Raspberry Buckle

One of Brad's best friends was in town from Vancouver today and was able to spend dinner with us. Dinner was good but nothing new (roast beef, boiled new potatoes and zucchini gratin) so I wanted to do something interesting for dessert.

With a container of fresh raspberries picked from our bushes as inspiration, I searched raspberry desserts on the Martha Stewart website and found a raspberry buckle and raspberry custard. Based on what I had in the fridge, raspberry buckle made it onto the menu.

 

RASPBERRY BUCKLE

http://www.marthastewart.com/326590/raspberry-buckle

 

 

RATINGS:

Heather - 10 - Light, fruity and not too sweet

Brad - 9.5

 

NOTES:

What is a "buckle" anyway? I didn't know the answer so I turned to my best friend, Google, to find out. It is basically a cousin to a crisp or a cobbler. Traditionally it would have a crumble topping (I liked it exactly as made though).

The cake was very pretty yellow thanks to Omega 3 eggs.

Holiday Monday Family Breakfast

It is always a toss up for me, sweet or savory breakfast? Most of the time I choose savory but for a holiday family meal sweet is a nice change of pace. A couple of years ago I got the Pancakes & Waffles book by Lou Seibert Pappas as a birthday gift from my sister so I pulled it out searching for the perfect waffle to make this morning. We planned on making stewed pears so I picked Sweet-Spicy Buckwheat Waffles to go with them.

SWEET-SPICY BUCKWHEAT WAFFLES

1 1/3 cups flour

2/3 cup buckwheat flour (I like buckwheat flour)

2 tbsp packed dark brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cardamon (I love cardamon, it is my favorite spice)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground cloves (I was out! I can't believe it! So I just skipped it. It's now on my shopping list)

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat waffle iron (always important). In one bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. In another bowls whisk, egg yolks, milk, molasses and oil together. In a small bowl beat egg whites until soft glossy peaks form. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in egg whites. Bake until golden brown.

STEWED PEARS

Peel pears and remove seeds. Cut into large chunks. Place in pot and add just enough water to be seen. Cook until almost soft. Add sugar to taste (not much is required when the pears are this good already). Cook 2 minutes more.

RATINGS:
Heather - 9.5 - "The pears and this waffle were a great match"
Bryce - 9 - "Great combo"
Brad - 8.5 - "These are good" Heather says to Brad "Try the pears ON the waffles"
Brad - 9 - "The waffles ARE better with the pears" Heather says to Brad "You should listen to me more often"
Erin - 8.5 - "I don't really like waffles"
Mom - 8.5 - "I like plain waffles better"
Chelsi - 8 - " Not a fan of pears"

NOTE:
I made 2 separate batches of waffles, one regular and one with Kinikinik All-Purpose Celiac Flour. The batters looked really different when mixed up and they had different textures when baked. I liked the gluten free ones better.

pear and chocolate bread pudding

Beautiful BC pears are in season right now and couldn't be tastier. I bought a box full at the Co-Op the other day and while we have eaten a few, they are now all ripe need to be used up. For a roast beef family dinner on Friday night we made this for dessert. It is in the October 2011 issue of Everyday Food Magazine in the "In Season" section.

PEAR AND CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

7 ounces brioche (or other rustic white bread**) cut into 1/2" slices, halved diagonally

1 1/2 lbs firm but ripe pears, very thinly sliced

3 large eggs PLUS 3 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups whole milk*

1 1/4 cups heavy cream*

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp fine salt

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle (I love the word sprinkle;) bottom evenly with chocolate. Arrange bread in dish, alternating each slice with 3 or 4 pear slices.

In a large bowl gently whisk together eggs, egg yolks, milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour mixture evenly over bread and let sit 5 minutes.

Bake until bread is puffed and custard is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly.

RATINGS:

3 of 5 diners - 8.5 - "Would be better without chocolate"

2 of 5 diners - 9 - "The chocolate is what makes it better"

NOTE:

* I hadn't check the recipe before I started so I had to work with what I had on hand, half and half cream. So I just used 2 3/4 cups of it instead of combing milk and cream. I don't think there would have been any difference.

FUNNY:

** I picked up the bread at Superstore. I couldn't find brioche, so I asked the bakery manager. He said he had never heard of it and he has been a baker for 25 years! I think he needs to go back to school. I ended up using a regular French Loaf.

