Rhubarb Buckle with a Crumb Topping RECIPE

https://alexandracooks.com/2012/04/27/rhubarb-buckle-revisited/

Full post by the original author. Found on Pinterest.

This looks amazing and so easy.

Click HERE to read & print recipe with instructions.

See the ingredients below.

Happy Baking.

xo

My Favorite Seasoning in A Spray Bottle

I forgot to mention what I used to season my quick stovetop "stew" made from a small zucchini, an onion, and fresh tomatoes. I have eaten it 2 nights in a row. I pour some avocado oil in the bottom of my vintage cast iron skillet and add the unpeeled zucchini sliced longways into thirds and cover. While that's cooking I cut up an onion and add it to the pan and re-cover. Then I slice up a big tomato or two smaller ones and add to the pan. Flip the zucchini when it's brown on one side. Then I cut it into diagonal chunks in the pan and the tomatoes too. Stir to mix it all up and spray with Bragg Liquid Aminos. I have a glass cover for my cast iron pan. It should be ready to eat now. Spoon into a big shallow bowl and enjoy. It doesn't take long to cook and tastes SO fresh. I also have a large bottle of Liquid Aminos for refilling my spray bottle and for using in soups. It has much less salt than regular soy sauce and it's made by the same company that makes the Apple Cider Vinegar I use. I buy the spray in my grocery store. Try it instead of salt. I love it. xo

More information here. 

I haven't tried this but will look for it.

More information here.

Zucchini Bites: Baked & Healthier than Fried

I adore Zucchini Fritters and this recipe offers a baked version.

Here is the link for the website offering this recipe with many more photos.

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/baked-cheesy-zucchini-bites/

Enjoy! xo

Recipes from National Trust UK

Just start scrolling through this National Trust recipe site and you will definitely want to come back and save or try some of the recipes. Here is the link for the National Trust Fruit Scones pictured above. Enjoy!

Here is the link for converting the measurements and oven temperatures from UK to US. 

https://whatscookingamerica.net/equiv.htm

♡HOME♡

 

Small 6" Cakes for Two with Recipes

I have been meaning to tell you about this site with wonderful recipes for small cakes for two people. I made a very plain one a while back and used my heart shaped cake pan and it was so good. I dusted with powdered sugar rather than making icing. Happy baking. Recipes here 🍰Happy April Fool's Day❤️

Home Page with Latest Posts

Foolproof Pie Dough w/ Video Tutorial

I always look at and read recipes for pie crust but have never found one that is foolproof. I think this one might be it. The recipe makes two crusts. It looks pretty simple and straightforward and I plan on making one pumpkin pie and freeze other round of dough. 

Jump straight to the recipe and print it here.

Read the lengthy article and watch the video tutorial here. There are lots of delicious pie recipes at the end as well. This is one-stop-shopping for pie ideas. Enjoy. xo

Delicious looking Cowboy Cookies

These cookies have my name written all over them. Jump directly to the recipe here. Read the article and look at many more yummy photos here. They remind me of oatmeal bars my mother and I used to make with all of these ingredients except for the flaked sea salt sprinkled on top. I dare not make them unless I have to take a dessert to a gathering and those are few and far between in the days of Covid. Enjoy if you dare make them.

Chocolate Cake: Pears Inside: Recipe

This photo stopped me in my tracks. I searched google for the source of the image and found it. It's called Pear and Chocolate Loaf. The recipe is included in the link above and there are more beautiful photographs of this delicious-looking cake. I think it's stunning.

Save this recipe for fall when pears are in season. 

xo

Olive Oil Biscuits: Delicious Recipe

UPDATE: I sent the recipe to a friend in New England and she made them right away and sent me this photo. She just started baking and has only one square pan, so this recipe was perfect for her. She and her husband ate them right away with butter and jam. She thought they would have been better if they had been made with butter and she will use Smart Balance fake butter that is made with olive oil next time. xo

Mine didn't look like this but were tan in color because I used whole wheat flour. I don't have any white flour 😢 

This recipe is definitely a keeper. It makes only 6 biscuits and that's a good thing since leftover biscuits are never as good as those right out of the oven. They are very quick and easy to put together and you probably already have all the ingredients on hand. (You could double the ingredients if you dare having a dozen biscuits in the house.)

Simple Olive Oil Drop Biscuits

Recipe by Taste As You Go 

Delicious drop biscuits that are simple to make and don't require an ounce of butter.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes
Total time: 15-17 minutes
Yield: 6 biscuits

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well-combined. Pour in the olive oil and milk and stir until just moistened. (I mixed the milk and olive oil together before adding to dry ingredients.)

Drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper (or do what you've always done when baking biscuits). Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.

Serve warm.

I put butter inside when they were hot and they are so very tender and delicious. Really good and I grew up on Southern Biscuits so I know what a biscuit is. I was dubious about the whole wheat flour but it was fine. Would use it again, if I had any!!! I am going to a local bakery to see if they will sell me any flour and if they won't, I will try a pizza place. Wish me luck.

