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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Plum Sorbet

When I wrote the first edition of The Perfect Scoop. I only allowed myself to use the word “refreshing “ once, which I’m pretty sure I did. When you write a book, there’s a tendency to include everything that you possibly can, but a number of things can nudge them out, such as having photos, which everyone loves. So although I included Plum-Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream, Plum Granita, Plum Ice Cream, Plum-Raspberry Sorbet, Plum-Rasberry Swirl Ice Cream, and a Plum-Berry Compote (whew!), I didn’t include a Plum Sorbet recipe.

It probably didn’t include it because I would have had to use the word “refreshing” to describe this distinctly tart-tangy Plum Sorbet, which tastes like the best of summer is one remarkably colorful scoop. Since this recipe is on the blog, I’m gonna invoke the “Do whatever you want, it’s your blog” rule and go ahead and say that this is, indeed, very refreshing.

I’m a fan of any and all plums, and never met one I didn’t like. I even add a salty Japanese umeboshi plum to the pot when I make rice. When the rice is done, I pluck out the fermented fruit and eat it, which is said to be good for all sorts of things that might ail you.

Most of the flavor of plums are in the skins, especially that tangy flavor we all love. In France, big, red juicy plums, called prunes (a word which always trips me up, because that’s the word we use for dried plums in English, which in French are pruneaux…) are harder to come by. We get amazing Reine Claude plums, and the cult-like forces make an appearance at the mention of the word “Mirabelle,” but I’m also a huge fan of Santa Rosa, Elephant Heart, and other lush, pulpy, purple plums.

Much of that adoration I owe to a personal hero of mine, Luther Burbank, a horticulturalist from Northern California who cross-pollinated fruits in the late 1800’s and came up with a number of hybrids, including the russet potato and plumcots, but most notably the Santa Rosa plum, an excellent, all-purpose plum that’s still popular today.

There’s nothing more satisfying than cooking up a pot of plums, too. They don’t get peeled and that peel, in addition to adding spectacular flavor, gives them a color that, when churned up into Plum Sorbet, is terrific on its own, but especially shines when paired with other seasonal fruits and berries.

Although not salty, or fermented, this Plum Sorbet is very good for curing what ails you. It’s especially refreshing, and I’ve been using it this summer to cool things down, making it just what the doctor ordered.

1 1/2 pounds (680g) plums

1/2 cup (100g) sugar, or 1/3 cup (65g) sugar plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 to 3 teaspoons kirsch, maraschino liqueur, or vodka

a few drops fresh lemon juice

1. Pit the plums, slice them, and put them in a medium-sized saucepan with 1/4 cup (60ml) water. Cover and cook over medium heat, lifting the lid and stirring occasionally, until the plums are soft and completely cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. Blend or puree the plums. You should have about 2 cups (500ml) of plum puree.

3. Put the sugar, or sugar and corn syrup, in the saucepan with about 1/2 cup (125ml) of the plum puree and cook it over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir it into the rest of the plum puree. Mix in the kirsch or maraschino and a few drops of lemon juice, then chill the mixture thoroughly, preferably overnight.

4. When the sorbet mixture is thoroughly chilled, freeze the sorbet in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Here are a few pointers and tips about the recipe:

Why do you cook the plums? Can I make this with raw plums?

Much of the flavor of plums comes from the delicious, tart skin. Cooking the fruit draws out that flavor and melds it with the flavorful juicy flesh. So I cook the fruit.

Why is my sorbet so hard after it’s been in the freezer?

Fruit is around 90% water, so sorbets tend to freeze harder than ice creams, which have more fat to mitigate that. Also, home freezers tend to be much colder than the freezers used at ice cream shops. This sorbet is softer than others, and plums have less water than citrus and other fruits, so isn’t as much of an issue in this sorbet. For tips, check out my post, Tips for Making Homemade Ice Cream Softer.

Do I need to use an ice cream machine?

Nope, although the steady churning of a machine gives the sorbet a nice consistency. (For tips on ice cream machines, check this post.) If you want to make this without using an ice cream machine, freeze the sorbet mixture in a shallow, freezer-safe container; one that’s plastic will make it easier to remove the sorbet mixture in chunks when it’s frozen. Once frozen, break the sorbet mixture into rough chunks, place them in a food processor, and pulse the mixture until it’s smooth.

Why is my ice cream machine so noisy?

Many small appliances with motors are noisy, such as blenders, stand mixers, and vacuum cleaners. (My defense against not wanting to vacuum is that I can’t stand the noise.) When someone invents a noiseless vacuum cleaner, perhaps they’ll work on a whisper-quiet blender and ice cream machine. If I need quiet, I put mine in my office, next to my kitchen, and close the door. But I don’t mind the noise too much coming from my machine since I know something good will come out of it…

Can I use less sugar?

Yes, but the sorbet will be much firmer when it comes out of the freezer. If you want to reduce the sugar substantially, you may wish to make granita. To do so, pour the sorbet mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe container and rake the mixture with a fork as it’s freezing in regular intervals, to create little crystals. For more information, check my post on Baking Ingredients and Substitutions.

Can I omit the alcohol?

Yes, but alcohol will help keep the sorbet softer in the freezer. If you omit it, it will be firmer so best to take it out of the freezer 5 to 10 minutes in advance of scooping it. You can use other spirits or liqueurs in this, such as Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, Cointreau, white rum, vodka, gin, or a fruit-forward eau-de-vie.

Why use corn syrup, and what are some substitutes for it?

I offer up two version of sweeteners for the recipe. Check my post: When to use, and not use, corn syrup in a recipe. Spoiler: The corn syrup that you buy in the supermarket isn’t high-fructose corn syrup, which is something you should avoid. Natural food stores carry organic, non-GMO corn syrup, which you might prefer to use over supermarket brands.

Can I use other types of plums for this?

I use purple plums, which are my favorite types of plums for baking and cooking, due to the tartness in their skins. If using a sweeter plum, such as Reine Claudes, Damsons, Italian prune plums, greengages, or Mirabelles, you might want to augment the tartness with additional lemon juice.

Source: https://www.davidlebovitz.com/plum-sorbet-ice-cream-recipe-sherbet/

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Ssshh! Don't Tell Aunty, Surry Hills

Don't Tell Aunty is a new modern Indian restaurant on Fitzroy street in Surry Hills (replacing 4Fourteen). The restaurant is decorated in gorgeous, sumptuous colours with accents of copper and gold. And the menu? Well they proudly proclaim it's "unauthentic Indian". That is, the sort of the classic Indian food that you might tweak and just not tell your Indian aunty about.

The Fourth Kardashian sister and I are the second group to arrive at Don't Tell Aunty and we take a seat by the large window. One wall plays Mughal-e-Azam or what our waiter describes as "the best Indian movie ever made". For a change there are no cocktails ordered and we go straight to the food. The uni biryani which intrigued me so much is not available this evening (sad face).

The tell tale sign that you've ordered a lot is when the staff quietly start to take cutlery off a neighbouring table to join two tables together. The Fourth Kardashian Sister giggles with delight and for me, it's a regular occurrence. The chef is Jessi Singh who also has two restaurants in America and a place in Melbourne and he is in the kitchen and on the floor tonight.

Service here is...very present. Which is not necessarily what we want. We want to have a private, animated discussion and they keep coming back and checking on us. "Would you like the next dish now?" seems a popular refrain and we don't know why they can't just bring it out but they're eager to please and get feedback given it is early days. However every time we get started on talking about something interesting, another staff member pops up to ask if we want a dish cleared, or to check on how something was and by the end we're a bit over it.

Yogurt kebabs $14

Probably one of my favourite dishes of the night are the yogurt kebabs or yogurt croquettes. I'd had these at the One Table Supper Club and loved them so much that I made their version of yogurt kebab on my blog. The one here is crunchy deep fried on the outside and it sits in a beetroot yogurt puree. The hung yogurt is rich and creamy and it's strong in ginger and spices.

"The original" naan pizza $12

The naan pizza is shaped like a pizza but it is a pizza in the reverse with the blue cheese inside the pizza and the pickled red chilli sauce spread on the outside. I think I was hoping for more, perhaps more cheese or something else. Also the menu does say it is fontina cheese but it's blue cheese used which is an odd substitution considering some people have strong opinions on blue cheese.

Pappadum, chutney and naan platter $18

Sauces are life for me so when presented with an option to try 6 sauces, garlic naan and pappadums we order this. The pappadums are rolled up like cigars and the sauces are: cumin spiced yogurt, hot chilli sauce, tamarind sauce, pickled mango, mint sauce and sweet mango chutney. There's also a tomato and daikon salad in the centre. The garlic naan is nice and garlicky although not as puffy as I really like naan to be, instead it's flatter and thinner.

Grilled Summer Prawn $28 and aged basmati sella rice $5

The grilled summer prawn come as two large head on prawns with pineapple and jalapeno chutney. The menu describes them coming with a micro herb salad and again this comes with something entirely different, an heirloom tomato salad which truthfully doesn't suit it very much. I wish with all of the service they had mentioned this to us. We also order this with the aged basmati sella rice very lightly flavoured with cumin and lemon.

Colonel Tso's Cauliflower $16

They tell us that one of the most popular dishes is the Colonel Tso's cauliflower which is an Indian Chinese dish (it's a thing, just visit Harris Park) with a spicy, sweet and sour style of sauce. The cauliflower florets are steamed and then deep fried and coated in the sauce and black and white sesame seeds. The serve that we got was not quite as crispy as we had hoped and when they asked us about it we mentioned that the softer texture and they whisked it away and replaced it with a crispier version although still not quite as crispy as I've had before. I think steaming it rather than roasting it first makes it softer and less crispy.

