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Il tempo del sambuco: panna cotta e gelato profumati ai fiori di sambuco

Ho sempre vissuto in campagna, nella stessa casa dove nonna e babbo sono nati, ma per anni la campagna per me è stata poco più di un giardino ben tenuto, degli olivi e di una siepe di more alla fine dell’estate.

I miei genitori appartengono a quella generazione, cresciuta tra gli anni ’60 e ’70, che ha fatto di tutto per allontanarsi dalla campagna intesa come agricoltura: lavoravano tutto il giorno, uno in ufficio, l’altra prima in una confezione e poi in una mensa, e quando rientravano a casa avevano ben altri progetti, che sicuramente non includevano la coltivazione di un orto.   Il mio bisnonno Piero, lui sì che coltivava i campi. Aveva anche le arnie per il miele e, a quanto pare, faceva un vino ottimo per gli standard dei tempi, quando per gli altri contadini il vino era poco più di una fonte di calorie.

Nonna ha portato avanti l’orto, con i suoi filari di pomodori schizzati di verde rame, la carciofaia e l’angolo dei cetrioli. Ho un ricordo vivido dell’odore acerbo dei pomodori verdi e del profumo di terra bagnata. Con gli anni, però, l’ha lasciato andare, preferendo dedicare più tempo ai suoi amati fiori.

Nonostante questo, io sono cresciuta nel mito dell’autosufficienza, di una famiglia che in estate faceva conserve, sott’oli e marmellate per preservare i sapori della bella stagione. Mi guardavo intorno e mi sembrava che tutto questo spazio non messo a frutto, tutta questa campagna usata solo come giardino fosse uno spreco.

Lavorando da casa, facendo la spesa tra botteghe e mercati, ho iniziato a istillare il tarlo dell’orto nei miei genitori. Non che io avessi poi materialmente il tempo di farlo, però… Il punto di svolta è stato quando mamma è andata in pensione.

Lo scorso anno abbiamo piantato una dozzina di alberi da frutto, che forse diventeranno un frutteto quando i miei figli saranno grandi. Ormai sono quattro anni che i miei, supervisionati dall’esperienza e dai ricordi di nonna, fanno un orto che si espande poco a poco: agli, cipolle, melanzane, zucchine, pomodori… solo verdure estive, ma è un inizio.

Questo è il secondo anno che provo anche a crescere qualche pianta dal seme e, nonostante i tanti errori, qualche settimana fa ho piantato una ventina di zucche che mi sono tirata su piano piano: la zucchina limone, la zucchina lunga gialla, la zucchina ligure e la zucchina trombetta, la mia preferita. Ho anche piantato quattro zucchine da fiore, per avere una produzione costante di fiori da friggere durante l’estate.

Accanto alle erbe aromatiche, che ormai hanno preso vigore, e alle fragole, che si espandono di anno in anno, il mese scorso abbiamo aggiunto due piante di lamponi, una di ribes e una di uva spina. Ho tentato di nuovo la sorte con il rabarbaro.

La sera io e Tommaso facciamo una camminata tra i cespugli di ribes e di uvaspina, andiamo a controllare come stanno quelle poche piante di pomodori che mi sono nate dai semi, ammiriamo come le zucche si espandano nell’orto incuranti del maltempo. Quasi contiamo le nuove foglie dei lamponi, per vedere quanto sono cresciuti, e facciamo il tifo per il rabarbaro. In scala ridotta, sembriamo Liz Bennet e Mr. Darcy che ammirano la tenuta di Pemberley, abbracciando con lo sguardo tutto quello che, piano piano, nonostante la mia incuria e grazie alle attenzioni dei miei, sta crescendo, dando vita a una campagna finalmente produttiva. Quello nei miei occhi è stupore, e riconoscenza.

Credo che sia per questo che ho da sempre una fascinazione per tutto quello che ci arriva spontaneamente dalla natura, perché prima di un orto e di un frutteto c’erano loro, le erbe spontanee, le siepi di more brulicanti di vita e cariche di bacche nere come l’inchiostro alla fine dell’estate, i pinoli da raccogliere in pineta e i funghi che nonna riportava a casa nel paniere di vimini.

Così, prima di dedicarmi a far crescere con alterna fortuna i pomodori e le zucche a partire dai semi, mi sono dedicata alla ricerca delle mele selvatiche e alla raccolta delle erbe di campo, dei fiori di acacia e di quelli di sambuco.   Anche quest’anno nelle ultime settimane ho mappato mentalmente i cespugli e gli alberi di sambuco lungo le strade e sulle rive umide dei torrenti della zona, aspettando un raro pomeriggio di sole per la nostra raccolta.   Qualche giorno fa, appena il cielo si è aperto lasciando intravedere un po’ di azzurro, io e Tommaso siamo saliti in macchina portando con noi anche Noa, che sentiva che c’era nell’aria un’avventura. Abbiamo parcheggiato non troppo lontani dell’Elsa e ci siamo avventurati su una stradina di campo fangosa e piena di pozzanghere.

Poi, all’improvvisto, il profumo intenso del sambuco. Anche quest’anno ce l’avevo fatta.

Quest’anno ho preparato qualche bottiglia di sciroppo, come al solito, e poi ho usato i fiori di sambuco per dare profumo e aroma a un gelato alla crema e alla panna cotta: me lo sentivo che sarebbero stati buoni, ma non potevo immaginare quanto.

Panna cotta ai fiori di sambuco

Questa è una panna cotta senza gelatina, assodata dagli albumi e da una cottura a bagnomaria in forno. Più che gelatinosa, è morbida, come un budino. L’avevo già fatta qualche anno fa, per una cena con gli amici, poi me n’ero completamente dimenticata, affidandomi sempre a quest’altra ricetta, con la colla di pesce.

Quella consistenza setosa mi era però rimasta in un angolino del cuore, e quando ho sentito quel profumo inebriante di sambuco le stelle si sono allineate, li ho visti insieme, la panna cotta più cremosa e quei fiorellini bianchi minuscoli, così delicati. Per farla ho seguito la ricetta di Jasmine, che puoi trovare sul suo blog, Labna.

Se hai tempo puoi mettere in infusione gli ombrelli di sambuco nella panna la sera prima, altrimenti puoi portare a ebollizione la panna con il sambuco poco prima di iniziare a preparazione della ricetta. Il profumo di sambuco è elegante, avvolgente, e dà una marcia in più a uno dei dolci più classici della nostra tradizione, rendendolo fresco, stagionale.

Piatto: Dolce

Cucina: Italiana

Keyword: dessert, dolce al cucchiaio, panna, panna cotta, senza glutine

Porzioni: 8

500 ml di panna fresca

8 ombrelli di sambuco

80 g di zucchero + 100 g di zucchero per il caramello

4 albumi

Versate la panna in un pentolino e aggiungete gli ombrelli di sambuco, precedentemente controllati per evitare che non contengano ospiti indesiderati, e lo zucchero.

Portate la panna a ebollizione, mescolando di tanto in tanto per sciogliere lo zucchero, poi spegnete il fuoco e lasciatela intiepidire.

Sbattete leggermente gli albumi con una forchetta finché non mostrano qualche bollicina in superficie, poi filtrate la panna e versatela sugli albumi. Mescolate qual tanto che basta ad amalgamare completamente gli ingredienti.

Scaldate il forno a 120°C.

Sciogliete 100 g di zucchero in una padellina antiaderente, finché non sarà diventato un caramello ambrato.

Versate il caramello in uno stampo rettangolare da plum cake, poi aggiungete la panna cotta.

Sistemate lo stampo in una teglia piena d’acqua e infornate in forno caldo, nella parte bassa, cuocendo la panna cotta per circa 1 ora e 20 minuti, o finché non sarà elastica e compatta al tatto. Attenzione a non bruciarvi nel controllare la cottura!

Togliete la panna cotta dal forno, fatela raffreddare e poi mettetela in frigo per qualche ora, o, ancora meglio, fino al giorno successivo, in modo che si assodi completamente e il caramello abbia il tempo di sciogliersi, trasformandosi in una salsa per la panna cotta.

