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Filtering by Tag: cranberry

breathless

Andrea

Hi, friends. How are you? Goodness...well, it has been awhile, hasn’t it? We’ve missed a lot these last few months...such as apples. A trip to Boston and Halloween. Pumpkins and cranberries. The second anniversary of Bella Eats. And then there was Thanksgiving, and the first snow, and a trip to Florida and, finally, Christmas and the end of another year. Wow. So many opportunities to share food and photos and life with you all and I missed them, each one. I don’t want to start this first post back after three months gone with an apology, so, I won’t. Instead I’ll just say “Hi!” And, “I’m back!” And finally, “If you’re still here...thank you!”

What I do have to say about these last three months is this...they were full. So very full. The full you feel after an extraordinary meal; one that involves ten-too-many bites, an unbuckling of pants, and a slouching down in one’s chair followed by a long, low groan. So satisfying, but when you look down at your plate there are still ten more bites waiting, and you think to yourself “Can I do it?”. Somehow, you do, and at the end of it all you’re left with no choice but to lie down someplace dark and quiet. 

The thing about those big meals is that they are typically surrounded by a tableful of loved ones, conversing and laughing and drinking and eating right alongside you. They are so jovial and supportive that you don’t even notice the fullness until it is too late, and then they are there to moan and groan with you, and to reminisce about the wonderfulness that was the meal consumed. Been there? I thought so. And that is precisely what the last three months has felt like.

I am typically a very stick-to-the-path kind of girl. I follow directions well, read books and watch shows in sequence, knew what I wanted to be when I grew up at twelve years old. But three months ago I took a detour; strayed from the road I’d been traveling and forged a new trail through uncharted territory. 

I quit my architecture job in order to pursue photography as a career. 

That sentence leaves me giddy; so full of excitement that it is difficult to sit in this chair and continue typing. Not only is it unbelievably amazing to be chasing after a dream I never thought possible, but the unwavering support of family and friends has left me breathless.  There are scary moments, certainly, when I peer ahead and begin to doubt my ability to move forward with sure and confident steps. But then, out of nowhere, I’ll receive an email or phone call or Facebook message or tweet (what a funny world we live in, huh?) and I take another step, and another, and another until I am running so fast that I fear I won’t be able to stop. I am breathless, I tell you.

Finally, with the conclusion of a semester of teaching and 100% of my concentration set on photography, I have time for Bella Eats again. This fact I find nearly as exciting as my decision to change paths; to move towards a big dream shimmering at the horizon.  Bella Eats is part of that dream and, in fact, even the generator of it. Without this site I may not have renewed a passion for photography born long ago and lost in my pursuit of architecture. And I certainly wouldn’t have met all of you, or formed real friendships with some very inspiring and brave individuals. I owe much to this place I’ve carved from the world wide web and the people I’ve connected to through it, and am happy to finally be able to give some of that energy back.

And now, let’s talk about breakfast.

Recently, breakfast has slipped into the role of “Andrea’s favorite meal with friends”. It is usually enjoyed out, at any one of a handful of local joints, with someone I most likely haven’t seen in some time. That seems to be the case with most of my friends these days, who all seem equally as busy as I, and the breakfast hour is one that isn’t typically prescheduled for some other task. It is a mighty fine way to kick off a weekday, leaving you content and happy from the time, food, and news shared. 

If I could, I would make each and every one of you these sticky buns one morning this week. They take a bit of planning and an early morning wake-up call, but the end result is quite worth the effort. Paired with a cup of coffee and perhaps a few slices of crispy bacon, the soft, pillowed interior makes the perfect vessel for a sticky sauce of caramel and cranberries. We made them twice within a week, once for Thanksgiving guests and again for friends...just because. 

CRANBERRY ORANGE STICKY BUNS

adapted from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice
makes 8-12 large sticky buns

Ingredients

  • 6-1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp grated orange zest
  • 3-1/2 to 4 cups unbleached bread flour
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (6-1/2 tbsp granulated sugar plus 1-1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon)
  • Caramel Glaze (see below)
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Method

