tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37926228071885064222024-03-19T07:52:15.246-04:00Downtown DishPhotographer Brenda De Los Santos is a city girl with a love for fresh vegetarian food and cooking. With no formal training, but an unstoppable desire to learn, join her as she tries new recipes, techniques, and flavors.Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-39864647018288429262015-07-15T11:39:00.001-04:002015-07-15T11:39:28.934-04:00Blueberry Vanilla Jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Blueberries. Buckets and buckets of blueberries. Sounds like heaven, right?<br />
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I eagerly anticipate pick-your-own blueberry season each summer, and when I saw the announcement that the season was starting over at <a href="http://www.scottsyankeefarmer.net/">Scott's Yankee Farmer</a>, I got there as fast as I could and between my sister and three nephews, picked about ten pounds of blueberries. I told you - BUCKETS!</div>
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Aside from eating them by the handful, freezing them for smoothies, and blueberry muffins, what in the world do you do with that many berries? Make jam of course!</div>
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Personally, I love using Pomona's pectin, because you can use it with low amounts of sugar or honey (about a 1/4 of the amounts in other jam recipes!). In the past, I have only made freezer jams, but have found that making cooked jam is not too much harder. </div>
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As for the vanilla, I know I have waxed poetic before about the AMAZING vanilla bean powder from <a href="http://shop.hempspread.com/Pure-Vanilla-Powder-1oz-Vanilla-Powder.htm">Wilderness Poets</a>.... And I still love it just as much now. It is the perfect addition to this jam, rounding out the sweet-tart flavor of the blueberries. </div>
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<u>BLUEBERRY VANILLA JAM</u></div>
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5 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained</div>
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1 1/2 cups sugar</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)</div>
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2 teaspoons pectin</div>
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2 teaspoons calcium water</div>
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<i>Wash and rinse jars 6 half pint mason jars, then let stand in hot water.
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<i>Pour blueberries, calcium water and vanilla bean powder into a large heavy saucepan and bring to a full boiling, stirring occasionally.</i><br />
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<i>Whisk together the sugar and pectin, then whisk into the blueberry mixture. Whisk vigorously until the sugar and pectin is completely dissolved. Continue stirring until the mixture comes back to a full rolling boil, then remove from heat and let stand for five minutes before skimming off any foam.</i><br />
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<i>Ladle the jam into your sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace, wipe rims and threads clean, then screw on lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then remove from water and allow them to cool for 24 hours.</i><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-33928738806040832652015-07-05T20:25:00.000-04:002015-07-06T09:00:08.792-04:00Pappardelle Pasta with Garden Vegetables and Garlic Scape Pesto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh, summer, how I love you. Longer days, warmer nights, lazy afternoons spent sipping iced coffee, days at the beach, amazingly fresh vegetables from my garden and the farmers market. This Friday, I came home from my bed at the community garden with several yellow squash and a great big handful of snap peas, and on Saturday I stopped by the farmers market and picked up some beautiful garlic scapes from <a href="https://huntsbrookfarm.wordpress.com/">Hunts Brook Farm</a>, my favorite local farm - I get most of my vegetable seedlings from them each year (including the yellow squash and peas this year) and they have the most amazing produce.<br />
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When I got home I immediately went to work making <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015301-garlic-scape-pesto">garlic scape pesto</a>, but was a little less sure on what to make with my freshly picked vegetables. As is often the case with squash and zucchini, my plants are prolific producers, and even this early on in the season I am struggling to come up with new ways to use them all. I made a couple jars of <a href="http://food52.com/recipes/36398-zuni-cafe-zucchini-pickles?subnav=1">squash pickles</a> (which are AMAZING, by the way. I highly recommend if you have a dearth of squash or zucchini), but still had a few left over, so I incorporated them into a quick and simple pasta dish for dinner tonight, working in the freshly made garlic scape pesto as well.<br />
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<u>PAPPARDELLE WITH GARDEN VEGETABLES AND GARLIC SCAPE PESTO</u><br />
1 small onion, halved, then sliced<br />
3 T butter<br />
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds, then cut in half<br />
a handful of sugar snap peas, top ends trimmed off<br />
1/2 cup garlic scape pesto (regular pesto works fine, too)<br />
2 T flour<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
4 oz pappardelle pasta<br />
sea salt<br />
freshly grated parmesan<br />
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<i>Place a medium pot of water over high heat. Once boiling, add plenty of salt to your water and boil your pappardelle for 4 minutes (or according to package directions), then strain. </i><br />
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<i>While the water is coming to a boil, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it's melted, add onions and cook just until they are translucent. Add the squash and snap peas and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to evenly coat the vegetables. Cook for another minute or two, then add the milk, and stir constantly until sauce has thickened. Stir in your pesto until evenly distributed, and then add in cooked pasta. Gently combine until the pasta is coated evenly, then serve and top with parmesan.</i><br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-91291722800120200852015-06-30T22:02:00.000-04:002015-07-01T09:54:38.057-04:00Cauliflower "Chicken" & Buttermilk-Herb Waffles <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Who says vegetarian food can’t be totally drool worthy? </div>
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This weekend, my sister came over bragging about the amazing chicken and waffles she made for dinner the night before, complete with cognac maple syrup. So all day I was thinking about chicken and waffles and finally, it hit me - I could make CAULIFLOWER “chicken” and have some too!</div>
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As delicious as that cognac maple syrup sounded, I wanted to make something savory, and decided I would top mine with gravy. As a vegetarian, I have been on a quest to find a delicious and flavorful gravy recipe, and I think crimini mushrooms totally make it happen.<br />
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There is just something magic about buttermilk waffles - crispy and golden brown on the outside, but light and fluffy on the inside. I have about 15 different herbs growing in my garden right now, and used sage, thyme and oregano in them along with a bit of garlic powder to give them a decidedly NOT breakfast-y spin.<br />
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And as for the cauliflower “chicken”? I knew I wanted to layer the flavor in these, so I used a bit of sriracha in the buttermilk to provide a base, and then seasoned the flour with garlic, smoked paprika and salt. And because, lets face it, chicken and waffles is never gonna be health food, I went ahead and fried it. Might as well live a little, right?<br />
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<u>CAULIFLOWER "CHICKEN" & BUTTERMILK-HERB WAFFLES WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY</u></div>
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waffles:</div>
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1 1/2 cups all purpose flour</div>
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2 t baking powder</div>
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1/2 t baking soda</div>
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1/2 t salt</div>
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2 t garlic powder</div>
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1 1/2 cups buttermilk</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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5 T unsalted butter, melted</div>
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2 T chopped fresh herbs, such as oregano, thyme and sage</div>
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gravy:</div>
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1/2 sweet onion, chopped</div>
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12 oz crimini mushrooms, cut into slices</div>
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1 clove of garlic, crushed</div>
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4 T unsalted butter</div>
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3 T flour</div>
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2 cups vegetarian stock</div>
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1 T chopped fresh thyme and sage</div>
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salt</div>
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cauliflower:</div>
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1 head cauliflower, cut into chicken wing sized florets</div>
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2 1/2 cups buttermilk</div>
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1 T sriracha</div>
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2 cups flour</div>
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2 T garlic powder</div>
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2 T smoked paprika</div>
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1 T salt</div>
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<b><i>Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Turn your waffle iron on, then whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Beat the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and chopped herbs together in a separate bowl, then combine with the dry ingredients and stir just until it comes together, being careful to not over mix (batter may still be lumpy). Cook waffles according to your waffle irons specifications until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>For the cauliflower: Combine the buttermilk and sriracha and stir. Pour the flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt into a large brown paper bag, and gently shake to combine. Drop each piece of cauliflower into the buttermilk mixture, then into the bag of flour. Roll down the top edge of the brown paper bag to close, then shake to coat the cauliflower. Repeat this and dip them once more in the buttermilk and coat again with the flour. Let the cauliflower pieces rest on a paper towel lined baking sheet while you make the gravy (this allows the coating to ‘come together’ so all the flour don’t come off while frying).</i></b></div>
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<b><i>To make the gravy, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then cook the onions until they begin to turn translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are browned, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more, then sprinkle in flour, stir to coat the mushrooms and onions with it, and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring to ensure the flour cooks evenly. Add the stock, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens, about 5 minutes, then add the herbs. Salt to taste. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Heat a 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Fry the cauliflower pieces until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side, working in batches and being careful to not over-crowd the pan. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>While frying the cauliflower, place your baking sheet with waffles in the oven to warm for about 10 minutes. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>To serve, top warmed waffles with a few pieces of cauliflower and drizzle with gravy.</i></b><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-84802694351272967782015-04-20T21:15:00.007-04:002015-07-01T09:29:39.703-04:00Birch Bark Wedding Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had the honor of being the "Best Lady" in the wedding of my two very best friends this month. Jon and Melissa got married on their 12th anniversary, at the place they met - Uconn's Avery Point campus in nearby Groton, CT. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding, accented with gorgeous birch bark decor, and since I offered to make their wedding cake, I thought that it might be very cool to create a cake that matched!<br />
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If you remember correctly, the very first cake I featured on this blog (<a href="http://brendasdowntowndish.blogspot.com/2009/01/next-ace-of-cakes-star.html">this "Jordan" cake</a>) was for Jon, and now, 6 years later, I am much more experienced in cake making and decorating. I did a trial run with the decorating technique a couple months ago, because I wasn't sure if I would end up using fondant or just buttercream, and was so glad when I realized I could do it with just the icing.<br />
