Cooking + Baking

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Me and the Bee

July 6, 2009 in Cooking + Baking, Eating, Watching by Colleen | 4 comments

Good morning everyone!

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend.  I sure did, which would account for not posting on Friday.  The hubster had a three-day weekend, and I saw no reason not to join the fun.

It was pretty hot here, at least for me, the I don’t like it above 85 degrees gal, so we spent a lot of time in shady spaces – like the front yard of Bridget and Eric’s house, sipping cool drinks and noshing on cherries, as well as prostrate on the back porch, enjoying the breeze and the scent of jasmine.

As you can probably deduce, I also spent some time in the kitchen, making the scrumptious coffee cake Gregory is enjoying with his coffee.  I’ll post the recipe at the end, as I’ve got something neat to show you first.  Take a look.

I’ve got a little friend!  I had been outside observing the bees as they devour the nectar from the lavender.  I love to sit right on the ground next to the plants and watch them zip from blossom to blossom, all the while enjoying the buzzing symphony of happiness.  I noticed this little guy about a half an hour after I had come back inside.  I think it was on my skirt the entire time because I would have noticed a bee flying around the house.  Maybe I am entirely deluded (it wouldn’t be the first time), but I honestly believe that the bees like me, too, and this fella was, quite like I do with them, just observing me in my habitat.  Bees are very smart, after all.  Besides, even if it isn’t true, it is still pretty neat to  think that the little guy was clinging to my skirt the whole time.

So the recipe for the coffee cake and another confession about sugar.  I wish I could say I haven’t been eating much, but that would be a bald-faced lie (such an odd expression).  Truthfully, I’ve been eating it about twice a week.  After my diagnosis, I decided to focus on that, not sweets.  Once I’ve recovered from surgery, working on my sugar addiction will be at the top of my to-do list.

Fruity Coffee Cake

-adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook 75th Anniversary Edition

1 1/2 – 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit (I used two diced apricots and about 1 cup fresh raspberries)

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup butter

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned with milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center, and set aside.

In another bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, and almond extract.  Add this mixture, all at once, to the flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened.  The batter will be lumpy.  Spread half of the batter into an ungreased 8″ square pan.  Spread the fruit over the batter.  Drop remaining batter in small mounds over all.  Top with the streusel mixture.

streusel topping:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Mash together with your fingers until the mixture holds together.  Sprinkle over cake.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.  Serve warm.

Enjoy!

A Really Good Sandwich

July 1, 2009 in Cooking + Baking, Eating by Colleen | 1 comment

Okay, so my cutting board isn’t looking too pretty right now.  It is berry and cherry stained, but please don’t let it deter you from making this sandwich because it’s delicious.  If you’re on the fence, I’ll even provide you with a testimonial: I didn’t know how well this sandwich would go over with the hubster (sometimes he’s picky), so I brought out a sample with the intention that he would take a bite and I’d eat the rest.  I interrupted him while he was trimming the yard, which didn’t make him happy, but his face lit up once he tasted it.  “This is good!”  he exclaimed, and then proceeded to eat the rest, even though I told him it was mine.  Sharing isn’t always his forte (he’s an only child), but it was a good sign and a source of laughter.  Hopefully you’ll like it, too.

Sliced bread

Bell pepper – roasted, peeled, and diced (broil until browned all over, use the technique in this recipe, or buy roasted peppers in a jar at the store)

onion marmalade (recipe below)

cream cheese, chevre, or a spreadable sheep’s milk (Valentine from Ancient Heritage is awesome!)

Onion Marmalade (adapted from the July 2009 issue of Sunset)

1 tablespoon each – butter and extra virgin olive oil

2 large red onions, thinly sliced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/8 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt (I used my favorite Alder Smoked Sea salt from Mountain Rose Herbs)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup white Balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup white port or any other dry white wine

Melt the butter and oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper, stirring well to combine.  Cook until onions have softened and browned slightly, about ten minutes.  Add the vinegar and wine.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the mixture is soft and sticky, about five to ten minutes.  Allow to cool.

Now make a sandwich.  The marmalade would taste great with a sharp cheddar and turkey or roast beef, too.

Enjoy!

All Ways Delicious Pancakes from Scratch

June 1, 2009 in Cooking + Baking, Eating, Remembering by Colleen | 4 comments

When I was a little girl and had pancakes for breakfast at a friend’s after sleeping over, I always wondered why their mom or dad’s version tasted so much different than my mom’s.  For the most part, they were exactly the same size, shape, and golden hue (though never as fluffy).  Additionally, the syrups tended to be the same, though sometimes I was surprised with a Mrs. Butterworth’s (fancy!) or in the case of Janet Womack’s mom, the use of plain corn syrup instead of the fake maple I was accustomed to.

