when I cut into it was still doughy? Or the numerous times something gets a little burned or singed or even when things just turn out a little off. Kitchen misadventures are part of the process, but I'd rather talk about what went right instead, because in the grand scheme of things more things go right than wrong an who wants to dwell on the wrong? In this case though we'll have to discuss the wrong, even though I thought about just calling it a wash and skipping the recount this month. In the end, even though I didn't like the results I did attempt the challenge so it's only right to talk about what happened, even if the results were far from impressive.
My first problem was the pans. I didn't have the pan sized recommended and I didn't want to buy new ones since jelly rolls pan aren't a big thing that I use often. In fact my pans that I already have are larger than the ones suggested, though it was mentioned that you could use smaller pans, but I didn't have those either. I ended up getting three whole sections from each pan, instead of two from each sheet. This made the layers thinner, but that was ok. They cooked up nicely and the texture was nice, so that was a plus.
Now let's talk flavors. I chose to add 2 tablespoons of key lime juice to the simple syrup and there simply just was not enough of it to let you really taste key lime. The coconut just over powered it, though my sister said she did get a slight taste of key lime in one bite, but I never tasted it in my slice. I added coconut flavoring to the white chocolate mousse and then obviously added some shredded coconut to the top. So basically instead of a key lime coconut combo, I ended up with coconut on coconut. That was the first disappointment.
On the buttercream front I just couldn't get it to work and I finally abandoned it all together. It's the whole egg thing in the buttercream that a) freaks me out and b) I just couldn't get it to come together. I'm not a fan of buttercream either, which may have been part of the problem. Perhaps it's the whole perception of reality thing. I had a negative view of it, so I couldn't get it to work. I will say that I don't think the butercream would have salvaged this overall, but it would have been nice to see if it had.
So basically my cake ended up with layers with the coconut white chocolate mousse in between each layer which had the key lime simple syrup soaked in. Then it was topped with the white chocolate glaze and sprinkled with coconut. In the end it was ok. I have to be honest here and say it was something I could take or leave. My sister, Ben and Nelson liked it though so I sent it home with them to enjoy, since I wasn't too keen on the whole thing. The glaze also ran a lot because it just wasn't stiff enough, but it tasted ok, so that's good in the grand scheme of things.
Well you can't win them all, but it's all about learning as we go so in the end it's all good. I can't wait to see what next month's challenge brings. Hopefully I'll do better on that one! ;o)
Be sure and stop by the Daring Baker's blogroll and see some of the other cakes. There are some stunning results out there in Daring Baker's Land!
For the joconde:
(Note: The joconde can be made up to 1 day in advance and kept wrapped at room temperate)
What you’ll need:
•2 12½ x 15½-inch (31 x 39-cm) jelly-roll pans (Note: If you do not have jelly-roll pans this size, do not fear! You can use different-sized jelly-roll pans like 10 x 15-inches.)
•a few tablespoons of melted butter (in addition to what’s called for in the ingredients’ list) and a brush (to grease the pans)
•parchment paper
•a whisk and a paddle attachment for a stand mixer or for a handheld mixer
•two mixing bowls (you can make do with one but it’s preferable to have two)
Ingredients:
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tbsp. (30 grams) granulated sugar
2 cups (225 grams) ground blanched almonds (Note: If you do not want to use almond meal, you can use another nut meal like hazelnut. You can buy almond meal in bulk food stores or health food stores, or you can make it at home by grinding almonds in the food processor with a tablespoon or two of the flour that you would use in the cake. The reason you need the flour is to prevent the almonds from turning oily or pasty in the processor. You will need about 2 cups of blanched almonds to create enough almond meal for this cake.)
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
6 large eggs
½ cup (70 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. (1½ ounces; 45 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1.Divide the oven into thirds by positioning a rack in the upper third of the oven and the lower third of the oven.
2.Preheat the oven to 425◦F. (220◦C).
3.Line two 12½ x 15½- inch (31 x 39-cm) jelly-roll pans with parchment paper and brush with melted butter.
4.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. If you do not have another mixer bowl, gently scrape the meringue into another bowl and set aside.
5.If you only have one bowl, wash it after removing the egg whites or if you have a second bowl, use that one. Attach the paddle attachment to the stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer again) and beat the almonds, icing sugar and eggs on medium speed until light and voluminous, about 3 minutes.
6.Add the flour and beat on low speed until the flour is just combined (be very careful not to overmix here!!!).
7.Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture and then fold in the melted butter. Divide the batter between the pans and spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of each pan.
8.Bake the cake layers until they are lightly browned and just springy to the touch. This could take anywhere from 5 to 9 minutes depending on your oven. Place one jelly-roll pan in the middle of the oven and the second jelly-roll pan in the bottom third of the oven.
9.Put the pans on a heatproof counter and run a sharp knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Cover each with a sheet of parchment or wax paper, turn the pans over, and unmold.
10.Carefully peel away the parchment, then turn the parchment over and use it to cover the cakes. Let the cakes cool to room temperature.
For the syrup
(Note: The syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.)
What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan
Ingredients:
½ cup (125 grams) water
⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. of the flavouring of your choice (i.e., vanilla extract, almond extract, cognac, limoncello, coconut cream, honey etc.)
1.Stir all the syrup ingredients together in the saucepan and bring to a boil.
2.Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
For the buttercream
(Note: The buttercream can be made up to 1 month in advance and packed in an airtight container. If made way in advance, you can freeze the buttercream. Alternatively you can refrigerate it for up to 4 days after making it. To use the buttercream simply bring it to room temperature and then beat it briefly to restore its consistency.)
(Update Note: The recipe for the buttercream that is listed below was originally based on the original but we had some typos. It's all very confusing (we're good at confusing ourselves) but here is the short of it: When testing the buttercream, we tested a modified version (we're crazy like that!!!) that had 2 cups sugar, ½ cup water and 1¾ cups butter. Yes. That's right. 1¾ cups of butter. The eggs remained the same. We ended up with a very creamy buttercream. VERY. CREAMY. But we don’t want anyone to be afraid of our modified version so you have the option of using the original version listed below or the quantities we’ve listed here in this note. If you are still confused and want to cry, then please e-mail us and we will comfort you!!! We promise!!!)
What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan
•a candy or instant-read thermometer
•a stand mixer or handheld mixer
•a bowl and a whisk attachment
•rubber spatula
Ingredients:
1 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 grams) water
seeds of one vanilla bean (split a vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the seeds) or 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract (Note: If you are flavouring your buttercream and do not want to use the vanilla, you do not have to. Vanilla will often enhance other flavours but if you want an intense, one-flavoured buttercream, then by all means leave it out!)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1¾ sticks (7 ounces; 200 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature flavouring of your choice (a tablespoon of an extract, a few tablespoons of melted white chocolate, citrus zest, etc.)
1.Combine the sugar, water and vanilla bean seeds or extract in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves.
2.Continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 225◦F (107◦C) [*Note: Original recipe indicates a temperature of 255◦F (124◦C), however, when testing the recipe I found that this was too high so we heated to 225◦F and it worked fine] on a candy or instant-read thermometer. Once it reaches that temperature, remove the syrup from the heat.
3.While the syrup is heating, begin whisking the egg and egg yolk at high speed in the bowl of your mixer using the whisk attachment. Whisk them until they are pale and foamy.
4.When the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature and you remove it from the heat, reduce the mixer speed to low speed and begin slowly (very slowly) pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl being very careful not to splatter the syrup into the path of the whisk attachment. Some of the syrup will spin onto the sides of the bowl but don’t worry about this and don’t try to stir it into the mixture as it will harden!
5.Raise the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the eggs are thick and satiny and the mixture is cool to the touch (about 5 minutes or so).
6.While the egg mixture is beating, place the softened butter in a bowl and mash it with a spatula until you have a soft creamy mass.
