The Charmed Kitchen

Swedish Limpa Bread

This rye bread is a favorite of mine. It has a soft texture and makes great sandwiches. The flavor in enhanced by a combination of caraway seeds and a little orange zest. It even makes wonderful French toast. My brother-in-law says it is just like the bread his Swedish mother made. It is not like rye breads you might traditionally think of.  It is lighter in color and texture.  I baked mine in two round loaves, but you can also bake this bread in loaf pans, if you prefer.

Swedish Limpa

 6 ½ c. flour

2 c. rye flour

¼ c. brown sugar

2 t. salt

2-t. caraway seeds

2 t. grated orange peel

2 pkt. Active dry yeast

2 T. butter, softened

2 2/3 c. hot water (125-130 degrees)

Set aside 1-cup flour. Mix remaining flours and other dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter and water to flour mixture and stir to blend. Mix in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth about 8-10 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl turning to oil top. Cover and let rest in a draft free area until doubled, about 30 –40 minutes. Punch down. Divide dough in half and form into 2 balls. Place on greased baking sheet and cover until doubled in bulk, about 30 –40 minutes. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.

Note: you can also divide the dough and place in 2 (9×5-inch) greased loaf pans.

Spelt and Walnut Biscotti

Biscotti are so easy to make. I don’t know why more people don’t bake their own. They are always nice to have with coffee, tea or a cold glass of milk. Biscotti are twice baked. First in a loaf shape, then they are sliced and baked again. Most recipes will tell you to bake the slices half way, then turn them over to finish baking. A little time saving trick- just place a cooling rack on the baking sheet, then place the sliced biscotti on the rack. That way, they get crisp on both sides at once and there is no need to turn them. These biscotti are made with spelt flour. Spelt  is an ancient grain that is very closely related to wheat. It does contain gluten, so not an option for people with wheat allergies or Celiac but a nice way to add a whole grain to your menu if you do eat wheat. Unlike whole wheat flour, which tends to be heavy in baking, spelt has a lighter texture and acts more like white flour. I used it to make these  biscotti and they are crisp, light and very tasty.

Spelt Biscotti – with Walnuts

 1 ¼ c. spelt flour*

⅓ c. sugar

1 t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

½ c. walnuts

¼ c. golden raisins- I often use dried cranberries or other dried fruit

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients with nuts and raisins in medium mixing bowl. In small bowl combine eggs and vanilla and add to dry ingredients. Stir together to make a slightly sticky dough. With oiled hands shape into loaf (2”x11”) on oiled sheet. Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Slice the loaf thin using a serrated knife and place slices on a rack on a baking sheet then return to oven, reduce heat to 300-degrees bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container to retain crunch. Makes about 16. 

* If you can’t find spelt flour you can use 3/4 c. all purpose flour and 1/2 c. whole wheat flour instead or substitute the entire amount of flour with whole wheat pastry flour.

Purple and Pink Potato Salad

Sometimes we just need a little extra color in our day. My pop of color came in the form of a potato salad.  Yes, a potato salad. I had picked up some purple potatoes at a local produce market. I’ve had them before. Normally, they lose a little color once cooked. For whatever reason, these potatoes retained all of that purple color.  I cooked them in the microwave, and maybe that is why. Maybe they were just a brighter color to begin with. All I know, is that when I started cutting them up for my salad, I was amazed at how purple they were. Since I had some red onions, I decided to use some with the potatoes for my salad. I ended up with a purple and pink salad. Pretty and quite tasty. I do think, a salad made with less colorful veggies, would still taste as good, but it would not be nearly as much fun to eat.

Purple and Pink Salad

1 lb. purple potatoes

1 lb. red onions

1 c. apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

salt and pepper to taste

1 t. celery seed

1/4 c. oil

Bake potatoes until tender. I used the microwave and it took about 7 minutes, but you can bake in a conventional oven, too. While potatoes are baking, peel, then slice onions thin and place in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients, except the oil. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5-8 minutes until onions are just tender. Some of the liquid will cook off. Peel and cube potatoes and place in a bowl. Drizzle with the oil. Add the onion mixture and stir gently. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Chill. Serves 4.

Challah

I just updated my website with the Winter and early Spring class dates.  Some fun new classes, including one on Winter Salads and another on Baking with Whole Grains, among others.