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Essentially, the way I approached this cake was to first ice each of the five tiers with a white crumb coat and allow them to chill, then add another coat of plain white icing and a thin coat of tan on the top flat part of each tier. After they chilled again, I added tiny amounts of light grey and tan smoothed on the sides sporadically to mimic the tonal variation on birch bark, then used the handle end of a small paintbrush to carve small fine lines into the sides of each tier. Once the lines were carved, I used a little icing color diluted in vodka (which dries quickly without getting sticky) to paint in the lines to complete the bark texture. I also painted a brown edge around the top of each tier to make it look like a more realistic piece of birch wood.<br />
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I finished the cake with a "J+M" inside of a heart "carved" into the third tier, and some beautiful light pink gumpaste rose sprays from <a href="http://caljavaonline.com/">Caljava Online</a>. I had never used pre-made gumpaste flowers before, and was a little nervous about them possibly breaking during shipping from California, but they did a fantastic job packaging them in such a way that each bloom arrived in tact.<br />
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I had such a good time making this cake and I was so happy with the way it turned out. I don't often have the time to take on projects like this in addition to my photography schedule, so it was a really fun creative challenge for me - let me know what you think!<br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-82730382331675443812015-03-03T21:52:00.001-05:002015-03-03T21:54:25.547-05:00Recipe Redux: Samoa Popcorn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I often use some of the recipes I've shared on my blog as the jumping of point for something new, and last night, inspired by a jar of unsweetened flaked coconut I spotted in the cabinet (and the Girl Scouts who were selling cookies outside of my local Stop & Shop this weekend), I decided to make Samoa Popcorn. SAMOA. You know, everyone's favorite gooey, chocolatey, coconut-y treats that you happily (desperately) wait year round for until it's Girl Scout Cookie season.<br />
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Basically, I used my original <a href="http://brendasdowntowndish.blogspot.com/2013/09/maple-vanilla-popcorn-with-pecans.html">Maple Vanilla Popcorn</a> recipe, omitted the Pecans (and oven-drying stage), and drizzled with melted dark chocolate and a generous handful of toasted coconut. Easy peasy.</div>
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<b><u>SAMOA POPCORN</u></b><br />
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1 Recipe <a href="http://brendasdowntowndish.blogspot.com/2013/09/maple-vanilla-popcorn-with-pecans.html">Maple Vanilla Popcorn</a> (pecans omitted, and you may skip the oven-drying step)</div>
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1/2 cup chocolate chips</div>
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1/2 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)</div>
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<i>Start with your Maple Vanilla Popcorn spread out on 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Toast the coconut in a dry nonstick pan over medium heat, stirring frequently to keep it from burning, until your coconut flakes are golden brown. Melt your chocolate in 30 second intervals in a glass bowl in the microwave, or stovetop in a double-boiler. Drizzle chocolate over your popcorn, then top with toasted coconut and allow chocolate to cool until solid. Break popcorn up and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.</i></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-66241922519393414692015-02-14T12:10:00.006-05:002015-02-14T12:24:03.859-05:00Chocolate Chip Cup-Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Valentine's Day. The perfect day to give someone you love something sweet. And even better if it's something homemade.<br />
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I usually make gifts for my neices and nephews, and I knew just what I could make for my oldest niece, Nadya, as a Valentine's Day treat.<br />
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This past fall, during a vacation to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, we picked up some cupcakes from <a href="http://sweetcarolinacupcakes.com/">Sweet Carolina Cupcakes</a>, which was right across the street from where we stayed, and Nadya chose a "Cup-Cookie" - basically a cookie baked into cupcake form and filled with the most delicious chocolate frosting ever. Nadya has been talking about that Cup-Cookie ever since, so I knew I had to try and replicate it for her.<br />
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I decided to go with mini sized cup-cookies, to keep the sugar-highs at bay, and they turned out just perfect. Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie filled with a creamy and rich chocolate frosting. Using just a tiny bit of instant espresso powder in the frosting creates a beautiful depth of flavor without making it taste like coffee, but that is an optional ingredient if you don't have it on hand.<br />
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And packaged in cute treat boxes, they made the perfect Valentine's Day surprise for my niece!<br />
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<u>CHOCOLATE CHIP CUP-COOKIES</u><br />
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cookie dough:<br />
1/4 cup shortening<br />
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1 1/4 cups flour<br />
1 cup mini chocolate chips<br />
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frosting:<br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar<br />
1/4 cup cocoa powder<br />
1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)<br />
pinch salt<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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<b><i>Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 3 mini muffin pans with paper liners. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and shortening together, and then mix in the sugars and baking soda until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla, and finally, the flour. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed,</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Scoop about 1 teaspoon of cookie dough into each cavity of your muffin pans. Using oiled fingers, gently mold the dough to the shape of the muffin pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes, just until the edges of your cup-cookies are golden brown. While the cup-cookies are still warm, use the end of a rubber spatula or other kitchen tool with a rounded, circular end to gently create an indentation in your cup-cookies.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>While your cup-cookies are cooling, make your frosting. Using your electric mixer on low speed, beat butter together with powdered sugar, cocoa powder, pinch of salt and espresso (if using) until smooth. Add in the vanilla and beat on high speed for several minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy. </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>Once cup-cookies are completely cooled, use a piping bag with a star tip (or just a ziptop bag with one corner snipped off to create your own piping bag) to fill the indentation of each cup-cookie, then go over each one once more to create your frosted tops. Top with sprinkles, if desired.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Makes about 3 dozen mini cup-cookies.</i></b><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-39697955503922575662014-10-09T16:40:00.000-04:002014-10-09T20:04:59.061-04:00Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's fallllllllll. With a million "L's" - my favorite time of year!<br />
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It goes without saying that this is the time of year for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread.... well, pumpkin anything. But just to set the record straight, I am not a big fan of the ubiquitous "pumpkin spice" lattes and coffees that some people anxiously wait all year for - they don't taste like pumpkin (but then, why should they, they don't actually have pumpkin in them) and they leave a fake, odd aftertaste in my mouth.<br />
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Call me a purist, but I like my pumpkin goodies to actually taste like... pumpkin.<br />
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So yesterday afternoon, when I was enjoying an unusually warm 70 degree October day and was wishing for something (anything, really) pumpkin-y and delicious, I decided I would make pumpkin ice cream.<br />
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The recipe itself is super simple, with just a handful of ingredients, and because it is made with coconut milk and cream instead of dairy, it's vegan, but still creamy and delicious. Brown sugar provides just a hint of caramel taste, and when combined with pumpkin puree and spices, makes this cool treat taste just like pumpkin pie.<br />
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A couple things to note about the ingredients and recipe - because pumpkin has a high water content, I chose to use coconut cream in addition to just coconut milk, to keep the ice cream from getting too hard. I also love using vanilla bean powder, which adds great vanilla flavor, and beautiful, natural vanilla flecks in your ice cream, but you can use regular old vanilla extract if that's what you have on hand. I also added in about a cup of crumbled maple stroopwafel cookie pieces, to make it extra yummy - they taste like pie crust pieces - but you could replace them with your choice of soft cookie pieces, or omit them entirely. And lastly, this ice cream freezes pretty hard - you may want to let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes or so before scooping.<br />
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<u>VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM</u><br />
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1 can of full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)<br />
1 can of coconut cream (5.4 oz)<br />
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice<br />
1/2 teaspoon<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Poets-Organic-Vanilla-Powder/dp/B00ELNQ632/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412885258&sr=8-1&keywords=wilderness+poets+pure+vanilla+powder"> vanilla powder</a> (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)<br />
Optional: 1 cup of maple <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/shady-maple-farms-organic-waffles?csrc=GPF-PA-Food%20%26%20Beverages-066676627538&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=066676627538&gclid=CO3kw6WvoMECFUKCMgodeVEALw">stroopwafel cookies</a> (or your choice of soft cookie), broken into pieces<br />
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<b><i>Combine all ingredients in a blender and and blend until smooth. Chill in fridge for one hour, then pour into ice cream machine and make according to manufacturers instructions. Once ice cream gets to soft serve consistency, stir in your cookie pieces. Ice cream be eaten at this point at soft serve consistency, or place into a chilled container and frozen for 3-4 hours for a more traditional hard ice cream.</i></b><br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-34890714375437920892014-05-20T21:31:00.000-04:002015-04-20T21:36:21.458-04:00Perfect Cold Brewed Iced Coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Have you seen that <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/samstryker/problems-all-coffee-addicts-will-understand?bffb">list</a> going around with all the problems only coffee addicts could understand? Well, I understand all of them.<br />
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I am a coffee nerd. I enjoy using an electric food scale, coffee grinder, and timer just to make a single cup of pour over coffee (the ritual of it is half the experience!), and regularly ogle all of the beautiful French press pots you can buy online.<br />
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And now, with the warm weather approaching (finally!), I am ready for iced coffee. All the time. But, I am not down with watery, weak iced coffee made by just pouring hot brewed coffee over ice, or shelling out $2-4 at my nearest Dunkin/Starbucks/etc everyday.<br />
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Fortunately, there is a really simple solution - cold brewed iced coffee. On top of being super easy, cold brewing your coffee gives you the best tasting cup of iced coffee you've ever had. Since it's not brewed with heat, it isn't acidic like hot coffee is, and I like to add a bit of cocoa powder to mine for just a hint of mocha taste. Rich, smooth, and perfect over ice - a coffee addicts nirvana.<br />
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<i>1 cup of medium ground coffee + 4 cups of water + 12 hours brew time = perfect iced coffee. </i><br />
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Really! It's that simple!<br />
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<b>COLD BREWED ICED COFFEE</b><br />
1 cup of medium ground coffee<br />
4 cups of filtered water<br />
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1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)<br />