Al momento di servire la panna cotta, immergete lo stampo per pochi secondi in una ciotola di acqua bollente, poi capovolgetelo con attenzione su un piatto, con il bordo leggermente rialzato per contenere il caramello.

Gelato alla crema ai fiori di sambuco

Subito dopo l’ispirazione per la panna cotta, è arrivata l’idea per un gelato ai fiori di sambuco. Proprio come ho fatto per la panna cotta, i fiori di sambuco rilasciano la loro essenza nella panna e nel latte che sono alla base della crema di questo gelato classico, che puoi servire così com’è o con una macedonia di fragole.

Piatto: Dolce

Cucina: Italiana

Keyword: crema, dessert, gelato, senza glutine

Porzioni: 8

220  g  di latte intero

250  g  di panna

8 ombrelli di sambuco

5  tuorli d'uovo

125  g  di zucchero

1  cucchiaio  di miele di fiori d'arancio

Il giorno prima scaldate il latte e la panna in un pentolino con gli ombrelli di fiori di sambuco fino al primissimo bollore. Spegnete e lasciateli intiepidire.

Montate i tuorli con lo zucchero fino a che non sono leggeri e chiari, poi aggiungete il cucchiaio di miele e incorporatelo alla crema di tuorli.

Filtrate il latte e la panna e versateli a filo sulla crema di tuorli, mescolando continuamente con una frusta per evitare che le uova cuociano e per amalgamare completamente i due composti.

Rimettete la crema sul fuoco a bagnomaria e fatela arrivare a 83°C oppure mescolate con una frusta fino a che non accenna il minimo bollore. Spegnete, coprite con la pellicola per alimenti e fatela raffreddare, poi spostatela in frigo fino al giorno successivo.

Il giorno successivo, versate la crema nella gelatiera refrigerata e fatela girare secondo le istruzioni.

Mettete il gelato in un contenitore in plastica o metallo e trasferitelo in congelatore per qualche ora. Toglietelo una decina di minuti prima di servirlo.

Link love

Sul blog di Manuela, Con le Mani in Pasta, ci sono diverse ricette con i fiori di sambuco: una torta al limone e sciroppo di sambuco, brioche intrecciate con i fiori di sambuco, e dei biscotti con farina di mais e fiori di sambuco, che ricordano tanto quelli che anche io ho preparato anno scorso. Nel suo libro appena uscito, Con le mani in pasta, Manuela ha anche la ricetta per fare lo sciroppo di sambuco e i ghiaccioli con quello sciroppo.

Credo che lo sciroppo di fiori di sambuco diventerà molto di moda, dopo che anche Henry e Meghan lo hanno scelto insieme ai limoni di Amalfi per la loro torta nuziale, preparata da Claire Ptak, della Violet Bakery di Londra. Questo articolo di Bee Wilson per il The Newyorker ripercorre la storia delle torte nuziali reali fino all’ultima, al profumo di sambuco: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Cake Breaks with Centuries of Royal Tradition. Her royal wedding cake will encourage people to think about things like flavor, provenance, and the seasons – “all of which,” she said, “are actually rather traditional.”

Adesso che i fiori di sambuco sono tornati di moda, è facile trovare ricette in cui lasciano la loro impronta gentile, come in questa torta, ispirata a quella del matrimonio reale: Simple Elderflower Lemon Cake with Elderflower Whipped Cream.

Anche Ottolenghi gioca con i fiori di sambuco.

Source: https://it.julskitchen.com/dolci/panna-cotta-fiori-di-sambuco

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Green Chile Rice

Green Chile Rice is the perfect side dish for all of your favorite Mexican dishes. A delicious combination of green chilies, cilantro, and lime.

When you have blogged as long as I have (over ten years) you lose track of recipes you posted years and years ago.  Sometimes you even forget what recipes you have posted and you post them again, forgetting they are already on the blog!  And sometimes, recipes just disappear from the blog.  I haven’t quite figured out how that one happens but today’s recipe is one of those.

I am almost positive I posted this family favorite years ago, but when I went to look for it, it wasn’t there.  Since I rely on my blog for copies of my recipes I didn’t have any other copy so I had to text my niece Emily to see if she had a copy of it, fortunately she did!

This rice is the perfect side dish to just about any Mexican entree.  It is a nice alternative to traditional Mexican Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice.

It is also delicious with any grilled meat, chicken, beef or pork. One of my favorite things about it is how easy it is to make.  It is actually baked in the oven!

Just put all the ingredients, rice, chicken broth, green onion, lime juice, onion, cilantro, seasonings and of course, green chilies into a 9 x 13 pan and bake for an hour for 350 degrees F.  After it’s done, give it a stir and a fluff and it’s ready to serve.

This Green Chile Rice is sure to become a favorite at your house too.

Some of my other favorite rice recipes:

Some of my favorite kitchen tools I use to make Green Chile Rice:

9 x 13 GLASS PAN – I actually own three of these and they seem to be in constant use.

For all of my other favorite kitchen products and tools visit my Amazon Store.

Did you know I wrote a cookbook?  Check out the Holiday Slow Cooker Cookbook for 100 delicious recipes

Green Chile Rice

Green Chile Rice is the perfect side dish for all of your favorite Mexican dishes. A delicious combination of green chilies, cilantro, and lime.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: green chile rice

Ingredients

2 cups long grain rice

4 cups chicken broth

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 4 oz. cans green chiles diced

2/3 cups cilantro chopped

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp cumin

4 green onions sliced

Instructions

Mix together all ingredients in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour or until rice is done.

Stir and fluff with a fork before serving.

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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! .

Latest posts by Leigh Anne (see all)

Source: https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/green-chile-rice/

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Quick Pickles

Ever since I was a tiny kid, I’ve been in love with pickles. I’ve also always had very specific feelings about pickles and even now, if you try and serve me a sweet pickle, that might be the end of things between us. Right now, I have at least 4 jars of pickles in my fridge, just in case. I don’t know what the “just in case” scenario is, but in a The Walking Dead scenario, I think I want to live just long enough to eat the pickles in my fridge and then we can call it good. So it sounds like I’ll make it about 24 hours into the zombie apocalypse.

I’ve started quick pickling lots of things–vegetables like carrots, onions, radishes, and peppers also handle this treatment extremely well. But. Just plain cucumbers are always my favorite. These are delicious on tacos, stir fries, sandwiches, eaten by themselves while I stare into the fridge at 11:30 pm, pondering the meaning of life.

You’ll need 8-9 ounces of English or baby cucumbers, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and smashed garlic. You’ll also need some rice vinegar, but how much depends on how long you’re planning on storing these (or how quickly you’re planning on eating them!)

If you’re in a hurry and you’re whipping these up to eat as soon as dinner is done cooking, use 1 cup of rice vinegar. If, on the other hand, you’re prepping them in advance for dinner later in the day or you just want to snack on them, use 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Using the full cup of vinegar will help get these pickle-y enough in just a few minutes, but if you come back to those same pickles in a few hours, you might question some of your life choices.

To make these, trim ends off the cucumbers. Using a vegetable peeler and steady pressure, shave each cucumber into ribbons

and place in a small mixing bowl.

Gently toss with remaining ingredients,

cover, and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes. These are a delicious snack or try serving them on top of Greek- or Asian-influenced rice bowls and stir-fries, in tacos, on top of spicy grilled meats, or on sandwiches.

If you’re looking for other ways to use up your summer cucumbers, these refrigerator pickles and these sweet and spicy cucumber slices are two of our most popular recipes!

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Description

These Quick Pickles are meant to be on your table within minutes, although they’ll be good for a few days after making them. Feel free to customize them however you’d like!

