Mini Cheesecakes

Who doesn't like "mini" things? These cheesecakes are mini in size but big in flavor, appeal and time savings. They cook in a fraction of the time a regular cheesecake takes and are already portion controlled...I mean, what could be better? I bought a specialty pan with removable bottoms (Norpro 3919, $20) from Amazon, made some of these bad boys and then bought another pan because I could see how often these will be just the ticket. Take a look at the Hints section for the Holiday version: Eggnog (Oh Yeah!) and also a chocolate hazelnut flavor link at the end. WooHoo!!

Mini Cheesecakes with Strawberry Topping
Crust:
5 1/2 full graham crackers (the full crackers are usually scored into 4 parts)
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
Spray the cavities of the mini cheesecake pan with coconut oil or veggie oil.  Process crackers in food processor until very fine crumb. Mix in sugar then butter. Place 2 teaspoons of mixture in each compartment and press down firmly. Set aside.

Filling:
8 ounces Greek yogurt cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon citrus zest (orange, lemon, grapefruit etc.)
1 egg yolk
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in sugar, salt and corn starch beating until well blended. Reduce mixer speed and pour in half and half slowly and beat until batter is smooth. Blend in vanilla and citrus zest. Finally, add the egg yolk and mix just until incorporated. Spoon batter onto crusts, filling cavities 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-19 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in the pan for an hour then push the cakes out from the bottom and remove the pan bottom disks from the cheese cakes. Chill in a air tight container for at least another hour.

Topping:
3/4 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup sweetened whipped cream
Mix all ingredients but the cream together and macerate for 1 hour or more. To serve, place 1 teaspoon of whipped cream on cheesecake and top with about 1-2 teaspoon of strawberry mixture.

Hints: I like using Greek cream cheese but this would work the same with regular cream cheese. I used the orange zest because the strawberries had orange flavor. Lemon or lime or grapefruit would be awesome. The pan cavities are easy to pop out a cooled cheesecake if they are sprayed with oil. The coconut oil in a spray can is what I have on hand but they could be greased by hand with butter.

To make the Holiday version:
Add 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg to the graham cracker crust mixture, use eggnog in place of the half and half, reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons, use just 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and replace the citrus zest with nutmeg. Top with whipped cream, fresh diced persimmon and more freshly ground nutmeg. (I buy whole nutmeg and grate it on a micro-planer.) SO GOOD!!! In fact, after New Years, I went to the store and bought some eggnog I could freeze to make these one more time :)

Here is a link to another flavor, chocolate hazelnut, I tried for my friends wedding along with the strawberry version. It was also wonderful. I think any cheesecake recipe could be adapted for a mini version. I guess I'm just a "little" crazy about these little guys...

Pumpkin Pie (Non-dairy)

At the start I want to be clear that I am not trying to promote anarchy. Traditionalists may feel uncomfortable but I am only offering an alternative. This pie received mixed reviews among family members. Some were enthusiastic, others... courteous. But everyone ate at least one piece. I would love to hear what you think.

Pumpkin Pie (Non-traditional, Non-dairy)
Crust:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup white flour
1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup shortening (or coconut oil)
4 to 6 tablespoons cold water
Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles meal. Add 4 tablespoons of the water and stir to moisten. Add remaining water, if needed, just until dough forms a ball. Roll out on a floured surface into an 12 inch circle. Fold in half and place in a 10 inch pie plate. Unfold and gently fit into place. Cut edge with a knife pulled along the outside of the pie plate rim. Crimp into a decorative edge. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Filling:
1 1/2 cups pumpkin (I used canned)
2 eggs
1 13.5 ounce can lite coconut milk (lower fat content)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (or clementine)
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (or clementine)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon grated ginger root
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raw sugar
Place pumpkin in a mixing bowl. Crack eggs into bowl and beat into pumpkin until thoroughly combined. Stir in coconut milk and orange juice. Add zest, spices, salt and sugars. Mix well. Pour filling into crust and bake pie at 425 degrees for 12 minutes then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake another 35 to 40 minutes. Filling should be set in the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Hints: The whole wheat and ginger flavored crust works great in this pie (it was originally created for pear pie). Fresh pumpkin could be used but I would be sure it is not too wet. Roast instead of boil the pumpkin chunks and after mashing, it may need to be cooked on the stove top to remove excess moisture. Pre-baking the crust at 425 degrees for 7 or 8 minutes is an option if you like to have a crisper bottom crust (I prefer the crust and filling to meld together a bit so I don't pre-bake). Be sure to use foil and weights (beans work) to protect the crust from puffing up or browning too much if you choose this option. Whipped coconut cream is a good non-dairy option for topping the pie. (Chill a can of full fat coconut milk. Open it carefully and take just the top, fatty layer from the can. Place in a mixing bowl, add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and whip until fluffy.)

