Cranberry Curd, Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Cream - single serving bliss

(Getting tired of pumpkin pie and holiday spices? Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Marscapone Whipped Cream, and Cranberry Curd come together to make a lucious single-serving dessert perfect for mixing things up around the holidays)



When I was a kid, my mom had a recipe we would make around the holidays. I'm not sure where it came from, but some friend or family member must have made it and then shared it with us. The slip of paper it's written on has a clear and concise title: That Stuff.
Every year around the holidays we'd start going 'you remember that stuff? That stuff was good!'
It was a strange dessert, made up of a pretzel crust, then layered with a sweetened cream cheese and topped with fruit and jello. Not something that would make you think 'yum', but it was a serious hit with every crowd we took it to.

Well, This Stuff was inspired by That Stuff. Just inspired by, though - this is a more sophisticated Stuff, a rich induldgence too good for mass consumption, hence the single serving 4oz. mason jars.

At the bottom are butter roasted pecans (though pretzels would still work if nuts are a concern) topped with a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce, then a layer of vanilla marscapone whipped cream. It's all finished off with a decadent dollop of homemade cranberry curd - and don't go thinking this is some 'cranberry sauce', no. It's curd, like lemon curd: sweet, rich, and flavorful.

With all the layering, and all the fanciness, it might be appropriate to call it a Trifle... but to me, it will always be Stuff. Wonderful, wonderful stuff.



Caramel Sauce:
(Fills one 8oz. jar)

5 TBSP unsalted butter, cubed
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup heavy cream

Method:

In a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, melt together the butter and sugar, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. It will take awhile, but keep stirring until the mixture darkens to a smooth caramel color - it may look as though the butter and sugar are separating, but don't worry, just keep stirring
Once the desired depth of color is reached, slowly pour in the cream while stirring vigourously. I suggest using a long-handled spoon so you can stand back a little, because the mixture will sputter and bubble and steam as you pour in the cream. Be careful, but keep stirring.
Continue to cook and stir until any lumps have melted and smoothed themselves out, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Once cool, pour into a jar and keep refrigerated. To use, reheat at half power in the microwave until pourable.




Cranberry Curd
(Loosely based off several recipes, makes about two cups)

3 Cups fresh cranberries
1/2 Cup plus 1 TBSP water
3 TBSP Butter
3/4 Cup sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt (or 1/8th tsp. sea salt)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
optional: 1/8th-1/4 tsp. orange zest (fresh or powdered) or orange extract

Method:

In a medium saucepan over low heat combine cranberries and water. Cook until all the berries have popped or burst, and are tender. Using the back of a spoon, or a potato masher, press cranberries until they make a thick sauce.
Pass the cranberries through a fine sieve or strainer, using the back of a spoon to press as much through as posible. Discard the larger bits that didn't make it through, and return the rest to the pan.
Add the butter, salt, vanilla, sugar, and orange zest if using.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks together. Pour eggs into cranberry mixture, and turn the heat on to medium-low, stirring continuously to keep the eggs from curdling.
Once the mixture has thickened, pass it once more through your sieve or strainer.
Let cool, and store in a jar or other lidded container.
Cranberry curd (or other fruit curds) will keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, or can be frozen for up to one year and thawed slowly overnight in the fridge.






Vanilla Marscapone Whipped Cream

8 oz. Marscapone cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp vanilla powder, paste, or the inside of a vanilla bean
2 TBSP sugar
1 Cup heavy whipping cream
optional: 1-2 TBSP bourbon or other liquor
optional: 2-4 TBSP maple syrup (if using, may want to reduce the amount of sugar)

Method:

In a large bowl, combine Marscapone, vanilla, and sugar.
In a separate bowl, whip cream until fluffy and almost to stiff peaks. Add in the marscapone mixture, and any liquor or maple syrup if using, and beat just enough to combine with no lumps.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to the expiration date of the cream.





Butter Roasted Pecans (Or Pretzels)

2.5 Cups pecan pieces, or lightly crushed mini pretzels
1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using salted nuts or pretzels)
2 TBSP sugar
4 TBSP butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 375f.
Melt butter in a bowl, then toss in the pecans or pretzels, sugar, and salt if using.
Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring half way through to ensure even toasting.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly.





This Stuff (Trifle De La Décadence)
(To make one)

Handful of roasted nuts or pretzels
1-2 TBSP caramel sauce
About 1/4 Cup vanilla marscapone whipped cream
Hearty dollop of cranberry curd
Pecan or pretzel for garnish

Method:

In a small jar or ramekin, add ingredients in the order listed, or as you please. Seal and refrigerate for one hour, or store in the fridge for up to the expiration date of the whipped cream. Consume shamelessly with a spoon.



I made several of these to share with the Parents, The Boyfriend, and some friends, and got rave reviews from all. Apparently, This Stuff is pretty popular. It may seem like a lot of work to make each layer of Stuff, but trust me when I say it's worth it. Prepare the curd or caramel ahead of time to make things easy, and don't worry about leftovers of individual ingredients - you'll find uses for them. Like, the perfect dipping sauce for your spoon. Or finger.


I made everything at once, and spent the whole morning standing in the kitchen dipping pretzels and pecans into the different ingredients. Warning: Caramel sauce is hot when it's fresh! Warning: It's hard to stop eating it, despite the burning.



Do you have any weird, unsuspecting family recipes that are a huge hit? Have you modified them, or do you keep them tried and true? Discuss in the comments!

Handheld Leftovers - post Turkey Day laziness turned tasty

(Savory hand pies, made of a quick and easy crust (recipe in post) and thanksgiving leftovers!)

Whew... still recovering from a long, long weekend. Curse you, Monday! Alas, life must resume.

