1. Measure 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon into a small bowl or cup.
2. Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger.
3. Add 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice or ground cloves.
4. Add 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
5. Stir to blend.
Makes 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Date Nut Cookies
* 2 Cups all-purpose flour
* 2 Cups pitted dates
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
* 1/2 Cup butter
* 1 Cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
* 1/2 Cup buttermilk
* 1/2 Cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 375°. Grease two cookie sheets with vegetable shortening, because butter burns easily and will make the cookies dark. Measure the flour and sift into a roomy bowl. Slice the dates and toss them in 2 TB. of the flour and set them aside. Add the salt, baking soda, and PUMPKIN PIE SPICE to the remaining flour and sift again. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and the PURE VANILLA EXTRACT to the sugar mixture and blend until thoroughly mixed. Next, add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk and blending thoroughly after each addition. Mix the dates and pecans into the dough by hand. Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto the greased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should be soft and not too brown.
Yield: 4-5 dozen.
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
* 2 Cups pitted dates
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
* 1/2 Cup butter
* 1 Cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
* 1/2 Cup buttermilk
* 1/2 Cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 375°. Grease two cookie sheets with vegetable shortening, because butter burns easily and will make the cookies dark. Measure the flour and sift into a roomy bowl. Slice the dates and toss them in 2 TB. of the flour and set them aside. Add the salt, baking soda, and PUMPKIN PIE SPICE to the remaining flour and sift again. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and the PURE VANILLA EXTRACT to the sugar mixture and blend until thoroughly mixed. Next, add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk and blending thoroughly after each addition. Mix the dates and pecans into the dough by hand. Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto the greased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should be soft and not too brown.
Yield: 4-5 dozen.
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Berry Beer Baked Beans Recipe
2 cups dried cranberry, borlotti,or pinto beans, soaked over night
a splash of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups berry beer
1/2 cup dried berries and/or cherries, loosely chopped
2 cups light vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or more to taste)
fine-grain sea salt
Preheat oven to 350F degrees, and place rack in lower third.
In a large oven-proof casserole (I use my large Le Creuset Dutch oven), heat the olive oil and saute the red onion for a minute or so. Stir in the molasses, mustard, red pepper flakes, beans, beer, dried berries, and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and place in oven for roughly 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Every batch of beans is different, and they'll decide for themselves when they're done. After an hour or so, (carefully) check every 25 minutes to see how the beans are doing. When the beans are tender remove the pot from the oven. In the off chance they need more liquid during the baking process, add more broth (or water) 1/2 cup at a time. More likely, if the beans finish cooking before the cooking broth really thickens up, pull the pot back up onto the stove top, uncover, and bring the pot to a boil until the liquid has more body - usually 5 - 10 minutes.
Now it's time to season the pot. Stir in the smoked paprika and a few big, generous pinches of salt. Wait a minute and then taste, you definitely need enough salt and to make the flavors pop and to counter-balance the sweetness of the molasses and fruit - the smoked paprika helps balance in this regard as well.
A big pot - serves 8 - 10.
a splash of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups berry beer
1/2 cup dried berries and/or cherries, loosely chopped
2 cups light vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or more to taste)
fine-grain sea salt
Preheat oven to 350F degrees, and place rack in lower third.
In a large oven-proof casserole (I use my large Le Creuset Dutch oven), heat the olive oil and saute the red onion for a minute or so. Stir in the molasses, mustard, red pepper flakes, beans, beer, dried berries, and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and place in oven for roughly 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Every batch of beans is different, and they'll decide for themselves when they're done. After an hour or so, (carefully) check every 25 minutes to see how the beans are doing. When the beans are tender remove the pot from the oven. In the off chance they need more liquid during the baking process, add more broth (or water) 1/2 cup at a time. More likely, if the beans finish cooking before the cooking broth really thickens up, pull the pot back up onto the stove top, uncover, and bring the pot to a boil until the liquid has more body - usually 5 - 10 minutes.
Now it's time to season the pot. Stir in the smoked paprika and a few big, generous pinches of salt. Wait a minute and then taste, you definitely need enough salt and to make the flavors pop and to counter-balance the sweetness of the molasses and fruit - the smoked paprika helps balance in this regard as well.
A big pot - serves 8 - 10.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Pumpkin spice syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinammon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
Dissolve sugar in simmering water, add all spices and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain syrup to remove particulates and add vanilla.
Store the cooled syrup in a glass bottle or jar, away from direct sunlight, or in the fridge.
To make a latte, combine 2 shots of espresso with about 2 T spice syrup, then add steamed milk.
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinammon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
Dissolve sugar in simmering water, add all spices and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain syrup to remove particulates and add vanilla.
Store the cooled syrup in a glass bottle or jar, away from direct sunlight, or in the fridge.
To make a latte, combine 2 shots of espresso with about 2 T spice syrup, then add steamed milk.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
* 1 pound dried ziti pasta
* Kosher salt
* 3 1/2 cups Quick Tomato Sauce
* 1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced
* 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch red pepper flakes
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain.
Toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, cubed mozzarella, half the Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Transfer the pasta to an oiled 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
* 1 pound dried ziti pasta
* Kosher salt
* 3 1/2 cups Quick Tomato Sauce
* 1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced
* 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch red pepper flakes
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain.
Toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, cubed mozzarella, half the Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Transfer the pasta to an oiled 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Quick Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet and or spicy Italian sausages, casing removed and crumbled
1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 1/2 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree, (one 28-ounce can), roughly chopped
Sprig fresh thyme
Sprig fresh basil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
1 pound sweet and or spicy Italian sausages, casing removed and crumbled
1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 1/2 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree, (one 28-ounce can), roughly chopped
Sprig fresh thyme
Sprig fresh basil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
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