Short Rib Korma $25

The other dish that I liked apart from the yogurt kebabs is the short rib korma which we had to wait for quite a while for. It's a richly sauced cashew nut based curry with soft beef chunks, curry leaves, cardamom, coriander and coconut.

Dessert is sent out to us (we noticed another table got complimentary fairy floss) and it's delicious. It's a chai and Parle-G biscuit (classic Indian biscuit) kulfi. You do have to eat it quickly as it may fall off the skewer but it's super creamy in texture with just the right amount of chai and finely ground up biscuit.

So tell me Dear Reader, which dishes did you like the look of? Have you ever tried Indian Chinese food? And do you like over attentive service or do you prefer to be left a bit alone?

414 Bourke St (enter on Fitzroy Street), Surry Hills NSW 2010 Tuesday to Saturday 11am–2:30pm, 5–10pm Sunday & Monday Closed Phone: (02) 9331 5399

Source: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2018/10/19/dont-tell-aunty-surry-hills/

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Apricot Brandy Pound Cake

This apricot brandy pound cake is so incredibly easy to put together, perfect for the holidays and absolutely delicious, a showstopper of flavors!

*This post for Apricot Brandy Pound Cake was originally published December 22, 2011. It’s been updated with new photographs. Apricot brandy pound cake has been a staple on our holiday table for years now. It may be humble in appearance (be generous with that powdered sugar topping) but it’s flavor is indescribably delicious and it’s only made better by how simple it is to put together. Make it a few days ahead of time because the cake just gets better as it sits and the flavors have time to soak in. It also freezes incredibly well. It’s an indulgence for sure but that’s what the holidays are about, right? Hope you enjoy it!

Content below is original and you can bet I’m rolling my eyes at myself from six years ago as I read it too.

—–

Oh, hello there you gorgeous boozy thing of a cake. Me and you have a date Christmas Eve night. Dessert table, let’s say around 9pm, don’t be late.

I’m willing to look past your less than stellar traits for one night of pure bliss. I’ll admit up front, this will probably be a one night stand. You’re just not really my type. I can’t see myself with you everyday, but you seem pretty delicious and fun for a night. No need to bring any accoutrements, just you. I’m easy to please.

Also check out this glazed orange cardamom cake or this applesauce raisin skillet cake for more simple but absolutely delicious holiday cake options!

Yeah, that just happened.

It’s fine. You’d understand if you tasted a piece.

This is probably the simplest and yet the most flavorful and rich cake I’ve ever had. It doesn’t hurt that there’s brandy in it either. A little more brandy than the recipe calls for too (oops).

I think this recipe for apricot brandy cake comes from my great aunt Rose who lives in Delaware. Lucky for us, we somehow got our hands on the recipe a few years back and have been making it for the holidays ever since.

It’s an indulgence to the max (just look at the ingredient list) and every flippin’ bit worth it. The cake itself is so rich and perfect there’s honestly no need for fancy glazes or icing. Just a sprinkling of powdered sugar to make it shine.

It’s all done in your stand mixer (I suggest not being too diligent about getting all the batter out when you transfer it to the pan, you’re gonna want to lick that thing clean, trust me) which makes clean up a cinch and it gets even more flavorful the longer it sits. Could it get any better than that?

I don’t think so.

Make this.

It’ll be the best one night stand you’ve ever had.

This apricot brandy pound cake is so incredibly easy to put together, perfect for the holidays and absolutely delicious, a showstopper of flavors!

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature

6 eggs

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon rum extract

1 teaspoon orange liquor (I use cointreau)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup apricot brandy

3 cups of all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.

Add all other ingredients except flour and mix to combine.

Add flour and mix on a low speed until fully combined.

Pour batter into a very well greased bundt pan.

Bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cake cool completely in pan on a cooling rack and then invert to remove from the pan.

Wrap cake tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil and seal tightly in a plastic bag until serving.

Garnish with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

*Feel free to make this cake a few days before serving. Wrap it as directed in the directions, it just gets better as it sits.

**This cake freezes very well.

***I've lessened the sugar by 1/2 to 3/4 a cup and also used whole wheat white flour before and the cake comes out just fine. It's a very forgiving recipe.

Source: https://www.runningtothekitchen.com/apricot-brandy-cake/

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Creamy Healthy Fall Vegan Sweet Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker

This CREAMY healthy fall vegan sweet potato soup is made in the slow cooker for an EASY weeknight dinner with cozy flavor! Gluten free, paleo and delicious!

PIN Creamy healthy fall vegan sweet potato soup

Ohhhh the sweet potato soup recipe of 1000 FACES.

Which only makes sense to you if you live in my kitchen, which you don’t, so you’re probably just sitting there scratching your cute little noggin’ wonderin’ what I’m talking about.

Internet friends, you know I like crazy food combos. I am the girl that made healthy banana muffins with turmeric and green cashew curry chicken bowls with watermelon.

But, sometimes, even my own taste buds get it wrong. They think they know WHAT IS UP and that flavor combo XYZ is going to make the best, most YUMMIEST slow cooker sweet potato soup. And then they actually taste it.

Annnnd they’re like “BYYEEEE, we’ll just go back to SIMPLE crock pot paleo hamburger soup or kabocha squash soup K THANKS.”

This creamy healthy fall vegan sweet potato soup was one of those moments in my life when I questioned my recipe-developing brain. It started out as MAPLE APPLE CHIPOTLE COCONUT with ONION NOODLES.

Holy whoa, slow your rolllll Taylor. That was just TOO much going on, and the chipotle hit ya with a POW of not-so-good-spiciness-cannot-taste-anything-else-for-the-rest-of-the-day-kinda BADNESS.

Then there was PEANUT BUTTER COCONUT TERIYAKI (???) with CUCUMBER NOODLES.

Do not even know why I thought that would be good. We’ll just leave that over there.

F-I-N-A-L-L-Y we landed on this COZY bowl of fall B-L-I-S-S with creamy notes of sweet potato, spicy cinnamon and ginger with a little naturally-sweet and FRESH ‘n fruity apple and that velvety-smooooth swirl of creamy coconut milk and maple syrup.

Wiiiith a pinch of cumin to balance it allll out so your mouth doesn’t feel like it’s slurpin’ on a healthy SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE.

Also, almond butter and APPLE noodles because it worked so well for coconut curry with almond butter, and it’s taking the creamy factor of this easy sweet potato soup recipe OFF THE CHARTS.

Also, the sequel: cumin roasted almonds might just be your new favorite snack because they are just SO SIMPLE 3-ingredients-kinda-good, but are gonna make your texture-freak self VRY excited about eating a bowl of soup.

So, liiike, make extra to feed your snacking mouth, mmkay?

One almond for the soup, three for Y-O-U. Rep-EAT.

Besides being totally fall-appropriate and hitting all the texture marks – creamy! Crunchy! Crispy! – you’re going to get really excited when you realize that choosing to eat healthy sweet potato soup is basically like pressing the EASY BUTTON on your dinner life.

HOLY friends could not get ANY simpler.

Well, maybe if you bought it. But then you wouldn’t be the ultra-successful-kitchen-MASTER that I know lives inside you.

How do you make sweet potato soup with coconut milk?

Peel and roughly chop your sweet potatoes, along with your apples (no need to peel those!) and add them into your crock pot.

Add in your chicken broth, spices and a little swirl of creamy almond butter.

Cook those suckers until super-soft and tender, which is 2-3 hours on high heat

Toss it ALL into a blender with a drizzle of PURE maple syrup and light coconut milk and blend until your creamy-soup-dreams are A REALITY

Pressin’ that easy button on dinner and feelin’ VRY cozy-creamy-fall FANTASTIC about it.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Easy Homemade CrockPot Vegetable Soup

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

Moroccan Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

Creamy Healthy Fall Vegan Sweet Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker

This CREAMY healthy fall vegan sweet potato soup is made in the slow cooker for an EASY weeknight dinner with cozy flavor! Gluten free, paleo and delicious!

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Servings 6 People (about 1 Cup each)

Ingredients

2 Medium Sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (700g)

2 Large Fuji apples, seeded and roughly chopped (300g)

1 1/2 Cups Reduced-sodium Vegetable broth

3 Tbsp Natural creamy almond butter

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

1 tsp Fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Sea salt

1 Cup Light coconut milk

2 Tbsp Maple syrup

Instructions

Stir all the ingredients up to the coconut milk (not including the milk) In the bottom of your slow cooker (mine is 7 quarts.) Cover and cook until the potatoes and apples are soft and tender, about 3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low.

While the soup cooks, heat your oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the almonds with the oil and ground cumin, sprinkling with salt. Spread onto a small pan and bake until golden brown and toasted, about 10-11 minutes. Roughly chop and set aside.

Once the soup is cooked, transfer to a large blender, along with the coconut milk and maple syrup. Blend until smooth and creamy, adjusting the salt if necessary.

Transfer into bowls and divide the apple noodles, almonds and some fresh cilantro on top of each bowl. DEVOUR!

FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Healthy Fall Vegan Sweet Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 278 Calories from Fat 79

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8.8g 14%

Saturated Fat 2.6g 13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5g

Monounsaturated Fat 3.6g

Sodium 560mg 23%

Potassium 618mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates 49.2g 16%

Dietary Fiber 7.6g 30%

Sugars 22.9g

Protein 4.4g 9%

Vitamin A 1.3%

Vitamin C 12%

Calcium 4%

Iron 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Weight Watchers Points Per Serving: Freestyle SmartPoints: 10 Points+: 7. Old Points: 5

(per 1/6 of the recipe or about 1 cup of soup with 1/6 of the apple noodles and almonds)

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Source: https://www.foodfaithfitness.com/creamy-healthy-fall-vegan-sweet-potato-soup-in-the-slow-cooker/

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Garlic Chinese Style Green Beans

Bursting with flavor, these garlic green beans are a healthy version of the Chinese take out favorite. Ready in 20 minutes!

One of the biggest misconceptions about Chinese cooking is that the food is always deep friend and loaded in sugar, fat and calories. In my experience dining in authentic Chinese restaurants my entire life, nothing could be further from the truth.

Like many ethnic cuisines, Chinese cooking is often very heavy on the vegetables and light on the meat. Unlike the traditional American diet where half the plate is meat and half is potatoes, Chinese cooking has mastered the art of using a small amount of high flavor meat (such as ground pork) to season a giant platter of vegetables such as Chinese broccoli, bok choy or green beans.

Here’s the deal, friends. If you don’t add flavor to your veggies, your kids aren’t going to eat them. And guess who else won’t want to eat them? The adults trying to achieve weight loss goals!

My secret? Keeping a well stocked Asian pantry full of high flavor ingredients such as sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili garlic paste and more.

My Chinese Style Garlic Green Beans are ready in just 15 minutes and completely transform a typically blah side dish into something you’d normally only see in a restaurant. Try making them at home and see how much everyone enjoys them! This recipe will work well with any type of green veggie including asparagus, broccoli, bok choy and more.

Your chop sticks are waiting.

Bursting with flavor, these garlic green beans are a healthy version of the Chinese take out favorite. Ready in 20 minutes!

<![CDATA[.wprm-recipe-rating .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * fill: #ffffff; ]]> Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: buffet style green beans, chinese garlic green beans

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 197kcal

Author: Liz DellaCroce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound green beans trimmed

1/4 pound ground pork optional

3 cloves garlic minced

2 tablespoons ginger minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili garlic paste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

minced scallions optional garnish

Instructions

Heat canola oil in a large wok or deep skillet over high heat until it starts to shimmer, about 30 seconds.

Add green beans to the pan and pan-fry in the oil for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they start to blister and pop. Remove from pan and place on a plate lined with paper towel.

Add the ground pork to the same hot pan and begin breaking down using a wooden spoon. Stir in garlic, ginger, salt and chile garlic paste to the pork and continue cooking until pork is golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.

Return the cooked green beans to the pan and stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Cook for 2 additional minutes then garnish with scallions before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Chinese Style Garlic Green Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 197 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g 20%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 20mg 7%

Sodium 817mg 34%

Potassium 363mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 13g 4%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 7g

Protein 8g 16%

Vitamin A 15.7%

Vitamin C 17.6%

Calcium 5%

Iron 9.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Want more Asian inspired recipes? Check out my Pinterest board!

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Source: https://thelemonbowl.com/chinese-style-garlic-green-beans/

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Pumpkin-Maple Loaf

I talked myself out of a morning workout despite the power going out at 5:40am and waking me up. It was like the universe was telling me to GET UP and MOVE. But I ignored and laid in bed until nearly 7am at which point it was a scramble to get out the door on time. Why does winter cause us to make such bad decisions?

I then proceeded to feel guilty all day for skipping my workout so when the girls were totally whipped when I picked them up, I settled them in with YouTube Kids and pounded out a few miles on the treadmill. Up until recently, we’ve avoided tablet screen time completely…but, we all have our moments of weakness, right?

While I was lounging around in bed being completely and totally unproductive, I found the email and Facebook post that alerted me to, yet again, another cancelled day of daycare. That makes the 7th day (to the tune of $600 ADDITIONAL dollars in childcare) over the past few weeks. Just lovely.

If my friend and her at-home daycare didn’t swoop in to save the day on these numerous daycare closure days, I wouldn’t be vacationing until 2035. Like, seriously. That is hardly an exaggeration. WE LIVE IN MICHIGAN, PEOPLE! Snow happens and vacations are therefore warranted.

And because things are dreary and cold and I may have over-purchased canned pumpkin (if that’s even a thing when it comes to pumpkin). I mean, I still have flashbacks to the 2012 pumpkin crop devastation…at which point I did the only rational thing in locating pumpkin in gallon-sized cans from GFS when all the other grocery stores were out.

Being stocked up on 15 ounce cans of pumpkin puree seems like a very wise move on my part. You never know when a pumpkin craving will strike…or when you’ll find a recipe you ripped out of Cooking Light months ago in the depth of your purse. I stopped dead in me tracks to whip it up, burned myself trying to cut it, and proceed to hide the loaf from my husband who feels a loaf makes a mere 4 servings and he prefers to eat at least 2-3 “servings” at a time. Just double it, mmmkay?

Pumpkin-Maple Loaf

Author: Nicole Morrissey

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 10 slices

Ingredients

Cooking spray

¾ cup low-fat buttermilk

½ cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

½ cup pure maple syrup

⅓ cup canola oil

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1¼ cups white whole-wheat flour pr whole wheat pastry flour

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp pumpkin seed (pepitas)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.

Place buttermilk and oats in a bowl; stir to combine. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in oat mixture. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; whisk just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle with pumpkin seed kernels.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 55 to 65 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan; cool completely.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1/10th loaf Calories: 235 Fat: 9.7 Carbohydrates: 32.6 Sugar: 17.3 Sodium: 247 Fiber: 2.6 Protein: 3.1 Cholesterol: 36

3.5.3251

Be well,

Source: https://preventionrd.com/2019/02/pumpkin-maple-loaf/

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Miso Sesame Shortbread Cookies

I can honestly say that these must be the best shortbread cookies I have ever tasted. And they're made with miso too! If that sounds surprising, the miso adds only a hint of saltiness that actually enhances the sweetness of the maple syrup-sweetened shortbread. Light, flaky and buttery, sesame seeds on the outside of the cookies add a nice contrast and a little delightful sesame flavor too.

An added bonus is that these shortbread cookies are easy to make too. They're made sheet-style, meaning that you press the dough down onto a prepared baking sheet and cut into square shapes, pushing them slightly apart, but the cookies will still be baked closely together.

Although the recipe is easy, it's not quite so easy to stop oneself from over-indulging. But they do keep well in the refrigerator for a good week or so in a covered container, and they freeze well too.

Miso Sesame Shortbread CookiesRecipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from What's Cooking Good Looking Published on December 30, 2018

Easy, soft and flaky sweet buttery shortbread cookies with a hint of miso

Print this recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 1/2 tablespoons white (shiro) miso

2 1/2 cups almond meal

1 cup tapioca starch

pinch of sea salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and maple syrup on high speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the miso and process on high for another minute.

Add the almond meal, tapioca starch and sea salt and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Don't overmix. The dough should be crumbly, but somewhat sticky.

Spoon the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and place a piece of parchment paper on top of that. Press down firmly using the palms of your hands to form a rectangle roughly 1/4 inch thick. Let the dough sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or longer.

Preheat an oven to 350°.

Cut the dough into roughly 1 1/2 inch squares and move each cookie slightly apart. You can also use a cookie cutter to cut into other shapes The extra edges from the rectangle can be trimmed off and shaped into squares or whatever shape you like, such as rounds. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the tops of the cookies.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the pan half way through the baking time. When the edges begin to brown, remove from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 40 minutes or even longer, and then when they are firmer, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve them up and store any remainders in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks, or longer in the freezer.

Makes about 30 cookies

Other shortbread recipes to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen: Italian Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Peanut Butter and Blueberry Shortbread Bars Spicy White Cheddar Shortbread Crackers Savory Coriander, Black Pepper and Cheese Shortbread Rosemary Parmesan Shortbread Jalapeño Cheddar Shortbread

Source: https://foodandspice.blogspot.com/2018/12/miso-sesame-shortbread-cookies.html

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

You’ll never guess that these Carrot Cake Cupcakes are vegan, thanks to a surprise ingredient…chickpeas! Fluffy, moist, and perfectly topped with non-dairy cream cheese frosting. This post is brought to you by LouAna Oils and The Feedfeed.

I have a soft spot in my heart (and my belly) for cozy, homespun desserts. You know, those classics that are no fuss, that are not exactly known for being photogenic showstoppers (but could be!), are made with love and passed on for generations. I love upside down cakes and fruit crisps, and a good galette; desserts that you can whip up when whimsy strikes.

Carrot cake is another one that comes to mind, and I can’t believe that I haven’t shared a recipe with you! How does that happen, nine years into blogging? Call it an oversight, or maybe I was just looking for the perfect time, and that is now.

I made it my goal this year to transform my favorite carrot cake recipe into the easiest, fluffiest, moist, and vegan (!) Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, and guess what? I did it, with the help of LouAna Oils and The Feedfeed!

It took me several batches (not complaining, because each iteration was delicious) to perfect, and you have to make them!

If you love baking with coconut oil, then you are going to LOVE baking with LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil even more. Since it’s already a liquid, it’s easy to measure and pour (no need to melt anything!), just like any other cooking oil. And the best part is that there is no aroma or taste, which allows the carrots to really shine through! It’s the perfect substitute for any cooking oil, butter or margarine for baking, sautéing, and beyond!