The Boyfriend and I were on dessert duty over the holidays, due to his famously good pumpkin pies and my crazy pie crust skills. It's good to be good at one thing, because not much else was expected of us.
Prep work started on Wednesday, making the fixings for four pumpkin pies. Because we were driving to Chicago for his side of the family, then coming back to celebrate with my side, I prepared as much as I could before we left.


I used the same pie crust recipe explained in my post on Pie Crust - I use a different recipe for these hand pies, but Thanksgiving seemed like no time to go messing around outside of my comfort zone. I stuck with what I knew was good, and went with it.

I made four separate crusts (two for Chicago and two for back home), and rolled each one to the appropriate size using my handy measurement-lined fondant matt as a guide.



Once rolled, I dusted very lightly with flour (because it's a fairly sticky dough) then rolled in parchment paper and kept chilled.

Then I made the fillings for four pies, sealing them in sterilized mason jars (apparently, one quart plus one cup is about how much liquid a 9.5'' pie pan holds).



I packed the jars, the crusts, plus some heavy cream and vanilla for whipping into a cooler with plenty of ice packs. This made the trip to Chicago pretty easy, and meant that Thursday all that had to be done was throw the pies in the oven. After letting the crusts thaw for a few minutes, just soft enough to unroll into the pie pans, and thoroughly shaking up the jars, we were graced with some very beautiful pies!


(I'll say again - the biggest tip I can give for a good pumpkin pie is fresh, home-made pumpkin puree and, as The Boyfriend points out, the freshest spices you can find. He stocks up on holiday spices no more than a month before the holidays. I opened a fresh bag of Ceylon Cinnamon for these pies, and the difference between the new container and the last of the old one were huge.)


Unfortunately, this is basically the extent of my photos from either of the family dinners. Too busy eating to be bothered with the camera, I suppose. But, like anyone who goes to a feast of that size, I was sent home with plenty of leftovers.
In the past I've hosted Thanksgiving with my family, and with the 'big' leftovers there would be soups, sandwiches, and other mixings, but with just a couple take-home containers full I wanted to come up with a smaller scale, more creative use for them.

The basics of this recipe are simple: Pie crust, cut into circles or other shapes, stuffed with leftovers and a bit of gravy, and baked.

Making these, I decided it was finally time to try a new crust recipe. Although I love the recipe I've been using for pies, I find it's a little buttery for use outside of a pie pan - plus, being a little sticky makes it tough to work with.
Making a complete left turn from my usual ways, I decided that I've read enough crust recipes to know the basics of what I'm doing, and figured I'd just wing it this time. I did take some measurements, but I made everything up as I went along.

My Off-The-Cuff Pie Crust:
(Makes one 9.5'' pie crust, or about 4-5 hand pies)

5.5 oz. (about 1 1/4 cups) whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour (I used 1 C. pastry and 1/4 C. all-purpose) plus more for dusting
6 TBSP (or about 3 oz.) unsalted butter, thoroughly chilled and cut into cubes
1 tsp. kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp. sea salt) - note: if making a sweet crust, reduce salt by half and add 1 tsp. sugar
2-4 TBSP cold water

For brushing:
1 egg white
1 tsp. water

Method:
In a bowl, mix flour(s), salt, and sugar if using.
With a pastry cutter, back of a fork, or your hands, cut butter into dough until it resembles coarse crumbs - it should be almost sandy, with no lumps bigger than a pea left.
Once the dough is blended, add 2 TBSP water and mix with one hand, squeezing the dough occasionally. Add additional water 1 TBSP at a time, just until the dough barely holds together when pressed. I only needed about 3 TBSP total, but the amount will change depending on your flour and the level of humidity.
As soon as the dough holds together loosely, form a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight (I presume it would do fine for up to a few days) or toss it in the freezer for ten/fifteen minutes.
When ready to use, lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin, and whisk together the egg white and water - set aside. Preheat oven to 350f.
Roll dough to 1/8th-1/4 inch thickness, and cut into desired shapes. My dough was able to make about five 7inch circles. I suggest making fairly large shapes, or else you won't be able to fit much filling.
Fill each circle with some leftovers - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes - then top with a little gravy. I was only able to fit maybe 1/4 cup inside each one.
Brush the edges of the dough with water to help it seal, and fold the circle in half over itself, or lay another circle over the top. Press the edges together tightly, then crimp the edges with the tines of a fork.
Brush each one with the egg white/water mixture, and lay the not-yet-hot hot pockets on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown on top. If you're oven doesn't heat evenly, rotate the pan halfway through baking.
Let cool slightly before serving, and enjoy!



Now, I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I think these turned out pretty snappy. The crust has some flake, but it holds together. It's got some chew, but it isn't tough. Had I intended it for use in a sweet application, I easily could've added a bit of sugar and filled them with jam or fresh fruit. Who knew pie was so easy? Sure, everyone says 'easy as pie' but that's supposed to refer to the eating, not the making.
Well, these are pretty easy to eat, too. My only complaint is that they're a little dry on their own - could use a bit more gravy. A minor problem, and easily solved.




This was a wonderfully easy way to cap off Thanksgiving - no fuss, no pressure, just easy and delicious. I was beginning to feel a little burnt out after traveling to and from Chicago and two family gatherings in between, but now that I've settled back in I can look back and see just how much I have to be thankful for - not only one, but two wonderful families to celebrate, and celebrate with. I can't say enough how lucky I am.

What are you most thankful for this holiday season / what are some of your favorite uses for leftovers? Let me know in the comments!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Topping - raw, vegan, gluten free, and out of this world good!

(The best raw vegan pumpkin cheesecake ever - you probably won't fool your relatives, but you might just convert them!)