The orange flavor was the most apparent non-traditional element and it was loved by some of the family. Others liked it but said they prefer the standard flavor without the citrus element. I think they are both good and would mix it up, sometimes making the traditional and sometimes the non-traditional.

Black Beans, Black Rice and Pomegranate Salad

Deep and Dark. Love this salad for Halloween or Thanksgiving! Dramatic looking black and red...loaded up with antioxidants and chock full of flavor, it is a rift on the old rice and beans combo that you find in many food cultures around the world. I created this one especially for Halloween but I am sure I will be serving it all pomegranate season long. (Thanks to Craig for the BOX of pomegranates! I'm putting them to good use.)

Deep Dark Salad
1 1/2 cups cooked black rice or Coconut Black Rice, or Cilantro Lime Black Rice
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (canned is fine, home cooked is better)
1 1/2 cups pomegranate arils
1/3 cup finely diced purple onion
1 ripe avocado for garnish
Dressing:
1/3 cup orange or clementine juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup almond oil (or vegetable oil)
Mix rice, beans, pomegranate and onion together in a serving bowl. Blend all the dressing ingredients except oil in a small bowl.Heat for 15 seconds or so in a microwave or warm in a hot water bath. Whisk in the oil and pour over the salad. Toss thoroughly and garnish with avocado when ready to serve. Good served at room temperature or chilled. The flavors will meld more if allowed to sit for at least an hour.

Hints: It took me a few tries to get the right balance of flavors in the dressing. The rice and beans are solid enough flavors to stand up to the cocoa powder.  However, if you are scared, you can leave the cocoa powder out and it will be a citrus dressing and that may make some of you more comfortable. This dressing would be good on different salads, like a spinach and pear with pecans or Romain with apples and feta. I have also used lime juice instead of orange and found it needed another teaspoon of honey that way. See my post Pomegranate Sauce for a good way to work over a pomegranate. One medium pomegranate will yield about 1 1/2 cups of arils.

This may take a leap of faith but I think you will really, really enjoy this salad. It works as a side dish with pork or turkey cutlets, or a main dish salad served over a bed of mixed greens, add some fresh mozzarella or chopped nuts if you want to up the protein level. My family was split on this recipe the first time I made it and so I did some tweaking for this blog version. I really appreciate their willingness to go along with all my culinary experimenting and their great feedback on what works and what needs work. Thanks team!

Are They Really From Brussels?

Brussels Sprouts w/ Bacon and Onions
12 oz. Brussels Sprouts
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/3 cup sweet onion slivers (about 1/2 small onion)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Par boil cleaned and trimmed sprouts until almost fork tender. Drain and cut in half lengthwise. Set aside. In a medium sized skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. Remove all but 1 teaspoon fat from skillet. Add olive oil and allow to heat up. Stir fry onion slivers in oil until they are translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add halved Brussels sprouts and continue to stir fry for about 7 or 8 minutes. Sprinkle salt and sugar over veggies. Stir in bacon bits. Cook another minute or so. Serve hot.

Hints: Frozen sprouts are a good option for this dish. Tossing the veggies nearly continuously will keep them from burning.

Even if someone doesn't like Brussels Sprouts, they may like this dish. I've had a few converts over the years. Bacon can make just about anything palatable. I haven't tried the new craze of bacon covered glazed donuts but I bet they're awesome!

Compounding Flavors

Sun Dried Tomato Butter w/ Herbs
1/2 cup butter (1/4 pound), at room temperature
1 tablespoon minced sun dried tomatoes, (not the type packed in oil)
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place butter in a small bowl. Add tomatoes and herbs, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Transfer to a serving dish and chill overnight (or at least several hours). Serve with bread or toast; with steamed squash or baked potatoes; as a finish to grilled poultry or steaks. This will keep, covered tightly, in the refrigerator for a few weeks--as long as you began with fresh butter.

