Gypsy Pie's Kitchen and Garden

True Cinnamon

2012-01-27T13:43:00.002-06:00

Some facts about my favorite spice--cinnamon.
I love this spice!
It's scent, it's flavor, in cooking or in candles and in essential oils, it calms me, stimulates my digestion, and brings sweet thoughts to my mind.
One day, I began to research my favorite sweet bark and I will summerize what I have found to be important facts for all of us, cooks and cinnamon lovers to know.

My search for info began when my husband, Mr. Goodwrench was given a bottle of Pharmacy brand, Cinnamon Oil capsules 1000mg. to try for high bloodpressure. I simply got online and found that the oil in the capsules was not true cinnamon oil, but cassia oil. There are four types of Cinnamon.
Of the four Cinnamonum species: [1]

Cinnamonum verum (true cinnamon or Sri Lanki or Ceylon cinnamon)
Cinnamonum burmannii (Korintje or Indonesian Cinnamon)
Cinnamonum loureiroi (Saigon or Vietnamese)
Cinnamonum aromaticum (Cassia or Chinese)

The Ceylon cinnamon, verum, is the one to use, it is the true cinnamon. The Ceylon cinnamon is lighter in color, the curled bark sticks are thinner and will crush easier. The flavor of Ceylon cinnamon is sweeter and as cinnamon goes, Ceylon is the highest prized. Europe and Mexico is the greatest importer of Ceylon cinnamon and in America the primary import is the Chinese Cassia aromaticum, more marketable due to the availability, darker color and stronger scent and flavor.[2]

An ingredient in all Cinnamonum plants is "Coumarin". [3] Coumarin is found in highest concentration in the Cinnamonum aromticum, or Cassia bark. This Cassia is the cinnamon oil contained in the Parmacy brand capsules of cinnamon oil given to my husband. I am glad he didn't use the capsules because in high concentrations Coumarin can damage the liver. Coumarin, as you research, you see has many pharmacutical uses, Coumadin is developed from it, and Coumadin is a commonly prescribed blood thinner. "European health agencies have warned against consuming high amounts of cassia bark, one of the four species of cinnamon, because of its coumarin content." [4]
Coumarin is found in much lower amounts in the three other species of cinnamon.

Now I am looking for the botanical name (source) of any cinnamon on it's product labels. McCormick brand, Saigon Cinnamon is found on most spice shelves in groceries. I called McCormick Spice at 1-800-632-5847, for the botanical name of the Saigon Cinnamon because it is nowhere to be found on the bottle. The customer service department told me McCormick Saigon Cinnamon is Cinnamonum Laureiroi Nees, which is Saigon or Vietnamese cinnamon.
Since I frequently use cinnamon in cooking, I am choosing to avoid Chinese Cinnamon, or Cassia and stick to using the real cinnamons--verum, burmannii, and loureiroi. Read the labels, ask questions, most cinnamon spice for sale in stores is Cassia.

Hope this helps!

Internet Sources:
1. Wikipedia article, "Cinnamon"
2. New World Encyclopedia article, "Cinnamon"
3. Wikipedia article, "Coumarin"
4. Wikipedia article, "Coumarin

2012-01-06T14:14:00.002-06:00

Winter Fare

Washington Visit

2011-10-29T23:04:00.004-05:00

This is why I traveled to Washington

Welcome to the world, our little one!

I picked Italian plums and pears! The night before I flew back home, I made a dozen jars of plum jam for the family!

July and the Summer Garden Comes to a Close

2011-07-23T10:04:00.012-05:00

July Brings A Close to Our Summer Garden

The Asian Long Beans were an exceptional plant and have not stopped producing crop. Trouble free, prolific plants with beans up to 20 inches long, which are just now being troubled by aphids.
I am considering planting more of the southern heat tolerant Asian strains of vegetables for next years garden.

The raised bed. Tomatoes were pecked daily by the birds. I tried different devices and the one that seemed to frighten them was an iridescent reflecting ball on a pole.

Volunteer tomato, pumpkin and cukes bed.

The results of the small tomato crop of 2011...dismal. The hardiest plants were those volunteers which I allowed to grow. The smallish mid- size tomatoes in the basket below were the volunteers. The perfect size for salads, just one is a nice mouth full.

