King Cake
King Cake
If you are planning a Mardi Gras party, you will want a King Cake. King Cakes are a long-standing tradition in New Orleans at Mardi Gras. A small plastic baby is often hidden in the cake, although you can use a bean or even a whole pecan or almond.
Tradition has it that the guest who finds the “surprise” in their piece will host next year’s party. Be careful to warn guest so they don’t break a tooth or swallow the “prize”. You can also use the whole nuts inside the cake and just set the baby on top of the cake when serving.
The “cake” is really a sweet cinnamon swirl bread. The yeast dough is rolled out, spread with butter and cinnamon sugar, and rolled up. Then the dough is shaped into an oval shape.
After it is baked, the king cake is decorated with colorful frostings, sugars or both. Traditionally the colors used are yellow, green and purple, but, hey it’s your cake have fun with it.
If you want just the sugars, and no frosting, then brush the king cake with a beaten egg before baking and sprinkle with the sugar then. Otherwise, you’ll decorate the cake once baked and cooled.
King Cake
1/4 c. butter
16 oz. container sour cream
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1 T. sugar
1/2 c. warm water
2 eggs
6 /2 c. flour
1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/3 c. butter, softened
Colored sugars and frostings (recipes follow)
Heat together the first 4 ingredient to about 100 degrees. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in large bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Add butter mixture, eggs and 2 cups of the flour. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed and gradually work in enough flour to form a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about ten minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Stir together 1/2 c. sugar with cinnamon and set aside. Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll out one piece of dough into a 28×10-inch rectangle. Spread dough with half of the butter and sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture. Starting at long end roll up jelly roll fashion and pinch seam to seal. Shape dough into an oval shape and pinch ends together. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining piece of dough except remember to add the toy baby, nut or bean if you want the “surprise”. Cover and let rise about 20 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool before decorating with tinted frostings and colored sugars. Makes 2, serving 24.
Frostings
3 c. powdered sugar
3 T. melted butter
3 t. milk
1/2 t. vanilla
Green, yellow, red and blue food coloring
Combine sugar and butter and add enough milk to make the glaze a drizzling consistency. Add vanilla and divide mixture in three small bowls. Tint one bowl yellow, one green and one purple, using both the red and blue food coloring. I often don’t bother to tint the frostings, but rely on the tinted sugars for color.
Tinted sugars
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
Food coloring
Place 1/2 c. sugar in each of three small bags and add a couple of drops of food coloring to each. One use yellow, one green and one both the red and blue for purple. Shake the bags to distribute the color. You should only need a couple of drops of each.
Decorate the cake by making bands of the colored frostings and then sprinkling on the sugars.
Rosemary Love
Fresh Rosemary
I love cooking with rosemary. It adds such a wonderful, unique taste to foods. Rosemary has a spicy flavor with pine notes. It is a strong flavor, though, and needs to be used with a light hand. Subtle is the key to successfully cooking with this herb.
I must admit, I had to learn to love rosemary. The first time I cooked with fresh rosemary, I used too much. I ended up with lamb chops that tasted like menthol cough drops. I decided I didn’t like rosemary. Eventually, I tried it again and decided I had been too quick to dismiss rosemary.
Rosemary pairs well with lamb and pork. I like it in tomato sauce and it goes great in breads and baked goods. It also goes well with poultry and is an ingredient in poultry seasoning.
I grow rosemary in pots and bring the pots in for the winter. I live in a climate where rosemary may- or may not- survive winter. I don’t take the chance. It is easier to just bring the potted plants in for winter. I keep them in the basement, under grow lights. That way I have the added bonus of enjoying fresh rosemary year round. If you live in a more temperate area, you can plant rosemary right in the ground. It needs a fair amount of sunlight and well drained soil. Rosemary really is easy to grow.
So here are a few of my favorite rosemary recipes.
Rosemary Oatmeal Bread
5-5 ½ c. flour
1 package active dry yeast
3 T. fresh rosemary or 1 T. dried, chopped
1 ½ t. salt
1 1/3 c. water
¼ c. milk
¼ c. molasses
¼ c. butter
1 egg
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
In large bowl mix 1 cup of the flour with yeast and salt. In small pan heat together next 4 ingredients until warm. Pour into bowl with flour mixture and beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup additional flour and egg and beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in oatmeal and 1 cup more flour and stir, adding enough flour to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover, allowing to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place on prepared sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.
