Sometimes, I wonder why the thoughts of baking are at times more attractive to me than others. Not sure why, but finding a new recipe is somewhat of an exhilarating moment.
Somehow, I seem to always do save a few recipes to try when my husband has to go out of town for one reason or another. I pull out my recipes and viola! I have a new "project". Smile.
I have been reading up on methods of kneading, and intend to try the "slapping method" to see what comes of the bread quality - supposed to put air into the bread and give it a really light soft center. Let's see what happens...
First batch was a bust...did not account for the amount of liquid needed in the recipe which was for "winter bread" using cornmeal, bread flour and all purpose flour. Another try tomorrow...try, try again! :-/
Remember to cast the flour when kneading as it makes all the difference in the end product.
Also, a donut type of recipe is next...I'm starting to test bread recipes for the Veg cookbook!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Bummer - My Greek Cookbooks are missing!
Must from that last move from TX to NM.
Not to worry - this only gives me license to search/cook recipes and create recipes to add to my third cookbook Vegetarian Fusion. I think I will start with Spanikokpita first. Now to find out how to make Phyllo or a good puff pastry (perhaps now I have to look at those French cooking class materials to get a good recipe else go find some store bought Phyllo).
See you all soon with recipes!
Not to worry - this only gives me license to search/cook recipes and create recipes to add to my third cookbook Vegetarian Fusion. I think I will start with Spanikokpita first. Now to find out how to make Phyllo or a good puff pastry (perhaps now I have to look at those French cooking class materials to get a good recipe else go find some store bought Phyllo).
See you all soon with recipes!
August, Green Chile and Greek Foods
Summer is nipping at our heels, as the cooler weather will be soon.
The kids have gone back to school (or are about to go back to school). We are ALL getting back into the groove of life's End of Summer and into the Fall routine, and it's time to go purchase pounds and pounds of the Green Chile harvest and fill up our freezers with the green stuff. I've been told that after Labor day has come and gone is the best time to get your Green Chile, so this year I will try to do so and see what delicious Green Chile has to offer my taste buds after Labor Day. I have also heard that Green Chile gets hotter with each year that passes as it sits in the dark icy chamber waiting for us to pop it out of it's deep freeze -- the jury is still out on that one as I have never been able to keep it more than a year!
The kids have gone back to school (or are about to go back to school). We are ALL getting back into the groove of life's End of Summer and into the Fall routine, and it's time to go purchase pounds and pounds of the Green Chile harvest and fill up our freezers with the green stuff. I've been told that after Labor day has come and gone is the best time to get your Green Chile, so this year I will try to do so and see what delicious Green Chile has to offer my taste buds after Labor Day. I have also heard that Green Chile gets hotter with each year that passes as it sits in the dark icy chamber waiting for us to pop it out of it's deep freeze -- the jury is still out on that one as I have never been able to keep it more than a year!
Now then, the approach of Fall also spells the beginning of Festivals and the Greek Food Festivals are delectable Festivals -- a slam to your taste buds with the delicious deserts such as Baklava, Koulourakia, Loukoumathes, Galaktoboureko, and Kourambiethes not to mention savory dishes such as Pastitso, Spanikopita, Souvlakia, O Sabouras in Naphilon and of course Greek salads w lots of fresh Feta and Hummus. So, I will be checking out a few Greek dishes on this cooking site....too!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Marinated Tofu w/Marsala Sauce **RECIPE**
Was watching an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and Duff mentioned the Farm House Cafe in Portland Oregon.
Here is my rendition of a great Tofu dish...a take on their Herb Crusted Tofu with Marsala...
EXTRA FIRM TOFU
1 C Marsala Wine
1 C Water
1 1/2 cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Press the water out of the tofu by placing it between 2 plates (weighht the top plate down) and let it sit for 20 minutes. Pour off the water, cut into 4 pieces, turn on it's side and cut diagonally through the entire thing and put in fridge for 1 hour in the mixture above.
Meanwhile get either Panko breadcrumbs or whole wheat bread crumbs and season with salt/pepper. Take the Tofu out and lightly press into the breadcurmbs on all sides. Put the coated tofu in a heated pan with canola or olive oil and saute till browned on both sides. Remove to paper toweling and let tofu drain.
Sauce:
1/2 Cup Marsala Wine
1 sliced onion
1 t salt
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
Silk creamer (or cream)
2 pinches each of Thyme, Savory, Basil, Fennel, Majoram
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 4 T Water
Canola or olive oil
Brown onions until carmelized, sprinkle sea salt over them, add mushrooms, herbs and mix well. Deglaze pan with Marsala wine
making sure to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow the alcohol to cook off until almost completely gone, add a little more wine (up to another 1/2 cup), add cornstarch and silk creamer (or cream).
Serve over fresh mashed potatoes made with butter and cream with 1 clove fresh crushed garlic and 2 pinches of Thyme. Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Here is my rendition of a great Tofu dish...a take on their Herb Crusted Tofu with Marsala...
EXTRA FIRM TOFU
1 C Marsala Wine
1 C Water
1 1/2 cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Press the water out of the tofu by placing it between 2 plates (weighht the top plate down) and let it sit for 20 minutes. Pour off the water, cut into 4 pieces, turn on it's side and cut diagonally through the entire thing and put in fridge for 1 hour in the mixture above.