Finally, after not being able to puzzle it out and always enjoying the pancakes at home over anywhere else (besides Grandpa’s – he used the same recipe), I asked my mom about it the next time she made them.  “Well,”  she said, “they probably use a mix and mine are from scratch.”  “Oh.”  “Yeah, it makes a big difference.”  Indeed it does.  Here is my variation on the recipe that makes a big difference, given to my mom by my Nana, my Grandpa’s mom.  I’ve also included myriad variations at the end – they’re all delicious.

Pancakes from Scratch

1 cup flour

pinch salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg, separated

1 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together, set aside.  Add egg yolk to the milk in a measuring cup and stir.  Beat the egg white until it is stiff but not dry.  Mix the dry ingredients and the milk and egg yolk mixture together until smooth (do not over beat).  Gently fold in the egg white, doing your best not to deflate the mixture.  This gives the pancakes a wonderfully light texture.  I won’t insult your intelligence here.  You know how to do the rest.

Variations:

Hungry?

This recipe makes about a dozen 3″ pancakes, though it is easily doubled or tripled.  You can also make a big batch and then freeze the leftovers for a quick weekday breakfast.  Lightly toast them and you’re good to go!

Milk?

You can use any kind of milk here – soy, rice, oat, almond, hazelnut, buttermilk, whatever strikes your fancy.  Today’s photo actually used hemp milk.

Eggs?

I’ve used the Ener-G Egg Replacer with good results.  Since there is no yolk, just whip up the mixture like you would the egg white, though it won’t get as stiff.

Vegan?

Use the egg replacer along with the non-dairy milk of your choice.

Flour?

I’ve made this recipe with brown rice flour, oat flour, whole wheat, all-purpose, buckwheat, gluten-free blends, and every combination.  The results have always been good, though if you go gluten-free or all whole wheat, I’d use more baking powder (1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour) for a little extra lift.

Blue Corn?

Use a mixture of one half corn meal (very fine masa, and it doesn’t have to be blue, though it is the prettiest!) and one half all-purpose flour (or equivalent).

Like Fruit?

Banana?  Mash up a banana (small to medium size) really well (or use a hand blender) and add to the milk mixture.  You can also slice it like the apple below, but make sure the pan is well oiled.  Bananas are sticky.

Apple?  Place a slice or two on the griddle just before pouring the batter over the top, or use 1/4 cup applesauce for every cup of flour.  You may need to cook them a little longer.  Add some cinnamon and ginger, too, they’ll be yummy!

Blueberries?  Add some to the batter, or if you suffer from Colleen style anal-retentiveness (eek!), evenly distribute a small handful over each pancake just after pouring the batter onto the griddle.

Fruit Syrup?

Mix whole berries, chopped fruit of virtually any variety (fresh or frozen, though not banana), or a combination into a sauce pan.  To that, add water or fruit juice (apple or white grape are good neutral flavors, orange for contrast), about 1/2 – 2/3 the volume of fruit.  Mix in some cornstarch (usually about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for every cup of fruit) with sugar or whatever sweetener you use (to your liking) and heat until thick and bubbly.  Add a little vanilla or almond extract and butter.  You can also add a little ginger and/or cinnamon – especially good with plum, peach, and apple syrups.

Peanut Butter?

Spread some on your pancake just before pouring your favorite syrup over the top.  This is especially good with the banana variety.  Elvis would be proud, too!

Pumpkin?

Add 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin (canned or homemade) for every 1 cup of flour  along with cinnamon and ginger, and you’ve got a fall hit on your hands.  Sprinkle with toasted pecans and hot damn – delicious!

Enjoy!

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Millions of Peaches and a Little Problem

May 21, 2009 in Cooking + Baking, Thinking by Colleen | 3 comments

I love that song by The Presidents of the U.S.A.  I also considered Blame it on Peaches as a title, a nod to the the movie Blame It On Rio.  I’ve only seen bits of it with a very young Demi Moore in a bikini and Michael Caine sporting what looks like a tight perm.  What is it with the 80’s and perms anyway?  I’m not judging, as I had my fair share of them (done at home with neon pink and blue rollers).  I’m just wondering why we thought this was a good idea.

As you can see by the photos, this post is not about music, the 80’s, or perming one’s hair.  It’s about PIE, and to be precise, peach meringue pie, the hubster’s favorite that I make.  I like it, too.  I wish I could remember where I first saw a description of a pie like this, but I can’t.  I do remember being excited to go home and make my own, however.  Now you can, too.  Here’s how it goes:

Peach Meringue Pie

Crust

Buy or make your favorite pie crust, enough to line a tart pan or a 9″ pie plate.  I’m rather partial to Martha Stewart’s recipe from her classic book Pies and Tarts.  I love a buttery crust.   Cut a piece of parchment large enough to fit the pan with a bit of overhang then fill with pie weights or dry beans (I keep a container of them expressly for this purpose).  Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove the parchment and beans as carefully as you can – the paper will likely brown and turn very brittle, like mine did.  As well, and as you can see, it will be hard to get everything out without spilling the beans, tee hee!  Bake an additional 5-6 minutes, or until golden.  Cool.

