tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15026313220812079642024-03-13T10:31:19.265-07:00Miss Kris KitchenKris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-1202087812310063052013-03-25T17:59:00.000-07:002013-04-10T22:24:55.001-07:00Hubby's Requested Coconut Pineapple Birthday Cake<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6A6N5o9y5fKjoG7m5MaZItqF-LVcK-Fhk9m6HmXF5RPKu2fhS3K2p8SDOHWiYY2wwaig4rINoMiXnfnjfmM1PPW2Y0kRGTd0kSJP1McJVGt5UK6g15LcEfOZDe8GMo0T4CMlRPOdv7EYU/s1600/P1020215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6A6N5o9y5fKjoG7m5MaZItqF-LVcK-Fhk9m6HmXF5RPKu2fhS3K2p8SDOHWiYY2wwaig4rINoMiXnfnjfmM1PPW2Y0kRGTd0kSJP1McJVGt5UK6g15LcEfOZDe8GMo0T4CMlRPOdv7EYU/s640/P1020215.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MOIS<span style="font-size: large;">T AND PERFECT FOR SPRING <span style="font-size: large;">COCO<span style="font-size: large;">NUT PINEAPPLE CAKE</span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I forget, here is the recipe for the Birthday Cake I posted last night. For this post I photoed my slice of this very delicious cake, a cake that will become a regular in our family dessert rotation...I was actually very surprised by Hubby's choice of cake...I don't remember him ever requesting a flavor other than dark, fudgy chocolate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 1/3 cups sugar, divided</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 large eggs, separated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 3/4 cups cake flour </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon coconut extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Method: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 350^. Butter and flour (and add parchment paper, also greased, if your pans stick) 3 nine-inch cake pans. (For Hubby's party I made 2 larger layers for the ease of our large family gathering with several young children who appreciate smaller slices. 3 layers are prettier.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In your mixer bowl with beater attachment, combine butter and 2 cups of the sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat slowly as each ingredient portion is added and mix only until combined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beat in vanilla and coconut extracts. Mix on medium for about 30 seconds or just until all ingredients are well combined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Remove this batter to a different large bowl and clean your mixer bowl. Whip egg whites until they hold soft peaks, then, while mixing on slow, add last 1/3 cup sugar and whip to stiff peaks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gently fold egg white mixture into batter in thirds. Spoon batter into prepared pans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. (My larger pans took an extra 5 minutes.) When done, remove pans from oven onto wire racks. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans (and remove parchment paper if used) and let sit until completely cool. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While cake bakes and cools, make filling and frosting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pineapple Curd Filling Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3/4 cup sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/4 cup cornstarch </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, drained--keep both juice and pineapple</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3 egg yolks, lightly whisked</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick of butter)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon pineapple extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pinch salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Method:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Using a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch and salt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Add the drained pineapple juice and the lemon juice. Whisk together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Add the yolks and cook on medium heat until mixture boils..boil for 30 seconds more until mixture becomes thick like a pudding. Remove from heat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stir in butter until completely melted. Now stir in the crushed pineapple and pineapple extract. Let this filling cool. If necessary refrigerate for an hour. (This filling should be thick enough to not spread or run when spooned onto a cake layer, but soft enough to spread easily when pushed over the layer with a spoon.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">White Frosting Ingredients and method:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8 ounces white chocolate (Place in medium size microwavable bowl.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/4 cup heavy cream (Add cream to white chocolate and microwave 30 seconds, until mixture is just warm. Stir these 2 ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Microwave again in short bursts if necessary.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 cup butter, room temperature (Add to white chocolate-cream mixture and stir until smooth. If too thick or white chocolate not completely melted, microwave for 10 second bursts and stir until smooth.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Place above into mixer bowl with beater attachment and add:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 cup sour cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 Tablespoon coconut extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beat until smooth and creamy. Mixture should now be cool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next, add about 6 cups confectioner's sugar. Easiest to add 2 cups at a time and beat slowly after each addition. When all sugar has been added, beat on medium high until smooth and fluffy. Add enough sugar to make frosting a consistency that is easily spreadable or that can be piped and will keep its shape. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Assembly:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Place one cake layer on cake platter and top with 1/2 of the pineapple curd filling. Spread to within 1 inch of cake edge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Add second cake layer on top and then add 1/2 of the curd on top of this layer, again spreading to within 1 inch of cake edge. (When a layer is added on top of the filling it will push the filling further to the cake edge, but not over the edge and into the area where you will want to frost. Curd and frosting will not mix well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now add the top cake layer and you are ready to frost sides and top of cake. There should be enough curd and frosting to completely cover wanted areas well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Add sweetened, shredded coconut to sides and top of cake immediately after frosting. As cake sits, the exterior will set up a little so that the coconut will not stick.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note: Any white or yellow or sponge/angelfood cake will work. What really makes this cake wonderful is the delicious filling which keeps the cake moist. Also this simple, beautiful frosting is a lovely white contrast to the very yellow filling, making a lovely Spring presentation. I chose to decorate my cake top with Spring flowers from our yard. (See previous post.) This cake keeps well at room temp for 2 days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This cake would be great at a Hawaiian party or for other Tropical menu dinners. If you love coconut and pineapple, you will love this cake!</span></div>
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Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-67634691022596232452013-03-24T21:21:00.001-07:002013-03-24T21:22:32.583-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Chocolate Peanut Butter Fondue<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'll be short and sweet...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />This post was due at least 12 hours ago, but I saved making the Chocolate Peanut Butter Fondue for Hubby's and Son #2 outdoor birthday party this evening. Son's birthday is tomorrow and Hubby's is Tuesday. The whole family came for dinner today to celebrate, including Stephy-Wephy who is due to deliver me a new granddaughter TODAY! But no luck. Maybe tonight? I'm having more anxiety than Stephy. Good Grief! Much better than when I waited unpatiently for Santa as a kid.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJWxRf7MogEZ8s6v6sOUZOKAPxu2SbMR77JmLUi-PY15pOkcIgLQxYBuiO4ceWjT1-fwNHgWcBHnxOzqajgMLC2guAsyMdI3dqUBC-xLCeyrcFZvA9osrPzCVBPt_XDEj_utHcDyeHH3l/s1600/P1020212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJWxRf7MogEZ8s6v6sOUZOKAPxu2SbMR77JmLUi-PY15pOkcIgLQxYBuiO4ceWjT1-fwNHgWcBHnxOzqajgMLC2guAsyMdI3dqUBC-xLCeyrcFZvA9osrPzCVBPt_XDEj_utHcDyeHH3l/s640/P1020212.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FONDU</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hubby is a dark chocolate man. Son # 2 is a peanut butter guy. So this treat represents both these terrific men in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This
fondu is like eating melted, creamy, warm peanut butter cups. And, of
course, we added Baked brownies to our platter as a preferred dipping
accompaniment.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkxCUaDnMS0mMiszIZZIgik2FPlA_D0r1cqHx924pLXNYBZDwa8ZAzAnehcX9s-ECfsZDqRXLM4YHElpSV0cwxR-0jQu1pFwI9Ct2HkqPa2pgx0koG6Ob8tn62He9moFjH7HloLPxEPT5/s1600/P1020205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkxCUaDnMS0mMiszIZZIgik2FPlA_D0r1cqHx924pLXNYBZDwa8ZAzAnehcX9s-ECfsZDqRXLM4YHElpSV0cwxR-0jQu1pFwI9Ct2HkqPa2pgx0koG6Ob8tn62He9moFjH7HloLPxEPT5/s640/P1020205.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HUBBY'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH GARDEN FLOWERS</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was a fun recipe and was a big hit with all the "dips" at our party. For sure, I'll make this fondu recipe again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">FYI: Hubby chose a coconut pineapple birthday cake...it is delicious! I'll post the recipe soon because I know that coconut pineapple lovers might like to bake this cake.</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-56038396944285997832013-03-22T21:37:00.001-07:002013-03-22T21:58:59.586-07:00Tuesdays With Dorie and Julia: Mocha Chocolate Chips<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBffmGLNYkRDOZpLBKkhSSCNuBOwNOMHHth8Mf0cyEPCX5UbF_3qAyYme584yuIEpDbZigIXgnjxp9f1g-1WJGaPGonp3xPh_znC9fUCrkQ6xgeJTBHDJDkCorP0ghYz0YEBPNRyNrNn5/s1600/P1020202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBffmGLNYkRDOZpLBKkhSSCNuBOwNOMHHth8Mf0cyEPCX5UbF_3qAyYme584yuIEpDbZigIXgnjxp9f1g-1WJGaPGonp3xPh_znC9fUCrkQ6xgeJTBHDJDkCorP0ghYz0YEBPNRyNrNn5/s640/P1020202.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">YUM!!!</span></span></td></tr>
