Two Sisters: The Recipes

Purple Potato Parmesan: the perfect Thanksgiving side dish

2011-11-21T23:10:00.001-08:00

If your looking for a holiday side dish that combines visual wow factor with do ahead ease that also happens to taste really great, this could be your forever secret weapon. 'Purple Potatoes' you say? They have been a staple of Alaskan home gardens as long as I've lived here, the first time you see one you can't believe your eyes and now they are 'cropping up' in grocery stores all over the place. All hail the proliferation of this lovely tuber! Now you don't have to use purple potatoes, red or yellow waxy potatoes work fine, too. They just won't look as pretty.

Start by washing and drying about 1 pound of potatoes. Using a pairing knife, cut off any eyes or blemishes. Slice the potatoes on the thinnest setting possible on your mandoline. It would be possible just very tedious to try to slice them with a knife.

Place potato slices in a bowl and pour over 1 cup of heavy cream. add a healthy sprinkle of salt and a dash of pepper and mix to coat.

Let that sit a minute while you grate your parmesan cheese:

Grease a glass loaf pan and line it with parchment paper so that the paper comes up the sides of the pan. Place a thin layer of potatoes to cover the bottom of the baking dish then sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese. Alternate this way until all potatoes and cheese are used up.

Pour the cream left in the bowl over the layered potatoes. cover with another piece of parchment paper and place another loaf pan on top to weigh it down.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until potatoes are tender when poked carefully with a knife

Place on a sheet pan in oven to catch any drips.

Pull from oven and cool completely with the weight still in place. At this point it can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge to loosen and invert onto a sheet pan lined with parchment. peel off all the paper and cut into serving size slices. sprinkle a little more grated parmesan on top and bake in a 350 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes until sizzling hot and crispy on top. And then just try to keep your fingers off of it until dinner time!

Crackers for McSweeney's

2011-11-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

An afternoon off had me perusing my daughters bookshelf where I found another reason to love McSweeney's. Their quarterly review is a collection of stories presented in packaging as creative as the writing inside. Issue #16 is a beautiful cloth covered volume that opens into 4 pockets, one containing a volume of short stories. one is a slim novella (which is hilarious, by the way) the third is a story written on oversized playing cards which can be sorted any which way to make it a little different with each read. The fourth pocket contains a simple black comb engraved with the name Timothy. (Timothy McSweeney being the inspiration for the publishing house' name) I thought, as I looked through this 'book' That I had just met my soul mate in a publisher. These are obviously people who think outside the box! I was thinking outside the box this week, too. The cracker box, that is. Commercially made crackers always confound me. They are so expensive and then mostly disappointing once you do make the investment. So I decided to try my hand at some homemade cheesy crackers. I thought maybe I'd send some to McSweeney's to profess my undying love, but they were so good I ate them all. Too bad Timothy, maybe next time.

Cheesy Crackers outside the box:

In a food processor combine:

8 tablespoons cold butter (1/4 #)

1 cup grated white cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, also grated

pulse until combined.

Add:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

pulse again until combined.

Pull dough from processor and wrap tightly

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out on a well floured board into a rectangle until very thin.

To 1/16 inch or so. Prick the surface all over with a fork. (this is called 'docking')

brush over the surface with egg wash (one egg, a little water mix well),

sprinkle with a little salt.

Cut into squares, I found my pizza cutter invaluable for this!

Then transfer to a baking sheet using a log metal spatula so you can pick up a whole row at a time.

Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for 10 minutes spin tray and bake 5-8 minutes more until golden.

Let cool completely before boxing them up...if there are any left, that is!

Pecan Cherry Granola...it's what's for breakfast.

2011-10-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

Granola is one of those things that if your used to eating the pre-made version and then you try some homemade stuff, it is so much better that it's hard to go back to the package.

We've been making granola at the bakery for quite some time. It has become so popular that folks were coming in to buy it by the pound. This summer, though, it was getting scarfed by breakfast customers so fast we couldn't sell it in bulk, which caused a bit of a ruckus, so I decided to post my personal recipe...my kids eat this up so quick, sometimes I have to make it twice a week!

Pecan Cherry Granola:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup olive oil (I like the fruity-ness of olive oil here, if it doesn't appeal to you, use canola or your favorite mildly flavored oil)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

4 cups rolled oats (NOT the instant kind!)

1 cup flax seed

2 cups pecans, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups dried cherries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, oil and brown sugar.

Add the oats, flax and pecans. Stir together until oats, etc are well coated.

dump out onto a large baking pan lined with parchment paper (the paper, while not absolutely necessary, makes it super easy to transfer to a container and helps make clean up a breeze)

spread out into an even layer on your pan and bake in the middle of your oven for 15 minutes. Pull pan out and give the granola a good stir to ensure even browning. Bake for 15 more minutes, stir again and bake for another 15 minutes or until it has reached your desired toasty-ness. Pull from oven and sprinkle cherries on top and then stirring them in while the mixture is still warm. Let cool COMPLETELY, then transfer to an airtight container by picking up the two long ends of parchment to form a sort of funnel, put one end into your container and pour. Sealed tightly this will last for months, except at my house.

Please Note: This formula is merely a template...you can use any fruit or nut or seed or juice or oil you like. If you like it stickier, use a little more liquid and don't toast it quite so much. Think of it as your blank breakfast canvass.

Charles' Pot De Creme

2011-03-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

While my latest obsessions have been of the savory variety, my son Charles has been hooked on custard. He has had some painful mouth problems in his young life and soothing cold custard has been his favorite treat for as long as I can remember. It comforts like no other dessert and making it is a breeze. Now, that's not to say it didn't take a few batches before we got the formula quite right for the texture and flavor we wanted. Charles enjoys cooking projects and since he loves this dish so much, I decided it would be a great beginners recipe to write. I had him start with a basic flan custard, which was way too eggy for our tastes. With less egg it needed a little more fat. Swapping out some of the milk for heavy cream was just the ticket. It was a little sweet, so he reduced the sugar and also experimented with cook temps and times, finding low and slow is the way to go. One happy accident came from not having quite enough custard cups the first time he made it, so we rooted out a case of 1/2 pint wide mouth canning jars and used a couple those. The next day when Charles wanted to take one to school in his lunch, John just screwed on the cap (he is so smart!). Totally portable. He now makes the whole batch in those jars. For Charles this was a tasty and rewarding project, all in all he made this about 10 times to get it right, keeping good notes on the changes he made along the way and can now make the whole recipe without any help from me. It makes me happy because I know it is a gift that will keep on giving his whole life (won't his girlfriends be lucky).

For the Custard:

In a blender pour

1/12 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

5 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Blend on medium speed until thoroughly mixed. Pour though a sieve into a large pitcher to strain. Then pour into 8 custard cups, or in our case wide mouth 1/2 pint canning jars. put jars into a 9 x 13 baking pan and fill the pan half up the side of the jars with warm water. Bake in a 300 degree oven for one hour and ten minutes. Ours get a little brown crust on top, which we like, but if you want them white on top, cover with foil while baking and reduce bake time by 10 minutes. They will still jiggle a tad but should not be liquidy in the center. Be careful pulling from oven. Set out to cool before removing them from the water. Once they are room temp refrigerate for four hours or so until completely chilled. Then all you need is a spoon...isn't that right, Chaz?

Pho Chay

2011-03-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Pho Chay

In my winter haze I began fantasizing about travel to somewhere warm and cheap. Since actual travel was not in my budget, I satisfied my need by reading and cooking. I had heard of pho before, but for some reason this year it has gotten more press than ever. Maybe it's because of the clean, cleansing broth, or the slippery noodles and crunchy condiments that make you slurp and chew at the same time. Whatever it is, the pure satisfaction of this dish has had me in a trance all winter long. I found in my research that Pho is generally made with beef, Pho Bo. I knew that if I wanted to serve it as a regular dish on the bakery dinner menu, I would have to come up with a version that could be served as both a beef or a vegetarian dish. It may not be the classic, but it is delicious.

For the broth you will need:

4 ounces dried mushroom blend (preferably one that has shiitakes in it)

2 medium red onions skin on and whole

a fist sized knob of ginger

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon whole clove

1tablespoon whole coriander

1 tablespoon fennel seed

3 whole star anise

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar ( or a half dollar sized hunk of palm sugar, if you can find it)

salt to taste

To finish the soup:

1 package rice noodles, the thinner ones

chopped cilantro

chopped fresh basil

fresh mung bean sprouts

scallions thinly sliced in the bias

crimini mushrooms very thinly sliced

Lime wedges

Sambal Olek

To make broth:

soak dried mushroom blend in 4 cups water overnight in the refrigerator

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Drain mushrooms reserving the liquid. Pat dry and toss with olive oil and salt. Spread mushrooms out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment and roast in oven for about 15 minutes until golden and even slightly crispy.

While Mushrooms are roasting cut 2 red onion in half lengthwise and place on another sheet pan lined with parchment. Place whole knobs of ginger on same pan and roast them in the same oven

with the mushrooms. once the onions are caramelized and the ginger is soft, slide the onions into a large stock pot, chop the ginger into big chunks and put it in the pot along with HALF of the roasted mushrooms. Pour in 10 cups of water and bring to a slow simmer. As it's coming to temp, dry roast your spices in a clean dry saute pan and add them to the pot. Add salt and sugar and fish sauce. Let simmer gently for at least 1 1/2-2 hours. Strain broth and keep very hot until ready to serve, checking the spice and adjusting as needed. (or if your doing it ahead chill and store for up to one week)

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add rice noodles cook, stirring frequently. boil until just tender then drain and toss with a tablespoon of vegetable oil to keep from sticking together. Set aside until ready to assemble.

To serve:

Put noodles in bottom of bowl. Sprinkle on some of the roasted mushrooms and some of the sliced fresh mushrooms. Ladle hot broth over this and serve at table with the condiments on the side, so people can put on what they like. Serve with a nice refreshing bottle of 'Red Saigon' (over ice, the way they do it down there!) and you'll feel like you've had a little trip to Vietnam, sans the jet lag.

Spagetti Carbonara

2011-02-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

This was one of the more popular dishes from the recent fundraising dinner we did for the Homer High Ski Team (competing at the State competition this weekend up in Fairbanks....Go Mariners!)

