Pizza...at the table!

My new favorite way to serve pizza: straight from the cutting board at the table!

As someone who doesn't own a pizza cutter, I've taken to cutting my pizza on a wooden cutting board, from which it was a natural progression to take the board straight to the table to serve. Works great because everyone can just dig in and get what they want, grab an extra slice or two, all without getting up. Granted, this does make it easier to stuff yourself, but that's why the salad is served along side at the table as well, right?

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Oatmeal Balls

I originally found this recipe on Pinterest for a no-bake energy ball. It's not a new concept, really, but they looked so good I had to make them. I call them simply "oatmeal balls" and always have a batch in the fridge. Makes for a great snack or treat post lunch, especially when made with chocolate chips.

Oatmeal Balls

Ingredients

• 1 C rolled oats
• 1 C unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 C mix-ins (chocolate chips, dried fruits, nuts, etc.)
• 1/2 C fresh ground flaxseeds (or wheat germ, oat bran)
• 1/3 C honey
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the wet ingredients and stir until mixed well. If the dough is too thick or won't stick together, try adding a touch more vanilla or honey.
2. Chill in fridge for about an hour. Any longer and the mixture will dry out and become difficult to mix.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 30-35.

The best part of this recipe is the flexibility to the point where it's not really a recipe, but more just a method. The mix-ins can be switched up (I'm quite particular to the rather dessert like combo of white chocolate and dried cranberry) and the nut butter swapped for allergies or personal taste. Infinite possibilities!

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Almond Flour Waffles

I love making and eating waffles but almost never get around to doing it. This week I found a recipe for Almond & Yogurt Waffles which sounded good enough for me to whip out the waffle iron for a batch. For mine, I used fresh ground almond flour and added a couple teaspoons of vanilla with the wet ingredients.

The waffles have a hearty, rustic feel to them courtesy of the almond flour, but it goes quite nicely with a little butter and some maple syrup, YUM.

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Banana Cake

When I heard Momofuku had released a baking cookbook (momofuku milk bar), I had to check it out from the library. I love Momofuku for their compost cookie recipe and was curious to try out something new. Of all their recipes, Banana Cake seemed most accessible, plus I had super ripe bananas ready to be used! I made the recipe by weight, not wanting to dirty several measuring cups and spoons along the way. I also made a couple substitutions, my version below.

Banana Cake

Ingredients

• 85 g butter, softened
• 200 g sugar
• 1 egg
• 110 g buttermilk
• 20 g coconut oil, melted
• 2 g vanilla
• 225 g (about 2) ripe bananas
• 225 g all purpose flour
• 3 g baking powder
• 3 g baking soda
• 2 g salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a baking pan (approx. 9" x 11" works).
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color. Add the egg and mix completely.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, then slowly add to mixer. Mix at medium speed for about 5 minutes, until fluffy and fully incorporated.
4. Add banana at low speed.
5. Add remaining ingredients on low until just incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the surface and tapping on counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake is puffy and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.

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Baking by Weight

Helpful site for baking by weight!

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/master-weight-chart.html

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Almond Milk

I've gotten into homemade non-dairy milks as of late, first it was pecan milk, then coconut milk, and now I'm at almond milk. After some hesitation, I recently bought a nut milk bag. Previously I had used a sieve to strain out the pulp, but even that leaves you with a slightly grainy texture, so I decided to take the plunge.

The thing I love most about using a nut milk bag is the speed. The one I purchased suggested using your hands to squeeze out the liquid from the solids which is much quicker, and releases more liquid in my opinion, than simply allowing the liquid to drain on its own (as I had been doing with the sieve method). Not to mention, the nut milk bag yields a much creamier milk.

Almond Milk

1 cup raw almonds

water for soaking

4 cups water

1/2 vanilla bean

3 pitted dates

1. Place the almonds and soaking water in a large bowl for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and rinse the almonds well. Combine almonds and remaining ingredients in blender, blend until smooth.
3. Place nut milk bag over a bowl or storage container, then pour blender contents into the bag. Allow milk to strain for several hours or squeeze the bag by hand to extract the milk.

Stays fresh for 2-3 days, if you can hold onto it that long!