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I<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">nstead of Tuesdays with Julia and Dorie, I’m late and will call this Friday night with Julia and Dorie using Rick Katz’ Mocha Chocolate Chip cookies.<br /><br />This is a crazy time of year for me plus we have lots of family events over the next 2 weeks and a new granddaughter due now...I run every time my phone rings, Usually I’m not a good phone answerer but now I hear every ring or text "ding" hoping for some good news. So, I’m late with this post, but doing my best.<br /><br />Because I’m a cookie monster, I did not want to skip this recipe, however I did have some issues with sentences like “leave<u> at least 2 inches</u> of space between each mound of dough so that the cookies have room to spread.” And I had the advantage of looking through several of your posts, and I was not impressed with many that I saw. Sorry. Of course, I did see many that looked great, but a simple recipe for all us experienced bakers should have turned out very well for most everyone.<br /><br />I do love apricots and wanted that addition. I am not a coffee person, so I left out that flavor. I do not care for cookies that spread so much during baking especially after the dough has chilled for many hours. And I do not like to chill a simple cookie dough unless that step has a good purpose such as rolling out a firm buttery dough. In very hot Arizona my best cookies do not have hanging out time, even in the fridge. My kitchen is often 86-88^ with the oven on during our hot summers which last for several months. Butter melts and chocolate melts quickly. Doughs need adjusting. With all the spreading these cookies do, they would be impossible in AZ.<br /><br />Many of you posted that you liked the white chocolate with the apricots and that made good sense. And I had another item to try. Instead of a great dark chocolate, the “best chocolate you can,” I wanted to try the new Costco chocolate chips. A friend said she had tried them and likes them and asked my opinion. Since I’ve not used them, I have no opinion, but cringe a little at using a Costco chocolate. But Hubby went to Costco for cases of copy machine paper for the office, and he brought me Costco chocolate chips which he knew I “needed.” It was a surprise, like bringing me flowers. (Because I tried a new chocolate chip and also used white chips rather than chunking up white chocolate.)<br /> <br />To combat what I perceive as extra spreading for this baking dough I added 1 cup of quick oats. I like oats in many cookies and I also think they go well with apricots and chocolate chips. To color my dough and give a flavor boost I added 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder. I baked the cookies for 11 minutes and I’m very happy with my changes. These are great cookies! And no fridge time and reasonable spreading. And I like the Costco chips for day-to-day baking. My warm cookies oozed with that lovely chocolate and I have been fixed with happiness for the night.<br /><br />Thanks to your many posts which I read through before baking this recipe. You all inspired me to make this recipe my own.<br /><br />Have a great week</span>!</div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-11875988187883552262013-03-21T22:30:00.001-07:002013-03-21T22:30:13.926-07:00French Fridays with Dorie: Ispahan Loaf Cake<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">IT'S A KEEPER!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Such a wonderful cake made from almond flour, raspberries, and fragrant rose syrup. I've been doing needed yard work all week: planting my summer garden (which the dog unplanted twice), mowing the lawn, trimming Winter's frost kill on trees and shrubs, raking, and getting everything ready for Spring, which here in sunny AZ is like Summer in many areas. We've had a few mid-nineties days, but mostly eighties. I have a "farmer tan" and I feel healthy. I mailed away all our business taxes on Monday and I'm taking a break to get things ready for a family Easter holiday, for Hubby's and Son # 2's birthdays in a few days, and for a new granddaughter due on Sunday, or any moment (Honey will have a new baby sister...and Honey gets to stay with me for a week). So many special days to look forward to over the next week. After several days of "man-work," I'm tired and anticipated some relaxing baking fun with today's Ispahan Loaf Cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the very best things about this time of year is the smell. Everywhere. All our citrus trees are in bloom and our yard is perfumed with orange blossoms. Ahhhhhhhhh. I love the outdoors. We'll be ready for an Easter egg hunt and our usual brunch with all the trimmings and desserts we want to try. Of course, the Easter Bunny keeps coming to our house even though our kids are grown. Grandkids keep the fun in so many special days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today's loaf fits in with our season. When I shop at the market I find that the berries are perfect. Beautiful raspberries are inexpensive, abundant, and beg to add elegance to my baking. I expected a much better than average dessert. I was not disappointed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This cake was simple to put together, although the rose syrup is an unusual ingredient. I read on P's and Q's that the cake needs a little something with a glaze being a good fix. My only problem with this recipe was the baking temperature/time. The oven is pre-heated to 350^, then reduced to 300^ as the cake is put into the oven for baking. At 60 minutes my cake insides were very gooey and the cake seemed to need a much longer time. I had to run a few errands so I turned the heat back up to 350^. I should have had time to be more patient, but could not wait. My cake took an additional 15 minutes with the increased heat...probably would have been 15 more at the reduced temperature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No worries, this cake is incredibly delicious! I used Trader Joe's almond meal (with the skins) so my finished loaf may look a little extra brown rather than pink, but it is a great choice. I added a little fresh orange zest to my glaze along with the juice of that orange because I love my oranges which will be gone in another month. It was lovely with the rose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For fun I picked a pretty rose from my garden to garnish my plate...we have so many beautiful roses right now which are at their best before the Summer heat torches them. And for more fun I tried to make rose petals from gum drops for my loaf top...a task my talented daughters would have done much better. But it is all for fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If I were a royal queen (I am queen of my kitchen) I would order this cake often with my afternoon tea. At our house, King Hubby will find this loaf as a surprise for his breakfast. (It is fun to have Son #2 back at home. He seems to sense when every baked good is pulled from the oven, appears for a taste, and loves everything. He especially loves this extraordinary cake and he is impressed that it could be baked with almost all almond flour.) I'm with Cher...I want to try blackberries, and......</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thanks to some of you who suggested a glaze. It made a delicious difference.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Happy Spring!</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-89979298905501520822013-03-16T23:20:00.001-07:002013-03-16T23:20:46.862-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Lemon Shaker Pie<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I CAN'T HONESTLY DECIDE IF I <span style="font-size: large;">LIKE THIS PIE OR NOT???</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK.......we are pie people at our house. <span style="font-size: small;">(</span>#2 Son is baking chicken pot pie for St. Paddy’s day. I don’t know what that has to do with this fun day except that he wants to make it. It will be an alternative to my more traditional Irish meal. This year our dinner guests will have a few choices, one being his meat and vegetable pie.) I’ve collected every type of pie recipe I’ve ever come across and I can honestly say I’ve come close to <span style="font-size: small;">trying them </span>all. I have a few shelves in my library that are dedicated to pie baking books. We almost always have a pie or two in the kitchen waiting for hungry eaters. Right now, for example, I have blueberry and coconut cream pies in addition to my just baked lemon pie. It’s part of our fun. But I’ve never heard of and therefore never before tried Lemon Shaker Pie. Reading through the recipe created no excitement for this pie addict. I decided to skip this week. But then I just couldn’t skip it. It is pie...I had to try it.<br /><br />So I got online and read everything I could find (within an hour) about this type of pie. The reviews are mixed. Some said that Lemon Shaker Pie is the best lemon pie ever; much better than lemon meringue pie, for example. Others said it was bitter and nasty and was thrown out. A few suggested that this pie is delicious if the insides are pureed and that otherwise one should expect stringy lemon pieces that are quite chewy. Some advised that it is bitter, only very thin slices would be enjoyed and only enjoyed by “adult” palates. I read that this pie has a very strong flavor. <br /><br />The other issue is that it takes 48 hours to prepare the thin blanched lemon slices in sugar which takes away bitterness and some of the chewy texture. I also read that the "test kitchen" <span style="font-size: small;">has a quicker version, but most reviewers agreed that theirs in not "real" Shaker lemon pie. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most agreed that Meyer lemons are the way to go. </span></span></span><br /><br />I grow Meyer lemons. They are not like “regular” lemons. They are a cross between a lemon and a Mandarin orange. They are much sweeter and a different texture than the usual lemons. I wanted to try this recipe in its pure form, just to try it out.<br /><br />Then I read that a Shaker lemon pie baker should be careful to cut several steam slits into the top crust as adequate venting is very important for this pie. I also read that some bakers did not add a top crust. (The filling tends to clog up the vent holes.)<br /><br />The big plus for me is that I love many Amish and Shaker pies. These people were my initial catalyst in my pie baking hobby. With that in mind, Hubby picked 2 lovely lemons for me which I sliced just in time to give the 48 hours necessary before my post would be due.<br /><br />Then I decided to be smart. I would make a top crust with lots of cutouts instead of vents, usually a very pretty crust. Not a good idea. The unbaked filling is very liquidy causing my top dough, which was not as sturdy as a plain crust, to sag down into the liquid. My prebaked pie was one of the ugliest pies I’ve ever baked. I wanted to start over, but...my 48 hours were gone and I was making only one of these mixed review pies. So I’m stuck with an ugly pie. But bless my Son #2 who came into the kitchen as I was pulling my finished very ugly pie out of the oven and he commented that it looked quite good. He was even serious. Thank you, son!<br /><br />After cooling, I gave <span style="font-size: small;">my lemon pie</span> the anticipated taste test. My pie slice came out with several stringy lemon slices wanting to tag along. Hummm. I should have chopped up my <span style="font-size: small;">lemon</span> slices a bit...not pureed them, but chopped smaller pieces would be a good idea. My piece is chewy. Not repulsive, but not like other fruit pies I bake. A few bites have bitterness which is not nasty, but probably not for kids. And my first bite was a piece of powerful pie. I needed a drink of water to get it down. The flavor is like a strong lemon meringue pie but the texture is chewy with stringy piece. The lemon slices did not all stay round and lovely; most were broken and became long strings of lemon such as we are not used to eating. <br /><br />Except for the top crust which I cut out differently, I followed the recipe as written. (I <span style="font-size: small;">also took the time for the blanching step.) </span>Even though I love our citrus and enjoy using it in my baking, I can’t say I will bake this variety again. It was interesting to try, but I have a great lemon meringue pie recipe that I find much more exciting and will stick with that for now.</span></span></div>
