Pancakes

We've tried a lot of different pancake recipes, but finally found one we really like.  It's a recipe for "Good Old Fashioned Pancakes," which sounds just about right.

Old Fashioned Pancake Recipe
 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix together just until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Flip when bubbles begin to pop around the edges and start to look dry. Cook until browned on second side. Serve hot.

Makes 12 pancakes.  

* * * This picture shows Jeremy's version with wheat flour--substituting whole wheat flour for 1/2 cup of the flour, and substituting brown sugar for white. 

Honey-Sweetened Homemade Marshmallows

I adapted my recipe for Marshmallows from the Nourishing Gourmet. I doubled hers, and used the process I was familiar with from my older recipe for marshmallows.  

Honey-Sweetened Homemade Marshmallows
4 packets plain gelatin (a little less than 3 Tbls)
1 cup cold water
1 cup honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Butter a 9x9 pan. Put 1/2 cup of water in the bowl of a mixer with a whisk , and sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Set aside to soften. (I sprinkle one packet at a time and let it sit in between so it doesn't get clumpy.)

In a small pot, place the honey, salt, and the other 1/2 cup of water. Heat on medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to 248 degrees. It takes about 7-8 minutes to reach this temperature. Remove from the heat as soon as it’s at the right temperature.

Turn the mixer with the gelatin on low, very slowly pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the gelatin mixture. Once combined, add the vanilla and increase speed to high. Beat for 10- 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and fluffy and cooled down to a lukewarm temperature. Scrape into the prepared pan and leave, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or until set and mostly dry.

Pull the edges away from the side of the pan with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder, toasted coconut, or for classic marshmallows a mixture of half powdered sugar and half corn starch. Flip the pan over on top of a cutting board and let the marshmallow slowly fall out--you can give it a bit of help with the spatula around the edges. Cut into squares and toss in a bowl with your desired coating.

 For S'mores- These did toast up better the next day when they'd dried out for longer, so if you want them for roasting--make at least a day in advance.

Fish and Chips

We substitute club soda for beer in this fish and chips recipe since we don't drink beer. The carbonation is what is important to make the batter nice and fluffy, and the club soda does just fine.

1 cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup club soda
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless cod, cut into 1-by-3-inch pieces
lemon wedges, for serving
Tartar Sauce, for serving

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and baking powder. Slowly add club soda and whisk batter until smooth. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place near stove.

Pat fish dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt. In two batches, dip fish into batter (gently shaking off excess) and place in oil. Fry fish, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and crisp, about 7 minutes per batch.

With a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, transfer fish to prepared sheet to drain. Keep warm while cooking second batch. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

Vanilla Pudding Pops

We love teaching our children that eating real food includes plenty of snacks and treats. Homemade and from whole foods. In our family we love food, and enjoy food. . . and our food is nourishing.



This week we enjoyed a whole food treat of homemade pudding pops. I adapted this Martha Stewart Recipe, swapping out honey for the sugar, and you could use an arrowroot or other starch in place of the corn starch if you wanted as well.

I used an old plastic set of popsicle molds that I've had since I was like 9 or something. But this week I saw these stainless steel popsicle molds, and definitely think those should be a purchase for the future.

Honey Sweetened Vanilla Pudding Pop Recipe

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbl cornstarch or other starch
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk, mixing until ingredients are dissolved. Whisk in egg yolk and honey.
Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble sputters. Reduce heat to low; continue to whisk, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; stir in vanilla.
Divide mixture among five or six ice-pop molds. Chill in refrigerator until cool and thickened, about 1 hour. Insert pop sticks, and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours and up to 2 weeks. Run mold briefly under warm water to help release popcicles.

Honey Whole Wheat and Flax Bread

With so much honey flowing into our kitchen, I've been experimenting more lately with replacing other sugars with honey, and trying to adapt favorite recipes along the way.



I've successfully adapted my recipe for bread to use honey rather than sugar. I've made it a few times, so I'm ready to share it.

