Barefoot Bloggers: Chicken Piccata

The first of four (!) recipes we're making this month for Barefoot Bloggers is Chicken Piccata as chosen by Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings, which can be found in Barefoot Contessa at Home on pages 96-97.

Well this was easy! I don't cook breaded cutlets all that often. In fact, the last time I did it, was for the BB Parmesan Chicken challenge. I'm not sure why I don't -- I must think it's too labor intensive, or messy, or too many steps, or adds too many unnecessary calories, but this is second time I've been surprised how easy it was, really not that time consuming, and didn't really take that much fat (never as much as Ina calls for).

When you actually follow directions, your cutlets get nice and crispy and golden brown, with barely any olive oil.

Reducing the butter, wine, and lemon juice to a nice sauce. I only used one tablespoon (not 3) and it still got very thick and saucy.

Yum. Lemony chicken, still crisp and hot.

This was a huge chicken breast and despite pounding the heck out of it, it was still too thick for my tastes. Next time I'd use tenderloins or fingers just because I like thin, small pieces of well done chicken. Other than that, this was very good!

Use it Up Points: Excellent -- 100%. I had everything I needed in the pantry and freezer for this recipe, except fresh parsley, so I used dried (normally not used in my house, but didn't want to go to the store).

About this challenge: The Barefoot Bloggers join forces and cook or bake recipes by Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten each month, chosen in order by members, and present them for discussion on two Thursdays each month. Hungry? Please join us at the table!

Wordless Wednesday: Lame Desserts

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com

Pork Hominy Stew

I am so lame for making this post.

This Pork Hominy Stew is the best thing I've made all year. A stew of hominy, leftover shredded pork, tomato, an entire bottle of Dark Ale, carrots, onions, a bunch of salsa from Trader Joe's, cilantro and garlic up the wazoo. It was actually very easy, and I can probably never duplicate it exactly because I was just pitching stuff from the fridge into the pot, and this is what I got. Absolutely fantastic. I'm sorry it's almost gone!

I also came to a realization with this soup. While I detest drinking beer and ale (yuck, I don't want to drink anything that requires me to acquire a taste for it), I LOVE cooking with it. Why is that? Why do I love beer and ale based entrees, but dislike it as a beverage? Dunno.

And why is this post lame? Because while I did take notes, I don't have a recipe for you yet. I shouldn't proclaim this to the best thing I've made all year, and then just make you sit here and look at it, but, that's exactly what I'm doing so I can organize my photo uploads.

I'm good at soup, always have been. When I get off my ass, I'll type up the recipe as close as possible, for future generations.

Use it up points:

Off the charts, it was a frenzy of pitching things in from the fridge and pantry.

Turkey, Stuffing and Apple Cranberry Butter Sandwiches

Well, this sure turned out tasty! It's your basic turkey-stuffing-cranberry sandwich you see on every menu around the holidays (and maybe even in your own home), but what surprised me was the cranberry condiment.

I had sliced, roasted turkey from my freezer to use up, and I was hankering for a sage-y savory taste. I had a box of stuffing mix in the pantry to use up (I'm really going great guns with my clear-the-pantry project in March), so I made a batch of simple Stove-Top stuffing (hey, I'm not proud) to which I added a great deal more poultry seasoning, and as soon as it was finished cooking, I molded it into a buttered loaf tin and chilled it. Later, I was able to slice very thin slices of this stuffing for sandwiches.

With the first sandwich, I had just a teaspoon left of cranberry relish, but I wanted more cranberry flavor, and I remembered I had a jar of Trader Joe's Apple Cranberry Butter. So, I used two frozen (and now used up) slices of Alquonquin Molasses bread, toasted and then spread with mayo, a quick shake of poultry seasoning on the mayo, a thin slice of savory stuffing, a schmear of apple-cranberry butter, and then the sliced turkey. A quick shake of salt and pepper later, and this was heavenly.

The flavors were perefect, and so was the really tart and tangy cranberry apple butter -- I liked it a great deal more than regular apple butter. I made this sandwich all week for lunch.

Use it Up Points:

Freezer: Roasted turkey; Bread (last of this frozen bag)

Pantry: A box of stuffing mix; spices, a jar of apple cranberry butter;

Big Red Kitchen's Two Ingredient Pumpkin Cake and Three Ingredient Glaze

... except I used three ingredients in the cake, and a few extra ingredients in the glaze. Oh, and no pumpkin. I couldn't help myself.