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I<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'m wondering how all your pies turned out??? Hope you had better luck than I. Just for fun I also baked a batch of "Baked" brownies to go with my green mint chocolate chip ice cream...another one of our alternative choices for those who DO want something more traditional.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Happy St. Pat's Day to you all...hope you all have fun with something green!</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-44420765551280555842013-03-14T22:54:00.000-07:002013-03-15T18:53:17.358-07:00French Fridays with Dorie: Orange-Scented Lentil Soup<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1IeQN_0wtVdhIucn3hn1nqosL5aDbKu20by0z07woI-5-KsmkLP4mWOsKqJcLqypz7AEsJpyCLRusf-nMGPLqWGQ3CcMsLSeOtmvkUf4JRgaltjfxLdOfH9TheLbV6m337rLbRe1_a7p/s1600/P1020134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1IeQN_0wtVdhIucn3hn1nqosL5aDbKu20by0z07woI-5-KsmkLP4mWOsKqJcLqypz7AEsJpyCLRusf-nMGPLqWGQ3CcMsLSeOtmvkUf4JRgaltjfxLdOfH9TheLbV6m337rLbRe1_a7p/s640/P1020134.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">HEARTY, HEALTHY, DELICIOUS SUPPER</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Friday Evening a week ago : I admit that it was hard to get excited about lentil soup. It was 80^ today and will be in the mid 80's all weekend. Honey is having her 3 year old birthday and I'm excited that her family party will be here, at our house. I have kid food and fun on the brain, and a healthy soup has a hard time squeezing into my plan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But...surprise...this is a hit. Hubby usually starves on Fridays, then gets up early Saturday mornings, attends Weight Watchers where he loves his weigh-in proving that he has kept off the 50 pounds he lost 6 years ago, and after his weigh in, he eats junk all weekend. By Monday he is on track with healthy eating, and as the week wears on his food consumption decreases so that when Friday arrives, he's practically in fasting mode. It works for him. I'm glad he is in great shape and healthy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dorie's lentil soup was exactly what struck him as good Friday evening food. He commented that it is delicious and that it is Weight Watchers approved. I suppose I should feel honored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I confess that I also enjoyed a bowl of Dorie's soup, feeling like it was a healthy way to begin what I'm sure will become a sugary junk food weekend. I enjoyed the hint of orange from the peel of my Mandarin orange, and I also thought the addition of a little ginger and clove was a lovely touch. I am really not in the mood for a pureed soup...so I didn't. I did as Dorie suggested and added a dollop of tangy yogurt as a garnish along with thin strips of Parmesan cheese and freshly picked parsley. I served this soup with a sweetbread which complimented the unusual spice flavors and also the sweet orange peel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hope you all enjoy your green weekend with a lively dose of St. Paddy's Day which, to our family, truly celebrates the beginning of Spring. So, Happy Spring!</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-26211899321438865182013-03-09T21:39:00.000-07:002013-03-09T21:39:22.912-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOS4L_DdEhnBEUwKD7PNIR-xxWS-Ij3dC7S2LGHhihfsfBrUbYuNQAYd98jVvDQg4F4vJO0EUzz97UjYALeiBTzpqWxTaJZycuW8sJhwxHh8JQs5p7M6dKBKitQ7bT4d0Zw4KRmIPFtqm/s1600/P1020161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOS4L_DdEhnBEUwKD7PNIR-xxWS-Ij3dC7S2LGHhihfsfBrUbYuNQAYd98jVvDQg4F4vJO0EUzz97UjYALeiBTzpqWxTaJZycuW8sJhwxHh8JQs5p7M6dKBKitQ7bT4d0Zw4KRmIPFtqm/s640/P1020161.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">TASTY MALTED MILK AND ORANGE SANDWICH COOKIES</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hubby, Son #2, and I have a class to attend later tonight and the teacher, my friend, has a birthday early next week. I want to take a little treat to share with the class and to bring my Happy Birthday Wishes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I wanted something that felt like springtime, something with a little color and great flavor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With 1 change that made a huge difference, I used today’s recipe as written. Also, instead of the 2" cutter and I used a smaller 1" round cutter. The cookies grew a little during the baking process to about 1 ½” diameter. 1 or 2 bite size will be easier for the class.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My minor change that made a huge difference was to add the zest of 2 freshly picked Valencia oranges for the cookie dough and I also used their freshly squeezed juice and more zest for the filling (along with the other written flavorings). Fresh orange was the pronounced flavor for this cookie and it was wonderful. (Smaller size baked for 7 minutes.) (I made 80 of these smaller sandwich cookies.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This cookie baking project became my big time out for the day. I’m on schedule to finish all our business taxes by the end of next week. I try to take a good break doing something fun each day, and today I looked forward to the Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies. I’m working from home, so when I reached a good stopping point, I went downstairs, put on a chick flick, and started baking. By the time the movie ended all my cookies were baked and filled and I’d cleaned up my mess. Not bad for rolled out cookies that are filled and sandwiched...sometimes I pass over this type of cookie thinking it will take too much time, but they finished quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When my first batch was baking, #2 Son who was home doing school projects, came in and sat at the kitchen table to work. He couldn’t resist the cookies baking in the background of his work. He told me earlier that he is enjoying baked goods lots more since he moved back home. He attributes his new likes to all the baking aromas in the house that get him hungry for foods that have not interested him in the past several years. Well, of course, most store-bought bakery items are not close to my freshly baked goodies that are filled with lots of love! I honestly don't eat store bought baked goods either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Hope ya don’t mind, Mom, but I keep snitching cookies every time I walk into the kitchen. They’re really good. Kinda like Vanilla Wafers but way better.” (I would have had more than 80 sandwiches.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Well, son, they will be much better when they are filled.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And then, later, after filling and sandwiching the cookies:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“MMMMM MMMMM! I could eat a hundred of these. This is a recipe for a belly ache!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That all made me feel really good. If fussy #2 likes them, for sure our class mates will too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And, yes, they did. A few classmates phoned me later and wanted the recipe. I asked for a critique. They all replied that they loved the cookies just the way they were. Great texture and super flavor. And, they are quite pretty too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I’m glad I added all the orange zest and juice. They really are a good cookie that I will bake for sure again soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Loved my baking break today and loved even more sharing a successful new recipe with my friends. Hope you all had fun with this recipe too!</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-76999588699551225522013-03-04T23:39:00.000-07:002013-03-05T00:20:31.431-07:00Tuesdays with Julia and Dorie: Croissants<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPmNtMnD7R9aejmeq6AeNSoU4DNA5yPU2uEYd5Hf9TNjyAf65ixU5fuxhgp10svFuKJrB-wNxLVCW7CosU30EYlftgN_QUF-mRZXgKFJPRItvJQZbKMxinuxPdyLM9MI-k-7Yl0uOrMK1/s1600/P1020153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPmNtMnD7R9aejmeq6AeNSoU4DNA5yPU2uEYd5Hf9TNjyAf65ixU5fuxhgp10svFuKJrB-wNxLVCW7CosU30EYlftgN_QUF-mRZXgKFJPRItvJQZbKMxinuxPdyLM9MI-k-7Yl0uOrMK1/s640/P1020153.JPG" width="552" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BUTTERY CROISSANTS--TENDER AND FLAKY, DELICIOUS</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7:00 am Thursday</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had looked forward to baking croissants from the time we began Tuesdays with Julia and Dorie. One of my daughters, also a member of this group, and I discussed several issues before we began. We tried to purchase yeast cakes but were unsuccessful. Growing up, my mom used this type of yeast, always let her bread rise twice with this longer lasting, slower working yeast loved by professional bakers but almost impossible to buy now. This yeast ferments slowly and give breads a wonderful flavor and texture. There is a specialty grocer near my home who will make a special order for me, but I did not plan this in advance.<br /><br />I was not happy with the long rise on our foccacia bread and should have sped up that process which would have produced a more “bubbly” bread. My yeast was almost done by the last rise and my dough was not as bubbly at the baking point as it had been earlier. I did not want my yeast to be spent on this croissant project which goes on overnight and then for many hours the following day.<br /><br />I decided to use 2 ½ teaspoons of yeast for today’s recipe and I also sped up the process, cutting all the times by about 1/2.<br /><br />I was working from home today, doing taxes and other business odds and ends, so I planned my day to take short breaks allowing me to make my croissants. I decided to mix the dough early in the morning, and have baked croissants before I went to bed. That way they would be cooled and ready to eat for breakfast.<br /> <br />Everything went well. I took short breaks to fold and roll my dough and to keep it chilling. I was proud of my croissants which looked beautiful when ready for the final rise before baking. I made plain and chocolate.<br /><br />I had to go down to the office at one point, only 1 ½ miles away so no big deal, and there is a Fresh and Easy about ½ mile before the office. I ran in and bought a 14 oz dark chocolate bar. When having a really stressful day, one of our employees used to walk to the store and come back with a bag of this chocolate to share. It used to have printing on the packaging that said the maker of this chocolate is Calebout chocolate...and at a fraction of the cost of Calebout packaged chocolate. We ate it by the pounds and loved it. For the past several months I’ve become addicted to Trader Joe’s chocolate pound plus bars, but the Fresh and Easy bars are more easily broken into narrow strips that are perfect for hiding in my croissants.<br /><br />Then I watched the PBS video with Julia and Esther McManus, a real French baker whose recipe we are baking for today. She suggested that at the point I was at, one should place the croissants into the oven with a pan of boiling water for steam and where a pilot light would keep the rising dough warm.<br /><br />Now I made my big mistake. I wanted to cry. I had given all my precious free moments to these croissants and I messed them up. At this time of year I put in lots of 18 hour days...so my moments here and there are very precious.<br /><br />I do not have a pilot light, I bake electrically...no gas in our neighborhood. So I thought I’d be smart and make my own proofing oven...I do this regularly when I bake other breads and rolls to speed the rising process. I warmed my oven to about 110ish^ and added the steam tray. I inserted 2 pans of my rising croissants and proceeded to roll out the last half of the recipe which I planned to use with my chocolate. When I opened the oven door to add my chocolate croissants....BOO HOO! All my plain croissants had melted. All the now slimy little rolls of dough were swimming in melted butter.<br /><br />Well, what did I think would happen? Obviously I did not think about butter melting in a warm oven. I don’t know the temperature for a pilot light oven, but my oven was at butter melting temp and all that lovely butter I had incorporated into my croissants in many layers had oozed out and puddled in the baking sheets. What a mess.<br />____________________________________________________________________<br />9 pm<br />OK, my croissants are now into their 3rd hour of rising just sitting out in the kitchen. No more oven rising for buttery doughs. I don’t know if my plain batch will be any good...less their butter which melted out, but the chocolate variety should be OK. However, I just checked them, and they don’t appear to be rising at all. Hummmmmmm.<br />_____________________________________________________________________<br />10 pm. <br />This project continues on. Maybe the croissants will be baked for breakfast??? My oven is a little warmer than room temp so I will again attempt to get this rising dough ready for baking by re-entering it into the oven. I will continue to wait.<br />_____________________________________________________________________<br />10:30<br />Everyone has gone to bed. I need to work quietly. My croissants look like they need about 3 more hours to rise. They don't seem to be growing at all. I know my yeast is good...just used it this week successfully. Sooooo slow. I egg wash them again so they won’t dry out and then I decide to just do it. Bake these little monsters that melt when I get them warmed and won’t rise when they sit out. My kitchen is 76^. It was an 80^ day. This rising business should not be so difficult!<br />_____________________________________________________________________<br />10:50 and, yes, we are p.m.