Mixing Bowl Kids

Merry December, Buttermilk Scones and a Giveaway....

 I meant to have this post and new banner up yesterday, but you can see how well I did with that. Better late than never though, right?   As previously mentioned, I've fallen into a dark hole known as Catering-during-Christmas, and while it's awfully hard to stay afloat, I'm troding along determined not to sink too far in.  So, while I'm not getting things done in the timely fashion I'd hoped to, I am getting them done, and I guess that counts for something, right?

One of the things I want to get done is some great cooking and making that I can share here, with you. Lots of great recipes are coming, I promise.  Another is to host a series of giveaways for you lovely readers.  I have always loved cooking and baking but didn't realize how much I loved writing about it until I came here and started this.  I wouldn't be able to do it without the support and comments of you readers, and I'd like to thank you with these giveaways. 

Each Wednesday, through the month of December I will have something wonderful for you to win.  Two days later, on Friday, I will announce the winner of the giveaway and will allow that person 24 hours to get in touch with their mailing address, at which point the items will be sent out immediately.  I'm excited for this and hope you enjoy it as well.

Since baking is near and dear to my heart I thought I would start with a wonderful, favourite book of mine, Tartine by Elizabeth Prueitt.  A classic that is a must-have for any baker, you will not be disappointed with these easy to follow, yet sophisticated recipes.  For those of you in California, I'm sure you're familiar with Tartine Bakery, which I've heard is quite incredible. 

We made the above buttermilk scones, adapted from a recipe out of Tartine, and they were easy and delicious.  For you readers planning to host a holiday brunch, these would be a wonderful addition to the table or surprise your kiddies with breakfast in bed (we did this yesterday, and on a school day!) and serve these with a cold glass of milk.  They would also make a great packaged-up gift for a grandparent or teacher.

So, leave your comment and I'll be back Friday morning to announce the winner.  I'll try to be on time but if I'm late, forgive me, for that's just how things are rolling these days.

Orange Buttermilk Scones, adapted from Tartine

4 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chilled butter, diced
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp orange zest

~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
~ Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl and whisk well.  Add the sugar and salt and mix to combine. 
~ Add the butter and cut it into the flour until what you have resembles a course meal.
~ Add the buttermilk, raisins and zest and mix with a wooden spoon.  Add more buttermilk if needed to make it all come together.
~ Dust your counter with flour, and press dough into a 8" x 5" rectangle.  Cut the dough into triangles, brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar and a little orange zest.
~ Place on a parchment-lined baked sheet and bake for 25 minutes. 
~ Enjoy!

Potato, Broccoli and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ahh...the bread recipes were so fun this week, but it's nice to step away from the bags of flour and turn to one of our favourite foods in this house...the beloved egg.  We eat eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner and to be honest I think they're one of the most versatile foods.  Used to create fare for all three daily meals, a staple in most baked goods, and a wonderful addition to a nice green salad, eggs can really complete a meal.

I made this dish for my under-the-weather-very-feverish-boy, with hopes of finally getting something into his tummy. In case you're wondering, this isn't the poorly son I mentioned at the beginning of the week, but it is in fact, the other one.  Yes, the other one has also come down with this unfriendly flu!  In any case, the dish was somewhat well received by him (we'll try again when he's feeling better) but very well received by his Dad, whom I love to cook for as much as I love to cook for the little boys of the house.

So, enjoy some eggs and that homemade bread you've been making, and I wish you all a wonderful weekend.

Potato, Broccoli and Goat Cheese Frittata

1 head of broccoli, stems removed and chopped
1 leek, washed and sliced
3 potatoes, washed and diced
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
8 eggs
1/4 cup light cream
3 oz goat cheese

~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
~ Place the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and warm until the butter is melted.
~ Add the potato, leek and broccoli, as well as the salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are golden brown and partially cooked, approx. 10 minutes.
~ Combine the eggs and cream and pour over the veggie mixture.  Allow to cook for 3 minutes or until the eggs are partially set.
~ Sprinkle the goat cheese over the top of the eggs and place in the pre-heated oven.  Cook until the remaining eggs set and the cheese has melted, approx. 8 mins.
~ Enjoy!

