Fresh Cream Becomes Butter and Buttermilk

So far, the best low-temp pasteurized heavy cream I can find easily here in Houston is from Mill-King Creamery.  We have been enjoying their milk over the past few months: http://www.mill-kingmarket.com/mill-kingmarket.com/Mill-King_Market.html I pick it up at Whole Foods or Revival Market. This is the first time I have attempted separating cream into butter and buttermilk since moving here last year.  In Toronto, I bought fresh cream in glass bottles almost weekly at the local markets with the idea that I could turn one product into several: butter, buttermilk, and whipped.  I paid a Toonie, or 2 dollars, deposit which I got back when I returned the bottle after use.  I regularly stored the buttermilk in the same, original glass bottle as the cream, and the butter in two glass bowls: half for immediate use in the fridge and the other half in the freezer to be pulled as needed.   Since the cost of butter was higher than I was used to, purchasing the cream and making fresh butter was more than worth the effort.  But then again, it's no effort at all with the Thermomix to make your own butter weekly! A week after posting, I came across "Meeting the Moment" in a weekly favorite food mediation:http://www.thekitchn.com/meeting-the-moment-with-apricot-jam-weekend-meditation-190983 and I began to reflect on how my Thermomix also facilitates being able to be "present for the delights that are inherent in this activity, they register more deeply and become a brighter, more significant thread in my emotional makeup."   
See how I use my butter in the rustic tart posted below.  Also:
http://kidfriendlyallergykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/oat-and-spelt-crackers.html
http://kidfriendlyallergykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/03/buttermilk-scones.html  (along with buttermilk!)
http://kidfriendlyallergykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/oat-squares.html

VIDEO RECIPE:http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2012/17213/how-to-make-butter-thermomix.html                                                                            

Good reading on making your own butter and culturing the cream first:

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-butter-and-cultured-butter-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-194372

So interesting:http://www.splendidtable.org/story/how-to-make-buttermilk-good-enough-to-drink

Rustic Tarts

ready for the oven!

Today with garlicky chard, Jamón Serrano, carmalized onion and feta.  Next time with butternut squash and blue cheese.  Or how about zucchini and ricotta? Perfect with a lemony-dressed arucula salad from Urban Harvest Farmer's market.  Or with a favorite, quick and simple sliced button mushrooms salad topped with parsley, shards of parmesan, lemon juice and olive oil.

We have been getting a lot great greens in our weekly CSA basket from Home Sweet Farm; this week's chard found its way to the dinner table dressed up in this lovely, rustic tart.  We also get a bi-weekly delivery of goat feta from Blue Huron Farm.  I usually like to eat the feta as is, simply thrown into my lunch quinoa salad along with avocado and pumpkin seeds. But it works wonderfully warm and mixed in with the wilted chard.

Try different flour combinations.  I like to use mostly whole wheat or spelt with some all-purpose to lighten it up some.  So many possibilites with one simple recipe.   I love the savory crust with fruit, pears especially.

I like to think of these rustic tarts as a great eggless replacement for many veggie-filled or fruit-filled baked dishes: omelets, fritatas, bread pudding and clafouti. 

With this simple short crust recipe, you can use up whatever vegetables and cheese you have on-hand. And a little bacon or ham always makes things more delicious! The last sleeve of jamón worked well here for added saltiness.  I recommend making ahead a batch of caramelized onions for adding into weeknight meals such as this tart, pasta grilled pizzas, sandwiches and to top crostini. 

So simple to make with a food processor or Thermomix.

pear and prosciutto ready for oven

What to use:
200g flour (I mix Whole Foods Organic 365, 150 whole wheat and 50 all-purpose)
100g butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/4 tsp. salt
50-60g water, chilled






What to do:
Place flour, butter and salt in TM bowl and mix for about 10 second on speed 6 until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Set dial to closed lid position.

Add water and kneed for 10-20 seconds on Interval speed to form dough.

Add a little more water if necessary to bind.

Turn mixture on floured board and kneed lightly.

Put in refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes (I make and leave overnight) before rolling out and using.

Fill tart and bake at 200 degrees Celsius 
                        

mushroom, cheddar, caramelized onion and parsley

Chocolate Chip Bread

favorite bakeware: www.benningtonpotters.com

Bread with chocolate!  Made in just minutes with my Thermomix and whenever we want it since the machine does the weighing, mixing and kneading. This chocolate bread quickly became a favorite breakfast and after school treat during my second pregnancy. I  craved baked goods both pregnancies, but was twice as scared to have an allergic reaction and need to take Benadryl, or even worse, have to grab for my epi-pen. Combine my son's sesame allergy-can now tolerate egg in bake goods but with caution-with my nut allergy, and you'll see the comfort in doing our own, safe baking.


What you need:

325 g luke warm water 
40 g butter
1.5 tbsp cocoa (we used Trader Joe's: email customer service for quick allergen risk response)
1 tsp salt 
2 tsp yeast 
40 g sugar
520 g bakers flour  (I used all-purpose.  I would like to try mixing with whole grain flour)
150 g choc chips  (Enjoylife brand free of top allergens, but we are comfortable with WholeFoods 36570% dark chic chunks)

What to do:

Place all ingredients into bowl and mix speed 6 for 7 seconds.  Knead on interval speed for 2 minutes.