My first exposure to Spagetti Carbonara was at an italian restaurant in Colorado Springs where, as a young Carri, I learned to hone my skills in working with chefs who are jerks. And also where I learned about how a dish can get so far away from it's roots. The one they served was a cream laden mess with green peas and thick sauce. Carbonara is not an old country italian dish, necessarily speaking, though any noodle eating culture has some version in their traditions. This one originated in Rome, where I hear they really love their pasta, and is specifically called carbonara (rooted in the italian word for charcoal) for the coal miners who labored in midcentury italy (perhaps it was their favorite?). It was brought to the states by the soldiers of WWII who's european rations were made up of powdered eggs, bacon, pasta...add some local cheese and there you go. This is a simple dish, prepared fairly quickly and must also be eaten right away, before the cheese cools. It is a great pasta course for an elegant dinner, just a few bites of silky fabulousness to get the mouth ready for the entree to come. At least that's what I was thinking when I planned that dinner. I used my home cured pancetta (thanks again Mr. Ruhlman) and eggs from my friend Samantha's chickens to make it extra special.

There are many versions of this dish out there besides my old chef nemesis' heart attack on a plate.

Many people just fry the bacon and toss in the eggs and the cheese, which is just dandy, especially if you have great bacon. I like to add a little extra flavor by adding in carmelized shallots. they completely disappear in texture but the flavor adds a little something...the white wine doesn't hurt, either.

Here's my version of Spagetti Carbonara for two.

You will need:

12 ounces (3/4 #) dried spagetti or angel hair (really anything would work, for gluten free, I like quinoa pasta)

1/4 pound pancetta or bacon, sliced into thin chunks

1 large shallot diced (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 eggs

2/3 cup (at least) pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated

plus extra for sprinkling on top.

1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

To assemble:

Start an 8 quart pot of water to boil and throw in a handful of salt. It is important to salt the pasta water, because this seasons the pasta as it softens in the boiling water. While the water is heating, fry the bacon in a large skillet until it is crisp. As bacon is frying, your water should come to a boil, add the pasta and stir frequently. Pull bacon pieces out of frying pan and let drain on a little paper towel. if you have a lot of fat left in the pan, pour some off (not down the drain, either. in the trash or, better yet in a container to use for later!) leaving about 2 Tablespoons in which to fry your shallots. Put shallots in pan and saute over medium heat until they are very tender and browned. Add white wine and cook until liquid is almost gone. At this point the shallots will be completely decimated. (word for the day, means to reduce drastically, among other things) Your pasta should be cooked to just soft, with a bit if 'tooth' still left in the center. Once it is done, drain, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Whisk together the two eggs in a bowl and add in the cheese. whisk in about 1/2 of the reserved hot pasta water. Place the drained noodles into the hot pan with shallot reduction turn off the heat and pour over the egg mixture (the heat from the freshly cooked pasta will cook the egg), toss on 1/2 of the cooked bacon and mix the whole mess using a pair of tongs or a big fork. If you must, switch to a larger pan or go right to your serving dish. If it's too thick add the remaining pasta water, sprinkle on the chopped parsley and finish with the rest of the bacon and more cheese on top. A little arugula salad (the bitterness of the greens really balance out the slightly sweet, fatty bacon) on the side makes this a nice dinner for two...okay, my husband would say add a grilled steak to that, but, hey...the bacon is enough for me. To each his own, right?

Rockfish Crudo

2011-01-20T19:15:00.000-08:00

so simple and delicious!

We get beautiful fish here in Homer. And while we are the self titled "Halibut Capital of the World", Halibut isn't the only thing we have in relative abundance, in fact, it is in such high demand, fetching prices of up to $6.00 a pound across the dock, my husband won't be bringing any home for our freezer. He will, however, bring home rockfish. It is a by-catch associated with halibut long lining, but does not have a strong market here. We are able to move some on the local buyers, but the rest comes to us. some we have commercially processed to use at the bakery and the rest goes right into our freezer. I love having this around for the last minute dinner. It thaws so fast, you could have a solid block of frozen fish and come home, pull it out and immerse in cool water, take a hot shower and you'll be ready to cook it by the time your toweled off. We often use it as our ace in the hole when we have unexpected company. No matter how you cook it, this fish is always very good. One of my favorite ways to use this fish, especially when it's only been frozen for a short time, is to make a crudo. It's sort of like a ceviche, only the fish isn't left to cook in the lime quite as long. In fact my crudo spends a little more time with the lime juice than most, but I find the texture to be so great if the fish is, if you will, cooked in the acid until it is just 'al dente'. You can play with this yourself, depending on the comfort level of your guests...you could pile all kinds of wonderful things like shaved onion, avocado, tomato, yuzu, salmon roe...whatever turns you on. Me, I like to keep it simple, especially if there is a big menu to come. So amazing, so clean, so simple!

Here is how I do it:

If your fish is fresh, freeze it until solid. This will kill any parasites that may be lurking about and it will make it easier to slice super thin. Take your frozen fish and thaw it just slightly, it should feel a little pliable, but still be stiff in the center. With a sharp knife and going across the grain make paper thin slices of the fish. Place those slices in a single layer on a glass plate. Squeeze lime juice liberally over fish and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of sea salt. Cover with plastic and refrigerate up to 30 minutes. Right before serving, remove plastic and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. If your gilding the lily, add the above condiments, or whatever suits your fancy. Serve with a nice flat bread cracker or crack chips. OR, if your a purist, just a fork or a pair or chopsticks are all the accessory you need.

Nuts for Spiced Nuts!

2011-01-19T15:16:00.000-08:00

When they told me theme for the high school ski team dinner was nuts for skiing, I knew I wanted to make some spiced nuts to put in bowls and nestle in amongst the pine bough decorations on the table. They snuggled right up next to the little skiers made out of nuts that one of the parents made. (Laura Miller, you rock...just sayin'!) Something a little sweet and spicy and crunchy all at the same time to get their taste buds revved up for the feast to come. These are also a favorite of mine to make for the holidays. They keep in a jar forever and can be packaged to give in gift baskets or passed around when unexpected guests arrive.
Here is what you need:
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar (I used organic)
2 teaspoons worchester sauce
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (regular will do, just won't be as flavorful)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
5 cups nuts. I used pecans, cashews and walnuts
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
To make:
In a large bowl, using a whisk beat egg whites till frothy and light. Add salt, sugar, worchester sauce, paprika and cayenne and mix well. Stir in nuts and then melted butter. Turn out onto a parchment lined sheet pan and bake in a 325 degree preheated oven for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Cool thoroughly before packaging, but not to be resisted if eaten when still slightly warm.

Coconut Macaroons- 2010 holiday cookie of the year.

2010-12-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

Coconut Macaroons...not really a macaroon, per se, but people seem to know what we mean when we call them that, so there you go. These are so gooey and sweet and SIMPLE (and gluten free! YAY!), they are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie list. They are so popular this year we have had a hard time keeping them in the case!

1/2 cup sugar
4 cups sweetened coconut
3 egg whites- beaten lightly
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt

Beat egg whites while slowly pouring in the sugar. beat til just barely holding a peak when whisk is removed. Fold in remaining ingredients.
Drop spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Use fingers dipped in water to neaten the shape.
Bake in 325 dgree oven for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.
cool well before moving. To totally guild the lily, drizzle melted chocolate in a fancy design on top.
Yield 24 to 36 cookies, depending on how big you make them.
Keeps in airtight container 1-2 weeks. perfect for mailing.

Pumpkin Pie

2010-11-25T08:21:00.002-08:00

Thanksgiving is here! All of my pies are made...40 of them to be exact. 5 different kinds. The most popular by far? That's right.

Pumpkin

makes 2 - 8" pies

2 cups pureed cooked pumpkin, butternut squash works well too! (good to puree to remove any stringyness)

1 cup brown sugar

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk or heavy cream

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t clove

1 t ginger

1/4 t finely ground black pepper (optional)

Whisk all ingredients together, pour into two chilled unbaked pie shells and bake in preheated 350 degree oven

For 40 minutes until center jiggles only slightly when shaken.

Here is a crust recipe, too:

For 2 - 8" pies

2 1/2 cup unbleached flour

7 ounces cold butter, cut into little pieces

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup ice cold water

1 egg yolk

splash lemon juice

Cut cold butter into flour, working the mixture with your hands and rubbing between your fingers in a sheeting motion. When it is well combined add sugar and salt and mix together wet ingredients... Add to flour mix and work to form a ball of dough, using more flour or water as needed to keep it from being too dry or too sticky. Wrap tightly and refridgerate for an hour or up to a week. Will freeze for one month.

Pistachio Thumbjams with raspberry filling

2010-11-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

It's no denying the time for holiday baking is upon us...too soon you say? Never too soon around here, where we began making our little cookies a couple of weeks ago. We'll be in full swing with them by the end of next week. To get myself warmed up I decided to take on the Holiday Cookie Challenge put forth at ruhlman.com by Emilia Juocys. As we all try to get through this time with no Gourmet Magazine (thank goodness for my stack of back issues!) this will be a fun diversion. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make and finally decided to use the bakery's very first holiday cookie recipe, pecan thumbjams, and give it a festive makeover. So here we have rolled the brown sugar dough in ground pistachios and used my homemade raspberry jam (perfect for it's bright red hue) to create one very merry cookie!

Pistachio Thumbjams with raspberry filling

yield 2 1/2 dozen 2" cookies

ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 cup of ground pistachios*

1 cup of raspberry jam- seeded

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well.

Add the flour, salt and lemon zest and mix until fully combined. Roll into 1 inch balls and roll each ball in the ground pistachios. place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and press your thumb into the center to make a well for the jam. Spoon a bit of jam into the dent and bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan half way to ensure even browning. Cookies are done when edges are slightly browned. Let cool completely before eating...be carefull, the jam is HOT! These will keep for quite a while (4 weeks) in an airtight container, hidden away (this part is very important if you have a husband with a sweet tooth). Otherwise they are soo good, they won't last at all!

*the pistachios, I have to admit, were a little fussy. I could not find shelled nuts anywhere in my little town, so shelled, then blanched, peeled, toasted, cooled and THEN ground them in a food processor. Good thing it is a holiday cookie, right?!

Soup of the day: Potato cheddar Beer

2010-11-15T15:08:00.000-08:00

I wake up every morning and listen to the local public radio station to get the weather and local goings on. this morning as I drank my coffee and got my morning update, I could hear the wind and the sea raging outside my window. Winter is definitely here and the gale warnings the gal on the radio predicted for this morning are proving to be true as we watch the waves crashing on the beach behind the bakery. It's a good day for this soup, but then, it always is, gale or not.

The secret is in the beer:

Potato Cheddar Beer Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

4 ribs of celery, roughly chopped

1 bottle of beer

6 medium potatoes (i use red, with the skins on, but any kind will work) roughly chopped

6 cups of water or vegetable stock

salt to taste

8 ounces cream cheese

3 cups cheddar cheese- shredded

In the bottom of your soup pot, with a little oil, saute the onion and celery until translucent, even a little carmelized. Add the beer scraping up the brown bits off the bottom of pan. Cook 2 minutes to burn off alcohol. Add the potatoes, water and salt. Cook over medium high heat until potatoes are soft. drop in cream cheese and let sit 10 minutes to soften. Blend with an immersion blender until very smooth. Whisk in the cheddar while it is still hot. Serve immediately. If needed, reheat verry carefully. Garnish with shredded cheddar and chopped scallions. If your feeling really spicy top with chopped jalapenos.