Cooking Classes

Bok Choy and Leftover Rice Salad

This salad came about by accident. We had gone out for Chinese food on New Year’s Day. There were leftovers to take home, including some white rice. Once I got home and looked at the leftovers, turned out there was a lot more rice than I thought. I decided to use some of it in a salad. I had some bok choy, which seemed like a natural ingredient to add. I thought about using the bok choy raw, but decided to saute it just a little. It was still crisp, and the greens had just wilted a bit. Played around with what I had on hand and ended up with a pretty good salad. I left it vegetarian, but could easily have added chicken or shrimp and made it more of a main dish, rather than a side.

Bok Choy and Leftover Rice Salad

4 T. oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2-3 c. sliced bok choy- I used baby bok choy, but use what you like
2 c. cold cooked rice
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
½ of a sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Dressing:
1/3 c. rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
2 T. oil
2 T. chopped parsley or cilantro
1 T. sugar
1 t. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. fresh grated ginger
Salt and hot sauce to taste

In skillet, sauté garlic for a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn it. Add bok choy and stir fry a few more minutes, just until bok choy wilts a little, but is still crisp. In medium bowl place the bok choy/garlic mixture, being sure to include the oil used in cooking. Add rice and veggies to boy choy mix. In small jar, with a tight fitting lid, place the dressing ingredients. Secure lid and shake until well mixed. Pour over the rice mixture and stir until well mixed. Chill a few hours or overnight before serving. Serves 4-6.
Note: You can make this a main dish salad by adding a little protein. Cooked chicken or shrimp are great. For a vegetarian version- scrambled eggs or edamame work well, too.

Beet, Carrot and Red Onion Salad

This recipe was inspired by pickled beets. I love that sweet/sour flavor combination and wanted to make it into a salad. Not too many generations ago, if you lived in a cold climate, produce selections were pretty limited in the Winter. This is the sort of dish I could see a relative of mine making in January or February.

I chose to roast my beets, but you could also boil or steam them. Once cooked, the carrots and beets are combined with the onions in a dressing that is similar to what you would use to pickle beets, or other veggies. Then, just place in the fridge and let the flavors blend. The veggies almost become “pickled” in a day or so. I made this for a party and people seemed to really like the salad.

Beet, Carrot and Red Onion Salad

1½ lbs. beets
1 lb. carrots
2 red onions
Dressing:
1½ c. apple cider vinegar
½ c. oil- I used olive oil
½ c. sugar
¼ c. lime juice
2-3 T. chopped parsley
1 T. mustard seed
1 T. salt, or to taste
2 t. dill weed
1 t. celery seed
½ t. ginger
Hot sauce to taste

You’ll have to cook the beets. You can roast them or boil or even steam them. To roast the beets- Place beets in a roasting pan and drizzle with a little oil. Cover pan and place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Smaller beets will be cooked in less time- about 35 minutes. Really large beets could take up to an hour. I always check by poking one of the beets with a fork. If boiling, just place beets in a pot with enough water to cover them and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until the beets are tender, about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. When beets are cool enough to handle, removed the skins and cut into bite sizes cubes. Place in mixing bowl. To cook the carrots, just peel, slice and steam or boil until just tender. Combine with beets in mixing bowl. Peel and slice the red onions. Place in a saucepan with the dressing ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until onions are wilted and tender. Pour onion and dressing mixture over beets and carrots and stir to combine. Chill overnight. Serves 6-8.

Cabbage and Noodles

Cabbage and noodles is not a glamorous dish and it never will be. That’s fine with me. It is a dish that will always remind me of my childhood. My Mother would make cabbage and noodles as a side dish, at least a couple of times a month. I loved it. I think of her every time I make it.

The reason it tasted so good is that she took the time to caramelize the onions and to let the cabbage brown some, too. That added another layer of flavor to the dish. Simple and very tasty. I used green cabbage this time, but you can use red cabbage, or a combination. You can play around with adding other ingredients. Sometimes I add cooked bacon, or leftover ham.

Cabbage and Noodles

1 onion, chopped
Oil
4-6 cups chopped cabbage
4 c. cooked noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh or frozen chopped parsley
Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until wilted and a little brown. Add cabbage and stir fry until cabbage in tender and starts to turn a little brown. Stir in noodles and cook until heated through. Season to taste and toss in parsley. Serves 4.

