Mardi Gras! It's getting close to that time of the year again, and I am pretty stoked about it. For starters, I love Cajun food. And it has become a bit of a tradition since I moved to Colorado, that I throw a big Mardi Gras party for my workgroup on Fat Tuesday.
No Mardi Gras would be complete without the quintessentiall New Orleans treat, the King Cake. Traditionally this cake is shaped like a giant crown, and is decorated with colored sugar in green (symbolizing Faith), purple (for Justice), and gold (for Wealth). A tiny doll (usually the baby Jesus from a Christmas nativity set) is baked into the cake, and tradition holds that whoever gets the doll in their slice of cake must provide the cake next year.
I'm going to make one of these this weekend. Here at 7,800 feet, I think that it just might be the highest altitude that this dessert has ever been prepared.
King Cake
2 pkgs. yeast
1/4 C lukewarm water
1 T honey
2-1/4 cups milk
1/3 C melted shortening
2/3 C sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons salt
6 cups of all-purpose flour
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. grated lemon peel
1 t. vanilla extract
1" tall plastic baby doll
Melted butter
1 pkg. vanilla glaze or cake frosting
colored sugar
In a small bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water and honey. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Scald the milk, then allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large glass bowl, add the yeast mixture, scalded milk, melted shortening, sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, lemon peel, vanilla extract, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, then fold in remaining flour until a stiff dough forms.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic (the dough will be sticky). Return to glass bowl, cover with a wet towel, and let rise until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and divide into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion out into a long rope about 1/2 inch thick, then braid them together to make a single rope. Coil this braid into a ring, and place on a buttered baking sheet. Hide the toy doll in the cake by slipping it between the baking sheet and the dough. Brush with melted butter, and allow to rise until doubled in size.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then glaze and decorate with colored sugar, gumdrops, sprinkles, candied fruits, etc. Serve warm.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Saturday, January 07, 2006
The Best Damn Bowl of Oatmeal Ever
I'm not feeling too well today. I must have gotten some bad Mexican yesterday for lunch, because my stomach...
...well, let's just say I have a bit of a tummy ache.
When I don't feel well, and when my stomach is turning itself inside-out, one of the few foods I can eat and actually keep down is oatmeal. And even when I'm feeling fine, I enjoy a hot bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or early lunch. It's good stuff. This is my favorite recipe for it...it's simple enough to make when you feel like crap, and it's tasty enough to enjoy anytime.
The Best Damn Bowl of Oatmeal Ever
1 cup instant rolled oats
1-3/4 cups apple juice or cider
1/4 cup milk
half an apple, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl (a one-quart dish with a lid works best). Microwave on High for a couple of minutes, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir, then microwave on High for another 90 seconds, adding more apple juice if needed (I like mine thick, like mashed potatoes.) Stir in your favorite toppings; I recommend butter, slivered almonds, brown sugar, and/or raisins. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then serve with a tall glass of ice-cold milk.
This recipe technically makes 2 servings, but I always eat the whole batch myself.
...well, let's just say I have a bit of a tummy ache.
When I don't feel well, and when my stomach is turning itself inside-out, one of the few foods I can eat and actually keep down is oatmeal. And even when I'm feeling fine, I enjoy a hot bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or early lunch. It's good stuff. This is my favorite recipe for it...it's simple enough to make when you feel like crap, and it's tasty enough to enjoy anytime.
The Best Damn Bowl of Oatmeal Ever
1 cup instant rolled oats
1-3/4 cups apple juice or cider
1/4 cup milk
half an apple, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl (a one-quart dish with a lid works best). Microwave on High for a couple of minutes, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir, then microwave on High for another 90 seconds, adding more apple juice if needed (I like mine thick, like mashed potatoes.) Stir in your favorite toppings; I recommend butter, slivered almonds, brown sugar, and/or raisins. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then serve with a tall glass of ice-cold milk.
