The Writing is on the Container-GF Cornbread

Today I was hunting around the internet for a GF Cornbread recipe that would use some of the things I had around the house. Most had buttermilk, or some complex combination of flours and xanthum gum, or involved entirely too much butter. I went over to look at my generic cornmeal and lo and behold there was the perfect "stuff around the house" recipe. I substituted the 1.25C of all purpose flour with what I had left of my Bob's Red Mill GF AP Flour (about 3/4 of a cup) and then topped it off with Bob's GF Baking Mix (which has baking powder/xantham in it). The recipe is modified as follows and makes a light, fluffy, delicately sweet cornbread in about 15 minutes.

GF Cornbread

Modified from a container of Kroger brand Yellow Corn Meal

Ingredients

• 3/4 c Corn Meal
• 3/4 c GF All-Purpose Flour (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/4 c GF Baking Mix (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 c milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease a 9x9 square pan or similar pan of your choosing (round, square, what have you)
3. Mix corn meal, flours, baking powder, and sugar.
4. Mix milk, egg, and oil and add to dry ingredients.
5. Mix well and pour into baking pan.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. I noticed that the top of the bread appeared dry the edges were golden brown.

I am serving this with a little butter and my home made chili. 

Great for a cold, rainy night like tonight!


Tait & Ems

November 21st-Thanksgiving

Well last week was mostly an exercise in dessert making with a dash of some household favorites thrown in. First we will get to the favorites, then tackle the details of "tart making".

Monday: Ginger Chicken courtesy of Martha Stewart.com
http://www.marthastewart.com/339666/chicken-with-ginger

Martha has some of my most favorite recipes. It may seem that everything Martha has to be complicated, but her meals are surprisingly easy to create. Ginger chicken is a favorite and is very easy to make. I took a lot of extra time this week to sear off the chicken, but even if you don't have time to get that crisp brown sear it is still fantastic. I serve this over Texmati Brown Rice. The rice takes 45 minutes to cook but it is well worth the wait.

Ingredients

• 1 three-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks (1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (Doubled this as well to compete with the increase in vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar (I doubled this this week to add an increased level of acidity)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions

Directions

1. Soak ginger in cold water 10 minutes; drain. (This seems to take the bite off the ginger so you can eat it like a normal vegetable in the dish)
2. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat; brown chicken in two batches, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
3. In same skillet over medium heat, cook ginger, onion, and garlic, stirring until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar; cook over high heat until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken; stir to warm. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.

Tuesday: Dijon Mustard Chicken with Asparagus or Green Beans
http://www.marthastewart.com/318298/sauteed-chicken-in-mustard-cream-sauce
 
Martha creates another stunning yet simple to prepare dish with the Dijon Mustard Chicken. Apparently built upon a French foundation, the cream sauce is simple, flavorful, and definitely worth doubling so you have some extra. It goes best with chicken in my experiences so far as salmon tends to overpower the sauce quickly. I suggest using the white wine variation if you like a tangier sauce and the broth is you like it a bit smoother.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (6 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate; keep warm.
2. Pour wine into hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream, mustard, and tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour any accumulated chicken juices into sauce. Right before serving, drizzle cream sauce over chicken. (I also highly recommend putting it on the vegetables as well!)

Wednesday: Take-Out
Thursday: Thanksgiving Desserts!

Blackberry and Basil Tart with Cornmeal Shortbread Crust
http://www.marthastewart.com/355527/blackberry-basil-tart
http://www.marthastewart.com/355536/cornmeal-shortbread-dough 

I was really excited to try this recipe as I have become an avid fan of basil these days. I ordered an oblong tart pan from Amazon.com for this one and found it worked really well Fat Daddio's Tart Pan $9.99
The tart unfortunately fell a little flat for me not because of flavor but because the crust became soggy fast. I might have undercooked it as I was really nervous it was going to burn and probably pulled it out too soon. This may have allowed for the sour cream filling to saturate the undercooked crust. Overall however this was one tasty tart! I also did not allow the filling to cool in the refrigerator for two hours prior to filling the tart.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sour cream
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• Cornmeal Shortbread Dough
• 2 cups blackberries (about 1 pint)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Stir together sour cream and 3/4 cup sugar. Scrape in vanilla bean seeds; stir to combine. Discard pod. Refrigerate filling, covered, until firm, about 3 hours or up to 2 days, before using.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press dough into a 13 3/4-by-4 1/4-by-1-inch oblong tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim edges of dough flush with pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake until golden and crisp, about 18 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Stir together blackberries, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon water, basil, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring gently, until berries have softened and released their juices and mixture is warmed through, about 2 minutes.
4. Spoon sour cream filling into tart shell. Top with the berry mixture. Garnish with basil sprigs.

