SOMETHING NEW IN THE KITCHEN

Well getting back to the "land of blog" is going to  be a little tougher than I thought. Obviously a  work in progress but, here I am giving it my all.

Of course it's not all my fault...........the weather here on the coastal side of N.H. has been a bit uncooperative.This morning the weatherman said that 3 out of 5 days have been snow days for the school children in this area. So, someone has to be happy over this.But, enough crying.......

While looking for something new to try I came across BIALYS. I'm always drawn to breads and sweets. I guess you can say " It's a blessing ...and a curse. But, this time I gave in and thought,why not, there's nothing in the garden at this time to get my creative juices going so, I'm going with the BIALYS.

The dough is pretty basic: 2CUPS WARM WATER
                                        1 TABLESPOON SUGAR
                                        2 TEASPOONS INSTANT YEAST
                                        4 3/4 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
                                        2 TABLESPOON KOSHER SALT.
Sprinkle sugar and yeast over warm water and let it get foamy. About 5 min. Mix flour with salt. Note: If you don't have Kosher salt and are using table salt.........cut amount in 1/2
Add flour to yeast and mix with bread hook attachment till just blended. Turn onto floured cloth and knead till dough seems smooth,about 1 to 2 min. Turn into a greased bowl and let rise till double. Should be about 1 hour. Took me a bit longer with snowmagedden going on in my neighborhood.






THE FILLING: I took this break and made my filling.
3 TABLESPOONS OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1 LARGE VIDALIA  1/2'D AND SLICED THIN
CRUMBLED BLUE CHEESE (they said 1 tbs poppy seeds,but, I break out in hives with poppy seeds) So you can do either.Saute onions in oil till golden  then sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese

After the first rise, divide dough into 12 pieces ....form into a ball and place on 2 parchment lined sheets. Cover with clear wrap and let rise for another 30 min.Now flatten each ball to a 5 inch disc.Cover and let rise another 15 minutes,grease a flat bottom glass or a 1 cup measuring cup and dip in flour to make indentations in all of your disc.

Fill your disc with the onion mixture and bake at 475 degree for 15 to 20 minutes. Place your sheets on the upper middle and lower middle racks Switch and rotate sheets 1/2 way through baking

And, here is my batch of BIALYS....They were so close to being perfect,but, I wanted them just a bit more golden and popped them back in the oven for a little extra browning. What I got was a little thicker crust. Live and learn. What can I say ? I guess we have to put them back on the list for a remake. They were still edible,just not perfect yet............said the HOBBIT

Something new in the kitchen

Doesn't the new year just scream.......TRY SOMETHING NEW FOR A CHANGE!! Well , no problem here. Just ask my family and they will tell you, I am forever trying something new. At least in the kitchen and in my craft room .Everything always sounds so tasty .....so fresh, so OMG I have to try this.

So, while reading my Yankee Magazine,I was drawn to this recipe for Concord Brown-Bread Muffins. The memories of my memere's brown bread that accompanied our weekend serving of bean's came flooding back and I felt this might be a nice treat.Although meals on the farm were never boring,we had a certain amount of repetition that added comfort to our routine.Saturday 's bean supper was one of those things.Most shopping was done Saturday morning and when we got home a hot pot of beans was slowly coming to Canadian bliss in the oven.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Butter muffin tins.They claimed this would make 12 muffins and I did follow their directions BUT, with such dense flours being used I think dividing the batter into 6 tins will be my choice next time.First CHOP 1/3 CUP CANDIED GINGER AND SET ASIDE

  In a bowl combine: 2/3 CUP OF CORNMEAL
                                              1/2 CUP WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
                                               1/2 CUP RYE FLOUR
                                                3/4 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
                                                1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
                                                 1/2 TEASPOON TABLE SALT
                                 
In a smaller bowl whisk together:1CUP BUTTERMILK
                                                   1/4 CUP VEGETABLE OIL
                                                    1/3 CUP DARK MOLASSES
                                                     1 LARGE EGG
Add liquid to flour and mix till just blended.Didn't dirty my mixer for this one.A spatula was enough.Stir candied ginger into batter reserving a little for the tops. Divide batter into buttered muffin tins. No paper needed Bake 10 minutes NOW SPRINKLE REMAINING GINGER ON TOP OF BREAD/MUFFINS and continue to bake 10-12 minutes.

