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....
Friday, June 13, 2008
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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