Saturday, March 17, 2007

St. Patrick's Day

Today is celebrated Ireland's greatest saint. Legends true and tall are endless about this man. But we do know that he is responsible for the conversion of Ireland and the propagation of Catholic education in all of Europe. Great prayers, including his famous breastplate invocation can be found on Domestic-Church. Today consider making authentic Irish Soda Bread. This recipe is from Jesuit Brother Rick Curry who says he couldn't get the recipe from his Irish brothers because they said "It's like boiling water, you don't need a recipe." He had to wait until returning to the States before getting it.

Irish Soda Bread

5 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 stick butter
2 1/2 cups light and dark raisins, soaked for 15-20 minutes and drained.
3 TBS. caraway seeds
2 1/2 cups buttermilk*
1 egg, slightly beaten


Preheat oven to 350. Generously butter two 9 x 5 inch bread pans. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, soda, and powder. Cut in butter and mix thoroughly with hands until grainy. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Add buttermilk and egg to the flour mixture. Stir until well moistened. Shape dough into two loaves and place in pans. Bake for 1 hour. Test with toothpick for doneness. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.

*You can make your own buttermilk substitute by adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every cup of regular milk. OR you can use sour cream but this may alter the texture a bit.

-Ellie

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Friday, March 09, 2007

Friday Coffeehouse: Lenten Scones

A family back in Ohio makes these scones every Lent... they passed the recipe on to a few other families, including my own. And now it's being passed onto all you readers. Thank you, Doughertys!


I Don't know about most of you, but every day, be it first thing in the morning or later in the day, I need a good cup of black tea or coffee and something substantial to go with it. During lent, it's nice to have handy something healthy and a bit plainer to nibble on with your tea/coffee instead of a cookie. These scones are really delicious if you add the reccomended amount of sugar and top with a brushing of milk and a sprinkling of brown sugar before baking. (Though for some people, perhaps they're not sweet enough!) For my husband and I, I have decided to add a Tbs. less of the below amount of sugar, and to use part whole wheat flour instead of all white flour. This makes them a little more "lenten" for us!


Lenten Scones:

Combine: 3 Tbs. sugar; 1 1/4 cup flour; 1 tsp. bkng pwdr; 1/2 tsp. soda; dash of salt.

Stir in: 1 cup oats; 1/3 cup raisins or currants.

Cut in: 4 Tbs butter. Work in with a fork: 1/3 cup buttermilk. (NOTE: Don't add more buttermilk... the scones will be too tough!)

...Press into little ball-shaped scones or press onto counter into 1" thick patties, then cut into fashionable, fun triangles.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 20 minutes... no more.



~Sia, Vancouver, WA

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Monday, March 05, 2007

Making Do On Monday: Help in the 'meatless' department

Well, there are endless recipes floating in cyberspace right about now as Catholic mamas everywhere pool their meatless meal ideas together to make it through the Fridays of Lent. I'd encourage you to poke in over at www.allrecipes.com also. This is my favorite online resource for food ideas and their vegetarian options are sure to lend you many ideas (we made a creamed corn chowder last week that was superb!). In our house, on meatless days, we eat a lot of quesadillas with beans, salsa, and sour cream. Or grilled cheese with tomato soup or fried peanut butter/jelly sandwiches. And whenever I boil potatoes for a supper, I like to have extras that I keep in the fridge and use for easy breakfasts when chopped up and fried with some garlic, salt and pepper. Speaking of breakfast... that happens often around here on Friday nights: pancakes or french toast, with eggs. Or you can use the above potatoes, fried, and mix in some eggs, green peppers, cheese (mmm, pepper jack!), onion or zuchinni etc., and scramble it all together for a pretty hearty meal. I can do a meatless spaghetti or macaroni or twice baked potatoes and tuna casseroles, but that's about as far as I go. So for some general tips on cooking without meat, I'll turn you over to Sia, who is extraordinarily adept in this department (her black bean and rice burritos saved me when she cared for me while I was postpartum.).