There really is no hint of coconut, unless you want there to be, and I did, so I added some shredded coconut and pecans in these cupcakes because they add so much flavor and chew to the cake.

There’s also one more secret ingredient in these cupcakes, can you possibly guess? To replace my egg, I turned to aquafaba, which is the liquid in canned chickpeas, but I also threw in some chickpeas into the mix, inspired by recipes that use them in flourless chocolate cakes, for example. I found that adding both the aquafaba and the chickpeas added the moistness the cupcakes needed, and allowed for the batter to bake into such beautifully fluffy and moist cupcakes, I was able to fool my family when they tasted them — they were shocked that these carrot cake cupcakes were completely non-dairy!

If you’re wondering about the frosting, I turned to non-dairy cream cheese and vegan butter — and it topped the cupcakes beautifully.

I have to admit, I have grown to love this recipe more than the standard carrot cake recipe I have in my binder from a dear old coworker; I don’t feel like I’m giving anything up, and as my husband said, “this is the kind of vegan recipe I like.” I think you will agree.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by LouAna Oils and The Feedfeed. Thank you for supporting brands that matter to me; sponsored posts such as this help behind the scenes at Kitchen Confidante. All opinions in this post are, as always, my own.

You'll never guess that these Carrot Cake Cupcakes are vegan, thanks to a surprise ingredient...chickpeas! Fluffy, moist, and perfectly topped with non-dairy cream cheese frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, carrots, chickpeas, coconut, coconut oil, cupcakes, dessert, non-dairy, pecans, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Cooling Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 416kcal

Author Liren Baker

For the carrot cake cupcakes

2 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrots*

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil (find it here!)

1/4 cup aquafaba liquid from canned chickpeas

1/4 cup canned chickpeas rinsed and drained

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup pecans

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the non-dairy cream cheese frosting

8 oz nondairy cream cheese at room temperature

8 tablespoons vegan butter at room temperature

2 cups confectioners sugar sifted

¼ teaspoons vanilla

Make the carrot cake cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a muffin pan by lining with cupcake liners or lightly coating with baking spray.

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, add the carrots, sugar, coconut oil, aquafaba, chickpeas, coconut, and pecans, and pulse until just combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder. Add the carrot mixture to the flour and mix until combined.

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin pan.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let it rest in the muffin pan for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Make the non-dairy cream cheese frosting:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla. If the frosting is too thin to spread or pipe, chill in either the refrigerator or freezer (don't forget about it!) until it’s a workable consistency.

* If you have bagged pre-shredded carrots, this saves a step in the preparation!

Source: https://kitchenconfidante.com/vegan-carrot-cake-cupcakes

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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How To Get Rid Of Those Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

Our skin is technically our body’s largest organ, but it can often feel like it has a mind of its own! And like it or not, the way your skin looks can have a dramatic impact on your overall appearance. And there’s no better example of this effect than the dark puffiness that forms under your eyes. Even if you feel perfectly fine, those pesky dark circles can make you look tired, worn out, or even sick!

Luckily there are a lot of simple ways to get rid of those dark under-eye circles, instead of simply concealing them with creams or makup! And if you’re lucky, it may even be possible to prevent them entirely! To help in the fight against dark, puffy bags, I’ve put together a list of some of the best and easiest remedies for keeping your under-eye area looking healthy. And I’ll be sharing that list with you today! :-)

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I decided against singling out just one remedy, because everyone’s skin is different. Having more options gives you a better chance of finding the one that works best for your particular skin type! So give these remedies a try, and say hello to brighter, healthier-looking eyes!

1. Cucumbers

Using cucumber slices on your eyes is a classic treatment for a reason! Cucumbers have natural astringent properties that can shrink blood vessels and help reduce puffiness and inflammation. Just place a thin slice of cucumber over each of your closed eyelids, and leave them there for at least 15 minutes. It’s an effective way to brighten up the skin around your eyes, and it’s very relaxing too!

Another option is to grate a cucumber and press the grated pieces between clean gauze. Use this as a compress over your eyes.

Related: 15 Quick And Easy Home Remedies For Itchy, Red Eyes

2. Potatoes

Starchy potatoes also have anti-inflammatory properties that can help get rid of under-eye bags. Start by peeling and grating a raw potato. Pound the potato with a mortar and pestle (or the bottom of a drinking glass) until it forms a poultice. Apply it to your eyes and leave on for 15 minutes.

3. Extra Pillows

If you’re waking up with dark circles or bags under your eyes every morning, you may be retaining fluid under your eyes during the night. An easy way to prevent fluid from pooling there is to prop your head up with an extra pillow or two during sleep.

4. Nasal Spray

Sometimes dark circles are actually “allergy shiners,” a condition caused by nasal congestion that resembles a black eye. Use an over-the-counter saline spray to help clear out congestion. You can also use a neti pot filled with a solution of 2 cups of warm water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Both options can help clear congestion and reduce the “shiner” effect.

5. Tea Bags

Tea bags contains tannins that can be very effective for reducing swelling and dark circles. Plus, the moisture from the tea bags helps rehydrate and brighten the skin around your eyes! Brew two bags of green or black tea, then allow the tea bags to cool in your fridge. Once they are cool, place a tea bag over each eye and leave them there for about 15 minutes.

6. Cold Compress

Any sort of cold compress can help constrict the blood vessels around your eyes and reduce the appearance of under-eye puffiness. Two easy options for cold compresses are a bag of frozen peas or chilled teaspoons. Lie down with your head propped up by pillows, and place the compress(es) over your eyes. Rest there for at least 10 minutes, then gently pat your eyes dry.

7. Milk

Milk has a lightening effect on skin that can be very helpful when dealing with dark circles under your eyes. Apply milk with a cotton ball to the skin around your eyes. Leave it to dry for about 30 minutes, then gently rinse the milk off with warm water.

8. Egg & Lemon

Egg has a tightening effect on skin, and lemon juice has lightening and brightening effects. When combined, they make a great revitalizing eye treatment! Mix one egg white with 3-5 drops of lemon juice. Soak two cotton balls in the egg and lemon mixture, then squeeze out any excess liquid. Place the damp cotton balls over your eyes and rest for about 10 minutes. Wash the residue off with warm water, then rinse clean with cold water.

9. Avocado Cream

Dark circles can make the fine lines underneath your eyes more pronounced. Avocado can nourish that skin and give it a fuller and more lively appearance! Combine 5 drops of almond oil with 3 slices of avocado to form a mash, then dab it on the skin underneath your eyes. Leave it on for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

10. Almond Paste

Almonds are rich in vitamin E, which helps skin retain moisture and elasticity. You can take advantage of these effects by making a homemade almond paste treatment. Start by soaking a few almonds in water overnight, then in the morning, grind the soaked almonds into a paste. Add a few drops of milk to the mixture and apply it to the skin under your eyes for about 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

11. Cottage Cheese

Put a small amount of cottage cheese on two cotton pads. Place them over your closed eyelids for 15 minutes before bedtime. Come morning, your eyes will look hydrated and well-rested!

12. Beauty Sleep

The most important thing you can do to reduce dark circles is to get enough sleep! Lack of sleep causes skin to look pale and washed out, causing your blood vessels to appear even more pronounced. Make sure you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of “beauty sleep!”

13. Eat Healthy

Just as your diet affects your health and weight, it affects your skin too! The better your diet, the better your skin will look. To reduce dark circles and under-eye bags, make sure you’re eating plenty of vitamins C, E, and K, as well as iron and folic acid. You can find these nutrients in all kinds of foods, including citrus, berries, leafy greens, nuts, avocado, and green tea!

How do you deal with dark circles under your eyes? Do you simply conceal with makeup, or do you use a home remedy?

Source: https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/13-remedies-for-dark-circles-under-eyes

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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How to Make and Strengthen New Friendships

Many of us in our 20s and 30s struggle with loneliness. We may feel disconnected from the friends we were close to back at school or university; we may feel left behind as others settle down to get married or have children; or we may just feel uncertain about how to broaden our social circles in adulthood. Luckily, in recognition of International Friendship Day on Monday 30th July 2018, we’re here to help with advice on how to build and strengthen new friendships in your life.

1) Accept invitations.

If you want to make new friends, you need to put yourself out there. Accept invitations to events and social gatherings (like family weddings or neighbourhood parties) where you’re likely to meet new people. And when you’re there, don’t rely on others to initiate conversations that could lead to new friendships. Be the one to make the first move. Go and introduce yourself to those you don’t know. It can help to have a few go-to questions to hand; perhaps ask them about what they do for a living, or comment on something nice they’re wearing (just try to avoid talking about nothing but the weather). And keep in mind that you’re not going to make best friends with everyone you talk to, so there’s no need to put pressure on yourself. Just enjoying finding out where the conversation naturally takes you.

2) Join a club.

Join a club, like a sports club or voluntary group, to meet like-minded people doing something you enjoy. Building new friendships will feel less pressured if you’re in a big group where the focus is on something else. For instance, you’re not going to struggle to find a topic of conversation in a book club meeting when you’ve got the latest paperback to discuss. And if you start playing for a local football team, the action on the pitch is likely to distract you from any fears of getting to know your teammates. Make sure you make an effort to accept invites to things like after-club drinks though if you want to give blossoming new friendships a boost.

3) Go online.

The internet means we have the power to connect with new people all around the world whenever and wherever we may be. It’s particularly great if you’re naturally shy or struggle with face-to-face interactions. Whether it’s by playing interactive online casino games with other people, joining discussions in online forums, or even sparking connections on friendship-making apps, you’ll find lots of ways to meet new people using the power of the internet. Plus, social media is handy for getting back in touch and rekindling relationships with friends from long ago you may have lost touched with.

