Tomato Pie

Fellow foodee Dayle inspired tonight's dinner main course, Tomato Pie.  Her version sounded delectable, and involved mixing some mayonaise and cheese to coat the top of the pie.  I may try that version soon, as the tomatoes are starting to ripen in the garden.  Today, I was in the mood for a slightly more quiche-like version:

Wildwoods Tomato Pie

Start with a large deep dish pizza pan or oversized pie plate, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Make up a pie crust, to your preference.  For my recipe, I mixed in my mixing bowl:
2 cups of flour,
1 teaspoon salt,
1 teaspoon garlic powder,
Once this was mixed, I cut in
1/4 cup of margarine
and finally, mixed in about
1/4 cup of water, until I had a nice dough.
In my deep dish enameled pie pan, I started with a smear of olive oil, then patted the dough onto the pan directly.  I used a small round glass to help roll it out so that the bottom of the pan was uniformly coated with the dough, and some of the dough I hand pressed onto the side edges.
I baked the crust for about 10 minutes, then removed from the oven.
Still hot, I coated the bottom with
pesto sauce, and a
sprinkling of cheese (I used cheddar)
and baked another 5-10 minutes, so that the cheese melted, creating a protective layer for the crust.
To this yummy crust, I stacked up
sliced tomatoes,
fresh spinach,
garlic,
a few dollops of pesto, and
more cheese.
In a small mixing bowl, I beat
1/2 cup heavy cream, with
4 eggs
.and poured over the whole pie.
Final back took about 1/2 hour.  I let the pie set for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

It's a double win....was an excellent main entree, and there was enough to pack for lunches too!

Blueberry Buckle

What's a buckle?

That's what she asked me, after we had been discussing what to do with the bucket of blueberries we were gradually filling.  I realized I could not answer.  All I remembered was that she had made a "buckle" with her 4-H leader a few years back...ok, so now that I think about it....had to be about 10 years ago.  yikes.
So once we got home, I searched through about 10 different cookbooks, coming up with a wide variety of fruit concoctions, including crumbes and crumbles, crunches, puddings, pies, cakes, and even something called a grunt...but not a single recipe described as a "buckle".  The closest I found to what I recalled as the recipe, was from an old church fundraiser cookbook, The Village cookbook, that I had picked up from a yard sale somewhere, from "Ida Prince".  I decided to use her recipe as my base.
Still struggling to recall how I got "buckle" in my vocabulary, it was off to the trusty Internet, where I found that Alton Brown understands me just fine.  His Blueberry Buckle is nearly identical to Ms. Prince's "Blueberry Teacake".
Many thanks to both Ida and Alton for providing the inspiration for today's yummy treat.  We enourage you to do your own investigation to find out "Watts a buckle?".

Watts a buckle?

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine (cut in half)

3/4 cup sugar (and 1/2 cup for topping)
1 egg
2 cups flour (and 1/4 cup for topping
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon for topping)
1 teaspoon coriander (1/4 teaspoon for topping)

1/2 cup milk
3 cups blueberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In large mixing bowl combine margarine and sugar. While you have the margarine in your hand, grease your 9x12" pan, then cut the remainder of the stick of margarine into cubes and place in smaller mixing bowl. Measure 1/2 sugar into that smaller bowl. Cream margarine and sugar. Add egg and beat until smooth. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl, adding the smaller quantities to the smaller topping bowl.
Add milk and dry ingredients to mix and beat until smooth.  Remove mixer, fold in blueberries, and spread in your prepared pan.
Small bowl should now contain the cut up margarine, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and coriander.  Use a pastry blender or fork and knife to cut the butter into the dryer ingredients.  Sprinkle the resulting crumbly mix onto the top of your other mix.
Bake for 40 minutes.  Allow buckle to stand and rest for 10 minutes, then cut and serve.
Great warm out of the oven, but also good the next day.

Zentangle Easter Eggs

Zentangled Easter Eggs.
Krystin and I had a 20 minute holiday moment this morning....I went with various colors and designs, while she tackled a more geometric approach.  Fun!

