Day 64 - Pignoli Cookies

     As I write this, my son is talking to himself in the shower.  He doesn't sing, he talks.  He's having this whole conversation with himself tonight because his undefeated baseball team lost to a team that was 3-3.  He didn't hit so well, but he played ok defensively.  They had been losing 7-1 and then came back to go ahead 8-7.  The other team had the last ups because we were playing at their field.  In the bottom of the last inning, combined with pent up frustration, he was involved in a collision at second when he was catching the ball and was slightly injured.  It's one of those things where he was legitimately hurt, but I think the frustration of the team not playing well and his not hitting increased the pain all the more.  Know what I mean?
     So, he does this.  He talks to himself, works it all out in his head and is then ok.  I really do love to listen to him.  He'll do it when he's in bed, too, and then is beyond embarrassed if he sees my shadow in the hall.  I can't help it.  I'm his mother, and I know my enjoying moments like these are limited.  So, I'm going to listen.   
     When we were living in Rhode Island, our friends, Mary and Eddy, would travel back to New York where they were originally from and bring back Italian goodies.  One time they came back with a PINK BOX!  Remember how I not only LOVE those pink boxes, but especially the things that are inside them?  Inside this box were some Pignoli cookies.  It was definitely one of my Oh My Goodness moments.  They were SO completely delicious - chewy on the outside and so soft and tender on the inside.  And then they melted in my mouth.  They were oh so good that I would ask, or rather beg Mary to bring some back whenever they went to New York.  They were one of those creations that was so good I was afraid to make it because I really and truly believed I wouldn't be able to duplicate it.  Yes, I was intimidated by a cookie.  Over 12 years I've put it off.  Today, I baked a cookie so close that I think even I could put it into a pink box!  So darned exciting!
   We can thank Martha Stewart for this one.  I found it in her Baking Handbook, p.93; author, Martha Stewart; publisher, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-307-23672-2.

     Pignoli Cookies
    
     7 ounces almond paste
     ½ cup granulated sugar
     ½ cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
     2 large egg whites
     ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
     3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
     1/8 teaspoon salt
     3/4 cup pine nuts

     Preheat oven to 350ºF, with racks in the center and lower third.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat almond paste and both sugars on medium speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 2 minutes.

Add egg whites and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until a smooth paste forms, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add flour and salt; beat until combined, about 1 minute.  Dough will be very soft and tacky.

     Place pine nuts in a small bowl.  Scoop out a tablespoon of dough; using dampened fingers, drop dough into pine nuts, coating one side.  Transfer rounds, coated side up, to prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Fill in any bare spots on rounds with remaining pine nuts.

     Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies and pine nuts have turned golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes.  Transfer cookies on parchment to a wire rack to cool completely.  Using an offset spatula, carefully loosen from parchment paper.  Using a fine sieve, dust cookies with confectioners' sugar.  Cookies can be kept, stacked between layers of waxed or parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

     Yes, I forgot to dust with confectioners' sugar.  But they Didn't. Even. Need. It.  They were just so yummy delicious.  Yes, they were Oh. My. Goodness.   My husband was amazed at how good they were.  He says, to date, that they are the best thing I have made. 

I asked, "better then the créme brulée?". 

He thought and then replied, "yeah, even better than the créme brulée".

Now that's saying something 'cause he even said that was pretty darned good.  (I think I may be spoiling him.)

     Instead of dropping them into the pine nuts by tablespoonfuls (I also used a knife to scrape it out), next time I'll probably use a teaspoon and lessen the baking time.  I just think the final cookie was too big.  Also, the dough was so sticky that instead of taking them out of the pine nuts with my fingers, I used a larger table spoon.  Granted I grabbed a few extra pine nuts in the process, but they were transferring to the parchment a lot easier and they were more rounded as opposed to mishapen.  Then I just removed the extra pine nuts by hand.  Personally I would prefer to have two cookies to every larger one that I made.  In the end, I made about 23 and it says you'll finish with about 18.

     My rating system is based on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the absolute best.  I'm pretty sure you already know what the rating is on these:  4 rolling pins!  Yes, they were that good.  I would highly recommend that you put your Italian apron on and make these puppies.  I'm sure you won't regret it.

     Happy baking!

Day 63 - Gluten-Free Ham and Cheese Pocket Pies

         Today was an absolutely wonderful day!  We were blessed with a new addition to our extended family; a new nephew/cousin.  I'm very excited!  We are waiting on pictures, but I'm sure he is just as beautiful as his older brother.  A HUGE congratulations to the new mommy and daddy!!  Babies are always so exciting, and sometimes I wouldn't mind being pregnant again.  I do miss those days.  But, that phase of my life is over.  I don't know if I could tolerate waking in the middle of the night every few hours anyway.
     I also received a most wonderful phone call from my very dear friend, Mary.  I shared her Spanikopita recipe on Day 48.  And just as I thought it would be, we picked up right where we'd left off.  It's been a couple years since we've spoken on the phone, but it was as if no time had passed.  And we talked for 2 hours; I'm sure we could have stayed on longer.  It was great to catch up, but it was even better to hear her voice, and especially her laugh.  Mary will always have a very special place in my heart. 
     If you have a friend like that or a friend who you haven't spoken with in a while, call or e-mail them.  You never know what they might be going through and you may be contacting them at the perfect time.  Why wait?  I'm sure it would do you both good to reconnect. 

~ Just so you know though, I can't take any responsibility if things don't go well for you.  So don't call me, e-mail me or post a comment saying you're mad at me.  Haha.  I'm just saying it's good to "reach out and touch someone". 
    
