Category: Task bar

When life gives you lemons, make limemade

Life changes, stress, and too much Starbucks have been keeping me up at night and I’m having a bit of insomnia this week.  Last night I woke up around 2am, answered a few emails, took a bath, and made limeade.

Yes, you heard me right.

Insomnia aside, yesterday was a pretty warm day – skirting 85 at times and there’s nothing quite as refreshing as a delightful glass of fresh lemonade on a warm evening.  However, my inability to waste combined with having procured 30 limes for the Produce photo shoot a couple weeks ago (how can I resist when they are 15 for $1???), resulted in my opting for limemade.

And it was good.

Not to get religious on you here, but this limeade might be what happened on the ninth day of creation.  I’ll never go back to that store bought bottle of sugary yellow chemical water.  Trust me on this…….

 Homemade Limeade

Ingredients:

Limes (lots)

Water

Sugar

Elbow Grease

Directions:

Using a juicer, juice limes with a citrus juicer and add to pitcher.  If you don’t care for pulp, pour the juice through a strainer before it goes into the pitcher.  Add sugar and stir until dissolved (the amount depends on your personal taste.  For 1 C. lime juice, I used 2/3 C. sugar and it was a teensy bit on the tarter side… which for me is perfect).  Add water and stir.  Your juice:water ratio should be approximately 1:2.

Store in the refrigerator, but trust me, it won’t be there long.

P.S. If you find yourself with an overabundance of lemons, the recipe works the same way for making lemonade.

Scones, glorious scones

If I were stranded on a deserted island, and I could bring two things, one of them would be my recipe for Trail Mix Scones.  Now, I realize that there is not an overabundance of brown sugar and pumpkin seeds on deserted islands… I am simply trying to exemplify the importance of this scone in my life.

In fact, baking scones is one of the things I do best, and this quality makes it into every biography I write.

So, it is with great joy that I present to you my cherished recipe for Trail Mix Scones (although, it does make me a little nervous, since I often bring these to impress people at parties).  I originally came across the recipe in the Tribune several years ago when they did a special publication of favorite reader dishes from restaurants around Chicago.  The “Take a Hike Scone” is a schmorgeshborg of ingredients thrown together by the owner of the Bleeding Heart Bakery.  The result: magic.  I loved it instantly because it’s a vegan baking recipe that actually works and even tastes good (I was vegan at the time, and baking is perhaps the biggest challenge as a vegan chef) .

Since that time I’ve modified the recipe to my own liking, with one of the biggest differences being that I make it as a drop scone.  I mean, sure, you could be all fancy, roll out the dough, and cut it in triangles before baking, but honestly, skipping that step doesn’t affect the taste or texture one bit.  Needless to say, these beauties are a staple in our household, and dried cranberries are ALWAYS on the shopping list.

Trail Mix Scones

Ingredients:

  • 1 C. (2 sticks) salted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2-1/2 C. all-purpose, unbleached flour
  • 2/3 C. dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1-1/2 C. old fashioned rolled oats
  • 3/4 C. dried cranberries
  • 1/4 C. raw pumpkin seeds
  • 4 TB whole flaxseeds
  • 1-1/4 C. soymilk, rice milk or organic non-fat milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375-deg F. Using the dough hook, mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, and oats in an electric stand mixer on low-medium speed (*Note: the whole recipe can be mixed by hand, but your wrist will be mighty sore by the end).

Cut the butter into approximately 1-TB chunks and add to mixer while it’s running, until pea-sized chunks are left.  Add dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseeds to mixture (*Note: I’ve tried tons of variations…. you can add nuts, coconut, sesame seeds, chocolate chips, raisins… the list goes on, but cranberries, pumpkin seeds and flaxseed is by far my favorite combination).  Add milk and mix until incorporated (dough will by slightly wet).

Scoop out approximately 1/4-C. of mix onto greased cookie sheets with two spoons.  Bake 25-28 minutes and transfer to cooling rack for as long as you can stand it.  Makes 12-15 scones, best enjoyed with a glass of milk or a bitter cup of Joe.

Words of Wisdom:

  • Don’t spend the money on fancy packaging and buy things like Craisins.  Visit your local mercado or fruit market and find the bulk section.  You can get the extras for this recipe for a third of the price this way.
  • You can use cooking spray to grease your cookie sheet, or parchment paper, but I’m not too keen on waste and cooking spray doesn’t cut it for baking since I switched over from Pam to a DIY Misto sprayer.  Best bet: invest in an expensive tub of non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening.  It rocks for greasing baking sheets, and has lasted me a year so far.

Snow, Headache, Chicken and Noodles

The first big snow of the season has arrived (very late for Chicago), and the blustery weather in addition to the five games of pool and complimentary bottles of beer last night mean that we are cooped up with blankets, movies, and a giant headache today.

Perfect day for Chicken and Noodles.

I am very deliberate about me use of the Oxford comma, and in this case, the chicken and the noodles go together so harmoniously that they shan’t be separated by a comma.  This dish was torn out of a Country Home magazine in 2009 and, along with the rest of the 1″ thick pile of magazine recipes, had gone unmade until Friday.  Being of a full-time worker constitution, I opted for the slow-cooker directions, and it’s those that I will share with you here:

Old-Fashioned Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium onions, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1TB olive oil or butter
  • 3 lb. Chicken (leg-thigh)
  • 4 C. reduced-sodium broth (vegetable or chicken)
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 1 TB fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 16-oz. package egg noodles
  • 1-1/2 C. frozen peas
  • 2 TB lemon juice

Directions:

In a 5-6 Qt. slow cooker, place onion, celery, garlic, carrots, thyme, bay leaf, seasoning, salt and pepper.  Place chicken on top of vegetables.  Melt butter in broth, and pour over top of chicken.  Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours.  Remove chicken and bay leaf from cooker.  When cool enough to handle, remove from bones and place chopped chicken back in pot with frozen peas and lemon juice.  Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.  Stir to combine and mmmmm.