Apple Tart
http://www.marthastewart.com/334356/apple-tart

This tart turned out like an easy to eat slice of apple pie. I used Musselman's Chunky Apple Sauce (which was probably too chunky) and Pepperidge Farm puff pastry from the freezer. I used a mandoline to slice the apples and overall didn't do too bad. This mandoline is great for the price, but watch your fingertips! 

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3 ounce package), preferably Dufour, thawed
• All-purpose flour, for surface
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
• 1/2 cup fresh or good-quality applesauce
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin wedges
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sanding sugar, for sprinkling (apparently "sanding sugar" is apparently a large crystal sugar therefore I used a few packets of Sugar in the Raw)
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon water
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)
• Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Roll puff pastry into a 14-by-16-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut a 1-inch-wide strip from each side of dough. Brush edges with egg wash, and top with cut strips to form a crust. Prick middle of dough all over with a fork, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread applesauce onto middle of dough using an offset spatula. Arrange apple wedges over applesauce in 3 tightly overlapping rows. Brush apples with melted butter. Brush crust with egg wash, and sprinkle entire surface with sanding sugar. (Unbaked tart can be frozen for up to 3 days.)
3. Bake until edges start to puff, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake, rotating halfway through, until pastry is dark golden brown and apples have caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes more. Transfer sheet to a wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Warm apricot preserves and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Brush apples with warm apricot preserves. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired, and cut into squares using a pizza wheel or a knife. Serve warm with whipped cream if desired.

Cook's Note

Once assembled, this tart can be frozen for up to three days. Simply bake it straight from the freezer as instructed.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
http://www.marthastewart.com/335642/pumpkin-cheesecake

While the real recipe for this cheesecake is not gluten free, I have adapted it so that my husband may partake in it's creamy, light deliciousness. I used Kinnikinnick GF Graham Cracker Crumbs for this recipe but be aware you get three boxes when you order them and you can make 2.25 cheesecakes approximately out of each box. I also used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour which can easily be purchased at most major chain stores or Whole Foods. I have this sneaking suspicion that GF flour actually creates a lighter cheesecake, but I have no scientific evidence to back this claim. All in all though this is one heck of a fantastic cheesecake. Unfortunately I have not found the magic amount of blending to keep the top from cracking, however I am considering hand mixing next time instead of using my KitchenAid Mixer . This may also help eliminate the speckling of cream cheese I often find through out this cake.

Ingredients

• For the Crust

  • 1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs (from 10 whole crackers)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• For the Filling

  • 4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese, very soft
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.
2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.
4. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).
5. Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.

Cook's Note

To make the crumbs for the crust, pulse graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Or, if you prefer, substitute the same amount of packaged graham-cracker crumbs.

Rum Raisin Truffles
http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=466&S=0

Here another one of my favorite chefs appears, Miss Ina Garten of the The Barefoot Contessa . Her recipes tend to be on the more complicated side, however with a few tricks these truffles were a snap! When it comes to the chocolate for dipping just microwave it in 20 second increments. When the chocolate is nearly melted just keep stirring it as the residual heat will melt the remainder. Also for making the ganache (cream/chocolate) filling a double boiler works best since it gives you a handle to hold onto. (I found the glass bowl/pot method to be more burn risk than helpful). I don't have a suggestion for double boiler, as I got mine years ago.