Garlic and Olive Oil

In our house, the sure fire way to bring folks into the kitchen looking for food and companionship, is to get some aromatics going on the stove.
Perhaps the most efficient at getting the job done is simply olive oil and garlic.  Works like a charm, every time.
This year, I've come to realize that this same dynamic duo can turn a dreaded vegetable into a scrumptious treat.
The first recipe we learned to love was "Cauliflower Steaks", which has evolved into slices of cauliflower, roasted in the oven on our pizza pan, drizzled with olive oil, garlic, salt, and parmesan cheese.
After a little convincing from a friend, last night we tried the same technique with brussel sprouts.  Wow, what a transformation.  We'll be eating those again real soon!
Since our recent health and fitness class recommended vegetables, and suggested cauliflower and brussel sprouts as especially potent in nutrients and phytochemicals, I'm always game for new ways to eat these formerly shunned veggies!

Waffles, Gluten Free

Gluten Free Waffles:

Dry mix: (I recommend mixing up 2 or three of these to save time and effort later - dry mix fits in a pint size jar)
1/2 cup Sorghum flour
1/2 cup Potato starch
1/2 cup White rice flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon  cinnamon
3 Tablespoons sugar

3 eggs
1-1/4 cup milk
5 T oil
fruit [optional]

Start waffle iron heating.  Separate the 3 eggs, putting yolk into a two cup measure, and the whites into a mixing  bowl.  Whip the whites.  In another mixing bowl, stir the dry mix ingredients together.
In the two cup measure, add the oil to the eggs.  Pour milk nearly to the two cup  mark.  Holding two cup measure over the dry mix, whisk the wet mix, then combine with the dry mix. Add fruit if desired.
  Fold in the egg whites.
 Cook in preheated waffle iron.

Chocolate Dreams

This recipe takes me back to my childhood.  One of the first recipes I was allowed to help with, and certainly one of the easiest.  You'll need some room in your refrigerator for the trays of cooling cookies...but not for long, as these cookies disappear quickly!

In a medium sized saucepan or double boiler, melt:
1/2 cup margarine (one stick)
2 ounces baking chocolate
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes to meld the ingredients, and alert your household to the wonderful smells of goodies in the making.  While it's cooking, measure out in a separate bowl or pot:
3 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup of coconut
1/2 cup of chopped nuts.
If you have time, you can also prepare your cookie sheets headed for the refrigerator, by lining them with waxed paper.
Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat, and add
1 teaspoon vanilla.
For the grand finale, mix the wet and dry ingredients, combine well, and drop spoonfuls onto the wax paper covered cookie sheets.  Place sheets in refrigerator until cool.
These cookies are ok to eat as soon as they are cool enough to hold in your hand.

Bread in a bag

Home made bread does not have to be a chore, or a huge technical production.
This home economics / craft suggestion was given to me from a 4-H leader.  It is a wonderful experience for building a person's confidence in the kitchen, or exposing a young cook to making yeast breads.

Bread in a bag:

Combine these ingredients in a 1 gallon heavy duty zip lock bag:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 package Rapid Rise yeast
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 3 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk
• 1 teaspoon salt

Squeeae upper part of bag to force out air.  Shake and work bag with fingers to blend the dry ingredients.
Add

• 1 cup hot water (not boiling - just hot to the touch)
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

to dry ingredients in the bag.  Reseal bag.  Mix by working bag with fingers.  Add:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

and reseal bag. Mix thoroughly.  Gradually add  more white flour to make a stiff dough that pulls away from the bag.
On floured surface kneed dough 2 to 4 minutes.  Cover dough.  Rest 10 minutes. Roll dough to 12x17" rectangle.  Roll up from narrow end.  Pinch edges and ends to seal.  Place dough in oiled loaf pan.  Cover.   Place large shallow pan on lower shelf in oven (oven is not turned on yet) half filled with boiling water.  Place loaf pan with dough on shelf above the water filled pan, covered. Let dough rise 20 minutes or until double in size.
Bake 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until done.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Slice with serrated knife to serve.

Combine

Diet choices

This time of year is an inspiring time for reconsidering dietary choices.  We've just spent the holiday season over-indulging in our favorite foods, and relaxing with family and friends.  January also brings fresh new resolutions to improve our health, develop a good habit, or set our new goals for the year.

There are so many diets, and so many different advisors out there. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to keep up with them all.

For me, these health choices seem to resonate with a respectable level of truth - I will keep this updated as the truths evolve.  I'm a firm believer in continually challenging myself to improve - so change is inevitable.