In the summer it's always harder for me to work up the desire to turn my oven on--so I've been trying to bake a bunch of bread at once. (This picture shows four loaves of the honey whole wheat and flax seed bread, and the round loaf on the right is a leftover oatmeal bread loaf.)  

Honey Whole Wheat and Flax Seed Bread

1/2 cup honey
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups warmed buttermilk*
2 Tbsp butter, melted, or oil
5 cups of whole wheat flour, divided
1/3 cup of ground flax seed meal**
1 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp honey***
2-3 cups unbleached AP or bread flour

In large mixer bowl, mix first 4 ingredients together. Add 3 cups of the whole wheat flour and 1/3 cup of ground flax seed meal to cooled mixture. Blend at low speed until moist; then beat at medium speed for three minutes to begin developing gluten. Mix yeast into water and honey and let proof.

Add last 2 cups of whole wheat flour to bowl, and add the yeast mixture--after it has started to rise. Mix all together well. Stir in 2-3 cups white flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, at least 7 minutes in mixer or 10-15 minutes by hand.

Place dough in greased bowl, flip the dough over so the oily side is on top, cover with a towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled--about an hour. Gently degas ("punch down") dough, divide into 2 loaves and form into loaf shapes. Place in greased bread pans and let rise again until dough is about 1 inch above pan edges.(About 30-45 minutes)

Slice 1/4 inch depth down the the center of each loaf.**** Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes--or until loaves sound hollow when lightly rapped.***** Remove from pans immediately. Cool and enjoy.

My personal notes:

*Sometimes I use buttermilk, sometimes I use milk with 1 Tbl lemon juice added, I've used reconstituted powdered milk with lemon juice added, and you could even use just water, but the bread would not be as rich.

**Fresh ground meal has more nutrients, but flax seeds are difficult to grind. I've tried unsuccessfully in a food processor, and my hand grain mill. What I do is store my flax seeds in the fridge, and when I need meal I mix it about half and half with the wheat berries (grains) and find that I can grind that pretty well through my hand grinder. You can try that if you want, realizing that it goes against the instructions of many grain mills, or you can use pre-ground meal, or simply replace it with more wheat flour.

***I measure out my 1/2 cup of honey into a 1 cup glass measuring cup. I pour it out into the mixing bowl and set aside. When it's time for my yeast, I take that measuring cup with the honey residue left in it, fill it with 1/2 cup of warm water and the yeast and mix them all up. I find there is enough honey left in the glass to get the yeast going nicely, and I don't have to stress about scraping every last bit of honey out back at the first step.

****It's my un-scientifically-proven beleif that splitting the top allows the dough to raise just a little bit more when being placed into the oven before the crust forms, allowing the bread to be just a little bit more airy, which for wheat bread is very appreciated.

*****Alternately I bake to an internal temperature of 190*F.

Orange Sheet Cake

I recently made sheet cake for my friends' baby shower.  The co-host made a delicious Texas sheet cake, and I made an orange sheet cake.  And we all ate a slice of each, because --you know-- sheet cake is pretty flat, only like half the thickness of a regular slice of cake.  So a slice of each is really only like having a whole slice of "regular" cake--right?

 I made this orange sheet cake with orange cream cheese Icing from Wilton, but made a few changes.

First, I left out the orange extract, because it's totally not necessary.  That is a typical standard American diet kind of ingredient.  There is fresh orange zest in the cake and frosting, as well as orange juice in the frosting.  That is plenty "orangey" enough.  If you add the extract I'll bet you wouldn't be able to make it through a whole slice because the flavor would become overbearing.  Subtlety is a virtue that a lot of food lacks these days.

Also, the recipe said to bake it in a 9x13 pan.  Obviously that would make a 9x13 cake, not a sheet cake.  Wilton is just trying to advertise one of their pans, but it's a completely wrong opportunity to do so.  I baked this recipe in a half sheet baking sheet.  That's the normal thick jelly roll-type pans that everyone got for wedding gifts from Cosco members. (That's not a dis, I love and use all three I got weekly, and particularly love the two with lids.)