This recipe technically makes 2 servings, but I always eat the whole batch myself.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Cooking for Cold Weather
I've updated the Recipes section again; now the index makes some sort of sense. Speaking of recipes...
According to the Weather Channel, we are supposed to have a "significant cooling trend" move through the state this week, starting tonight. And by "significant," they mean that Wednesday's high temperature is supposed to be twenty degrees, with a 50% chance of snow. So I guess it is time for a good cold-weather recipe...something hearty and warm and soothing. And manly.
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Trav's Beef and Barley Stew
2, 14-oz boneless steaks, cut into 1" cubes
1 t. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves, whole
1 t. savory
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 cups water
4 beef boullion cubes
1 can (14 oz) beef consomme
2/3 cup dry pearl barley
2 cups of potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup of baby carrots, snapped in half
1 cup of celery, cut into 1" long pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the steaks in a heavy stock pot, by stir-frying them in a teaspoon of olive oil. When the steak cubes are browned on the edges, add the garlic, onion, savory, bay leaves, red wine, and Worchestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat until onions are transparent and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add the water, boullion, barley, and consomme. Cover tightly and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, then add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover and cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 30 more minutes. The stew will thicken as it cooks; if it becomes too thick add 1 cup of water and 1 more beef boullion cube.
Before serving, remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty french bread and a dark beer.
According to the Weather Channel, we are supposed to have a "significant cooling trend" move through the state this week, starting tonight. And by "significant," they mean that Wednesday's high temperature is supposed to be twenty degrees, with a 50% chance of snow. So I guess it is time for a good cold-weather recipe...something hearty and warm and soothing. And manly.
-----
Trav's Beef and Barley Stew
2, 14-oz boneless steaks, cut into 1" cubes
1 t. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves, whole
1 t. savory
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 cups water
4 beef boullion cubes
1 can (14 oz) beef consomme
2/3 cup dry pearl barley
2 cups of potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup of baby carrots, snapped in half
1 cup of celery, cut into 1" long pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the steaks in a heavy stock pot, by stir-frying them in a teaspoon of olive oil. When the steak cubes are browned on the edges, add the garlic, onion, savory, bay leaves, red wine, and Worchestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat until onions are transparent and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add the water, boullion, barley, and consomme. Cover tightly and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, then add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover and cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 30 more minutes. The stew will thicken as it cooks; if it becomes too thick add 1 cup of water and 1 more beef boullion cube.
Before serving, remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty french bread and a dark beer.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Herb Roasted Turkey
I did this recipe back in 2001...it was the first Thanksgiving that Toni and I spent in Colorado. It turned out spectacular.
Herb Roasted Turkey
1 large turkey, 15-20 pounds
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 sticks of butter, softened (not margarine)
3 whole shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 oz. dry sherry
4 fresh sage leaves
2 cloves of garlic
1 large roasting bag
1. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator for several days. Remove it from the wrapper, separate out the gibblets, and rinse the bird well.
2. Place the turkey in a clean, food-grade 5-gallon bucket. Pour 1 cup of sea salt and 1/2 cup of brown sugar over the turkey, and fill the bucket with cold water. Place something heavy over the turkey to keep it submerged in the brine solution (like a large glass bowl full of potatoes), and allow it to marinate in the brine overnight.
3. While the turkey is marinating, place the softened butter into a food processor. Add the shallots, sage, garlic, olive oil, and sherry. Process until smooth, then spread out evenly over a sheet of wax paper. Roll the wax paper up, forming a "log" of herb butter. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove the turkey from the brine solution, and pat it dry (do not rinse). Remove the herb butter from the wax paper, and cut into "coins" about 1/4" thick. Preheat your oven, using the temperature guide on the box of roasting bags.
5. Starting at the neck, carefully separate the skin from the breast meat. Use gentle pressure with your index fingers, taking extreme care not to tear the skin. Once the skin has been completely separated from the breast meat, insert the "coins" of herb butter between the skin and the breasts. Tuck the loose neck skin under the bird.