Serve with fresh bread and butter and...you guessed it, a nice cold beer!

Ginger Pickled Salmon

2010-10-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

This was originally posted last year, but then accidentally deleted. Back up by popular demand, it's a great way to use frozen salmon and an awesome pantry item to have for the holidays. Quick and festive, what can be better?

When life gives you salmon...lots of salmon, you get pretty creative as to how to prepare it. This has turned into one of our favorites! We make for special catering events here at the bakery and at home we always try to have a jar in the fridge just in case we have to wow company on short notice. The appetizer we created by shredding it and putting it on cucumber rounds with wasabi and a cilantro blossom has become a crowd favorite...gets them every time!
To pickle 1 1/2 pounds of salmon (this is red salmon, but any kind works):
cut fish into little 2" strips about 1/2' wide...coat very thoroughly with kosher salt and place in a nonreactive container, covered in the refridgerator- 2 to 3 days. the day before it is ready make your pickling liquid:
in a medium saucepan stir together:
2 cups water
2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 pound fresh ginger- sliced thin
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 T salt
1 1/2 T black peppercorns
2 t brown mustard seed (optional)
bring mixture to a boil, let cool and refridgerate overnight to chill completely.
Rinse salt from salmon letting the fish soak in cold water for a few minutes. drain well. put salmon into clean glass jars to two thirds full and top off the jars with the picking liquid. fit with a tight clean lid and refridgerate to cure for 3 days.
serve as shown above or just put it in a bowl and eat with your fingers like my 10 year old does...it's his favorite TV snack...such a good Alaskan boy!

King Salmon with honey cayenne glaze

2010-10-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

John went trolling for salmon today with his friend Harry. Harry is half of the wonderful couple that sold us the land on which the bakery now proudly calls home. He and his wife Shirley were very flexible and amazing when it came to doing the land deal, carrying the loan themselves at a time we were hard pressed to get credit from a bank. (The bank kept wanting to refinance my 10 year old car...they put more trust in the car than my business, which is window into the difficulties the super-small start-ups go through) We faithfully made our payments and saved our money, and eventually...thanks to the fact we had an asset that was tangible, we were able to design and build our dream bakery. We have worked hard to live up to the town's needs and expectations and we are grateful to all those who helped us along the way. Today, this one is for Harry and Shirley...Thank You! And Thanks for taking John out so he could bring home something that's a little rare this time of year. Fresh King Salmon. This particular fish is what's referred to as a 'feeder' king. King Salmon spawn after 5 years or so, until then they roam the oceans building up fat reserves for their harrowing journey upstream. Where we live, on a bluff about 500 feet above the shores of Cook Inlet, we have a very fine and expansive view of a particularly popular spot for these feeder kings and we watch all winter as, at times, a dozen boats or more are making the slow movements back and forth indicative of trolling. John came home with two fish, one a white king salmon (I sadly did not get a photo of before it was processed for the freezer). The other was a fine light pink gem, very fatty and beautiful pale color due to the cold temps and season.

To cook it, I decided to keep it simple and sear it skin side down and then finish it under a broiler with this super simple honey cayenne glaze.

To make the glaze:

1/4 cup honey- any kind- go crazy!

a pinch of cayenne pepper

stir it up in a little dish and set aside.

Heat up a cast iron skillet with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. place fish in when it's just smoking and sear the bottom not moving the fish at all...4 minutes. Glaze the fish once or twice while on the stove , putting another coating on right before moving pan to the broiler. Broil another four to 5 minutes. This was a thick filet, so I check it once and glaze it again before giving it two minutes more. Pull from oven and let sit to rest, covered for 3 minutes. Slather on the last of the glaze right before serving.

We ate ours with crisp green salad and fresh ciabatta bread from the bakery...divine!

Midweek dinner...baby back ribs

2010-09-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

I know most people don't associate wednesday nights as rib nights. Ribs are something you have on saturday when you have all day to tend the fire, right? Not so, I say! Need a quick prep, no fuss meal anytime...babybacks are your friend. An hour in the oven is all you really need. One hour of undisturbed alone time for you to take a long hot shower. Or as Ruhlman so gently put it in his roast chicken post, go have sex. I bet there's even time for a shower afterwards. Otherwise you can help the kids with their homework, have a glass of wine...whatever. One winter a few years back, I discovered the true beautiful simplicity of this method, which was introduced by my friend chef Ryan Lee. I had ordered 130 pounds of ribs for a cast party after the local holiday performances of the Nutcracker Ballet. My kids were in it along with half the town and the party, especially the ribs were a huge deal. Usually they are lovingly slow barbecued by our friend, Blake LaRue, but Blake's back went out the night before, leaving him completely unable to perform his 'cuing magic. I knew I could put them in the wood fired oven, but how to know they would be perfect? Ryan suggested I use his method that works for one rack or twenty, in a word, foolproof. We set them up in hotel pans with lots of aromatics in the bottom and baked them as directed. Sure enough, they were beautiful! It is now my go-to rib recipe, with it I have the secret to making a lot of people very happy in a relatively short period of time, and that..on a wednesday night, is priceless!

Here's how we 'do' it:

1 rack of baby back pork ribs (or twenty, if that be the case)

1 oven- preheated to 350 degrees

1 roaster pan, rack in place, with tight fitting lid or foil to cover

Turn ribs to the bone side and make sure the butcher has removed the silver skin. The bones should be clearly visible, but if they are covered by a light silver film, you'll want to remove it. This can be easily done by pulling up a section at the edge and working your fingers to separate enough that you can get a hold of the whole end, it should pull away in one piece, use a sharp boning knife to remove any fragments left behind. Rub your spice blend into the flesh, generously, on both sides. If you don't have a favorite rib rub, try this:

2 Tablespoons Kosher salt

1 Tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 Teaspoons paprika (smoked would be great here, too)

2 Teaspoons ground thyme

1 Teaspoon red chili flakes

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon sugar

mix all ingredients well and rub away.

lay rubbed ribs on rack in roaster pan

throw some garlic cloves and chopped onion in the bottom and pour in about a cup of water.

Cover tightly and bake in preheated oven for one hour. This your chance to take a walk, call a friend, or 'you know what'. If you need a side dish, you could throw some scrubbed potatoes on the rack above the ribs. Put some greens in a bowl for salad and then off with you!

After an hour pull pan out of the oven, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to rest. This is a great time to mix up my favorite bbq sauce:

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, the best you have.

Stir until smooth.

If you want to char the ribs on the grill, now is good time, but if your natives are restless and ready to eat, just cut them in between each bone and throw the whole lot in a big bowl, spoon on 1/2 the sauce and toss, coating the ribs evenly. Spill out onto a platter with the extra sauce on the side and your done. Time to pour another glass of wine and sit back and enjoy the quiet, as everyone will be too busy eating to make any noise...ahhh, wednesday!

2010-09-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Cheesecake Tarts

The sweet part to the ending of berry season, is we get to make things like this!

To begin: set out 12 ounces of cream cheese in a warm place to soften.

You will need 2- 8" tart pans or 8- 4.5 inch tart pans

Tart Dough:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

mix all ingredients on low speed in a stand mixer, if that is not available to you, use a handheld mixer and then your hands to rub the butter and flour together very thoroughly. This is like a shortbread. press resulting paste into tart pans. Chill while mixing cheesecake filling.

Cheesecake filling:

12 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

This can be mixed by hand, if the cream cheese is room temp. mix in the order listed, blending well between ingredients. pipe or spoon into chilled tart shells. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes or until shells and filling are slightly golden. Cool thoroughly.

Glaze:

1 cup raspberry jam

1/2 cup red wine

Heat over medium heat in a heavy bottom sauce pan.

Let boil briefly, whisking the whole time, until slightly thickened.

Chill.

Assemble tarts by placing dry berries on top of cheesecake filling in fully chilled tart shells, arrange in a pleasing pattern. Very carefully brush glaze over fruit...any extra care you take during this step will be greatly rewarded! Serve all alone or with whipped cream, whatever your choice, it's gonna be awesome!

Crack chips

2010-06-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

Early on in my restaurant career, when I was living in Driggs, Idaho for a short stint as a wanna be ski-bum, I worked as a line cook at a mexican restaurant called Machos. It was a funny place for an ethnic restaurant in the early 80's. Driggs being a tiny town of about 250 people back in 1983 populated with a curious mix of mormons and hippie telemark skiers, this little mexican place was down right exotic, though not run by actual mexicans. Which is sad, because the food was mostly the americanized version with which we are all too familiar. One thing I learned in my short time there, besides the fact that I don't want to come home smelling like a chimichanga, was how to make my own tortilla chips. I've been making these chips for years at home because they are so easy and sooo good. Then, not too long ago, my son and I spent a rainy evening watching a silly new show on the food network about celebrity chefs in Beverly Hills. At one of their parties they made 'Crack Chips' - simply, deep fried flour tortilla triangles sprinkled with salt. that's it, nothing else. So easy and so addicting, I had to share how to do it:

Carri's Crack Chips

Cut flour tortillas into triangles (I used whole wheat ones here)

heat about 4 cups straight up olive oil (no it will not smoke, I swear...and you can strain the oil and reuse over and over!) in a heavy bottom 3 quart saucepan fitted wth a candy thermometer to 360 degrees. Toss in a few of the triangles, using tongs to move them around in the oil. fry till golden, about 2 minutes, max.

transfer to paper towel lined cookie sheet and immediately sprinkle with salt.

That's it, really. except for eating them. And if your making them ahead for a party, be sure to hide them from the family or they will be gone before the guests arrive!

Roasted eggplant and the mediterranean focaccia...meatless monday love!

2010-05-03T23:01:00.000-07:00

Layered with pesto and roasted tomatoes and peppers, this sandwich has become the star of meatless mondays.
To begin, we roast the eggplant:

cut the ends off of your eggplant and peel with a sharp knife, holding eggplant on it's end and running the knife down the sides, as close to the skin as possible. Slice peeled eggplant lenthwise into 1/4 inch thick slabs. assemble dipping station: 1/2 cup flour per eggplant in an oblong container with a little seasoning like salt, pepper and basil. in another oblong container, blend wet mixture: 1 egg and 1/4 cup milk per eggplant plus salt and pepper to taste whisked thoroughly to very smooth consistency. Oil a sheetpan lined with parchment with a generous layer of olive oil. Then, forming an assembly line, dip the eggplant slices first in the flour and then the egg and arrange on the sheetpant and bake in a preheated 400 F degree oven and 15-20 minutes till slightly golden.
For Tomatoes and peppers:
Slice veggies into 1/4 inch slices and place on sheetpans lined with parchment and brushed generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until edges are brown.

