tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40649301732582098222024-03-15T22:50:51.526-07:00Cook Play ExploreWe're two busy moms who turned a playdate into a playful cooking experience. Each week, we share creativity, laughter, and friendship at the table together with our children -- and we share those adventures at www.cookplayexplore.com.Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.comBlogger337125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-26888293883737026892017-01-15T16:30:00.000-08:002017-01-15T16:30:20.853-08:00Butter Beer Our Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div id="recipetitle">
Double Vanilla Butter Beer</div>
<div id="notes">
<br />
We finally made it! D's 10th birthday was celebrated with a Hogwarts style dinner with a 3-course menu that made 16 kids really happy. But the highlight of the feast was not the food, or even the fantastic cake and jell-o extravaganza inspired on Aunt Petunia Pudding, but our interpretation of butter beer.<br />
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The mix was really easy to make and combined four delicious ingredients. The literal butter was "covered" by adding the whipped cream, looking like beer foam. To add mystery to the drink I added creamed honey as yet another mystery butter, which worked really fine, because the guests had to guess what was the "pretend" butter that was added to the mix in front of them. To celebrate a birthday or a grown-up cocktail party (just add 2 oz vanilla vodka to it), here's the recipe:<br />
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1/2 cup French Vanilla Ice Cream (TJ's)<br />
4 oz Dry Sparkling Vanilla Bean<br />
1/2 teaspoonTrader Joe's Creamed Honey<br />
Dairy Whipping Topping (Berkeley Farms)<br />
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Add ice-cream to the bottom of a transparent cup, top with vanilla soda, add honey (the wannabe butter), stir with a spoon, and top with cream. Serve immediately. Enjoy!<br />
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<div id="directions">
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-69135676949109822552014-10-09T11:24:00.001-07:002014-10-09T11:24:17.020-07:00Jewel Yam Walnut Bread (and The Need to Bake)<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP -->
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It's already fall and I haven't posted for more than a season! Things got a little bit out of hand here with all summer activities, travels, volunteering, designing a new blog, and beginning of school. So I had to take a forced break - but not at all of cooking or developing recipes.<br />
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Darienne was the brave one who managed to post a wonderful thing in the middle of summer, a souvenir from Hawaii. And then, that was it. But then, faster than I thought, October arrived. Silently and not even the deciduous trees know it yet. Here in the San Francisco South Bay Area the weather is still on dog-hot days. And I needed to bake.<br />
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Yes, because above all, Autumn is, for me, is the baking season. I like to test new recipes, create my own, bake with the seasonal ingredients and... have a quiet baking morning while surfing the web sipping nice Italian coffee. So, in total disregard of the outside temperature, I wen there and baked my first seasonal bread: this time, with Jewel Yams. <br />
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The result of my experiment - based in one recipes from the web and one from my library- was moist, flavorful and silk-textured bread, perfect to eat for breakfast and to perfume the home wit its spices. I shared slices with friends, and kids suggested that I should cover it with dark chocolate. Which I will do soon for Halloween treats. It looks like it will be a wonderful combination.<br />
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<div id="recipetitle">
Jewel Yam Bread</div>
<div id="notes">
It's a very free adaption of <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sweet-Potato-Bread-with-Caramel-and-Aleppo-Spiced-Pecans-51249830" target="_blank">Epicurious recently published Sweet Potato Bread with Caramel and Aleppo-Spiced Pecan</a>s and a Brazilian traditional recipe. </div>
<div id="ingredients">
<br />
1 medium jewel yam, baked and puréed (to make about 1 cup purée)<br />
1/2 cup apple juice (I think orange juice would work as well)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
3/4 cup vegetable oil<br />
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar<br />
1/2 cup light brown sugar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1 teaspoon Korintje cinnamon (my favorite, but any good cinnamon will do)<br />
1/4 teaspoon cloves<br />
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
1 1/2 cup all purpose non bleached flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 cup chopped walnuts (save a few to top the loaf)<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div id="directions">
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (or grease it and flour it). Preheat oven to 325 F. In a bowl whisk jewel yam purée, apple juice, eggs, oil, sugars, vanilla and spices up to a very creamy and well blended mix. Add flour and baking powders on top and whisk again lightly on the surface to mix. With a spatula integrate the flour to the wet mix on the bottom. When mixed let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then add walnuts and finish mixing with spatula. Top with some whole walnuts if you like, sprinkled with sugars. Transfer batter to pan and bake it for about 50 to 75 minutes or up to when it is golden on the top and a knife comes out of it clean. </div>
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-31312743679920091852014-07-02T00:32:00.000-07:002014-07-02T00:45:55.702-07:00How to make souvenir sea salt<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/14369656238" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="1407_CPE-salt-6 by Darienne, on Flickr"><img alt="1407_CPE-salt-6" height="320" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3836/14369656238_eb759a531e_z.jpg" width="183" /><!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> </a><a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP -->We brought home a special souvenir from our recent vacation: sea salt collected at our newest favorite beach.<br />
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The north shore of Kauai is one of our happiest places. We visit Hanalei Bay every year or two, swimming and snorkeling and waking up early to the sound of roosters.<br />
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This year, we tried something new. One of my fantastic editors insisted we get boogie boards and head to Kalihiwai Beach, a beautiful little crescent of sand with a river running to the sea. <br />
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So we did. And it was all that she promised and more. My boys — often timid in the waves — took to the water like dolphins and rode the surf for days. My husband and I loved it too. I can't believe we waited this long to try it!<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/14369070828" title="1407_CPE-salt-2 by Darienne, on Flickr"><img alt="1407_CPE-salt-2" height="400" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/14369070828_9a9f475ec2_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/14555670645" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="1407_CPE-salt-3 by Darienne, on Flickr"><img alt="1407_CPE-salt-3" height="214" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3869/14555670645_174821e1ce_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It was the perfect place to experiment with making sea salt. My 10-year-old son enthusiastically helped make two batches. He was so happy with the results he's added "making salt" to his grand plan for some sort of hybrid invention/manufacturing commune he expects to launch with his friends.<br />
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We ended up with large crystals of salt with a pleasantly briny bite. They'll make excellent finishing salt.<br />
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Harvesting salt is a simple process, provided you have a few resources: a container to carry salt water, something to filter the water, and a stove (or several weeks to let the water naturally evaporate).<br />
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A common sense warning up front: Only use sea water you think is reasonably clean. I'm no expert, but my feeling is that anywhere you're OK letting your kids swim and swallow a bit of water is probably OK for harvesting salt. And since flavors are unique to each location, be aware that your final product might be good, amazing, meh, or blech. <br />
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With that out of the way, here’s how we did it:<br />
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We filled empty bottles with ocean water. (From what I've read elsewhere, it's generally advisable to do this on a good-weather day.) Back at our room, we first poured the water through a paper towel-lined strainer and then through a coffee filter to remove sand, bits of seaweed, and other tiny debris. After the second straining, the water looked perfectly clear.<br />
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Next, we put the filtered water into a small pot and began boiling it on the stove top. Boiling of course speeds up evaporation, but it also kills any nasty things in the water. Since the Kalihiwai River flows into the bay where we gathered our batch, I wanted to be sure to eliminate any potential <a href="http://health.hawaii.gov/about/files/2013/06/leptobrochure.pdf" target="_blank">leptospirosis</a> contamination.<br />
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Once the water was reduced by about half, I lowered the temperature and let it simmer until it was reduced by half again. Be careful not to burn the salt! Better to let it go too slow than too fast.<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/14554797312" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="1407_CPE-salt-4 by Darienne, on Flickr"><img alt="1407_CPE-salt-4" height="236" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5157/14554797312_5d98f04369_z.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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I poured out what was left into a shallow plate and put it in the oven on the lowest setting — for us, that was 170 degrees. I have no idea how long it took for the water to fully evaporate. It was at least a few hours. There's no need to baby-sit the salt. I simply turned the oven on when we were around, then turned it off when we went out for an adventure or turned in for the night.<br />
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Eventually the crystals were completely dry. We carefully scraped them loose from the plate, stirred them with a fork, and packaged them to take home.<br />
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Alternatively, you could set the salt water in the sun to dry, which can take weeks, or try a dehydrator. Make do with whatever you have. <br />
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We ended up with fairly large crystals, like kosher salt. And they're delicious. About five cups of sea water yielded about a third of a cup of salt.We sent some home with my mother, and took an itty-bitty amount home with us. But it's OK: We know how to make more.<br />
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<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-49935391815239802102014-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:002016-08-02T18:51:35.265-07:00Brazilian Coconut Corn Bread (Gluten Free!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every year we have a special day to show off a bit of our countries of origin at the International Faire at school. Years before we brought <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/03/second-helping-brigadeiros-or-chocolate.html" target="_blank">brigadeiros</a>, <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2011/05/ants-house-cake-aka-bolo-formigueiro.html" target="_blank">ants house cake </a>and even <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2011/08/fast-black-beans.html" target="_blank">Carioca black beans</a> to share with the students. This time we brought Bolo de Fubá, one of the traditional foods prepared in the month of June – and sometimes throughout the year in some regions – in most parts of Brazil.<br />