It took me awhile to decide what to share with you this Thanksgiving, because really, there's only so much a girl can do around the holidays. The Boyfriend's famously (shamelessly) good pumpkin pie was my first clear option:


(The Boyfriend's insanely good pumpkin pie)

But after looking at recipe after recipe of pumpkin pies I noticed two things: A. there are a lot of pumpkin pie recipes, and B. the single biggest difference I can see between a good pumpkin pie and a not-so-good pumpkin pie can be summed up in one sentence: Use fresh pumpkin puree! For two easy methods of making your own, check out my post on Pumpkin Puree. So, there - my biggest secret to pumpkin pie, revealed.


If I wasn't going to talk about the classic pie, though, what would I talk about? The hard part was narrowing it down, so I focused on a few criteria:
1. It had to be unique - something you maybe haven't seen before
2. It had to be something that would work for those with restricted diets - Thanksgiving is pretty much the least diet-friendly holiday. If you're vegetarian, tofurky it, but if you're vegan, or raw, it seems you're fresh out of luck.
3. Most importantly, it had to be out of this world delicious!


This recipe fits that bill perfectly.




While I don't personally subscribe to being entirely raw, vegan, or gluten free, I have been in the past. I've made lemon and blueberry raw vegan cheesecakes, and macerated strawberry raw vegan flan, and have tried multiple techniques for crust and filling - I was only raw/vegan for one month, but I managed to pack a lot of dessert under my belt in that time! I was able to draw from that experience here, and I must say I think this is the best dessert of its kind I've ever put together. In fact, I've even eaten at raw/vegan restaurants and have got to say this outshines even some of their best work.



A note before we begin: to those who are concerned, pumpkin is safe to consume raw as long as it has been seeded and peeled. The peel and seeds can, in some cases, cause stomach upset, but the flesh of the gourd is entirely edible.

Raw Vegan (gluten free) Pumpkin 'Cheese'Cake with Pecan Topping


For the crust:

2 Cups raw nuts of your choice (I used 50/50 pecans and almonds, but hazelnuts or any other kind would be fine, too)
3/4 Cup pitted dates, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes to soften and thoroughly drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

For the filling:

2 Cups raw, unsalted cashews, soaked 8 hours or overnight, drained, and rinsed
1.5 Cups pie or sugar pumpkin, peeled and cut into one inch cubes
1/2 + 1/4 Cup coconut oil, liquid form, amounts separated (do not substitute other kinds of oil - coconut oil is key to the texture because it solidifies at room temperature)
1/2 Cup pitted dates, soaked and drained
1/2 Cup raw agave
1/4 Cup raw Turbinado sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. Vanilla powder, vanilla paste, or the scrapings of one vanilla bean (optional)
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ginger
1/8th tsp. Cloves

For the pecan 'praline'esque topping:

1 Cup pecan halves or pieces
3 TBSP raw agave
3 TBSP raw Turbinado sugar
Tiny pinch of salt
1/8th tsp. vanilla extract, powder, paste, or the scrapings of half a vanilla bean (optional)
Pinch of Cinnamon (optional)

Equipment:

9 or 10 inch pie pan
Food processor, or high-quality blender (when asking raw vegan restaurant owners how they achieve such a smooth consistency on their nut pastes and Thai coconut ice creams, I was told that it was all owed to their VitaMix blenders - if you don't have a good liquefying blender, stick with the food processor and you'll do just fine).

How it goes:

The crust:
In your food processor, pulse nuts a few times until they're all in pieces, but not finely ground. Add the salt, dates, and cinnamon, and blend until the dates have become a paste and it all begins to mass together - don't blend too far, or you'll turn the nuts into nut butter.
Scoop the nut mixture into your pie pan and press into a thin even layer along the bottom and sides. I find lightly wetting my fingers helps, or using a rubber spatula.
Set the crust in the fridge until ready to use.

The filling:
In the bowl of your food processor or blender, combine cashews, 1/2 cup coconut oil, agave, and all of the vanilla. Blend on high speed for several minutes or until completely smooth.
Pour cashew mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Now add to the food processor the cubed pumpkin, raw Turbinado, dates, spices, and the last 1/4 cup coconut oil. Blend for several minutes or until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Set aside.

The pecan topping:
In a small bowl, combine pecans, agave, sugar, salt, and any vanilla and/or cinnamon. Set aside.

Assembling:
Mix pumpkin mixture into cashew mixture, folding it lightly to leave swirls or mixing completely, and pour into pie crust. OR - pour cashew mixture into crust, then pumpkin mixture on top. Leave in separate layers, or swirl together with a butter knife or the edges of a spatula.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight (the texture is best the next day). Can be topped with nuts after 1-2 hours of chilling, or right before serving.

Will keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, but it won't last that long.




Note: The amount of pumpkin called for in this recipe is very conveniently about half of a small pie pumpkin. My suggestion for the other half? Make a second cheesecake!
Being on a raw vegan diet often has the added bonus of people making very uncertain faces about your food, and that usual means you don't have to share. I hate to say it, but once those naysayers try this they'll be hooked, so either make a second one and hide it away somewhere, or prepare to fight over the last slice.

Even The Boyfriend, after multiple suggestions that I make a real cheesecake, had to admit that this was a winner.


(Want a bite?)


Today, I feast on cheesecake. Tomorrow, I leave for Chicago - for family, food, and festivities. The Boyfriend and I are on dessert duty, and that means pies pies pies!
But what about you? What are your plans this Thanksgiving? Cooking up a storm, or just kicking back to watch the game and enjoying the labors of others? Or, will you be making a to-die-for dessert? *hint hint*

Let me know in the comments, and have a great Thanksgiving!