4) Be reliable.

If you want to make long-lasting friendships, you need to prove yourself as a reliable friend to have. There’s nothing worse than a flaky friend who cancels last minute or doesn’t turn up when they’re supposed to. Make the effort to stick to plans you make with new friends, or you’ll quickly find the relationship fizzles out before it’s even begun.

5) Be patient.

Creating long-lasting, meaningful friendships takes time. Be patient and try not to rush platonic relationships when it’s still early doors. Also, it’s important to accept that something things don’t work out. Like when you’re dating, you may realise after a few meet ups that the person you’ve began talking to isn’t quite the kind of person you can see yourself being friends with. That’s okay. Be polite but put your focus instead on the friendships you’re forming elsewhere.

Source: http://kissmyspatula.com/travel-tips/how-to-make-and-strengthen-new-friendships/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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How to Pick the Best Mortar and Pestle

[Photographs: Vicky Wasik. Video: Serious Eats Video]

In the United States, the mortar and pestle has developed something of a reputation as obsolete and inefficient—a kitchen accessory that offers plenty of nostalgia but little utility. But it shouldn't be underestimated. For thousands of years, the mortar and pestle was one of the very few implements our ancestors relied upon to cook. Our predecessors had fire, sharpened rocks for cutting, vessels to contain their food, and, crucially, they had stones and wood to pound and grind it all.

Today, the mortar and pestle remains a crucial tool in culinary traditions around the world, and it deserves to be treated as an essential in every kitchen. Not just because it served our ancestors so well, but because it continues to do what no other item in the kitchen does: smashing fibers and cells apart to fundamentally transform their texture and release their full aroma and flavor. That's something a blade can't ever do as well.

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Mapped across human history, the importance of the mortar and pestle (and similar implements used to crush and pulverize foods) is staggering.* Hominids came onto the scene somewhere between five and 10 million years ago. Between two and three million years ago, they figured out how to make stone tools to cut and chop foods.

* It also goes way beyond food: The steady beating of a pestle in a mortar was one of the early activities that birthed work songs—music timed to the rhythmic activities of preindustrial life. We'll never know what our music today would be without the thousands of years of thuds that led to it.

Somewhere in the ballpark of 500,000 to one million years ago, they mastered fire. We modern Homo sapiens made our appearance around 100,000 to 200,000 years ago, and archaeological evidence shows us using mortars and pestles about 50,000 to 100,000 years after that.** Agriculture wouldn't arise until much later, roughly 10,000 years ago. That's right: The mortar and pestle well predates agriculture itself.

** I'm rounding off here; cut me some slack.

Let's just stop and think about this for a moment. We had fire, and we had tools for cutting, and then we had mortars and pestles. And that's pretty much all we had to prepare our food for a really long time. These fundamental instruments of cooking didn't change all that much until the last century or so, when the eras of industry and electricity ushered in new, easy, and speedy appliances, like the blender and the food processor, pushing the mortar and pestle aside.

But for all their convenience, these newfangled jars and bowls outfitted with whirling blades don't do quite the same thing that a mortar and pestle can do. They mince and chop effortlessly, but the mortar and pestle crushes.

Yes, it takes some elbow grease to use a mortar and pestle, but that effort is worth it. And honestly, most of us in this country are so desk-bound these days, a little additional physical activity is hardly something we're in oversupply of.

Even if we decide to put in a little extra sweat in the kitchen, success with a mortar and pestle still depends on having the right kind for the job. There's nothing more frustrating than toiling away at a pesto or curry paste, only to have all that work not pay off.

Part of the problem is that not every mortar and pestle design is good for every mortar and pestle task—there are a heck of a lot of jobs that a mortar and pestle can do, and just as many varieties of mortars and pestles to match them all. Making it worse, more and more completely useless mortars and pestles have junked up the market as our use of them has waned; they may look nice, but they don't work at all. With our loss in familiarity has come a decrease in knowledge of which ones are good for what. It's time to rectify the situation.

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Generally speaking, and with some exceptions I'll discuss further down, these are the qualities in both large and small mortars and pestles that are useful for most common kitchen tasks:

A large pestle: Just as you wouldn't choose a dinky little toy hammer to drive large nails into wood, you don't want a narrow, skinny, or short pestle when working in a large mortar. If the pestle is too short for the mortar, it's impossible to use it without banging your hand against the mortar's edge. Similarly, if the head isn't broad enough, it will simply push ingredients around instead of pulverizing them.

A stone mortar: Though there are exceptions, in most cases you're better off with a solid stone mortar. Stone such as marble or granite is strong, dense, and unyielding, giving you a powerful surface against which to crush things; it's also not nearly as brittle as ceramic, meaning you can really drive some force into it without worrying that the material will crack or chip. Wood, meanwhile, can be a great pestle material in some instances, but is less effective as a mortar. The fact that it has a density and hardness similar to those of many foods we grind makes it less effective—much as diamonds are used to cut glass, we want to use a harder material to crush or grind substances like spices.

An unpolished interior: Avoid mortars with glossy, smooth bowls, which lack the abrasive qualities crucial to properly shearing and grinding foods.

A round bowl shape: An evenly round bowl shape makes it much easier to swirl the pestle and grind everything in its path. Cylindrical mortars with sharp corners at the bottom are harder to get into with the pestle, making it more difficult to grind and smash the contents down.

Other considerations, such as what material the pestle is made from, depend on the situation. I'll explain further below.

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Mortars and pestles come in a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. Finding a good large one, though, can take some work.

A large mortar and pestle should have a roughly eight-inch diameter and at least a four-cup volume. Be sure to check these specs, since many companies sell "large" mortars that have a maximum volume closer to two cups. Though smaller ones can certainly be useful, they also happen to be just the right size to function as displayable knickknacks; the absence of good larger options is confirmation that few people intend to get much use out of these things.

If you want to make a true pesto sauce or Thai curry paste, or any of a wide range of other aromatic sauces and pastes from around the world, a large mortar and pestle is a necessity. Smaller ones simply can't contain or contend with the volume and variety of ingredients these recipes require.

For several years, I used a large ceramic mortar and pestle that I'd bought at a well-known national cookware store. I was thrilled when I first spotted it on the shelf—the only one with a mortar big enough to make real-deal pesto a possibility. But over time, I began to suspect that it wasn't really up to the task.

My pesto came out okay, but it wasn't as emulsified and creamy as it should have been, and it was more than a small chore to make it. I'd tap relentlessly while making very little progress, and the high-pitched clanging of the pestle against the mortar would quickly drive me crazy.

Only later, when I invested in other mortars and pestles, did the shortcomings of that ceramic one become fully clear. First, the pestle on my particular ceramic set was narrow relative to the size of the mortar's bowl. This made it much less effective, requiring more strikes and movements to crush the food properly, and leaving way too much space for all of that food to escape to. Its narrow shape also made it act more like a pool cue than an implement for crushing things: With each strike, the food would shoot out to the sides, often still whole.

Ceramic is also a challenging material for many mortar and pestle tasks in the kitchen. It's very hard, like stone, but also more brittle. Where it should excel at crushing tough ingredients, it doesn't, because the force required could crack the ceramic.

For this article, I compared three large mortars and pestles: the ceramic one that has failed me for so long, a Thai granite mortar and pestle, and a Mediterranean marble mortar with an olivewood pestle. Here are my favorites of the three.

Best for Most Tasks: Thai Granite Mortar and Pestle

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With both parts made of rock-solid granite, the Thai mortar and pestle is (literally) a heavy hitter, and arguably the most versatile type of large mortar and pestle you can own.

The Thai granite mortar and pestle (left) more quickly and efficiently broke down the tough, fibrous ingredients in a Thai red curry paste than the Mediterranean marble mortar with a wooden pestle did.

Its heft and weight, especially when combined with the stone-on-stone action that the all-granite build provides, make it ideal for one of its intended uses: making a Thai curry paste. The large stone pestle can break down leathery dried-chili skin and tough seeds, and bust apart the fibers in some of the tougher aromatic vegetables, like galangal and makrut lime leaves.

The heft and decent size of the Thai granite pestle made it possible to break down tough Thai red curry paste ingredients. It was a fair amount of work, but this was the only mortar and pestle to properly get the job done.

Because the inside of the mortar bowl and the pestle head aren't polished, they have slightly abrasive surfaces that also make them good for grinding. This advantage is particularly apparent when you're grinding dry spices, which the Thai mortar and pestle did better than the other varieties that I tested.

The unpolished granite surface made a finer spice grind more quickly than the other mortars and pestles tested.

In a pinch, you can also use this type of mortar and pestle for pesto and related sauces, though it doesn't do quite as good a job as the Mediterranean mortar and pestle recommended below. The granite pestle head is fairly large, but not quite large enough to break down tender basil's more delicate fibers as quickly and effectively as the Mediterranean wooden pestle. In my tests, the Thai mortar and pestle yielded a slightly stringier pesto than its Mediterranean counterpart, though the results were still good, and much better than what emerges from most food processors.

It's also worth noting that the Thai granite mortar and pestle doesn't generate the shearing forces necessary for forming a really good emulsion; this, again, is related to the pestle's slightly smaller size. This means your pesto may not come out quite as creamy (or you'll work harder and longer to get it there), and you'll have a much harder time forming a mayonnaise or aioli in it.

