[cwcdesign]

My broccoli cheddar soup is almost finished - I'm a little late since I watched a Christmas movie. I haven't made it in a few years and it's perfect for tonight.

There will be 3 of us for Christmas (test for guest was done yesterday). We've figured out our simple menu - salmon (probably grilled), broccoli and rice Christmas Eve; Eggs Benedict Christmas brunch (late breakfast) and a charcuterie board, stuffed dates and whatever other appetizers we decide to have for Christmas dinner. We haven't decided sweets yet. I work Christmas Eve 10-6 and the day after 9:30-5:30, so simple is good and Will does so much of the cooking which is great.

[cwcdesign]

I made a Maple Apple Upside down cake from the Food and Wine link I posted in the maple syrup thread. It's a recipe from Joanne Chang.

It called for 3 Granny Smith apples, but I cut 4 as I figured mine were smaller than hers probably were - it was a good call. I didn't have a 10" round pan, so I used a 10" springform - I put a piece of parchment under it which was a good call as it did leak a little while I was making the cake. I put it on a sheet pan with parchment to bake (another good call). One of the directions said to add the dry and wet ingredients in 3 batches which I found a little confusing. But in the end, I added half the flour mixture, the whole buttermilk/egg mixture and then the last half of flour - I made the right call. It came out beautifully, but we haven't tasted it yet. I used up my Trader Joe's syrup so now we can start enjoying Chocomouse's syrup - I gave one of the containers to a friend for his birthday - all for him - his wife doesn't like liquidy soft food. I also gave him the canning directions just in case he wanted to put it in pints.

[cwcdesign]

And, since I'm running low on parchment, I decided to go ahead and order it, but the website says the Harvest Grains blend is no longer available and the 6-grain blend is temporarily out of stock. Maybe I'll email them and see what they recommend.

[cwcdesign]

I didn’t read that blog, skeptic, but I use my KAF hamburger bun pan for mini pies - it makes 6.

I cooked my English muffins today on the stove top on my Baking Steel. Each batch is an improvement. There is a possibility that I left the dough out too long for the first proof - yesterday was warm and they recommend 8-10 hours on the counter and then 12 in the fridge. I put it in the fridge around 6 but it had risen quite a bit. Next time . . .

[cwcdesign]

You know Joan, when this crazy virus finally goes away or gets tamed, it would be possible - you’re not that faraway - we could even meet in the middle

[cwcdesign]

Aaron, I hope you all stay safe!

[cwcdesign]

Kimbob, I was going to say, now that you’re ready it won’t be so bad. That’s how I look at hurricane prep (and use to for snowstorms). I’d rather be already and hav3 nothing happen than be found unready when a big one hits!

Stay safe!

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by cwcdesign.

[cwcdesign]

This morning I made a batch of KABC’s No-Knead Cheese Burger buns for the freezer. It’s our favorite - it always comes out right (now watch - next time it won’t). I make the dough in the bread machine and finish in the oven. It uses cheese powder and the recipe calls for onion powder - sometimes I use garlic powder.

[cwcdesign]

Italiancook, when I use the stand mixer and need to add in the flour, I just use the stir (a trick I learned from Mrs. Cindy). I watch it carefully and when it's mostly blended in, I stop and with a scraper fold in the last remaining bits. I was always beating my flour before that. Just another idea for you to try.

[cwcdesign]

I copied this here because I put it in the wrong thread 🙄

Will made a really good sweet potato soup from HBH. It wasn’t sweet and was light with the use of vegetable stock and coconut milk. The recipe called for a pesto with kale in it. Will just chopped up fresh kale (we like dinosaur kale) and we sprinkled it in so it wilted.

[cwcdesign]

Italiancook, Log Cabin is maple-flavored syrup as I believer Mrs. Butterworth's is as well. Basically they add maple flavoring to corn and other syrups. It's what we had in the house because it was cheap. Real maple syrup was always a treat.

Log Cabin was once real maple syrup:
"Towle’s Log Cabin Syrup was started in 1888 by a St. Paul, Minnesota grocer named Patrick J. Towle. Originally, Towle’s Log Cabin Syrup had strong ties to the maple industry and produced pure Maple syrup in their tins. By the 1900s Towle had three lines of syrup: a pure maple syrup, a blended recipe of cane sugar and maple called “Camp Syrup”, which were considered much more popular, and from 1904 to 1909 there was also a third syrup called Towle’s Log Cabin Penoche Syrup which was a maple flavored and maple colored syrup made from cane sugar and marketed for candy making. Today, Log Cabin no longer uses maple in their syrups at all." from BlackRockDesert.org

[cwcdesign]

But even when I lived in Massachusetts, I preferred pecans and had them on hand there as well.

Will made a really good sweet potato soup from HBH. It wasn’t sweet and was light with the use of vegetable stock and coconut milk. The recipe called for a pesto with kale in it. Will just chopped up fresh kale (we like dinosaur kale) and we sprinkled it in so it wilted.

[cwcdesign]

I just got an email - it’s Cost Plus World Market 🙄

[cwcdesign]

It does use maple syrup - it’s the maple walnut biscotti recipe from KABC. I just prefer pecans to walnuts and we usually have them on hand. I sprinkled KABC sparkling sugar on top since I didn’t have maple sugar and I used vanilla extract instead of maple - same reason

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by cwcdesign.

[cwcdesign]

Leftover pizza with sweet potatoes two ways cooked by Will

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