Discovering Hidden Inspiration

We're quickly approaching the new year which is a great time for reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the next one. For me, this has become a time for getting organized in the kitchen and redefining kitchen/cooking goals based on how I eat, cook, and live.

My first goal is to reduce the amount of waste coming out of my kitchen. No one likes to admit they let things go bad or throw food out, but we all do it. I have a tendency to hold onto things even when they're not fresh anymore because I don't want to admit my failure. It's like eating the terribly rubber chicken you overcooked for dinner, or recipe you completely messed up, telling yourself it isn't that bad; we do it not only to not waste food (an admirable standard), but so we don't have to admit defeat and come up with a new plan. Figure out when to cut your loses and move on. I was holding onto old yogurt, juice, etc. because I wanted to maintain the illusion that I would still be able to use it. Toss and move on.

Related to the first, my second goal is to become better at menu planning with multiple meals using similar ingredients, buying no more than what I need, and knowing what else I can make with an ingredient when I end up with extras. For example, use vegetables in stir-fries, fried rice, steamed for salad, roasted, or freeze as a last resort.

My last goal is to stop being so lazy! That means taking time to prep vegetables for the week, taking time to find new and interesting recipes, and taking the time to have fun and experiment in the kitchen.

As with any new venture, the first few days of inspiration likely will not be enough to carry you through each passing week, month, or year. It's about the choices we'll make each day that will dictate success. For me, it started admitting failure and cleaning out the fridge of all the old stuff I was holding onto, next will be inventorying the pantry so I can use up old things and rediscover hidden inspiration.

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Homemade Jam Cocktail!

If you're like me, you probably have at least one jar of jam received as a gift, or perhaps from this summer's canning adventures. I don't go through jam nearly as much as I expect to each summer, so I'm always excited to find new ways to use up jam.

I don't drink cocktails often, but I spotted this jam cocktail in my reader and couldn't resist sharing! One teaspoon jam per 4 ounces of sparkling wine sound so simple but good. Make it non-alcoholic by using soda water and adding extra sweetener as needed.

Happy jam cocktail-ing!

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Pumpkin Pie Custard

I've been slacking and not keeping up with this blog. Pure laziness on my part, especially since I've got a small backlog of recipes to get up.

I made pumpkin custards for Thanksgiving dessert; basically crustless pumpkin pie. The filling is, after all, the part that we all scrape out from the crust. So not only is this an easier way to get more of the good stuff we all love, it's a lot easier to whip up not having to worry about a crust. These specifically were a bit hit, not only due to the lack of crust, but the allspice adds an unique flavor to the mix. I'll probably make this again in years to come!

It is crucial you bake these in a water bath in order for them to look nice! I baked one separately as a test; the custard will crack and pull apart from the sides without the water. Tastes just as great, but is definitely not as nice a presentation for your friends and family.

Pumpkin Pie Custard

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C heavy cream
• 3/4 C milk
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/3 C brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 6-8 ramekins with oil. Place ramekins in a large oven safe roasting pan with deep sides; this is for a water bath.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy. Add in remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Fill each ramekin about 3/4 to the top. Fill the pan with hot water, then place in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the custard is just set. It will jiggle slightly, but this is fine. Let cool completely before serving.

These custards are so quick to make, you might find yourself making multiple batches this season. Enjoy!

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Ruhlman's Twenty Chapter 9: Batter (Flour, Part Two)

Who doesn't love batter? Seriously...cookies, cakes, waffles? Yeah...I make these types of things a lot and I'm sure you do too.

Ruhlman describes a batter as pourable dough; think cakes, muffins, and fried fish batters. My personal favorite application is probably a brownie since I love chocolate!

Lessons Learned:

• In light cakes, such as sponge cakes, the egg is what lends the airy texture. The eggs are beaten and trap air bubbles which will then leaven the cake as it bakes.
• Sugar obviously adds sweetness to the batter, but also some structure to the final product as well.
• Butter adds flavor and also prevents gluten formation as we learned previously.

Related Recipes:

• Sourdough Muffins
• Kabocha Squash Muffins
• Pumpkin Yogurt Corn Muffins
• Blueberry Multigrain Muffins
• Banana Cake
• Chocolate, Coconut, and Rum Cupcakes
• Fifteen Chocolate Brownies

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Ruhlman's Twenty Chapter 8: Dough (Flour, Part One)

This lesson covers cookie dough, bread dough, and pastry dough which, when stripped down to basics, are all pretty similar, containing flour, water, and salt at the core.