The tomato above with the green shoulders is a Heirloom Carbon Tomato, which was a Lagnappe seed pack sent with my Spring seed order from Sustainable Seeds! Sweet customer service!

Mom & Pop Gardeners!

Happy New Year 2011! Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

2011-01-11T10:41:00.002-06:00

I roasted a turkey on Sunday.
On Monday I cleaned the meat off and boiled the bones to make a nice stock.
I strained the stock, poured the strained stock back into soup kettle and added 1 onion, 5 cloves garlic, and 1 celery stalk.
I had my husband to chop and add the following:
1 cup of Lundberg's Wild Rice and Brown Rice blend , 8 mushrooms, 1 leek, 1/2 bunch curley kale and allowed to simmer for 3 more hours.
A dash of heavy cream was added and seasonings adjusted and the soup was delicious!
Kale is very high in nutrients and it just melts into the soup, the rices add nice texture. I recommend this soup, and you could substitute swiss chard, but it was not available in any of our town markets, yesterday.

Christmas Kumquat Marmalade

2010-12-28T10:32:00.007-06:00

Sweet kumquats
picked in December

Remove seeds and slice, place all the pulp into a cheesecloth bag and tie to a wooden spoon to suspend over the pot of thinly sliced rind and sugar mixture. The pulp will give the pectin to jell the mixture.

It's time to post this fine recipe. We've had a bumper crop on a lovely tree and I cooked up --1 dozen plus 3 extra jars of marmalade to give as Christmas gifts this year. Kumquats have pectin in the fruit itself, which is sufficient to create a soft jelled product. I like to add 1 box of powdered pectin to ensure a nice end result. This is the recipe that really works for me, give it a try-- it is fairly simple.

Christmas Kumquat Marmalade

800 grams Kumquats, sliced into thirds, seeds popped out

3 cups sugar

3 cups water
(I triple this recipe)
1 box Pectin powder (only 1 box needed even if tripled recipe)

Wash Kumquats thouroughly and slice each into thirds, pop out as many seeds as you can and place the seeds and any pulp which comes with seeds and place into a bowl, set aside. Weigh the kumquats (800 g.) and place all the sliced kumquats into a large bowl and cover with the 3 cups of sugar. (Keep proportions 800g to 3 c. sugar and 3 c. water) as you double or triple recipe). Stir the fruit and sugar well, cover tightly with plastic and allow to sit overnight on counter, or for at least 12 hours. Meanwhile, place the removed seed mixture into a muslin bag. Tie the muslin bag closed with string and place in a small pan of 2 cups water. Make sure the seed bag is submerged. Simmer this bag in water for 1 to 2 hours. Allow to cool completely. Squeeze out all juices (loaded with pectin) from bag into water, save water for the marmalade recipe the following day. Discard the seed bag.

Next day, pour the sugared kumquats into a large stainless heavy bottomed stock pot. Add the required water, and heat to simmer. Add the pectin powder and stir to dissolve. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring every 10 minutes, to prevent scorching. You really do have to stir, or you will ruin the product flavor and appearance with scorched fruit. Cook at simmer, stirring for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Use the old fashioned jelly test to see if it has jelled enough, or until a candy thermometer to 218 degrees. I depend on the jelly test, I don't trust thermometers for this. Remember Marmalade is a softer jell, but thickens when refrigerated. Ladle into sterilized jelly jars and seal with lids.

*Old Fashioned Jelly test: Place a saucer in the freezer. Remove the saucer and place 1 spoonful of marmalade. If the marmalade wrinkles and appears thickened when you drag a finger through it, it is done. This takes about 1 1/2 hours of simmering to get there. ( Or, if you trust your thermometer 218 degrees on the candy thermometer).

Merry Christmas ~ Fig Cuccidate Recipe

2010-12-23T13:19:00.007-06:00

I just finished a most festive and traditional Christmas cookie and would love to offer these instructions as a Christmas gift to my friends...