-Ellie

Soups:
You can make nearly any soup you like with a base of sauteed onions&garlic in olive oil. The liquid component for your soup can be cream/milk, stock/broth, or tomato juice with water. An excellent healthy addition to any brothy soup is to add sliced kale or spinach at the last minute before serving. This way the greens are fresh, colorful and yummy instead of cooked until flavorless and brown. Add to the above any pureed vegetable and you have a fine, tasty, thicker, creamier type of soup. Touch up as needed with appropriate seasoning. Pureed carrots go well with nutmeg, salt & pepper and cream; pureed peppers go well with s & p, oregano and bay leaves... but with broth instead of cream...every vegetable has it's complimentary seasoning. The protein aspect of your soup can be lentils, beans, miso, etc.
Some soups in this household...
Lentil soup: use above base. Add lentils and water; cook lentils until tender; add water or stock and a can of crushed or diced tomatoes; reheat to simmer and add a couple bay leaves, s&p. Thin by adding more water or stock; thicken by cooking longer with lid off.

The basic-broth-anything-soup:
Make above "base"... add whatever you want: diced potatoes, carrots, chopped green beans, whatever you have in the fridge. Add some broth and cook/sautee until tender. If left to simmer for a while, soup becomes very flavorful. You'll be surprised at how delicious even a base of half-water, half-broth will taste with flavors of nothing but vegetables. All a handful of cooked beans or lentils and you have a delicious complete meal.

The basic-pureed-creamy-soup: Make above base. Steam any vegetable(s) and puree with some warm broth. Add pureed vegetable(s) to the base and thin with a combo of cream/milk and water. Season as neccesary. Our favorite is cream-of-carrot seasoned with a dash of nutmeg, s&p and just the right amount of added broth to the cream/carrot puree.

Rice and Beans:
Rice and beans are one of the healthiest combinations and delicious base for a meal. Rice and beans (cooked, of course) can be served with corn or flour tortillas or alone with a salad. What makes this delicious is a simple addition of salsa, sour cream, cheese and such, or just salt and pepper and a side salad.

Salad
It is winter, but salads are still an option. Add a can of cooked garbonzo beans or tuna or whatever and you have a simple, complete meal.. and very low-fat!

Peanut Butter Sauce (for rice or pasta) ...excellent with a side of stir-fried veggies, especially peppers. I like to cook up some white basmati, stir-fry some vegggies, then toss all in a bowl with this sauce and serve --with chopsticks.:)
Puree: 1-2 tsp. crushed ginger; 1 clove crushed garlic; 1/2 cup-2/3 cup peanut butter; few Tbs. chili powder; 1/8-1/4 cup sesame oil; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/8 cup orange juice; water to thin if neccesary.
Simple Carrot Salad (goes really well with the below tofu!):
mix together: about 6-8 carrots, grated; a handful of raisins; 1 crisp apple, finely chopped. Add: enough mayonnaise to moisten to your liking. Mix in some pepper to taste. Serve fresh and cold.

Tofu: Oh, so plain but can made oh, so yummy!
Tofu can be simply stir fried in olive oil and soy sauce, or can be baked. My new favorite form of tofu: Slice into thin little squares (1/8 inch thick, in 2x2 squares) and lay into bottom of a glass casserolle dish. Cover with terriyaki sauce and bake on 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or so. Take out of pan and gently lay onto paper towels to soak up grease/excess liquid. When cool, put into container or ziplock bag and refrigerate. This makes a delicious quick-protein snack.

-Sia

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Monday, February 26, 2007

Feed the Family!

Please support one of our readers who is seeking recipes from women everywhere for possible publication in a Large Family Cookbook. These recipes should be frugal, relatively healthy and able to be easily adapted to feed 5+ people. She is also looking for any personal anecdotes, time-saving tips, or other little experiences to sprinkle throughout the cookbook. Feel free to include holiday oriented fare or recipes in any category: breakfast, lunch, supper, snacks, dessert, beverages etc.

Please send all submissions to Rachael:

Include: Name, location, recipe, yield, time to prepare, (cost per serving would be great but it's not essential) and contact information for her personal use if she needs to clarify something. Thank you! Also, please feel free to copy and paste this info to your own blog so Rachael has a wide variety of submissions to choose from.

