11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
Apricot Galette with Paleo "Pate Sucre" Crust and Vanilla Flavoured Honey
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10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Upside-down Pancake with Apricots, Plums and Cinnamon - Transition to fall has never tasted so good!
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This is a dessert I have made many times, in both summer and in autumn as well. The best thing about this is that you can use any kind of fruit you have on hand. Apples or plums? Great with cinnamon and some mixed spices! Apricots or cherries? Great with vanilla or fragrant honey! Pears, strawberries, mangoes or...and I could go on and on. The key is the method and the super pillowy-fluffy, soft and moist batter, which is basically a pancake batter improved to be a good fit as an upside-down cake. Note: on the pictures you can see a slightly heavier batter ratio to the fruits, but I reduced it to the perfect almost 1:1, so that it does not overpower the caramelized fruits but rather emphasizes them on a pillowy cake.
Even the making of this pan/cake is an orgy of the senses: the bright colors of the bright-colored fruits and the sweet, caramelized-fruit fragrance sneaking up on you till you are absolutely absorbed in this moment... Love it! Going to make this over and over again. I has become a family favorite. Hands down the number first "quick fix-up full joy" cake.
Upside-down pancakefor a pan of 26cm width
2 tbsp honey5 tbsp coconut oilapprox. 8 apricotsapprox. 3 plums3 eggs2 cups/200g finely ground almonds2 tsp cinnamon1/3 cup water1/3 cup coconut milk (or other alternative milk or water)
In a heatproof (one which can be used in the oven too) head the 2 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp coconut oil until melted and mixed. Place the washed and sliced fruits extremely close or overlapping each other. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook it on low heat, covered with a lid until the fruits are completely cooked. Then remove the lid and cook it on medium heat until the juicy under the fruits begin to caramelize. Watch carefully. Cook it until it has only very small amount of liquid under the fruits.For the batter, mix the eggs, cinnamon and coconut oil, then add the coconut milk and water, and at last add the ground almonds. Removed from the stove, pour the batter over the fruits slowly, evenly and carefully not to move the fruits too much. Cook it on 175°C/347F for about 25 minutes or until the edges are reddish-brownish.
Now, leave it for a little while to cool, but I suggest to consume it while it's still warm, since by time the batter is going to act as a sponge absorbing the juice of the fruits, while if you consume it right away, the batter is going to be a little crispy on the outside, tender in the inside and the juice of the fruits is going to flow down on it. It is just perfect that way. Now, to place it on a tray, first of you we need to slide a thin little knife around the edges of the tray just between the cake and the tray to remove it if there are any stickiness, then turn the tray down and hold it tightly with the cake, and with a sudden move, turn it up. When done, move the tray (while upside-down) :) a little up and down (just a little!) so that it will come out nice and perfectly.
Don't be scared to try it, it is great fun and very easy to prepare and cook and the result is a great fall comfort food!
This is a dessert I have made many times, in both summer and in autumn as well. The best thing about this is that you can use any kind of fruit you have on hand. Apples or plums? Great with cinnamon and some mixed spices! Apricots or cherries? Great with vanilla or fragrant honey! Pears, strawberries, mangoes or...and I could go on and on. The key is the method and the super pillowy-fluffy, soft and moist batter, which is basically a pancake batter improved to be a good fit as an upside-down cake. Note: on the pictures you can see a slightly heavier batter ratio to the fruits, but I reduced it to the perfect almost 1:1, so that it does not overpower the caramelized fruits but rather emphasizes them on a pillowy cake.
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| Before caramelizing the fruits...see how tight they are? |
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| After caramelized, sweet and hot, carefully pouring the batter... |
Even the making of this pan/cake is an orgy of the senses: the bright colors of the bright-colored fruits and the sweet, caramelized-fruit fragrance sneaking up on you till you are absolutely absorbed in this moment... Love it! Going to make this over and over again. I has become a family favorite. Hands down the number first "quick fix-up full joy" cake.
Upside-down pancakefor a pan of 26cm width
2 tbsp honey5 tbsp coconut oilapprox. 8 apricotsapprox. 3 plums3 eggs2 cups/200g finely ground almonds2 tsp cinnamon1/3 cup water1/3 cup coconut milk (or other alternative milk or water)
In a heatproof (one which can be used in the oven too) head the 2 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp coconut oil until melted and mixed. Place the washed and sliced fruits extremely close or overlapping each other. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook it on low heat, covered with a lid until the fruits are completely cooked. Then remove the lid and cook it on medium heat until the juicy under the fruits begin to caramelize. Watch carefully. Cook it until it has only very small amount of liquid under the fruits.For the batter, mix the eggs, cinnamon and coconut oil, then add the coconut milk and water, and at last add the ground almonds. Removed from the stove, pour the batter over the fruits slowly, evenly and carefully not to move the fruits too much. Cook it on 175°C/347F for about 25 minutes or until the edges are reddish-brownish.
Now, leave it for a little while to cool, but I suggest to consume it while it's still warm, since by time the batter is going to act as a sponge absorbing the juice of the fruits, while if you consume it right away, the batter is going to be a little crispy on the outside, tender in the inside and the juice of the fruits is going to flow down on it. It is just perfect that way. Now, to place it on a tray, first of you we need to slide a thin little knife around the edges of the tray just between the cake and the tray to remove it if there are any stickiness, then turn the tray down and hold it tightly with the cake, and with a sudden move, turn it up. When done, move the tray (while upside-down) :) a little up and down (just a little!) so that it will come out nice and perfectly.