Sicilian Fig Cookies

Filling (Make 1 recipe of the filling):
2 cups dried figs, cut the hard stem tips off first
1 1/2 cups pitted dates, I use the fat and juicy Medjool dates
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, lightly chopped
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brandy
1 tsp. each orange and lemon zest
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Filling Instructions:
I used my food processor to finely chop my ingredients, then into a mixer bowl to finish off the filling. Cover and place in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Dough (Make 2 recipes of this dough to have enough for filling):
4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks room temp. butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk, or egg nog
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Dough Instructions:
Whisk the dry ingredients in large bowl. Add the butter and cut this into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse meal. ( pictures included) Add the egg, milk and vanilla and using hands mix to form soft dough. Turn out onto floured surface and knead a few times. Divide into 4 equal pieces and wrap with plastic. Place into refrigerator to chill before rolling out.

Follow instructions for rolling out shown in photos below:

The Figgy Filling!

Add the butter and cut into dry mixture

Should look like meal when cut in

Add the egg, milk or egg nog and vanilla

Take one piece of dough, flatten on floured surface and roll out into a rectangle which measures 12 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Cut this into 3 equal pieces each 4 by 3inches.
Place about 2 to 3 spoons of filling in center of rectangle as shown in picture above.

Roll up each side to meet at center and pinch to seal dough roll.

Turn over the seam to be on bottom, and cut into 4 pieces.

Place the 12 pieces on cookie sheet as shown above and bake at 350 for about 10 to 12 minutes. Until just golden. Remove and place on rack to cool.

Around these parts...we frost with a nice powdered sugar, egg nog, and colored sprinkles on top.
This recipe makes lots of cookies, I didn't count them yet. Wanted to get this on the blog in time for a Merry Christmas! Love and God bless you all, this season, and in the year ahead!
Peace!

Orange Rosemary French Bread

2010-08-14T21:15:00.000-05:00

2010-08-13T13:37:00.005-05:00

I know what I want for my birthday!!!

...A batch of these scrumptious Rocky Road Cupcakes ala AliLilly!
Wow, seeing her cupcake picture (above) today, just made me want to throw the diabetes diet over for just one day...and what a treat to overthrow a diet for~
Check out the entire recipe entry at AliLilly! Yum!

This crafty mommy used a Devil Food cake mix, and the spectacular frosting instructions I copied from her blog, below:

1/4 c. melted butter
2 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
3 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows

Combine your melted butter, sugar, milk and vanilla in bowl. Add egg; beat well blended. I used a hand mixer to beat my mixture. I melted my chocolate in a double boiler or you can melt in a microwave. Just follow the melting instructions on your package of chocolate. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Stir in walnuts and marshmallows. The mixture was very gooey so I placed it in the fridge for about 10 minutes to let it harden up a bit. Then I spread them over my cupcakes. I added extra mini marshmallows on top for "looks". This also makes enough frosting for two layers of cake.

Laughing With Angels

2010-07-03T15:24:00.006-05:00

Have you ever had a moment when something happened so unexpected, almost unbelievable, right before your eyes, just for you, something small, personal and given just to remind you...God is here, and cares about you intimately?
May I share one little event...?
Years ago, in California, when I was almost exclusively a Goodwill and yard-sale shopper, I came across a book at a church rummage sale. I took the book home, it was a primer for Christian living published by Campus Crusade for Christ. All the pages were clean and ready for me to begin my study. After a couple of weeks, I was reading the book and a friend who often came by for prayer and talk about life came to mind as someone who would be blessed by a study book like this one. I thought how could I possibly find another book. I called all the local bookstores, no. I did not think more on this, until one day passing the Goodwill store, it came back to mind, to go in peruse the books, just maybe...So I turned around and parked in front of Goodwill. I thought, this is a long-shot, really! ... But Lord...if it were possible, it would be great to find a copy of that book! I went in and checked the books, really looked and well...not there. Ok, I know, improbable, oh well, I tried. I turned to go, looked at a few things on the way out, then stopped before leaving... I just felt that I should go back to the book shelves again, so I did. I stood before the shelves, eyes scanning the books again, and I caught my breath...there was the book! I slid it out, opened it up, it was clean, unused, exactly the same as mine! I heard angels brush by me, I laughed out loud, and I know they were laughing, too! God put that book there for me. I was amazed at the gift, that He cares for the small things in our lives and is our provider. Now, after many years later, I am trying to listen for His voice and respond to His prompting, I remembered the story of the thrift store and the book and just have to laugh again, with the angels! Improbable, impossible, not with God! (Luke 1:37)