Ingredients

8-9 ounces baby or English cucumbers (the thin skins and small seeds are perfect for making “ribbons”) 1/2 cup OR 1 cup rice vinegar (This is important! If you’re eating these right away, use 1 cup vinegar; if you’re planning on snacking on them or eating them in more than 30 minutes, use 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup cold water) 1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt (start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste if desired) 1/4 teaspoon coarse freshly ground black pepper 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed 5-6 ice cubes See notes for additional add-ins

Instructions

Trim ends off the cucumbers. Using a vegetable peeler and steady pressure, shave each cucumber into ribbons and place in a small mixing bowl. Gently toss with remaining ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes. These are a delicious snack or try serving them on top of Greek- or Asian-influenced rice bowls and stir-fries, in tacos, on top of spicy grilled meats, or on sandwiches.

Notes

For sweet pickles, add 1-3 tablespoons white sugar (to taste)

For spicy pickles, add 1 thinly sliced jalapeño pepper or 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fresh basil, dill, or mint will really change the flavor profile

Source: https://ourbestbites.com/quick-pickles/

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Easy Football Party Ideas

Planning a game day party does not need to be hard or exhausting. These Easy Football Party Ideas will get you excited to plan a simple party where you can enjoy food, friends, and cheering on your favorite team.

*This post is in partnership with Farm Rich. As always, all ideas and opinions are my own.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THESE IDEAS FOR LATER!

Did you know that “homegating” is the new tailgating?  Please tell me I’m not the only one that didn’t know this new phrase (which I’m loving BTW).

You don’t need to go through the hassle of packing up your food, chairs, and drinks and driving across town to watch a game with friends anymore.  Planning and hosting a party in the comfort of your own home with easy convenient snacks is the new way to do football parties.

I love putting together easy themed parties and having friends over to our house. Good food, fun decorations, loud cheering, and wonderful company is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening.

Hosting a party should not be a lot of work. I know that having a bunch of people coming into your home can be stressful. Especially if you decide last minute to host the game day party at your house.

But just remember that they are there to see you and enjoy good food and entertainment. Trust me, no one else even sees the dust and clutter that you think is so obvious.

To show you just how easy this can be, I have put together a few simple tips to help you host fun game day gatherings this fall. Once your guests arrive, you will be able to relax and enjoy their company while cheering on your favorite team with your favorite snacks.

Football Party Decorations

Keep things simple by shopping at your local party store for game day decor. Buying it already made and ready to go saves you time and energy. Plus, you can buy matching plates and napkins while you are there.

I found a green tablecloth that looked like grass and a fun football banner that I taped to the front of our food table. A football platter and dip container was a great investment because they can be reused for future football parties we host. The little disposable green containers were perfect for serving the different appetizers in, and the flag picks were a great way to dress up the finger foods.

Concentrating on just a few football decorations for the food table is an easy way to be festive without going overboard. Make sure you utilize things you already own too.

By using a chalkboard, metal containers, and a metal cake stand that I already had around the house, I was able to pull off a fun decorated table without spending a fortune.

Easy Football Food

For our effortless game day party, I picked up a variety of Farm Rich snacks from the freezer aisle at our local Winn Dixie. We love Farm Rich snacks because they are convenient and taste absolutely delicious.

Farm Rich snacks and appetizers are quick-frozen and carefully packaged so that you can prepare delicious food in a matter of minutes. They are also made with wholesome ingredients so I can feel good serving them to my family and friends.

They also offer a wide variety of products from Meatballs to Mozzarella Sticks to Loaded Potato Skins to Jalapeño Peppers to Mozzarella Bites. There is something for everyone to enjoy.

Our kids went crazy for the Mozzarella Bites and Meatballs. I love that both of these snacks can be microwaved and enjoyed in minutes. They will also be perfect for a quick after school snack on busy days and are something the kids can even make themselves.

When putting together your veggie tray, choose vegetables that do not need a lot of extra prep work. I like being able to open the package, rinse the veggies, and drop them on a platter. The only veggie that requires a little extra work are cucumbers because you will need to slice them.

Ready made dips are another easy thing to pick up at the grocery store. Fill containers with ranch dip, pizza sauce, and barbecue sauce right before your guests arrive. No one will ever know that they are store bought.

For beverages, fill a cooler or large container with ice and chill mini bottles of water and a variety of mini cans of pop. The smaller size minimizes the amount of half-empty drinks you will find after the party is over.

Easy Football Desserts

Minimizing time in the kitchen when you are hosting a party is important. Easy no bake desserts that can be prepared in minutes are great when you are limited on prep time and need your oven for appetizers.

Little treats that look like footballs are the perfect kind of sweets for a football party. Drizzle melted white chocolate on a variety of snack-sized candy bars to make fun little chocolate footballs.  Chocolate covered strawberries can also be drizzled with the white chocolate for a fruit version.

Any cookie, fruit, or sweet cracker that can be dipped in chocolate will look cute drizzled with the white chocolate laces. If you purchase ones that are already dipped in chocolate it will save you even more time.

Drizzle the leftover white chocolate over popcorn and fill containers that your guests can grab easily to snack on. You can also add sprinkles or candies that coordinate with your team colors, if you like.

For more Easy Football Party Ideas be sure to check out some of our favorite other snacks below and sign up for the Farm Rich Email Loyalty Club:

Connect with Inside BruCrew Life! Follow us on social media, so you never miss a post.

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I also created a fun new Facebook group, and I would love for you to join. It’s a group where you can share your favorite recipes, ask questions, share photos, and see what’s new with the BruCrew. If you would like to check it out, you can request to join HERE.

Source: https://insidebrucrewlife.com/easy-football-party-ideas/

[waterkick15-blog]

Power Smokeless Grill Review & Giveaway

posted by Jaden

This is a Power Smokeless Grill review & giveaway – after 2 months of testing. Includes both PROs and CONs of the Power Smokeless Grill. – Jaden

One of the problems of outdoor grilling is that the weather doesn’t always cooperate. Indoor grilling poses even bigger problems, with the smell of smoke lingering for days (which is why I rarely fry fish inside the house).

The Power Smokeless Grill, one of those “As Seen On TV” products solves this problem with a grill that includes a fan to pull the smoke down, and inside the unit.

Extra Large Grill Surface – Cooking Area 13.5″ X 8″

Non-Stick Interchangeable Grill & Griddle Plates

LED Smart Temperature Control – Adjustable up to 450° F

Heavy Duty Die-Cast Aluminum

Removable Parts- For Easy Cleaning

1200 Watts

Power Smokeless Grill

There are quite a few parts to wash and clean. Fortunately, the lid, grill plate, drip tray and water tray are all dishwasher safe.

Our first test was with bacon – to test how evenly the Power Smokeless Grill cooks, and to test whether or not my home would reek of bacon after cooking.

PRO: Bacon cooked evenly. Note – a flat griddle plate also comes with the unit. I should have used that for bacon – but at least you can see the grill marks to demonstrate how hot the unit can get.

Extra crispy bacon – just how we like it.

PRO: The house wasn’t entire bacon smell-free – but it wasn’t nearly as bad as on my stovetop with the exhaust fan on. We saw wisps of smoke, but I felt comfortable not turning on my exhaust fan to supplement the Power Smokeless Grill internal fan.

We cooked marinated flat-iron steaks in the Power Smokeless Grill.

PRO: Nice grill marks, the steak grilled perfectly. I grilled the steaks without the lid for 3 minutes each side, then covered with lid until the steaks were medium-rare.

CON: Because the steaks were marinated, the sugar in the marinade did burn (which caused quite a bit of smoke) and I needed to place the grill near my exhaust fan.

CON: The most difficult element to clean is the heating element. The element is exposed, so you really do have to clean it well (a dirty heating element will affect performance and also will cause burning and smoke).

PRO: The rest of the unit was really easy too clean, just a damp cloth to wipe down.

CONCLUSION: We love cooking at the dinner table – some of our favorites are fondue, Korean BBQ, shabu-shabu, Chinese hot pot, Vietnamese spring rolls. The problem with cooking at the table is all the smoke!! With the Power Smokeless Grill, we are able to grill thinly sliced pork for spring rolls, bulgogi for lettuce wraps and grilled vegetables for Raclette. The unit allowed us to cook at the table and not worry about too much smoke to set off the smoke alarms.

