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Sometimes I post quick and easy recipes straight onto my Facebook page or Instagram, rather than working on a full post here on my blog. I created this recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes one fall weekend a few years ago and posted the recipe straight to Facebook. It was my most popular post ever, with more than 285,000 shares. You guys love your pumpkin recipes as much as me! I thought it'd be fun to share the recipe with my blog readers too and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and the Facebook community does. Pumpkin Pancakes 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Purée 1 Egg 1 Cup Milk 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour 1 Tablespoon Sugar 2 teaspoons Baking Powder 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice Pinch of Nutmeg Whisk pumpkin purée and egg together until smooth. Add in remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Fry batches in a cast iron skillet for a tasty fall breakfast treat. Note: Nut milk can be substituted for the regular milk if desired. I had a nice time visiting with Bev last week when I went to get some fresh peaches from her orchard. My new neighbor who bought the cabbage farm next door was coincidentally there picking some peaches herself and it was nice to squeeze in some girl talk that morning. It also happened to be Colin and my anniversary so on my way home I started thinking about what I could make with the peaches for dessert that night and these little shortcakes began to develop in my mind. I was so happy to see Colin and the boys enjoying them later that night. Spiced Shortcakes: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of ground nutmeg 1/3 cup milk 1 egg 1 tablespoon molasses Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor and pulse until blended and butter pieces are roughly the size of small peas or peppercorns. (You can also cut the ingredients all together in a large bowl using forks or a handheld pastry blender). Make sure to take care to not over mix. Combine the milk, egg, and molasses together in a small bowl or measuring cup and gently stir until the egg is slightly mixed in. Pour liquid mixture into the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork until it all begins to come together. Give the mixture a few flips and squeezes with your hands until it's all held together and turn out onto a floured surface. (Again, take care to not over mix the dough). Dust top with more flour and press into a 3/4 inch thick circle. Using a biscuit cutter, press out your shortcakes and place them on a parchment lined (or lightly oiled) baking sheet. (This recipe makes about 9 shortcakes). Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until center begins to feel slightly firm to the touch on the top center of the shortcakes, and the bottoms are browned. Spiced Whipped Cream: 2 cups whipping cream 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more or less to taste) 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons honey Granulated sugar to taste While the shortcakes are baking, prepare your whipped cream. For 9 shortcakes, I like to make about 2 cups of whipped cream. To prepare your whipped cream, pour whipping cream into a large bowl. Add Cinnamon and nutmeg and whip until the cream just begins to thicken. At this point, while the beater is still running, drizzle in the honey. (I like to use 1 teaspoon of honey per cup of whipping cream). After honey is whipped in, slowly pour in the sugar and beat until the cream is fully whipped. After the shortcakes have cooled to just slightly warm, or room temperature, you are ready to serve! Cut cakes in half, top with whipped cream and freshly sliced peaches and dust with a tiny bit of nutmeg, if desired. For an extra little finishing touch, dust with a bit of ground nutmeg: Notes: The shortcakes will look sort of dry and crumbly but they are the perfect texture and are actually quite tender, light, and delicious and hold up really well for several days if stored at room temperature in an airtight container. I add honey to my whipped cream because it stabilizes the cream, and it won't separate. (This is really great if you're storing your extra whipped cream for any period of time!) *Thoughts* I've touched briefly on this recently... It's been nice making a comeback here on the blog after several years of barely making it here to post during that time. I was taking care of my family who needed my complete focus. Something that took a hold over me while I was away was that it was almost entirely impossible to have a creative thought. I was just trying to make it through. In hindsight, I've thought that it's so sad that in my most trying times, the creativity fell away. I missed those thoughts so so much. Now, more than ever, I'm so thankful for every little life moment that feeds my soul - like a freshly picked peach, the scent of peaches hanging in the orchard air, visiting with my neighbors, riding my bike to get corn from Francis at Eleven Acres, tending to the lavender, and hearing one of my children whistling or humming a song. It's all bringing me back to life and I'm so happy to be here again. These mini pies are strawberry rhubarb pie meets rhubarb crumble with the topping adding the perfect sweet and crumbly addition. To make them extra special, serve still slightly warm with a scoop of old-fashioned vanilla ice cream. Mini Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pies Dough: 1 batch of your favorite pie dough. (I use this recipe, reserving the extra dough for future use) Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Use mini 3" pie pans as a guide by placing them face down on dough and using a knife to cut around each pan. Use a metal spatula to lift pie dough circles into the mini pie pans. Do not worry about the crust covering the lip of the pans, that isn't necessary. You will want to have 15-16 mini pie pans lined with pie crust. Filling: 4 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2" cubes 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and flour in a mixing bowl. Evenly scoop this fruit filling into the prepared mini pie pans. Mound the filling up a bit because it will condense down as it bakes. Place the pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Crumble Topping: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick) cut into small cubes 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Combine all of the Crumble Topping ingredients into a mixing bowl and cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter or with your hands, until the mixture forms small crumbs. Evenly scoop the crumble mixture over each of the pies. You may need to softly press the crumble mixture into place if it is falling off the pies. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the crumble is browned and the filling is bubbling. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or pack for a picnic or lunch and eat at room temperature. Notes: This recipe makes 15-16 mini 3" pies. If you're not super familiar with rhubarb, you can learn more about it here. I know when you think of strawberries, it's of the sweet berry we all know and love and not of something sour or pickled. But that's the fun of summer and the abundance of fruit that's available. We can try new things, like pickling strawberries! And they're great for adding into lots of summery dishes. To get started, you'll need to make the pickling liquid. It's really simple: Pickled Strawberries Combine 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Once the mixture comes to a full boil, remove from heat and cool to room temperature. While vinegar is cooling, add small whole strawberries (that have been washed and had stems removed) to a jar. Pour cooled vinegar solution over the strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. To use, add whole berries to a cheese plate, sliced berries to a summery rice pilaf salad, or to a green salad that could use a little kick. Notes: Make sure your vinegar solution is cool before using, as warm vinegar will make the strawberries soft and not very appealing. The berries should be subtley pickled, not overly so. Plan on using the berries right away after pickling. Pickled items are especially good when mixed with items that balance them out. So for example on your cheese plate, in addition to the pickled strawberries, you'd want to have some sweet elements like yellow raisins, apple slices, etc., as well as a mix of textures like soft and crunchy. Same with a salad, maybe the dressing has been sweetened with honey and you've added crunchy nuts and so on. This is Strawberry Week on my blog! Stay tuned tomorrow for another post all about strawberries. Love, me There's high anticipation on the bluff for strawberry season, with it kind of being the kickoff to the fruitful season that lies ahead for the farms here each summer. Strawberries are such a good crop to get your kids hooked on picking too, because the berries are big and it's easy to fill a flat pretty quickly. For a fun summer outing, head out to your favorite u-pick berry farm and make a day of it - berry picking, followed by a picnic in the strawberry field. For a simple and tasty picnic, start with packing up some Turkey and Strawberry Jam Baguette Sandwiches: Slice baguette in half, down the middle making a top and bottom for your sandwiches. Cut the bread to any size length you want. Spread bottom with dijon mustard, top with turkey, sliced provolone cheese, arugula, spread strawberry jam on top half, and wrap. Or you can pack tiny jars of jam and spread on your sandwich when you're ready to eat. For a special treat, make Strawberry Piesticks in advance for your picnic: Carefully spoon or pipe strawberry jam down the center of half of the strips, leaving an open edge on all four sides. Wet open edge with water (you can do this by tapping your fingertip into a bowl of water and dabbing the water on the edge of each jam covered strip). Top the jam-filled strips with remaining pie crust strips and gently press edges together. Gently press all along edges with a fork to seal. Poke holes on the top of each piestick with a fork, allowing steam to escape while baking. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the Piesticks are golden brown, approximately 15 minutes. Cool completely and pack for your picnic. Pack a jar of Nutella for dipping the Piesticks and your fresh-picked strawberries! Pack up some drinks, a quilt or two, and you're ready to enjoy your day of berry picking and picnicking. Notes: You can find my favorite piecrust recipe here. For a similar recipe and technique of mine for making piesticks, click here. As I write this, it's gray and foggy here. These cold days really don't inspire thoughts of bright flavorful treats, but truth is, it's citrus season and aren't we lucky! And sure, you can peel yourself an orange. But you can make citrus pops too! A treat I discovered from my friend, Sylvia, who makes popsicles from freshly squeezed grapefruits. So, I decided to give it a try, using lots of different citrus. It couldn't be any easier. Simply juice your choice of citrus. Don't worry about filtering out the pulp. Pour juice into popsicle molds and freeze. That's it. And girl, let me tell you, these little pops are the most delicious treats and a sure way to add a POP! of brightness into your day. What I've found in changing the way I eat is that it takes more time. There's a lot of prep work that's involved because, as I like to joke, I'm eating vegetables for a living! Really though, with the amount of vegetables in my life now, it seems like I'm always chopping and dicing. So what that means is that sometimes when lunch rolls around, I'll just eat a piece of fruit or skip the meal altogether because I don't want to put in the work. Something I've found to be a lifesaver is having options on hand to pull together a delicious lunch bowl - which is a bunch of tasty and healthy ingredients all together in one bowl. What that entails is a little bit of work ahead of time. If I'm making brown rice or quinoa with dinner, I'll make an extra amount for use later. I also pull together whatever veggies and herbs I have on hand that sound good together, and prep them for later use. Oftentimes I'll cube and pan sear some extra-firm tofu as well. (It keeps nicely in the fridge). A tasty combination is quinoa, bok choy, tofu, carrots, green onions, cucumbers, and cilantro. (I especially love quinoa because it's a healthy seed that's packed with protein). But there are SO MANY tasty combinations. (See notes below). Despite the little bit of prep work, it makes for a pretty easy meal. Recipe: Cooked quinoa (rather than cooking quinoa in water, I like to substitute vegetable broth for more flavor). Fresh vegetables of your choice Seared tofu (Cube and lightly salt tofu or marinate in soy sauce before cooking. Sear in an oiled pre-heated skillet on high heat. (If you've marinated in soy sauce, make sure you completely drain before adding it to the pan). I think cast iron works best for this. Searing gives a nice flavor to the tofu and a more enjoyable texture. If you're avoiding tofu, a good substitute is eggplant, prepared the same way). Rice wine vinegar or soy sauce Sricha, if desired Add desired amounts of each ingredient to a bowl and sprinkle with a little bit of rice wine vinegar or soy sauce. If you like a little spice, add some sricha as well. Then, mix it up and enjoy. Your own little lunch bowl. Notes: I prefer extra-firm tofu. I think it has the nicest texture and holds up the best when cooking. I find the brands in the tub with a little water tend to be tastier than the brands that are vacuum sealed in plastic. I know some people like to use it as a meat substitute but I don't. I think if you have in your mind that it's a substitute for meat, you're going to be disappointed because they are not similar in any way. And honestly, I think tofu is an acquired taste. I grew up eating it, so it's something I enjoy, as do our boys because they have as well. I tend to buy red quinoa as opposed to white, because I have in my mind that it's healthier. I have no basis for this, but know that brown rice is healthier than white rice and there are many nutritional benefits to darker vegetables, so, I choose red if it's available and priced the same. Why not? You can get fancier with these bowls and make an actual dressing. For the lunch bowl above, this dressing is tasty. (Using that dressing recipe, I sub soy sauce for the fish sauce and then skip the additional 2 teaspoons of soy sauce listed). I use gluten free soy sauce or tamari. There are endless variations on the lunch bowl. Here are a couple of ideas: Brown rice, black beans, shredded red cabbage, diced tomatoes, roasted corn, guacamole and salsa or hot sauce. Rice noodles or vermicelli, bean sprouts, chopped leafy greens, grated carrots, sliced radishes, seared tofu (if you're a meat eater, chicken would be a tasty alternative), raisins, and curry dressing. (For dressing, mix 1 cup coconut milk with 1-2 teaspoons yellow curry paste. Drizzle desired amount atop bowl). For a last minute dinner, pull together your favorite combination of ingredients as if it's a taco night and let each person create their own bowls, using the components they choose. My friend, Cheri, made a version of this oil one weekend as a delicious part of a girls weekend breakfast. It's herbaceousness with just a touch of saltiness is so incredibly tasty. It's perfect drizzled atop a plate of toast, fresh greens, and a fried egg, but it's uses are endless. It also makes a great last-minute homemade hostess gift. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves 4 cloves fresh garlic 2 tsp kosher salt 2 cups extra virgin olive oil Place herbs, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Pour in a splash of the olive oil. Puree until all ingredients are finely minced. Stir puree into remaining olive oil and pour mixture into a covered container. Keep in refrigerator. Uses: Substitute for ordinary oil in salad dressing Marinade for grilled veggies, seafood, and meat Toss with pasta for a delicious side dish Stir-fry with peppers and onions Perfect for a hostess, teacher, or favorite foodie friend gift You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can judge a pie by its crust. This is hands-down the best piecrust ever, adapted from my mother-in-law Mary Jane's recipe. It's rich, flaky and unforgettable. You can make the dough, wrap it, and freeze for baking later. Ingredients 4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 3/4 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (3 1/2 sticks) 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 extra-large egg Directions Note Feel free to use salted butter. If you do, skip adding the 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mary Jane was given the original version of this recipe by a friend while living in San Diego and adjusting to life as a new mom with a husband at war. I often think of her when preparing this dough and can only imagine what a challenging time it must have been for her. Yet somehow, she still made time to bake pies. I love that. Images by Thayer Allyson Gowdy Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. My favorite summertime pie, full of juicy fresh-picked GreenBluff orchard peaches and wild huckleberries from Mount Spokane. Ingredients 2 Discs Grandma's Pie Dough (You can find my recipe here) 5 cups peaches, sliced (about 5 medium peaches) 1/2 cup huckleberries 3/4 cups granulated sugar 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Directions Notes: You can find my recipe for Grandma's Pie Dough here. I highly recommend using only fresh, tree-ripened peaches as they are the most tasty and flavorful. Huckleberries are sometimes compared to blueberries, mostly because of their similar appearance but are more tart, flavorful, and honestly, much tastier. If you're substituting blueberries here, I recommend using a variety from a farm or farmer's market for the best flavor. Blueberries from the store tend to be much too bland, in my opinion. If lattice crust is too intimidating, feel free to use a full top crust or use a small cookie cutter to cut out lots of shapes for a variation on the lattice. Images by Thayer Allyson Gowdy Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. Another great use of dandelions is to brew them into as a simple tea. It’s really easy to make. Simply steep a handful of fresh leaves and blossoms in hot water for 5-10 minutes. The tea is quite mild and reminds me of spring, which seems appropriate for the plant that truly is one of the earliest signs of the season. Notes: More about Dandelion Tea: Cool after brewing and serve as an iced tea, sweetened with honey. Dry the blossoms and leaves and store in an airtight container for a dried tea mixture that can be used throughout the year. Add blossoms to iced tea before serving for a pretty presentation. Not in the mood for dandelion iced tea? Simply add dandelion blossoms to icy lemonade for a sweet touch. You should NEVER harvest dandelions for consumption from any area that has been fertilized or treated with chemicals, such as most suburban lawns or parks. They should be gathered from wild areas, free of pesticides and chemicals. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. Yesterday I talked about the nutritional value of the dandelion - such a gem of a plant, and a great ingredient for starting your day in a healthy way. Luckily, it doesn't have to be complicated. Although the flower is a great source of nutrition, it's a little too bitter for me to eat raw, so I like to look for ways to incorporate the flowers with other ingredients that balance the bitterness. Smoothies are a nice way to accomplish this. Here's all you'll need for a Dandelion Smoothie: Almond milk 1 frozen banana Handful of dandelion flowers (with stems) A splash of maple syrup Dandelion flowers really compliment the flavor of the banana creating a tasty combination. Blend and serve. It's as simple as that. And how about some dandelion greens? They're a favorite of mine, for sure. In our house, the boys are partial to egg whites, so some eggs with dandelion greens and chives are sure to please. Here's what you'll need: 3 eggs per serving (we separate out the whites and use them only) 1 handful of dandelion greens per serving, chopped Chives to taste, finely chopped Olive oil for frying White pepper and salt to taste Drizzle a skillet with olive oil and heat over a medium-hot flame. Add eggs to skillet. Sprinkle with a little white pepper and salt. Once they're just about cooked all the way, sprinkle with the greens and chives and quickly turn a couple of times to wilt. Breakfast is served! Notes: White pepper is a nice seasoning for eggs as it's not too overpowering. For an afternoon snack, cook eggs the same way (with or without the yolk) and place on lightly toasted wheat bread with a little mayonnaise for a delicious egg sandwich. Notes: If you're into juicing, dandelion greens would make a great addition to your mix. If you're feeling ambitious, dig up some dandelion roots to throw in as well. (See note below regarding where to harvest dandelions). For best nutritional value with dandelions and any other plant, eat as soon after harvesting as possible. You should NEVER harvest dandelions for consumption from any area that has been fertilized or treated with chemicals, such as most suburban lawns or parks. They should be gathered from wild areas, free of pesticides and chemicals. Just as the greens you grow in your garden, the first picking of dandelion leaves is the most tasty. If you pick regrowth from the same plant, the leaves will be increasingly bitter. My favorite in-print book for foraging is Wild Edibles by Sergei Boutenko. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. I'm always looking for healthy ways to add proteins into my meal making and quinoa is a big favorite of mine. I like how it can sort of mimic ground meat, when flavored well. I first created this recipe as an appetizer for a friend's birthday party and have since been serving it to Colin and the boys for dinner. The first time I served it, one of the boys said, "Wow mom, this is actually really good!" Ingredients 3 cups Cooked Quinoa (1 cup dry quinoa, cooked with 2 cups water yields 3 cups cooked quinoa) 1 cup Minced Carrots 1 cup Finely Chopped Savoy Cabbage 1/3 cup Finely Chopped Green Onions 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil 1/4 cup Soy Sauce 1 teaspoon Ground Fresh Chili Paste (This amount just adds flavor. To make it spicy, add 1-2 teaspoons more.) 2 tablespoons Roasted Peanuts, Chopped 1 teaspoon Packed Brown Sugar 1 head Butter Lettuce Directions Spoon into lettuce leaves: and top with peanuts. The brown sugar peanuts add a nice flavor pop and crunch to the savory filling: Notes: The quinoa mixture will taste slightly salty on its own, but you'll find it's just right once eaten in the wrap, as it needs the flavor to shine through the lettuce wrapping. If you would rather use meat, substitute one pound of ground chicken for the cooked quinoa. Heat pan with sesame oil on high heat, add chicken to pan before the vegetables. Cook for one minute, then add vegetables, soy sauce, and chili paste all at once. Cook until chicken is all cooked, soy sauce and chili paste are beginning to caramelize, and mixture is beginning to slightly brown. You can find Ground Fresh Chili Paste in the Asian food section of most grocery stores. If your store doesn't carry it, you can order it on websites such as Amazon.com. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. I made this cake for Luke's 15th birthday. He wanted a dessert that was a chocolaty surprise. He's been on a peanut butter tear lately, so I figured he'd love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. I mean really, how can you go wrong with that?! This cake is mouth watering, melt in your mouth delicious. Ingredients 2 cups granulated sugar 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water Directions Note To make cupcakes using this same cake recipe, click here. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there, Username: thefarmchicks These tasty little treats "tree-ts" are a fun adaptation of our family's Sweetie Pies. And although they're dusted with powdered sugar, they're actually not overly sweet, which is a nice change of pace during the holidays when things can be overly sugary. And the list of ingredients is pretty simple: Pie Crust, Jam, A Beaten Egg, and Powdered Sugar. To get started, preheat your oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. Roll out pie crust on a floured surface to about 1/8" thick. Press tree cookie cutter into crust and place 1/2 of the trees onto an oiled (or parchment-lined) baking sheet. Place a small dollop of jam on each tree on the baking sheet, keeping jam away from the edges of the trees. Brush a small amount of beaten egg yolk along the edges of the trees. Cut lines into remaining trees and place on top of jam covered trees, gently pressing all along the edges to seal. Some jam will squish through the edges, and that's okay. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Some of the jam will ooze out the sides while baking, so don't be alarmed. Using a spatula, remove the hot trees from the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar and serve. Want to get fancy? Line serving trays with cinnamon sticks and arrange trees on top. Not only will they look darling, they'll pick up a slight cinnamon-like flavor. A real "tree-t"! Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there, Username: thefarmchicks Since sharing Floyd & Margaret's story here a few days ago, their story has spread across the country. Most recently, the Today Show ran a story which included a mention of Margaret's oatmeal cookies as well as a link to my blog. (You can read my tribute to Floyd and Margaret by clicking here). Because of the overwhelming amount of traffic my blog is receiving, I thought it'd be appropriate to share Margaret's Special Oatmeal Cookie recipe with you, just as Margaret did for us the first time she welcomed us into her kitchen: Margaret's Special Oatmeal Cookies 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Margaret uses apple pie spice) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter (2 sticks) (Margaret uses margarine) 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Mix the batter: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the flour, rolled oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed just until well combined. Bake the cookies: Drop the batter by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies just until lightly browned on the bottom and the tops are set - 9-11 minutes. Don't overcook, or they won't be soft. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. I've been volunteering some time at my grange during Apple Festival where one of the vendors sells the most delicious aebleskivers served with a choice of applesauce and caramel, huckleberry, or boysenberry jam. It got me to thinking that I'd like to make a pumpkin version. I love how these turned out - pretty springy (which is hard to achieve with pumpkin anything), not too sweet, and perfectly representative of autumn. The recipe is also classified vegan, but don't let that scare you if that's not your thing. They're delicious! If you don't have an aebleskiver pan, feel free to make pancakes! Pumpkin Aebleskivers 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups almond milk (or any milk you have on hand) 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Add wet ingredients in order listed and whisk until well combined. Heat aebleskiver pan over medium low heat. Once heated, fill each aebleskiver opening with batter, just below the rim. Cook until batter begins to puff and bubble up above the rim. Use a toothpick or skewer to flip the dough, poking into the side of each one. Cook for a few minutes more, until batter is cooked throughout. Once cooked and golden brown, remove from the pan with the toothpick or skewer. Repeat with remaining dough until all are cooked. (This recipe makes 28 aebleskivers.) Serve with maple syrup. I also love serving with maple pecans (as pictured), which can be easily made by toasting pecans in a pan over medium heat, then drizzling with maple syrup and stirring until syrup has fully glazed the nuts and is no longer runny. Cool nuts on an oiled piece of foil. The first time I tried Quinoa was on a work trip to New York City. We were at the beautiful new Hearst building having lunch with Country Living Magazine colleagues in their amazing cafeteria. I tried a bit on top of a green salad and was instantly hooked. At the time, Quinoa was fairly new to the U.S. and was hard to find. But now, it's available in most supermarkets. Quinoa is pronounced: keen-wa and is a seed that seems much like a grain and is really high in protein. Asian Quinoa Salad 1 small piece fresh ginger (about 1 1/4 inches) 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (1 32 ounce carton) 2 cups quinoa 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 4 teaspoons peanut butter 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper (1/4" dice) 1/3 cup diced yellow bell pepper (1/4" dice) 1/3 cup sliced green onions Roasted, unsalted peanuts. chopped, for serving (optional) Cook the quinoa: Peel the ginger and grate enough to equal 1 teaspoon; cover and set aside. Then place the remaining whole piece ginger in a medium-size saucepan. Add the broth and quinoa, and cook according to the quinoa package directions. Discard the ginger and transfer the quinoa to a medium-size salad bowl; set aside to cool. Make the dressing and salad: Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, and reserved grated ginger in a small bowl until combined. Add the peppers and green onions to the quinoa in the salad bowl; pour the dressing over the top and toss to thoroughly combine. If you wish, sprinkle some peanuts over the salad just before serving. This soup is so tasty that I buy turkey during the year just to make it. And after Thanksgiving, it's the perfect way to use up some of your leftovers. Creamy Turkey & Wild Rice Soup 5 tablespoons butter (1 tablespoon for sauteing, 4 tablespoons for cream sauce) 1/3 cup diced celery (1/4" dice) 1/2 cup diced carrots (1/4" dice) 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) 4 cups chicken broth (1 32-ounce carton) 1 cup water 3/4 cup wild rice 2 cups diced cooked turkey (about 1 pound) 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1 1/4 cups half-and-half 2 tablespoons white wine (optional) 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper Make the soup: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onions, sauteing until softened - about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, water, wild rice, and turkey. Bring to a boil; then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make the cream sauce: Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix the flour and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl and then add to the butter; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the half-and-half and cook until slightly thickened - about 1 minute. Stir the sauce into the soup. Stir in the white wine, bacon, salt, and pepper. Serve. I love apple season and getting to have fresh-pressed cider is just an added bonus. The other night I was thinking about how much I wanted some apple pie but I wanted it RIGHT then. And since pie takes a while, I started thinking about what I could make instead. Cider. Spiced Cider. Hmmmm, could I add a dollop of ice cream and make it a Cider A La Mode? YES! And this little treat was born. Ingredients: 1 cup fresh-pressed cider 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional) 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 scoop vanilla ice cream (you can use your favorite non-dairy variety to make it vegan) Heat cider, then stir in sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add ice cream and drink right away. Please note, this isn't a mulled cider. This is a quick-fix kind of treat. The longer you heat cider with spices, the more intense the spice flavor becomes. If you are going to do this as a mulled cider, you'll want to experiment with the spices to suit your taste. Also, if you ever make mulled cider, I'd recommend using a cinnamon stick rather than ground cinnamon because it gives a great flavor without the powdery consistency of the ground cinnamon. If you want to make more than one cup, just double or triple ingredients as needed. The last year brought a lot of changes to my world - many of them health related. I've always really prided myself on cooking healthy food for my family, but I've never tried harder than I do now, really in an effort to be as healthy as I can be (and my family too!) As I've made big changes to what I've been cooking, it's been a challenge. For me, someone who has always cooked for enjoyment, it feels like I'm learning to walk again. I recently created this delicious veggie sandwich, which is an adaptation of my Olivada Crostini recipe from the first Farm Chicks cookbook, and a success in my quest for more healthy eating. Italian Veggie Sandwich 2 small hearty Italian bread rounds or 1 regular-sized 4.25 ounce can chopped black olives 1/3 cup pimento stuffed green olives, chopped 1/2 cup bottled roasted red or yellow peppers, chopped 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 large clove garlic, minced fine Fresh onion slices Fresh zucchini slices Romaine lettuce Cut rounds in half and remove soft inner bread, leaving just the crust. (Save the soft bread for snacking!) Add the olives, peppers, vinegar and garlic to a small mixing bowl and stir until combined. Spoon about 1/4 of the mixture onto the inner base of the bread round and spread evenly. Top with the onions, zucchini, and lettuce. Add a bit more of the olive mixture to the inner top of the bread round. Place top round onto bottom veggie-filled round and press. Cut in half or in fourths and serve. (These sandwiches are also really delicious if they are wrapped and placed in the refrigerator overnight). Repeat the process with the remaining bread round, filling, and veggies. You're probably beginning to notice my love affair with all things mini. I admit it. I'm Serena and I love all mini treats. I made these creamcakes because I wanted to make something delicious with what I had on hand. These cakes are chocolately, creamy, and perfectly sweetened with raspberry. But best of all, they're really simple and a modern adaptation of the cakes my sister would make for me as a child, all covered in jam. Ingredients 1 package thin chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco) 8 ounces mascarpone* 1/4 cup raspberry jam (I recommend Smuckers Simply Fruit) I started by making a batch of my favorite cookie dough for these sorts of things. (It's important to use a recipe that won't rise and become puffy). I rolled out the dough and cut out the flag shapes for the project. (Just freehand, with a small, sharp knife). I transferred the dough to a parchment lined baking sheet and inserted little wooden toothpicks for the flags (about 3/4" of the toothpick). I embellished some using some dough letter stamps and big heart sprinkles, just by pressing into the unbaked dough, and then baked them up. Then I decided it'd be fun to sugar glaze some of them and add a few