Lessons Learned:

• A measured cup of flour can differ in weight by up to 50%! This makes it extra important to weigh each cup of flour with a kitchen scale.
• Working with dough encourages the strands of gluten (protein) to connect and elongate, creating a smooth dough and chewy product. Fat (such as butter) keeps these proteins separate, resulting in a crumbly, tender product.
• Ruhlman's basic proportions for a simple bread dough is 5 parts flour to 3 parts water, plus 0.5% weight of flour in yeast and 2% weight of flour in salt. Bread should be kneaded until smooth, elastic, and can be stretched until translucent in color. Be very careful not to over rise the dough which will result in poor texture.
• For pie dough, keep the fat as cold as possible when cutting it into the flour; these pockets of fat create flakiness within the dough. Use only enough water to bring the dough together and do not overwork the dough.

Related Recipes:

• Monster Cookies
• Semolina Citrus Turbinados
• Bacon Cookies
• Chapati Bread
• Whole Wheat Pita Bread
• Stollen
• Bagels

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Ruhlman's Twenty Chapter 7: Butter

Butter! Who doesn't love it. Butter has so many different applications: in doughs, batters, sauces, or just as a condiment or topping for other items.

Lessons Learned:

• Butter is about 80% milk fat; the rest is water which is what makes it spreadable at room temperature.
• Using butter in cooking to baste foods both flavors the food and cooks the food from the top down (in contrast to the pan which cooks from the bottom up).
• Compound butter is a great way to use butter as a garnish for your food, especially for meat and fish. Soften butter, then mix in aromatics such as shallot or fresh herbs, then roll in waxed or parchment paper or put into a container, then and refrigerate to re-solidify.

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Ruhlman's Twenty Chapter 6: Egg

In this chapter, Ruhlman discusses what I have considered to be a very simple ingredient, the egg, at length. This chapter was quite eye opening for me, not only in the lessons (how best to cook an egg), but in advanced application (custard).

I'm quite surprised that he didn't discuss the quality of eggs. I've noticed a significant difference in yolk color and flavor between inexpensive eggs and organic and/or local eggs. Using higher quality eggs will certainly make a difference in your cooking.

Lessons Learned:

• Eggs are best cooked with gentle heat and gradual temperature changes. Eggs cooked at high temperatures and quickly will be tough. Keep this in mind when scrambling eggs--try cooking them over a double boiler for creamy, silky eggs.
• Basic vanilla custard proportions: 4 large eggs, 2 cups milk and/or cream, sugar, and vanilla to taste.
• Pourable custards begin with egg yolks cooked over heat (direct or double boiler) until thickened to desired consistency.

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Food Science - Green Carrots in Carrot Cake!

It's a little concerning, to say the least, to discover green bits in carrot cake you made just the day before. I was afraid my carrot cake cupcakes from yesterday somehow went bad in 36 hours; Google to the rescue!

According to this article, carrots are sensitive to pH and change color after coming in contact with baking soda. You can prevent it from happening by mixing in your soda thoroughly, or cutting back the amount.

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Thanksgiving Snacks and Desserts!

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this time of year because it gives me a chance to try new dessert recipes. Today is no exception.

I wanted to quickly share the desserts and snacks I made this year, most of which made an appearance at my family get together. Some recipes are my own (some yet to appear on this blog), some are adapted, and some are taken straight from other people. All, except the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, are gluten-free!

I have arranged these from most savory to sweetest.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Vanilla Roasted Walnuts Roasted with Bacon Fat

Sparkling Cranberries

Seckel Pear Jam with Brown Sugar and Cardamom

Sweet Potato Blondies

Pumpkin Pie Custard

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Dark Chocolate Fudge with Toasted Coconut, Dried Cranberries, and Cacao Nibs

Recipes for the Sweet Potato Blondies, Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, and Dark Chocolate Fudge coming soon!

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Cranberry Apple Chutney

Thanksgiving is upon us already this year. I'm pretty sure we all just woke up one day and poof! Here we are.

I've had this recipe tucked away in my binder for at least a year and stumbled upon it when I was clearing out. Just in time for cranberries to hit the stores! I'm actively making an effort to try new recipes, especially ones I've bookmarked or otherwise tucked away. I'm excited to try this on sandwiches and wraps throughout the season.

This chutney doesn't scream fall or Thanksgiving. It's a mix of sweet, tangy, sour, and spicy all in one small package. It will be great to have small jars of this tucked away in the freezer to smear on sandwiches, wraps, or serve alongside Indian dishes over the next few months. The recipe yields about 2 quarts, which means it's great to bring along to give out at your Thanksgiving feast!

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Adapted from Grand Central Bakery's Cranberry Apple Chutney, via Oregon Live

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 C fresh cranberries
• 5 C diced, peeled, and cored apples
• 1 1/2 C packed brown sugar
• 1 1/3 C apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 C golden raisins
• 1/2 C dried currants

Method

1. In a large saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and saute until softened. Add the garlic and ginger, and continue to cook for a few minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, then increase heat to medium-high to boil. Reduce the heat to low to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries and apples have cooked down, about 40 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle the chutney into container(s) to store. Allow to let cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.

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