Assemble the sandwich by slicing the focaccia bread length-wise. On the top crust sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and put back in hot oven to melt. On the bottom crust, spread freshly made pesto and then layer the eggplant, and the tomatoes and then the peppers. Top off with a pile of fresh cleaned spinach ;eaves and the melted cheesy bread layer. To really do it up right, you'll want to wetght this by putting and overturened sheetpan on top and then setting domething nice and heavy on top for 15 minutes or so...it will then be ready to be cut and enjoyed!

Carmel Sauce

2010-03-03T17:37:00.001-08:00

What smoothes the rough edges like a spoonful of carmel. Drizzled over ice cream, tucked into a cupcake or adding the goo factor to an otherwise perfectly staid cheesecake square, nothing satisfies quite like a smooth buttery carmel sauce. My partner in all things carmel- Sharon, and I have been intrigued by sugar in all of it's forms and trying to understsnd the science behind the conversions. She figured out that glucose is sugar with an acid added (honestly things get fuzzy for me from here on out, science is one thing, molecular science a whole 'nother...that Sharon, she's one smart cookie!) She adapted this recipe from Alice Medrich 'Pure Desserts" which calls for golden syrup. Since we do not always have access to this product and don't like the results we get from corn syrup, a conversion was in order. in this case, more sugar, cream of tartar and a little water are added to sub for the glucose. One very important thing to remember when working with sugar crystals is that one small grainl on a spoon or the side of a pan can infect the whole batch and rob you of that smooth amazing creation that is...

Carmel Sauce

3 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 t sea salt
2 cups heavy cream, heated to scalding
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter- cut in chunks
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, water, honey, cream of tartar, and salt in a heavy bottom 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth and mixture bubbles around the edges. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cover and cook 3 minutes (steam will help melt the sugar crystals) Uncover and, using your wet pastry brush, wash down the sides of the pan again. (do not skip these steps, or you will not have smooth carmel!) Attach a candy thermometer and cook uncovered, and unstirred until the mixture reaches 305 degrees. Turn off heat and stir in butter chunks and slowly pour in hot cream, mixture will bubble like crazy, be careful, but keep stirring. Turn heat back on medium-high and stir until mixture resumes a healthy boil. Cook til it reaches 225 degrees for a thin sauce and up to 230 for a thick carmel like the one above. And for Carmel Apples - take it all the way to 250 degrees. (Sharon keeps a glass of ice water next to the stove to test droplets of carmel for the texture she wants. This is also a good thing to dunk your fingers in should you burn yourself!) Store in glass jars. Keeps a month or more in the refridgerator...except at my house! To reheat, place jar in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

Marinara Sauce

2010-01-27T14:55:00.000-08:00

"In the depths of winter I have found there lies within me an invincable summer." -Albert Camus
No, we don't have tomatoes growing fluently in our greenhouses at this time of year. In fact, we rarely do ANY time of year! (though there IS a local grange project in the works that could supply fresh tomatoes and greens to Homer year round....we'll keep you posted on that one) We are all for going local as much as possible, but when it comes to tomato sauce, well, let's just say it's very unrealistic. At the bakery, we have always made our own marinara using canned tomato products (thank you Sean Maryott) but at home, for the longest time, I bought jarred sauce. (I know, right?) Until I saw on some food detective show how much sugar is in one of those jars....whoa. So now, I make it at home, just like at the bakery, only I can it into 16 ounce jars. This batch will get you 6 of them, plus you'll have ample left over for supper that night. perfect.

Marinara

1 whole head of garlic...peeled and crushed
2 medium onions...roughly chopped
4 ribs celery...chopped
4 medium carrots...chopped
/2 cup red wine
1- #10 can diced tomatoes (6# 6oz or 12 cups)
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 cups water
2 T salt
2 T sugar
2 T dried basil
2 t oregano
2 t thyme
2 t marjoram
2 T balsamic vinegar

In a large 8 quart heavy bottom pot heat 1/4 c olive oil over medium heat, add onions, saute 2 minutes, then add garlic, celery and carrot...continue to saute until onions are translucent. add wine to pan and stir to deglaze and cook off alcohol, about 4 minutes. add tomato products and water, stirring well to combine. add salt sugar, spices and vinegar. bring to gentle simmer, turn heat to low and cook gently for at least an hour, longer if you have time. Puree using an immersion blender (or a standup blender, but for the love of god...BE CAREFUL!) once it is the consistency you love...return to the stove and bing to a very low boil.
Prep jars by washing them and boiling in your canning pot covered with water...10 minutes. put lids and rings in a smaller pot covered with water and gently bring to simmer. Ever so carefully, remove the jars using tongs and set on a clean towel spread on the counter. Ladle in sauce to bottom of band. wipe the rims of each jar with a very clean cloth. then put on lids and bands...only screw on enough to hold lid in place. lower jars back into canning pot and add more water to cover jars by 2 inches. Bring to boil and hold at that temp for 35 minutes. remove from water and let sit undisturbed to cool. do not tighten rings. check seal (a tap in the center should not make a sound) any that have not sealed, refridgerate and use with a week. The rest can go in the pantry or any cool dark spot.
For more on canning:
'Putting Food By' is one of my favorite go to books for cannin' or jammin'!
canningpantry.com also has great online info...

Cream of Potato and Garlic Soup

2010-01-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

Amazing how a few simple ingredients can come together in something so perfect for a quick meal when the cupboard is sorta bare and the roads are too icy to go to town. This is my kids favorite and one of the easiest soups to learn how to make. An immersion blender makes pureeing it a snap. (and at $20 bucks even in our alaskan hardware store, no reason to not have one) Also, We like red potaoes for this, leaving some of the skin on for extra texture and color. You could also add purple potatoes to the mix...or sweet potatoes...yum!

Cream of Potato and Garlic Soup

1 lg onion roughly chopped
4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 whole head of garlic, about 10 cloves, peeled and smashed
7 cups red potatoes, washed and eyes trimmed, but not neccessarily fully peeled, then cut into chunks
7-8 cups water
2 T Kosher Salt
8 ounces cream cheese

Saute onion and celery in 2 Tablespoons olive oil heated in a heavy bottom 6 qt. soup pot...after 2 minutes add the garlic and continue sauteeing until onions are translucent. add potatoes, water and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat and cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Turn off heat and drop cream cheese into soup and let it sit for 10 minutes to soften. Puree with immersion blender (or smash with a potato smasher, you won't have a perfectly smooth soup, but it will be tasty) Check spice, adding more salt if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh rosemary, or scallions or bacon or cheddar cheese or pretty much anything!

Granny T's veggie Soup

2010-01-05T13:27:00.000-08:00

I had a special request for this recipe today and I totally thought I had it up...but no!
So, Amber...here it is!

! medium onion chopped
2 cloves Garlic minced
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots chopped
4 medium potatoes chopped into chunks
1 cup frozen peas
1 12ounce can stewed or diced tomatoes
4 Tablespoons tomato paste (honestly, my grandma used ketchup for this)
1 Tablespoon dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Balsalmic vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
Salt to taste

Saute onions and celery in a soup pot over medium high heat with 2 Tablespoons olive oil
after 2 minutes add carrots and garlic and a couple of pinches of Salt
Continue sauteing until onions are translucent. Add potatoes, Tomatoes and paste and dried Basil, then add enough water to float all the vegetables, about 4 cups. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly until potatoes are done. Add Peas, vinegar and sugar and check for salt. then cozy up with a nice hunk of bread and say hi to my grandma while your at it...enjoy!

Ginger Beet Soup

2010-01-04T21:07:00.001-08:00

Our local farmer still has just a few root veggies for us...beets. potatoes, rutibagas, even some cabbage!
the beets, particularly inspired me yesterday, along with the need for something cleansing and hearty at the same time, this soup definitely delivered! The briliant color also helps to brighten up even the darkest of days...
Ginger Beet Soup
1 lg onion, roughly chopped
4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 cups peeled red potatoes cubed
4 cups raw, peeled beets, cubed
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups water
1 - 12 ounce can coconut milk
Kosher salt
juice of 1/2 lemon

Saute onions and celery together in bottom of a soup pot with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat...after 2 minutes add garlic and ginger. Cook until onions are translucent and add white wine to deglaze pan and cook off alcohol, about 3 minutes. Then add potatoes, beets and water and throw in a few generous pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft. Pull from heat, add coconut milk and puree with an immersion blender. Taste for seasoning, add lemon juice and more salt if needed. Serve with a little creme fresh, if you feel indulgent...as I usually am! Top with scallions for an extra bite and enjoy to the last crimson drop...

Lavender Shortbread

2009-12-22T21:17:00.000-08:00

This most popular cookie of 2009 is also the most requested recipe of the season, so as a gift to all of you...here it is!
Lavender Shortbread
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter...softened
2/3 cup sugar- granulated
2 Tablespoons dried lavender flowers
2 teaspoons fresh mint
Cream all above ingredients until fluffy
Combine in separate bowl:
2 1/3 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir into butter mixture until well combined.
Press into 9x13 inch pan greased and lined with parchment, and chill thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and score the shortbread with a sharp knife into the desired size pieces.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until browned around edges and no longer opaque in the center.
Let cool to just warm and recut score marks. Cool completely before dipping.
To dip: Melt white chocolate over just simmering water until smooth. Dip one side of cookie into chocolate and scrape off excess on side of bowl. lay on clean parchment on small sheetpan. cool until chocolate is hard.
Then enjoy your trip to cookie nirvana!

English Toffee

2009-11-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

This is a classic favorite we have been making for years. The most important thing is to use an accurate candy thermometer or have a solid grip on the cold water test. If it's not brought all the way to 320 degrees, it will be more taffy than toffee and a filling breaker at that!
1# butter - melted
1# sugar (about 2 cups) - granulated
4 oz water
stir together in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. attach a candy thermometer on the side and cook over med heat until mixture registers 320 degrees (Hard Crack) immediately pour onto a greased sheetpan fitted with a parchment liner... tilt pan slightly to distibute. Let cool about 10 minutes until sugar is hard, but still hot. sprinkle on chocolate chips (we use semi sweet, though Dark or milk would work here, too) I takes about 2 cups. Let sit until chocolate is shiny, about 15 minutes. spread melted chips smooth (an offset spatula works great for this) and sprinkle on finely chopped nuts (we use pecans, but again, you could use walnuts or even slivered almonds) let cool completely. A quck trip to the fridge once it's room temp will help set the chocolate and firm things up. Break into pieces and package as desired. Will keep in an airtight container for 2 months...unless it's at my house!