Power Smokeless Grill Giveaway

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Source: https://steamykitchen.com/47337-power-smokeless-grill-review-giveaway.html

[waterkick15-blog]

Hand Painted Cookies for JOANN Stores

This post is sponsored in collaboration with JOANN. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Calling all cookie lovers, crafters, DIYers and entertainers, did you know JOANN has everything you need? They have been around for 75 years and they have much more than just fabric. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced crafter, JOANN has the right items for all of your projects, and more products and new ways do what you love, and learn a few new things along the way.

I know, I know, I’m overly excited, so let me take a breath and go through it with a few more details. Last week, I co-hosted a workshop in collaboration with JOANN at their NYC event to show and celebrate the aforementioned. With that, I hosted a cookie station to show crafters of all kinds how to make these hand painted cookies—which by the way—I’m so into right now. It’s like I get to bridge two passions of mine into one: painting and baking.

You may be thinking that these are way too hard to pull off, but I’m happy to tell you that, no, it’s not. Nearly everyone who attended the event stopped by to make one themselves. I mean, seriously, I loved helping everyone find their color and their strokes. We nibbled on cookies, sipped on cocktails and of course painted a few cookies.

Since I was telling everyone the cookies are easier to make than they look, I clearly had to poll them to see if it was indeed as easy as I had said. The good majority said yes and a few—full disclosure— said no. Then there were the few that went rogue and did their own thing, and naturally, I loved it. My point in sharing all this is twofold—or a “few-fold”—it’s not about perfection. It’s about doing it. That’s why I love that JOANN embraces the ideas of, “Make a memory”, “Creativity is messy” and most of all “design your own journey”.

I could not align myself with a brand that speaks more to my heart and my love for handmade happiness. Along with my station, there were a few others, each one showcasing how to fuse your crafting life into your everyday life.

To start, check out this Cocktail Crafting station. I mean, whoa, look at those cocktails!

Then, there was Brittany of The House Lars Built. Her table showcased how to make Icelandic paper poppies. My black thumb is thanking me for this.

Want to know how to quickly whip up fun and cute luggage tags? Kimberly from Sweet Red Poppy has you covered.

And everything you see from all the stations were, of course, made with supplies found at JOANN’s. So grab a pen and pencil, and let’s make a list for what you need to make these hand painted cookies:

And keep an eye on my Instagram channel, I’ll be posting a video tutorial for how to make these cookies this coming week. So definitely have your supplies ready for go-time!

Source: https://www.bakersroyale.com/handpainted-cookies-for-joann-stores/

[waterkick15-blog]

Veggie Christmas Tree

Do you ever wonder how to serve more vegetables at Christmas? This veggie Christmas tree will solve all your problems.

I saw this while I was playing around on Pinterest and it simply sang out to me as the perfect Snack Girl holiday appetizer. Make a healthier dip like my clam dip made lighter or my healthy layered bean dip with quinoa (you really are a saint if you serve quinoa during the holidays) and your family will be thrilled to chow down on something relatively good for them.

This is so ridiculously easy that I am not sure what I can say about it. I bought broccoli, cauliflower, yellow peppers, and cherry tomatoes.

All you do is channel your inner Christmas pine tree.

Use a star cookie cutter to make cut pepper stars (or just cut them with a paring knife if you don’t have a star cookie cutter).

Be sure to cut your broccoli so the little head stands up. I sliced mine so the greenery was on the side and that made for a strange effect.

When people see this adorable tree, don’t stop them from eating it just because it is cute. Tell them you have plenty more broccoli to refresh it. Won’t they be thrilled?

The veggie Christmas tree is the perfect way to tell your favorite relative (who may have just had heart surgery) that you love them. It’s festive and doesn’t use a pound of butter! How many holiday treats can you say that about?

When I made this for my family, they rolled their eyes because I am always doing stuff like this. I will say that my daughter stuffed her face with broccoli after I presented it (without complaining).

What kinds of dishes do you serve to subvert the paradigm of heavy food? Please share! I am sure we all want to know!

Other posts you might like:

Source: https://snack-girl.com/snack/veggie-christmas-tree/

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Turmeric Soaked Chickpeas

Remember the turmeric-soaked turmeric noodles I used recently in this pad thai recipe? Well, these turmeric-soaked chickpeas build on that idea. I wanted to figure out a way to work turmeric into the chickpeas, and it was actually pretty straight-forward, thankfully. You can make them on the stovetop. You can make them in an Instant Pot - I tested both approaches. Pick whichever method you prefer!

I've been using these chickpeas in all sorts of preparations, and I thought I needed to isolate the recipe on its own, so I can point to the technique when I post a recipe that uses them. You can use them in a lot of recipes that call for chickpeas.

I've used these in hummus, in my favorite chana masala, and in meals like the one you see below - Turmeric Chickpeas with Garlic Tahini. All in all these chickpeas are a great way to easily integrate a bit more turmeric into your everyday eats.

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Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Recipes

  Turmeric Soaked Chickpeas

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Ingredients

1 pound dried chickpeas

1 tablespoon dried turmeric powder

6 cups water

salt to taste

Instructions

Conventional stovetop method:

Rinse the dried chickpeas well. Combine in a large bowl along with the turmeric powder, and water. Soak six hours or overnight. Transfer everything, including the soaking water, to a thick-bottomed pot. Add extra water if needed, to cover the chickpeas by an inch. Bring to a boil, and then dial back the heat to simmer until the chickpeas are cooked through - 40-60 minutes. If there's extra liquid, go ahead and drain it. Season with salt to taste.

Instant Pot method:

Rinse the dried chickpeas well. Combine the chickpeas in the Instant Pot along with the turmeric, 1 teaspoon of salt, and add water to cover by an inch. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes, and then allow the recipe to naturally release. The chickpeas should be tender and soft. If not, cook at high pressure for another 5 minutes, then manually release the pressure. Drain the chickpeas if there is extra liquid.

Notes

Serves 8.

Serves

8

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

50 mins

  PRINT RECIPE

nutrition info nutrition info

January 21, 2019 permalink icon

Per Serving: Calories 209

Total Fat 3g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Carbohydrates 34g

Sodium 23mg

Fiber 10g

Sugars 6g

Protein 11g

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Perros Calientes Colombianos

Thu Aug 30, 2018

Until last month, it had been nearly 20 years since I took a solo vacation. Ever since meeting my (now) wife, I've never really thought about, or wanted to, travel alone again, but a large and growing differential in vacation days I had versus what she had left me pondering how to make use of them on my own. I considered staying home to take care of a long backlog of projects (like editing photos from past vacations and also redesigning this blog), but I'm not one to find allure in sitting around the house when there's an entire world out there for exploring. I finally settled on getting away and Colombia ended being the right mixture of distance, value, and sites my wife could live with me seeing on my own. I ha forgotten some of the perils of traveling alone though, the main one among them being dining by myself. I did get out to some nice restaurants and outstanding meals, but I was definitely most in my comfort zone with quick street food bites, and among the many I ate, one that sat the fondest with me was an overloaded hot dog I enjoyed in small corner joint in Medellin that was overflowing with locals all chomping down on the same messy, junky, delicious creation that is the perro caliente Colombiano.

When walking up to this particular hot dog shop, the first thing that struck me were the sheer variety of sauce choices. I saw the standard ketchup and mustard, but there was also a green avocado sauce, mayo, barbecue sauce, pineapple sauce, and salsa rosado. After deciding to recreate these hot dogs at home for my friends, I made a choice to focus on just a couple sauces instead of the full suite, but it's safe to say that you can sauce these dogs as you see fit.

The first sauce I made was the salsa rosado, which is a mixture of mayo and ketchup that's ubiquitous throughout a lot of Latin America. You really only need those two kitchen staples, but a little lemon juice thrown into the mix can add a nice brightness if you happen to have it on hand (I didn't here).

The second sauce I made was the pineapple salsa, which I chose due to a combination of its uniqueness and recipe development challenge. I'm not sure how the sauce is made in Colombia, but I started with actual pineapple that I pureed with water in a blender to make pineapple juice.