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Friday, February 02, 2007

Friday Coffeehouse: A more delicate Superbowl

Yes, I used the word "delicate" immediately preceding Superbowl; you won't see that very often. Most Superbowl parties we've hosted or attended were filled with delicious, hearty foods-- usually involving lots of meat, chili, chips and cookies. Nothing wrong with that. For years, the word "Superbowl" has been synonymous with clogged arteries. If you ask, I give you an awesome recipe for a ghoulishly loaded "man dip" that you will probably love. But for now, who says the Superbowl is domain to just meat, cheese, and spices?! In keeping with our 'finer things in life' goal of this blog, I'd like to share 3 of my very favorite party recipes that are a great alternative to the typical fare found on coffee tables. I guarantee all to be people pleasers!

Hot Artichoke Dip (courtesy of my dear friend Jessica S. I'd double this recipe if it's going to a party; it goes quick!)

1 can unmarinated artichoke hearts
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 -1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 Tbsp. minced onion

Drain hearts from their can. Preheat oven to 350. Process artichoke hearts (or use a blender). Combine all ingredients in 1 qt. casserole dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir and bake for 10 more minutes. Serve with chunks of French bread or crackers.


Cheesecake Fruit Dip

I reallly don't know the real name for this but all you do is combine one 8 oz. package of cream cheese (softened at room temperature) with a small jar of marshmallow cream and you have a fabulous dip for all kinds of fruits. It works great with strawberries, bananas, apple slices, pineapple, grapes and cantaloupe especially. It's wonderfully yum! (Incidentally, another great little strawberry dip is to simply place some brown sugar next to the pile of sour cream you have on hand for your nacho pile and dip the berry in sour cream before the sugar. Sounds wierd, but it's great!)


Bako's Baklava (This is one of those things that people think is always much more difficult to make than it really is... here is an easy, delicious recipe)

1/2 pkg. phylo (filo) dough (let it sit at room temp a while before working with it)
1 1/2 cups walnuts, coarsely ground
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 to 1 cup honey
2 or more cubes melted butter

Place 1 sheet phylo dough in a 9 x 13 buttered baking dish (you may need to trim to fit). Brush with butter and add another sheet. Repeat until there are 4 to 6 layers. Mix walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/3 of this over layered sheets. Layer another 4-6 sheets of phylo and butter. Sprinkle last of mixture. Layer more phylo/butter layers. Cut into diagonals before baking. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and pour warm honey over all. Pour slowly so honey soaks into the layers.

-Ellie

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Friday, December 29, 2006

Friday Coffeehouse: Christmas blends & sweets

Around Christmas season it's special to have some treats around. Not just regular old sugar, but the unique, once-a-year treats! Here are a few personal favorites, of the new and old-fashioned sort.

~Peet's Coffee and Tea has a wide selection of teas and coffees for the holidays. Their Holiday Blend this year is very good. -Sweet and smooth. One of my favorite of their black teas is the Scottish Breakfast, but the Black Currant, brewed strong with honey and some milk, pairs wonderfully with desserts.

~Peet's Sweets are quite the gourmet indulgence! Chocolate covered cherries, blueberries, marmalade, chocolate, peppermints and espresso mixes...you name it.

Why do I love Peet's so much? I have found that it has no artificial flavors which many teas and coffees have within the taste. The tastes are unique and natural Also, they're incredibly consistent... and gourmet in presentation if you're looking for a quick gift.

Torani Syrups are probably the most widely-used flavored syrups in coffeeshops. They have wonderful flavors for making your own coffees.. hazelnut, vanilla, raspberry, and more. I never buy "flavored" cofffes, as I think often it compromises the taste of the coffee. But get a good strong coffee blend and add a syrup to it and you have a very tasty beverage. Their site is a lot of fun but you can buy their syrups in stores also.

Sundrops are the most amazing M&M natural alternative! They are sun-colors of pink, orange and yellows, made from beet juice, beta carotene and natural caramel. They look really lovely in a bowl. This is a favorite holiday treat around here.

Nothing beats the good old-fashioned tasty peppermint sticks!! I don't like conventional candy canes, but I love these.

Have you ever tried old-fashioned chewing gum? We used to get these in our stockings.. they don't taste like any other gum made these days. They have a strong, unique natural flavor to them. The flavors I love the most are:
Teaberry -this gum dates back to 1900.
Black Jack -this gum dates back to 1870... it's a licorice-flavored gum.

Happy Holidays...