New Way of Eating

2010-06-28T22:30:00.006-05:00

Mr. Goodwrench and I are doing a lifestyle diet change, to bring our blood glucose to a balanced, and lower level. I have a few pictures of the first dessert, I have made for us in over a week. We have been on this diet for a week...he has, I have only been on it for 3 days. It is good, all good!
Anyway, the torte has a graham cracker crust, layer of baked cheesecake sweetened with a Stevia product (TrueVia) topped with fruit and glazed with sugar free apricot preserves. Today is the first day of using the TrueVia, so I am still evaluating it's potential as a sweetener for us. All in all, the torte was just fine. The cheesecake could have been sweeter, I only used 3 packets of the TrueVia. Maybe 5 or 6 would have done the trick.
I know, I know, this is a lower fat and lower carb/sugar torte, and yes, tastes like it, but for those who must, and I mean must, change their way of eating, this torte will suffice. It does please the eye, too!

Fruit and Cheese Torte Recipe

Crust:
1 pack low-fat graham crackers, crushed to crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 pack stevia sweetener
Mix and press into bottom of torte pan

Top:
1 8 oz. package of 1/3 fat cream cheese (this is labeled as 1/3 fat cream cheese)
4 packages stevia sweetener
2 eggs
dash of lemon juice
Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour over crust and bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and cool on rack. Top cheese layer with sliced and whole peaches and berries..
In microwave place bowl with 3 tablespoons sugarfree fruit preserves, I used apricot, and add 2 teaspoons water, stir and heat 1 minute. Stir and brush, over the fruit layer. Chill and top with fat-free whipped cream!

Saturday Farmers Market & Lunch

2010-02-20T13:21:00.006-06:00

Stopped in at "Taste of Bavaria", check out the pastry case!

Two types of Rye Boules from the Covington Market

Covington Farmers Market
3 loaves of Bread, Goat cheese, Baba ganoush and a fat stuffed Artichoke and all for $ 32.00. A lot for fresh fare, but everything was homemade, and this is the best goat cheese I have ever eaten, no kidding...!

Covington Farmers Market

2010-02-20T06:50:00.006-06:00

Picture by Paul Swain borrowed from CFM Website

Here's what I'm talking about...yum.
Going to visit the Covington Farmers Market today!

AMEN to a Great Saints Football Season

2010-02-09T18:43:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to the Superbowl Champions the New Orleans Saints. We are a happy bunch of folks down here in Louisiana and the Gulf South Region...Who Dat Nation.

I wanted to share the headline of our newspaper on Monday. A prettier one is available at this site: NOLA.com

Kumquat Harvest

2010-02-01T15:57:00.003-06:00

What to do with the just picked Kumquats? Checked out recipes on the Kumquot Growers and found a marmalade which sounds do-able for me. I love marmalades, and this one will be unusual. Join me for the task of making marmalade click here for my recipe!

Yummy Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2010-01-31T16:51:00.004-06:00

Pineapple Upside Downcake using Paula Deen's recipe.

My daughter Hanna wanted to try this one. It was really good, even though we used regular flour, not cake flour.

Panettone

2009-12-27T08:47:00.002-06:00

Italian Christmas Bread!
This is my adjusted recipe, which makes a moister bread than the ones you may have bought at stores!
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 stick butter, softened to room temp.
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs and 2 egg yolks (fresh eggs!)
1/2 cup candied orange peel, chopped small
1/2 cup dark raisins
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
5 1/2 cups flour

( Save 3- 1 pound size- tin coffee cans to bake 3 breads. OR you may bake in mini loaf pans to give as gifts, or 2 regular loaf pans)
Heat the milk in saucepan, add the sugar and butter. Remove from heat and let come to lukewarm. Stir.
In mixing bowl add yeast to the warm water, to dissolve. Add the milk mixture, the eggs, orange peel, lemon peel and raisins. Add 2 cups flour. Stir well. Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time. Knead dough until smooth and slightly elastic. Will be a bit sticky. Knead for 15 minutes. Plop out into a large buttered bowl. Cover with plastic. Allow to rise, in a warmish spot, until doubled in size. After rise, place dough onto floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. OR -- how ever many loaves you intend to bake. Shape and place into greased pans. Allow to rise, covered again about 1 hour. Bake in hot oven, which has been set at 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown, depending on loaf size, about 40 minutes.

