World Globe Ice Cream Cone

Treat yourself to something cool today. I must tell you that I am absolutely loving the creamy lemon popsicles I blogged about recently. I've made them 5 times so far and today I'll use the 6th lemon for another batch. I have adjusted the recipe for my taste.

 

Creamy Lemon Popsicles Recipe
1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice The juice of one lemon (or lime) with pulp
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel The zest on one lemon. Zest before juicing it.
pinch of salt not necessary
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Whisk sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in buttermilk.

Divide mixture among popsicle molds. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.

Here's how I make mine -- I just pour the buttermilk in a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup, add the sugar, stir until dissolved and then add the rest of the ingredients. I have a set of 6 tupperware popsicle molds and there is a little left over. I pour the extra into a heavy milk glass  cup. I run to the freezer often to stir the contents of the cup and have a bonus treat way before the popsicles have frozen completely. They are the most delicious and refreshing things for this kind of weather. I've experimented with other liquids. Once I used 3/4 cup of plain soy milk with 1/2 cup plain yogurt. That worked well too. I don't have any buttermilk so today I might try a batch with only soymilk and another batch with only yogurt. But wait...I only have one lemon so I may have to go out for more. I simply cannot be without these popsicles that delight my mouth with the perfect combination of sweet and sour. Enjoy.

Irish Apple Cake Recipe

Recipe found at Connecticut Country House.
It looks so good!

Legend has it that St. Patrick planted an apple tree in Armagh County – also known today as “Orchard County” – an area recognized for its apple blossom tours and festivals. This cake, made from simple ingredients, is uncomplicated, easy to make, and so honest in its appearance and deliciously satisfying in flavor.

Irish Apple Cake, Serves 8 to 12

For cake:

2 large baking apples

1 ¼ cup self-rising flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus a little extra for greasing the pan

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons whole milk

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting, if you’re serving it cold.

For crumb topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Optional plating garnish:

Sprigs of fresh mint

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan with the extra butter reserved for this purpose.

Make the crumb topping first. Sift the flour into a medium sized bowl, and cut in the butter by rubbing the flour and butter together with your fingertips. It will turn into a bread crumb-like texture. Mix in the sugar with your hands. Easy. Set aside.

For the cake:

Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, to about 1/8 – ¼ inch thickness. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar until light in color and smoothly blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat on low speed.

With the mixer still on low, gradually add flour mixture to the wet mixture. Slowly pour in the milk. When fully incorporated, you’re done mixing.

Scoop the batter into the buttered springform pan, smoothing the top to make level. Using a circular pattern, place the apple slices on top of the batter. (It doesn’t have to be perfect, as it gets covered with the crumb mixture. You just want even coverage.) Top with the crumb mixture.

Bake for 1 hour, or until lightly browned and firm to the touch.

Serve warm, unadorned, or if serving as a dessert, try it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

If serving cooled, give it a dusting of confectioner’s sugar – my fave for to elevating the look of this cake.

I love the simplicity of this recipe, don't you?
I am still doing well even though I missed my Webster all the time. Especially when I am cooking and that was his favorite thing for me to do! Thank you for all of your words of comfort. The Wonder Dog had a fabulous fan club and we all miss him. xo

Roasted Vegetable and Black Bean Quesadillas Recipe

Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas | WholeFoodsMarket

Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced red, green or yellow bell peppers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
3 tablespoons butter
Chopped lettuce
1/2 to 1 cup salsa
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup guacamole

Try layering shredded roasted chicken, pulled pork, or sliced skirt steak with the onions and peppers in these quick and easy stovetop quesadillas. For vegetarians, sautéed mushrooms are a great addition, too.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss onions and peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven, tossing occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons cheese on each of 3 tortillas. Top with roasted onions and peppers, beans and remaining cheese. Arrange remaining tortillas on top. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and, working in batches, brown both sides of each quesadilla until cheese is melted. Cut into quarters and transfer quesadillas to plates. Serve with lettuce, salsa, sour cream and guacamole on the side.
Serves 3 to 4.

Nice alternative to hot dogs and hamburgers for your holiday cookout. You can probably do all the grilling outside. I would skip the butter and use olive oil instead if I were cooking these inside. Or brush lightly with olive oil if using outdoor grill. Yum.
Click on the link for nutritional information.