Y is for Yogurt (Homemade Yogurt!)

I made my own yogurt this week.  I know, I know...it probably seems like a really hippy-dippy thing to do but it was actually just so simple.  I've been reading about making my own dairy products and did experiment a few months ago with homemade goat cheese.  I wasn't incredibly fond of that, but the husband liked it well enough.  And since I've been trying really hard to make as much food from scratch as possible, I thought I would give yogurt a shot.  

I followed directions from a few different sources, but most specifically this book and this blog post.  I read up on yogurt making for a few days and then got to work.  Your children will be able to assist with this with no problem and I'm sure my nine-year-old could manage almost completely independently.  It's a fun task to do in the evening - the yogurt needs eight to twelve hours to rest, so when your little ones wake in the morning they can see the "magic" that has happened overnight.

Enjoy this with some fresh fruit, granola and honey or a dollop of jam for breakfast or an afternoon snack.  I bake a lot with yogurt and also use it as a marinade for chicken so this will find lots of uses in my home.  And as my friend Rae points out in her blog post, this will also reduce all of those plastic yogurt containers, so it's more earth friendly as well. 

Have a great day friends....

Homemade Plain Yogurt**

4 cups skim or whole milk (organic preferable)

4 tbsp yogurt starter (plain or flavoured yogurt you have at home)

~ Pour the milk into a pot and place over medium-high heat.  Allow the milk to heat to 180 degrees on a thermometer or until the milk is steaming and is to hot to touch.

~ Once the temperature has been reached, turn off the heat and allow the milk to cool for approx. 10 minutes to 105 degrees or until you can touch the milk and not burn your finger.

~ Whisk in the yogurt and mix well.

~ Pour the mixture into a 1 litre glass jar and cover with the lid.  You could leave it in the pot and cover it with the lid as well.  Wrap the bottle in a few dish towels, or a warm bath towel, and leave to rest on your counter overnight.  Be sure the kitchen is warm - it's the warmth that helps to create the yogurt.

~ In the morning, drain the whey off the top of the yogurt, stir and refrigerate.

~ Enjoy!

**A few notes - the yogurt is a bit thinner than store bought - no stabilizers in this to thicken it because it's all natural.  I've read that you could add powdered milk to step one and that will help to thicken it but I was fine with the texture as it was so I didn't do that.  It seems as though you can also thicken it slightly by allowing it rest for even longer.  Again, I didn't notice this made a difference for me.

R is for Raisin Bread

We've been enjoying raisins in our home lately.  Not that we haven't before, but it seems as though they were consumed in mass quantities of mini-boxes when the boys were younger and, after a few years hiatus, they are back in the rotation of favourite foods.  At least for my eldest son.   

When chatting this past week about our return-to-raisins, my husband mentioned raisin bread and fondly remembers eating loaves of it as a child.  His mother would toast it and spread a thin layer of butter over the bread, which would melt into the raisins.  I had that a few times as child myself, and while I'm not incredibly fond of raisins I do remember loving that bread.  It was a great snack, especially after school on a cool Fall or Winter day.

Of course, all this reminiscing led me into the kitchen this weekend to try and create some good old-fashioned raisin bread. Easily put together with both little and big hands, I slightly adapted a recipe which called for the combining of some simple ingredients and a lot of time to allow the bread to rise. We were able to get everything mixed and then carried on with our day while the yeast worked it's magic.  I can say this was very well received by the family, even if the youngest member removed his raisins before munching away.

I hope you all enjoyed the weekend.  We experienced some perfectly sunny, cool days which made the Apple Festival we attended just perfect.  Don't forget to leave comments with your "R" foods for the lunch-box.  This feature will be completed next week and I'll draw some names for a fun food prize pack. Enjoy the day, friends....

Cinnamon Raisin Bread, adapted from The River Cottage Cookbook

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/4 tsp yeast

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup warm water

1 egg

3 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp honey

3/4 cups raisins

~ Place the raisins in a small mixing bowl and cover with the orange juice. Set aside.

