latent chestnut

Chocolate Cookies - Yum! Yum! Yum!

2011-12-20T20:43:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty set in my ways when it comes to the cookies I bake for the holidays. For years, our cookie boxes consisted of the chewy, snickerdoodles, and spritz. Not a big variety, but some of tastiest cookies I make.

Last year, Valerie found a chocolate cookie recipe that she wanted to try. She wanted to make them for Christmas, to boot. Skeptical, I agreed to include them, and we made a batch. The cookies turned out delicious and they become a welcome addition to our Christmas cookie lineup.

The best way I can describe these cookies are as a chocolate snickerdoodle. They are moist and chewy on the inside with slightly crispy edges. We make them the same size as our snickerdoodles and roll them in sugar before baking. They have a really nice chocolate flavor, too. Kind of like a brownie cookie. Yum!

Top Secret Chocolate Cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional sugar for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar and cream together with a hand mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and mix until combined.

In a medium bowl, mix the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until incorporated. Roll the dough into walnut size balls, roll in sugar and place on wax paper lined baking sheet. Rrefrigerate for 2 hours.

Once thoroughly chilled, place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Gingerbread House

2011-12-11T19:57:00.001-05:00

Gumdrops, candy canes, marshmallows and more! Valerie was determined to make a gingerbread house with the kids this year, and I think we came up with a delightful little candy clad cottage.

Gingerbread house kits abound at the stores these days, but to me that feels like cheating. It's just my nature to try to make things from scratch; especially things that are edible, so I figured a gingerbread house should be no different.

I modeled the gingerbread house design from the Santa houses that Nonna and Grandpa used to make. I measured the dimensions of the Santa house and cut templates out of construction paper. I found a recipe online for the gingerbread and got to work.

I rolled out the dough, put the templates down, and cut around the templates. I baked the gingerbread and then cut around the templates again after it came out of the oven. I whipped up some royal icing and waited for the pieces of the house to cool before assembly.

It was nerve wracking working with those pieces of gingerbread, knowing that one could snap if I made one wrong move. Thankfully, the pieces held together and the house went up without any issues. The house was ready for decorations, and the kids were all too ready to help.

I was also nervous watching Ari and Emilie's little hands as they put the decorations on. There was one mishap early, but it was easy to fix, and they were otherwise very delicate and careful with the way they worked. I am delighted with the way our gingerbread house turned out; it has just the right amount of character and charm.

Link Costume

2011-11-02T11:06:00.001-04:00

After beating Ocarina of Time for the 3DS it didn't take long for Ari to declare that he wanted to be Link for Halloween. No sooner did he say it, I started planning how to make the costume. I originally planned to make a tunic and hat for him, but was concerned about my limited sewing skills. Upon studying a picture of young Link from the video game, it looked as if his tunic was just a big polo shirt. With an idea in my head, we went shopping.

I was surprised how hard is was to find a green polo shirt for boys, but we finally found a green button-up shirt that looked the part. Ari tried it on and it came down to just above his knees. I found two belts in the store and buckled one around his waist and one across his chest and it looked perfect. Our little Link was coming together. Now it was time to equip him with some weapons and accessories.

My weapons search was in full swing when the living history encampment, Koh-Koh-Mah, was holding it's annual event. I was excited to search the vendors for a sword, bow and arrow, and other items Link had in the game. The first item we found was a little leather pouch that I could wrap around his belt. The other item we found at Koh-Koh-Mah was a little wooden sword complete with a sheath. I was very happy to find that sword because I could attach the sheath the belt that went across his chest. Our trip was successful, but I still wanted a couple more items to complete the ensemble.

I went to the internet to find the rest of the items. I found an inexpensive bow and arrow, boomerang, and even an ocarina. His costume was really coming together, but he still needed boots and a hat. We found some Ugg type boots that worked really well; plus, they fit Valerie. Bonus! I made his hat after finding an elf hat pattern on the internet, which came together a lot easier than I thought. We also stumbled upon a Legend of Zelda belt buckle on clearance at Toys-R-Us that I snatched right up. And, I printed an image of the Hylian Shield and taped it onto a Nerf shield Ari already had. After all that, his costume was finally complete.

I was surprised how much Ari looked like Link. I showed him the side-by-side picture that I posted above and he couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He looked at it in awe and was quite pleased with himself. The best part about this costume is that he can play with all the items after the trick-or-treating is over. Plus, he has a couple of nice belts and a nice green button-up shirt for the future. Valerie also got a nice pair of boots out of it. Definitely a costume to remember.

2011-10-31T20:33:00.000-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Macaroni and Cheese

2011-10-26T10:34:00.000-04:00

A comfort food if there ever was one. Few things are more satisfying than sitting down with a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. It is one of my favorite things that Grandpa used to make. I couldn't track down his recipe, but seeing how my grandparents always had San Giorgio pasta in the pantry, I suspect his recipe may have came from the back of the box, with a few modifications.

It's those modifications that I can't put my finger on. I've come close, but it still isn't exactly what I am looking for. I'm pretty sure Grandpa added sauteed onions to his mac and cheese which is something I have yet to try. Another secret ingredient that was sprinkled on top of the macaroni and cheese when I was growing up was dulse.

Dulse is a red algae that grows along the the northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is used as a flavor enhancer and it adds a wonderful flavor element to macaroni and cheese. Plus, the little red flecks are visually appealing and leave people guessing as to what it could possibly be. I can't really describe the flavor, but it is unique, and my mac and cheese is much better with it. I don't know who started putting dulse on the macaroni and cheese in my family, but it probably has something to do with my aunt owning a natural food store.

My macaroni and cheese has become a staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, and there is rarely any left in the dish. It is rich, creamy, and delicious, with just the right amount of crunch along the top and sides. The perfect accompaniment to almost any meal, especially during the autumn and winter months.

Macaroni and Cheese

Printable Recipe

8 oz elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon dulse (optional)

Fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni according to package directions in salted water and drain.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of dulse. Whisk in the milk until combined and free of lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally. Then add the shredded cheese and stir to combine.

Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese mixture and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of dulse. Bake for 30 minutes and allow to rest for five minutes before serving.

Recipe can be easily doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 pan.

Toothless

2011-10-05T21:17:00.004-04:00

Ari lost his first tooth, which means he is well on his way to manhood. It had been loose for over a month and he was nervous about it coming out. The night before it fell out, it was so loose that I was tempted to just pull it out. I refrained and it came out the next day while he was at school. He accidentally swallowed it, so he didn't have anything to put under his pillow for the tooth fairy. Being a gracious soul, the tooth fairy left him a little something under his pillow anyway. He was quite tickled.

The R.E.M. Impact: One Fan's Story

2011-09-22T18:34:00.002-04:00

As I was browsing the internet yesterday, I came across the headline, “R.E.M. Call it a Day.” I had that sinking feeling, I knew what it was bringing on, I might as well click it. I read the story in disbelief; my favorite band was no more. I immediately tried to rationalize it.

“It must be some sort of April Fool’s Day joke...oh wait, it’s September.”

“But on the last tour Michael Stipe said, ‘See you soon!’ He wouldn’t lie to me!”
“Maybe the website got its sources wrong.”

So I went to remhq and read it straight from the source. R.E.M. was, indeed, calling it a day. Reading the quotes from the Michael, Mike, and Peter, soothed my mind a little, but it was still a shock.

R.E.M. has defined what music is to me for nearly twenty years. I remember as a teenager buying albums from other artists based on a popular hit song. More often than not, the hit single was the only bright spot on the album, and I was left with a lackluster listening experience. Not with R.E.M., though. I fell in love with nearly every song on Out of Time, Automatic for the People, and Monster. Once I discovered their back-catalog, I was hooked.

I remember going to the record store to buy used copies of Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Dead Letter Office, and Document. I think my parents already had Lifes Rich Pageant, Green, and even a copy of Eponymous. I loaded the CDs into our five-disc player and let'er rip. Every song was pure joy. I found my band, and couldn’t wait to hear what they came out with next.

I bought New Adventures in Hi-Fi the day it was released, and I played that album non-stop. It is, to this day, my favorite R.E.M. album; though, Collapse into Now is giving it a run for its money. With such a huge influx of music in such a short time, I still wanted more. I didn’t want to wait for the next album to hear some R.E.M. songs I never heard before. So, I hit the record store circuit and started buying singles.

I scoured record stores in Indianapolis, Lafayette, Bloomington, and Louisville, looking for singles with b-side songs I had not heard before. I found a lot of success along the way, not only with CD singles, but with 12” and 7” vinyl singles, too. Some record stores even had bootleg concerts for sale on CD, which I was more than willing to shell out extra cash for. I was amassing quite the collection, and then I discovered eBay.

eBay was a dangerous place for me. Every single I didn’t have, every poster I ever wanted, rare memorabilia, everything was there for the picking; it just depended how much I was willing to spend. Admittedly, sometimes I may have spent too much, but I don’t regret a single purchase. I was now in the thick of my R.E.M. collecting phase, and the band had since released Up and Reveal. It was about this same time when Napster came rolling along.

I really enjoyed Napster because I was able to pick and choose what R.E.M. songs I wanted, and they were free. Granted, I had almost every song, but there were a few surprises like “I Walked With A Zombie” here and there. Once Napster was gone, I found out about a peer-to-peer sharing site that specialized in live concerts. Suddenly, I had at my fingertips countless live R.E.M. performances spanning their entire career. Even better, I no longer had to pay $30 to own the performance; I could get it free. Needless to say, I downloaded just about every concert I could find.

Looking back, the peak of my obsession was in 2005 when I listened to all the concerts I had in chronological order. It was probably 200 or so concerts, and it took me several months to get through them all. Those concerts were the only music I listened to; it was fun, but I don’t think I would do it again.

Since then, things have slowed down quite a bit. I no longer feel compelled to listen to every concert, and I have pretty much tapped out the collectables market. There are still some elusive items like the "Gardening at Night" gardening gloves, a Dead Letter Office letter opener, a Fables of the Reconstruction book, and an R.E.M. backpack. I occasionally check eBay for those items, but I haven’t had any luck in a long time.

After the lackluster Around the Sun, R.E.M. rebounded with Accelerate and Collapse Into Now. The latter being their best album since New Adventures in Hi-Fi, in my opinion. It has been a wonderful ride being an R.E.M. fan for all these years. My highest high came in 2008 when I decided use most of my R.E.M. shirts to make a quilt. After posting the quilt on latent chestnut, remhq posted a link to it on their website. I don’t think it could get any better than that.

I think it goes without saying that I am deeply saddened that I may never hear a new R.E.M. song again. The anticipation of a new album, the thrill and rush of hearing those new songs for the first time, stumbling through the lyrics as I try to learn the words, I want to experience it all again. I do understand their decision and wish them the best; and I will always be a fan. I am happy to have been able to go to several concerts since I started following them. That said, here’s hoping the reunion tour comes sooner rather than later!

For whatever it's worth, thank you R.E.M.!

Zimmernian Pickle Power

2011-09-14T17:53:00.000-04:00

Although my first attempt at making pickled cucumbers was a success, the flavor of the bread and butter pickles was not really what I was hoping to achieve. The bread and butter pickles are delicious on a burger or hearty sandwich, I was looking for something that would go well with a lunch meat sandwich, or to eat on their own.

I wanted to make a dill pickle, but most of the recipes I found made use of fermentation. Not comfortable with the idea of making fermented pickles just yet, continued to look for recipes. Much to my delight, I stumbled upon a pickle application from Andew Zimmern.

I enjoy watching Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel. He is my second favorite television food personality; right behind Alton Brown, of course. Once I read the pickling process, I was very excited to make these pickles. Here's how to do it.

I waited until I had a bunch of lemon cucumber ripe on the vine and went out for my biggest harvest. The cucumbers were soaking on the brine in no time, and I placed them on the counter to sit for 48 hours. It wasn't nearly as hard to wait two days as opposed to seven for the bread and butter pickles.

I was nervous about how they would turn out since the lemon cucumbers are so much rounder than traditional green cucumbers. I worries melted away as soon as I took my first bite. These pickle are crunchy, sour, garlicky, with just the slightest hint of heat. A perfect pickle!

Quilted Memories Body Pillow

2011-09-06T20:29:00.000-04:00

After dabbling in pillow coverings with the Indianapolis Colts pillows, I really wanted to make a body pillow for myself. I decided to use fabric scraps from all of the past quilts I have made. My original idea was to use the squares in their original size, so I wouldn't have to cut as much, but configuring a pattern was a lot more involved than I was planning. So, I decided to cut the scraps to the same size squares and go from there.

The body pillow cover took a lot longer to make than I thought it would. I had to do a lot more cutting, plus I just didn't have the time or energy to do much work on it during the summer. I am so glad it is finished, though. It looks even better than I thought it would and it is so cool to see the fabrics I used in the quilts I made. It makes me smile every time I look at it.

Peanut Butter Pie

2011-08-30T07:50:00.001-04:00

What good is making your own peanut butter if you don't have a fabulous peanut butter pie recipe to go with it? I have been making my own peanut butter for about three years, and I love to make this pie every once in a while. I say 'every once in a while' because this pie is so rich; a little bit goes a long way. That said, I usually take this pie to parties because it would be too much for my family to eat by ourselves in a reasonable amount of time.

If you are going to make this pie, I would recommend using AB's peanut butter recipe that can be found on Food Network's website. If you click the 'printable recipe' link below, the peanut butter recipe will be included. Also included in the link is AB's roasted peanut application. I have never roasted my own peanuts for this pie, mainly because I can't find raw in-shell Spanish peanuts anywhere. I buy roasted salted Spanish peanuts from The Sunspot, and they never fail to produce a scrumptious peanut butter.