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Mexican Lasagna | Vegan Recipe Gluten Free

Marly’s Mexican Lasagna, Oh My!
via One Green Planet

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package fajita seasoning
1 package soy crumbles
½ cup water
½ cup corn meal
1 package tofu, firm or extra firm
1 medium avocado, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt to taste
2 – 3 cups salsa
18 corn tortillas (6″)
1 package vegan “cheese”, shredded
Preparation:

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. In cook-speak that means, heat your oven to 350 F.

1. ”Meat(less) Sauce”

Sauté onion and garlic in a skillet with the oil until tender. Add soy crumbles* and fajita seasoning. Next, add 1/2 water and corn meal to the mixture, stir to combine and cook on low for 3 – 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

* You can use vegan soy crumbles from a package or sometimes I will use 2 – 3 Boca burger patties that I break apart using a spatula. If you’d like a non-soy (or gluten-free) ingredient 2 cups of cooked lentils can be used to replace the soy crumbles and will work perfectly!

2. ”Guac Sauce”

Add tofu, avocado, chickpeas, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to your food processor and mix until well-combined. You may need to add a little bit of water to the food processor to get the Guac Sauce to a desired consistency.

Assembly:

Layer One: Spoon some of the salsa into the bottom of a 9 X 12 baking pan. Place 6 corn tortillas over the enchilada sauce. Spoon half of the “Meat Sauce” over the tortillas, followed by half of the “Guac Sauce.”

Layer Two: Add another layer of corn tortillas followed by half of the grated vegan cheese and a layer of salsa. Follow that by spreading the remaining “Meat Sauce” followed by the remaining “Guac Sauce.”

Topping: Finally, top with one more layer of corn tortillas. Cover with remaining salsa and add remaining shredded vegan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese melts.

This looks perfect for a hurricane weekend. Yum.

20+ Popcorn Seasoning Ideas and Recipes

Here are a few homemade popcorn seasoning recipes.

Parmesan Dill

1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

1 1/2 TBS Dill weed

1 tsp Garlic salt

*refrigerate excess

Parmesan Nacho

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp pepper

*refrigerate excess

Cheesy BBQ

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

2 TBS Butter (melted)

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Popcorn Mania: {20+ Seasoning Ideas and Recipes} 
image source

Meatless Monday | Summer Soup

Meatless Monday | Summer Soup
GAZPACHO ~ serves 8
Ingredients:
1 large lemon
1 1/2 c. cannelini beans
5 small tomatoes (or equivalent)
1 medium cucumber
1 medium white onion
1 medium green bell pepper
1 ear fresh corn
salt and pepper
tomato juice
fresh mint leaves

Directions:
Dice your tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper and corn. Put in a large bowl, reserving 1-1/2 cups. Puree the reserved vegetables and add to bowl. Add the beans and juice from the lemon. Season with salt and pepper and tear up just a few mint leaves. The idea with the mint at this point is to just add the subtlest hint of mint. The leaves don't hold up so well, though, so I get the bulk of my minty flavor when I garnish the soup right before serving it. Add tomato juice as needed to get a good amount of liquid. Make sure the soup is well mixed before placing in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours. During this time, the flavors will come out a bit more. Taste before serving and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with a few mint leaves in each bowl and enjoy.

I had gazpacho at two ladies lunches recently, The Mansion in May and The House and Garden Tour I went on last week. I think I like the addition of white beans in the recipe above. It's a perfect soup for summer when it's too hot to cook. Enjoy. Meatless Monday, learn more.




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Oatmeal Muffins Using Minimum Ingredients

Here is a photo of one of my oatmeal muffins on a cupcake stand, a Christmas gift from Stacey Snacks long ago. Here is the muffin recipe I found online. I really like it because it is so flexible for these times. It uses a minimum amount of sugar and oil and there are numerous substitutions if you are out of anything. Uses no baking powder, only baking soda. Almost all of the ingredients you will probably already have on hand plus there are many add-ons too for variety. This is just the basic recipe and my muffin is a basic one too, but delicious.