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Facial Wash - made with just three simple ingredients

Today, the bag of paper recycling is pretty indicative of my mood. Two empty cereal boxes (breakfast), and an empty box of ladies 'bathroom essentials'. Yup, bring on the crankies! Actually, I think I can say conclusively that I'm not all that bad about PMS, but even though I don't break out emotionally, my face often does. I thought I'd take this opportunity to talk about skin care - although my routine doesn't involve much, I wanted to share one of my favorite home-made face washes.

You probably already know how eating right (yeah, right) and keeping hydrated can help your skin be clear and radiant, and help your hair to shine, but did you know that food can be good on, as well as in, you?

You'd never guess how easily you can replace your drug-store facial scrubs with just a few ingredients from your pantry! Because the skin is the body's largest organ, and can absorb all kinds of things from its surrounding environment - from the light of the sun, to the products you apply to it - it's important to treat it with respect. Besides being economical, this guarantees that you're giving your body only what it needs - 100% natural nutrients.

It took a while for this to occur to me, but in the search for beauty products that actually work I realized that if it's having an apparent effect on my face, it's also having a significant effect on my body. That becomes a kind of scary thought when you read the list of ingredients on most commercially available skin care products and find that many contain chemicals and synthetic ingredients you can't even pronounce the name of.



With just a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, you can make a facial wash or mask that:
Cleanses
Exfoliates
Dries up oiliness while maintaining hydration
Is antibacterial
Antiseptic
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-acne
Scar healing
Skin soothing
And smells fantastic
- Oh, and did I mention it tastes great on toast?


Here's what you need:

#1: Raw Honey



Honey is both antiseptic and antibacterial, and has for many years been used both topically and internally for medical purposes. Honey is commonly used as a salve on open wounds, because when it comes into contact with body fluids it will slowly release hydrogen peroxide - this, in combination with its slight acidity, will kill bacteria and prevent infection. Honey also contains antioxidants, and is long believed to have many healing effects.

For making your facial wash or mask, it's best to use raw honey. If the bottle doesn't specify that it's raw, or unfiltered, you're probably getting pasteurized honey. Pasteurizing is a process of heating to a very high temperature to kill bacteria, which ensures that your honey won't crystalize very quickly, but also that some of its goodness has been compromised. (Note that the honey in the photo above is not raw - raw honey will often be thicker, and more crystalized than processed honey.)
If you're lucky enough to have active Manuka Honey from New Zealand that would work as well, but considering its cost it should probably be saved for more specific uses.



#2: Ground Cinnamon

There are several different varieties of cinnamon, including Saigon (or Vietnamese) Cinnamon, Indonesian Cinnamon, Cassia (or Chinese) Cinnamon, and Ceylon (also known as 'True' Cinnamon) from Sri Lanka. Here in the States, Cassia is what's most commonly found on our shelves and in stores. Each genus has different attributes, but for our purposes whatever you have will work.
Cinnamon has long been used as medicine in folk lore, and the myth is backed more and more by modern research. Some studies have even shown certain strains to be effective against HIV, and in lab experiments cinnamon extracts have helped to treat Alzheimer's.
While that probably doesn't mean much for the topical application of store-bought cinnamon, we also know that it has an antiviral, therapeutic effect - not to mention, it turns our honey 'wash' into a 'scrub', by adding a gentle amount of exfoliation similar to expensive microdermabrasion products.


#3 Nutmeg

What is nutmeg, anyway? Is it a nut? It kind of looks like a nut.
Actually, it's a seed. Nutmeg is the seed of a genus of tree called the Myristica - a species of Evergreen. The seed is small and round, and grows inside a 'fruit' much like the pit of a peach. The seed itself also has a thin covering called an aril. This aril is removed from the seed, and is, in fact, where another common holiday spice comes from - Mace.

Nutmeg has long been thought to have significant medicinal properties, though much of this thinking is probably due to its psychoactive effects. Nutmeg contains a hallucinogen which in high enough doses is toxic, and can cause convulsions, nausea, and dehydration. Although humans can't generally get nutmeg poisoning from the amounts called for in culinary uses, other animals can often be more sensitive - for this reason it's recommended that you don't let the family pet have anything with nutmeg in it.
While nutmeg has no proven medical uses, it has long been used therapeutically to calm the mind and relax the body. Nutmeg oil has been used in aromatherapy to reduce headaches, clear the sinuses, and lighten a depressed mood. It is also thought to have antimicrobial properties.

In this facial scrub, the nutmeg helps to dilute the harsh cinnamon and keep the exfoliating light and gentle, as well as adding a depth to the soothing aroma. I recommend using whole nutmeg, grated fresh, but if you already have powdered that will work as well.




Once you have your ingredients, simply combine them in a jar or bottle.

1/4 cup Raw Honey
1.5 tsp. - 1.5 TBSP Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. - 2 tsp. Nutmeg

Why the huge variation in amounts? It all depends on what consistency you like. Using less cinnamon and nutmeg will keep the mixture fairly smooth and light, whereas more will make your wash more of a mask - a thick mud that can be applied gently with your fingertips and let set for 5-10 minutes before rinsing away.
I suggest starting with the lesser amounts, mixing with a spoon, and adjusting until you find the consistency that suits you best.

To use, take about 1 tsp. of scrub between your fingertips or in the palms of your hands and rub together to warm slightly. Then, apply to a dry face in gentle circular motions, avoiding the eye area, until evenly applied.
Optionally, let the scrub rest on your face for five or ten minutes. If you really want to pamper yourself, lick fingers clean while waiting.
Rinse face thoroughly with warm water. As the water dries, you may experience a slight tightening sensation. Moisturize as per your normal routine.

I like to apply the scrub just before showering, for easy rinsing.
Depending on your skin type, I suggest using the scrub only 2-3 times a week due to the exfoliation. On days in between, try washing with just honey!


