Skillet Cornbread

To accompany the amazing lentils and roasted veggies that my roommate made for our roomie dinner, I made some cornbread. It also accompanied well with that goat cheese that I made the day before! Yummo! This is recipe is so effortless that I could put it all together just on my kitchen table bench. No need for massive space of the entire kitchen space (God forbid!). Really, that was only very convenient for me because my roommate still had dinner goin all over the rest of the kitchen. But I liked how easy it was regardless.

To make:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening

Now put it together:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder and stir together.
2. Measure the buttermilk and milk in a measuring cup and add the egg.  Stir together with a fork.
3. Add the baking soda and stir.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients.
5. Stir with a fork until just combined.  Do not over stir.
6. In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup of the shortening in the microwave.
7. Slowly add the melted shortening to the batter, stirring constantly until just combined.
8. In an iron skillet over high heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons shortening.  Pour the batter into the hot skillet and spread to even out the surface. Add a bit of herbs on top if you want (I put some sweet basil).  Cook on the stovetop for 1 minute, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.  The edges should be crispy.
9. Slice into lil pie slices and serve it from the skillet if it's not too hot to carry :)   

Fresh Goat Cheese

I had an epiphany over Christmas break that I must, truly must start making my own cheese. I knew it couldn't be that hard, really. And then I looked up a few recipes and learned that it was even easier that I imagined.

To Make:
1 Quart Goat Milk (Pasteurized... not ultra-pasteurized, preferably. more on that later.)
1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
sea salt and herbs of your choice
cheese cloth

Easy Peazy:
1. Pour the milk in a sauce pan and put it over medium heat, until it reaches 180 degrees. It's important that you use a thermometer to know if you're getting to the exact temperature, because you don't want your milk to burn. Once you get it to 180, take it away from the heat.
2. Add the lemon juice. You should see the milk curdling in about 20 seconds, but if it doesn't, then add a tad bit more of lemon juice. Let this sit for about 20 minutes.
3. Then, drape the cheese cloth over a colander, over a big bowl. You'll need to layer up the cloth about four or five times so that it'll be strong enough for this yummo cheese.
4. After most of the whey has drained through the colander, tie up the edges of the cloth into a little knapsack of sorts, and then slip the knot through a spoon or twig. Hang it over a deep bowl for about 1 1/2 hours to allow the excess liquid to drain out of the cheese.
5. Eat it as is, or add a bit of sea salt and various herbs. I split it up into three sections: one with rosemary and sage and lavender, another with sweet basil and thyme, and another with cracked black pepper and salt.

WOOHOO! you've got cheese. that was easy.

Okay, and for those of you who accidentally bought ultra-pasteurized goat milk like I did, don't fear because you haven't totally screwed up! After doing the whole process of heating it and putting in the lemon juice, you can just let it cool over the stove and then pour it back into the milk container. Put it in the fridge over night and then you can take it out the next day and do the rest of the process.



ENJOY!

Cranberry Gingerbread Bundt

Christmas parties. So many Christmas parties. Which means, so many opportunities for baking yummy things!! Woo! So I get pretty excited. Plus, it's nearly finals week, and I'll use whatever distraction I can grab at to give me a study break. Hence the bundt. And, who doesn't love to say the word "bundt"?! It's so fantastic! I'll make a bundt any day just so that I can say the word a zillion times over. Oh, and it's real pretty, quite the crowd-pleaser. Apparently my friends also said that it actually tasted delicious as well. So you really can't go wrong. If you're in need of a Christmas baked good, give this a go.

Ingredients:

3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1tsp. baking soda
1 (heaping) Tb. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter (melted&cooled)
1c. brown sugar
1c. molasses
1/2 c. buttermilk
3 eggs
12 oz. fresh cranberries

1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. chopped dark chocolate
dash of cinnamon

Create:

bake at 350. butter & flour a bundt pan.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Beat butter, molasses, eggs, brown sugar, and buttermilk. Add gradually to the dry ingredients.
Fold in the cranberries.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until it's set.
Let it cool completely, then take it out of the mold, place it on a pretty platter.

In a double boiler, melt up the chocolate and add in the heavy cream, stirring continually. Add the bit of cinnamon if you're feelin brave (it makes the chocolate taste even more "dark").
Pour over the cake, and serve.

