INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp (45 ml)- vegetable oil
1- egg (medium)
1/2 cup (35 g)- fresh mint (chopped)
1/2 cup (35 g) fresh parsley (chopped)
2/3 cup (150ml)- milk
2 cups (280 g)- brown rice flour
DIRECTIONS
Combine the oil, egg, mint, parsley, and milk and whisk together.
Blend in the flour slowly and beat until you form a stiff dough.
Place the dough on a floured counter and roll out about 1/2 inch and cut into shapes with cookie cutters (or make flattened balls).
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
RESULTS: Harper likes them a lot. They make her breath smell like mint. What more could you want?
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
scones
Suz had me over for high tea a couple months ago and we made scones. I thought I'd make them for breakfast this morning for Syd and Jan. This is another from Mary Jo's cookbook.
8 oz (1 3/4 c) flour
1 TBS sugar
scant 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbs unsalted butter
1 egg
3.5 oz (1/2 c minus 1 Tbs) milk
1/4 c raisins (optional)
1 Tbs sugar fro sprinkling.
Preheat over in 450. Have ready a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon sheet.
Beat egg. Remove one Tbs and save for egg wash. Whisk milk into remaining egg.
Sift together four, 1 Tbs sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut butter into slices and rub into flour with fingertips.
Make a well in dry ingredients and add milk mixture. Mix together with your hand, and sprinkle in rasins. Once it's thoroughly moistened, scrape dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, 3 or 4 times. Pat or roll into a circle 3/4 inch think. Cut into seven 1/2-inch scones. Place on baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes until lightly brown. Serve butter and jam or whipped cream. May be frozen and reheated.
RESULTS: These weren't as light and fluffy as Suz's, and I think it's because I forgot the butter and also warmed it up too much in the microwave, so by the time I got to it, the milk was already mixed into the flour, and I couldn't rub it in anyway because it was melted. But, it tasted fine, and wasn't chip-you-teeth hard.
8 oz (1 3/4 c) flour
1 TBS sugar
scant 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbs unsalted butter
1 egg
3.5 oz (1/2 c minus 1 Tbs) milk
1/4 c raisins (optional)
1 Tbs sugar fro sprinkling.
Preheat over in 450. Have ready a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon sheet.
Beat egg. Remove one Tbs and save for egg wash. Whisk milk into remaining egg.
Sift together four, 1 Tbs sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut butter into slices and rub into flour with fingertips.
Make a well in dry ingredients and add milk mixture. Mix together with your hand, and sprinkle in rasins. Once it's thoroughly moistened, scrape dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, 3 or 4 times. Pat or roll into a circle 3/4 inch think. Cut into seven 1/2-inch scones. Place on baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes until lightly brown. Serve butter and jam or whipped cream. May be frozen and reheated.
RESULTS: These weren't as light and fluffy as Suz's, and I think it's because I forgot the butter and also warmed it up too much in the microwave, so by the time I got to it, the milk was already mixed into the flour, and I couldn't rub it in anyway because it was melted. But, it tasted fine, and wasn't chip-you-teeth hard.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
pasta with raw tomato sauce
It was about 95 degrees and humid as anything today, so the idea of turning on the stove or oven was unappealing to say the least. This recipe is from The Spoon and uses two of the things I have in abundance this week: tomatoes and basil.
Combine in a bowl and let rest in a cool place to allow the flavors to mingle for 30 minutes:
1 lb 2 oz tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped*
4 Tbls olive oil
10 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
Remove the garlic and discard. Mix in 1 lb of pasta (use the kind with ridges, like penne or spaghetti rigatoni) and serve with Parmesan.
* to prepare the tomatoes, I put them in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then lifted them right out with tongs and put them in a bowl of ice water. The skin comes off very easily. I cut them in half and squeezed over the sink to get out the seeds, then chopped.
RESULTS: Not the BEST tomato sauce I ever had, but it wasn't hot, and the kitchen wasn't hot, and there was very little clean up, so the ratio of healthfulness and taste to effort and inconvenience was reasonable. It just wasn't busting with flavor, although you could really taste the basil (and I liked being able to use my own), so I wouldn't make this with dried basil since that's so important in this dish. I only used one garlic clove, since my notes in the cookbook from when I made it last summer said "go easy on the garlic," but maybe it needs that second clove. I kept adding more and more pepper to try to get more flavor in it. But, like I said, it was cool on a hot day.