I'm eyeing my memere's bean pot. These might just be the thing to bring back an old tradition.
                                                              "said the hobbit."

quiet cooking

Now that the holidays are over ............my brain is starting to function at a more normal level. Time to do the little things that make our household slow and mellow.

Something we like to have on hand in the pantry are homemade croutons. I KNOW doesn't sound very exciting but,  SO better than store bought and easy peezy to make. These 2 little breads were just the right size to make a batch.I just slice and dice them .Although most recipes will tell you to remove the crust.......it seems like such a waste and my family has yet to complain.

In a large bowl I mix Extra Virgin Olive oil about 1/2 cup 2 teaspoons of a favorite herb. This time it was an Italian mix, a little kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss the breadcrumbs in this till somewhat covered trying to get all the oil worked in.After it looks like the bowl has no dressing left....

I place the breadcrumbs on a parchment covered cookie sheet and sprinkle with a handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I'm sure you could  use cheddar or some other hard cheese of your choice.

Now preheat your oven to 395 degrees and bake for about 15 min . Toss them up a bit and back in the oven for about 10 min.If your bread is very dry to begin with you might need to watch the last few minutes a little closer to avoid getting too dark.

When cooled you will have a tasty crouton great for soup or salad or just to nibble on.They keep forever in a storage bag on the pantry shelf.An added benefit is your house will smell like you have been making some really intense cooking but, ..............we all know this will only take a few minutes from start to finish. Now get back to the couch and do a little  reading...........or take a nap.............said the hobbit

A party for two........sometimes it's a good idea.

I know the Holidays are meant to be spent with lots of family, music and hoopla......but,sometimes you need to make a little special time for your first mate.My husband and I have a number of anniversary under our belt, and let me tell you girl, it never hurts to make your partner in crime feel a little special.You know how it goes..........do unto others as you would have them do to you. So if you're needing a little special attention the quickest way to get it is to give it.

Something new in my culinary skills this year is a free form vegetable pie. I haven't quite found the perfect blend yet but,I think it had plenty of eye appeal and I'm fascinated with the concept. I know this isn't a new idea.........potato sandwiches were the rage in the 30's but it sometimes takes me awhile to catch on. This one had the fancy name of RED POTATO AND APPLE GALETTE  so how could I pass it up? Flour, 1 and 1/4 cup, butter,1 stick ,salt and pepper ,and ice water 5 to six Tablespoons were the ingredients for the pastry. I couldn't help but add a sprinkling of thyme to the mix.Chill in the fridge till ready to use.While waiting THINLY slice.

1 MED RED POTATO  wash don't peel
1 GRANNY SMITH APPLE  cored not peeled

Roll out your dough to a 12 inch circle. ( we like our crust thin and flaky so I have to say I had enough for 2 pies)
1/ 2 CUP CREME FRAICHE spread this on your  just rolled crust within 1 or 2 inches from the a
edge. then sprinkle
1/4 CUP GRATED PECORINO
and alternate the potatoes and apples, being as creative as you like or, just heap it in a mound and spread it evenly over the cheese.
Bake at 450 in the lower third of your oven for 20 -25 min.

While waiting for the masterpiece to be ready we helped ourselves to cheese and crackers and a little pumpkin bread. Bloody Mary's rounded out the meal and gave us the time we needed to breathe and plan our attack on the holiday to-do list.We clinked our glasses and patted each other on the back for handling yet another holiday frenzy. Everyone at the party had a great time and loved the galette. Sometimes you just have to treat each other like visiting royalty. I love a party for two...................said the Hobbit

From the pantry ..........Cinnamon Raisin and Applesauce Bread.

I keep trying to get back to this blog but, 2013 is busy, full of changes, and crazy weather patterns that are turning my world like a top.Could I possibly have too much I my plate? That is something I will NEVER admit to. So having all this spare time on my hands I decided to try a few new breads. I got this one from a blog call NEVER HOMEMAKER Always on the lookout for something a little more healthy and natural this bread seemed to have it all.

One reason for giving this bread a try was the ingredient flax seed. When I worked at "the barn" we had quite a few customers that were extremely knowledgeable in nutrients  and flax seed was touted as the best protection to guard against several cancers.Click HERE if you would like a little more info.Most important when using flax is to crush with a mortar and pestle and soak for at least 15 min before using in any recipe.It seems the shell is so tough that it will pass through your system before you could get any benefits so do the best you can to break as many of those shells as possible.