Don't be scared to try it, it is great fun and very easy to prepare and cook and the result is a great fall comfort food!
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| Would you like a slice? |
Murgh Makhani / Butter chicken - Indian temptation
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I have become increasingly fascinated about Indian cuisine (and culture as well) recently. I have always had the love for spicy, eastern food, but after I had the opportunity to eat in Indian restaurants for a few times, and then again for a few more times since I have moved to Scotland - I am in love with the cuisine. I have never tasted anything I would have not liked yet and I am pretty sure I am never going to.The spices, colors, smells and tastes enthrall my senses. While I am cooking this famous and widely loved dish, I am constantly humming and inhaling the aromas invading my senses from the frying pan: the bitter nutmeg flour softening in the butter, the beautiful bright colors of green cardamon and fiery red chillies, the tickling and long known fragrance of garlic and the sweet and lustful ginger...and I am already in love.(By the way, did you know that ginger is a perfect home remedy for nausea - for example when travelling - or morning sickness? Try chewing it, it works wonders!)
The original recipes is from here, I only made slight adjustments in order to make it suitable for people on diet.
Murgh Makhanifor 4
4 tbsp butter/oil2 tbsp ground green coriander 1 tbps cinnamon2 nutmeg flower 1 tbsp coriander2 tbsp honey6 garlic10 big, fresh tomatoes70g fresh ginger3 long green chilies2 tbsp red pepper (not fiery, rather sweet)2 tbsp salt1/2 cup coconut milk80 dkg chicken breasts
Slice the chicken breasts to small cubes and cook them gently. On olive oil sauté the green cardamon, nutmeg flower and the thinly sliced garlic. When done, pour over the sliced tomatoes and cook on medium heat stirring constantly. When fully cooked, pour it into a blander and mix well. While blending, sauté the thinly sliced ginger and chillies on oil on low heat. When the ginger has a sweet aroma and soft, pour the tomatoe pure over through a sieve to hold up the solids. Cook it again on high heat for about 10-15 min adding the ground red pepper and honey, a little more spices if needed and when the heat is turned off we can add the coconut milk (full-fat) to make it milk and creamy.
Serve it either with Basmati rice, naan or cookied vegetables (my favourite is when added small cubes of aubergine in the sauce and cook for an additional 10 min, because the aubergine cubes are completely soaked in the spicy-tomato sauce, becoming tender pillows but still satisfying and filling).
I have become increasingly fascinated about Indian cuisine (and culture as well) recently. I have always had the love for spicy, eastern food, but after I had the opportunity to eat in Indian restaurants for a few times, and then again for a few more times since I have moved to Scotland - I am in love with the cuisine. I have never tasted anything I would have not liked yet and I am pretty sure I am never going to.The spices, colors, smells and tastes enthrall my senses. While I am cooking this famous and widely loved dish, I am constantly humming and inhaling the aromas invading my senses from the frying pan: the bitter nutmeg flour softening in the butter, the beautiful bright colors of green cardamon and fiery red chillies, the tickling and long known fragrance of garlic and the sweet and lustful ginger...and I am already in love.(By the way, did you know that ginger is a perfect home remedy for nausea - for example when travelling - or morning sickness? Try chewing it, it works wonders!)
The original recipes is from here, I only made slight adjustments in order to make it suitable for people on diet.
Murgh Makhanifor 4
4 tbsp butter/oil2 tbsp ground green coriander 1 tbps cinnamon2 nutmeg flower 1 tbsp coriander2 tbsp honey6 garlic10 big, fresh tomatoes70g fresh ginger3 long green chilies2 tbsp red pepper (not fiery, rather sweet)2 tbsp salt1/2 cup coconut milk80 dkg chicken breasts
Slice the chicken breasts to small cubes and cook them gently. On olive oil sauté the green cardamon, nutmeg flower and the thinly sliced garlic. When done, pour over the sliced tomatoes and cook on medium heat stirring constantly. When fully cooked, pour it into a blander and mix well. While blending, sauté the thinly sliced ginger and chillies on oil on low heat. When the ginger has a sweet aroma and soft, pour the tomatoe pure over through a sieve to hold up the solids. Cook it again on high heat for about 10-15 min adding the ground red pepper and honey, a little more spices if needed and when the heat is turned off we can add the coconut milk (full-fat) to make it milk and creamy.
Serve it either with Basmati rice, naan or cookied vegetables (my favourite is when added small cubes of aubergine in the sauce and cook for an additional 10 min, because the aubergine cubes are completely soaked in the spicy-tomato sauce, becoming tender pillows but still satisfying and filling).
Healthy Banana and Oat muffins (gluten/sugar/milk free)
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These muffins really deliver the proper mood of autumn. Packed with sweet banana, coconut, walnuts, oatmeal. This muffin does not only taste great, but also soft and chewy the second day too. Great breakfast to grab and go or to pack for school or to work.
Healthy Banana and Oats muffinsThe recipe for 12 packed muffin cups
1 ripe banana2 eggs2 tbsp agave/honey200ml coconut milk100ml water1 tbsp vanilla extract2 tbsp oil50g dried cranberry50g dried sour cherry80g walnuts100g oat flakes50g oatmeal1tbsp baking soda
We start with mixing the dry ingredients: cranberries, sour cherries, walnuts, oat flakes, oatmeal andbaking soda. Than we mix the wet ingredients: milk, eggs, agave, water, vanilla, oil. We add the wet to dry and add the mashed banana. Bake it in the oven set to 200°C for 25 minutes. Tipp: do not panic if you taste it just taken out of the oven and tastes a big too wet. For the next day it will be just perfect!