Roast Chicken

2009-11-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

We make alot of roast chicken...not something we serve here at the bakery, necessarily, but it is a staple on our dinner repetoire when asked to cater casual dinners...not to mention for chicken soup...which we made 3 times last week now that flu has hit town!
We buy free range, mostly, often organic,( but sometimes we can't justify the doubled price tag.)
Start by rinsing chicken well and pat dry lightly with paper towel let sit to air dry a moment while you prepare the mirepoix base.
This one has onion, celery and sweet potato

line the bottom of your roasting pan with the aromatics and place the chickens on top.
Core and cut into thick slices, one green apple and stuff it into the cavity
rub the skins with olive oil and sprinkle with a healthy layer of salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill
Add any spices you wish to this layer...thyme is a favorite
Fold the cavity closed and pull the legs together over the opening. use a 6" skewer to keep the legs together
(Some folks insist trussing is the only way, but, we think this works as well)
Pour about an inch of water into the bottom of the pan and place in a preheated 350 dgree oven (moderate heat)
uncovered. depending on the size of your bird, it will take 1 1/2 to two hours to roast. It should register 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer when done. (or the leg will pull away easily and the juices run clear) Let rest 15 minutes before carving.

This is where the brick oven really shines. It makes some lovely breads, it's true, but meats roasted this way are spectacular!

Lemonade...a little summer in a glass!

2009-11-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

We are not big soda people around here...we don't sell anything in a can or bottle actually. We make ice tea and all the steamers and the coffee drinks possible, but when people want something cold and refreshing...we give them our homemade lemonade. I originally found the recipe for this in an old Joy of cooking and I loved the fact that it used all the lemon...skins and all. In the end, the rinds all sugared and dried, have become the most popular part! I have to say, the lemonade itself is pretty darn good, too!

Using a potato peeler, peel the lemons, being careful to only take off the yellow skin, leaving the bitter white pith behind.

Put in a pot with sugar and water and gently bring to a simmer...cook 10 minutes until sugar is very well dissolved and rinds are transparent and curly.

While the above mixture simmers, juice the lemons. once syrup is done, cool slightly and strain into the juice. That is your lemonade concentrate. Take the rinds and sprinkle with granulated sugar to coat. spread out on parchment paper and let dry.
To assemble, fill a glass half way with ice, the water to an inch or so from the top then top off with your concentrate. (we use about 3 ounces of concentrate in a 16 ounce glass) Put your dried lemon peel on top, and you have summer in a glass!

p.s. It goes great with gin or tequila, for a little after work refresher!
p.s.s. You could also do this with limes...marguarita's anyone?
p.s.s.s. Big Thanks to Donna Turner Ruhlman for her allowing me to ask the silliest of photography questions ("Yes, a white card is just that...a white card! Who knew!) and for sharing her knowledge with so much encouragement!

'No Knead' Multigrain Bread

2009-10-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

As people are starting to make more healthful food choices, this has become one of our most popular breads. It is completely whole grain, with a soft texture and enough structure to hold up to the biggest sandwich. We make focaccia out of it for our roasted vegetable sandwiches and even turn it into cardamom sweet rolls.
To begin:
Soak 2/3 cup (.25 lbs) 10 grain cereal. (I'm using Bob's Red Mill)
in a large bowl with 4 cups warm water for 1 1/2 hours.
Add 1 and 1/2 T (2pkgs or 1/2 oz.) Active Dry Yeast and let sit 30 minutes more...
Stir in:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
8 cups of Whole Wheat flour (2.25 lbs.)...one cup at a time, stirring well with each addition.
Before the last cup of flour add 1 more cup of water and 1 and 1/2 tablespoon salt.
Stir the mixture as though folding it into the center, spinning the bowl as you go.

Once it is pulled together, cover and let sit for 1 hour
Pull dough together in the bowl once again by running your spatula along the side of the bowl, pulling the dough into the center. cover and let rise 30 minutes more.

Turn out onto a well floured board and divide into 3rds. Briefly knead each portion into a ball. let sit 15 minutes.
pull rounds together into a loaf shape, being sure to get rid of the air bubbles and put into well oiled loaf pans. slash the tops and let rise 45 minutes or until a poke of your finger doesn't bounce back.

Spray the tops with water and sprinkle with a little of the dry cereal.
Bake for about 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven to an
interior temperature of 200 degrees.

Bread and Butter Pickles...a memory of taste

2009-10-10T13:29:00.000-07:00

For the first four years of my life I lived with my grandmother, along with my three older siblings. We were quite a handful, I'm told and my grandparents were old school... it was german farm life...washing on Monday, ironing on Tuesday, baking bread on Wednesday. Each season had it's own list of tasks, always preparing, planning or harvesting something or lots of things.As strict as they could be, we had dessert every night after dinner and I loved Thursday because it was chocolate pudding day. Grandma would make it in the afternoon and pour it into individual bowls and let it cool on the counter, where it would form the best skin. I know now that it's preferrable to cover your pudding to avoid the top drying out, but when I was a kid, it was my favorite part. The other absolute favorite thing my grandmother made every year was bread and butter pickles. They were always brought out at dinner, and had they allowed me to have more than 'just a little' I surely would've eaten a jar a night. We moved out of their house about the time I started school and whenever grandma visited she would bring me a fresh jar. It made the difficult transition somehow easier knowing I had something of her around always. (I know, they were just pickles...give me a break, I was five!)
Still, whenever I miss my grandmother, (who died 20 years ago!)... to conjure her up, I make a batch of her pickles.

Granny T's Bread and Butter Pickles

6 Qts or 15- 6" cukes, sliced thin
6 medium onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup pickling salt
mix these together thoroughly in a large glass bowl
Let sit 3 hours and then drain, but do not rinse
in a large stainless pot mix:
6 cups white vinegar
4 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole yellow mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
Bring brine to a boil, add cukes and bring back to a low boil.
ladle into hot jars and process in a hot water bath 10 minutes
Yield about 8 pints

Raspberry JAM!

2009-09-07T08:05:00.001-07:00

I'm not as much of a forager/preserver as I perhaps should be, especially living in a place with so much to offer the hunter-gatherer types. We have a freezer full of rockfish and that's about it...except for raspberry jam. It's a huge staple around here, both on toast in the morning and pb&j's for sack lunches. We need about 24 pints to make it through winter...and if you know anything about alaskan winters you'll completely understand why this is so important! This year was almost a bust in that department...normally we would have been picking mid-august, but it wasn't until a week ago that they finally started to pop. Of course the rain and stormy weather kept me from getting out on Wed. my day off...so, I was relieved to get a little break in the weather to get out today, and boy was it fun! My good friend Jane (owner of the best yard in Homer!) has the most amazing raspberry patch I have ever seen...and in the dozen years I've known her, the berries are always plentiful and her generosity at letting so many of us come to pick is the stuff of legend. The stalks are 6 feet high and the berries the size of my thumb (and then some!) all surrounding a lovely patch of grass looking over the bay with a cottonwood tree so big it has a buoy swing (the alaskan equivelent of a tire swing) hanging from it's branches. The kids run around and play while the grown-ups chat and pick furiously. I got so worked up talking about Sarah Palin I had three buckets full before I knew it! At least she's good for something,eh?
Enough politics...let's make jam!

First we put our clean jars in a big pan half filled with water, put the lid on and set it to boiling. The lids go into a smaller pan also half filled with water and also set to boiling.
Then we measured 4 cups of berries and 6 1/2 cups of sugar into our stainless pot and brought it to a rolling boil, stirring most of the time. (daughter Jane was mostly a big help at this) add 1 packet of liquid pectin and boil and stir for exactly one minute. turn off heat. using tongs, pull jars from hot water bath and fill to within 1/4 inch from the rim.
and again with the tongs pull the lids out of smaller pot placing them on the hot jars

and securing with the screw on metal rings.
I like to turn them over on a towel at this point until they cool completely when we will check the seals and store away in a cool dark spot.

We got our two cases done just in time to catch our good friend Tom Kizzia appear on CNN to help shed a little light on all this Sarah MADNESS!
Jam is done, back to politics!

Bread and Chocolate

2009-08-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

This treat was born out of the stories we had heard of the favorite afterschool snack of children in France...Pan au Chocolat. There the bread is sliced warm and a little rod of chocolate is folded into it and handed to the lucky little one. Our version has it baked inside and topped with a little melted butter and cinnamon sugar. It has become a cult favorite here, with people ordering boxes at a time to take to family members from afar who just have to have their fix!
To begin:
Mix a batch of White Trash Dough let it rise in a warm place for an hour or so.
cut palm sized pieces using a bench scraper or knife...do not knead at this point just cut the squares and stretch them slightly:

Put a healthy handful of chocolate chips on each square,

and pull the edges up around the mound of chips

pinch togehter well and turn on to a parchment lined sheetpan with the seam on the bottom, brush with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar...while they rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 15 minutes and spin then 5-10 more minutes until nice and golden brown...let cool slightly before devouring!

Flower Jelly

2009-08-02T22:27:00.000-07:00

'Tis the season! I used the last of the lilac blossoms to try a batch of jelly...it was so fun to do, I made fireweed jelly, too.
Flower Jelly
for 5 - 8 ounce jars:
2 1/2 cups steeping medium, this can be pear juice (what I used) apple juice or white wine (or Champagne!)
2 cups fresh petals
4 cups Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 ounces of liquid Pectin
(to color my jellies, I used about 1/4 cup of red wine in the fireweed and just a little drop in the lilac, just for a bit of blush...I wish the true petal color came out in the steeping liquid, but it did not!)
Bring steeping liquid to scalding and add petals. Take off heat and stir. let cool to room temp. Strain.
Add 2 cups of above liquid to sugar and lemon and bring to boil in medium sauce pan over high heat. When sugar is completely dissolved and mixture has reached a rolling boil, add pectin. Return to boil for one minute.
Ladle into hot jars and put on sterilized lids.
Then revel in their awesomeness!

'Starting' from scratch.

2009-07-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

"If you truly want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." - Carl Sagan
And if want to create a starter from scratch, all you need is some warm water, flour and wild yeast. We get ours off of cabbage leaves.

Take a large leaf and wash it off in 1 cups of warm water (really get in there with clean hands and rub the white film off the leaf) mix in 8 oz (a scant 2 cups) of flour, beat well and let sit covered on your counter, 12 hours.