I added the sugar because I always bake according to the recipe the first time. They were not sweet at all. Next time I will probably leave it out. Or maybe I will add a little more and sprinkle sugar on top and then they will be like scones to have with a cup of tea. You could add raisins too.

Enjoy. xo

Hot Chocolate Recipes

I like having this recipe for the hot cocoa dry mix. Mine will leave out the crushed peppermint candy and will probably never be served over homemade marshmallows. This recipe is worthy of being framed with the lovely poem around the edges. 
Thank you Karen and Pam for mentioning in the comments that Susan Branch is the illustrator and author of the poem.

Tomato Pie Recipe : Looks Delicious

photo by Black Sheep Kitchen

Do you have Beefsteak and a variety of heirloom tomatoes in your garden? If not, when fresh homegrown tomatoes appear at the farmer's market, pick up a few and make this delicious looking tomato pie. You can make one large pie or divide up the dough and make individual ones. One large pie would be my choice. The right hand side of the pie above is multicolored heirloom tomatoes. I like the flavor of these ugly tomatoes best. YUM. I would be tempted to add some corn off the cob too. Tomatoes are the best part of summer food. xo You can Google the recipe: Tomato Pie Garden and Gun

Butter-Rum Walnut Cake: King Arthur Flour Recipe

Oh, WOW. This looks so delicious. Be sure to read the reviews below the recipe for one lady's changes. The recipe is very versatile. King Arthur Flour Recipe

Cooking Corn on the Cob in Microwave

Step One: Shuck and desilk your corn.

Step Two: Tear off a length of wax paper longer than your ear of corn so you can roll up the ear and twist the ends. I guess I will eat this ear for lunch after I microwave it for 4 minutes or so. 

Last night I ate 2 ears and cooked them for 6 minutes. I have a small, countertop microwave. For me this is the only way to cook corn. Boiling pots of water in the summer is something I avoid at all cost.

I had a corn stand for three years at my previous house, High Meadow Farm in New Vernon NJ. I had a farm assessment and the first year I planted corn in my big front field, it was fabulous. The second year, the deer discovered it and it was only so-so. The third year was my last year. Even though I planted a lot of Indian Corn around the perimeter to try and fool the deer, it just wasn't worth the work.

I sold herb vinegar too. I had printed notes for customers to cook their corn in the microwave and always got little notes back, along with the money in my honor-system cigar box, saying they were thrilled with the results.

Let me know if you do this and how it worked for you. You might have to experiment with the cooking times.

Mac and Cheese to take to Easter Brunch

I made this Mac and Cheese yesterday and took it out of the refrigerator early this morning to get it down to room temperature. It's in the oven right now heating through and hopefully browning on top. I might have to put it under the broiler for that step. All the ingredients were completely cooked so heating up is all that's necessary. I used this recipe found online. I used a shredded cheese mixture called Fiesta Blend. I have never purchased already shredded cheese in my life and the giant 5-pound bag should last for a very long time. I made the cream sauce, added the 3 cups of cheese and poured the whole thing in my baking pan. The sauce tasted delicious and very cheesy so I skipped the step calling for more cheese in a center layer. I put it all on top.

I haven't eaten cheese in a couple of months, so this will be a real treat for me. I made my cranberry, pineapple, jello dish without the nuts to take to a dinner later. That link will take you to a blog post showing Webster, the wonder dog and it contains another link that will take you to a post with photos of my mom. So bittersweet.

I weighed myself this morning and I'm hoping I don't pack on too much weight but that's probably wishful thinking.

I did have to put it under the broiler. Here's the finished product, ready to pack in my carrying basket. HAPPY EASTER. Enjoy your day. See you later. xo

My Cookbooks

Someone requested a photo of my cookbook collection. I took this photo this morning and there are still some spiral-bound local private press cookbooks that won't fit on this bookcase under the counter in my pantry. I must confess, I don't use most of them with any regularity but I still like having them. Once in a while, I curate them for donating and I need to do this again soon. I have been eating real food with no additives for a couple of months now, following Michael Pollan's advice:

Pollan says everything he's learned about food and health can be summed up in seven words:
"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." Read more on his website.

This was yesterday's Instagram photo and I ate the same thing for breakfast this morning. As you all know, I have been making homemade soymilk yogurt in my Instant Pot since before Christmas. I use Westsoy organic unsweetened that comes in a box and is shelved. It contains only two ingredients: whole organic soy beans and filtered water. This breakfast bowl has one peeled kiwi fruit and one clementine as toppings. I have another cup of this delicious yogurt after dinner every night, eaten plain. I could never find a plain commercial yogurt in the past that was delicious enough to eat that way.

This all started when I listened to a segment on NPR with Melissa Clark singing the praises of the Instant Pot with its built-in yogurt setting. Then I got her cookbook, Dinner in an Instant, with recipes. That's where I learned about soymilk with no additives. And the rest is history. I was hooked.