<br />Did I mention that I do all our business taxes? And because I do, I get phone calls often from people from our church, the neighborhood, family, etc who want to know about taxes; everyone has questions. I just spent the last 20 minutes helping a friend who started her own business last year. She is so confused. The tax laws really need to change. Paying taxes should not be so difficult or time consuming or costly...I pay for computer programs, supplies, and a CPA to review my work. It costs me thousands of dollars every year just to do all the payroll taxes, business taxes, April 15th taxes, etc.. I have to account for every penny. Everything needs to balance to the penny. Sometimes I add up columns of numbers over and over and know it is time to quit for the day when I get a different total each time I add those columns, sometimes 20 times. And for what? I have to keep track of every pencil we use, the weed killer, mileage, A/C filters, postage...everything. If the business expenses don’t get added in, our taxes are higher. Everything matters.<br /><br />It’s nice to have projects such as these croissants and grandkiddies to force work breaks. I’ll go check on my croissants...hope they have puffed up and are edible. <br />_________________________________________________________________<br />11:00 <br />Well, I won’t say success, but maybe ½ success. As I walked downstairs there was a lovely aroma of buttery bread baking. Nice. I opened the oven and my croissants are browned and OK looking. Two pans are baked and I I have two more pans to go. The croissants rose to at least double, maybe more, but not triple as Esther said they should. I’m interested to try this recipe again in the summer when my kitchen is hot. I wonder if the rise will go better or if the butter will melt? <br /><br />I am disappointed that the chocolate melted out of the ends. I rolled the chocolate croissants as Esther did in the video...with nothing covering the chocolate ends. I thought it would melt out, but I actually hoped that some magic would happen and the dough would puff up and close off the ends. Not! I can’t call these croissants “beautiful.” Next time I will enclose the chocolate. I am smarter now.<br />_____________________________________________________________________<br />11:20<br />Time to get my second batch out of the oven. I had planned to use my croissants for breakfast sandwiches. Filled with bacon, eggs,a spoonful of hash browns, salsa, melted cheese.......but they are not as large as I had hoped they would be. I will, instead, use them for dinner rolls for tomorrow’s meal. I will leave them alone, let them cool and set, and try one in the morning just before I post my experience.<br /><br />Sorry for all my rambling, but I need to remember what happened. I do want to try this experience again and hope for greater success.<br />_____________________________________________________________________<br />11:30<br />I was greeted in the kitchen by No. 2 Son who exited his homework room because of the wonderful smell of freshly baked croissants in the kitchen. He begged to try one, and then another. He thinks my croissants are great. Since he was eating them, I also had to try a plain one and then a chocolate one. I must admit, they are delicious. Not perfect, but good. Maybe better than OK. They are light and flaky and have a wonderful flavor. <br /><br />I am happy I made these croissants, even with my problems. I plan to order the better yeast...or find a bakery willing to sell a pound. With the correct ingredients I will go for the 2 day process. Also I will make my croissants a little larger for sandwich use. And, I will experiment with other fun fillings.<br /><br />Hope you all enjoyed success with this project. Have a happy week!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>THE CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS ARE REALLY YUMMY!</u></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<br />Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-18738578210348481772013-03-02T20:41:00.000-07:002013-03-02T20:41:08.079-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Honey Banana Poppy Seed Bread<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7TBsgefw7EWDtG9SngJxeTYiah9KfEl50-8nTy5vY7ph4umUT2RzjJg_v0gxiptyVm46RJYfle7RMQi4v6AnY21BgIPjtvhxk-V7O4Hypwf1o9WF8Ueq6WfTLXatDXfK17e_MTWajg9o/s1600/P1020139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7TBsgefw7EWDtG9SngJxeTYiah9KfEl50-8nTy5vY7ph4umUT2RzjJg_v0gxiptyVm46RJYfle7RMQi4v6AnY21BgIPjtvhxk-V7O4Hypwf1o9WF8Ueq6WfTLXatDXfK17e_MTWajg9o/s640/P1020139.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">AN EASY, DELICIOUS BANANA BREAD--MOIST, SWEET, AND HEARTY</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It seems that at the end of every week I have bananas in my fruit bowl that are on the verge of becoming over ripe. At this point the bananas find their way into smoothies or protein shakes or I snatch them for baking. Today my kitchen had 6 such bananas, allowing for a double batch of today's "Baked" recipe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I did not fill my loaf pans too full, giving me enough batter for two smaller loaves which always seem to be "needed" by my grandkiddies who ask for treats as they walk through the front door. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instead of poppy seeds, which would be a wonderful addition to this bread, I chose, instead, to incorporate chopped toasted walnuts; a more traditional inclusion. (No that's not true. I was baking on auto pilot, added the walnuts and forgot the poppy seeds until I cleaned up my mess and had to put the poppy seeds away.) I usually say that banana bread is best when a day old, but this bread sliced well piping hot out of the oven, is moist, and sweetly delicious from the first bite. I don't think there will be any of this bread left for a second day try.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also like the addition of honey to this recipe which keeps the bread moist and gives a natural sweetness along with the bananas to this bread. The only other change I made was to add vanilla to this recipe...just because I like it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This recipe is definitely a keeper. I'm with the Baked Boys, you can never have too much good banana bread and it's fun to collect several recipes that can be cherished, each offering a slightly different version of this classic sweetbread. </span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-23282563144673580452013-03-01T10:39:00.000-07:002013-03-01T13:49:42.843-07:00French Fridays with Dorie: Chicken Breast Diable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">DELICIOUS CHICKEN DINNER ENJOYED BY THE WHOLE FAMILY!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After working to prepare a lovely meal for my family, i</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">t's very rewarding when everyone, without exception, enjoyed the food and conveyed appreciation repeatedly through the meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After reading Dorie's description for a "quicker version" of this dish, I was intrigued with the idea of the "slower version" with bread crumbs and didn't mind the idea of including her few extra steps. One of my grandkiddies came to cook and we did not want "quicker." I do not often "fry" chicken. We have a fun outdoor setup, the weather is usually great here in sunny AZ, so most often our chicken gets grilled. For today, we wanted to spend lot of time together and enjoyed the fun indoor "fry" method.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I recently returned home from several days in Utah where I made an 85th birthday party for my mom. My dad sent me home with squash and onions from his garden, and lots of breadcrumbs he had just freshly made. Upon returning home my neighbor greeted me with fresh chard and herbs (used to season my breadcrumbs) from his garden. I had sweet broccoli rabe growing in my garden, and with the chicken breasts diable we enjoyed a delicious meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This chicken is tender and juicy with a crispy, flavorful, breaded crust. The sauce is outstanding and adds rich flavor to this dish. (T, my son--in-law, came back for leftovers the next day and again commented that he really likes the mustardy sauce.)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">TURTLE IS BECOMING QUITE A CHEF</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hubby loved the mustardy sauce, made by my Turtle, and is always happy when we incorporate our backyard citrus into the meal. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">TURTLE ALSO ADDED CITRUS ZEST AS OUR TASTY GARNISH</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't know how the "quicker" version of this dish turned out...I'm guessing it is also tasty...but the breaded version is a keeper. Turtle agrees and wants to help again when we cook this meal!</span></div>
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<br />Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-44388184170104709132013-02-24T11:35:00.002-07:002013-02-24T11:35:37.627-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Bundino<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">LAYERS OF CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY PUDDINGS</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm in a huge hurry, but want to post my experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm a fan of pudding; can't think of one I don't enjoy. Pudding is the ultimate comfort food. At this time of year I choose pudding over ice cream...and flavors for pudding are almost as plentiful as those for ice cream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Honestly, I did not love this milk chocolate variety, would have preferred a dark chocolate which would work just as well with this Baked recipe. With all the milk, eggs, and cream which diluted the chocolate flavor, I needed more richness to my chocolate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've been out of state for the past several days, stopped at a cherry orchard on my way home, (I know, it's not cherry season, but the fruit stand keeps frozen cherries and concentrated cherry juice available all year long.) Instead of vanilla, I thought I'd be smart and make cherry pudding...not a great idea. There's a reason cherry pudding is not popular. But cherry and chocolate go well together in my book. It was not bad, just not what I expected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had doubled the recipe, so after putting together several pretty layered desserts for dinner, I melted dark chocolate, combined this chocolate with the leftover puddings and now I have a great chocolate pudding with just a hint of dark cherry flavor. Yum!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I must say that this is, in general, a wonderful pudding recipe. It is simple, silky, and can accommodate individual tastes. I will make this again, but with my personal preferences in mind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">See you all in March...it's almost Spring...YEA!</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-79912568647657921762013-02-10T01:04:00.001-07:002013-02-10T01:04:19.848-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookie<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAIdplzr86cQERk79U00St8EHfZ4CdPJLQaYkndkamlkBBJ7tJWiAgyUYP9jLtV6xgj8mzKDj6_jEpe9wFOYiNhNrCSSJcQeZt0tWMB0EwSI3uYwc5mWwNWAN9rdeBXTM3B2yQkNFWFWl/s1600/P1020093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAIdplzr86cQERk79U00St8EHfZ4CdPJLQaYkndkamlkBBJ7tJWiAgyUYP9jLtV6xgj8mzKDj6_jEpe9wFOYiNhNrCSSJcQeZt0tWMB0EwSI3uYwc5mWwNWAN9rdeBXTM3B2yQkNFWFWl/s640/P1020093.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">LOVE THESE!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's 1 am and I'm still up working so I need to be quick. Today, well, I guess it has become a new day, so yesterday, was my anniversary. Hubby took me out all day...did lots of fun stuff. When we returned home I baked cookies...didn't tell him it was for my assigned post...let him think I was making special "I LOVE YOU" cookies for our special day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HE LOVES THE COOKIES...said over and over how tasty they are. I used the frosting to stick on red hots...these cookies are flavorful and I'm sure the frosting adds to them, but not necessary. This dough was easy to work with and kept a nice shape while baking. I did not take the time to refrigerate...I mixed and rolled and baked...quick and easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let me quickly say, "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY" to all of you.