Kosher salt and Extra Virgin Olive Oil  also known as EVOO in this house is a good thing so being in this bread was a plus. White and wheat flour ? I'm hearing crunchy granola in my head. Can I take all this good stuff.

Raisins and cinnamon and homemade applesauce with NO extra sugar added..........how healthy is that? I have to say .......I take my hat off to all you homemakers out there who are able to keep up with bread making as a regular chore in their daily lives. The bread was tasty ,looked great, and was enjoyed by all. 

However I just can't seem to find the time to do bread on a regular basis. Fortunately this recipe made 2 loaves so.......hiding one in the freezer will give the impression that I made it again. SHHHH. This will be our secret ..............said the hobbit

RECIPE FOR CINNAMON RAISIN AND APPLESAUCE BREAD

 2 1/4 TEASPOON ACTIVE DRY YEAST
1/2 CUP WARM WATER
1 1/2 CUPS APPLESAUCE
3 CUPS WHITE FLOUR
3 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL
2 TBLS FLAX GROUND AND SOAKED IN 1/2 CUP HOT WATER
2 TEASPOONS COARSE SALT
1 CUP OF RAISINS
 2 TEASPOONS CINNAMON.

Soak the flax..........then make the applesauce using 4 apples peeled and cored and simmered in an inch of water. Should take about 10 to 20 minutes.
In bowl of your mixer combine the yeast and warm water.allow to get frothy.
Mix cooled applesauce into yeast all to sit 4 to 5 min.
Add the sifted flours, salt, flax with water,EVOO, mix till combined and pulls away from the side of the bowl
Turn onto a flour board and shape into a rectangle. MAKE  2 RECTANGLES if you want 2 loaves.Sprinkle   with the cinnamon and raisins and keep folding till combined. Place in loaves cover and allow to rise 2 hours.
Bake at 410 degrees 30 to 35 minutes or till golden brown.Cool before slicing.

something new......doesn't always have to take all day!

Not everything I make takes forever........once in awhile I like to make something easy peezy and just head out the door to enjoy the day. Of course I still like to be able to say I made this myself.I found this recipe HERE Enjoy the day..........said the hobbit

EATING FROM THE PANTRY

Lots of my cooking results from checking out the pantry and deciding that something needs to be made use of before it goes to waste. This weekend bread was on the list.I had been making my own bread for quite some time and then fell into the habit of picking up a loaf from a local baker, but, lately it just hasn't been as tasty as it should. So I looked in my pantry.........found some rye flour and used that as my starting point. I have a huge collections of Martha Stewart Living magazines that I'm not quite ready to part with,because ,after all, I just might need some of her valuable information. Well sure enough January edition 2008 had the perfect recipe for an ARTISINAL MULTIGRAIN BOULE

This recipe is very hands on and instructions are detailed as to how to handle the dough right down to how to flip the dough end over end...........sorry Martha, not willing to use a peel to take the sticky dough off my hands.I used my trusty bucket.You have to do what's right for you.The starter had to be made the night before............

Then the joy of mix and rise and fold like a business envelope and tuck and roll and cuddle and spin !!!! Really , by the time I finished reading the instructions I was already saying......."if I can get this done, it will be the last time I make this bread"

Well as usual Martha knew best. When it was finished I had the most beautiful Boule .......and tasty? Oh my God ...why did I stop making bread.The instructions were for 1 large bread but,after the first rise I split the dough in half and made 2 smaller ones Cooking time was reduced by 20 minutes and now I have extra in my freezer. Believe me, we will be eating every morsel of this bread.

I confess, this recipe was not for the birds .............said the hobbit

The last of the Butternut

It's a sad tale,but, I have finally reach the bottom of my garden treasures. Yes........this is the final butternut squash. I have to say when I cut into the squash it was.......beautiful. Only a garden momma could say such a thing,but, I had to smile at how firm the flesh was and how the little droplets of moisture formed on the fresh cut.So after I gave it what I thought was proper adoration I proceeded to get it ready for EATING !!!!

When I worked at the BARN I would make this recipe and it was so loved that customers would have me call them when I knew that I would be making it. I finally decided to try it out on my family and they made it a must keep for Thanksgiving recipe. Who knew?