Yes, I am certainly wearing my ugly Christmas sweater.

God bless us, everyone. 

Enjoy!

Guiness Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Who doesn't love a lil' liquor in their baked goods? I know I do! And of all things, Guiness, Whiskey, and dry robust red wine all make me think of being warm and cozy. So I chose to work with Guiness this time. This recipe creates a rich, moist cupcake with a light creamy frosting which is sure to tickle your fancy.

Ingredients:

1 12 oz. bottle of Guinness
1/2  cup chocolate pudding (or milk)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tb vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tspn baking soda

Okay Go:

note to self: don't put open bowl of frosting in fridge.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine cocoa powder, sugar, flour, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine Guinness, pudding (milk), oil, and vanilla.
3. Beat eggs into wet ingredients one at a time.  Mix in sour cream.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet.
5. Pour batter into lined cupcake pans (or make sure to butter your pans if they are not lined), about 2/3 full.  6. Bake for 25 minutes if making regular sized cupcakes and 15-18 minutes if making mini sized ones.  Allow to cool before removing from tins.

Mascarpone cheese frosting

1/2 lb. mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream

1. Place all ingredients in an electric mixer bowl.
2. Beat on medium high until soft peaks form. Do not overmix!  Use immediately.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Beet Cake

So I watched this video, and it inspired me. Though my experience of making this cake was much less whimsical and dreamlike, I still played the music as I whisked to get a similar effect. (in case you're wondering, the song is "Babe" by Evenings.

I love vegetables, I love red (and pink fingers), I love heart-shaped cakes, and most of all, I love chocolate. Thus, I love this recipe.

The cake turned out so moist and delicious, with just a soft hint of beet, which was surprisingly lovely. My dog Bear really wanted to try it. I think that's a good sign.

ingredients:
2 c. beets (pureed)
2 c. flour (I used whole wheat pastry)
1.5 c. dark brown sugar
4 oz. semisweet chocolate (melted)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. butter
3 eggs

create:
1) preheat oven at 375
2) puree the beets (fresh is best!) in a processor, then add in the butter, vanilla, and eggs.
3) in a large bowl, whisk in the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
4) then add the wet ingredients, plus the melted chocolate.
5) scoop into a pan, and bake for ohhh about 30 minutes. mine seemed to take a long while.



oh that's good...


(don't tell them it has veggies in it until after they eat) 

Pumpkin Granola

To make use of the excess pumpkin puree on my shelf, I've decided to whip up some granola with it. And who doesn't love granola? The breakfast (and snack) of champions. Here's the yumtastic recipe!

ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ tsp. salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pepitas (or hazlenuts, walnuts...)

ready go:
1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix that up.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

don't forget to share! ;)

Homemade Sweet Potato & Spinach Gnocci

Ya'll, this is delicious and so very easy. Truly, easiest homemade pasta ever.

Grab some sweet potatoes, some spinach, some flour and voila! Pasta.

So what I did was this:

3lb. sweet potatoes
15 oz. frozen spinach
~3c. whole wheat flour

-Peel and boil up the sweet potatoes. Throw them in a processor to puree (also a cheap way to make babyfoods...).
-Thaw frozen spinach, and get out the excess water by dabbing with a paper towel.
-Trow that spinach into the processor too.
-Now just add in whatever spices you wish... oregano, basil, salt&peppa, rosemary, etc.
-Put the puree into a wide bowl and add about 2 cups of flour, and then slowly add the rest. You want to create a pliable dough that is dry enough to knead without getting sticky stuff all over your fingers.
-Roll out pieces at a time into dough-logs and then slice off about an inch of dough at a time.
-Toss dough pieces into boiling water.
-It'll only take the pasta bits about a minute until they rise to the surface of the water, and when they do, you can take them out and set them aside to be eaten.

Now it's all finished, but if you want, you can toss the gnocci in a skillet of olive oil and garlic, to give it a bit of a browning, but this isn't necessary.

Pesto White Wine Sauce:

2 Tbsp. organic pesto
1/3 c. white wine
4 Tbsp. cream
1 Tbsp. butter
S&P

-Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

Now you can add whatever else you like to the gnocci... sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, etc.

Enjoy!