This peanut butter pie recipe is fairly straightforward. There are a lot of steps, but the end result is well worth it. The hardest part is waiting for the pie to cool, which you have to do a couple times during the process of making it. The wait is well worth it as the reward is a smooth pie, that's not too sweet, where the peanut butter is actually the star.

Peanut Butter Pie

Recipe Courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
6 1/2 ounces chocolate wafers
1 tablespoon sugar
5 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 batch homemade peanut butter
3 ounces powdered sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the wafers and 1 tablespoon sugar. Process until the wafers are fine crumbs. Melt 3 ounces of the butter and drizzle into the crumb mixture. Pulse to combine. Press this mixture into the bottom, up the sides and just over the lip of a 9-inch metal pie pan. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

After the crust has cooled, place the peanut butter and remaining 2 ounces of butter into the bowl of the food processor. Process for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and process for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Carefully spread the mixture into the pie shell and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while preparing the topping.

Place the heavy cream into a heat-proof bowl and microwave on high just until simmering, approximately 30 seconds. Remove the cream from the microwave and add the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is completely submersed in the cream. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Gently whisk until the chocolate is melted and combined with the cream, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread the chocolate mixture over the pie and chill in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Pickled Lemon Cucumbers (AB's B&Bs)

2011-08-25T21:30:00.000-04:00

My goal before summer started, and before my garden was even planted, was to pickle something. I had cucumbers in mind as the season started. Much to my surprise, I ended up with lemon cucumbers, and since they taste almost exactly like conventional cucumbers, I figured they will be perfect for pickling.

I hoped to pickle my cucumbers whole, but the round shape of the lemon cucumbers were a bit intimidating to me, so I looked for a pickle recipe that called for sliced cucumbers. I looked to Alton Brown first to see what was in his repertoire and found a recipe for bread-and-butter pickles, AB's B&Bs.

The pickle prep was short and sweet, and they were sent to the refrigerator for their week long pickling process. After the week was over, I was excited to try my yellow pickles. Since they are bread-and-butter pickles, I expected them to be sweet, and I was not disappointed. They were almost too sweet to eat by themselves, but they are quite delicious on hamburgers. I imagine they would also be good made into relish, or on other hearty sandwiches like sloppy joes.

I enjoyed my first attempt at pickling. I really like the novelty of using lemon cucumbers as well. Their large circumference made it so that all I needed was one pickle to cover my entire burger. I do want to make a pickle that isn't so sweet, though. With a number of lemon cucumbers ready to pick, I think I may try a recipe that calls for whole cucumbers.

AB's B&Bs

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 cup water

1 cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon pickling spice

Directions

Combine the onion and cucumber in a 1-quart glass jar. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for four minutes. Then, pour the pickling liquid over the onion and cucumber until the jar is completely full. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for one week before serving.

The Tale of the Lemon Cucumber

2011-08-20T18:56:00.001-04:00

I was so excited to plant cucumbers in our garden this year. I enjoy cucumbers fresh, but I was most looking forward to the prospects of pickling. Looked forward to harvesting a number of little green cucumbers and taking them straight to the pickle jar. I bought a seed packet with a picture of a lovely green cucumber on the front and was ready to go!

One of the cucumber seeds I planted really took off, and I planted it in the corner of the garden, expecting it to grow along the ground. After it was planted in the ground, the cucumber plant grew like crazy, and I routed it out of the garden to grow along the fence-line. The vines grew and grew, and soon pretty little yellow flowers began to emerge throughout the lush green leaves.

The flowers came and went without any cucumbers beginning to grow. I inspected the plant every day for changes and still nothing new. One afternoon after work, I was checked the plant and saw a little white orb by the base of the stem. It didn't look like what I expected a cucumber to be, but I figured it was young and it would soon take the all too familiar shape I was looking for.

That remained to be the only cucumber on the plant for at least a week, and the little orb wasn't getting any longer, and it wasn't getting any greener. In fact, it was getting rounder, and it was turning yellow. I thought maybe this was just an unfortunate mutation since it was the first cucumber on the plant. Soon, other little orbs began to take shape on the vines, and I knew something wasn't right.

One evening, Kevin came over and we showed him our cucumber plant. He was also growing cucumbers in his garden, so we asked him if his started out in this peculiar way. He informed us that his cucumbers started out looking like little cucumbers and just got bigger. More confused than ever, Valerie retrieved the cucumber seed packet to see if it would offer any answers.

We looked on the back of the packet for information, and found nothing noteworthy. Then, we looked on the front. Underneath the big bold "CUCUMBER" on the front of the packet was the word "Lemon" and it went on to describe it. We had purchased and planted lemon cucumbers. We found out they are called "lemon" not because of the taste, but because they are about the size and color of a lemon when ripe.

So, that first cucumber wasn't an unfortunate mutation at all, it looked just as it was supposed to look. Realizing that the cucumber on the vine was ripe, we hurried outside to pick it. We were excited to try a new variety of cucumber that we had never even heard of before. Come to find out, it tastes exactly like a green cucumber. It was a little strange.

I was glad the mystery was solved, and the plant soon began to produce more cucumber than we could reasonably consume. Plus, the yellow orbs became a nice conversation piece with guests and neighbors. With a surplus on hand, I soon set my sights on making yellow pickles...

Kindergartener

2011-08-18T21:56:00.000-04:00

This is Ari the morning of his first day of school. Yes, there is a little anxiety in his eyes, and he would be the first one to tell you that he was nervous. He had every right to be. His world was about to change.

I was apprehensive, too. The night before, as I was putting him to bed, a rush a emotions came over me out of nowhere. I finished reading him a book and I asked him how he felt about going to school. He looked at me and said, "Daddy, I'm nervous." There was so much trust, so much faith in his eyes that I could ease his mind. As I was talking to him about what to expect, it hit me, I started to get choked up. I managed to finish what I was saying, kissed him on the forehead, and took a moment to collect myself before going downstairs.

That look, that trust, that love, I don't ever want to lose that. I think I saw his first day of school as a glaring signal that he won't be young forever. He's growing up, and I am so proud of him.

He did well his first day of school. We both survived. He's almost through his first week of school, and though he is a bit tired, he seems to be getting used to his new routine. He is still the outgoing, generous, kind-hearted little boy he always has been. I hope he never loses that.

Beer Battered Mushrooms

2011-08-12T08:02:00.000-04:00

Bring the fair home with these delectable beer battered mushrooms! One of the highlights of the county fair for me is the food. Well, the food may be the only highlight. Once a year, I look forward to going to the fair and indulging on the guilty culinary delights. Fried vegetables is always on the list of items to procure. There is just something about a selection of vegetables battered and deep fried with a side of ranch dressing that I just can't say no to. The fried mushrooms are one of my favorites, so I wanted to try them at home.

I have made these a few times, consistently enough that the last time I made them I wrote down the recipe. The batter couldn't be simpler, and the mushrooms are ready in no time. The batter is versatile enough that it can be used on other vegetables as well. I have tried cauliflower, onions, zucchini, garlic sprouts, and even cheese. Even making them at home, the mushrooms are still my favorite. There is just something about the crispy batter matched with the tender, juicy meat of the mushroom that is just so satisfying.

Beer Battered Mushrooms

Printable Recipe

3/4 cups beer (your choice)

3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 oz. white button mushrooms

4 cups cooking oil

Pour the oil into a 2 quart saucepan and heat until it reaches 350 degrees.

Add the flour, salt and pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Slowly pour the beer into the mixture and whisk until smooth. Dip mushrooms into the batter to coat well. Fry mushrooms in batches of 4 or 5 in the oil for about four minutes or until golden brown. Remove the mushrooms to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a little additional salt. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Cream Pie

2011-08-04T08:18:00.000-04:00

When I was young, I loved the strawberry cream pie from Moore's Pie Shop. In fact, I even had one for my birthday one year instead of a cake. The strawberries have been wonderful this year, so I decided to try my hand at making a strawberry cream pie of my own.

The components of the pie seemed simple enough; pie crust, cream filling, and strawberries. So, first I made and blind baked a pie crust, then I made a batch of AB's pastry cream, then halved and macerated some strawberries. I let the pastry cream cool and strawberries macerate overnight in the refrigerator, and the next day I was ready to assemble my pie.

The strawberries released a lot of their juices overnight, so I put the juice in a small saucepan and let it reduce to a syrupy consistency. I then poured the strawberry syrup over the strawberries to act as a glaze. Yum! I spread the pastry cream on the pie crust, then placed the strawberries on top of the cream, and my pie was complete.

The strawberry cream pie was simply delicious. The strawberries and cream go together so well, and the tender, flaky crust is the perfect vehicle to bring it all together. It's a cool, sweet flavor wonderland. A perfect summer treat!

Rhubarb Peach Cobbler

2011-07-27T22:27:00.000-04:00

Whenever I'm in the mood to consume an entire cobbler by myself, I make rhubarb peach cobbler. I am the only one in the house who will eat rhubarb, but I usually share a couple servings with Michael, who also enjoys its tartness. I have been making this recipe since it first aired on Good Eats in 2005.

I have three versions of this recipe. One from the Good Eats episode, "Cobbled Together" printed off foodnetwork.com, one from I'm Just Here for More Food, and one from Good Eats 2: The Middle Years. I mainly use the printed recipe, but I really enjoy using the Good Eats books, so last time I made the cobbler I reached for Good Eats 2.

I noticed right away the recipe was different because it called for lemon zest instead of lime zest in the crust, yet the filling still called for lime juice. I decided to still use lime zest since that what I was used to for this recipe. Then, I entered bizarro world, the measurement for lard was labeled in tablespoons. I have never seen an AB application measure lard in anything other than by weight. I was so baffled by it, I didn't realize the recipe called for nine tablespoons! That's a lot of lard, especially when the recipe calls for only nine tablespoons of butter. It didn't hit me that it was way too much until I started to measure it out. Once I saw how much nine tablespoons was going to be, I got another copy of the recipe and checked. Indeed, the correct measurement for lard was 1.5 ounces, or three tablespoons. I'm glad I know butter to lard ratios or I would have had one lardy cobbler.

The cobbler turned out absolutely delicious. The rhubarb and peaches work so well together in this dish and the crust is out of this world. The crumbled bits of crust on the bottom are soft, tender and filled with the juices from the peaches and rhubarb. The top crust is very pie-like; tender, flaky, and delicious. This could very well be my favorite cobbler. I just wish I had more people to share it with.

Rhubarb Peach Cobbler
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
9 1/2 ounces all purpose flour, approximately 2 cups
1 ounce sugar, approximately 2 tablespoons, plus 1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces, plus extra for dish
1 1/2 ounces lard, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 ounces ice water, approximately 3 tablespoons
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound sliced peaches, peel on and sliced into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch any drippings. Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside.

Place the flour, 1-ounce sugar, lime zest, and 1 teaspoon salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3 to 4 times. Add the butter and lard and pulse until the mixture just becomes crumbly. Sprinkle or spritz the mixture with the ice water a little at a time and process just until the dough holds together when squeezed in a fist. Place the dough into a 1 gallon zip top bag and form into a disk. Place the dough into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, while you prepare the filling.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the 1 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the rhubarb, peaches, and lime juice.

Remove 1/3 of the dough from the bag, pinch into pieces and distribute evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. With the remaining dough still in the bag, roll it out to a sheet large enough to cover the top of the dish. Pour the fruit mixture into the dish and top with the dough that has been removed from the bag, pressing the dough into the corners of the dish. Bake, uncovered, for 60 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and starting to turn golden.

Change the oven setting to broil and continue to cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Peach Cobbler

2011-07-19T08:08:00.000-04:00

When I think of cobbler, peach cobbler is what instantly comes to mind. When I think of peaches, I think of Georgia. When I think of Georgia, I think of REM. But, alas, REM has never published a peach cobbler recipe. So, when I think of food and Georgia, I think of Alton Brown. However, AB doesn't have peach cobbler recipe that uses just peaches (that's another post). So, when I think of food and Georgia and eliminate the AB variable, I think of Paula Deen.

Of course she has a peach cobbler recipe, in fact, it's the first thing that comes up in a 'peach cobbler' Google search. I have been making this cobbler for a long time, mainly taking it to summer family pitch-ins. It is always a hit, and I rarely take home any leftovers. The dough is buttery, light and fluffy, and the peaches work in perfect harmony to bring the dish together.

I always use fresh peaches when making this cobbler, and I usually use about five or six cups instead of the recommended four. Otherwise, I follow the instructions as they are written. For me, it is nice to have another use for self-rising flour, which I tend to have on hand for biscuits. I use a 9x13 baking dish for the cobbler and mine tend to bake for about 40-45 minutes. I also prefer to eat my peach cobbler without any whipped cream or ice cream, though I am sure they would be a delicious addition.

Peach Cobbler
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Cobbler

2011-07-14T21:06:00.000-04:00

I have yet to meet a cobbler I didn't like, and this blueberry cobbler is no exception. I found the original recipe when I was looking for a new dessert to make with fresh strawberries. Somehow, I stumbled upon this dish and I'm glad I did.

The first time I made it, I used frozen blueberries and added some fresh strawberries (just because I was determined to use strawberries, I guess). The result was a very soupy cobbler, which wasn't what I was going for at all. The flavor was wonderful, though, so I wanted to make it again. I ditched the strawberries, switched to fresh blueberries, and with a few other tweaks, came up with a very pleasing summer dessert.

The cobbler comes together very much like a peach cobbler recipe that I have. An interesting ingredient to this application is boiling water. The boiling water, poured directly on top of the cobbler just before baking, adds a shine and a nice subtle crispiness to the crust. It is like a combination of pie and cake, and the softness and juiciness of the blueberries are a perfect compliment. I can see myself making this cobbler again and again.

Blueberry Cobbler
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 3/4 cups sugar (divided)
4 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch + 1 teaspoon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup boiling water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 11x7 inch baking dish.