One more downside: The Thai granite pestle is heavy, which means your arm will feel more fatigued more quickly. Maybe that's a good thing if you're looking for creative ways to sneak some extra exercise into your life, but it's a challenge you should know about before committing to this design.

Best for Pesto and Other Emulsified Sauces: Mediterranean Marble Mortar With Wooden Pestle

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In the south of France, Italy, and other Mediterranean regions, marble mortars with wooden pestles (often made of olivewood) are quite common. It's next to impossible to find this variety in US stores, unless you get lucky and find one at an antiques shop or estate sale. They can, however, be ordered online. I bought mine through an Italian vendor on Etsy, and it's an object of pure beauty.

More importantly, it excels at making pesto and similar sauces, as well as emulsified sauces like mayonnaise and aioli. (Before electric mixers and blenders, a mortar and pestle was often used to make these sauces.)

It may be surprising to learn that you can make an emulsified sauce in a mortar just by pounding it with the blunt head of the pestle, but indeed it is possible: Where a whisk's head of wires breaks up oil into tiny droplets, dispersing it in the water medium for a proper emulsion, a mortar and pestle utilizes shearing forces to achieve similar results.

The Italian mortar and pestle made the smoothest, creamiest pesto, and it wasn't even that much work to do it.

Even pesto sauce, when made well, is emulsified, for a creamy, not oily, texture. What makes this particular mortar and pestle well suited to that job is largely the pestle design itself—the wooden pestle here is big and round, offering lots of surface area under which to shear the oil.

The marble mortar's large wooden pestle makes much quicker work of the garlic than the ceramic mortar's narrow pestle.

That large pestle size is also what makes this tool so good at smashing more tender ingredients, like garlic, pine nuts, and basil leaves. With just a few quick strikes, the garlic is smashed to bits, the pine nuts are crumbled, and the basil leaves are bruised and shredded. A smaller pestle head would require many more strikes to achieve the same result.

What's nice, too, is that the wooden pestle is softer than stone (though olivewood is still plenty hard), which means you don't have to suffer through a series of loud, high-pitched stone-on-stone cracks when you're smacking at thin basil leaves. The whole experience is just a lot more pleasant.

For these kinds of sauces, this mortar and pestle outclasses the Thai granite one on all fronts. It's quicker, more effective, and less tiring to use.

For pesto and similar sauces, the Mediterranean marble mortar and olivewood pestle can't be beat; it rapidly makes a smooth and creamy sauce.

Where this mortar and pestle fails, though, is at breaking down tougher ingredients, such as the ones that go into a Thai curry paste. The large wooden pestle just doesn't have the same intense striking force that the Thai granite one does, which means it struggles to grind dense, hard spices as finely, let alone produce a curry paste that's properly paste-like.

On top of that, the marble is more prone to staining, as you can see in the below photo. The Thai red chilies left their mark (though these stains eventually faded with subsequent use).

Red chili stains on a marble mortar.

For this reason, the Thai granite mortar and pestle is my overall top pick: It works better as an alternative for making pesto than the Mediterranean one does as an alternative for making curry pastes.

But, and this is a big but, if you know you won't make curry pastes with your mortar and pestle, the Mediterranean one is my top pick for you. You can always use a smaller marble or granite mortar and pestle to grind spices, and this one does the absolute best job with pestos, mayos, and the like. It's by far the most pleasurable to use.

You can buy one from this seller on Etsy. They come in a variety of sizes, though I got the 24cm model. It's not cheap, and neither is the shipping, but it'll last you a lifetime and make an amazing family heirloom for future generations.

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Small mortars and pestles, of about one cup in volume, have many fewer uses in the kitchen, but that doesn't mean they're not an essential tool. They're less versatile, but no less important.

Above all else, they're good for grinding whole spices into a powder. This may sound hard to believe, but I often prefer a small mortar and pestle for grinding spices over a dedicated electric spice grinder.

In the time it takes to get a spice grinder out of my cabinet, unwind its cord, plug it in, load it up, grind my spices, completely empty it, and then clean it (always a drag!), I could already be long done with the mortar and pestle. I use a spice grinder these days only if I'm making a very large batch of ground spices that would take more time to do by hand.

Small mortars and pestles are also good for making small batches of puréed garlic, ginger, and other ingredients. Just toss in a few cloves or pieces, smash them up, and you're done. People also use them to crush pills and do other nonculinary tasks, but that's beyond the scope of this article.

Success depends on having the right small mortar and pestle. I tried three types—an all-marble build, a brass one, and a wooden one—to figure out which kind worked best.

Best for Most Tasks: A Stone Set

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Throughout my tests on smaller mortars and pestles, the marble one I used consistently came out on top. A small granite one would work just as well.

The brass mortar and pestle, while very handsome, had such a smooth interior that most ingredients just slid around, avoiding being crushed. The wooden one, meanwhile, had no heft; it made me imagine what chewing hard foods without teeth would be like.

A pestle that's too short for its mortar is a major design flaw.

As you can see in the photos below, the marble mortar and pestle did a much better job of grinding black peppercorns than the other two did. A big part of its advantage was the abrasive quality of the unpolished stone surfaces.

The marble mortar and pestle set was the most effective at grinding black peppercorns.

The marble set also made a garlic purée much more quickly and thoroughly than the other two. Once again, that abrasive stone surface had a lot to do with its success.

Of course, this doesn't mean that brass and wooden mortars and pestles are to be avoided at all costs, or that they're not good for anything. There may be some tasks at which they excel, though I'd argue those tasks are less common than the primary ones of puréeing ingredients and grinding spices.

I'm linking to several different sets here because there's a lot of variety at this size of mortar and pestle, and all the ones shown will work similarly well. Choose whichever design appeals the most.

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The world is a big place, and pretty much everywhere in it has at least one type of mortar and pestle, if not multiple. Most have evolved to work with the specific culinary traditions from which they originate, and so there's hardly a way to be comprehensive about all the mortars and pestles one could own and use.

That's part of what makes an interest in mortars and pestles fun. When you travel to a country or region that has a cuisine you're interested in cooking back home, you can try to learn more about the mortar and pestle options there, and maybe bring one back with you. I'll say from personal experience that, while it's hard to compete with cooking an Italian meal in Italy itself, using a gorgeous Italian mortar and pestle gives me some feeling of being transported there.

So, though I can't cover every mortar and pestle out there beyond the basic types I discussed above, there are a couple I want to call out. The first is from Japan; the second is from Mexico.

Meet the Japanese Suribachi

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In Japan, the mortar is called suribachi and the pestle surikogi. The suribachi is usually made from pottery, while the surikogi is almost always some type of hardwood. The most distinctive feature of this mortar and pestle is the series of ridges scored into the pottery on the unglazed interior of the bowl. These ridges are called kushi-no-me in Japanese, and they add more abrasiveness than what you'll find in the smoother interiors of many other mortars.

Grinding sesame seeds in a suribachi.

The most common use for a suribachi is grinding sesame seeds, which pop and crumble against those ridges as the pestle swirls around, producing a paste that's fresher and more aromatic than premade sesame pastes. Other uses include mashing tofu, grinding spices, and even grinding meat, like chicken to make tsukune (chicken meatballs).

Many people also use their suribachi for non-Japanese cuisine. I haven't tested it yet, but I've read that it can do a good job with pesto, for instance. Certainly, though, if you plan to cook much Japanese food at home, the suribachi will eventually make itself quite useful.

Suribachi come in a variety of sizes, but I've found that a medium or large size is easiest for grinding sesame seeds. I'm a big fan of the products sold by Toiro Kitchen, including its suribachi. Also, make sure to order a bamboo scraper, which is very helpful for cleaning out the ridges after grinding.

Make Salsas and Guacamole in a Mexican Molcajete

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In Mexico, the molcajete is the mortar, while the tejolote (or temolote) is the pestle. They're made from porous volcanic rock, which ends up making it difficult to find a good one. Many companies sell "molcajetes" made from granite or some other rock—I've even heard of less scrupulous vendors making them from concrete—which you should avoid. The porous rock is key here, once again adding an abrasive element to help grind down pepper skins and seeds and other stubborn ingredients.

A trip to Mexico is arguably the easiest way to track down a good, real molcajete, but you can find them in the States, too. This one is available on Amazon and appears to get good reviews (and the reviewers seem to think it's legitimate volcanic rock). I also recently bought one from MexGrocer.com, but haven't had a chance to test it out yet.

Be careful not to confuse the molcajete with the metate, another Mexican grinder that is larger and flatter, used to grind corn into masa for tortillas and tamales.

Molcajetes are most frequently used to make salsas and guacamole from scratch, and if you watch videos of guacamole being made in Mexico, it quickly becomes clear just how incorrectly most of us are making ours (but, of course, we have a good recipe for you here on Serious Eats). The aromatics are often charred first, then crushed, not chopped, using the power of the molcajete.

One tip: Unless you buy one that's pre-seasoned, you will have to season your molcajete first, a process that involves grinding dry rice and then large crystals of salt into the stone to smooth the surface and remove loose volcanic dust. This video walks you through the process, and though it's in Spanish, those who don't understand the narration should still be able to follow the steps as shown.

This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

Source: https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/08/best-mortars-and-pestles.html

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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cherry streusel cheesecake bars

The first draft for #weeknightbakingbook is officially turned in and I am equal parts relieved, proud, and generally exhausted. Because I spent so much time on recipe testing and development, I felt like I rushed through the actual writing of the book itself — all I can say is that my editor has a whale of a task ahead of her, that's for sure. I was literally down to the wire, translating my manuscript from Google Docs to Microsoft Word* the midnight before my contractual deadline. I also can't relax just quite yet since I'm spending the rest of the month styling and shooting photos for the book. I still have about 70 shoots to get through before I can fully rest and relax, eeep.