7.With the mixer on medium speed, begin adding in two-tablespoon chunks. When all the butter has been incorporated, raise the mixer speed to high and beat until the buttercream is thick and shiny.
8.At this point add in your flavouring and beat for an additional minute or so.
9.Refrigerate the buttercream, stirring it often, until it’s set enough (firm enough) to spread when topped with a layer of cake (about 20 minutes).
For the white chocolate ganache/mousse (this step is optional – please see Elements of an Opéra Cake below)
(Note: The mousse can be made ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.)
What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan
•a mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients:
7 ounces white chocolate
1 cup plus 3 tbsp. heavy cream (35% cream)
1 tbsp. liquer of your choice (Bailey’s, Amaretto, etc.)
1.Melt the white chocolate and the 3 tbsp. of heavy cream in a small saucepan.
2.Stir to ensure that it’s smooth and that the chocolate is melted. Add the tablespoon of liqueur to the chocolate and stir. Set aside to cool completely.
3.In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form.
4.Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate to form a mousse.
5.If it’s too thin, refrigerate it for a bit until it’s spreadable.
6.If you’re not going to use it right away, refrigerate until you’re ready to use.
For the glaze
(Note: It’s best to make the glaze right when you’re ready to finish the cake.)
What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan or double boiler
Ingredients:
14 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream (35% cream)
1.Melt the white chocolate with the heavy cream. Whisk the mixture gently until smooth.
2.Let cool for 10 minutes and then pour over the chilled cake. Using a long metal cake spatula, smooth out into an even layer.
3.Place the cake into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.
Assembling the Opéra Cake
(Note: The finished cake should be served slightly chilled. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day).
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Working with one sheet of cake at a time, cut and trim each sheet so that you have two pieces (from each cake so you’ll have four pieces in total): one 10-inch (25-cm) square and one 10 x 5-inch (25 x 12½-cm) rectangle.
Step A (if using buttercream only and not making the ganache/mousse):
Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.
Spread about one-third of the buttercream over this layer.
Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.
Spread another third of the buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde. Spread the remaining buttercream on top of the final layer of joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).
Make the glaze and after it has cooled, pour/spread it over the top of the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake again to set the glaze.
Serve the cake slightly chilled. This recipe will yield approximately 20 servings.
Step B (if making the ganache/mousse):
Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.
Spread about three-quarters of the buttercream over this layer.
Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.
Spread the remaining buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).
Prepare the ganache/mousse (if you haven’t already) and then spread it on the top of the last layer of the joconde. Refrigerate for at least two to three hours to give the ganache/mousse the opportunity to firm up.
Make the glaze and after it has cooled, pour/spread it over the top of the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake again to set the glaze.
Serve the cake slightly chilled. This recipe will yield approximately 20 servings.
Posted by Dianne at 7:14 AM | Comments (45) | TrackBack
May 27, 2008
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're going to have left overs from yesterday's Memorial Day feast for two reasons: 1) I'm tired today and don't want to cook and 2) We do have left overs and they need to be used. I'll most likely make some sort of potato for Jamison to go along with it.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 2:42 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Tuesdays with Dorie: Pecan Honey Sticky Buns
It's Tuesday! So you know what that means...Tuesdays with Dorie
I felt guilty making these this week, because one of Jamison's all time favorites are cinnamon rolls and there was no way he could eat these! I had even planned to make a gluten free version for him but time got away from me and I have yet to find a gluten free dough that will roll out the way you need to to make cinnamon rolls. Even the doughs that promise to do just that don't live up. More experimentation is definitely needed!
Anyway, these turned out really well! I did tweak a few things, but that's par for the course I think. I used only dark brown molasses sugar instead of using a mix of brown and white sugar. I ended up having to use more butter and sugar in the middle to get it to spread out over the entire surface area. Also I mixed up a batch of cream cheese icing, because what's a sticky bun without a little icing?
Overall I'd give these a 4 out of 5 stars. Would I make them again? Probably not. The whole process is a bit intensive for a normal breakfast and there is enough butter here to kill a horse, but they were good. As Dorie mentioned in the recipe there are many recipes for cinnamon buns and everyone thinks theirs is the best and I guess I'm no different on that front. I like the ones I make on Christmas morning better and in all honesty I'm not a big fan of Dorie's brioche, though there was enough sugar and cinnamon here to overpower it so it ended up being pretty good.
I'm still on a quest to figure out a gluten free version that work and are not grainy, but I digress. I ended up sending the sticky buns home with my sister yesterday so she could enjoy them. I sent the loaf of brioche from the other half of the dough recipe home with her too. I also sent the rest of my Daring Bakers challenge home with her as well, but we'll get into that tomorrow! ;oP
Without further ado...Here's the recipe!
What You'll Need for the Glaze:
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup honey
1-1/2 cups pecans (whole or pieces)
What You'll Need for the Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
What You'll Need for the Buns:
1/2 recipe dough for Golden Brioche loaves (see below), chilled and ready to shape (make the full recipe and cut the dough in half after refrigerating it overnight)
Generously butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan (a Pyrex pan is perfect for this).
To make the glaze: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter, and honey to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Pour the glaze into the buttered pan, evening it out as best you can by tilting the pan or spreading the glaze with a heatproof spatula. Sprinkle over the pecans.
To make the filling: Mix the sugars and cinnamon together in a bowl. If necessary, in another bowl, work the butter with a spatula until it is soft, smooth and spreadable.
To shape the buns: On a flour-dusted work surface, roll the chilled dough into a 16-inch square. Using your fingers or a pastry brush, spread the softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar, leaving a 1-inch strip bare on the side farthest from you. Starting with the side nearest you, roll the dough into a cylinder, keeping the roll as tight as you can. (At this point, you can wrap the dough airtight and freeze it for up to 2 months . . . . Or, if you want to make just part of the recipe now, you can use as much of the dough as you'd like and freeze the remainder. Reduce the glaze recipe accordingly).
With a chef's knife, using a gentle sawing motion, trim just a tiny bit from the ends of the roll if they're very ragged or not well filled, then cut the log into 1-inch thick buns. (Because you trim the ragged ends of the dough, and you may have lost a little length in the rolling, you will get 15 buns, not 16.) Fit the buns into the pan cut side down, leaving some space between them.
Lightly cover the pan with a piece of wax paper and set the pan in a warm place until the buns have doubled in volume, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The buns are properly risen when they are puffy, soft, doubled and, in all likelihood, touching one another.
Getting ready to bake: When the buns have almost fully risen , center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Remove the sheet of wax paper and put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Bake the sticky buns for about 30 minutes, or until they are puffed and gorgeously golden; the glaze will be bubbling away merrily. Pull the pan from the oven.
The sticky buns must be unmolded minutes after they come out of the oven. If you do not have a rimmed platter large enough to hold them, use a baking sheet lined with a silicone mate or buttered foil. Be careful - the glaze is super-hot and super-sticky.
What You'll Need for the Golden Brioche Dough (this recipe makes enough for two brioche loaves. If you divide the dough in half, you would use half for the sticky buns, and you can freeze the other half for a later date, or make a brioche loaf out of it!):
2 packets active dry yeast (each packet of yeast contains approx. 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/3 cup just-warm-to-the-touch water
1/3 cup just-warm-to-the-touch whole milk
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature but still slightly firm
What You'll Need for the Glaze (you would brush this on brioche loaves, but not on the sticky buns):
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
To Make The Brioche:
Put the yeast, water and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add the flour and salt, and fit into the mixer with the dough hook, if you have one. Toss a kitchen towel over the mixer, covering the bowl as completely as you can-- this will help keep you, the counter and your kitchen floor from being showered in flour. Turn the mixer on and off a few short pulses, just to dampen the flour (yes, you can peek to see how you're doing), then remove the towel, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and mix for a minute or two, just until the flour is moistened. At this point, you'll have a fairly dry, shaggy mess.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, set the mixer to low and add the eggs, followed by the sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, until the dough forms a ball. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter in 2-tablespoon-size chunks, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding the next. You'll have a dough that is very soft, almost like batter. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl (or wash out the mixer bowl and use it), cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 40 to 60 minutes, depending upon the warmth of your room.
Deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall with a slap to the bowl. Cover the bowl with the plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours, then leave the uncovered dough in the refrigerator to chill overnight. (After this, you can proceed with the recipe to make the brioche loaves, or make the sticky buns instead, or freeze all or part of the dough for later use.)
The next day, butter and flour two 8 1/2-x-4 1/2-inch pans.
Pull the dough from the fridge and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cut each piece of the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log about 3 1/2 inches long. Arrange 4 logs crosswise in the bottom of each pan. Put the pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, cover the pans lightly with wax paper and leave the loaves at room temperature until the dough almost fills the pans, 1 to 2 hours. (Again, rising time with depend on how warm the room is.)
Getting Ready To Bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
To Make the Glaze: Beat the egg with the water. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the loaves with the glaze.
Bake the loaves until they are well risen and deeply golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pans and turn the loaves out onto the racks. Invert again and cool for at least 1 hour.
Posted by Dianne at 6:58 AM | Comments (27) | TrackBack
May 26, 2008
Corn On The Cob With Thyme
It's almost summer and fresh produce is starting to come in! When I saw some local corn (which in all honesty I kind of doubt the local part given how much rain we've had and how cold it's been up to this point!) I had to grab some! Alexis and I both love corn, so how could we pass that up?
When you think corn on the cob most likely you think boiled and then served with some butter, salt and pepper, but it doesn't have to be. You can roast it using some foil and season it up with a few herbs, giving you a delicious, healthy side dish. And to top it off this is the perfect picnic or barbeque food! What's not to like?
What You'll Need Per Person:
1 ear of corn
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Dried thyme
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven 425 F.
Shuck and clean an ear of corn and place it in a square of aluminum foil.
Using a basting brush brush the entire ear with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, sea salt and black pepper.
Fold the foil around to make a packet and place corn on a baking pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until corn is tender.
Notes: You could do this with any herb you like. Another good topper for corn is Old Bay Seasoning. This method can also be used on the grill by placing the foil packet on the grill for 10-15 minutes.
Posted by Dianne at 8:14 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
What's For Dinner? Memorial Day Edition!
It's Memorial Day! The first unofficial day of summer and the temperatures are actually going to climb in to the high 80's to prove it! What better time to pull out some picnic food and have a little get together?
My sister and her husband are coming over with Nelson and Grant (baby toes!) and we're going to have a nice afternoon of fun. We're going to have some pulled pork with some barbeque sauce, potato salad, baked beans, slaw, corn on the cob, some spinach artichoke dip for snacking and my completed Daring Bakers challenge, which will be revealed on Wednesday.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 8:03 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
May 25, 2008
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're going to do light and simple for dinner and Alexis and I will have a spinach salad. I'm not sure what Jamison will have, most likely a sandwich.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 12:55 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
May 24, 2008
What's For Dinner?
Today we're planning on spending the majority of the day outside working on the garden and the yard. I'm not sure what we'll do for dinner, but most likely something quick and simple and more likely that not I won't make dinner, but we'll pick up some hibachi for Jamison and some sushi for me after a day of hard work. Alexis usually likes to get edamame and rice, but sometimes she gets a cucumber roll, so we'll judge what she wants when the time comes.
What are you having?
P.S.I'm hoping to post a garden update this evening and hopefully it will show the garden completely tilled and plants planted, though we do have all weekend and the weather is supposed to be good so stay tuned! ;o)
Update: 3:54 PM: Catching up with the mowing, which had to be done before the tilling, has proved to be an all day task due to the volume of grass that has been fed by almost non-stop rain the past week or so. I've mowed on and off, but Jamison has done the brunt of the work so I will most likely cook dinner. I'm thinking of making steak sandwiches (on gluten free bread for Jamison) and oven fries...For now the garden update is also on hold. We'll get back to that tomorrow. We're tired, but it's been a productive day.
Posted by Dianne at 9:35 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 23, 2008
Yellow Squash with Vidalia Onions
Growing up in the South squash was one of those foods that you saw a lot especially in late spring and on into summer. If you've ever ventured South or have partaken of Southern cuisine you've most likely seen fried squash and to be completely honest it just never spoke that much to me, but then again you're taking about the girl who pulls the breading off of fried shrimp and just eats the shrimp. I like breading sometimes, but there are just certain foods I'd rather have sans breading and yellow squash (and shrimp for that matter) is one of them.
Growing up my mom used to make squash with a little onion. It normally involved some water and/or most likely some margarine, a little diced onion, along with salt and pepper. I decided to take that classic and lighten it up a bit with extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper and throw in some Vidalia onions for good measure.
I've been making squash this way for years and it's delectable. The squash itself has a buttery flavor all on its own so no butter is needed and the olive oil helps bring out a nutty flavor as well. This is a delicious, quick and healthy side dish that is just perfect when you want something a little different.
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
5 or 6 yellow squash, cut into rounds
1 Vidalia onion, diced (Note: Any type of onion will do.)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium sized pot add a little extra virgin olive oil. Dump in squash and onions and add a pinch of sea salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently to ensure it's not burning until onions and squash are soft. Serve immediately.
Did I mention how sinfully easy this is? Who says healthy food has to be difficult and taste bad?
Notes: Sometimes I do a mix of squash and zucchini. Or you can do this with zucchini only.
Posted by Dianne at 11:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're having homemade pizza. Alexis and I will have a white whole wheat crust and Jamison will have his pizza on Gillian's GF dough. (I haven't gotten around to experimenting with my own GF pizza dough yet, but Gillian's is really good! It's not the same consistency that you would expect pizza dough to be, but it bakes up nicely and it has a mild flavor that doesn't overpower the rest of the pizza.)
I can't decide if I want to do something like this or something a bit more traditional with sauce and a little bit of everything. I guess I'll decide that as I'm making the pizza. Alexis normally eats cheese and black olives, though lately she's asked for just cheese. Jamison likes ground beef, pepperoni and rice mozzarella. (We buy the block and shred it ourselves because it melts better.) Alexis and I both put regular fresh mozzarella and Parmesan on our pizzas and she loves to help me put them together.
So that's what we're having. What are you having?
P.S. Check back later for a recipe for yellow squash with Vidalia onions.
Posted by Dianne at 8:29 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 22, 2008
Pan "Fried" Broccolini with Garlic
For the past few years I've heard people go on and on about broccolini, but I had never seen any in the store to actually try. Last week I actually found some at a local market while Alexis was in her dance/gymnastics class flitting and having fun. I couldn't wait to get it home to try! I decided to pan "fry" it with a little garlic that very night and it was heavenly!
Broccolini is a cabbage hybrid that actually looks like a long broccoli floret. It has a milder flavor than broccoli and it doesn't have that sometimes harsh green flavor that broccoli can have when it gets old. Overall it has a mellow undertone that is a bit sweet. It was just perfect pan "fried" and next up I want to try steaming the vegetable to see how that works. Perhaps I may even try to bake some and see how that turns out as well.
Oh the possibilities! I love finding new things to try!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
Broccolini
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a large skillet over low to medium heat sauté garlic until just tender in a little extra virgin olive oil, careful not to burn. Add broccolini and sprinkle with sea salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until broccolini is just tender. Serve immediately.
Notes: Did I mention how easy this was? Start to finish you're done in about 10 minutes tops. You could add in other seasonings if you liked, but I think simple is better here. A splash of lemon juice would make a nice addition however.
Posted by Dianne at 1:05 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're going to do simple...Breakfast for dinner! I think we'll have some gluten free waffles, bacon and perhaps some scrambled eggs.