6. Place 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour in a large roasting bag, and shake it well to coat the inside of the bag. Place the turkey in the roasting bag, breast-side up, and tie the bag loosely over the bird. Place the turkey, bag and all, in a large roasting pan. Cut 3, 1/2" long slits in the roasting bag, and roast the bird according to the time table on the box of roasting bags.
7. When turkey is done, carefully remove it from the bag. Remember to save those drippings; they make the absolute best gravy. Stuff the bird with your favorite stuffing, and serve right away.
Herb Roasted Turkey
1 large turkey, 15-20 pounds
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 sticks of butter, softened (not margarine)
3 whole shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 oz. dry sherry
4 fresh sage leaves
2 cloves of garlic
1 large roasting bag
1. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator for several days. Remove it from the wrapper, separate out the gibblets, and rinse the bird well.
2. Place the turkey in a clean, food-grade 5-gallon bucket. Pour 1 cup of sea salt and 1/2 cup of brown sugar over the turkey, and fill the bucket with cold water. Place something heavy over the turkey to keep it submerged in the brine solution (like a large glass bowl full of potatoes), and allow it to marinate in the brine overnight.
3. While the turkey is marinating, place the softened butter into a food processor. Add the shallots, sage, garlic, olive oil, and sherry. Process until smooth, then spread out evenly over a sheet of wax paper. Roll the wax paper up, forming a "log" of herb butter. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove the turkey from the brine solution, and pat it dry (do not rinse). Remove the herb butter from the wax paper, and cut into "coins" about 1/4" thick. Preheat your oven, using the temperature guide on the box of roasting bags.
5. Starting at the neck, carefully separate the skin from the breast meat. Use gentle pressure with your index fingers, taking extreme care not to tear the skin. Once the skin has been completely separated from the breast meat, insert the "coins" of herb butter between the skin and the breasts. Tuck the loose neck skin under the bird.
6. Place 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour in a large roasting bag, and shake it well to coat the inside of the bag. Place the turkey in the roasting bag, breast-side up, and tie the bag loosely over the bird. Place the turkey, bag and all, in a large roasting pan. Cut 3, 1/2" long slits in the roasting bag, and roast the bird according to the time table on the box of roasting bags.
7. When turkey is done, carefully remove it from the bag. Remember to save those drippings; they make the absolute best gravy. Stuff the bird with your favorite stuffing, and serve right away.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
My Next Batch
Last week, I got to sample some of Woodchuck's Pear Hard Cider. It was fragrant and refreshing...quite delicious. And it gave me a great idea for a mead.
See, I like pears. I like them fresh or canned, and I like pear-flavored drinks. Last Thanksgiving, I was singing the praises of this pear-flavored brandy. And I heartily enjoyed the pear cider, also. I thought, "why not make a pear-flavored mead?"
The concept is simple enough: the spices are taken from a recipe for candied pears, and I decided to use Bosch pears because I think they are the most flavorful. I think it would make a great medium-sweet mead, and it would probably go great with fish or dessert. But time will tell.
Hopefully, I will get to start this one next weekend, or the weekend after. It takes several tries to get the recipe right...especially when the recipe is crafted from scratch.
-----
Trav's Pear Honeywine (Pear Melomel)
(ingredients per gallon)
3 pounds of wildflower honey, warmed in the microwave
3 quarts of cold, filtered water
2 pounds of Bosch pears, very ripe
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 whole cloves, cracked
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 packet of wine yeast
1 teaspoon barley malt
8 ounces of lukewarm water
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
½ teaspoon yeast energizer
Choose pears that are extremely ripe and very sweet. They should be very soft to the touch and easy to crush into a paste. If they are under-ripe, place them in a paper sack with a banana for a couple of days to finish ripening. You can also soften the pears by placing them in the freezer overnight, then allowing them to thaw.