Ingredients: start preheating oven set to 425°
1 cup milk (almond, soy or rice milk works great too) I used my homemade soymilk yogurt.
1 cup quick-cooking oats or 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (off-brand works perfectly and they are no different from the name-brand) I used old-fashioned oats
1 egg (or 1/4 cup of mashed banana or 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 2-3 tablespoons of water) I used an egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil or 1/4 cup canola oil I used Avocado Oil. Otherwise I would have used oiive oil.
1 cup all-purpose flour (or wheat flour) I used whole wheat flour
1/4 cup white sugar I used organic sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon I also added 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°f (220°c). Grease or spray 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners. I just oiled my muffin pan with avocado oil and a pastry brush.
In a small bowl (I used a 4-cup pyrex measuring cup), combine milk and oats. Soak for 15 minutes. I used this same cup for the other wet ingredients after the 15 minute soak to save dirty bowls.
In a separate bowl, beat together egg and oil; stir in oatmeal mixture. In a third bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients, just until combined. I never sift anything but stir with a wisk. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups until cups are 2/3 full.
Bake in preheated 425° oven for 15-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. 20 minutes was perfect in my oven.

Creamy Lemon Popsicles [Recipe]

Creamy Lemon Popsicles Recipe
(Adapted from Whipped)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Whisk sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in buttermilk.
Divide mixture among popsicle molds. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.
I can't wait to make these. I don't have any lemons or buttermilk on hand right or I would already be whipping these up. This is the best recipe I have found so far calling for the least amount of sugar. Don't they sound good? 

My ice cold watermelon will have to do for my July 4th treat later. Have a great holiday. xo

Recipe: Life-Changing Bread

I mixed up my first batch of Life Changing Bread last night and left it covered on my kitchen counter overnight. I didn't want to go to bed with the scent of baking bread in the house. The directions said I could do that. I just learned about this viral recipe on Instagram and couldn't wait to try it. It actually looks like a suet cake for the birds since it's all seeds and nuts and no flour. You are supposed to mix it in the same pan you will be baking it in but it calls for one of those silicone loaf pans and I don't have one. And I never will. I am very skeptical about such things and that goes for Silpat too. I'm so old fashioned. Anyway, let's get back to this bird bread. I think I'm going to bake it downstairs where I have an electric oven in my mom's old kitchen. The oven in my kitchen is gas and the heat is very uneven. I'll give you a full report later.  Recipe below from My New Roots. I found the odd ingredient that replaces flour at Whole Foods. Cost $6.99 and a box has enough for 14 loaves. That comes out to 50 cents per loaf. Not bad. I used hazelnuts and chopped them coarsely first. I didn't want my bread falling apart trying to slice through a whole nut. Next loaf, I'll use slivered almonds.

The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:
1 cup / 135g sunflower seeds
½ cup / 90g flax seeds
½ cup / 65g hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups / 145g rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
1 ½ cups / 350ml water

Directions:
1. In a flexible, silicone loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).
4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!

Black Basalt Teapot + My Neti Pot

There is an unintentional selfie in the mirror. The spout of this black basalt teapot looks as if it has dust on the spout but in person it doesn't. This photo was taken in my kitchen Wednesday after dark without a flash. My teapot is quite small and I've always liked it. I have been doctoring myself with lots of liquids since late Sunday night when I felt a sore throat coming on. I started right away with the Neti Pot and gargling with diluted Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and I can report success today. I am almost cured. I think you can nip a cold in the bud if you start treating it right away. Green tea with mint was my favorite hot drink followed by hot apple cider. 

It's time to say goodbye to November and hello to December tomorrow. It rained all day and I was so happy to hear all of my gutters running nicely down all the downspouts. I put on my rain slicker and went outside to check them all. I am so happy my handyman thought to clean them yesterday. It was the perfect time, not too cold, and all the leaves are off all the trees. So my gutters are all set until a spring cleaning. 

I finished The Last Detective and I am now watching 

Season Two of HOPE STREET on BritBox.

See you tomorrow. xo

UPDATE: Here is a photo of my neti pot and salt.

The plastic neti pot was from CVS and the Himalayan Institute salt and measuring spoon set was purchased at Whole Foods years ago.

To see a YouTube video demonstration, click HERE. Worked for me. My sore throat that turned into a runny nose was nipped in the bud before it moved to my chest.

xo

So Many Scones | So Little Time

Bacon Cheddar Scones

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (I'd probably use less)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (or Monterey Jack, Havarti, Habanero Cheddar, etc.)
• 4 green onions
• 10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (substitute half the amount with cream for a richer scone)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.

2. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is crumbly and studded with flour-butter bits the size of peas.

3. Stir in the cheese until just blended.

4. Add the green onions, bacon and 3/4 cup buttermilk. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. If dough is too dry to hold together, add the remaining buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough can be formed into a ball. Stir as little as possible to ensure a light- textured scone.