     A dinner recipe was calling tonight.  I have those moments when I just can't bake a dessert or something sweet on certain days, and today was one of those days.  I was in our grocery store and saw that King Arthur Flour makes a gluten free flour.  I was pretty excited, so picked up a box to try it and used that in the recipe.  I made their gluten free pie crust, but if you're going to make these pocket pies and don't need to be gluten free, you can just make a regular pie crust or could probably even use a pizza dough.
     I saw the idea for the pies in The Gluten-Free Kitchen, p. 54; author, Roben Ryberg; publisher, Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House; ISBN 0-7615-2272-7.

     Ham and Cheese Pocket Pies - serves four

     Filling:
     ½ cup finely grated cheddar cheese
     ½ cup finely chopped cooked ham
     ½ cup finely chopped broccoli or onion (I didn't use either.)

     Gluten Free Pie Crust

     1¼ cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Multipurpose Flour
     1 tablespoon sugar
     ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
     ½ teaspoon salt
     6 tablespoons cold butter
     1 large egg
     2 teaspoons vinegar

     Whisk together the flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt.
     Cut the butter into small pieces and work into the flour mixture until it's crumbly, with some larger, pea-sized pieces remaining.
     Whisk the egg and vinegar together till very foamy. 

Mix into the dry ingredients.  Stir until the mixture holds together, adding 1 to 3 additional tablespoons cold water if necessary.
     Shape into a ball and chill for an hour, or up to overnight.
     Preheat oven to 375ºF.
     Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
     Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling.
     Combine ham, cheese, and broccoli or onion in a bowl.  Set aside.
     Cut dough in half.  Sandwich one half between two pieces of waxed paper and roll into a circle about ¼ inch thick.  Cut the circle in half.

     On one half of the semi-circle, put ¼ of the ham/cheese mixture.

     Fold dough in half over filling.
     Seal edges with a fork and prick hole in top for vents.  Place on prepared baking sheet.

     Repeat with remaining semi-circle.
     Repeat process with remaining half of dough.
     Bake pies for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops are lightly browned.

     Because of time constraints I needed to skip any chilling of the dough and I just let it rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes.  I'm not sure how much of a difference that made, but these didn't go over too well for dinner.  My family ate them, but they don't want me to make them again.  As my son said after swallowing his first bite, "Mom, you just got Chopped."  Thanks, kid. 
     I rate my dishes on a scale of 1 - 4 with 4 being the best.  These didn't cut it, so they were given a rating of 1 rolling pin.  My daughter was a little more generous even though she's "not a fan of ham" as I discovered tonight, and gave them a 2.  The dough we thought was dry and very flaky.  After all, it was a pie crust, duh!  It probably would taste very good under some kind of fruit filling.  They fell apart very easily which drove them all nuts and they had to use forks instead of picking them up with their hands.  We couldn't really taste the cheese and I'm sure adding the broccoli or onion would give it that extra something that was missing.  I think these would be better as calzones with a pizza dough.
     Happy baking!

  

Day 62 - Carrot and Raisin Bread

     I saw this recipe and kind of said, "eew" when I saw it.  Then looking at the 2 cups of shredded carrots and ½ cup of raisins it called for I thought, "hm, this might be pretty healthy" (well, as far as the baked goods thing goes anyway).  It is from The New Doubleday Cookbook, p. 667; authors, Jean Anderson and Elaine Hanna; publisher Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-385-19577-X.
     As a side note, until I started this baking project, I didn't realize that there was a difference between 1 cup sifted flour, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup flour, sifted.  Am I alone or are there other people that need to know this?  (Here's where I need that book, "Baking for Dummies".)  I guess I was always in too much of a hurry to pay atttention, mom and grandma never showed me, and I don't remember Mrs. Rathbun ever teaching us that in 8th grade Home Ec. (I can't believe I actually remembered her name - that was ages, well, nevermind).  1 cup sifted flour is sifting the flour and then putting it into a measuring cup and leveling it with a knife.  For 1 cup of flour, I just scoop the measuring cup into the flour canister and then level it with a knife.  For the 1 cup of flour, sifted, I scoop the measuring cup into the canister, level it, then sift it into the bowl.  So, to make it easy:  Sift before measure; just plain old measure; sift after measuring.  Have I confused you?  Because I think in trying to simplify it, I've taken it too far and overexplained it.  I kind of confused myself.  And I'm fading here.  Just post if you have a comment or question!
     I actually learned this from the Martha Stewart Baking Book the other day.  I had never done it before and I admit, I was very surprised the difference it makes when you sift the flour before you measure it.  I wonder how many things I 've made over the years that may have tasted differently had I really paid attention.

     Carrot and Raisin Bread

     2½ cups sifted unbleached flour
     1 tablespoon baking powder
     ½ teaspoon salt
     1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
     2 eggs, lightly beaten
     ½ cup melted butter or margarine or cooking oil (I used butter)
     ½ cup milk
     1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind (optional) (I didn't use)
     ½ cup seedless raisins  (I used golden raisins)
     2 cups finely grated peeled carrots

     Preheat oven to 350ºF.
     Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl.  Add sugar and rub well between your fingers, breaking up any lumps of sugar.  Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. 

Spoon into a well-greased 9" X 5" X 3" loaf pan and bake about 50 minutes until loaf shrinks slightly from sides of pan and is springy to the touch.

(Note: Do not underbake; test by inserting a toothpick or cake tester in center of loaf; it should come out clean.) Cool bread upright in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn out.  Cool completely before cutting.

This loaf will cut more easily if you wrap it airtight and store it overnight.

     I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of this bread.  It tasted a lot better than I thought it would.  It was perfectly sweetened, extremely moist, and delicious.  I thought it was going to taste very similar to carrot cake, but it didn't.  My husband and my son both really liked it.  My husband thought it was one of the best recipes I've made so far.  Wow.  I liked it, but didn't like it enough to give it a 4, so I'll give it 3½ rolling pins.  My rating system is based on a scale of 1-4 with 1 being a "save yourself the time, money and effort" and 4 "this really takes the cake" (sorry, no pun intended.  Ok, I lie.  I did it on purpose.  After all, it IS a baking blog).      