Finally, the recipe for the delicious orange cream cheese frosting makes at least twice as much as you need for a sheet cake.  I can't imagine spreading that much frosting on the smaller 9x13 size cake they suggested baking--it would be half frosting. 

So here are the recipes, with my suggested changes:

Orange Sheet Cake Recipe:

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 tablespoons orange zest 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 stick) butter, softened 
• 1-3/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 3 eggs 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
•  1-1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease sheet pan.


In medium bowl, combine flour, orange zest, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar 1/4 cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed; when combined, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla extract. Add half of flour mixture; beat on low speed until nearly combined. Add buttermilk to moisten; add in remaining flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake 25-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan completely before icing.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

•  1/4cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 1/2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice 
• 1 tablespoon orange zest 
•  2 to 2 1/2  cups confectioners' sugar

In large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, juice and zest with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar one cup at a time, beating until icing is light and fluffy.

Spring Carrot Cupcakes

It's not Owen's birthday, nor is it his half birthday (they both occur during school breaks) but today we took in cupcakes for Owen's "April Fool's--Not really my birthday--Day". We had a lot of discussion back and forth about what might be a good idea to take in for his special snack, and what was not.  Another idea he had that I was totally on board with was pancakes and syrup--I would totally have let him take in homemade pancakes for his birthday snack.

In the end though, he went with one of my suggestions-- carrot cake cupcakes.  It is technically for the whole class' "morning snack", so I feel good about the veggie content of these treats.  I also thought they would be fun and celebrating spring, since we really didn't need "birthday cupcakes" since it is not actually Owen's birthday. 

The cupcakes are yummy and have frosting made from real butter and cream cheese, and as I piped the little carrots on top for decoration I thought, "Yep, that is quite enough artificial food coloring for one treat."  And as was noted in the comments of my other blog, yes--this non-birthday cupcake makes me a Birthday Scrooge.

So if you are interested in being a birthday scrooge--or if you just want to enjoy a seasonal homemade treat, here is my recipe for Spring Carrot Cupcakes, adapted from Lion House Desserts:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 8oz can crushed pineapple (in juice), pressed dry in a strainer
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400*.  Prepare 12 muffin cups with grease or papers.  Combine sugar and oil in a medium mixing bowl.  Add eggs, mix well.  Add grated carrots and pineapple.  Set aside.  In a large bowl sift together flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon.  Make a well,.  Add wet mixture, and mix to combine.  Spoon into muffin cups, and bake for 20 minutes of until they test done.

When cool frost with cream cheese frosting:  1 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup butter, softened; 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar.  Cream together in a mixer bowl.  If needed add a teaspoon of hot water at a time to get to spreading consistency.  (I didn't need water--I have a hot kitchen.)

Honey Ice Cream

I mentioned I was reading Keeping Bees with Ashley English. Well, my boys couldn't help but be excited about all the bee books around, and Jonas found the recipe for Honey Ice Cream in the recipe section of her book. He wouldn't let us forget about it, so this week we made a batch of backyard honey ice cream.



It was absolutely delicious, as homemade ice cream always is. And it is made with only natural ingredients and honey as the only sweetener. I love when food can be so real, and so delicious.



Honey Ice Cream Recipe:
2 cups milk
2/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla

  Note: This is a custard-type ice cream which uses eggs, the eggs are heated on the stove top and need to be chilled completely before attempting to freeze into ice cream, so prepare the mixture in the morning, or the night before you want to freeze it.

Heat the milk over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Whisk in the honey and salt. Beat the two eggs in a small bowl. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the eggs while quickly stirring. Once they are mixed together you can pour the eggs mixture into the pot of milk without the eggs curdling. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

Allow mixture to cool completely. Then chill thoroughly, 8-12 hours.

Prepare ice cream freezer. Pour in milk mixture, vanilla and cream. Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker.

Ice cream always comes out of the mixer a bit of a soft-serve consistency, if you prefer harder ice cream, transfer to a chilled freezer-proof container and freeze four hours to harden.

Enjoy!

Leftover Oatmeal Bread

The ultimate definition of thrift is taking something unusable and resurrecting it into something of real great value.