5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, and pat it into a ball. Using a well-floured rolling pin, flatten the dough into a circle about 8 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 to 10 equal wedges.

6. Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush each wedge with the egg wash. Place the scones on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer sticky in the middle. Serve warm. Makes 8-10 scones.

Just one of many fabulous recipes for my favorite teatime treat is pictured above. All of the recipes and many more photos can be found by clicking on Let Them Eat Scones



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Oatmeal Pancakes, Gluten Free

This is supposed to be the most popular recipe among the contestants on The Biggest Loser.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and that's your batter! Cook 'em up like you would any other pancake! They taste like a delightful cross between pancakes and French toast. Butter on top of mine, please.

I am definitely going to make these. The original recipe calls for 6 egg whites. I changed it to 3 whole eggs. Seems a shame to throw away the yolks, doesn't it? You choose. Here's a list of all the recipes from the show. I've never watched it. Since I started eating unrefined whole foods and stopped eating sugar, bread, and cheese, I've lost 15 pounds since Easter. My favorite snack is a large bowl of popcorn -- 1/3 cup popped in coconut oil or avocado oil. I eat the whole thing too with fine sea salt. I put the salt in with the oil in my stovetop popper. It is the only snack on the list of unrefined carbs. 

Life Changing Bread with Changes

UPDATE: My nut and seed bread is out of the oven and has cooled. I was curious to see how much it weighed and it was a hefty 2 pounds. 

My second batch of Life Changing Bread is in the oven. The photo above is uncooked.

Here is the recipe again with my own changes.

The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread

Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:
1 cup sunflower seeds / 135g
1/2 cup flax seeds / 90g

1/2 cup hazelnuts or almonds / 65g -- I used hazelnuts in my first batch and almonds in the second.

1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats / 145g
2 Tbsp. chia seeds

4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)

1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add 1/2 tsp. if using coarse salt)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)

3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee (I used coconut oil and melted it slowly in the microwave ten seconds at a time in a glass container...the extra I poured back into the jar.)

1-1/2 cups water / 350ml

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). I didn't need to add any extra water. Line a metal loaf pan with parchment paper and spoon the "dough" packing it down gradually with the back of a metal spatula. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon or spatula and make sure it's packed down solid. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. I put my loaf pan in a bread wrapper and left it out all night. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the parchment away from it it. I didn't have to do that....mine was packed down rock solid. This loaf is very heavy.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.

3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).

4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!

My first loaf lasted for 9 days. I stored it in the refrigerator in a used bread wrapper. I cut my slices very thinly using a serrated bread knife. I "toasted" my slices in a panini press. You can also "toast it" on top of the stove in a cast iron frying pan.

After the first 20 minutes of baking, I do the second step this way so there won't be seeds falling to the bottom of my oven. I invert the loaf onto a cooling rack and put it in on a pan instead of putting the loaf directly on my oven rack. 

It is really quite magical in that it has kept me from getting hungry at all. I am normally a "grazer" who opens the refrigerator every time I pass by to see what I can munch on. That bad habit has stopped completely since I ate my first two slices a week ago on Thursday. I have oatmeal and a piece of fruit every morning for breakfast. Two slices of Life Changing Bread with my homemade hummus and avocado for lunch, and a normal healthy dinner. I made Brunswick Stew yesterday and that's what I'll be having tonight and every other night until it's gone. I know you aren't supposed to eat the same thing every day but I always do when I make a big batch of something. Here's to being healthy inside and out, one day at a time. Enjoy your Sunday. 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

Simple No Knead Olive Oil Pizza Dough Recipe

OLIVE OIL DOUGH
From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
Makes four (4) one-pound loaves. (This recipe can easily be doubled or halved.)

2-3/4 cups lukewarm water
1-1/2 tablespoon granulated yeast (2 packets)
1-1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a large (5 quart) bowl working with a wooden spoon, mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water.
2. Mix in the flour without kneading. I found this process to be incredible simple with my stand mixer, but it will certainly come together the old fashioned way. If you are not using a machine, you may need to wet your hands in order to incorporate the bit of flour.
2. Transfer dough to large (5 quart) bowl or lidded food container. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
3. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.

I really want to try this easy recipe. I will halve it the first time around.

via: Simple No Knead Pizza Dough Recipe

Cauliflower Melts are The New Grilled Cheese

PHOTO BY JOHN VON PAMER

Yum. Don't these look delicious? Wouldn't they be great toppers for any leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes you might have? Or over leftover stuffing?
Recipe found on epicurious. 