     If you learn one thing from this post, please, please wrap it up airtight and let it sit overnight before you slice it.  I had the perfect slice cut for the purpose of taking a picture and it was sitting alone on the cutting board when my husband says, "Oh, is this my piece?"

"NO!" I yelled.

"Oops, too late."

Son of a ...

What the heck do I have to do, put yellow tape around it, a big orange cone that's labeled "DON'T TOUCH"??!!  Do I have to start hiding the stuff now, too?  Oy vey! 

I then went through half the loaf, hacking off various pieces (and not intentionally) in order to obtain another perfect slice.  Again.  The one pictured above is the best I could do before I went throught the whole loaf.  There had to be a point where I stopped before it was completely massacred.  I'm really interested to see how it cuts tomorrow.

     Remember:  To sift, or not to sift?  And when?

     Happy baking!

Day 61 - Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Cookies

     Since we started my daughter on this gluten-free diet a week ago to see if it would help with her acne, she's really been wanting me to bake her something besides those chocolate chip cookies from the pre-made mix.  So, I went to Barnes & Noble today and purchased The Gluten-Free Kitchen.  There is quite a selection of books for those with special needs.  I was just searching for one that was published by Random House so that I could copy the recipe for you.  The recipe is on page 182-183; author, Roben Ryberg; publisher, Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-7615-2272-7.

     Double Chocolate Cookies   makes 3½ - 4 dozen

     ¼ cup softened butter
     3/4 cup dark brown sugar
     2 egg yolks
     1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
     1/3 cup water
     ¼ cup oil
     ½ cup potato starch
     ½ cup corn starch
     ¼ cup cocoa
     ¼ teaspoon baking soda
     ½ xanthan gum
     ½ teaspoon salt
     1¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

     Preheat oven to 350ºF.
     In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. 

Add egg yolks, vanilla flavoring, water, and oil.  Mix well.  Add remaining ingredients except for chocolate chips.  Mix well, being sure to remove all lumps. 

Fold in chocolate chips.
     Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes.

     NOTE:  These cookies will soften if stored in an airtight container.  Freeze your extras, or give them a few minutes of air before serving.

     My daughter liked them and based on my rating system of 1-4 with 4 being the best, she thought they deserved 3 rolling pins.  I thought they were ok.  They are definitely different then anything I've baked before - a lot flatter as you can somewhat see from the picture.
     Happy baking!

Day 60 - Beautifully Complicated Butterscotch Brownies

         I was on Facebook yesterday and one of my friends from high school posted this: 

Ah, life. Beautifully complicated. Embrace it. Whatever the complications may be. Wherever they may find you.

Rich was always a great friend and I had quite a few classes with him throughout those "formative years", and he was on the school's baseball team with my husband.  He was quiet and unassuming, staying true to his character and I know he has remained this way.  I admire him for that.  He has become a great man and undoubtedly his working at World Neighbors is a testament of that character.  He was also wise beyond his years which is another reason I love this "Rich Original".  Sometimes we become so involved in the problems or challenges that we are facing that we have a tendency to not step back and see that even though it may be difficult, life is still beautiful and we do need to embrace it.  Our individual struggles are beautiful.  Be in the moment.  Do not wish it away.

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
— Friedrich Nietzsche

I can attest to the fact that the hardships I have endured throughout my years have definitely made me a stronger person.  Life truly is "beautifully complicated".  Thank you, Rich!
    
    
      I found these brownies in my Fannie Farmer Cookbook, Thirteenth Edition, p. 629; author, Marion Cunningham; publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., a division of Random House; ISBN 0-394-56788-9.
     Ok, I have to be honest, the making of these Butterscotch Brownies was anything but complicated.  I just called them that because the words went so well with Rich's post.  They really couldn't have been easier.  And the really fun part was that I was able to use my mother's nut chopper.  I loved that thing when I was little.  It was always so much fun to put the peanuts or walnuts in at the top, turn the handle and watch those teeth grind them into little bits.  Brought back some more memories.

     Butterscotch Brownies

     ½ cup melted butter
     2 cups dark-brown sugar
     2 eggs
     ½ teaspoon salt
     1½ cups flour
     2 teaspoons baking powder
     1 teaspoon vanilla
     1 cup chopped nuts

     Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
     Butter a 9 X 13-inch cake pan.  Mix all the ingredients together, combining them well.

 Spread in the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until dry on top and almost firm to the touch. 

Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut into small squares.

     My son and husband loved them.  I thought they were good, too.  I'm going to give them 3 rolling pins even though there was disagreement over whether they should be awarded 3 or 3½.  My rating system is based on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best.  These will make a great treat to take to a friend's when you need to bring a dessert and don't have much time.  Just be conscious of those people with peanut allergies!
     Happy baking!  Remember, life is beautifully complicated.

Day 59 - Sticky Orange Muffins

     Today was a very full day of baseball.  My son's school team was in a tournament and they played three games.  Needless to say, baking wasn't done during the day and I started at 7:30.  These muffins really didn't take too long to make, so they could easily be done the morning you plan to eat them.  They taste better warm, too.
     The Sticky Orange Muffins came from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook Thirteenth Edition, p. 543; author, Marion Cunningham; publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-394-56788-9.