This versatile dough can also be shaped into loaves and places in 8×4-inch greased loaf pans. Baking time will remain the same. Dough can also be divided into 24 equal pieces and shaped into dinner rolls. Bake rolls at 375 for 15 minutes.
Rosemary Biscuits
3 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1 ¾ c. biscuit mix, like Bisquick, I use homemade.
½ c. milk
2 t. minced fresh rosemary or ¾ t. dried
In mixing bowl cut cream cheese into biscuit mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and rosemary and stir until soft dough forms. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough holds together, about ten times. Shape dough into a 6-inch square and cut into 4 3-inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Makes 8.
Cranberry-Rosemary Vinegar
This is a favorite food gift of mine. It is so festive and it tastes good, too.
All you need are bottles with corks or screw top lids. If using corks, be sure they are food grade. You’ll also need cranberries, bamboo skewers, fresh rosemary and vinegar- 5% acidity. I use red wine vinegar. Other vinegar will work, too. If you use white vinegar or cider vinegar they will pick up color from the berries and turn a pretty reddish shade. Not as red as with the wine vinegar, but still very pretty.
Since I bring my rosemary plants inside for the winter, I have access to fresh rosemary. Your local grocery store probably has some in the produce department. You can use other herbs, if you can’t find rosemary.
Make sure the skewers will fit in the bottles. Cut them down to fit, if needed. Skewer the berries on the skewers leaving a little room on the top of the skewer. If your cranberries are really big, test to make sure they will fit the neck of the bottle. The skewers keep the berries from floating around.
Place a few sprigs of rosemary in each bottle and then add the berry- filled skewers. Pour in the vinegar, leaving a little room for the cork. Sometimes you need to add a little more vinegar the next day as some will absorb into the cranberries and the skewers. I make decorative labels and give them as gifts. Ready to use in a week.
Poultry Seasoning
¼ c. dried parsley
3 T. dried marjoram
3 T. dried rosemary
3 T. dried thyme
2 T. dried savory
1 T. celery seed
1 T. dried sage
2 t. dried oregano
2 t. dried basil
1 t. ground allspice
1 t. fresh ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Store in a cool, dry place to maintain freshness.
Rosemary Biscuits
Cranberry-Rosemary Vinegar
Rosemary Oatmeal Bread
Spelt and Sesame Bagels
Spelt and Sesame Bagel
If you never made your own bagels- you really should sometime. They are easy to make, and fun, too. In case you didn’t know, the secret to the chewy texture of bagels in that they are boiled in water before being baked.
There are so many variations. You can swap out the type of flour or add herbs, seeds, onions, garlic or even fruit.
I decided to make my bagels with spelt flour. Spelt is closely related to wheat. It contains gluten, like wheat. Whole grain spelt flour has a lighter texture than whole wheat flour, though. It has all the fiber of a whole grain, but the texture of a white flour. It worked out so well in the bagels. The sesame seeds added even more flavor and texture.
Bagels began in Austria when a baker in Vienna in 1683 wanted to honor the visiting president of Poland. He created a roll that was round, or shaped like the stirrup on the King’s saddle. The new creation was called beugel, which was a variation of the German word for stirrup. Over time the word evolved into bagel. Because they were made with white flour, everyone, other than the rich considered bagels a special treat for special occasions. Today bagels are found in almost every grocery store throughout the country.
Spelt and Sesame Bagels
2 c. bread flour
2 ½- 3 c. spelt flour*
3 T. sugar
1 T. salt
2 pkgs. Yeast
1 ½ c. Water
1 T. oil
1 T. sugar
2 t. salt
1 egg white
Mix 1½ cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and yeast in a medium bowl. Heat water with oil and add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Add remaining ½ cup of bread flour and beat 1 minute. Stir in enough spelt flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Set in greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place 1 hour. Punch dough down cover and let rest 15 minutes. Divide dough into 12 pieces and form into smooth balls. Cover with towel and let rest 10 minutes. In large skillet heat 1 inch of water to a simmer. Add remaining sugar and salt to water. With floured finger poke a hole in the center of three of the dough balls. Drop into simmering water cooking 3 minutes. Turn over and cook 2 minutes. Turn to first side and simmer 1 more minute. Remove to greased baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. Mix egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush tops of bagels. Sprinkle with seeds if desired. Bake in a 375 –degree oven for 20 –25 minutes. Makes 12.