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<i>Place water and coffee (and cocoa powder, if using) in a quart sized mason jar (or large bowl), gently stir to make sure there are no clumps, cover and set out at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Once the coffee is done brewing, you can strain through a colander lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Alternatively, you can brew in a French press with the plunger all the way up during brewing, or use a coffee sock (my preferred method - and more about that later!). Your coffee can be diluted up to 1:1 with water, if desired. Serve over ice with milk and sugar, if desired. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.</i><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-30061366608159528222014-04-15T13:20:00.003-04:002014-04-15T13:20:40.206-04:00Triple Chocolate Mocha Scones with Espresso Glaze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spring has finally arrived here in New England, and with the change of seasons comes cool (but not COLD), rainy mornings that are just meant for a hot cup of coffee and something just a little bit sweet to nibble on.<div>
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This morning, I was rummaging around through my cupboards, looking through half empty bags of pantry staples purchased from the bulk at my local co-op and found a chunk of callebut white chocolate and a generous handful of fair-trade semi-sweet chocolate chips. With coffee on my mind, I decided to make mocha scones.<a name='more'></a></div>
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Using instant espresso powder imparts a delicious coffee kick without adding too much liquid. And just slightly sweet (as a good scone should be), the chocolate pieces and espresso glaze compliment the mocha scone dough just perfectly.</div>
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<u>TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOCHA SCONES WITH ESPRESSO GLAZE</u><br />
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For the Scones:<br />
2 tablespoons very hot water<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder<br />
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (you can sub in up to half whole wheat flour if desired)<br />
1/4 cup cocoa powder<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt<br />
3/4 cup buttermilk<br />
1 large egg yolk<br />
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes<br />
2/3 cup total chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips), white and semi-sweet works well<br />
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For Glaze:<br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder<br />
2-3 tablespoons hot water<br />
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<b><i>Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine the espresso powder and hot water and set aside to cool.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir until thoroughly mixed.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>In a small bowl, combine the cooled espresso/water mixture, buttermilk, and egg yolk and whisk together.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to mix, until the butter is in small pea-sized chunks. Stir in the buttermilk mixture just until the dough comes together, and turn out onto a floured cutting board. </i></b><br />
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<b><i>Slightly flatten the dough, then pour chocolate pieces on top. Knead the dough about 3-5 times to fold in the chocolate. Gather and pat dough into a 9x9 inch square, then cut into 9 equal 3-inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally, and then carefully place scones on two parchment lined baking sheets and b</i></b><b><i>ake for 15 minutes.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>While scones are baking, stir together glaze, adding just enough water to form a thick syrup. When scones are done baking, drizzle glaze over them and serve warm.</i></b>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-13635682338191484272013-09-23T21:53:00.000-04:002013-11-27T11:08:17.694-05:00Maple Vanilla Popcorn with Pecans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brendasdowntowndish.blogspot.com/2013/09/maple-vanilla-popcorn-with-pecans.html"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Hbq2-aYtCA/UkDud3jhWtI/AAAAAAAABes/wwkzHUWLMTc/s640/Popcorn-011bFB.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
Once a year, I prepare for pure, unadulterated gluttony. I'm talking butter sculptures, baked potatoes the size of your head, candy apples covered in chocolate (then covered in more candy), enormous cream puffs, the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/meet-1-500-calorie-craz-e-burger-beef-patty-bacon-cheese-krispy-kreme-donut-article-1.380749">ubiquitous burger</a> topped with bacon on a buttered Krispy Kream donut instead of a bun, maple cotton candy, and all manner of fried delicacies - oreos, vegetables, whoopie pies, snickers bars, BUTTER, you name it. Ok, maybe I don't eat those things. Not most of them, anyway. Definitely not the burger.<br />
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If you live in Connecticut, or Massachusetts, or maybe even Rhode Island, you know what I'm talking about. <a href="http://www.thebige.com/fair/index.asp">The Big E</a>, the biggest fair in the northeast, and the 6th largest fair in the nation. I think every New Englander has to have been to the fair at least once.<br />
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One of the highlights of the fair is checking out all of the "statehouses," where you can find interesting food, products, and other goodies from each state. I made a beeline for the massive area in the Vermont statehouse devoted entirely to maple products, and promptly scooped up a bottle of organic maple syrup while I was there this past weekend. After staring at that gorgeous bottle of syrup for two days, it finally came to me: Maple Vanilla Popcorn.<br />
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No wait. Maple Vanilla Popcorn WITH PECANS.<br />
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The key players in this are just what you would expect, fresh popped popcorn, pecans, maple syrup, and a little twist on a familiar ingredient, vanilla bean powder. That is, whole vanilla bean pods dried and ground into a fine powder. It's not exactly a common ingredient, and probably won't be on the shelves of your garden variety supermarket, but it can be ordered online <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanilla-Powder-organic-vanilla-beans/dp/B00DV608LQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1379983513&sr=8-4&keywords=vanilla+bean+powder">here</a>, or if you have a good co-op or natural foods store near you, you should be able to find it there. I got mine from the bulk spice section of my local co-op, <a href="http://www.fiddleheadsfood.coop/">Fiddleheads</a>, and was able to buy only as much as I needed. The flavor is stronger than vanilla extract, and it gives the popcorn all these gorgeous vanilla bean flecks.<br />
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You begin by popping your popcorn, then pouring it into a LARGE buttered bowl so that when you add the maple coating it doesn't stick. Then add in your pecans.<br />
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The maple coating is just a mixture of maple syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla bean powder, and baking soda, which helps to aerate it and give it a lighter texture, so you're not biting into hard 'candy' chunks.<br />
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Then you drizzle it over your popcorn, and stir make sure everything has some coating on it.<br />
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From there, lay your popcorn out on baking sheets and bake at a low temperature for an hour, giving it a stir every fifteen minutes or so (you could skip baking if you REALLY don't want to, your popcorn might not be a crispy though and possibly slightly sticky).<br />
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And then you have, decadent, delicious, Big E worthy, Maple Vanilla Popcorn. With Pecans.<br />
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<u>MAPLE VANILLA POPCORN WITH PECANS</u><br />
<br />
<i>Adapted from</i> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Homemade-Pantry-Buying-Making-ebook/dp/B007EEJCX6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379986523&sr=8-1&keywords=the+homemade+pantry">The Homemade Pantry</a><br />
<br />
1/2 cup plain popcorn kernels<br />
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola<br />
1 cup pecans, chopped<br />
1/2 cup butter<br />
1/2 cup maple syrup<br />
1/3 cup raw sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
<br />
<b><i>Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Butter a large bowl, and put aside. In a large stockpot, add the oil and corn kernels, and cook over medium-high heat with the lid on. Shake the pot over heat, and continue as the kernels pop, until popping slows and stops. Immediately remove from heat and dump your popcorn into the buttered bowl, then pour your chopped pecans over it.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>In a small saucepan, combine the butter, maple syrup, sugar, salt, and vanilla powder and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once it comes to a boil, let it continue cooking for five minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat and add the baking soda - it will foam up and may smoke.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Gently drizzle 1/2 of your syrup mixture over your popcorn - if you are not gentle your popcorn may deflate. Stir with a rubber spatula until it is all distributed evenly, then add the rest of the syrup mixture and stir again to distribute. If the popcorn is cool enough, you can use your hands to give it one last toss to make sure each piece has some coating on it, but be careful that you don't burn yourself on hot caramel.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Turn out and spread onto two parchment lined baking sheets, and bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring every fifteen minutes or so until the caramel is no longer sticky. Let the popcorn cool, then store in an airtight container. It will last for at least a week in an airtight container, but can also be frozen for up to six months.</i></b><br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-40652411887867333222013-09-15T10:17:00.004-04:002013-09-15T10:26:42.467-04:00Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Tarragon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brendasdowntowndish.blogspot.com/2013/09/roasted-cauliflower-soup-with-tarragon.html"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QW43z3jh3dk/UjXBERg91II/AAAAAAAABdk/Zcv_xkJLDMQ/s640/soupLOWFB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Mmmmmmm. Fall.<br />
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I think it's about time I just said it. Fall is my favorite season. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally a beach girl, but there is just so much AWESOME to fall.<br />
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Case in point, fall foods. Fresh pressed apple cider, squash and pumpkins and Brussels sprouts from the farmers markets. And just about any kind of soup, to help you transition from the hot and humid summers by the shore to the cool fall nights.<br />
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Roasted cauliflower soup in particular.<br />
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Aside from being totally delicious, this soup uses almond milk, so it's really healthy and can even be served to the vegan in your life.<br />
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This is a really simple recipe that packs tons of flavor because the cauliflower, onions, and garlic in it are roasted in a hot oven until they are perfectly browned and caramelized.<br />
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Then, you add in some fresh tarragon and a little curry powder for a little unexpected burst of yum, and blend it all up. Serve it up with some fresh bread and eat it before everyone else does.<br />
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<u>ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH TARRAGON</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped<br />
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped<br />
4 cloves of garlic, peeled<br />
2 teaspoons of sea salt<br />
extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 large shallot, finely chopped<br />
4 cups of vegetable broth<br />
2 cups of almond milk<br />
1 teaspoon curry powder<br />
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh tarragon, plus extra for garnish<br />
salt and pepper<br />
<br />
<b><i>Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Put cauliflower, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet and toss with enough olive oil to coat, and the salt. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cauliflower becomes golden brown on the edges, stirring with a wooden spoon about halfway through.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>When the cauliflower had 10 minutes left, saute the shallot with about a teaspoon of olive oil in the bottom of a large saucepan over medium heat, just until translucent. Add in the stock, curry powder, and tarragon and bring to a simmer. When the cauliflower is done, add to the saucepan along with the almond milk and let come back to a simmer. Turn off the heat, and then using a stick blender, blend until the soup is smooth (alternately, you can blend in batches in a regular blender). Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with tarragon and a side of fresh bread.</i></b><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-81790993726615762362013-09-06T10:51:00.000-04:002013-09-12T19:47:34.872-04:00Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Maple Glaze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is a chill in the air.<br />
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I woke up this morning curled into ball under my blankets. It seems that we are getting an early preview of crisp fall mornings here in CT. I'm not complaining. Although summers here on the shore are just magical, there is something about a cool New England fall morning that just feels right to me. It means it's almost time for boots, and sweaters, and pumpkin.... everything. Pumpkin everything!<br />
