Office Project… Complete!

I changed my office around recently so I didn’t have my back to the door and so I could capitalize on the light from the window.  However, I now faced a large blank wall.  Working from home has me missing my whiteboard and bulletin board.  Not that I often updated them but they made me stay organized and feel like I was in an office.

In my mind I had a nice weekend project… really an afternoon project of tackling this blank wall.  A few years ago I gave my Mom a photograph of men at South Station, Boston looking at their pocket watches.  It reminded me of my Grandfather who was a brakeman for the railroad.  Long story short, it never got framed.  So, a wall project was born.  I purchased an inexpensive frame and whiteboard (with bulletin board) and got everything together to hang.  However, I did not like the shelf that came with the whiteboard… so off to purchase a small hanging shelf for the markers and eraser… and I love the overall look.  What do you think?

I also stumbled across this Martha Stewart Living rug for the floor… which has become more important now that the winter months are here and the floor is COLD.  It suddenly feels like a comfortable workspace.  Now I just have to dock the laptop and away I go!

Aebleskiver – A Danish Treat!

Have you ever been to Solvang, CA?  Well I have but it was years ago.  When I went I was more interested in visiting the crafting and cross stitch stores than anything else but that was my craft at the time.  Well, this year for Christmas I received a wonderful treat… an Aebleskiver pan, mix and some raspberry jam.  All from Solvang restaurant!  It brought back some wonderful travel memories of a trip with Mom back in the 90′s.  So for the New Year I set out to try something altogether new!  But what, dear God, is Aebleskiver you ask?

Directly from the former owner of Solvang restaurant: “Aebleskiver are a delicacy, supposedly invented by some Dane back in history. They are like a waffle or a pancake formed like a tennis ball. The name makes people believe that there are slices of apples inside, which is correct— if you put apple slices inside! You see, everybody, including me, has their own favorite recipe and way of serving them, all depending from where in Denmark the recipe came from.”  To see more visit www.solvangrestaurant.com

Anyway, during my holiday I seasoned the cast iron pan by covering it with melted vegetable shortening and baking it for over an hour.  This will need to be repeated over the life of the pan but one seasoning should last years at the rate I make this desert!

With a seasoned pan and the mix combined with eggs and milk (and a friend coming over to help me consume them) I set off to make some Aebleskiver. 

According to the directions, you put a teaspoon of cooking oil in each of the wells of the heated (medium/ high heat) pan.  Wait a moment until oil is heated.  Then fill the wells to even with the batter and then as a crust forms… turn with a knitting needle.  (of course I have one on hand being an avid knitter) then serve with powdered sugar and raspberry jam. Voila!  The verdict from the two partaking people – a hit!

For those of you who don’t want to get the mix… here is a scratch recipe that was also included with my gift:

You will need:

• 2 Cups Buttermilk
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Soda
• 4 tbsp Butter (melted)

What you do:

Separate the eggs.  Mix egg yolks and all other ingredients together at one time and beat until smooth.  Allow batter to set for 30 minutes to let baking powder work.  Beat the whites stiff and fold in before cooking. 

Happy New Year!!

Coconut Shrimp w/ Orange Ginger Sauce – YUM!

Somehow an entire bag of uncooked shrimp got lost in my freezer.  During the clean out, I discovered the long-lost bag and immediately started looking for something to make with them.  My favorite is coconut shrimp so of to Epicurious.com I went and found this awesome recipe: Coconut Shrimp.  The Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) with the coconut have just the right crunch.  The lime peel make this recipe a Caribbean-type treat.  What was missing was a dipping sauce to serve with them.  The sweet crunch needed a tangy sauce for dipping.

Well, I am the queen of refrigerator specials and this is most definitely one.

You will need:

• 1 Jar of Orange Marmalade
• Juice of One Lime
• Minced Garlic to taste
• Fresh Grated Ginger Root to taste

What to do:

• Mix them up and that’s it!
• Remember the flavors will get more intense over time… trust me!

I overdid the garlic a bit but it was my first effort… this will be a recipe I will perfect over the coming months.  The ginger gives the sauce a great kick… and the orange marmalade was the perfect base to provide sweetness as well as a pleasing consistency.  This will make a perfect appetizer for any holiday party.  But if you use it for New Year’s – you might want less garlic for the midnight kiss!!  Enjoy!!