On another note, Harper came outside with me when I harvested the basil, and she caught the hugest cicada I have ever seen. It must have been a two-pounder. I was in Japan that summer that the cicadas took over so I didn't really get the cicada experience that everyone else did, but I can't even begin to imagine millions of those things. Maybe they were smaller since there were so many. I mean, this thing was HUGE. I halfway tried to get her to drop it, but frankly, I was sort of glad she was doing away with it before it decided it liked the looks of my herbs because they would be DONE for.
Combine in a bowl and let rest in a cool place to allow the flavors to mingle for 30 minutes:
1 lb 2 oz tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped*
4 Tbls olive oil
10 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
Remove the garlic and discard. Mix in 1 lb of pasta (use the kind with ridges, like penne or spaghetti rigatoni) and serve with Parmesan.
* to prepare the tomatoes, I put them in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then lifted them right out with tongs and put them in a bowl of ice water. The skin comes off very easily. I cut them in half and squeezed over the sink to get out the seeds, then chopped.
RESULTS: Not the BEST tomato sauce I ever had, but it wasn't hot, and the kitchen wasn't hot, and there was very little clean up, so the ratio of healthfulness and taste to effort and inconvenience was reasonable. It just wasn't busting with flavor, although you could really taste the basil (and I liked being able to use my own), so I wouldn't make this with dried basil since that's so important in this dish. I only used one garlic clove, since my notes in the cookbook from when I made it last summer said "go easy on the garlic," but maybe it needs that second clove. I kept adding more and more pepper to try to get more flavor in it. But, like I said, it was cool on a hot day.
On another note, Harper came outside with me when I harvested the basil, and she caught the hugest cicada I have ever seen. It must have been a two-pounder. I was in Japan that summer that the cicadas took over so I didn't really get the cicada experience that everyone else did, but I can't even begin to imagine millions of those things. Maybe they were smaller since there were so many. I mean, this thing was HUGE. I halfway tried to get her to drop it, but frankly, I was sort of glad she was doing away with it before it decided it liked the looks of my herbs because they would be DONE for.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Spice Cake with... what?
It was my buddy Ross's birthday today, so I made, as per his request, a spice cake with avocado icing. It's green. The spice cake was betty crocker. Here's the avocado icing recipe:
INGREDIENTS
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Combine the avocado and lime juice in a bowl; mix with a hand mixer about 2 minutes. Add the sugar in small amounts while continually mixing until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract.
RESULTS: comments to this recipe noted that they thought it tasted more limey than like avocado, but I couldn't really taste the lime at all. It mostly tasted like sugar with a subtle hint of the creaminess of the avocado. I won't say it was my favorite icing, but it wasn't bad, either. The fat in avocado is supposed to be slightly healthier than the fat in dairy, which is what icing is usually made from I guess, so it's got that going for it. Definitely green. This batch of icing was plenty for a 13X9 sheet cake.
INGREDIENTS
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Combine the avocado and lime juice in a bowl; mix with a hand mixer about 2 minutes. Add the sugar in small amounts while continually mixing until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract.
RESULTS: comments to this recipe noted that they thought it tasted more limey than like avocado, but I couldn't really taste the lime at all. It mostly tasted like sugar with a subtle hint of the creaminess of the avocado. I won't say it was my favorite icing, but it wasn't bad, either. The fat in avocado is supposed to be slightly healthier than the fat in dairy, which is what icing is usually made from I guess, so it's got that going for it. Definitely green. This batch of icing was plenty for a 13X9 sheet cake.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
White Cheddar and Green Peppercorn Fondue
As one of my anniversary presents for our paper anniversary, Chris got me a cookbook called "the Fondue Bible." The one we tried tonight with Ian and Lauren, our good friends who are moving to Dallas tomorrow, was the White Cheddar and Green Peppercorn Fondue. We picked this one in part because it calls for beer, which we have, as opposed to white wine, which we didn't and couldn't buy because it's Sunday, and we live in a weird state.