</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-82880540645223122122013-02-08T20:25:00.000-07:002013-02-08T20:26:12.682-07:00French Fridays with Dorie: Fresh Orange Pork Tenderloin<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-z3PC2Fp-AmnvlcjmBDEZYWhGzy0POYnHzW60kL5iJl_mt-44RPr2Bk9EFCZsKErZdAfF4vul7NDMpIZj1ovCThISt-oYGJn7IBEBaF2zEKrqrcOupGjrVMAKme67o1xkKf6ldktedgmq/s1600/P1020087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-z3PC2Fp-AmnvlcjmBDEZYWhGzy0POYnHzW60kL5iJl_mt-44RPr2Bk9EFCZsKErZdAfF4vul7NDMpIZj1ovCThISt-oYGJn7IBEBaF2zEKrqrcOupGjrVMAKme67o1xkKf6ldktedgmq/s640/P1020087.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">SAME INGREDIENTS<span style="font-size: large;"> BUT DIFFERENT PRESENTATION</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a bit late. I try to get my posts up in the morning, but today the morning was crazy...its that time of year. No sleep and piles of papers everyw<span style="font-size: small;">here. I'm adding numbers in my <span style="font-size: small;">daydreams. <span style="font-size: small;">And</span> this week has been a week of problems...it just happens sometimes, <span style="font-size: small;">and this is one of those times.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> But I can't skip out on a recipe with fresh oranges...my backyard trees are calling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We just ate this Fresh Orange Pork Tenderloin salad a few minutes ago. Hubby and Son #2 enjoyed this recipe with me and both licked their plates clean, well almost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Its a lovely day in AZ and garden time is precious. The heat will be here soon and gardens will die, not from frost as happens in most of the country, but from frying. The oranges and veges are all from my yard. I baked flatbread yesterday while adding the pork tenderloin to a ziplock bag filled with herbs and spices and orange juice/zest as a marinade. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For my salad I used a simple mix of fresh greens, red onion, and cilantro. I sectioned oranges (not navels, which are not a good cooking orange--drier and meatier and become a little bitter when cooked-- but lovely, sweet, juicy eating oranges which are practically seedless), very lightly sprinkled on a vinaigrette made from oilive oil, cider vinegar, and orange juice, tossed on feta cheese and fresh zest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The meat was lightly browned in a little butter-oil mixture with orange zest and juice and a little salt and pepper. The marinade clung to the outside edges of the meat, adding extra goodness and color to this dish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This salad fits into my schedule during this busy time as it took only 10 minutes yesterday and then 20 minutes more today total prep time. For my salad I did not keep the sauce, but the flavor it created for the meat was delicious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I chose not to serve with potatoes, etc...a heartier meal for those of you having blizzard conditions today, but went lighter and used what I have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">#2 son took his salad bowl ingredients and made a sandwich using the bread which he split...looked great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hubby had just come in from mowing the lawn and was in the mood for a healthy, tasty meal, and he was pleased with our dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For sure I'm make this again. My inspiration is from our Dorie assignment today and done my way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HAPPY VALENTINES TO YOU ALL!</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-20068179603617475972013-02-04T23:04:00.000-07:002013-02-04T23:15:32.931-07:00Tuesdays With Julie and Dorie: Focaccia<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qH_kW3tnsRaLYQGVbe364-4E0t-TD_teYWVYAYZuI_hS5Otr3D6lwwqzn5FrZNqgnLtcK0Aa2qByHhJGlhE2gcGOkra85RGmto8O8c1BxfVta3etCrX2InPLPvDg5nI4CM21Eddpyt3t/s1600/P1020060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qH_kW3tnsRaLYQGVbe364-4E0t-TD_teYWVYAYZuI_hS5Otr3D6lwwqzn5FrZNqgnLtcK0Aa2qByHhJGlhE2gcGOkra85RGmto8O8c1BxfVta3etCrX2InPLPvDg5nI4CM21Eddpyt3t/s640/P1020060.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SUCH A VERSATILE BREAD--A KEEPER RECIPE!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This bread was a hit on our Superbowl food table. Lots of hungry people at my house who agree that it's not beer that goes better with football, but it is food! I'm sure we went through more food on Sunday than we did on Thanksgiving, the biggest food day of the year...used to be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My refrigerated dough took a long time to rise...like forever. Must have been too cold on this winter day. (I know you all think we enjoy perpetual spring here in our AZ winter...but it does feel cold to us. 70^ is nice if you are Cher living in Upstate New York, but is cold to us.) I love to bake bread here in AZ in the summer. Most people quit cooking because of the heat, but I love to bake bread...it rises in about a quarter of the time...so I have this recipe on my calendar again for May...it will be 100^ by then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I made 6 baking sheets of focaccia with a variety of toppings and melted cheeses. It was all eaten except for this one, which I kept plain (just brushed with freshly cut herbs infused olive oil) and hidden for today's use. It is day old, reheated, cut in half like a layer cake being cut to form two layers, and then the fun began. I brushed herb infused olive oil on each inside half and then melted cheese on each side, grilled a variety of fresh veges, added pan-fried ham, sliced a pickle, picked fresh garden lettuce and we enjoyed an amazing meal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The photo is my sandwich portion which is about 7" X 5" and I ate every bite! 3 of us ate this left-over, day-old bread sandwich and we all agreed that it is delicious!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used different flours on each batch, just to compare the results. The photo is from 100% high gluten bread flour. It is more chewy, but not as "bubbly." Focaccia using 1/2 bread and 1/2 all purpose flours was much lighter and more airy; picking up that bread was a real difference in how much lighter it felt, and I also tried only all purpose flour which was airy, a little more crumbly, but still very good, and it rose faster than the higher gluten, more coarse doughs. For hearty sandwiches I would go with the 1/2 and 1/2 flours. No complaints with any of my combos...all are amazing, just a little different.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I know this is good. Hubby asked me to slice his sandwich in half as he could not eat such a huge portion. Within a couple of minutes both halves had been devoured. And Hubby saves his calories for the weekend...he almost never eats a large portion during the week. This recipe is a winner. Even love it when it is day-old!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hope you all enjoyed success...I have a feeling that overall this recipe will be "a keeper!"</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-87723470033689164232013-02-03T22:47:00.000-07:002013-02-03T22:47:37.703-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Cheesy Focaccia<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwOPIDRxfeB3ke9yAF1-tN6sf7NgDjlq1UsoDGyxekgLC2Pk5d9z5jMIdZGbPnRpBcLPl2Bk1ngUoYyIad6E1z1BScXoDXbVmb1lBVaqjCDWaiTUVimq-jdPYo3SrPmVq8jr2eyF8j3mr/s1600/P1020042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwOPIDRxfeB3ke9yAF1-tN6sf7NgDjlq1UsoDGyxekgLC2Pk5d9z5jMIdZGbPnRpBcLPl2Bk1ngUoYyIad6E1z1BScXoDXbVmb1lBVaqjCDWaiTUVimq-jdPYo3SrPmVq8jr2eyF8j3mr/s640/P1020042.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">DELICIOUS!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know, I'm late, it's not Sunday morning any more, but is Sunday going-to-bed-time. Sorry. I decided to use this Baked project for our Superbowl fabulous food table this evening. It was a hit. We had a huge houseful of all ages and this was totally enjoyed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I waited until today (I usually bake on Wednesdays when I have Honey and take an office work break...we love to bake together.) I'm behind on getting this post up. I woke early, mixed up the dough and let it rise, then I put it into the fridge. Every thing went well to that point. When I returned home I took the chilled dough out of the fridge and thought it would take about an hour to warm up and get bubbly and oven ready. Well, I was wrong. It all worked out OK, but we're having a cloudy, sprinkley, cold day and the house is a bit cold. I did not want to turn on heat as I knew that we'd soon have lots of bodies in the house to warm it up. Anyway, it took 4 1/2 long hours before I could begin baking. Glad we did not plan to eat until Superbowl time. It all worked out, but glad I was not in a hurry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My camera makes the crust look quite light...it truly was better browned. This bread is light and airy, yet a little crusty...and the toppings were really tasty. I went with this recipe as written except for the fridge time. This is a keeper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A note for those of you in the TWD group:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With a big crowd here I made 3 times the recipe...well two times this one and then I also made the TWD Focaccia which I'll post later. I will just say that both recipes are similar are delicious. I like this recipe better if thinking of a sandwich use. It puffed up better and is lighter. I did use all bread flour in the TWD recipe to see what that would do. Possibly that is why it did not puff up quite as much, although the quantities for the same ingredients are a little different proportions and that could be the difference. I like the TWD recipe better when I want a more chewy bread. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All my breads disappeared and all were totally enjoyed. (I made the TWD dough yesterday so it could have a longer fridge time...supposedly this would enhance flavors, etc. I did not notice a big difference.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm ready to try this recipe again and without the chilling time. It was all going so well and I think the whole process would have been easier...I must say that after 3 hours I was starting to worry about whether this bread would make it to our dinner today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I did get to bake with Honey. Honey, her mom, and I all went to a baby shower yesterday. I 'stole" Honey who spent the night and we did get to have our baking day together after all.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0QOD_DBN1HNNa0OvLnbMQ76fV0mrFdUH-PSW9Q22r8H-KuijAhqeU2YLPcoiDZqtiHkoSu2K0wjB4l2n8kOGJ-4fNu9oJJCVTDuqGP0sUimt847xaQ_kmJIW8Tjx-auZ1mwRLWL8kn9K/s1600/P1020032.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0QOD_DBN1HNNa0OvLnbMQ76fV0mrFdUH-PSW9Q22r8H-KuijAhqeU2YLPcoiDZqtiHkoSu2K0wjB4l2n8kOGJ-4fNu9oJJCVTDuqGP0sUimt847xaQ_kmJIW8Tjx-auZ1mwRLWL8kn9K/s640/P1020032.JPG" width="362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">MY BAKED BUDDY</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I looked quickly through your posts...they are wonderful...everyone did a great job and this recipe seems to be an all around hit. "See" you all soon!</span></div>