Meanwhile get either Panko breadcrumbs or whole wheat bread crumbs and season with salt/pepper. Take the Tofu out and lightly press into the breadcurmbs on all sides. Put the coated tofu in a heated pan with canola or olive oil and saute till browned on both sides. Remove to paper toweling and let tofu drain.
Sauce:
1/2 Cup Marsala Wine
1 sliced onion
1 t salt
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
Silk creamer (or cream)
2 pinches each of Thyme, Savory, Basil, Fennel, Majoram
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 4 T Water
Canola or olive oil
Brown onions until carmelized, sprinkle sea salt over them, add mushrooms, herbs and mix well. Deglaze pan with Marsala wine
making sure to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow the alcohol to cook off until almost completely gone, add a little more wine (up to another 1/2 cup), add cornstarch and silk creamer (or cream).
Serve over fresh mashed potatoes made with butter and cream with 1 clove fresh crushed garlic and 2 pinches of Thyme. Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Substitutes
Dunno about all of y'all out there, but it sure seems like summer is whizing by! Thought I'd write one more short post for the month of June as July is just around the corner (literally).
I always seem to be looking for substitutes and found this site online -- thought I would share. I love my JOY OF COOKING cookbook substitution pages as well, use them often, between the two (link and cookbook)seem to be able to find what I need (most times)....that is when I need to do any substitutions in recipes.
Here's the URL:
http://oldrecipebook.com/substitutes.shtml
happy substituting and have wonderful 4th of July!
I always seem to be looking for substitutes and found this site online -- thought I would share. I love my JOY OF COOKING cookbook substitution pages as well, use them often, between the two (link and cookbook)seem to be able to find what I need (most times)....that is when I need to do any substitutions in recipes.
Here's the URL:
http://oldrecipebook.com/substitutes.shtml
happy substituting and have wonderful 4th of July!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
No trans fats - High Ratio, palm oil, Crisco or Butter?
This brings up another question -- what does high ratio shortening do that good old Crisco or butter can not do? What about palm oil shortening?
For those who have never used hi-ratio shortening, consider the store bought cakes which have a light fluffy frosting. Most likey that shortening is high ratio shortening (with emulsifiers which will not crust up as quickly as Crisco does -- which is a problem for high altitudes/dry climates anyway as it crusts way too fast so work FAST) great for cake decorators. Another type which pastry chefs use is palm oil shortening. Finally, there is the old favorite of butter, much controversy over trans fats, saturated fats (wathc the butter here) but in the end with butter you are not able to achieve a really WHITE icing, so you must settle for ivory colored icing or mellow yellow icing.
What a choice?
I tend to use the ingredients which lend themselves to what type of icing I'm making. If it's chocolate butter cream -- butter works fine as does shortening, palm oil shortening, hi-ratio shortening or even crisco. We are not even touching on the issue of temps and how much butter (if any to use) as well as cream cheese or the FAUX icings made with Dreamwhip or coolwhip folded into buttercream (then there is the italian buttercream, american buttercream, swiss butter cream, I can go on and on). But if it is a WHITE buttercream -- all bets are off!
For those who have never used hi-ratio shortening, consider the store bought cakes which have a light fluffy frosting. Most likey that shortening is high ratio shortening (with emulsifiers which will not crust up as quickly as Crisco does -- which is a problem for high altitudes/dry climates anyway as it crusts way too fast so work FAST) great for cake decorators. Another type which pastry chefs use is palm oil shortening. Finally, there is the old favorite of butter, much controversy over trans fats, saturated fats (wathc the butter here) but in the end with butter you are not able to achieve a really WHITE icing, so you must settle for ivory colored icing or mellow yellow icing.
What a choice?
I tend to use the ingredients which lend themselves to what type of icing I'm making. If it's chocolate butter cream -- butter works fine as does shortening, palm oil shortening, hi-ratio shortening or even crisco. We are not even touching on the issue of temps and how much butter (if any to use) as well as cream cheese or the FAUX icings made with Dreamwhip or coolwhip folded into buttercream (then there is the italian buttercream, american buttercream, swiss butter cream, I can go on and on). But if it is a WHITE buttercream -- all bets are off!
Heating Core or not?
Hi all,
June 2010, makes me wonder what the hell it is that makes time go more quickly? Is it just now that I am older each year goes by faster? Well, I for one have been baking up a storm. Took a quick trip to DFW area over the Memorial Day weekend for my niece's wedding (THE YOUNGEST OF ALL THE NIECES I MIGHT ADD), which was very nice (Bridlewood Country Club) and got to see lots of family including my older sister. Kristen had a fabulous square wedding cake too!
Which brings me to my next question -- what is your favorite method to cook large cakes and what works for you? Heating cores anyone????
I have tried using the good old flower nail in cakes larger than 10" and compared them against the heating core. I must admit I think they both serve a purpose, in reality when you are making a solid cake -- the flower nail works beautifully but then I can say the same for using a heating core. BUT, using a core in swirled, checkered or marble caked leaves a funny looking center -- try baking a large two toned cake or a marblized cake with a core. Really strange coloring is left -- you can't swirl through the cake center!
Check it out for yourselves!
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