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This corn bread is one of the corn-based staples of <i>Festas Juninas</i>. It's a time to celebrate the harvest of the corn, to dance to old folk songs and to dress up like a <i class="">caipira</i> – a peasant style which includes a raffia hat, some makeup to pretend that we are country people, and gingham shirts. It's also the month of Saint Anthony, Saint John, and Saint Peter.<br />
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Baking this cake was a great opportunity to share stories and food with my children and their colleagues about this very special time of year which makes part of my childhood. It was so much fun that we even improvised a little fishing game, also typical on those parties. Kids "fish" prizes from a decorated cardboard box with a bamboo rod with a magnet on its end. That way they all had to fish for cake!<br />
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<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
Bazilian Cornbread with Coconut<br />
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<div id="notes">
I chose yellow cornmeal, and I used unsweetened coconut to make sure that it wouldn't be overly sweet, a common taste in Brazilian cuisine inherited from the Portuguese traditions.<br />
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For cake:</div>
<div id="ingredients">
4 cups yellow fine cornmeal<br />
2 cups unsweetened dry coconut flakes<br />
1tbsp baking powder<br />
2 cups milk<br />
1/2 cup melted butter or canola oil<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
4 eggs<br />
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<div id="directions">
For topping:<br />
1 can sweetened condensed milk<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1/2 cup coconut<br />
1/2 tbsp butter<br />
1/4 tsp cloves<br />
1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />
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Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Mix eggs, sugar, and oil (or butter) in another bowl. When the mix is creamy, add milk gradually. Add dry mix to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula. Pour batter in prepared baking pan and bake for about 45 minutes or up to when it gets a golden crust.<br />
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For the topping, melt butter in a skillet and add coconut, stirring as it toasts. When the coconut is toasted, add condensed milk and spices, then reduce it over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mix changes to a custard texture, pour over the cake right after it comes out of the oven. Enjoy!<br />
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> My kids lead a sheltered life. My 10-year-old encountered sugar cubes for the first time just last month, at a café in Paris. His <i>chocolat chaud</i> was served with a small bowl of perfect little sugar cubes — he thought they were the best part of the drink. I let him believe it was an only-in-Europe kind of thing ... until I was inspired to make sugar cubes with the boys for Mother's Day and Teacher Appreciation Week.<br />
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Sugar cubes are such fun to make with kids! Minimal effort, big payoff — and you can make them at the last minute or ages ahead of time. The hardest part is keeping the kids from licking their fingers over and over and over.<br />
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Here's how you do it: Add a tiny bit of liquid — flavored extract, juice, water, coffee, even liqueur — into sugar. Then firmly press the mixture into small molds, or shape into a flat brick and cut into cubes or with shaped cutters. Let the cubes dry a few hours until they're rock solid.<br />
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Packaged in a little jar, they make a beautiful gift all on their own. They're even better presented with a mug and tea (or sparkling wine!).<br />
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The flavor possibilities are limitless. The boys decided to make heart-shaped vanilla cubes using a scraped vanilla bean and vanilla extract. I threw together a few more varieties: rose-scented hearts and stars, bright pink cubes made with grenadine, and hearts using lemon verbena-infused simple syrup I had made for lemonade and iced tea.<br />
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I added a dab of food coloring to the lemon verbena cubes. They came out VERY BRIGHT.<br />
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A few tips:<br />
<ul>
<li>Don't add too much liquid. The mixture should be grainy. Think wet sand for castle building, or a good snowball. If you use food coloring, add just a teeny tiny dab so you don't end up with, say, Day-Glo yellow.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Keep them small. If you have tiny candy molds or cute little cookie cutters, use them. Big, thick pieces take longer to dry — and are a lot of sugar per bite. Mine are a little bigger than ideal, but the kids aren't complaining.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Pack firmly. Too loose, and they'll be crumbly.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Leave them alone to dry. Just let them sit on the counter, in the mold if you're using one, and resist the urge to poke them. After a few hours, check them carefully. When they're hard enough to handle, gently remove them from the mold and turn all of them upside-down. Ours were done within 3 to 5 hours, except for the grenadine batch. I put those in the oven at 200 degrees for half an hour to finish drying them. </li>
</ul>
<div>
The colorful grenadine ones ended up being the kids' favorites — they ate them straight, and popped them in ginger ale for an instant Shirley Temple. But they took a full 24 hours to dry thoroughly. We kept poking them impatiently and mashed quite a few.<br />
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The small cutters were my favorite tool for crisply edged shapes, but the molds were easiest for the kids. I love our rough-cut cubes, but if you want something dainty and perfect, this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003DREDTQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003DREDTQ&linkCode=as2&tag=cooplaexp-20&linkId=OEXF3BDDUDI343EV">silicone mini cube tray</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cooplaexp-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003DREDTQ" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> would be perfect. I'm loving the idea of using this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A6J9HZO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00A6J9HZO&linkCode=as2&tag=cooplaexp-20&linkId=E6CZMSBY7KI7KFGE">tiny leaf mold</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cooplaexp-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00A6J9HZO" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for minty sugar cubes to serve with tea.<br />
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<div id="recipetitle">
<span style="font-size: large;">Homemade sugar cubes</span></div>
<br />
<div id="notes">
<i>To fancy things up, try rose water, orange blossom water, or extracts such as almond, mint, or lemon. Or you can make simple syrup infused with whole spices or herbs (follow <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/06/second-helping-lavender-lemonade.html">this technique for lavender syrup</a>). You can even add vanilla bean, edible flowers, or a bit of spice. </i></div>
<br />
<div id="ingredients">
1 cup sugar<br />
2 to 4 teaspoons water, infused syrup, extract, or a combination<br />
optional: food coloring<br />
molding equipment suggestions: candy molds, cookie cutters, spatula, dough scraper</div>
<br />
<div id="directions">
Add 2 teaspoons of liquid to the sugar (and a tiny bit of food coloring, if using) and stir with a fork until well blended. Stir in more liquid, just a few drops at a time, until the texture is like wet sand. It should be almost slushy, but not so wet that the sugar dissolves.<br />
<br />
For molded cubes, press sugar firmly into molds and smooth away loose sugar.<br />
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To make cubes or use cookie cutter shapes, pour sugar into a straight-sided square or rectangular container and press down to pack it in firmly. It doesn't need to cover the whole bottom — use a dough scraper, spatula, or even an old credit card to press it down and square off the edge (see photo at right).<br />
<br />
For cubes, use a sharp knife to cut cubes. Leave them in place for an hour or so, until they're pretty firm, then gently separate them a little bit.<br />
<br />
To use cookie cutters, press cookie cutter into sugar, then carefully lift up the cutter and drop the shaped sugar on a piece of parchment paper. If it doesn't slide out easily, use your finger to gently push it down.<br />
<br />
Leave the sugar cubes in the mold or on the paper to dry completely. Once they're hard enough to handle, gently remove cubes from the molds and turn them over to finish drying completely. You can put them in a 180 degree oven for 30 to 60 minutes to speed things up.<br />
<br />
Store cubes in an airtight container.<br />
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<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-89514248439012881172014-04-29T05:00:00.000-07:002014-04-29T07:06:25.160-07:00Simple sweet potato soup for spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a light, fresh soup just right for spring. You can pull it together in minutes with just two pantry basics: a sweet potato and a can of coconut milk, which adds creaminess without overwhelming the flavor.<br />
<br />
Add a little something extra — a touch of vinegar, a stalk of lemongrass and some time, if you have it, or a few drops of hot sauce — and you have a refreshing soup that's a perfect bridge from cold-weather curries to summertime gazpacho.<br />
<br />
I threw this together after coming home from a long holiday to a mostly-empty pantry. Spring showers called for soup, but all I had for veggies were some lettuce and a lone sweet potato.<br />
<br />
I zapped the potato in the microwave, opened a can of light coconut milk, and pulled a stalk of lemongrass from the garden. (I know, lemongrass is hardly a pantry staple. But if you have some, use it!) Everything went into a pot for half an hour, and I stirred whenever I passed through the kitchen. A splash of vinegar and a squeeze of lemon, and it was ready to go.<br />
<br />
The result is a little sweet without being cloying — the vinegar really elevates the taste. Adults and spice-happy kids might like it with a drop or two of Sriracha. This one is definitely going into regular rotation: Even my coconut milk-averse, sweet potato-hating husband liked this and helped himself to a second bowl. (He says it doesn't taste like sweet potato; I say it does, and he just hasn't given sweet potatoes a fair chance.)<br />
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<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
Springtime Sweet Potato Soup</div>
<br />
<div id="notes">
To cook a sweet potato quickly, prick it several times with a fork and set it on a plate in the microwave. Cook on high for 8-10 minutes until soft, turning once halfway through. Let cool and peel.<br />
<br />
The vinegar and lemon/lemongrass aren't essential, but they elevate this soup from good enough to mighty tasty.</div>
<div id="ingredients">
<br />
1 medium sweet potato, cooked and mashed<br />
1 cup coconut milk<br />
1 cup water (or broth)<br />
1 to 3 teaspoons cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar<br />
salt and pepper<br />
2 stalks lemongrass, stalk only, peeled and split in half lengthwise, <i>and/or</i> a squeeze of lemon juice<br />
Sriracha (optional)<br />
<br /></div>
<div id="directions">
Stir together mashed sweet potato, coconut milk, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add lemongrass stalks, if using. Warm to barely a simmer, stirring occasionally. If using lemongrass, keep on the burner for 20 to 30 minutes, then remove the lemongrass stalks.<br />
<br />
Purée soup with an immersion blender (or blend in batches, carefully, in a blender or food processor). Stir in vinegar, a teaspoon at a time, until it has the right amount of zip to suit your taste. (If you're adding lemon juice, this is the time to do it.) Season with salt and pepper. If it's too thick, stir in a little more water, broth, or coconut milk.<br />