No one likes rubbery leftover oatmeal. We've tried to save helpings leftover from breakfast and reheat them later--maybe adding a little bit of milk to brighten it up--but it's still not the same as a steaming pot of freshly-cooked oatmeal. So we've tried giving old oatmeal to the chickens, and --truth be told-- they love it, but I just still feel like throwing it out to the chickens was a bit of an extreme sentence for the crimes of the old oatmeal.



I knew there had to be a better option. Adding them to bread seemed like a perfect idea. I consulted Alton Brown, for his food savvy, and adjusted the recipe to our own food preferences (whole wheat and honey). Our oatmeal was steel cut oats and included a little bit of dairy and honey, but rolled oat oatmeal could be used as well.



Leftover Oatmeal Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups leftover, cooked oatmeal, at room temperature
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for bowl and pan

1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour, plus 1/2 cup extra for kneading
1/4 cup toasted uncooked old fashioned rolled oats, plus 1 tablespoon extra for topping
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Toast the raw oats if desired.

Combine the leftover cooked oatmeal, warm water, honey, and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Combine the yeast, bread flour, 1/4 cup toasted, uncooked oats, and the salt in a small mixing bowl.

Add the dry mixture to the cooked oatmeal mixture in 3 installments and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon after each addition.

Spread last 1/2 cup of bread flour on a counter. Turn the dough onto it and knead by hand for 10 minutes, adding more flour, if needed. Dough will still be a little sticky. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl or container. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough, shape it into a loaf, and put it into a lightly oiled 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Lightly brush the top of the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon toasted, uncooked oats. Bake about 55 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the loaf from the pan to a cooling rack for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Instant Hot Cocoa

I should just restrain myself.  I keep turning over long-enjoyed food products and finding things on the ingredients label I just don't like. Most recently it was hot cocoa mix which contains sucralose.

I'm just not a fan of artificial sweeteners.  They are all created as a sugar alternative to be sweet but to have no (or less) calories.  In the first place I don't believe it is calories per se that are the enemy to good health, and secondly if I wanted to find a replacement for sugar I would go the other direction on the processing spectrum and instead choose to replace it with honey or maple syrup.

So after returning the canister of hot chocolate to the store shelf, we returned home to revisit Alton Brown's "Art of Darkness II: cocoa" to seek out our solution, and were not disappointed.  It's a yummy mug of hot cocoa very rich and dark--very un-American. It's a nice big batch that we can store in a canister for quick and easy use.   A frugal replacement for something fairly overpriced in the store(especially if you buy individual packets) and one in which I can control each of the ingredients. 
 

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred) 
• 2 1/2 cups powdered milk 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch 
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (if you like that kick)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and sift together (we use a whisk). Seal in an airtight container.

To use, fill your mug one third to half full with the hot cocoa mix and pour in hot water.

Note: LDS Cannery dry milk is a little different than the "instant" powdered milk they sell at the grocery store.  If you are using cannery milk use only 1 1/2 cups dry milk.  Then the amount of mix you'll add to your cup will probably be on the lower end as well.  Just experiment with it--we always do!

Crab Cooker Soup Crackers

We have a family favorite restaurant in Newport beach called The Crab Cooker. We love to stop by for take-out bowls of clam chowder and their homemade soup crackers. Not very much like the typical delicate oyster crackers, the Crab Cooker crackers are more like big shooter-sized crunchy balls. I wondered how difficult it would be to make them.

Last week I made a batch with relative success. I was making a batch of breadsticks and thought I would experiment with the dough. I rolled some of the dough in to marble-sized pieces and let them rise a bit with the breadsticks. I baked them for the same amount of time as the bread, giving the pan a nice shake to roll them around halfway through, and it didn't seem too long.

They were nice and crunchy and a bit hollow in the middle for some give.

We ate them with my mom's homemade clam chowder. (Mom's recipe is a "New England" clam chowder, or a cream-based chowder, though the Crab Cooker serves Manhattan style clam chowder which is tomato-based.)

Have I ever mentioned how much we love food in our house?