Ingredients 125 grams heavy cream (about ½ cup)  750 grams (about 26 ounces) milk chocolate, divided (I used Ghirardelli Dipping Chocolate which comes in a 2.5 POUND bar for $11.51 and works like a charm) 15 grams butter (about 1 tablespoon)  40 grams raisins (about 1/8 cup)  60 grams dark rum, such as Mount Gay (about ¼ cup) Directions

1. In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (or double boiler!), heat the cream until hot to the touch and turn off the heat. Meanwhile, chop 350 grams (about 12 oz) of the milk chocolate into small pieces. Add the chocolate and butter to the hot cream, and stir until the chocolate melts.
2. Place the raisins and rum in the bowl of a mini food processor or blender and process until the raisins are finely minced. Stir the raisin mixture into the chocolate mixture and set aside at room temperature for at least 6 hours or overnight to cool.
3. Using a 1¼” ice cream scoop, scoop balls of the rum raisin mixture and place them on sheet pans lined with parchment paper.
4. To make the tempered chocolate, chop the remaining 400 grams of milk chocolate and place ¾ of it in a small glass bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds exactly. Stir the chocolate and continue to microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is smooth and shiny. Add the remaining ¼ of the chocolate and stir until smooth. The chocolate should register 85-89 degrees F on a candy thermometer.(Screw the thermometer, when it is smooth, it is done)
5. With 2 small spoons, pick up each ball and cover it with tempered chocolate. (You can also use your hands to coat them.) They can look a little messy and “truffle” like. Place the truffle back on the parchment paper. Continue to coat each of the balls until they’re all coated with milk chocolate. Allow to sit for a few minutes until the chocolate hardens. Serve at room temperature (be aware they start to literally melt as they sit out, but still taste fantastic!)

GF Cookie Dough Truffles
http://thevillagecook.com/cookie-dough-truffles/

I would say these weren't my favorite truffles so far. I do believe the use of GF flour might have altered the flavor in a way that isn't great when it comes to eating raw flour. I would suggest using regular flour for these and a high quality/flavor one at that. Some of these a coated, some I simply drizzled with chocolate (see picture next to Rum Raisin Truffles).

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened salted butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 1/4 c flour
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Combine (in a bowl,)  the butter, sugar,vanilla,and sweetened condensed milk. Add the flour and chocolate chips and mix thoroughly.
2. Chill dough for approximately 30 minutes until easy to form into balls.
3. Form balls using a melon baller and then rolling into desired shape with your hands. I recommend making the balls quite small as this is a rich little bite. Place balls on a parchment/wax paper lined cookie sheet.
4. Freeze formed balls for around two hours until very firm.
5. Melt chocolate for dipping and decorate as you like.

Thank you for reading and have a delicious week!

Tait & Ems

What cooking has taught me

So there are a lot of cooking blogs, movies about cooking blogs, mommy blogs, and all the like. I am not here to compete with those blogs. I am here because there is a tiny need, in my tiny corner of the world. I shall explain further...

On July 12th, 2011 at 7:59 pm my world changed forever. Yes it sounds cliche, but it is cliche because it is so repetitive and abundantly clear. Miss Emma Adrienne rocked my world for good. There is no going back once you have a child. If having a child doesn't change you, then there is seriously something wrong with you. For better or for worse I am changed.

I decided at this time, after an agonizing back and forth in my own head, that I needed to be with my child. This little collection of cells was so inherently part of me I couldn't bear the thought of leaving her for even the shortest of times. I still, now nearly five months later, have a hard time running to the grocery store without her with me. Her and I are now bound by the unimaginable power of nature.

During these past few months of homework and every three hour feedings I found a new hobby or avocation. I love cooking. I have never been much for cooking as I never really had the time or patience to learn intricate techniques or spend time planning weekly meals. Until now.

The purpose of this blog is to share and communicate my experiences with food. I do not intend for this to be an overly sentimental or personal blog. I intend for this introductory post to give a feel for why I am here, and to show my appreciation to those who have interest in my cooking.

I will post once per week after I have completed my weekly meals. I will post all recipes (with links to the originals) and explain adjustments and techniques. I plan to post interesting tidbits about cooking as I learn them (such as why you let meat rest) and other juicy facts.

Please feel free to leave comments, ask questions, share recipes, and suggest meals for me to try.

Sincerely,

Tait & Ems