The Charmed Kitchen

Challah

I have wonderful memories of my mother making this bread. Whenever I make it, I think of her. It is a simple egg bread, in many ways, but the braiding makes it look so pretty. You can bake the bread in loaf pans, or on baking sheets. Both look great. This is one of my favorite sandwich breads, but I also like it for French toast. Challah is a nice option for bread in your holiday stuffing (or dressing) and it makes great bread pudding.

Challah

2 c. hot water

1 T. each sugar, salt and oil

1 package active dry yeast

¼ c. warm water

About 8 cups flour

2 beaten eggs

Poppy or sesame seeds, optional

In large bowl combine hot water, salt, sugar and oil. Dissolve yeast in warm water in small bowl and add to oil/water mix. Stir in 1 cup of the flour and eggs, reserving 2 tablespoons of the eggs for later. Gradually stir in enough of the flour to make soft dough. When dough pulls away from sides of bowl remove to floured surface. Knead dough, adding flour as necessary about 8-10 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease top, cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll three of the pieces into 12- inch ropes. Place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Take one of the remaining pieces of dough and divide into thirds. Roll the pieces into 3-nine inch ropes and place on top of the braid already in the pan. Repeat with remaining dough and cover. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush loaves with reserved eggs and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake 40-45 minutes. When done loaves will be nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped. Makes 2 loaves.

Note: Bread dough can also be placed on greased baking sheets instead of in loaf pans. The result will be longer and flatter, but very pretty.

Challah

Cranberry Bounce

You can do more with cranberries than make sauce. Not that I don’t like cranberry sauce, I do. I love cranberry season and find myself using them in all sorts of recipes. For years I have been making a liqueur called Cranberry Bounce. I got the recipe from my sister a long time ago. Cranberries, sugar and vodka. What a great combination. It’s simple to make and it makes a nice gift, too. The color is absolutely beautiful. The sweet/tart finished product can be enjoyed by just sipping, on the rocks, or mixed with club soda.

Cranberry Bounce

1 lb. fresh cranberries (most bags are 12 oz.)

2 c. sugar

4 c. vodka

Grind berries fine in food mill or food processor. Place in large jar and combine with the sugar. Let stand, covered until sugar is dissolved completely, several hours or overnight. Add vodka and let steep 1-3 weeks, stirring occasionally. Strain and filter. Makes 5 cups.

Note: Fruit can be saved in fridge and used, sparingly, in desserts, fruit salads and on cake or ice cream.

Skillet Corn with Peppers

If you are still looking for side dishes for Thanksgiving here is an easy one. It is fast, and adds a little something special to the corn. I like to make it ahead of time and just reheat it when ready to serve. That also saves work on the big day. Sometimes I saute the corn a little longer- until it starts to get some color on it. Makes me think of the taste of corn off the grill. Either way it tastes really good. I always freeze local corn when it is in season- but use what you have. Best made with fresh sweet corn- but that isn’t always around and even made with frozen corn it comes out tasty.

Skillet Corn with Peppers

1 T. oil
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
4-5 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1½ t. cumin
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Heat oil in skillet and add pepper, cooking until they are crisp-tender. Add corn and continue cooking until corn is cooked if using fresh or heated through if using frozen or canned. Add seasonings and heat another minute. Add salt and pepper if needed. Serves 4.

Squash Dinner Rolls

These rolls are a family favorite. We have them every Thanksgiving. My sister Cindy always makes them, and has been making them for years. They are rich, soft and sweet, and make a perfect addition to the dinner table. While I use cooked butternut squash in mine, pumpkin could be used, as well as other winter squashes. They are also such a beautiful color.

Rich Squash Rolls

1 c. milk

4 T. butter

½ c. sugar

¼ c. brown sugar

1 t. salt

1 pkt. Yeast

4-5 c. flour

1 ½ c. cooked butternut squash, strained, or 1 (16oz.) can squash or pumpkin

2 eggs, room temperature

Scald milk and butter. Place sugar and salt in large bowl and pour in milk mixture. Cool to lukewarm. Add yeast and 2 cups of flour. Beat at medium speed with mixer for 2 minutes. Add squash and eggs and mix until smooth. Add flour gradually to form a stiff dough. Knead on floured board for 7-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning dough to coat evenly. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled. Punch dough down and shape into rolls. Dough can be placed in a greased cake pan where they will touch each other as they rise making softer rolls. You can also place them in muffin tins, or shape into rolls and place on greased baking sheet for crispier rolls. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. Butter tops while warm. Makes 2 ½ -3 dozen.

