Clafouti

I have been seeing all these pictures of Clafouti when browsing food blogs (and how unfair is that they not only create beautiful food but take gorgeous pictures of it as well?). It looked nummy and easy to make. SO i tried.

I figured you couldn't go wrong with Julia Child so that is the recipe I used. First disappointment was that it was not scaled to individual portions but for 6 to 8 people. But I can go with the flow. When I made it the batter looked a little thin but since I wasn't sure exactly what the end product was suppose to be like I decided not to worry.

I was disappointed, I had expected a texture like either a souffle or a pancake. Instead it was much closer to scrambled eggs. Another disappointment was I didn't get a pretty brown top. The taste wasn't bad though just a bit of a let down from my high expectations.

It does have promise though, maybe next time I will beat the egg whites separately to help with the texture and sprinkle sugar on top to brown.

Bananas and Carmel Sauce

This is an all purpose, fancy things up sauce I make. we put it on ice cream, pancakes and really just about any thing. Depending on what I have on hand it can have many variations.

Take some bananas (usually 1 per person) and slice fairly thickly, 1/4 to 3/4 an inch.

take some butter (depends on how saucy you want the bananas) 1 tblsp or more. and melt in skillet. if the bananas are firm add now and sprinkle with sugar (about equal amounts with butter) and cinnamon to taste. If the bananas are soft add the sugar and when it is dissolved and becomes carmely add the bananas and cinnamon.

Saute the bananas and carmel til they are mushy on the edges. remove from heat and scarf down.

Because of the sugar and cooking unlike most banana dishes this refrigerates and reheats well.

I have used brown sugar or honey on the past instead of sugar, and have added nuts and coconut when I was in the mood.

Realizations

I came to the realization this weekend that I don't have a blog and a place to stash recipes, I have two blogs. Let me tell you that came as a shock. I am not sure I am ready for two blogs. I have enough trouble keeping up with one. But while I don't mind talking about food and showing pictures of food on my regular blog I do object to putting recipes in my regular blog, they are too long and require to much thought, and thinking is hard! Sooo, here I am with two blogs. (And this one needs prettied up, cause if this is going to be a real blog I want it to be SPIFFY!

Now For Chocolate!

Nestle's Chunky with Peanuts and Raisins. And let me tell you when they said Chunky they meant it. It also said Milk chocolate and I am not so sure about that. I thought it had a strong coffee after taste and Indra thought it tasted like Kahlua. Don't get me wrong we both thought it was good, just not what we were expecting. Two problems the chunks were so big it took a knife to break them apart and unlike MMs they did indeed melt in your hand and yet were too big to comfortably pop in your mouth.

French Breakfast Puffs

From the Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book Circa 1950.
Baked for the Bread Baking Day, Breakfast Bread Challenge.

French Breakfast Puffs
(everytime I see this I want to say French Pouf)

preheat to 350 and grease muffin pans

mix together thoroughly
1/3 cup soft shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

shift together
1 1/2 cups shifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (I omitted this)

stir shifted ingredients into shortening alternatively with 1/2 cup milk.

fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown

When done Immediately roll in 6 tblsp melted butter and then cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon)

serve hot (also good later) makes 12 puffs.

Notes by Temper...
This recipe actually made just what it said it would 12 medium puffs. they cooked up beautifully, and where actually better then expected. the texture was similar to that of a cake donut but not as heavy. I will admit that butter and cinnamon sugar will make pretty much anything good but even the two that didn't get coated were pretty good (I ran out of butter). Indra and I were thinking that next time we might try glazing some since she isn't a big fan of the sugar coating. I didn't tell her but I think a little lemon to cut the richness would be great.

(anyone else who tries these is invited to tell me what you think)

Blueberry Drop Cookies

BLUEBERRY DROP COOKIES

Ingredients:

* One-half cup shortening
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* One-fourth cup milk
* One-half teaspoon almond extract
* One and one-half teaspoons grated lemon zest
* 2 cups all purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* One-half teaspoon salt
* 1 cup blueberries, rinsed and picked over

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, sugar, egg, milk, almond extract and lemon zest, mixing well after the addition of each ingredient. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in the blueberries and mix until well blended.

2. Cover and chill for 4 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls, one and one-half inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before removing them with a spatula.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Notes By Temper.
Thoughts while baking...Pure almond extract may smell good but you really don't want to try it. Also Ammaretto is not an adequate substitute (darn it). I have always wondered when you zest a lemon what are you suppose to do with the rest of it? Are big blueberries better then little blueberries and when cooking with blueberries should you try to use ones that are all of a simular size?

