M.I.A.

I am constantly amazed at people who are really hard workers with really hard jobs. My sisters are good examples of this. One is an ER physician's assistant and the other is an internal medicine physician. They work ungodly hours after little sleep and deal daily with life and death situations. And this is only their job; it does not include life outside of work with family obligations and regular adult duties like paying bills, caring for a home, and figuring out how to feed themselves and others daily. There are millions of people like this all over the world, some working two or three jobs to care for themselves and families.

Even though I worked two jobs this semester, one of which stressed me to the point of having heart palpitations, I know that I do not regularly endure the hard work that my sisters and others complete daily. (Plus, my hard work is dealing with students who are less than competent and writing at a computer... not saving lives... at least, not saving lives directly.)

All of this is to say, that I guess I have no excuse for not baking and posting lately. The only reason I have for slacking is grading and watching too much TV (and making brief appearances in Florence's Nutcracker).

I will say, however, that when I got off my butt and into the kitchen (that sounded a little too 50's housewife didn't it), I made some very yummy goodies.

First, I made gingerbread cookies. I have always loved gingerbread (the bread), but never been crazy about gingerbread (the cookies), mostly because they tend to be the thin, crunchy cookies instead of soft, gooey cookies. But I managed to find a good recipe and they turned out well. I used this on-line recipe, added 1 egg white for more moisture, did not roll the cookies as thin as the recipe said, and only cooked them for 6.5 minutes. I then iced them with cream cheese icing instead of vanilla (confession - I used store bought because I ran out of time). They were a hit at the Christmas party and I can't stop eating them at home. You should definitely try them.

The recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/the-most-wonderful-gingerbread-cookies-80156

And here is a vegan recipe that looks similar:
http://www.vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=1243&catId=2

Then I made sweet-potato crescent rolls from my Simply in Season cookbook.

(I think they look a little bit like ducks all curled up and tucking the beak in their feathers.)


The recipe:

Combine:
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat bread flour (I just used regular whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (proofed according to directions on package)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Cook and mash 1 cup of sweet potatoes (about 2 medium baked sweet potatoes will do). Combine with 1 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted.

Add sweet potato mixture to flour mixture and mix until moistened.

Beat 1 large egg into mixture for a couple of minutes. (I did this in my kitchen aid mixer on medium speed.)

Gradually stir in bread flour (up to 2ish cups) until dough is easy to handle. Knead (on a floured surface) for several minutes, place in a greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled. Knock down and divide in half. Roll each half into a circle (I used my pizza stone to help with the shape), and brush the whole thing with a little melted butter. Cut into 12 wedges and roll like those Pillsbury crescent rolls you loved as a kid (and probably still love as an adult). Repeat with the other half.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown (and slightly orange because of the sweet potato goodness).

These were also a hit at the party and good for breakfast the next morning!

Enjoy! I hope everyone (including my hard working sisters) gets to relax a little this holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving means pie

Although I have only recently considered myself a cook and a baker, I have always thought of myself as an excellent pie baker.

It comes from making the one family recipe that has been passed down consistently through the generations: the famous, Fairchild apple pie.

It is super easy (except the for the cutting of apples part), and super melt in your mouth awesome. There are two tricks to making it the perfect pie. 1) When making the crust, you want to use ice water, and only add a little at a time. Otherwise, you don't get the flakiness. 2) When slicing apples, they need to be paper thin. This makes it more juicy and you are not eating big chunks of half-cooked apples.

The recipe is:

Crust: 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup crisco, 1 tsp salt, ice water as needed
Mix the salt and flour. Cut the crisco into the flour using a fork or a pastry cutter (an amazing tool!). Then add ice water a couple tablespoons at a time, as the dough comes together. Add just enough water that most of the dough sticks together. There should be some flour/crisco mixture that is not sticking together, but will when you roll it.

Make a ball of dough, then roll half of it at a time. Place one half in the pie pan (no need to grease).

You will then add the filling:

1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 6 large granny smith apples (peeled, cored, thinly sliced), butter
Mix it all together. Add about half of the filling to the bottom of the pie. Then add all of the apples (by the end of peeling and cutting them, your hand should ache). Cover with the rest of the sugar filling, and then put dots of butter all over.

Cover with the rest of the pie crust, pinching together the edge, and putting some slits to release the steam as it bakes. (I also like to put a little crust apple on top because it makes me feel like Martha Stewart.)

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn down to 350 for 45 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. (Caution: the juices tend to run over, so if you don't want to be scraping hot apple pie off your oven, you might want to put a baking sheet on the rack under the pie to catch the juices.)