<br />
Optional: Serve with Sriracha for those who want to add a little more heat.</div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-4126953232638806052014-04-24T12:50:00.000-07:002014-04-25T01:44:49.971-07:00No Bake Chocolate Clusters<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP -->
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Hello Spring! This might be a great way of using leftover chocolate bits and pieces (aka broken and forgotten easter eggs) and make them part of a healthier treat. The first version is the one I made with kids at school: just a swirl of melted chocolate ove a nest of grains and mashed banana, and grapes are pretend-to-be eggs. The second, made with leftovers of the project is based on lots of chocolate biding grains and coconut. It was a nice way to celebrate Earth Day and shape the clusters like little planets. Just choose yours and play with the imagination to make your nest a unique piece of art.<br />
<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
No Bake Chocolate Clusters</div>
<div id="notes">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XrrVRzjqhTSua4G_HVDR58gnBr6P7dsLeyICHBSt4PKvGF7M_bw9OHxJdpThQIj6CZ2o8Gvj8k20ysvknngAOHjFrxSEN-8QPa4HJC06Z3CihWnDF-yasrz0fKDkRWg0UU66L_9hyphenhyphenzY/s1600/IMG_0780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XrrVRzjqhTSua4G_HVDR58gnBr6P7dsLeyICHBSt4PKvGF7M_bw9OHxJdpThQIj6CZ2o8Gvj8k20ysvknngAOHjFrxSEN-8QPa4HJC06Z3CihWnDF-yasrz0fKDkRWg0UU66L_9hyphenhyphenzY/s1600/IMG_0780.JPG" height="281" width="320" /></a>Before beginning to mix and shape, melt chocolate chips on a double boiler (my favorite process), or in the microwave (70% power stirring every 30 seconds up to when chocolate is totally melted and ready to swirl. </div>
<div id="ingredients">
<br />
<br />
1 cup quick oats<br />
2 cups high fiber cereal shaped like wood chips or sticks<br />
Bananas (1/4 per person) - optional if just swirling chocolate<br />
1/2 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)<br />
8 oz semisweet or milk chocolate chips or any chocolate you find in the house, melted<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqpWJeCoo1lmA8xl8ehjJ_Sm6GKeBPeBq9xXWSW24-trsyWL2GlBi2EwjI7bEwbBhQlQcgIJANfj4vekwaQ00VvfLLO_7dMQFjoIIytpd5FedXMj16vobrglwuhhUa3NLra6f6GxuXkg/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqpWJeCoo1lmA8xl8ehjJ_Sm6GKeBPeBq9xXWSW24-trsyWL2GlBi2EwjI7bEwbBhQlQcgIJANfj4vekwaQ00VvfLLO_7dMQFjoIIytpd5FedXMj16vobrglwuhhUa3NLra6f6GxuXkg/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG" height="343" width="400" /></a>Mix all dry ingredients. Mash bananas on the plate to make the base for the clusters, nests or planets. After adding cereal mix shaping bind with a swirl of melted chocolate. If your choice is to make just the cereal chocolate shapes, forget the bananas and fold chocolate into dry mix. Shape with the help of two spoons or inside a baking cup, and let it sit at room temperature up to when chocolate is back to solid. Decorate with grapes or chocolate candies. </div>
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-68611846147223183212014-04-21T13:31:00.001-07:002014-04-21T13:31:36.465-07:00Coconut and Raspberry Macaroons<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP -->
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It's the last night of Passover and I've been cooking so much for these holidays that I didn't have time to sit quietly to share my latest recipes here.<br />
Belonging to a interfaith family has its advantages but sometimes is just plainly overwhelming. It's great that Passover lasts for 8 nights, so that we can keep trying new recipes and variations over some staples, like matzo <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/03/second-helping-gefilte-matzo-ball.html" target="_blank">balls soup and gefilte fish</a>.<br />
I made theses sweet treats for the first night of Seder when we had some friends and family over, and despite of the extreme sweetness, it just almost vanished from the table. This photo was taken today, with some hidden in the fridge goodies.<br />
Usually guests bring these as dessert but at this time I just thought it would be nice to make them anyway. For my luck they were the only macaroons on the table, so no competition - and absolutely one of the items that I will incorporate to my family's tradition. They are good on their own or topping a scoop of vanilla ice cream.<br />
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<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
Raspberry Coconut Macaroons</div>
<div id="notes">
This is a variation of <a href="http://markbittman.com/coconut-macaroons/" target="_blank">Mark Bittman's recipe</a>. I added and substituted some ingredients and needed to adjust some of them, as I added more texture with the dried raspberries. </div>
<div id="ingredients">
<br />
<br />
3 egg whites, lightly beaten with 1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 cup light brown sugar<br />
1/3 cup white sugar<br />
2 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut<br />
1 cup toasted shredded unsweetened coconut (10 minutes in the oven before using)<br />
3/4 cup ground dry raspberries (I used Trader Joe's), measured before grinding<br />
1 teaspoon orange oil<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With a wired whisk, beat eggs with salt up to very soft peaks. Slowly fold in sugars and orange oil, and finally coconut and ground raspberries. The mix will look very dry. Using two teaspoons, lay each macaroon on the baking sheet, and shape them like pyramids with wet hands. Bake for about 40 minutes or up to when peaks are looking slightly charred. Cool down on a wired tray and transfer to the fridge up to when serving.<br />
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-83815921125985728652014-03-15T11:14:00.002-07:002014-03-15T11:48:22.255-07:00Leprechaun Shelter Salad... and Green Pea Dip<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP -->
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by J. Balbi</td></tr>
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Maybe they say they don't like greens. But when it comes to building a hiding place for a leprechaun... perhaps the little ones will change their mind.<br />
<br />
While looking for ideas of something healthy to make with the kids at school I finally put the project together while browsing the aisles of my favorite grocery store. Lately I've been working a more with food presentation with older children, but thought that the idea of building a hut, a bed or even a boat made of vegetables would be enticing enough to make kindergartners and first graders enticed. After building, we were working with the notion that the best place to "hide" the secret leprechaun hideout would be their tummy, not the trash can.<br />
<br />
I was lucky enough to have J. working with me at school that day, who was fortunate enough to have a mini figurine of a leprechaun in her bag, and a good eye for taking the photos which are in this post.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfM7r5tYCqQJVE4ThdTegWgacOGO4SI9dJnht6rJjwyGWhkGm5m3ixDwjFXWUGtQ1idXzy4QVExMPKVVCmddR9Cvi04pM1U4Ig45BZ0gzMhkN9pyEInW2r2JYpj_AseLmttuKIkU_C7fA/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfM7r5tYCqQJVE4ThdTegWgacOGO4SI9dJnht6rJjwyGWhkGm5m3ixDwjFXWUGtQ1idXzy4QVExMPKVVCmddR9Cvi04pM1U4Ig45BZ0gzMhkN9pyEInW2r2JYpj_AseLmttuKIkU_C7fA/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by J. Balbi</td></tr>
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A big bag of romaine hearts, some micro-greens to imitate little shamrocks, pea stick and lots of imagination made the whole experience a great activity. They all helped to blend the green dip, excited with the mouse from the hand blender. The green pea dip, inspired on <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2011/03/spring-pea-dip.html" target="_blank">this dip recipe</a> by Darienne, was the foundation. For some children, it was a unique chance of eating salad, disguised as something they had built for the little man.<br />
<br />
Happy St. Paddy's Day!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCwGb_9WFHDDXaw2zHVmIQRbhiGnFHe61Q9j1xdcNNvfgT0Lb11ggpU7yoYGNlXXKhHqqZ9MEdMtvklRu9NOiMJGHhRzjSvUEAF5wjvBob5ZyMEB-lG38MPFIxCMfAwhnmel5uQ1iIeM/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCwGb_9WFHDDXaw2zHVmIQRbhiGnFHe61Q9j1xdcNNvfgT0Lb11ggpU7yoYGNlXXKhHqqZ9MEdMtvklRu9NOiMJGHhRzjSvUEAF5wjvBob5ZyMEB-lG38MPFIxCMfAwhnmel5uQ1iIeM/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by J. Balbi</td></tr>
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<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
Leprechaun Shelter Salad with Green Dip</div>
<div id="notes">
You can always play with the greens around the project, but it's good to have something to make the structure possible, like a big leaf for the shelter, and some cucumber sticks to be the support. </div>
<div id="ingredients">
<br />
For the salad<br />
<br />
Romaine Heart Leafs as needed<br />
Cucumber, cut in sticks in same length<br />
Green pitted olives<br />
Green pea baked snacks (such as Inner Peas by Trader Joe's<br />
Baby Spinach<br />
Curley Parsley<br />
<br />
For the dip<br />
<br />
1 bag frozen organic green peas<br />
4 oz whipped cream cheese<br />
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese<br />
2 teaspoons garlic powder<br />
2 teaspoons oregano<br />
Kosher salt to taste<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div id="directions">
Cook peas as directed by package. Drain and blend with all other ingredients in a food processor or hand blender up to when it reaches a creamy texture. Serve on the side of salad or on the bottom of the late to serve as the foundation for the hut. </div>
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-62857153313028458582014-02-06T08:31:00.000-08:002014-02-07T07:12:29.271-08:00Fortune cookies made easy<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/12345915925/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="140206_fortune-cookies-4 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="140206_fortune-cookies-4" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/12345915925_96e0ca9a09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Making fortune cookies has been on my list for years. Every time I started to poke around recipes online, I balked because of the reviews. For every person who said such-and-such recipe was easy and perfect, there was another who said it was an utter disaster. I wanted better odds of success before wading into that territory.<br />
<br />
But this year, I forgot to get a new bag of fortune cookies on our annual Lunar New Year shopping trip to Chinatown. We usually swing by <a href="http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/attractions/ggfortunecookie.html" target="_blank">Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Co.</a> to see the treats being made and bring a bag home. This year we filled up on dim sum, boba tea, and <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/golden-gate-bakery-san-francisco" target="_blank">egg tarts</a>, but rushed home without our cookies.<br />
<br />
This was it: The Year of the Horse would be the year I tried fortune cookies.<br />
<br />
And they were a success! They tasted delicious and the kids loved them. And they weren't too difficult. We'll happily make them again soon. Probably within a few days.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/12346083213/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="140206_fortune-cookies-1 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="140206_fortune-cookies-1" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3772/12346083213_ede9af70bd.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of these is not like the others... the one on the left is smoother and has more defined edges because we used parchment paper to help shape it.</td></tr>
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<br />
Anna solved the trickiest challenge: getting each cookie thin and flat. These cookies need to be ridiculously thin — almost translucent. Most recipes say to use a spatula or spoon to spread the dough in a circle on a greased sheet or silicon mat. We did that for most of ours, and they came out OK but were uneven, a little bumpy, and with crumbly edges.<br />
<br />