Chunky Noah Shortbread Cookies

2009-11-03T15:37:00.004-06:00

Noah Shortbread Cookies
Delish~!

1 cup butter, room temp.

1/2 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecans, chopped and lightly toasted in oven

Mix ingredients together.

Shape batter into log and roll up in wax paper. Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Slice cookies 1/2 inch thick discs and bake for about 40 minutes until very lightly browned on edges. Cool on pan for 15 minutes prior to removing onto rack as these are delicate when just out of oven.

Pancake Chefs

2009-10-27T14:10:00.004-05:00

What a great weekend, all the babies (chefs) report for breakfast duty bright and early! Wouldn't want to do breakfast without them!

Daniel's Fast~~Recipes # 1 Meatless Three Bean Chili

2009-10-12T13:27:00.011-05:00

Meatless Three Bean Chili

Dry Beans measures to 2 cups total.

I used equal parts:

Garbanzo beans

Black beans

Pinto beans

1 can (10.75oz) tomatoe puree

1 onion

1 Green pepper

1 jalipino pepper

3 cloves garlic

chopped fresh parsley

seasonings:

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt, (I used Morton Nature Seasoning Blend) Add more, to your taste

dash black pepper

Optional garnish: add torn pieces of corn tortilla to soup, grated cheese and top with dollup of plain whole milk yoghurt.

Instructions:

Rinse beans. Drain. Fill a large stock pot half way with water, add dry beans and bring to boil, reduce to good busy simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Drain off all water. In same stock pot, pour fresh water over the beans to cover 3 to 4 inches over. Add all the vegetables, which have been chopped and the seasonings. Add the can of puree. Bring to simmer again, covered and continue to simmer at low heat until beans are tender. About 1 more hour.

Eggplant Stewed with a Touch of Balsamic Vinegar

2009-09-02T16:14:00.002-05:00

I love eggplant~~I like it baked whole, then scooped out and mixed with a little salt and lemon juice. Baba ganoosh! I love it sliced, dregged in Italian style bread crumbs and fried. I make a spread for rye bread from eggplant, greenpeppers, carrots, tomato, onions and olive oil. Called Baklazhan. That recipe came from my mother.

This is a little break from the normal fried eggplant fare.

Makes a lovely antipasto item.

Balsamic Eggplant Slices

1 medium eggplant, sliced very thin

1/2 large tomato

1 clove garlic, minced

Olive oil

salt

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

You will slice the eggplant thin, and spread out the slices onto a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for about 30 minutes. Place more paper towels over top and press out the bitter juices. Wipe off as much salt as you can. I don't rinse my eggplant slices, as they will be placed directly onto oil in a skillet.
Place these slices into a skillet coated with olive oil and simmer, covered with lid, along with sliced tomato, and minced garlic until tender. Add 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar toss over all and serve warm or cool as antipasto.

Honey Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-07-07T15:28:00.002-05:00

Children, this recipe is my own creation. Be blessed with good health as you bake these cookies up for your loved ones!!!

Honey Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened at room temp.

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup honey

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. unbleached white flour

1 cup instant oatmeal, uncooked

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix, add the honey, mix. Add the eggs, mix. Add the flours, mix and the oatmeal, mix. Lastly, the chips and nuts. Mix just to blend these into batter.

I use a cookie scoop (which equals about 2 teaspoons of batter) and scoop dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes. They will be golden and a bit soft right out of oven. I put the baking sheet on the stove, leaving the cookies to cool before I transfer them to the cooling rack.

Tip*

Use a timer, while baking and adjust time to your oven, to get the best bake results. Do a test batch with the first tray. Check on the cookies after 8 minutes, because with the good proportion of honey, they could burn on the bottoms if the oven is too hot.

Ponchatoula Strawberry Scones

2009-03-16T08:03:00.004-05:00

Ponchatoula Strawberry Scones
made with Ponchatoula Strawberries

2 1/4 cup flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 sticks butter, cold, cut into chunks
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 strawberries washed, dried, leaftop removed and cut into chunks. Toss in a cup with flour in it to lightly coat the wet fruit.
Place dry ingredients into a bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or fork. Add the berries. Toss into mixture.
Add the buttermilk and vanilla and gently fold into dry mixture using a rubber spatula. Form a ball, place onto floured surface. Knead a few times and divide into two balls. Press each into disc shape. Cut into 8 sections using large knife. Place each section gently onto parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with Demarra sugar or regular sugar. Bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes. Until golden. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

WOW were these good!!!