What are you having?
P.S. Check back later this afternoon for a quick and healthy broccolini recipe. We went out to run errands this morning so I haven't had a chance to get it up yet. Nap time is coming in a couple of hours so I'll get it done then. :o)
Posted by Dianne at 10:55 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
May 21, 2008
Basic Roasted Lemon Chicken with Thyme and Rosemary
Basic roasted chicken is a very simple, yet very delicious solution to an impressive meal. It gives you a little wow factor, all while being crazily easy to prepare. It's perfect for a week night or even to pull out when company comes around. Most importantly (or at least to me) is the left over chicken to make other things with and of course the potential to make chicken broth. I'm all about multi-purpose when it comes to potential future meals.
Now let's talk roasting. There are two schools of thought on the matter. Low and slow or high and fast. I however like to do a combination of the two. I like to roast the chicken at 325 F for an hour or so and then crank the temperature up to 400 F for the last 30-45 minutes. The slow makes the chicken tender and juicy, the last blast of heat gives you that lovely brown color and crispy skin. I usually bake a chicken at least two hours, but most likely closer to three. It all depends on how large the chicken is and things of that nature.
When I'm picking out a chicken I always choose a chicken that is natural. If it says it has added fluid or solution or whatever that is not the chicken you want! You want a basic, unaltered, unadorned, unmessed with (yes I just made that up! ;oP) natural chicken. The stuff they add is mostly water and/or salt and or some weird flavoring that is supposed to make it taste better, but do you want to eat some weird flavoring that is most likely some nasty chemical or would you rather do it yourself? Trust me doing it yourself is better! ;o)
When seasoning your roasted chicken you can just do basic and add just salt and pepper or you can spice it up a bit. Chicken is very versatile and it's one of those things that is very easy and very fun to play around with. If you aren't sure which way to go two choices in terms of herbs that will give you a knock out chicken every time are thyme and rosemary. With the addition of the lemon you have a wonderful combination that will wins you raves.
Some what are you waiting for? Let's roast a chicken!
What You'll Need:
1 natural chicken
Sea salt (Note: I like to use Celtic sea salt when roasting a chicken.)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, cut in half
Extra virgin olive oil (Note: Some people use butter, but I use olive oil for two reasons: 1) It's healthier and 2) I think it makes a crisper skin and gives the chicken an overall better taste.)
Dried thyme (Note: I think the dried thyme works better for roasting versus fresh thyme.)
Dried rosemary (Note: See explanation for dried thyme.)
Pre-heat oven to 325 F.
(Note: The USDA recommends a chicken have an internal temperature of at least 165 F and to be totally honest I never check the temperature. You want to chicken to be done through and if you stick it with a fork the juices should run clear. If they don't then the chicken is not done and should be cooked longer. After you've cooked a chicken or two you can usually tell by looking at it if it's done. According to USDA guidelines a 3-4 pound chicken will take 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours to bake fully at 350F. It also depends on the actual temperature of your oven as well as they can run either hot or cold.)
Rinse your chicken under cool water and pat dry. Place in a large baking dish.
Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and then stuff in the lemons.
Next drizzle the outside with olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt, black pepper, dried thyme and rosemary.
Place baking dish in the oven and cook chicken for 1 1/2 -2 hours. Then raise the oven temperature to 400 F and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes until the skin is really browned and crispy. Remove chicken from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting and servings.
Notes: Lemon not your thing? You can stuff the chicken with onion and/or garlic. You can also add in potatoes and carrots around the chicken about 20 minutes before you up the temperature to 400 F to make it an all in one dish.
Posted by Dianne at 9:32 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
What's For Dinner?
I've gotten several e-mails and a comment asking to bring back the "What's for Dinner" segment, so ask and you will receive!
Most days I'll post an entry and tell you what I'm making for dinner, or thinking of making, or even ask for suggestions if I'm totally drawing a blank. I'm interested in what you're having for dinner too, so please comment and let me know! It's a fun way to brain storm and it also makes meal planning more fun! And who knows? What you're having might sound better to me than what I have in my head! ;o)
So without further ado here we go:
Tonight I'm making stuffed mushrooms, roasted asparagus and a spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 8:38 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
May 20, 2008
Tuesdays With Dorie: Not Madelines, But Quintuple Triple Chocolate Brownies (With Peanut Butter Frosting) Instead!
It's Tuesday! So you know what that means...Tuesdays with Dorie
Digressing...Where was I? Oh yes...Quintuple Chocolate Brownies! Which in all reality in my case were more aptly Triple Chocolate Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting. I ended up melting 3 ounces of milk chocolate chips and 3 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips for the brownie batter. (That's chocolate one and chocolate two for those of you who are counting!) I used whole milk chocolate chips stirred into the batter. (Which if you're still counting would go back to one since I had already used milk chocolate in the batter.) And then last but not least I used cocoa. (Which round us out to chocolate three!)
I was out of white chocolate so I decided to whip up a peanut butter frosting, which I've listed below as well and I must say they really turned out great! We're back to that quintessential pairing of chocolate and peanut butter...How can you go wrong there?
To make these more travel friendly I decided to bake the brownies as cupcakes, because I don't have a 9 X 9 inch pan. I've got an 8 X 8 inch pan, but I wanted for Jamison to be able to take these to work to share and I didn't think either of those pans would yield enough brownies. In cupcake form I ended up with around 21 cupcakes and I baked them for about 20-25 minutes.
Be sure and stop over at the Tuesdays with Dorie blog and peruse the blog roll to see what all the other TWD bakers came up with this week!
What You'll Need for the Brownies:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (Note: I used semi-sweet chocolate chips.)
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (Note: I used milk chocolate chips.)
2 Tablespoons strong coffee (Note: I omitted this. You've heard my spiel on coffee before so I'll spare you this time! ;oP)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla (Note: I used 1 tablespoon.)
6 ounces premium-quality milk chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought milk chocolate chips (Note: I used 6 ounces of milk chocolate chips.)
1 cup chopped nuts (Note: I skipped the nuts.)
What You'll Need for the Glaze: (Note: I skipped this and did peanut butter frosting instead.)
6 ounces premium-quality white chocolate, finely chopped, or 1 cup store-bought white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
What You'll Need for the Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 cup of peanut butter powder
Getting Ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt.
To Make the Brownies:
Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add, in the following order, the butter, the two chocolates and the coffee. Keeping the pan over low heat, warm just until the butter and chocolates are melted - you don’t want the ingredients to get so hot they separate, so keep an eye on the bowl. Stir gently, and when the mixture is smooth, set it aside for 5 minutes. (Note: I did this in the microwave instead of messing with a double boiler. I still let it cool for 5 minutes though.)
Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, beat the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Don’t beat too vigorously - you don’t want to add air to the batter - and don’t be concerned about any graininess. Next, stir in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. You should have a smooth, glossy batter. If you’re not already using a rubber spatula, switch to one now and gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. Finally, stir in the milk chocolate chips and the nuts. Scrape the batter into the pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out streaked but not thickly coated. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the brownies rest undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. (You can wait longer, if you’d like.)
Turn the brownies out onto a rack, peel away the foil and place it under another rack - it will be the drip catcher for the glaze. Invert the brownies onto the rack and let cool completely.
To Make the Glaze:
Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds, then, using a rubber spatula, gently stir until the chocolate is melted and the glaze is smooth.
Hold a long metal icing spatula in one hand and the bowl of glaze in the other. Pour the glaze onto the center of the brownies and use the spatula to nudge it evenly over the surface. Don’t worry if it dribbles over the edges, you can trim the sides later (or not). Refrigerate the brownies for about 20 minutes to dry the glaze.
Cut into 16 squares, each roughly 2-1/4 inches on a side.
To Make the Peanut Butter Frosting:
In the bowl of a mixer cream together the cream cheese and butter until completely smooth. Add powdered sugar on low speed and mix until completely incorporated. Next add the peanut butter powder also on slow speed and mix until completely mixed. Spread mixture on cooled brownies and serve.