I used to only make apple pie, but have begun taking the crust recipe and trying other fillings. Last summer I made a blueberry pie and a blackberry pie. Both of which were pretty darn good. This week, I made my first pumpkin pie. I used my own pumpkin puree, and the following recipe:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/suzannes_old_fashioned_pumpkin_pie/

Plus, at my husband's request, before I poured in the pumpkin mixture, I put a later of dark chocolate chips in the bottom, adding a rich twist on the traditional pie. I haven't tasted it yet, but my in-laws were raving! (And yes, I completed it with my Martha Stewart crust pumpkins in the middle.)

So, as I eat my Thanksgiving dinner (which my sister and I made all of this year!), I am grateful for the ability to make some scrumptious pies and share them with those that I love. I am hopeful that you were able to share in your own form of food and love this Thanksgiving.

Busy, messy, life

Does any one else's kitchen ever look like this?!

I don't know about you, but whenever I cook, I tend to make a mess in the kitchen. I am the type of cook / baker that likes to get everything that I will need out, and generally keep it out (unless it will spoil) as long as I am cooking. I don't do the clean up until whatever yummy goodness I am making is in the oven. (My husband hates this! He cleans up as he goes, and gets very flustered when the sink is overflowing with dishes!)

I am finding that I tend to do this in other areas of life....
...when I pack a suitcase everything must come out of the closet and go through several sortings before either going back in the closet, or into the suitcase
...when I am working on something, I need all of my papers, post-its, files, etc. in front of me, all spread out over the kitchen table
...when I am organizing anything, everything has to be out where I can see it and touch it and move it as many times as needed


I haven't really thought before why I do things this way. I think some of it might be that I am a little absent-minded and will forget things that are not in front of me. I am also a visual and kinesthetic learner, so I need to seeing and touching things so that I can construct an understanding of whatever it is. But I also think it is me not wanting to leave anything out. I can remember that even as a child, I never wanted to miss out on something. I wanted to see and hear and do anything and everything possible. (I even had many a bathroom accident because I was afraid that something fun would happen the minute I left for the bathroom. I have gotten over that one.) Although I do like things to be neat and clean at the end of the day, I like the business and messiness of life. I like being surrounded by people, food, interesting articles, captivating books, and yes my favorite clothes and shoes. I like being in the thick of it all.

I am not sure what this means for my one day bakery, but I hope that it means it will be a "method to my madness" or "beauty in the chaos" kind of place. Just like life in general.

Winter squash extravaganza, part 1

Now that I have been trying to eat seasonally and use more local foods, I have been finding that I am really excited about when the seasons change and new foods are available. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the copious amounts of squash, eggplant, tomatoes, and okra from this summer, I was overjoyed to see those winter squash and fall apples begin to appear. (Although I do wish tomatoes could be a year round fruit...I would eat them with almost everything.)

My excitement for the fall/winter produce, along with my desire to be productive (but not do actual work) on Friday, turned into a crazy night of cooking. In one evening, I roasted pumpkin to make homemade pumpkin puree (instead of using the canned stuff), roasted the pumpkin seeds (cause those are awesome), made pumpkin bread with chocolate chips (always a pleaser), butternut squash bisque (which was super delicious), and the winner of the evening - pumpkin cinnamon rolls with ginger, cream cheese glaze (seriously decadent).

Once again, I found myself getting lost in the movements of cooking - reading recipes, measuring, reading the recipe again because I can't keep the measurements in my head, stirring, kneading, licking spoons, chopping pumpkins, cleaning gooey seeds, reading recipes a third time just to make sure I did everything correctly. Even when I am making something new that could turn out to be terrible, I feel very free in the kitchen to try new things, perhaps add in my own twist to the recipe, and just be a part of the process.

The only other time I really find myself this free is when dancing, and sometimes when running, biking, or swimming. It makes me wonder what it is that is so freeing for me. Is it being physical and getting to move after a long day of sitting in front of a computer? Is it being creative, or better yet, being involved in the act of creation that I see as a collaboration with my God? Is it that I feel more connected to nature and the foods that have been given to sustain us...or the people who have worked hard to make that food possible? I guess it is all of the above, as well as some mystery that I cannot articulate. No matter what it is, I am grateful for this blessing of being able to cook and eat in the way that I am learning to do. I know that not everyone has the blessing of health(ish), bountiful food, nor the blessing of engaging in an activity they enjoy. As Anne Lamott would say, "thank you, thank you, thank you".

For your own blessing and enjoyment, here are the various goodies and recipes:

The cinnamon rolls...these were supposed to be vegan, but Florence does not have any vegan cream cheese, so the glaze is not vegan (but still awesome - really...I mean melt in your mouth awesome).