Ingredients:
8oz old white cheddar cheese, grated
4oz Gruyere cheese, grated
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, halved
1/2 cup beer (we used a lager) at room temp
2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tbsp grainy mustard (we used just a squirt of that golden mustard)
green peppercorns, coarsely ground (we just used normal peppercorns)
1. In a bowl, combine cheeses and flour. Mix to coat cheese with flour.
2. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the cut side of the garlic, and discard garlic. Add beer and lime juice; bring to a simmer over medium heat. (this doesn't take long at all) Reduce to medium-low.
3. Add cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly after each addition with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion until all the cheese is melted.
4. Stir in the mustard and mix well. sprinkle with peppercorn. Serve with french bread or sourdough, lightly toasted pita, pretzels, gherkins, pearl onions... (we did french bread and granny smith apples)
RESULTS: I think I prefer this to our normal recipe. I like the cheddar, and the beer made for a less sour fondue than wine. Definitely something I would recommend trying for you cheese lovers out there (sorry Bethie!)
It's harder than I thought to figure out what color my parachute is, but I think I'd be perfectly content being the person to does the graphics and layout for cookbooks, especially the more arty ones with the big color photos. What an awesome job. Probably would have to live in NYC, though, which would not suit me very much.
Ingredients:
8oz old white cheddar cheese, grated
4oz Gruyere cheese, grated
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, halved
1/2 cup beer (we used a lager) at room temp
2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tbsp grainy mustard (we used just a squirt of that golden mustard)
green peppercorns, coarsely ground (we just used normal peppercorns)
1. In a bowl, combine cheeses and flour. Mix to coat cheese with flour.
2. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the cut side of the garlic, and discard garlic. Add beer and lime juice; bring to a simmer over medium heat. (this doesn't take long at all) Reduce to medium-low.
3. Add cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly after each addition with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion until all the cheese is melted.
4. Stir in the mustard and mix well. sprinkle with peppercorn. Serve with french bread or sourdough, lightly toasted pita, pretzels, gherkins, pearl onions... (we did french bread and granny smith apples)
RESULTS: I think I prefer this to our normal recipe. I like the cheddar, and the beer made for a less sour fondue than wine. Definitely something I would recommend trying for you cheese lovers out there (sorry Bethie!)
It's harder than I thought to figure out what color my parachute is, but I think I'd be perfectly content being the person to does the graphics and layout for cookbooks, especially the more arty ones with the big color photos. What an awesome job. Probably would have to live in NYC, though, which would not suit me very much.
Big Batch Vegetable Soup
From Martha Stewart:This basic soup can be made with any combination of fresh or frozen vegetables, so it will taste a little different each time. The recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled.
Ingredients
Serves 8.
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cups chopped onions or thinly sliced leeks (whites only)
* 1 cup thinly sliced celery
* 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
* 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini (cut larger vegetables into smaller pieces)
Directions
1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions or leeks, celery, and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Let cool before storing.
RESULTS: I love soup, but Chris hates the idea of a liquid meal, so when I make soup it's pretty much just for me. Since I've recently become more or less completely disgusted with canned soup, I've been making more of it for myself and then freezing it into lunch-sized portions to bring to work with me. It's been working out well. Things I like about this soup: you can use whatever's in season and whatever is plentiful, so it's really flexible. Things I didn't like about this soup: It's just really basic. There's nothing special about it. It's a good basic soup, but it is basic.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
It's flooding down in Iowa
A coworker sent me this extensive slideshow of the University of Iowa's flooding. They had some warning that the river was going to jump its banks, so all the art was boxed up and moved to safer areas, and even the books on the bottom floors of the library were moved. Don't worry, Bloomington is still doing well. Most of the Indiana flooding has been to the north, where it rained more and it's much much flatter country.
sushi rolls!
Ian, Chris and I made sushi last night, technically "makizushi" which I think means sushi rolls, but who knows. I didn't pick up many transferable skills in Japan (for example, knowing how to say, "I would like a large draft beer," or "excuse me, where is this town's shinto shrine?" isn't very useful in America) but I would say that sushi is one of them.
I would print the directions here, but there are much better directions on the packet of roasted seaweed, along with diagrams. The brand we have here is Yamamoto Yama, although that's just written in very small print. It's a square-ish pack of dried seaweed, and it should have a picture of rolled sushi on the front. That's pretty much how I did all my shopping in Japan, by picture. It doesn't have directions for making sushi rice, so here's mine. This makes enough sushi for at least four hungry people, and for that amount I would get two packets of seaweed, 10 sheets each. You might not use it all, but better safe than sorry.