These muffins really deliver the proper mood of autumn. Packed with sweet banana, coconut, walnuts, oatmeal. This muffin does not only taste great, but also soft and chewy the second day too. Great breakfast to grab and go or to pack for school or to work.
Healthy Banana and Oats muffinsThe recipe for 12 packed muffin cups 1 ripe banana2 eggs2 tbsp agave/honey200ml coconut milk100ml water1 tbsp vanilla extract2 tbsp oil50g dried cranberry50g dried sour cherry80g walnuts100g oat flakes50g oatmeal1tbsp baking soda
We start with mixing the dry ingredients: cranberries, sour cherries, walnuts, oat flakes, oatmeal andbaking soda. Than we mix the wet ingredients: milk, eggs, agave, water, vanilla, oil. We add the wet to dry and add the mashed banana. Bake it in the oven set to 200°C for 25 minutes. Tipp: do not panic if you taste it just taken out of the oven and tastes a big too wet. For the next day it will be just perfect!
Chestnut-Chocolate Zabaglione with Marshmallow Frosting (paleo)
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Is it possible to just bake, cook or roast chestnuts - the star of the season, and though I love their plain sweetness and delicate fragrance, I just cannot hold myself back to create whatever my imagination allows me to dream about. Chestnut-Zabaglione with Chocolate drooling down the glass and fresh, sticky, airy marshmallow on top: now this is a dream that must come true. Who am I to reject it?
This may be just the chocoholic talking, but even I love pictures of chocolate so much that I can just stare at them for minutes...but got to continue with something white and snowy:
Now chocolate and marshmallow: a match made in Heaven. Kind of like chocolate and peanut butter. Hmm...that is something I am going to let myself tempted with soon... but now for the recipe:
Please click here for the RECIPE. (It's in pdf, I have designed it for last year's calendar.)
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| Chestnut temptation for two... |
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| Chocolate: eat it, breath it, bake it! |
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| Marshmallow: sticky, white ocean |
Please click here for the RECIPE. (It's in pdf, I have designed it for last year's calendar.)
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| Hottie of the season |
Nigella's Cherry Trifle revolutionised - a.k.a. made paleo!
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This is the paleo version of Nigella Lawson's famous Cherry Trifle, which is insanely good and gave me raving comments on my Hungarian blog. I thought that on such a rainy and cloudy days, this would really cheer up any fellow, so I would give it a go and share it with you.
I made this recipe when I was at the beginning of converting to paleo diet (gluten-, wheat-, sugar- and milk free diet) and I did use cornstarch in the recipe but you could totally leave it out, since I made the custard many times again and never needed cornstarch.
Hope you will enjoy! :)
For more thoughts on the recipe and for the actual recipe, please click on the picture below!
Did you like my recipe? Let me know here or on Facebook or on Twitter! :)
This is the paleo version of Nigella Lawson's famous Cherry Trifle, which is insanely good and gave me raving comments on my Hungarian blog. I thought that on such a rainy and cloudy days, this would really cheer up any fellow, so I would give it a go and share it with you.
I made this recipe when I was at the beginning of converting to paleo diet (gluten-, wheat-, sugar- and milk free diet) and I did use cornstarch in the recipe but you could totally leave it out, since I made the custard many times again and never needed cornstarch.
Hope you will enjoy! :)
For more thoughts on the recipe and for the actual recipe, please click on the picture below!
Did you like my recipe? Let me know here or on Facebook or on Twitter! :)
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Whole Wheat Baked Banana Donuts
To contact us Click HERE
Between all the weekend traveling to visit friends, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and weddings, it's nice to just have a weekend home with the hunny.
Mountain Man prepared dinner Friday night as I finished up my latest cake creation for pick up the next morning and we spent the rest of the evening curled up on the couch watching episodes of CSI.
We look forward to these kind of weekends, because we don't get them very often... the ones where we can just hang out and relax.
We were in bed by 1030.. does that make us lame? maybe....or just people who take their rest seriously.
You know what else we take seriously? Breakfast.
It really is the most important meal of the day, and rightfully so.
The weekends are the perfect time for delicious meals.. no deadlines or time constraints, just waking up when you want and getting in the kitchen- breakfast heaven.
This weeks star: the donut pan.
Whole Wheat Baked Banana Donutsadpated from Jessica @ How Sweet It IsBake time: 20 minutes Oven: 375Makes about 12 donuts
2 cups white whole wheat flour3 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt1/4 cup brown sugar1 tsp cinnamon1/4 tsp nutmeg2/3 cup buttermilk1 TBS vanilla3 large bananas, mashed2 TBS butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375 and spray donut pan with cooking spray.In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk until blended.Add buttermilk and vanilla extract, mixing until incorporated.Add smashed bananas and mix until batter is somewhat smooth.Finally add melted tablespoons of butter and mix until combined.Fill donut molds about 2/3 the way full with batter.*For easy transfer, fill a large ziplock bag or frosting bag with batter. Cut tip of bag and use bag to fill donut mold. Bake for about 20 minutes or until donuts are lightly browned.
Maple Glaze1/2 cup maple syrup3/4 cup powdered sugar1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in a shallow bowl. When donuts are cooled, dip into glaze for complete coat.
Happy Baking!
Between all the weekend traveling to visit friends, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and weddings, it's nice to just have a weekend home with the hunny.
Mountain Man prepared dinner Friday night as I finished up my latest cake creation for pick up the next morning and we spent the rest of the evening curled up on the couch watching episodes of CSI.
We look forward to these kind of weekends, because we don't get them very often... the ones where we can just hang out and relax.