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I've had pumpkin scones on my brain since seeing a display of the gargantuan sized pastries at Starbucks earlier this week. While I stick with unsweetened coffees and lattes there, I have no problem with making a batch of scones with fresh, mostly local ingredients at home. And this morning was the perfect chilly, New England morning for them.<br />
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These scones are not too complicated - a quick whiz of flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and spices (I made my own jar of pumpkin pie spice using 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons each of ginger and nutmeg, and 1 1/2 teaspoons each of allspice and cloves - just store in a small jar and use as needed) in your food processor (or you can mix by hand), then add in cold butter until pea-size clumps form.<br />
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You add in buttermilk mixed with an egg and pumpkin puree, then mix until your dough comes together and press it out on your work surface. The dough will be a little sticky, but nothing a little flour on your hands can't handle.<br />
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Then cut it and set your scones in the oven to bake.<br />
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Once they're done, you just have to drizzle them with your maple glaze. And then devour. Or share. Or don't share...<br />
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<u>PUMPKIN SCONES WITH SPICED MAPLE GLAZE</u><br />
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<b><i>scones:</i></b><br />
2 3/4 cups flour<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces<br />
3/4 cup buttermilk<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup pumpkin puree<br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><i>glaze:</i></b><br />
1/4 cup maple syrup<br />
1/4 cup powdered sugar, plus additional to dust scones with if desired<br />
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice<br />
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<b><i>Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add dry ingredients to your food processor and pulse together. Add in the butter and pulse until pea-size clumps start to form. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and pumpkin and then slowly pour down the feed tube of your food processor while pulsing, just until your dough comes together.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gently shape into a 9x9 square. Cut into 9 equal squares, then cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles. Carefully place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put in the oven. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until edges are golden brown.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>While the scones are in the oven, prepare the glaze by whisking together the maple syrup, powdered sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Once scones are cool, drizzle glaze over them, and dust lightly with additional powdered sugar, if desired.</i></b><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-33766128800540346062013-08-29T12:00:00.001-04:002013-08-29T12:03:27.136-04:00Bonus Recipe: Homemade Granola Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I may have mentioned that I came home from my local co-op with 30 cups of rolled oats earlier this week. I used about 1/3 of them on my quadruple batch of Banana-Nut Granola, but that still left me with a lot of oats. </div>
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I'm not a fan of oatmeal, so I had to figure out something to do with them. I vaguely remembered a post on <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-homemade-granola-bars-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-176676">TheKitchn</a> explaining how to make homemade granola bars, so I thought, why not? The post, written by TheKitchn's recipe editor, <a href="http://emmaelizabethchristensen.blogspot.com/">Emma Christiansen</a>, provides a template for making homemade granola bars, as well as a few fun recipe suggestions. I made her Cherry-Almond Dark Chocolate bars and Chocolate Chip Peanut bars and wrapped them up and sent them over to my niece who just started 4th grade as snacks for during or after the school day. Then I started brainstorming. I decided I would create Mocha Coconut Granola Bars and White Chocolate Apple Pie Granola bars!<br />
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Both of these bars come from pretty simple ingredients but pack in lots of flavor - and - are really simple to make.<br />
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You start with your oats and puffed rice cereal (I used <a href="http://shop.naturespath.com/Rice-Puffs/p/NPA-620013&c=NaturesPath@EcoPacs">Nature's Path Puffed Brown Rice</a>), then add any 'extras' to your dry mix - like flaked coconut, chocolate chips, dried apples, or spices.<br />
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Then you add brown rice syrup (which gives you the perfect consistency bars that don't fall apart). I added instant espresso and coconut extract to the rice syrup for the Mocha Coconut bars.<br />
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Mix it altogether, then press it into a parchment lined baking dish.<br />
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Add a few pumpkin seeds on top of the Apple Pie bars if you feel like going crazy.<br />
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Then you just bake them, let them cool, and viola, super yummy homemade granola bars.<br />
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You can even wrap your individual bars in parchment and tie off with baker's twine for a pretty, grab-and-go snack.<br />
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My only other piece of advice - take it easy in the bulk section - no one <b>needs</b> 30 cups of rolled oats.<br />
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<br />
<u>MOCHA COCONUT GRANOLA BARS</u><br />
<br />
<i>dry ingredients:</i><br />
1 1/2 cups rolled oats<br />
1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal<br />
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped<br />
1/2 cup flaked coconut<br />
<i>wet ingredients:</i><br />
2 t coconut extract<br />
2-3 T instant espresso powder<br />
1/2 cup brown rice syrup<br />
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<u>WHITE CHOCOLATE APPLE PIE GRANOLA BARS</u><br />
<br />
<i>dry ingredients:</i><br />
2 cups rolled oats<br />
1 cup puffed rice cereal<br />
1/2 cup dried apples, diced into small chunks<br />
4 oz white chocolate, chopped<br />
1 T cinnamon<br />
1 t nutmeg<br />
1/4 pumpkin seeds (to press on top of bars)<br />
<i>wet ingredients:</i><br />
1/2 cup brown rice syrup<br />
<br />
<b><i>Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine your dry ingredients in a large bowl.</i></b><br />
<i><b><br /></b>
<b>Stir together wet ingredients in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup (for the Mocha Coconut bars). Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together well, until your granola mix starts to clump together.</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b>
<b>Pour your mix into a baking dish (I used a 9x9 square and an 8.5 x 10 rectangular dish) lined with parchment paper that hangs over the edges (so you can easily lift your bars out of the pan when they are cooled.) Then use a square of parchment paper to press down and compact your granola bars by hand.</b></i><br />
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<b>For the Apple Pie bars, press your pumpkin seeds onto the top of your bars now.</b></i><br />
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<b>Bake for about 20-25 minutes for chewier bars or 25-30 minutes for crunchier bars.</b></i><br />
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<b>Allow to cool completely, lift out of baking dish and cut into 10-12 bars. Store in an airtight container.</b></i><br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-41497644757523571332013-08-28T20:26:00.002-04:002013-08-28T20:32:49.470-04:00Organic Banana-Nut Granola<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brendasdowntowndish.blogspot.com/2013/08/organic-banana-nut-granola.html#more"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yw6GOtmJ86s/Uh6TixaVzfI/AAAAAAAABNk/qiV4AoU4MDE/s640/granola08.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Almost a year ago, I stopped eating foods with added sugar and most things that are very processed. Not eating processed foods isn't too hard, for someone who loves to cook. The no added sugar thing? A little more difficult, because there is added, <i>excessive</i> sugar in EVERYTHING. So I stopped eating fruit flavored yogurts, quit my dessert addiction cold turkey, and started drinking my morning coffee with milk only.<br />
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I still occasionally indulge in a small portion of dessert (I requested my mom make me a chocolate-red wine cake with white chocolate buttercream for my birthday earlier this month!), and definitely still cook with small amounts of natural sweeteners.<br />
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One of my favorite slightly sweet recipes lately has been banana-nut granola. Made with just a little honey and mashed, super ripe bananas, it has the perfect balance of nutty and mildly sweet flavors - and is perfect with a little almond milk as cold cereal or tossed into some plain yogurt with fruit for breakfast in the morning. The last (double) batch I made went in less than two weeks because everyone loved it so much, so this time I went all out and made a QUADRUPLE batch.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Cq4xwtAfIg/Uh6T9duh-NI/AAAAAAAABN4/HwnA5gpYiE8/s1600/bananas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Cq4xwtAfIg/Uh6T9duh-NI/AAAAAAAABN4/HwnA5gpYiE8/s640/bananas.jpg" width="640" /></a>This is a fairly simple recipe - you start by combining your dry ingredients in a bowl big enough to mix everything up.<br />
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Then, mash up your bananas and add in the coconut oil, etc.<br />
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Add the rest of the liquid ingredients to your mashed bananas then add to your oats. Be prepared to get a little messy.<br />
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Then spread it on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven. It's done when its toasty brown and golden - it smells like a really yummy loaf of banana bread.<br />
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All of the ingredients I use for this recipe are organic and purchased from <a href="http://www.fiddleheadsfood.coop/">Fiddleheads Co-op</a> here in New London - and all of the dry ingredients came from the bulk bins - so that I only bought as much as I needed. You don't have to use organic ingredients, obviously, but I choose to do so since buying in bulk is affordable for something like this. Case in point, I got my organic rolled oats for $1/lb - I might have gone a little crazy and come home with 30 cups of oats. That's a lot of oats... <br />
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<u>ORGANIC BANANA-NUT GRANOLA</u><br />
<i>adapted from <a href="http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/banana-granola/">Green Kitchen Stories</a></i><br />
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3 cups rolled oats<br />
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts<br />
1/2 cup slivered almonds<br />
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds<br />
1/2 cup flaked coconut<br />
pinch of salt<br />
3 T coconut oil<br />
1 t vanilla extract<br />
1/3 cup honey<br />
3 very ripe bananas<br />
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<b>Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, and a pinch of salt.</b><br />
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<b>In a smaller bowl, mash your bananas and then add the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir together.</b><br />
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<b>Add the wet ingredients to the oat mixture and combine, making sure all the the dry ingredients are coated.</b><br />
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<b>Spread the granola mix on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon after ten minutes, then every five minutes after that to ensure even browning, until granola is golden brown.</b><br />
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<b>Remove from the oven and let cool before storing.</b><br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-43091491740844181522013-08-26T10:23:00.002-04:002013-08-26T10:51:39.492-04:00Savory Dinner Waffles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://brendasdowntowndish.blogspot.com/2013/08/savory-dinner-waffles.html"><img border="0" height="402" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F9uQOZ52_sI/Uhtn5GMunaI/AAAAAAAABLw/g9-oAdHr2qw/s640/waffles2LOW.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I planted 17 different herbs in my herb garden this year. SEVENTEEN.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Basil, dill, cilantro, chives, pineapple sage, lemon verbena, lemon balm, rosemary, thyme, golden & tri-color sage, parsley, marjoram, french tarragon, garlic chives, oregano, savory and mint. That's a lot of herbs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other morning, I stepped out my back door and paused to look at my herb garden before jumping in the car to leave. After driving for five minutes, I knew exactly what I was going to have for dinner that night. Savory herb waffles with sautéed vegetables and homemade gravy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have a new waffle iron thats been sitting around since I bought it a couple years ago, but that's not what I used. We have this ancient old waffle iron that my parents got over twenty years ago at a yard sale (so it was pretty old even when THEY bought it) that makes the best waffles ever. Golden and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They just don't make things like they used to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I used some heirloom grey zucchini and lacinato kale from my vegetable garden, and added in some onions, shallots, and mushrooms from my local coop, <a href="http://www.fiddleheadsfood.coop/">Fiddleheads</a> (where I do almost ALL of my grocery shopping these days). I also used a multigrain waffle mix from the bulk bins - sometimes I am totally willing to go all out and make my waffle mix from scratch, but this one is super easy and since you only buy as much as you need, it's so inexpensive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>SAVORY DINNER WAFFLES WITH SAUTEED VEGETABLES AND MUSHROOM GRAVY</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Waffles:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Prepared Waffle Mix</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 small shallot, finely chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (I used thyme, oregano, and sage, but you can just one, or a different mix - it's totally up to you!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Vegetables:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 T good quality olive oil</span></div>