IMPORTANT NOTE: Before using any new topical product, do a small test patch on a sensitive area of skin like the inside or your wrist. Let the product sit for several minutes before rinsing clean, then wait a few minutes more to be sure you don't have any reaction to the ingredients before continuing.




___________________

Other household fixes for your routine:

For moisturizing, try this combo:

2oz. Jajoba oil (available at most health-food stores and online - a very light liquid wax that closely resembles human sebum, the oils produced by  your skin. It's quickly absorbed, and leaves little to no residue)
1-2 drops skin-safe essential oil of your choice - lavender, chamomile, rose... whatever you like.

Combine in a dropper bottle, and massage 2-3 drops into skin daily.

_______________

Baking soda toothpaste:

1/2 cup baking soda
1 drop peppermint extract, or flavor extract of your choice (optional)
water to desired consistency

Combine into a paste, and brush.
_______________

Coconut Oil hair treatment:

Before bed, try rubbing a palm full of coconut oil through your hair, roots to tip. In the morning, shower and wash hair as usual.

_______________



What other home-made beauty treatments do you know of? Feel free to share your routine in the comments!




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Drunken Gingerbread Cookies - Good Will Baking, part 1

(Good Will Baking, part 1)



 Snow?! *Incredulous*

Yes, snow. Actual, stuck to the ground, snow. I went running in it last night and it was beautiful, but now it's just cold and icky and I'm ready for it to go away. Which, thanks to the sunshine this morning, it mostly has, but that doesn't help me when I know it's just going to snow more and more.


As I've mentioned before, there are a lot of things I love about the changing of the season, but one of the most important things to appreciate is that while it's getting colder and colder out there, dropping into the twenties at night, I have a house, with a furnace and many comforters, being kept at a pleasant 68f. Not only that, but I have an entire kitchen full of food to stuff my face with and make me fat so I can't feel the cold anyway.

Not everyone is so lucky as I.


Here in Washtenaw County, we have an organization called Food Gatherer's - a large non-profit organization first founded by Zingerman's Delicatessen back in 1988. Since then, they've become responsible for the county's food bank, and have been able to provide over 12,000 meals a day to those in need - now transporting more than 8 tons of food per day through donations and food drives.
Being entirely non-profit, Food Gatherer's relies heavily on volunteers from the community and donations, both monetary and edible, from individuals and local businesses.



The Holiday season is by far their hardest time - as the temperature drops and the number of people in need of assistance rises, there is a bigger push than ever for volunteers. In the past I've done what I could, taking the time to do food drives (trick-or-treating for canned goods, for instance), and this year would have liked to volunteer for kitchen duty on their busiest day of the year - Thanksgiving. This year, however, I won't be here for Thanksgiving... I'll be in Chicago.

Since I won't be able to volunteer, personally, this season, I thought the least I could do would be to make a donation.



A couple of weeks ago, I spent an entire day making cookies - something like two hundred cookies - and over the following few days sold them to friends in and around Ann Arbor, all proceeds to go to Food Gatherer's. My sincere gratitude to everyone who bought some, because once all was sold and done I had well over a hundred dollars to donate.

My initial plan had been to compile all of these cookie recipes, and more, into a short e-CookBook (once again in promotion of Food Gatherer's, and food banks everywhere), but time has not allowed. Still, I can't help but feel the need to draw attention to the fact that the holidays are  not, for everyone so lucky as me, a time of festivity and feasting. Some people have bigger problems than worrying about over-eating this Thanksgiving.

Even if donating your time isn't an option, the handy-dandy interwebs have made it easier than ever to donate a dollar. To donate to Food Gatherers, or to find out about volunteering, visit their website: http://www.foodgatherers.org/

______________________________________

Since I wasn't able to put together my little e-Book this year, I hope to use the progress I've made to do it next year (hence this being 'Part 1'). In the meantime, I'll share with you one of the recipes I plan to include.




Drunken Gingerbread Cookies
(Adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Holiday Cookies 2010 orange gingerbread with rum glaze)

3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 TBSP ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 Cups dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 Cups molasses
12 TBSP (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks and softened slightly (if using salted butter, just leave out the salt)
3 TBSP rum

For the glaze:
2 Cups confectioner's sugar
2-4 TBSP rum

Method:

In a food processor, combine brown sugar and all dry ingredients with a few pulses. Add the butter and process until grainy or sandy looking. Add the molasses and rum, and blend until the dough comes together.
Divide the dough in half and roll out to 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper - refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight, or chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350f.
Once firm, take the dough out of the fridge or freezer and cut out with the cookie cutter of your choice. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a good inch or so between the cookies. Bake until the middles have just barely set, about 8-11 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Cool the cookies on the sheet for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

While the cookies cool, mix together confectioner's sugar and 2 TBSP of rum, then gradually add up to 2 more TBSP until the icing is a thick but spreadable consistency.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread a big dollop of icing on each one - let dry before serving.




(Warning: these cookies pack a bit of a punch. Watch out for the gingerbread men mingling with the spiked eggnog!)

Two Tasty Twists on Tuna Salad - get lost, Mayo!

(Tuna Salad two ways, recipes in post)




You know what I love about fall? Well, a lot of things, but for starters...

Fresh Michigan Honeycrisp apples, organic and still the size of my fist. The sweet smell of wet leaves. Breaking out the extra-comfy cozy socks. And, enjoying a run on what might be the last decent day of the year. Ah, so good!

Although a warm dish might be more fitting for the season, I'm a big fan of a high-protein lunch after running, and tuna is so easy. Besides that, I'm by no means finished with my vegetable kick from earlier this week.