I've long admired the concept of "Cooking the Books: A Cook Through Blog Roll" which seeks those committed enough to cook their way through an entire cookbook. I've long wanted to do this, and I even challenged myself with a vintage cookbook by Margaret Rudkin, and yet here I am, reading other blogs, and cooking from those blogs or from Tastespotting and from random Google searches.

Robin Sue of Big Red Kitchen has taken that Cooking the Books concept and is "Cooking the Blogs" -- an equally good idea, and a plan I recognized I was more likely to adopt. So, it seemed fitting I start with a recipe from Robin Sue's blog, and since one of her most popular recipes (see her sidebar) happens to fit in with my current plan of cleaning out my pantry and not doing any grocery shopping this month (I allow myself to buy only dairy, veggies, and fruit when I'm in "Use It Up Mode), it suited me perfectly.

In Robin Sue's recipe, she uses one cake mix and one can of pumpkin, mixed and baked, and nothing more, for the cake, and then a simple 3 ingredient apple cider glaze. I adapted it only slightly, and had amazing results. Not because of my adaptations I assure you -- the recipe is fine in its original form. I just was very skeptical I'd like the end product.

You see, I've had the "Diet Soda Cake" where you are guaranteed a lower fat, lower sugar cake if you just combine one can of diet soda pop and one cake mix. It was, in a word, ATROCIOUS. Heavy, wet, gummy, metallic. I still shudder.

Here I was, though, with a cake mix and a box of frozen butternut squash puree, and a raining-so-hard-it's hailing-Sunday afternoon.

I decided I was going to make a cake and watch DVR reruns of The Office. I did exactly that.

Butternut squash is often interchangeable with pumpkin puree (indeed, many commercial pumpkin pies are actually butternut squash, I'm told), so I defrosted a brick of it, and added it to a Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix, and combined thoroughly. I noted others remarked on the batter being the consistency of brownie batter, and I was not trusting enough to leave it alone. I don't like heavy, gummy cake, and since I had out the jar of apple juice (for the glaze) anywayyyyyyyyyyyy, why not? I added 1/4 cup of apple juice to the pumpkin-cake mix, and beat it until it was smooth. I poured it into a greased and floured rectangular cake pan and baked it for 30 minutes.

I was still not trusting, as I made the glaze. For the glaze, I combined 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of apple juice, and a scant few shakes of Pumpkin Pie spice, and beat it thoroughly. To me, most powdered sugar glazes taste like raw powdered sugar and I always strive to avoid that. I didn't care for the sugary taste, but liked the flavor overall, so I tarted it up by adding a splash of lemon juice. That helped considerably, but it was still too powdery-sugary tasting. I added 1/4 teaspoon of corn starch, and quickly brought the glaze to a bubble in a sauce pan, and immediately took it off the stove to cool. That did it. It took away the "raw taste" and turned the glaze into a thick, glossy glaze with the consistency of honey.

The cake was now cool, and I cut into it. It was not gummy or wet, as Robin Sue promised. It was actually so light, so fluffy, it was almost TOO tender. If I could describe it as anything it would be "a cake of soft baby powder and fog." It was powdery soft, and absolutely wonderful. The flavor was like a mild pumpkin pie in cake form, and with a drizzle of the glaze, it was quite tasty. A sure fire easy cake for a pot luck or unexpected guests for breakfast, and, bonus -- it's lower fat than had you made the cake or the pie in the traditional manner, and, the pumpkin and squash are super foods, which officially makes this HEALTH FOOD.

Two thumbs up, Robin Sue!

CAKE

1 cake mix of your choice
1 regular can of pureed pumpkin or butternut squash

Mix thoroughly. Add apple juice to thin, if desired. Pour into buttered, floured, rectangle cake pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

GLAZE

1 cup of powdered sugar
2 T of apple juice
1 shake of pumpkin pie spice
1 splash of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon corn starch

Mix thoroughly, heat to a bubble, remove from heat, stir, and let cool. Drizzle on your cake. 

French Toast Pancakes

I had a cello pack of three frozen pancakes to use up from my freezer. I am *really* pleased with myself for clearing out space and ridding myself of pre-made or purchased bakery products as part of my BYOB (Bake Your Own Bread and Bakery Products) participation for 2009.

I also had an egg.

Hmmm. So I could make a pancake plate with a scrambled egg, or, I could just use the pancakes, dip them in the beaten egg, and prepare them as french toast.

Q: Would it taste like pancakes, french toast, or both?

A: Both! The pancake itself wasn't terribly great (generic brand) but with a homemade leftover pancake, frozen so that it doesn't sop up too much egg and holds firm, it would be quite a nice twist.

Tuesday Blahs. Making a list.

