Warning: This post has more photos than usual. If you scroll down, you’ll understand why the risk of drooling is high.
Do you remember Chunky? Or Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut Bar? Or maybe you don’t have to go too far back down memory lane. When I was a kid, that combo of chocolate, raisins and nuts was a big draw. This is an updated version, thinner and packed with powerful stuff.
bb tip: Cutting solid chocolate:
- Use a sharp knife – a Japanese (see above) or Chef’s knife works well.
- Cut from each corner as you go.
- Hold knife down with both hands as you slightly rock knife back and forth. Chocolate will break off in shards like glass. Very fun once you get the hang of it.
Raisins, almonds and ginger too
luscious, luscious
The highly capable hands easing the warm melted chocolate out of the bowl belong to my dear friend Glenda, who’s had a passion for baking since her childhood in Belize.
Cook’s commission
So here’s the basic method for assembling bark – a no-cook bit o’ heaven:
- Gather and prepare your toppings.
- Melt chocolate (doesn’t count as cooking if using microwave).
- Spread and smooth your chocolate in lined sheet pan.
- Sprinkle on your toppings.
- Let cool and harden – easy by popping in fridge.
- Smash – ok don’t quite smash it… I needed an “s” word – break it up into asymmetrical pieces. You can cut it but you’d be missing out on the fun.
OK, repeat after me: spread, smooth, sprinkle and smash!
I ordinarily stick with ingredients that are readily available, but there are some noteworthy exceptions. One is chocolate. When I want exceptional chocolate, I go directly to Surfas, the gourmet-restaurant supply haven in Culver City (on Washington Blvd. near National Blvd.) I love that place. No, I seriously love that place. I get excited every time I cross their threshold. I get my beloved Callebaut chocolate there. Some like the French Vallrhona (a tad bitter), but I’m sticking with Belgian Callebaut. Man, that stuff is smooth. ( Note: if this isn’t readily available, get another brand and experiment, but by all means, make it!)
Now, it’s known that if you want to give something a little extra oomph, including a sweet, you top it off with a pinch of salt. And not just any salt… a finishing salt. This usually refers to sea salt though in a pinch (ha, ha), kosher salt can be used. Kosher salt is a little coarse and a good quality sea salt has a flakiness to it with a very fresh clean thing going on.
The French sea salt pictured above is a favorite by many and is an employee favorite over at Surfas. But there is also another camp: those that vote for Maldon, a sea salt from England. There are any others, from Spain, Italy, the list goes on. Get one and start playing around. It’s okay to splurge a little every now and then. Plus this container is mighty cute. After I use this baby up, I’m paying another visit to Surfas and getting me some Maldon sea salt to do a taste test.
If you look closely, you can just barely make out a few grains of salt in the lower quadrant of the photo.
Break it up, break it up!
Please consume the following in moderation – bb is not accountable for any temporary leave of one’s common sense.
Bark!
DIVINE CHOCOLATE BARK
Ingredients:
16 oz. best-quality bittersweet chocolate 1/2 c. golden raisins 3/4 c. toasted slivered almonds 1/4 t. sea saltbb tip: Other ideas for toppings to substitute or add are: unsweetened coconut, crystallized ginger, dried apricots.
Directions:
Cut up chocolate with sharp knife on cutting board. Place half the chocolate in glass bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir again. If not fully melted, place in microwave for 30 more seconds (a total of 2 minutes). Throw remaining chocolate in bowl and stir until all chocolate is melted.
Pour warm melted chocolate onto the center of a parchment-lined (or aluminum foil-lined) large sheet pan. With a rubber spatula, ease chocolate from center to sides of pan to about 1/8″ thickness.
Be sure to chop any ingredients that need prepping ahead of time (i.e. dried apricots). Immediately sprinkle on prepared toppings, either in rows or all mixed up and evenly distributed.
Place pan in refrigerator until it sets, about 30-40 minutes. If time is of the essence, place in freezer for about 20 minutes. Break bark into pieces and share!
WHITE CHOCOLATE BARK
I never even liked white chocolate before I made this. Where’s the chocolate. after all? Two things made me change my tune. First, an excellent quality white chocolate, like Callebaut, is super rich and creamy and has amazing flavor. But use sparingly – the stuff is lethal. Second, I realized I can include any workable topping I want in bark, including more chocolate (all toppings must be dry).
watch out – chocolate discs
I love to use best-quality chocolate discs, either milk, semi-sweet or bittersweet. Chocolate discs are like chocolate chips on steroids. These guys would get kicked out of the Olympics, if you know what I mean and I think you do.
Say no more.