Posted by Dianne at 7:06 AM | Comments (50) | TrackBack
May 19, 2008
Taste & Create IX: Chicken Breasts with Mediterranean Stuffing
I had so much fun last month with the Taste & Create event that I signed up to do it again! This month my partner was CIA: Cooking in an Apron and there were so many wonderful recipes to choose from that it took me a while to decide what I wanted to do. I finally chose to make Chicken Breasts with Mediterranean Stuffing!
First off let's just cut to the chase...Goat cheese! Those of you who are regular readers know I adore goat cheese and have even made it myself! Also I must admit I had never tried sun dried tomatoes, though I have wanted to. I know they were really popular back in the 90's but I was a dirt poor college student back in those days and they never even crossed my radar. So the combination of the two sounded so nice that I just knew I had to try it!
I ended up making my own tapenade. It's simple. You just mix together roasted garlic, black olives, sea salt, some black pepper and a little olive oil. You can do this process with green or black olives, but I chose to do it with black since that is what the recipe called for. Since I had added garlic to the tapenade I left it out of the recipe. I also like my tapenade a bit chunky, instead of smooth.
The process of making this chicken is simple: You take a boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut into it at the thickest part, filleting it open, but not totally cutting it in half. Next you add in a layer of cooked spinach:
On top of the spinach layer you next add a layer of goat cheese mixed with sun dried tomatoes:
To mix the goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes together I chopped up the tomatoes and placed them and the goat cheese in the bowl of my mixer with about a tablespoon of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes and mixed until incorporated.
Once the goat cheese mixture was added I topped it with some of the tapenade and folded the breast over and baked it at 375 F for about 25-30 minutes until golden and done through and that was the only thing that I changed instead of cooking it in a pan on the stove top. It was one of those days and I had so many things going on I couldn't watch it properly so I baked it for 25-30 minutes and it turned out great! The flavors all melded so well together and I was able to use spinach from my spinach box on the front porch!
If you like spinach, tomatoes and goat cheese then this is the chicken for you!
Be sure to check For The Love of Food after May 24th to see how the Taste & Create round up went!
Have a wonderful day everyone! I'm off to vacuum, mop and then work on a quilt!
Posted by Dianne at 7:52 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
May 18, 2008
Garden Update: We're Still Not Planted!
So rain...We've had a ton of it! Given we were in a drought status last year and we've more than caught up now I'm trying to look on the bright side, but the garden is still not done! The ground is too wet to till and we realized rapidly that we were going to have to do just that...Till! The garden area is just too big, not that big is a bad thing when it comes to gardening. This weekend was wet and cold again so it's been a bust. Yesterday the sun did actually come out, but the ground just didn't dry out fast enough before it began raining again last night.
Today we'll take a look at how the container plants are doing and my have they grown since our last update! That's why I love doing these little garden updates. It lets me see how far things have come even when it might feel like things are sitting still!
Peas:
They are growing nicely. I'm expecting them to dip over the sides of the box and start their downward decent any day now. No blooms yet, but they should be along soon.
Spinach:
The spinach has really come along! We've been harvesting small snacks and I even used some to make quesadillas the other day! There's enough now to make a salad, so we'll be having a spinach salad along with dinner this evening.
The tomatoes:
All 40 seeds I planted came up. I've already taken one out and planted it in a pot for Alexis, but they have done really well so far. The plants next to them are squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelon, etc and as you can see they're doing ok too.
More tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, peppers, squash, watermelon and cantaloupe:
When we realized the garden was going to be a bit larger than I had first anticipated we decided to buy a few plants to supplement the ones I grew from seed. We got several tomato plants, some cucumbers, some peppers, more herbs and a couple of melon plants. And if you're curious the plant behind them is indeed a pineapple! ;o)
Some of the tomatoes are already blooming!
I think this is a "Better Boy" or "Big Boy" or something along those lines. The Carbon Tomato (black) is also blooming.
The herb box is coming along nicely:
The herbs are really growing and the thyme has really spread out...Just what I wanted to see! I've been using some of these here and there.
The herbs for the garden...
There are a few flowers in there too, but they are ready and waiting to go into ground...IF it ever stops raining! ;oP
And lastly today we'll look at our little garden experiment if you will...Last year's pimento!:
I always grow several peppers and tomatoes in pots for Alexis. She knows that these are "hers" and she can snack at will so that she leaves the garden alone until it's time to harvest. This was one of her peppers last year. Last October I stuck the pot in the garage for the winter and this spring I drug out the pots and the pimento started putting on leaves! I don't know if it will bloom again or what, and thus the experiment of the whole thing, but Alexis and I are having fun watching it to see what happens. Learning is fun! ;o)
So now that I've bored you with the update I'll let you be! ;oP These updates thrill me far more than they do you, but hey it gives me a way to keep track of what's happening and have visual tracking of what's happening. :o)
I hope you all are having a fabulous weekend! I am despite the rain. :o)
Posted by Dianne at 10:04 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
May 16, 2008
Spinach, Swiss and Vidalia Quesadillas
Yesterday for lunch I wanted something Mexican and the more I thought about it the more quesadillas kept popping into my head. I had some Swiss cheese, I had picked up some Vidalia onions the day before and I needed to thin out my spinach window box (you can't get more local than your own front porch!) so I decided to put them together, along with some whole wheat tortillas and make a quick lunch.
What You'll Need per Person:
2 whole wheat tortillas
1/4 of a Vidalia onion, cut into strips (Note: Any kind of onion will work.)
1-2 cups of baby spinach leaves, julienned
Extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1 ounce of Swiss cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and spinach leaves in a little extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt, some freshly ground black pepper and some cayenne pepper until tender. Remove the sautéd veggies and set aside.
Wipe out the skillet and heat over high heat until hot. Spray with non stick spray and place a tortilla into the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the side down is golden browned and then remove from the skillet and place the browned side down on a cutting board. Give the skillet another spritz of non stick spray and repeat the procedure with the other tortilla.
While the second tortillas is cooking place the sautéd veggies on top of the tortilla that is resting on the cutting board. Top veggies with cheese. When the second tortilla is browned add it browned side up on top of the other tortillas. Carefully place the tortillas on a baking pan so as not to loose any of the filling and bake for 3-4 minutes to let the cheese melt and blend with the other ingredients.
Remove from the oven. Let sit for 2 minutes and then cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.
Notes: You can add other things to the filling. Mushrooms work well, so do bell peppers. If you want you can add beef, chicken and/or shrimp. The filling is completely up to you.
Posted by Dianne at 12:15 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
May 15, 2008
Creamed Spinach
A friend of mine's mom used to make a mean creamed spinach. I always loved coming over to her house when I was in Knoxville, because inevitably she would make that dish because she knew I loved it as much as her family did. It was a nice little oasis away from the drudgery of everyday life.
As much as I love this dish I never asked her how to make it, because at the time I doubted my abilities in the kitchen...Years of being oppressed can do that to a person, but many years later I put two and two together and figured out exactly what was in the dish and was able to recreate it to the point that it brings back such fond memories.
Every time I make this dish I think of her, even though I haven't seen her in years. In a way I guess it's my little tribute to her and that makes me happy.
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
6-8 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 - 1 pound bag of frozen spinach (Note: You can use fresh spinach, but I don't have quite enough of it yet to do that, but it's growing everyday!)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup of half and half or heavy cream
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large sized skillet over medium to low heat sauté garlic for a minute or two until soft. Don't let it go too far and turn brown. Add the spinach, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and the spinach is soft. Stir in half and half or heavy cream and cheese and cook stirring constantly until cheese is melted and any liquid is gone (about 2 minutes). Serve immediately.
Notes: Sometimes my friend's mom would switch things up a bit and add in sautéd mushrooms or onions in with the garlic. It's a very forgiving recipe and very easy to tweak.
