BakerAunt

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 6,601 through 6,615 (of 8,180 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: What are you cooking the week of July 8, 2018? #12938
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      We had leftover boneless pork chops again. That was deliberate, as we don't like to cook every night. We had steamed green beans from our garden, which used up the current batch. We had finished the potato salad yesterday, so I sautéed some mushrooms in butter, then added a bit of heavy cream and some pasta water, before mixing them with some spinach noodles and a bit of pepper.

      in reply to: What are you baking the week of July 8, 2018? #12922
      BakerAunt
      Participant

        Note: The Black Raspberry Cobbler had much more flavor after I had refrigerated it. We finished it up last night with some vanilla ice cream on the side. I would use a different cobbler topping next time.

        We picked blueberries yesterday. On Thursday morning, my weekly email from Smitten Kitchen arrived with berry recipes. I took that as a sign that I should bake her Blueberry Crumb Cake, which she adapted from Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Desserts. I had two changes. I wanted to include some wholegrain, so I used 1 Cup AP flour, then added whole wheat pastry flour to make up the 240grams weight. I also did not have whole milk, so I used 1% with a smidge of heavy cream. I used the minimum weight of blueberries, since the ones I have are large. The cake baked well. I used THE grease on the pan and parchment at the bottom, and I was able to turn it out after 20 minutes with no problem, remove the parchment, then turn it right-side up onto another plate. It has some sinking in the center, although it tested done at 40 minutes. That sinking actually like a “crease” that is about 2 inches long and off center. I'll add a note this evening about taste and texture after we cut into it for dessert tonight.

        Here is the recipe link:

        Promised Note: The cake is delicious, and it was cooked through, even though in has that off-center dip in the cake. I'm wondering if it needed a slightly larger pan.

        • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
        • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt. Reason: corrected baking time
        • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
        • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
        in reply to: Oatmeal Maple bread #12921
        BakerAunt
        Participant

          I checked my bottle of Natural Maple Flavor that I purchased from KAF. Under ingredients it says: "Natural Maple Flavor." The manufacturer is Boyajian.

          in reply to: Blueberries and Science #12911
          BakerAunt
          Participant

            Today, my husband and I went to our local blueberry place and picked 20.25 pounds. I'm taking a break from stowing them away. Some are going into quart freezer bags (4 1/2 cups per bag), so that my husband can have them during the year for his morning oatmeal--and maybe I will also be able to use them for some baking projects. I'll be setting some aside for a fresh blueberry pie, and blueberry hot cross buns and blueberry muffins are also in the immediate future.

            We plan to pick more berries in a couple of weeks.

            I have not yet resolved what I will do for canned blueberry pie filling. I bought some limes, so I may try stirring in some lime juice (in addition to, not in place of the lemon juice) and see what that does to the flavor. Of course, it will be a while before I crack open those canned pie fillings for pies--and maybe for sweet rolls. Another alternative might be to add the lime juice after opening a jar of the filling before using it in a pie. Or can the terpenes in limes endure the high heat of canning?

            • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
            in reply to: What are you cooking the week of July 8, 2018? #12908
            BakerAunt
            Participant

              After lunch on Wednesday, I made “All American Potato Salad,” a recipe from Cook’s Country (June 2006) that I got online (back when Cooks used to send us recipes in emails). It uses peeled Yukon Gold potatoes. I used 1-½ pounds waxy red ones from the farmers’ market and did not peel them. I had adapted the recipe a bit by slightly increasing the dressing. I use green onion, which my husband prefers, rather than chopped onion. It should have chopped celery, but I do not have any. The recipe calls for cutting up the potatoes and cooking them until tender. Then they are drained and put on a sheet pan where they are drizzled with a mixture of dill pickle juice and mustard. (I use Dijon, but the original uses yellow, which I rarely have in the house.) I let it cool for five minutes, then it is refrigerated for 30-40 min. The rest of the dressing ingredients are mixed with chopped dill pickle, onion, and celery, then the potatoes are added. It is refrigerated until well-chilled. I have a note that it is best overnight, but we will have it with dinner tonight.

              To accompany the potato salad, my husband will cook boneless pork chops, and we will have more of the wonderful steamed green beans from our garden.

              • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
              • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
              in reply to: Oatmeal Maple bread #12906
              BakerAunt
              Participant

                I've also found that maple syrup does not seem to have a strong flavor in baked goods and often requires frosting. My maple shortbread recipe (posted on this site) and the KAF maple biscotti are about as much maple flavor as I seem to be able to get in baked goods. Len's suggestion to use some maple flavor is a good one.

                in reply to: What are you cooking the week of July 8, 2018? #12903
                BakerAunt
                Participant

                  Navlys--The CI Maple roasted pork tenderloin recipe that I like to make does not use cornstarch, and it does bake in the same pan as the sauce. It makes a very light sauce. I've found that the recipe works best in my stainless steel rather than my Calphalon pan. I always use the dark maple syrup for this recipe.

                  • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
                  in reply to: What are you cooking the week of July 8, 2018? #12900
                  BakerAunt
                  Participant

                    Dinner tonight is Salmon with Couscous and Dill, along with steamed green beans from our garden.

                    in reply to: What are you baking the week of July 8, 2018? #12899
                    BakerAunt
                    Participant

                      I did cook it over the burner before adding the berries, but maybe I did not cook it enough. I'll make a note to check the temperature next time. I might try the red wine vinegar.

                      I had raised a question about blueberries and terpenes in a discussion post. Maybe all berries lose something when heated and need to be revitalized for better flavor.

                      in reply to: What are you baking the week of July 8, 2018? #12892
                      BakerAunt
                      Participant

                        Mike--The recipe called for combining hot water with the cornstarch and sugar and stirring until it thickened. The berries were then added, but the recipe said to cook only until the berries are hot and not to boil them.

                        I will add maybe 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice next time I make the recipe (next year when the black raspberries return). I wonder what people who are trying to cook local, in an area where citrus is not local, and trying to cook in season, would do.

                        in reply to: What are you baking the week of July 8, 2018? #12890
                        BakerAunt
                        Participant

                          At the farmers’ market yesterday, the folks at Hole in the Woods Farm shared a black raspberry cobbler recipe with me, even though I bought potatoes. (We have our own supply of wild black raspberries.) I baked a half recipe on Sunday (we only had 3 cups of black raspberries left), but of course I made a few changes. I left the filling alone, but for the topping, I used ½ Cup AP flour and ½ Cup whole wheat pastry flour rather than all AP. Instead of using 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder, I used 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/8 tsp. baking soda, as the recipe uses buttermilk, and I wanted to offset its acidity. The original recipe is baked in a cast iron skillet, but I don’t have one available right now, so I used a 9-inch Emile Henry deep pie dish. I brought the topping together into a ball, then flattened it into a circle 5-1/2 inches in diameter. I cut it into 8 wedges. I arranged those over the topping. As I was baking just a half batch, I baked for 30 minutes, until the topping was lightly browned. It is good, but I think the filling did not have as nice of a flavor as my jam. Maybe I should use something other than cornstarch as the thickener?

                          Here's the filling ingredients for the half recipe:

                          1/4 Cup + 2 Tbs. sugar
                          1 Tbs. cornstarch
                          1/4 Cup + 2 Tbs hot water (3 oz.)
                          3 Cups black raspberries
                          1/2 Tbs. butter

                          in reply to: How are the 2018 Gardens Progressing? #12887
                          BakerAunt
                          Participant

                            Yesterday we saw the start of two tiny tomatoes. Here's hoping more will follow.

                            in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of July 1, 2018? #12883
                            BakerAunt
                            Participant

                              After leftovers for two nights, it is time to cook again. Whole chicken legs were 59 cents per pound at the grocery, so I bought a package with six, and at my husband's request, I’m making Maple Glazed Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Rosemary (sheet pan dinner—and yes, I know that I also cooked it last week), to be accompanied by steamed green beans from our garden.

                              in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of July 1, 2018? #12881
                              BakerAunt
                              Participant

                                We are out of bread, so Saturday afternoon is devoted to baking two loaves of my Buttermilk Barley-Whole Wheat Grape Nuts Bread. The recipe began as the one Dachshundlady posted as Grape Nuts Bread (which is on this site), but I’ve been substituting in some buttermilk and some whole wheat flour for a while now, and I have posted a Buttermilk Grape Nuts Bread that is my variation (both a single and a double loaf recipe). I’ve now started substituting in ¾ Cup barley flour as well, and we like, so I’m giving this version its own name. I also cut the salt to 2 tsp. after looking at the sodium content of Grape Nuts.

                                • This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
                                in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of July 1, 2018? #12879
                                BakerAunt
                                Participant

                                  Oh, I also made Cherry Granola on Friday morning. I like it for an occasional breakfast. My husband likes to snack. Guess who will probably eat most of it? 🙂

                                Viewing 15 posts - 6,601 through 6,615 (of 8,180 total)