Hints: The tomato and herbs need to be minced very finely. Do not pack them down to measure, they should be lightly piled in the measuring spoon. If you cannot find "dry" packaged tomatoes, be sure and wipe off the "bottled in oil" kind as best as you can. I use regular salted butter and if you have unsalted butter, you will need to double the kosher salt to 1/2 teaspoon. You can substitute any herb for the sage and/or rosemary--however, when I use basil or parsley they tend to have more moisture so I prefer them in their dried forms; in this case I will reduce the amount of dried herbs by not quite half.

Spiced Honey Butter
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and serve. This butter is fabulous on a baked sweet potato or baked squash. Great on Pumpkin Hazelnut Bread toast or scones. Cover tightly and refrigerate to store.

Try 1 1/2 tablespoons Pomegranate Sauce mixed with 1/2 cup butter for Pomegranate Butter. Also good on the Pumpkin Bread and on Scones or rolls or toast of any kind.

I love the added flavor dimension you get with a compound butter. It makes a fairly simple and plain dish into something extra-ordinary. Putting forth a small extra effort pays off in the end and allows you to carry through a flavor theme in a special meal.

Relish the Berry!

Serving Turkey? Ham? Roast Pork? Schnitzel? Try this cranberry sauce out - it is especially good on a turkey sandwich!

 Cranberry Relish with Clementines and Ginger
2 seedless clementines or tangerines
2 cups fresh cranberries
2/3 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water
Quarter whole clementines and place in a food processor bowl. Pulse to chop 3 or 4 times for 5 seconds each time. Add cleaned cranberries and pulse again 3 or 4 more times. Particle size should be quite small and relatively uniform. Put fruit into a 2 quart sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Relish will thicken more as it cools. Serve warm or chilled with meats, poultry, breads or over ice cream.

Hints: Make sure there are no seeds in the citrus fruit. Use the peel and all--clementines and tangerines have very thin skins and so not too much pith. Pick over the fresh cranberries and discard any that are discolored or soft. You could increase the ginger a bit if you like a stronger, spicier flavor. A food processor makes this real quick but you can chop by hand, too. The raw sugar can be replaced with white sugar, the flavor will be slightly less interesting but still good. Be sure to stir often especially during the last part of cooking or you will scorch and ruin the whole batch.

I don't mind jellied cranberry sauce from a can. I like it better than some homemade sauces I have had but this one with citrus and ginger is hands down my favorite. Try it for Thanksgiving this year and see if you agree with me.

Yammy

Yam and Apple Scallop
1 1/2 to 2 lbs yams or sweet potatoes
2 apples (Gala or Fuji)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
3 teaspoons corn starch
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and thinly slice yams. Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Grease a 2 quart baking dish with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Place 1/4 of the yams in the bottom of the dish. Top with 1/3 of the apples. Repeat for a total of 5 layers, beginning and ending with yams. In a small bowl combine orange juice, brown sugar, salt, ginger and corn starch. Pour over yams and dot the top with the remaining butter. Cover tightly and bake for 1 hour. Serves 6 to 8 adults.

Hints: True yams are nearly impossible to find. Dark orange sweet potatoes are sometimes labeled yams in the produce section of our local stores. Use what you can find. Tart apples like Rome or Granny Smith are not the best in this recipe but may work if you add a bit more sugar. Red delicious end up too sweet. Honeycrisp or Jonagold are also good choices. I like to use fresh OJ and a little orange zest is a good addition to the recipe. The ginger flavor is very subtle and you could easily use 50% more (1 1/2 teaspoons) without ruining the end product. This dish reheats well in the microwave and the flavors seem to meld well after a day. I use an enamel coated cast iron dutch oven with a tight lid to cook these but they can be done in a ceramic or glass dish with a foil cover. Check the  cook time to make sure they don't scorch.

Neal says he likes yams cooked this way because they are not so "YYYYYYamy". I like them because they are not too sweet. They taste fresher and less starchy than some other sweet potato dishes. They are great as a side dish for poultry or pork. The color is wonderful and so is the aroma.

Colorful Side

Pops of color on a dinner plate are just as necessary as they are in fashion. Here is a terrific pop of color for your fall menus. (Good Thanksgiving side dish!)

 Sweet and Sour Purple Cabbage
4 cups finely shredded purple cabbage
1 large apple, cored, peeled and finely chopped (I like gala or fuji)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
Place cabbage, apple and water in a large skillet that has a lid. Cover and cook over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove lid and stir in remaining ingredients. Continue cooking over medium heat for another 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water a tablespoon at a time if needed to prevent scorching. If desired, add additional brown sugar and/or vinegar to taste during final cooking. Serve hot.