While I normally take the ever so fancy route of eating my tuna straight out of the can, with a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of apple cider vinegar and perhaps a pinch of dried basil...


(Elegant, right?)


I decided that today I'd go all out and make tuna salad. But, not your normal mayo-and-celery-between-bread tuna salad - no, today I'd put a spin on things.


First up is a grape and walnut tuna salad - if you've never put grapes in your tuna (or apples in your chicken salad) you're missing out on a whole new experience. My intention for this one was to serve it wrapped in lettuce, but not having any bib or iceberg on hand, I had to make due.

Note to self, butter lettuce may be pretty and delicious, but it is not ideal for wrapping things.






Grape and Walnut Tuna Salad, Sans the Mayo
Makes 1 - 2 servings

1 can tuna (Albacore in water, if you please)
4-5 TBSP Greek yogurt (depending on your Personal Preference of Consistency - or your PPC, as we like to call it)
~1/4 cup grapes, halved
1 handful walnuts, broken up and lightly toasted (or pecans, or almonds)
2-3 TBSP. celery, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. basil (and/or any other herbs that float your boat)
Bib or Iceberg lettuce for wrapping (or tortilla, or bread for sandwiching)
Optional: Tomato, avocado, onion, anything else you want to add to the mix...

Method:
Lightly toast walnuts in a skillet over dry heat, stirring/shaking the pan to keep from burning. Once heated through, remove from the pan and set aside.
Combine tuna and yogurt in a bowl with a fork. Add celery, grapes, walnuts, basil and any other seasonings you like. Stir.
Arrange in your wrap or on your bread with tomato, avocado, etc., roll or sandwich, and enjoy!





Om nom nom! But wait, what's that in the background? Another kind of tuna salad, you say?


Avocado Tuna Salad Wrap
Makes 1 - 2 servings

1 can tuna
3/4 - 1 very ripe avocado (amount depending on your PPC)
2-3 TBSP onion, finely chopped
2-3 TBSP celery, finely chopped
2-3 TBSP tomato, diced
squeeze of lemon juice or a drizzle of apple cider vinegar (maybe 1-2 TBSP, to taste)
pinch of salt
1 handful of Spinach or other leafy green
Optional: Pickles (bread and butter, dill, or spicy - whatever you like)
Tortilla wraps (I'm partial to La Tortilla Factory's Smart Wrap brand - yay for uncompensated product placement!) or bread, or bowl and spoon... as you like.

Method:
Mash together tuna and avocado with a fork in a bowl. Add onion, celery, tomato, lemon, and salt - mix.
Spoon onto a wrap along with some spinach or lettuce, pickles, and any other fillings you want. Roll and devour!





Okay, so this one might be a little less appetizing with the greenish-grey hue, but trust me, the flavor is good. It might even be fun to leave out the pickle, replace the lemon with a squeeze of lime, and add cilantro and salsa - voila, Mexican tuna!

(Okay, since I haven't actually tried that out I'm not going to endorse it, but if you put it to the test let me know how it goes)



As an added bonus to being a delicious and healthy meal, these are great for make-ahead lunches - just wrap them up burrito-style and throw them in a baggie or tupperware and you're good to go!

Happy wrapping!



____________

Update: I've recently started making my tuna salad with hummus (my favorite so far is roasted red pepper hummus, but whatever you like is fine) and as weird as it sounds, I can't get enough! Just one more mayo-free option!

Mushroom Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers - vegetables for the win!

Tell me you can't see the steam coming off there... oh yeah, they're fresh.




Over the weekend I went to the grocery store with this list:
Vegetables.
Fruit.
Lentils?

At the time, I didn't know what I wanted to do, just that I wanted - no, needed - fresh produce. As soon as I stepped into the store I got all googly-eyed like a kid in a candy shop, and my mind began running an overload of ideas. I knew the basics, but what would I do with them? Grabbing up every ripe fruit and vegetable I could find, I slowly began to come up with a plan.
Where I had first been considering lentils, I changed my mind as soon as I saw the wild rice. Of course, that opened up so many more possibilities for  me - how would I serve it, and more importantly, how would I season it? Did I want a pilaf, with roasted squash and dried cranberries? Did I want to make a curry? Add some beans? Do a stir-fry? Sear some meat? My mind was racing with every ingredient I saw... until I came to the mushrooms. That settled what flavor I would go for, but next was how I would serve it... well, with all the veggies in my basket, that decision wasn't hard.

I checked out with three bags full of produce, and not a single worry that any of it might go to waste.

Ingredients in hand, I went to work like a mad scientist, throwing in a pinch of this, a dash of that, until my potion was complete. Needless to say, veggies don't need much - I kept things simple and let the food I was using bring the flavor.



Mushroom Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers
(Makes four servings)

1 cup uncooked Wild Rice (or you could do a mix of rice and beans, or lentils, or quinoa)
4 bell peppers, whatever colors you like
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups sliced or diced mushrooms (I used a mix of cremini and shitaki, though this dish would have greatly benefited from some oysters or dried porcini as well)
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil (or butter, but I wanted to keep this one vegan)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dash of cumin (optional)
2-3 TBSP good balsamic vinegar (optional - if you don't have the good stuff just leave it out)
1/2 cup chopped and toasted pecans or almonds (optional)
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries (also optional - I opted out on these)
1/2 water, more vegetable broth, or a can of tomatoes....