I then strained the juice into a medium pan to remove any pulp. Next I brought the juice to a boil, added in a little brown sugar, and let it simmer until it started to reduce slightly. I then made slurry of lime juice and cornstarch and added it into the mix, and almost instantly the sauce began to bubbly immensely thicken. It took another ten minutes or so though until the sauce had thickened into something that could be squeezed out of a bottle and retain some form. Once it was at that point, I transferred the sauce to a squeeze bottle and placed it in the fridge to cool completely.

Beyond the salsas, the hot dogs I experienced in Colombia had three distinct toppings—melted cheese, coleslaw, and potato sticks. The coleslaw wasn't particularly flavorful, it really mostly added a cool crunch and mellow mayo flavor. So to make something similar, I used my base coleslaw recipe that starts with slicing cabbage very thinly and mixing it with grated carrot along with sugar and salt, which work together to draw moisture out of the vegetables. After five minutes of resting, the cabbage mixture is washed and dried before dressing.

For the dressing, I kept the flavor very light with a mostly mayo base. I did add a slight boost in tang from rice vinegar and a little mustard for a background complexity. Other than that, it was just only salt, sugar, and pepper for the seasoning, and this dressing ended up giving the slaw the right mild flavor I was looking for without tasting bland.

The potato sticks topping was both probably the best part, and also easiest to prepare. I just picked up of a tub of these crunchy, fried potatoes and then crushed a large handful of them by placing them in a resealable bag and whacking it with a rolling pin a few times to get broken, but not obliterated, little pieces of crisp potatoes.

The cheese part of the equationI wasn't too sure of. I knew it was a soft and moist queso blanco when I saw the staff at the shop drop bricks of cheese into what looked like a pool of water, and then pull out melted globs of the stuff to spread along the rolls. My problem really occurred when I got to my local grocery and was presented with a wall of queso blancos—which one would be right choice? Then I saw one called Quesito Colombiano and figured that must be the one for me!

I melted the cheese in a small pan on the grill as I cooked the hot dogs. Very similar to what I saw in Colombia, this cheese melted into a pool of water with soft and stringy cheese nestled inside. Because of this separation, there was actually less cheese than I was expecting once it melted. I was certainly happy I had picked up a couple extra rounds of cheese because I ended up needing them to give each hot dog its proper cheesy layer.

The hot dogs themselves weren't really anything special. They tasted like a lightly season blend of pork and beef, so I found a two meat blend frank in the grocery store and picked them up. These natural casing franks from Hofmann were actually way better quality than what I had in Colombia, and compared to the water heated dogs I had there, the grill also gave the links a better flavor, in my opinion.

To assemble the hot dogs once everything was done, I started with a sesame seed bun (they were actually labeled as "sub rolls" and not hot dog buns) and spread a layer of cheese along the bottom. I then nestled a hot dog into the soft cheese and topped with a layer of coleslaw followed by potato sticks. I then squirted on the sauces, not being neat or tidy about it at all—one hallmark of these hot dogs seemed to be how messy they were.

And messy they were, with just the first bite I had some coleslaw and sauces adorning my hands, which was true to my experience in Colombia. The flavor was pretty spot on too, from the salty and soft cheese, squishy sesame seed bun, lightly seasoned dog, crunchy coleslaw, salty potato sticks, and variety of sauces. I ended up coming home from my trip with not enough gifts for everyone, then realized after serving these hot dogs that this is really the best gift I could give anyone anyway—sharing a food experience with my friends I so loved that can hopefully ignite an appreciation for Colombia and desire to travel there too.

Perros Calientes Colombianos

The Colombian hot dog is an overstuffed, messy affair that includes melted queso blanco, coleslaw, potato sticks, and a variety of sauces.

Prep Time:

40 Minutes

Cook Time:

5 Minutes

Total Time:

45 Minutes

Yield:

8 servings

Ingredients

For the Pineapple Sauce

2 cups roughly chopped fresh pineapple

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon cornstarch

  For the Salsa Rosado

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon (optional)

  For the Coleslaw

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon, divided

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoon dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 head green cabbage, core removed and finely shredded

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

3 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

  For the Hot Dogs

1lb queso blanco

8 hot dogs, preferably a pork and beef blend

8 hot dog buns or small sub rolls, preferably with sesame seeds

2/3 cup potato sticks, lightly crushed

Procedure

To make the pineapple sauce: Place pineapple and water in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth. Strain pureed pineapple through a fine mesh strainer into a medium pan. Place pan over medium-high heat, add in brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and cornstarch. Whisk cornstarch mixture into pineapple juice and let simmer until sauce thickens to a medium syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes more. Remove pan from heat and let sit until cool enough to handle. Transfer pineapple sauce to a squeeze bottle or container and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the salsa rosado: Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, and lemon juice (if using), in a small bowl. Transfer sauce to a squeeze bottle or container and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the coleslaw: Whisk together mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon sugar, vinegar, mustard, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Place cabbage and carrot in a large bowl, sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sugar and salt; toss to combine. Let stand five minutes, then transfer to a large colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Transfer cabbage to a salad spinner and spin dry. Alternatively, transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with a triple layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and blot mixture dry with more towels. Return to large bowl. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, and/or sugar.

To make the hot dogs: Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place cheese in a small pan and place on grill. Let sit until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. While cheese is melting, place hot dogs on grill and cook, turning occasionally, until heated through and well browned, about 4 minutes.

Using tongs, remove about 1/8 of the melted cheese and spread along the bottom of one bun. Nestle hot dog on top of cheese and top with coleslaw, potato sticks, and the two sauces. Repeat assembly for all hot dogs. Serve immediately.

Source: http://www.meatwave.com/blog/perros-calientes-colombianos-colombian-hot-dogs-with-queso-blanco-coleslaw-and-potato-sticks-recipe

[waterkick15-blog]

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pin this Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette to your Salad Boards!

My husband planted a garden this year (our first one!) and we’ve all been loving the fresh fruits and veggies. We’ve been eating salads and roasted veggies like crazy all summer long!

Lucky for me, the husband and both my boys love salads. They’ll eat just about anything if it’s in a salad and they’ll even order salads when we go out to eat. I credit their salad obsession with how often I make them and good homemade salad dressings. In my opinion, not too many things beat a good salad dressing and I love finding new ones to try and sharing our favorites here on the blog. This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette definitely checks off those boxes and I’m excited for you to give it a try! I can’t take credit for this balsamic vinaigrette, but I can for sharing it with you all 😉 My friend, Jessica Gavin of jessicagavin.com, recently released her first cookbook, Easy Culinary Science for Better Cooking. Jessica is a certified culinary scientist and uses her knowledge of science to teach you how to transform good dishes into great dishes. Her book helps you to remove the “mystery” of cooking and become the best cook possible!

Her book is filled with 75 approachable and delicious recipes (including this strawberry balsamic vinaigrette!) and snippets teaching you the science behind the methods that ultimately affect your finished dish. Her cooking tips and step-by-step guides are so helpful as you learn the WHY behind the method of recipes and the HOW to maximize the flavor potential.

Jessica’s cookbook goes through fundamental techniques and tips to help you hone or expand skills and become a more confident cook. The techniques she goes into depth on:

Dry-Heat Cooking

Moist-Heat Cooking

Braising & Stewing

Slow Cooking

Emulsification

Thickening

Chemical Leavening

Yeast Leavening

And for this very recipe (shared in her book), she’s teaching all about emulsification. This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is a type of emulsion-based dressing. As she defines in her book, a vinaigrette is a “temporary emulsion made without an emulsifier. A common ratio of three parts oil to one part acid is used.” To create a semi permanent emulsion for this strawberry balsamic vinaigrette, you’ll blend the ingredients in a blender. That shear and rapid force of the blender blades creates superfine strawberry particulates that stay suspended into the mixture and helps to increase the thickness of the dressing.

This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is creamy, sweet, and perfect to top off any and all of your summer produce!

Like I mentioned, we’ve been eating a lot of salads this summer and this dressing pairs perfectly with fresh fruits and a good creamy goat or feta cheese. My favorite combination: blackberries, strawberries, peaches, candied almonds, and goat cheese over a bed of mixed greens with this fresh strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.