     Sticky Orange Muffins

     2 oranges
     ¼ cup honey
     2 cups flour
     ½ cup uncooked oatmeal or oat bran (not instant)
     1 tablespoon baking powder
     1 teaspoon salt
     ½ cup sugar
     2 eggs, lightly beaten
     2/3 cup milk
     5 tablespoons butter, melted (about 1/3 cup)

     Preheat oven to 400ºF.
     Grease muffin pans.  Using the small side of a grater, grate the rind from the oranges, removing only the bright orange part; set aside.  With a sharp knife remove all the remaining peel and, if necessary, trim the oranges all around so that the slices will fit in the bottom of your muffin cups.

Cut the oranges into slices about ¼ inch thick, remove any seeds, and set the slices aside.  Put about 1 teaspoon of honey in the bottom of each muffin cup and place an orange slice on top.

     In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal or oat bran, baking powder, salt, and sugar, and stir to mix.  Add the reserved orange rind, eggs, milk, and melted butter, and stir until just mixed. 

Spoon the batter over the orange slices, filling each cup about two-thirds full. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a broomstraw (what the heck is a BROOMSTRAW?) or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve warm.

     I halved the recipe and unlike yesterday didn't burn anything!  Wait, except the butter when I melted it, but not the muffins. These were easy to make; the only difficulty I had was cutting the orange into small enough rounds to fit into the tins.

     I rate the things I bake on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best.  These Sticky Orange muffins earned 3½ rolling pins.  They were moist on the inside and the taste of the honey combined with the orange was quite tasty.

     Happy Baking!

Day 58 - Baked Rice Pudding

      We had rice for dinner last night and I've been craving rice pudding lately.  NO, I am NOT pregnant.  I am looking forward to the time when we have grandchildren.  Yikes!  I feel so old when I say that, and I DON'T want it to happen anytime soon.  Back in Rhode Island whenever I'd go to a Walt's Roast Beef (they are SO much better than Arby's, I think!), I'd buy their rice pudding for dessert.  Mmm, mmm, good!  Now I'm homesick.
     I was really looking forward to this, and the recipe couldn't have been any easier!  I was psyched because I'd start it in the morning, it would bake while I cleaned the house, and this would be the one night that I could relax because I would type the blog up in the afternoon before making dinner.  But,

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

"To a Mouse" - Robert Burns

     See, last night I finished blogging shortly before midnight then sat up talking to my husband til around 1.  We were awakened at 5 am by yet another cat fight under our bedroom window.  Our cat, Charlie (my sous chef in pictures), likes to take cover under a plastic chair right next to our bedroom window.  He hides here because as tough as he attempts to be, he really is a big fat wuss, and is terrified of everything!  He doesn't even like to leave the security of our back yard and growls whenever I attempt to put him out the front door.  He freaks.  This black cat (I know because I finally saw him this morning) comes into our yard and kicks Charlie's butt.  He ended up with a scratch on his nose and I had to break it up.  So what, do you ask, does this have to do with baking rice pudding today?  Well, a lot actually.  Being up at 5 and then knowing that my alarm was going off in an hour, I decided it would just be best to stay up and be productive before taking the kids to school.  I was able to do some things before dropping them off and then completely crashed, so decided to take a nap.  I slept til noon and when I awoke, had no idea what day or time it was.  I know it's happened to you.  So, it took me quite some time to get my bearings, and never ended up cleaning the bathrooms, but managed to put the pudding into the oven after this....   



How does it go, don't cry over spilled milk?

     Yes, another mishap in the kitchen.  I turned from the refrigerator after putting the milk away and put my hand into the measuring cup (I don't know, I guess with old age depth perception goes, too) which spilled it all over me, the cookbook, counter and floor.  I was extremely grateful that I had decided to halve the recipe since I knew I'd probably be the only one eating it.  If I hadn't, instead of spilling only ¼ of a cup, it could've been 2.

     Baked Rice Pudding

    
     4 cups milk
     ½ teaspoon salt
     1/3 cup sugar or to taste
     ½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional) I can't imagine my rice pudding without it and used freshly grated.
     3 tablespoons rice
        Yes, only 3 tablespoons.  Marion says, "The little bit of rice to a quart of milk is correct.  Don't use instant or converted rice."

     Preheat the oven to 300ºF.  Put all the ingredients in a buttered baking dish and stir to blend.  If you don't like your rice pudding too sweet, start with only ¼ cup sugar, then taste.  Bake for 3½ hours, stirring three times during the first hour of baking so the rice doesn't settle.

In the oven

     Notice how she didn't mention what size baking dish to use - I didn't omit it.  I was still sleepy, so that really threw me off.  I think the one I used may have been too big and remember, I halved the recipe - didn't want to waste any ingredients.  While it still had 1½ hours to bake, I ran a few errands and was psyched because upon pulling into the garage, knew I had about ½ hour to spare before removing it. 



     Yeah.  Dried up, crusty, baked rice pudding.  I am now sitting here eating vanilla bean ice cream drenched in chocolate syrup.  I knew I should have bought some alcohol when I stopped at the store, and I rarely even drink.  NOT the rice pudding I was going for.  The hole in the middle occurred when I attempted to (Ready? Get this!) stir it after it was already burnt.  HAHA!  Obviously, something cannot be stirred when dried and crusty.  Note to self. 

     I had to taste it, otherwise, how else am I going to honestly rate it.  Um, 1.  1 rolling pin.  I rate my recipes on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the absolute best.  I realize this may be a partial rating (actually, come to think of it, aren't they all?), but this rating is due to baker's error.  I'm sure if the recipe isn't halved, an appropriately sized baking dish is used, and you are home keeping an eye on the pudding for the last 1½ that it is baking, you will determine that it deserves a different rating.  Do not allow my baking experience to deter you.  It is a simple recipe.  How much simpler can it be?  Remember, I have told you in the past that I enjoy making things more difficult than they are for myself.  I exhibited that again, today.  And it's now 10:22 pm.