Posted by Dianne at 8:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 14, 2008
Key Lime Milk Chocolate Chip Bars
In keeping with the same theme of my pick for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie I decided to make something Key Lime related to send to work with Jamison to share with his coworkers. At first I thought about making some Key Lime Cookies, but the idea rapidly evolved into these bars instead.
The chocolate and the key lime give each other a nice playing off of point. The coconut also gives it a nice overall flavor. The bars are soft, tender and cake like due to the sweetened condensed milk and coconut and overall it's just a very nice way to play around with Key Lime.
What You'll Need:
1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick of butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup of key lime juice
1 cup coconut
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3 1/2 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups of milk chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In the bowl of a mixer dump the sweetened condensed milk, butter and eggs on medium speed until well blended. Next add Key Lime juice and mix until incorporated. Add coconut and stir in on low speed until well mixed. Add sugar and mix until blended. Next add sea salt, baking powder and baking soda and stir into the wet mixture. Slowly add flour at low speed and mix until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spray a 13 X 9 inch pan with non-stick spray and spread the batter out in the dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and done through. Remove from oven and let cool in the dish. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes: You could add in some cashews or macadamia nuts to an added crunch.
Posted by Dianne at 12:26 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
May 13, 2008
Tuesdays with Dorie My Pick: Florida Pie! Plus Coconut Creamsicle Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries Just for Fun!
It's Tuesday! So you know what that means...Tuesdays with Dorie
If you're a frequent guest to Dianne's Dishes you've heard me talk about my love for Key Lime before and if you come back you'll most likely hear about it again. When I looked through the book I looked at several recipes as a possibility for this week, but I kept coming back to the Florida Pie. I know some people are not fan of Key Lime, so it will be interesting to see how everyone did with this recipe and I know several people that didn't like the idea of coconut in with the Key Lime, but I had always been curious as to how the two would blend so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to test some boundaries and after all that's what makes being in the kitchen fun.
I actually made a few tweaks to this recipe. I decided to make the pie in an 8 inch springform pan, instead of a pie dish to make it have a bit more height. I also added some whole, raw cashews on top of the crust and I did not bake the crust either.
For the lime juice I strayed a bit too. I added in 3/4 a cup of Nellie and Joe's Double Strength Key Lime Juice instead of using fresh juice and I used 3/4 a cup instead of 1/2 a cup and I really liked the depth of flavor it brought to the pie overall. It was most definitely a nice addition.
In terms of the meringue I did not follow the recipe. I didn't heat the egg whites, I simply just made meringue by beating the egg whites with organic cane sugar. I also forgot to add the coconut to the meringue, though I had intended to make that addition. In the end though the pie overall turned out fine without it so maybe it was a providence. ;o)
Usually on Tuesdays I send whatever I make if it's possible to work with Jamison, but this one was a bit on the messy side for that, so I made some Key Lime Milk Chocolate Chip Bars to send along with him instead in the spirit of the whole Key Lime theme. I'll post the recipe for those tomorrow so be sure to check back then!
Anyway, this is my choice for this week. Overall I was very pleased with how it turned out. The cashews were a nice surprise and I really liked the coconut overall too. The pairing with the Coconut Creamsicle Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries was fabulous as well! I would definitely make this again.
Be sure to stop over at the Tuesdays with Dorie blog to see how everyone else's pie turned out.
What You'll Need:
1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, separated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 cup of sugar
What You'll Need for the Coconut Creamsicle Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries:
2 - 12 ounce bottles of Izze Clementine sparkling juice
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup of dark chocolate covered goji berries
1 cup of coconut
Note: The above ingredients are set up to work in this ice cream maker
Getting Ready to Make the Pie:
(Note: First make and freeze the ice cream. See instructions below.)
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.
Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.
Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.
To Finish the Pie with Meringue:
Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.
Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.) Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.
To Make the Ice Cream:
In a large bowl stir together ingredients. Dump mixture into the tub of your ice cream maker and freeze according to your model's directions. Remove from ice cream machine when it's done and place in the freezer until firm. Serve alone or along with the Florida Pie.
Posted by Dianne at 6:04 AM | Comments (59) | TrackBack
May 12, 2008
Fruity Watermleon Smoothie
Most mornings I eat some sort of fruit and occasionally I like to make a smoothie. Smoothies are great because it's an easy way to get in several servings of fruits and/or vegetables in one sitting, all while having a delicious breakfast or snack! Pick the fruits and/or veggies you like (you can even throw in nuts and/or seeds if you like!) and take it for a spin the blender and you've got an instant, healthy breakfast or snack that will really hit the spot.
What You'll Need:
1 cup of watermelon
1/2 cup of blueberries
3-4 strawberries
1 banana, sliced (Note: I usually use a frozen banana, but I didn't have any frozen bananas today so I used ice instead. If you use frozen fruit you can leave out the ice.)
1/2 cup of orange juice
5-6 ice cubes (Optional)
Dump ingredients in the jar of your blender and blend until smooth. (Did I mention how easy this was?)
Makes one large smoothie or two small smoothies.
Notes: There is no need to use any sweetener in a smoothie as the fruit/juice is sweet enough in and of itself. You also don't have to use ice or frozen fruit, but I like the way it makes the consistency of the smoothie.
Posted by Dianne at 9:28 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day!
Posted by Dianne at 1:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 10, 2008
No Gardening Today...
Unfortunately there was no gardening today. It rained all night so the tiller was a no go. We're supposed to get rain through Tuesday (up to 4 inches eee gads!) so it's going to have to dry out a bit. I'm going to pick up the tiller later this week. The sun is actually out right now, but it's not supposed to last long. I think we may need to build a boat... ;oP
I hope you all are having a wonderful Saturday. I'll catch up with you on Monday.
Posted by Dianne at 5:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 9, 2008
It's Friday and it's Raining...
It's Friday! And it's raining! And for the first time in like ever I actually feel like writing! (And yes those last two sentences started with "And"! ;oP) So my little chickadees you've heard of a "snow day", but I'm going to take a "rain day" today, turn on some Celtic music and do some writing. Yes I just totally made that up, but there you go.
I'll most likely be back tomorrow with a garden update since our plan is to finish up the garden tomorrow and get it planted. Hopefully I can get some good pictures with my little camera since the D20 is still on its own little vacation. So check back then or if you only check in during the week have a wonderful weekend and I'll catch you on Monday!
Off to writing I go! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 8:50 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 8, 2008
Spinach Gruyère Quiche
I love quiche and lately I've been wanting to make one, so when I had some left over pie dough I decided this was the perfect way to put it to use! Quiches are simple and delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner! This one utilizes some fresh spinach, which just happens to be in season right now, and pairs it with some Gruyère and just a hint of Monterrey Jack. The Gruyère provides the saltiness and the Monterrey Jack gives it a smooth undertone. It's just perfect when you're really in the mood for quiche.
What You'll Need:
1 pie crust (Note: You can use homemade or store bought.)
2 cups of baby spinach, julienned
1 small onion, chopped
1 to 1/2 cups of Gruyère, shredded
1/4 to 1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack, shredded
Freshly ground black pepper
A very small pinch of sea salt (Note: Gruyère can be salty so be careful with adding additional salt. If you do choose to add some I wouldn't add more than 1/8 to 1/4 of a teaspoon at most.)
8-10 eggs (Note: This depends on the size of your eggs. If you eggs are larger you'll most likely need 8, if they are smaller then 10. There is no wrong answer with a quiche so do what feels right to you.)
Preheat oven to 400 F.
If you are using a homemade pie crust then roll it out and place it into a pie plate. If you're using a store bought crust it's either in a pre-made tin or it's already rolled out. If it's the rolled out version place it in a pie plate as well. Once your crust is in the pan, whether it is put there by you or already purchased that way, set it aside. Also make sure it is thawed if it was frozen.