Add the blueberries to the baking dish. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over them, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and mix to combine. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter and cup of sugar until smooth. Combine the flour and baking powder and add to the sugar mixture alternately with the milk until smooth. Spoon over the berries, and spread evenly.

In another bowl, combine 3/4 cup of sugar, salt, cinnamon and 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter. Then, pour the boiling water over the entire dish.

Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Garden Update

2011-07-11T07:26:00.000-04:00

It never fails. For about two months, the garden looks nice, neat and organized in the small patch of land we fenced off for it. Then, boom! The plants start to breach their confinement and it gets hard to tell where one begins and the other ends. Once once small plants transform into a lush, green garden jungle of sorts. It still surprises me, but at least everything is happy and healthy.

The tomatoes will be ripe for the picking soon, and we have been eating lettuce for some time. There are little jalapeno peppers taking shape, and the cantaloupe is starting to flower. Our cucumber plant started to take over the garden, so I had to move it over the side of the fence. Though huge, it still hasn't produced any cucumbers, which concerns me. Unfortunately, our pea plants were a bust; they just shriveled up for some reason. It is an otherwise exciting time in the garden and I can't wait to see what the coming month will bring!

Cherry Tomato

Tomato

Lettuce

Jalapeno

Introducing Printable Recipes!

2011-07-07T07:48:00.000-04:00

I am excited to announce that you can finally print the recipes featured here on latent chestnut. This is something I have been thinking about doing for a while and I am happy that it is now available. A majority of the recipes I posted on my blog are from Food Network, so I just posted a link to the 'print recipe' page on their website. However, for recipes were not initially found online, there is a link in the post that will direct you to a 'latent chestnut recipes' page designed specifically for printing.

My curiosity was peaked when I saw the feature available on the blog Closet Cooking. I did a quick Google search for 'blogger printable recipes' and found that the creator of Closet Cooking, Kevin, posted instructions on how to make printable recipe pages. You can find the detailed instructions here. I was honestly surprised how simple it was.

With the instructions so readily available, I just had to find the time to go back through all my old posts with recipes and post links to the printable pages. It was a little time consuming, but it is now complete! As I was going through my old food posts, I noticed that I didn't include recipes for a number them. So, I may do another post on these foods in the future complete with a recipe.

For now, you can revisit these recipes with the new printable format.

Apple Crisp
Atom Bomb
B&K Spanish Sauce
Brown Soda Bread (the first recipe I posted on latent chestnut)
Carrot Cake
German Chocolate Brownies
New York-Style Crumb Cake
Nonna's Apple Pie
Pear-nana Bread
Pie Crust
Snickerdoodles
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

More coming soon!

T-Ball - Take 2

2011-06-30T17:55:00.001-04:00

Ari took a sabbatical from T-Ball last summer in order to focus on getting more play time on Saturday mornings. But the lure of being on the same team as Piper and Samuel did him in; he really wanted to play this year.

I can't believe the season is already over. All the games were a blast to watch and the kids did a great job. Ari will move on to South Side next year, so it was fun that he had a chance to play with Piper and Samuel. Here are some of the highlights:

Piper running to first base as a swarm of children try to field her hit.

Ari eyeing the ball as he was about to make one of his best hits of the season.

Piper running home, with Samuel behind her and Ari rounding second base. The kids usually batted one after another and it was neat to see all of them on bases at the same time.

Ari reflecting on the season that was.

Wii U

2011-06-24T22:02:00.001-04:00

We are big Nintendo fans in our house. I have owned every Nintendo console since the original NES, and got into the handheld scene starting with the Gameboy Advance. We mainly stick to first party Nintendo games, Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and the like. To me, Nintendo makes games the way they were meant to be enjoyed.

We have had a Wii since the second week it was available in 2006. I would have had it the day it was released, but there were people camping outside stores to get one. While I am a fan, I am not that die hard. It would be an understatement to say our Wii has had a lot of use. Ari has turned into quite a little gamer, and there have been plenty of games to keep us busy over the years.

After nearly five years, our Wii is beginning to show some signs of wear. Sometimes it takes a few tries before it reads a game disc, and when it does, the fan inside isn't as quiet as it used to be, to say the least. That's why I was so excited when Nintendo announced it's new console, Wii U, at E3 this year. With a release date sometime in 2012, I just need our Wii to make it another year.

Homemade Shower Curtain

2011-06-18T08:01:00.001-04:00

We renovated the bathroom recently. It badly needed an update, and we were finally able to get it done. We replaced the vanity, sink, faucet, medicine cabinet, light fixture, and added a cabinet over the toilet for additional storage. The bathroom looks so much better and I contemplated doing a post about it, but I thought home improvement like this wasn't really the style of latent chestnut. But, when I made the shower curtain and valance (look in the mirror) and thought that would definitely be worthy of a post.

I don't know where we came up with the idea to make a shower curtain, but I'm glad we did because I am so happy with the way it turned out. There are a lot more fabric options than shower curtain options, so we were able to get something we really wanted. I decided to do big stripes because there weren't any pieces of fabric big enough to make the curtain out of a single piece.

I was able to finish the shower curtain in one afternoon, and it came together rather quickly and simply. Once I finished the front, I sewed a piece of muslin on the back and it was almost complete. Our old shower curtain had button holes on it for the shower rings to go through, so I looked in my instruction book on my sewing machine, and sure enough, I could make button holes!

The button hole making process was a lot of fun. I practiced on a fabric scrap to learn the technique and then I lined up the new shower curtain with the old as a template to see where I needed to but the holes. It was a little time consuming to do all those holes, but it was done in no time and the new shower curtain was complete! The room couldn't look better, and I never thought I would have such a sense of pride walking into a bathroom.

Garden Update

2011-06-11T16:24:00.001-04:00

This year has been quite trying for the garden. Multiple severe thunderstorms, tornado warnings, and flash floods have left my holding me breath as they blow through town. Thankfully, there was no frost after we made the transition outside. The tipping point came a week ago when about three inches of rain fell in three hours.

We were out during most of the storm and it was still raining as we pulled into the driveway. Approaching the door, I looked into the back yard to take a look at the plants, and I couldn't see them. Thinking my view had just been obstructed by the rain, I grabbed my umbrella to go out to take a closer look. When I got there, I saw the tomato plants laying flat on their side, being pelted by the rain. Panic stricken, I ran to the garage to get my tomato stakes. As it continued to rain, I put the stakes in the ground and gently lifted the plants and tied them up. I couldn't step one foot in the garden or it would just sink. Once the tomatoes were staked, I splashed some of the standing water out of the garden and hoped for the best.

To my delight, most of the plants came out unscathed. I lost some of my little lettuce sprouts, and a basil plant, but everything else bounced back nicely. The tomato plants were a bit wilted for a day or two, but they look as strong as ever now. Overall, the garden is looking great! One of my cantaloupe seeds finally germinated and we were even able to harvest some of our lettuce to eat with our dinner salads. It's such an exciting time, everything seems to be growing so fast!

Lettuce

Cucumber

Cantaloupe

Tomato

Good Eats 3: The Later Years - Task Manifestation

2011-06-07T09:35:00.000-04:00

As I eagerly anticipate the latest Good Eats book, I have come to the realization that I am going to have to clean out some of my homemade recipe binders. I have a couple binders full of recipes I have printed from the internet, mainly from foodnetwork.com, and mainly Alton Brown recipes. Preferring to use the recipes from the Good Eats books, my binders have seen less and less use.

The Good Eats books are wonderful resources, and I am sure Good Eats 3: The Later Years will not disappoint. Sure, I could go online and print every recipe from the show, but with all the photographs, drawings, science-of-food facts, cooking tips, and food trivia, AB does a phenomenal job making it feel like you are holding a Good Eats episode in your hands.

As for my binders, they will still get some use, and I am thinking about making a new binder, too. Not every recipe from Good Eats is included in the books. Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese, Avocado Buttercream Frosting, The Thin, and The Puffy didn't make the cut. Excluding The Thin and The Puffy is understandable because The Chewy is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe anyone would need.

Back to my original point, I am thinking about making a binder that includes all the Good Eats recipes that are not included in the books. I have not gone through the books to see how many recipes that includes, so I don't know if I will print all the recipes or just the ones I use. I just think it would be neat to have every Good Eats recipe at my fingertips.

Baba Ghannouj

2011-05-31T08:52:00.001-04:00

We are big fans of grilled eggplant in our household, so I was excited to make baba ghannouj for the first time. I couldn't decide whether to use Alton Brown or Aarti Sequeira's recipe; so I combined the two, using what I liked best from each one.

For the preparation of the eggplant, I sliced and grilled it before removing the skin. I added the grilled eggplant to the food processor along with some garlic, lemon juice, tahini, parsley, salt and pepper, and pulsed to combine. It was ready in no time.

The baba ghannouj was good. It had a nice smokey flavor, though it was a little bitter. I added some honey as AB's recipe suggested, but it didn't do much to counteract the bitterness. It was probably the eggplant I used just wasn't sweet enough, so I might make it again in the future. I may have to grow some eggplants in the garden next year!

Colts Pillows

2011-05-26T21:37:00.000-04:00

I was on the phone with my mom asking for birthday ideas for Marty. She started listing a few things, then she mentioned he might want a body pillow. That struck me as a different and fun kind of gift, but I didn't know how to pick one out for him. My mom and I continued talking with the body pillow idea in the back of my mind. I don't know if she came up with it or if it was me, but we decided it would be neat if I made a cover for it. New project!

For the body pillow, I used Indianapolis Colts fabric, the same pattern I used for the back of the Colts quilt. The pillow came together very easily, just a few cuts of fabric and a few seams sewn together and it was complete. I was a little concerned about the pillow sliding around inside the cover, but it securely stayed in place. Overall, I am quite happy with the way it turned out.

Marty really liked his present and it was displayed nicely on their new couch in the basement. The couch is black, and my mom had been trying to find throw pillows to match. I mentioned to her how nice the body pillow looked on the couch and she asked me if I could make throw pillows with the same fabric. New project!

We were talking about the pillows when I noticed that her old throw pillows were enclosed in a zipper case. All I had to do was unzip the case, take out the pillow insert, and they were ready for a new cover. I used the same method to cover the throw pillows as I did the body pillow, and they were done in no time. I took them back to my mom and they were a perfect fit in the basement. Who knew pillow making would be so much fun?

Hummus

2011-05-21T23:52:00.003-04:00

It all started when Valerie wanted hummus, but didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for her favorite brand. The others just weren't "garlicky" enough for her, so I decided to make my own. I figured it would be a simple process of pureeing chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. I was right, hummus is easy to make, and I was able to add as much garlic as Valerie could handle.

I like to use dried chickpeas when I make hummus, and I had to plan ahead before I made it since I had to soak the legumes overnight before cooking them. I don't really have a recipe, I just referenced a few on the internet to get an idea of the ratios of tahini and olive oil. When I am making it, I usually have Valerie come do a taste test for her final approval.

Much to my surprise, my hummus making became much easier after watching the "Pantry Raid XIII, Destination Chickpea" episode of Good Eats. In the episode, Alton Brown cooked dry chickpeas in a slow cooker and they were ready in as little as four hours. Intrigued, I tried preparing my chickpeas in this fashion, and they were perfect. They had a creamy texture that I was never able to achieve in my cooking method.

So, not only did I find a better, quicker way to cook my chickpeas, they also taste better. AB's hummus recipe still doesn't have enough garlic for Valerie, but I have adopted his preparation method because I think it yields a smoother end result. One thing I wouldn't stray away from is cooking the chickpeas in a slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Chickpeas
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
7 cups water
1 pound dried chickpeas, sorted and rinsed
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
Place the water, chickpeas, and baking soda in a 2 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours, or low heat for 8 to 9 hours, or until tender. Drain and serve immediately, or use in desired dish.

------------------------------------------------------

Hummus For Real
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 pound Slow Cooker Chickpeas, cooled
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup tahini, stirred well
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
Powdered sumac, optional

Directions
Place the chickpeas, garlic, and kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 15 to 20 seconds. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process for another 15 to 20 seconds. Add the lemon juice and water. Process for 20 seconds. Add the tahini. Process for 20 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.

To serve, transfer the hummus to a bowl and drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with sumac, to taste, if desired.

Bike to Work Week!

2011-05-16T21:18:00.000-04:00

This is the fourth year I have been riding my bike to work and I still look forward to setting out every morning. May is National Bike Month, and this year Bike to Work Week is May 16-20 and Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 20. Ride on!

Grounded

2011-05-11T20:32:00.000-04:00

We moved our young plants from the safety of the porch to the big world of the garden over the weekend. I'm always nervous moving them outside because they look so small on fragile. But, it needs to be done, and I'm sure they will thrive!

Tomato

(Wisconsin 55)

Cucumber

Lettuce

Pea

There are a few other plants in the garden that didn't really warrant pictures at this time, but I'm sure their time will come soon enough.

We got rid of the little wooden fence we had last year and opted for a white metal variety. We did this to "Walter-proof" the garden since he essentially destroyed the fence we had last year. It may not look as nice, but I hope it is effective. I love to watch our modest little garden grow!

Princess Zelda Quilt Template

2011-05-05T09:01:00.002-04:00

I have finished the design and purchased the fabric for Emilie's princess quilt. I am stepping out of my comfort zone a little bit by adding some flower blocks to the front of the quilt. The directions for constructing the flower blocks can be found here. Otherwise, it is the standard square procedure I have used many times in the past.

For Zelda, I am using her likeness from the "Oracle of Ages" and "Oracle of Seasons" video games. I did not stay true to her original colors as I wanted to have a bit of variation. Overall, I really like the way the design turned out and I can't wait to see it come together in fabric.