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<br />Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-50102290301879950252013-01-31T20:01:00.001-07:002013-01-31T20:01:38.668-07:00French Fridays with Dorie: Brown-Sugar Squash and Brussels Sprouts en Papillote.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">OVEN-READY SQUASH AND SPROUTS EN PAPILLOTE</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While working on my end-of-last-year business paperwork I was dreaming about what might go well with Dorie’s brown-sugar squash and Brussels sprouts en papillote. I’ve been so busy I’ve not cooked dinner for the past two days; leftovers have reached their limit. The foil packets of vegetables will not stand on their own, but they would be a tasty side for to an outdoor meal.<br /><br />I decided to cook them the campfire way. When our kids were younger they used to enjoy “tin foil dinners” where we made a variety of tasty meals such as chicken and veges all wrapped up in foil to be cooked in the hot coals from a nice fire. Well, I did not build the fire, but I did turn on the outdoor grill, put on my vege packets along with some steaks, and voila, dinner was done.<br /><br />While snipping my sage I noticed that our past several days of rain had done wonders for my lettuce patch, so I picked some of that too. Instead of making a fancy salad, I chose to let Dorie’s veges be the star and the lettuce could be just lettuce this time. And being freshly picked it was sweet and juicy and crisp; any accompaniment would have been a distraction.<br /><br />With hot homemade bread and freshly made strawberry jam ( I paid $8 for enough strawberries to make 32 cups of jam and right now the berries are sweet and beautiful) we had a great meal and I had a pleasurable distraction. After an afternoon of cooking I’m recharged to get back to work in the morning and will endure another no dinner day. (I made extra vege packets for tomorrow...with all the snacking during work we’ll have something to grab that’s healthy.)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DORIE'S VEGE COMBO MADE A YUMMY SIDE FOR OUR DINNER</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(One of my comfort foods is the foam that gets skimmed of the top of finished jam just before it gets jarred. Must be something from my childhood memories when my mom gave me my own bowl of foam...no one else wanted it. How could they not love that sweet, airy, fruity foam? It’s what prompted today’s bread...that’s what you see in the photo and that’s why this spread is not bright red strawberry jam.)<br /><br />Comments:<br />Hubby–I usually don’t honestly enjoy Brussels sprouts, but with the apple and the seasonings, this arrangement is outstanding! And I really love the squash. I”ll be happy to have another one tomorrow.<br /><br />No. 2 Son–upon opening the packet–Ahhh. This smells like soap from those new soap shops where they use farm grown herbs and spices to scent their bathroom products. It does smell really good. (I didn’t know if I liked that comment, but it was meant to be complimentary.) <br /><br />It was a lovely idea to let my eaters open their foil packages. That initial whif from the steamy veges enveloped by the aroma of fresh sage was really nice!<br /><br />Hope you all enjoyed this simple project as much as we did! Now that we’ve all had our veges we can enjoy guiltless Superbowl junkfood.</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-73854706120284498972013-01-26T20:45:00.004-07:002013-01-26T20:45:47.500-07:00Basked Sunday Mornings: Sunday Night Cake<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NO FRILLS CAKE WITH A SUPER DELICIOUS FROSTING--PERFECT FOR SUNDAY NIGHT</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">January is a strange weather month. A week ago we had record breaking freezing temps for a week, then we enjoyed record breaking warm, sunny days...85^ here in Gilbert, AZ. Beautiful! Now it is raining and will continue to rain for a couple of days Although rain is always celebrated in the desert, the past two days have been very dreary especially after Mother Nature teased us with such beautiful weather for a few days...so, it's a good indoor baking day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Saturday afternoon. Hubby and No. 2 Son keep asking what kind of cake I am baking. I keep telling them that it is a Sunday Night Cake. They are worried that I plan to make them wait until Sunday night before they can dig in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kiddies are on their way over to eat their cakes. They love it when I make them each their own. And since we are chocolaholics they'll love their cakes dripping with this pudding-like chocolate frosting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For today, I doubled the recipe, made a large heart-shaped cake and 3 individual cakes for those little people coming to share. The best part is the frosting! I made enough to pour more on each sliced piece. I'll be interested to see how the leftovers hold up overnight...too big for my stuffed fridge. I don't know that the frosting would be a good idea in the hot AZ summers...this is the perfect time of year for this treat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hubby enjoyed the cinnamon spice in the cake as well as the rich chocolate frosting. I baked the cake as directed by the Baked boys with the generous addition of vanilla extract to both the cake and to the frosting. I don't know that I would personally love this cake without the frosting; with only a dusting of confectioners' sugar instead. Oh, one more change. I did not have unsweetened chocolate in the house and I was not in the mood to brave the rain, so I used a wonderful bar of 72% chocolate in my frosting and I must say that it was perfect. I never mind a little extra sweet in my frosting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hope you all enjoyed this dessert. For sure I'll made this frosting again. I can envision this cake with lots of whipped cream and berries...it needs something moist and fluffy, or maybe a rich cup of cocoa would be a good pairing with a plain version of this cake. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Looking forward to Superbowl Sunday and Cheesy Focaccia! "See" you all then.</span></div>
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<br />Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-62509826357458551642013-01-24T02:30:00.000-07:002013-01-24T02:47:52.697-07:00French Friday with Dorie: Shrimp and Cellophane Noodles<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SHRIMP AND CELLOPHANE NOODLES--ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had a little fun with today’s Shrimp and Cellophane Noodles. (And because 2 CUPS of tomato puree sounds gross in a stir fry that is even "just-remotely Chinese"....I went on a search.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had read through the recipe earlier in the week and knew that I needed a few ingredients that might be common in a French/Chinese pantry, but not in mine. I’m always happy when I read through an ingredient list and find that everything I need is in my fridge or pantry...both seem to overflow all the time. But sometimes it is part of our fun or our learning experience to stretch out into new ingredients and ideas. For today I did not have the mushrooms, noodles, fresh five-spice powder (threw away a jar that was at least 10 years old), or shrimp. But I did not write down my needs before leaving the house early this morning for meetings, and thought I could just stop by the market on my way home and pick up a few remembered items. I did remember “stir-fry,” and to me, that usually means lots of veges and some type of meat with lots of rice or noodles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I picked up a variety of ingredients that I thought sounded good in a stir fry, remembered the noodles, spice and shrimp, and then drove home. Before beginning to cook, I carefully read the recipe and was a bit at a loss. Hummm...not my vision. Hubby, who lived in Singapore for a couple of years just before I met him, was also not tuning into the right vision for Dorie’s stir fry. He had been getting excited about a different type of stir fry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I phoned Emy-Lou-Who, my daughter, who a few years ago lived for 18 months in Taiwan and is a great Chinese food cook and her hubby, Tommy was also at home. His father is from Laos and his mother is Chinese, raised in Thailand. Emy sounded terrible; has a bad cold, but she was excited to give insights into today’s menu. I had a few wrong ideas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First of all, the “slithery, translucent noodles” had only Chinese writing on the package and no directions for cooking, even in Chinese. I guess these noodles are so common in the Asian culture that the noodle producers assume that those who purchase their noodles automatically know how to cook them. And how many Arizona Americans actually cook with them? Only Asians or adventurous cooks like us. Not your typical Southwestern fare. (Chinese food is for take out or is restaurant food...too much chopping and too many unusual ingredients.) (I had a neighbor ask me last week if I would teach her to cook rice...plain rice. She is in her 70's, raised two boys, and has yet to learn to cook rice. Solution: she went out and purchased a rice cooker at Costco because her first attempt, after I told her simply what to do, failed.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tommy advised that I put the noodles that I wanted for immediate use in a large bowl, pour boiling water on them, and let them sit for 30 seconds to a minute, stirring them with a chop stick a few times. Then drain the noodles and rinse them a few times with cold water which stops the cooking process and also keeps them from sticking together. The noodles just need to quickly soften and they are ready.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had googled recipes for "shrimp and cellophane noodles" and found an ingredient list similar to Dorie’s but for a soup instead of a stir fry. I would basically prepare all the ingredients the same way, but instead of stir frying, I would first make a flavorful broth, then use the same "glass" noodles and Dorie's other ingredients, but instead, have a soup. This appealed to me as I listened to pour, sick Emy, and knew I should take a pot of healthy soup to her tomorrow...a stir fry would be good right after cooking but would not keep well. A pot of soup would serve a second purpose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I explained my idea to Emy and she said, “Oh you want to make pho.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“What?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Pho. It is Tommy’s dad’s favorite food. Every time he goes out to dinner, that’s what he orders.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“How do you spell that?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“P-H-O. Pronounced Fu...with a u like how it sounds in duck, pho.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Oh yea, the package has the word pho as the middle word in the title for these noodles.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“They are great noodles. They make super stir frys and great pho, or soup. They will be un-pho-gettable.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Ha-ha.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You can call your soup, ‘Shrimp Pho You.’”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“More ha-ha.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I asked what they thought about an addition of more vegetable varieties. I was told that it’s soup, I can add whatever I want. Or it could be stir fry and I could still add whatever I want.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, choosing to make the soup, or pho, I made my stock by simmering a whole chicken and flavoring the broth with chopped onion, minced garlic, minced hot chilis, 5 spice power, minced ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Hoisin sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, lime juice, toasted sesame oil, cayenne pepper, and chili sauce.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Are you as impressed as I that all these are in my cupboard?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then I chopped or sliced scallions, more onion, a carrot, celery, extra firm tofu, cooked chicken, lots of cilantro, zucchini, mushrooms, and I cooked my shrimp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As instructed, I used a large soup bowl and added a bottom layer of my cooked noodles. Then I layered the raw veges, the cooked meats and tofu, and finished with a garnish of unchopped scallions and lots of cilantro. After all this was in my bowl I poured boiling hot broth over my pho choices, added an additional squeeze of lime juice, and sat down to enjoy my efforts.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Amazing how my veges became instantly almost cooked! About the same as with a quick stir fry.