Enough said.
nuts & dried fruit
To balance the white
different texture than dark
Stir shards into the melted chocolate
ooh is that good
White Chocolate Bark
Ingredients:
8 oz. best-quality white chocolate 1/3 c. roasted pistachios 1/3 c. sliced dried apricots 1/4 c. best-quality chocolate discs or chips (milk, bittersweet or semi-sweet) 1/4 c. dried cranberries 1/8 t. sea saltDirections:
Cut up chocolate with sharp knife on cutting board. Place half the chocolate in glass bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir again. If not fully melted, place in microwave for 30 more seconds (with a smaller amount of chocolate, you probably won’t need to). Throw remaining chocolate in bowl and stir until all chocolate is melted.
Pour warm melted chocolate onto the center of a parchment-lined (or aluminum foil-lined) large sheet pan. With a rubber spatula, ease chocolate from center to sides of pan to about 1/8″ thickness.
Be sure to chop any ingredients that need prepping ahead of time (i.e. dried apricots) and if nuts are not already toasted, toast them ahead of time in a 325° or 350° oven for 5-7 minutes until just fragrant. Immediately sprinkle on prepared toppings, either in rows or all mixed up and evenly distributed.
Place pan in refrigerator until it sets, about 30-40 minutes. If time is of the essence, place in freezer for about 20 minutes. Break bark into pieces and share!
p.s. There were no bark leftovers – they flew off the tray. Happy 2012!
We’re invited to a little celebration with friends for New Year’s and it’s just the kind of party I like: appetizers and desserts. I decided to go a little sweet and a little spicy with mixed nuts as well as a sweet treat (hold onto your party hats for Part 2 of this post).
Oh Nuts!
If you go online, there are tons of spicy nuts out there. Most are way too sweet and some like it really hot… my Novio and I provide most of the heat in this house (Kitty sometimes pitches in) so we don’t need a whole lot of extra.
I played around with the version I’m sharing here (and taking to the party… if you’re going to the party too, stop reading now if you want to be surprised) and also added a bonus.
The variations are infinite but there is a basic technique. There’s usually a little fat involved to coat the nuts. I use canola oil, others use butter or a combo. I’ve also seen recipes where the nuts are coated in egg white (haven’t tried it and I might). Seasonings are then added.
a little sweet, a little spicy, a little salty
Some people toast the nuts in a heavy skillet. Most spread the nuts in a single layer and bake in the oven. That’s my nutsy M.O.
I can’t resist
If you have a favorite version, please share. Our bb readers and I will be very grateful. Have a wonderful New Year… a little sweet, a little spicy.
SPICE OF LIFE NUTS
Ingredients:
2 c. raw unsalted cashews 2 c. raw pecan halves 1 c. whole raw almonds 2 T. canola or safflower oil 3 T. maple syrup (the good stuff) 2 T. light brown sugar 1 t. cinnamon 1 t. cumin 1/2 t. Spanish sweet smoked paprika (really rounds out the flavor) 1/8 t. cayenne pepper 2 T. minced fresh rosemary (or 1 T. minced dried rosemary) 1-2 t. sea salt or kosher saltDirections:
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Roast the nuts for 5 minutes on a large sheet pan. Slide warm nuts into a large mixing bowl and combine with all ingredients, saving half the rosemary and half the salt for later. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or coat with oil spray.
Spread the nuts in one layer (you may need 2 pans).Roast the nuts for about 20 minutes, stirring twice with a large spatula, until nuts are glazed and golden brown. Sprinkle on remaining rosemary and salt – toss well (don’t forget the second sprinkling of salt- it really adds to the flavor).
Cool, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The nuts keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
bb tip: I use a Spanish paprika that’s called El Rey de la Vera. It’s worth looking for. Another possibility is subbing with 1/2 t. chipotle powder.
Try switching dried thyme for the rosemary or deleting the herb altogether. The main thing is including something sweet, something spicy and some salt (a sea salt or kosher salt – regular table salt has a slight aftertaste)
You can use other nuts as well: walnut halves or whole hazelnuts (hazelnuts are delicious but they need to be skinned and I don’t have patience for that). Pecans are a slightly softer nut and are so delicious but slightly temperamental.
CURRIED PISTACHIOS
Ingredients:
2 c. shelled unsalted pistachios (available in many markets) 2 T. lemon juice 1 T. canola oil 1 T. curry powder 1 t. Garam Masala (savory Indian seasoning – good stuff) 1/2 t. cumin 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/4 – 1/2 t. sea salt (taste first with less, salt more if needed)Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Roast pistachios for 5 minutes until just fragrant. Toss the warm nuts in a bowl with lemon juice, oil, and seasonings. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (use a rimmed pan – don’t lose your nuts!), spread in a single layer and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once until fragrant and just browned. Don’t leave the kitchen after stirring… it may take only a couple more minutes. Let your nose be your guide.