Hints: The cabbage will cook faster if it is shredded finely. Leaving the peel on the apple is ok. Be sure to use a variety of apple that is a bit sweet. Lowering the heat when the lid is removed allows caramelization to occur and that makes the dish tastier. Nearly all of the liquid will have cooked off when the dish is done. Great with pork or poultry dishes.

I made this for Claus and Amy when they were first dating and Claus was so excited because it reminded him of home (Austria). I hadn't realized until then that it was originally a Germanic dish. I usually serve this on November 1st as a tribute to the start of the Holiday season--with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. This is a meal from my family's favorite Christmas movie, A Christmas Story. We call it Ralphie's dinner. Cute Peter Billingsly!

Sincere Comfort Food

Stuffing is one of my favorite comfort foods. When I was a child I didn't appreciate it but I didn't like pumpkin pie either. Fortunately, my tastes have developed to include a sincere appreciation of both.

Sourdough Stuffing
4 slices center cut bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced fuji apple (with peel)
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage (or 2 teaspoons rubbed sage)
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley, optional
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, opional
1/4 cup chopped pecans or 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, optional
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups cubed sourdough bread (about 1 artisan loaf broken into 3/4 inch pieces)
Place a large saute pan over medium high heat. Cut bacon into hot pan with kitchen shears by holding all 4 slices in a one layer above pan and then cutting 1/4 inch strips from one end to the other, allowing them to fall into the pan. Stir to cook evenly. When bacon begins to brown, add butter and stir to melt. Stir in onion and celery. Saute for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add apple and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in herbs, nuts (if using) salt and pepper. Cook 2 more minutes. Place sourdough cubes in a large bowl.  Pour vegetable mixture onto bread and toss thoroughly. Cook in the bird by stuffing cavities with stuffing and baking as desired. Or cook separately: choose a casserole dish that has a tight fitting lid. Butter the dish and place stuffing into it. Sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken stock (depending on the dryness of the bread) over stuffing. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Uncovering the dish for the last 5 minutes or so will allow the top layer of stuffing to crisp up a bit. 

Hints: If you stuff the bird, don't pack it in tightly and baste the stuffing when you baste the meat. You can add more melted butter if the mixture seems very dry prior to baking. Adjust the amount of herbs to suit your tastes. Some fresh sage can be very potent so be careful not to add too much as the flavor will intensify with cooking. Sage alone is wonderful, the parsley and rosemary are nice to add an overtone but not necessary. I really like the nuts but some people in my family don't care for them at all so I rarely get to use them. Use stuffing all through the winter, not just for holiday meals. It is a great side with chicken breasts or turkey meat loaf or with a pork loin roast.

I love Thanksgiving! What a great holiday -- a time to spend with most of my favorite people in the world and eat fabulous comfort food. We are so blessed and it is a perfect time to count our blessings. Here's wishing you and yours a grand holiday! 

You Can Never Have Too Many Pears

This is the kind of pie that people mention a few days later when they see you... a memorable food experience. An absolutely wonderful way to celebrate Pear season. Use a plain crust if you must, but know that the addition of whole wheat and ginger is not only healthy--they add depth, texture and a flavor kick, too.
Pear Pie with Citrus and Ginger
Crust:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup white flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup shortening (lard would work!)
3/4 cup cold water
Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles meal. Add 1/2 cup of the water and stir to moisten. Add remaining water just until dough forms a ball. Divide in half and roll each half into an 11" circle. Line a 9" pie plate with one half and reserve the other for top crust.
Filling:
6-7 cups pear slices (quartered, cored, peeled, sliced horizontally)
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
1/2 of a large lemon
2 tangerines, clementines or mandarin oranges
1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar (depends on how sweet the pears are)
1/8 teaspoon salt
4-5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place pear slices in a large bowl. Add ginger, zest and juice from citrus. Toss to coat. In another dish, stir together sugar, salt and cornstarch. Sprinkle onto pears and toss to coat again. Slide fruit mixture into pie crust. Dot with butter. Place top crust onto pie, trim excess and crimp edges to seal. (Be sure to make some slits in the top crust.) Place pie plate onto a shallow sided baking sheet. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling clear juices. (You can cover the otter edge of crust with foil for the last 20 minutes to prevent over browning.) Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Hints: It is crucial to have just ripe pears--not too ripe and not too green--for the ultimate pear pie. However, I have found that greener or firmer pears work well too. Just don't use over ripe pears as they will be mushy. I like this pie by itself without any cream or ice cream but you may want to try it a la mode.