We were in bed by 1030.. does that make us lame? maybe....or just people who take their rest seriously.
You know what else we take seriously? Breakfast.
It really is the most important meal of the day, and rightfully so.
The weekends are the perfect time for delicious meals.. no deadlines or time constraints, just waking up when you want and getting in the kitchen- breakfast heaven.
This weeks star: the donut pan.
Whole Wheat Baked Banana Donutsadpated from Jessica @ How Sweet It IsBake time: 20 minutes Oven: 375Makes about 12 donuts
2 cups white whole wheat flour3 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt1/4 cup brown sugar1 tsp cinnamon1/4 tsp nutmeg2/3 cup buttermilk1 TBS vanilla3 large bananas, mashed2 TBS butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375 and spray donut pan with cooking spray.In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk until blended.Add buttermilk and vanilla extract, mixing until incorporated.Add smashed bananas and mix until batter is somewhat smooth.Finally add melted tablespoons of butter and mix until combined.Fill donut molds about 2/3 the way full with batter.*For easy transfer, fill a large ziplock bag or frosting bag with batter. Cut tip of bag and use bag to fill donut mold. Bake for about 20 minutes or until donuts are lightly browned.
Maple Glaze1/2 cup maple syrup3/4 cup powdered sugar1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in a shallow bowl. When donuts are cooled, dip into glaze for complete coat.
Happy Baking!
Cherry & Blueberry Mini Pies
To contact us Click HERE
Pies just scream summer don't they?
When we had some friends over for dinner the other night I knew a pie was in order.. but not just any pie..
Mini pies!
I love individual desserts.
Not only does everyone get their own pie to munch on, you don't have to worry about a lot of left overs that you may or may not eat for breakfast or nibble on for the rest of the week despite the fact that you still need to be able to fit in your perfectly fitting wedding dress in 3 months... hypothetically speaking of course.
Even though Mountain Man attempts to sway me, cherry pie just happens to be my favorite.
But it just didn't feel right to do something so simple, so I threw in a few blueberries and finished 'em off with a little sugary and oh-so-delicious crumb topping.
Cherry & Blueberry Mini PiesMakes 4 mini piesOven: 350 Bake time: 25 minutes
1 package pie crust (or use your favorite recipe)1 can cherry pie filling2 cups fresh blueberries
Crumb Topping1/3 cup brown sugar2 TBS butter, melted1 TBS AP flourdash of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350. Spray large muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.Make crumb topping by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl until combined and set aside.On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie crust.Cut 4 circles using an extra large round cookie cutter (Mine was slightly larger than the muffin cup).Place cut outs in prepared muffin pan and press into bottoms, lightly pinching the sides.Add about 1/4 cup of blueberries to bottom of each crust.
Add enough cherry filling to almost reach the top of the muffin cup (about 1/3 cup each).
Add another 1/4 cup of blueberries on top of cherry filling.
Sprinkle crumb topping evenly on each of the mini pies.
Transfer to oven to about 25-30 minutes or until the sides of your crust are lightly browned.
Allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes before trying to remove.
Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.
I wish I had a picture once they were all dolled up, but they were too good and the guests were waiting!
Until next time..
Happy Baking!
When we had some friends over for dinner the other night I knew a pie was in order.. but not just any pie..
Mini pies!
I love individual desserts.
Not only does everyone get their own pie to munch on, you don't have to worry about a lot of left overs that you may or may not eat for breakfast or nibble on for the rest of the week despite the fact that you still need to be able to fit in your perfectly fitting wedding dress in 3 months... hypothetically speaking of course.
Even though Mountain Man attempts to sway me, cherry pie just happens to be my favorite.
But it just didn't feel right to do something so simple, so I threw in a few blueberries and finished 'em off with a little sugary and oh-so-delicious crumb topping.
Cherry & Blueberry Mini PiesMakes 4 mini piesOven: 350 Bake time: 25 minutes
1 package pie crust (or use your favorite recipe)1 can cherry pie filling2 cups fresh blueberries
Crumb Topping1/3 cup brown sugar2 TBS butter, melted1 TBS AP flourdash of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350. Spray large muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.Make crumb topping by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl until combined and set aside.On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie crust.Cut 4 circles using an extra large round cookie cutter (Mine was slightly larger than the muffin cup).Place cut outs in prepared muffin pan and press into bottoms, lightly pinching the sides.Add about 1/4 cup of blueberries to bottom of each crust.
Add enough cherry filling to almost reach the top of the muffin cup (about 1/3 cup each).
Add another 1/4 cup of blueberries on top of cherry filling.
Sprinkle crumb topping evenly on each of the mini pies.
Transfer to oven to about 25-30 minutes or until the sides of your crust are lightly browned.
Allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes before trying to remove.
Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.
I wish I had a picture once they were all dolled up, but they were too good and the guests were waiting!
Until next time..
Happy Baking!
Pomegranate Champagne Jelly
To contact us Click HERE
It's jam and jelly season!!
Last weekend Mountain Man's mother's friends were kind enough to throw us not one, but two showers.
Mama Mountain Man wanted to do something nice for all the hosts and so I offered to make some jelly to go along with a few other goodies in a gift basket.
As I sat down at my kitchen table brainstorming ideas for new flavor creations, my mind kept wandering to the bottle of champagne left over from the Raspberry Cupcakes I made recently.
With an idea in mind, I hopped on the internet and found exactly what I was looking for.
After looking over a few different recipes, I took the artistic liberty to change some things up a bit and came up with this...