Also funny. This ended up kind of looking like a ham breakfast strata which I think turned us off a little bit.

Rachael Ray Glazed Chicken & Peaches with cheese & bacon biscuits

As adapted from Rachael Ray's Look & Cook

Similar to this recipe on the web here
for the Chicken & Peaches and here for the bacon cheese biscuits

Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 peaches, pitted and thickly sliced or halved
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated or minced
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 2/3 cup peach preserves
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot brand
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Serves 4

Preparation

Heat a medium size skillet with the butter over medium heat. Add the peaches and the juice of 1/2 lemon and cook until tender and lightly golden, 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
While the peaches cook, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, a turn of the pan, in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Cut the chicken breasts in half across the center of each breast to make four equal portions. Add the chicken breasts and thighs to the pan and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes, then remove to a plate and cover with foil.
Drizzle the pan with the remaining EVOO, half a turn of the pan. Add the chopped shallot and the ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the stock, preserves, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and season with black pepper, to taste. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes to thicken. Arrange the chicken and peaches on a platter and douse with peach sauce. Serve one piece of light meat and one thigh per person.


Biscuits

Ingredients

• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 slices smoky bacon, finely chopped
• 1 small box biscuit mix, such as Jiffy brand, or measured mix for 8 drop biscuits
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Serves 4

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven according to the package directions for the drop biscuits.
Heat a small skillet with a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
Put the biscuit mix in a bowl and add the bacon, 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings and the nutmeg. Add any additional ingredients according to the package directions to form a drop biscuit. Fold in half of the cheese and arrange the drop biscuits on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops of the biscuits with the remaining cheese and bake until golden, about 10-12 minutes.
Remove the biscuits from the oven to a serving dish or bread basket and serve hot.

The biscuits were good but very very heavy.  The kids loved them.  Although me and Husband of Cheerios liked the biscuits we prefer a lighter biscuit.

The chicken was excellent!  Mr Picky did not agree with peaches being in his supper and Miss Almost Vegetarian declared that there was pepper on it and would not eat it.  After much threatening and bribery she did eat a bite of peaches but still wouldn't admit that they tasted fine.  We will make this again, but only when the kids aren't home.  :)

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

From Barefoot Contessa as seen here

Cut and pasted for your viewing pleasure

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch diced (4 to 5 stalks)
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal, such as McCann's
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and the orange zest together in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and then mix it into the fruit. Pour the mixture into an 8-by-11-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

For the topping, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

The kidlets didn't taste this one.  I made it when they weren't home.  Husband of Cheerios thought this was tasty.  I don't usually like rhubarb a lot but this was pretty tasty - especially the crumble part on top.  I also passed some leftovers on to my inlaws and they both expressed yummy sentiments when they returned the container.

We would make this one again.

Caramelized Rhubarb Crepes with Sour Cream

This recipe is adapted from one I found on the Martha Stewart website. I have included the link to the real recipe below. I used the filling from there, which I have typed out, and a basic crepe recipe that I had.

CARAMELIZED RHUBARB

9 Tbsp butter

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1/2" lengths

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp brandy (I didn't have, I subbed vanilla vodka)

Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Sprinkle sugar over butter and cook until sugar has dissolved and starts to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add rhubarb and cook (stirring to coat) until rhubarb is tender, about 5 minutes. Add brandy to pan and cook just until liquid comes to a boil, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool. Fill prepared crepes with filling. Roll. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

RATINGS:

Heather - 8 - "They were ok"

Brad - 10 - " I LOVE THESE!"

Kandy - 9 - "One is great, two is too much"

NOTE:

Link to original recipe won't paste. You can search Breakfast Blintzes if you would like to find it on the Martha Stewart website.

Rhubarb Custard Tarts

I love the tang of rhubarb and was thrilled that our place came with a GIANT plant. This recipe, actually for pie, was passed down from my Grandma Bader to Mom (we don't know where it came from originally) and it is always a hit. I am going to type the recipe for the pie and then how I modified it.

RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

1 pie crust

4 cups diced rhubarb (placed in crust)

Beat until smooth:

1 cup sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup flour

pinch of salt

Pour over rhubarb

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes

Lower to 350 for 15-20 minutes more, until lightly browned

For tarts:

I used 30 shells (bought)

Chopped just enough rhubarb to fill them all

Doubled the filling, but I had leftover, could have done 1 1/2

Baked at 450 for 12 minutes

Then at 350 for 9 minutes

RATING:

Heather - 10 - "I have devoured an undisclosed excessive number in just half an hour"

Others - Unknown - I haven't left to deliver them yet, hopefully there will be some left

NOTE:

These beautiful homemade napkins and the little saying were the favour from my cousin Kendra's wedding last spring. I adore them and always wrap the saying back up with them to be discovered again the next time I use them.

How to Cut a Pineapple Part 3

Heather's Method

Step 1: With a large sharp kinfe cut top and bottome off pineapple

Step 2: Cut in 4 sections and then slice off the core

Step 3: Get out pineapple knife

(bought on vacation many years ago in Hawaii at the Dole Pineapple Farm)

Step 4: Run knife along close to the skin (but not too close)

Step 5: Cut each section into 2 or 3 wedges (if desired)

Note: This method quite time consuming.

How to Cut a Pineapple Part 2

I have heard the saying "there is more than one way to skin a cat" (I am not sure where this would have originated or why).

As it turns out there is more than one way to cut a pineapple.

This is how Kandy cuts her pineapple.

Step 1: Select a good pineapple. "Gold" is great.





















Step 2: Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple

Step 3: Place the Pampered Chef pineapple cutter on top of the pineapple and push down.

Step 4: (This is an important one) you need to have good leverage. So if you are short you need a stool.

Step 5: Enjoy fresh pineapple
















Notes: This pineapple cutter works ok. You need to have the right size pineapple, too big and you waste a lot of pineapple, too small and it doesn't remove the skin.

How to Cut a Pineapple

A couple of weeks ago, my Mom demo'd her new pinapple slicer...

Step 1:  Cut the top off the pineapple.

Step 2:  Remove the pineapple cutting contraption
Step 3: Insert the cutting contraption at the top of the pineapple.

Step 4: Turn, Turn, Turn
Step 5: Turn some more.

Step 6: Lift
Step 7: Eat the pineapple and make a fun drink

Late Night Snack

We have been trying to eat a bit healthier lately so desserts haven't been plentiful around our place but after working out in the yard Monday evening I figured we deserved a treat.

I have always been intrigued by bread pudding recipes, maybe it's because I couldn't quite figure out what the heck a bread pudding might be. Still trying recipes from issue #71 of EDF I decided to try the Pineapple Bread Pudding recipe (it promised to be 3 easy steps) so that I could finally say that I have tried bread pudding.

Pineapple Bread Pudding
Butter a 1.5 quart baking dish.
Add in 3 eggs, 1/2 of a fresh pineapple (Melanie you can buy them already peeled) chopped into small pieces (about 1 1/2 cups), 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp flour and whisk to combine.
Tear up white bread into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 cups) and layer over pineapple mixture.
Melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter and drizzle over top.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Ratings:
Brad - 8 to 9 - "other than on pizza I have never liked cooked pineapple before"
Heather - 8 - "warm and yummy"

This was supposed to serve 4 people but we ate the whole pan while it was still warm it was so good (I think that the pineapple was an exceptionally good one, it was so sweet and delicious). Brad says that we definitely have to eat this again and with how easy it was I am sure we will.

To those that have never tried a bread pudding . . . the "pudding" is more like a custard and there isn't a lot of it and the "bread" bits right on top are a nice and crunchy topping.

Strawberry Rhubard Pie

On Sunday I decided to try my hand at a new type of recipe from a different recipe book (I told you that I was overrun!).

From the book “Sugar” by Anna Olson I made Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. I have only previously ever made 1 kind of pie – banana cream. Pies belong in that scary unknown land that I am not a part of.

In fact the whole idea of making a real live pie with real live crust was so intimidating that not only did I forget to take any pictures until the very end but I also had to call my Mom in a panic part way through due to crust confusion!

In the end though – the recipe WAS quite easy to follow despite the lack of pictures showing how to shape the crust edge (thus the panic) and it came out looking like (and tasting like) a real pie!

But don’t let the chef’s word sway you…

Reviews from the tasters:

Carol C (famous cook extraordinaire): “It’s really good! I’d take the recipe!”


Russ C (self professed pie lover): “I’m not sharing my pie!”


Jason (husband of chef): “ Nom Nom Nom “ (or something like that – his words were somewhat intelligible but he did consume his piece in record time)