1 MEDIUM BUTTERNUT

I cut this in 1/4 and of course seed it. put it in a pot with about 1 inch of water and let it steam till cooked.No need to peel. When cooked pop it in the colander and let it cool. When cool you should be able to just spoon the flesh away from the peel with little effort.Mash as you would potatoes

1/2CUP MAYO

1/2CUP CHOPPED ONIONS

1 EGG

TEASPOON SUGAR 

S&P TO TASTE

Whisk all of these together pour over and mix into the butternut.

GRATED PARMESAN OR ANY CHEESE THAT YOU LOVE

SLIVERS OF BUTTER

Sprinkle the cheese over the casserole and dot with butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 min.

Hope you love it as much as we do..........said the hobbit

The Christmas cookies

Do you make a traditional Christmas cookie?  I use to make the same one every year and although I loved it and enjoyed sharing the whole process every year, I soon heard that little baker voice inside saying "come on,try something different" So, the past few years I have been venturing away from my comfort zone and going where this baker has never been . This year I turned to Martha Stewart' Everyday Cook Book and made APRICOT WALNUT RUGALACH

This recipe fit right into my schedule. The dough had to be mixed in my food processor. Aw,too bad. So simple. Place 2 STICKS OF COLD UNSALTED BUTTER
                     1SOFTENED 8 OZ PACKAGE OF CREAM CHEESE
                      3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
                      1/4 TEASPOON SALT
mix till WELL blended then mix in
                      2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
Pulse till a dough forms ........divide in 1/2 and place in fridge 2 hours or overnight.In a sauce pan cook
                        1 CUP DRIED APRICOTS
                         1/4 CUP BRANDY
                          1/2 TEASPOON CINNAMON
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer till about 1/2 the liquid is gone. About 6 or 7 min. Stir in
                           1/2 CUP SUGAR
                           1 CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS.
Actually after making this several times I put the apricot mixture the sugar and the nuts in my processor and gave it a few pulses till it looked chopped but not a paste.

Now with my trusty patry rolling pin and a little extra sprinkling of flour I rolled 1disk at a time to resemble the size of a pie pastry topping  12 inches across.

Then I spread 1/2 the apricot filling over this leaving about a 1/2 inch edge with no filling. I rolled it out on parchment paper,to make pick up easier.

Now with a knife or pizza cutter I cut the dough into pie wedges They recommended 16 pieces. Here comes the fun part. Starting at the widest part roll your dough crescent style

Put that little pointy part down on your cookie sheet. Parchment was used here also. Don't know if it was necessary but hate to find out at the last minute that the cookies won't come off the sheet.

Now brush each cookie with a beaten egg or heavy cream

Stick them in the freezer for 30 min.

Bake 325 degrees for 35 min. They were so yummy. Once they were frozen I popped half of them in a freezer bag and baked as needed.After several batches of apricot I started to do my own thing. I used dried cranberries in place of the apricots and candied ginger instead of cinnamon and replaced the walnuts with pecans.Such fun. I still have some in the freezer. I think I'll go and bake 8 or 10 for tea break Jiggy (the hubby) will be watching the Notre Dame game and I'll be a happy camper..........said the hobbit

Buttermilk biscuits.......a true comfort food.

Not all comfort foods are soups or stews or casseroles dripping in gravy. Buttermilk biscuits definitely fall in this category.It is the perfect addition to any meal and certainly brings back childhood memories of grandmothers house or wherever you were lucky enough to have these biscuits.My first run in with these biscuits happened just a few years ago. We had been visiting friends in South Carolina and on the way home stopped at a Waffle House for a final taste of the south. I know, the Waffle House .......really? Here in New England it is next to impossible to find these restaurants. Sunday morning at this restaurant was a ritual for our Carolina friends.Our friend "Cokes" as he was called had recently passed away and stopping here seem like the right thing to do.It was still quite early and I wasn't ready for the big breakfast that my husband eagerly ordered and the waitress suggested a biscuit with honey...............Oh My God. Why had I never had these before?? When I got home I looked up a recipe for them and they have been a staple ever since.Here's how we make them at home.