Cook 3 cups of sushi rice according to the directions on the box/bag. (it should be sushi rice, but I think I've used short grain rice before.)
Place the cooked rice in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix 4 Tbls rice vinegar, 2 Tbls sugar, and 1 tsp salt.
Sprinkle over rice as someone else stirs the rice with a study mixing spoon or spatula until it's mixed thoroughly.
Wait until the rice is cool before rolling sushi.
Last night, we made california rolls with fake crab, avocado, cream cheese (we used too much cream cheese), and cucumbers. I've also made it with egg, and I love that. (scramble an egg with a touch of sugar and soy sauce, cook initially as you would an omelet, but fold it over several times, then cut into good sized strips for the sushi). I haven't ever tried raw fish. I think I'd have to be very brave to do that. Julienned carrots are good. I've seen tempura green beans, pumpkin, or asparagus in sushi restaurants, which is the only type of tempura I've ever liked. I think anything would be good, as long as it would taste good with soy sauce.
Chris was brainstorming on his ideal sushi roll, which included bacon as the filling, replacing the rice with grated cheese, and doing away with the seaweed in favor of pepperoni. The soy sauce would not be used with this roll.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
I was typing up some surveys of high school kids today and it's rather heartening how many of them list their favorite books as things like the Great Gatsby and Their Eyes Were Watching God, things of that ilk. Harry Potter was definitely the most popular books listed, but it was nice that there was only one person who said her favorite book was The Adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. Also notable was that favorite movies were not limited to stupid movies, but included really rather good movies like Vertigo.
The current hot topic here on Southdowns is "What Is Katie Going To Do With Her Life After We Move Next Summer," competing with perennial favorites such as "Harper Is Such A Good Dog" and "Does Harper Seem Lethargic To You?". (The answer to this one is almost always yes, but not abnormally.) I went to the library to get a book that will tell me what color my parachute is. I'm betting on periwinkle.
The current hot topic here on Southdowns is "What Is Katie Going To Do With Her Life After We Move Next Summer," competing with perennial favorites such as "Harper Is Such A Good Dog" and "Does Harper Seem Lethargic To You?". (The answer to this one is almost always yes, but not abnormally.) I went to the library to get a book that will tell me what color my parachute is. I'm betting on periwinkle.
Monday, June 16, 2008
I tried to read Orlando by Virginia Woolf, and I just couldn't wade through it. On to Moby Dick, which I'm reading with Bethie. It's a little easier to read, more funny, and has more colorful language. I think I'll like it, I like good naval stories. I just started, so they're still on land, but I enjoyed meeting Queequeg.
Made some swiss chard today (sauteed like spinach). I had to BUY some, even though I have one planted, because I'm discovering that one little chard plant doesn't grow enough for a serving. But, the purpose of this chard was more experimental, so that's ok. And, I've got some tomatoes coming in! I can't wait!
Happy Father's Day, Dave!
Happy Father's Day, Dave!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Penne with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic
3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges (about 2 lbs)
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1(15 ounce) can cannellini beans
1/2 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Slice each tomato into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Put the tomato wedges and garlic into a 9 by 13-inch roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a few turns of pepper. Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
Drain the beans into a large colander in the sink. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta into the colander containing the beans, so the hot pasta water will warm the beans. Return drained pasta and beans to the pasta pot.
When the tomatoes are done, pick out the garlic cloves, squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Pour the roasted tomatoes into the pasta pot, add the garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the basil and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to combine. Serve topped with the Parmesan.
RESULTS: I'm definitely making this again, especially with tomato season just starting. The tomatoes got very sweet, like sun dried tomatoes, and it was really great with the basil. The garlic was very mild. Next time, I might try roasting the tomatoes with artichoke hearts, too, to see what happens.
When I pulled the tomatoes out of the oven, the roasting pan was a mess. A lot of the tomatoes had carmelized to the bottom of the pan. The pasta and beans were looking a little dry, (I didn't use enough tomatoes) so I thought I'd just deglazed the roasting pan with water and use that to moisten the pasta. That was ok, but I think even better would have been to use a little dollop of tomato paste along with the water, or maybe save some of the pasta water and use that. I just think I can definitely do better for sauce than just water.