  1. Cream together the sugar, salt, and butter on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with paddle attachment. Whip in the egg and orange zest until smooth. Add the flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes, or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. You may have to add a little flour or water while mixing to achieve the desired texture. The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77˚ to 81˚F. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
  2. Ferment the dough at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.*
  3. Mist the counter with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Roll the dough with a rolling pin or press and stretch with fingertips, lightly dusting the top of the dough with flour to keep it from sticking. Roll or press into a rectangle about 2/3 inch thick and 14 inches wide by 12 inches long. Don't roll too thin, or the resulting buns will be tough and chewy. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough and roll the dough up into a cigar-shaped log, from the long side. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 even pieces each about 1-3/4 inches thick.
  4. Coat the bottom of 1 or more baking dishes or baking pans with sides at least 1-1/2 inches high with a 1/4 inch layer of the caramel glaze. Sprinkle on the cranberries. Lay the pieces of dough on top of the caramel glaze, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart.** Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
  5. Proof at room temperature for 75-90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size. You may also retard the shaped buns in the refrigerator for 2 days, pulling the pans out of the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours before baking to allow the dough to proof.***
  6. Preheat the oven to 350˚F with the oven rack on the lowest shelf. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on that oven rack to catch potential overflow.
  7. Bake the sticky buns for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep in mind that the sticky buns are really upside down, so the heat has to penetrate through the pan and into the glaze to caramelize it. The tops will become the bottoms, so they may appear dark and done in order for the underside to be fully baked.

CARAMEL GLAZE

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp orange extract

Method

  1. Cream together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and butter for 2 minutes on high speed with the paddle attachment. Add the corn syrup and orange extract. Continue to cream for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

You probably will not need all of the glaze for the buns. Refrigerate and save any excess for future use, it will keep for months in a sealed container.

NOTES:

* When the weather is cool I warm the oven to its lowest setting, 170˚, and then turn it off. I place the fermenting dough in the oven to rise and have much better luck than just leaving it on the calendar in our 60˚ house.

** Clearly my baking dish pictured was too small.  But it's pretty, so I dealt with it.

*** The first time I made these I made the dough and fermented it the night before I wanted to bake it. After shaping the rolls and placing them in the pan on the glaze I covered them with plastic wrap and refrigerated them. I set my alarm for 4 hours before I wanted to put them in the oven, took them out of the refrigerator, and went back to bed.  They came out beautifully.

categories baking, breakfast, sweets
tags bread baker's apprentice, breakfast, caramel, cranberry, orange, sticky buns

new to the rotation

Andrea

Sunday Morning.

Sunlight streams through our east-facing window.  The electric blanket has kept our bed toasty warm, too toasty for my fuzzy socked-feet sticking out from underneath our quilt.  Brian still sleeps quietly beside me, the dogs have nestled themselves into any nook or cranny on the bed they can find.  My eyes open, I stretch, and immediately start thinking about breakfast.

I've talked about my love for Sundays in the past - the one day of the week that we actually sleep in, make multiple pots of coffee to sip while laying around in our pajamas, read chapters upon chapters in our current books, experiment with some new and indulgent breakfast recipes in the kitchen.  I haven't shared any of these special morning meals lately because, well, basically every Sunday in December involved the panettone french toast that I already shared with you here. We love that dish in our house, and get our fill while panettone is readily available.

I count last Sunday as the first real Sunday of our new year.  The weekend before, the actual first Sunday, we had just said goodbye to house guests and, while we certainly laid around lazily for much of the day, there was no elaborate cooking happening in our kitchen.  It, and I, was just too tired.  But this past Sunday, after my self-imposed cooking hiatus, I woke up dreaming of stuffed French toast.

Cranberry and cream cheese-stuffed French toast, to be exact.  We happened to have a jar of Cranberry Chutney with Crystallized Ginger and Dried Cherries from Molly Wizenburg's book, A Homemade Life, in our fridge, leftover from holiday appetizer trays.  I adore this chutney, completely and totally.  I've found all manner of ways to use the three pints the recipe made, from spreading it across chevre-coated table water crackers to pairing it with thick-sliced ham, triple-cream cheese and arugula between two slices of crusty bread for the ultimate holiday leftovers sandwich. This chutney has been good to us these last 4 weeks, and I am incredibly disappointed that I didn't think to make extra batches of the spread to preserve for the cranberry-free months ahead.

As a final hurrah (the very last jar is getting heart-breakingly low...) I decided the chutney deserved a role in the first official Sunday Morning breakfast of 2010.  Paired with softened cream cheese, spread in the middle of a thick slice of bread from a French or Italian loaf that is then soaked in a simple custard before being pan-fried in butter and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar...its not a bad way to end a good run.

We enjoyed the meal immensely, and plan to add the Stuffed French Toast to our regular rotation for Sundays, substituting whatever jam we've made from the fresh fruit of the season we are in.  I hope you'll try it this weekend, and if you can still find fresh cranberries in your grocery store you should make this chutney as well.  You don't want to wait another ten months to try it.