#1 Strive to include more fresh fruits and vegetables in every meal and snack
#2 Eat many small meals, rather than one or two large feasts - Plan ahead to eat before you truly feel hungry
#3 Avoid foods with more than 5 ingredients, overprocessed or overpackaged foods.
#4 Share mealtimes with others, whenever possible, but don't let others negatively influence your own healthyy choices.
#5 Mindful eating - pay attention to the food you are eating as well as how you are eating it. Whenever possible - do not combine eating with other activities. For example, eating while watching TV.
#6 Avoid sodas, and other sugar syrups as much as possible.
#7 Include oat bran daily
#8 Try a new recipe or food often

Bran Muffins

Like many Americans, we are currently trying to reduce our cholesterol levels. OK, technically, reducing the HDL levels while maintaining the LDL levels, but I don't want to get into the technical details of our blood chemistry situation here.
This week's healthy recipe find is a modified recipe from The 8-week Cholesterol Cure (Robert E. Kowalski, 1989).  It's also found on the side of the package of Bran Cereal - which I would never have known about or purchased, if it weren't for this book.  I thank Mr. Kowalski for sharing information on this very palatable way to eat healthy, lose weight, and stay off the dreaded medications.
I have found that the dry ingredients fit perfectly in a quart sized mason jar - perfect for gift basket ideas.

My own adaptation for the recommended Bran Muffins:

Apple Cinnamon Bran Muffins

Set oven to 425 degrees. Find the muffin tin, and add 12 muffin papers.  In a mixing bowl, combine:

• 2-1/4 cup bran cereal
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins

Stir this dry mix together in a mixing bowl.  Add these wet ingredients to the top:

• 1 cup apple cider [you can substitute other fruit juices, or a mix of fruit concentrate and milk]
• 2 eggs (you can omit the yolks if you are so inclined)
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Using a Fork, mix up the wet ingredients, then stir the wet into the dry mix until well mixed. Add:

• 1 apple, peeled and chopped into bits

Bake at 425 for about 17 minutes.  These are delicious warm right out of the oven, and just as good right out of your lunch bag on a rushed weekday.  Muffins are a little crumbly, but wonderfully gluten free and oh-so-good-for-you.  A happy indulgence.  Enjoy.

Basic Beer Bread

You don't need to purchase many different mixes.  A wide variety of easy bread recipes can be made from this one basic recipe.  Simply change out the beer used for one of a different flavor.  Try using carbonated soda, or even a wine cooler for a unique flavor.  Serve along with dinner, or with some complimentary dip, jam, or cheese for a appetizer or snack.

Beer Bread:

Using 1/2 stick of margarine, grease sides and bottom of a loaf pan, then melt remaining margarine.
Combine these dry ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cup flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Add

• 12 oz of beer or carbonated beverage

Place in greased loaf pan. Top with melted margarine. Bake at 375 for approximately 50 minutes.
Allow to cool before cutting, if you can.

Ginger Beer Bread, with Apple Jelly

For a gift idea, once you've found your favorite combination, Provide a container of the dry goods, a can of the beer or soda, arranged in a lovely basket or bag, and your own hand crafted recipe tag for them to keep, so that they can re-create the recipe. I found that the dry mix fits perfectly in a quart size canning jar, and even this simplest of jars is easily dressed up to meet any occasion.

Tips on making baskets:

If you are planning on mailing the gift, consider your arrangement and setting carefully.  Any glass items should be secured, and well isolated from any heavy or moveable items. If the basket or bag will be presented or given away in person, or as a door prize, you can use a larger basket or bag - the larger the better!  Use packaging peanuts, old styrofoam, or balled up grocery bags to build up a suitable platform for your smaller item. Use tissue paper to hide your staging.

Then, simply dress up your star performer (in this case, the Beer Bread Mix with some ribbon, bows, or leftover garland pieces.  In this case, I found a plastic snowman that was looking for a craft to jump in on!  Personalize the basket to fit your intended recipient or occasion. For food baskets, I recommend avoiding using glitter or glitter covered ornamentation. The small pieces of glitter may be a turnoff to the recipient of your thoughtful gift. 
Top off your package with a handmade recipe card, encase the ensemble with a large piece of cellophane and tie it all up with some curling ribbon  If you collect baskets and ribbon pieces from other projects, a gift basket like this can be a very inexpensive, yet personal gift.