And fair warning — you might be so hooked on this dressing you’ll have to grab Jessica’s book to try the other 74 mouthwatering dishes!

To purchase Jessica’s cookbook, Easy Culinary Science for Better Cooking, click here.

More Delicious Salads:

The Best Steak and Pita Salad

Balsamic Avocado, Corn, and Tomato Salad

The BEST Italian Salad

For more delicious recipes, follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Fresh and flavor packed salad with an incredible strawberry balsamic vinaigrette

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: balsamic vinaigrette

Servings: 1 and 1/2 cups dressing

Calories: 285 kcal

Author: Jessica Gavin, reprinted with permission

Ingredients

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 cup fresh sliced strawberries

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoons minced shallot

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Berry Salad

5 ounces Spring Mix Salad

1 ripe large peach, sliced into wedges (pit removed)

1 cup strawberries, sliced in half

1/2 cup blackberries

1/2 cup honey roasted sliced almonds (I buy these pre-made at Smith's/Kroger!)

1/3 cup goat or feta cheese

Instructions

Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar

Add the strawberries, water, balsamic vinegar, shallots, mustard, honey, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend on high until a smooth puree is formed, 10 seconds.

With a blender running on medium speed, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream. The dressing should be thickened and emulsified as the vinaigrette is achieved. Taste the vinaigrette and adjust the seasoning as desired.

Cover and refrigerate the vinaigrette until ready to serve. It is best to use the dressing the same day. Vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Salad

Wash and completely dry fruit. In a large bowl add the mixed green lettuce. Top with sliced peaches, sliced strawberries, blueberries, almonds and feta/goat cheese. Right before serving add the desired amount of dressing to the lettuce (you likely won't use it all!)

IF you are making this ahead of time, do not add the almonds, cheese, or dressing. Those ingredients don't sit well with this salad. Additionally, if you plan on having leftovers, only add almonds, cheese, and dressing to the portions that will get finished in the same day.

Source: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/strawberry-balsamic-vinaigrette/

[waterkick15-blog]

Veggie Ham and Cheese Egg Bake

2 Freestyle Points 152 Calories

Make this easy breakfast Veggie Ham and Cheese Egg Bake for a large gathering or make it ahead for meal prep for the week.

I love making breakfast casseroles when I am hosting brunch or bringing a breakfast dish to a potluck. Some other favorites are Sausage Cheese and Veggie Bake, Tex Mex Breakfast Casserole and this Spinach Feta and Artichoke Bake.

My sister in law Denise  made this at a brunch she hosted and I knew I wanted to remake it (just a bit lighter). Her recipe called for flour but I tested it without and it worked fine. I swapped some of the eggs for egg whites, added a lot more veggies and the results were wonderful! You can prep it ahead and bake when your guests arrive.

Variations and Tips:

You can swap the ham for sausage or leave it out to make it vegetarian.

Refrigerate for up to 4 to 5 days.

To freeze, cut in portions and wrap tight with plastic, transfer to freezer safe containers or ziplock bags. To thaw, place one in the refrigerator the night before.

For more leftover ham recipes:

Veggie Ham and Cheese Egg Bake

Make this easy breakfast Veggie Ham and Cheese Egg Bake for a large gathering or make it ahead for meal prep for the week.

Ingredients:

olive oil spray

2 cups shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar (for gf, check labels)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup sliced scallions

5 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

7 oz finely diced lean ham steak

3/4 cup diced tomatoes, seeded

1 cup finely chopped broccoli florets

7 large whole eggs

5 large egg whites

1/4 cup fat free milk

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with oil.

Place 1 cup of cheese into the baking dish.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add scallions, mushrooms and red pepper and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook 2 – 3 minutes. Add the ham and broccoli and remove from heat. Spread evenly over the cheese mixture.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper and whisk well. Slowly pour over the vegetables in the baking dish and top with remaining cheese.

Bake until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 32 to 35 minutes. Let stand 8 to 10 minutes before cutting into 12 pieces.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 12, Serving Size: 1 square

Amount Per Serving:

Freestyle Points: 2

Points +: 4

Calories: 152 calories

Total Fat: 8g

Saturated Fat: g

Cholesterol: 102mg

Sodium: 385mg

Carbohydrates: 5g

Fiber: 1g

Sugar: 1g

Protein: 14g

All images and text ©Gina Homolka for Skinnytaste

posted April 1, 2019 by Gina

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Source: https://www.skinnytaste.com/veggie-ham-egg-and-cheese-bake/

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Bake Sale Winning-est Gooey Oat Bars

Do you procrastibake?

I meant to do many things this week, but instead I baked. I baked slow-rise refrigerator focaccia. I baked slow-rise, sourdough focaccia. I baked fast-rise, yeasted, freshly milled flour focaccia. I baked slow-rise, yeasted, freshly milled flour focaccia.

And when I tired of the focaccia genre, I made these bake-sale winningest gooey oat bars from Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen Every Day. I baked them late at night, stashed them in the fridge, and awoke the next morning ready to face the potentially troubling task of slicing, which turned out to be a cinch thanks to the rest in fridge. Ben and I each had a bar with our coffee — an especially good match — then I sent him to work with (nearly) all that remained. By 10am, I was receiving text-message requests from his coworkers for the recipe.

These bars are a snap to throw together: a buttery shortbread crust comes together in seconds in the food processor, which then bakes alone while you stir together the gooey topping, a mix of melted butter, sugar, eggs, oats, chocolate, and coconut. Once crust and topping unite, the pan returns to the oven for a quick final bake.

Deb says these bars taste like “brown butter and caramel… like an old-school magic bar, but possibly even more delicious.” This is all true, except for the “possibly” bit — these are so much better than magic bars.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by your to-do list this weekend, I suggest you bake instead. You can bake bread or cookies or muffins or these gooey oat bars, an effort guaranteed to earn you street cred with any neighbors, colleagues, or friends you share them with or, at the very least, bring you complete and utter bliss when you hanker for that afternoon pick-me-up.

Happy procrastibaking, Friends.

Here’s the play-by-play: blend flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.

Add butter.

Purée until big clumps form.

Press it into a 9×13-inch pan. (Love this 9×13-inch USA Pan.)

Bake until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, melt butter till it begins to brown.

Gather your remaining ingredients: eggs, sugars, oats, chocolate, and coconut.

Stir the sugars into the butter.

Add the eggs one at a time.

Whisk till blended. (I get asked about this whisk a lot.This one (the large, not the small) is similar.

Add the coconut, oats, and vanilla.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

I like these Guittard dark (63% cacao) chocolate chips.

Stir to combine.

Pour over the baked crust. Return to the oven.

Bake until lightly golden.

Cut the bars — this is especially easy if you let the bars set up in the fridge.

Dust with powdered sugar. Store in the fridge.

The best afternoon treat: gooey oat bar + espresso.

From Smitten Kitchen Every Day:

Print

Description

From Smitten Kitchen Every Day, these bars are heaven to me: good with morning coffee, great with afternoon espresso, friendly for adults and children alike.

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 3/4 cups (230g) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (200g) cold unsalted butter

1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar

For the topping/filling:

1/2 cup (115g)  unsalted butter

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (145g) dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/3 cups (105g) rolled oats

1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I like a dark chocolate chip, 63% cacao or so), chopped white or dark chocolate, candy bars, dried fruit, or a mix thereof (with the dried fruit, a mix with chocolate is best or the sweetness of the fruit will be overwhelming)

powdered sugar, to finish

Instructions

Prepare your pan: Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper (if using a cake pan, hang the parchment over the sides so the bars are easier to remove). Lightly coat the sides with nonstick spray.

Make the crust: Combine the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into chunks, and add it to the bowl, then run the machine until the mixture forms large clumps—that’s right, just keep running it; it might take another 30 seconds for it to come together, but it will. Transfer the dough clumps to the prepared baking pan and press them evenly across the bottom and 1/4 inch up the sides. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until very pale golden.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Melt your butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, stirring frequently, until golden brown bits form at the bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugars and salt. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla, and stir in the oats, coconut, and chocolate, fruit, and/or candy. Pour over the parbaked crust, spreading evenly.