Feed again equal weights of flour and water and let sit again 12 hours. You should have a bubbly happy little mess on your hands. if not try feeding it and letting it sit one more night. There are a couple of key points to remember: All utensils, anything that touches your starter must be clean! Starter loves routine, so once your used to using it the same way on a regular basis is when it will be happiest. To keep if you use everyday, it can sit on the counter in a container. Feed and use the starter and clean out container when the sides get yucky. To use weekly from the refrigerator, pull from fridge and let come to room temp. Feed and let activate (8-10 hours) and use, keep a little out (about a cup) and give it a small amount of water and flour, return it to the fridge to chill for the week.

Now THAT is a happy starter!

Time to make bread:

To make a flavorful, slightly dense baguette:
Mix equal weights of water and starter and double that for the weight of flour. salt should be used sparingly but is necessary for a fully flavored loaf... try using 1% of the total dough weight. (i.e. 1#water + 1# starter + 2# flour = 4# 4x16= 64 ounces divided by .01= .64 or a little more than a half an ounce...about 2 teaspoons)
In a large mixing bowl, pour water and starter and stir to blend. add flour a little at a time until a ball of dough begins to form. Saving out about a cup of the flour. Cover the bowl and let this dough sit for 20 minutes. This is called an autolyse. The resting of the dough without the salt added to it allows for maximum absorption of the water into the flour and will make the gluten easier to form. When ready, sprinkle on the salt and about 1/2 of the remaining flour. Pull the dough into the center from the edges all the way around to incorporate the salt. Dump out onto a well floured surface and knead together into ball. Set a timer and knead for 10 minutes. I know it can seem like a long time, but it is very meditative. put on some good music or that podcast of 'This American Life ' you've been wanting to listen to, time will be up before you know it AND you will have performed your arm workout for the day...bonus! The dough will become quite silky and smooth, like a baby's bottom. Cover it and let it rest to rise. 1-2 hours, depending on your room temp, starter vigor, etc. If your doing this ahead, this would be the time to put into the fridge, tightly covered. It can sit in there 12 hours or so. When ready to work, just pull it out, ring to room temp. and portion into loaves. knead into a football shape and let sit, covered for 20 minutes. Starting at the center of each loaf, roll with both hands (a little like when you used to make snakes out of clay) outward until your loaf is the length of your pan. Lay on parchment lined sheet pan to rise. Cover with a cloth if it is cool or drafty. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. if you have a baking stone line them up on the middle rack. Place a shallow pan half filled with water on the bottom of the oven (if your oven is electric, put the pan on top.) This is meant to create steam. Once the loaves have doubled in size (a finger poked in the side should leave a mark that does not bounce back) slash the tops with a razor or very sharp serrated knife place in the oven...on the pan if you don't have a stone. If you do have a stone, slide the loaves off the pan, parchment and all and right on to the stone. You may want to cut the paper so that each loaf is on it's own sheet for this to make for easier transport. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until quite golden. Interior temperature should be 200 degrees.

Get your Sticky Buns on...

2009-06-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, so big aplogies to the gal looking for the sticky bun recipe the other day on the phone...truly, we are crazy busy, and had it been me you talked to, I might have been able to make it happen fast, but not for sure! I was able to make them at home today under normal kitchen circumstances and I think I've got it for you...
First mix a single batch of White Trash Dough and let it rise until double in bulk. In the meantime, oil a 9x13 pan and line with parchment paper. Now is a good time to make the Sticky Goo, as we so affectionately call it.
in a 3 quart saucepan melt 1/2 cup butter. pour off about 2 tablespoons into a glass bowl and set aside. To the butter in the pan add:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Honey
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whisk together over medium heat until smooth. Pour into prepared baking pan

Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups pecan halves...nows the time for a taste test!

Once ready, turn dough out onto a floured board...do not knead! just spread it out in all it's flattened glory. divide in half...knead together one half and put it into a loaf pan for sandwich bread or something...you won't need it for this. Take the other half and roll out on your floured board to a rectangle about 12"x 20". Brush with the reserved melted butter

Sprinkle on 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and roll it longways into a tidy log

Cut the log into 12 equal pieces and place cut side up in pan over the pecan mixture of love.

Let rise, covered in a warm place about one hour then bake in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees. it will take about 45 minutes. To be sure they are done, use an intstant read thermometer, they want to be 200 degrees inside!

Once you pull them from the oven...and this is important! Let them sit in the baking pan for 5 minutes or so to cool before dumping them out upside down onto a tray. This will allow the carmel to thicken slightly and it won't all just run off. You will be greatly rewarded for your patience!

Rhubarb Custard Bars- summer in a square

2009-06-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks Meg and Marty for requesting this recipe! It's so good it's certain to become a regular summer treat around here!
And Roy...may you Rest in Peace!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
lightly oil a 9x13 pan
For crust:
in stand mixer, or by hand:
2 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup cold butter cut into pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt

mix together until the texture of frozen peas. press firmly into pan and set aside

for filling:
6 eggs
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup flour
whisk all above ingredients together well... then stir in 3 cups of fresh rhubarb- chopped
pour over crust. bake 45 minutes to 1 hour until center is firm. Cool completely before cutting.
and when your delighting in how summery and wonderful these are, Thank Meg and Marty...
Happy Solstice Gals! I Love You!

It's that time of year again!

2009-05-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally giving forth some of her gifts and one of our favorites is the Stinging Nettle. That's right Nettles, those pesky plants that invade any feshly tilled spot before you can get anything else to come up there, are one of our favorite spring treats! I've been making this for a few summers now and we are hooked! Last night, son Charles and I harvested a big basket of shoots and got enough to freeze. Last year I wrote up the recipe: here it isl
Trust me, you'll smile too when the stinging nettles take over!

Rockfish Chowder

2009-05-06T11:41:00.002-07:00

The first comercial Halibut long line trip is underway for husband John (summer must be here!) and one of the benefits for us, you would think, would be fresh Halibut on our menu...but alas, that fish is all spoken for by people with way more money than we have. So we console ourselves with something I think is even better...Rockfish! The Shortraker Rockfish that swims in areas along with the Halibut is also an allowable by-catch. Because the Rockfish run with the Halibut, it is inevitable they are brought up on the longline hooks. Since the fish have come up so quckly from the bottom, throwing them back usually means a bunch of dead Rockfish. So as not to waste all those wonderful fish, John has worked out a deal with a local processor to breakdown and package them in trade for half the haul. It gives us a nice supply of legal fish at a cost that doesn't hurt our bottom line! One of our favorite ways to use it is to make Soup...

Easy Rockfish Chowder:

In a 6 quart heavy bottom soup pot saute:
1 medium onion-diced
3 lg carrots - diced
3 ribs celery - diced
3 Tablespoons olive oil

When onion is translucent, deglaze pan with 1/2 cup white wine. Stir until liquid is mostly absorbed and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of flour and stir to coat all vegetables. Pour in 2 quarts Fish stock (or water!) and stir over medium heat until the flour is incorporated and add 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced and and a hearty pinch or two of salt. cook over medium low heat until the potatoes are soft and the broth is thickened. It is important to stir frequently during this process as the flour will want to cling to the bottom of the pan!
Add 1 pound of Rockfish, raw and cut into 1 " chunks, stir until fish is cooked, this will only take a moment or two.
Finish with a cup of heavy cream, a squeeze from half a lemon and a tablespoon of dill (dried or fresh, use what you have!)

Summer makes me think of pie, Berry Pie!

2009-04-29T20:26:00.000-07:00

An afternoon at home with such summery weather had me torn between staying in and writing recipes (like I promised I would!) or getting out in this beautiful sunshine! I managed a bit of both and while I was contemplating which next formula to tackle, I remembered the great post on Michael Ruhlman's blog about pie dough from his new book Ratio. It made me go back and revisit our formula, just to see if it could use a little tweaking. In the end, I reduced the butter by a smidge, but other than that I think we have a winner. Pie crust purists may scoff at the addition of an egg yolk and sugar, but it adds a tenderness to the crust that we really enjoy! Since the rhubarb is still looking like an alien we have to turn to the freezer to use up the rest of the berries.
For the crust:
2 1/2 cup unbleached flour
7 ounces cold butter, cut into little pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup ice cold water
1 egg yolk
splash lemon juice
Cut cold butter into flour, working the mixture with your hands and rubbing between your fingers in a sheeting motion. When it is well combined add sugar and salt and mix together wet ingredients... Add to flour mix and work to form a ball of dough, using more flour or water as needed to keep it from being too dry or too sticky. Wrap tightly and refridgerate for an hour or up to a week. Will freeze for one month.

Berry filling;
5 cups IQF frozen Berries- thawed just slightly
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn starch

toss all ingredients together in a bowl and set aside

To Assemble:
On a well floured surface roll out 1/2 the ball of dough to about a 12" circle, Place this into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate.
Fill the center with the berries. Roll out the other half of dough into a rectangle this time, about 14" x 10". cut 1 1/2" strips the short way...about 10 strips total. Lay 5 strips across berry-filled pie, folding back the two alternate ones from the middle. Lay one strip down perpendicular to these across the middle of the pie. lay the two strips back into place and pulling back the three alternating ones, lay another strip down and repeat process on other side until all 5 remaining are used. Tuck the ends up under the edge of the pie plate and crimp around the edges. At this point, I like to guild the lily even more by brushing with egg wash and sprinkling with a little sugar. place on parchment lined sheet pan in a 375 degree oven. Bake one hour or until bubbly in the center.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

2009-04-08T17:32:00.001-07:00

This soup is familiar to many out there as a favorite from the Moosewood Cookbook. For a long time I made their recipe at the different establishments I cooked for, and it was always great. Then when we started making large batches at the bakery, we had a problem burning the bechmel that was used to thicken it. Because it had a milk base, it would also curdle if you added too much lemon or let the mixture come to a boil. It was then that I decided to rethink our approach to produce a more reliable and shelf stable and, I think, TASTIER, soup!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion- diced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds fresh button mushrooms, sliced 1/8th inch
3 Tablespoons Paprika
2 teaspoons Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon Dill
1/2 cup Flour
8 cups Vegetable Stock or water (I usually use water!)
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 cup Heavy Cream

Method:

In a heavy bottom soup pot on medium heat:
Saute onion in olive oil until just translucent...2 minutes
Add mushrooms and turn up the heat slightly...saute 2-3 minutes more
Stir in: Paprika, Salt and Dill
Saute 5 minutes more, stirring frequently.
Add the flour and mix well to hydrate all the flour
Pour in Liquid (Water or Stock) and whisk well with a large whisk
being sure to scrape all bits of bottom of pan.
Switch to a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat
Stirring quite frequently and being careful the flour doesn't stick
to the bottom of the pan.
Once the soup comes to a low boil, simmer 5 more minutes to
thoroughly cook the flour.
Add Heavy Cream, Lemon Juice and Soy sauce.
Enjoy!