Long ago, I used to shy away from pureed soups, thinking they were laden with cream and would leave me feeling like a beached whale for hours after consuming. That was before I knew about and fell in love with my immersion blender.
This nifty little appliance is an essential if you’re a soup lover. Cream ? Not needed. Spilled soup everywhere from pouring it into the blender and back into the pot? A vague and distant memory of klutzy days gone by (okay, in that department). If this does not already live in your kitchen, get one. Really affordable, simple to use and easy to clean.
Butternut Squash & Friends
My friend Claire taught me that onion and potato form the base of all manner of pureed soups, whether doing a mix of vegetables or highlighting one, like our butternut squash. Let the seasons tell you what to make and play around with different herbs and spices.
a key flavoring step
just a piece of that ginger!
Remember to keep your immersion blender fully immersed in the pot of soup while blending. If you are holding the power button down and the phone rings, release that button when you move away from the pot. I think you get the picture.
Bring on the Imm Blender
So in this month of super-rich foods, take a break with a satisfying and lighter change-of-pace. Your tummy will be glad you did. Have a great holiday.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP
Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 t. curry powder 1 t. ground cumin 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed 1 medium or 2 small sweet apples, peeled and diced 1 white potato, diced 1 small chunk fresh ginger, peeled salt & pepper 2 c. vegetable broth 2 c. water chopped Italian parsley (to garnish)Directions:
Heat oil in soup pot. Saute chopped onion with curry powder and cumin until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add broth and water, stirring up bits from bottom of pot. Add squash, potato, apple and chunk of ginger to pot. Bring to boil, partially cover and cook on low simmer for about 45 minutes, or until squash, apples and potato are very soft.
Cool a bit and use immersion blender to puree directly in pot. I like to leave a few chunks in soup rather than puree completely.
Note: Garnish with a bit of chopped Italian parsley or a dollop of creme fraiche or Greek yogurt.
Tip: Try this technique with cauliflower (similar seasonings). Use broccoli, spinach or zucchini with garlic added.
Don’t you love getting a delicious homemade something as a holiday gift? I know I do. And while tempting cookies, brownies, and you-know-where-I’m-going, are always gratefully accepted, it’s cool to get something terrific and actually good-for-you to counter the potential sugar bombardment. Enter high fiber, low in sugar, nutty granola.
Jump into the bowl now
Next comes a little oil & maple syrup
Off to the baking sheet
Perfect as a topping for your morning or lunch yogurt with fruit, on your cereal or oatmeal for added crunch or as a snack (though I know I don’t need added snacks this time of year, thank you. I can hear a chocolate chip cookie calling for me right this second from the kitchen).
Granola is very easy to make and SO vastly superior to the over-the-top sweet stuff for sale (I don’t care who makes it). I adapted this from Ellie Krieger’s, The Food You Crave – Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.
The recipe is terrific any time of year, for yourself or for gifts (in ziploc bags or plastic containers). I usually have some of this granola on hand (Hi Andra!). It can be stored either in the fridge or pantry. I tend to split up the batch – otherwise my Novio and I eat it up way too quickly. I like to spread the love over a bit of time.
Ready for storing
NUTTY GRANOLA
adapted from Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave
Ingredients:
2 c. rolled oats (old-fashioned oatmeal)
1/2 c. sliced or slivered raw almonds
1/2 c. walnut pieces
1/2 c. raw pecan pieces
1/4 c. shredded coconut (optional)
1/4 c. safflower or canola oil
3 T. maple syrup
1/8 t. sea salt
1/4 t. cinnamon
2 T. flax seed meal (optional)
1/4 c. dried apricots, rough chop
1/4 c. raisins, golden or dark
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 300°F. Mix all ingredients minus the dried fruit in bowl.
Place parchment paper or aluminum foil on lightly greased rimmed baking sheet (otherwise your delicious granola will go slip-sliding away when you take it out! [great for a Paul Simon song but not great for our granola] ). Spread granola on baking sheet in even layer with the back of your mixing spoon. (Let’s keep our kitchen utensils to a minimum, shall we?)
Bake for a total time of 26-30 minutes, until browned. Stir it every 10 minutes for even browning. Add dried fruit for last 5 minutes. Let cool completely before storing.
There are people who are interested in the contents of other people’s medicine cabinets. Not me. Not even a passing curiosity. But ask me if I want to check out your veggie bin and I’m there. Who knows? There could be a terrific dish just waiting to be created.