As for the template itself, I want to show how I go about designing my quilts. I use Microsoft Excel and just fill in the cells with the colors I want them to be. Once the design is complete, I divide the size of the quilt by the number of squares in the row to see how big the squares need to be. For this quilt, I want it to be 4 1/2 feet wide, or 54 inches. So, I divide 54 by 24 and I get 2.25. I add a half inch to account for the overlap from sewing the fabric together, and I know I need to cut 2.75 inch squares. The length of the quilt will be 6 ft.

To determine the amount of each color of fabric, I first add up how many squares of each color I will need. I then determine how many 2.75 inch squares I can expect to get out of a yard of fabric. 36 divided by 2.75 is 13.09, which I rounded down to 12 to account for cutting errors. Most fabric widths are in the 40 to 44 inch range, so I then divide 40 by 2.75 just to be safe, and I get 14. 12 x 14 is 168, so I can expect to get 168 squares for each yard of fabric.

Finally, I divide the number of squares of each color by 168 to determine how much of each color to purchase. As you can see from the picture above, I don't need very much of some of the colors, and luckily, I already have some white on hand from previous projects.

Phew, that's a lot of math. I'm glad I wrote it out, though, so now I have a reference for if I forget how to do it in the future. It really is easy, though, and the square patterns to design from Nintendo characters are practically endless. Yay! Plus, by using the method above, you can make the quilt any size you'd like. I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress.

Preparing to Pea

2011-05-01T10:15:00.000-04:00

One of the new additions to our garden this year is the pea; the Oregon Sugar Pod to be exact. The little sprouts are quite distinguishable from the other plants in our starter box, and I think they are really fun to look at for some reason.

This variety of pea plants are said to produce large and reliable yields of classic stir fry snow peas. Soon it will be time to bust out the wok! They are also a bush type plant so I won't have to give them any type of support system or structure. We'll have to have a pea party at my house when it's harvest time!

Still safe!

2011-04-27T07:22:00.002-04:00

Remember this? It's amazing how much things change in just over a year. Although, one thing remains constant, she is still an angel!

Eggfest 2011

2011-04-23T23:20:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again! The time has come to strip down the kids and color some eggs! An event that used to be held on the kitchen floor has been moved to the dining room table. Ari, Emilie, and Piper are a year older and a year wiser, and they colored those eggs like a well oiled machine. They colored those eggs with such precision and efficiency, they may be able to keep their shirts on next year. Although, with Thomas in the mix, who knows what will happen. The kids had a blast and we ended up with some beautiful eggs.

BEFORE

AFTER

(I love the way Ari's hand looks in this picture)

Earth Day on Mars!

2011-04-22T07:51:00.001-04:00

This is an image of Earth and the moon taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. From space, the Earth is seen to go through phases similar to those of the Moon. In this picture, Earth looks so delicate and beautiful. Let's view it and treat it the same way on the surface.

Happy Earth Day!

Falafel

2011-04-20T21:04:00.002-04:00

I don't know exactly how it happened, but our family has become quite the fan of falafel over the years. I think it all may have started when I worked at The Sunspot years ago, going to the natural food trade shows; a vendor gave me a free falafel mix. With the mix, all I had to do was add water, leave it be for about fifteen minutes, portion, and fry. It was easy and delicious, and it was a nice change of pace.

Fast forward a few years and I wanted to try to make my own falafel. I found a recipe online and made a batch. The falafel I made from scratch wasn't that much better than the mix I used, so I kept using the mix whenever a craving hit because it was easier.

Fast forward another couple years, and imagine my delight when I saw that Alton Brown would be doing a chickpea episode of Good Eats. Well, I was very delighted, and the episode did not disappoint. Not only did AB give me a fantastic recipe for falafel, he also gave me a great new hummus technique, but that's another post.

After the episode aired, I knew I would be making the falafel on Friday night. It came together very easily, and I was happy to have another use for my meat grinder. I actually portioned the falafel on Thursday, so all I had to do was fry them of Friday. I love low stress dinners, and this was about as low stress as it can get. But the proof was in the tasting.

Unlike the previous falafel recipe I used, AB's recipe is much better than the mix. It is definitely worth the effort. The flavors are not muddled and the texture obtained by grinding the chickpeas is very nice. The bit of heat from the cayenne pepper is also a nice touch. Bye-bye mix, I have a new way to make falafel!

Falafel
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
•1 pound dried chickpeas, sorted and rinsed
•1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
•1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
•2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
•4 small scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
•2 teaspoons kosher salt
•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
•2 quarts peanut oil
•Pita bread, warmed, for serving

Directions
Place the chickpeas in a medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Soak overnight.

Place the cumin and coriander seeds in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet and set over medium high heat. Cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the seeds give off an aroma and just begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder and process until finely ground. Set aside.

Drain the chickpeas. Combine the soaked chickpeas, ground cumin and coriander, garlic and scallions, salt, black pepper, baking powder, cayenne pepper, and parsley leaves in a medium mixing bowl.

Pass this mixture through a meat grinder or stand mixer with the grinder attachment fitted with the smallest die. Alternatively, you can divide the mixture in half and process one half at a time in a food processor, pulsing 10 to 20 times.

Scoop the mixture into 1 1/2 to 2-ounce portions using a 2-inch diameter disher. Place on a half sheet pan lined with parchment. Can be held hold at room temperature for up to 2 hours before frying, or covered in the refrigerator overnight.

Heat the peanut oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Adjust the heat to maintain temperature. Gently place the falafel, 1 at a time, into the hot oil. Fry 4 at a time until deep golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a half sheet pan lined with a cooling rack and topped with a paper towel to drain. Repeat until all falafel have been cooked. Serve on warm pita.

On the corner of...

2011-04-17T18:18:00.000-04:00

Strawberry Blueberry Pineapple Preserves

2011-04-14T08:06:00.000-04:00

Strawberry Blueberry Pineapple Preserves. Or maybe I should call them Blueberry Strawberry Pineapple Preserves. Either way, it's a mouthful. Oh! I know! P.B.S. Preserves! It rolls off the tongue nicely, and I'm sure the folks at Sesame Street would love it.

For my second canning experience, I decided to go off the cuff and come up with my own combination. I was sold when I asked Ang and Michael if they thought strawberries, blueberries and pineapple would make tasty preserves and they answered with a resounding 'YES'!

I have never heard of pineapple in preserves, and I don't know if they are supposed to be used in that way, but I figured, what the heck, I'll give it a try. I referenced a strawberry preserve recipe I found on the internet and got to work.

In a large pot I combined fresh strawberries, frozen blueberries, and canned pineapple (juice and all) together with sugar and some lemon juice, and set it on the stove. I brought the mixture to temperature and used the same frozen plate test I did with the orange marmalade. Once the mixture quickly jelled on the frozen plate, I was ready for the jars.

The whole thing came together quite quickly, but the proof was in the taste. Not having any biscuits around this time, I had to settle for a piece of toast. The flavors were sensational! The strawberry and blueberry flavors shine, and the pineapple comes through as well, even though most of the chunks practically disintegrated while cooking. It has the perfect sweetness for my taste, as well.

My second canning experience was a success and it was exciting to try something new. I was also lucky enough to get dozens of 8 oz. jars from Margie, chock full of canning memories past. All but guaranteeing many more canning adventures to come.

Get ready to get dirty

2011-04-11T21:33:00.000-04:00

It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. This year Emilie joined the fun as we planted seeds for our garden. The kids didn't really need me, but I was eager to help. I distributed the seeds and they gently placed them in the dirt. Ari was a wonderful teacher for Emilie who did not hesitate to get her hands dirty. This has become quite the tradition.

Items to be featured in our garden include:

Tomato (Wisconsin 55)
Cherry Tomato
Basil
Jalapeno
Cantaloupe
Cucumber
Pea
Leaf Lettuce

We are going to put the basil and jalapeno plants in their own pots and put everything else in the garden.

I can only imagine what it will look like in a couple of months; and you know I'll keep you posted!

Bullets and Creamer

2011-04-06T19:29:00.001-04:00

As I eagerly anticipate the return of Mythbusters, I thought I would share one of my all-time favorite segments from the show.

I think this is one of my favorites because it caught me completely off guard. Speaking of being caught off guard, I can't leave out this myth.

The bullets fired verses dropped myth is perhaps the most amazing thing I have seen on Mythbusters. I can't wait for the new episodes!

R.E.M. 31

2011-04-05T21:41:00.001-04:00

31 years ago, R.E.M. performed for the first time. "Blue", the twelfth and final track on Collapse Into Now, has the feel of "Country Feedback" meets "E-bow the Letter" meets "Belong." Some of my favorite R.E.M. songs. "Blue" is the only song on the album whose lyrics are not included in the liner notes. I found the lyrics online and wanted to share here as part of my R.E.M. birthday celebration.

Feels circus left the stakes a broken ropes useless mug

The ties that bind, ha ha

I can be bad poet

Street poet

Shit poet

Kind poet too

Subway

Almost 4AM

Halloween night

Had enough to drink to make my own party

All my fellow writers in half costume, half asleep

Half silly, gone to seed

I don't mark my time with dates, holidays, faded wisdom, locked karma, whatever's

Convenient

I am made by my times

I am a creation of now

Shaken with the cracks and crevices

I'm not giving up easy

I will not fold

I don't have much

But what I have is gold

I sing in platinum

I dress in brass

I eat in zinc

Let it pass

Compare a toast

I like that

I understand courage

I still roll with the shout of a character I was married to today

I try to see outside myself

I understand the eyes

Excuse all the highs

Sorry

I am sorry

Ha ha

I like you, love you, every coast of you.

I've seen your eddies and tides and hurricanes and cyclones.

Low ebb tide and high, full moon.

Up close and distant.

I read you like the sky, the sea, the ocean, the sun, the moon.

Blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue blue, blue, blue, blue, blue.

Naked and blue.

Breathing with you. Touch. Change. Shift. Allow air. Window open. Drift. Drift away. Into now.

I want Whitman proud. Patti Lee proud. My brothers proud. My sisters proud. I want me. I want it all. I want sensational. Irresistible.

This is my time and I am thrilled to be alive.

Living

Blessed

I understand

Twentieth century

Collapse Into Now

Perspective

2011-03-31T07:34:00.000-04:00

As Ari has gotten older, I find myself enjoying the comics including Calvin's dad more and more. When I was younger, I remember not being that interested in them because I didn't really appreciate the humor. Well, that has certainly changed now. I don't know if it is because I am a lot like Calvin's dad, or whether Ari is a lot like Calvin. If it's the latter, I'm in trouble.

Mississippi Mud Cake

2011-03-27T19:24:00.002-04:00

It's hard to top chocolate cake. Unless it's topped fresh from the oven with marshmallows, warm chocolate frosting, and toasted pecans. This dessert, when served warm, has quickly become one of my favorites.

I stumbled upon this recipe by accident. I was looking for a recipe for Mississippi Mud Pie and I couldn't decide on what one to use. Every recipe I found was drastically different from the next, and none of them sounded particularly good. Most of them also called for pudding mix or whipped topping; which weren't ingredients I wanted to use. Plus, having never eaten Mississippi Mud Pie, I didn't know which recipe was traditional or authentic.

I went to the Food Network site to look for a recipe, and when I was typing in the search field, "Mississippi Mud Cake" was a suggested search option. I looked through the cake recipes and decided to go with Emeril's rendition. Bam!

This cake is best served warm. The cake is moist, dense, rich, and not too sweet; and it goes nicely with the soft, warm, gooey sweetness of the marshmallows. The liquid hot chocolate frosting also contributes to the gooey meltiness. The subtle crunch and flavor of the toasted nuts is the perfect way to finish the cake.

Mississippi Mud Cake
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces mini marshmallows

For the frosting:
1/4 pound unsalted butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
3/4 cup chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch cake pan.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl.

Put the butter in a small saucepan and, when melted, add the cocoa and water and bring to a boil. Add the boiling cocoa mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla and stir until smooth. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and sprinkle the marshmallows evenly over the hot cake.

Put the butter in a medium saucepan and, when melted, add the cocoa powder and buttermilk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt and stir until very smooth. Pour the hot icing over the marshmallows on the hot cake and sprinkle with the nuts. Let cool to lukewarm before serving. Cake is best served warm or at room temperature.

Orange Marmalade

2011-03-20T21:30:00.002-04:00

The pressure was on! I received a canning starter kit for Christmas and the proposition of making my own preserves stared me right in the face. I love jams, jellies, and other preserves, but the thought of doing it myself intimidated me. Now that I had the starter kit, I had no more excuses, it was time to start canning!

Orange marmalade came to mind when I first thought about what to make first. I enjoy the sweetness of the jelly paired with the bitter if the rind. A flavor sensation! So, I picked up some organic oranges at the store, grabbed Alton Brown's orange marmalade recipe and got to work.

Orange Marmalade
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 3/4 pounds oranges, 4 to 5 medium
1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
6 cups water
3 pounds plus 12 ounces sugar

Special Equipment: 10 (8-ounce) canning jars with rings and lids, funnel, tongs, ladle, and 12-quart pot

Directions
Wash the oranges and lemon thoroughly. Cut the oranges into 1/8-inch slices using a mandoline, removing the seeds as you go. Stack the orange slices and cut them into quarters. Place the oranges into an 8-quart stainless steel pot.

Add the lemon zest and juice and the water to the pot, set over high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 10 minutes. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes or until the fruit is very soft.

While the fruit is cooking, fill a large pot (at least 12-quart) 3/4 full with water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Place 10 (8-ounce) jars and rings, canning funnel, ladle, and tongs into the boiling water and make sure the water covers the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the lids and leave everything in the pot until the marmalade is ready.

Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer. Increase the heat under the orange mixture to return to full boil. Add the sugar and stir the mixture continually, until it reaches 222 to 223 degrees F on a deep-fry or candy thermometer, and darkens in color, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat in order to prevent boil over. Test the readiness of the marmalade by placing a teaspoon of the mixture onto the chilled plate and allowing it to sit for 30 seconds. Tilt the plate. The mixture should be a soft gel that moves slightly. If mixture is thin and runs easily, it is not ready.

Remove jars from the water and drain on a clean towel. Place a canning funnel onto the top of 1 of the jars and ladle in the marmalade just to below the bottom of the threads of the jar. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used. The amount of marmalade may vary by 1 to 2 jars. Wipe the rims and threads of the jars with a moist paper towel and top each with a lid. Place a ring on each jar and tighten.

Return the jars to the pot with boiling water, being certain that they don't touch the bottom of the pot or each other. (If you don't have a jar rack, try a round cake rack, or metal mesh basket. Even a folded kitchen towel on the pot bottom will do in a pinch.) Add additional water if necessary to cover the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes. Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars from the water, place in a cool dry place and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours before opening. Once open, store in the refrigerator. Unopened marmalade will last for up to 6 months.

The canning process wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. It was actually a lot of fun, and the jars of marmalade were so beautiful to look at. The twenty-four wait before I could open my first jar was gruelling, but well worth it. I made biscuits that evening just for the occasion.

The marmalade is even better than I could have dreamed. It's the perfect balance between sweet and bitter and the texture of the orange rind is almost like candy. It was wonderful on the biscuits, but is also very tasty on toast.

My first canning experience was a resounding success and I am already thinking about what to do next. With strawberries coming into season, strawberry rhubarb preserves sound awfully tempting. Oh, the possibilities!

Lesson Learned

2011-03-17T07:57:00.001-04:00

As we were leaving the house one morning on a cold and blustery day, I noticed the tulips had started to sprout out of the earth from their winters slumber. As were driving around town, I noticed the trees starting to bud, preparing to burst with newborn leaves.

These sights caught me off guard because we have not had spring-like weather. These are events I thought were triggered by warmer days; and we, by no means, had yet to have warm days. With my curiosity peaked, I did some research on the matter, and found that temperature was only part of the equation.

Sunlight is the main cause for trees to bud, and perennials to sprout. As the days get longer, the plants get more energy from the sun and begin to grow. Just like in the fall, as the sunlight decreases, the trees know to shut down, lose their leaves, and prepare for winter.

At least I learned something from the cold clutches of winter refusing to give way to the revitalizing warmth of spring. And warmer days are on the way!

Egg Roll

2011-03-14T20:02:00.000-04:00

I was in a funk. Valerie and I spent the whole day deciding what we were going to do. The day was almost over, and we still were just poking around the house not doing anything. It was a cold, wet, drizzling Saturday, and we were craving Chinese. The problem was, our favorite Chinese restaurant is over thirty minutes away, and nothing else in the city really compares.

Neither of us would commit to anything or make a decision, and I got tired of sitting around. I looked outside, and it was snowing. Frustrated and annoyed, I hastily left the house in a huff to get some items we forgot to buy at the grocery store earlier in the day. We didn't really need them, I was just getting stir crazy.

With the snow beginning to fall harder, I assumed we wouldn't be going anywhere for dinner. Then it hit me - I'll make my own egg rolls! A smile came to my face and there was a spring to my step as I headed over to pick up the egg roll wrappers. Having never made my own egg rolls before, I used the back of the package as a guide and made my way through the rest of the store to pick up ingredients.

I got home and joyously announced our new dinner plans and Valerie looked at me with a lot of doubt in her eyes. I didn't care; I was going to make these egg rolls, and they were going to be darn good, too! The filling came together in an instant and I was ready to roll them. The filling consisted of Napa cabbage, sliced carrots, ground pork, ginger garlic paste, and oyster sauce. Quite simple, really.

Wrapping them was not as difficult as I imagined either. I was afraid they would break open and spill their innards as I was frying them, but they all held together well. When they were done frying, I was pleased that they looked like egg rolls. The proof was in the tasting, and they were delicious! The pork was flavorful and tender, and the cabbage and carrots were crisp and sweet.

An evening that had all the makings to be dull and uneventful was suddenly transformed into something more. It wasn't the most exciting, but it is always fun for me to try something new in the kitchen, especially when the results are as good as these egg rolls.

Introducing Family Tree-Eats!

2011-03-11T18:43:00.002-05:00

Back in August, Eva and I had the idea to make a family recipe book. We thought it would be wonderful to have all of Nonna's recipes together in one bound volume as well as the rest of the families tried-and-true recipes. The recipes could be accompanied by stories and pictures; a true representation of our entire family. Eva would be coming home for the holidays and we thought it would be a perfect time to put the book together.

The idea was there and excitement was in the air. Eva put out a 'call for submissions' and we anxiously waited for the recipes to start rolling in. We got a few recipes here and there, and lots of questions. Whoever we talked to seemed excited about the book, and loved the idea. Uncle Steve suggested the name "Schifferli Family Tree-eats" and Eva and I really liked the sound of it. Everything was falling into place.

When Eva came home, we talked about getting together to make some of the recipes and take pictures. With the hustle and bustle of the season we really didn't have the time to devote to such an undertaking. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to put the whole thing together. With the days ticking away before Eva had to leave, I came up with the idea for a recipe blog.

With the blog format, we can work on the recipes at our leisure, and our family can submit recipes as they come across them. Eventually, we can use the blog to create the book we originally intended. It took us some time to create the blog, but Family Tree-Eats is now online with Eva doing the first post yesterday. I also want to give a special "thank you" to Aunt Sue for letting me use the magnolia tree picture she took in 1971. It is exactly what I was looking for!

I am so excited about Family Tree-Eats! I hope it someday becomes your first stop for traditional, tried-and-true family recipes!

http://familytree-eats.blogspot.com/

Princess Zelda Quilt Templates

2011-03-06T11:11:00.000-05:00

To put it lightly, Emilie is a big fan of princesses. She knows all the Disney princesses, goes crazy whenever she sees Princess Peach, and likes to play Zelda on the DS. When she started sleeping in her 'big girl' bed, she picked princess bed sheets; and we just put some Tangled wall clings up in her room. So, I thought it would be fitting to make her a princess quilt for her bed.

Having success with with the square patterns from early Nintendo characters such as Mario and Link, I decided to check out what the princesses looked like. I first looked up Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros.

Even though the squares are easily defined and not too small, I didn't like the looks of this Princess. The other images of Princess Peach didn't really impress. I then moved on to Princess Zelda to see if her 8-bit representation was any better. I first checked the original Zelda design from The Legend of Zelda.

Although I thought this Princess Zelda looked better than Princess Peach, it still wasn't what I was looking for for Emilie's quilt. So, I searched for other images of Zelda and found a couple that would translate well to the kind of quilt I want to make.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons

Four Swords series

These two iterations of Zelda are both from handheld Nintendo systems, so the images I was able to find were all very small. They were also quite blurry when I magnified them, so find the block pattern was a bit difficult.

I couldn't decide which pattern to use for the quilt, and I had a grand plan to take it to a vote here on latent chestnut. Then it hit me, it's Emilie's quilt, I should let her decide. So, I called her over to the computer and asked her which princess she wanted on her quilt. She decided on the Zelda from Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons.

I'm thinking about incorporating some new techniques with this quilt, as well. I have found some flower patterns the I may put in the corners or around Zelda somehow. Whatever I decide, I am definitely looking forward to me next quilting challenge.

Crêpes

2011-02-28T21:40:00.003-05:00

I know you have all been eagerly waiting with bated breath since I announced I would be doing a product review for CSN stores. Wait no more! Behold the product review as promised!

Choosing a product to review proved to be no easy task. I knew I wanted to review a kitchen product, and I wanted to try something new. After lots of browsing and just before Valerie was about to snap from all the ideas I was bouncing off her, I found it. A Cuisinart Crêpe Pan!

I had been wanting to make crêpes for a long time. In fact, before I made them, I had never even had a crêpe. My interest began when I was working at a bank in Indianapolis. Every Friday, someone from the branch brought breakfast for everyone. My manager Emmanuel, who was from France, was excited because someone was bringing crêpes and Nutella for breakfast. That morning, as Emmanuel was smearing Nutella on his 'crêpe', he looked at me and said, "These are not crêpes." He was right, they were pancakes, and he went on to explain how crêpes are not like pancakes in that they are unleavened and wafer thin. I took that to heart, and I always wandered what a real crêpe would taste like.

As the years went by, I would see crêpe pans in kitchen stores just begging me to buy them. While tempted to by one, I never did. This product review opportunity from CSN Stores pushed me over the edge, and I anxiously waited for my pan to arrive in the mail. When it arrived, I opened the box to observe the new hardware. The pan looked nice; it had sloping sides with a distinct bottom, just like Alton Brown recommends. Then, the real test came. Does it look good on my pot rack?

Yes!

The weekend finally came and I was ready to actually make crêpes. I used Alton Brown's recipe, and the batter came together in an instant. Then came the fun part, cooking the crêpes. It definitely took some practice to get the batter to spread in the pan evenly. In order to keep the crêpes thin, I had to use just enough batter to barely coat the bottom of the pan. My first couple crêpes looked like jellyfish, but I finally got the hang of it.

This is the only nonstick pan I own, and it certainly comes in handy. With the nonstick pan and a little butter, I did not have a problem with any of the crêpes sticking. In fact, I was able to flip them by hand; mainly because I couldn't figure out any other way to do it.

The batter made over a dozen crêpes and we enjoyed them that morning with a little Nutella and bananas. The crêpes were more delicious than I imagined them to be, and they were quite durable for being so thin.

They were tender, delicate, slightly sweet, and the Nutella and bananas were a perfect compliment.

I should have garnished the plate a little better to improve presentation, but we just couldn't wait to eat. The crêpes were a bit intimidating at first, but once I got the hang of it, they were a cinch to make. The pan was very nice, too, and I am sure I will use it again and again.\

Crêpes
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter, for coating the pan

Directions
In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

Losing Shiny Happy People

2011-02-24T21:06:00.002-05:00

REM - Shiny Happy People

There is a story on R.E.M.'s official website entitled 20 Years of Losing My Religion. It pays homage to, arguably, R.E.M.'s most popular song. Plus there are 14 different videos for your viewing pleasure. Seeing this tribute got me thinking about how the album Out of Time also contains the song that R.E.M. seems to hide from the most, "Shiny Happy People".

"Shiny Happy People" was the second single from Out of Time and is the last R.E.M. song to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. I can remember hearing the song on Z93 while riding the school bus, and it always brought a smile to my face.

R.E.M. has not performed the song live on tour since it was released, which is kind of strange for a top 10 hit. "Losing My Religion", on the other hand, has been a staple of an R.E.M. concert since it's release. "Shiny Happy People" also did not appear on the bands latest greatest hits album, In Time: The Best of R.E.M. Curious, to say the least. R.E.M. has only had four top ten hits, and they put the others on greatest hits compilations.

Perhaps they never played it on tour because they didn't have an way to replace Kate Peirson, but that didn't stop them from performing "E-bow the Letter" without Patti Smith a few times. Maybe the guys will dust it off one of these days. After all, they did perform "Kohoutek" after vowing never to play it live, and it wasn't ever released as a single.

"Shiny Happy People", for better or for worse, is a part of R.E.M., and I embrace it and sing along every time it comes up on my playlist. It may not be the best R.E.M. song, but it's a darn good fun-loving bubblegum pop song.

Quilt Rack

2011-02-20T15:09:00.000-05:00

I never thought I would be so excited about getting a quilt rack.

Avocado Buttercream Frosting

2011-02-15T18:01:00.003-05:00

Curious, yet tasty, this Alton Brown application is sure to please. Lemony, sweet, creamy, and green, it is unlike any frosting I have ever made, and it would surely make Dr. Seuss proud. I made this frosting to go on a cake I took to my mom's Super Bowl party, thinking it would be a fun way to use avocados in a less traditional way. The Hass Avocado Board stated that 53.5 million pounds of avocados were eaten on Super Bowl Sunday; I doubt many pounds were eaten as frosting. So, I was happy to contribute my 8 ounces.

The first time I met Alton was on June 4, 2005 at the Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis. During the live demonstration, he was showcasing different ways to use avocados. I was so far away, I couldn't really see him or hear what he was saying. On November 2, 2005, "Curious Yet Tasty Avocado Experiment" aired and I was finally able to see what AB was doing with those avocados. Being an avocado lover, I had to give the recipes a try. My favorite recipe from the avocado experiments is the avocado buttercream frosting. It not only looks cool, it tastes pretty good, too.

Avocado Buttercream Frosting
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
•8 ounces avocado meat, approximately 2 small to medium
•2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
•1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
•1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions
Peel and pit the avocado. Place the avocado into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the lemon juice and beat until lightened in color, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat until smooth. Add the lemon extract and mix to combine. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator.

Brotherly Love: The Luigi Quilt

2011-02-09T22:01:00.000-05:00

Remember the stack of squares I showed you in May? If not, I can't say that I blame you. If so...thanks! Well, what I didn't tell you at the time was that stack of squares was for both a Mario and a Luigi quilt. I initially planned to keep the Mario quilt for myself and give the Luigi quilt as a Christmas present. What I didn't know is that Ari would eventually claim the Mario quilt as his own, leaving me without the new quilt I was wanting. He was so excited when it was finished and it looked so good in his room, I more than happy to let him use it.

I decided to keep the Luigi quilt for myself, and I ended up making the Link quilt to give as a Christmas present. Even though I had all the squares cut for the Luigi quilt, I made the Link quilt and the Colts quilt first since I needed to have them finished before Christmas. After those quilts were made, it took me some time to get motivated to finish Luigi. Much to my surprise, once I finished the Luigi quilt Ari claimed it for himself, preferring to have it on his bed instead of Mario. I gladly indulged the boy, and I ended up with my Mario quilt after all. It's funny how things work out sometimes.