~ Place the flours, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.

~ In a glass measuring cup, combine the water and warm milk. Add the egg and beat well.  Add the raisins in juice and the honey and stir.  Add to the flour mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon.

~ Pour the mixture onto a floured surface and knead for approx. 10 minutes until soft and smooth.

~ Place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise for 2 hours at room temperature in a space free of drafts.

~ When finished rising, punch down and pull dough out of the bowl.  Press into a circle on a floured work surface and roll the dough into a log.  Place the log in an oiled or buttered loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise an additional 30 minutes.  While the dough is rising, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

~ When the dough is ready, remove the plastic wrap and bake for 12 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.  

~ Allow to cool and serve warm with butter.

~ Enjoy!

P is for Purple Potato Hash

A few nights ago I made roasted purple potatoes with red pepper and onions for dinner.  The leftovers found their way to the refrigerator, and the next morning they became a purple potato hash for breakfast.

To begin with I sliced some purple potatoes and placed them on a baking sheet with some diced red pepper and red onion sliced into rings.  I tossed them all with a quick drizzle of olive oil, fresh thyme and some sea salt and roasted for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.  It was really yummy!

Pictured above are the leftovers and to them I added two beaten eggs.  

It was all cooked together in a pan, set over medium high heat and when served with a slice of bread, this makes for a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner for you and your kiddies.  What "P" foods are you packing for lunch these days?

Have a great day, friends!

G is for GORP Bars

G was the one letter of this week that didn't prove to be incredibly challenging for me.  I was torn between a groovy guacamole (I like alliterations!) or something that was goat cheese based, but in the end, after lots of consideration and recognizing that the avocados weren't quite ripe enough, the GORP won out.  

What is GORP you might ask?  Known to some as "Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts" and to others as an acronym for "Granola, Oats, Raisins and Peanuts", it is a word that seems to have come into circulation sometime in the early 1900's, as an alternative to Trail Mix.  I couldn't source who exactly coined the term but I like the word...and I think it's more fun for kids to say that a mouthful of healthy food words. I put my boys to the test yesterday and asked them to come up with some possibilities for the word GORP. They found this quite difficult and only managed "Great, Outstanding..." and then they gave up.

So, instead of traditional GORP we turned this into a bar.  Slightly easier to handle than a palmful of assorted goodies, the bar packages nicely for school.  Now, many schools are moving to a peanut-free status and if that is the case for you I might suggest making these with a cereal in place of the peanuts. If you prefer them to stay intact as they are, perhaps use these as an after-school snack in lieu of a lunch-box one, so we can keep our little ones with allergies safe.

I'm sure my avocados have ripened now, so add Guacamole to your list of "G" foods - and don't forget to let me know your suggestions for the 6th letter of the alphabet.  I'm entering all names into a draw for a foodie prize pack, awarded at the end of this feature (post-letter Z).  I'll also be compiling all of the suggestions into a printable A to Z cooking list for you and your little helpers to enjoy.  Have a wonderful day....

GORP Bars, my recipe

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup unsalted nuts (peanuts or pecans work nicely)

1 cup sultana raisins

1 cup unsweetened dried fruit

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup unsweetened dark chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup all natural peanut butter

~ Combine the nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins and dried fruit in a medium sized mixing bowl and set aside.

~ Place the honey, chocolate and peanut butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat and warm until the chocolate has melted.

~ Pour over the nuts and seed mixture and mix until well combined.

~ Rub oil over at 9x13 baking pan and press the GORP mixture into the pan evenly.

~ Refrigerate until cold and solid (approx. 1-2 hrs) and then slice and serve or wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

~ Enjoy!

F is for French Toast Fingers

I think I may be gearing up for a challenging week with this little A to Z feature I've been working on. My letters for the week are F, G, H, I and J.  Not the easiest of alphabetical symbols to cook from I realized, as I mulled over the possibilities this past weekend.  When I became stumped after a few attempts myself, I gathered the other food lovers of the house and we sat down to do some family brainstorming.  I hope you like what we've concocted for you.