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1(15 ounce) can cannellini beans
1/2 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Slice each tomato into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Put the tomato wedges and garlic into a 9 by 13-inch roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a few turns of pepper. Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
Drain the beans into a large colander in the sink. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta into the colander containing the beans, so the hot pasta water will warm the beans. Return drained pasta and beans to the pasta pot.
When the tomatoes are done, pick out the garlic cloves, squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Pour the roasted tomatoes into the pasta pot, add the garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the basil and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to combine. Serve topped with the Parmesan.
RESULTS: I'm definitely making this again, especially with tomato season just starting. The tomatoes got very sweet, like sun dried tomatoes, and it was really great with the basil. The garlic was very mild. Next time, I might try roasting the tomatoes with artichoke hearts, too, to see what happens.
When I pulled the tomatoes out of the oven, the roasting pan was a mess. A lot of the tomatoes had carmelized to the bottom of the pan. The pasta and beans were looking a little dry, (I didn't use enough tomatoes) so I thought I'd just deglazed the roasting pan with water and use that to moisten the pasta. That was ok, but I think even better would have been to use a little dollop of tomato paste along with the water, or maybe save some of the pasta water and use that. I just think I can definitely do better for sauce than just water.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Barleywine Bonbons
1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
2/3 cup barleywine (room temperature)
1/4 cup 22 percent plain cocoa
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Covering: Melted white couverture or dark chocolate couverture (about 2 pounds) Chopped macadamia nuts (or other nut)
Mix condensed milk, cocoa and barleywine until smooth. You should have 2 cups of liquid. Pour through a strainer into a heavy saucepan and heat to just a simmer. Chop 8 ounces of the chocolate very fine and place in heavy nonreactive bowl. Set aside remaining 4 ounces chopped chocolate for later use. When the barleywine mixture just bubbles and is hot, pour steaming blend into the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and stir slowly with a spatula, until the chocolate melts. Melt the unsalted butter in the same saucepan, and then when it is almost bubbling, remove from heat and stir in the remaining 4 ounces chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and then slowly stir the melted butter mixture into the barleywine base. Stir slowly, so air pockets and bubbles do not form. When smooth and glossy, pour the ganache into a 9x9x2 glass pan, and let cool. When cooled, cover and chill 1 to 2 days.
Form centers by cutting ganache into squares and place on parchment-lined pan. To make bonbons, choose an assortment of coverings. Roll or dip each piece of ganache in the desired covering, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill uncovered 6 hours, then pack into candy cups and place in a sealed container. Keeps refrigerated for up to 3 weeks. Yields about 3 dozen bonbons.
RESULTS: At first, the condensed milk was literally at war with the barley wine. The two flavors were completely incompatible. That mellowed after all that time in the fridge, which is why, I think, you have to do that, because it certainly didn't harden the chocolate. I expected to get something akin to the rolled truffles, but after two days in the fridge and another in the freezer and I was still looking at GOOP, I figured that wasn't going to work. I ended up tempering some bittersweet chocolate (gently microwave 3/4 of the chocolate until melted, then mixing in the last 1/4 until that's melted too), using that as a shell in chocolate molds and then using the barleywine chocolate as the filling. I also added some teeny tiny hazelnuts. Got good reviews! Barleywine is generally always higher in alcohol than most beers, but it could be that if I had found one abnormally low, it might have hardened enough to cut. I do not know.
2/3 cup barleywine (room temperature)
1/4 cup 22 percent plain cocoa
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Covering: Melted white couverture or dark chocolate couverture (about 2 pounds) Chopped macadamia nuts (or other nut)
Mix condensed milk, cocoa and barleywine until smooth. You should have 2 cups of liquid. Pour through a strainer into a heavy saucepan and heat to just a simmer. Chop 8 ounces of the chocolate very fine and place in heavy nonreactive bowl. Set aside remaining 4 ounces chopped chocolate for later use. When the barleywine mixture just bubbles and is hot, pour steaming blend into the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and stir slowly with a spatula, until the chocolate melts. Melt the unsalted butter in the same saucepan, and then when it is almost bubbling, remove from heat and stir in the remaining 4 ounces chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and then slowly stir the melted butter mixture into the barleywine base. Stir slowly, so air pockets and bubbles do not form. When smooth and glossy, pour the ganache into a 9x9x2 glass pan, and let cool. When cooled, cover and chill 1 to 2 days.