I decided to follow Pollan's advice as well. My immune system has improved greatly and I haven't been sick with a cold or sore throat since October. This is amazing, especially since the flu season was so bad this year. I was beginning to be very concerned with my personal health and was coming down with way too many colds that went to my chest and lingered way too long. They say 90% of your immune system is located in your gut and I am positive the probiotics in the yogurt have helped mine immensely and I have lost some weight as an added bonus.. I am almost afraid to say that last part out loud. Fingers crossed this will continue by eating this way. See you later. xo

Nice Conversation Area with Fireplace

I like this arrangement. Each wing chair has a reading lamp and an ottoman. Reading around an open fire is one of life's pleasures.The side tables are lower than the arms of the furniture too. This is one of the rules of good interior design and a very hard one to comply with when searching for low antique tables that you like. I am pleased that I finally found mine and it's much easier for the sitter to put down a drink or a cup of coffee on a lower table than reaching up to do so. Plus it looks nicer too. It's all about scale, you know. via

It is warm and rainy today and all the snow has melted. I entered my subscription to Netflix on Sunday and love it. I have watched both seasons of The Crown and later today I will search for another addicting series to watch. 

I just cooked some chick peas in my Instant Pot and have another batch of soy milk yogurt in the pot for a 10 hour session. My last batch (8 hours) wasn't tart enough. I have a new method. I inserted my pyrex 32 oz. (4 cup) measuring cup inside the pot, added 2 tablespoons of my own yogurt to a 32 oz. box of Westsoy as a starter, stirred it up and this method was perfect. No condensation on the sides of the pot to run down and dilute the yogurt and the yogurt was much thicker. Yay.

I stumbled on a very interesting article about the invention of the Instant Pot in the business section of the New York Times. Now I love mine even more! xo

Instant Pot Soymilk Yogurt: New Batch

My favorite thing to make in my recently purchased Instant Pot is Organic Plain Unsweetened Soymilk Yogurt. I cannot remember how many batches I've made and I can't tell you how much I love it. It is made using only two brands: Edensoy and Westsoy. Both are made with only two ingredients, filtered water and organic soybeans. No fillers, thickeners, preservatives, or sweeteners. Edensoy is the more expensive and it has 12 grams of protein per cup. Westsoy has 9 grams of protein. There is no difference in taste so I've been using the Westsoy and it comes in an economical carton with 64 ounces. It is not sold in the dairy cooler but is a shelved product. At Whole Foods it is across from the cereals. You don't have to boil it to make yogurt like you do cow's milk. All you do is pour it into the Instant Pot, add 2 tablespoons of your previously made yogurt per 32 ounces. Stir, hit the Yogurt button, adjust the incubation time and come back when it's finished to jar it up. I had to buy a carton of vegan yogurt to start my first batch. All I could find was plain coconut non-dairy yogurt and that worked just fine. I have experimented with incubation times of 14 hours, 12 hours, 10 hours and 8 hours. I liked all of these batches. The longer the "cooking" time, the more sour t(tart) the yogurt. Every morning I have 1/2 cup of Ezekiel Golden Flax Cereal that I buy at ShopRite or almost any supermarket including Whole Foods. Today I had a sliced banana on top and a container of my yogurt on top of everything. This cereal is amazing. You have to buy a box and read all about it or stand in the market and read the box. There are other varieties of this Ezekiel cereal but ShopRite only carries this one and it's right around the corner from my cottage. They make a delicious bread too, good for anyone looking for products containing NO SUGAR. Sometimes I just have it plain with yogurt on top if I am out of fruit. I have used chopped apples too. So good. 

Food for LIfe

The vintage milk glass containers are leftovers from old Salton yogurt makers I have owned. I grew tired of making small batches and having to boil the milk and wait for it to cool, etc. I still have the devices in my garage and I am so glad I saved them so I could use the 6 oz. containers with lids for my current healthy endeavor. I also like not having to throw away/recycle individual yogurt containers so making my own is good for the planet too.

Broccoli Cornbread the Day After

This photo is right out of the iPhone camera with no editing and yes, the cornbread tastes as good as it looks. I had an 8:30 dental appointment and this was so good when I got home, split and toasted in the toaster oven and then spread with Kerry Gold salted butter. Recipe in yesterday's blog post.

Eggnog Frosted Chai Snickerdoodle Snowmen Cookies

I love the peanut butter cup hats.

No rolling pin or cookie cutter needed. Yay!

Snickerdoodles have always been a favorite cookie and these are super special rolled in chai spiced sugar. Delightful blogpost and recipe here. Thankfully, you still have time to bake them too. xo

Easy Reindeer Cookies

These are all Rudolph cookies with his red nose. But you could do the other reindeer too using a raisin. They would be so cute left on Santa's plate as energy treats for the reindeer pulling his sleigh. via