*Also, if you missed it, I was doing some High Quality Content Creation at 12:30AM this past Monday, complaining about formatting my manuscript from Google Docs to Microsoft Word — on a whim, I did a quick poll and found that many of you guys still use Microsoft Word. What gives?!

Although I'll be pretty heads down for the rest of the month, I'm still making an effort to carve out some time for myself here and there. For 4th of July, we celebrated with a hot pot feast at my friends Sze Wa and Jeremy's place, before walking over to Broadway Bridge to catch the paltriest view of Portland's fireworks. It was also Erlend's 30th birthday this past weekend; Erlend's parents drove down from their summer cabin in Mount Hood to take us to dinner at Zilla Sake. We then feasted on the clafoutis that Erlend made me make for his birthday (instead of, you know, the layer cakes I usually like to make, eyeroll), for which he insisted that I leave the cherries unpitted since it's the traditional French way and apparently the pits impart an almond flavor? *whisper* I honestly couldn't tell, but not pitting cherries definitely saved me a ton of time so there's that. *endwhisper*

Speaking of cherries, we've been going through POUNDS of them ever since Northwest Cherry Growers sent me a huge box of Skeena cherries from Pasco, Washington. They're a beautiful deep red, and are incredibly juicy, ripe, and delicious. We've been mostly eating them fresh while saving the rest for #weeknightbakingbook pies, but occasionally I'll cheat and make another dessert like these cherry streusel cheesecake bars. These bars were inspired by this sour cherry streusel cake from last year, and a variation of the cheesecake bar recipe from my upcoming cookbook. The bars are incredibly creamy with a bit of tang from sour cream, and lots of flavor and crunch from the cherries, streusel, and Speculoos cookie crumbs. Enjoy!

A big thank you to Northwest Cherry Growers for the big box of cherries! Be sure to check out their website to find out more about different cherry varieties, recipes, and other fun facts and trivia about cherries.

also featured:

tray || mini plates || flatware

Some baker's notes:

Because this is a multi-component recipe, it can be a bit time consuming to make — there are some tips and tricks that you can take in order to cut down on how long you're working. Streusel can be made up to 1 week in advance; just keep it in the fridge in an airtight container until you're ready to use. Cherries can be prepped overnight in an airtight container; the juice will darken a little bit to a weird, unattractive brownish red, but it'll come out a beautiful maroon in the oven. There's also no need to wait for the cookie crust to cool completely before filling, so go hog wild.

Speculoos cookies are available at Trader Joe's or online for a premium via Amazon; in a pinch, you can substitute with graham crackers or even Oreo cookies.

Cream cheese can be a little tricky to work with — if you use it while it's too cold, you'll end up with a lumpy batter. Be sure that both the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are at room temperature for the smoothest possible cheesecake filling.

Cherry Streusel Cheesecake Bars

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Ingredients

For the Streusel:

(makes enough for an 8 x 8-inch pan)

1/4 cup (2.25 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

a pinch of kosher salt

For the Speculoos Cookie Crust: (makes enough for an 8 x 8-inch pan)

1 1/2 cups (5.25 ounces) finely-processed Speculoos cookie crumbs (see baker's notes for substitutions)

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) melted unsalted butter

a pinch of kosher salt

For the Cherry Cheesecake Filling: (makes enough for an 8 x 8-inch pan)

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream, at room temperature

"heaping" 1 1/2 cups (8.5 ounces) ripe cherries, stemmed, pitted, and halved

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Recipe

For the Streusel:

Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is well combined and crumbly, with both lima bean- and pea-sized clumps. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the Speculoos Cookie Crust:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Prepare an 8 x 8-inch pan by lining the bottom and sides of the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil, leaving at least a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides. Layer a second sheet of aluminum foil on top of this sheet, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the uncovered opposite sides of the pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups Speculoos cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and a pinch of kosher salt. Toss to combine until the mixture has the feel and texture of wet sand.

Transfer to the prepared pan and use a tart tamper or your hands to press the crumbs together evenly across the surface of the pan. You want to apply a decent amount of pressure here so that the crust holds its shape after being pressed together; you can even use the bottom of a coffee mug or heavy glass to pound the crumbs in place.

Transfer to the oven and bake. Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is set but not completely brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly while preparing the cherry cheesecake filling. Leave the oven on for the next steps.

For the Cherry Cheesecake Filling:

Reduce the oven heat to 325 (F).

In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 1 1/2 cups cream cheese on medium-low speed until soft, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about another minute. Turn the mixer down to its slowest setting and add 2 eggs, one at a time, only adding the next egg until the previous one is fully incorporated. Once the eggs are incorporated, turn off the mixer and scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer back on to its slowest setting and add 1/2 cup sour cream all at once. Turn the mixer to medium and beat for about 1 minute, or until the sour cream is fully incorporated and the mixture is pale and thick, with a slight shine.

Scrape the mixture on top of the parbaked Speculoos cookie crust, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly across the pan. Scatter 1 1/2 cups stemmed, pitted, and halved cherries across the surface of the cheesecake filling. Sprinkle streusel over the cherries and filling. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still wobbles slightly — don’t worry about this wobble, it’ll continue to set after you pull it out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to 30 minutes, before transferring to the refrigerator to chill uncovered for about 4 hours, preferably overnight.

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Source: https://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/2018/07/cherry-streusel-cheesecake-bars.html

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Tomato Basil Chicken Quinoa

This Tomato Basil Chicken Quinoa is an easy one-pan healthy dinner that is done in under 30 minutes.

Tired of doing dishes? You can make this Tomato Basil Chicken Quinoa in one-pan and use grilled, baked, or rotisserie chicken.

ONE-PAN TOMATO BASIL CHICKEN QUINOA

This week has been a week. We had a baptism, a funeral, and back to school for the kids. It’s been a week of beginnings and endings – both beautiful and hard at the same time.

The main take away from this week is that there are a lot of good people in this world. People have surprised me in silent service for those they didn’t even know. It’s been an incredible thing to watch and learn from.

Okay. Back to the food because that is what you came for. I just felt like I needed to let you know where I’ve been. It’s called life.

Back to school means I have to have easy dinners planned out or we just end up eating grilled cheese. Which hey, I love me some grilled cheese but we can’t have it every night.

This Tomato Basil Chicken Quinoa was a creation out of necessity. I had chicken and quinoa on hand and needed to make something out of it. Let’s keep it real. Everyone cried when they saw it and then said after tasting it, “Oh, this is actually really good.”

QUINOA BENEFITS

Quinoa is higher in protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins that rice and oats. I chose tricolor quinoa for this dish but you can use regular as well.

HOW TO COOK MY CHICKEN?

This recipe calls for one pound of cooked chicken. You can use grilled, baked, pan-seared, or rotisserie chicken in this Tomato Basil Chicken Quinoa.

WHAT IS HALF AND HALF?

Half and half is just equal parts cream and milk. So for one cup of half and half, you could use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream.

If you want it lighter in calories you can use all chicken broth instead of half and half.

If you liked this one-pan Tomato Basil Chicken Quinoa, you’ll love these one-pan recipes:

One-pan Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice

One-Pan Easy Burrito Skillet

One-Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup white onion, diced

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half and half

14 ounce can diced tomatoes drained well

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped basil more for garnish

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese more for sprinkling

1 lb chicken cooked and sliced (see note)

In a large skillet, melt butter and add the onion, quinoa, and garlic. Cook until onions are soft and translucent about 3-5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, half and half, tomatoes, and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, then reduce to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until most of the mixture is absorbed. Stir in the basil and Parmesan cheese. Warm the chicken or add it on top and cover to warm the chicken.

Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and basil to serve.

This recipe calls for one pound of cooked chicken. You can use grilled, baked, pan-seared, or rotisserie chicken.

WHAT IS HALF AND HALF?

Half and half is just equal parts cream and milk. So for one cup of half and half, you could use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream.

If you want it lighter in calories you can use all chicken broth instead of half and half.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything Original

Author: Christy Denney

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Chicken, One-pan, quinoa

Source: https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/tomato-basil-chicken-quinoa/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

0 notes

middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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grilled zucchini

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Easy Grilled Zucchini with balsamic glaze is such a simple but delicious summer side dish and great way to use up garden fresh zucchini! I love to make it as a side dish for company during the summer because it is vegan, gluten-free, low carb and healthy, so everyone at the table can enjoy it. This technique is super simple, and the balsamic vinegar glaze makes it seem special but is so easy to do!

As the temperatures climb and it gets harder and harder to keep ourselves indoors, I cook fewer and fewer meals inside, and more and more on the grill. One of my all time classic favorite sides for this time of year is grilled zucchini. It was actually one of the first things I ever made for my husband when we first met. It’s as close to a “go to” as you can get for me. I find it so entirely satisfying, but still clean and light for summer. I don’t think it’ll ever get old.

I picked up these zucchini from the farm stand here in my town. It’s a new farm stand that is only in its second year, but the farm itself (which is in the next town over) is well established, and has hoop houses etc. Their crop is already producing and I’ve already picked up two bags of zucchini from them. I love it when the zucchini are not too big and seedy. They’re so good!