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This dish has many layers of flavors that include spicy, sweet, sour, and salty. There are also many textures with the fun “glass” noodles, the not-quite-cooked veges, the meats, the garnishes and the broth. It all comes together in a fabulous bowl filled with ingredients that work together in a way that has become Tommy’s dad’s all-time favorite food. I’m sure that because many of these ingredients were used in the stir fry the same sensations with taste and texture as well as smell were shared.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I did not use the tomato puree, but did use everything else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It sounds like a lot, but all this family meal took only 45 minutes to prepare (after the chicken had simmered long enough to be viewed as “done” so I could have stock) and to be ready to eat. Not bad for a very healthy and extremely delicious pho with so many items on its ingredient list. And, for my first try, I declare that my pho was amazing and, I think, quite beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I feel confident that my “Asian” kids will also really enjoy this pho tomorrow. (I chopped extras. The noodles, I now know take only 30 seconds to cook with boiling hot water. I’ll drop off all the components, they can re-boil the flavorful broth and build more pho in just minutes.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Emy educated me that pho is a simple “poor people” food used as an ordinary meal. It is common that very few veges are used. Meat makes this dish expensive, and actually the meats used are commonly the “mystery meats” or tripe. My pho would be an expensive variety with both chicken and shrimp and a variety of lovely veges. These same ingredients used in a stir fry are also common “poor people” food, yet most everyone loves these dishes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was fun to put a different twist on today’s Shrimp and Cellophane Noodles. I learned a few things and my results are extraordinary. I know why most folks order Chinese take out food: the ingredient list is long, there appears to be lots of chopping, and there are many items that are uncommon...the first time I used fish sauce was way back in that beginning Dorie recipe....I’m still using my first purchased bottle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since I went rogue on this dish, I'll be very interested to view your stir fry results. These are great flavors, I do enjoy more veges, and with some of my tweaks, I'll be making the stir-fry version too...soon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have a great weekend! </span></div>
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Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-20831178478321889432013-01-21T20:41:00.000-07:002013-01-21T20:41:11.635-07:00Tuesdays with Julia and Dorie: French Apple Tart<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BEAUTIFUL FRENCH APPLE TART</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We, especially Hubby, love fruit tarts at our house. Today's Contributing Baker, Leslie Mackie, instructs us in how to bake a beautiful FRENCH APPLE TART. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Because I have a large family and had several home for dinner, I chose to bake a 10" tart which created a larger middle space; too large for a rosette as lovely as in the provided photograph.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I bake pies and tarts often...sometimes 50 or 75 at a time. I enjoy baking pies for church dinners or for the trendy wedding receptions of friend's children and for a nephew who choose wedding pie over wedding cake...I do it just for fun. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, I'm sure we ate over 35 pies at home. I'm not professional, but I do know good pie. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With that in mind, I will critique today's pie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The crust was lovely (and not as dark as my photo makes it appear), however, because of an applesauce like filling below the lovely apple rosette topping, and with several juicy apples on top, the juices from the apples caused the crust to absorb a little too much moisture to remove cleanly and without cracking from the tart pan. Even with two bakings, (first for the crust alone and second as a filled tart) this tart did not perfectly remove from the pan....it's OK, but not satisfactory to me. And I do not like soggy crust! Not even a little bit soggy! (Maybe my bread crumbs were not "fluffy" enough? Needed something a little more absorbent.) </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Because we love apple pie, I was honestly excited to try a new apple pie-like recipe. We have our standard favorites, but I enjoy trying new pie recipes and ideas...some become new favorites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With a very healthy bam of confectioner's sugar, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, this was a wonderful dessert, but without that extra sweetness I did not care for this tart. A tart made with Granny Smith apples and fresh lemon juice is simply too tart. If I had used, instead, an apple such as a Golden Delicious, I would have enjoyed the simple apple flavor much better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm not the only one with these thoughts. At least a third of this lovely pie went to the trash, and that never happens here. It was nice for a taste, and for something different. It was pretty to see, but not up to my standards.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interested to see how your baking turned out.</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-74131069403466877222013-01-20T12:54:00.000-07:002013-01-20T14:42:07.475-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Lemon Pistachio Cornmeal Muffins<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">SPECIAL BAKER, HONEY AND HER PISTACHIO MUFFINS</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my pleasures is spending every Wednesday with Honey. She's been my Baked buddy from the beginning. Starting out as a propped up baby in a high chair, she is now my special helper who will turn 3 in less than two months.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1uuDLBKbM3Hx9afPOucVg_qVy2VcbjJCvIiRJWWeeJmK-8N3I1BMBR8czxM4xO6wwyA1DKQAL2M4vNjwyHgm48NgcDykXC-gM2KbtsX42__Q6NejqsxFZtFN0gI8mU_MMQk5Jt-8mo1W/s1600/P1010991.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1uuDLBKbM3Hx9afPOucVg_qVy2VcbjJCvIiRJWWeeJmK-8N3I1BMBR8czxM4xO6wwyA1DKQAL2M4vNjwyHgm48NgcDykXC-gM2KbtsX42__Q6NejqsxFZtFN0gI8mU_MMQk5Jt-8mo1W/s400/P1010991.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Honey loves nuts, and pistachios are a favorite. She can dump ingredients into a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients, stir the wet, and fold them all together. And she can do the decorating. All the pistachio pieces on the muffin tops are by Honey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Honey loves to be the taster. She also likes to touch, and smell, and taste our food, and she always loves to take whatever we bake home to Daddy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's pistachio muffins are delicious with our few changes. We've had a killer cold spell this past week. I had picked tangerines for my family before losing them all, so we chose to zest and juice a tangerine instead of lemon. I'm sure the lemon users are happy, but the tangerine was a great choice!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And we chose to use blue corn meal rather than yellow. Thinking of Honey, I thought our muffins might be more colorfully blue, but, whatever the color, the taste was great!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last change we made was to use salted, shelled pistachios. I had a large bag of this variety that can be purchased at Costco or Sam's in my pantry. Because they are salted, I omitted the salt in the recipe and the combination was just right...and we liked the flavorful salty nuts on the muffin tops.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> For fun, we also tried out the Baked note:</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We sliced a few muffins vertically, then pan-fried them in browned butter. These were "absolutely" delicious!</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(It's a little scary, but Honey wants to do this part too!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hope you all enjoyed this muffin recipe as much as we did...it's a keeper, for sure!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Wishing you all a wonderful week!</span></div>
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Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-64491717832669183822013-01-18T00:07:00.000-07:002013-01-18T00:07:20.754-07:00French Fridays with Dorie: MAKE-UP: Chicken Basquaise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">CHICKEN BASQUAISE o<span style="font-size: large;">r FAJITA?</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The idea of liver anything is not exciting to me. I'm up for trying new foods, however, liver is not in the family plan. I grew up eating liver and onions on many Friday nights like some of my friends grew up eating fish on Fridays...Mother taught us that liver is necessary weekly for healthy iron levels in women and growing children...but my iron is great and I don't eat liver, so it has become an unnecessary food and has also become a bit repulsive...and that included chicken liver!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There, that said, I've chosen a make-up recipe...regretfully, I've missed quite a few during the past year. I looked at the write-up for Chicken Basquaise and it said, "Make me." I need to cook dinner for 3 or 4 of my men who will be at home tonight, and this recipe looks inviting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somehow what began as a French dinner turned to a Spanish dinner. Does that ever happen to you? As I gathered the ingredients, which are all standard items in my kitchen, I had the thought to turn this dish into fajitas. With onions, peppers, chiles, chicken, and cilantro for a garnish this list begs to be tucked into a warm tortilla with a daube of sour cream, a little cheese, and slices of avocado...and there you have it, delicious fajitas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dorie suggests white rice, for serving, but a tortilla is just as good. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll visit your blogs to view your chicken livers with pickled onions, but I'll be enjoying AZ style Chicken Basquaise tonight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope you all have a great week! </span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-51385679759195181562013-01-12T22:59:00.001-07:002013-01-12T22:59:31.765-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Bananas Foster Fritters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">FABULOUS FRIED FOSTER FRITTERS</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I almost did not get this one done. Two reasons: 1. Year end paperwork...just finished quarterly taxes, W-2s and 1099's, etc.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and getting ready for "tax season."</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a crazy time of year!</span> 2. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week's record breaking freeze. Bad for Arizona!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I won't elaborate on #1...it just takes lots of time and mind power. Mind power to stay focused and to get it done...not that it's terribly hard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#2 has taken us by surprise. It has never been this cold and for this many days in the more than 25 years we've lived in Gilbert, AZ. This morning at 10 am it was still below freezing...and when I woke up it was only 24^. Tonight will also be very cold as it will be for the balance of the week. (I know, most of you are living in real winter, but, believe me, this is bad for AZ.