Pomegranate Champagne Jelly
Fills 12 6 oz jars
3 1/2 cups dry champagne (I used Andre- nothing but the best!)
1 cup pomegranate juice
juice from 1 lemon
3 1/4 cups sugar
1 package of low-sugar pectin
Make sure to run your new jars through the dishwasher and let them completely dry before using them for canning.
Fill a small pot with water, add lids, and heat on low as you make your jelly.
Mix 1/4 cup of sugar and pectin in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine pomegranate juice, champagne and lemon juice in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Add 3 cups of sugar and return to boil.
Immediately stir in sugar/pectin mix and return to a rolling boil for 1 minute.
To test for readiness dip a metal spoon in mixture and place in fridge- if the mixture congeals after a few seconds you're ready to go.
Pour hot mixture into jars, making sure not to go all the way up to the top.
Remove warmed lids from water, pat dry and place on top of filled jars. Screw second part of lid to secure.
Place filled and secured jars in a safe place and start listening to those little guys pop.
Let sit at least one night before using.
Happy Jammin'!!
It's jam and jelly season!!
Last weekend Mountain Man's mother's friends were kind enough to throw us not one, but two showers.
Mama Mountain Man wanted to do something nice for all the hosts and so I offered to make some jelly to go along with a few other goodies in a gift basket.
As I sat down at my kitchen table brainstorming ideas for new flavor creations, my mind kept wandering to the bottle of champagne left over from the Raspberry Cupcakes I made recently.
With an idea in mind, I hopped on the internet and found exactly what I was looking for.
After looking over a few different recipes, I took the artistic liberty to change some things up a bit and came up with this...
Pomegranate Champagne Jelly
Fills 12 6 oz jars
3 1/2 cups dry champagne (I used Andre- nothing but the best!)
1 cup pomegranate juice
juice from 1 lemon
3 1/4 cups sugar
1 package of low-sugar pectin
Make sure to run your new jars through the dishwasher and let them completely dry before using them for canning.
Fill a small pot with water, add lids, and heat on low as you make your jelly.
Mix 1/4 cup of sugar and pectin in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine pomegranate juice, champagne and lemon juice in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Add 3 cups of sugar and return to boil.
Immediately stir in sugar/pectin mix and return to a rolling boil for 1 minute.
To test for readiness dip a metal spoon in mixture and place in fridge- if the mixture congeals after a few seconds you're ready to go.
Pour hot mixture into jars, making sure not to go all the way up to the top.
Remove warmed lids from water, pat dry and place on top of filled jars. Screw second part of lid to secure.
Place filled and secured jars in a safe place and start listening to those little guys pop.
Let sit at least one night before using.
Happy Jammin'!!
Garlic & Herb Knots
To contact us Click HERE
It's not very often that I feature something savory on here..
But what better to break that streak with some garlicky herb knots perfect for a summer pasta?
I have to be honest, Mountain Man does a majority of the cooking in our household mostly because he is a phenomenal cook.
Watching him in the kitchen is like watching an athlete in the zone.. he just gets in there and goes at it. You never know what he's going to come up with and sometimes he doesn't either. That's why he does the cooking and I do the baking.
He doesn't do recipes..no measuring cups...it's all by feel he says- everything is a new creation, a new set of flavors, going where the ingredients take him.
Baking is a whole different story: you need consistency, exact measurements, the perfect weights, precise cooking times.. it's all a science and I love that. I can make a cake over and over again and know its going to be wonderful every time; not to mention I can share my recipes with people and know they'll work.
When it is my turn to cook dinner I tend to stick with the same kind of dishes- pastas are my forte.
So after deciding to whip up some spaghetti with a fresh garden tomato sauce I thought what better to go with it than some garlic bread..
But not just any garlic bread, garlic & herb knots.
Garlic & Herb Knots
Bake time: 15-20 minute Oven: 400
Makes 16 rolls
1 cup milk
3 TBS butter
2 3/4- 3 1/2 cup AP flour (or whole wheat - I did half and half)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 package active dry yeast
1 egg
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS fresh basil, chopped (or dried)
1/2 TBS fresh oregano, chopped (or dried)
In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter until very warm (about 120 degrees).
Pour warm milk into a large bowl and add 2 TBS of sugar and yeast. Allow yeast to activate (about 5 min) or until milk starts to get foamy.
Add 1 cup flour, 2 TBS sugar, salt, garlic salt and egg and mix at low speed until moistened.
Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
Stir in remaining flour, using just enough to form a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and continue to knead dough until smooth and elastic.
Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with saran wrap and let rise in a warm place (I turn my oven on, once it gets to 100 degrees I turn it off and then place my dough in the warm oven).
Let dough rise for about 45-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Punch dough down and on a well floured surface, toss dough until it is no longer sticky.
Now its time to make the knots.
Preheat oven to 400 and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix oil, garlic, basil and oregano and set aside.
Divid dough into 16 equal parts.
Shape each piece into a long strip by rolling in between hands.
Tie in loose knots, being careful not to stretch the dough too much and place on cookie sheet.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each knot with garlic and herb mixture.
Cover lightly with saran wrap and return to warm place, allowing to rise again for about 30 minutes.
Place in oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until knots are golden brown.
Serve with your favorite pasta dish.
Happy Baking!!
It's not very often that I feature something savory on here..
But what better to break that streak with some garlicky herb knots perfect for a summer pasta?
I have to be honest, Mountain Man does a majority of the cooking in our household mostly because he is a phenomenal cook.
Watching him in the kitchen is like watching an athlete in the zone.. he just gets in there and goes at it. You never know what he's going to come up with and sometimes he doesn't either. That's why he does the cooking and I do the baking.