Stuffed French Toast

serves 2 Ingredients
  • 2 slices French or Italian bread, 1-inch thick (you may want more slices depending on the size of your baguette)
  • 4 tbsp fruit preserves (or Molly's cranberry chutney)
  • 2 tbsp soft cream cheese or marscapone
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • confectioner's sugar
  • pure maple syrup
Method
  1. Lay slices of bread flat on cutting board.  Using a serrated bread knife, slice bread horizontally through middle, stopping short of cutting all the way through, to create an envelope of sorts.
  2. Spread 1 tbsp of cream cheese and 2 tbsp preserves in each envelope.
  3. In a shallow dish that will hold both stuffed slices, whisk together eggs and milk.  Lay stuffed slices in custard mixture, turning after 2 minutes, for a total of 4-5 minutes.
  4. Melt butter in a large, non-stick skillet over moderate heat.  When butter is fully melted, add stuffed slices to skillet.  Cook for 5 minutes on each side, until deep brown and no egg runs when you press down on the slices.
  5. Serve with confectioner's sugar and pure maple syrup.
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categories breakfast
tags a homemade life, cranberry, cream cheese, french toast

a distant memory

Andrea

Last week, the lovely Whitney of Whitney in Chicago made granola.  I commented on her blog that it looked delicious, to which she responded "let me send you some!".  Yes please!  It arrived at the end of last week and was enjoyed as cereal with soy milk, on top of greek yogurt and, most commonly, by the handful while staring into my pantry trying to decide what to make for dinner.  That was my favorite way to consume it.  It is chock-full of pistachios and cranberries, along with almonds and coconut flakes.  Delicious.  Thank you Whitney! granola-6 Granola is one of those grocery store items that I hate to buy.  It is somewhat expensive and every time I pick up a box or scoop some into a bulk bag I think to myself  "I should just make my own!"  My good friend Beth sent Brian (my hubb) and I a batch for Christmas which was consumed quickly and similarly to Whitney's.  Since then I've had granola on my to-make list, and the arrival of Whitney's package secured its spot at the very top of that list. granola-1 As I've written before, its spring cleaning time.  I've been working through the containers of dried fruits and nuts in my pantry, cleaning out items that have been stored for far too many months to make room for new purchases.  Granola seemed like the perfect way to use up the small quantities of miscellaneous dried goods that I had left.  I dug around and found currants, cranberries, apples and pineapple along with walnuts, pumpkin seeds and a small amount of finely shredded unsweetened coconut.  granola-2 As I gathered my ingredients I eagerly pulled up Whitney's recipe to make sure I had what I needed for the granola base.  One item on the list stirred a recent memory of a white, flour-like substance that I had been storing in a small gladware container.  It had been in the pantry for months and I had been trying to remember what it was.  I knew that I had opened a box of something, used a good portion of it and stored the remainder in this container for future use.  The only problem?  I hadn't labeled the container, and I had no idea what the substance was.  Just last week, during my initial cleaning out of the pantry I had stumbled upon it and, exasperated that I coudn't remember what it was, I threw it out.  Now I remembered.  Powdered milk.  And, of course, Whitney's recipe called for it.  And I, the non-labeler, had none. granola-3 I quickly decided that powdered milk must not be an absolutely necessary ingredient in granola.  My reasoning?  Everybody loves granola, including Vegans. And a granola that contained powdered milk would not be vegan so powdered milk must not be necessary.  This means that honey must not be absolutely necessary either but I chose to keep it in, because I do love honey.   For my kitchen sink granola (or should I say pantry shelf granola?) I decided to hop over to The Kitchen Sink, remembering that I had seen Kristin feature granola a few times on her blog.  And her recipe didn't require powdered milk.  Ding ding!   I modified the mix to include the items I had on hand, but the base recipe is the same.  And it is delicious.  Store-bought granola?  A distant memory. granola-4

Mixed Fruit Granola

recipe modified from the kitchen sink Ingredients:
  • 3-1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups mixed dried fruit (I used cranberries, currants, apples and pineapple)
Method:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375*.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the dried fruit.  Stir well to incorporate.
  2. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how golden you like it (I baked mine for 20 minutes).  Stir every 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the granola from the oven and cool completely, in its pan on a wire rack.  Once the granola is cool mix in the dried fruit.
granola-5

In the Blog World:

Wiggs of The Beholder is hosting a fabulously fun contest!  Please check it out, and hang out for awhile to read her blog.  She is hilarious, and is going to give me swimmer abs by summertime.  I shall be forever grateful.  :) Jenn of Eating Bender just had her 1 year Blogiversary, and to celebrate is hosting a fun giveaway!  Congratulations Jenn! HangryPants is giving away a Lexan Healthy Juicer!  Fun!!! Have you been reading Kath's posts about her trip to Africa?  Amazing!

Happy Wednesday!