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1/2 of a red onion, chopped</div>
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1 clove of garlic, crushed</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/3 of a medium-large zucchini, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A large handful of lacinato kale, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt and Pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gravy:</i></span></div>
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3 T butter</div>
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1 cup baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped</div>
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1 small shallot, finely chopped</div>
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1 T fresh sage, finely chopped</div>
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4 T flour</div>
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2 cups vegetable stock</div>
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<i><b>Preheat your waffle iron to medium-high. Prepare your waffle mix according to it's directions - enough to make two large waffles. Saute your shallot in a small glug of olive oil, just until it's starting to turn translucent (it will cook a little more in the waffle iron, so you don't want it too 'done'). Add this and your minced herbs to your waffle mix and stir in. Bake your waffles according to your waffle makers directions, until they are golden brown. Cover to keep warm or keep warm in the oven at about 150 degrees.</b></i></div>
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<i><b>In the same pan you used to saute the shallots, add your olive oil, and saute your onions and garlic over medium heat just until it starts to turn translucent, then add your zucchini. When the zucchini starts to soften, add the kale and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.</b></i></div>
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<i><b>In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and then add your shallots, mushrooms, and sage. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked down and the shallots and sage are very fragrant. Add the flour and stir to coat everything. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring until the flour turns golden brown. Add the stock and stir until your gravy comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat.</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Serve your waffles topped with the sauteed vegetables and gravy. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, if desired.</b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8_nwHWoAprY/Uhq3YgyVd2I/AAAAAAAABLg/SBGvyTJfvrQ/s640/wafflesLOW.jpg" width="426" /></span></div>
<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-78831229245066404312013-08-07T21:20:00.001-04:002013-08-25T21:47:08.555-04:00Tastes like Summer: Wild Blueberry Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TER7T7FeUl0/Uge-FvFeWtI/AAAAAAAABJI/mz0hrZUfbuw/s1600/IMG_0472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TER7T7FeUl0/Uge-FvFeWtI/AAAAAAAABJI/mz0hrZUfbuw/s640/IMG_0472.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I am a little bit obsessed with blueberries.<br />
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I could eat a whole bucket of them if you let me. Fresh, frozen, whatever. I like to put frozen blueberries in my yogurt, like, everyday. They make it the brightest shade of purple and that just makes me happy. Sometimes I smash a few fresh berries and put them in a glass of water. I even once came home from a night out after a few too many drinks and my cocktail induced munchies made me eat the ENTIRE pint of blueberries I had picked up at the farmers market that day...<br />
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Now that <i>that's</i> off my chest.<br />
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I've been having visions of gorgeous purple blueberry ice cream lately - I've been on a little bit of an ice cream making kick and have made Chai Spice ice cream and Green Tea ice cream recently.<br />
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I thought blueberry ice cream would be the bees knees. But non-dairy. Because I make all my ice cream with coconut milk. Because coconut milk is delicious. And making ice cream with coconut milk is super easy. None of that nonsense with cooking egg yolks and worry about them curdling, or straining out those lumpy bits, etc.<br />
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You just make your base, maybe use a little arrowroot powder to keep ice crystals from forming, pour it in your ice cream maker, add in your berries and shortbread pieces once it starts to thicken, and viola! The best blueberry ice cream ever!<br />
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Wild Blueberry Ice Cream</b><br />
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<i>Two 13.5 oz cans coconut milk<br />
1/2 cup honey<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
(Optional) 1 1/2 tsp arrowroot powder<br />
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1 cup frozen wild blueberries (frozen work best to color and flavor your ice cream)<br />
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(Optional) 1/2 cup crumbled shortbread pieces (you could use store bought plain cookies such as crumbled nilla wafers - or feel free to experiment, white chocolate chips maybe? Or small cubed pieces of pound cake?) </i><br />
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1) In a pot, combine the coconut milk, honey, and vanilla.<br />
2) - If you are not using the arrowroot powder, put in the fridge to chill.<br />
- If you are using the arrowroot powder, whisk it with 1/4 cup of the coconut milk mixture, then add it to the pot, and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently for one minute. Remove from heat and put in the fridge to chill.<br />
3) Once chilled, pour the mixture in your ice cream make and freeze according to manufacturer instructions.<br />
4) Once the ice cream has reached a slightly slushy consistency, add in the blueberries and shortbread pieces (if using).<br />
5) When the ice cream is done, pack it into airtight containers and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.<br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-51809313427841511292013-04-06T16:38:00.003-04:002013-08-25T21:34:51.236-04:00Vegan Southwest Mac and "Cheese"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am consciously eating less dairy these days. I am not vegan, but I do eat many more vegan meals than I used to. I still occasionally east seafood, and even less frequently, poultry, but for the most part (I'm talking 98% of the time), I eat only vegetarian meals. So the whole vegan thing is new to me. This is the first time I've cooked with Daiya "cheese" or nutritional yeast, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it came out. Actually, really good. I made this last night, and had leftovers this afternoon for lunch!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.savorysimple.net/vegan-chorizo-mac-and-cheese/">this</a> recipe for vegan mac and cheese, but when I went shopping for the ingredients, I couldn't help snatching up a few items to jazz it up a bit.... and I am a fan of Mexican anything. So why not mac and cheese?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's what I did:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>VEGAN SOUTHWEST MAC AND CHEESE</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1/2 box </b><b>(8 oz) small shells</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2 tbsp olive oil</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1 large sweet onion, chopped</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2-3 tsp mexican seasoning mix</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2 tbsp nutritional yeast</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1 package (2 cups) daiya cheddar shreds</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3 roma tomatoes, chopped</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1 can black beans, drained and rinsed</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>5 green onions, sliced</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Salt and Pepper to taste</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1 - Boil a pot of water large enough for the pasta, and cook according to package directions and set aside cooked pasta.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>2- While the pasta is cooking, saute the onions in large saucepan with the olive oil. Once the onions begin to turn translucent, add the mexican seasoning and cook for one more minute, then set aside in a bowl.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>3- Using the same saucepan you used for the onions, cook the soymilk over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Whisk in the nutritional yeast, then the Daiya shreds. Whisk together until sauce becomes smooth and creamy.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>4- Add in the tomatoes, black beans, and cooked onions, and stir in with a rubber spatula. Continue to stir while cooking over medium-low heat for another couple of minutes.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>5- Stir in the pasta and green onions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.</i></span></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-75839508268639244912012-05-29T20:47:00.004-04:002013-08-25T21:36:49.749-04:00Red Lentil Burgers: Vegetarians Love BBQ's Too!<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's officially (not technically, but…) summer here in CT, and that means it's BBQ time! There's not much better than a lazy, hot, summer afternoon spent cooking out, as far as I'm concerned. But, I think it goes with out saying that typical BBQ fare isn't very vegetarian friendly - burgers, hot dogs, steaks, chicken, the list goes on. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy an occasional grilled turkey burger, or chicken kebabs, or especially grilled salmon, but it can be hard to find alternatives to meat at many backyard BBQ's.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This weekend, after deciding to throw an impromptu cookout, I decided I would attempt my own homemade veggie burgers. I had a bag of red lentils I picked up recently from a local international market that I'd been dying to finally use, so I thought I'd use those as a base. I googled a few veggie burger recipes, to see what the basics are, and went from there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>RED LENTIL BURGERS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-1 1/2 cups red lentils</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-3 cups water</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-extra virgin olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-8 oz mushrooms, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-1 sweet onion, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-5 carrots, shredded</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-5 cloves of garlic, crushed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-1 - 2 teaspoons curry powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-1 teaspoon ginger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-dash of cayenne pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-1/2 - 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-2 egg whites</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-1/4 cup rolled oats</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-salt and pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-panko bread crumbs </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Pour the water in a pot over the lentils, and heat over medium-high heat. Once they come to a boil, lower heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once tender, remove the pot from heat and set aside.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Heat about 2 tablespoons of evoo in a large pan, then add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic, and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the cooked lentils, curry, ginger, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove the pan from heat and let cool. Add the breadcrumbs, egg whites, and rolled oats. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Form into burger sized patties, and coat in Panko bread crumbs. Burgers can be pan fried in a small amount of olive oil (being careful to only flip the burgers once - they will be very tender!). Extras can be frozen in a single layer on a cookie sheet and stored in freezer bags once they are completely frozen. They can be reheated on the stovetop or in the oven.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If there's one thing I can't stress enough, it's to be extremely careful when flipping your burgers, as they will be very delicate, even with the breadcrumbs and egg whites as binders. AND, this recipe makes a LOT, but you will want every last one. I ended up with 8 regular sized burgers and 10 slider-sized mini-burgers. We made the sliders as appetizers at our BBQ, and froze the regular sized burgers for the future. AND, even my meat loving brother-in-law, who ALWAYS give me crap for not eating meat loved them! </span></div>
Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-51779394786407177932012-02-28T22:25:00.003-05:002013-08-25T21:36:57.391-04:00Easy and delicious vegetarian!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my favorite go-to Foods for easy vegetarian dishes is eggplant - its hearty and really goes well with a variety of flavors. a couple of years ago I stumbled upon a recipe for stuffed eggplant - made with meat of course, which I don't eat. But it Is pretty simple to take a carnivores recipe and make it into a vegetarian one, you just have to make sure to substitute something hearty in to replace the meat, to maintain measurements and textures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I stumbled upon this recipe for stuffed eggplant a couple of years ago and it has become one of my favorite ways to prepare eggplant - with a few notable alterations:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/moms-stuffed-eggplant-recipe/index.html</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For one, I typically add in either soy "meat" crumbles or sautéed mushrooms in to keep the texture the same, and I also usually used either couscous or another grain blend - this time I used Trader Joe's Harvest grain blend instead of breadcrumbs - I cook up about 2 cups of it and mix it in with the rest of the stuffing ingredients. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.thekitchn.com/trader-joes-pan-33688</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The result is a flavorful, hearty meal that in my opinion, is a prime example of why you DON'T need to center your meals around meat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stuffed Eggplant</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 medium to large sized eggplant, halved</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1-2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 sweet onion, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 green or red pepper, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3-4 cloves of garlic, minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 eight ounce package of fresh mushrooms, I like baby Bella's, roughly chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil or 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite seasoning blend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups cooked couscous or other grain blend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 Roma tomatoes, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Scoop out the center of each eggplant half, leaving about a half inch of flesh and chopping the scooped out eggplant for use in the stuffing. Place the hollowed out eggplant haves skin side down on a greased baking sheet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Melt the butter or oil in a nonstick pan, then add in the onions, peppers, garlic and mushrooms - sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the eggplant and sauté for another few minutes, until the eggplant is tender. Add in the chopped basil or seasoning blend (add more or less to taste). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stir in the couscous or grain blend, and if desired, you can also stir in about 1/4 to 1/2cup of grated cheese. Add salt and pepper to your stuffing to taste. Stuff your eggplant halves, and then carefully top with the diced tomatoes. Top with grated cheese, if desired.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees, until the eggplant is tender. Let cool briefly before serving.</span>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-20638873680258677102011-07-13T21:22:00.002-04:002013-08-25T21:37:22.242-04:00From Tree to Table: Mulberry Merlot Sorbet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, since we've gotten really into gardening, I've become even more aware of where the food I eat comes from.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The idea of foraging food has been on my radar for a while now - last year, I read a book called "<a href="http://theartofeatingin.com/">The Art of Eating In"</a> by Cathy Erway, which tells the story of how she went two years without eating out while living in New York City. It's a very interesting read, and if you're into cooking, or being self-sustaining, or just trying new things, you'll really like it. Anyway, during those two years, Erway explores every alternative she can to avoid restaurants, corner delis, etc. She delved into supper clubs, cookoffs, and and foraging, among other things (dumpster diving included - definitely not her favorite restaurant alternative). It allowed her to become more connected to the food she eats and become more self-sustaining, all the while discovering new things she had never experienced before, and in a way, it even help her to find herself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Along these lines, I've become hyper aware of where the food I eat comes from, and have been delighted to be able to eat food I've grown myself - and food I've GATHERED myself, definitely a first for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In case you're wondering, foraging is when you find and harvest wild plants to eat. Coincidentally, there were a couple of <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2081379,00.html">article</a>'s on Time.com on the subject recently. Although I wouldn't necessarily call gathering mullberries from within the wall's of our community garden foraging - it just so happens that the berries I gathered to make Mulberry Merlot Sorbet are one of the easiest foods to find for a beginner forager. Neat huh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After flipping through a magazine that mentioned how easy it was to make sorbet with fresh fruit, the wheels in my head began to turn, and I started thinking of all the little gem-like berries that were ripe for the picking on the mulberry tree in the garden. I wanted to combine interesting flavors for my first attempt at sorbet, and I thought red wine would complement the berries well. I began Googling for recipe ideas and found a whole plethora of berry-merlot sorbet combinations. I settled on a recipe and enlisted my sister and niece to help me gather the mulberries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We headed down the the garden armed with a black sheet (so that any stains caused by the berries vibrant reddish purple color wouldn't show) and went for it! We spread the sheet out on the ground under the tree, and shook the branches, showering berries down. We did this a couple of times in different spots under the tree until we had enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> (Nadya loved the deep violet-black of the berries and insisted that it was turning her tongue purple... Even though it barely did! I humored her and took a picture anyway.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, it was back home to wash and sort through the berries. It was a painstaking task, since we had caught any non-berry debris (including creepy crawlies!) in the sheet along with the fruit. I went through my bowl, handful by handful, to get rid of any under or over ripe berries, twigs, and bugs. It was definitely a labor of love!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, it was FINALLY time to start making the sorbet:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">MULBERRY MERLOT SORBET</span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 cups of mulberries (although you could easily swap out for another kind)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lemon, peeled and sliced</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup granulated sugar </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>1 Teaspoon Vanilla</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups Merlot wine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 tablespoons Triple Sec</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons light corn syrup </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pinch of salt (less than 1/8 tsp.)</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-Bring the berries, lemon, sugar, vanilla, Merlot, cinnamon, and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let it steep for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and press out the juices into a medium-sized bowl. (I only have 1 colander in my house, and it certainly does NOT have a fine mesh-- I improvised and used a coffee filter in it - worked like a charm!)</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i>-Cover the mixture and refrigerate until chilled, about and hour.</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-Stir in the Triple Sec, corn syrup, and the pinch of salt. Mix well, then freeze according to your ice cream makers directions.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-Once it is done, the sorbet will still be pretty soft - pour into a air-tight container and put in the freezer to firm up for at least 4 hours.</span></i><br />
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</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-When it is done, it will look like this:</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mVb9wQY1v4k/Th5DiBYonRI/AAAAAAAAAcc/LPC-1UXGdew/s1600/Sorbet15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mVb9wQY1v4k/Th5DiBYonRI/AAAAAAAAAcc/LPC-1UXGdew/s320/Sorbet15.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was surprised at how much you could taste both the berries AND the wine in this sorbet. It is truly refreshing on a hot summer day, and REALLY delicious. I have even decided to hold my mom's ice cream maker, which I borrowed for this recipe, hostage until further notice!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It even inspired to me try other sorbet recipes- the most recent being coconut lime sorbet (which I made last night and is SOOOO easy: combine 2 cans of coconut milk, the juice and zest of 1 lime, 1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar, and 3 tablespoons Bacardi or other rum. Stir well and chill mixture in the fridge. Prepare according to your ice cream makers directions, then pack into air-tight containers and freeze until firm.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What flavor combinations should I try next???</span>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-13025140187504088482011-06-12T22:13:00.002-04:002013-08-25T21:37:39.437-04:00Garden of Eatin'<span style="font-family: inherit;">Any of you that know me or read this regularly know that I am IN LOVE with vegetables, and that I also like to grow my own, when the New England climate allows, and I may have mentioned before that I, along with my sister, have a plot in one of the local community gardens. Here in New London, there is <a href="http://www.freshnewlondon.org/index.html">FRESH</a>, which has a pretty rockin community garden as well as several educational initiatives that do wonders with city students. They are very inspiring, and I know if they had been around when I was growing up, I would have joined in and gotten my hands dirty - but they have only been around since 2004.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last year, a group of residents that live near and around Calkins Park in New London got together and started their own community garden. After much hard work and planning, they had 32 3x6 foot raised beds. Coincidentally, after moving to my new apartment this past fall, I found myself with no outdoor area that receives enough sunlight to grow vegetables, so I did a quick google search and found out who to contact about becoming part of this garden.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, they expanded with 30 more brand new beds. The founders of the garden have worked incredibly hard to get it where it is today - they got grants to cover the installation of water lines out to the garden, as well as a beautiful new fence to protect it from incoming soccer balls from the neighboring fields - and I feel so fortunate to be able to be a part of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is what some of the other gardeners are growing - peas, lettuces, and squash, just to name a few!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These are raspberry bushes that are for everyone in the garden - can't wait for them to mature!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our sunflower fort :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I made my first visit to the garden the day I signed up for my plot back in March - things were still brown and winter was just leaving us, but in my eyes, there was so much possibility:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I mentioned it to my sister a few days later and she signed up for a plot too! So our plots are right next to each other and we decided to plant all of our veggies together. It's nice because we can teach Nadya, my seven-year-old niece about growing things and what being self-sustaining really means.