Bake the bars: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is firm and golden and the bars are set or, at most, barely jiggle if shimmied. The bars are much easier to cut cleanly from the fridge, but they are gooiest when warm. Dust with powdered sugar before serving or selling for the prettiest finish.

Do ahead: Store in the fridge for many days.

Keywords: oats, bars, brown butter, chocolate, coconut, bake-sale, smitten kitchen

Posted By: alexandra · In: Baking, Brownies & Bars, Children, Desserts, Gifts

Source: https://alexandracooks.com/2019/03/15/bake-sale-winning-est-gooey-oat-bars/

[waterkick15-blog]

Freezer Friendly On-the-Go Kids Snacks!

On July 2, 2018 by Kelcey Flynn

In need of snacks to take with you while you and your family are on-the-go this summer? Look no further than this freezer AND kid friendly list!

Whether you are a “pool mom” taking your kids to the local community center to swim on a regular basis, or you’re a “carpool parent” taking your kids from one camp to another, or shuffling them from swim lessons to soccer practice — we’ve got a snack you can have at the ready for all occasions!

All these recipes are freezer friendly, meaning you can make them ahead of time so you can literally grab them from the freezer, and go! Thaw them in your cooler in-between pickups, or in your fridge the night before.

No matter your hectic schedule and summer routine, let us help you make eating, (and eating well) easier than ever!

ALL these recipes are utensil-free, “eat with your hands” kid snacks!

Savory

Bacon and Egg Uncrustables

Gluten Free Dairy Free Ham Cups

Mini Veggie and Ham Quiches

Poppyseed Chicken Pinwheels

Ham and Cheese Picnic Pinwheels

Healthy Fish Sticks

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole Cups

Quinoa Pizza Bites

Gluten Free Dairy Free Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Easy Pepperoni Pizza Balls

Kid Friendly Broccoli and Chicken Quesadilla

Apple Chicken Nuggets

Bacon Wrapped Hot-Dogs

Ranch Chicken Nuggets

Chicken Stix

Corn Dog Muffins

Individual Mac and Cheese

Mexican Turkey Tortilla Roll Up

Toddler-ific Pizza Snack Cups

Whole Wheat Soft Pretzel Bites

Eggo Breakfast Sandwiches

Sweet

Toddler French Toast Sticks

Frozen Breakfast Muffins

Homemade Poptarts (GFDF Version)

Yogurt Parfait Popsicles (place a paper muffin cup liner underneath to prevent dripping!)

Homemade Cereal Bar Cookies

Breakfast Cookies (Kid-Friendly)

Balls of Energy

Berries, Nuts, and Coconut Shreds (place in snack bags or on to go cups!)

Homemade Uncrustables

Popcorn Balls

Orange Banana Smoothie Pops (same muffin cup liner tip from above applies!)

Watermelon Yogurt Smoothie Pops (same muffin cup liner tip from above applies!)

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Homemade Yogurt Tubes

Strawberry Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

Jam Filled Biscuits

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancake Squares

Kid-Friendly, On-the-Go Packaging and Containers!

Invite Your Kids to Help in the Kitchen

Boredom can strike hard and fast when kids are suddenly free to play all day long (I don’t get it!) If your older children show an interest, offer to teach them a little about cooking. For younger children, being mom or dad’s kitchen helper for the day is a treat in itself right? Getting your kids into the kitchen is a great way to provide them with a practical life skill, but it also means that they can actually be a big help to you! Check out these posts from our archives on teaching kids of all ages how to cook.

*This post contains affiliate links

Source: https://onceamonthmeals.com/blog/recipe-roundups/freezer-friendly-go-kids-snacks/

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Drip Birthday Cakes

28

Aug

Drip Birthday Cakes

These Drip Birthday Cakes are colorful, whimsical and oh so sweet!

This year I’ve made a few Drip Birthday Cakes for people I love and I thought I’d share them here all together.

I’ve admired this fun, drippy, candy-explosion style cake for a while and was excited to play with some ideas!

Of course, when you top a cake with another layer of color, then candy, cookies, sprinkles and more… how could you go wrong? =)

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I borrowed inspiration for these cakes from Katherine Sabbath and Jenny Cookies Bake Shop.

I believe Katherine Sabbath is likely the artist who primarily started the current trend of crazy-fun-drippy-candy-explosion style cakes.

Here are some of her earlier cakes –> Katherine Sabbath Cakes 2014

And here’s a fun mini video that shows her process –> Katherine Sabbath Ice Cream Drip Cake

Then, Jenny Cookies Bake Shop adds a whole other dimension to the drip style cakes by adding decorated cookies (now you’re speaking my language), crispy treats, and all kinds of other adorable goodies!

I could (and do) spend lots of time drooling over these beauties –> Jenny Cookies Bake Shop Cakes

I created the three cakes pictured in this post using a bit of a mash-up of these ladies ideas, combined with my own style and color choices.

How to make a Drip Cake…

Bake, cool, layer, crumb coat, frost, then chill your cake.

Here’s my favorite Vanilla Cake Recipe (simply omit the strawberries), Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe and Buttercream Frosting Recipe.

Once you have a fully assembled and frosted cake, put the cake in the freezer while you prepare your chocolate drizzle for the “drip”.

Gather…

Good quality white chocolate.  I use Ghirardelli.  I have also tried Bakers brand, but did NOT have success.

Heavy Whipping Cream

White food coloring (see instructions below for more details)

Food coloring in your choice of colors (thick gel color, not liquid)

For the cakes shown (8″ cakes) I used 3 oz. of Ghirardelli white chocolate (bar, sold in the baking section) and 1 oz. heavy cream.  You can adjust the amounts depending on the look you want, but the ratio of 3 parts chocolate to 1 part cream can stay the same.

Directions –

1.  Chop the white chocolate into very small pieces and place in a bowl.  Heat the cream in the microwave until hot (careful– this doesn’t take much more than maybe 10 seconds), then pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.  Wait one minute, then stir until the chocolate is melted and the cream is fully incorporated.  If needed, heat the chocolate and cream together in the microwave just a few seconds at a time.  Do not over-heat the chocolate.

2.  Once the chocolate and cream are fully combined, add a drop or two of white food coloring (listed above) and stir.  This will help the final color of your chocolate to be less opaque (than it would be otherwise).

3.  Next, add your desired color (1-2 drops).  Be sure you are using thick, gel food coloring (as listed above), not the old-fashioned liquid food coloring from the grocery store.

4.  Once the chocolate is your desired color, set aside for a few minutes to cool and thicken slightly.  The desired consistency should be about the thickness of shampoo.

5.  Retrieve your frosted cake from the freezer and using a small spoon (or an icing bag) add drops of icing to the top edge of the cake, just close enough to the edge so it begins to drip down on it’s own.  Start this process at the back of your cake, so you can perfect the technique as you work your way around.  So the key here is adding drops of icing, and creating a single drip at a time.

6.  Once you have added “drips” all the way around the cake, then pour the remaining colored chocolate onto the top of the cake and (working quickly) spread with an offset spatula to the edge of the cake, until it meets up with the dots you used to create the drips.

7.  Chill cake again, then add additional frosting, sprinkles, candies, etc.

Additional supply notes for these fun cakes…

CANDY – I usually can find everything I need at Party City (I generally shop in the physical store) and/or Oh Nuts.

SPRINKLES – I own a LOT of sprinkles.  You can add to your collection with sprinkles from Sweets & Treats or Sweetapolita.

UNICORN COOKIE – You’ll find my cookie and icing recipes, and all kinds of tutorials under my “Cookie Decorating” category.

I do not have a full tutorial on the unicorn.  And because I’m sure people will ask, I’ll share that I found this particular unicorn shape from Sheyb Designs (the shape is called “Glitter the Unicorn”).  I will add that while I generally LOVE to support small businesses (and most anything in the cookie world), the cutters I’ve purchase from this shop are not my favorite and I find them hard to work with.  For making one or two special cookies, the design is adorable, but I would not recommend this cutter (from this shop) if you plan to cut out a whole bunch of unicorns.