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slabs, possibly halved to make a total of 8 slabs
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough bread
4 ounces Comte or Manchego cheese, cut into 8 slices
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the cauliflower slabs and toss to coat.
3. Arrange the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flip the slabs, and bake another 10 to 20 minutes, until softened and roasty. Set aside to cool but keep the oven on.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the raisins in wine or water for 10 minutes. Drain.
5. In a small pan over medium-high heat, toast the pistachios, dry or with a little oil. Let cool on a paper towel, then chop coarsely.
6. Lay the bread on the baking sheet and arrange the cauliflower on the bread, cutting it to fit as needed. Sprinkle with pistachios and raisins and top with the cheese.
7. Bake until the cheese melts, 7 to 10 minutes.
8. Top the toasts with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Bookmark this recipe for Sour Cream Apple Pie . . .

Sunday was my mother's 88th birthday. I made a sour cream apple pie instead of a cake and it was absolutely delicious. I have new respect for food bloggers. I wouldn't last a week if I had to cook something imaginative every day and then photograph it for the web. It's not that easy! And forget photographing the dish while you are preparing it.

Sour Cream Apple Pie
(Alicia Paulson's recipe)
Topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
Filling:
1 1/3 c. sour cream
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 or 5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced. I used Golden Delicious because that was what I had on hand.
Pie crust ~ you can make your own, or use a pre-made one from the refrigerator section of the market fitted into a deep-dish 9" or 10" pie plate and chilled. I did not have the deep dish crusts...just regular...so it ran over in the oven but I knew this was going to happen. I had a pan underneath; the overflow was delicious.
To make the topping ~ in a bowl blend the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour until the mixture is combined well. Cover and chill the topping.
To make the filling ~ whisk together the sour cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, and flour until the mixture is smooth. Add the peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples and stir the filling and apples together. Spoon the filling into the chilled shell and crumble the topping evenly over it. Bake the pie on a baking sheet in the middle of a pre-heated 350-degree oven, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. (You might need to put a bit of tinfoil on top of the pie during the last 15 minutes to prevent the top from burning.) Transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely.

I have a gas oven and had to cook my pie a little longer. Adjust cooking time according to your oven. I think this would be delicious without the crust. One day I shall make it in deep baking dish.

October already?

October apples are my favorite.

I miss picking apples like these from a friend's tree. She moved away and she had the best "ugly" apples I've ever tasted. My mother and I used to go over and pick all we wanted and we always took plenty and went back for more. I have never been able to buy apples that good. Her house was built in 1900 and the apple trees were very old too. Heirloom apples are the best. I had another day in the salt mines cleaning out kitchen cabinets. I started another donate pile and I think I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. xo

Homemade Molasses Taffy for National Taffy Day

Today (May 23rd) is National Taffy Day
It's real. I did not make this up.

Homemade Old Fashioned Molasses Taffy

2 cups molasses

1 cup sugar

2 tsp white vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Click on the link for the rest of the recipe. My brother and I used to make taffy all the time and it was so much fun, especially the pulling part. This is the only recipe I could find that wasn't loaded with food dye and corn syrup and it's the most authentic too.

Today is also World Turtle Day. And you thought it was just an ordinary Monday with no cause for celebration.

New Year's Day 2018

I looked through my posts over the past year and came up with this layout for my best nine photos of 2017. The one in the center with my mother is my favorite. The only resolution I made this year is to drink more water and it's one I think I can keep.

I ate blackeyed peas, greens and cornbread for good luck in 2018. Actually, I cheated a little since I didn't have any leafy greens like kale or collards that are traditional so I made Broccoli Cornbread and it was delicious. I used olive oil instead of melted butter and used only 1/2 cup. Next time I will use even less and it needed a little more salt. I cooked it in an iron skillet and since my gas oven is a little off temperature-wise, I set it at 400° and cooked it for 40 minutes and that was perfect. It was more like a quiche than cornbread but it was still good with the peas. I had a big bag of broccoli so I just took out what I thought was a good amount and chopped it when it was almost defrosted and it measured 2 cups. 

I got up pretty early even though I stayed up until midnight to ring in the New and started undecorating my house while the coffee brewed. By 8:30 it was all done. The boxes are back in the attic but not in my Christmas closet yet. I will do that tomorrow when I get back from the dentist for my first cleaning of the year. See you after that. xo