 Sift together 2 and 1/4 cups of flour
                    1 tablespoon of baking powder
                     1/2 teaspoon cayenne
stir in             1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
With a pastry blender cut in 1 stick of butter
toss in            1 cup of cheddar cheese
In a separate bowl mix 1 cup on buttermilk with 1 egg

Stir the wet into the dry.........you will have a sticky gooey ball of dough.
Drop it on a VERY well floured cloth or board add more flour to your dough so that you can roll it out to a heavy 1/4of an inch.If you can't roll it try flattening it with your palm.It took me a few tries before the dough didn't stick to the rolling pin. Cut into any size circle. I use the 2 1/4 in biscuit circle but feel free to use anything that serves the purpose. Glass, can , or by eye if you can.

                                              Once I have them all cut out.

                                                I stack them one on top of the other

                                             Bake them about 18 minutes at 395 degrees

Once they have cooled just a touch I split one open..............add a hint of extra butter, drizzle the whole thing with honey and think ,oh yeah........now this is southern comfort....................said the hobbit.

Where have I been?

GOOSEBERRIES

I know, you probably thought I fell in a ditch and no one heard me call for help.Nothing so serious.Summer,the garden, vacation, canning,filling the larder to make it through the winter all seem to come to a head in August and although I'm sure I can handle it all.......it just doesn't happen.So here I am,ready to give it the old college try one more time.

A new (for me) discovery this year......gooseberries! Have you ever tried these? My sister-in-law has a booth at the Laconia Farmers market and she has this as a staple in the early summer. When a bought them they were a light green. A few days in my fridge turned them a variety of colors and I wasn't sure if I  had missed an opportunity to use them at the right time. A quick check on the internet calmed my fears and I proceeded to pluck the little stems off and mix them with rhubarb,sugar and a little cinnamon. I popped them in the oven and let them make some tasty juices.

Then topped it with an oatmeal, flour and brown sugar blend.................back in the oven to make a nice crust

Out of the oven came this luscious treat just begging to be crowned with a dollop of french vanilla ice cream.It definitely reminded me of strawberries but, different.........know what I mean? I will be sure to give these another try next year. It is a local flavor that shouldn't be missed. But like the truffles of France only a few know where to harvest the best tasting ones.....................said the hobbit

Looking in the Pantry

As you know raspberry season is hot and heavy in New England. I always pick way too many and have to scramble to make room for the new crop.I don't know why but, being out of our local fruit is a scary thing to me. Having picked to my heart's content I now feel safe using up the remainder of last years crop.Last year I ran across this recipe for using up frozen fruit and couldn't wait to try it.I have to admit it's a bit time consuming but..........the results are oh so yummy.You can find the recipe HERE

The dough is a sweet yeast dough and requires 2 rises. The first is 2 hours then you make a sweet filling using frozen fruit. Not crazy about raspberries ? Don't let that stop you. You can use any fruit you wish.The top photo is the second rise which is another 2 hours. I thought mine were going to fail as they didn't seem to be quite pouffy enough.

But when all was said and done they look just fine. But, the taste.......oh my God, it was heavenly, and ,the best part? It made 16 huge rolls which I froze in groups of 4 so now I can have that special treat any time I want...................said the hobbit

BLUEBERRY TURNOVERS

So much going on right now.Fires in Colorado and Montana,freak storms on the East coast,very hot temperatures in the middle and what am I doing? Looking for ways to use up last years fruit jams so that I can pick more.We have been fortunate in New England to have a fairly normal start to our summer. Life can't be too simple for me.

If you want to be made aware of what is truly important in a household or you are interested in saving on your budget,I have to say that your energy is best used in the kitchen.This is where I do most of my budget cutting however, this photo is of daughter Sarah.I went a little overboard with the blueberry jam last year so she and I found a few recipes that were easy to make and still tasty.

This was super easy.We used store bought puff pastry and followed this RECIPE  using the jam in place of the prepared fruit.

Want to put a smile on your peoples faces? Just pass these around and you'll see

 what I mean......said the hobbit.

Snacking time in the pantry

Just stopping by with an easy recipe for your entertaining.The dairy section at your grocers has french bread in a tube or you can find bread dough in the freezer section Of course if you prefer you can make this from scratch.

I make my bread every week and sometimes I opt to do something different with the dough. This time instead of putting it in the loaf pan I rolled it into balls and sprinkled it with Parmesan cheese then brushed with olive oil before baking.

A good marinara sauce for dipping and your ready to sit back and nibble on a yummy treat. These freeze well and you can keep the extra in your freezer for those" do drop ins" that you might have this summer........said the hobbit