In a large bowl toss together spinach, onion, cheeses, black pepper and sea salt if needed. Add eggs and stir to mix. Pour the egg/vegetable mixture into your pie shell. Bake for 30-40 minutes until quiche is done through and slightly golden.
Seriously how easy is that?
Notes: You can use any type of veggie or cheese that you like. If you wanted to make this gluten-free you could leave the crust out and simply bake the egg mixture in the pie dish without it, which would give you more of a fritatta, but it's the same in principle.
Posted by Dianne at 10:20 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
May 7, 2008
Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
Before the gluten had to go Blueberry Muffins were one of Jamison's favorites. Of course his version came out of a box, but that's neither here nor there! ;oP So now it was time to come up with a gluten free version that Jamison could enjoy and this happened to fill that bill.
One nice thing about these muffins is that they stay moist, even days later. The consistency is very good as well. There is no residual graininess or anything of that nature either that sometimes happens with gluten free baked goods. This is one you could definitely take and serve to gluten eaters without them really noticing and sometimes that is just what you need.
What You'll Need:
2 cups of sweet potato flour
1 cup of tapioca flour
1 cup of sorghum flour
1 3/4 cups of organic cane sugar
4 tablespoons of powdered milk
3 tablespoons of xanthum gum
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
1 cup of plain yogurt (Note: I used fat free.)
4 eggs
1/3 cup safflower oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
1 - 10 ounce package of frozen blueberries (Note: If you can't find a 10 ounce package then 12 or 14 ounces will work fine.)
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl mix or sift together sweet potato flour through baking powder. Set aside.
In a separate bowl mix together through buttermilk until smooth. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until dough forms.
Stir in blueberries until incorporated and place dough in muffin pan that has been lined with cupcake liners. Each liner should be 3/4ths of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
Makes roughly 30 muffins. Store in an airtight container to retain moistness.
Notes: In theory this should work with any frozen berry. I say in theory, because as I've learned since this gluten free adventure began, theories that might work with regular flour sometimes go astray when you're dealing with no gluten.
Posted by Dianne at 1:29 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
Check Back Later...
Alexis and I are off to the zoo this morning. Check back this afternoon for a recipe for Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins!
Oh and have a great day everyone...It's spring! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 8:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 6, 2008
Tuesdays with Dorie: Peanut Butter Torte
It's Tuesday! So you know what that means...Tuesdays with Dorie
Now first up we must say peanut butter...chocolate...A match made in heaven! Seriously the two just meld so well together and this pie was no different. I did do things a bit differently though. I left out the cinnamon and the nutmeg. I've tried both in the past paired with chocolate and I just have to say I'm not a fan of the combination. I also don't think either go well with peanut butter. As always I also left out the espresso powder too because coffee is not my thing. I know it's supposed to "bring out the flavor of the chocolate" but all I taste is coffee when it's present.
For the crust I ended up beating the heck out of the Oreo's with a meat mallet and having a coarse grind instead of a fine variety. My food processor went to the big food processor heaven in the sky a couple of months ago (i.e. the motor finally blew) and I haven't replaced it yet as I'm still saving to do that. My blender jar was in the dishwasher at the time I was making the crust, not that I think it would have done such a great job crushing them though, so I improvised. What's a recipe without a little improvising? ;o)
My next change was a slight one...I used honey roasted peanuts instead of regular old peanuts and I omitted the pinch of salt. I also added 1/2 cup of chopped honey roasted nuts into the crust as well to give it a bit more punch. On the topping I ended up mixing 1 cup of honey roasted nuts and 1/2 cup of mini-chocolate chips. I didn't end up adding all of this mixture to the top, but I used more than the 1/2 cup alloted in the recipe. The mini-chocolate chips were not called for on the topping, but I decided they would be a nice twist.
For the ganache on top I did not make the ganache listed in the recipe. I had some of the chocolate coating left over from the Cheesecake Pops for the Daring Bakers challenge this month and I decided to use that instead. It worked perfectly! I ended up having just the right amount to coat the torte and the little baby torte I made without crust since it would be gluten free for Jamison.
As I mentioned above I took some of the filling and put it in a dish for Jamison since the Oreo's have gluten in them and I wanted him to be able to enjoy this dessert too. I topped his little baby torte with chocolate and the honey roasted peanut/mini-chocolate chip mix and it worked very well.
So that was this weeks choice and I really enjoyed it! Next week is my choice. How exciting is that? ;o)
Be sure and stop over at the Tuesdays with Dorie blog and take the links to see how everyone else's Torte turned out! And take a look at the bite below:
Doesn't that look like a little bite of heaven?
What You'll Need:
1 1/4 cups finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee) (Note: I omitted this.)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Note: I omitted this.)
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (Note: I omitted this.)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate)
24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt(Note: I omitted this.)
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (Note: I think you could have gone ahead and used both bars instead of just 1 and 1/2 packages.)
1 1/2 cups salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy) (Note: This "not natural" made me want to do just that! ;oP I plan on trying it again with natural and see what happens. The natural peanut butter I buy is blended and it doesn't separate into peanuts and oil. I'm pretty sure it would work just fine.)
2 tablespoons whole milk (Note: I'm not sure where this was supposed to go in, but I missed it somewhere.
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped (Note: As I mentioned above I didn't make the ganache, but utilized something I already had on hand in the fridge.)
Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Toss 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in 1/4 cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, 1/4 cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.
Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Scrape the mouse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.
To Finish The Torte:
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.
Bring the remaining 1/2 cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.
When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Posted by Dianne at 6:44 AM | Comments (26) | TrackBack
May 5, 2008
Strawberry Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
So you buy those heavenly smelling, ripe, juicy strawberries and just for fun you pick up two packs, because well they smell so heavenly and you just know that the taste will more than compare, because after all a good smelling strawberry is a good tasting strawberry! You eat some fresh, you might throw some into some yogurt, cereal or a smoothie, you can use them to make various salads or there is always cobbler or shortcake and of course strawberry ice cream, but what if you want to take the ice cream and switch it up a bit? What if you want to make it a little different? Why not throw in a little chocolate mint?
I have been looking for chocolate mint for years and when we went to South Mountain Creamery's festival a week ago the grower that had a booth there actually had it! Some say it's doesn't taste or smell like chocolate, but I disagree. It does have a hint of chocolate there. Others say it was named that because of the sensation it brings to your tongue when you bite into much like an Andes Mint. Regardless the chocolate mint gives the ice cream a cool, fresh burst and it really compliments the strawberries. The mint doesn't over power the overall taste, it simply adds to flavor with a hint of freshness and mint.
Note: This recipe is designed to fit in this ice cream maker
What You'll Need:
2-4 cups of ripe strawberries, capped and chopped into pieces (Note: I like little bits of frozen strawberries throughout the my ice cream, but if you prefer it to be smooth then process in a food processor until smooth. I also like a lot of strawberry taste so use more strawberries or less depending on what you like.)
1/4 cup of organic cane sugar
1-2 tablespoon of fresh chocolate mint, chopped fine
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1 - quart of heavy cream
In a large bowl add strawberries, mint and sugar and toss to coat. Let sit for at least 1 hour to let the strawberries and mint form a syrup with the sugar. You can leave it to sit overnight in the fridge if you like.
Stir in sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream and pour the mixture into your ice cream freezer.
Freeze ice cream according to your machine's directions until it is thick. It will be the consistency of soft serve ice cream:
For a hard set place in a container in the freezer until completely set. You can serve it in the soft serve state or frozen completely depending on your tastes. Either way you're left with a lovely ice cream with tiny bits of mint and lovely chunks of strawberry throughout.
And that my friends is a very, very good thing.
Notes: If you can't find chocolate mint then spearmint or peppermint will work fine as long as it's fresh and not dried. Also if you don't like mint you can leave it out for a basic strawberry ice cream.