Oyster Dipping Sauce

2009-02-03T13:01:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to share this coctail sauce recipe. If you want to dip raw or fried oysters or coctail shrimp for that matter, these are the ingredients. Just apply them to your taste preferences.

Louisiana Hot sauce (8 to 10 hard shakes)
Fresh grated, bottled horseradish (I do not use the creamed kind) Use about 3 tablespoons full of this.
lemon juice (1 whole lemon, squeezed)
ketchup (3/4 cup)
dash garlic powder

Powerful good!

Confession and a Shout Out

2009-01-25T10:02:00.005-06:00

O k, I confess I have not kept my promise to add the pictures of my own homemade king cake. I am burnt out on the "kakes" cause they are flooding the supermarkets everywhere around here...
May I shout out to "All Recipes" for the popover recipe post!!! They were so good, and I melted butter to be brushed lightly over the hot pop-over followed by a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar as suggested by the reviewers!!! Mine didn't rise real high, I only have a muffin tin to bake them in. But the recipe definatly works...yum!

Home Made is Best ~~King Cake

2009-01-13T07:40:00.006-06:00

The traditional King Cake is baked this time of year has history attached...read about it here at MARDI GRAS DIGEST. It may shock you!
Just like our other holidays with pagan roots, which the Catholic Church repurposed to pull people away from the darkness of pagan practices and toward the light of Christ. This one is for the Magi and the feast of Epiphany.

Anyway, this is a yummy coffee cake...It is in all the grocery stores right now because it's Mardi Gras season. I am making one today, and will post pictures in the next post.

King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
This is actually a yeast bread coffee cake recipe, It's makes the best King Cake recipe I have found!
1 c. sour cream
2 packages yeast
½ c. sugar
½ c. warm water
½ c. butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. Salt
4 c. flour
In a saucepan, combine sour cream, sugar, butter & salt. Cook over med-low heat, stirring for 5-10 mins, or well blended. Cool to room temp. In a mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the sour cream mixture and eggs; mix well. Gradually stir in flour. Knead until smooth. Adding a spoonful or two of flour if too sticky. When smooth and elastic place dough into a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and allow dough to rise until double in size.
When risen, punch dough down, and dump out onto a well floured surface. Roll dough out into a long rectangle appx. 8 inches in width. Spoon filling down the center length of the rectangle.
Place oval on parchment lined & greased baking sheet, allow to rise till double, covered with plastic wrap so as not to dry out. When doubled in size, Brush top evenly with egg wash. Bake in a preheated 370° oven for appx. 30 mins. Will be golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Cover with the vanilla glaze, in three colors! Green, Purple, and Yellow.
*Hide a tiny plastic baby or dry kidney bean, inside from bottom. (Tradition)

Cream Cheese Filling:
2- 8oz. Packs cream cheese, softened
¾ c. sugar
1 egg
Pinch salt
Beat these together well.
Vanilla Glaze:
2 ½ c. powdered sugar
¼ c heavy cream or half & half
1 tsp. Vanilla
Green, purple and yellow food coloring. Traditional colors.
Mix ingredients together, and divide into 3 bowls adding drops of coloring to desired intensity. Spread over cooled King Cake in patches of color.

Cornbread Love!

2009-01-12T07:43:00.006-06:00

Facts and Feasting on Cornbread!
Texans like it (so do I) with fresh corn kernels, jalapeno peppers and cheese baked in. Northerners like it made with half flour, half cornmeal, sweet and tender and cut into squares. In the upper Southern states, I found Corn Spoon Bread, which uses canned cream corn and sour cream for a creamy, pudding bread side dish. Deep South, with the addition of buttermilk, I find the popular salty, sweet, chewy corn muffins. Corn sticks...(my favorite) pour the batter into a greased hot cast iron molded baking pan. My molded pan is actually shapes of different vegetables, not little corn cobs.

Stoneground Cornmeal is best, more nutritional, because the corn germ is still included in the flour, and therefore must be kept in freezer to prevent rancidity.
Don't forget to check out the Corn Bread Festival Site!