Biscuits and Gravy

2011-02-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

A family tradition. When I was young, we went to my grandparent's house every Sunday morning for biscuits and gravy. As I got older we stopped going as often, then we stopped going altogether. I decided that if my grandma didn't want to make biscuits and gravy every Sunday, I should learn how to make them, and everyone could come to our house. So, I asked my grandma to teach me how to make them, and she agreed. I was so excited to learn from her and get the recipe!

As we were in the kitchen together getting ready to make biscuits and gravy, I asked her where the recipe was. To my surprise, she told me there wasn't a recipe; she just knew how to make them. At that point, I knew I had my work cut out for me. We got started on the biscuits. She put some shortening in a bowl and then added some flour. I asked her how much flour she added, and she told me she didn't know. She just knew what it supposed to look and feel like. I was beside myself. Then came the buttermilk, again, no measuring. Same with the sausage gravy; no measuring there either. Learning how to make biscuits and gravy proved to be no simple task.

We finished making breakfast together that morning, and the biscuits and gravy turned out to be delicious. I studied her every move in the kitchen that day, but I was nervous to try it myself. I was finally ready to try it myself, and my parents invited my grandparents over for biscuits and gravy. I had all my ingredients ready and got started. My grandparents arrived before breakfast was done and I remember my grandma asking me if I needed any help. I politely declined since I wanted to try to do it myself. The biscuits were in the oven and I was working on the sausage gravy. As I added the milk, little lumps were scattered throughout the gravy. I whisked and whisked to no avail; my gravy was lumpy. To add insult to injury, my biscuits were dry and crumbly.

Everyone ate my biscuits and gravy that morning, but I think they were just being nice. They really weren't very good. I had a long way to go before my biscuits and gravy would be like my grandma's. I didn't give up though, I was determined to make them right. The gravy technique came fairly easy, after a couple more tries, it was no longer lumpy and had good flavor. The biscuits, though, those posed more of a problem. Some were too dry, some were too dense, some fell apart, and some were just plain inedible. Then, one day, it all clicked.

Learning from all my past biscuit failures, I soon learned what the batter was supposed to look and feel like at each stage of the mixing process. My biscuits were consistently coming out of the oven light, fluffy, golden, brown and delicious. The only variation was how many biscuits each batch would make; sometimes 12, sometimes 14 or 16 or more! I had the technique down, and I was making biscuits like crazy. I was the first time I really understood what I was doing in the kitchen, not just blindly following a recipe. Learning how to make biscuits is really what developed my love of cooking.

I don't make biscuits and gravy every Sunday, but I do make them quite often throughout the year. Whenever we visit my dad in Louisville, I almost always make biscuits and gravy on Sunday morning before we leave. I also make them when they come to visit, too. It has become tradition for me to make them on Christmas morning for the in-laws. I've thought about writing down a recipe, measuring out the ingredients as I go, but I haven't done that yet; and honestly, I don't know if I want to. I'm just happy that I was able to keep the tradition alive.

Picky Eater

2011-02-01T19:52:00.001-05:00

(click image for larger view)

A scene all too common at our dinner table. When Ari asks, "what's for dinner?", if I don't answer with pasta, hot dogs, chicken nuggets or eggs, the answer is inevitably, "I don't like that." But, I guess that's to be expected from a five-year-old, and Emilie follows suit. I'm sure he'll grow out of it, but that's not going to stop me from serving him new foods until he does!

Orange Sherbet

2011-01-27T08:49:00.002-05:00

My sister Angela loves sherbet. It seems that whenever we go to an ice cream parlor that serves sherbet, that's what she orders. Ari is following in her footsteps. He always wants a fruity ice cream or sherbet if it's available. As for me, I'm not a big fan. Most sherbets I have tried are too sweet and the flavors are too strong and artificial to me. Plus, there is just something strange about eating neon colored food.

My negative opinions of the orange stuff changed dramatically after making my own. Why did I even make something that I do not enjoy eating? Well, I did it for my sister, of course! I also wanted to see how much better homemade sherbet would be compared to the mass-market variety. I also had a bag full of oranges sitting on the counter just begging to be made into sherbet.

I honestly can't remember why we had a bag of oranges since we hardly ever buy big bags of fruit. Ari is a self-proclaimed orange lover, but he is extremely picky about the amount of pith on the orange segments. It makes peeling an orange to his satisfaction nearly impossible. Because of that, I decided to forgo the frustration associated with pith pickiness and just juice the oranges for sherbet.

I had all the ingredients on hand and the sherbet was very easy to make. Eliminating the orange zest was the only modification I made to the recipe. The oranges were no longer at their peak of freshness and some of the orange peels looked a bit suspect, so I was leery of using the zest. But, the juice was still very tasty and I had sherbet in no time.

The orange sherbet I made is unlike any I have ever had. The flavors are fresh and not overpowering. There is a genuine orange taste that is so refreshing. The sherbet is smooth, light, and delicious; and I would be happy to make it again. The application is so simple, too, I am thinking about trying it with other fruits. Perhaps pineapple would make a tasty sherbet. The possibilities are endless!

Orange Sherbet
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
7 ounces sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, approximately 2 to 3 pounds oranges
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups very cold whole milk

Directions
In the bowl of a food processor combine all of the ingredients except the milk and process until the sugar is dissolved, approximately 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and whisk in the milk. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until the mixture reaches 40 degrees F or below, approximately 1 hour.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process until it is the consistency of soft serve ice cream. You may serve now or transfer to a lidded container and place in freezer until firm, approximately 3 hours. Makes about 1 quart.

Überlin

2011-01-25T21:25:00.003-05:00

I watched this lyric video last night and couldn't find a way to post it. Thankfully, R.E.M. put it up on their YouTube page today; so, here it is. I haven't been putting up all the other lyric videos R.E.M. has been sharing, but I think this one is definitely worth a listen. Enjoy!

Big Girl Bed

2011-01-23T08:56:00.000-05:00

We have been slowly 'unbaby-proofing' our house for the last month or so. We took down the gate on the stairs, purged the toys, removed the locks from the cabinet doors (the ones that still worked), and it all culminated with moving Emilie to a 'big girl' bed. So, don't bring your babies to our house, it's not safe.

Last weekend, when we made the transition, we tried to make it fun for Emilie. She helped me take apart her crib and put up her new bed frame, then we went out and she picked out her own bed sheets. She was a bit leery at first, but once the bed was made, she got really excited and promptly started jumping on the bed.

Emilie is a book lover, and the first few nights after the transition we had some struggles with her getting out of bed to get more books. Since her bedroom is right over the living room, we could hear every time she got of bed. When we went to check on her, her bed was full of books, and she would just smile at us with a book in her hands. It took her over an hour to fall asleep.

The past few nights have been a lot better, though. So, either the the initial excitement has worn off or the exhaustion has set in. She will still get out to get books but is too tired look at them. When I checked on her last night, she was asleep in her bed completely surrounded by books. What an angel. The big girl bed is a success.

Stay tuned...

2011-01-20T09:13:00.001-05:00

CSNstores.com has given me the opportunity to do a product review from one of their sites! How exciting! For those of you not familiar with CSN Stores, it is a Boston based Internet retailer that started in 2002. CSN Stores is comprised of 200 different shopping sites with a vast array of products for the home. My cousin Nedra, over at Captain Coupon, and friend Lisa, at All About Alton, have both worked with CSN stores, so I am really looking forward to this endeavor.

Browsing through some of the CSN stores, I stumbled upon a site that features modern furniture. This site caught my eye because I noticed that in the "Browse by Brand" column on the left side of the site there was a brand called Thomas Paul. I have a nephew named Thomas Paul! I thought that was neat, so I checked it out and they had some wonderful antique toys available. Thomas' first birthday is coming up; maybe he would like a toy with his name on it!

Stay tuned for my first product review...

Homemade Eggnog

2011-01-14T23:29:00.002-05:00

It was quite a happy holiday season at my house thanks in part to this homemade eggnog. We had a Christmas cookie swap one Friday before Christmas, and I thought it would be fun to make some eggnog to drink with our cookies. We were not disappointed! This is the best eggnog I have ever had the pleasure of drinking, and I don't think I will ever buy another carton of eggnog again.

I had made Alton Brown's eggnog a couple years ago, but I made the cooked version. This year, with my fear of consuming raw eggs all but gone, I decided to try the uncooked version. I made sure to buy my eggs from a reputable source, The Sunspot, and found the freshest eggs they had. The uncooked version is definitely the way to go; which makes sense, since that is how eggnog was originally made. It isn't as heavy as store-bought eggnog, and it has a much more delicate flavor.

The eggnog was surprisingly easy to make, too. I made the first batch this year with Eva, and it was ready before we knew it. I think we were both expecting it to be a bit more complicated than it actually was. All in all, it is a simple and delicious recipe and a real crowd pleaser. Perfect for holiday entertaining!

Eggnog
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Red Beans and Rice

2011-01-10T21:46:00.003-05:00

About a week before New Year's Day, my dad called to tell me he found some jalapeno cooking wine at a local winery. He asked me if I wanted a bottle and I couldn't say no. Upon accepting his offer, my dad went on to ask me if I could use it in a dish for when they came over on New Year's Day. I told him I would, even though I didn't really know what I was going to use it in.

Our traditional New Year's Day meal consists of corned beef and cabbage, black eyed peas, and corn bread. All are dishes that are not usually spicy so I did not want to use the wine in any of those. I thought about setting aside a portion of the black eyed peas for the wine, but that felt like a cop-out. For some reason, red beans and rice popped into my head, and having never made it before, I searched the internet for a recipe.

Much to my delight, I found a red beans and rice recipe from none other than Alton Brown. I am sad to say that I do not remember the episode where AB made the dish, but that didn't stop me from giving it a try. One thing stuck out in the recipe that made me a little nervous: pickled pork. Pickled pork?!

I thought about just leaving the pork out, but I decided if I was going to use AB's recipe, I might as well suck it up and pickle some pork. It's always fun to try something new in the kitchen anyway, even if it will be served to a house full of people. I was able to pickle the pork for three days for the red beans and rice, and I have enough left over for another batch. Bonus!

The dish came together rather easily, and the jalapeno cooking wine was a perfect touch. We still had the corned beef and cabbage and black eyed peas, but the red beans and rice was the star of the show. If anyone went back for seconds, they usually came back with more red beans and rice on their plate. The dish was spicy, but not overwhelming, and the pickled pork added a really nice tang. It was delicious.

Red Beans and Rice
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
For red beans:
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•1 medium onion, chopped
•2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
•3 stalks celery, chopped
•2 teaspoons kosher salt
•1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•5 cloves garlic, minced
•12 ounces pickled pork, cut into 1-inch pieces, recipe follows
•3 bay leaves
•1 teaspoon dried thyme
•1 teaspoon hot sauce
•1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•2 quarts water
•1 pound red kidney beans, rinsed and picked of debris

For rice:
•3 cups water
•1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•2 cups long-grain rice
•1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
Place the vegetable oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are semi-translucent and the bell peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pickled pork, bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, water and beans to the pot and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and continue to cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking. If you prefer an even creamier texture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher.

Prepare rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking the beans. Place the water into an electric kettle and bring to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil place the butter into a 3-quart saucepan, set over medium heat. Once the butter begins to bubble, add the rice and stir to combine. Add the salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Carefully pour the water over the rice and stir to combine. Decrease the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the beans over the rice.

Pickled Pork:
•2 cups water
•1 cup apple cider vinegar
•1/4 cup kosher salt
•6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
•2 tablespoons sugar
•2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
•2 tablespoons hot sauce
•1 tablespoon celery seed
•1 bay leaf
•1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
•8 ounces ice
•1 1/2 pounds fresh boneless pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes

Combine all of the ingredients except the ice and the pork in a 2-quart non-reactive saucepan, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and maintain a simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the ice and stir. Place the pork into a 1-gallon zip top bag and add the cooled pickling liquid. Remove as much air as possible; seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 days, turning the bag occasionally. Use within 2 weeks or remove from the pork from the brine and freeze.

Yield: about 1 1/2 pounds

The Indianapolis Colts Quilt

2011-01-02T09:33:00.000-05:00

1680 squares. It was a daunting number when I finished the final planning for the quilt. It was the only way I could get the Colts logo to look good by using squares, though. I knew what I had to do, so I bought the fabric and started cutting the two inch squares. Once all the squares were cut, the stacks of two inch squares were even more intimidating. It wasn't difficult, just time consuming, but I got it done.

Another Christmas present, the Indianapolis Colts quilt is the most challenging quilt I have made to date. It is the quilt I have learned the most from making as well. Most important of all, I now have a better understanding of how the fabric behaves and responds when sewn together. There were some times of frustration while making it; but now that it's done, I am really proud of it and happy to give it as a gift.

The reverse side of the quilt is Indianapolis Colts fabric (I should have taken a picture of it). So it is in a sense, reversible. I modified the design of the back slightly after I purchased the fabric, so I ended up with enough to make another quilt. I'm sure I'll get around to it, I just don't know when I'll be ready to cut another 1680 squares.

The Legend of Zelda Link quilt

2010-12-28T07:49:00.001-05:00

Why stop at Mario? There are so many other 8 bit Nintendo characters out there just waiting to be turned into a quilt! Link, from The Legend of Zelda, is almost as iconic as Mario, and a perfect character to be made into a quilt. I gave this quilt as a Christmas present, so I didn't do any progress posts in order to keep it a secret.

These 8 bit character quilts are easy to design, though. I just do a Google image search for the character I am looking for, then insert the picture into an Excel spreadsheet and color in the squares of the spreadsheet to match the pattern of the character. From there it is simple to calculate the size of the squares to make the quilt as big or as little as you like.