WHITE CAKE STAND – I own a LOT of cake stands, but tend to use this one the most.

Now, these cakes do take quite a bit of time (for me) to create.  Gathering all the supplies (candies, etc) at least a few days in advance, and then starting the project with a very clean kitchen and workspace help a lot.

And while I do generally enjoy the process, there is a pretty short list of reasons I’ll spend a day or two making a cake like this…

Reason #1… my kid =)

Reason #2… (or alternately titled, tied with reason #1)… equally adored, also mine.

Reason #3… sweet friends who I also love dearly.

Aren’t those some gorgeous reasons to bake a cake?! =)

Now, I’m curious if you have a favorite from the three cakes in this post?  Feel free to leave a comment below.

Drip Birthday Cake Ideas

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Happy baking!

Disclosure – Shopping links to specific supplies provided for your convenience. I may receive a small commission from purchases made using these links, at no additional cost to you.

Cakes, Frostings & Fillings

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Source: http://www.glorioustreats.com/2018/08/drip-birthday-cakes.html

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Coffee and Black Mission Fig Boozy Milkshakes

We’ve teamed up with Chameleon Cold-Brew Coffee to bring you a recipe for boozy milkshakes made with concentrated cold brew coffee, black Mission figs, vanilla ice cream, and rum.

Jump to recipe.

I love the transition from summer to fall. Bright sunshine and crisp weather are enough to sell me, but it’s also a splendid time for fruit. After the rainbow hues of summer, fall produce tends toward the jewel-toned purples, deep reds, and ochres of fresh figs, grapes, and apples. But fall fruit is fleeting – an early October frost is all it takes to cut things short. So this time of year, I make a point of enjoying all the figs and grapes I can.

While grapes are somewhat hardier, figs are impossibly delicate and should be enjoyed quickly. They’re wonderful eaten out of hand, but they can also lend depth and sweetness to a range of desserts. For a recent black Mission fig haul, I kept things simple with these coffee and fig boozy milkshakes. The flavors play off one another beautifully, making for a sweet sip that’s complex and smoky with the distinctive kick of delicious coffee.

Speaking of coffee (and fall), I’ve been keeping a bottle of Chameleon Cold-Brew Concentrate in my fridge and it’s made for a welcome pick-me-up on busy afternoons. I blend 4 ounces each Chameleon Cold-Brew Coffee Concentrate and milk for instant morning and afternoon pep. I love how simple it is to make, and the rich, smooth coffee flavor that comes through without the hassle of grinding beans or making a pour over.

Chameleon Cold-Brew Concentrate brings that same smooth coffee flavor to these boozy milkshakes, making for an easy, yet decadent, fall treat.

Cold-Brew Coffee and Black Mission Fig Boozy Milkshakes

Made with organic Chameleon Cold-Brew Black Coffee Concentrate, black Mission figs, and vanilla ice cream, these boozy milkshakes make for a quick, sophisticated dessert. 

A quick simple syrup infused with dried black Mission figs takes just few minutes of hands-on time and lends standout flavor. If it feels like too much, sub plain simple syrup or maple syrup instead.

Recipe Type: Cocktail

Keyword: milkshakes

Makes: 2 servings

Author: Elizabeth Stark

Ingredients

Dried Fig Simple Syrup

1 cup dried black Mission figs (about 18 figs)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

Garnish

2 figs, stems trimmed and sliced

unsweetened whipped cream

Instructions

Pour the water into a medium-sized saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir in sugar, and when dissolved, add dried figs. Remove from heat just as mixture begins to boil. Set aside to steep for 30 minutes, then strain into a clean jar and chill, reserving the plumped figs for another use.

Set out two Collins glasses. If desired, press sliced figs into the sides of the glasses for visual effect.

To make milkshakes, combine Chameleon Cold-Brew Black Coffee Concentrate and fresh figs in the pitcher of a blender. Blend until mixture is smooth, but still has a few flecks of fig. Add ice cream, fig simple syrup, and rum, and blend just until combined and creamy.

Pour milkshakes into glasses and garnish with whipped cream and a fig slice. Serve immediately.

Related

Source: https://brooklynsupper.com/coffee-fig-boozy-milkshakes/

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A Complete Guide to Netflix’s ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat’

By fusing together elements of travel shows, cooking programs, and documentary films, chef/author Samin Nosrat and director Caroline Suh have created a new style of food TV with Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. Season 1 of this exciting new series is now streaming on Netflix.

Each episode of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat explores one of the four elements of good cooking that Nosrat outlined in the game-changing, James Beard Award-winning book of the same name. To develop a greater understanding of the kitchen fundamentals, Samin meets with restaurant chefs, home cooks, and artisans around the world. She begins her journey in Italy learning about fat, then heads to Japan for a salt tutorial, then it’s off to the Yucatán region of Mexico for a crash course in acid, and the show winds down in Nosrat’s hometown of Berkeley, California for an exploration of heat.

Every installment has at least one dish demonstration, as well as lessons that can be applied to all styles of cooking. And in a refreshing change of pace for the culinary TV genre, the series features more women and people of color on screen than any other major food show on television. Nosrat recently told Eater, “I think there’s infinite ways that you can make exciting, new, beautiful food shows, and I totally want to do it.”

Here’s are guides to all four Season 1 episodes, with notes on the culinary insights, the people that Samin cooks with on her journey, and the restaurants and markets that she visits:

Episode 1: “Fat” Episode 2: “Salt” Episode 3: “Acid” Episode 4: “Heat”

And for more on how Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat made the jump from page to screen, check out Samin’s interviews with Eater.com and the hosts of the Eater Upsell.

• Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat [Netflix] • All Salt, Fat Acid, Heat Coverage [E]

Eat, Drink, Watch.

Food entertainment news and streaming recommendations every Friday

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and European users agree to the data transfer policy.

Source: https://www.eater.com/2018/10/12/17969534/salt-fat-acid-heat-netflix-season-1-guide

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Trader Joe's Thai Tea Mini Mochi

I'm not sure when I was first introduced to it, but I've been a fan of Thai iced tea for a long time now. If you're ever at a good Thai place, definitely try the Thai iced tea. Some restaurants make it better than others, but when it's good, it's absolutely delicious. I'm pretty sure it's a type of black tea, but with plenty of coconut milk and sugar up in the mix. When it's served, there's a cool layered effect with white at the top, black on the bottom, and a nice orange-brown in the middle—check out the photo in this article.

These mochi bites captured the flavor fairly well, but both Sonia and I thought it was a little less sweet than the Thai iced tea we're used to. Sonia was fine with that. Since they're definitely a dessert food, I wouldn't have minded them a little sweeter, but they're still pretty tasty the way they are.

I also thought they overdid it with the flour on the outside of the gelatinous shells. The mochis were absolutely covered in the stuff. At first, I thought it might have been powdered sugar, but it wasn't sweet. A couple times, I actually coughed from inhaling some of it. 

The pic above was taken immediately after our 25 minute drive home from TJ's. They melted a little in the sweltering heat and a tiny bit of ice cream jumped out of their shells—fortunate for the sake of the pic in that you can see the color and texture of the actual ice cream there in the top two corners of the tray.

Other mochis we've tried from TJ's are all significantly larger than these. I guess that's why these are called "mini mochi." You could theoretically pop the entire mochi ball into your mouth in one bite, but you might suffer some serious brain freeze. I preferred to eat them in two small bites. 

With a serving size of 6 pieces and 210 calories, this is one of the more satisfying dessert foods we've seen in a while. Also, they're dairy-free, using coconut milk instead of cow's milk, but they're still nice and creamy. The tapioca and rice-based shells are soft and thin, just like we've seen from other Trader Joe's mochi offerings.

Sonia gives these ice cream treats four and a half stars. I give them four. $3.49 for 15 mini mochi balls.

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.

Source: http://www.whatsgoodattraderjoes.com/2018/08/trader-joes-thai-tea-mini-mochi.html