It has rained in Northern California non-stop since Friday, and I'm talking the kind of driving rain that sends it under the door jams, including hail, and tree branchs raining down on your head. I never went out of the house for the three day weekend and never put on a bra or clothes, either.

I was slumming it, in a big way, baking beans, bread, and making an unusual French Toast (more bread, natch). That comes later. For now, here' s a list for a wet Tuesday, nicked from Gigi at Life's a Beach:

1. Make a list of things you can see without getting up.

Everything in this tiny, cluttered office, and a partially consumed glass of Tejava iced tea from Friday of last week, which sat on my desk for the entire three day weekend. No grey stuff floating on it yet.

2. Favorite football team.

None. Wouldn' t know one team from another.

3. What are you wearing now?

Brown herringbone slacks, beige blouse, beige flats.

4. What color is your bedroom?

Wall paint? White. Color scheme? Kind of a persimmon/apricot tone.

5. What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading?

I just finished "The Loved One" (1948) by Evelyn Waugh. My BF just bought me the PostSecret book for my birthday, and a few others. Those are next. I have several stacks of swapped books to read.

6. Do you nap a lot?

It depends on the season and whether I stayed up late the night before. As a rule, not frequently, but when I do, it's for a long time. Like two hours or more.

7. Who was the last person you hugged?

My BF.

8. What’s your current obsession/addiction?

I'm learning to use SecondLife. I've never been a gamer, but this site is just fascinating.

9. What is the last thing you said outloud?

I'll check his calendar and call you later with his availability.

10. What web sites do you always visit when you go online?

Tastespotting, MyUntoldSecrets, Twitter, SpaFlyer, Flickr, Google news, and most everyone on my iGoogle homepage.

11. What was the last thing you bought?

Retail, a case of Tejava bottled tea. Consumer, a latte.

12. What are you listening to right now?

The hum of flourescent lights, the woosh of a small area fan. I don't play music at work. I get bombarded with noise all day so I don't like to add to it.

13. What is something you wish you could do more?

Travel and read.

14. If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Flight

15. What is your favorite weather, and why?

It's easier to say I don't like being hot, because I can't stand any moisture on my body from perspiration. If my forehead beads up with perspiration, I literally feel like my day is ruined and I'll take constant showers until it stops. The other seasons, I love the crisp smell and colors of fall, I like the breezy colors and rainy days of Spring, I like the quiet of winter, I like the buzz and warmth of summer. I just don't like to be hot.

16. What time do you usually get up?

7:00 to 7:30

17. What is your most challenging goal right now?

Organizing years worth of archival paperwork for taxes and other business related matters.

18. Say something to the person who tagged you.

Nobody tagged me, I took the list from GiGi because I know perfect strangers want to know what time of day I get up out of bed. Hello GiGi.

19. If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?

Only one? I'd rather sell it and get several small places in key areas throughout the world so that I can go to where the seaons suit me best. No matter what, though, I need water nearby. Rivers, lakes, streams, ocean.

20. Favorite vacation spot?

Anywhere with the laughter of my family, on the beaches of Hawaii with my family, or, the next destination, in my dreams.

21. What is your favorite children’s book?

Harriett the Spy and all the Mrs Piggle Wiggle books.

22. Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you.

Bread and butter on the table and fried-until-almost-black bologna on Wonder bread.

23. If you could meet anyone famous - dead or alive - who would it be?

I don't know. I'd have to think about it so I can make the best use of the limited time for the meeting. Solve a mystery maybe, ask a question that helps mankind. So much responsibility comes with this one.

24. Have you ever met anyone famous? If so who?

A few people, yes. I wasn't impressed by their celebrity status. They met ME at the same time and when they blog about me, I'll blog about them.

25. If you could have any job in the world , what would it be?

Mr. Roarke's job on Fantasy Island, or a place with complete control of a Holodeck, available to me, my family, my friends, my guests, so I can make everyone happy, even if only a few hours at a time.

Happy Family Baked Beans

You know those entrees Chinese restaurants that say Happy Family Noodles? They are usually the entrees that a bit of everything -- fish, beef, chicken and veggie. One big happy family.

This bean recipe doesn't have any seafood, but it has everything else under the sun, and, because it's a Clean Out the Freezer Recipe, there really isn't one, and I'll never be able to make it again.

It all started with a book I received this week in a swap, about military wives and their cooking habits, with lots of stuff by Libbie Custer (wife of Custer of Custer's Last Stand fame). One recipe caught my eye, from a present day military wife, who made baked beans everyone raved over. All she did was bake her canned beans with crumbled cooked sausage and cut up BBQ chicken from other recipes, and I thought "Well heck, that's easy and good, but does it really need a recipe?"