* Spelt flour is closely related to wheat. It is used like whole wheat flour in baking, but has a lighter texture while still being a whole grain. If you can’t find spelt flour you can use whole wheat flour in its place in this recipe.
Boiling the bagels
Ready to be split and toasted
With cream cheese, lox, sweet onion and capers.
Citrus Honey Vinaigrette
Citrus and Honey Vinaigrette on Fresh Greens
Even in cold weather, I often crave a fresh green salad. This dressing is perfect for one of my winter salads. Winter is citrus season, so lemons and oranges are abundant. The taste of the citrus in this recipe, really brightens up the greens. The honey adds just the right balance of sweetness.
I have basil under grow lights- so I have the fresh basil, too. If you can’t find fresh basil at the store- dried can be used.
The recipe is useful as more than just a salad dressing. You can use it as a glaze on meats, or even as a dipping sauce. The combination of juices, zest, honey and fresh basil works on fruit salads, too.
I prefer homemade dressings for my salads. They are easy to make, and I get to control what goes in them. This one is great to have on hand in the fridge. Just shake it up and it’s ready to serve.
Citrus Honey Vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive or avocado oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 T. chopped fresh basil- 2 t. dried basil could be used
1 T. white wine vinegar
In a jar with a lid, mix the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, honey, basil, and vinegar. Seal and shake well. Chill 2 hours in the refrigerator. Strain basil before serving. Use on green salad or with chicken, fruit or seafood salads. Can also be brushed on chicken, meat or seafood as a glaze.
Rainbow Bean Salad
Rainbow Bean Salad
When you hear green or yellow split peas- do you think of soup? You probably do. But when cooked until just tender, split peas make a great salad ingredient. I often just add some cooked split peas to a tossed salad. They add flavor, protein and a nice texture to salads. An added bonus is that split peas can be cooked from dry to tender in about 20 minutes. That makes them a great choice when time is tight.
This is one of my favorite salads using both green and yellow split peas. Fresh and colorful, it is a big hit with vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends. If some of you are looking for new meatless meals ideas, this one is a winner.
The salad uses both green and yellow split peas, along with black beans, butter beans, red lentils and assorted veggies. It is a great combination of colors and textures. It does make a lot, but you can easily cut the recipe in half.
The dish was inspired by my nephew Danny’s love of sand art when he was a kid. The ingredients are layered in the bowl for a pretty presentation. It is also an homage to the layered salads I remember from my youth. I like this one a whole lot more.
Rainbow Bean Salad
1 c. each green split peas, yellow split peas and red lentils
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. diced sweet onion
1 c. diced sweet pepper
1 c. grated carrot
Cook split peas and lentils separately just until tender. Split peas, both green and yellow will take 20 minutes. Red lentils will take about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse each under cold water when done and set aside until ready to use, or you can cook them a day ahead and keep chilled. Each will yield about 2 1/2 c. cooked.
In large glass bowl, place the following ingredients in this order.
Black beans, butter beans, green split peas. yellow split peas. onion, red lentils. carrots and peppers. Pour over dressing and chill several hours or overnight. Serve on a bed of greens.
Dressing *
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. vinegar
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 T. sugar
1/2 c. parsley or cilantro
1 t. each chili powder, cumin and salt
dash hot sauce
Combine in a blender or food processor until smooth.
*Note: Any fresh or bottled dressing you like can be used. Balsamic works very well. I often serve it with homemade Italian dressing.
White Chili
White Chili
There are so many variations of chili, I am thinking you could make a different version every day for months. Some are pretty traditional and some, like this White Chili, are not the norm. It is very good, though.
The base for this dish is white beans with veggies, chicken and seasonings to evoke that comfort food feeling that chili brings to the table.
I like to add enough cayenne pepper to also bring a little heat to this dish. I serve it topped with a little salsa, some shredded cheese and green onions.