     If you enjoy rice pudding, I encourage you to try it.  Happy baking!

Day 57 - Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies

     Ok, can someone please tell me why I'm doing this, baking every day for 365 days straight?  Did I start it because I thought it would be fun?  Because today or tonight rather, was NOT fun.  Whatever was I thinking??!!
     My husband had the day off, so he took me to lunch at elements restaurant - Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain.  OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!!  It was by far the best lunch that we have ever had and I cannot wait to go for dinner.  The view of the mountain and surrounding Paradise Valley was gorgeous, the service was as you would expect at an upscale restaurant - very attentive and friendly, but the food...  Oh, the food.  We went because I had heard great things about chef Beau Macmillan through the paper and through the Food Network.  BUT, whenever I saw him on Sunday's episode of Food Network's Chopped All-Stars (he's picture #10), AND he's a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island (Woo Hoo!), I knew we had to go.  I have a friend, Dean, who also graduated from there and is a pastry chef.  Dean's always making gorgeous and delicious items, so I know only great chefs graduate from Johnson & Wales.  Ok, I'm partial.  What can I say?  Unfortunately, we weren't able to meet him or talk to him about good ol' Little Rhody because he was in a meeting.  I'll have to send him an e-mail and tell him how delicious everything was.  Oh, and he's probably a Red Sox fan because he's from Plymouth, MA!
  After a great lunch and still savoring all of the flavors, we walked into the house and my stomach turned.  About 2 hours before leaving for lunch, I seared some chuck roast and put that along with a couple of other things into the crockpot for an easy dinner tonight.  It was also a gluten free recipe I decided to try since we've started my daughter on that diet.  BLECH!  When I walked in the house, I couldn't stand the smell!  But I didn't want to make a big deal of it or say anything before we ate because I knew (as has happened before) that if I didn't like it before we ate then the kids were probably not even going to taste it.  Man!  And if we don't like it and don't want to eat it, it's not like I can whip up something quick because now it has to be gluten free or at least it does for one of us.  We sat down to dinner, and the family thought it was just ok.  I took my fourth bite and almost lost it - removed myself from the table, ran to the garbage can and confessed that I couldn't stand the smell earlier in the day.  I think it was the coconut milk.  I haven't had an aversion to a smell that badly since fish when I was pregnant with our son.  Eew.  I know I won't be making that recipe again!
      After dinner, I'm disgusted still about dinner and the lingering odor, so I begin making the cookies.  This, I decided tonight, is not a good thing - starting to bake at 7 pm.  I've been doing this lately and consequently I'm up til 11 or 12 because after baking I then need to blog.  I started thinking about how late it was and that I was already becoming tired.  Oh yeah, did I mention that the house is a MESS?  And dinner dishes are now strewn about all over my work space, so that needs to be cleaned up before I can really start.  The baking process begins and I'm doing my best to wash my hands and be ever so careful with what I touch because I'm knee-deep in gluten and don't want to cross-contaminate anything (here comes my OCD).  A short time later, I was pissed that the dough was sticking to the counter, and I mean, really sticking to the counter.  Like I didn't have enough flour all over my kitchen already, I needed to douse the counter with it now.  AND, I'm pissed that I'm using all these ingredients and for what?  Is anyone going to eat these things?  Is this really economical?  No!  NOT AT THIS POINT!
This is when I start thinking, "Why am I doing this?  I don't want to do this anymore." 
Hmmm...
I guess I thought it out loud because my husband responded, "if it's not fun, don't do it anymore." 
My daughter exclaimed, "What?! You're not going to do it?".
I don't know, maybe it's the fact that I'm pissed my house is such a mess and REALLY needs to be cleaned.  AGAIN!  And I feel as if I have 50 different projects going on that I've started and haven't finished which only contributes to the mess in the house.
Oh yeah, that and I'm PMS-ing.  Yay, me.
When I sat down later at the computer to start the blog, my sweet, sensitive 13 year old son came over and without even being asked, gave me a shoulder massage.
Then I log into my blog and see I have an additional Follower.  Thank you, new Follower, I really needed that today.

     Another book I checked out at the library yesterday was Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.  The recipe for these cookies is on page 110; author, Martha Stewart; publisher, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-307-23672-2.  Growing up, I remember my grandfather having his half of grapefruit for breakfast with his burnt toast, eggs, and his cup of coffee.  Grapefruit brings up warm, fuzzy memories.  That may be one of the reasons I like eating it, besides the fact that I really like the taste, especially the Ruby Red.  While browsing through this book I came across this recipe and thought what a cool kind of cookie flavor to make.  Yup.  That's all I'll say until after the recipe. 

     Grapefruit Sandwich Sandwich Cookies

     Grated zest of 1 ruby red grapefruit, plus ¼ cup freshly squeezed juice
     1 cup sugar
     1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
     3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
     1 teaspoon baking powder
     ½ teaspoon salt
     1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
     2 large egg yolks
     Grapefruit Cream filling (recipe follows)

     Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  In a small bowl, combine the grapefruit zest with 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  
     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and remaining sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the egg yolks, and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the reserved zest-sugar mixture.  Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the juice, and beat to combine.

     Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1-inch thick disk.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

     On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the disk to 1/8-inch thick.  Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet.

 Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the edges are golden, 18 to 20 minutes.  Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes.  Transfer parchment paper and cookies to rack to cool completely.
     Using an offset spatula, spread 1 tablespoon filling onto the flat sides of half of the cookies.  Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.  Once filled, cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

     Grapefruit Cream Filling
     1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
     2 cups confectioners' sugar
     1 tablespoon honey
     3 tablespoons freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice

     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Beat in the honey.  Add juice, one tablespoon at a time, until filling holds together and is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside until ready to use.