What’s in your veggie bin right this second? Do you know without looking? Any science projects?
This is what was in my bin last week and the roasting/sauteing method of veggie prep suited the bill.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
But first, a bit of performance art, if you will.
Squash-henge
I couldn’t help myself, these little squash babies needed their 3.6 seconds of fame.
the cast
Forgive me, I had to digress. For this dish, I decided to add in the little squash buddies; it’s a highly adaptable technique that works better than simply sauteing everything or steaming it all together. I’ve had ratatouille turn into a big pot of mush too many times when I do it (sorry, R.) so I shy away from doing it like that. This method results in veggies that are tender but still recognizable and I appreciate that in a veggie.
TECHNIQUE: ROAST/SAUTE METHOD
Use this when you want to create a vegetable “stew” but want to preserve the integrity of the veggies that you want to showcase. In this case, I want to play up the eggplant and the squash.
I roast them first, set aside and put them in the pot before finishing to heat through and mix in with the saute. If you’re not into peppers (hello, all my acid reflux friends!), simply saute onions with fennel. If you like, dice in a tomato (squeezing out excess water).
To roast veggies well, be sure to coat them very lightly in oil (I generally use olive or grape-seed oil). You can toss them around in the roasting pan. That’s very direct but I tend to use either too much or too little oil that way. You can toss them around in a large bowl but that means another bowl to wash and we don’t like that. And sometimes I go with my favorite method but warning: it’s not so pc: the cheap ziploc bag method. Throw the veggies in a bag with just enough oil to coat, add seasonings, close bag and jump up and down in your kitchen, thereby having fun, getting some aerobic exercise and coating your roasting veggies evenly all at the same time. Quite miraculous.
make friends with your seasonings
a happy medley
MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT WITH ONIONS & PEPPERS
adapted from Diana Shaw’s Almost Vegetarian
Makes 6 servings
1/4 c. plus 2 T. olive oil 4-6 Italian (or other small) eggplant, cut into bite-sized cubes garlic powder to taste, or 1/2 t. – if you crave an exact amount 2 large onions, white or brown, thinly sliced 2 fennel bulbs, stalks and fronds trimmed, thinly sliced 2 large red peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced 2 large yellow/orange peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced 2 t. whole fennel (AKA anise) seed (no, it’s not too much) 1 T. oregano, dried (yes, that’s a T. not a typo) 2 T. red wine (not an absolute but nice to add) 2T. balsamic vinegar pinch of sugar salt & pepper 1 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley – optionalTIPS: can add roasted zucchini/squash to eggplant or substitute it – if doing both, use greater eggplant to squash ratio. If too watery at end, spoon out a bit of liquid.
Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Shake up veggies to be roasted in bag with 2 T. oil and seasonings -salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Spread eggplant (and squash) cubes in a single layer in a baking pan and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes. Stir once to prevent sticking.
In a Dutch oven (large heavy casserole with cover) or large saucepan, heat olive oil. Saute the onions, fennel, peppers and oregano and fennel seed over medium-low heat until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
Add wine and balsamic vinegar and stir. Add a pinch of sugar if it seems a little sour. If you’re not a taster, omit the sugar and take your chances. Add the roasted veggies, cover and heat through for 5 minutes. Season with salt & pepper before serving. If you like, top with chopped parsley.
more eggplant
couldn’t stop making this dish – a larger version with eggplant
Serving Suggestions: Make it as a side, or over pasta, quinoa or grains.
Heat leftovers in skillet, break a few eggs, one at a time, in different sections of pan over the cooked veggies, cover to steam about 5 minutes (or until set to your liking), season and, Ta Da! Super Shakshuka! Great breakfast, brunch, light supper. What’s Shakshuka?? Stay tuned for a future post or do some sleuthing.
Black Friday? Guess again. Movie madness? Nope. Pancakes at John O’Groats? Ding ding ding!!!
And as long as we’re there, can we get a side of biscuits too, please? And if we’re getting that delicious Baxter Scramble, make sure it comes with those delectable potatoes. After a post-turkey haze, there’s nothing like a few carbs over at family-run John O’Groats. It’s been on Pico Blvd. near Rancho Park in LA for decades and it’s my go-to place when I want a simple and delicious meal, which is usually a breakfast of pancakes &eggs.
a happy man
I had the 7-grain granola pancakes and hubby, aka my Novio, ordered the Baxter Scramble – scrambled eggs with sauteed onions, mushrooms, spinach & avocado – with potatoes. Perfect for a day when you want the kitchen to be on hiatus.
PS to the Apple Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake:
In a tale not unlike Goldilocks, it went from Too Wet to (I believe) Too Dry to, in its third incarnation today, Just Right. What did I do?