Our trick: Anna spread them on floured parchment paper, then used another sheet of floured parchment paper to press them flat. We popped them in the oven, covered in parchment paper, and they came out beautifully. (That's a little pastry technique she picked up in Paris. Never miss a chance to give credit to things from Paris.) You can see the difference in the photo above: The cookie at the bottom left is from the parchment paper batch. Perfect!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/12346375764/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="140206_CPE_fortune-cookie-2 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="140206_CPE_fortune-cookie-2" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7381/12346375764_dee0676197.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Before you try them, you need to know a few hard truths:<br />
<ul>
<li>Your fortunes will have grease spots. You could try making the cookies without butter, but reviewers of butter-free versions often say the cookies needed butter, for taste and to avoid sticking to the pan. (With Anna's parchment paper technique, butter-free might work. I hope to try it soon and report back.)</li>
<li>There will be losses. It takes some practice to get the hang of it, and even then there will be casualties.</li>
<li>Making fortune cookies is time-consuming. Relax and make an afternoon of it.</li>
<li>Crispiness is a high goal. A few of ours crisped evenly and nicely, but most had slightly chewy centers. Practice will help, and some advise returning the shaped cookies to a 250 degree oven for a few minutes to crisp. We ate all ours, and so didn't try it.</li>
</ul>
This is a fun one to do with kids. Spreading the batter and shaping the cookies may be difficult for young ones, but kids who can write or draw of course can prepare the fortunes. (Ours, not surprisingly, turned out to be focused on the boys' current obsession: "Your mom will let you play Minecraft" and the like.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/12346083183/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="140206_fortune-cookies-3 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="140206_fortune-cookies-3" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5505/12346083183_5f67b3266c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, look! Another fortune about Minecraft!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div id="recipetitle">
<br />
Fortune Cookies</div>
<br />
<div id="notes">
This recipe makes 18-20 cookies. Adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/search/default.aspx?qt=k&wt=fortune%20cookies&rt=r&origin=Home%20Page" target="_blank">Allrecipes</a> and <a href="http://www.fifteenspatulas.com/fortune-cookies/" target="_blank">Fifteen Spatulas</a>. </div>
<br />
<div id="ingredients">
2 egg whites<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup butter, melted<br />
scant 1/4 teaspoon almond extract<br />
scant 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
2 tablespoons water<br />
2/3 cup flour</div>
<br />
<div id="directions">
Write your fortunes before you bake the cookies. Cut paper into strips, about 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 inches long, and write fortunes. (This is a great job for the kids. We used ballpoint pen, to make sure the ink didn't bleed onto the cookies.)<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (trace 3" circles onto the paper as a guide, if you wish) and dust lightly with flour. Lightly dust a second sheet of parchment paper with flour and set aside.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and sugar until they're frothy. Whisk in the melted butter, extracts, and water, then mix in the flour just until it's blended in — don't over-mix. The mixture should be like a light pancake batter, not a doughy cookie batter.<br />
<br />
Scoop a generous 1/2 tablespoon of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Use the measuring spoon to spread it into a <i>very</i> thin circle, about 3 inches across. Do no more than 3 or 4 cookies at a time (and for your first try, I recommend doing only two). Lay the second piece of parchment over the batter, floured side down, and press down to ensure evenly flat, thin cookies. Leave the paper in place.<br />
<br />
Bake cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 6 to 7 minutes. They're done when they're just golden around the edges. They need to be soft and pliable for folding.<br />
<br />
Be ready to work quickly: Peel off the parchment paper, flip each cookie over, and lay the fortune across the middle. With a spatula or your fingers (gloves might help), fold each cookie in half — don't crease it flat, just pinch the open edges together. Then set the cookie on the edge of a cup, with the folded edge on the rim and the open side on top, and pushing the corners down while you hold the pinched edges together. Tuck each folded cookie into a muffin pan so it will hold its shape as it cools and hardens. (Check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+fold+fortune+cookie&page=&utm_source=opensearch" target="_blank">these videos</a> for helping shaping cookies.)<br />
<br />
Repeat with the remaining batter.</div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-17217360920782505512014-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:002014-01-06T14:06:56.656-08:00So bring me a Figgy Cake... And a Happy New Year!!!<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP -->
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<br />
It's my first post of the year and yet it's something I baked last year... . But this is not your average end of the year celebration cake! It was so good that I had to stop all my fourth day of the new year activities to post it. Maybe you will want to bake sometime to celebrate something other than Christmas. If you are a grown-up who drinks, it's a perfect pairing for a bubbly. But a warning: it's so delicious that I had to make an effort to freeze a slice to be able to replicate it later, once it was a very improvised recipe.<br />
<br />
The project was to bake a original British style figgy pudding so to go with the song, as my sons are always repeating "So bring me a figgy pudding"asking me when I was going to bake one. The problem was that I was crazy busy as most of you guys, and had to improvise the steaming for something like "wet" baking. I will explain myself: Once I came across this recipe that recommended to bake normally adding a water filled pan to pretend it is also steaming. And it worked. Happy 2014!!!<br />
<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
Almond Figgy Cake</div>
<div id="notes">
This recipe is vaguely based on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/figgypudding_90647" target="_blank">Simon Rimmer's Figgy Pudding</a>, published in Something for the weekend, and online at BBC.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5siAi8VDmTlM1qDt_a-2JChgLUZdeeR3gyY9M_EEnwsYJWDnOj06H8GXIfVdFJ8WwTraHhVnMvAFDyvw7jyQn0p4ciWx3EDLlpRbrhYYJZryJ3PETpSnbGw4gV0gHnjLKwmhlmrqYz3c/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5siAi8VDmTlM1qDt_a-2JChgLUZdeeR3gyY9M_EEnwsYJWDnOj06H8GXIfVdFJ8WwTraHhVnMvAFDyvw7jyQn0p4ciWx3EDLlpRbrhYYJZryJ3PETpSnbGw4gV0gHnjLKwmhlmrqYz3c/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" height="253" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div id="ingredients">
2 cups chopped california dried figs<br />
1/3 cup cognac ( I used Remi Martin)<br />
3/4 cup hot water<br />
1 cup flour<br />
1.5 cups almond meal (ground almond)<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
1/2 cup concord grape raisins soaked overnight in1 cup of your favorite wine<br />
1 orange, zest and juice<br />
2 eggs<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div id="directions">
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<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 F, with a large baking pan filled with water on the lower rack of oven. Start soaking figs in cognac and hot water for about 15 minutes, or overnight, if you have time. Mix flour, almond meal, baking powder and nutmeg in a bow and set aside. In another bowl mix brown sugar, eggs, olive oil and whisk up to when you get a creamy texture. Slowly add cognac and water mix from the figs. Add figs and raisins to flours and mix up to when they get fully coated. Add liquid mix to flour mix stirring with a wooden spoon. Let it rest for 5 minutes, mix again and pour batter on a flutted tube pan. Bake in the oven from 45 to 55 minutes (still with the water filled pan in there, refill if necessary), or up to when crust is golden and core dry. Serve it hot with vanilla ice cream, or cold for brunch with a latte. </div>
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-73754511316964275632013-12-30T08:00:00.000-08:002013-12-30T08:00:07.521-08:00Farro with Sweet Potato and Black Garlic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/11618513515/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="131217_CPE_farro-salad_3 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="131217_CPE_farro-salad_3" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7317/11618513515_0587233cb1.jpg" height="376" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br />
As the holiday break neared, Anna and I commiserated (with good humor) about how busy we were. "Eh, it's going to be a Trader Joe's week, right?"<br />
<br />
I knew exactly what she was talking about. I had already planned for a Trader Joe's week to make the busy season a little easier. My menu plan was based on whatever good stuff TJ's had to make meal time as easy as possible.<br />
<br />
Here's one of the dishes I made, perfect for the post-holiday detox. This grain salad makes up for the stale holiday cookies we're all still nibbling. Delicious warm or cold, it's on the sweet side — a nice bridge as I retrain my taste buds to be happy with less sugary fare. It's filling and full of good-for-you ingredients. The photograph doesn't do it justice. I'm not sure it's possible to take a good photo of farro.<br />
<br />
Everything in it can be found at Trader Joe's: fast-cooking farro, sweet potato, pomegranate vinegar, and — my favorite! — black garlic. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/11619278066/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="131217_CPE_farro-salad_1 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="131217_CPE_farro-salad_1" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5508/11619278066_97db782926.jpg" height="334" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br />
If you're unfamiliar with it, black garlic is simply fermented garlic. It's savory-sweet, garlicky without the bite. TJ's just recently started carrying black garlic, but it isn't always easy to find. I didn't see it the last time I was there and was worried they had already dropped it. The manager admitted "it's been sort of a dog for us," but they do still stock it. You can find it in specialty stores and online (including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Black-Garlic-Pound-11-15/dp/B003M7ZKYE" target="_blank">Amazon</a>).<br />
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<br />
If you can't find it, no problem. Just sub some regular garlic. And if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, of course you can find these ingredients elsewhere.<br />
<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
Farro with Sweet Potatoes and Black Garlic</div>
<br />
<div id="notes">
If you can't find black garlic, you can leave it out or substitute a clove or two of minced garlic, sautéed in a bit of oil. A bit of cooked sausage also would be a tasty replacement. Farro is one of my favorite grains, but if it's out of your comfort zone swap brown rice.</div>
<br />
<div id="ingredients">
1 package Trader Joe's 10-Minute Farro (or 1 1/2 cups raw farro)<br />
1 sweet potato, diced<br />
1/2 head of black garlic, chopped<br />
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped <br />
olive oil<br />
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Dressing: <br />
4 tablespoons orange juice<br />
2 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar (or other fruity vinegar)<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard</div>
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<div id="directions">
Cook farro according to package directions (if you're using raw farro, cook it however you do that — I've only used TJ's!). Whisk dressing ingredients together in a bowl.<br />
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Warm a spoonful of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potato and cook until soft and slightly browned. <br />