Soup love: Hearty Black Bean Soup

This soup has been a winter staple in our household for about three years.  You can easily substitute the chorizo for italian sausage (as I did this time) or veggie alternatives like “Soyrizo”.  We like to eat it just by itself as a late supper, but cornbread, toast, or a peanut butter sandwich are great compliments.

It’s flavorful.  It’s delicious.  and in three days, it was gone.

Slow Cooker Hearty Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 lb. Chorizo (4 oz.)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 small green pepper, chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 TB dry sherry (or red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 15 oz. canned black beans (not drained)
  • 15 oz. vegetable broth
  • 1 med. lime, squeezed
  • 1/8 tsp. each salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 TB fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Saute chorizo in a pan for 2-3 minutes.  Add onion, garlic and peppers, saute over medium heat for 5 minutes or until meat begins to brown.  Add to slow cooker

Add all other ingredients except cilantro, salt, pepper, and lime to cooker.  Cover and cook 4-5 hours on low setting.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.

Yields 1 cup per serving, makes 8 servings (I double the recipe for my 7 Qt. cooker)

Stocking up and making ready

Since December 2, I’ve been living the fantastic life of a housewife.  Working occasionally, blogging frequently, and cooking constantly.  Today, that all changes as I go back to my typical 60-hour work week.

I’m nervous.

When I get nervous, I prepare by cooking lots of food.  That way, even if nothing goes according to plan, at least I’ve got dinner.  It’s winter, so, naturally that means lots of soup.  Lots and lots of soup.  My hope is that these two beauties will last all week and next for dinners.

 

That’s Hearty Black Bean Slow-Cooker soup on the left, and Winter Ham and Beans on the right.  I’ll get you those recipes later in the week.

I was hoping to get a third pot going too, but it wasn’t in the cards today.

That’s right; I said it: we have three crock pots.  When it comes to crock pots, you can’t just have one.  Plus, we have a chili cookout every Halloween and so all those slow cookers come in quite handy.

Piece de resistance: Dragon’s Milk Stout brownies

We tried this coveted beer a few days after Christmas, and, to be honest, Dragon’s Milk was just too much for me.  Not wanting to waste a reputed and expensive bottle of beer, I found this Milk Stout brownie recipe and adapted it to the ingredients in the cupboard and my own taste.

Not for the feint of heart, or the calorie counter, this decadent, sinful brownie was the perfect end to our New Year’s Eve beer tasting fiasco, paired beautifully with both Stone Imperial Russian Stout AND New Glarus Raspberry Tart.  It also marks the end of this delicious week on the blog.  Enjoy!

Dragon’s Milk Stout Brownies

Ingredients:

1 C. All-purpose flour

3/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

6 TB softened butter

8 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate

4 eggs

1 C. granulated sugar

10 oz. flat Dragon’s Milk or other Milk Stout beer

1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 deg-F.  Grease a 9 x 13 inch cake pan and set aside

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside

Melt butter and baking chocolate together in a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted.  You can use a regular pot, just monitor very carefully to make sure the mixture doesn’t burn. to the bottom of the pan.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, combine eggs and sugar in stand mixer bowl (or use electric hand mixer) and beat on med-high setting until fluffy.  Add melted chocolate mixture* to eggs and continue to beat until combined.

Slowly integrate flour mixture, and then add milk stout beer.  Batter will appear to be runny; that’s ok.  Pour semi-sweet chips into batter bowl and then pour entire batter into the baking pan*.

Bake 25-30 until toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.  Cool completely before slicing and serving.  If desired, dust with confectioner’s sugar to make them extra pretty.

* DON’T LICK THE SPOON  Remember, the stuff in the pot on the stove is UNsweetened chocolate with pure butter; it does not taste good.  The complete brownie batter does taste good, but has 4 raw eggs in it.  Just wait until they come out of the oven.

 

Peanut Brittle – sans HFCS

Remind me to try this again when I invest in a candy thermometer…

Considering my milk pitcher temperature-reader-thing only goes up to 220-deg, this was a lot of guess work and turned out fairly well.  Candy is not the easiest thing to make, but you can’t taste an amber ale without peanut brittle (as we’ve come to find out).  The thing is, the stuff from the grocery store is really expensive and has gross ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated peanut oil.  This was the recipe I used, and, apart from being a little sticky it turned out pretty darn good.

Homemade Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

1 C. sugar

1/2 C. light corn syrup

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 C. water

1 C. peanuts

2 TB butter, softened

1 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

Over medium heat, bring sugar, corn syrup, salt and water to a boil.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and add peanuts.  Stir frequently and continue to heat until candy thermometer reads 300 deg-F.

Remove from heat and immediately stir in butter and baking soda.  Then, immediately pour out onto greased baking sheet.

Pull the mixture with two forks into a rectangle and let cool completely.  Then snap into pieces, and call a dentist.