Method:
In a medium pot, add the wild rice and vegetable broth, plus a dash of sea salt. Bring to a boil, and cook for maybe five minutes before reducing heat to low and covering. Let cook for 45-55 minutes, or until the rice is tender. For stuffing the peppers, I kept it a little al-dente.
(While the rice was cooking, I roasted a bunch of vegetables in the oven - recipe follows).
Toast the pecans or almonds in a dry skillet (or with a little butter) over medium heat, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn. After a minute or two they should be darkened slightly and have a nutty aroma. Remove from pan and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350f.
Towards the end of the rice cooking, heat a pan with some oil or butter. Add the onion, and cook for about a minute. Add the garlic and stir for 20-30 seconds until it blooms a little.
Then add all the mushrooms to the pan (if you're using dried, reconstitute in a small bowl or glass with boiling hot water for a few minutes first) - cook until the mushrooms begin to caramelize, maybe 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Keep the heat low enough that you don't burn the garlic.
Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and a dash of cumin here, if using.
Once the rice has finished, add the onions and mushroom mixture to the rice and stir to combine. Add the balsamic vinegar, pecans, and dried fruit if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To stuff the peppers, slice the tops off and remove the seeds and veins from inside. If the peppers don't stand up on their own, slice a small amount off the bottom (trying not to cut through to the inside) to give it a flatter surface. Fill each pepper with the rice mixture, tamping it in and mounding it slightly. Set peppers in a casserole dish, and add water, or more vegetable broth, or a little tomato sauce... really, any kind of moisture... just enough to cover the bottom of the dish. This is to keep the peppers from burning onto the dish and then the skins tearing when you try to take them out.
(It might be nice to add brush the pan with a little olive oil, then through in some chopped and seasoned vegetables to roast along with the stuffed peppers).
Bake at 350f. for about 45 minutes, or until the peppers are tender but not too mushy. You can roast them with or without the pepper-tops.
Serve hot, and enjoy!

Being on such a vegetable kick, I couldn't just stop there. While I had the rice going, I cubed up a bunch of veggies and roasted them. This is super easy to do, and you can use whatever you like or whatever is in season.

I used...

Oven Roasted Veggies:

1/2 red onion
3 small red potatoes
1/2 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1/2 butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and cubed)
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
dash of cumin
1-2 TBSP olive oil

I chopped all the vegetables into hearty chunks, tossed them in a bowl with the olive oil and seasonings, then spread them onto a baking sheet and roasted on the middle rack at 425f. for about 35-45 minutes. The time will vary greatly depending on what veggies you use, and how large you chop them. Just keep on eye on things and give them a stir about half way through baking.
For easier cleanup, you can line your baking sheet with aluminum foil, but this isn't necessary to prevent stickage.



Since I was only making two stuffed peppers, I went ahead and served the leftover rice as a bed for my roasted vegetables - mmm!

This time of year it would've been lovely to do a pan full of roasted squash - not just butternut, but acorn, and dumpling, and anything else you could find. I would've snapped up every squash in the store (to heck with bell peppers, I'd have used gourds!), but I felt like I was already pushing things with the butternut, seeing as The Boyfriend isn't a fan. But, if he picks around them, that just means more for me!

After walking dogs in the rain all day Monday, this was the perfect warm and easy dinner to come home to. Not to mention left-overs to wake up to the next day!

Gift Box Cake - surprise! I didn't get you an actual present.

The Gift Box Cake - perfect for those times you just don't know what to get someone!


This year, my gift to my brother (in Pittsburgh) was a surprise visit from his little sister, and a big layer cake. Not just a layer cake, but a schmancy cake layered with awesome. My suspicion was that he would appreciate aesthetics nearly as much as taste, so I decided to go all-out and try my hand at a gift box cake.


This was my first foray with fondant, and only my second attempt at working with gum paste. For my first try? I think I did alright. Everyone who's seen it has been fooled by its realism and impressed by its detail, and The Brother nearly tore into it thinking it was, in fact, a box with a cake inside. By that I'd call it a success.

It wasn't an easy success to come by, though. My inexperience was clear when I rolled the cake in fondant only to realize that seams, and breakage, would be an issue. Buttercream oozed from every nook and cranny, and although I made a valiant effort to patch and seal, there was no salvaging the situation.



I scrapped the fondant, and tried again. Much better!



I used about 2 lbs. of white fondant, kneaded with maybe 1/8th tsp. Wilton's Gel food coloring, Delphinium Blue.

Once the fondant was on, I set to work on the gum paste bow. I followed this tutorial from CakeCentral.com, which was very helpful in laying out just how to shape and assemble the bow. Because you can't actually tie a knot with gum paste, each loop of the bow, the tails, and the center, are all separate pieces that are rolled, pinched and crinkled, and laid together.



I wasn't successful at getting the gum paste as thin as I'd like, but after many torn pieces I settled for the thickness you see.
Using a fondant embosser/stitching wheel along the edges and brushing the ribbons with white luster dust made a huge difference in terms of adding realism. Right before my eyes the sheets of rolled sugar transformed into shimmering ribbons of fabric.



While not perfect, I must say I was pleased with myself. Plus, having more hands-on experience now, I'm certain I can improve with time and practice.



The cake itself was a white cake - nothing too fancy, but by no means lacking in deliciousness. After looking at several recipes, I discovered that Bridget, from The Way The Cookie Crumble's, had already looked around and tried a few for comparison. Being a fan of Cook's Illustrated, they would have been my first choice, but I went ahead with Bridget's minor adjustments to the CI recipe, agreeing that I didn't want the cake to be too sweet.
You can find her adaptation of Cook's Illustrated's recipe here: http://www.crumblycookie.net/2009/07/01/white-cake-comparison-2/
I made a double batch, resulting in three 8x8" square cakes and one thin 9x9" (this is what created the 'lid' of the box).



An observation: I like leveling cakes. Leveling means scraps, and where do scraps go? Into my belly!