I had many, many little baggies and parcels of protein sources, and some veggie leftovrs. I'm forever making meat entrees and then freezing little parcels for later, and I end up with lots of little leftovers.

This is the original recipe:

Prairie Baked Beans

2 cans of baked beans, one drained, and one with liquid

1 cut up BBQ chicken breast

1 cup cooked breakfast sausage crumbles

1/4 cup of bbq sauce

Drain one can of beans, add both cans (one with liquid, one without) to a pot, add meats and sauce, and bake until hot and bubbly.

This is what I did with the beans...

Happy Family Baked Beans

1. In a small casserole pot, I emptied one regular size can of Trader Joe's fat free baked beans, with liquid.

2. I added a big handful of chopped, leftover, pot roast from this dinner.

3. I added lots of chopped, leftover Rotisserie Turkey Breast from Christmas.

4. I added a small handful of chopped, leftover grilled steak.

5. I added a handful of pre-cooked bacon crumbles from Costco.

6. I fried up and added one turkey sausage patty, crumbled into bits

7. I added the last bit of my pre-cooked, ready and waiting mirepoix from this post.

8. I added a several glug-glug-glugs from a bottle of Steak Sauce (I didn't have BBQ sauce)

9. I added several shakes of Penzey's Northwoods Seasoning, lots of ground pepper, a glug-glug of ketchup, and baked it for one hour.

I ate all of it within 24 hours -- a few spoonfuls at a time, about 2-3 cups worth. It doesn't look like much, but it was fantastic. It was really hearty, more meat than bean, pretty high in protein all things considered, low in fat all things considered, and really comforting on this rain-with-hail weekend.

Pot Roast French Dip Burritos

Sounds odd, doesn't it? I add additional pot roast slices to use, and some Au Jus, and a French Dip came to mind.

No buns, however. Ironically, I have not not purchased store-bought bread products since I joined the Bake Your Own Bread Movement (see my BYOB category for details) in January, and, I've made 12 loaves of bread, crackers, croutons and buns -- but I didn't have any bread for a French Dip sandwich. Fail.

What I did have, however, was a packet of raw tortilla dough. The only pantry items I have to use up from my pre-BYOB period is a package of raw tortillas, a frozen bag of mini sesame seed rolls, and several boxes of frozen mini Croissant dough from Trader Joe's. Nothing will convince me to make my own croissants from scratch, so, BYOB or not, those are sticking around.

Anyway, I digress. These paper thin dough sheets are just quickly toasted on a dry skillet to puff up and brown, and make for a fast and fresh tortilla. I toasted the tortilla dough in the pan until it was browned, and set it aside. I quickly sauteed leftover pot roast until it was toasty, and then added a scoop of mashed potatoes to the pan, and swirled those around until they were hot and pretty brown from the pot roast scrapings.

I spread the potato thinly on the tortilla, layered the pot roast on top of that, and then heated the au jus for dipping.

It's actually a lot tastier than it looks and it used up more leftovers. I'm on a mission! A mission, I tell you. I've reached a point where the more space I clear in my freezer, pantry and fridge, the happier I am. I think I just reached Grocery Saturation, and considering I often grocery shop for entertainment (nothing excites me more than the "new" counter at Trader Joe's -- how pitiful is that?), that's saying something.

What should I make with Dark Chocolate Pearls?

For Valentine's Day, my sweetie gave me Chocolate Pearls, times two. The first, a five strand necklace of Chocolate Freshwater Pearls (huzzah!!) and the second, a container of Bittersweet Dark Chocolate Pearls by Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates, a chocolatier in Northern California (the picture above is of Godiva Chocolates because I'm too lazy to take one of my own by Ginger Elizabeth, but I'm hereby thanking Godiva by giving them a plug).

The five-strand necklace, yes, I've been fingering that lovingly all weekend. The candy pearls, I've tasted a few, but even he knew that giving me the chocolate was mostly just a very cute and charming lead in, because I just don't go cuckoo for chocolate candy really. He just thought, and he was right, that "I bought you some Chocolate Pearls" had great possibilities for comedy and romance.

So I'm thinking -- am I totally nuts to just bake these into something fun? Or is that ruining quality chocolate. I just don't have taste buds refined enough to say "Oh these are just exquisite" and yet I do think they taste good and have an interesting texture.

But I'm me. And me -- I've had a 5 lb bag of Nestle's Tollhouse Chips in my freezer for months, and I'm never even tempted to open it. I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies for my brother, at Christmas, but only because my mother made me. He went crazy and ate the entire batch himself, while I just shrugged my shoulders and said "Whatever fires your jets."