Smoothie Revolution!

Not so long ago I was miserable at preparing well-rounded meals as I often neglected all fruits and vegetables.  Well, recently, I was abducted by health nuts and am now a firm believer in the benefits of the smoothie.  To that end I purchased a Vita-Mix and have not looked back.  This mixer has made me homemade hummus, acorn soup and of course a multitude of smoothies.  Most of my smoothies are of the green variety with enough fruit to hide the greens… but I have found one smoothie that is the perfect pick me up for the afternoon hours.

All hail Mocha Energy Blitz!  This smoothie was based on a Dr. Oz (Energy Boosting Smoothie) recipe but I doctored it a bit to suit my needs.  What is great about this recipe, most of the ingredients are right in your fridge or pantry.

What you’ll need:

• 1 Cup Almond Milk
• 6 oz Greek Yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 1 Banana
• 2 Tsp Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 scoop Whey Protein Powder (Chocolate or Vanilla)
• 6 Large Ice Cubes

What you do:

Add ingredients to blender in order listed.  Blend on high for one minute or until desired consistency obtained.  If you are using a Vita-Mix, start on low Var 1 setting, quickly increase to Var 10 and switch to high… no more than one minute total blending time is needed.

Notes on ingredients – I like a thick but not stand-your-spoon type thick… so I only used 1 scoop of the Whey Protein Powder.  Additionally, I dislike smoothies that are water based… preferring OJ for the fruit and veggies versions and Almond Milk for the chocolate/vanilla versions.   For OJ it was suggested to me to use the Trop 50 for the lower sugar content.  Almond milk was suggested since I have issues with a lot of dairy and the use of the Greek Yogurt is about all I can handle.

Use your judgement and experiment to have fun.  That’s what I have been doing and shedding pounds as I go.  Cheers!

Mom’s Apple Pie Filling

After several attempts at the crust (recipe to follow in next post) I think I have perfected Mom’s Apple Pie recipe.  This is a deep dish pie and it is important to experiment with the apple combinations to your own personal taste.  I like Cortland and McCoun in my pies… other people love Macintosh but I find them too juicy.  Another great combo is Gala and Granny Smith’s.  I would recommend purchasing a half sheet baker’s pan to put under the pie to catch the spillover… and I have been told by a reliable source that a pie that doesn’t boil over isn’t worth eating!

You will need:

• One Deep Dish 9″ Pie Plate
• One Half Sheet Baker’s Pan
• 8 Medium Apples (mix of at least 2 varieties)
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 3 Tbsp All Purpose flour
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• Cinnamon to taste (approx 1 tsp)
• Nutmeg to taste (dash)
• 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• One egg’s egg whites, whisked.

What to do:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees with baker’s sheet on middle rack.  Roll out bottom crust and place in pie plate.  Peel, core and thinly slice all apples, place in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice to keep apples from turning color.  In a smaller bowl mix sugar, flour, and salt together then pour over apples and mix to coat apples evenly.   Pour apples and any remaining coating into bottom crust.  Top with cinnamon and nutmeg and dot with small chunks of butter.  Roll out top crust, cover apples and trim edges of both crusts leaving 1/2 inch hang over.  Fold crusts under using water to seal edges and crimp crust edge using thumbs or fork.  Vent top crust using thin knife being careful not to make vents too large. Brush top crust with whipped egg whites.  Place in center of oven… on top of the now hot baker’s sheet which will catch any boil over.  Cook at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue cooking for another 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are bubbling.  Check for desired level of tenderness in apples using a butter knife through the vents.  If not done, continue cooking/ checking in 10 minute intervals.  Remove from oven and cool to room temperature for 2-3 hours.  Enjoy alone, with vanilla ice cream, or a sharp cheddar cheese.

Tips:

• To prevent the crust from burning or becoming too dark use a pie ring or tin foil around pie edge.
• If using a juicy variety of apple add another Tbsp of flour sprinkled over filling.  Tapioca also works well.
• An alternative to the full amount of sugar is using rum in the pie.  The alcohol burns off and the sweet sugar taste is left behind.
• By slicing the apples thin you will reduce the cooking time.  Keeping them uniform will eliminate the crunchy bite which some do not like.
• Experiment with the apple combinations and have fun with it.