     If you like ruby red grapefruits, you may or may not like these cookies.  I really wasn't too nuts about them.  Again, being honest with you, it may have been because I taste tested too much of the batter.  I really think that zesting a whole grapefruit may have been too much and that doing a half would have been sufficient.  Also, I think my cookies were too thick and needed to be rolled a wee bit thinner.  I used that flower cookie cutter and ended up making 34 cookies, so there would be 17 sandwiches.  I made four, took pictures, tasted one, then solicited opinions and packed the rest of the cookies and cream up.  If anyone out in blogging land would like to try one or two or three, call me.  I know I won't be gaining weight from eating these.  Although that cream right from the bowl was pretty doggone good.
     My rating system is on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best.  Sorry, Martha.  I need to give these a 1½ rolling pins.  Two people thought they were rather good, gave them a 2½, and one took one bite, shook his head and said, "Uh-uh."
     Call me.  For cookies. 
     I will blog again tomorrow.  Happy baking!

Day 56 - Molasses Gingerbread with Lime Cream

          Yeah, I know.  There was lime in yesterday's recipe and lime in the day before that, too.  I guess when I start using one ingredient I have a tendency to just "go with it".  I'll spare you the song and the video tonight though.  But you can go ahead and hum it in your head if you want.  No?  What, can't hum and read at the same time?  I suppose it's kind of like that rubbing your belly while patting your head kind of thing  - a little too difficult.  You can always go back to yesterday if you've forgotten how it goes.
     Today was a wonderful day while running errands.  I need to get out and do that more often!    I went to pick up some groceries and one of the cashiers, JoNell, came up to me and said, "Have I told you my joke about the mushroom?"  I said, "no", and was thinking, I don't ever remember you telling me any jokes, but I'm game.  She says, "A mushroom went into a bar and sits down and has a few drinks."  Now I'm thinking uh-oh, how is this going to end?  "After these few drinks he turned out to be a fun guy!"  Get it, fungi.  Mushrooms, fungi.  I thought it was cute, and very appropriate for a supermarket setting. And it was clean.  I love people.  You just need to open yourself up and let them in. 
     Then I went to the library to find some gluten free cookbooks.  They were all out, but I found others!  As I was browsing, a mother and an adorable little two year old with long brown hair and big brown eyes came into the section.  The little girl said hello after she'd rounded the corner because we were both eye level.  She showed me the book she was taking home and then sat down next to me to read it.  And read it she did, in the way a two year old will do.  Very loudly and nonsensical to adults, but true to themselves.  I couldn't help but chuckle as her mother kept trying to quiet her because it brought back so many wonderful memories.  The three of us talked for a few minutes, and as Peyton and her mommy started to walk away I said, "Peyton, it was so nice to meet you."  She turned around, and came running towards me.  She held out her hand, looked up at me and said, "it was nice to meet you!".  Awww, it made me melt!  I really hope I see her at the library again.

I found the Molasses Gingerbread with Lime Cream in a book that I picked up while listening to Peyton read.  I picked up a few actually and they are all SO YUMMY!  I'm excited!  This one though is from Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans, p. 361-362; author, Susan Spicer with Paula Disbrowe; publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 978-1-4000-4389-7.  I really like this book and there are quite a few things in here that look quite delicious besides the items that I plan to be baking.  I just might have to purchase it or ask for it for Mother's Day (hint, hint).


Molasses Gingerbread with Lime Cream
     ¼ pound (1 stick) butter, plus more for buttering the pan
     1 cup sugar
     3 eggs
     2 cups flour
     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     1 teaspoon ground cloves
     2 teaspoons baking soda
     1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
          (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)   I used this.
     1 cup unsulfured molasses
     2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
     Lime Cream

     Preheat oven to 350ºF, and butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.
     Melt the stick of butter, pour into a large bowl, and allow it to cool slightly.  Beat the sugar and eggs into the butter.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and grated ginger.

                                   

                     

     

     Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Using a wooden spoon, stir the molasses and soda solution into the water.  Whisk the dry ingredients into the sugar and the eggs, then stir in the molasses mixture.

     Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, testing for doneness with a wooden toothpick in the center of the cake (it should pull out clean and free of batter).  Another indicator is that the cake will pull away from the sides of the pan when it's done.  Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake, invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.  Cut into squares and serve with Lime Cream.

 

  
      Lime Cream
     2 eggs
     ½ cup sugar
     1/3 cup fresh lime juice
     Zest of 1 lime, grated (about 1 tablespoon)
     4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, cut into small pieces
     1 cup heavy cream

     In the bowl of an electric mixer, use the whisk attachment to whip the eggs and sugar at high speed until double in volume and light in color.  Lower the speed and blend in the lime juice and zest.

     Pour the egg mixture into a medium metal bowl placed over a pot of simmering water (or a double broiler).  Cook over high heat, whisking often, until smooth, very thick, and custard like (about 20 minutes).  Remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the butter, a few pieces at a time, until it is fully incorporated.  If the final mixture is lumpy, strain though a fine sieve.  Otherwise, cool to room temperature.