He doesn't do recipes..no measuring cups...it's all by feel he says- everything is a new creation, a new set of flavors, going where the ingredients take him.
Baking is a whole different story: you need consistency, exact measurements, the perfect weights, precise cooking times.. it's all a science and I love that. I can make a cake over and over again and know its going to be wonderful every time; not to mention I can share my recipes with people and know they'll work.
When it is my turn to cook dinner I tend to stick with the same kind of dishes- pastas are my forte.
So after deciding to whip up some spaghetti with a fresh garden tomato sauce I thought what better to go with it than some garlic bread..
But not just any garlic bread, garlic & herb knots.
Garlic & Herb Knots
Bake time: 15-20 minute Oven: 400
Makes 16 rolls
1 cup milk
3 TBS butter
2 3/4- 3 1/2 cup AP flour (or whole wheat - I did half and half)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 package active dry yeast
1 egg
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS fresh basil, chopped (or dried)
1/2 TBS fresh oregano, chopped (or dried)
In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter until very warm (about 120 degrees).
Pour warm milk into a large bowl and add 2 TBS of sugar and yeast. Allow yeast to activate (about 5 min) or until milk starts to get foamy.
Add 1 cup flour, 2 TBS sugar, salt, garlic salt and egg and mix at low speed until moistened.
Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
Stir in remaining flour, using just enough to form a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and continue to knead dough until smooth and elastic.
Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with saran wrap and let rise in a warm place (I turn my oven on, once it gets to 100 degrees I turn it off and then place my dough in the warm oven).
Let dough rise for about 45-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Punch dough down and on a well floured surface, toss dough until it is no longer sticky.
Now its time to make the knots.
Preheat oven to 400 and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix oil, garlic, basil and oregano and set aside.
Divid dough into 16 equal parts.
Shape each piece into a long strip by rolling in between hands.
Tie in loose knots, being careful not to stretch the dough too much and place on cookie sheet.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each knot with garlic and herb mixture.
Cover lightly with saran wrap and return to warm place, allowing to rise again for about 30 minutes.
Place in oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until knots are golden brown.
Serve with your favorite pasta dish.
Happy Baking!!
It's time to explain myself....
To contact us Click HERE
Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
Bad News: I'm not going to be blogging anymore. Let me explain myself...
Let's be honest, some of you have probably already given up on me, as I haven't updated in about a month and before that the posts were getting very sporadic.
I started this blog as a way to document and showcase my adventures through baking and although it's been fun, my life has started to take me in a different direction. Upon moving back to Northern Virginia, our schedules drastically changed- MM gets home late now leaving most of the cooking up to me and now that we're close to friends and family, our evenings and weekends are often dedicated to spending time with them.
Good News: I'm dedicating more time to cakes.
If you've followed my adventures, you know of my passion for baking and cake decorating. When we moved back closer to home I knew I wanted to try and take my cake business to the next level... so after lots of time and energy, selfless plugs, free advertising and great friends, I'm spending more and more time in the kitchen baking cakes for clients (paying clients!) It's been great so far and I'm very optimistic of what the future holds. All that being said, most of the time I used to spend concocting delicious creations for you all is now spent whipping up wonderful cakes.
Now time to get sappy...
Thank You.
I want to take a second and thank everyone that has followed or commented and been a part of this adventure throughout the past couple of years- it's been a great experience and I've met some awesome people along the way. The blogging world was definitely something that I never anticipated being a part of, but it was definitely fun and I felt like I was always learning something!
Please don't think of this as goodbye.. it's more like, See ya later! I'll still be around.. you're just going to have to use new ways to find me.
If you like me, you can always come by on facebook.. drop in and say "Hello!" Not to mention, you'll be able to keep up with what I am still doing in the kitchen.
Of course you can always take a peek at my cakes (or order one if you're in Northern VA-selfless plug): http://www.sweetsbye.com/
I just opened an etsy shop as well, so no matter where you are, you can indulge in a sweet!
And I'm going to be making more of an effort to tweet- @sweetebakes.. cake focused of course.
Well... I think that's all I got... Thanks for everything you wonderful wonderful people!!
As always, Happy Baking and Keep it Sweet!!
Bad News: I'm not going to be blogging anymore. Let me explain myself...
Let's be honest, some of you have probably already given up on me, as I haven't updated in about a month and before that the posts were getting very sporadic.
I started this blog as a way to document and showcase my adventures through baking and although it's been fun, my life has started to take me in a different direction. Upon moving back to Northern Virginia, our schedules drastically changed- MM gets home late now leaving most of the cooking up to me and now that we're close to friends and family, our evenings and weekends are often dedicated to spending time with them.
Good News: I'm dedicating more time to cakes.
If you've followed my adventures, you know of my passion for baking and cake decorating. When we moved back closer to home I knew I wanted to try and take my cake business to the next level... so after lots of time and energy, selfless plugs, free advertising and great friends, I'm spending more and more time in the kitchen baking cakes for clients (paying clients!) It's been great so far and I'm very optimistic of what the future holds. All that being said, most of the time I used to spend concocting delicious creations for you all is now spent whipping up wonderful cakes.
Now time to get sappy...
Thank You.
I want to take a second and thank everyone that has followed or commented and been a part of this adventure throughout the past couple of years- it's been a great experience and I've met some awesome people along the way. The blogging world was definitely something that I never anticipated being a part of, but it was definitely fun and I felt like I was always learning something!
Please don't think of this as goodbye.. it's more like, See ya later! I'll still be around.. you're just going to have to use new ways to find me.