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categories baking, breakfast
tags apple, cranberry, currant, dried fruit, gifts, granola, oats, pineapple, walnuts

bridging the gap

Andrea

We're almost there!  The cherry and plum trees are starting to flower, the crocus and daffodils are up, gardens are being prepped for planting.  Daylight Savings Time means there is light when I leave the office, and I've been taking advantage of our lovely weather with evening runs both yesterday and today (I'm feeling very well-prepared for the 8K on Saturday!!!).  Spring is just around the corner and I couldn't be more excited.   The change in seasons has me craving lighter foods but also has inspired me to clean out my pantry, to use up the winter-worthy ingredients that are dwindling in quantity and make way for those that come with spring.   scone-1 Among the items found?  Crystalized ginger, dried cranberries, a bowl full of oranges.  Okay, so the oranges were on my table, not in the pantry, but to me they make the perfect bridge from winter to spring.  You see, I grew up in Florida, where winter citrus is abundant as are 80* December days.  I've never associated oranges with cold weather and probably never will.  And who doesn't think of warm, tropical places when biting into a juicy orange?  Anybody? The power of positive thinking will get you far and I am determined that my bowlful of cheery oranges will carry Virginia straight into Spring without another winter storm.  :) scone-2 On Sunday morning while perusing my pantry I was dreaming of baked goods, as is often the case, and thought of one I hadn't made in awhile.  Scones. scone-3 For years I wasn't a fan of scones.  Those I had tried were dry and crumbly, with nondescript flavors that left them completely unmemorable.  Until one fateful Friday morning when a friend shared her daughter's fresh-baked scones at an office meeting, and I was hooked.  Soft and supple, moist and flakey, the mix-in possibilities were endless.  I knew I had to have the recipe, and lucky for me she shared. scone-4 The basic recipe for these scones was given to me years ago and I've been trying different variations ever since.  Many different flours have made it into the experiments, all-purpose, bread, white whole wheat and whole wheat included.  The whole wheat pastry flour is my favorite.  It gives the scones the fluffier texture found when using the all-purpose, but leaves you with a happier conscience after having one for breakfast. scone-6 Citrus Scones with Cranberries and Ginger makes 8 scones Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp orange extract
  • 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp orange zest
  • 8 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut up
  • 1/2 cup sugar (I used turbinado), plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup crystalized ginger, chopped
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 375*.  Spray a baking sheet with oil.
  2. Mix buttermilk with egg and extract, whisk smooth.
  3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Add orange zest.  Stir to mix well.  Add butter and rub in with your fingers until the mixture looks like course bread crumbs.  Add sugar, cranberries and ginger and toss to distribute evenly.
  4. Add egg mixture and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms.
  5. Turn out dough on a floured board and give 5-6 kneads, just until well mixed and cohesive.  Flatten dough into disk about 3/4" thick.  Cut disk into 8 equal wedges.
  6. Bake on prepared baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until medium brown.  Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.
scone-7 For another Bella Eats scone variation, click here. Thank you all for the great feedback regarding future bella terra posts.  I'm really excited!  :)  I hope to answer all of your questions in posts over the next few months...you've given me some great ideas. And, a thousand Thank You's for all of your kind words and good thoughts towards Kelly and her recovery.  She is home and healing and we are all so thankful that she was wearing a helmet.  For those of you who doubt the importance of wearing one, read this post. Be sure to check out Heather's blog for an exciting Coconut Milk Product Giveaway!  I've been dying to try this stuff... And last...my new job is awesome!!!  I've only been there two days but I am LOVING it so far.  Yay!  :) Have a great Wednesday everybody!
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categories Uncategorized, baking
tags cranberry, ginger, orange, scone