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We decided to follow the square foot method of raised bed planting... I googled the heck out of it, and am trying my best. With this method, you generally are able to grow more in a smaller space. Google it and you will find TONS of information. This is the first time I have planted things in the ground as opposed to in containers, so it is a whole new ball game for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We planted summer squash and zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, green beans, peas, lettuce, onions, carrots, and radishes. We planted seeds at first, but the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants didn't grow very well and we ended up getting seedlings from a local nursery. Here is our garden at the end of May:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, it's mid June and the plants are getting BIG. The squash and zucchini plants are a bit out of control.... we actually had to pull some of them though, because they were taking over. We planted them from seed and weren't sure if they were really going to take... but did they ever! Now, I am attempting to train them to grow vertically instead of horizontally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is what our garden looks like today:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Peas:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Green Beans:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eggplant (check out that flower ready to bloom!): </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tomatoes (3 kinds, including cherry, san marzano, and beefsteak!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Peppers (bell, cubanelle, and hot peppers):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our jungle of squash and zucchini:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cucumbers:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carrots (radishes were planted with them, but have already been picked as they only take about 5-6 weeks to grow):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And Lettuces:</span><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-62275286452799890132011-05-02T21:54:00.001-04:002011-05-02T21:55:18.901-04:00Cookie Crisis Averted: Saving burnt cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bq_Ca-eXCTo/Tb9fVYajmiI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/RozgFljW4UM/s1600/IMG_4467edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bq_Ca-eXCTo/Tb9fVYajmiI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/RozgFljW4UM/s320/IMG_4467edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you read this blog regularly, you probably know that I am not a fan of baking. It's very precise, and I am really much more of an avant-garde kinda girl. Also, my mom is a phenomenal pastry chef. Although she left her job at the restaurant over 10 years ago, her reputation remains and she is 100% the reason I have such a taste for dessert. So most of the time, I don't bother baking, because she would just out-do me. Times 1,000.<br />
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Tonight though, for some strange reason, I decided I wanted to bake chocolate chip cookies. No idea why, especially considering the oven in my new apartment is way beyond unreliable. Well, no, it is reliable... in that it BURNS everything I put into it. And I know what you're thinking, maybe it's me... But nope, it's the oven. When I bake at my moms, and even in my last apartment, it was certainly apparent that my mom's skill in the kitchen has rubbed off on me. I DO NOT burn things. At least, I didn't until I moved in here. No matter what I do- lower the temperature from what the recipe calls for, move the oven rack, try different pans- it always burns things.<br />
<br />
And despite that, I still decided to make cookies tonight. I called my mom up for her recipe, because her chocolate chip cookies are to die for. Perfectly golden on the outside, and tender and chewy inside. She says that she "under bakes" them. They are never hard and crunchy, they are perfect. Every time. <br />
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And, of course, my cookies burned on the bottom. Really, REALLY badly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-92XOMb8b6Ak/Tb9fVxl7zdI/AAAAAAAAAZU/RzWPJxXhxw0/s1600/IMG_4468edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-92XOMb8b6Ak/Tb9fVxl7zdI/AAAAAAAAAZU/RzWPJxXhxw0/s400/IMG_4468edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Actually, with exception of the bottom of the cookies, they were kind of perfect. So what's a girl to do?<br />
<br />
Ever heard of a <a href="http://us.microplane.com/microplanekitchentools.aspx">Microplane</a>? It is this amazing little grater that is great for zesting citrus fruits, ginger, and garlic, among other things. It's one of those kitchen tools that I don't think I could live without. I got mine from Pampered Chef, but you can get them anywhere that sells kitchen tools, really. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aM9NexWUxfQ/Tb9fWkmbfQI/AAAAAAAAAZY/O2aNw0sPCvM/s1600/IMG_4469edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aM9NexWUxfQ/Tb9fWkmbfQI/AAAAAAAAAZY/O2aNw0sPCvM/s400/IMG_4469edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well, anyway, I read a tip in a cooking magazine once that you could use a Microplane to salvage burned dinner rolls. So tonight, I thought, hey, it will probably work with cookies too. It was definitely one of those "light bulb" moments.<br />
<br />
So I Microplaned the bottom of my cookies! Good as new (or at least no longer charred!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5m3g_A8MQ5Y/Tb9fXVgXXXI/AAAAAAAAAZc/V1lLCENql54/s1600/IMG_4472edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5m3g_A8MQ5Y/Tb9fXVgXXXI/AAAAAAAAAZc/V1lLCENql54/s400/IMG_4472edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Keep this in mind the next time you pull a "Brenda" while baking!</div>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com159tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-70858213824014314692011-04-24T20:58:00.006-04:002011-04-24T21:34:38.988-04:00A Few Bites of Heaven at Stonington Vineyards<style type="text/css">
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<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a bit of a departure from what I normally do, but today, instead of telling you about the latest recipe I've tried, I am writing about something I had the pleasure of eating while out yesterday.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Living in New London, I am very lucky to be a 30-minute drive from Stonington, where there are three (yes THREE) wineries. I asked my friend Jen, who I used to work with at the Middletown Press, and don't see nearly enough of anymore, to come down and winery hop with me this weekend. The plan was to hit up all three, but we ended up only making it to two- the <a href="http://www.jedwardswinery.com/">Jonathan Edwards Winery</a> and <a href="http://www.stoningtonvineyards.com/">Stonington Vineyards</a>- we'll have to visit the Saltwater Farm Winery another time- a whole 'nother day devoted to wine! I certainly can't complain about that. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We visited the Jonathan Edwards Winery first- we did a tasting and then sat and had a glass of wine each. Although I am generally a fan of a dryer wine, I LOVED their Table Red and chose that for my glass of wine- totally not my M.O. as it was a more sweet, fruity wine, but it was really, really good. After we finished our glasses we went on the tour of the winery (at 3 p.m. each day they are open)- it was very cool to get the inside perspective on how the wine is made and the winery is run.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M5BxOlS9O4k/TbTGVB0vL9I/AAAAAAAAAZI/J3dcjDVjCp0/s1600/IMG_3105edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M5BxOlS9O4k/TbTGVB0vL9I/AAAAAAAAAZI/J3dcjDVjCp0/s400/IMG_3105edit.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jen and me at the Jonathan Edwards Winery in Stonington, CT</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After that, we went to Stonington Vineyards. Well to be fair, we got lost after leaving the Jonathan Edwards winery and ended up taking about 1/2 hour longer than we should have to make it to Stonington Vineyards. So Google maps, thanks for getting us lost! </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tasting room there closes at 5 p.m. each day, and by the time we got back on track from our little detour, it was already 4:30 p.m. With just 30 minutes 'til they closed, we knew our visit would have to be much less relaxed than last stop. However, when we walked in, we were met with, "Sorry ladies, we're closed." Then three seconds later, "Just kidding." Whew. I would have been BUMMED. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jen and I loved that the staff was so much fun and joked with us, just like that. It may have also helped that, being so close to the end of the day, we were the only ones there- we got a totally personalized, relaxed tasting, and had a really great time chatting with the awesome staff there. The three of them were fun, and funny, and made our visit a blast. They even pulled our arms and convinced us to try one of Joshua's homemade wine soaked sponge cakes… Well, who am I kidding? Basically they got out half of the word "cake" and I practically screamed, "Yes please!"</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joshua explained to us that he made a wine reduction, using the Vineyards Seaport White, key lime, and honey, and soaked petite sponge cakes in it. Topped with whipped cream, I think that Jen and I devoured ours in all of like 30 seconds flat. It was THAT good. The cake itself was perfectly tender, and the reduction was a wonderful mélange of flavors- the Seaport White's refreshing balance really shone through, and the key lime in it provided just enough of a crisp tanginess while the honey rounded out the mix. With just a dollop of whipped cream on top, it was the perfect accompaniment to the flight of wine's in the Vineyards tasting lineup, which featured just one red wine- the 2007 Cabernet Franc. I explained to the staff that I am not generally much for white wines- but honestly, their white's may have converted me- I even took home a bottle of their 2009 Riesling (which I hear is in short supply. If you want to try it- and believe me, you NEED to try it- you should go pick some up sooner rather than later.) </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Joshua's masterpiece:</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2TZVzFOqT9w/TbTGogu4btI/AAAAAAAAAZM/rdFXBiqg1r4/s1600/IMG_3108editwm2lo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2TZVzFOqT9w/TbTGogu4btI/AAAAAAAAAZM/rdFXBiqg1r4/s400/IMG_3108editwm2lo.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joshua's Wine Soaked Spongecakes at Stonington Vineyards</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not kidding when I say you have to visit this place, and when you do, ask for Joshua's sponge cakes soaked in wine reduction. You'll be thanking me for sending you there once you've tried it!</span></div>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-13199461222417729382011-04-08T16:57:00.002-04:002011-04-08T17:57:45.635-04:00Food Snobbery and Tofu<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I always apologize to my mom for being a "food snob." I don't know when it happened, but as my love for cooking has grown, I've definitely acquired a taste for very particular ingredients and staples. I have also begun to eat less and less poultry and fish. I haven't gotten rid of it from my diet, but I have made a conscious effort to incorporate more vegetarian elements into my meals. <br />
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Actually, my entire family has jumped on the semi-vegetarian bandwagon as of late. My older sister, Melissa, has been doing it for a few years now, but my parents and younger sister, Angie, have decided to eat less meat just in the past few months. For my parents, it took watching a documentary touting the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle to make the change, (which, by the way, does seem a little silly to me- I've been telling them the same things for the past 14 years!) For my sister Angie, she finally acted on something she'd been wanting to do for some time. Either way, I am happy that my family has made a decision to eat healthfully.<br />
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The only downside, is that my mom, who loves to cook, (where do you think I get it from?), told me that it makes her sad because she feels like she is very limited in what she can cook now that she is not eating beef, pork, poultry, or fish regularly anymore. I've tried to tell her that it is because she is approaching cooking from a meat-centric stance. I know I've said this before, but for me, vegetables are often my favorite part of a meal. I decide what vegetables I'm in the mood for and build my meal from there. But then, I've been doing this for almost 15 years now. I can certainly understand it being hard for someone who hasn't even hit the 15 WEEK mark. <br />
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You all know how much I love to grill, and now that the weather is consistently in the 50's, I've decided it's grillin' weather! On my way home from work yesterday afternoon, I thought that grilled carrots and broccoli sounded delicious, so I stopped at the grocery store. I decided to grill some tofu to accompany it, and settled on cooking a harvest grain blend I'd picked up at Trader Joe's the last time I was in the Hartford area. <br />
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I've never been too fond of tofu, but my grandfather on the Filipino side of my family made it for me once before he passed away (5 years this May- I miss you Grandpa <3), and it was delicious. I had stopped over to visit him once, and we were talking about his years spent in the Navy (after he told me I should be attending West Point instead of Boston University, as usual), telling me about how he had made it for the captain of a ship he was on while overseas, and he said he would make some for me sometime. So I know it CAN taste good, you just have to prepare it the right way. <br />