If you like me, you can always come by on facebook.. drop in and say "Hello!" Not to mention, you'll be able to keep up with what I am still doing in the kitchen.
Of course you can always take a peek at my cakes (or order one if you're in Northern VA-selfless plug): http://www.sweetsbye.com/
I just opened an etsy shop as well, so no matter where you are, you can indulge in a sweet!
And I'm going to be making more of an effort to tweet- @sweetebakes.. cake focused of course.
Well... I think that's all I got... Thanks for everything you wonderful wonderful people!!
As always, Happy Baking and Keep it Sweet!!
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Jim Lahey's Irish Brown Bread (The "Green Acre" Grows and Blossoms. . . in Winter!)
To contact us Click HERE
Yesterday morning was gorgeous. Hubby and I set out for a hike first thing. (By eleven--that's what "first thing" means on the weekend.) We had no sooner returned from our St. Paddy's Day outing and were sitting down to have lunch when the sky turned really darkish, thunder sounded in the distance, and it began raining. Buckets. Then mother nature threw in some hail for good measure. We were sitting on the porch watching all of this happen. Trakcing it on our "devices" (I heart my Kindle Fire! Dr. Thyme hearts his Archos thingy)--looking for any warnings (of the tornado kind). After all, it is March inching ever-more-closely toward April, and April in Missouri means: the height of tornado season. Anyway, it was rain and storms (thankfully no tonadoes) non-stop until seven or so last night. I wish I'd put my rain gauge in the garden to measure the rainfall amount. I bet it was over three inches. I'll be putting it out today.
Meantime, I've been baking bread: French bread, raisin bread, ciabatta and. . . in honor of yesterday, Irish Brown Bread. (Or in honor of "Dr. Thyme's People's Holiday" as we like to call it.) This recipe comes from one of my most favorite bread books--by the man who invented the whole concept of no-knead bread baking: My Bread by Jim Lahey. (Yes, I am aware of his newest baking book adventure, No-Knead Pizza Dough. And yes, it will be on my bookshelf soon. I am truly a fan.)
Lahey's recipe for Irish Brown Bread had one little problem with which I had to contend. It included beer. The dark Irish stout kind. Go figure. But we don't do alcohol in this house. So I had to make a substitution, and one which would allow me to tease out the dark amber tones the recipe would yield were I to have included the beer. Here's what I did: instead of the 3/4 cup of beer, I used 3/4 cup water and a tablespoon of molasses mixed together. My rationale being that there would be some sort of sugar used in making the beer, that in essence, my sacrifice in not using the stout would be that I would not have had that malt flavor. (On reflection now, I could have probably used Barley Malt Syrup to retain the malt flavor. I will do so next time.) Lahey's recipe also calls for buttermilk. Well, as most of you know, this is totally fixable. I used 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk mixed with a teaspoon and a half of apple cider vinegar.
After mixing the flours and liquids together, I placed it on top of the fridge overnight. The next day, I put it in the fridge. I baked the bread two days later. The result was this sublime, rich, delicious, a bit sour, Irish Brown Bread. We both raved about its complex flavors and texture. It was a winner on all fronts. One other change to the recipe was: I did NOT bake this bread under a casserole. I shaped it into a ball on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, allowed it to sit at room temperature for an hour, then pre-heated the oven for around twenty minutes. Once the bread sat for an hour or so, I slashed it across the top. I then baked it on the parchment paper on my baking stone (which I discovered had cracked sometime during this past week--a victim of too much bread baking?). When I placed the loaf in the oven to bake, I poured 3/4 cup of water onto the boiler tray at the bottom of the oven (carefully!)--closed the oven door and allowed the bread to bake for about thirty minutes. The result, as you can see: perfect. We loved this bread to pieces. Dr. Thyme had it for breakfast this morning smothered with peanut butter and still raved about it. So. . . this recipe is one that needs no special ethnic holiday. It is now going into our rotation. You can find the recipe here.
Meantime. As we all walk around scratching our heads, wondering if this eighty degree weather in March (still winter) might be global warming or. . . the end of days! Let me, for the sake of being a trouble maker, add my two cents: YES! This is global warming AND. . . the end of days! Here's why:
Peach tree blossom. Winter.
Magnolia tree blossom. Winter. (Or is this a tulip tree? I can't remember. I just plant 'em.) 
Bradford pear tree in FULL bloom. Winter. Now nearly finished flowering and leafing out.
Okay. So this is not so much a surprise. My hyacinth have always sort of had a mind of their own. 
First asparagus harvest. Winter.
My spring veggie patch. All planted and ready to go. Winter! Peas, radishes, lettuce, kohlrabi (we'll see how that goes), beets, cabbage, carrots, spinach, etc. 
Oregano. Needs serious dividing.
And then this: my portable greenhouse. I LOVE this thing! Okay, it came in two hundred million pieces and took me three hours to assemble, but look at it--how cute is it?! I got it at Big Lots for fifty bucks on sale. Even if it gets blown to smithereens, I just love it! I am experimenting this year with seed starting. Planting more seeds. Not enough room to germinate inside, so, these are kept outside. At first I would bring them in at night. But since we are staying in the sixties or upper fifties in the evening, they just stay outside. My germination rate is really slow. But I figure I'll start another tray of seeds and germinate them the "normal" way (on top of the fridge) beginning today. Also--going to plant my potatoes! (Easy to remember, always plant potatoes on St. Paddy's Day.) I open the greenhouse up during the sunny part of the day. A few days I'd forgotten to do this--it was pretty balmy inside--probably a hundred degrees. Oops. So I may have actually unintentionally "fried" some of my seeds. Oh well. Lesson learned. That's what I love about gardening and vegetable growing--it's never, ever the same thing twice.