a sweet potato kind of day

Andrea

You're going to say it isn't possible...but it is.  I found another use for the cranberry ketchup.  :)  Today at work I was fretting a bit about the fact that the batch of cranberry ketchup (CK) I made last month is nearing its 4-week birthday.  Now I don't know for sure that it will go bad on its 28th day in existence, but that was the rough estimate I was given when I asked sweet Erin of Care to Eat for the recipe, and I didn't want to take any chances of wasting a single drop.  I was also thinking about baking because, well, I think about baking a lot.  The two thoughts eventually converged and I began to think about ways I could incorporate the CK into a baked good other than simply smearing it across the top (which is an excellent way to use it, don't get me wrong).   090112-bread-6 I've loved the different swirl breads I've seen pop up over the holidays, but have never attempted one myself.  I thought about banana bread with a cranberry swirl...yummy for sure, but I had no overly ripe bananas on my counter.  Cinnamon bread with a cranberry swirl?  I couldn't find or come up with a plain cinnamon bread recipe to modify.  Sweet potato bread with a cranberry swirl?  Now we're talking, I just happened to have a baked sweet potato sitting on the top shelf of my fridge.  But wait...Sweet Potato Apple Bread with a Cranberry Swirl?  Ding Ding Ding! 090112-bread-11 090112-bread-2 I started with the recipe I came up with for BSI: SWEET POTATO a couple of months ago.  This batter is a bit thicker than typical bread or cake batters, so I wasn't really sure how to incorporate the cranberry swirl in.  The hubb helped me wing it...we just cut 6 slots in the top of the bread batter in the short direction of the pan, then pulled a knife across the long direction.  As you can see, it looked like a big mess.  At this point I wasn't sure what I was going to get after it spent 50 minutes in the oven.  I'm still a very novice baker and am definitely learning by doing, or actually learning by taking plenty of chances that often result in big messes. 090112-bread-3 I was pleasantly surprised when I peaked in the oven after 45 minutes and all seemed well.  And the smell...oh. my. goodness.  It took me right back to the holidays.  I gave the bread an additional 5 minutes to set up then pulled it, placing it on a rack in the pan to cool for 10 minutes.  It fell a bit after sitting, I'm sure the cranberry goo contracted as it cooled and lost air bubbles, causing the bread to cave in a bit.  I was absolutely terrified to flip the pan and release the loaf. 090112-bread-4 Another pleasant surprise...it released perfectly. 090112-bread-5 After letting the loaf cool on the rack without its pan for 40 minutes, I couldn't resist slicing it to see how successful our swirling method had been. 090112-bread-7 I wouldn't call it a swirl, per se, but the CK added a lovely touch to the sweet potato apple bread, both visually and orally.  I will DEFINITELY be making this recipe every year, along with the cranberry ketchup.  :) 090112-bread-8 Sweet Potato Apple Bread with a Cranberry Swirl Ingredients:
  • 1 medium baked sweet potato, mashed (about 1-1/2 cups) 
  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp apple sauce
  • zest from 1 orange
  • 1 cup peeled, chopped tart apple (pink lady, granny smith, etc.) 
  • 1-1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup of cranberry ketchup* or other cranberry preserves
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 350*.  In a small bowl, mash the potato and add the brown sugar, applesauce, orange zest and egg.  Mix well.
  2. Add the chopped apple to the wet mixture.
  3. In a larger bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold together.
  5. Pour batter into greased loaf pan.  Smooth top of batter, than cut 1/2-inch deep slits in batter across short direction of pan.  Pour cranberry ketchup of preserves into slits, then drag a knife across long direction of pan to pull preserves through batter.  Do not overwork.
  6. Bake for 50-55 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
*  If you would like the recipe for cranberry ketchup, please send me an email.  The recipe is directly from a cookbook and I am not comfortable with publishing it on the blog.  Thanks!  Oh!  The hubb and I did have dinner tonight too.  And it was a lovely dinner, it just got overshadowed by dessert as so many great meals do (in my world anyway). Dinner:  Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Veggies.  It doesn't need much of an explanation, the pictures speak for themselves.  Although I do want to say that the tenderloins are from our favorite local pig farmer, Babes In The Wood.  So so so good. 090112-d1 090112-d2 090112-d3 I hope you all had a fabulous Monday!
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categories baking, dinner
tags apple, bread, cranberry, roasted pork, roasted veggies, sweet potato

cranberry apple holiday pie

Andrea

Hello my lovelies!  Today has been a whirlwind, and my eats are definitely not worth even mentioning as they were all eaten in a rush between making much more interesting things in the kitchen.  I'm rushing off to a holiday party tonight at my boss's house, for which I am bringing one of my favorite pie recipes.  I thought I would share it with you this evening, and hope to post the other fun holiday treats that the hubb and I made today, tomorrow.  Have a lovely evening! Cranberry Apple Holiday Pie This is the first pie recipe I ever made on my own.  I started with a recipe I found in an old cookbook of mine that I don't even have anymore, but have modified it over the years.  Its the perfect holiday pie and always a big hit. 081220-pie-5 081220-pie-6 081220-pie-8   Cranberry Apple Pie Ingredients for the filling:
  • zest of one orange
  • 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 2 large, tart apples
  • 1 cup of cranberries
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
for the crust:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 10 tbsp butter, cut in pieces
  • 1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water for egg wash
  • turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Steps
  1. For the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl.  Add the butter and cut-in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
  2. With a fork, stir in just enough iced water to bind the dough.
  3. Gather into two equal balls, wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 400*F.
  5. Combine orange zest and juice in a medium-sized bowl.  Peel and core the apples and add them to the orange mixture.  Stir in the cranberries, raisins, sugar and tapioca.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one ball of dough about 1/8 inch thick.  Transfer to a 9 inch pie tin and trim the edge.  Spoon the cranberry apple mixture into the shell.
  7. Roll out the remaining ball of dough to a circle about 11 inches in diameter.  With a serrated pastry wheel, cut the dough into 10 strips 3/4” wide.  Lay five of the strips across the pie in one direction, and lace the other five strips perpendicularly to the first five.
  8. Brush the top of the dough strips with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  9. Bake for 45 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
081220-pie-1 081220-pie-2 081220-pie-3 081220-pie-4 081220-pie-7 What is your favorite holiday dessert?
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categories baking
tags apple, cranberry, golden raisins, pie

spudnut!