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Combine farro, sweet potato, garlic, walnuts, and dressing in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If salad is too dry for your taste, add a splash of olive oil and stir.</div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-39977742264755699772013-12-16T12:50:00.001-08:002013-12-16T16:33:28.561-08:00Mashed Potato Snowman <!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP -->
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If you happen to live in a place where it doesn't snow, like we do, you might use this idea to make the kids have a little winter cheer with something else. It was the last hands on class I gave to second and third graders at school this year, after a series of edible craft sessions, which included sweet potatoes and green beans turkeys and a pea spread cemetery for Halloween.<br />
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The project to celebrate the end of the year was to make a snowman out of mashed potatoes and other foods, and the result was so much fun. We made those my son's classroom today with second and third graders. They were really thrilled to work on the project and eat it right away after finishing.<br />
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I baked the potatoes at home, and when I brought them to school, they were ready to be peeled with the tiny fingers and mashed easily with forks. Carrots became little noses, bell peppers for the mouths, but of course, some children's couldn't refrain to think outside the model and made...something completely different!<br />
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<div id="recipetitle">
You will need: </div>
<div id="notes">
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<div id="ingredients">
One medium organic baked russet potato per child<br />
Enough mini carrots to make noses<br />
Cooked black beans for buttons<br />
Crimini mushroom tops for hats<br />
Red bell peppers for the lips<br />
Cooked peas for eyes<br />
Parmesan cheese to dust the snowman<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Invite the kids to peel and mash the potatoes, and use their imagination! You might be surprise that they might come up with something like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvD7z2xZZB2l6JEA5Y2osd7iP7DriIaAakwFxaNBGIR1MocQb4yBiuU62owgZhnO_KJmOJGeU9Pz5aZaIkO3Q6XvIEeLG4FZ2tu2q8RQAmIeT5AkVKOOkZ86J3_W05B5vxfbv7OCJdME/s1600/IMG_0562-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvD7z2xZZB2l6JEA5Y2osd7iP7DriIaAakwFxaNBGIR1MocQb4yBiuU62owgZhnO_KJmOJGeU9Pz5aZaIkO3Q6XvIEeLG4FZ2tu2q8RQAmIeT5AkVKOOkZ86J3_W05B5vxfbv7OCJdME/s1600/IMG_0562-001.JPG" width="289" /></a></div>
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Or that:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvdb8-uY7KiUFXzlRtVrZL-vQMardtE9lztS9-IASQPDVYRwd3kFMsgafQbPvTNUlagXMM2nmpW79o1rSQDzXuA6-NNKsGhZcwuvTEc9F8DQLM8xaJKWGolhoieskh1xg5R7C9JBnX6w/s1600/IMG_0556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvdb8-uY7KiUFXzlRtVrZL-vQMardtE9lztS9-IASQPDVYRwd3kFMsgafQbPvTNUlagXMM2nmpW79o1rSQDzXuA6-NNKsGhZcwuvTEc9F8DQLM8xaJKWGolhoieskh1xg5R7C9JBnX6w/s1600/IMG_0556.JPG" width="280" /></a></div>
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The process is fun and can be a little messy, but they were so proud to see their artwork ready to eat with all their classmates when they finished:<br />
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-88703646848194562013-12-04T05:00:00.000-08:002013-12-04T05:00:05.328-08:00Persimmon Cranberry Tea Bread (Vegan)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/11201938824/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="131203_CPE_persimmon-bread-1 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="131203_CPE_persimmon-bread-1" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3766/11201938824_5fe5df0d1e.jpg" height="500" width="400" /></a></div>
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Persimmons and cranberries look like colorful jewels in these golden-colored little loaves. These make lovely gifts for neighbors, hosts, teachers and more during the holiday season. You can freeze them and thaw for gift-giving, or as a treat for your own holiday table.<br />
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Persimmons are one of my favorite California fruits and they’re plentiful and inexpensive. If you don’t have them near you, you can substitute apples or pears. I made one batch pairing persimmons with cranberries, with just a bit of candied orange peel, and a second batch with sweet potatoes instead of berries. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/11201938784/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="131203_CPE_persimmon-bread-3 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="131203_CPE_persimmon-bread-3" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2831/11201938784_67c9752250.jpg" height="357" width="500" /></a></div>
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I’m baking vegan, nut-free loaves to minimize any awkward gift-giving issues. Don’t let the V-word scare you! These treats are perfectly tasty, though I admit they’re a little more crumbly than they would be with egg. You can substitute butter and egg for the vegan alternatives in the recipe if you prefer.<br />
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This is riffing off <a href="http://www.howtocookeverything.com/recipes/fruit-and-nut-or-vegetable-and-nut-bread">Mark Bittman’s master recipe</a> for quick bread made with almost any fruit or vegetable. It’s a terrifically versatile recipe, much like <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2013/04/strawberry-buttermilk-bread-with.html" target="_blank">buttermilk quick bread</a>. You can tinker with fruit, veggies, and mix-ins as you like, and bake a full-size loaf, mini loaves, or muffins to brighten a wintry morning. If cranberries aren't your thing, try the sweet potato variation.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/11201933085/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="131203_CPE_persimmon-bread-2 by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="131203_CPE_persimmon-bread-2" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3707/11201933085_1f7c5c7726.jpg" height="333" width="500" /></a></div>
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<div id="recipetitle">
Persimmon Cranberry Tea Bread</div>
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<div id="notes">
Based on <a href="http://www.howtocookeverything.com/recipes/fruit-and-nut-or-vegetable-and-nut-bread" target="_blank">Mark Bittman’s Fruit-and-Nut or Vegetable-and-Nut Bread</a>. To make the flaxseed egg replacer, blend 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water, and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until gelled. </div>
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<div id="ingredients">
4 tablespoons Earth Balance spread, or butter, chilled<br />
1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour<br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
3/4 to 1 cup sugar<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon cardamom or cinnamon<br />
3/4 cup apple or orange juice<br />
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest<br />
flaxseed egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg (see note), or 1 egg<br />
1/2 cup persimmon, peeled and diced<br />
1/2 cup cranberries, chopped<br />
optional extras: ½ cup chopped nuts, raisins, or other dried fruit (crystallized ginger would be tasty too)</div>
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<div id="directions">
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three mini loaf pans or a 9x5-inch loaf pan.<br />
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Combine dry ingredients — flour through spices — in a bowl, then cut in Earth Balance until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I do this in a food processor, pulsing it a few times. Or you can rub the spread in with your fingers until no large lumps remain.)<br />
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In another bowl, blend the juice, zest, and flaxseed egg replacer. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened — don’t overmix. Fold in the fruit and any extras.<br />
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Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake about 40 minutes for mini loaves or an hour for a full-size loaf, until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool before removing from the pan.<br />
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<b>Persimmon and Sweet Potato Tea Bread:</b> Substitute ½ cup grated, raw, peeled sweet potato for the cranberries, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon for the cardamom.<br />
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<b>Muffins: </b>Bake at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes.</div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-22713507130602365192013-11-12T07:05:00.001-08:002013-11-13T12:06:39.416-08:00Grandma's pumpkin bread<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/10820290165/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Grandma's Pumpkin Bread by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="Grandma's Pumpkin Bread" height="400" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/10820290165_40661123c4.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Going to lunch at Grandma's was often a mixed bag. She served foods way outside my comfort zone — I recall a lot of gravy and canned green beans — but there was a chance she'd make pumpkin bread. Moist and sweet, it was the best thing on earth. It's long been a star at my family's Thanksgiving dinner, and it's my go-to baked gift for the holidays. It's also one of the recipes I'm asked to share the most.<br />
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I've given up on tinkering with this basic recipe. Attempts to swap in white whole wheat flour or applesauce have just made a mess of a good thing. Sometimes I scale back the staggering amount of sugar, but only by a mere half cup. I don't fully understand why there's both baking soda and baking powder, but I've never dared experiment to find out if that's truly necessary. I don't question this recipe, I just bake it. A lot.<br />
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It is what it is, and it's delicious. <br />
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This makes two beautiful loaves. The bread freezes well, so you can bake ahead of Thanksgiving or gift-giving season. I usually slice one as soon as it cools, because it's irresistible, and stash the second loaf in the freezer before we inhale both loaves.<br />
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Last week I recruited my sons to help bake pumpkin bread to share. It's so simple, they're ready to begin committing this recipe to memory.<br />
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Thanks, Grandma.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/10820580713/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Grandma's Pumpkin Bread by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="Grandma's Pumpkin Bread" height="334" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3782/10820580713_e21b07cf1b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<div id="recipetitle">
Grandma's Pumpkin Bread</div>
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<div id="notes">
You can substitute fresh pumpkin purée for canned — I stick with canned because of fairly consistent moisture content and reliable flavor. You also could stir in chopped nuts or chocolate chips, but be careful with added chocolate, as this is already very sweet.</div>
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<div id="ingredients">
3 cups sugar<br />
1 cup canola oil<br />
3 eggs<br />
2 cups pumpkin purée<br />
3 cups flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon cloves<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1 teaspoon nutmeg</div>
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<div id="directions">