~Sia, Vancouver, WA

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Friday, November 24, 2006

Friday Coffeehouse: gourmet desserts for the coffee hour

I am always looking for recipes which are gourmet and also beautiful in presentation. The holidays are comin up and if you're having parties or dinners, these are wonderful recipes that look beautiful on your tables. They also go VERY well with coffee!

Tiramisu

SERVES 4
Ingredients:
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mascarpone
1 cup strong fresh black coffee (not espresso)
12 good-quality Italian savoiardi cookies or ladyfingersCocoa powder

Directions:
1. Beat egg yolks with a whisk in a medium bowl. Gradually add sugar, continuing to whisk until mixture is thick, smooth, and pale yellow. Gently fold mascarpone into mixture with a rubber spatula, then set aside.
2. Put egg whites in a clean, dry mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Fold egg whites into mascarpone mixture and set aside.
3. Pour coffee into a wide, shallow bowl. Dip four of the savoiardi or ladyfingers into the coffee just long enough to moisten them without making them soggy, then arrange them side by side in a single layer on a serving platter. Spread one-third of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuits, then dust with a little cocoa powder. Repeat the entire process, including coffee, layering remaining savoiardi or lady-fingers, mascarpone, and cocoa. Refrigerate until well chilled, then serve.
(This recipe was first published in Saveur in November 1999.)

Chocolate Coated Strawberries

Ingredients:
16 ounces milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves

Directions:
-Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
-In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth.
-Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.
(recipe from Allrecipes.com)

~Sia, Vancouver, WA

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Monday, October 23, 2006

Making Do on Mondays: Recipes for the Season

It's that time of year when I think we all appreciate being in the kitchen a little more than in the summer... I have been doing a lot of proccessing of my summer harvest from our garden, including tomatoes, butternut squash and more. When I get a chance I'll share with you some ideas of my own. For now, here are some basic recipes we all like to have around.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: (When you're carving pumpkins, don't throw away the seeds!)
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds: (all recipes below from AllRecipes.com)
~Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you’ve removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.)
~Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat. If you prefer, omit the oil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
~Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.
~Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

Pumpkin Pie:
ingredients:
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups pumpkin puree

directions:
~Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
~In a large bowl, combine eggs, egg yolk, white sugar and brown sugar.
~Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
~Gradually stir in milk and cream; Stir in pumpkin.
~Pour filling into pie shell.
Bake for ten minutes in preheated oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for an additional 40 to 45 minutes, or until filling is set.


Hot Apple Cider (5 min. to make; 10 min. to cook; ready in 15 min. serves 6):
ingredients:
6 cups apple cider
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Directions:
~Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
~Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
~Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
~Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes:
ingredients:
6 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup maple syrup

directions:
~Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. With an electric mixer on low, blend potatoes, slowly adding milk, about 1/2 a cup at a time. Use more or less to achieve desired texture. Add butter and maple syrup, to taste. Blend until smooth. Serve warm.

I have just made Pumpkin Cheesecake for my mother-in-law's birthday. It was wonderful, though I was expecting it to be disastrous as I'd only made cheesecake once in my life before. I was pleasantly surprised. Ellie also loves this dish and has a great marbled pumpkin cheesecake recipe which we'll put here. What I love about cheesecake is that with all the cream cheeses and sour cream in it, it ends up being more of a high-protein dessert; not just a bunch of sugar and flour.

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake:
ingredients:
3/4 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
3/4 cup graham cracker or Nilla Wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the remaining mixture. Refrigerate while you do the next steps
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies and crumbs, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool.
Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

~Sia, Vancouver, WA

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Friday, September 15, 2006

Friday Coffeehouse: Banana Bread with Coffee

Mollie Katzen has some wonderful recipes out there, including my so-far
favorite banana bread recipe, which calls for black coffee. Because coffee is one of the ingredients, this recipe makes a great banana bread to eat alongside your cup of coffee.


Mollie Katzen was originally a part of the Moosewood Collective in Ithaca, NY, which is a group which founded the Moosewood Restaurant, an alternative/vegetarian restaurant that was founded in 1973. She wrote the Moosewood Cookbok when she was a part of that whole scene, but left to go on to write her own cookbooks, illustrating and hand-writing them all out, giving them a very beautuiful, creative touch which is always a joy to see when you open one of the originals. I am not a vegetarian... I love meat! -But when it comes to not having meat around, this cookbook is a great one to have around for creative vegetarian ideas that are always delicious.