I switched amounts of baking powder and baking soda and surprise, reduced the number of eggs from 3 to 2. Changes are all duly updated in the Apple Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake post. My novio wants to know why everything seems to fly out of the house almost as soon as it comes out of the oven.
APPLES and PUMPKINS and Me, Oh My!
OK, so as I said in the last post my friend Linda LaRue came by for a date in the kitchen after we were discussing (alright obsessing) on what would make a great addition to the holiday dessert table that wasn’t mind-numbingly sweet and where you could actually taste the ingredients that shout FALL IS HERE!
I have a great fondness for my spring form pan and knew I wanted to use it. I suppose you could use a regular 9″ round cake pan but I’m very klutzy when it comes to getting cakes out of pans and I like the way the lock pops open on the spring form.
I mentioned my love of Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin… so simple, so delicious.. in my last post on pumpkin muffins. I stand by it – absolute goodness in a can.
Have you heard of volcano cake? Delicious when it comes to chocolate, right? Well, when we were done and cut in, we found ourselves staring at a pumpkin volcano cake.
Hmm. Just then my Novio walked by and being very helpful and taking his chief taster position very seriously, immediately offered his services. He liked it and said it was like a pumpkin pudding cake. OK, but not sure how that would generally go over. I am taking this cake over to our new neighbors’ Pam & Ray for Thanksgiving and I’d like for us to be invited back. They’re lovely people.
So I re-thought the ingredients and halved the amount of pumpkin, changed the original cake flour idea to unbleached flour and added a bit of baking powder. Don’t limit yourself to Thanksgiving, serve this baby anytime during the apple/pumpkin season.
That's more like it
APPLE PUMPKIN UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
Makes about 12 servings.
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. unbleached flour ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour 1 t. baking powder 1/2 t. baking soda ½ t. salt 1 ¼ t. cinnamon ½ t. ground nutmeg ½ t. ground ginger ¼ t. ground cloves ½ c. canola oil ¾ c. superfine or granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 15-oz. canned pumpkin (preferably organic and not pumpkin pie mix) (= 1 cup pumpkin) 3 medium sized apples, such as Pink Lady or Fuji 2 t. pure vanilla 1 T. Turbinado raw sugar (or sub 1 T. packed light brown sugar)Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Make sure your rack is positioned in the center of oven (a little above is good too). Lightly spray 9-inch spring form pan with light vegetable oil spray. Cut and place parchment paper to fit bottom of pan. Lightly grease paper. Combine ¼ tsp. cinnamon and Turbinado raw sugar in small bowl and spread evenly over bottom of spring form pan.
- Sift together flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, remaining cinnamon and all other spices in bowl.
- In the bowl of a mixer or by hand, thoroughly beat canola oil and sugar, then add eggs one at a time. Beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy. Next, add the pumpkin.
- Fold in sifted dry ingredients.
- Coarsely grate one apple and then fold into mixture. Add vanilla.
- Peel and thinly slice remaining two apples length-wise. Layer slices beginning in center outward in slightly overlapping circular pattern. Pour batter over layered apples. Place spring form pan over square of aluminum foil to prevent dripping to bottom of your oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out dry. Remove aluminum foil.
- Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes on rack before unlocking pan and flipping. Easiest way is loosen all around perimeter with blunt knife, unlock spring form, place desired cake plate upside-down over pan, take a breath and flip. I always wanted to be a gymnast.
a public debut
cake 'n buddies
Welcome to All-Things-Pumpkin week. We’re lucky enough to be invited to friends this year which is allowing me to focus on two late fall/winter favorites: pumpkin and apples. I almost always go for the actual produce and avoid canned anything. But there is one notable exception: TRADER JOE’S CANNED ORGANIC PUMPKIN.
It’s a 15-oz. can of a little bit of heaven. I love that TJ’s, along with legions of others, but will save that conversation for later. Thanksgiving is Thursday and we don’t have that kind of time. I’ll just focus on pumpkin. Last week I bought the sweetest little Sugar Pumpkin in the Farmer’s Market, baked it and used it to make pumpkin bread, and you know, it just didn’t do it. Texture was a little too fibrous and the taste didn’t have the richness I was expecting. Why mess with a good thing? TJ’s sells their good stuff around this time so just stock up if you’re into it. I think I keep upping my quota by 2-4 cans every year since I made my canned organic pumpkin discovery some time back. Doing my part to bolster the economy…Yes We Can with One Can At A Time. Hmmmm. Interesting possibility for a slogan.