Black Skillet Corn Bread
I like my cornbread slightly sweet, if you do not, just decrease sugar.
Of course, this may be baked in a square baking pan, as well.
* First thing to do is brush oil onto sides and bottom of a black cast iron skillet. Place skillet in the oven to get it hot before pouring the batter into pan. This will make the nice crisp crust. If you want to use a cast iron cornbread mold you should use the same preheat procedure, though with the molds you will be removing the baked cornbread, oiling, heating the pan prior to refilling and baking in 2 or more batches.
1 c. flour
1 c. cornmeal
2 or 3T. Sugar
½ t. salt
2 t. baking soda
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk or regular milk
3 T. oil
Mix all ingredients together. Remove the hot oiled skillet and pour the mixture into it. (Or by spoonfulls into greased, hot molds filled to 3/4 full) Carefully, place back into oven and in appx. 20 minutes it should be done. Carefully, dump loaf from skillet onto a plate.

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Bread
The guys really love this one!
¾ lb. Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 eggs
1 can creamed corn
Sour cream (16 oz container)
1 4-oz can diced, Jalapeno peppers
½ c. oil
1 c. flour
1 c. corn meal
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
In large bowl, beat eggs, then add the can of corn, sour cream and oil. Stir well. Next fold in the peppers and grated cheese. Last add the dry ingredients. Stir well and pour into a greased and flour dusted baking dish. Bake for appx 45 mins at 350 degrees. Place foil on top, it is browning on the top too quickly.

Easy Corn Spoon Bread
Here it is...my favorite spoon bread recipe using creamed corn and sourcream!
1 can cream corn
1 can whold kernel corn, drained
3 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cu sour cream
1 -8 ounce package corn muffin mix
In a large bowl mix all ingredients together and pour the mixture into a buttered pyrex baking bowl. Place into preheated 350 degree oven and bake for approx. 30 to 40 minutes. Remove and serve up warm scoops of corn bread with delight!

New Year Day 1 menu

2009-01-01T06:59:00.005-06:00

Happy New Year!
I know that everyone has awesome New Year Day meal traditions out there. I am cooking traditional Southern, on this day.
Blackeye Peas with ham hocks
Cabbage with potatoes, carrots and hamhocks
Pork Roast
Corn Bread
I may not cook the blackeye peas this way again, all year, I have a favorite pea recipe (Greek)which I make more frequently. Therefore, we enjoy the, cooked from dried peas, which I make on January 1st, all the more. Have a great day!

Gingerbread Cookies

2008-12-26T03:39:00.004-06:00

I recommend this molasses, it makes the cookies rich, dark, and sweet, with remarkable flavor.

Gingerbread Cookie Shapes
1/3 c. shortening 1 tsp. salt
1 c. brown sugar 1/2 tsp. allspice
1 ½ c. Blackstrap molasses 1 tsp. ginger
2/3 c. cold water 1/2 tsp. cloves
4 to 5 c. flour 1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. Baking soda
Mix the shortening, sugar & molasses. Stir in the cold water. Sift together the flour and spices. Add to the dough mix well. Chill thoroughly. Roll dough out to about ½ inch thick and cut into shapes. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 mins. Cool, then frost.

Busy Baking Today!

2008-12-24T07:02:00.003-06:00

God Bless You and Yours,

with a very Merry Christmas!

I'd Rather Be Sleeping

2008-12-23T04:02:00.005-06:00

I am an insomniac, lately. (3 to 4 am) If I wake up hungry, I will almost always have a peanut butter and jelly on one slice of bread, which I just finished with a cup of decaf chai tea. I read somewhere, our blood sugar drops during the night and could be the cause of awakening--and explains why I feel hungry. Well, it is this early hour when I read the internet news, and the rest of my email, which I do not make time for in daylight hours. It is a quiet busyness, with the rest of the house peacefully snoozing away. When I begin to yawn, I will make my way back to bed, because tomorrow I will make my Seafood Gumbo, which we have as our traditional meal on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Treat

2008-12-16T06:49:00.008-06:00

My very own favorite holiday traditional treat, is Marzipan Mice. The reason I make these is pure nostalgia. I spent 6 years in Germany growing up, and just the taste of Marzipan sends me back remembering when I lived there, especially Christmas season and the chilly afternoons, at the Outdoor Christmas Market. The lavish displays of colorful marzipan fruits, and the way the air smelled of Liebkuchen (gingerbread in the shape of giant hearts, with your loved ones name in icing decorating the top), hand carved pine Christmas trees in sizes from tiny to tall. Bratwurst sizzling on the out door griddles and caramel bubbling in copper cauldrens to turn out the beloved warm candy coated nuts. Yum~
I try to recreat all of these things at out house, where ever that may be. But, the one which I turn out to my own enjoyment every year are the mice! Instructions to follow, soon!!!