Anyway, to the recipe!:
Banana Bread--

OVEN: 350 degrees F; makes 2 loaves; bake 40-50 minutes, or until a thin knife, inserted into the middle, comes out clean. Prepare loaf pans by buttering or oiling with canola oil, and (optional) sprinkling with sesame seeds.

2 sticks softened butter
1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups pureed banana mixed with 2/3 cup black coffee

To make this, you do the same you would for any old banana bread recipe:
-Have the pureed banana and coffee ready on the side to be added to the batter.
-Mix the dry ingredients first, in a bowl of their own.
-In a seperate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth... add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Then add the vanilla. Slowly add the banana/coffee mixture and mix.

Have the pans prepared (buttered or oiled) and the oven preheated. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake.

Serve hot or cold with cheddar cheese and coffee. (This is how I like to eat it!)

~Sia in Vancouver, WA

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Monday, August 14, 2006

Making Do on Mondays: cop-out dinners

Hello again, so despite being the most organized woman on the block, you may experience a day or two where things don't go according to plan and 5-6 o'clock rolls around, little tummies are rumbling and you have no idea what to make for supper! I will share a few of our "cop-out dinners" for such days, and I hope you will comment with yours. The only requirements are that it be simple and possible with basic ingredients on your shelf...

  • Pancakes and eggs. Our favorite and most relied upon cop-out. Who can complain about breakfast for dinner?! Most people have the ingredients for this and the kids are always excited to eat something sweet (maple syrupy delicious!)

  • Tex-Mex. Cook a pot of rice and mix in a can of chili... sprinkle with cheese and let it melt on top. Voila! We eat this with corn chips or rolled up in a tortilla.

  • Tuna Fish Casserole. A can of tuna, some macaroni noodles, a can of cream of mushroom... maybe some cheese... and peas thrown in. Easy to make and it can be nutritious too!

  • Quesadillas or "Tacodillas". I mentioned quesadillas in my food recipe page. Refried beans, salsa and cheese are all you need for inside the tortilla (crisped of course). A tacodilla is a term I made up for the same recipe onlly a bit heartier as you put in taco seasoned meat as well before crisping.

  • Hot Dish. This refers to basically anything thrown together and heated up. I use leftover meat or spaghetti sauce... cook up whatever kind of pasta I have on hand (we like rigatoni and ziti best)... throw in some cottage cheese or mozzerella, mix in any kind of marinara or make your own from tomato sauce + seasonings.... bake it for 20 minutes or so and you have your own little dish of whatchamacallit.

  • Jazzed Up Sandwiches. Basically, take any normal lunch-time sandwich and heat it up or grill it and it feels suitable for dinner! Even PB &J can be toasted (I like to put mine together and THEN stick it in the toaster oven so the insides are soft and the outsides are crispy). Also using alternative breads make it fun. We make tuna-melts sometimes by putting our tuna mix and a slice of cheese on an english muffin before heating it up.

So what are your "in-a-pinch" suppers?

-Ellie: Oak Harbor, WA

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Friday, July 14, 2006

Friday Coffeehouse

Sia is off gallivanting on her family's giant farm in Ohio I suppose, and while I wish her the best of times, I'm left pretending to be the coffee expert for the day. So here goes nothing:

I like sweet, cold coffee. Iced white mochas are my favorite, but I always seem to need something grainy to "soak it up" with in my stomach. I never understood how people can enjoy really sweet beverages with really sweet foods (my husband would drink Coke with his pancakes, blah!) since it ruins the effects of both. I enjoy a sweet treat with tea... and a more plain treat with coffee, something like a bagel or basic scone or muffin. So for this week's coffeehouse post, I'll share two of my favorite recipes that compliment coffee (and tea) well... neither is TOO sweet.

