wish list

yes please

nutz and chocolate

Don't think that because your gift is a month late that I forgot your birthday, I just needed that long to plan and execute it. Don't think that because your birthday gift is a month late that I love you any less, I was thinking of you on that day, and I am on this one too.

Toffee is delicious, and along with a good book, makes a very great (very late) birthday present. It also keeps well while traveling across the country. Pistachio is an underrated and classic flavor, and too too perfect with chocolate and toffee.

Pistachio toffee
(adapted from Ghirardelli)

3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped and toasted
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate

Line a 9X9 (or similarly sized) baking pan with heavy duty tin foil or parchment paper.

In a heavy saucepan, cook the water, butter, sugar and salt over medium heat until the mixture reaches 305 degrees on a candy thermometer, stirring occasionally. At 305 degrees, the sugar should be golden brown. Remove from heat quickly, and slowly stir in the vanilla.

Pour into the prepared pan, and let sit at room temperature for one hour.

When cool, melt the chocolate and spread over the cooled toffee. Gently press the pistachios into the chocolate.

Let sit for one hour at room temperature, then break into pieces.

!!!!!!!!

I take requests

Most cravings should be satisfied, even if they're someone else's. Especially cravings for cookie pie, which upon combining two delicious things, creates something even more fantastic than the sum of its parts.

Today was my first day home after being away for a while. I spent some time in the book store, the kitchen, and the pool. Pretty ideal.

Pie crust
(revised from peach and honey pie)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 Tblsp. plus 1 tsp. cold water
1 Tbsp. sugar

Cookie filling

2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

For the crust, combine the dry ingredients then cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture has the consistency of course cornmeal. Refrigerate for ten minutes, then pour out onto a floured piece of wax paper. Roll out to desired size and thickness.

To transfer to the pie plate, place your hands underneath the wax paper, flip the dough onto the plate, and trim to fit (patch jobs may be necessary).

Pre-bake for ten minutes at 325 degrees.

For the filling, beat the eggs with the vanilla, then add the sugars, flour and cinnamon and combine. Add the (melted and cooled) butter and incorporate, then stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Pour into pie crust, and bake for one hour at 325 degrees.

garden makeover

Before:

After:

more muffins

are better than less muffins.

Testing new recipes is fantastic. These muffins are fantastic. Living and working at a farm/bakery is fantastic. I may never go home (sorry Mom!) or back to school (what degree?).

Spiced Peach Muffins

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups dark brown sugar
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4-5 cups diced fresh peaches

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, and spices. Then add the eggs, milk and vegetable oil and mix (some lumps are okay). The mixture will be a bit dry, then add the fruit and everything will be alright.

Spoon into lined or greased muffin pans until almost full (makes 12-16 muffins), and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

what's the story

morning glory?

The farm first started baking due to garden devastation by deer, and the first bakery items were muffins. Bread came later and muffins were discontinued, but this morning we rediscovered the bakery's beginnings.

Interesting story: these are muffins, not the cupcakes masquerading as muffins that most people eat in the morning. They are light and delicious, but aside from a little sugar and a bit of oil, are wholesome and healthy and all that.

Morning glory muffins

1/2 cup raisins
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 apple, grated
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup wheat germ
3 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 orange juice

Cover the raisins in hot water and let them soak.

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices, then add the carrots, apple, walnuts, wheat germ and coconut and combine. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the oil, vanilla and orange juice, then add to the dry mixture and incorporate, along with the (now drained) raisins.

Spoon into greased muffin tins (makes 12 muffins), and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Batter can be refrigerated for up to four days.

pizza pizza yum yum

Raw materials:

This is what happens when you have extra baguette dough laying around and want to make a pizza on the grill, but don't make it flat enough:

keen on it

Quinoa is delicious. Need proof? Look how pretty the plant is.

(

(Photo from drstoilov.wordpress.com)

Quinoa squash salad

2 cups uncooked quinoa

4 cups water or vegetable broth
*1 butternut squash, grilled and cubed

15 oz can of white beans

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
lots of salt and pepper

*I understand that butternut squash season and grilling season do not necessarily overlap. If you can't find butternut squash, I'd imagine that sweet potato would be an excellent substitute. 

Rinse and drain the quinoa, then add to a pot with the water vegetable broth (you can scale up or down, just keep the ratio of quinoa to water 1:2). Bring to a boil, then lower heat and sinner for 15 minutes, or until the grain is tender and liquid absorbed.

Grilling the squash adds a great smoky flavor, and you can do this two ways: either quarter the squash, remove the pulp, grill, then cool, peel and cube- or peel and cube then place in a roasting pan on the grill.

Add the cubed squash to the quinoa with the white beans (drained, please!), pumpkin seeds (toasted, preferably), lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Serve at room temperature, eat leftovers the next day and be very happy.

hello Monticello

Farm days are long, but bakery days are even longer. Tuesdays are off days, so we went to Thomas Jefferson's house.

The garden in my dreams looks just about like this.

Tree onions are just about the cutest things I've ever seen.

In my new apartment I'll have spinach and kale growing indoors to satisfy my green cravings during the winter, courtesy of TJ.

peachy

Strawberry season is over, but there were early peaches at the farm stand. Also, most of the blackberries are still green on the bushes, but for some reason the fruit by the creek ripened early, which sounds like a perfect reason for a pie. Heart-shaped pie for my peculiar new little family here at the farm.

Peach and honey pie

1 lb ripe peaches (about 10-15 small peaches)

1 cup blackberries or raspberries (or other berry, if available)

1/4 cup flour

2 Tblsp. honey

2 Tblsp. brown sugar

 

Pie crust

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 1/2 tbsp cold water

Combine the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter. When the mixture is the consistency of course cornmeal, add the water and gently toss. Pour onto a floured surface and roll out flat. Makes one crust and some extra, or two small crusts. Pre-bake for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees.

When the bottom crust is done, combine all the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl, and pour into crust. Top with more crust (optional), and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until top crust is browning and filling is bubbling.

farm days are long

The potatoes are practically ready to plant themselves.

Plant count so far: tomatoes, melons, bell peppers, okra, and basil
Next in line: potatoes, quinoa, more melons