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A few months ago, I tried a new Indian-inspired marinade recipe after I got a jar of the Madras Curry from Williams-Sonoma. I used it for chicken, and it was amazing, and I thought it would lend itself to tofu as well. You can find the original recipe <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/curry-grilled-chicken-raita.html">here</a>, and this is how I did it:<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<b>CURRY MARINATED TOFU WITH CUCUMBER-MINT RAITA</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-Ak2Tw6Ft4/TZ93idOD-XI/AAAAAAAAAY4/nbEeYpOJ_R4/s1600/210086_10100237886530290_905723_53654682_3479654_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-Ak2Tw6Ft4/TZ93idOD-XI/AAAAAAAAAY4/nbEeYpOJ_R4/s400/210086_10100237886530290_905723_53654682_3479654_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Tofu:</b><br />
• 1 lemon<br />
• 1 16 oz package of extra-firm tofu, I buy organic<br />
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste<br />
• 2 garlic cloves<br />
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped<br />
• 1 cup plain yogurt<br />
• 1 Tbs. madras curry<br />
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika<br />
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon<br />
<b>Raita:</b><br />
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely grated<br />
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus leaves for garnish<br />
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lZbQ1SpDMrQ/TZ90VB_9NcI/AAAAAAAAAYA/kLdXZhd2zEM/s1600/grilledtofu01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lZbQ1SpDMrQ/TZ90VB_9NcI/AAAAAAAAAYA/kLdXZhd2zEM/s400/grilledtofu01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Directions:<br />
First, drain the water out of the package of tofu.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
Using either a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, wrap the block of tofu and gently press to get some of the moisture out. </i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HK60Dgh0Vxw/TZ90XGa7kpI/AAAAAAAAAYE/i4S0WSaAQuk/s1600/grilledtofu03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HK60Dgh0Vxw/TZ90XGa7kpI/AAAAAAAAAYE/i4S0WSaAQuk/s400/grilledtofu03.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dhHEfBZIpuI/TZ90YLORbfI/AAAAAAAAAYI/Jlykbn9K0zw/s1600/grilledtofu02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dhHEfBZIpuI/TZ90YLORbfI/AAAAAAAAAYI/Jlykbn9K0zw/s400/grilledtofu02.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cut the tofu into 4 sections lengthwise, and then carefully repeat the drying process with each block.</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ijt0G-Dv81Y/TZ90pn7eO-I/AAAAAAAAAYM/jPDz3ySqaSE/s1600/grilledtofu04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ijt0G-Dv81Y/TZ90pn7eO-I/AAAAAAAAAYM/jPDz3ySqaSE/s400/grilledtofu04.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U4QbMKh_rBs/TZ90sKkwsBI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/7GNqTmQBTF4/s1600/grilledtofu05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U4QbMKh_rBs/TZ90sKkwsBI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/7GNqTmQBTF4/s400/grilledtofu05.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Place the tofu blocks into a glass baking dish and sprinkle with the juice from one of the lemons, and freshly ground black pepper.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ht6rJ0UkvIc/TZ902wmQWYI/AAAAAAAAAYU/qIfn_pPqwwA/s1600/grilledtofu06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ht6rJ0UkvIc/TZ902wmQWYI/AAAAAAAAAYU/qIfn_pPqwwA/s400/grilledtofu06.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Now, make the marinade. Place the coarsely chopped yellow onion, garlic cloves, 1 cup of the yogurt, curry, paprika, and cinnamon into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. (I use an immersion blender because it takes up MUCH less space in my tiny kitchen)</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OT6m7_rX0JU/TZ91AloqQXI/AAAAAAAAAYY/gx6s1raxkYc/s1600/grilledtofu07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OT6m7_rX0JU/TZ91AloqQXI/AAAAAAAAAYY/gx6s1raxkYc/s400/grilledtofu07.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DBAPetK3OCM/TZ91Cd9QAfI/AAAAAAAAAYc/HlEUpy2Ni3Y/s1600/grilledtofu08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DBAPetK3OCM/TZ91Cd9QAfI/AAAAAAAAAYc/HlEUpy2Ni3Y/s400/grilledtofu08.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Pour the marinade over the tofu, cover and chill for several hours (I marinated for about 3 hours- I also marinated in ziplock bags to keep the marinade from making my whole fridge smell of curry and onions.)</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P_kTH8_vJVc/TZ91L20Ie-I/AAAAAAAAAYg/FRL-_gEs0Ak/s1600/grilledtofu09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P_kTH8_vJVc/TZ91L20Ie-I/AAAAAAAAAYg/FRL-_gEs0Ak/s400/grilledtofu09.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> While the tofu is marinating, make the cucumber mint sauce (Raita). Combine the remaining cup of yogurt with the grated cucumber and chopped mint and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve. (Note: I couldn't find my grater, it must have gotten lost when I moved, so I just blended the ingredients together with my immersion blender- it turned out fine)</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
When it's time to grill, oil your grate, then preheat grill on medium-high, and turn down to medium to medium-low and carefully place the tofu on the grill. </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tXQHPldxeO8/TZ918zAIxSI/AAAAAAAAAY0/GrMRSupjGmU/s1600/grilledtofu12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tXQHPldxeO8/TZ918zAIxSI/AAAAAAAAAY0/GrMRSupjGmU/s400/grilledtofu12.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LduIlDTZmx0/TZ91WQmR8_I/AAAAAAAAAYk/LkkfkxTkyA4/s1600/grilledtofu10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LduIlDTZmx0/TZ91WQmR8_I/AAAAAAAAAYk/LkkfkxTkyA4/s400/grilledtofu10.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jE4eYX55Llc/TZ91acV_S9I/AAAAAAAAAYo/5Z4edwNrwQU/s1600/grilledtofu11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jE4eYX55Llc/TZ91acV_S9I/AAAAAAAAAYo/5Z4edwNrwQU/s400/grilledtofu11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Grill for 7-10 minutes on each side, gently loosening the tofu if it sticks when turning.</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PuWXC4MpqY4/TZ91mzO3MjI/AAAAAAAAAYs/NSB-4W6tW8Y/s1600/grilledtofu13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PuWXC4MpqY4/TZ91mzO3MjI/AAAAAAAAAYs/NSB-4W6tW8Y/s400/grilledtofu13.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dAlEXobZu6E/TZ91rXWb2wI/AAAAAAAAAYw/Z5Ej9JnvvxE/s1600/grilledtofu16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dAlEXobZu6E/TZ91rXWb2wI/AAAAAAAAAYw/Z5Ej9JnvvxE/s400/grilledtofu16.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Serve with cucumber-mint raita.</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-Ak2Tw6Ft4/TZ93idOD-XI/AAAAAAAAAY4/nbEeYpOJ_R4/s1600/210086_10100237886530290_905723_53654682_3479654_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-Ak2Tw6Ft4/TZ93idOD-XI/AAAAAAAAAY4/nbEeYpOJ_R4/s400/210086_10100237886530290_905723_53654682_3479654_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I prepped my vegetables and cooked my <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/noodles-pasta-and-grains/trader-joes-pantry-harvest-grains-blend-033688">Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend</a> (which includes Israeli couscous, red and green orzo, baby chickpeas, and red quinoa) just before it was time to grill the tofu. I cooked a 1/2 cup of the grain blend in a cup of boiling chicken stock, with just a tiny drizzle of olive oil (about a 1/2 tsp.) I left it simmer on medium heat until the stock was absorbed, then covered the pot and left it on low for about 20 minutes while the tofu and vegetables were grilling.<br />
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I drizzled the vegetables with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of garlic powder, and grilled for the same time and heat settings as the tofu. I like my veggies with a substantial amount of crunch, but if you like them a little more tender you will need to leave on the grill a bit longer.<br />
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The yogurt in the marinade gives the tofu a nice tangy flavor, and the fragrant spices along with the onion give it a rich, heady flavor. This marinade is also AMAZING on chicken, as featured in the original recipe. I omitted the cayenne pepper included in the original recipe, but I suspect it is great with that as well. The raita lends a creamy coolness to the dish, and complements the bold flavors of the marinade.<br />
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Try it out and let me know what you think!</div>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792622807188506422.post-11641024879479068372011-03-26T12:59:00.001-04:002011-03-26T13:02:50.165-04:00Summer Preview: Grilled PizzaIt's been forever, I know.<br />
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A lot of things have changed with me. I have worked at a local orthodontic practice for almost a year now, as a technology manager, and I've been making big strides with my photography business. So... I've been busy, to say the least. Also, I've moved. I'm no longer living downtown, but the name is going to remain "Downtown Dish" out of nostalgia :)<br />
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I moved to a one bedroom apartment just a couple of blocks from the beach and I LOVE it. The only thing is, my kitchen is tiny. TINY.<br />
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That's the entire kitchen. I can't even fit a microwave in there (I do have one- right outside the doorway to the kitchen though). It works for me though. It's harder to keep clean, because one thing out of place makes the whole room look chaotic, but I've gotten used to it. I'm still cooking very regularly and I have lots of new recipes to share.<br />
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Since it was gorgeous out last week, I've already gotten the itch to grill. I know, we are definitely not anywhere close to grilling weather- did you see the SNOW this week? But, we can definitely start thinking about it. It's coming in the near future.<br />
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Today, I'm not writing a recipe per se, but a technique. For..... Grilled Pizza! One of my favorite things to make during the summer. I actually photographed this last year, but never wrote about it. Until now! Here is how I do it:<br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">GRILLED PIZZA</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ou3XJxSS1ao/TYgEli65G4I/AAAAAAAAAWo/v8x46ikSBE4/s1600/IMG_8919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ou3XJxSS1ao/TYgEli65G4I/AAAAAAAAAWo/v8x46ikSBE4/s320/IMG_8919.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><ul><li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Homemade or store bought pizza dough, I use whole-wheat</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">shredded cheese, I use both mozzarella and cheddar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">assorted toppings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">pizza sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">cooking spray</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">-Prep the dough: Put your pizza dough on a greased cookie sheet, give it spray with the cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until it doubles. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Pre-heat your grill on medium-high heat, then take your pizza dough and stretch into a large round shape. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Spray the dough on one side with the cooking spray and carefully place sprayed side down on the grill. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Close the grill cover and let pizza dough begin to cook.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Once the dough has cooked on one side (about 5-7 minutes over medium heat) use a wide spatula to lift it off the grill.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Hold the dough away from the grill's flames and spray the other side with cooking spray, then place sprayed side down on the grill.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Spread your sauce on the pizza, then a layer of cheese, then toppings. I also like to finish with another light sprinkle of shredded cheese.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gGesiIKtUIc/TY4XquGl0UI/AAAAAAAAAXg/hMWUCn5JbuM/s1600/IMG_8952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gGesiIKtUIc/TY4XquGl0UI/AAAAAAAAAXg/hMWUCn5JbuM/s320/IMG_8952.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Tg4KMQ9s078/TY4XsmV9s3I/AAAAAAAAAXk/DkJEJzLXqxQ/s1600/IMG_8954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Tg4KMQ9s078/TY4XsmV9s3I/AAAAAAAAAXk/DkJEJzLXqxQ/s320/IMG_8954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Close the grill and continue to cook for another 7-10 minutes over medium-low heat, until dough is completely cooked on the bottom and cheese is melted.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Fe6OaM9KhAU/TY4XyKVTaEI/AAAAAAAAAXo/ZL--TrgvOCE/s1600/IMG_8965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Carefully use your wide-spatula to transfer the pizza onto a large platter or baking sheet.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">One of my favorite things about grilling pizza is the nice, smoky flavor that it has, but also that in the hot summer, you don't have to turn the oven on and make the house unbearably hot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">I know that the weather here in Connecticut it seems like Summer is still far off, but it will be here before we know it and then we can get grilling!<span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
</span></span>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16683906470158575809noreply@blogger.com1