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend oil and sugar in a large bowl, then whip in eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Stir pumpkin into the creamed mix, then stir in the dry ingredients. Pour batter into two greased loaf pans and bake one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out clean.</div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-88129499606473835502013-10-23T11:53:00.001-07:002013-10-23T12:23:52.672-07:00Pumpkin sourdough monster rolls<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cookplayexplore.com%2F2013%2F10%2Fpumpkin-sourdough-monster-rolls.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-WNAmc_Po2LI%2FUmgU4uk0iVI%2FAAAAAAAAEtk%2FRrsfi4Nk2iU%2Fs640%2F131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_6.jpg&description=pumpkin%20sourdough%20monster%20rolls" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="none"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><br />
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We had so much fun making these monstrous dinner rolls with friends! This is a choose-your-own adventure project: You can just set out store-bought dough with a handful of raisins for embellishment, or bread bakers could add pumpkin purée to homemade dough, or those of you with sourdough starter on hand could go all in and make pumpkin sourdough dinner rolls. <br />
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</div>Pumpkin sourdough is delicious, but the real treat here is making the rolls together. It's a terrific after-school or rainy day activity. Enjoy some giggly, creative time together in the kitchen, fill your home with the smell of freshly baked bread, and savor your not-so-hard work with dinner.<br />
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I'll break this down according to degree of ambition: First, how to make rolls, then how to add pumpkin to homemade dough, and finally how to make your own pumpkin sourdough rolls from scratch.<br />
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<div id="recipetitle"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shaping monster rolls</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Use whatever dough you'd like: store-bought, homemade, the sourdough below. Just tear off hunks of dough and make whatever you wish. I set out some past-their-prime spices for decorations — star anise, cinnamon sticks, whole allspice, and cloves — along with raisins, nuts and seeds, and rosemary sprigs. Dust hands and dough with flour to make it easier to handle, and work right on the baking sheet.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHpdbvEYi2zIdIEvkoudLXRQ1S4u4Cn-ReF8RW5JJ7TPswMQgXJ_qdj382USi-fbgnB-SBoh5eLbOnlAPKyRdrBvMckpjvzUswcOHNae4ETTXb6etALiio5IeQthEDOuVf4BASJPj7x8/s1600/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHpdbvEYi2zIdIEvkoudLXRQ1S4u4Cn-ReF8RW5JJ7TPswMQgXJ_qdj382USi-fbgnB-SBoh5eLbOnlAPKyRdrBvMckpjvzUswcOHNae4ETTXb6etALiio5IeQthEDOuVf4BASJPj7x8/s320/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The shaped rolls need to rise a second time before going into the oven. They'll double in size, and as they puff up they'll push out whatever raisins or nuts you've poked into the dough. So push them way in there: The raisins, for example, were almost buried in the dough but came out perfect. Dip a finger in a bowl of water and "paint" the dough to help stick down things like rosemary leaves.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSK-qhnvKmh0LFpDBMOeSvYnLFFc0UfnEdJRSlkOSJBzfq_InMKIRyjb1CaHJoPD77Gye0W2HwtNAjeKqMzCkDdIPhhhG2HhCer-wNU3p3MgAgGfyrHQ3rLGy2sh0moCFxmT3HR_ibUVU/s1600/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSK-qhnvKmh0LFpDBMOeSvYnLFFc0UfnEdJRSlkOSJBzfq_InMKIRyjb1CaHJoPD77Gye0W2HwtNAjeKqMzCkDdIPhhhG2HhCer-wNU3p3MgAgGfyrHQ3rLGy2sh0moCFxmT3HR_ibUVU/s320/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Kids can also use scissors to shape the dough — they're a great tool to makes scales or spikes, for example. But wait until after the second rise, right before the rolls go into the oven. That's how I did the bat: I shaped long triangular wings, and just before baking I snipped the bottom of the wings and stretched the pieces apart.<br />
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Bake the rolls according to your recipe or the package instructions.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87_eXg0BjHesTzkhTtl9l2HvHMAkS1YDXmAxfwd2t_Jaiqa45j0h5cdDPScyO1u-vyd5BhVyZ8cBs7fjmMYZmovezRfrpzuup7z6fpAN71qv3GspU_knxaB7WOVF78VdoVYpTHiGYhqI/s1600/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87_eXg0BjHesTzkhTtl9l2HvHMAkS1YDXmAxfwd2t_Jaiqa45j0h5cdDPScyO1u-vyd5BhVyZ8cBs7fjmMYZmovezRfrpzuup7z6fpAN71qv3GspU_knxaB7WOVF78VdoVYpTHiGYhqI/s640/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div id="recipetitle"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Adding pumpkin to bread dough</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhG3AK_k2EOhUTRo-SrY1U8ZNkI4fDrfPJKoGRsYiDAluI0hE7LtYJyICYeaKxW7vdbR1zh2WwfoiKWmhCk-EOyXqt1Mu-ngngYeIdoOnPOipo3cSeXIHX41TRJSPJVa7b-0FvZf5gz-s/s1600/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhG3AK_k2EOhUTRo-SrY1U8ZNkI4fDrfPJKoGRsYiDAluI0hE7LtYJyICYeaKxW7vdbR1zh2WwfoiKWmhCk-EOyXqt1Mu-ngngYeIdoOnPOipo3cSeXIHX41TRJSPJVa7b-0FvZf5gz-s/s320/131023_CPE_pumpkin-sourdough-rolls_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>You can pumpkin-ify homemade bread dough easily: Just add a cup or so of pumpkin purée to your favorite recipe. You'll probably need to add flour to compensate for the extra moisture. Fresh or canned pumpkin work equally well, though you're likely to get more color out of canned (be sure to used plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie purée!).<br />
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To make fresh pumpkin purée, cut a sugar pie pumpkin in half, scoop out the strings and seeds, and pierce the shell a few times with a fork. Set the pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 90 minutes, until the center is easily pierced with a fork. Let cool, then purée flesh in a food processor or blender. If it's really wet, line a strainer with a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and strain the pumpkin before using it.<br />
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<div id="recipetitle"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pumpkin sourdough rolls</span></div><div id="notes"><br />
Weight measurements are provided in parentheses, in case you prefer to weigh ingredients. You might need more or less flour, depending on how wet your pumpkin purée is. You can substitute wheat flour for some of the AP flour — I used equal portions of white flour, white whole wheat, and whole wheat. (Note that wheat flour weighs less: 4 ounces per cup, versus 4 1/4 ounces per cup of white flour.) This yields a sticky dough, so have plenty of flour on hand for shaping the rolls.</div><div id="ingredients"><br />
1 cup (8 ounces) "fed" sourdough starter<br />
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) lukewarm water<br />
2 teaspoons instant yeast<br />
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sugar<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 cup (9 1/2 ounces) pumpkin purée<br />
5 to 6 cups (21 1/4 to 25 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
melted butter, optional<br />
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</div><div id="directions">Combine all the ingredients except butter. Knead by hand or in a mixer with the dough attachment until smooth. Let rise in an oiled, covered bowl until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.<br />
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Shape rolls on baking trays lined with parchment paper or silicone mats. Cover with a towel and let rise again until doubled, about half and hour.<br />
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Bake rolls for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees, checking frequently after 15 minutes. Brush the tops with melted butter, if you'd like, for softness and rich color.<br />
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</div><!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-86303529520010001292013-10-14T11:16:00.000-07:002013-10-14T12:05:17.842-07:00Fresh Pumpkin Muffins<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><br />
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One of my favorite things about the arrival of fall is pumpkin season. With the falling golden leaves and cold weather comes the inspiration: Halloween is almost here and all the parties that surround it invite me to bake.<br />
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This recipe is a good old-fashioned one that calls for freshly puréed pumpkin. Yes, no cans here, please. It might be good not just Halloween but also for Thanksgiving. My children, who are mostly averse to pumpkin pies, loved them. I can't wait to have another excuse to bake another dozen of these delicate-flavored muffins.<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZI5x7WxMdmGn_M2SbXrqDgE5XQUiMAJMQE5RHRHyTFk3D5sqFOJuBrU6v-tv8WQRlSnxsbJpWXZW4ljjtdGC_jTY53-3DrFbUNYqViPgKdkUK5yodqprFtyk4L5AuoF-W2KRE9w11OW4/s1600/WP_20131011_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZI5x7WxMdmGn_M2SbXrqDgE5XQUiMAJMQE5RHRHyTFk3D5sqFOJuBrU6v-tv8WQRlSnxsbJpWXZW4ljjtdGC_jTY53-3DrFbUNYqViPgKdkUK5yodqprFtyk4L5AuoF-W2KRE9w11OW4/s320/WP_20131011_009.jpg" width="249" /></a>Fresh Pumpkin Muffins</div>
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<div id="notes">
I used a medium-size sugar pie pumpkin, cooking it in chunks with a bit of water for 30 minutes in the pressure cooker. If you're not familiar with a pressure cooker, just bake the pumpkin in the oven at 350 degrees for about one hour or until it is tender. </div>
<div id="ingredients">
<br />
1 cup sugar pumpkin, cooked and puréed<br />
1 cup brown sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />
1/2 cup oat bran<br />
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips<br />
1/2 cup chopped walnuts </div>
<div id="directions">
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Preheat oven to 350 F. In a big bowl mix pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and oil. Let the mix rest for about 15 minutes and then whisk again.<br />
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In another bowl mix bran, flours, baking powder, baking soda, and spices and mix well with a whisk. Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mix with the help of a spoon just until you get an even batter. Slowly add walnuts and chocolate chips.<br />
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Spoon batter into baking cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake about 25 minutes until the top of the muffins are golden. Enjoy for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack. </div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-71551786829565737062013-09-19T09:44:00.004-07:002013-09-19T09:48:07.847-07:00Easy roasted tomatoes for instant meal upgrades<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/9821315633/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal" height="275" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7457/9821315633_cdcd92a750.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have fallen head over heels for roasted tomatoes. Roasting tomatoes slowly in the oven is an easy, hands-off technique to coax the deepest flavor from even out-of-season tomatoes. And having a stash on hand means you can upgrade almost any meal at a moment's notice.</div>
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A jar of roasted tomatoes keeps for nearly a week and is amazingly versatile. They're the magic elixir for fixing bland dishes. These are just a few of the ways I've used them:<br />
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<ul><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/9821258756/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7401/9821258756_1c4773bf8f.jpg" width="205" /></a>
<li>omelets and frittatas</li>
<li>spooned over simply baked salmon, chicken, and steak</li>
<li>bean salad</li>
<li>pasta</li>
<li>salsa</li>
<li>cold and warm soups</li>
<li>grains</li>
<li>mixed with other roasted vegetables</li>
<li>plain, just as they are!</li>
</ul>
Sometimes I spoon just the juicy good stuff from the tomato jar. My boys don't care much for tomatoes, but they don't notice when I use the tomato juice to boost the flavor of their plain pasta or a vinaigrette.<br />
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We're enjoying the late tomato season here, but as fall settles in I'll rely heavily on roasted plum and cherry tomatoes to see me through to next summer. Those wintertime tomatoes are just ... sad. Roasting gives them such a boost.<br />