So. The first thing that cropped into my head was the infamous World Peace Cookies that everyone has raved about. I do like chocolate, salty, grainy shortbread, mostly because it's salty and grainy and tender and sweet. I'd like those cookies just as much without the chocolate. I always thought I'd make those cookies with walnuts, and leave out the chips. I often leave out chocolate chips from a recipe. I think they are overkill in brownies and cookies. I never like "chocolate on chocolate" really. Hmm. So maybe this cookie recipe is out.

But what to make with these pearls? Garnish? Cookies? on top of cupcakes? Or something where they hold their shape? Or should I stir them into a hot cup of latte and turn it into a mocha? I don't dislike chocolate, mind you -- I just don't instantly think of a "go to" recipe that involves, essentially, a Perfectly Round Bittersweet Chocolate Chip.

I could really earn some brownie points and make this a Gift of the Magi type thing, and make Chocolate Chip Cookies for my boyfriend, who loves them, but he's kind of a health nut and would eat one or two, and then give the rest (with my pearls!) to his sisters.

As for suggestions that I simply eat them out of hand, I probably wouldn't do that unless I got very desperate one night for a candy fix, and that wouldn't do them justice, would it?

What shall I make, Devoted Readers?

Barefoot Bloggers: Real Spaghetti and Meatballs. Without the Spaghetti. Or the Meatballs.

This week, the Barefoot Bloggers are making Real Spaghetti and Meatballs, as chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake.

I made more than the average number of substitutions with this one, simply because this isn't the type of recipe easily adapted by or useful for the solo diner. I have to want to eat an entree all week (leftovers, lunches) when I make it, and with a recipe like this, you have mega leftovers, so you'd better LOVE it. I don't *love* spaghetti and meatballs. In fact, I don't make much pasta.

I've never made my own pasta sauce, though, so thought it was time I learned, so I adapted the Ina Garten recipe for sauce and meatballs, and elected to make smaller portions of it just for a meat sauce. In addition, one of the first recipes I made as a Barefoot Blogger was for Pesto and Peas Pasta Salad, and I still had half a box of the bowtie pasta left over, and wanted to get rid of that, so here it is, a recipe for Ina Garten's Spaghetti and Meatballs.

My substitutions:

I used bowtie pasta from the BB pesto salad event
I used loose angus ground beef and italian sausage
I stirred in two tablespoons of heavy cream to the sauce, just before serving.

I thought the sauce was better than jarred, of course, but it wasn't so great I'd make it a go-to recipe. This is simply because I'm not a frequent pasta eater and when I do have it, I don't tend to order or eat much in the way of tomato based sauces. In fact, I often have it left off the pizza, as well. That's why I added a few tablespoons of cream, to make it more of a creamy bolognese sauce, which I liked *much* better. What doesn't cream or butter improve?

Still, it was tasty and I'm glad to have made it.

About this challenge: The Barefoot Bloggers join forces and cook or bake recipes by Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten each month, chosen in order by members, and present them for discussion on two Thursdays each month. Hungry? Please join us at the table!

Blog Alert: This is why you're fat

Just a bookmark for you, when you really need to feel virtuous. I made 11 loaves of ABin5 Bread in one week, until I got one right (we have lots of croutons at my house) and I felt completely carb toxed. That's not a word, but you know what I mean. Yeast Poisoned.

Then I saw This is Why You're Fat and felt much better about myself.

Chili and Cheese

Don't be hating on my cell phone photo. This was from early 2007 and I didn't own a camera back then. Not that having one now has taught me much.

Anyway, I'm recycling some Bento Lunch posts I made long ago on Flickr so that I can group together recipes that are in my regular rotation. This recipe was the first time I was ever moved to make my own chili, and I was so glad I did. It was very unique, and is very tasty.

So about my lunch:

This Mr. Bento Jar toted the day's vittels:

A bowl of chili
A bowl of shredded cojita cheese for the chili (looks like rice, but it's cheese)
A tiny dish of wasabi peas (vegetables!)
A tiny dish of toasted corn kernals (vegetables!)
Mandarin sections
Cucumber slices with sesame seeds
Sugar free egg nog taffy.

I can tell this was from those days when I cut my cucumber slices all purty like and arranged my fruit slices "just so." That isn't the case anymore. I just combine good colors and tasty things. To heck with the cute shapes.

I've misplaced the link to the chili recipe but I think it's from "Half Assed Foodie's Mom" so shout out to her. Found it! Mom's chili by Random Dictates of a Half Ass Foodie!