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Mindful Eating (Article)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/dining/mindful-eating-as-food-for-thought.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

This is something I really want to try out. Even as I was reading this article, I was drinking a smoothie and realizing how very little attention I pay to the food I am eating. I end up missing out on the tastes and textures, the care and attention that went into harvesting and preparing the ingredients before me.

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Cookie Troubleshooting

Homemade cookies can be challenging. Sometimes your standby favorite cookie recipe(s) can be finicky, who's ever baked a batch and been disappointed when they were too flat or browned too much? Not to mention when trying out a new recipe, it's difficult to know whether the results will be worth it.

I stumbled upon this website which troubleshoots 10 cookie problems and how to correct the issue! (Scroll down to the "Problems" section.) Of course, by the time you've reached many of these results, it's too late to salvage that batch of dough, but at least you'll know for next time. Time to make a batch of cookies!

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late season canning

I spent an afternoon last weekend canning some tomatoes and peaches after finding some recipes that I just had to try. First up, earl grey peach preserves. Sounds delicious and I was right in time, as I nabbed the very last peaches at my CSA farm, supplementing with ripe nectarines. This recipe makes a small batch, yielding about 1 quart, which I love. Small batch canning always feels special to me. Perhaps having a small quantity of something makes it feel extra special, to be savored, versus having a half dozen little jars that seem impossible to get through. I really love the addition of tea to what would be plain peach preserves. Definitely deserving of the "whoa!!!" upon the first taste it. And honestly, I'd take this again over the plain stuff any day.

Next in line, tomato marmalade. Wait, tomatoes plus sugar??? I've never been baffled by a recipe like this one I pulled from an old cookbook (picked up at random at an antique store, of all places). I apprehensively went to my CSA farm and filled up a huge bag with tomatoes in the name of experimentation. The sweet smells wafting from this stuff on the stove sealed the deal and trust me, it's hard to keep from eating this stuff by the spoonful.

Note: if you've never done any canning, you should do some research ahead of time to learn the proper techniques for preservation. Otherwise, these recipes could be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks, or frozen. Check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation as a starting point.

Ripe Tomato Marmalade

9 lbs tomatoes

6 C sugar

1 tsp salt

2 oranges

2 lemons

4 sticks cinnamon

2 tsp whole cloves

1. To peel tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil. Have a separate bowl of ice water at the ready. Submerge the tomatoes, a few at a time, in the boiling water for about 30 seconds, until the skin loosens slightly and begins to crack. Remove tomatoes to the ice water to stop the cooking process, then remove to a towel. Using your hands or a small paring knife, gently remove the skins, then core and slice.
2. In a large pan, combine tomatoes, sugar, and salt.
3. Use a peeler to remove the peel from the oranges and lemons. Thinly slice the peels and boil in water for 5 minutes; remove and add to the tomato mixture. Peel the remaining white pith from oranges and lemon, then slice fruit, removing any seeds as you go. Add the citrus to the tomatoes.
4. Tie the cinnamon and cloves into a cheesecloth spice bag; add to the tomatoes.
5. Bring the tomato mixture to a boil. Cook rapidly, stirring to prevent burning, until thickened, at least 45 minutes.
6. Remove the spice bag. If canning, pour the marmalade into hot sterile jars and seal for 15 minutes. Otherwise, pour into a container and let cool before storing in refrigerator or freezer.

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Pantry Storage Recycling

I love buying stuff in bulk bins at the grocery store. I can buy small quantities of recipe specific ingredients and replenish my stock of staple ingredients without spending a fortune. Only problem is my pantry quickly fills up with plastic bags full of ingredients, sometimes unidentifiable if I forgot to write the item name along with the bulk code. My solution? Instead of buying those (expensive) plastic storage containers, I reuse glass jars. Even canning jars work great for this.

Rinse the jar clean and peel as much of the label off as possible. If there's any remaining paper or adhesive left, soak the jar in water and vinegar overnight, then scrub again. If the jar and/or lid have any lingering odors, soak in vinegar (otherwise your food will absorb these flavors). Wash and dry the jar and lid thoroughly, then label and fill with dry goods.

I also save large drink bottles (bottled juices often come in these) to store cold drinks, like homemade iced tea, nutmilk, or smoothies. Small spice jars store seasonings, simple syrup, or salad dressings, all of which are handy to take and use at work.

Above is one shelf of my pantry. I love this method because I can easily see the items that I have and what needs replenishing.

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