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Roasted peak-season tomatoes, however, are divine. If you're blessed with an abundance of late-season tomatoes — cherry tomatoes never want to quit! — try roasting and freezing some.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/9821243425/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal" height="266" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2828/9821243425_bc68a214d0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div id="recipetitle">
Oven-Roasted Tomatoes</div>
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<div id="notes">
This takes time, but not much work. If time is short, crank up the temperature by 25 or 50 degrees and shorten the roasting time.</div>
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<div id="ingredients">
tomatoes<br />
garlic cloves (optional)<br />
fresh herb sprigs, such as oregano, thyme, rosemary (optional)<br />
olive oil<br />
salt and pepper</div>
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<div id="directions">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienne/9821228904/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal by blissed0404, on Flickr"><img alt="Easy oven-roasted tomatoes to fix any meal" height="288" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3735/9821228904_000c096a16.jpg" width="320" /></a>Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil or a silicone mat. Core and slice large tomatoes and set on pan. Remove stems from cherry tomatoes and slice in half, and set on pan with cut-side down. Add garlic cloves and herbs, if using. Drizzle or mist with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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Bake tomatoes for two and a half to three hours. The skins will be shriveled and darkened. Taste as you go and take them out when you love them. They'll get drier the longer they're in the oven.<br />
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Enjoy immediately, store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze. </div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-14309577492157237322013-09-04T05:00:00.000-07:002013-09-08T23:13:57.075-07:00Soda experiments, part 2: Ginger ale<div>
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Soda remains a rare treat for my kids. My husband and I kicked a vicious Coke Zero addiction not too long ago, and we try to avoid having soda in the house. But on special occasions, my sons delight in a simple Shirley Temple cocktail: ginger ale, a bit of grenadine, and a sickly sweet maraschino cherry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdnCOeRnmNVjyuB2_OwMfjj2JMILo_2s3j6HZ_0_ORK7JMjS6N05DXSTg_KABi9N3Rk8b1RifknkApuzvcf8mM6HPOeEGBNln9h6rsBMkDc5Zc5nqQaTETxxpcRx5f5PROWOh9XXwwRs/s1600/1309_CPE_ginger-ale--3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdnCOeRnmNVjyuB2_OwMfjj2JMILo_2s3j6HZ_0_ORK7JMjS6N05DXSTg_KABi9N3Rk8b1RifknkApuzvcf8mM6HPOeEGBNln9h6rsBMkDc5Zc5nqQaTETxxpcRx5f5PROWOh9XXwwRs/s200/1309_CPE_ginger-ale--3.jpg" width="159" /></a></div>
Given their love of ginger ale and the success of our home-brewed <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/12/second-helping-home-brewed-root-beer.html" target="_blank">root beer</a> (three years ago — how can it have been that long ago?!), I thought we should give ginger ale a try. I did a bit of research and decided to try two different approaches.<br />
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<b>1. The fancy brew</b><br />
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First we tried a truly home-brewed soda, requiring a bit of yeast for carbonation. We used <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/soda-recipe-homemade-ginger-ale-cookbook-recipe-from-true-brews-189873" target="_blank">this recipe</a>, subbing dry ale yeast for the champagne yeast (and you can use regular bread yeast, to keep things simple). Other than the yeast, the ingredients were straightforward: fresh ginger, water, salt, lemon juice, and only half a cup of sugar per 2-liter. Nice!<br />
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The boys took turns grating ginger and squeezing lemons. We made a double batch to fill two recycled bottles, then let the kids shake things up.<br />
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The original recipe recommends keeping the bottle out at room temperature for 12 to 48 hours, until the bottle is firm to the touch — the important sign that your soda is carbonated and should be refrigerated before it explodes. Our bottle took longer, about 60 hours.<br />
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We chilled it for a day, then cautiously cracked it open ... but there was almost no fizz. Disappointing. We poured out three glasses, straining out bits of ginger, and eagerly took a sip.<br />
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This is ginger beer, probably best for grownups. Even with a dash of grenadine, my sons agreed it had way too much bite for their tastes. (I'll work it into some adult cocktails with pleasure, however.)<br />
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<b>UPDATE: </b>We cracked this open after another five days in the refrigerator — it was much mellower and fizzier. This is the winner!<br />
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<b>2. The simple syrup</b><br />
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On to the next version: a gingery simple syrup to mix with sparkling water. We chopped the rest of our ginger and combined one part ginger with one part sugar and three parts water, used an immersion blender to whirl everything together, then brought it to a boil on the stove. We let it simmer for 45 minutes or so until it was reduced by half, then took it off the heat to steep for another half-hour. Finally, we poured it through a fine-mesh strainer and chilled it in the fridge.<br />
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For our taste test, we poured a bit of ginger syrup into each glass and added sparkling water. This was the reaction:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGckonOy004QwMIffHr5U1SActY9hvdBJsTBxs3FQgEWW1K_gQwZNTT6I6nmAgvQ1VCxrky0ahqndBKbOwjJYqxDjnUImCxp9odwwFyLuKaR7YdBhPXZ3x1_lHoVZN1rRRWuYI7yuXg8U/s1600/1309_ginger-ale-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGckonOy004QwMIffHr5U1SActY9hvdBJsTBxs3FQgEWW1K_gQwZNTT6I6nmAgvQ1VCxrky0ahqndBKbOwjJYqxDjnUImCxp9odwwFyLuKaR7YdBhPXZ3x1_lHoVZN1rRRWuYI7yuXg8U/s640/1309_ginger-ale-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I preferred this version, but it still has quite a bite. Strong, tasty stuff for ginger lovers like me, but it looks like I'm the only one who'll be drinking it. My sons preferred the fancy brew with yeast (and less sugar!). (<b>UPDATE: </b>And after a few days, it was very drinkable and much tastier.)<br />
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We have a few more soda experiments planned — I'll share them here if they're more successful than this adventure!<br />
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<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-70153283443648488262013-08-28T06:00:00.000-07:002016-06-07T19:53:34.885-07:00Super Omega Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a> This is the kind of fully packed snack that is perfect for a fast bite at school break. It's MKA (my kids approved) although they usually don't care so much for raisins, flax seed or oats. But in this case they are all inside a wonderful crunchy and chocolate-chip cookie, and so, it is another story...<br />
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When I bake a batch, the smell of wonderful cinnamon embraces the whole house and that's enough for them to ask for the super cookies. On the next morning, cookies travel to school in the lunch boxes as a sweet reminder that delicious can meet nutritious. And then I feel good. Mission accomplished and appreciated.<br />
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Super Omega Cookies</div>
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Omega-3 is one of those wonders of nature that might help on the kids brain development, and that's why I love it. In this recipe it comes form many sources, but animal sources. Canola oil, flax seed, oat meal, walnuts. I prefer to use all organic ingredients and the organic Saigon cinnamon is something special that I've found to boost the flavor of the cookie with a special zest. Oh, and by the way decrease the amount of sugar to a half if you want. It won't interfere on the texture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPsaedFrhvZIJoKjT-GVWqEGVoy-74xeF9hmP380ZowOIrh1NvMNLRWY6HM-xoq_S-dGLmSGX6tJvTNrnZaq20TOGu7yLwKOuhSDXUIK7cOnVlX7sSxQG_8udX9rRh1gu3qMXxYMzsAo/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPsaedFrhvZIJoKjT-GVWqEGVoy-74xeF9hmP380ZowOIrh1NvMNLRWY6HM-xoq_S-dGLmSGX6tJvTNrnZaq20TOGu7yLwKOuhSDXUIK7cOnVlX7sSxQG_8udX9rRh1gu3qMXxYMzsAo/s320/IMG_0175.JPG" width="176" /></a>1/2 cup canola or another vegetable oil<br />
2 tablespoons finely ground flax seed mixed with 1/2 cup water (or two Omega-3 eggs)<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1 cup flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon<br />
1/2 cup ground almonds<br />
1/2 cup ground walnuts<br />
1/2 cup oat bran<br />
2 cups quick oats<br />
1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips<br />
1/2 cup raisins<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk oil, flax seed mix (or eggs), sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a big bowl. Add flour, baking soda oat bran and whisk again the surface. With a spatula, mix all the ingredients and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then add all the other ingredients and mix well to guarantee that the chocolate chip will go to all cookies. With the help of two spoons, or an ice cream scooper, distribute dots on baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. </div>
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-62839020551192589912013-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:002013-10-02T07:01:22.748-07:00Cucumber and Avocado Sushi Roll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a> It was a midsummer dream: thanks to two Japanese arts, origami and sushi making, a whole afternoon taking care of four boys went fast paced and relatively peaceful. Maybe the secret was to keep their hands busy...<br />
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First they were all folding magazine pages to make paper boats. And after testing them on the water table, they were rolling roasted seaweed to make avocado and cucumber sushi.<br />
The original idea was to prepare California rolls, but they were not enthusiastic about real crab. The result was simple and elegant: just rolls filled with cucumber and avocado, or just avocado.<br />
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After folding paper to make boats, it sounded as easy as it could be. Tiny hands are delicate enough to use the wood rolling mat and the wood paddle. To make the whole process fast and relaxing I asked them to spread the rice on the roasted seaweed, as if they were painting a canvas. Then they chose what ingredients they would like to put inside the roll, and after I sealed the ends of the seaweed they helped me to roll. I put a parchment paper layer in between the mat and seaweed to make sure we wouldn't get sticky rice all over the place. It worked.<br />
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Simple Maki (Cucumber and Avocado Sushi Roll)</div>
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You could use one of <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2013/05/versatile-egg-crepes-or-thin-omelets.html" target="_blank">Darienne's egg thin omelette</a> inside, or just have a few ingredients available so to play with them as the children (or grownups) want. I used the Yamamotoyama brand of the roasted seaweed, easily found in grocery stores.<br />
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<div id="ingredients">
6 cups cal rose rice, cooked as directed or with this <a href="http://japanesefood.about.com/od/sushiforbeginner/r/sushirice.htm" target="_blank">recipe for sushi rice</a><br />
cucumber sticks<br />
Haas avocado, sliced<br />
soy sauce<br />
wasabi (optional)<br />
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Most packages of roasted seaweed have instructions on how to roll a sushi roll. Stretch the cooked rice over the seaweed paper, draw a line with the fillings, moisten the seams with water using your fingertips, and roll it and slice. Once you do it right, you will do it right forever. Like folding paper or riding a bike. Enjoy!<br />