The Link quilt couldn't have turned out better, and I was delighted to give it as a gift. Even though a small part of me wanted to keep it. One can't have too many quilts, right??

2010-12-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Best of the season from R.E.M.

2010-12-24T08:02:00.000-05:00

R.E.M. is feeling quite generous this holiday season. Pre-order "COLLAPSE INTO NOW" on iTunes and instantly download It Happened Today. I figured since I am going to buy the album anyway, I might as well do the pre-order to get the new song. R.E.M. also released a lyric video for the song, so you can hear it before you buy it.

Also available for your viewing pleasure is a trailer for "COLLAPSE INTO NOW" featuring some live in studio snippets of some of the new songs. Lots of new and exciting news on the R.E.M. front! What a nice way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Discovering Discoverer

2010-12-18T07:50:00.005-05:00

It's been quite a week to be an R.E.M. fan. First, I received the fan club Christmas package which included a Christmas card, 2011 calendar, and a CD. The CD includes Mike Mills singing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," featuring Bill Berry on drums, and an instrumental mashup of three tracks off their next album, COLLAPSE INTO NOW, entitled “IHT>U>EDIYTW (Dubmix).” Based on the title, I assume the three songs are “It Happened Today,” “Uberlin” and “Every Day Is Yours to Win.” It was a wonderful early Christmas present indeed.

Little did I know, R.E.M. was just starting to spread the holiday cheer. On Wednesday, I was browsing through facebook and saw R.E.M. posted a link to download the first track of COLLAPSE INTO NOW. The song is called "Discoverer," and as soon as I got home, I downloaded it. I love the thrill of hearing a new R.E.M. song for the first time. I probably have a goofy smile on my face the whole time. The song does not disappoint, either. I found myself thinking that this song would fit perfectly on the album, Green, it has a "Turn You Inside Out" feel to it; which is definitely a good thing. Have a listen:

You can own the song for free, too. Just go to http://remhq.com/get-discoverer.php, enter your e-mail address and country, and a link to the song will be sent to your inbox. Mine was marked as spam, so I didn't know I had it at first, but it was sent almost immediately. My excitement for COLLAPSE INTO NOW has increased tenfold, March 8th can't come fast enough! Free previews to R.E.M. albums don't come along too often, especially in the form of a full length song, don't miss this opportunity!

Breakfast Sausage

2010-12-15T08:16:00.004-05:00

I love sausage, especially breakfast sausage. It reminds me of my childhood. When I was young, every Sunday morning we would go to Grandma and Pa's house for biscuits and gravy. Sausage gravy, to be more specific, and there were always extra sausage patties on the side. To this day, the smell of sausage cooking on the stove reminds me of walking into their house on Sunday morning, anxiously anticipating that first bite.

My fondness for sausage inspired me to make my own, especially since many store bought varieties have less than desirable ingredients. When my dad bought me a meat grinder attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer, there was no holding me back. Armed with a recipe from Alton Brown, I set out to make my own breakfast sausage.

To my surprise, making the sausage is especially easy. The most time consuming part for me was dicing the pork butt; but after that, it's a breeze. Once the pork was diced, I combined it with all the other ingredients and put it in the refrigerator for an hour.

It already smelled like sausage, though it really looked nothing like it. After an hour, I fed it through the meat grinder. Sure enough, as it came through the other end, it looked exactly like sausage!

So, if it smells like sausage, and looks like sausage, surely it must taste like sausage. Right? Right! In fact, it is some of the best breakfast sausage I have ever had. All the herbs and spices compliment each other perfectly, and there is a hint of sweetness from the sugar. Plus, there is a freshness that isn't there with the store bought brands that put it over the top.

Making my own sausage is well worth the effort. It tastes so much better than the mass market varieties and it is much cheaper per pound as well. Delicious and cost effective, I can live with that!

Breakfast Sausage
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 pounds pork butt (2 1/2 pounds with bone), diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound fat back, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Special equipment: meat grinder

Directions
Combine diced pork with all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Using the fine blade of a grinder, grind the pork. Form into 1-inch rounds. Refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. For immediate use, saute patties over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan. Saute until brown and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Two Years of Chestnuts

2010-12-10T00:00:00.009-05:00

It's hard to believe it's been two years since I started latent chestnut. So, since I did a year-in-review post last year, I figured I should do one for this year, too. 2010 didn't bring me my highest high since I started the blog (that occurred here) but it was exceptional, nonetheless. As I was reviewing the vast array of posts over the last 365 days, I found that my main focus can be summed up into three categories: cooking, sewing, and Mario.

From pâte à choux to ketchup, I made a lot of new things in the kitchen this year. The best moment, though, was rediscovering Nonna's pizza and learning how to make it myself. Other culinary highlights include making my own riccota cheese, crème fraîche, dulce de leche, bagels, and chicken stock from scratch. I made all of these for the first time over the past year, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I also posted a few of my own original recipes for the first time this year; the apple crisp being my favorite. I was also really happy with the way my pie crust tutorial came together (thanks for the idea, Eva!).

Speaking of Eva, I gave her sewing machine quite a workout over the year. I know I didn't do a huge number of sewing posts, but I feel like I've had one or two sewing projects going throughout the entire year. I tried my hand at making clothes for the first time when I made the pants, shirt, gloves, and shoe covers for Ari's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Halloween costume. The other major sewing project I posted about was my (or should I say Ari's) Super Mario quilt. I am so happy with the way it turned out and I think it is the most well made quilt I have completed yet.

The Mario quilt only scratched the surface of custom Mario creations I made this year. We gave Ari's room a Mario theme and I made some Mario curtains and curtain rods. The Mario curtain post is the most viewed page on latent chestnut, by the way. Apparently there is a big demand for Mario curtains out there. Though, I think the curtain rods are even cooler than the curtains, and they were a cinch to make. I also made some Mario onesies for Thomas, and got some awesome items from Club Nintendo.

Overall, 2010 was a pretty good year for me and latent chestnut. I can't wait to see what 2011 brings!

Thanks for reading!

Before and After

2010-12-07T14:21:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of before and after pictures. That direct comparison is really rewarding, especially after completing a big project, or simply making a change. Too often, though, I forget to take the 'before' picture to use to compare to the 'after'.

On a totally unrelated subject, my lovely wife bought me a new recliner this year with her Christmas bonus. I was beside myself with joy as we made the purchase at the furniture store. I had a really nice recliner that was given to me by my dad a few years ago. However, it is about 20 years old and beginning to fall apart. I had a hard time admitting it because it is still so comfortable. The final straw came when a bracket broke inside the reclining mechanism which resulted in a loud popping sound whenever someone got out of the chair. Feel free to read about my discovery of the broken bracket here.

I loved that blue chair, but it was falling apart. It was becoming more and more evident that it's days were coming to an end. After searching a few furniture stores for a worthy replacement, we finally found one. I loaded it in the back of the SUV and headed home. As I brought it inside, I felt a little sad to relegate my blue recliner to the basement. I mean, I have enjoyed sitting in that chair for almost 20 years; now that's a lot to live up to for this new one.

Before I took it out of the living room, it hit me, I should take a picture of it. I don't know why, but it felt fitting. So, I decided to do a before and after. My new chair is so comfortable as well, and we are still breaking it in. It doesn't squeak, creek, and pop like my old one, and that's definitely an improvement. I think the kids are using it more than I am, but that's fine. Maybe someday I'll give it to Ari and he will love it as much as I love my blue chair.

BEFORE

AFTER

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-04T18:29:00.000-05:00

In the front yard Ari and I built a snowman

Then pretended he was Parson Brown

We had lots of fun with Mr. Snowman

Alphabet Soup

2010-12-01T21:04:00.000-05:00

As I was ladling my first batch of homemade chicken stock into freezer bags, I realized what I should make with it first. Alphabet soup. I couldn't think of a better meal to highlight the flavor of the stock, all while enjoying one of my favorite childhood comfort foods.

I simply cooked the alphabet noodles in the chicken stock seasoned with a little salt. Once the noodles are cooked, I ladled the soup into bowls and finished it with a pat of butter. A little freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top is a nice touch as well. A delicious bowl full of memories.

The chicken stock was more delicious than I could have hoped. There was a wonderful chicken flavor and it was very filling and satisfying. A perfect meal to enjoy my chicken stock for the first time.

Chicken Stock

2010-11-23T07:47:00.002-05:00

I've been saving chicken carcasses for a while (what a weird statement) in hopes of one day making my own chicken stock. My biggest issue was trying to find a time where I could be home all day to keep my eye on it. That day finally came, so I took my carcasses out of the freezer and got to work.

I put all my ingredients in a 12-quart stockpot and brought it up to a boil. I didn't really take that many pictures because most of the steps look the same, for the most part. What I wish I could share is the amazing aroma the filled the house. It reminded me a lot of Thanksgiving, only about ten times better.

After simmering for about 6 hours, I strained out the solids and packaged the stock in some 1-quart Ziplock containers.

It was really quite easy to make the stock, albeit a little time consuming. Plus, it is really cost effective, since a quart of good quality chicken stock at the grocery store usually costs about $3.50. The question is, what is the first thing I should make using my own chicken stock?

Chicken Stock
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
4 pounds chicken carcasses, including necks and backs
1 large onion, quartered
4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/2
4 ribs celery, cut in 1/2
1 leek, white part only, cut in 1/2 lengthwise
10 sprigs fresh thyme
10 sprigs fresh parsley with stems
2 bay leaves
8 to 10 peppercorns
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 gallons cold water

Directions
Place chicken, vegetables, and herbs and spices in 12-quart stockpot. Set opened steamer basket directly on ingredients in pot and pour over water. Cook on high heat until you begin to see bubbles break through the surface of the liquid. Turn heat down to medium low so that stock maintains low, gentle simmer. Skim the scum from the stock with a spoon or fine mesh strainer every 10 to 15 minutes for the first hour of cooking and twice each hour for the next 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep bones and vegetables submerged. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.

Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer into another large stockpot or heatproof container discarding the solids. Cool immediately in large cooler of ice or a sink full of ice water to below 40 degrees. Place in refrigerator overnight. Remove solidified fat from surface of liquid and store in container with lid in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days or in freezer for up to 3 months. Prior to use, bring to boil for 2 minutes. Use as a base for soups and sauces.

The Item Block

2010-11-15T21:14:00.001-05:00

So, Ari walked into his room the other day to find an item block hovering in the air.

Naturally, he did what any red-blooded American boy would do when faced with the same situation.

He punched the bottom of it. I mean, who wouldn't punch the bottom of it? There could be so many amazing things inside. Would it be a coin? A super mushroom? A 1-Up? A star? As it turns out, it wasn't any of those things, but he was quite pleased regardless.

It was our latest reward from Club Nintendo! A figurine featuring Mario, Luigi, Toad, Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, and a Goomba. We registered enough games last year to reach platinum status with the club, which will probably never happen again since we registered four years worth of games to get there. They sent this to us for free, and we didn't even have to use any of our reward "coins" to get it. What a sweet deal, huh? I can't think of a nicer reward, especially since Ari has it proudly displayed in his bedroom.

Apple Crisp

2010-11-03T07:15:00.002-04:00

Warm, crunchy, sweet, and comforting. Apple crisp warms the soul and is truly a celebration of the season. I wouldn't go as far to say I like apple crisp more than apple pie, but it is right up there in terms of culinary autumnal delights.

Apple crisp comes in so many different forms and just about every recipe I found for it is different, sometimes drastically. From the amount of crisp topping, to whether or not to use a thickening agent in the apple mixture, the preferences vary greatly. Such differences are what inspired me to come up with my own apple crisp recipe.

I prefer my apple crisp to have a thicker crisp topping, but not too much to overpower the apples. The topping for my apple crisp is sweet and crunchy with just a little salt to enhance and bring all the flavors together. I like to use regular rolled oats because I think they make the crisp look and taste better.

I add a thickening agent to the apples, in this case tapioca flour, because I don't like the apple juices to be runny. The apples are seasoned in much the same was as the filling in Nonna's apple pie, with the addition of lemon juice and apple cider. The apple cider adds a depth of flavor, and the lemon juice adds a bit of tartness that counters the sweetness of the topping nicely.

I've been tinkering with a recipe to call my own for the last couple apple seasons, and I am very happy with the end result. This is truly my idea of what apple crisp should be.

Apple Crisp
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 pounds Jonathan apples (or your favorite baking apple)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced and chilled

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into small wedges. Combine the apples with the lemon juice, cider, sugars, tapioca flour and spices. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.

For the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly. (This can also be done by hand or with a fork). Scatter the topping evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on the middle oven rack and bake for 1 hour or until the top is lightly browned and the apples are bubbly.

2010-10-31T20:31:00.000-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

All Hallows Eve Eve

2010-10-30T17:34:00.000-04:00

Halloween is almost upon us, so I would like to direct you to Ditalini Press where this months topic is "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark." Included is my own original scary story "Pink Carnation."

Perhaps you'll find a new bone-chilling tale to tell around the campfire. Plus, if you'd like to get in one the spine-tingling action and submit an original ghost story, just leave a comment in any of the posts, and we'll be happy to accommodate.

We've been busy getting ready for the night by making costumes and carving pumpkins. Here's a look at the kids with all of our pumpkins.

Now with the lights off...

Spooky! Carving was a lot of fun this year, especially because Ari drew the face on his pumpkin and I carved it with his supervision; as to not misinterpret his vision. His is the second one from the left in the picture, the one with the wide eyes and crooked smile. It looks really neat with the lights out. Stay tuned for pictures of the kids in their costumes. Here's hoping everyone has a happy and safe Halloween!