This week I begin teaching the first of several gardening classes for our library. I love our library. So I volunteered a bit of gardening know-how for them. What's the worst that could happen? I mean, it's growing food. Not rocket science!
Yesterday morning was gorgeous. Hubby and I set out for a hike first thing. (By eleven--that's what "first thing" means on the weekend.) We had no sooner returned from our St. Paddy's Day outing and were sitting down to have lunch when the sky turned really darkish, thunder sounded in the distance, and it began raining. Buckets. Then mother nature threw in some hail for good measure. We were sitting on the porch watching all of this happen. Trakcing it on our "devices" (I heart my Kindle Fire! Dr. Thyme hearts his Archos thingy)--looking for any warnings (of the tornado kind). After all, it is March inching ever-more-closely toward April, and April in Missouri means: the height of tornado season. Anyway, it was rain and storms (thankfully no tonadoes) non-stop until seven or so last night. I wish I'd put my rain gauge in the garden to measure the rainfall amount. I bet it was over three inches. I'll be putting it out today.Meantime, I've been baking bread: French bread, raisin bread, ciabatta and. . . in honor of yesterday, Irish Brown Bread. (Or in honor of "Dr. Thyme's People's Holiday" as we like to call it.) This recipe comes from one of my most favorite bread books--by the man who invented the whole concept of no-knead bread baking: My Bread by Jim Lahey. (Yes, I am aware of his newest baking book adventure, No-Knead Pizza Dough. And yes, it will be on my bookshelf soon. I am truly a fan.)
Lahey's recipe for Irish Brown Bread had one little problem with which I had to contend. It included beer. The dark Irish stout kind. Go figure. But we don't do alcohol in this house. So I had to make a substitution, and one which would allow me to tease out the dark amber tones the recipe would yield were I to have included the beer. Here's what I did: instead of the 3/4 cup of beer, I used 3/4 cup water and a tablespoon of molasses mixed together. My rationale being that there would be some sort of sugar used in making the beer, that in essence, my sacrifice in not using the stout would be that I would not have had that malt flavor. (On reflection now, I could have probably used Barley Malt Syrup to retain the malt flavor. I will do so next time.) Lahey's recipe also calls for buttermilk. Well, as most of you know, this is totally fixable. I used 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk mixed with a teaspoon and a half of apple cider vinegar.
After mixing the flours and liquids together, I placed it on top of the fridge overnight. The next day, I put it in the fridge. I baked the bread two days later. The result was this sublime, rich, delicious, a bit sour, Irish Brown Bread. We both raved about its complex flavors and texture. It was a winner on all fronts. One other change to the recipe was: I did NOT bake this bread under a casserole. I shaped it into a ball on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, allowed it to sit at room temperature for an hour, then pre-heated the oven for around twenty minutes. Once the bread sat for an hour or so, I slashed it across the top. I then baked it on the parchment paper on my baking stone (which I discovered had cracked sometime during this past week--a victim of too much bread baking?). When I placed the loaf in the oven to bake, I poured 3/4 cup of water onto the boiler tray at the bottom of the oven (carefully!)--closed the oven door and allowed the bread to bake for about thirty minutes. The result, as you can see: perfect. We loved this bread to pieces. Dr. Thyme had it for breakfast this morning smothered with peanut butter and still raved about it. So. . . this recipe is one that needs no special ethnic holiday. It is now going into our rotation. You can find the recipe here.
Meantime. As we all walk around scratching our heads, wondering if this eighty degree weather in March (still winter) might be global warming or. . . the end of days! Let me, for the sake of being a trouble maker, add my two cents: YES! This is global warming AND. . . the end of days! Here's why:
Peach tree blossom. Winter.Magnolia tree blossom. Winter. (Or is this a tulip tree? I can't remember. I just plant 'em.) Bradford pear tree in FULL bloom. Winter. Now nearly finished flowering and leafing out.Okay. So this is not so much a surprise. My hyacinth have always sort of had a mind of their own. 
First asparagus harvest. Winter.My spring veggie patch. All planted and ready to go. Winter! Peas, radishes, lettuce, kohlrabi (we'll see how that goes), beets, cabbage, carrots, spinach, etc. 
Oregano. Needs serious dividing.
And then this: my portable greenhouse. I LOVE this thing! Okay, it came in two hundred million pieces and took me three hours to assemble, but look at it--how cute is it?! I got it at Big Lots for fifty bucks on sale. Even if it gets blown to smithereens, I just love it! I am experimenting this year with seed starting. Planting more seeds. Not enough room to germinate inside, so, these are kept outside. At first I would bring them in at night. But since we are staying in the sixties or upper fifties in the evening, they just stay outside. My germination rate is really slow. But I figure I'll start another tray of seeds and germinate them the "normal" way (on top of the fridge) beginning today. Also--going to plant my potatoes! (Easy to remember, always plant potatoes on St. Paddy's Day.) I open the greenhouse up during the sunny part of the day. A few days I'd forgotten to do this--it was pretty balmy inside--probably a hundred degrees. Oops. So I may have actually unintentionally "fried" some of my seeds. Oh well. Lesson learned. That's what I love about gardening and vegetable growing--it's never, ever the same thing twice. This week I begin teaching the first of several gardening classes for our library. I love our library. So I volunteered a bit of gardening know-how for them. What's the worst that could happen? I mean, it's growing food. Not rocket science!
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