Orange Breakfast Rolls--Citrus Sunshine!

2008-12-07T07:29:00.005-06:00

I received a pan of tender Orange Breakfast Rolls as a Christmas gift one year, from my friends Sandy and Jack , when we lived in Colfax Washington. The rolls were a delicious suprise and change from the usual cinnamon rolls I baked for our family. Sandy included a handwritten recipe card, and I have made the recipe over and over during the holidays! If you haven't tried Orange Rolls yet, try this recipe. Merry Christmas Time!

Orange Breakfast Rolls

Makes 24 rolls, may be doubled

1 pkg. Yeast
½ c. sour cream
¼ c. warm water
1 tsp. salt
¼ c. sugar
6 T. softened butter
2 eggs
2 ¾ c. flour
Soften yeast in warm water in a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, butter & flour. Make a soft dough of this, adding spoons of flour if dough too wet. Knead until smooth. Cover and rise in an oiled bowl until doubled in size. ( You may place in refrigerator overnight, remove in AM to finish rising.)
When risen, dump out onto a floured surface, knead 15 times, then roll half of the dough into a 12-inch round circle. Brush with 1 T. melted butter. Sprinkle with half of the orange rind mixture. Cut into 12 pie wedges and roll up each wedge starting at the widest end. Set each crescent shaped roll on a baking sheet, pointed end down so as not to unfurl. Cover with plastic, and rise again until doubled in size. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for appx. 25 to 30 mins. Remove, leave in pan and top with prepared orange glaze.

Orange Rind Mixture
¾ c. sugar, ¾ c. coconut & 3 T. grated orange rind.
Combine ingredients.

Orange Glaze
¾ c. sugar, ½ c. sour cream, 2 T. orange juice & ¼ c. butter.
Bring to boil, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Pour over rolls.

2008-11-26T09:33:00.003-06:00

I have very early memories of being taught how to ask my Russian speaking grandfather if he wanted tea, or milk or whatever.
I would ask."Hotite Chai?" ( SВы хотите чай?) I have always known "Chai" meant TEA. I really love the spiced Indian style of making tea, which is known as Chai, these days, and is so popular. I have copied the recipe from Madam Stewart's site, and included a link to a Chai Information and Recipe site, as well!

Now I am looking for a local supply source for green cardamom seeds...

Chai
Ingredients
Serves 4
10 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
5 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches), peeled and quartered
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
1/3 cup honey, plus more for serving (optional)
4 bags black tea
1 1/2 cups milk
Directions
Place 3 cups water in a small saucepan; add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla bean and scrapings. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 15 minutes. Whisk in honey; drop tea bags in pan. Turn off heat, and let steep 3 minutes.
Strain tea through a fine strainer or a coffee filter into a warmed serving pot. Heat milk in same saucepan over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Do not let milk come to a boil because it will separate. Pour into serving pot with the tea, and stir well to combine. Serve immediately, with more honey on the side if desired.

Crispy Cream Louisiana Pralines

2008-11-19T17:00:00.003-06:00

Recipe:
1 1/2 cup white sugar,
3/4 cup (packed)brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Half & Half
1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cup pecan halves
1 tsp. vanilla
In a sauce pan, place the sugars, Half & half and butter. Stir. Bring to slow boil over med. low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to soft ball stage. I made these without the candy thermometer, but it would read about 239 degrees, should you use one. Remove from heat add the Vanilla and the pecan halves and stir until mixture thickens, and gets cloudy colored. Immediatly spoon large spoonful (puddles onto greased cookie sheet or wax paper. Allow to set until firm and cooled. I wrap these each individually and place all into air tight container to dole out at during the holidays.

Don't worry,this recipe makes lots more than what I have pictured on the plate above!
Holiday Hugs!!!

2008-11-12T14:01:00.003-06:00

Let me get this Recipe page rolling!