Choked Up

2010-10-25T08:22:00.000-04:00

The artichoke I have been watching is really starting to take shape. I have been tempted to harvest it, but I'm going to give it a couple more days to make sure it's really mature. The other artichoke in the garden is starting to form as well; though, I don't know if the cold weather will catch up to it before it is able to complete the process. Time will tell. These artichokes are such interesting creatures.

Turtle Pants

2010-10-21T23:36:00.006-04:00

Ari has decided he wants to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for Halloween; Leonardo to be exact. So, before he could change his mind again, we went out and purchased his costume. Not thrilled with the Ninja Turtle costumes on the market, we decided to just buy him the mask and piece the rest of it together.

We found a nice shirt to go with the costume, but the right color of green pants were hard to come by. I figured I could make him some pants, so I bought some green fleece and went to work. As I was making them, I envisioned the scene from the Grinch cartoon where he was making his Santa suit. Just cutting an outline of what I wanted to make and sewing it together. It worked quite well, for all intents and purposes, and now Ari has a pair of turtle pants. The first article of clothing I have ever made.

Upon making this garment, even with the crude nature with which it was made, I gained a deeper respect for those who really know how to make clothes. My cousin Eva, of Eva + Daniel fame, has just started a new blog called Belle-Mère Belle-Fille dedicated exclusively to creations made by Madame Sutter and herself. She also has an Etsy shop featuring original clothing of exceptional quality handmade in France (and I do mean exceptional). I am lucky enough to own something made by Eva, and it is simply wonderful.

If that's not enough, my friend from Chicago, Michelle, is launching her own clothing line called Dollparts; which is a clothing line made from recycled textiles. Her clothing line utilizes eco-conscious fabrics, remaindered or discarded textiles, as well as vintage and thrifted pieces. Michelle started a kickstarter campaign to raise funds for getting her designs into production. It would be awesome if anyone would donate (even as little as $1) to her cause. She only has a few days left to get pledges, so act fast!

I don't know how I got so caught up in the world of fashion, but I'm loving every minute of it! Oh, and I'm happy I was able to make a small contribution with the turtle pants. Who knows, they may be the next big thing!

Pumpkin bread

2010-10-19T21:26:00.001-04:00

I have been a baking fool as of late, taking advantage of the season's harvest. My favorite quick bread of the moment is Alton Brown's pumpkin bread. I am a big fan of the flavors of pumpkin bread, but I normally find it too dense and chewy. Not AB's though, by utilizing fresh pumpkin, this bread breaks the mold and takes pumpkin bread to another level.

I have not found success using canned pumpkin when making pumpkin bread. It never seemed to bake quite right, and the flavors fell a little flat. The fresh pumpkin is a revelation, and lends the bread a lightness softness, and fluffiness while maintaining that wonderful pumpkin flavor. Plus, it's really no different than shredding some carrots for carrot cake or zucchini for zucchini bread. Definitely worth the effort.

The recipe posted below is taken from the Food Network website. I have the advantage of also owning the book Good Eats: The Early Years in which Alton Brown shares some tips for the recipe. In the book, the directions have you dump the shredded pumpkin onto a kitchen towel and twist into a ball to wring out as much water as possible. As for the pumpkins seeds, also known as pepitas, be sure to use seeds that have had their hulls removed. Do not use the unhulled seeds that come out of a standard jack-o-lantern pumpkin (a mistake I made the first time I made it).

With the addition of those helpful hints your pumpkin bread should turn out quite delicious. The bread is so good, you can eat it plain; though, I have been known to spread some cream cheese on a slice ever now and then.

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Pumpkin Bread
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (one pound) shredded fresh pumpkin
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in the shredded pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a non- stick 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Sugar Cream Pie

2010-10-12T19:45:00.002-04:00

Considered an "Indiana legendary local cuisine", this pie is so delicious. Sweet, rich, and creamy, sugar cream pie does not disappoint. I never knew this pie was a Hoosier delicacy until I was visiting my dad in Louisville and he took me to The Pie Kitchen. I was craving a piece of sugar cream pie and they didn't have it on the menu. When I asked the server about it, she looked at me like I was crazy, and said she had never heard of it. I was surprised that they didn't have it, and baffled that someone had never heard of sugar cream pie. It was then that my dad told me that sugar cream pie was local to Indiana, so some places outside of the state may not serve it. I realized how lucky was to be a Hoosier.

We used to buy sugar cream pies, but the pie shop where we purchased them moved and it prompted me to try me own. I tried a couple different recipes without much success. The flavor was where I wanted it to be, but the pies turned out runny. I finally found a recipe on allrecipes.com that was a winner. I have tried it a couple times with great results. Smooth, sweet, rich and creamy with hints of vanilla and nutmeg. A perfect autumn pie, and quite easy too!

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Sugar Cream Pie
Recipe courtesy Glenda Browning

Ingredients
1 prepared 9 inch pastry shell
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, chilled and diced

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and cream. Add milk and vanilla extract, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle top with nutmeg and dot evenly with small chunks of butter. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes.

What to do with that leftover pie crust

2010-10-06T08:36:00.000-04:00

With every pie crust, there is inevitably some excess dough left over after trimming the edges around the pie plate. Now, this stuff is simply too good to just throw it away, so why not make an extra little treat with it. When I was young, I remember Nonna rolling out the leftover pie crust dough, sprinkling it with cinnamon and sugar, and baking it. Talk about delicious! I have adopted this method for my leftover crust, too.

With my last pie, I decided to try something new with my leftover crust dough. Instead of baking it flat, I rolled the dough after sprinkling it with cinnamon and sugar. I then cut the rolled dough into half inch rounds so they resembled little cinnamon rolls and baked them on some parchment paper. It worked like a charm. They pretty much tasted the same as the flat crust, but it was so fun to eat those miniature cinnamon rolls.

Pie crust (a tutorial)

2010-10-03T09:54:00.007-04:00

It is my opinion that pie crust is just as important as the filling; and if true pie bliss is to be achieved, one must make his or her own crust. It's a simple thing, really, just flour, salt, fat and water. Yum! Knowing how to put it all together is the tricky part, but a little practice and know how can go a long way.

I have been making my own pie crust since Nonna gave me her apple pie recipe. My first attempts at making it were a bit shaky, and I remember being very frustrated at times. My lowest point was when I was making a pie and the pie dough kept falling apart; I angrily wadded the dough into a ball and started kneading it. The dough came together quite nicely and the crust looked perfect on the pie, but the crust was tough. So tough, that people didn't hesitate to tell me, my own family no less. I was devastated, but determined to learn the art of the pie crust, and never let mine be tough again.

It wasn't until I watched the Good Eats episode "I Pie", that I truly understood why I was doing what I was doing when I made pie crust. I finally learned how to achieve the perfect balance between tender and flaky, and my pie crust became consistently good. I love making my own pie crust because it really does take homemade pie to another level of goodness. Whenever I take a pie to a gathering, someone inevitably comes up to me and says, "I love your pie crust, and I don't even like pie crust." That's enough motivation for me to keep making my own.

I use Alton Brown's recipe for my pie crust. I use the same ingredients he calls for, though my technique varies from his slightly. The ingredients are quite simple:

1/4 cup unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
1 ounce lard (more on that later...don't be scared)
6 ounces all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ice water

I know some people may be a bit squeamish when it comes to lard, so I'll let AB explain:

Nothing affects the nature of the crust more than the fat that goes into it. Butter has a very low melting point, so it doesn't make a very flaky crust, and it also contains some water, which can definitely throw off your formula. At the same time, nothing browns or tastes better. So I'm definitely going to use some of this. But I'm also going to use lard. Rendered pig fat has a very high melting point, and a really coarse, crystalline structure, which means that it is ideal for making flaky crusts. And you'll be surprised to know that lard is even lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than butter is.

Now that we got that out of the way, let's discuss assembly.

I have grown accustomed to making my pie crust in a food processor, so that is how I will present it; though it is by no means necessary to the assembly. Also, the pictured ingredients are for two pie crusts, since I was making an apple pie.

Begin by placing the flour and salt in the food processor bowl and pulse a couple times. Add the butter and pulse 5 or 6 times; then, add the lard and pulse another 3 or 4 times until the mixture looks mealy. The goal is to have very small pieces of butter and somewhat larger pieces of lard.

Next, comes the water. I like to drizzle the water through the top of my food processor while pulsing. Do this until the dough holds its shape when squeezed together, while using as little water as possible. I sometimes add a dash of white vinegar to the water before I add it because the vinegar prevents the gluten strands from getting too long. It's sort of an insurance policy and the vinegar cannot be detected in the finished product.

(I may have added a bit too much water here, but the crust turned out fine)

Once the dough reaches the right consistency, dump it out on a piece of plastic wrap and squeeze together until it forms a ball; then press into a disk shape. Place the dough disk in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. The point of this step is to allow for the flour to hydrate. Hydrated flour makes it easier to roll out the dough, so please don't skip this step.

Now, place the dough on a floured piece of wax paper. The wax paper should be long enough to be folded into a square.

Lightly flour the top of the dough disk, and fold the wax paper over the top of it. Then, roll out the dough until it is about 10 to 12 inches in diameter.

Once the dough is ready, remove the wax paper from the top of the dough and slide your hand underneath the bottom. Flip the pie crust into an awaiting pie plate.

Now, remove the wax paper from the rest of the crust, and your mission is complete.

The pie crust is ready for filling. Since this is just a tutorial on pie crust, you'll have to just imagine what the finished pie looked like. But if you need a little help, look here. Don't be afraid to make your own pie crust, it is definitely worth it. Happy baking!

Printable Recipe

Hello there...

2010-09-28T17:24:00.000-04:00

As I was scavenging the garden a couple of days ago, I happened to notice an artichoke plant developing a little artichoke in the middle of it's leaves. This is the first change I have seen in the artichoke plants in over two months. I was quite excited with this latest development. I don't know if I will get anything edible, but it's nice to know our little artichoke endeavor wasn't a total failure. Isn't gardening fun? Just when I thought it was over, I get this little surprise.

Roasted Marshmallows

2010-09-23T11:49:00.000-04:00

One of life's simple pleasures. Even better when done with a homemade marshmallow. There is something magical about putting a marshmallow on the end of a skewer and holding it carefully over the fire. Watching the outside caramelize while the center becomes deliciously molten is a treat unlike any other. Not to mention how much fun it is just to be outside by the fire for kids and adults alike. Then, trying to navigate eating it without making a total mess. Now, for very special occasions, one can take roasted marshmallows to another level...

S'mores. It's amazing the difference a little chocolate and graham cracker can make. The gooey molten center of the roasted marshmallow oozing and melting the chocolate with the sweet crunch of the graham cracker is unbelievably satisfying.

I enjoy roasting marshmallows and making s'mores in the fall when the air is crisp and cool. It makes sitting around the fire that much more enjoyable. Times like these make saying goodbye to summer a little bit easier. I'd like to wish everyone a happy autumn, now go roast some marshmallows!

Real tomato ketchup, Eddie?

2010-09-20T20:49:00.001-04:00

Oh, nothing but the best.

All joking aside, I did make my own ketchup. Hours of toiling over a simmering pot to make a condiment so abundant and commonplace I could go to McDonald's and grab a handful of packets for free. So, was it worth it? You bet it was!

I never really thought that much about ketchup, it was just always there when I needed a dip for my fries. A couple months ago, I wrote about my tomatoes in facebook and Jeremy commented about how he used to eat homemade ketchup. He found a recipe for me to use, and I was all set!

I had forgotten about my desire to make ketchup until about a week ago, and I decided it was time to give it a try. The recipe Jeremy gave me made a thinner ketchup than what is commercially available, so I altered it a bit to get the result I was looking for. I really wanted to make a ketchup that looked like the leading brands, mainly because that is what I am used to.

I started with five pounds of tomatoes and pureed them in my food processor. I then strained them to remove the seeds and skin. I then pureed an onion and added it to the strained tomatoes and simmered the mixture on the stove. Once the mixture reduced to about half, I added some vinegar and spices, and continued to reduce the mixture until it looked like ketchup. I put the ketchup in a jar, then placed it in the refrigerator to cool. It was really quite easy, though time consuming.

I decided to first try my ketchup with french fries. To my delight, it looks and tastes just like ketchup. It has a more pronounced tomato flavor, and is really quite delicious.

The Last Hurrah?

2010-09-16T20:10:00.000-04:00

For all intents and purposes, this looks to be my last substantial harvest. All in all, it's been a good year for the garden. The move to the back of the yard worked well, and we learned a lot with the new plants we tried. The trick will be not to forget everything over the winter...

Pear-nana Bread

2010-09-13T21:34:00.002-04:00

The kids love banana bread, and I am quite fond of it myself, actually. One afternoon, I noticed a few over-ripe bananas on the counter along with a pear that was a little past its prime. I knew I should make some banana bread, but I didn't know what to do with the pear. Just then, a light bulb came on in my head and I decided to dice up the pear and add it to the banana bread.

My first loaf was a little too dense, but it had really good flavor. It reminded me of a pear bread pudding fresh from the oven. The experiment was successful enough that I decided to make another loaf, adjusting a few things from what I learned with the first one.

My second loaf was a complete success. The bread was light, moist, and sweet. The pears added such a nice flavor, as well as a slight textural change. The kids ate it up too, so it passed that test. I was also glad to find another use for pears, since I don't really have a lot of recipes that call for them. So I figured, if I couldn't find a recipe that calls for pears, I might as well come up with one of my own. I will be making this bread again for sure. I hope you do, too!

Pear-nana Bread

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 egg (lightly beaten)

3/4 cup very ripe bananas (mashed)

1/2 cup diced pear

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a 8x4x2 inch loaf pan. In a mediumm bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg, mashed banana, diced pear, sugar, oil, and lemon zest. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the banana mixture all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Do not over mix. The batter will be lumpy.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack for about fifteen minutes before removing from the loaf pan.