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<!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-70395673186751116482013-07-02T07:30:00.000-07:002013-07-02T07:30:05.216-07:00Make-your-own fruit tart bar, with masquerade mascarpone<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><br />
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A make-it-yourself bar is one of my favorite ways to coax even the most reluctant kids to help out with preparing food and try new flavors. And in summer, it's an especially fun way to relax, laugh, and play at the table together. We've been gorging on summer fruit, and I craved something special. Like a pie or tart... but the boys and I all wanted to showcase different fruit. So we used all of them!<br />
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I baked tart shells and cut up fresh fruit. I had almost everything we wanted, except mascarpone. I waffled: Run out to the store? Push this back a day and make fresh mascarpone? I settled on a third way: Make some Masquerade Mascarpone out of light cream cheese and Greek yogurt, a more-than-decent stand-in for the real thing.<br />
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I set it all out on the table and the let the kids go to work. They built beautiful small-scale masterpieces and then happily devoured them.<br />
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<br />
It had been a while since we'd enjoyed a make-it-yourself treat. It was a good reminder that food is best enjoyed with good company and good fun. For more ideas, check out how we've done build-it-yourself bars for <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/07/cookout-week-no-fuss-grilled-pizza.html" target="_blank">homemade pizza</a> <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/02/playdate-special-build-better-grilled.html" target="_blank">grilled cheese</a>, <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/11/kids-cook-monday-jewel-salad.html" target="_blank">fall fruit salad</a>, <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2011/07/little-monsters-cafe-summer-fruit.html" target="_blank">mini fruit tartelettes</a>, and <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/12/chocolate-workshop-fleur-de-sel-bonbons.html" target="_blank">chocolates</a>. <br />
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<div id="recipetitle">
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Make-Your-Own Fruit Tarts</div>
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<div id="ingredients">
tart shells (homemade or store-bought)<br />
filling: mascarpone (you can substitute Masquerade Mascarpone, below, or <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/10/make-it-with-milk-mascarpone.html" target="_blank">make your own</a>), creme fraiche, jam<br />
fresh fruit, such as berries, mango, kiwi, grapes, pineapple, apple</div>
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<div id="directions">
Set out tart shells, filling options, and fruit and invite everyone build their perfect fruit tart.<br />
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<div id="recipetitle">
Masquerade Mascarpone</div>
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Mascarpone is <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/10/make-it-with-milk-mascarpone.html" target="_blank">simple to make</a>, but you need 24 hours’ lead time and tartaric acid, which admittedly is not a pantry staple. This quick alternative is a great stand-in — and much lighter than the real thing.<br />
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<div id="ingredients">
8 ounces light cream cheese, softened<br />
4 ounces nonfat plain Greek yogurt<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean</div>
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<div id="directions">
Combine all ingredients and blend well. Refrigerate a few hours, if possible, for deeper flavor. Store in the refrigerator for a week or two.</div>
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<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-39750577681841857532013-06-25T06:46:00.000-07:002013-06-25T06:46:43.753-07:00Tofu and Asparagus Bowl<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><br />
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Having a vegan husband is a challenge. Our kids are very eager to eat protein of animal origin. They are the type to ask, "Mom, can we have steak tonight?" I see myself as a flexitarian, eating a bit of everything doesn't harm my body or my foodie soul, although I tend to load my plate with more vegetables than anything else.<br />
<br />
So my husband is the one who feeds my alternative creativity in the kitchen. I am happy to do that — he is a happier and healthier man since adopting some changes suggested by <a href="http://www.forksoverknives.com/" target="_blank">Forks Over Knives</a>. And this time his dish was so beautiful that even the kids wanted to try ... and would have eaten more of they could.<br />
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They liked it so much that they asked me to post it here. For the 8-year-old, the secret of the food success was the juice of the dish. For the 6-year-old, all was good.<br />
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<div id="recipetitle">
Tofu and Asparagus Bowl</div>
<br />
<div id="notes">
Go for non-GMO extra-firm tofu. For this recipe I used Whole Foods 365 Brand, and the result was quite good. </div>
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<div id="ingredients">
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil<br />
1 block extra-firm organic tofu, cut in 1-inch cubes<br />
6 to 10 asparagus stems, cut diagonally<br />
1 ripe tomato, diced<br />
1 spring onion stem, cut diagonally<br />
1 garlic clove, minced<br />
1 tablespoon basil, folded and cut in strips (chiffonade)<br />
1 tablespoon snipped chives<br />
Kosher salt to taste</div>
<br />
<div id="directions">
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add tofu and increase heat to sear the cubes. Add asparagus, tomato, and spring onion. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
Lower heat and let it sweat for about 5 minutes. Now add the minced garlic and stir. After about 4 minutes, remove from heat and add basil.<br />
<br />
Serve over a bowl of basmati or jasmine rice. </div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-89699550807465113952013-06-18T07:01:00.003-07:002013-06-18T07:01:52.890-07:00Garbanzo, Zucchini, and Tomato Salad<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <br />
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The kids are savoring freedom from school and schedules, and I am too. I still have work, both professional and the unpaid domestic kind, and I'm a little envious of their lightened responsibilities. So I'm trying to lighten my own. This no-cook vegetarian salad is one way to make life easier for myself.<br />
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I often cook my own beans, but for the sake of simplicity I just open up a can of garbanzos for this one. If you're lucky enough to have a garden, you can probably harvest the zucchini, tomatoes, and herbs from your own back yard. I like the crunch of raw zucchini, which picks up just a little bite for marinating in the dressing for anywhere from an hour to a full day.<br />
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With just a few minutes of chopping and stirring early in the day, you're free to enjoy a lazy summer afternoon. Come evening, pull this out of the fridge, toss in some herbs, and serve with crusty bread.<br />
<br />
<div id="recipetitle">
Garbanzo, Zucchini, and Tomato Salad</div>
<br />
<div id="ingredients">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar<br />
zest from 1 lemon<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
2 small zucchini<br />
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)<br />
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered<br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
chopped fresh herbs to taste, such as basil, thyme, mint, or lemon balm</div>
<br />
<div id="directions">
In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and lemon zest and whisk to blend dressing.<br />
<br />
Trim ends from zucchini and quarter lengthwise, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick quarter-moons. Add to bowl with dressing, along with drained beans and quartered cherry tomatoes. Peel garlic cloves and cut in half and add to bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir salad to distribute dressing and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour, or chill in refrigerator up to one day. Stir in fresh herbs just before serving.</div>
<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Dariennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805952195974691389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064930173258209822.post-82916145269849449212013-06-12T05:00:00.000-07:002013-06-12T05:00:16.799-07:00Kale Chips<!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT TOP --> <a data-pin-config="above" data-pin-do="buttonBookmark" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfrEQAbNJxcvZFfkJzuBddbIoDZz2YQnmWvsTjThT4YLzwdCMYv1KSLBiITl80ZaBLQ7Hpx4G4JDduGn4SUOZ1rQUzvRGWpjSIZWAxPUejDdU11jMEN7ff0syFi-b0Fo1NU7dG8QtrqI/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfrEQAbNJxcvZFfkJzuBddbIoDZz2YQnmWvsTjThT4YLzwdCMYv1KSLBiITl80ZaBLQ7Hpx4G4JDduGn4SUOZ1rQUzvRGWpjSIZWAxPUejDdU11jMEN7ff0syFi-b0Fo1NU7dG8QtrqI/s640/IMG_0066.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
My kids love kale! Yay!!! We'll... the truth is...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfeHptjtyzVALr3phINFYOj-EYImJIkiVCVV3SPxpgtEAThYAwVqM93IAqz0l7pjLwqARdRQW8zyP-JiqswXBqiSMtg4atSM61QuJsJdHRBknQoCUNAuMD2rhwjI_kPRU5pzjg2jIHuk/s1600/Anna's+Lumia+810_20130522_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfeHptjtyzVALr3phINFYOj-EYImJIkiVCVV3SPxpgtEAThYAwVqM93IAqz0l7pjLwqARdRQW8zyP-JiqswXBqiSMtg4atSM61QuJsJdHRBknQoCUNAuMD2rhwjI_kPRU5pzjg2jIHuk/s320/Anna's+Lumia+810_20130522_001.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>I mean, they love kale chips. Loaded with olive oil, garlic, and sometimes a bit of salt, those crunchy leaves are the ideal treat. My 6-year-old kindergartner loves it so much that he asked me to roast three full bags of fresh kale, planted and harvested by the students at school, to share with his friends. I was tired but enthusiastically spent 40 minutes in front of the oven on a hot night preparing their treat.<br />
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He told me that they all loved it so much. And I could believe it... See the photo below with the leftovers in the huge bowl?<br />
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I've been working with this recipe for years, and possibly every mom I've met in California has her own version. The important part is that kale is a wonderful source of nutrition and is the perfect pairing for black beans (<a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2011/08/fast-black-beans.html" target="_blank">see this classic Brazilian recipe here</a>) and other vegetables. Or enjoy these chips on their own, as a wonderful snack.<br />
<br />
<div id="recipetitle">Kale Chips</div><br />
<div id="notes">My favorite way is to make these is with green or purple kale. But dinosaur (a.k.a. Lacinato) kale works too. Make sure to get rid of the overly moist stems and leaf ribs and use just the shredded leaves. You also might want to use an <a href="http://www.cookplayexplore.com/2010/05/tips-and-gadgets-what-mist.html" target="_blank">olive oil sprayer</a>.</div><br />
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<div id="ingredients">kale leaves, washed and dried<br />
extra-virgin olive oil, enough to spray or coat the whole batch<br />
garlic powder<br />
salt to taste (optional)</div><br />
<div id="directions">Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread kale leaves evenly on sheet and spray with olive oil (or drizzle olive oil over the leaves and invite little hands to mix the leaves with the oil). Sprinkle kale with garlic powder and, if using, some salt. <br />
<br />
Roast for 5 minutes, then open the (HOT!) oven and use long tongs to turn the leaves to make sure they roast evenly. Roast for 5 more minutes and check. If the leaves aren't crunchy enough for your taste, roast just a bit longer. </div><!--PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM --> <script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <!--END PINTEREST BUTTON KEEP AT BOTTOM -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1