It is a windy day here, with temps dropping and rain pelting the house. Chili just seems like a great dish to make on a day like this. It might be cold and windy outside, but this chili will keep me feeling warm and toasty.
So, if you need something to warm you up inside, you might want to give this chili a try.
White Chili
1 lb. dry navy or great northern beans
1 large onion, chopped
1 (4 oz.) can mild green chilies, drained and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. oil
5-6 c. chicken broth
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt to taste
½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced fine
Toppings
Fresh salsa
Sour cream
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Shredded Colby cheese
Chopped green onions or fresh chives
Soak beans in 8 cups water overnight. Drain and rinse. In large kettle cook onions, chilies and garlic in hot oil until onions are tender. Add beans, broth, cumin, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered, for 1 ½ – 2 hours or until beans are tender. Mash beans slightly to thicken soup. Add chicken and salt and cook 10-15 minutes more. Serve with toppings of your choice. Serves 6-8.
Orange and Oatmeal Scones
Orange and Oatmeal Scone
I love fresh scones, still warm from the oven. Since it is citrus season, I decided to make scones with some seasonal orange flavor. These scones have a nice, crunchy outside and crumbly, tender middle.
The orange juice and orange zest gives them a wonderful flavor. The oatmeal gives them a lovely texture and the raisins add just a bit if sweetness. A very nice combination.
These are great served warm, topped with sweet butter and jam. They are perfect for breakfast or brunch.
You can also use these scones as the base for a berry shortcake. Split, topped with sweetened berries and some whipped cream, they turn into a simple and tasty dessert.
Orange and Oatmeal Scones
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup very cold, unsalted butter – cut into chunks
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
2 t. grated orange peel
1 cup raisins – plumped and well dried
Glaze
milk, sugar, orange zest
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (double two sheets if you have them – one inside the other). Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, place flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and mix together. Cut or rub in butter to make a mealy mixture. Stir in egg and orange juice. Add orange peel and raisins. Mix to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for a few minutes. Roll or pat out into a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a serrated cookie cutter cut into disks or rounds. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar and orange zest. Bake until nicely browned – about 14 minutes. Makes about 24.
Spelt and Walnut Biscotti
Spelt and Walnut Biscotti
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.
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. These aren’t too sweet, so biscotti make a nice breakfast. They also stay crisp for a long time, if stored in an air tight container.
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.
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.
Buckwheat Waffles
Buckwheat Waffles
I really love these whole grain waffles. Buckwheat flour adds a different flavor from most waffles. They have a lovely crisp outer texture and are soft inside.
Buckwheat waffles have a savory side that makes them a nice base for sandwiches, in place of bread.
Dressed up with butter and syrup, they still work for breakfast or brunch.
So, if you are looking for something different, why not give buckwheat waffles a try?
Here is the recipe.
Buckwheat Waffles
1 cup of buckwheat flour
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup of sour cream
3 tablespoons of cooking oil or melted butter
Combine all ingredients. Cook in preheated waffle iron that has been oiled or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Roasted Beet Salad
Roasted Beet Salad
I picked up a couple of bunches of beets the other day. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with them at the time. They just looked so fresh. I decided to roast some, and then go from there.
To roast beets: just wash them and trim off the greens- leaving about an inch of the stems to reduce bleeding. The beet greens could be added to the salad.
Place beets in a roasting pan and drizzle with a little oil. I used avocado 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. Let the beets cool a little and then remove the peels. I use a knife to do this. They come off quite easily.
I used three small beets to make this salad for lunch. I shared it with a neighbor.
Roasted Beet Salad
1 small head Bibb lettuce, washed and sliced into thin slices
2 c. spinach, torn into bite sized pieces
1/4 c. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
2 t. sugar, optional
3 small roasted beets, peeled
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c. hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/4 c. dried cherries
coarse sea salt- I used pink salt
Place lettuce in a mixing bowl. Combine olive oil with vinegar and sugar, if using. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss over the greens. Slice beets. Divide greens on 2 salad plates. Arrange half of the beets on each salad and top with the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle with a few grains of the sea salt and serve. Makes 2 luncheon salads.