Andrea

Last night as I was setting my alarm before bed I told the hubb I'd be getting up early to practice some yoga.  He laughed and told me that no, it was far more likely that when my alarm sounded he'd roll over to cuddle me and convince me to turn it off.  Well, he was right.  No yoga for me this morning...but it sure felt good to sleep in a little!  I hit snooze every 10 minutes for a full hour.  Do any of you do that?  I like to wake up slowly so I always set my alarm for 20-30 minutes earlier than I actually need to get up so that I can hit snooze a couple of times.  Is that strange? I've done it since high school.  Its gotten worse now because I will literally hit snooze for a full hour (like I did this morning).  Each time it goes off I wake up a little bit more.  I'm just not a jump right out of bed when the alarm sounds kinda girl... Anyway, I made up for my lack of yoga this morning with 50 minutes of yoga this evening.   It felt great, and now I feel good and stretched out for my 3-1/2 mile training run tomorrow morning!  :) Today's eats: Breakfast:  Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin muffin with 1-1/2 tbsp almond butter, sliced apple and cranberry ketchup!  Oh my...this was delicious!  I love the Ezekiel Muffin/nut butter/fruit combo...it keeps me so satisfied! 081219-b1 081219-b2 Several of you have asked for the cranberry ketchup recipe, which I got from Erin at Care To Eat. I've asked her permission to post, so if she says yes I will hopefully have it up tomorrow!  If you can't wait though, just send her an email and I'm sure she'll give it to you, she's a sweetie! Morning Snack:  I didn't need a snack because my super-hearty breakfast kept me happy through the morning.  But when my hubb brought me a donut from his office, I just couldn't resist!  Actually, it was a spudnut...even better.  Have you ever heard of a Spudnuts?  I hadn't before moving to Charlottesville. Apparently Spudnuts used to be all over the country but I thought that ours was the last in existence, until finding the above website that states there are still 35 locations spread across the USA. Here's ours... spuddies (image from here) A spudnut is a donut made with potato flour, and they are heavenly.  Better than a Krispy Kreme any day of the week...  I chose a glazed spudnut with shredded coconut on top.  YUM.  It had been so long that  I forgot how good they are.  Indulgent.  :) Lunch:  Whole wheat pita stuffed with TJ's edamame hummus, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli slaw and red bell pepper, along with TJ's split pea soup.  I didn't eat the second 1/2 of my pita...perhaps because I was full of spudnut?!?!?  The TJ's split pea soup was pretty good.  I honestly have nothing to compare it too....I'm pretty sure this was my first split pea soup experience ever! Surprising for a girl who loves her soup... 081219-l1 Snack:  I'm in fridge/freezer/pantry clean-out mode, and it was driving me crazy this morning that I had just a little Kashi H2H left in the pantry but didn't want cereal for breakfast.  So, I added it to the trail mix that the hubb made me last week and brought the tub to the office to live. 081219-s1 It contains: Kashi H2H, mixed nuts, dried cherries, pineapple and pears, and crystalized ginger.  I had about 1/2 a cup of the small stuff and one dried pear. Dinner:  Veggie Bean Chili a la my hubb...he's the best!  We had it over brown rice pasta, with a little sprinkling of cheddar on top.  I also had a glass of Meridian Cabernet...this is one of our favorite wines for every day. 081219-d1 081219-d2 Well, I officially have 3 full days left before leaving for Florida Tuesday morning!!!  Soooooo excited, but this weekend is going to be ridiculously busy so my posting may be minimal...  Here are a few To Do's:
  • training run (3-1/2 miles!)
  • haircut
  • finish knitting
  • finish last minute shopping
  • make christmas gift boxes for c'ville friends (bark, marshmallows and hot cocoa mix)
  • finish wrapping presents
  • laundry and packing
  • yoga sunday afternoon
  • make dessert for company party
  • my company party sunday night
  • the hubb's company party monday night (hence all the packing happening this weekend)
I know you're all really busy too and I hope that you all accomplish the enormous lists that you've made yourselves!!!  What's on your agenda this weekend? PS:  All of you Google Readers out there...let me know if you still can't read my full post.  Thanks!  :) PSS:  The vote was unanimous...no summary posts!  Thank you all for the great feedback, I just didn't want you annoyed by slow page loading but it doesn't sound like thats a problem, so I won't change a thing!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags brown rice pasta, cranberry, ezekiel muffin, spudnut, veggie chili

slower than slow?