Posted by Dianne at 10:17 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
May 4, 2008
Pulled Pork with Barbeque Sauce, Slaw and Oven Fries
Barbeque doesn't have to be hard...There I said it. You can have your secret ingredients, you can claim that only smoking it makes it good, you can grill it, you can bake it, you can even slap that sucker in a crock-pot and while each might have its charms, they all end up being charming and delicious in and of themselves. Add in some oven fries and a little slaw and you've got an easy meal that will have you looking forward to those summer days right around the corner.
This version falls into the oven or crock-pot category. You simply roast the pork with a little olive oil, black pepper and sea salt and then shred, top with some barbeque sauce and slaw, while pairing it with some oven fries and you've got a fabulous barbeque dinner that will win you raves. The most important thing to remember is that this is extremely easy too and that's always good, especially on a week night when dinner can be hectic.
What You'll Need for the entire Meal:
A pork roast (Note: Butt, shoulder or whatever cut you prefer.)
Buns (Note: Hotdog or hamburger buns either would work. I normally buy the whole grain type if I do a bun at all, which I usually don't, but I couldn't find them this go around.)
Barbeque sauce (Note: I use my homemade sauce, but you can use the bottled stuff if you prefer. I'll even give you a pass on the high fructose corn syrup lecture just this once. ;oP)
Slaw (See recipe below)
Oven fries (See recipe below)
What You'll Need for the Slaw:
2 cups of cabbage, shredded (Note: You can use green cabbage, red cabbage or a mix of both.)
1 cup of carrots, shredded
(Note: If you want to just buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw mix feel free. I like to do it myself since it's a bit fresher, but either method will work.)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of apple cider (Note: If it seems a bit thick add a bit more vinegar a tablespoon at a time to thin it out.)
1/4 cup of light mayonnaise
1-2 tablespoons of organic cane sugar or honey (Note: If you like slaw sweeter go with more, if you like it less so go with less.)
1 teaspoon of celery seed (optional)
What You'll Need for the Oven Fries per Person:
1 potato, cut into shoestring pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
Black pepper
First you need to get the roast started. You can do this one of two ways. You can put the roast in a crock pot with about an inch of water, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set the crock pot on high and cook for 5-6 hours until the roast falls apart and/or you can shred it with a fork.
The other way to do this is to cook the roast covered in the in oven low and slow. Preheat oven to 300 F. Place the pork roast in a dish (choose one that has a lid) and drizzle the roast with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the dish with the lid or foil if you don't have a bakeable covered dish and bake for 3-4 hours depending on the size of the roast. You'll know it's done when you can take a fork and it will start to shred like this:
Once cooked let the roast sit for 10-15 minutes and then shred with a couple of forks.
After the pork is shredded you can eat it however you like. I sometimes eat it without a bun, and in fact usually eat it that way, but occasionally I do use buns. Usually it's a layering system bun, then shredded pork, then barbeque sauce.
Once you have the barbeque sauce in place top it with slaw and serve.
While the roast is cooking make your slaw. Slaw is a simple dish, cabbage or other vegetable of your choice, a little mayo, some vinegar and a little sugar or honey. You don't need a lot of any of these. The key to a good slaw is that it's not swimming in sauce. It should be slightly coated, but you don't want a lot of extra sauce. The taste of the cabbage/salad should be accentuated, not covered up. Slaw also needs a bit of time to marinate for an hour or so before serving.
In a large bowl toss together cabbage and carrots until mixed or dump the premixed cabbage or broccoli mixture. In a separate bowl mix together mayo, vinegar and sugar until smooth. Pour the mayo mixture over the cabbage and toss to coat. Store in the fridge covered until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Thirty minutes before you're ready to eat start your oven fries. Rinse the potatoes and cut them into shoestring pieces. Toss the cut potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and place on a baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are done through an are slightly crispy.
Notes: If you want a different take on slaw then why not try some Wasabi Slaw? You could use sweet potatoes or purple potatoes instead of regular potatoes to switch things up on the oven fries. You could also use other seasonings on the fries. Seasoned salt is good, or Old Bay Seasoning is also a good addition.
Posted by Dianne at 12:34 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 2, 2008
Spring Salad
On Saturday after spending all morning at the farm festival and then all afternoon supplementing my plants for the garden I wanted something fresh for dinner. Being outside always makes me crave fresh food.
I had some seasonal sugar snap peas and strawberries and decided it would be fun to create something with those two ingredients. I just kept adding vegetables and fruit and this is what came about. I guess it's true that simple is normally best.
You could make this a side salad in a smaller portion or a meal in and of itself as I did. It's just perfect for one of those days that you just want something different, yet delicious all while being fast and easy to make. It was fresh, springy and really hit the spot!
What You'll Need Per Person:
1/2 cup of sugar snap peas in the pod, chopped
1/2 cup of strawberries, sliced or quarted
1/2 cup of green grapes
1/2 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup of cucumbers, sliced
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
1/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
The juice of one orange
1 ounce of blue cheese, crumbled
In a bowl toss together sugar snap peas through walnuts and toss to mix. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar and orange juice until fully incorporated. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat fully.
Sprinkle the top of the salad with crumbled blue cheese and serve.
Did I mention how easy this was? ;oP
Notes: Any vegetable/fruit combo you like will work. You could also mix and match the nuts and seeds according to taste.
Posted by Dianne at 1:28 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 1, 2008
Key Lime Parfait
Key lime...What to say? I love Key Lime! Key Lime Pie, Key Lime Cheesecake, Key Lime Ice Cream, Key Lime Cookies, if it's Key Lime I'll at least give it a try and yesterday was just one of those days that Key Lime was calling out to me, though I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I talked it over with Darlene (or we e-mailed as the case may be) and I knew I wanted to take the aspects of a Key Lime Pie and do something different with them and in talking (or typing as the case may be) I came up with the Parfait idea! Darlene is a good sounding board and she always makes me thinks, but then again that's what best friends are for. ;o)
Anyway, a while back when we did the Lemon Meringue Pie for Daring Bakers I thought at the time it would be fun to play around with the flavors of the custard for that pie and do something different with it, so that's just what I did. Pairing the Key Lime Custard with graham crackers and whipped cream brought together the dish and the elements blended together well as they always do, but it gave it a slightly different taste over all than just your standard Key Lime Pie. Overall it was just delicious though and that's all you can ask for.
Now I'm off to spend some time on the treadmill, because well you know! ;o)
What You'll Need:
2 cups of water
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1/2 cup of cornstarch
5 egg yolks, beaten
4 tablespoons of butter, but into bits
3/4 cup of Nellie and Joe's Double Strength Key Lime Juice
1 tablespoon of coconut extract
Graham crackers
Whipped Cream
Bring the water to a boil in a medium to large sized pot. Once water boils remove from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to cool somewhat.
While the water is boiling/cooling separate eggs and stir together eggs yolks until smooth. Measure out coconut extract and set aside.
Next whisk together sugar and cornstarch until completely incorporated. Add the sugar/cornstarch mixture to the water and whisk until smooth. Return pan to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will likely be thick.
Add a ladle full or so of hot key lime mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Now add the tempered eggs back to your pot whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Cook for another minute or two until the mixture is completely incorporated and smooth.
Remove from the heat and stir in key lime juice and coconut extract until smooth. Next add the butter until it is completely incorporated. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
To Make the Parfaits:
In a dish or individual serving vessel crumbled graham crackers and completely cover the bottom surface of the bowl/dish.
Next spoon in a layer of key lime custard to cover the graham crackers.
Now add a layer of whipped cream on top of the key lime custard.
Repeat this process until your dish/bowl is filled.
Chill for at least 2 hours and serve.
Notes: You could do this with orange or lemon juice if you prefer. You could also add in some real coconut to switch things up a bit.
Posted by Dianne at 8:44 AM | Comments (14) | TrackBack