For the frosting, I used Tasty Kitchen's Vanilla Buttercream, which has become my go-to recipe ever since the Angel Food Wedding Cake. This time, I went wild with adding whole vanilla, vanilla extract, and a pinch of vanilla powder for a very full and rounded flavor.



Another observation: I like making buttercream. Creaming butter and sugar means beaters, and I get to 'clean' them when I'm done.

And of course, because the cake uses so many egg whites, I went ahead and made vanilla ice cream with the yolks.



A third observation: If I intend to keep up this whole baking thing, I really need to come to terms with my impending obesity.


Unfortunately, the ice cream didn't make the trip to Pittsburgh with me (no, I didn't eat it all... yet...) - although I could've packed it with dry ice and taken it on the bus, I already had enough to carry.



After lots of trying to coordinate with friends, and avoiding telling my brother I was coming dto town, he managed to figure it out anyway the night before I arrived. Although that technically ruined the 'surprise' aspect of the whole thing, it ended up being a good thing because it meant him getting to plan on what he wanted to do - which is what it's all about!



Arriving at his apartment before he left work meant getting to set things up a bit.



(Shhh! He thinks I matched the color of the card to the cake on purpose - happy coincidence!)


After dinner, we went out with friends to shoot some pool, and throw back a few birthday shots. Then it was back to his place to enjoy some cake!



Mmm!

Having had some time to sit wrapped in the fondant, the cake was nice and dense. I kind of wish I'd used a little more buttercream (although I used an entire batch!) between the layers, but it was still insanely tasty, and hit just the perfect level of sweetness.

The Brother, being the luckiest guy around, not only got to enjoy this slice of wonderful, but also a hunk of this cake, made by friend of his:


(Michelle's chocolate cake with cherry cream cheese frosting)

This was a thing of beauty - dark chocolate cake, covered in black cherry frosting and hiding a secret layer of jam inside. The cake was super chocolaty, and the frosting just the right level of sweetness - a serious home run on the combo, too. I've got to admit, I had more than a dainty piece of this.


I feel the need to say, here, that there was no competition between the cakes - no cake face offs, sorry folks. They were so different from each other, and both incredible. Have I mentioned what a lucky guy The Brother is? There may also have been cupcakes the next day. That's right, if I'm going to be fat, so is he!



My only regret about the whole thing was not being able to stay longer. After just one day I was on my way back home. Thank goodness for the Holiday's coming up, because I miss that boy already.


Happy birthday, Big Brother!

Forgive me, Stomach, for I have Binged... plus, Google Recipes and SEO microcoding

Yesterday, I managed to consume about three day's worth of calories (and only about half a day's worth of nutrition) all before noon. Hail cookie dough!

Oh, and another confession: I once bought pregnancy pants for the express purpose of wearing while eating. Comfort is key.

Ten Bloody Mary's and five Whiskey Sours - Amen!

_____________________________________________________

There's something I'd like to talk about, although I feel I'm probably a little behind the times, seeing as most of the hoopla over this happened back in February. But, it's news to me, so I'm going to talk about it.

Earlier this year, Google introduced a new part of its search engine entirely geared towards finding recipes. Type in what you're looking for, and on the left-hand side-bar of the site there's a Recipe button, which opens a whole list of options for narrowing your search. You can choose a recipe based on how long it takes to prepare, what ingredients it uses, or how many calories are in it.



On the one hand, this is fantastic - it helps the average user to find the average recipe. On the other hand, the search engine works by verifying specific microcodes programmed into each site, which means the top results will usually be places like foodnetwork.com, allrecipes.com, etc. - entirely neglecting the already struggling-to-be-found food bloggers. Of course, there's nothing stopping bloggers from using microcodes themselves to improve their searchability, but since many of us are focused on food, photography, and trying to run our lives, there's often little understanding of (or time for) such tedious coding.
Fortunately for us, there's a solution to our problems: RecipeSEO.com - a website designed by the very talented programmer and fellow food-blogger, Allison Day of SushiDay.com

The way it works is simple (that's not true, the way it works is magic and I bow down to its greatness) - but what you do is simple. Just enter the information about your recipe, and the website will generate all the necessary microcoding. The formatting can then be copy/pasted into whatever HTML text-editor you use, whether you're hosted by blogger, wordpress, or tumblr.



The site also offers space to include a photo, prep time, and nutritional information for the dish. According to Google, these things are a must to make recipes searchable in their index.



After entering all the appropriate information the site generates a script which can easily be copy/pasted into the HTML edit page of your host site.



It might take a little fiddling with to make it appear the way you'd like it to, but this is approximately what you'll be looking at.


Although there are many ways to add search-engine-friendly coding to your blog, and indeed a great many things I don't understand about programming at all, it's nice to know there are some little things that can help us e-illiterates.

At the same time, however, and knowing that it's really quite exciting that code can be created to actually tell search-engines specific data (rather than searching for things that simply contain the words 'chickpea' or 'hummus', it can actually know that those ingredients are used), I'm honestly a little disappointed by it. While there still holds true some basic elements of searchability, and the popularity of your site determining your SEO (Search Engine Optimization), it's sad to think just how much of the technical aspect I don't grasp, and don't really want to grasp. This is why it can be so helpful to enlist a programmer, or site designer, or codemonkey, when creating a blog. But somehow I find it depressing, contrasted against the boastfully 'user friendly' interface and the notion that anyone can create a blog, that when I type something into Google I might be coming up with the content most easily recognized by the internet, rather than the content most popularized by the people. Perhaps I'm just being cynical, but I take comfort in knowing that a lot of people like and trust SmittenKitchen (for example), not that SmittenKitchen can afford a site monger, or is savvy enough to not need one.

Anyway, I guess my point is, Google needs to find a way to combine its Recipe button with its Blog search button. Then, maybe we can all be happy.

</rant>