This first one is from one of my favorite cookbooks by Nigella Lawson. Almost anything this woman suggests can be assured to be delicious. I have never read a cookbook from front to back like I have hers. Not only is it full of amazing recipes, she narrates each selection with her personal tips and experiences:

Orange Breakfast Muffins
6 TBS unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups self-rising flour
2 TBS ground almonds
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup plus 1 TBS freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup plus 1 TBS whole milk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400. Melt the butter and set aside. Combine flour, ground almonds, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl. Measure the OJ and milk into a pitcher and whisk in the egg and then the cooled, melted butter. Now pour this into the dry ingredients, mixing with a fork as you go. The lumpier the batter the lighter the muffin, so barely combine it, don't overwork it. Spoon the mixture equally into 12 paper-cup lined muffin cups and cook for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly (not completely) on a wire rack before devouring.

Nigella suggests eating these with unsalted butter, jam or honey.


Best Banana Bread
I think what sets this banana bread apart from others is the sour cream... sometimes I'll throw in semi-sweet chocolate chips just for fun. It is enough to make two mid-size loafs of bread. But I only make one loaf and then use the rest of the batter for muffins. You can cook them at the same time, just take out the muffins about 10 minutes sooner than the bread... you have to kind of watch it.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (usually about 4 or so mid-sized bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream (don't you dare use "light")
1 cup chopped nuts, and/or chocolate chips optional

Preheat oven to 350. Grease pan(s) and flour the bottom of the pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, mixing well after each. Add mashed banana. Add flour mixture in thirds, alternating with sour cream, ending with the flour. Blend quickly but thoroughly. Stir in the nuts. Pour into prepared pans and bake 45 minutes or until center tests done.


-Ellie: Oak Harbor, WA

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Friday, June 30, 2006

Friday Coffeehouse: Blends, Brewing and Cream

So often folks have asked me about tea and coffee: "Where do you get good tea and coffee? What is your favorite?" These people are interested in more than what we see every day at the store: Starbuck's, Folgers and Columbia coffees; Tetley and Lipton brand teas. So through these coffeehouse posts I'll try to share some other companies I've discovered. One of my favorite coffee companies is Peet's Coffee. There are many good coffee companies, but this one is truly a gem. Every member of any store has to go through intensive training in specific roasting methods, tasting and more. They roast all of their coffees by hand. They also make incredible loose-leaf black teas which have been a favorite in our house for some time now.
Teas: Try their Scottish Breakfast tea: "...Evocative of warm hearths and rugged Scottish countrysides, this is a rich, hearty brew..." They have a wonderful Black Currant tea, perfect after dinner with a chocolate dessert. It is a sweet and fruity tea-- the name says it all! Coffees: They have a wonderful Sierra Dorada blend and Major Dickason's blend, but they have ample choices worth browsing through, as we all have our own taste in coffee flavors and textures.

There are different brewing methods when making coffee. The French Press method is our favorite. It is really nice for presentation reasons, too, as it looks classy on the table along with your favorite mugs. Major Dickason's blend is perfect for the French Press method of brewing. If you love coffee and are always looking to try something new, try this method and you may be surprised at how good it is. A couple practical tips though: If you have never used a French Press before, be sure not to pour boiling water over the ground coffee. The coffee will be burnt. Bring the water to a boil, then let it sit for about 15 seconds or until the whistling stops. THEN pour it slowly into the coffee grinds and stir well. Also, don't grind your beans too fine, as you won't be able to press them very well. Grind them more coarsely so that it is easy for the press to make it's way through the water to the bottom of the press.

These days a popular way to "cream" your coffee is to use "creamer": this is not pure cream from a cow! It has so many other ingredients that it scares me. Half and Half is dairy and is far healthier and than the conventional "International Delight" that's on the shelves in the stores. Personally, I find half and half to be the most delicious choice. If you like flavors in your coffee you can buy the Italian flavored syrups and put a teaspoon or two into your mug before pouring your coffee. For those of you who like soymilk, you may want to try the silk creamers! They're more creamy than half and half and come in Vanilla and Hazelnut flovors. To this day one of my favorite ways to have coffee is french-pressed with silk vanilla creamer, although lately every morning I've been having weak Folgers with Half and Half. Budget does not always allow for gourmet coffees or cream options. We are lucky to have cheap coffee and creamers at all. But for those times when you do have that extra money and your pallette craves more gourmet adventures, try something new. I will try to, on other weeks, post some ideas on good coffee for lower budgets.

~Sia

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one of us :: 9:40 AM :: 3 Comments

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