1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate chips.  I put them in a metal measuring cup over low heat on the stove top.  It goes pretty quickly.  Brush the melted chocolate over the pie crust, though not on the exposed edge.  This helps prevent the custard from softening the crust.  Don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste the chocolate.  Though, if this worries you, white chocolate chips are certainly an option.

Filling (make while the crust bakes)

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon butter

Mix the corn starch, sugar, and milk together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble.  Cook another two minutes and remove from heat.  Mix 3/4 of a cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks.  Pour back into the pan, mix well, and return to the heat, stirring until it bubbles again.  Cook another two minutes, remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla and butter.  Sometimes I like to add a little powdered ginger here.  It is a wonderful complement to peaches.  Allow to cool.

Meringue

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 egg whites

6 tablespoons sugar

Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla together until the mixture starts to form mounds.  Add a tablespoon or two of sugar at a time, thoroughly incorporating it before adding more.  If you add too much too soon, it will be runny and unusable.  When you are finished, it will be thick and glossy beautiful!

2 -3 peaches, sliced

Though I used some left over compote this time, I usually line the crust with fresh peaches.  Top with the cooled pudding then the meringue, making sure you get it to the edge, so it won’t shrink while baking.

Bake at 350 for fifteen minutes or until golden brown.  Though it will be very tempting, allow to cool before serving.  Enjoy!

Now to address my little problem or the emperor’s new clothes, so to speak, me and this durn sugar addiction.  I’ve eaten it twice this week!  Once for Bunco – I made a delicious buttermilk bundt cake with a praline glaze and peach compote (hence the left overs) and this pie.  I can’t invite people over without giving them sweets, thus requiring me to buy ingredients and bake a cake.  Since I had the leftover flour, sugar, and compote, hate being wasteful, and know how much the hubster loves this pie, I could think of no other logical conclusion but to make it and eat one slice.  Would Spock be proud or look at me in wild wonder?  Gosh, I don’t know, but I’ll bet he’d enjoy a slice of pie or cake while we discuss it.  Alas, I’ll take it day by day.  There is always tomorrow.

Oh yes, I can’t forget to say – Happy Birthday Sarah and Becky!  Happy Anniversary Bridget and Eric!  You’re all wonderful people who bring the best kind of sweetness into my life…

Inspired

May 20, 2009 in Cooking + Baking, Drinking, Eating, Inspiring by Colleen | Permalink

A couple of weeks ago, the G-Man and I went out with our good friends Bridget and Eric, something we’d been wanting to do for ages, but every time we tried, it didn’t work out.  Wouldn’t you know that this was one of those last minute arrangements that comes together perfectly?  I love when life places all the little ducks in a row and I benefit from it.

Our first stop was Bridget’s mighty fine choice, the Gilt Club, where we enjoyed stellar service from an uber cute and funny waitress and a super fine happy hour menu (I love adjectives!):  A Moscow Mule (kapow!) served in the copper cup and an Appletini (made with real apple, no frightening neon green concoctions) were the beverage highlights.  We also got some delicious salads, cute mini burgers with drippy gruyere cheese and yummy fries, and  manchego cheese fritters that I insisted on calling cheese balls.  “Come on Eric, taste the balls, they’re delicious.”  I know, sometimes I’m beyond silly and bordering on impossible.  It’s my way.

After that, we walked two short blocks to the Augen Gallery where we enjoyed Morgan Walker’s exhibition Rodeo Combinations.  Here’s where I struggle a little bit to describe it:  Not quite whimsical, but there is certainly great humor in it (I laughed!).  I like how many of the paintings are a story for which the viewer chooses the length.  Gaze for a moment at the title and the composition and receive the Cliff’s Notes version.  Stand a bit longer and the the tale grows longer, more textured, and complex.  Speaking of texture, that’s something else I like about the paintings, I think he must load his brush with a lot of paint and then make very small brush strokes because the canvasses are not at all flat, but very much the topographical versions of the stories he’s telling.  Yet it’s not too much either.  There’s a subtlety to it.

One of the highlights, I might add, wasn’t even a painting, but a blueprint of thought.  Morgan, over a period of a year and a half,  wrote down connections between philosophy and surfing that included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan, Wittgenstein, and, of course, Gidget.  To say I was inspired is putting it mildly.  I love getting glimpses into people’s minds.

Finally, speaking of inspired, these are salads I made after the one that I had at the Gilt Club.  Their version didn’t have steak on it, but I needed some protein.  It is a mouth watering combination of baby greens, watercress, peas, shaved fennel, grapefruit, and pine nuts, tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette.  The post card is from Morgan’s show, and since it is called Rodeo Combinations, I’ve got to say, “Giddy-up!”

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