OK. Back to All Things Pumpkin week. I have been thinking about how to combine pumpkin and apples and got together with my friend Linda Larue for a date in the kitchen testing a cake which will be making its appearance here in a couple of days. If you need a delicious dessert that’s not over-the-top rich and can wait until early Thursday, great. Just make sure you have a can of pumpkin (please, no pumpkin pie filling) and three apples in the house (along with other spice-cakey type ingredients). If it’s too short notice, we’ll just save it for next time.
My niece Karen (K-don’t read beyond this point if you want to be surprised, otherwise you may proceed along with the rest of the populace) is a pediatric resident in Ohio who is working through Thanksgiving this year. Also working through the weekend is her husband Yoni, who’s an orthopedic surgery resident. They met in their first year of medical school and are married for a year. Isn’t that sweet? Doesn’t that make you want to send them something for the holiday? Like pumpkin-cranberry walnut muffins? I thought so.
Ready for sharing
The following recipe is slightly adapted (less sugar/fat) from a Pumpkin-Nut Bread from (my hero) Christopher Kimball’s Cook’s Illustrated 2007 Holiday Baking Issue.You can do a 9×5 inch loaf by using the following recipe BUT putting it in a pre-heated 350°F oven for 45-55 minutes. You can also get 3-4 mini loaves in 40-44 minutes. Here are the muffins. Happy Thanksgiving!
PUMPKIN CRANBERRY-WALNUT MUFFINS
Makes 16-18 muffins (depending on how high you fill the tins; not to worry, just leave the empty tins blank – I use a 12-muffin tin and a 6-er).
WHAT YOU NEED:
1 c. walnuts, chopped coarse (pecans are good too) 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 t. baking soda 1 t. baking powder 1 t. ground cinnamon 1/2 t. sea salt 1/2 t. ground nutmeg 1/2 t. ground ginger 1/4 t. ground cloves 1 15-oz. can pumpkin (organic, if you can, not the pumpkin pie mix) 3/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. canola oil 2 large eggs 1 T. pure vanilla extract (the good stuff) 1/2 c. dried cranberries
TIP: Can substitute 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour for part of the flour.
HOW TO DO IT:
Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Generously coat muffin tins with canola oil spray and fill with papers. Spread nuts on baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 4-7 minutes (don’t leave the kitchen… they’ll burn – if you’re in a rush, you can skip this part, I won’t tell). Reserve 1 T. of nuts for topping.
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cloves together in large bowl. Whisk pumpkin, sugar, oil,eggs and vanilla together in a separate bowl until frothy.
Gently fold pumpkin mixture into flour mixture with rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in cooled nuts (minus 1 T.) and cranberries.
Fill muffin tins to almost full with batter. Sprinkle tops with reserved tablespoon of nuts. Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, and until golden and toothpick inserted into centers come out with just a few crumbs attached. Cool in tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool a bit more.
AND HERE’S A BONUS BREAD COURTESY OF MY BEST FRIEND LULU IN NY. Thanks, Lulu, for sharing. It’s terrific, has a different technique and is very easy.
PUMPKIN SPICE BREAD
Ingredients:
1 c. pumpkin 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/2 t. nutmeg 1/2 t. ground cloves 3/4 c. water 1 and 1/2 c. dark brown sugar 1/2 c. canola or safflower oil 2 large eggs, slightly beaten 1 and 3/4 c. flour 1 t. baking soda 3/4 t. saltProcedure:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Heat pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in small saucepan over medium heat on stove until steamy. Stir continuously until pumpkin stiffens and starts to stick to pan, about 3 minutes.
Transfer to medium bowl, whisk in water, then brown sugar, then oil and then eggs, until smooth.
In separate bowl, whisk together remaining dry ingredients, then fold into pumpkin mixture until just combined.
Bake until firm and golden brown, about 70 minutes for a large loaf and 50 minutes for 3 mini loaves. Let stand for a few minutes. Cool to room temperature. Slice & serve.
P.S. Please check out my ABOUT page. It’s now populated with more in the works.
Long ago and in another time, when I was in high school, I’d sometimes yell out LET’S MAKE APPLE PIE!!! or I’M IN THE MOOD FOR MACARONI & CHEESE…. FROM SCRATCH!! or a HOW ABOUT WE BAKE A GUGELHUPF? (sp?) to which my mom always enthusiastically agreed. I think she, after years of working long days in the clothing store she and my dad had in the Bronx, was guilted into going along with me. She was a good cook and knew a bit about baking , but never had the time to stray from her reliable repertoire.
When I first started cooking on my own on a regular basis, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. In my mom’s kitchen, when it came to chicken or meat, there were three jars of seasoning: onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. That’s it. Clean and simple. Delicious, but I knew there was more. So I stocked my spice rack with everything from allspice and chervil to marjoram and oregano.