Andrea

Hello bloggies!  Yay for tomorrow being Friday!  :) Questions for you all: Are you having trouble with my blog being slow to upload?  If it is too slow and annoying, I was thinking of having my blog only show the first bit of each post on the front page, which means you'd have to click "continue reading" at the bottom of the post to see the whole thing. Would that be annoying for you?  I want to make sure you all are happy and excited to read so any feedback you can give is greatly appreciated! This morning the hubb and I got up for another lovely morning run.  I just love getting up and running in the morning, especially since it has been slightly warmer lately.  The temperature has been around 40* when we wake up which is totally bearable, and running first thing gets me so energized for the day!  We did a 2-mile ultra hilly route that I love because even though its short, I feel like I still get a killer workout in.  The Charlottesville 10-Miler is one of the hilliest races in the country, so we have to be prepared for it! On to eats... Breakfast:  1 cup of Kashi Heart 2 Heart, 1 sliced banana, 1 cup of Silk plain soy milk and some dribbles of cranberry ketchup...YUM!  I love tart fruit in my cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, bread, so it just made sense to add the CK to my bowl of cereal this morning.  I loved it!  It looks kinda scary though... 081218-b1 Morning Snack:  My breakfast was yummy, but it definitely didn't stick with me as long as oats or an ezekiel muffin do...probably because I don't put nut butter in my cereal.  So at about 10:30 I broke into my Clif Mojo Mountain Mix bar and ate 1/2.  This was my first time trying this flavor and it was really good, but I still prefer the Peanut Butter Pretzel flavor. 081218-s2 Lunch:  I continued my CK love with a giant spinach salad topped with alfalfa sprouts, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, black beans, broccoli slaw and glops of cranberry ketchup for dressing. Again, YUM!  Erin's right, it really is good on everything! 081218-l1 Afternoon Snack:  The other 1/2 of my Clif Mojo and a glorious navel orange...it got me so excited to go to Florida!  I want to come home with bags full of citrus!  :-)  After I ate my orange I realized how good the cranberry ketchup would be drizzled on it...next time! 081218-s1 Evening Snack:   Before dinner, while wrapping presents, I finished off a box of Annie's Honey Bunnies.  They were gone so fast I didn't even have time for a picture...apparently I was starving. Dinner:  Leftovers!  Perfect for this busy night.  Veggie tofu korma with broccoli on the side.  The korma was even better the second time around!  And, a glass of Charles Shaw Coastal Syrah...so so good for only $4.99!!!  I love Trader Joes!!! 081218-d15 I have some more Christmas prep to finish...I can't believe how I've waited 'till the last minute this year!  Not next year, I'm already planning our gifts for Xmas 2009.  I loved hearing about what you all are making for Christmas presents this year!  Its totally inspiring...I had planned to make a lot more gifts but time just got away from me.  I have done a little knitting, a little baking, and the hubb and I made a couple of photo albums.  Maybe next year we'll have an "all hand-made" or "all local" theme...that would be fun! Have a great night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags Clif, cranberry, salad

quick eats and cranberry ketchup!

Andrea

Hello fellow bloggies!  Can you believe we're so close to Christmas!?!  Yikes!  Another quick recap...  Breakfast:  1/2 cup plain Oikos with 1/2 cup TJ's pumpkin spice granola and one sliced banana. 081217-b1 Morning Snack:  Breakfast didn't stick with me 'till lunch time, so I dug a chocolate chip Clif ZBar out of my drawer at the office and ate 1/2. Lunch:  Whole wheat pita stuffed with TJ's edamame hummus, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, alfalfa sprouts and broccoli slaw, along with a cup of TJ's Veggie Lentil soup. 081217-l1 Afternoon Snack:  The other 1/2 of my ZBar and a Minneola Tangelo...yummy.  :) 081217-s21 Dinner:  Veggies and tofu simmered in TJ's Korma Sauce on top of jasmine rice with a side of steamed broccoli. 081217-d4 This sauce was really good.  The hubb and I love Indian cuisine so I was excited to find this sauce at Trader Joe's last week... 081217-d1 We pan-fried the tofu similarly to this method, but cut into smaller pieces and without the glaze at the end.  Once the tofu is brown on both sides, we added chopped onion and carrot and let it all saute together for 5-7 minutes. 081217-d2 When the onion and carrots were soft, we added a can of drained chickpeas and the jar of Korma sauce. 081217-d31 On top of jasmine rice it was sooooooo tasty.  :) Dessert:  One beautiful peanut butter filled date. 081217-d5 And I worked on some Christmas gifts!!!  I finally made the Cranberry Ketchup that Erin has been raving about...she sent me the recipe a few weeks ago and tonight I finally had a chance to make it up! Let me tell you all....It. Is. Awesome.  I plan to eat it on everything for the next few weeks.  I was planning to actually can the ketchup to preserve it for months, but started reading up on canning and became worried that I might give my loved ones botulism by incorrectly preserving their Christmas gift.  So, instead, the ketchup will be given to a select few of our Charlottesville friends with a friendly tag reminding them to keep it refrigerated and use it within 3 weeks...  :) cran-1 081217-cran-2 Are any of you making Christmas gifts this year?  
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch
tags cranberry, korma, oikos, pita, tofu

pumpkin cranberry bread - BSI!!!