     Using an electric mixer or a wire whisk, whip the heavy cream into soft peaks.  Gently fold a fourth of the whipped cream into the lime curd.  Then fold in the remaining whipped cream.
     *Note:  If you don't have time to make the lime cream, no one is going to complain if you serve this cake with whipped cream sweetened with brown sugar and a couple tablespoons of bourbon.*

     I have always loved gingerbread and this one was absolutely delicious, especially with the Lime Cream!  The cake was extremely moist and very rich in flavor.  I liked eating that just by itself, but then add the lime cream.  Oh. My. Goodness.  As my husband said, it was unlike any other dessert he has ever had.  The lime cream really added something special to it.  I know Susan put in the note about using whipped cream sweetened with brown sugar and bourbon, BUT I would highly recommend that you do whatever it takes to make this cream.  I cannot tell you how excited I was as I was standing over the stove and dipped my finger into the double broiler and tasted the CURD!  I actually made lime curd!!!!  Something I've never done before and I made it tonight!  The best part was, that I didn't really think that was what it was going to turn out to be.  So, I was ecstatic with the surprise!  See what happens when we go into something with NO expectations?
     I must tell you though.  Be careful when you pour the soda solution into the molasses mixed with water.  It will bubble up on you extremely quickly and if you're not paying attention, you are going to have one big sticky mess all over your stove top.  I can proudly say, that this did not occur.  Also, when the batter is ready to be poured into the baking dish, it will seem pretty soupy and not as thick as other cake batters you may have made.  I kept checking the recipe, thinking I had added an extra cup of water somewhere.  Don't panic, it's supposed to be this way.  Also, when inverting the pan, wave your hand over the thing, do a dislodging happy dance, or put a heck of A LOT of butter and flour in the bottom 'cause that sucker ain't gonna cooperate.  I knifed around the edges as it said...

     Oh yeah, and when the cake is in the oven, it's going to get kinda high, so make sure there is plenty of room between the racks and you may want to put a cookie sheet under the pan in case it should spill over.  That did occur.  Back to the inverting.  Yeah.  No.  It came out.  Well, in pieces that were not so pretty, and only half of it.  So I shoved it back in the pan and served it from there.
     My rating system is on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being something you really should consider making and when you serve it to others, they are going to think you're a baking expert!  Tonight was a definite 4 rolling pin recipe!  I was going to put a little Tequila in the lime curd, but was afraid to.  Maybe next time.  Enjoy this one!
     Happy baking!

Day 55 - Lime Poppy Seed Cookies

     Have I told you that I hate driving into the high school parking lot?  Yeah, I know I have.  34 days ago to be exact, in my Créme Brulée post.  So, today I decided that I hate being in the parking lot in the afternoon almost as much as in the morning.  I had to meet my daughter in front of the school to drop off a paper she needed to bring to the office and driving to find a spot was just a wee bit tricky because at times, I felt as if I was a salmon swimming upstream.  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  I know the kids are excited to be out of school and can't wait to high tail it out of there because I was the same way when the bell rang.  Oh, wait.  That's right.  I rarely ever went home when the bell rang because I was always staying after for field hockey or drama.  But anyway, I can imagine how they feel.  Freedom.  The teenager cherishes it, especially if they have their own car.  Now, I'm not going to generalize and say ALL teenagers at the school are this way because there are absolutely wonderful kids that attend who I am absolutely in love with.  They are wonderful people.  There are others however who do not care one iota (wow, haven't used that word in years and looking it up discovered that it is the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet - Greek: Ιώτα [jota] Yota/Jota.  Who knew?) about who is in their way as they embark on their mission to escape the clutches of that menacing fortress.  (Ooh, that sounds dark and ominous.)  So, I kind of felt like I was playing dodge ball, but with cars.  Kids flying down the lanes as I was trying to back out, kids backing out without looking while I was flying, (NO!, kidding) down the lane.  No accidents, no fender benders to tell you about, just my frustration dealing with people who care for no one but themselves.  And remember, I do not generalize.  Gee, I sound like a really angry person, don't I?  I'm not, really.  Something has to REALLY push my buttons to make me upset and that doesn't happen too often, but when it does...

     I had a lime leftover from yesterday's dinner, and since I've been making all things lemon, I thought I'd add a touch of lime to something (uh oh, cue the song...well, here's the video.  Enjoy the momentary break!).

Sorry, that song just popped into my head when I typed lime.  And I loved this show growing up - watched it every week!  I adapted this recipe from the New York Cookbook by Molly O'Neill and they are listed as Aunt Hetty's Poppy Seed Cookies.

     Lime Poppy Seed Cookies - makes about 36 cookies

     1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

     1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder

     ¼ cup poppy seeds

     6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

     ½ cup sugar

     2 large eggs

     ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

     ½ teaspoon almond extract

     juice of ½ lime

     Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Lightly butter two cookie sheets.

     In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and poppy seeds.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and lime juice and beat at low speed until smooth.  With the mixer continuing to run on low, gradually add the dry ingredients.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix for an additional minute. 

Using one teaspoon of the dough at a time, shape into little balls.  Place them about 2 inches apart on the buttered cookie sheets.  Flatten the balls with the palm of your hand to make the them ¼ inch thick.  Dip your palm in cold water if dough begins to stick.  Bake 20 minutes, til slightly golden.  Cool on wire racks and allow to cool completely.

     My husband and son loved these cookies.  My daughter is going gluten free, so couldn't eat them.  I wasn't too nuts about them.  The guys think they should be rated 3 rolling pins and my rating system is on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best.  I give them a 2.5 rolling pin rating.  So, I could combine them and give them a 2.75, but we'll stick with the 3.  I tasted the almond flavoring more so than the lime and I really liked that, but as poppy seeds will do, they settled into the spaces between my teeth.  Not that I have large spaces, haha, just the nooks and crannies.  You know what I'm talking about.

     Happy baking! 