Form centers by cutting ganache into squares and place on parchment-lined pan. To make bonbons, choose an assortment of coverings. Roll or dip each piece of ganache in the desired covering, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill uncovered 6 hours, then pack into candy cups and place in a sealed container. Keeps refrigerated for up to 3 weeks. Yields about 3 dozen bonbons.
RESULTS: At first, the condensed milk was literally at war with the barley wine. The two flavors were completely incompatible. That mellowed after all that time in the fridge, which is why, I think, you have to do that, because it certainly didn't harden the chocolate. I expected to get something akin to the rolled truffles, but after two days in the fridge and another in the freezer and I was still looking at GOOP, I figured that wasn't going to work. I ended up tempering some bittersweet chocolate (gently microwave 3/4 of the chocolate until melted, then mixing in the last 1/4 until that's melted too), using that as a shell in chocolate molds and then using the barleywine chocolate as the filling. I also added some teeny tiny hazelnuts. Got good reviews! Barleywine is generally always higher in alcohol than most beers, but it could be that if I had found one abnormally low, it might have hardened enough to cut. I do not know.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friendship Bread with yogurt
I tried replacing the oil with plain low-fat yogurt in the final step of making the friendship bread. I chickened out as I glopped the yogurt into the measuring cup, so I actually only replaced about 2/3 of a cup of the oil with yogurt. An informal poll said there was no difference in flavor or texture, so I think it would be safe to replace all the oil in that last step. I feel a lot better about the whole friendship bread enterprise, making it a little healtier with the whole wheat flour and the yogurt. Next step: cutting back on the sugar. I might try it with zucchini once that all starts coming in.
Here's a quick fact sheet for oil substitutions. I have a lot of recipes that call for heavy cream, so I might try that skim milk and cornstarch one....
Here's a quick fact sheet for oil substitutions. I have a lot of recipes that call for heavy cream, so I might try that skim milk and cornstarch one....
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Granita di Caffe
From The Washington Post, January 10, 2007
12 to 16 servings
Ingredients:
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee, brewed with 6 tablespoons ground coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly whipped (for the topping)
Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of the water with the sugar and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, until chilled. Add the brewed coffee, vanilla extract and the remaining 1 cup water, stirring to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch metal pan or freezer-proof container. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, stirring and scraping the mixture every 30 to 40 minutes (at first with a fork and later with a spatula) to achieve a grainy consistency. To serve, divide among chilled bowls or glasses and top each serving with a small dollop of lightly whipped cream.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from "The Joy of Coffee" by Corby Kummer (Houghton Mifflin, revised 1997).
RESULTS: Very refreshing! I thought I'd mix it up a little. I put just the smallest amount of cream in the coffee mixture before it went in the freezer to make it a little richer. I don't know if I'd do that again, frozen cream isn't really the same texture as ice cream, it's sort of sticky. But it turned out ok. And, it turns out you can make granitas from all kinds of sweet liquids, as long as you break up the ice as it freezes so it doesn't turn into an ice cube.
12 to 16 servings
Ingredients:
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee, brewed with 6 tablespoons ground coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly whipped (for the topping)
Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of the water with the sugar and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, until chilled. Add the brewed coffee, vanilla extract and the remaining 1 cup water, stirring to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch metal pan or freezer-proof container. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, stirring and scraping the mixture every 30 to 40 minutes (at first with a fork and later with a spatula) to achieve a grainy consistency. To serve, divide among chilled bowls or glasses and top each serving with a small dollop of lightly whipped cream.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from "The Joy of Coffee" by Corby Kummer (Houghton Mifflin, revised 1997).
RESULTS: Very refreshing! I thought I'd mix it up a little. I put just the smallest amount of cream in the coffee mixture before it went in the freezer to make it a little richer. I don't know if I'd do that again, frozen cream isn't really the same texture as ice cream, it's sort of sticky. But it turned out ok. And, it turns out you can make granitas from all kinds of sweet liquids, as long as you break up the ice as it freezes so it doesn't turn into an ice cube.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
The herbs, they are a'growing
After one of the worst nights I've spent in a long time (there was so much thunder even Harper was shook up. She actually got off her beloved chair and came in to sleep with us a couple times, even though the room was hot because the power was off. This is unprecedented) and a morning waking up to flash flood warnings -- which I now take seriously -- and the tornado siren going off, it's a bit of a relief to write about plants. Nice, green, soothing herbs.