I usually grow zucchini in my garden, so we often rely on this grilled zucchini technique to help us make our way through the bounty as it comes in fresh from the garden. But actually, this year I am growing yellow summer squash instead because that’s all they had for seedlings when I went to buy plants for my veggie garden. But that’s okay, now I have the farm stand in town, and actually this recipe works exactly the same for summer squash as it does for zucchini!

What size zucchini is best for grilling?

The ideal size zucchini for grilling is what I call “medium large.” That would be 7 to 8 inches long.

But you can grill zucchini that is bigger (or smaller) if you happen to have it.

I don’t recommend grilling the mega zucchinis that you left for too long and are the size of a chiuaua. They are too punky and seedy. Instead use them to make zucchini soup. Note to self, add zucchini soup to my editorial calendar asap.

How thick should I cut the zucchini before grilling?

Take your zucchini and lay them on the cutting board and cut both ends off.

Then cut them into slabs that are about 1/3-inch thick. I find it’s the perfect thickness for grilling. Any thinner and they’ll overcook very quickly. Not only that, they will be hard to remove from the grill without breaking apart. If you were to cut them into thicker slabs, the final texture is too slippery and mushy.

If you have small zucchini, you can cut it in half lengthwise once and grill it just a little longer per side to reach the ideal doneness.

For thicker larger zucchini, cut them in half crosswise, then into 1/3-inch thick slabs.

How Make Grilled Zucchini

Preheat your grill to medium heat. The reason you want to grill over medium (and not hot) is that zucchini cooks very quickly, and it is super easy to burn it or cook it until it becomes mushy. I find grilling over medium heat is easier to control.

Prepare the zucchini while the grill heats. Cut the zucchini as directed above, then you’ll need to coat it in a thin layer of oil. Here I brushed on extra-virgin olive oil. You could also use a neutral cooking oil such as organic canola oil, avocado oil or grapeseed oil. Since this is such as simple preparation, I prefer the flavor of the olive oil the best.

Add dried seasonings before you grill. Here I used garlic powder and dried Italian Seasonings. I like how the garlic makes the zucchini taste more savory, but it is not a brash garlic flavor that takes over the meal. If you prefer another spice mix, try that instead. Mexican flavors would also be lovely on the grilled zucchini.

Next grill the zucchini. Make sure to lay it on the grill horizontally across the grates so that it doesn’t slip down into the fire. I do a slight bias, and then do a quarter turn. Doing this isn’t as important as when you’re grilling steak, but it does help to make the zucchini slabs grill more evenly, and when you pry them up with the spatula, you’ll be able to get a sense of how tender they are getting.

Drizzle with Balsamic. You can either use really amazing aged balsamic vinegar (which is super pricy but so amazingly good. You only need a little bit of it so a bottle will last literally years. Read more about the difference between vinegars here.) Or you can buy balsamic glaze. I admit, this isn’t the cleanest ingredient, but it’s not going to negatively affect your health in the amounts eaten, so I am a fan of it. Not only is it so easy, I particularly love the way it brightens up dishes. I’ll let you decide which you’d prefer to use.

Additional Flavors: If you prefer, you can also add on fresh herbs at the end, or skip the balsamic glaze and use lemon juice salad dressing instead.

9 More Easy Zucchini Recipes To Try

One way to use up leftover grilled zucchini is to make Grilled Zucchini and Onion Naan Pizzas with it!

My Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread recipes is one of my favorite ever baking recipes, and if you haven’t tried it, you simply must!

I like to make zucchini into spiralized noodles, then top them with Chicken Paprika. It’s a lighter way to enjoy comfort food in the summertime.

I always seem to have an abundance of fresh eggs at this time of year with all of my farmers’ market trips and stops at farm stands. We try to use them up for dinner with a simple Zucchini Frittata every couple weeks.

My daughters are all about pita pizzas. Adding in ribbons of zucchini give them a bit more healthy balance.

I also love serving this shaved zucchini ribbon salad as much as possible. It is so fresh and clean and just what I want on a hot summer night.

This Healthy Zucchini Oat Bread is a great healthy snack for the kids, and in the end of the season, I’ll make it for lunchbox snacks.

Probably the best way to use up a ton of zucchini is to make Zucchini Casserole. I like to add in a few corn tortillas to soak up the juices.

And you really can’t go wrong with this ever popular no-cook zucchini noodles with pesto recipe. I always get great feedback on it.

Thanks so much for reading. If you make this recipe, please come back and let me know how it goes by leaving a star rating and review. I love hearing how it goes.

Happy Cooking!

~Katie

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Description

Simple and easy grilled zucchini with dried herbs and olive oil and finished with a simple balsamic vinegar drizzle. A super easy and healthy side dish for the summertime.

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

1.75 pounds zucchini, about 3 zucchini measuring 7 or 8 inches long

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon best quality aged balsamic vinegar, or balsamic glaze

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium heat.

Trim stem and blossom ends off zucchini. Cut lengthwise into long slabs about 1/3-inch thick. Lay on work surface. Brush oil over the zucchini with a pastry brush. Combine Italian seasoning, salt and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the zucchini.

Grill the zucchini until the charred on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip over, avoiding letting the zucchini go through the grates, and continue cooking until just tender but not breaking down, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a large platter. Drizzle with balsamic and serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

For smaller zucchini that is less than an inch thick, it is better to cut them a little thicker that a quarter inch or less thick. So I recommend that you remove the ends, then slice in half lengthwise. Grill until tender.

For large or giant zucchini, cut into five inch lengths, then into 1/3 inch slabs. Because they’re seedy, they will become tender faster without browning as much, so keep an eye on them!

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 slices

Calories: 75

Sugar: 5 g

Sodium: 216

Fat: 5 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Carbohydrates: 7 g

Fiber: 2 g

Protein: 2 g

Keywords: grilling,zucchini,grilled zucchini,vegan zucchini recipe

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middletuna7-blog · 6 years ago

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Taquitos

Taquitos are rolled tacos filled with chicken, beef or pork and cheese. Fried to perfection for a delicious way to use leftovers!

One on going problem that an empty nester has is leftovers. Fortunately for me, my husband enjoys leftovers and is perfectly willing to eat the same thing for dinner and for lunch the next day or two. I’m not as big a fan of leftovers, that is unless you can dress them up in another form. Taquitos are a fun and delicious way to use leftovers and change things up.

For Cinco de Mayo last week I had made Pork Carnitas. As usual, there were leftovers. I also had some leftover black bean and corn salsa in the fridge so I decided to make taquitos. Taquitos are the perfect way to use up whatever leftovers you have in the fridge. I had pork but they will also work with leftover roast or chicken. If you don’t have any leftover meat but are in the mood for some taquitos you can cook up some shredded chicken in your slow cooker, Instant Pot or in the microwave. Just add a little taco seasoning to the chicken or come cumin and chili powder.

What is a Taquito?

A Taquito is a rolled-up corn tortilla that contains a filling, including beef, pork chicken and cheese. The rolled up tortilla is then fried in oil. It is often topped with sour cream and guacamole.

How to Make Taquitos?

Shred your left over meat. You will need 1 1/2 cups of meat. If the meat isn’t already seasoned add in some diced green chilies 1/2 cup cheese and garlic salt. Stir to combine.

To make the tortillas easier to work with, soften them. Wrap them in a paper towel and microwave them for about 30 seconds. I do about 5-6 at time.

Then place a couple of tablespoons of meat and cheese mixture onto the middle of the tortilla and roll. Hold them closed with a toothpick until you are ready to fry them.

Heat your oil in a large frying pan to 350-375 degrees F. I love using my Thermapen to check the oil temperature. You can also check the oil temperature by sticking a piece of tortilla into it and see if it sizzles or not. If it sizzles it is ready.

Cook the tortillas until they are crisp and lightly golden brown. Turn over to the next side and do the same. It will take about 5 minutes per side.

Place and drain onto a paper towel when done.

What to Eat Taquitos With?

Then you just pick them up, yes,with your hands and crunch away! Yum! Just be sure and remove the toothpick first!

Can Taquitos be Baked?

Yes, they can! Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the taquitos on the sheet. Spray the top of the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Can Taquitos Be Made with Flour Tortillas?

They can but then they are called a flauta. They can be fried or baked just like a taquito. You can find a recipe for chicken flautas here.

Beef Taquitos Recipe

Print<![CDATA[.wprm-recipe-rating .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg *fill:#343434]]>

Homemade Taquitos

Taquitos are rolled tacos filled with chicken, beef or pork and cheese. Fried to perfection for a delicious way to use leftovers!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword rolled tacos, taquitos

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 12 taquitos

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

1 1/2-2 cups meat chicken, beef or pork

1 4 oz. chopped green chiles

1 tsp garlic salt I used 1 tsp to 1 1/2 C meat.

12 Corn tortillas

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c salsa

1 c cheese grated, extra for garnish

Instructions

Combine meat, green chilies and garlic salt into a bowl and stir to combine.

Soften tortillas wrapped in a paper towel in the microwave.

Place 2 Tbsp meat mixture onto softened tortilla.

Roll up and secure with a tooth pick.

Heat a pan with vegetable oil (about 1 inch deep) Heat oil until hot and bubbly.

Cook taquitos in oil until lightly golden brown, both sides. Drain on a paper towel.

Garnish with sour cream, salsa and cheese.

Nutrition

Originally posted January 10, 2012

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Hi – I’m Leigh Anne! Food, family and friends are three of my favorite things. I love sharing easy, delicious recipes and entertaining ideas that everyone will love. When she started her blog, Your Homebased Mom, over 9 years ago she had no idea that it would one day house over 2,400 recipes and ideas! .