Western Potato Rounds

Western

Potato Rounds

These won the "best in show" vote from the lone husband-sneaking-around-the-kitchen at my cooking and recipe swap group the other night.  He said "from the man's point of view" they were the clear winner.  The theme of the night was hors d' oeuvres.

2 large unpeeled baking potatoes
vegetable oil
1 cup (4 oz) colby jack cheese
6 bacon slices
1/3 cup green onion slices (about 2)
¼ cup barbeque sauce

Preheat oven to 450*F. Cut potatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Brush both sides of potatoes with oil. Place rounds on a baking stone or sheet pan. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp, drain and crumble. In a medium bowl, combine bacon, cheese, and sliced green onions in a bowl and toss together. With a basting brush, brush each potato round with barbeque sauce and sprinkle the cheese mixture on top. Return to the oven. Bake 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Adapted from "The Pampered Chef Stoneware Sensations" cookbook. Makes 24 hors d’oeuvres.

Homemade Fruit Juice Syrup

One chipper Saturday morning in college, our apartment of three girls headed over to our friends' (three boys) apartment for a waffle breakfast.  They had the table set with an assortment of toppings for the waffles.  There was maple syrup of course.  Peanut butter graced the table as well I'm sure, but the one that surprised me was corn syrup.

"You aren't seriously going to slather your waffle with that are you?" I asked the tall boy. "It's corn syrup--straight sugar."

"Of course I am." he asserted, pouring it on his waffle.  "It's the exact same thing the maple syrup is made out of anyway!"

I couldn't argue with that, but just because it was the truth about the "naturally flavored" maple syrup didn't make it right--didn't mean that I wanted to embrace that fact, and skip the maple flavor and go straight to the corn syrup.

Jeremy and I use exclusively pure maple syrup in our home.  The number one response I get to that is "But it's so much more expensive!"  Sometimes followed by, "With how much my kids use we'd go broke!"

There are a couple of reasons why this doesn't deter us.  First of all.  Real maple syrup is a lot thinner than the corn syrup based version.  So it spreads out thinner and will therefore last longer if used accordingly.  Also the higher price helps us consider exactly how much we do let our kids use.  Even the smaller containers that pure maple syrups come in from the store help give a visual reminder to use it sparingly so we teach our kids that.  Although a natural one--it is still a sugar syrup. 

Recently I've been interested in making fruit-based syrups as a way of providing for our pancake syrup "needs."  (Though one day I'd love my very own maple bush (grove) to make real maple syrup.)  I was contemplating how to get a thicker syrup rather than just adding sugar to make fruit juice more "syrupy".  Of course pectin was the answer and I don't know why I never thought of it before.  I was excited to become familiar with Pomona's Pectin which is a citrus-based pectin as opposed to the standard apple-based varieties.  Pomona's can use significantly less sugar and still "jell."  You can also use honey and other sweeteners--not just white sugar. 

The website suggested for making syrups to use 1/4 the measurements of pectin from jam recipes as a starting point.  My first try was with elderberries foraged from a couple bushes in the university gardens.  Jeremy had a large elderberry bush at his house growing up and he remembers his dad making elderberry syrup when he was a kid.
I'm excited for the potential of making more natural and lower sugar syrups for our family pancakes.  Though truth be told--maybe elderberry wasn't the best choice of fruit for trying to go low sugar!

Indian Fry Bread

We were looking for a way to enjoy our fresh honey harvest.  We didn't have any bread for toast, but I'm an Arizona girl, and I can't think of anything better to enjoy golden raw honey on than hot fresh Indian fry bread!

When I was little living up in the White Mountains we called them "Navajo Tacos" because the Native Americans would serve the fry bread topped with beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes with a dollop of sour cream on top.  They would serve them in the lodge at the ski slopes we went to on the reservation.  After skiing we were always hungry enough for the taco version, but the dessert version of the fry bread with honey drizzled on top can't be beat for a sweet treat.

My mom got her recipe for fry bread from the newspaper in AZ.  Sometimes newspaper recipes can turn out the very best!  This is one of those times.  So here is my mom's Indian Fry Bread Recipe, and.  (Don't forget to follow all hot oil kitchen safety rules--especially with kids around.)   