Proove 30 minutes and bake on 180 degrees for 40 minutes.  Let cool before serving.

*add pinch of cinnamon or some orange zest,  Maybe rosemary?
**play around with when to add chocolate chips,
***spread with some coconut butter, or cream cheese and preserves. Maybe ricotta with a drizzle of honey? Maybe whipped butter with add-in like fresh berries?

original recipe: http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/recipes/chocolate-bread/45875

Chocolate Quinoa Crackers

We have been quite busy moving, yet again.  This time just down the street though and not internationally. Between pregnancy and moving to-do lists, I am just starting to get back into looking for new recipes to try.  I bookmarked these chocolate quinoa crackers a while ago because I liked the short list of ingredients.  I also liked that they are vegan and gluten free.  Since I would like to share these with a friend who does not tolerate gluten, I wiped down my counter top 3 times, made sure to inspect all cooking utensils out of the dishwasher, and used parchment paper on bottom and top of dough when rolling out as well as a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  I just didn't trust that my rolling pin was totally free of traces of gluten.  I still need to calibrate the oven since I'm sure the temperature is off some; let's hope that the 390 I set the oven to worked out ok.  Off to try one now!

Original recipe found at: http://chockohlawtay.blogspot.com/2012/07/chocolate-quinoa-crackers.html

                                                                  

What you need:
1 cup of quinoa flour (Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Flour)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Trader Joe's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: "Our Vendors Follow Good Manufacturing Practices To Segregate Ingredients to Avoid Cross Contact With Allergens Made on Shared Equipment With Milk.")
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar (please note that recipe calls for other sweeteners)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup water

What to do:
Tape down a large square of parchment paper onto your counter

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Take out third parchment paper and set aside for putting on top of dough for when rolling out

Measure the oil and water in different bowls and set aside.

In bowl, whisk together the quinoa flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  

Drizzle the oil over the mixture and rub in with your fingers until it looks a little like sand 


Slowly add in the water, still mixing using your fingers.  Add enough water to form a ball (should not be too moist and should not be too dry where pieces crumble off).  Pat the dough into a ball and place on the taped down parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll the dough out , making sure that it doesn't tear.  If it does, add a little bit more water, re-pat into a ball and roll out again.  Roll out to about 1/8" thickness.  Slice using a pizza cutter.  Transfer squares individually onto the prepared pan--about 1-2" apart--and poke holes into them using a toothpick or fork.  Bake for 10-11 minutes (they will be soft out of the oven but will become crunchy once cooled), and cool on a wire drying rack.

poking holes

Today, Cats!
Tomorrow, Trains!

                                                       

Avocado Bar, Great Summer take on Baked Potato Bar

Saw this idea today on thekitchn.com.  I can't wait to try this out and to share with my mother-in-law in Chile.  Just remember to serve each topping on its own plate and with own serving utensil.  And it's always a good idea to let allergic individual help themselves first to avoid possible cross contamination. And when it comes to prepping the ingredients, keep cross contamination in mind if you have an allergic guest or family member.  


http://www.thekitchn.com/backyard-party-idea-an-avocado-bar-174480

Rice pudding (arroz con leche): No Egg In Mine

Arroz con leche/rice pudding could be my all time favorite treat, maybe even more so than ice cream. This rice pudding recipe contains no egg.   It is creamy and comforting and easy to make in the Thermomix.   The Thermomix requires so little effort that you will hug your machine with each delicious bite.  This is a great go-to treat for any time of day.  I even like it for breakfast, especially during pregnancy; filling and not too sweet.  Top with ground cinnamon or add cinnamon sticks, lemon/orange rind to milk as it cooks.  

I froze two rocket pops with the rice pudding, let's see how they come out:

Recipe on Thermomix App under "Desserts and Sweets".  Great step by step instructions and pop-up ingredient list

What you need:
1000 g milk
50 g sugar
1 pinch salt
220 g white short-grain rice (I use Whole Foods Arborio)

What to do:
Place, mik, sugar and salt into mixing bowl, heat 8 min/100 degrees C/speed 1 without inserted measuring cup.

Add rice, cook 30 min/90 degrees C/reverse/speed 1 without inserted measuring cup.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

When in Toronto, please enjoy Monforte cheeses; I miss them terribly!

wrapped like a present

I was just thinking about all the yummy things I miss eating in Toronto.  And funny that I stumbled across Monteforte Dairy on the kitchn.com today.  Oh, what I'd do to get some of their pescorino fresco.  It happens to be my son's favorite cheese spread on bread and one of our summer go-to cheeses.  I often would pick up a variety of their cheeses twice a week at St. Lawrence Market, Brickworks, and the Metro Hall Farmer's Market on Thursday mornings.  My son knew the names of the friendly people behind the cheeses and loved strolling to get it.  Check out a good description with photos here: http://www.thekitchn.com/in-canada-try-monforte-dairy-cheeses-the-cheesemonger-174298

drizzled with local buckwheat honey!