Day 54 - Baked Tilapia with Mango Salsa, Baked Potato, and Salad

     I completely spaced and forgot to take pictures of the process until dinner was on my plate ready to be eaten.  It's so weird how that happens.  One of my priorities is to take pictures as I'm creating and yet I cannot tell you how many times I've put something into the oven and gone, "Ooops!", and had to pull it back out.  Tonight, I guess I was just so focused on having dinner ready by 6:30.  And that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Haha.
     Oh yeah, this is the second fish dish of the year and it's only the 54th day.  I told you in the Tuna Casserole blog of my (ahem) love for fish and that I would probably only be making one other recipe with fish in it.  Well, this is it!  No, I'm kidding.  I decided to make fish because it is something we should be eating at least once a week and my daughter who despises it is going to have to acquire a taste for it since she's started this gluten-free diet.  I will be making more of it.  As long as I can make something to go along with it that sort of disguises the taste for her, I think I'm ok.  So, dinner this evening was Baked Tilapia with Mango Salsa, a baked potato with the fixings and a salad of baby Romaine greens.  It was yummy!  For four of us, I only purchased 3 larger Tilapia fillets because we really aren't big eaters and I hate to have the fish left over because no one ever eats that the next day here.  So here's the recipe for the three fillets and you can adjust as needed.

     Baked Potato With the Fixings
     4 medium baking potatoes
     butter, lots and lots of butter
           (well, you decide how much you want to put on your spud.  Me, I like it swimming in the stuff!)
     3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
     3/4 cup greek yogurt
     1/3 cup chives
     sea salt
     freshly grated pepper

     Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Scrub potatoes with brush under water to clean.  Prick holes in each side of each potato with a fork.  Place directly on oven rack for 60-70 minutes.  Slice each open and serve.  Garnish as desired.
    
Meanwhile...potatoes baking in oven allowed prep. time for the Mango Salsa I found from Ellie Krieger at the Food Network.  It was delicious and the perfect accompaniment for the fish.  Actually, it would be delicious with scallops, too.  Years ago I had made another mango salsa precisely for scallops, but today couldn't find the recipe and for the life of me couldn't remember what was in it besides the mango.  For copyright purposes, I am not going to post the recipe, but you can click on the Mango Salsa and it'll bring you right to it.

     Baked Tilapia with Mango Salsa
     3 large Tilapia fillets
     1 tablespoon melted butter
     2 tablespoons olive oil
     1 teaspoon sea salt
     ½ teaspoon freshly grated pepper
     1 clove minced garlic

     Spray a 9" X 13"-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Place fillets in dish.  Combine olive oil and butter.  Drizzle over fillets.  Sprinkle with sea salt and grated pepper.  Add minced garlic.
     Cover dish with aluminum foil to prevent drying and place in oven.  Bake at 400ºF (that's why the potatoes are already baking at this temp.) for 15 minutes.

     Dinner was quite delicious, if I do say so myself, and as you can see, colorful.  And healthy, too!  And I was able to make my daughter' potato portion gluten-free, so all parties were happy.  I have a rating scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best.  This baked Tilapia and baked potato earn a unanimous 4 rolling pins!
    Happy baking!
 

Day 53 - Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

     I confess.  Today's chocolate chip cookies are not made from scratch. (Gasp!)  I know, I know.  And I'm feeling pretty guilty about it.  On a typical day I wouldn't have done this, but today with time constraints and a major new diet undertaking in the family, using the mix was warranted. 
     I drove our eldest back to college today after her spring break and was caught in traffic both ways because of accidents.  Of course, it is a highway and a very well traveled road by people living in and out of state, but it was unusual today because since her first being up there in August, this is the first time that I've had that happen, and I've made numerous trips.
     The biggie though is the undertaking of a gluten-free diet for our other daughter.  Since school has begun her acne has increased.  We've tried various skin care lines for 30-60 days at a time, and have put her on medications to see if that would help.  All to no avail.  And we are definitely not going to put her on a birth control pill.  So, I keep being pulled to information on gluten and the link it has to acne.  It's as if somebody's trying to tell me something.  Well, it certainly couldn't hurt, and I'm sure her eating more natural, raw, and healthy foods could only have benefits all the way around.  My main concern is cross-contamination since not everyone will be going gluten-free, and as I told a good friend about it today, I can feel myself becoming a little OCD (obsessive compulsive) with this.  Fortunately, my good friend, Kristen, has been doing this for years for her whole family, before there were cookbooks and so much information about it in fact, so I'm excited that she's so willing to hold my hand through this.  And I also have another friend who has just one of her children eating this way, so I'll have that perspective as well.
     I'm excited and nervous at the same time.  I'm ready to do this and it's all about our daughter.  If it helps, I'll be dancing all over the place.  She is definitely going to have to make some adjustments in the way she eats.  But after looking over some lists as to what she can and cannot have, she wasn't too disappointed because Breyer's Coffee Ice Cream  is something she will still be able to eat.  Life would be over if she couldn't eat that ice cream.  So, it's all good. 
     While I won't be completely changing this blog to include all gluten-free baked goods, I will include some things.  I can't deny the masses, especially a growing teenage boy.  I had trouble tonight telling him he couldn't eat the 6 cookies he wanted to and that they were made especially for his sister.  He was in the midst of pouring his tall glass of milk.  I found numerous websites and blogs, so I'll be sure to hunt down some really good recipes.

The mix:  Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.  I bought on sale for $4.69.
This is not going to be an inexpensive undertaking, but it will be soooo worth it.

The butter, egg, and water combined and mixed for 30 seconds.

Soon after the cookie dough had been added to the butter mixture.

After the dough had been mixed for 3 minutes.

Ready for the oven.




     To be honest, these really turned out to be much better than I thought they would.  Granted they weren't really sweet, but to me they tasted similar to the peanut butter cookies I made, but with chocolate chips in them.  They didn't taste peanut buttery, they had that texture.  My daughter wasn't too nuts about them, but did give them a rolling pin rating of 2½.  My rating system is on a scale of 1-4 with a 4 being the best.  She knows this is going to take some getting used to, but she is definitely willing to make the effort.
     Tomorrow, a real recipe from scratch.  I promise.  Happy baking!