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a chlorine solution (1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Sterilize the pears also, by soaking them in the same solution. Rinse all equipment well before using, and rinse the pears for 5 minutes under running water before using.
In a sterile pint jar, smack the yeast by mixing it with the lukewarm water and barley malt. Set aside. Place the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in the center of a coffee filter, roll it up into a bundle, and tie it with string. Set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of cold water to a full rolling boil. Add the bundle of herbs, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bundle of herbs. Stir the honey into the simmering water, and remove from heat. Cover, and allow to cool to 85°F (35°C).
Place the whole pears into a sterilized, food-grade bucket. Using a sterilized potato masher, crush the whole fruits into a paste. Pour the cooled honey-water mixture into the bucket over the fruit, and stir vigorously until frothy. Measure and record the specific gravity of the solution, and adjust it if necessary (the SG should be between 1.15 and 1.20). Wait 5 minutes, then add the activated yeast, the yeast nutrient, and the yeast energizer. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes, then cover tightly and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once per day, gently stir the must with a sterile spoon. After 5 days, strain the fruit pulp out of the must, using a sterilized colander and cheesecloth. Discard the fruit pulp, and place the liquid into a sterilized fermentation tank. Attach a sterilized fermentation lock to the bottle and allow the must to ferment to completion.
Rack, sweeten, stabilize, clarify, and bottle.
See, I like pears. I like them fresh or canned, and I like pear-flavored drinks. Last Thanksgiving, I was singing the praises of this pear-flavored brandy. And I heartily enjoyed the pear cider, also. I thought, "why not make a pear-flavored mead?"
The concept is simple enough: the spices are taken from a recipe for candied pears, and I decided to use Bosch pears because I think they are the most flavorful. I think it would make a great medium-sweet mead, and it would probably go great with fish or dessert. But time will tell.
Hopefully, I will get to start this one next weekend, or the weekend after. It takes several tries to get the recipe right...especially when the recipe is crafted from scratch.
-----
Trav's Pear Honeywine (Pear Melomel)
(ingredients per gallon)
3 pounds of wildflower honey, warmed in the microwave
3 quarts of cold, filtered water
2 pounds of Bosch pears, very ripe
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 whole cloves, cracked
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 packet of wine yeast
1 teaspoon barley malt
8 ounces of lukewarm water
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
½ teaspoon yeast energizer
Choose pears that are extremely ripe and very sweet. They should be very soft to the touch and easy to crush into a paste. If they are under-ripe, place them in a paper sack with a banana for a couple of days to finish ripening. You can also soften the pears by placing them in the freezer overnight, then allowing them to thaw.
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a chlorine solution (1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Sterilize the pears also, by soaking them in the same solution. Rinse all equipment well before using, and rinse the pears for 5 minutes under running water before using.
In a sterile pint jar, smack the yeast by mixing it with the lukewarm water and barley malt. Set aside. Place the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in the center of a coffee filter, roll it up into a bundle, and tie it with string. Set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of cold water to a full rolling boil. Add the bundle of herbs, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bundle of herbs. Stir the honey into the simmering water, and remove from heat. Cover, and allow to cool to 85°F (35°C).
Place the whole pears into a sterilized, food-grade bucket. Using a sterilized potato masher, crush the whole fruits into a paste. Pour the cooled honey-water mixture into the bucket over the fruit, and stir vigorously until frothy. Measure and record the specific gravity of the solution, and adjust it if necessary (the SG should be between 1.15 and 1.20). Wait 5 minutes, then add the activated yeast, the yeast nutrient, and the yeast energizer. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes, then cover tightly and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once per day, gently stir the must with a sterile spoon. After 5 days, strain the fruit pulp out of the must, using a sterilized colander and cheesecloth. Discard the fruit pulp, and place the liquid into a sterilized fermentation tank. Attach a sterilized fermentation lock to the bottle and allow the must to ferment to completion.
Rack, sweeten, stabilize, clarify, and bottle.
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