Here is her Mom's recipe:

HALF ASSED FOODIE'S MOM'S CHILI

1 lb. hamburger
4 pcs bacon, chopped
1/2 ring Portuguese or Keilbasa Sausage
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
1 can kidney beans
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 T chili powder
2 T brown sugar
1 t curry powder
dash of salt

Fry hamburger, bacon, sausage, garlic and onion. Add kidney beans, tomato soup, chili powder, brown sugar, curry powder and salt. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot rice.

I didn't serve over rice, I used Brown Sugar Splenda, and for the sausage, I used linquica. EXCELLENT.

Semolina Rye Muffins

These were a fast, savory muffin. Not too rye tasting -- just like cornbread in texture, but a little more savory from the caraway seeds. Simple and fast, it's a small batch that makes just four muffins for soup or dinner.

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rye flour -or- 1/4 cup rye flour and 1/4 cup semolina
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
cornmeal

Mix all gently and just until combined. Pour into four muffin wells which have been sprayed with cooking spray. Dust with cornmeal. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

Danish Sand Cake

I found this recipe on the side of the box of Swan brand Potato Starch Flour. I was intrigued by the silky texture of potato starch flour, and the fact this was described as a "sand" cake convinced me it would be a cake-version of a sandy, melt in your mouth sable cookie.

On Day One, I thought it was interesting -- more dense than I expected -- and quite mild in flavor. No sooner was the cake baked, I cut a slice, still warm, and simply dusted it with xx sugar, and ate it warm. I wasn't terribly impressed. It was quite acceptable of course. The ratio of butter to dry ingredients assured that. But the texture didn't wow me, and it needed a dollop of cream and perhaps fresh fruit. Otherwise it was a simply a nice, mild, respectable little vanilla tea cake.

On Day Two, it was a whole new ball game. It didn't suddenly grow intense flavor over night, but when it was eaten cool, and not warm, the texture was much more what I expected. Tender, grainy, delicate, and firm -- all at the same time. What a "sand cake" might actually feel like.

My sister and I carved off little bits and snacked on it with coffee, and quite enjoyed it. This cake would be an excellent tea party cake, and would slice well for grilled panini with Nutella, or for Strawberry Shortcake in the summer months. In fact, it would make an excellent shortcake base for berries and cream.

DANISH SAND CAKE

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 all purpose flour
3/4 cup Swan Potato Starch Flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add sifted flour, starch, vanilla and lemon peel. Pour into a buttered loaf pan nd bake in a moderate oven for 45 minutes to one hour.

Quesadilla Casserole

We're using up some pantry supplies tonight, whipping up a casserole of Tex Mex flavors and emptying the larder at the same time. I wanted to try a new salsa I found at Trader Joe's -- Salsa del Cabo. It's very different in appearance -- very dark brown (almost black, really -- my camera makes it more brown/orange than it actually is). Quite tasty, with a deeply "roasty" flavor, not very hot at all (which I prefer).

So this is what we're hacking tonight: A can of Amy's Organic Black Bean Chili, a bit of tomato sauce, some green chilis, and some canned black beans (not shown).

I wanted a refried bean texture, but had no refried beans, so I whirled the can of black bean chili in a bullet blender cup with about 4 oz of tomato sauce. as well generous amounts of cumin, cilantro, garlic, and chili powder, until I had a thick, creamy, spreadable "bean dip."

Meanwhile, I sprayed a deep cake pan with vegetable oil spray.

In the cake pan, I layered one flour tortilla (directly from my freezer, actually), spread it with my bean dip, scattered more black beans, and sprinkled it with cheese. Oh darn! Typing this, I see I forgot to use my fresh green onions. Oh well.

Repeat. Layered another tortilla, more dip, beans, and cheese, and repeated it for three full layers.

On the top layer, I scattered the most amount of cheese to create a crust.

I baked in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cut into wedges, topped with a dollop of sour cream, a dollop of guacamole, and a spoonful of Salsa del Cabo.

Quite tasty! The tortillas went in frozen, but cooked well and were crispy on the edges. I'm hoping this holds well for lunch tomorrow. This happens to be a vegetarian version. It would adapt well to add anything you wished, including rice, meat, avocado, and more.

Semi Homemade English Muffins

This is a "vintage post" culled from my Flickr account, posted there in 2007 after my experiment with a vintage recipe for hacking "English Muffins." I want to gather some of those older Flickr posts here, so bear with me.