The recipe for these can be found at: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/10/vegan-pumpkin-pecan-cinnamon-rolls.html#.TpYv105uTVc.facebook

Here is a picture of the pumpkin puree:

This is really easy. Just cut the pumpkin, scoop out seeds, and roast a pumpkin at around 375-400 degrees for about 40 minutes until the flesh is so soft you can scoop it with a spoon. Then puree the amount that you need to use for the recipe. I used a big pumpkin because the pie pumpkins are ridiculously hard to cut into and yield less pumpkin to use in dishes. I froze half of it to use throughout the season.

Butternut bisque...I personally thought this was fantastic soup, just the right taste and texture. William, however did not like it at all. So half of this is frozen as well. I am not sure how well it freezes, but I will let you know in a few weeks.

The recipe is:
* Saute 1 medium onion (chopped) and 1 cup carrots (chopped) in 2 tablespoons butter (I used olive oil) until tender. (I also used a green apple instead of carrots, because I forgot to get those from the store).
* Add 3 cups of veggie broth, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
* Add 2 cups cooked winter squash (I used butter nut, but you can use acorn or other kinds), 1/2 cup plan yogurt, 1 cup evaporated milk (you can also use yogurt or creamer), and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Stir together, then pour into either food processor or blender.
*Season to taste with salt, garlic, pepper, etc. (sage might be good here too) - I forgot to season it at first and it was still really yummy.
*Serve with some yummy bread.

The pumpkin seeds (roasted at 350 with a little olive oil and Tony's).

Finally, the pumpkin bread (not pictured because we were bringing it to a party and I forgot to take a picture before I gave it away). The recipe however can be found at: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pumpkin_bread/

I substituted chocolate chips for the walnuts, but you can do whatever you like most.

Here's to fall! Enjoy that winter squash! More goodies to come soon!

Plan C

I have a tendency to not read recipes until I am about to start them...most of the time it works out okay, but sometimes it doesn't. At these times, I either realize that I don't have the ingredients I need or that the preparation takes much longer than I actually have time for.

This morning, I had planned to make yummy, cinnamon rolls (see previous post). However, I did not get the pastry flour needed for the rolls, and I did not realize that I needed to prep the dough several hours before. So the cinnamon rolls are happening at another date.

I still wanted to bake a little bit today, so my plan changed to making pumpkin bread. I like to use actual pumpkin puree and not the canned stuff, so I did remember to pick up pumpkins at the market the other day. Usually I use one big pumpkin, but this time I tried to get a few pie pumpkins just to try something different. But when I tried to cut into the pie pumpkins, I couldn't do it.  (I'll figure that part out later, but if y'all have tips, let me know.)

So plan C was to make cranberry bread that I found in my Real Simple magazine. It turned out pretty well for a plan C (and even with me substituting orange juice for the orange zest).

The recipe:
1 cup hazelnuts (I used almonds)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk (I used half and half because we only have skim milk)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (I used orange juice)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (I had some frozen ones from last fall; good thing they freeze well)

The bread turned out pretty well, but could have used a little bit more orange flavor (with either zest or juice).

And the lesson learned is twofold: First, preparation is probably a good thing... (or at least being aware of what I want to get done and if I can realistically do it)! Second, being flexible is always good too. Sometimes you learn the most from just giving something a try and being okay if the result is not perfection. (Or I should just be okay with lack of perfection in general!).

Anyway...here is the bread!

Baking withdrawal

So I have been a busy lady lately, preparing for a conference, going to a bachelorette party in New Orleans (complete with sightings of John Stamos), and working my two jobs. Unfortunately one of the first things to go by the wayside when life gets extra busy is my baking.

Even though it has only been a couple of months where I have been baking regularly, I am finding that I get a lot of joy and peace out of just standing in the kitchen and baking. Plus, it doesn't hurt that we have home baked goods to munch on around the house!

So I have found that when I don't bake, I feel like something is missing. I would not trade that bachelorette weekend in for anything, but it does remind me that I need to put work aside for a day and let myself spend time in the kitchen for a little while. I am now looking forward to Sunday where my plan will be to go to church, go for a walk, read my Real Simple magazine, and then bake up a storm.

Here is a hint of what I am going to try and make this weekend...
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/10/vegan-pumpkin-pecan-cinnamon-rolls.html#.TpYv105uTVc.facebook

(but don't tell William that they are vegan...that will be our little secret!)

Mmmm....cookies.....

For my consulting job, I have to spend a lot of time on the phone with Head Start teachers. When put on hold the other day, there was a recorded message from WIC using the cookie monster to encourage kids to eat broccoli. While I think it is fantastic to encourage children to eat their veggies, the message inspired me to make cookies!! (Well that, and this recipe I found from Jamie Oliver.)

http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/recipes/OATMEAL_RAISIN_COOKIES

I substituted craisins for the raisins because that was what we had, but I also really loved dried cranberries. The recipe is super easy and uses whole wheat and oats (so I feel I can ignore the whole stick of butter and brown sugar in the recipe). Mmmmmm.....COOKIES!!!