Cherry Pie Won Tons

I had an open package of won tons and needed a quick dessert the other night so I made these cherry pie won tons. I started with a can of tart cherries I had gotten from King Orchards. They are just cherries, so I sweetened them and added vanilla, thickened them a little a made what amounts to cherry pie filling. The nice thing about starting with plain cherries is that I was able to control the amount of sugar I added. I am not a fan of overly sweet desserts. I placed a small amount of filling in a wonton and moistened the edges of the wonton with water so it would seal. Some I rolled up like little egg rolls. I also made some more like ravioli, placing filling in the middle and pressing a second wonton on top of the first. I fried them in a minimum amount of oil in a small pan and dusted them with powdered sugar before serving. It was a great last minute dessert. You could just as easily use frozen cherries or fresh cherries, pitted.

Cherry Vanilla Filling

1 can (15 oz.) plain tart cherries

3 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Allow to cool before using in wontons.

Cherry Pie Won Tons

Wonton wrappers

cherry pie filling- I made my own

oil for frying

powdered sugar

Place wonton on work surface and spoon in a little of the pie filling. Moisten edges and press to seal. Try to press out any air as you seal the wonton. Helps keep them from splitting.  Heat oil to 350 degrees. I use a small pan so I don’t need much oil. Place a few prepared wontons in at a time and cook until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Cool a little before serving. dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Herb and Spice Crusted Pork Roast

I know a lot of folks who serve pork for New Year’s Day. If you want to dress up your pork roast, try using a simple herb and spice rub. They add so much flavor. I made this rub recipe for a pork roast and really loved the way it came out. I added some cinnamon, because I was serving the roast with home made applesauce and I thought it would all work well together. I was not disappointed.

Spice and Herb Crusted Pork Roast

The Rub:

2 T. coarse sea salt

1 T. paprika

1 T. dried parsley

1-2 cloves minced garlic

2 t. fresh grated ginger

2 t. cinnamon

2 t. fresh ground pepper

Combine all the rub ingredients.

1 pork roast- I used a 3 1/2 pound pork sirloin roast- bone-in.

Spread the rub over the roast, pressing in to help it stick. You can do this a day ahead, then just wrap the roast and keep in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. Place pork roast in a roasting pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 2- 2 1/2 hours. Serves 4.

This rub would also be nice on poultry. Maybe I’ll try it on duck the next time.

Turkey Won Ton Soup

In a weird way, Christmas cookies are responsible for this soup. I decided to wrap up and freeze leftover cookies. When I went to put them in the freezer, I spotted a package of won ton wrappers. We had turkey for Christmas and I am still using it up. I’ve had hot turkey sandwiches and I gave leftovers to family and friends. The foster dog has certainly had her share, too. I used the carcass to make stock yesterday. When I saw the wrappers, inspiration hit. I decided to make won ton soup with the leftover turkey and the turkey stock I just made.  I normally add strips of roast pork to won ton soup, but the turkey was a great substitute. I used mostly dark meat, which worked well in the soup. I actually had bok choy that needed to be used up, too. Spinach would have also worked. In the end I had a great soup that was just right for a rainy, chilly evening. I also used up the last of the turkey!!

Turkey Won Ton Soup

1½ lbs. cooked turkey, about
1 head bok choy
3 T. hoisin sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
24 won ton wrappers
2 qts. Turkey stock
1 t. ginger
1 t. hot pepper sauce
Chopped green onions
Sesame oil

I used dark meat from the turkey, mostly. I minced enough to give me a cup of meat. The rest I cut into thin strips. I then took stems from the bok choy and minced enough of them to make 1 cup. Combine the minced turkey with minced bok choy, the hoisin and the garlic. This is the filling for your won tons. Slice more of the bok choy- using mainly the leaves, into thin shreds. This will go into the soup later, along with the strips of turkey. You should have at least a couple of cups of the shredded bok choy, but more is OK, too. To make the won tons place one on your work surface and spoon a rounded teaspoon of the filling into the middle of it. Moisten edge with water, fold in half and press to seal. I used round wrappers, but square wrappers are fine, too. I like the round ones, labelled for dumplings, because they are a little thicker. I get them at a local Asian grocery store. Repeat with remaining won tons and fillings until done. Bring stock to a boil and add the ginger and hot sauce. Add the won tons to the simmering stock. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the strips of turkey and the shredded bok choy greens. Cook about 5-6 minutes longer. Finish soup with chopped green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serves 6-8.