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have lots of citrus in our back yard, and this is the time of year we grow our vege gardens. Our lawns are the prettiest, and many lovely flowers are in bloom. My roses are incredible. I spent all last night watering citrus trees to keep them from freezing and Hubby was out all night burning fires under the trees...and we are in a "no burn" week due to bad air quality...so I've been anticipating a knock on the door presenting us with a fine. I built big tents and spent lots of $$ to cover my gardens and I've done everything I know how to do to save our plants and trees. All day, the weatherman said it will get to 19^ tonight...a temp that calls for giving up, but it was adjusted later to 24^. Bad, but not as bad. Because of these temps, the country will pay higher prices for lettuce, etc...AZ is a huge winter lettuce producer among other crops. (I had fresh herbs growing on a window sill. ...inside the house. I closed the curtains, leaving the herbs in a space next to the window and shut off from warmth...they froze...dead...done. That has not happened to me since we lived in Upstate NY.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And, I always fry outdoors. Always! I have a nice area set up where, with a gas burner, I can heat up a pot of oil in less than 2 minutes. And the mess does not matter...it's outside and away from things. We make French fries, fried chicken, do-nuts, etc. often...but always outside. But it is too dagnabit cold!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I decided I would forget the fritters, and get back into the groove next week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But after working all day, Hubby and Son #2 made their usual Saturday night run to Trader Joe's and Walmart...for junk food. They purchased lots of chips and ice cream and decided to skip their usual dozen do-nuts thinking about the lovely fresh orange juice muffins I had made earlier...they would eat muffins instead. I had glazed the tops with an OJ glaze...they were kinda like do-nuts. But they were disappointed to find, upon returning home, that all the muffins were gone...kids had appeared a little earlier in the day and had devoured every one. All gone. And now, no do-nuts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But never fear, more junk food was on the way. Even though it was 9:30 pm, I would do it...I would fry the fritters and I would fry them in the house. Sacrifice? No! They were quick and YUM! and actually very little mess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had made thick, buttery, caramely buttermilk syrup earlier and had leftovers. I used my syrup instead of the rum dipping sauce. It only took 5 minutes to make the banana fritter batter. (All mixed by hand, no electric equipment needed.) My oil heated to 375^ while mixing the fritters. Quick! Easy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then, just as I was about to plop the first scoop of dough into the frier, in walked my Frolicking Night Owl daughter and her Hubby...came to borrow a movie. Perfect. There were just the right amount of fritters for us all. (I used 4 large bananas and poured in a little fresh OJ...batter was too dry...the bananas seemed a little dry even though quite ripe) It took less than 5 minutes to fry them all...so the whole process only took about 10 minutes.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKNayYxh0A9wTNjzdoQcf3GlBxYqdkpcrw6h_mOAz6lcsnoM30S98VPzHSdP8dr40wtGaBYvnd0BkFCHIwpVuPgckFcoz4n05gcSqA4U919Iyf2XGZ_Qqk2eoqRCPTWwgnIxGFWXKYGZX/s1600/P1010973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKNayYxh0A9wTNjzdoQcf3GlBxYqdkpcrw6h_mOAz6lcsnoM30S98VPzHSdP8dr40wtGaBYvnd0BkFCHIwpVuPgckFcoz4n05gcSqA4U919Iyf2XGZ_Qqk2eoqRCPTWwgnIxGFWXKYGZX/s640/P1010973.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HOT OUT OF THE FRIER AND BAMMED WITH CINNAMON-CONFECTIONER'S SUGAR</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A fun Saturday night treat! I'm sure we'll make these again. I'm always looking for ways to use up very ripe bananas...and this one is a keeper. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope you all are staying warm!</span></div>
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<br />Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-83771620009558361662013-01-10T23:32:00.001-07:002013-01-10T23:32:36.590-07:00French Friday with Dorie: Long and Slow Apples<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LONG AND SLOW APPLES</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This might have been a lovely recipe, except for the plastic wrap. I used Glad Cling wrap</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and it ruined this baking project.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I carefully peeled and sliced my apples, went to the back yard and picked a fresh orange for its zest, put the other ingredients together and got my apples ready for a "long and slow" oven time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wrapped my apple filled ramekins in plastic, as suggested by Dorie, and then covered them, but I should have used my brain. Plastic in the oven? I've used plastic wrap marginally in a 175^ oven to give covered bread dough a quicker rise, but I watch it closely and have never gone over 200^. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I read the Glad wrap package and it suggests only microwave use when heating. And then only if the wrap is an inch above the food and specifically instructs that plastic wrap is not to be used with sweet/sugary foods, which can cause melting. Oven use was not even a thought on the directions.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygWAP11DAVde5BB_E9Wvg0DDEjM2wD9kW76Z8oyAfNkzexKeBi_NUrVtrUb9GGQZJ4b2Mfxapizf6esbcFtX322QGrQjV83QaweEDUntrngtxaKFOlcEnLp094fM-AlAuKCYaPOajfS-9/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygWAP11DAVde5BB_E9Wvg0DDEjM2wD9kW76Z8oyAfNkzexKeBi_NUrVtrUb9GGQZJ4b2Mfxapizf6esbcFtX322QGrQjV83QaweEDUntrngtxaKFOlcEnLp094fM-AlAuKCYaPOajfS-9/s400/007.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">PLASTIC I PICKED OUT OF MY APPLES--GROSS!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've just spent the past hour picking off plastic, a real mess, off my ramekins, off my silicone baking mat, and out of my apples. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The plastic that I found inside with the apples had originally started out covering the ramekin tops. After the 2 hour bake plastic and apples had become one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After thinking that I had done a pretty good job of picking out the plastic, I tried to taste one of my desserts...UCK! I had to spit out plastic, which looked like apple, and this dessert has a plastic flavor...not desirable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Especially in today's kitchens where we are mindful of bad stuff given off by heated plastics into our foods, this idea of using plastic wrap in the oven seems out of it for several reasons. Dorie blew it in this recipe. I'm sure it has worked for her, and maybe it worked for many of you, but it was a huge failure for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lesson learned: Use my head. I know better. I look forward to the French Apple Tart with those of you who bake with the Tuesdays with Dorie and Julia group...I anticipate a better apple experience!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hope you all fared better that I! Have a great week.</span></div>
Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-51963738312781646742013-01-07T19:29:00.000-07:002013-01-07T19:30:08.539-07:00Tuesdays with Julia and Dorie: Pizza with Onion Confit<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgEC8Ys5no5bgUAhhiZIfvffkCMSOgMkwm5mOfqYaowbqCIUcot0au5HCxdQ5755rw7LbACTmJpNQQxX5wYgOG8nh-pjFyTQO_Rs23iwSerSkW1lh0ImbIkhq7v7WOlqmSPQvX0Zelh35/s1600/P1010930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgEC8Ys5no5bgUAhhiZIfvffkCMSOgMkwm5mOfqYaowbqCIUcot0au5HCxdQ5755rw7LbACTmJpNQQxX5wYgOG8nh-pjFyTQO_Rs23iwSerSkW1lh0ImbIkhq7v7WOlqmSPQvX0Zelh35/s640/P1010930.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NOT OUR USUAL FRIDAY NIGHT PIZZA</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eastern Mediterranean Pizza was on the menu for today's dinner. This is not your usual cheese and tomato sauce pizza but is topped, instead, with a well seasoned onion confit and can then be topped with olives (my choice), goat cheese, or Parmesan--or any other topping desired. (I'm certain that an Eastern Mediterranean momma does not use common canned black olives, but we like them at our house.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The recipe makes enough dough for two large pizzas, but being in a playing mood, I made a double batch of dough, baked the pizza with onion confit, and then made stuffed bread loaves from the remaining dough. I was worried that my family would not care enough for the onion pizza to fill themselves with that item as main course for dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone tried the pizza, most liked the flavors, but most also thought it was too rich to eat large slices.</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYNzBUbE4OWuZUUObdX8ZGP5TiSNONQ3hNwHI52dm_Jz8TuQ0SsmrND2qyDUA-9xb12DQv_ihA6mxp55BObabZwo_n1O0Cxl11qIrDTo1T0t88Rw22COCGSSQrKQ7HJOJjIiFOxt7mYQI/s1600/P1010927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYNzBUbE4OWuZUUObdX8ZGP5TiSNONQ3hNwHI52dm_Jz8TuQ0SsmrND2qyDUA-9xb12DQv_ihA6mxp55BObabZwo_n1O0Cxl11qIrDTo1T0t88Rw22COCGSSQrKQ7HJOJjIiFOxt7mYQI/s640/P1010927.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">STUFFED BREAD LOAVES</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But everyone loved this dough turned into stuffed bread. I made several loaves filled with provolone cheese, tomato sauce (with some of those lovely onions added), salami and pepperoni. I gave the loaves an egg wash which held a sprinkling of sesame seeds. This part of our meal was a hit!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Always fun to try new things. I think that in mini size today's pizza would make excellent appetizers, but for pizza, I'll stay traditional.</span><br />
<br />Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1502631322081207964.post-85486929863995036532013-01-06T00:40:00.002-07:002013-01-06T00:40:55.282-07:00Baked Sunday Mornings: Malted Milk Chocolate Pots de Creme<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0nvOIju5YurovKedVgmXeq3LwP7eJhq2XMyze-npqfnMbAx35m_OfCJm86gLFHMu78i_cRMd7FCmCMZxnehto6v4as84UkKVslpObhBTHRcCRaDQ5sxmfnmzVBPgncKbOv1O76Syvlg3/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0nvOIju5YurovKedVgmXeq3LwP7eJhq2XMyze-npqfnMbAx35m_OfCJm86gLFHMu78i_cRMd7FCmCMZxnehto6v4as84UkKVslpObhBTHRcCRaDQ5sxmfnmzVBPgncKbOv1O76Syvlg3/s640/010.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HEAVEN IN A POT!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HUBBY: Oh my, this is good, this is really, really good!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SON #2: MMM-MMM Good! I love all these Whoppers!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Emmie-Lou-Who: Wow, this is really silky! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well, the photo looked so much yummier on my camera, but here on my computer I see that this pic does not do justice to this morning's Malted Milk Chocolate Pot of Creme. Sorry. But, I promise, this is one of the best, best, best, things I've made over the past few months, including all my holiday baking, and believe me that list includes lots of great goodies! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And, to think that initially I was disappointed we are using bleah milk chocolate...only dark chocolate lovers understand this point of view. However....THIS milk chocolate dessert is totally delish and I will make this one over and over and over, I'm absolutely sure! I wouldn't dream of changing one ingredient even if it was a change for my favorite dark chocolate. No going 1/2 and 1/2...no change.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These pots of cream are truly creamy, smooth, silky, and you'll want to eat all 8, not just one...all 2 1/4 cups of heavy cream; not a healthy start for most New Year's Resolutions lists. I'll also add that even with all the cream and other rich ingredients, these pots of creme are not heavy and they do not have that creamy-buttery residue that can coat the roof of your mouth. They are elegant desserts that could become my perfect Valentine love offering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This one's a winner! I'm interested to see if any of you used a darker chocolate, or it you subbed out some of the cream for milk? Hope you all have a terrific week!</span>Kris' Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15135658114728468080noreply@blogger.com12