Variation: you can also add ½ t. ground nutmeg, 1-2 T. chopped chives or 1 T. parsley flakes for a little different flavor.

Vegetable “Roses” Tart

I posted this recipe a couple of months ago- but I thought some of you might want to make it for the holidays- so here it is again. This tart is sure to get some attention at your next party. It really is easy to make, although a bit time consuming. It can be made a day or two ahead, baked, and then just reheated when you want to serve it. There are three parts to it. The crust- which I made using a favorite pie crust recipe. The filling- a mix of cheeses, eggs and some herbs. Finally the topper. Various veggies, peeled into thin ribbons, wound into little “roses”, and placed on the cheese layer. My friend, Kat, saw a similar creation and posted it. I loved it, and decided to try and create one of these tarts myself. I switched some things from the one she posted. I made my own crust and used some different veggies. So here is how I did it.

The crust:

This is an old family recipe. Simple and flaky. It makes 2 crusts- so I used the other one for another dish. You could make two tarts or freeze the rest for another time.

Flaky Pie Crust

2 c. flour
1 t. salt
3/4 c. shortening, chilled, or use lard or coconut oil, I used coconut oil
1 T. cider vinegar
4-5 T. cold water
Combine flour and salt and cut in shortening. Toss in vinegar and water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.

The crust was rolled out, using half the dough,  and fitted into a 9-inch tart pan. I blind baked it- to insure it would be cooked through- because the tart doesn’t cook that long. I poked the crust all over with a fork, then I topped the crust with a sheet of foil and then a pound of dry pinto beans. You can use pie weights, if you have them or uncooked rice. I have a jar of pinto beans that I keep just for blind baking. The crust is placed in a 425 degree oven and baked for 15- 20 minutes. It should be taken out of the oven before the edges get too brown. Set aside until you are ready to fill it.

The Filling:

I used a combination of cheeses and eggs, with some seasonings. I am not sure I needed the eggs- but I wanted the cheese to set up.

1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 t. salt- or to taste

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried basil- or 1 T. fresh basil

healthy dash of hot sauce

Combine all ingredients and spread over the crust.

The veggies:

Even though these are listed last, you might want to get them ready ahead of time. I used a vegetable peeler to make “ribbons” out of the veggies I used. You could also use a mandolin, if you have one. Some were going to be hard to roll- so I steamed them in the microwave, in batches, for several minutes. That softened them up and partially cooked them.  They should be tender- they don’t get much softer in the baking process. Dry them off on paper towels.  When I was ready to use them- I grabbed a “ribbon” and rolled it up, adding more ribbons until I had a little “blossom”. As I made them I stuck them in the cheese mixture- already spread over the crust. Sometimes I used 2 veggies in one flower to make it look more interesting. Once the surface was covered, I pressed them down a little so they would all be the same height, roughly. Season with some salt.

I used

2 zucchini

2 yellow summer squash

2 really big carrots – made for wider ribbons

1 really big beet*

I had some pieces left over and just made a stir fry with them.

Baking the tart:

Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Crust should be nice and golden around the edges and the veggies should be tender.

* The beet was the trickiest- but I wanted that pop of red. I peeled the skin off first, then tried to peel the longest pieces I could. Some were a little short, but once steamed, they still worked pretty well. sometimes I’d finish a beet center off with a longer zucchini ribbon to hold it together.

Spread cheese mixture over the crust

Start placing the “roses” on the cheese mixture

Keep filling in the tart until full.

Green Beans in Herb Butter Sauce

If you are looking for a nice green bean side dish for the holidays- I think you will really like this one. The sauce, made from a mix of herbs, onions (or shallots), sesame seeds and butter make these really special. You can pretty much assemble the whole dish the day before- and just heat when ready for dinner. Simple and full of flavor.

Green Beans in Herb Butter Sauce

1 lb. Green beans, washed and trimmed
¼ c. butter
¾ c. minced onion or shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c. minced celery
2 T. sesame seeds
2 T. chopped parsley
¾ t. salt
¼ t. each rosemary and basil

Boil or steam beans until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, start sauce. Heat butter in skillet and add onion, garlic, celery and sesame seeds. Cook 5 minutes then add seasonings and cook, covered, 5 minutes more. Toss beans with sauce. Serves 4-6.

Note: If you want to make these the day ahead, make the sauce and cook beans until almost tender. Combine beans and sauce and place in casserole dish. Chill until ready to use. When ready to serve, just place bean mixture in oven or microwave and cook until heated through and beans are tender.