We begin the week with F and both the husband and I immediately thought of French toast, which is quite interesting as it's a food that rarely graces our dining table.  We certainly don't dislike it, we just don't eat it all that often.  Traditional French toast didn't seem like a great lunch-box treat to me though, so I modified it a bit by making french toast fingers - single servings of the warm breakfast food, sandwiched with an assortment of fillings. 

We made a nutella-stuffed version and one with raspberry preserves nestled between the warm bread slices.  Lastly, we tried a mashed banana filling, which was, surprisingly, the least favourite of the group.  Served with a maple-yogurt dipping sauce this was such a fun and tasty alternative to the regular breakfast food.  Perfect for the school lunch-box - especially when you think you can't possibly make another sandwich.

Kitchen helpers can assist you with this dish and they can easily be made the night before to make the morning rush just that much easier.  I let my guys spread the filling between the trimmed bread slices and they even managed dipping the bread in the eggs and making the yogurt sauce with little guidance on my part.  I took care of the cooking and slicing and they happily noshed on the samples I provided.

I hope you try this with your family.  What are your favourite "F" foods?  Please do share...the abundance of comments last week truly made my nights as I would sit and read through each one of them.  Enjoy the day....

French Toast Fingers

yields: 2 servings

8 slices of bread

2 eggs

splash of milk

pinch of cinnamon

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

filling of choice: nutella, mashed banana, jam etc

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tbsp maple syrup

~ Line-up the bread and spread every other slice with one of the fillings.

~ Top each slice with a plain piece of bread and set aside.

~ Combine the eggs and milk in a shallow plate or bowl.  Dip the sandwiched bread into the egg and let soak for a minute on each side.

~ While the bread is soaking in the egg, preheat the pan to med-high heat and melt the butter and oil together.

~ Cook the bread for approx. 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Continue with all of the breads until everything is cooked.

~ Slice the toasts into fingers and set out on a plate.

~ Combine the yogurt and maple syrup and use for a dipping sauce for the fingers.

~ Enjoy!

Four-Nut Granola

We've been making granola by the sheet-pan this summer, to some wonderful and oh, so tasty results. My youngest kitchen helper has been eager to assist with this endeavour, simply because it's so easy to make and it yields such delicious results.  Eaten with some yogurt or almond milk for that early morning meal of the day, or grabbed by the handful for an afternoon snack in the sun, this has become the summer of granola for me and my family.  Even my four-legged, two-year-old is enjoying it when the odd oat finds it's way to the kitchen floor.

After experimenting with a selection of nuts and dried fruits, I think my favourite concoction to date is the one you see above - a four-nut creation that is extra crunchy because of the nuts and subtly sweet with the honey-kissed oats.  I didn't intend to have this version made-up of so much variety, but as I was cleaning and organizing the pantry cupboard and freezer (and trying to make granola at the same time), little bits of this and that were added to empty some of the packages I had lying around.

Aside from tasting great on it's own, we've done some of the following using our homemade granola: trail mix with granola, banana chips and coconut (I like this kind), granola parfaits and granola bars. Placed in a mason jar and tied with a colourful ribbon, it also makes a great gift for a teacher, grandparent, camp councilor or summer babysitter.

What is your family making this summer?  Do you have something new you've been trying?  I'd love to hear your summer kitchen stories....

 

Four-Nut Granola, my recipe

 

5 cups oats

1/2 cup of each of the following: almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistacios

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 - 3/4 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla

 

~ Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

~ Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

~ Spread out on an oiled half-sheet pan.

~ Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

~ After thirty minutes turn off the oven and allow the granola to cool and crisp in the oven while it cools.

~ Remove and store in an air-tight container for 1 week or the fridge indefinitely.

~ Enjoy!

Breakfast Couscous

I know I've written about breakfast and my lack of love for this early morning meal.  I know it's the most important meal of the day, I know we should eat like kings to jump start our metabolism - I know, I know, I know and yet, I struggle.  I struggle to make yummy breakfasts for my family.  I struggle to remember to eat breakfast myself (such a bad example) and I struggle to come up with fun foods that are good-for-you-fare, each and every morning.