The first time I stewed a chicken, instead of going with THE BIG THREE, I put a little of everything I had on hand, and THAT was quite a bit. It all kind of canceled each other out and the effect was not altogether pleasant. I then decided that when it came to herbs, less is more (as with many other things in life). Pick one or two herbs you want to highlight in a dish and commit. That general guideline has worked for me over the years, whether it’s basil, dill or rosemary.
But when it comes to this Indian-inspired dish, more seasoning = more flavor. Do not be afraid to be generous in the sprinkling on of these spices. Unlike in my early days of sprinkling dried herbs willy-nilly, all these spices go beautifully together.
Last week, my novio (AKA my husband Joel) & I ate dinner with good friends at Public Kitchen & Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. They indulged my desire to order a bunch of small plates and sides. (The mojitos were excellent!) A side of roasted cauliflower was seasoned with vadouvan (never heard of it -must find me some) and arrived to table cut very small and studded with capers. Interesting combo that I hadn’t seen before and it worked. If you’re into capers, give it a try. But for goodness sakes, throw them on at the end and don’t even think of roasting the little delicate things!
Anyhow, I love to roast veggies and do it at least weekly. Once you get bitten by the roasting bug, the possibilities are amazing. Veggies, all manner of potatoes and fruits take on more flavor and depth when you roast them. The natural sugars caramelize and that makes for very happy eaters around your table. So pull out the largest baking sheets you’ve got (pans with rims are great, like a 1/4 sheet pan or a jelly roll pan) and go to it.
INDIAN-INSPIRED ROASTED CAULIFLOWER MEDLEY
Found this at the Farmer's Market. Any color will do.
Done!
Indian-Inspired Roasted Cauliflower Medley
What you need:
3-4 T. olive oil 1 head of cauliflower, trimmed, washed/dried and cut into bite-sized florets 1 large onion, white or yellow, cut in 4-6 chunks 4 medium carrots, cut unto 1-inch chunks (on the diagonal is cool) 3-4 small or medium white potatoes, unpeeled and cut unto a large dice salt & pepper (use sea salt or kosher salt for more flavor) 1 t. garlic powder 1 t. ginger, powdered 1 t. cumin (my love) 1 t. Hungarian sweet paprika (another love) 1-3 t. curry powder (depending on your taste buds) 1 t. turmeric Note: Kosher salt is a coarse salt without additives and has a purer flavor. Optional: If you know about vadouvan, by all means, add some and let me know how it goes. Should be excellent.TECHNIQUE: (This is so important, I may need to do an expanded version as a permanent page in the future. Keep an eye out in the SIDEBAR AREA→)
If you’re a newbie to roasting veggies, and you won’t be by the time we’re through with you, there a few basics to keep in mind:
- DRY VEGGIES – always towel dry your veggies well after washing. Damp anything will steam in your oven, NOT roast (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
- SIZE & ROASTING TIMES – When doing veggie combos, you want to keep the size uniform, EXCEPT (and this is a very important EXCEPT) when you are roasting veggies of different density and therefore different cooking times. EXAMPLE: Peppers, onions, brussel sprouts, eggplant or zucchini (not a exhaustive list by any stretch) roast faster than potato or yam wedges. Solution: cut your potatoes or other dense veggies smaller than the others OR begin roasting the denser veggies first and add the quicker-cooking veggies later.
- SINGLE ROOMY LAYER – Never crowd veggies when roasting. They need space, not a lot, but enough so that air can circulate.
- OIL – Use enough oil to moisten the veggies so that the seasonings will stick. Always toss in oil first, THEN add your seasonings.
- OVEN TEMP – I generally roast veggies between 375° and 425°, depending on the veggies in use. It’s also important to factor in the temperament of your oven. If it’s a slow oven, you’ll need a higher temp or a longer roasting time. With some practice, you’ll get it JUST RIGHT and for most that means a bit crispy (and/or grilled-looking) on the outside and tender on the inside.
How to do it:
Pre-heat oven to 400° (see note above – doing this at 425° might do the job better for you). Wash and dry all veggies well. Cut up veggies. You may need to give them another pat dry after cutting.
Grab two large baking pans. I like to cover the pan surface with foil for easier clean-up. Coat pans with 1 T. oil each (alternately, you can use cooking spray). Place veggies on pans in single layer. Add the rest of the oil, sprinkle on all the seasoning and toss. Roast for 35-40 minutes, flipping once with spatula or flat wooden spoon for even browning.