You may remember how excited I was that the basil plants spouted . This is what they looked like in early March:
Then the parsley came up. And then I threw the parsley out because it couldn't support the weight of it's own leaves. The basil, unlike the parsley, turned out ok. The stems were a little weak at first because they had been growing inside and weren't really getting enough light. Only this week, after being outside for at least a month and a half, I'd say, has the basil really straightened up and started growing like crazy. Here are some pictures:
That's one of the basil. Although I'll probably use a few leaves here and there throughout the summer, I plan on waiting until fall and harvesting all the plants, then making a bunch of pesto and freezing it. I wanted to get a picture with something that would show how big they are, and Harper was out there with me, but she's a little camera shy and kept running away. This is her hiding on the swing. If you click on the picture, you'll zoom in and can really see the look of concern on her face.
I finally got her over to the basil.
And then she started hamming it up by looking really cute.
And then I realized that Harper's abnormally huge head is not necessarily the best thing to use a size reference.
As for the parsley, I just bought some seedlings at the market. I got three seedlings, which is MORE than enough parsley for us. I'm going to use some of it to make dog treats for Harper to make her breath smell good. Although the basil really needs the sun -- the best ones are those in the strongest sun, and the ones in part shade aren't doing well at all -- the parsley doesn't seem to care that it's in the shade. I put it on the table because some murderous bunnies attacked the parsley when I first got it. It recovered and looks none the worst for wear now.
I accidentally killed the mint trying to get rid of some aphids, but I think it's for the best because what I REALLY wanted was spearmint instead of just plan old mint, so I got some to replace what I had killed. The plain old mint might come back after all, I'm not sure. We'll see. This is also on the mostly shaded table. Seems to like it.
I don't know how the tomatoes and swiss chard are doing. I haven't gotten around to trying the chard yet. The tomatoes, although they're growing, are not nearly as big as Suz's, which are already making tomatoes. Maybe I just got late producers?
I think I would say that if you want to grow parsley, start with seedlings, and you really don't need more than two or three, unless you really love parsley. Basil is nice, too. Basil needs the sun, I don't think parsley does.
You may remember how excited I was that the basil plants spouted . This is what they looked like in early March:
Then the parsley came up. And then I threw the parsley out because it couldn't support the weight of it's own leaves. The basil, unlike the parsley, turned out ok. The stems were a little weak at first because they had been growing inside and weren't really getting enough light. Only this week, after being outside for at least a month and a half, I'd say, has the basil really straightened up and started growing like crazy. Here are some pictures:
That's one of the basil. Although I'll probably use a few leaves here and there throughout the summer, I plan on waiting until fall and harvesting all the plants, then making a bunch of pesto and freezing it. I wanted to get a picture with something that would show how big they are, and Harper was out there with me, but she's a little camera shy and kept running away. This is her hiding on the swing. If you click on the picture, you'll zoom in and can really see the look of concern on her face.
I finally got her over to the basil.
And then she started hamming it up by looking really cute.
And then I realized that Harper's abnormally huge head is not necessarily the best thing to use a size reference.
As for the parsley, I just bought some seedlings at the market. I got three seedlings, which is MORE than enough parsley for us. I'm going to use some of it to make dog treats for Harper to make her breath smell good. Although the basil really needs the sun -- the best ones are those in the strongest sun, and the ones in part shade aren't doing well at all -- the parsley doesn't seem to care that it's in the shade. I put it on the table because some murderous bunnies attacked the parsley when I first got it. It recovered and looks none the worst for wear now.
I accidentally killed the mint trying to get rid of some aphids, but I think it's for the best because what I REALLY wanted was spearmint instead of just plan old mint, so I got some to replace what I had killed. The plain old mint might come back after all, I'm not sure. We'll see. This is also on the mostly shaded table. Seems to like it.
I don't know how the tomatoes and swiss chard are doing. I haven't gotten around to trying the chard yet. The tomatoes, although they're growing, are not nearly as big as Suz's, which are already making tomatoes. Maybe I just got late producers?