sprinkle dots, for good measure. A soft pink sugar glaze is great too. I kept some unglazed, because sometimes simple is just enough. And then, well, it was really simple. I poked them into my little cakes. But they're just as fun to package up as treats for the ones you love. Or better yet, just gobble them up. Because Cookie Flags bring happiness to all. Cookie Flags Dough 1 cup flour 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Cream the butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla, beating until well combined. Beat in the flour, just until combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Flour your work surface and roll out your refrigerated dough to about 1/4" thickness. Using a sharp knife, cut out the shapes of your little flags. (As shown above). Once you've cut out all your flags, transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. (The best way to do this is with a spatula). Repeat with the remaining dough scraps, until all the dough is used up. Insert toothpicks into the flags as described above, and adorn, if desired, as described above. Refrigerate the Cookie Flags, on the baking sheet, for 15 minutes. While the flags are being refrigerated, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the Cookie Flags for 12-15 minutes. Cool on pan. Once completely cooled, the flags are ready to glaze or use as is. Cookie Flags Glaze Confectioners (powdered) sugar Milk Add milk, just a wee bit at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. Add a drop of food coloring, if you'd like. Mix together with a spoon, until thoroughly combined and then glaze to your little heart's content. Tonight I'm having a Christmas party and I'm looking forward to serving this creamy latte deliciousness. And although I'm not a coffee drinker, this cool drink is more like a dessert in a mug than anything else. Coffee Latte Punch Makes 14 (1 cup) servings 1/3 cup instant coffee 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 gallon 2% milk (8 cups) 1 cup half & half 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream Heat 1 cup water to boiling. Add the instant coffee and sugar and stir until dissolved. Set aside until cool. Pour the coffee mixture into a large container and stir in the milk. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, pour the coffee mixture into a large punch or serving bowl. Stir in the half & half. Using a scoop, add the ice cream to the bowl and let sit until most of the ice cream has melted - approximately 25 minutes. Gently whisk everything together until incorporated and serve. Tips: You can substitute 1 cup of hot, double-strength brewed coffee or espresso for the instant coffee and water if you like. Sometimes I don't fully mix in the ice cream, instead I leave it floating on the surface as a yummy sweet topping for each serving. You can find this recipe, as well as Christmas inspiration, decorating ideas, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas. Images by John Granen. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. I'd like to introduce you to my family's favorite holiday cookies: Snowballs. They're rich, buttery, crispy and sweet and fun to eat. (Snowballs shown on left). Snowballs 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans (about 4 ounces) 3/4 cup powdered sugar Grease two large baking sheets. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter and honey in a medium-size bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined and fluffy - 2 - 3 minutes. Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in vanilla; then beat in flour and pecans until combined. Roll the dough by tablespoonful between your palms, into balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1" apart. Bake the cookies just until they turn light golden brown - 12 - 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Put the powdered sugar into a large plastic food-storage bag. Add the cookies, 6 at a time, and gently shake the bag until they are coated with sugar. Makes 24 one-inch cookies. To serve, pile up on a tray. Tip: Snowballs make great gifts! Wrap in cellophane bags for gift giving. For added cuteness and stability for gift giving, place cookie filled cellophane bags into vintage food containers (as shown above), jars, or colorful paper bags. You can find this recipe and many more, as well as decorating ideas, projects, inspiration, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas. Sources: The containers shown are vintage. Cellophane bags: Target Ribbons: Michaels Sweatshirt: Boden Images by John Granen Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. Cooler autumn weather calls for warm cupfuls of deliciousness. These sippers incorporate what's best about the season - pumpkin and pie-like spices. And yes, they're beyond delicious! Spiced Pumpkin Sippers 4 cups whole milk 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg Add all ingredients to a saucepan and whisk together over medium heat. Whisk occasionally until hot. Ladle into mugs. Optional: Drizzle with whipped cream that has been softly whipped and sprinkle with ground nutmeg. Serve hot. Tips: If you prefer a less sweet drink, you can reduce the sugar by half. These sippers are a great drink to serve to guests. To ease the work at party time, prepare the recipe in advance and refrigerate until ready to use. Keep a crockpot full of the mixture to serve warm throughout your gathering. Or, drink it one cupful at a time, simply reheating in the microwave. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. With zucchini in abundance this time of year, these tasty bites are a fun new way to put the veggie to good use. (This recipe is from my first book, The Farm Chicks in the Kitchenand is shown here with another recipe from the book, Tangy Cucumber Cups). Sour Cream & Onion Zucchini Cakes 2 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini) 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup for coating cakes 3/4 cup Japanese style panko bread crumbs 1/4 cup finely diced onion 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Vegetable oil, for frying Sour cream, for serving (about 1/2 cup) Chopped fresh chives, for garnish Place the grated zucchini on a paper towel-lined plate and let sit for an hour; occasionally change the paper towel. With your hands, transfer the zucchini to a medium-size bowl, tightly squeezing as you do so to remove as much liquid as possible. Add the egg, the 2 tablespoons flour, bread crumbs, onion, salt, and pepper; mix to combine. Place the remaining 1/2 cup flour on a plate. Add enough oil to a medium-size skillet to be 1/8-inch deep; heat over meium-high heat until hot. Meanwhile, formthe zucchini mixture into tiny (2-inch) bite-sized cakes. Working in three batches, pat each side of each cake in the flour and place in the hot skillet. Fry on each side until golden brown - 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Arrange the cakes on a serving plate, top each with a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with chives. Serve warm. Sources: Fabric on tray and fabric on apron: Sandi Henderson. (You can purchase her super wonderful fabrics here). It's peach season here, which means it's time for me to whip up a big batch of Crunchy Granola. A bowl of fresh, juicy peach slices, topped with granola and drizzled in cream is out of this world. (This recipe is from my first book, The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen). Granola 6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut 2 cups pecan halves 1/3 cup canola oil 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter 1/2 cup honey 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Heat the oven to 325 degrees farenheit. Combine the oats, coconut, and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Combine the oil, brown sugar, peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until smooth. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until well combined. Line a large shallow baking pan with foil. Spread the mixture in the pan. Bake until browned - about 50 minutes - stirring every 10 minutes with a large spatula. Cool in the pan on a wire rack; then stir once more. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. It's always good to have a back-up dessert option for those times friends stop by or you just want to create a wonderful treat in no time flat. Chocolate Dipped Anything is a favorite of mine. I know, I had you at chocolate, right? And to make it even better, why not sprinkle it up? With sprinkles, of course. Here's all you need: Chocolate Chips Vegetable Oil Fruit or cookies for dipping Combine chocolate chips and oil together in a small vessel such as a small measuring cup or bowl. (Something that is a bit more narrow than a standard cereal bowl, yet large enough for you to dip into, as this makes the chocolate go further). I use about 1/2 teaspoon of oil to 1 cup of chocolate chips. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until oil and chocolate are combined and the mixture is melted and smooth. Dip fruit/cookies into the chocolate, followed by a dip into a bowl of sprinkles (you can skip the sprinkles if you'd prefer) and place onto a sheet of tin foil or waxed paper. Allow to sit and harden (you can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 15 minutes). Once chocolate has set, transfer to a serving platter and serve. Ooh-la-la! Tips: I like to do serve a mixture of dipped, un-dipped, some sprinkled, and some not, so there are choices for everyone's tastes. Tiny bunches of grapes are a favorite of mine for dipping, and are an unexpected twist to the traditional strawberry. I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate and white chocolate are delicious too. Make sure fruit is completely dry before dipping. Water and chocolate don't mix, and the water will make the chocolate become instantly lumpy and unusable. I always keep large jars of different sprinkles on hand. I buy mine from Bake it Pretty. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. Greetings from the countryside of Dayton, Washington! Colin and I just enjoyed one of the most memorable dinners ever. (I'll be writing about it next week). And good news! We enjoyed "Strawberry Fool" for dessert. In honor of Strawberry Week, I thought I'd share the concept of the dessert with you here, and how you can re-create it at home. Please don't roll your eyes when I tell you this... This is a very simple dish! And elegant? YES! To create, quarter fresh strawberries and gently stir in granulated sugar (add sugar to taste). Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, until the strawberries begin to release their juices. Combine strawberry mixture with heavy whipping cream and taste to ensure the mixture is suitably sweetened for a dessert. Beat until cream is stiff. Scoop beaten strawberry cream mixture onto a chilled platter, top with chocolate cookie wafers and fresh raspberries. Drizzle with sweetened, unwhipped, heavy cream and embellish with thinly sliced fresh mint. Serve immediately. If you want to get really fancy (and create more work for yourself), drizzle with Creme Anglaise, instead of the sweetened, unwhipped, heavy cream. And how many times in your life have you gotten to announce that you're serving "Strawberry Fool" for dessert? Yeah, me too. Picnics are one of summer's greatest treats, so why not make each picnic delicious? I devised these pies to be highly portable and free of the need for any silverware. The crust is deliciously flaky and the strawberry filling tastes like a sweet kiss of summer. I bet you can't eat just one! Crust: 3 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 1/2 cups cold butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg 1/2 cup cold water Combine the flour and graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles course meal. Whisk the egg and water together and mix into the flour mixture until just combined. Transfer to a clean work surface and gently press to form a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, press into a disk shape, and chill for at least one hour. While dough chills, prepare Strawberry Pie Filling. Strawberry Pie Filling: 4 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered (cut into eighths if the berries are huge) 1 cup brown sugar (not packed) 1/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl and stir together until flour and sugar are mixed in. Set Pie Filling aside. Line two large baking sheets with foil or parchment and lightly grease. Roll out dough onto a floured work surface and roll out to a 1/8" thickness. Use a cereal bowl for a guide, and trace with a knife. Repeat until the dough is all used up. (Should make about 16-18 dough circles). Divide pie filling evenly between the dough circles, folding and pressing each one closed as you go. Press edges with a fork and prick center for steam to escape. Place the pies on the baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is oozing out from steam holes. Remove pies immediately to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely. (They will harden up as they cool to room temperature). Notes: These pies will ooze filling as they cook, as the strawberries are very juicy. If you prefer a less juicy/messy pie, don't use all of the juice from the filling mixture when filling the pies. Your baking sheets will look somewhat - a lot juicy when you remove the pies from the oven. Don't worry, this is normal. Just make sure to remove the pies while they're hot so the filling doesn't stick to the foil/parchment. I definitely recommend using foil or parchment, rather than placing these directly on the baking sheet. this way, you won't have a huge clean-up when you're done! Picnic Pies are rustic and don't need to be perfect. They're meant to be enjoyed! Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. P.S. Did you know it’s Strawberry Week here at The Farm Chicks? Would you like to share your favorite strawberry recipe with The Farm Chicks reader community? If you’re on twitter, you can tweet your recipe link to #strawberryweek for all to see! If you’re not on twitter, you can share your recipe in the comments here or blog about it and then share your link. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. I love when the weather begins to take a turn for the warmer and it seems like every meal is done on the grill. One of my favorites is pizza. You'll need to start with a batch of your favorite pizza dough. I like this recipe from Better Homes & Gardens: Pizza Dough 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup warm water (not hot) 2 tablespoons olive oil In a large mixer bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour, the yeast, and salt. Stir in warm water and oil. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. (6 to 8 minutes total). Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into as many pizzas as you'd like to make and roll out on a floured surface. (I recommend starting out with small pizzas while you get the hang of cooking them on the grill). Place dough on floured pans. Lightly cover the top of each crust with olive oil. (I like to use olive oil that can be sprayed on for this). Light grill and set at low-medium low. Hold pan over grill and carefully flip the dough (the side that you've oiled) onto the grates. If the dough gets crinkled, quickly use a spatula to straighten it out, by placing the spatula under the dough and using your hand on top of the dough to guide the dough out. Transferring the dough to the grill is the trickiest part and takes some practice. (This is why I recommend starting out with small crusts). Spray the side facing up with olive oil. Once the crust has very lightly browned and is stabile enough to turn, flip it with your spatula and lightly brown the other side. (You are not trying to completely cook the dough at this point, just giving it a light grilling). Place crusts back onto pans and return to the kitchen for toppings. Now comes the fun part: your favorite toppings. Add anything you'd like. Here are some ideas: Pesto, spinach, and parmesan: Olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, fresh oregano and mozzarella: (fresh basil is even tastier, but I was out at the time) A sudden windfall of 5 pounds of asparagus from my neighbor inspired this one: olive oil, asparagus, marinated feta, and pine nuts. (I should have added some ricotta or mozzarella too, as it was tasty, but a bit too dry). And of course, kid favorites like cheese and ham with olives: Take pizzas back to the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned to your liking: Then remove from the grill, slice, and serve immediately. Tips: I buy my pizza pans from a local restaurant supply store in Spokane. (Most cities have these stores). It's really helpful to have a lot of pans when feeding a crowd. I usually double the dough so there's plenty to go around and to enjoy for leftovers the next day. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. One of my favorite spring flavor combinations is strawberry and rhubarb and every year, I love experimenting with recipes that include them. My Strawberry Cake is sweet and aromatic while the Rhubarb Topping is a bit tart, really buttery, and delicious. Desserts really don't get any homier than this. Ingredients RHUBARB TOPPING: 3/4 cups butter (1 1/2 cubes) 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar (not packed) 3 cups fresh rhubarb (cut into 1/2) STRAWBERRY CAKE: 2 heaping cups fresh strawberries (stemmed and blended to yield 1 1/2 cups) 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter (melted) 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs Directions Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. This recipe goes all the way back to my high school home economics class with Miss Goughnour. Miss Goughnour had a really big impact on my love of domesticity, especially cooking. The original recipe from school called for chicken, but I've adapted and tweaked it over the years because I love tofu. However, if tofu scares you, you can always substitute 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced. Ingredients 1 package firm tofu (cut into cubes, (about 1/2" x 1") or crumbled) I created this cake for Colin's birthday this year, not knowing (after all these years!) that he doesn't really care for carrot cake. Luckily, he loved it and when I told him it was lowfat, he was happily surprised. The fat in this recipe comes from the eggs in the cake and the oil used for greasing the pan. And of course, the icing. I enjoy the fact that it's lowfat, but like the ease of the preparation even more. The cake is heavenly scented with homey spices and topped with a creamy icing that just melts in your mouth. Ingredients 3 cups shredded carrots 4 eggs 1 cup non-fat milk 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed) 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Directions Note Tips: Rather than oiling and flouring the baking pan, I use a baking spray that is oil and flour combined, so all I have to do is spray it on and I'm done. Baking sprays can be found on the shelves of the baking aisle in grocery stores, most often with the oil. *Post Edit* Baking the cake in a 9"x9" pan will result in a cake that is a little more on the dense side. If you prefer it to be less dense, bake in a 9"x13" pan for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Notes: I love homestyle cakes because there's no pressure on making them perfect and there's a sort of comfort in that. Let's just relax and eat cake. Frosting a cake "homestyle" decreases the amount of frosting used, as there's none going on the sides. The scent of this cake makes a happy home. I'm not kidding, just bake it up and the scent will make everyone smile. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. I've been jonesing for cherry pie, so today I whipped up my Cherry Crumble Pie recipe. There's something pretty wonderful about having cherry pie in the middle of winter. It's like I'm tricking the system somehow. It all started at Carolyn's when I spotted this most darling little pan: Wouldn't these make the most special little Valentine or anytime treats?!, I thought. So, I whipped up a batch of my favorite mini cupcake batter and baked them up in my new pan. Next, I prepared the perfect Cupcake Glaze: Cupcake Glaze 1 cup powdered sugar 6-7 tablespoons cream 1 drop food coloring Whisk together until smooth. If necessary, add more cream to reach desired consistency. Then it was just dip and sprinkle, dip and sprinkle: Donut Cupcakes are F-U-N! Donut Cupcakes are *Sweet*... Donut Cupcakes are the perfect Valentine treat! But what if you don't have a little donut pan? It's Mini Cupcakes to the rescue! And *good news* ... they're just as tasty! Sources: I bought my donut pan at Carolyn's in Spokane. A sweet little mom and pop shop. Carolyn's does ship, so if you want a pan for yourself, you can call Carolyn's and they'll take your order. And then you're supporting mom and pop. And nothing can be better than that. The cupcake recipe is from Country Living. Click here for the recipe. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there, Username: thefarmchicks This delicious pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to Black Bean Burgers and it's always the side that I order with my meals at the Elk in Spokane. I've adapted their recipe to make at home. And although I'm definitely not a fan of chipotle peppers, the flavor works perfectly here, adding just the right kick of spice, yet staying anonymous, making everyone ask the question: What's in here?! Ingredients 1 tablespoon melted butter (skip this to make it vegan) 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup onion (finely diced) 1 1/2 cup frozen corn 1lb uncooked curly or twisty pasta (such as Gemelli or Fusilli) 1 cup lowfat mayonnaise (use vegan mayonnaise to make it vegan) 2 cups packed fresh cilantro (roughly stemmed) 2 tablespoons chipotle puree Directions Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. The first time Colin and I visited Dahlia Lounge in Seattle, I fell in love with their donuts, made fresh to order. Quite possibly one of the best desserts of my life. Just recently I decided I'd like to try and make my own version, to see if I could duplicate the magic. The results are what I deem to be the lightest, airiest, most scrumptious little pillow bites of happiness. And better yet, the boys agree. I dare you to try and eat just one. Ingredients 1 cup lukewarm milk 3 eggs 3 tablespoons butter (softened) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 4 cups cake flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast Directions Note Please please please don't try and substitute regular flour. Cake flour is a must. Trust me, I learned the hard, not so fluffy and wonderful way. Since this is a big batch of dough, make sure your bread machine is capable of mixing the ingredients. In my machine, I need to stir everything together with a wooden spoon, in the machine to help it get started. I started out thinking donut holes would be perfect for this recipe but learned that the frying results can be inconsistent, due to the thickness of the dough. By making the thinner dough shapes, you'll experience much better results and no doughy centers. Don't overcook the dough. You don't want the donuts to get too dark on the outside as it makes each bite much less tender. I realize that finding mascarpone can be a challenge if you live in a small town. Don't worry. Simply substitute 1 cup heavy whipping cream for the mascarpone and whip with the vanilla and powdered sugar until stiff. If you're going to keep the cream on hand for more than one hour, add in 1 teaspoon of honey while whipping, so the cream doesn't separate. Substituting cream for the mascarpone results in a cream that isn't quite as decadent, but still very tasty. I do not recommend substituting cream cheese, as it will overpower the flavors in this dessert. Makes about 60 bite-sized donuts. To make dough by hand: Warm milk and butter in a saucepan until butter is melted. If milk is hot, let it cool to lukewarm. Add yeast, sugar, eggs, and salt and whisk until combined. Add 1 cup of the cake flour and beat well. Cover and let rise in a warm place until light and bubbly, approximately one hour. Add remaining 3 cups of cake flour and stir until smooth and combined. (The dough will be stiff). Cover and let rise in a warm place again for another half an hour. Continue recipe by following the directions above, starting at the point the dough is removed from the bread machine. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. One of our favorite Spokane restaurants is the Elk, which is a great spot to enjoy brewpub style food in a neighborhood setting. And one of the great things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the "come-as-you-are" attitude. Things are relaxed here, but the food is great. One of my favorite meals at the Elk is the Bean Burger, which they serve from time to time. I've adapted their recipe to be quick and simple, yet still tasty. Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup onion (diced) 1/2 cup red bell pepper (diced) 1/4 cup carrots (diced) 1 15 ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed) 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder salt & pepper to taste 1 egg 1 cup dried bread crumbs 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 - 5 slices provolone or pepper jack cheese Directions Note The chefs at the Elk recommend starting your patties in a cold pan to give the patties a nice crunch on the outside. For delicious go-to lunches at home, wrap patties individually and freeze. When you need lunch in a hurry, just grab a patty, microwave until hot, and assemble as usual. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. I'm a huge fan of cheesecake, but not of the preparation. When I lived in remote Alaska, I loved a blueberry cheesecake that the local Arctic Pizza restaurant would serve. It was served in slices like a cake, containing several layers and looking more like a cake than a cheesecake. I was always so baffled as to how they got the teeny tiny thin layers of the cake until one day I pulled it apart and realized that the "cake" was actually graham crackers! I devised this recipe with that concept in mind, and boy is it tasty (and easy!) Ingredients 3 8 ounce packages lowfat cream cheese 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree 1/4 cup whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla 13 1/2 full-sized graham crackers Directions Note You may be tempted to add spices, but I highly recommend leaving it simple. Unbaked pumpkin has a very subtle flavor and will be overpowered by any spices. If you allow the pumpkin to shine, you'll be so happy you did. Want to make a taller cake? Use a loaf pan instead. Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there. Grandma MaryJane makes this salad every year for Thanksgiving and It is one of my all-time favorites. I've lightened it up a bit since the Thanksgiving meal is such a heavy one, but the results are still a fruity, flavor-popping salad. The most important ingredient is the pomegranate seeds, which are such a seasonal delight. Ingredients 2 heads romaine lettuce (washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces) 4 seedless mandarin oranges (peeled and sectioned) 1/2 cup onion (peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced) Pomegranate seeds from 1 pomegranate 1/2 cup roasted, slivered, unsalted almonds DRESSING: 1/4 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh mandarin orange juice 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar Directions Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.
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Evo me, zastranila sam malo ovoga mjeseca na blogu. Imala sam velike planove za objavite recepte za nove keksiće da bi imali možda koju novu ideju za Vaš blagdanski stol ali eto dogodio mi se Život. Točnije gužva u njemu. Nije da se žalim ustvari razlog je više nego dobar, naime stigla mi je nova nećakinja mala Mašenka pa je nekako sve ovaj mjesec bilo podređeno tom divnom događaju. A što se tiče ove sada već pomalo i prošle 2017? Pa bila je u redu. Poučna u svakom slučaju. Naučila sam da puno mogu i sama i da mi ne treba pomoć drugih ljudi. Naučila sam da mogu i biti sama sa sobom i da je to u redu da nisam osamljena čak dapače u potpunosti mi odgovara. Naučila sam da se ljudi mijenjaju isto kao i ja, i da si u ovom trenutku više ne odgovaramo kao nekada. I ako nam bude suđeno kliknuti ćemo si kao i nekada. Ne trebam forsirati prijateljstvo i druženja ako me ne ispunjavaju. I znate onu koju vam svi stalno govore, nauči reći ne , to je sasvim u redu. Jesam, prvi puta sam nekom rekla ne, zaista ne jer to što tražiš od mene zaista ne želim napraviti. I još važnije od svega nisam se loše osjećala. I naučila sam da nemam vremena za sve i sve pažljivije biram stvari, radnje i ljude na koje ću potrošiti svoje vrijeme. Možda zvuči sebično ali u ovom trenutku meni odgovara. A to mi je najvažnije. Kao u svakom sumirajućem postu ovih posljednjih nekoliko godina još jednom dižem recept koji mi je nekako najdraži koji sam napravila u protekloj godini. Listajući kroz stare postove za oko mi je zapela ova Irina torta. Vjerojatno zato jer sam si počela pojednostavljivati život me sa tako dojmila i ova torta jednostavna po sastojcima a senzacionalna okusom. I Sretna Vam Nova 2018. Neka Vam bude sve ono što ste si zamislili da bi trebala biti. I nasmijana. I sa puno fine klope. I u dobrom društvu. I zdrava. I poslovno uspješna, I sa nekim novim putovanjima. To su moje želje a vi svoje samo dodajte. Pusa RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za biskvit: 300 mljevenih badema 8 jaja 140 g šećera u prahu 1/2 žličice ekstrakta od badema Za nadjev: 200 g pekmeza od maline Za premaz: 300 ml vrhnja za šlag 2 žlice šećera u prahu Zagrijte pećnicu na 175 C. Namastite i pobrašnite okrugli kalup za tortu promjera 20 cm. Odvojite žumanjke od bjelanjaka. Bjelanjke mikserom izradite u čvrsti snijeg. U drugoj posudi pjenasto izradite žumanjke sa šećerom dok smjesa ne posvijetli i udvostruči joj se volumen. U smjesu pjenastih žumanjaka umiješajte mljevene bademe. Na kraju nježno umiješajte i snijeg od bjelanjaka. Dobivenu smjesu rasporedite u pripremljeni kalup za tortu i zagladite površinu. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 45-50 minuta. Ohladite. Ohlađeni biskvit prerežite dva puta, tako da dobijete tri lista. Svaki list biskvita navlažite sa malo mlijeka. Na tanjur za posluživanje stavite list biskvita pa ga premažite polovicom pekmeza od malina. Poklopite drugim listom pa ga premažite ostatkom pekmeza. Poklopite trećim listom biskvita. Vrhnje za šlag mikserom izradite u čvrsti šlag. Sastavljenu tortu izvana premažite sa šlagom i ukrasite po želji. Ovi keksići zahtjevaju nešto više vremena kako bi ih napravili. Nisu komplicirani samo malo dulje traje dok ih se umijesi, izreže, ispeče pa dok skuhate i ohladite kremu, zalijepite dva po dva keksića i umočite ih u čokoladu. Ovako dok opisujem shvaćam da sam možda pogriješila i da će vas preplašiti cijeli proces izrade. Preporučam vam ove keksiće kao vikend projekt. Vjerujte sav trud uložen u njih vratiti će Vam se prvim zagrizom. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za tijesto: 200 g brašna 140 g maslaca 1 jaje 60 g šećera 40 g otopljene čokolade Za kremu: 100 ml mlijeka 40 g čokolade 2 jaja 30 g šećera Čokoladna glazura Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Dva velika plitak lima obložite papirom za pečenje. U prikladnu posudu prosijte brašno pa mu dodajte omekšali maslac, jaje, šećer i otopljenu čokoladu. Umijesite tijesto. Tijesto razvaljajte na pobrašnjenoj radnoj površini pa izrezujte kružiće. Slažite na pripremljene limove. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 10-ak minuta. Vrijeme pečenja će ovisiti o tome kako ste tanko razvaljali tijesto, moji su bilo dosta tanki pa im je trebalo otprilike 10 minuta. Ohladite. Za kremu u prikladan lonac stavite mlijeko i nasjeckanu čokoladu. Kuhajte uz povremeno miješanje dok se čokolada ne otopi i smjesa provrije. U drugoj posudi pjenjačom izradite jaja i šećer. Prelite kipućim mlijekom pa sve vratite na laganu vatru i kuhajte uz stalno miješanje dok se smjesa ne zgusne. Ohladite. U dresir vrećicu stavite ohlađenu čokoladnu kremu pa je istisnite na polovicu keksiće. Ljepite dva po dva keksića. pripremite čokoladnu glazuru pa umočite svaki keksić. Ostavite da se glazura ohladi i stisne pa spremite keksiće u limenu posudu. Nastavljam u revijalnom tonu :) Sa još jednim keksićima. Original recepta možete pronaći ovdje. RECEPT: Recept za ispis 220 g integralnog brašna 1 žličica instant kave 3/4 žličice praška za pecivo 1/2 žličice soli 30 g kakaa 115 g maslaca 150 g šećera 1 jaje 2 žlice ekstrakta vanilije 100 g krupno mljevenih oraha Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Dva plitka lima obložite papirom za pečenje. U prikladnu posudu prosijte brašno pomiješano sa instant kavom , praškom za pecivo, soli i kakaom. Mikserom pjenasto izradite maslac sa šećerom. Dodajte jaje pa dobro izradite smjesu. Umiješajte prosijanu smjesu brašna i miješajte dok ne dobijete jednolično tijesto. Umiješajte i orahe. Od gotovog tijesta oblikujte kuglice pa ih malo spljoštite. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 10-ak minuta. Ja sam vam inače strašno organizirana osoba. Volim da je svaka stvar na svom mjestu, rijetko kasnim i stalno nešto preslagujem kako bi bilo praktičnije i jednostavnije, što u stvarnom životu što u glavi. Takva sam i oko Božića. Pokloni su svi već doma, samo ih još večeras umotam i sa tim sam gotova tako da se mogu posvetiti planiranju keksića koje su peći i onda se sljedeći tjedan zatvoriti u kuhinju. I inače se strašno tome veselim, općenito tom 12 mjesecu i ništa mi nije problem i sve može. A ove godine sam nekako umorna i osjećam da me ne veseli sva ova strka kao obično. Ko zna možda je problem u ovoj južini vani. Uglavnom kao i obično svaki prosinac ovdje kod mene na blogu samo recepti za keksiće ako vam treba koja ideja. Danas vrlo jednostavni keksići sa čokoladom i orasima. Recept sam posudila iz BBC-ovog časopisa Good food. U originalnom receptu uz otopljenu čokoladu u recept ide i 100 g šećera. Meni se činilo da bi mi tako keksići bili preslatki tako da sam ga izostavila. A vi procijenite i prilagodite keksiće svom okusu. Keksići su malo žilavasti u sredini pa ih ja volim čuvati u limenoj kutijici u hladnjaku. RECEPT: 200 g čokolade nasjeckane na manje komadiće 100 g maslaca 1 žlica arome vanilije 1 jaje, lagano izrađeno 100 g oraha krupno nasjeckanih 100 g brašna 1 žličica sode bikarbone Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Dva plitka lima obložite papirom za pečenje. Na pari otopite 100 g čokolade i maslac. Kada se sve otopi i dobijete jednoličnu smjesu maknite sa pare pa umiješajte aromu vanilije, orahe, brašno, sodu bikarbonu i preostalih 100 g čokolade. Izmješajte. Žlicom stavljate hrpice smjese na pripremnljeni lim. Ostavite mjesta između jer će se keksići proširiti tijekom pečenja. Pecite 10-12 minuta. Ohladite pa spremite u hermetički zatvornu kutiju. Jedan prigodni kuglof kada nas svi upozoravaju da treba konzumirati puno C vitamina radi ovih sezonskih prehlada i hunjavica. Istina je da Vas neće baš koristiti kao da ste pojeli naranču ili grejp ali će Vam kuhinja divno mirisati. Original recepta pronašla sam ovdje. RECEPT: Za kuglof: 230 g pirovog brašna 150 g šećera 1 1/2 žličice soli 1/2 žličice sode bikarbone 1 žličica praška za pecivo 320 ml maslinovog ulja 270 ml kokosovog mlijeka 4 jaja naribana kora 2 naranče naribana kora 2 limuna naribana kora 1 limeta naribana kora 1 grejpfruta 120 ml narančinog soka 1 1/2 žlice arome vanilije Za preljev: 60g šećera u prahu prema potrebi sok grejpfruta Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Namastite i pobrašnite kalup za kuglof. U prikladnoj posudi pomiješajte brašno, sol, sodu bikarbonu i prašak za pecivo. U drugoj posudi pjenjačom lagano izradite jaja pa im dodajte šećer i aromu vanilije. Umješajte i maslinovo ulje, kokosovo mlijeko, narančin sok te naribane korice limuna, naranče, grejpfruta i limete. Umiješajte i smjesu sa brašnom. Ulite smjesu u pripremljeni kalup za kuglof pa pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 50-60 minuta . Istresite kuglof na tanjur za posluživanje i ostavite da se prohladi 10-ak minuta. Za preljev pomiješajte šećer u prahu sa toliko soka grejpfruta koliko je potrebno da dobijete gustu smjesu. Prelite preko mlakog kuglofa. Baš me izmučio ovaj vikend, strašno nešto. Kiša, mrak, ne baš tako dobre vijesti. Ma baš mi je bio naporan. Pa sam si onda jučer navečer smučkala ovaj kuglof. Tako je utješno kuća mirisala na jabuke, cimet i karamel. Original recepta možete pronaći ovdje. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za kuglof: 250 g šećera 350 g maslaca 3 jaja 180 ml kefira 1 žlica arome vanilije 390 g brašna 1 žličica sode bikarbone 1/2 žličice cimeta 1/2 žličice soli 4 srednje velike jabuke, oguljene i narezane na manje kockice Za preljev: 50 g muscovado šećera 15 g maslaca 2 žlice mlijeka 50 g šećera u prahu Za posip: ekspandirana riža Zagrijete pećnicu na 180 C. Namastite i pobrašnite kalup za kuglof. Jabuke operite, ogulite i nasjeckajte na manje komadiće. Mikserom pjenasto izradite maslac i šećer dok ne dobijete pjenastu smjesu i šećer se ne otopi. Dodajte jedno po jedno jaje miksajući između svakog dodavanja. Umiješajte i aromu vanilije i kefir. U drugoj posudi pomiješajte brašno, sodu bikarbonu i sol pa prosijte smjesu. Umiješajte prosijanu smjesu u smjesu sa jajaima. Umiješajte i jabuke. Dobivenu smjesu istresite u pripremljeni kalup i zagladite površimu. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 1 sat. Pečeni kuglof istresite na tanjur za posluživanje. Za glazurua u prikladni lonac stavite muscovado šećer, maslac i mlijeko pa kuhajte na umjerenoj vatri uz stalno mješanje dok smjesa ne provrije. Maknite sa vatre pa malo po malo dodajte šećer u prahu i mješajte dok ne dobijete glatku smjesu. Prelite po kuglofu pa po želji posipajte ekspandiranom rižom. Još jedan doručak post :) Nemam baš vremena za kuhanje doručka ujutro prije posla. Radim jedan tjedan ujutro a jedan popodne ali onda ta jutra prije posla najčešće iskoristim za odlazak na trčanje, nekako se nisam sjetila da bih mogla i napraviti i nešto za doručak. Navikla sam napraviti neki banana kruh ili granolu za vikend pa onda samo servirati prije posla. I onda mi je ponestalo granole pa sam rekla pa mogla bi ja palačinke za doručak sutra. Tako da sam većer prije napravila smjesu za palačinke a ananas očistila i narezala na kockice. Dok sam pekla palačinke ananas se karamelizirao. Tako da sam ustavri za čas imala kako ja to zovem žurnal doručak. Baš je dobar filing. Original recepta pronašla sam u ovoj kuharici. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za palačinke: 20 g kokosa 65 g brašna 1/2 žličice praška za pecivo 10 g šećera prstohvat soli 1 jaja 60 ml mlijeka Za ananas: 50 g muscovado šećera 50 ml ruma 100 g ananasa, oguljenog i narezanog na manje kockice 10 g maslaca 4-5 listića metvice, sitno nasjeckanih Za ananas: stavite muscovado šećer u tavicu pa ga zagrijavajte na umjerenoj vatri dok se ne karamelizira. Umiješajte rum pa dodajte i ananas pa kuhajte uz povremeno miješanje dok ananas malo ne omekša. Umiješajte maslac pa nastavite kuhati uz mješanje dok se maslac ne otopi. Stavite sa strane dok ne pripremite palačinke. Za palačinke odvojite bjelanjak od žumanjka. Bjelanjku dodajte prstohvat soli pa ga istucite u čvrsti snijeg. Žumanjak i šećer ojenasto izradite pa umiješajte mlijeko. Prosijte brašno sa praškom za pecivo pa umiješajte u smjesu jaja. Umiješajte i kokos. Na kraju nježno umiješjate i snijeg od bjelanjaka. Zagrijte tavicu i malo je namastite. Na vruću tavicu stavljajte po žlicu smjese pa pecite palačinkice po minutu sa svake strane. Poslužite sa komadićima ananasa. Žale se moji doma da sam u zadnje vrijeme zapela za te zdrave i biskvitaste kolače. Neka im napravim nešto kremasto jer to je vidio nakon nedeljnih pohanaca jesti zdravi kolač. Nedjelja je za uživanje i guštanje u hrani koju ne jedemo svaki dan. Pa onda za mir u kući nešto kremasto. Iako sam uspjela prošvercati mrkvicu u biskvit kao nešto zdravo :) Original recepta sam pronašla u Dobroj hrani. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za biskvit: 125 g naribane mrkvice 125 g mljevenih badema 2 žlice brašna 1/2 žličice praška za pecivo 4 jaja 50 g šećera Za kremu: 20o g svježeg kravljeg sira sok pola limuna 100 g šećera u prahu 500 ml vrhnja za šlag Za posip: šećer u prahu Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Okrugli kalup za tortu promjera 20 cm namastite i pobrašnite. Odvojite bjelanjke od žumanjaka. Bjelanjke sa šećerom mikserom izradite u čvrsti snijeg. Umiješajte jedan po jedan žumanjak. Na kraju umiješajte i naribanu mrkvicu, mljevene bademe, brašno, prašak za pecivo i limunov sok. Dobivenu smjesu istresite u pripremljeni kalup i zagladite površinu. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 25 minuta. Ohladite. Za kremu vrhnje za šlag sa šećerom u prahu istucite u čvrsti šlag. Umiješajte svježi kravlji sir i limunov sok. Biskvit prerežite na pola, tako da dobijete dva lista. Na tanjur za posluživanje stavite list biskvita a oko njega stavite obruč od kalupa u kojem se pekao. Preko biskvita rasporedite kremu od sira pa poklopite drugim listom biskvita. Ohladite. Prije posluživanja odstranite obruč i posipajte šećerom u prahu. Ako pratite strane blogove sigurno ste primijetili da su u ovo doba godine najpopularniji kolači sa bučama. I to najčešće ili pita ili rolada. Ovoga puta sam se odlučila prikloniti tom trendu sa roladom. Prva stvar koja upada u oči u tim roladama je enormna količina maslaca i šećera u kremi kojom se rolada premazuje. Mislim pa i mi imamo malo žešće slatke i masne kolače ali oni ga stvarno pretjeruju. Tako da u nastavku nudim recept za kakti laganiju verziju rolade a original recepta možete pronaći ovdje. RECEPT: Recept za ispis 5 jaja 100 g šećera 150 g pirea od buče 1 žličica cimeta 100 g brašna 1/4 žličice soli 1 žličica sode bikarbone 45 g otopljenog maslaca Za nadjev: 50 g maslaca 100 g šećera u prahu 1 žlica arome vanilije 200 ml vrhnja za šlag 50 g kokosa Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Veliki, plitki lim obložite papirom za pečenje. Odvojite bjelanjke od žumanjaka. Bjelanjke sa 50 g šećera i 1/4 žličice soli istucite u čvrsti snijeg. Žumanjke sa preostalih 50 g šećera mikserom izradite dok smjesa ne posvijetli. Umiješajte i pire od buče i cimet. Brašno pomiješajte sa sodom bikarbonom i prosijte. U snijeg od bjelanjka nježno umješajte smjesu žumanjaka i prosijanu smjesu brašna. Dobivenu smjesu rasporedite u pripremljeni lim i zagladite površinu. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 12-15 minuta. pečeni biskvit zajedno sa papirom umotajte u roladu. Ohladite. Za kremu mikserom pjenasto izradite maslac. Slatko vrhnje pomiješajte sa aromom vanilije i šećerom. Miksajte dok ne dobijete čvrsti šlag. Umiješajte maslac i kokos. Izmiješajte. Ovo je još jedan odličan recept za nedjelju popodne kada pospremate hladnjak i planirate red i raspored za sljedeći tjedan. Dobro kod mene je to nedjelja ali može poslužiti i za bilo koji drugi dan u tjednu. Original recepta pronašla sam u Dobroj hrani iz prosinca 2011. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za biskvit: 250 g tostranih, mljevenih lješnjaka 100 g šećera 5 jaja prstohvat soli 100 g maslaca Za voće. 15 g maslaca 1 jabuka oguljena i narezana na manje kockice 1 naranča oguljena i narezana na manje kockice 2 kruške oguljen i narezane na kockice 15 g grožđica sok 1 limuna sok 2 mandarine 1 žlica smeđeg šećera Namastite i pobrašnite dublji lim za pečenje. Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Odvojite bjelanjke od žumanjaka. Bjelanjke i sol mikserom izradite dok ne dobijete čvrsti snijeg. Odložite sa strane. Žumanjke, šećer i maslac mikserom izradite dok ne dobijete pjenastu smjesu. Umiješajte mljevene lješnjake i na kraju snijeg od bjelanjka. Izmješajte pa istresite u pripremljeni lim. Zagladite površinu pa pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 30-40 minuta. Ohladite. Za voće: u prikladnom loncu otopite maslac pa mu dodajte narezane jabuke, kruške, naranče i grožđice. Pirjate dok voće ne pusti sok. Dodajte limunov i mandarinin sok i smeđi šećer. Smanjite vatru pa kuhajte otprilike 5 minuta dok voćni sok ne postane sirupast. Kolač narežite po želji pa ga poslužite prelivenog voćnim umakom. Ovaj moj blog se sve više i više pretvara u doručak blog. Nije da ne radim i druge kolače ali nekako sam u zadnje vrijeme više orijentirana na stare provjerene recepte a više novih stvari isprobavam u doručak varijanti. Nisam sigurna da je baš ovo moja najdraža granola ali takav je naslov bio u originalnom receptu pa sam ga ja samo preuzela. RECEPT: Recept za ispis 2 žlice maslinovog ulja 120 g maslaca 3 žlice javorovog sirupa 2 žlice arome vanilije 90 g zobenih pahuljica 50 g ekspandirane riže 80 g tostiranih , krupno nasjeckanih lješnjaka 80 g tostiranih, krupno nasjeckanih oraha 75 g listići kokosa 70 g bučnih sjemenki 2 žlice smeđeg šećera malo krupne soli Maslac stavite u prikladan lonac pa ga zagrijavajte na srednje jakoj vatri dok ne dobije smečkastu boju i počne mirisati orašasto. Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Veliki lim za pečenje obložite papirom za pečenje. U prikladan lonac stavite maslac kojeg ste procijedili iz lonca u kojem ste ga prvi puta zagrijavali i pazite da vam ne uđu smeđe mrvice. Dodajte ulje, med, javorov sirup i aromu vanilije pa kuhajte dok ne provrije. Zobene pahuljice prelite četvrtinom dobivene smjese i izmješajte. Dobivenu smjesu rasporedite na pripremljeni lim pa pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 15 minuta, miješajući svakih 5 minuta. U međuvremenu u drugoj posudi pomiješajte ekspandiranu rižu, lješnjak,orahe i bučine sjemenke. Umiješajte i pečene zobene pahuljice i ostatak smjese sa smeđim maslacem. Dobro izmješajte. Rasporedite na pripremljeni lim pa po vrhu posipajte smeđi šećer i malo krupne soli. Pecite 20 minuta u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici. Ohladite pa pospremite u hermetički zatvorenu posudu. Pored svih zdjela, kalupa i lonaca koje imam doma nažalost u asortimanu još uvijek nemam kalup za američku pitu, dublju keramičku zdjelu u koju se složi voće pa se preko njega stavi tijesto. Ma znate na ovu posudu mislim. Veli Google da se zove pie plate. U nedostatku pie platea ja sam pitu ispekla u emajliranoj posudi. I odlično funkcionira. Ovo vam je jedna super slastica. Brzo je gotova. Okusom je vrlo slična crumbleu od jabuka a i poslužila sam je sa sladoledom od vanilije pa je i to još jedna poveznica. Jednostavno i brzo a cijela kuća zamiriši na jesen. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za tijesto: 145 g brašna 100 g maslaca 50 g šećera 25 g mljevenih oraha naribana korica polovice limuna 1 žumanjak Za nadjev: 5 jabuka 50 g šećera 50 g grožđica malo naribanog đumbira 1 žlica ruma prstohvat cimeta 1 žlica škrobnog brašna Za posluživanje: sladoled od vanilije (preporučam ovaj) Zagrijte pećnicu na 190 C. Za tijesto u prikladnu posudu prosijte brašno. Dodajte šećer, mljevene orahe, naribanu limunovu koricu, žumanjak i maslac narezan na manje komadiće. Umijesite tijesto. Jabuke operite i narežite na manje kockice. Stavite ih u posudu za pitu pa dodajte šećer, grožđice, naribani đumbir, rum, cimet i škrobno brašno. Izmiješajte. Tijesto razvaljajte pa ga narežite na trake. Složite trake preko jabuka u mrežu. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 40-45 minuta. Poslužite mlaku uz kuglicu sladoleda. Uz domaći limun s mora mi je stiglo i nešto naranča. Malo su kiselije pa sam ih odlučila dio upotrijebiti da isprobam ove muffine Jako su zanimljivi okusom jedino što mi sirup iz svakog muffina iscurio po cijeloj pećnici kada se zagrijao. Tako da vam svakako predlažem da cijeli kalup sa muffinima stavite u još jedan dublji lim. Biti će Vam lakše oprati lim nego cijelu pećnicu. Original recepta pronašla sam u časopisu Mezze. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za sirup: 50 g maslaca 100 g muscovado šećera 2 žlice soka od naranče za ukras: 2 naranče Za muffine: 100 g maslaca 100 g šećera 2 jaja 80 ml jogurta 2 žlice kakaa 1 žličica sode bikarbone 150 g brašna 1/4 žličice soli naribana kora dvije naranče 50 g nasjeckane čokolade Za sirup u prikladan lonac stavite maslac, muscovado šećer i sok od naranče. Kuhajte, uz povremeno miješanje, dok se šećer ne otopi i smjesa ne zgusne. Kalupe za muffine namastite i pobrašnite. Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Na dno svakog kalupa stavite malo pripremljenog sirupa. Narančama prvo naribajte koru i sačuvajte je za smjesu za muffine. Zatim ih ogulite i narežite svaku na šest šnita. U svaki kalup od muffina stavite po jednu šnitu naranče i lagano ih utisnite prstima. Za muffine pjenasto izradite maslac sa šećerom. Dodajte jedno po jedno jaje i jogurt pa sve izmješajte. Prosijte brašno sa soli, kakaom i sodom bikarbonom pa umiješajte u smjesu sa jajima. Na kraju umiješajte nasjeckanu čokoladu i naribanu koricu naranče. Dobivenu smjesu rasporedite između pripremljenih kalupa za muffine. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 20-ak minuta. Izvadite iz pećnice pa ostavite da se muffini ohlade minuta, dvije. Prođite nožem uz rub svakog kalupa pa ih iskrenuite na tanjur. Kako stigne jesen u naš hladnjak se useljava buča. Prilikom svakog odlaska na plac u nabavu, buča obavezno kupujem Ne uvijek istu vrstu čisto radi raznolikosti. Sljedeći projekt mi je otići na Trešnjevački plac nabaviti špageti buču, vidjela sam je kod Andree i baš me zaintrigirala, do prije koji dan nisam ni čula za nju. Koristim ju i u slanim i slatkim jelima podjednaka. A kad se samo sjetim da sam je nekada jela samo kao čušpajz i to ako sam bila dobro raspoložena, i u bućnici. A ove narančaste koje sada obilno konzumiram, to se i nije jelo kod nas doma. Opametila sam se s godinama :) Original recepta za ovaj kruh za doručak možete pronaći ovdje. RECEPT: Recept za ispis 280 g brašna 150 g šećera 150 g fino mljevenih tostiranih lješnjaka 75 g grožđica malo ruma 1,5 žličice sode bikarbone 3 žličice začina za speculaas kekse 3 jaja 225 g pirea od buče 150 ml ulja 50 g bučinih sjemenki U zdjelicu stavite grožđice pa ih prelite sa malo vode i malo vruće vode. Ostavite ih da nabubre dok pripremate biskvit. Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Namastite i pobrašnite duguljasti kalup za kruh. U prikladnu posudu prosijte brašno pomiješano sa sodom bikarbonom i začinima za speculaas kekse. Dodajte šećer, mljevene lješnjake i bučine sjemenke. U drugoj posudi pjenjačom lagano izradite jaja pa umiješajte ulje i pire od buče. Grožđice ocijedite od viška tekućine pa umješajte i njih. Smjesu suhih sastojaka prelite smjesom mokrih pa sve dobro izmješajte. Dobivenu smjesu ulite u pripremljeni kalup i poravnajate površinu. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 60 minuta. Prije posluživanja narežite na šnite. Stigli su mi i prvi ovogodišnji limuni sa mora. Divni su, zamirisali su mi cijelu kuhinju. Pa sam se odlučila napraviti ovu pitu od limuna, čisto da mi svojom bojom malo popravi jučerašnji sivi dan. Padala je kiša cijeli dan i dan je dio idealan za provesti u kuhinji, mučkajući nešto i grijati se uz toplu pećnicu. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za tijesto: 140 g maslaca 100 g šećera u prahu 2 žumanjka srž mahune vanilije naribana korica 1 limuna 2 žlice hladnog mlijeka 250 g brašna Za kremu od limuna: 140 g šećera sok i naribana korica 4 limuna 175 ml vrhnja za šlag 2 žumanjka 2 jaja Za šaum: 200 g šećera 65 ml vode 4 bjelanjka Za tijesto mikserom pjenasto izradite maslac sa šećerom u prahu i žumanjcima. Dodajte mlijeko, srž mahune vanilije i naribanu limunovu koricu. Umiješajte brašno. Dobiveno tijesto omotajte rastezljivom folijom pa ga stavite u hladnjak na 1 sat. Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Namastite i pobrašnite dublji, okrugli kalup za pitu. Ohlađeno tijesto razvaljajte na lagano pobrašnjenoj radnoj površini na veličinu kalupa. Obložite tijestom pripremljeni kalup pa ga prekrite papirom za pečenje. Opteretite ga suhim grahom pa pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 15 minuta. Maknite papir i grah pa pecite tijesto još 15 minuta. Ostavite da se ohladi dok pripremate nadjev. Snizite temperaturu pećnice na 140 C. Za kremu od limuna pjenasto izradite jaja, žumanjke i šećer. Umiješajte sok i naribanu koricu limuna i vrhnje za šlag. Ulite kremu na tijesto. Stavite pitu u pećnicu i pecite 30-35 minuta, tako da krema ostane lagano drhtava u sredini. Ohladite. Za šaum u prikladni lonac stavite vodu i šećer pa kuhajte na umjerenoj vatri dok ne provrije. Smanjite vatru pa nastavite kuhati dok ne dobijete gusti sirup. Bjelanjke istucite u čvrsti snijeg. Ulijevate šećerni sirup u tankom mlazu pa nastavite miksati dok se smjesa bjelanjaka ne ohladi. Stavite šaum u dresir vrečicu pa je ukrasno naštrcajte na ohlađenu pitu. Šaum karamelizirajte kuhinjskim brenerom. Ja nastavljam tjerati mušice iz svoje kuhinje trošenjem jabuka koje su mi se nakupile. Kao što naslov objašnjava szarlotka je poljska pita od jabuka. Kada sam prvi puta čula naziv očekivala sam nešto sasvim drugo a ne pitu od jabuka. Ali sviđa mi se ime baš nekako fino i slatko zvuči. RECEPT: Recept za ispis Za tijesto: 450 g brašna 1 žličica praška za pecivo 200 g maslaca 150 g šećera 3 žumanjka 1 jaje 1 žlica kiselog vrhnja ili jogurta naribana korica 1 limuna 1 žlica arome vanilije Za nadjev. sok 1 limuna 4 žlice smeđeg šećera 1 žličica cimeta 6 većih jabuka 200 ml vode Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Namastite i pobrašnite dublji lim za pečenje. Za tijesto u prikladnu posudu prosijte brašno pomiješano sa praškom za pecivo. Dodajte maslac narezan na manje komadiće pa ga utrljajte u brašno. Dodajte šećer, žumanjke, jaje, kiselo vrhnje i aromu vanilije pa umijesite glatko tijesto. Gotovo tijesto podijelite na dva jednaka dijela. Jedan omotajte rastezljivom folijom pa ga stavite u zamrzivač na jedan sat. Drugu polovicu tijesta razvaljajte na dimenziju lima za pečenje i obložite ga njime. Nabockajte ga vilicom i stavite ga peći u prethodno zagrijanu pećnicu 15-ak minuta dok lagano ne porumeni. Jabuke operite i očistite pa ih narežite na tanke šnitice. Stavite ih u veći lonac i prelite ih iscijeđenim limunovim sokom. Dodajte šećer, vodu i cimet. Kuhajte na umjerenoj vatri dok jabuke ne puste sok i malo omekšaju, otprilike 5 minuta. Jabuke ocijedite od suvišne tekućine pa ih rasporedite po zapečenom tijestu. Drugu polovicu tijesta, koja je bila u zamrzivaču, naribajte po jabukama. Vratite pitu u pećnicu i pecite još 40-45 minuta. Ohladite. Prije posluživanja narežite po želji. Stigla je jesen i kod mene doma. Puna mi je kuhinja vinski mušica a one su po meni pravi znak jeseni. Uglavnom živciraju me i prljaju mi prozorsko staklo. Tako da trenutno apsolutno ništa hranjivo ne ostavljam na radnim površinama jer istog trenutka kada nešto stavim slijeću na to u rojevima. Tako da mi je sve ali baš sve potrpano u hladnjak. Čak i voće koje puno više volim kada je na sobnoj temperturi. Jabuke mi više jednostavno nisu stale u hladnjak pa su one završile u ovim muffinima a uskoro stiže i recept za pitu od jabuka. Original recept možete pronaći ovdje. RECEPT: Recept za ispis 180 g pirovog brašna 165 g brašna 1 žličica sode bikarbone 1 žličica praška za pecivo 1/2 žličice soli 1 žličica mljevenog cimeta 1/2 žličice muškatnog oraščića 100 g kokosovog maslaca (rastopljenog) 50 g smeđeg šećera 240 ml kefira 80 ml javorovog sirupa 1 žlica ekstrakta vanilije 2 jaja 235 g naribanih jabuka 95 g krupno nasjeckanih oraha Za posip: malo smeđeg šećera mljeveni cimet Zagrijte pećnicu na 200 C. Kalup za muffine obložite papirnatim šeširićima. U prikladnu posudu prosijte obje vrste brašna sa sodom bikarbonom, pecilnim praškom, soli, cimetom i muškatnim oraščićem. Izmješajte. Otopite kokosov maslac pa u njega umiješajte šećer, javorov sirup i jaja. Dodajte i kefir, javorov sirup i ekstrakt vanilije pa sve dobro izmiješajte. Prelite smjesu mokrih sastojaka preko suhih i dobro izmješajte. Umiješajte jabuke i orahe. Dobivenu smjesu raspodjelite u pripremljeni kalup za muffine. Pomiješajte šećer sa cimetom pa posipajte po vrhu svakog muffina. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 15- 20 minuta. Putna zato što je putovala zajedno samnom po svim mojim ovogodišnjim ljetnim destinacijama. Jela sam je kako sam gdje što imala, samo sa mlijekom, sa jogurtom i breskvama, sa grčkim jogurtom, medom i smokvama, ovisno o stanju hladnjaka na dotičnoj lokaciji. Jeli su je svugdje sa mnom i svi su bili više nego zadovoljni. Original recepta možete pronaći ovdje. RECEPT: Recept za ispis 200 g zobenih pahuljica 30 g listića badema 75 g krupno nasjeckanih lješnjaka 1 žlica crnih sjemenki sezama 80 ml maslinovog ulja 1 žličica krupne morske soli 3 žlice kakaa 80 ml javorovog sirupa 1 žličica arome vanilije Zagrijte pećnicu na 180 C. Veliki lim za pečenje obložite papirom za pečenje. U većoj posudi pomiješajte zobene pahuljice, bademe, lješnjake i sjemenke sezama. U drugoj posudi pjenjačok izmiješajte maslinovo ulje, sol, kakao, javorov sirup i vaniliju dok ne dobijete glatku smjesu. Prelite smjesu mokrih sastojaka preko suhih i dobro izmješajte. Rasporedite smjesu na pripremljeni lim. Pecite u prethodno zagrijanoj pećnici 25 minuta. Za vrijeme pečenja povremeno promiješate granolu kako bi se ravnomjeno ispekla. Divan kruh, aromatičan i mekan. Količina sastojaka navedena u receptu dovoljna je za stvarno veliki kruh, mi smo ga jeli cijeli tjedan. Original recepta pronašla sam ovdje. RECEPT: Recept za ispis 200 hajdenog brašna 20 g maslaca 150 g hajdene kaše 30 g svježeg kvasca 20 g soli 250 + 500 ml vode 700 g polubijelog brašna U prikladnu posudu prosijte hajdeno brašno i dodajte mu maslac. Prelite sa 300 ml kipuće vode pa pomiješajte. U drugu posudu stavite hajdenu kašu pa i nju prelite sa 200 ml kipuće vode. Ohladite i jednu i drugu smjesu. U 250 ml mlake vode razmutite kvasac i stavite sa strane dok se ne zapijeni. U veću posudu stavite polubijelo brašno i sol pa izmješajte . Dodajte ohlađeno hajdeno brašno. Ohlađenu hajdenu kašu ocijedite od viška vode pa i nju stavite u brašno. Dodajte i zapjenjeni kvasac pa umijesite glatko tijesto. Ukoliko je tijesto premekano po potrebi umiješajte još polubijelog brašna. Stavite na toplo mjesto pa dižite 30 minuta. Namastite i pobrašnite duguljasti lim za kruh. Lagano pobrašnite radnu površinu pa na nju istresite dignuto tijesto. Premijesite i oblikujete u štrucu. Stavite u pripremljeni kalup pa ponovno dižite na toplom mjestu 1 sat. U međuvremenu zagrijte pećnicu na 250 C. Na najgornju rešetku pećnice stavite prazan lim koji ćete zagrijavati zajedno sa pećnicom. Dignuti kruh stavite u pećnicu. U prazan zagrijani lim ulite 200 ml vode pa brzo zatvorite vrata pećnice kako vodena para ne bi pobjegla van. Pecite 20 minuta. Nakon toga snizite temperaturu pećnice na 220 C pa nastavite peći pecivo još 25 minuta, ovisno o Vašoj pećnici, dok kruh ne dobiju lijepu boju.