I found a cookbook recently, in a thrift shop, for .25 cents. Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cookbook, published in 1960 (the year of my birth). I saw an easy recipe for English muffins that would make Sandra Lee proud (in fact, as much as I despise her, she should make this on her show). It did take three batches to complete the experiment, however, due to products available today, which probably differ wildly from those available in 1960.

The recipe called for opening a tube of refrigerated biscuits, and, flattening each one in cornmeal and frying in shortening until well browned on both sides. That was the recipe and I saw it had some potential, because if Paula Deen can make donuts out of them, I'll bet Amy Vanderbilt could make a passable English Muffin.

BATCH ONE

I had a can of flaky style biscuits needing to go. I used those and followed the recipe exactly, dipping each one in corn meal, and pressing it flat in a skillet in which I had melted some Earth Balance Shortening. The biscuits sizzled up nicely and developed a wonderful crust, however, these types of biscuits are really high in fat to get that flake factor, and they were brown and crusty on the outside, but, doughy, raw, and wet on the inside. A definite failure.

BATCH TWO

Coat a few more in cornmeal, sizzle in the hot skillet until very well browned on the outside, and then, finish in a hot toaster oven for 5 minutes, to finish the inside. This batch was significantly better, however, this flaky "fake fat" kind of biscuit is really not the right kind, and, doesn't lend any kind of an English Muffin feel. A five minute bake-off did, however, greatly improve how this biscuit looks, feels, and tastes with that crusty exterior.

BATCH THREE

I got a small tube of regular, cheap, non flaky buttermilk biscuits, the small cheap-o kind. I lightly ran them under the tap so that they would be moist and I could get them to adhere more cornmeal. I dredged in cornmeal, and, this time, fried them in a very hot non-stick skillet with NO shortening, and finished them in a hot toaster oven for 3-5 minutes. Perfect exterior, perfect interior. Split apart nicely. Deep, nice crunch to the exterior. Perfect for a bit of ham in the morning. However, not nearly as dark brown as those without the fat in the pan. They just didn't get that hard crust that was necessary.

BATCH FOUR

I barely smeared a stick of Earth Balance shortening on thE pan, just to barely give a sheen, and finished the batch this way, and, there I had it. They are tiny, crusty, and can be split and then frozen for small breakfast sandwiches, or ham and mustard biscuits. The texture is very, very close to an English Muffin, although the flavor isn't. It's far better than a store bought chilled tube of biscuit dough, but not as good as say, a toasted Thomas' English Muffin.

Still, you can definately spruce up store bought biscuit dough this way.

Interesting side note: The darker I fried them (almost until they smelled burnt), the better they were and more close to the dense texture of an English Muffin). The cornmeal is burning -- not the dough, and it helps make that thick crust that is so appealing, and had no charred taste. Just a deep rustic taste that was very pleasing. These will hold up very well in Bento Boxes, and will make great appetizer sandwiches (a bit of ham, or turkey, or a mini BLT even).

I split them and froze them, so I can make a sandwich on a frozen mini muffin which will easily be thawed by lunch time.

BYOB: Rye Crackers to Restore My Dignity

Zoe and Jeff of Artisan Bread in 5 were kind enough and patient enough to do some research for me, and it appears the reason my ABin5 bread wasn't baking off correctly was the flour. I was using White Lily flour, and the lesson to be learned here is, know your flour. I had no idea it was self rising or had salt and other ingredients in it. I was certain it was unbleached AP, but apparently not! Teaches me for storing it in a big glass canister, with no bag, and assuming I knew what it was.

Jeff suggested I try again with unbleached AP flour, so I'm working on my second tub of Master Dough, with freshly purchased flour that I *know* is unbleached AP, which will be ready tomorrow night for another stab at the ABin5 bread. Pray for me!

In the meantime, I had to restore my dignity and assure myself that I can bake something worthwhile in my oven, and I had a hankering for crackers. I'm still committed to the Bake Your Own Bread movement, and I'm including crackers in that challenge. I buy too many boxes of crackers. I may have three or four kinds at any given time. Time to change that.

I love Rye Crackers so I gave those a whirl for my first attempt at cracker making. These were very simple, very fast, and very tasty -- courtesy of the recipe on the bag of Bob's Red Mill Dark Rye Flour.

The only variation I noticed was that the crackers needed to be baked longer than specified on the bag -- ovens vary and the thickness of your cracker will vary the bake time, so I'd gauge total bake time based on the color of the cracker, and the not the ::ding:: of the timer.

When the cracker is uniformly brown, as shown below, it will be crispy, like a traditional cracker:

Whereas if the cracker is only slightly brown around the edges, as shown below, it will be crisp on the edge, but like a cookie. It was still quite tasty, this Rye Cookie, but do bake accordingly.