All of this changed when I started making breakfast couscous.  Nothing more than some steamed couscous topped with whatever combination of fruits (fresh or dried), nuts or berries we had on hand as well as a drizzle of maple syrup, honey or yogurt.  So simple, so good and the added bonus is that it's good for you.

I'm a tea drinker, so when my morning kettle is boiling away, I place some couscous in a bowl beside my tea mug.  I pour the steaming water on top of both, cover the couscous with some plastic wrap or a dish towel and enjoy my tea knowing a good breakfast is only moments away.  You could also use half boiling water and half juice for an even more flavourful dish.  When it's time to eat, I fluff the grain and top it with whatever flavours will entice my boys to the table.  Even better than that, is allowing them to top the couscous with their own combination of good foods.  Chopped banana, sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries, almonds, pecans, walnuts, honey, maple syrup, yogurt...the list is endless.  Savory fare is also acceptable if your fridge is full of some leftover grilled veggies - although I wouldn't necessarily combine that with fruit - ha!

I'm leaving for vacation (yippee)...please check back Monday for the winners of the book giveaway (don't forget to leave your comment on this post before midnight tonight) and a new recipe as well as a few fun posts I'm auto-publishing while away...Enjoy the week!

Breakfast Couscous, adapted from Mark Bittman

3/4 cup whole wheat or white couscous

3/4 cup boiling water

Toppings of choice: Fresh or dried fruits, berries, nuts, raising, maple syrup, honey

~ Place the couscous in a ceramic or stainless steel bowl.

~ Top with the boiling water and cover with plastic wrap or tea towel.

~ Leave until ready to eat (minimum five minutes).

~ Add desired toppings (above I used sliced strawberries, sunflower seeds, raisins, assorted nuts and maple syrup)

~ Enjoy!

 

Summer Corn Pancakes

Today is the first day of the first week of summer vacation, and the boys are now home for eleven weeks. Today is also the first day after my first weekend away without all the boys, and my eyelids are a little heavier than normal.  I have been absent from my kitchen since Thursday of last week, and while I'm anxious to get in there, I'm also feeling like I only want to prepare something simple as I'm not quite as energetic as my regular self yet (sleep deprivation and abnormal quantities of "beverages" is often the cause of these sorts of things).  So, as I was off to the kitchen to make breakfast these little goodies popped into my mind.

I stumbled upon a recipe for corn pancakes when perusing this month's Gourmet magazine, while resting by the lake this past weekend.  I've altered the recipe on several fronts, so I wouldn't say I've modified the one I've found, but rather I was inspired by it.  A sweet or savoury pancake, these can be served up traditionally with a brush of butter and some drizzled maple syrup, or fresh salsa and a dollop of sour cream.

I have great plans for my boys to learn some more kitchen skills this coming summer.  I'm hoping that when these eleven weeks have passed my nine-year-old will be able to put together a breakfast, lunch and dinner dish, easily and independently.  These pancakes may make the cut for the breakfast dish, as they are simple and hassle-free.  My seven year old will certainly be able to assist with the combining of the ingredients and the pouring of the batter into the skillet and younger children may enjoy trying to get the corn of the cob or even watching Mom flip the pancakes high into the air.

Enjoy the day, friends...I have a feeling mine will involve copious amounts of tea to keep me awake but at least we're starting the day with some fresh and flavourful fare.

Summer Corn Pancakes, my recipe

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or 1/2 cup all purpose and 1/2 cup whole wheat flours)

1/2 cup oats

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup fresh corn cut from the cob

~ Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, brown sugar and salt in a small mixing bowl.

~ In another mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.

~ Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.  Fold in the corn and mix well.  Allow to rest for 2 minutes or until the batter has thickened.

~ Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil to avoid sticking, and drop 1/4 cup amounts of pancake batter into the pan.  

~ Cook until mixture begins to bubble and is well-browned on the other side and then flip.  Continue cooking the flipped-over side for another minute, remove from pan and allow to rest.

~ Finish cooking the rest of the batter the same way and serve up with maple syrup or salsa and sour cream.

~ Enjoy!