Mom’s Duck Fat Bread

My Mom used to make this wonderful sweet bread. Made it for every family occasion. The recipe uses butter. She was a very frugal person. One day, she decided to render the skin from a duck she was using in soup. She didn’t want to just toss it. Too wasteful. Once it was cooled, the duck fat looked like butter. She was making her sweet bread and substituted the duck fat for the butter in the recipe. When my brother-in-law, Bob, tasted it he declared it was the best bread yet. My Mom told him what the secret ingredient was, and from that day on, we always called it duck fat bread, even when it was made with butter. Here is the recipe- wonderful even if made with plain old butter.

Mom’s Butter Coffeecake Braids aka Duck Fat Bread

4 1/2 c. flour

2 T. sugar

1 t. salt

½ c. butter or 1/2 c. cooled rendered duck fat

1 packet yeast

¼ c. warm water

2 t. sugar

1 c. evaporated milk

2 eggs, beaten

Combine flour with sugar and salt. Cut in butter or duck fat and set aside. Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar in warm water. Dissolve yeast in warm water mixture and set aside. Allow to become bubbly, about 5 minutes.  Combine milk with eggs. Stir in yeast mixture and add to flour mixture stirring well. Knead dough in bowl until smooth, about 10 minutes. Place on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours. Divide dough in half and then each half into thirds. Roll dough into ropes and braid three ropes together. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes.  Place braids in 9×5 inch greased bread pans and cover with a towel. Place in a warm, draft-free place and allow to rise until doubled, about 1½ hours. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. If you like glaze loaves while warm with a mix of powdered sugar, a little milk, butter, and vanilla. Toasted almonds or walnuts can be added, if desired. Makes 2 loaves.

Note: You can also refrigerate the dough after kneading it if you would prefer. Just place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Roll and shape dough into braids when cold from the fridge.  Rise, covered, until doubled in bulk, about 2-3 hours. Bake as directed.

Note: You can also place loaves on a greased baking sheet for a longer, flatter bread rather than in loaf pan.

Mom’s Creamed Spinach

Yesterday was my Mom’s birthday. I miss her a lot. Some foods are just about more than food. Creamed spinach always makes me think of my mother. I can remember watching her make creamed spinach, thickening the sauce and watching her stir the spinach mixture as it became thickened and bubbly. She would let me stir it, to keep it from sticking. It was always one of my favorite dishes- as a kid and today. Mom really liked spinach. She cooked with spinach a lot. She also made pork chops Florentine, occasionally rolled spinach inside a boneless turkey breast and made a wonderful spinach salad with a sweet and sour dressing, hard cooked eggs and croutons. Here is her recipe.

Mom’s Creamed Spinach

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen spinach or 2 lbs. fresh spinach, washed and stemmed
1 T. butter
1 c. milk – or half and half
2-3 T. flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t. dill weed
Cook spinach in a small amount of water and drain when heated through or wilted. Return spinach to pot and add butter. Place milk and flour in jar with tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed. Add to spinach and cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Season to taste and serve.

Blueberry Vanilla Jam

I will be one of the vendors at the Pretty Pitty Bazaar in Westlake today. This is a fun show- lots of great vendors AND you help out animals. Hope to see you there.

Wine, appetizers & unique holiday gifts from local vendors!

Join us on Saturday, November 14, 2015 from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. for a glass of wine or two, appetizers and the opportunity to check out unique products of local vendors in one convenient location!! Guests are asked to donate $10 at the door. Your $10 donation includes one glass of wine and appetizers. A portion of each sale will be donated to the dogs of For the Love of Pits®.

Location:
24510 Cornerstone
Westlake, Ohio 44145

I will have my books, seasoning mixes, blueberry jam and some yummy baked goods.

https://www.facebook.com/events/948420808538194/

Pumpkin Chiffon

I have been making this for a long time and really love it. From a technical cooking standpoint, it’s not really a chiffon, but that is what my Mom called it so I will leave it as  Pumpkin Chiffon. It’s more like a pumpkin pie, without the crust. Super easy to make and quite tasty. I bake it in a casserole dish but you could also make it in individual  ramekins.  This recipe is always a big hit when I make it for friends.  You could use canned or fresh cooked pumpkin or butternut squash. I always cook up and freeze pumpkin and squash for later use, so frozen would work, too.  I sometimes serve it with gingersnaps and whipped cream. It is a lovely Fall dessert.

Pumpkin Chiffon

½ c. applesauce
1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin or squash
¾ c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. nutmeg
1/8 t. cloves
4 eggs, well beaten
1 c. half and half or evaporated milk
Stir together first seven ingredients. Beat in eggs and stir in milk. Place mixture in 1 ½ quart casserole and bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve alone or with cookies. Serves 6-8.