Bench Notes:
This soup has infinite possibilties for variations:
Use wild mushrooms, leave out cream and use sour cream or no cream
Deglaze the pan with Red Wine, add mustard powder...go crazy people!

Maple Butter Cookies

2009-02-08T07:30:00.000-08:00

I never much liked sugar cookies. They just weren't very exciting and seemed to me to purely be a medium for decoration, the cookie dough itself had no real taste so you had to sugar it up. I discovered this recipe many years ago...it was, in fact, one of my first 'holiday' cookies and remains our standard dough for making cut-outs. The maple flavor gives these cookies an unexpected depth...I love watching peoples faces the first time they try one...they think it's going to be another cardboard tasting sugar cookie...but no! there's actual flavor in there...can I have another one of those?

Maple Butter Cookies

1 cup Butter-soft
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Maple syrup...the real stuff
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour

Cream together butter, sugar and maple syrup
Add egg yolk...mix well
sift flour and salt gether and stir into above
wrap tightly and refridgerate 1 hour
roll out on floured board and cut out as desired.
for the cookies above use two heart cutters of different sizes
and fill the center with crushed hard candy.
Bake at 325 for 10 - 12 minutes.

Commenter CorgiMan just sent me his version of these cookies...so cute! I'm glad you had fun, Skip!

Chocolate and Bacon Truffles

2009-01-31T15:42:00.000-08:00

These were the topic of conversation all week and beyond as we watched the varied responses that these little delicasies provoke...

1/2 # Applewood smoked bacon - cut into 1/2 " pcs.
Brown in a large nonreactive skillet until quite crisp
Strain off fat and set aside for use in coating
return bacon bits, (saving out 1/4 cup for the brickle topping!)
to pan and deglaze over low heat with 1/2 cup brandy, careful now!
When most of the liquid has evaporated,
Add 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream.
Heat Cream over med-low heat until it boils stirring up
the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Turn off the heat and let sit 20 minutes.
Before straining, turn heat back on and bring just to slight simmer

Strain this mixture into a large stainless bowl
filled with 1 1/2 # (4cups) chopped semisweet chocolate.
Whisk until well combined. Cover and chill over night.

roll chilled chocolate into balls. (the size of your balls
is purely up to you, I like to keep mine kinda smallish)
lay out on parchment covered sheetpan and freeze while
you are melting the coating.

For Coating: melt 3 cups chopped semisweet choclate
and 1/2 cup of the bacon fat over simmering water until smooth.

For brickle topping: heat together reserved bacon bits with
1/4 cup turbinado sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small heavy bottom saucepan
boil gently until mixture is carmel colored and thick
pour onto sheetpan lined with parchment paper and spread out to cool.
When completely cool, cover with another piece of parchment and bash with a rolling pin to pulverize.
Sprinkle liberally onto truffles while chocolate is still wet for maximum adhesion and crunch factor.

To Finish: drop chilled truffles one at a time into chocolate coating mixture. ..fish out with a large fork, tapping the sides of the bowl with the handle of the fork to remove as much excess chocolate as possilble. immediatley dress the top with a little of the bacon brickle. chill flat on parchment and move to paper cups once they harden. Best ejoyed at room temp. but keep refridgerated otherwise...have fun with the possibilities! and let me know how they work for you!

Chocolate Fudge

2008-11-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

After 20 years of trying to make fudge, I finally did it! The answer, I'm sure is wrapped in science, but it's manifested in the addition of treacle instead of corn syrup...allow me to introduce the magic ingredient: Lyles Golden Syrup!
Here is my formula:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup treacle
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate- chopped
2 tablespoons butter

Now here is the method:
in a heavy bottomed 3 quart saucepan melt together the milk, cream, sugar and treacle
over medium heat, cook until sugar is dissolved. Add chocolate and stir until smooth.
Raise heat to med-high and attach a candy thermometer. boil until temp reaches 238 degrees
(firm ball stage) turn off heat and leaving thermometer in place put pats of butter on top and
let rest until mixture reaches 120 degrees. Do not disturb or jostle in any way...this is very important! Remove thermometer and using a wooden spoon
beat mixture vigorously (maybe 5 minutes?) until it just begins to loose it's sheen.
Quickly turn out into a buttered 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper. Let cool. Wrap tightly
Hide from the kids...Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies

2008-10-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite Homer gardners, Dave Schroer, is notorious for many things...starting the local golf course (for which my husband is very grateful!) and his amazing sweet pea bouquets at the farmers market, most of all, though, when you mention his name to a longtime local they talk about his pumpkin patch. How he used to let the kids run through and scratch their name in a pumpkin early in the season and collect them up again come harvest time. His lovely wife Beth threw him an 80th birthday party this summer and we were honored to help her with the food. As a tip, Dave dropped off some pumpkins...with his grandkids names scratched in the side. First thing we did was roast them up for...Cookies!

Pumpkin cookies...the best part, besides eating them, is they make your house smell great!

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup white flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teasppon salt 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, beat well, then add pumpkin puree and vanilla...stir to combine.
in another bowl mix together all dry ingredients and toss well to combine thoroughly.
Stir dry into wet until well blended. drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
and bake until center is firm to the touch, 12-15 minutes. Let cool a bit while you mix the glaze.

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons soft butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
mix with whisk, or even better in a cuisinart or blender
spread on slightly warm cookies
We like to use colorful sprinkles to jazz them up...kids
will pick a cookie with sprinles every time!
Chocolate chips are very popular also...!
enjoy!

Vegan Muffins

2008-08-21T23:28:00.000-07:00

Whatever Muffins...they can be whatever you want them to be!

drymix
4c whole wheat flour
1/2 c oats
1t salt
4t baking powder
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 c granola
1c fruit, carrot, zuke...whatever
3/4 c brown sugar

1 1/3 c rice or soy milk
1 c oil
2 c juice

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl...mix wet in separate bowl and then pour into dry. mix till just combined. spoon into greased muffin tins lined with cups.Top with a little brown sugar and oats.
bake 350 degrees...20 minutes

Chocolate Cake with a secret...

2008-08-21T23:24:00.000-07:00

Vegan Chocolate Cake
this cake is so good you won't want to tell...

1- 10” cake-brush a 10" round cake pan with oil and line with parchment paper , preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dry:
3 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoon b soda
1 teaspoon salt
sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and then also whisk to ensure everything is well combined and lump-free BEFORE adding:

Wet: measure together,
2 cups cold water
1/2 cups olive oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
mix wet in measuring cup, then pour into dry whisking very well until all lumps of flour (for some reason the olive oil is very important to a lump free cake...trust me on this one!) are absorbed and the batter is smooth, pour into prepared pan
bake at 325 dgrees for 30 min.
This cake is best with fresh berries and whipped cream, but then it wouldn't be vegan...perhaps a ganache made with milk-free chocolate and soymilk instead...yum!

Turtle Bars

2008-08-21T23:22:00.000-07:00

Turtle Bars

Oven 350
9x13 pan
Crust
1 1/2c. Flour
3/4c. butter- cold cut in pieces
1/4c. Sugar
1t salt
This is best done in a mixer,( however I have done this by hand but it requires a lot of elbow grease). Mix until dough holds together in a firm ball when pressed together in your hands.
Press firmly into 9x13 pan and refrigerate while making filling

Filling
5 oz. butter
1c. brown sugar
1 cups granulated sugar
1/4 c. honey
½ c. Heavy cream

Cook all ingredients together stirring constantly with a wire whisk- cool slightly

Scatter 2c. Pecans over cold crust carefully pour filling over nuts. Bake 20-30 min. till bubbly in center.
Cool completely.

Chocolate topping
1 ½ c. semi sweet chocolate
¾ c. heavy cream
Heat cream to scalding and pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth pour over cooled pecan filling and spread evenly. Refrigerate till firm.

Scones

2008-08-21T23:21:00.000-07:00

Scones

10 palm sized scones
20 min.- 350 oven

2 c. Flour
1T Baking powder
½ t salt
¼ c. Sugar
½ c. Butter- cold
¾ c. fruit – dried fruit of any kind or frozen berries of any kind(do not thaw)
2/3 c. buttermilk
1 egg

in lg mixing bowl, toss together flour, baking powder sugar and salt. Cut in butter to pea- like consistency. Add fruit in separate container mix together buttermilk and egg. Pour over dry mix and fold together until fully combined but DO NOT OVERMIX! Turn out onto a floured surface and press into a rectangle to 1 ¼ inch thickness. Using a long knife or bench scraper, cut dough into triangles. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until just golden on the edges.

White trash...it's not social commentary, it's just bread!

2008-08-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

White Trash Bread...the story is, when the bakery first opened way back in 1993, we took on one wholesale customer... a local restaurant that was also revamping an old space. We made their desserts and developed a bread for them. In the process of finding out what it was they were exactly looking for in a bread,one of them said, "you know, like that trashy white bread you get in Texas." We thought," OK, we get it"...and when he picked it up we told him," Here's your white trash bread!"...and that was it, no judgements or social commentary...just soft, flavorful, slightly chewy white bread...silky in texture and a little bit sweet (just like the Texans we know!). It is by far our most asked for recipe...

White Trash dough

mix together in a measuring cup and 'proof' to test the liveliness of the yeast
2 pkg active dry yeast (1/2 oz)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 cup very warm water (not hot)

when this bubbles and looks healthy...hopefully in a few minutes, transfer to a mixing bowl.
and add:
1 1/2 cups of warm water
1/2 cup milk-whole fat
1 T olive oil (melted butter would be great, also)
1T Honey
5 cups (1.4 lbs.) unbleached white flour
mix this by hand or in a mixer until it just barely comes together..
.then cover and let rest for 20 minutes or so...this is referred to
as an 'autolyse' and it allows the flour to absorb the moisture without
the salt hampering the process. After time is up, stir in...
1 T salt and another cup (4.5 oz) of flour
the dough will come together into a medium soft dough that
stands up to kneading but is not too firm. Work until silky in texture
and thin bands form when pulling it apart.
.
Let rise, covered, until double in bulk.
You may now either form it into loaves to rise again and slash and
bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until internal temp is 195.
OR you can make dinner rolls or bread sticks...
this is also the perfect dough for STICKY BUNS!

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

2008-08-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES!

Every year at holiday time we make cookies...LOTS of cookies, a few dozen kinds, every year the list changes, we rotate out the least popular or difficult. By the end of the holiday season...we are so done with those cookies! This is one cookie, though that we (and everyone else) loved so much that we decided to let it grow up and become a real, year round part of our bakery case. I've had a special request for the recipe in time for mothers day...so here it is!
Now get baking Daddy-o!

This is a larger than normal batch...you'll be glad.