I am a late-bloomer in all things, so I’m consistent in that my discovery of the world of food bloggers didn’t happen until I read an article in the Los Angeles Times a year ago on a very popular food blogger (thank you Pioneer Woman). I knew that this is where I was headed given my life-long love affair with food. After getting to know some food blogs out there and visiting a few favorites regularly (thank you Smitten Kitchen), I knew I had to emerge from the stone age and join this world. It’s Noah who I need to thank for giving me a kick in the butt to propel me out of procrastination mode and giving me a jump start. So Noah, I dedicate this birthday post to you and feature the muffin recipe in my files that caught your eye.
ZUCCHINI RAISIN-WALNUT MUFFINS
Our good friends, Ann & Joe from Camarillo, brought us this late-season zucchini that was impersonating a baseball bat. I used about 20% of it for the recipe. The rest I roasted with two very demure little eggplants that were nestled in the basket they brought us. Because this zucchini was such a big guy, I needed to peel the tough outer skin and remove the seeds in the center before cutting into quarters and grating. Zucchini that are not on steroid therapy (what are you throwing in with the fertilizer, Joe?) do not need require this type of attention.
Yes, there are vegetables in these little guys!
Zucchini Raisin-Walnut Muffins
Notes: t. = teaspoon T. = tablespoon c. = cup
What You Need: 1 c. all-purpose unbleached flour 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour (available at Whole Foods and elsewhere) 2 t. baking powder 1/4 t. salt 1 t. cinnamon 1/4 t. ground cloves 1/2 c. canola or safflower oil 2/3 c. sugar 3 large eggs 1 t. vanilla 1/4 c. low fat milk (I generally use 1%) 1/2 c. raisins 1/2 c. chopped walnuts 2 c. coarsely grated zucchini (squeeze out any excess liquid) (Optional: Substitute 2 T. flax seed meal for 2 T. whole wheat flour.)How To Do It:
Preheat oven to 375° F. In a bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Beat oil with sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. You can use a hand-held or stand mixer, or beat by hand.
Stir the flour mixture into the oil/egg mixture. Add the milk, then stir in the raisins, walnuts and zucchini.
Divide batter into 12 greased or paper lined 1/2-cup muffin tins and bake muffins in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Turn muffins out onto rack and let cool.
RED SWISS CHARD WITH SHALLOTS
Some people pronounce it shard; other people call it “tchard” – no matter. Either way it’s a delicious, earthy vegetable, more complex in flavor than spinach and pretty when it’s red. I use a very simple prep and saute or steam-saute it with shallots or onion. The only thing to note is sauteing in two stages – first the celery-like center part right after the onion/shallot and last the leafy green part. After rinsing, it’s not necessary to completely dry the leaves as the water beads create the steaming part of the cooking process. Trim the bottom of the center stalky part. Then cut upward on either side of the stalk and around the top to separate the leafy part. Saute the sliced up stalks until just about tender, then throw in the cut up leaves just before covering and finishing it up. If fresh basil makes regular appearances in your kitchen, then you may know about the cutting technique called “chiffonade” (pronounced shi-foh-NOD). It means piling the leaves on top of each other (as many as you can work with at a time before they all go tumbling) and rolling them together very tightly as if you’re a cigar-maker, and then holding together and slicing . That will produce ribbons for you to throw into your pan (and it’s fun to do). Chard reduces dramatically, so don’t be surprised that the big hulk in your fridge becomes a a healthy serving for two. So if you’ve never tried it, grab some chard at the next farmer’s market and give it a “tchiffonade”.
Red Swiss Chard with Shallots
What you need:
1 bunch red Swiss chard 1 T. olive oil 1 large shallot, thinly sliced salt & pepper sugar, two pinches 2 T. balsamic vinegar (If you don’t have a shallot in your fridge, use an onion, trimmed, cut in half from top to bottom and sliced thinly.)How To Do It:
Grab a favorite saute pan with a lid. Peel and thinly slice shallots and set aside. Wash and trim Swiss chard, and separating leaves from stalky center by cutting up on either side of the stalk and around it, slicing up the stacks and making ribbon-like slices out of the leaves.
Heat pan on medium, add olive oil and when heated, add shallots. Saute a few minutes until limp, then add chard stalks, cut-up. Add salt & pepper to taste and a couple pinches of sugar (I use white or raw) and cook on medium-low about 5 minutes. To finish, throw in the leaves, splash the balsamic vinegar over it and cover until just tender. This goes very fast so don’t leave the kitchen!
Tip: To prevent the leaves from spilling out of the pan, throw in a handful at a time stirring it with a wooden spoon so that it cooks down about before adding the next handful. Do this fairly quickly so that you can give the whole batch a couple of minutes to itself with the lid on.
bumbleberry breeze 