Indian Fry Bread
Serves 8

4 cups flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbl powdered milk
1 1/4 -1 1/2 cups warm water
Shortening or other frying oil

Melt shortening or other oil in a large skillet, dutch oven,  or wok.  (Should be at least 3/4 inch of oil.)  Heat to 500*F.

Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, salt and milk powder in large mixing bowl.  (You can do this by hand or with a dough hook.)  Gradually stir in warm water.  Mix until dough forms a ball and comes clean from edge of bowl.  Knead until elastic.  Divide dough into 8 pieces.  Pat into circles and roll to 1/4 inch thickness.  

Slip one dough circle into hot fat.  Turn once when underside is brown.  Remove from oil, drain on paper towels.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Orange Sherbet

Owen has been obsessed with an idea lately.  We try to encourage any interest the boys show towards food or cooking and Owen was obsessed with making homemade orange sherbet.  We watched Alton Brown make it on Good Eats and since then Owen asked about it almost daily.

I cannot even describe how delicious it turned out.  It tastes so orange and the flavor is so clear.  As I was eating it I was thinking about how so many people and us included just don't even know what the "real thing" tastes like.  And I wondered if we sat a bunch of people down in a room and fed them the real thing if they wouldn't just instantly be converted to real food because they simply hadn't known what they had been missing?

Unfortunately for some people their taste buds have been assaulted with too much added salt, and too much added sugar, and too many artificial "natural flavorings"  for so long they can overlook real food upon first re-taste.   But I've seen my homemade chocolate pudding rock people's worlds before, and I'm going to bet that this orange sherbet would do the same.

It sure rocked mine.

Orange Sherbet Recipe

7 ounces sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, (2 to 3 pounds oranges)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups very cold whole milk

In the bowl of a food processor combine all of the ingredients except the milk and process until the sugar is dissolved, approximately 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and whisk in the milk. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until the mixture reaches 40 degrees F or below, approximately 1 hour. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process until it is the consistency of soft serve ice cream. You may serve now or transfer to a lidded container and place in freezer until firm, approximately 3 hours.

SERVES 8 (1/2 cup serving);

Banana Oat Drops

When we could tell Wyatt was ready for some food of the teething biscuit variety I started looking for recipes. I found some recipes on this baby food website which is also where we got the info on making the rice cereal.  I wanted a non-wheat recipe, no extra sugar, and having no eggs was a good thing too.

The recipe we tried out recently --Oat and Banana Drops-- was a hit.  It made a biscuit that was soft and mushy in the baby's mouth (as opposed to the type that is hard and dissolves as the baby sucks on it).  They were delicious--tasting similar to a banana-walnut-type muffin but with 753 less calories a piece (estimated) and containing only happy baby ingredients.  And they made for one satisfied baby.

This is the only picture I have because the entire family ate up the half batch within 12 hours.  (Had to let the baby share his nourishing snack with the rest of us--we need it too!)


Oat and Banana Drops -- Baby Biscuit Recipe:


1 c old-fashioned oats
1 c ground oats (oat flour)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 t baking powder
1 c (2-3) ripe bananas, mashed
1 t vanilla extract
3 T oil


Mix dry ingredients together, set aside.  Mix wet ingredients, pour into to dry mixture. Drop by the spoonful onto parchment paper or greased baking sheet, or use a piping bag to make long bars. Bake 12-15 min at 350.

This is (before cooking) how I made mine.  I piped them into bars because Wyatt likes to be able to grab on and have something sticking out of his fist to chew on.  This was a half batch and made 16.  A full batch should make about 32 bars or 64 drops and should hopefully last more than a day. 

Homemade Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Kids love that blue box. My kids too. And they do get it once in a while --but not too often. We've been using a great recipe for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese that has a smooth and creamy texture that will remind kids of their favorite version--but is made with real ingredients.

It doesn't take much longer to make either.  For both versions you are only waiting for the pasta to cook through.

