Handy Tips

I hope to be a regular contributor to this blog, and not leave it all up to Karen! I thought that I'd start by throwing out a couple of tips that I use regularly in my kitchen. I thought these were common knowledge, but after discussing them with some friends I realized that not everyone knows about these.

Tip #1: Refrigerate your onions. They will cause a lot less tears if they are nice and cold when you cut them.

Tip #2: Frozen fruits and vegetables are your friends, but not in the way you might think. Besides frozen bags of peas making great sources of coolness for a sprained ankle, they can save you in a pinch.

Many times I put dinner in the crockpot when I won't be home to cook it. And many times it is still too hot to eat, especially if it's a dish that retains a lot of heat like a thick soup or chili. When you don't have time for things to cool before rushing out to Cub Scouts, what do you do? Grab a bag of frozen corn, stir some into each dish of waiting chili, and voila! You now have dinner at a gobbleable (yes, I made that word up) temperature.

You can do this with frozen peas, or blueberries, or any fruit or veggie you don't mind eating thawed and slightly warmed. I don't recommend using blueberries in chili, but they are great for cooling oatmeal or mush down in a flash.

Burn-free mouths make everyone happy!

Adventures in Baking with Natural Sweeteners

I have been wanting to stop using refined sugar and to start using healthier, more natural sweeteners. I ignored my pantry when making shopping lists, then one day it happened.
It was Sunday and Scott felt like having cake. He decided that cheesecake was a good choice, if I was up to it. I gathered my ingredients and went to the pantry for the sugar. I thought I had 2-3 packages left, but realized it was flour, not sugar. So, my creative mind went to work and this is what I came up with. I even used the 1/3 less fat cream cheese (neufchatel). The baking time isn't exact since I need to use a smaller spring form pan next time, so just keep an eye on it. It came out very good after chilling for a while and it was amazing after chilling over night. Try it!

Crust

• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 finely chopped pecans
• 4 tablespoons butter

Filling

• 2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened.
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325. For crust, put graham cracker crumbs and pecans in a small bowl. Melt butter and add to bowl. Mix until coated. Press into bottom of a small to medium sized spring form pan.
In a large bowl, place both packages of cream cheese, agave nectar, and honey. Mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, stir until completely combined. Add flour, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Pour filling into spring form pan. Bake for 30-40 min, until inserted knife comes out clean.
Ideas for toppings: cherries, strawberries, chocolate, raspberries, mango, and my favorite.. crushed pineapple!

Sweet Onion, Tomato, & Cuke Salad

Don't have a picture of this yet because it was gone in a flash!
I found this recipe in the Taste of Home magazine. I tried it using the bounty from mom and dad's garden. I used 2 cucumbers, half an onion, and 9 little roma tomatoes. I forgot the vinegar and it was great without it. SO good!

SERVINGS: 10

CATEGORY: Low Carb

TIME: Prep/Total Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

• 3 large tomatoes, chopped
• 3 large cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded and sliced
• 1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers and onion. In a small bowl, combine the oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over tomato mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.
Yield: 10 servings.

Red White and Blueberry Trifle

This is the best trifle in the entire world! I will not enjoy any other.
I heard of this recipe from my friend, Sam, who had gotten it from Martha Stewart.
It calls for store bought pound cake, which makes it super easy, but I've always made my own.
I usually put almost double the pound cake in this trifle. I have also had success with the combination of fresh mango chunks and sliced strawberries.

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

Serves 6; prep time: 30 minutes; total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
This dessert would be right at home at a Fourth of July barbecue. You can substitute sliced fresh strawberries for the raspberries, if you prefer.

• 1/4 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 store-bought pound cake (12 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 bar reduced-fat cream cheese (8 ounces), room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups fresh blueberries (three 1/2-pint containers), rinsed and dried
• 3 cups (two 6-ounce containers) fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries

1. Make lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, bring 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let cool completely, then brush over both sides of cake slices. Quarter each slice.
   
2. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar on high speed until lightened. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add heavy cream in a steady stream; continue beating until mixture is light and airy (mixture will be like a very soft whipped cream).
   
3. Arrange half the cake pieces in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. Spoon half the cream-cheese mixture over cake in dollops; spread to sides of dish. Scatter half the blueberries and raspberries on top. Repeat layering with remaining cake, cream-cheese mixture, and berries, piling berries in the center.

Cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Light and Fluffy Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls

These rolls have a wonderful light and fluffy texture. I change the original recipe to be a bit healthier.

Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls
Adapted from Allrecipes.com, original recipe here.

• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 4 tablespoons honey (or agave)
  
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons yeast

Mix dough in a bread machine or with a stand mixer. I just put the ingredients in a bowl and used the dough hooks attachment on my hand mixer.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Dough will be very soft, you might want to flour your hands and the top of the dough while you press it out. Use a biscuit cutter to cut rolls, place on oiled baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.
Yummy!

Gluten (Seitan) Roast

We have many different varities of gluten roasts in my family. We use this as a main dish for Thanksgiving. This is my favorite recipe!

Gluten Roast

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

gluten:
3 cups vital wheat gluten
3 cups warm vegetarian chicken broth (can use water)

Mix together in large bowl until just combined. Add seasoning.

seasoning:
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika

Mix seasoning and stretch gluten to get seasoning into every part of the gluten. Use your hands and rub seasoning on gluten. Place in a lightly greased baking dish. Pop in oven for about 50 minutes to an hour, until middle is cooked and not rubbery raw. You may want to take roast out half way, cut it in quarters, and flip it for the rest of the baking time. I use a stoneware baking dish, so it's not needed with that.
After gluten roast is done and has cooled for a few minutes, you may want to slice on a diagonal to serve. Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables.

The Chocolate Cake Formally Known as Beatty's

This recipe used to be Beatty's Chocolate Cake from Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa). Click here for the original recipe!

I made this cake for Mom's (Barbara) Birthday on May 30th.
Now, since we don't use coffee and I don't keep milk in the house, I changed that. I'm posting my version! I also cut the icing recipe in half, I just knew it was going to be WAY too much.
This is a very light and moist cake. I usually like dense cakes, but this one was really good!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup almond milk, plus 1 T lemon juice
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot Teechino (or any roasted herbal drink)
  

Directions

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the almond milk with lemon, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the Teechino and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:

3 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 small egg yolk, at room temperature (you can omit this or use half a large egg yolk)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 C + 2 tablespoons cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons instant roasted herbal drink (or 2 teaspoons of hot Teechino)

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.