1# unsalted butter...soft
1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated
2 cup brown sugar
2 cup light molasses
6 1/4 cup flour
5 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 tsp baking soda
2 Tblsp boiling water
28 ounces chocolate chips (sometimes we add 1/2 white chocolate chips)

preheat oven to 325 dgrees.
cream butter, fresh ginger, brown sugar and molasses.
Sift flour and spices and salt, Mix 1/2 into butter mixture
dissolve baking soda in water and add to above, then stir in rest of flour mixture
and chocolate chips. Chill dough....roll into balls and dredge in granulated sugar
bake on parchment lined cookie sheet for 12- 15 minutes...um, depending on the size of your balls.
if you make a larger sized cookie like we do, flatten slightly before baking.

Nettle Pesto!

2008-08-21T22:57:00.000-07:00

Spring can be a stinging affair this far north, with temps still in the forties most days (look, the trees aren't even leafed out yet)...a little wind, a little rain, and yes, a little sun as well. Enough so that my nettle patch, on the western side of my lawn at home, is thriving quite nicely, thank you. It's the perfect time to cut back this itchy nuisance as the ball playing is in full force around here and looking for lost baseballs in a patch of nettles is, well, no fun! It's great that we get to take care of this pesky problem in such a tasty satisfying way. My friends Jenny and Sydney showed me this method...in the past, we've gotten to make many different batches...but this year has been a little challenging to get us all together.
Since I am home today, I think I'll get things started.

I cut about 16 cups of nettles...enough for two batches

Drop 8 cups of the nettles into a large pot of boiling salted water and blanch for two minutes

Squeeze out excess liquid and give them a rough chop...you'll have about three cups

Into your food processor with approximately ( I say this because you can certainly
add more, less or delete altogether any of the proposed ingredients to your liking!)
1 cup grated Parmesean
1 cup walnuts (I prefer the flavor over pine nuts)
5 garlic cloves-peeled (obviously)
a splash of lemon juice
dash kosher salt
a few turns of the pepper mill
1/2 cup olive oil-the nicest you can afford - drizzle in as processor is running...again you can add more or less depending on how thick you want it.

I like to spoon it into glass jars and pour a little olive oil on top...refrigerate for up to four weeks or freeze in 8 0z wide mouth jam jars to save for the middle of winter when your dying for a little taste of spring.
Be sure to label and date the top so that when your rooting around in the freezer come February you'll know what tha funny green stuff is.
This first batch is packaged up and ready to pass out to my friends.

Pastry Dough

2008-08-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

Pastry dough
2/3 c wm water
5 t active dry yeast
1/2 c sugar
mix together well and set aside
1c milk
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
2t salt
add above to yeast mixture and blend well
5 c flour
2 c cold butter cut in pcs. 1/2” in size work butter into flour slightly with a pastry cutter or your hands. mix wet into dry and form into mass of dough, cover and chill 6 hrs or overnight. turn out onto well floured board and roll out into a long rectangle...fold over into 3rds. roll out and fold 3 times...cover and chill 6 more hours ...roll into desired shapes proof and bake

Pastry Cream

2008-08-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Pastry cream

6 c milk
3 c sugar
9 whole eggs
2 T vanilla
3/4 c cornstarch

scald milk and sugar together in medium saucepan...beat eggs cornstarch and vanilla together...temper into egg mixture...cook over med heat stirring constantly... until 1st bubbles.

Oatmeal Cookies

2008-08-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

Oatmeal Cookies

2 c butter
2c brown sugar
2c. granulated sugar
4 eggs

3 c flour
5 c oats
2 t baking soda

2 c raisins
2 t vanilla

cream butter and sugar add eggs one at a time...mix dry ingredients separately, then stir into butter egg mixture, add raisins. drop spoonfuls onto a sheetpan lined with parchment...bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes.

New York style Cheesecake

2008-08-19T21:27:00.000-07:00

NY Cheese cake
Crust
2 sleeves lady finger cookies
1T soft Butter
Process till finely ground in food processor and press into the bottom of a 10” removable bottom cake pan.

Filling
3# cream cheese...room temperature
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 T vanilla
2T lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees...cream together cream cheese and sugar til smooth and well combined...add eggs one at a time. Mix until very smooth, scraping the bottom and sides of bowl often. Stir in lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream. carefully pour over bottom crust and bake for 45-50 minutes or until completely puffed up and a little brown around the edges. pull out of oven and let cool completely...refrigerate overnight. Top with whipped cream.

Lemon Bars

2008-08-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

Lemon Bars
lemony, sticky and ...well...wonderful!
recipe makes 2 - 9x13 pans...'cause you'll want to make alot!
crust
1 1/2 c cold butter
3/4 c powdered sugar
1 t lemon zest
2 1/2 c flour
1 t salt
in mixer work together above ingredients until mixture looks like peas...press into pans and bake for 20 min at 325..until just golden...cool
filling
12 eggs
3 3/4 sugar
3/4 c lemon juice
1 1/2T Lemon zest
1/2 c flour
whisk all ingredients together til smooth, carefully pour over crust...bake for 20- 25 minutes until center is firm...cool thoroughly and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Green Tea shortbread

2008-08-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

Green Tea Short bread

2 c all purpose flour
2 T green tea powder or lavender flowers
1/2 T sea salt
1 c butter...soft
1/2 c confectioners sugar
sift dry ingredients together...cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy add dry and mix to smooth dough. flatten on parchment to 1/4 inch thickness...chill til firm cut to score and bake at 350 degrees until center is opaque and not shiny. cool and recut scored lines. For a festive touch dip one side in melted white chocolate. Elegant and delicious!

Vegan Granola

2008-08-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Granola
2 c chopped nuts and seeds- pecans, walnuts, sunflower, sesame, flax
8 c oats
1/2 canola oil
1/2 c agave or maple syrup
toss together and toast in 350 oven 15 min or so.. add 2 c total dried fruit- chopped...cool.

Gnarly White Cake

2008-08-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

White Cake (gnarley)

2/3 c butter- soft
3 eggs
1 3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla

cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy
add eggs one at a time...mix well!
sift together dry ingredients...add to butter mixture alternately with water and mix well.
transfer to greased 10’ cake pan that has been oiled and lined with parchment paper.

For Poppy seed variation soak 1/3 c poppy seeds in water and increase water to 1 3/4 cups.

Bake at 325 for 20-30 minutes.

Fruitcake

2008-08-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Our favorite Fruitcake...Okay, so I have to give credit where credit is due, this is based on Martha Stewart's neighbor Mrs. Maus' recipe...she's right, people LOVE it!
Pan size depends on your desires...this recipe yields about 6 - 6" round cake pans. I like to use an 8' paper ring mold that I buy from Novacart. little loaf pans are nice too, just be sure to line with parchment paper. Adjust your baking time to accommodate the pan and also if you are using convection it will take less time. the key is that when they are vigorously tapped they bounce right back. Also, be sure to brush the brandy on while still warm! We just cracked open one from my batch made in November and it was Sooo Good!

1 # unsalted Butter...softened
2 c Sugar
12 large eggs
4 # Candied and dried fruits...apricots, pineapple, ginger, dates, candied lemon peel ,sour cherries,etc.
1/2 c molasses
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
2 T ground allspice
2 # asst nuts...walnuts and pecans
2/3 c brandy
1 c apricot jam
oven to 275...
cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy...add eggs one at a time...beating well after each addition. Mix in 2c of the fruit and the molasses...sift together flour and allspice and add to above mixture, one cup at a time mixing well after each addition. Add remaining fruit and nuts...stir well to combine. bake 3 to 3 1/2 hours...while cakes are still warm brush with brandy mixed with one tablespoon of sugar...cool completely decorate with dried fruits and then brush with warm apricot jam. Wrap tightly in plastic...shelf life...25 years.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-08-19T21:17:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Chunk Cookies
This is a chocolate chip cookie lovers recipe...sort of carmel-ly if you under bake them ever so slightly...but hey, We would never want to tell you what to do or anything.
2 1/3 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar

2 eggs
2 c. chocolate chips or chunk
(if you must add nuts..we suggest 1 cup of chopped pecans, but the cookies purists we serve would never go for that.)

mix dry ingredients and set aside...cream butter and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy...add eggs one at time and beat well...slowly stir in dry and then chocolate chunks. place by rounded tablespoon on cookie sheet lined with parchment and flatten slightly (if dough is sticky wet your fingers lightly for this task). Bake at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes.

Carrot Cake

2008-08-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Carrot Cake
people really go crazy for this carrot cake...it’s so simple, and so versatile! put in muffin cups for a healthy snack or bake in round cake pans and frost with Ginger whipped cream for an elegant birthday cake!
4c flour
2 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 c sugar
2c brown sugar
2 t salt
4 t cinnamon
2 t cardamom
1 t nutmeg
8 eggs
4 c carrot - shredded
1 can pineapple
1 c oil
2 t vanilla

sift together dry, whisk together wet...mix well. bake at 325...20-25 minutes until center springs back

Fudgy Brownies

2008-08-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

Brownies

3 3/4 c butter
12 oz. semisweet choc- melted
6 c brown sugar
10 eggs
1 1/2 c cocoa powder
3 c flour
2 1/2 t baking power
1/8 t salt
cream butter, sugar, melted choc in mixer-add eggs one at a time. sift together dry and add to butter mix...spread into 3 9x13 pans. sprinkle with choc chips . bake at 350 for 20 -25 min until still slightly jiggly in center

Boca Negra

2008-08-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

Boca Negra
Spanish for ‘black mouth’ this can hardly be called a cake...but it fits the bill if chocolate decadence is what you’re after...it goes especially well with..you guessed it...Red Wine! One of our customers, a 70 year old gal, is so enamored with it she drives the 30 miles from Ninilchik to trade her raspberries (she picks them herself and freezes them in quart jars) for little Bocas that she cuts in slices and freezes to eat one piece at a time, all by herself. I love her.

12 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c red wine
1 c butter
5 eggs

melt together butter, sugar and red wine in saucepan until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. remove from heat and pour over choc. whisk til smooth. in a separate bowl whisk eggs and 1/3 c of the sugar...add to butter mixture whisk in flour and mix well. transfer to greased cake pans lined with parchment paper and bake in a water bath for 30 min in 350 oven. It should jiggle slightly but not be wet looking in the center. Chill completely. To de-pan, run a small sharp knife around the edge of the cake to separate the sides form the pan and invert on a plate. Carefully peel off paper and place serving plate on bottom, being careful to center it and, using a hand to support each side turn upside down so cake is sitting upright. At this point I like to pipe ganache in pretty concentric circles all over the top. You can also embrace the rustic beauty of it and just slice and serve with whipped cream. or you could just eat it off the plate, all by yourself.