Andrea

First of all, thank you all for being so supportive!  You are all so great, I really appreciate your kind thoughts and suggestions for ways to work with phyllo dough!  I meant to post a question asking if anyone had any suggestions, but I was so tired last night when I posted that I completely forgot.  Thanks for offering some up anyway!  :)  I guess I no longer see it as a complete disaster because I still like the original concept, I just need to execute it in a better way.  The flavors were great together, so I'm not ready to give up on it yet!  Now, just to be clear, I didn't rush on to do a second BSI just because my first failed.  I would have just submitted the first but I've been wanting to try and "healthify" a classic favorite of mine and Brian's for awhile now and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.  Thank you Lindsay for choosing pumpkin!!! I give you... Pumpkin Cranberry Bread!!! bsib-11 This has been a favorite in our household for a few years now.  As soon as the leaves start to change and the air cools down I am ready for this bread.  It has become a classic fall recipe for me and, until last night, has been listed under my "dessert" recipe folder rather than "breakfast" or "bread" because of its high sugar and fat content.  I've been inspired by the recipes on sweet + natural, and have really wanted to try and "healthify" this classic favorite of mine for awhile now. I replaced all of the sugar in the original recipe with a combination of Fruit Sweet and applesauce.  Fruit Sweet (FS) is an all-natural sweetener made from concentrated pear and pineapple juices.  The ratio I use (recommended by the company, Wax Orchards) is to substitute 2/3 FS for the amount of sugar in the recipe.  They recommend to reduce all other liquids by 1/3 the amount of FS used.  bsib-5 I removed all added fat from the recipe, turning 4 eggs into 4 egg whites and completely eliminating the vegetable oil required, figuring the added liquid from the FS and the applesauce would keep the bread moist enough.  I also replaced the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour (WWWF). The result?  I think these numbers speak for themselves... Original (per one slice of bread) calories: 253  total fat: 5.6g  sat fat: .6g  carbs: 48.5g  fiber: 1.6g  sugar: 30.9g  protein: 3.8g "Healthified" (per one slice of bread) calories: 116  total fat: .4g  sat fat: 0g  carbs: 25.7g  fiber: 3.5g  sugar: 10.1g  protein: 3.6g bsib-9 Pumpkin Cranberry Bread NOTE:  this recipe is for 2 loaves of bread Ingredients:
  • 2 cups pureed pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup applesauce
  • 1-1/4 cups Fruit Sweet
  • 4 egg whites
  • 4 cups WWWF (I think this should be reduced to 3-3.5 cups, the dough was a bit too dry)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped
Steps:
  1. Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease two standard-size loaf pans.
  2. Blend together the pumpkin, applesauce, Fruit Sweet and egg whites.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and spices.
  4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together until blended.  Do not overmix!
  5. Chop cranberries and fold them into the dough.
  6. Pour dough into loaf pans and bake at 350* for 45-50 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before releasing.  Cool on rack out of pans for 20 minutes before slicing.
bsib-1 bsib-2 bsib-3 bsib-6 bsib-8 bsib-10 I am beyond pleased with the result.  The bread is sooooo good, and so much better for you than the original!!!  Its not too sweet, and the cranberries add a wonderful tartness.  Brian also loved the flavor, but we both felt like the bread is a bit too dense.  The flour amount in the recipe is pretty high, so I think I will try reducing it to 3-3.5 cups next time I make it.  Does anybody know if whole wheat pastry flour might be fluffier than WWWF? For breakfast this morning I had two pieces of my new bread smeared with almond butter.  Yummy combo! 081123-b2 Paired with a cup of plain Oikos topped with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds. 081123-b3 081123-b1 And now I am off to yoga!  I'm sorry I haven't commented on blogs in the last day or so...I promise I've been reading!!!  Its been a whirlwind of activity around here getting ready for our Turkey Day guests, so I've been struggling just to get my posts uploaded.  I'm hoping to have some catch-up time tonight! Enjoy your Sunday!!!  I can't wait to see all of the BSI entries tonight!  :)
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categories baking, breakfast
tags BSI, bread, cranberry, pumpkin