I first made this pie for a neighborhood pie party at the Bankheads. Each year, they would throw a party the Saturday before Thanksgiving and have everyone bring a pie because we all get too stuffed on Thanksgiving to enjoy the final course. They have moved on to a teaching opportunity in the mid-west but I think I will still make a special pie or two on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and remember.

Sweet , Wonderful Maize!

Corn with Milk
2 1/2 to 3 cups fresh corn kernels cut from blanched cobs (frozen corn works in the off season)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients in a 1 1/2 quart sauce pan, cover and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium or medium low and continue to cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often. Use a slotted spoon to serve. Serves one or maybe two if you are feeling generous. (Actually about 4 normal size servings.)

Hints: Blanch the cobs for about 3 minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut corn from cobs. Don't let the milk scorch when cooking--keep stirring and don't have the heat too high. Use 1 cup half and half instead of the milk and cream if you want. This is a great dish for left over corn on the cob. You can also cook this in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes in a covered casserole dish.

This was my favorite way to have corn when I was growing up. Mom and Dad would use an electric knife to cut the kernels off the corn they had purchased from a farmer named Elliot. I grew up assuming "Elliot's corn" was world renown. They would always do at least a double batch. And then freeze some kernels to use in the winter months. I buy frozen corn at the grocery store and serve this dish all winter. It is one of my family's favorites.

Grandma Nola's Rolls

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My mom could make rolls that drew crowds. Her grandchildren would beg for them. Thanksgiving just wasn't the same without them. I am not sure where she got this recipe--the only copies I have are in her handwriting so the only source I can site here is Nola. The photo above is a recent attempt to recreate Grandma's rolls-they turned out pretty good but alas, not quite like hers. 

Nola's Dinner Rolls

1/3 cup warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons yeast

Mix and let yeast work.

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

Combine in a large mixing bowl. Then add the yeast mixture.

2 cups warm milk

1/4 cup melted shortening

Stir into egg and yeast mixture.

6 cups flour, added 2 cups at a time.

Knead until smooth and elastic.

Put dough into a large bowl and cover. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a couple of minutes. Cut in half. Roll one portion into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out smaller circles with a glass or other cutter. With a table knife, crease each roll through the center then butter one half of each circle. Fold over along crease, butter side in and place on a greased baking sheet. With thumb and index finger, press firmly on front and back of roll to pinch edges together. Repeat with the other half of dough and then using the cutting scraps for a final roll out. Let rise 20 to 30 minutes and then bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Hints: Mom used all-purpose flour and I used bread flour. I think that makes a difference and I prefer her choice. Mom would use this same dough for cinnamon rolls by rolling out the dough and spreading it with soft butter or margarine, sprinkling white sugar and cinnamon on top, adding raisins and chopped walnuts or pecans then rolling into a log. She would slice this 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide and place on a greased cookie sheet, baking the same way as the dinner rolls. Then allow them to cool and ice with vanilla frosting. Pretty wonderful! 

Thanks again Mom for all the wonderful meals and the love that accompanied them. I wonder what my family will beg me to make? And it better not be reservations!

Make Someone Happy

Not many better smells than bread in the oven. Make someone happy by baking bread today!

Wheat Rolls

2 cups warm water

2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast

1 ½ tablespoon molasses

3 tablespoons grape seed oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup powdered milk

2 cups white bread flour

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon gluten (optional)

¼ cup melted butter

Place warm water in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over top. Add molasses, oil, salt and milk powder. Stir to blend. Add white and wheat flours then knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Punch down and shape into 32 small balls by pinching the dough in half, then half those halves for a total of 4 times. Shape by pulling the sides down to the bottom until balls are smooth and rounded on top. Dip each ball into the melted butter and place pinched side down on a buttered baking sheet. Allow to rise in a warm place again for 20 to 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Hints: I love my mixers dough hook. It really makes bread making so much easier. However, good bread has been made for centuries without. Make sure you knead the dough thoroughly. If you use regular yeast, increase the rising time to ensure a double in bulk. If you want to use only whole wheat flour be sure to use the gluten and maybe even 2 tablespoons. Of course you can shape the rolls any way you like--crescent, Parker house etc. 