I think I would say that if you want to grow parsley, start with seedlings, and you really don't need more than two or three, unless you really love parsley. Basil is nice, too. Basil needs the sun, I don't think parsley does.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Refrigerator Pickles
I got this recipe from a co-worker in Madison and have made it almost every year since. This is the brine for refrigerator pickles. It's pretty open to both what veggies you put in it and the exact amounts of ingredients in the brine, and you can reuse the liquid, until it gets dull. Use a BIG tupperware.
Whisk together and pour over sliced veggies (usually cucumbers, although who knows!):
2 cups white vinegar (or a combo of white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar, etc)
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 c salt
Herbs (optional)
Let sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating.
Whisk together and pour over sliced veggies (usually cucumbers, although who knows!):
2 cups white vinegar (or a combo of white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar, etc)
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 c salt
Herbs (optional)
Let sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Flooding in Bloomington
This is pretty unreal. I saw the radar yesterday and left work early to get home just minutes before an awful storm moved in. Chris said he had never seen so much rain, and I have to agree. Much of downtown and campus had some pretty bad flooding. Luckily our house is on a good slope. I think I'm going to have to make that a priority when it comes time to buy a house.
Here are some pictures from the flooding: http://www.idsnews.com/news/multimedia/multimedia_file.aspx?file_id=12685 It shows people jumping into the Jordan River, which is really more of a glorified culvert most of the time. Calling it a river is being kind.
Here are some pictures from the flooding: http://www.idsnews.com/news/multimedia/multimedia_file.aspx?file_id=12685 It shows people jumping into the Jordan River, which is really more of a glorified culvert most of the time. Calling it a river is being kind.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Venezuelan black beans and rice
From Cooking Light Magazine:Venezuelan White Rice
Introduced by the Spanish, rice is a common starch in South America and the Caribbean. The sautéed aromatics make this a natural partner with earthy Simple Black Beans, but it is an appropriate side at any Venezuelan meal.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and pepper to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 4 cups water and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)
Simple Black Beans
Frijoles is the generic Spanish term for beans, but caraotas refers specifically to black beans, the most common variety on South American and Caribbean tables. These beans cook down to create a thick and rich sauce—good to serve over Venezuelan White Rice. Make the beans up to a day ahead; you may need to add a little water when reheating, as the mixture thickens with time. 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans 50%-less-sodium black beans, undrained
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sugar, garlic, black pepper, and cumin; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)
RESULTS: This was another of those recipes that fell flat. I'm not sure why, it's pretty hard to mess up beans and rice. The rice was actually pretty tasty (I used brown rice and cooked it for longer), but the beans had zero taste. Maybe it was the beans I used, or maybe they just needed more salt, or some other seasoning... I'm not sure. Personally, I would have put a bay leaf or two in the beans as they simmered, and I probably would have put some heat in there, too. Not a keeper.
Honestly, the best thing I had for dinner last night was a tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad, with some of the extra raw green onions and peppers from the beans and rice thrown in. I sprinkled it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper, and parsley. The basil and parsley was from my "garden" (by garden, I mean my collection of pots in the backyard). I'll get around to posting about the Great Herb Project of 2008 sometime this week, hopefully. It's been near constant thunderstorms here since yesterday morning, and I hear them starting up again, so if I can't be outside working with the plants, I might as well write about them.
QUESTION: Has anyone tried making the friendship bread, replacing the oil with plain yogurt? There's at least a half a cup of oil in each loaf, and that's just too much. Also, I always thought it was a little on the greasy side, so I thought of reducing the oil, but maybe it's better just to replace it. Thoughts?
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Rant for the week: 365 songs of the century? I think not.
This is the most ridiculous ranking I've ever seen. Any list that would put "Somewhere over the Rainbow" 364 spots above Hendrix's Watchtower (his only song listed, by the way), and choose "I wanna hold your hand" as the Beatles best song, doesn't hold water with me. Granted, I'm not the biggest Beatles fan, but that doesn't mean I know that's not: 1) their best, 2) their most widely covered, 3) their most popular, or 4) their most important song. The voters were supposed to keep historical significance in mind, fair enough, but what sort of historical significance does Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer have that justifies it at 31? Popular song for two months a year, sure, but that doesn't mean it's great. And if you're talking about historical significance, why "Men in Black" by Will Smith? Come on. "I believe I can fly," i.e. the theme to Space Jam, more than 100 spots ABOVE Watchtower?!?!?!!? Only TWO ELVIS SONGS!!!! I need to stop reading these ranking things.
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