Happy Halloween!!

Although a bit late, I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!  The festivities here were a bit subdued… we only had one doorbell run but it had about 10 ghosts and goblins lined up for treats… Edgar really loves this holiday except for getting dressed in a costume, of course!

 

Calzones with a Twist!

Often calzones are created like little pizzas… folded in half and served.  This to me was a bit boring and I wanted to fill it with ingredients that can be as varied as my moods.  So, taking a recipe for a bread machine dough and doctoring it with some garlic, parsley and oregano… I have a basic pizza/calzone dough.  Once done in the machine, take it out to “rest” in an oiled bowl.  Then, when ready, flatten on a pizza stone or oiled cookie sheet and start to fill with whatever your heart desires.

My friends refer to this as the refrigerator clean-out meal… taking leftovers and filling the calzone.  I have been living lean lately so I prepped some caramelized onions and had steak tips marinating in a tangy BBQ sauce.  My plan was to cook the tips and then combine with the onions and some Jack cheese.

Seal inside the crust and poke heat vents in top.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 35 – 40 minutes.  During the last ten minutes check to see if done by piercing bottom of crust with a knife.  If comes out clean, enjoy!  Another version might be broccoli and a cream sauce.  Yet another could be fried eggplant and cheese served with red sauce for dipping.  The possibilities are endless!  Go wild or simply clean out the fridge!

Time to Plant Those Bulbs!

With unusually sunny weekends this October I am reminded that I should get out and enjoy the weather… and to do this, I am planting those bulbs that I have collected over the course of the year.  The spring tulips given at Easter… or the bargain bag of bulbs on sale during the summer.  I have kept them all in a bin just waiting for the weather to turn crisp.  Usually the last 2 weeks of October is the best time… where the critters will have already gone into hibernation and the bulbs have the best change of remaining untouched until spring.

Last year it was crocus bulbs planted throughout the lawn… not to worry, they pass before the first mowing.  This year it is tulips, hyacinth and daffodils.  Pay close attention to the distance and depth for each type of bulb… which is usually printed on the packaging.  But for those who are planting Easter gifted bulbs here is a small helpful hint:

• Hyacinth are planted 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart.
• Tulips are planted 4 inches deep and 4 inches apart.
• Daffodils are about the same as tulips… judging by the bulb size.

I also had some Liatris bulbs that I finally put into the ground as well.  It is amazing what you will find when you clean out the storage room!  Invest in your yard in the fall and you will reap the dividends come spring!  Get planting!!

Time to Make the Doughnuts!

Sometimes on a Saturday morning… you just want to try something new.  On a recent trip to Maine I stopped at my favorite store Stonewall Kitchen.  They had a neat deal on doughnut mixes that came with a pan… I was intrigued so of course I purchased a few mixes and one pan.  So this beautiful fall morning had me rummaging through the long cabinet looking for something to make and finding Apple Cider Doughnut mix and it was on!

Once the mix was made… simple with only three additives… I loaded the batter into a quart Ziplock back and cut a corner of the bag to make an impromptu pastry bag.  With this in hand it was simple to pipe the batter into the pan.  12 minutes in a 400 degree oven later… and viola!  Donuts!!

Only one step left… using a pastry brush I covered the lighter side of the doughnuts with melted butter and then dipped the doughnut in the cinnamon sugar mixture sold with the mix.  Very simple and easy to do… taking no time at all.  My only complaint was that one side was darker than the other… but I think this was partly due to the oil I used to grease the pan – coconut oil.

When all is said and done… I can’t want to make the 2nd mix I bought – Chocolate!

Milling Herbs

Last year I was in search of something that would help me mill herbs.  Most choppers either produce powder or large chunks of herbs.  I found this little gem at one of the coolest stores, Stonewall Kitchen.  Besides having some great specialty foods and baking mixes… Stonewall Kitchen also has a wide variety of kitchen gadgets.  I could spend the whole day walking around the store and marveling at each new discovery!

After drying the herbs I strip the leaves from the larger stems. This is the easiest part since I just pinch the stem and drag it down the stem and if properly dried, the leaves simply crumble off.

 

Once this is done simply put the leaves and smaller stems into the mill and grind.

By putting the mill directly over the jar that I will store the herbs in they fall right in… and viola!  Done.