Over Thanksgiving my sister requested this recipe.  She tried making a homestyle baked version of Mac and Cheese and her kids did not take the bait.  I promised her they would love this one.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Alton Brown

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (if you like that kick)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded


In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. (While it's cooking shred the cheddar.)  Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese.

Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Key Lime Brownies

Jeremy won the contest for the most unusual brownies at our Church Labor Day picnic. 

 

That's brownies with a layer of lime curd topped with a layer of chocolate ganache.

Ganache is just cream and chocolate.  Heat up one part heavy cream until it starts to get steamy.  Pour over three parts chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a glass bowl.  Let sit until chocolate melts, stir to incorporate.  Pour over top of cake or brownies.

I have to add here that Jeremy sent me into the store for lemon curd, and I came out with a jar of lemon and a jar of lime.  Not that I'm claiming Jeremy's victory for the most unusual brownies, I just was pretty sure that if he was there looking at the selection that he would choose the lime.  So I guess I'm just saying I know my husband. . . and I can hold my own in the kitchen stadium.(And yes, that picture is the brand we get--though it's not really so hyper-colored.)

And here is the Brownie Recipe:


1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a 9x13 inch pan.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the cocoa. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs. Add vanilla and stir in the melted chocolate mixture. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the batter just until combined. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top has crusted over.

American Bento

I haven't actually been trying that hard on Owen's lunches.  I've been letting his new cute containers do most of the work for me thus far.     That was. . . until we had the following conversation:

Me:  Owen how do you want this carrot in your lunch?  Do you want me to cut it into carrot sticks or do you want me to leave it like this-- like a big carrot rocket?

Owen:  I don't want any carrots in my lunch.

Me:  Would you like me to put some dip in for your carrot sticks?

Owen:  I would like ketchup. . .
            with french fries. . .
            and some chicken nuggets. . .

That got no reply from me other than to turn and march myself right back into the kitchen to finish making his lunch.  This is exactly why I am making his lunches at home and sending them to school.

Kindergartners want to eat fun food.  And right now he's thinking that those french fries and chicken nuggets look fun.  That is one of the whole ideas behind bento.  People, especially children, eat with their eyes first, and if the food isn't visually appealing--they won't want to eat it.

Carrot sticks, sweet red pepper squares on toothpicks, cheese leaves, and ants on a log.  He also had a half a sandwich.  (Jeremy had made him a whole sandwich, but Jonas found it and ate one half for his breakfast.)

When I finished putting together Owen's Americanized bento box I took it over and showed him.    I got the wide-eyed expression of surprise and interest I was looking for.

"This is your lunch."  I told him.  (And no, you may not have fries with that.)

I think he enjoyed his lunch.  I definitely was excited to show it to him, and he ate most of it.  Now I just have to stop by the principle's office when I drop him off today and ask for his plastic toothpicks back.

Apparently they were confiscated for being "spaceships--flying through the hair galaxy." 

("Who's hair galaxy Owen?")

Seriously, they should be paying me to send my kid to school.  You know those teachers haven't had laughs this good in a long time.

Mayonnaise Recipe

Homemade Mayonnaise may just be too "out there" for some people. But I really love that feeling of knowing how to do something myself--even if I don't always choose to actually do it myself.

When you make this yourself you can control the type of oil you are using--that's a big bonus.

Homemade mayonnaise would be necessary for making the homemade ranch dressing entirely from scratch. We've also been making a homemade tartar sauce from scratch using mayonnaise--yumm!

This is a Martha recipe and she says:Note: Raw eggs should not be used in food prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.

Alton Brown would say: If you are worried about it just buy pasteurized eggs.

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

Makes 1 cup

1 large egg, room temperature
Salt
1/4 cup mild-tasting oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon


Wrap the outside and bottom of a 1-quart bowl in a damp towel to secure it in place on the work surface. Combine egg and salt with a large balloon whisk, mixing until foamy and pale. (Or do it in a mixer with the whisk attachment.) Whisking constantly, add oils a few drops at a time, and then in a steady stream as the mixture emulsifies. Add lemon juice; blend briefly. Add additional salt and lemon juice to taste. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.