RYE CRACKERS

Courtesy of Bob's Red Mill

1/2 cup of Bob's Red Mill Unbleached White Flour

1/2 cup of Bob's Red Mill Dark Rye Flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon Turbinado Sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

4 tablespoons margerine (I used Earth Balance)

3 tablespoons milk

Mix together dry ingredients and seeds. Work in margerine until fine crumbs form. Stir in milk and form into a ball. I adjusted with more flour because the dough was too soft. I added a few tablespoons until I could easily roll a very soft ball. Roll out between two sheets of wax paper until 1/8 to 1/15 inch, and cut into desired shapes. I used a pizza wheel. Transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet, and prick all over with a fork. Sprinkle *lightly* with coarse salt (the dough is already salty), and bake 5-6 minutes in a 400 degree hot oven, or, until uniformly brown as shown above. I found I needed 10 minutes to get the deep brown shade I liked best.

Cool and store in an airtight container.

Absolutely delicious.

Stuff Which Cracks Me Up: Zombies

Whoever these pranksters were, bless them, for giving motorists a hearty chuckle or two, on the way to work. Local officials were not amused, but, I was.

Best Breakfast Burritos EVER

I love this breakfast burrito so much, I've had it for dinner three times in the past week. It's so delicious, so simple, and so fast, it's my current love. I was inspired by the version made by Muneeba at An Edible Symphony, because as soon as I saw it, I knew it was the answer to what I disliked most about most breakfast burritos: The over-cooked scrambled egg and often greasy breakfast meats. I love the concept of a breakfast burrito, but I often dislike the end result for those two reasons.

As soon as I saw Muneeba's version, I smacked myself in the head and said "Of Course, use a softly fried egg, don't use a scrambled egg, silly, and that problem is solved! Who told you they have to include scrambled eggs?"

I had all the ingredients I needed on hand, and set to work.

Above: For my version, I started with a fresh tortilla, from dough. My local Costco sells the uncooked tortilla in paper thin sheets. The only require a quick heating (perhaps 1 minute or less per side) in a dry skillet to cook. Naturally, you can use a plain, cooked tortilla, but do heat it first, in a dry skillet, so that it warms the ingredients as you build. Here, I just place the uncooked tortilla in a pan, no butter or fats required, and turn it on high. Note it is slightly translucent.

Above: In about 30 seconds, the tortilla begins to puff, and turn white as the dough cooks.

Above: When the first side is browned and bubbly, turn it over with tongs and cook the other side very briefly, perhaps 15-20 seconds. The second side should be less brown -- we're going to be working on that side again in a little bit, below. Keep your pan warm, but not hot -- you'll need it again in a minute.

Above: Lay the tortilla on a paper plate or towel, and on the darker, more grilled side of the tortilla, quickly spread a thin layer of cilantro dip and sprinkle with shredded cheeses. Mine is my favorite -- Trader Joe's Roasted Pecan Cilantro Dip (basically a cream cheese and cilantro spread). Muneeba's version used Cilantro Chutney. I have that as well, but this dip is my preferred taste -- it's milder.

Above: Add another layer of your preferred toppings. Here, I used just a scattering of black beans, and a scattering of diced green onion. You could certainly add Spanish rice here, or avocado slices, or even shredded pork or carnitas. Here, I'm just keeping it simple to show you my base burrito. Set this stage of your burrito aside, and return to your warm pan.

Above: Lightly butter the skillet and softly fry an egg. You want the whites cooked gently, and still a somewhat loose yolk (but no runny whites, yuck).

Above: Just before it's ready to come out of the pan, I quickly break the yolk with just a swirl or two. I don't want it hard or cooked through -- I just want the yolk to be more evenly distributed with the egg white. Keep the pan warm, but not hot. Do not wipe it out.

Above: Quickly slide the egg from the pan onto your waiting tortilla. All photos from this point forward will be blurry because I dropped it right in my egg yolk! I tried to get the yolk off the lens. I think I need a q tip and alcohol.

Above: Fold up the sides and roll up like a burrito.

Above: Place the rolled burrito back in the warm pan, and using the trace amount of fat still left, begin to brown/crisp the outside of the burrito. Remember I told you that I spread the dip and toppings on the browner of the two sides? That's because when it goes into the pan again to warm up, the less brown side will catch up. This also helps melt the cheese a bit inside, and finishes cooking the soft egg.

Above: Slice in half, take a bite, and enjoy the best, most flavorful, unique, and definitely NOT greasy and heavy, Breakfast Burrito.