After Baking... I loved the almond lemon flavor of the cookie, but since I am not a huge fan of blueberries this is not a recipie I will probably make again (besides blueberries are darn expensive). Though I must say the blueberries weren't that bad in these. I only got 3 dozen cookies from the recipe and they weren't big ones either. It would be nice to include color refrences for doneness since not all ovens are created equal. Mine were a little pale but the bottoms were nicely golden.

Day 2 the cookies got alot better, the blueberry taste wasn't as distinct and it all melded together beautifuly. If blueberries were cheaper I would probably make them again.

Notes from Indra (copied from AIM).
hmm taste good. a little more lemon than i like though i see why to balance the blue berries...texture and color are different... like eating a dense crumbly muffin but not....strange


Baked for the Cookie Carnival.

Monkey with Banana Bread

One of my throw together whatever sounds good and hope for the best concoctions.

generously butter 4 ramekins

cut into 4ths and dredge in cinnamon sugar
1 tube Grands Flaky layer biscuits, or whatever (I used the flaky ones so I could separate the layers and make the pieces smaller)

cut 4 bananas in little chunks and mix with biscuits

divide between dishes and add a tblsp of butter to each
bake in 400 degree oven until done.

it would have been even better with whipped cream or ice cream and maybe next time some chocolate chips. (no pictures cause I couldn't wait that long to eat it)

Pork Roast with plum glaze / sauce

Another one of my off the cuff creations.
preheat oven to 350

simmer in sauce pan
one Jar Plum preserves or jelly
1/2 a cup dry wine
fresh Rosemary, Thyme and minced Garlic to taste.

Salt and pepper your pork roast and put in roasting pan on bed of onions, rosemary and thyme. ladle a little glaze on top and stick in oven. every 15 minutes add more sauce, cook until done.

extra sauce can be put back in the jelly jar for storage.

Glossy Dark Chocolate Frosting

This goes with the Fudgy Chocolate Layer cake in Richard Sax's book.

Cream together until very light
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar shifted

Add and beat til shiney and smooth
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 oz unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled slightly

a very rich frosting, though not very 'fluffy'

Swiss Steak

Or my version of it.
preheat oven to 3:50

Take some meat, tenderized if possible and not to thick.
Salt pepper and garlic to taste. brown and put in baking dish.

Fry some bacon for greese, feed bacon to Indra.
Add one sliced onion and carmalize to goodness (you can add some garlick too)

Add one can tomatoes to skillet (I used whole stewed that were slightly chopped)
Stir gently to loosen bacony goodness from the bottom of the pan and then pour over the meat.

cover baking dish and bake until tender (about 1 hour)
Server with potatoes and something green.

Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake

Preheat to 350 degrees
lightly butter 2 9 inch cake pans and line with parchment

Shift onto waxed paper and set aside
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup and 3 Tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

Cream until light
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
Add one at time, beating thoroughly after each addition
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Lower speed of blender to low and add dry ingredients alternately with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk ending with the dry. Mix until just blended, no longer.

Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth the top.
Bake until the cakes shrink slightly away from the edges and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan to finish cooling.

From: Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax

Temper: I found this cake a little dense and dry but very rich tasting. There is a possibility that I over mixed it, and shifting things might have helped. Since Indra liked it I will probably try it again (but with a diffrent frosting

Peanut Butter Frosting

3 cups shifted confectioners sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
blend together and then add
3 tbsp cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
stir until smooth

Black Devils Food Cake

grease and flour 2 9" layer pans, preheat oven to 350

cream together until fluffy
2/3 cup soft shortening
1 2/3 cups sugar

beat in thoroughly 3 eggs

blend together in separate bowl
2/3 cups cocoa
1 1/3 cups cold water

Shift together
2 cups shifted flour
1/3 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Stir shifted ingredients into the creamed ingredients alternately with the cocoa mixture and 1tsp vanilla.

bake until done 30 to 35 minutes
cool completely and frost

Egg Noodles

Beat until very light
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
beat in
3 tblsp cold water
1 tsp salt
Stir in and work with hands
2 cups shifted flour

divide dough into 3 parts and roll out as thin as possible. Place dough between two towels and let sit until dough is partially dry (should have texture of chamois). then cut into thin strips and allow to finish drying. They can be frozen for future use.

Temper's notes:
I added another egg to make the dough moist enough to roll right.

Preheat oven to 350

Indra would say I have no buisness starting a new journal when I don't post enough in my current one and not at all in the one she wants me to. I am sure there will also be comments about how she is willing to do it for me.

But you know me. I can do it myself. And really this isn't a blog, not really, it is more of recipe box. A place to store list of ingrediants and directions so I can pull them up at will and link them into other things.