A warm roll is a great way to make a meal special. And the leftovers are nice to have on hand as a snack or for breakfast. They really do make people happy.

 

Sweeter Side

Glazed Carrots

4 cups carrots (peeled and cut into1 - 2 inch pieces)

¼ cup butter

1 tablespoon raw sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Zest and juice of 1 tangerine or ½ an orange

Melt butter over medium high heat in a large sauté pan that has a tight fitting lid. When butter is hot, add carrot pieces. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Place lid on pan and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring every 3 or 4 minutes. When carrots begin to turn golden brown, remove lid and stir in sugar, salt, zest and juice. Continue stirring until sugar and salt dissolve and most of the juice evaporates, another 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

 

Hints: Use slim carrots so that they cook more evenly. Slicing the carrots thinly does not produce as good a texture. They will cook down quite a bit -- you end up with about 2 to 2 1/2 cups finished product. Most of the time, instead of uncovering the pan and using a spoon to stir with, I simply pick up pan, hold the lid on tight and toss the carrots a bit.

My favorite way to serve carrots at nice dinner. They are always a hit! And very easy to cook as you are getting other things finished up.

Pumpkin Soup w/ Orange and Ginger

Recycling Jack-O-Lanterns!

Pumpkin Soup with Orange and Ginger

6 cups pumpkin flesh cubes, (about 2 inch pieces)

1 large sweet onion, cut into quarters then eighths
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 to 1 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh minced or grated ginger
1 cup half and half
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a large baking sheet toss pumpkin, onions, olive oil, salt and pepper until veggies are coated in oil. Roast for about 40 minutes or until very soft. Tansfer veggies and drippings to a large sauce pan. Add chicken stock, orange juice and ginger. Puree with a hand held blender. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Add half and half and more salt if needed. Serve warm with an optional garnish of diced grapes, orange peel and balsamic glaze.

Hints: This soup is also excellent with a curry based flavor--replace the ginger with curry powder and the OJ with additional chicken broth. You can also replace some or all of the half and half with coconut milk in either the orange ginger or the curry recipes. You may want to garnish the curry soup differently as well. Try some fresh sage leaves or roasted pumpkin seeds. Some types of pumpkin have a higher water content than others. If at the end of the roasting, the veggies are real watery, just reduce the amount of liquids you add. This soup freezes pretty well and is nice to pull out on a snowy day as a first course.

This is one of my favorite Autumn recipes. I have fun growing pumpkins in the garden each year and they hold well in the garage for a few months. I have tried several herb/spice combos and like these two best. Try out some of your own ideas and let me know what your favorites are.

Green Beans (Grandpa Style)

Grandpa's Green Beans
4 cups fresh green beans
1/4 cup water
4 slices bacon
salt to taste

Rinse beans under cold water, snap stem ends off. Place in a pressure cooker with the water. Cook until full pressure is reached then turn down heat and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Take off heat and hold pan under running cool water until pressure releases. Remove lid and return pan to stove. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. The water will evaporate and the beans will break up quite a bit. While they are cooking down, use kitchen shears (or scissors) to dice the raw bacon into a hot frying pan. Cook bacon until brown and crisp. Stir bacon and drippings into beans. Add salt to taste.

Hints: These beans can be cooked without a pressure cooker. My Grandpa Mangus cooked the beans for long time(an hour or two) in a sauce pan, adding water a bit at a time as needed to keep them moist. My life seems to be lived at pressure cooker pace. Use flat Italian green beans (Roma) for the best taste and texture. I plant a couple of rows every spring just for this dish. I often use the bacon from Costco that is already cooked and just needs to be heated up. There is less bacon grease this way and that is a plus for your cholesterol but a minus for flavor. Your call. Sea salt is great, but kosher salt is fine too.

Thanks to Grandfathers that cook! I was in Reid Austria at Cafe Alexandria and Amy was translating the menu for me, she told me of a pork dish accompanied by "Grandpa's green beans, you know, with bacon." I was surprised to hear that the old family recipe my father and my grandfather made every summer was being used in Upper Austria! A native woman we were with explained it was "a traditional dish the poor farmers would eat for dinner." My family came to the US from Germany. And they were poor. It made perfect sense.