What does Jack Daniels have to do with Buckwheat Pancakes....

...not much but a little added flavor.

This Sunday morning, after a walk down by the bayou with my sweet puppygirls, I decided breakfast was in order. So, I turned on the oven to cook the last of the jalapeno bacon and heated up my cast iron skillet to make some buckwheat pancakes. I rummaged around to find the pancake ingredients only to discover I was out of milk and thought water would due, until I opened my cupboard, finding a can of Native Forest unsweetened coconut milk.

With this find I made some modifications to my recipe. The recipe calls for 1 cup milk and 2 tablespoons melted butter. If you have never opened a can of this wonderful stuff, you probably have not seen the layer of cream that sits on top of the coconut milk. I scooped two tablespoons of cream off the top and mixed the rest of it into the can. The two scooped tablespoons I used instead of the melted butter. Not melting necessary, just throw it into the batter.

Here is the recipe from Hodgson Mill 100% Stone Ground Buckwheat Flour with my
modifications.

Buckwheat Pancakes
1 cup buckwheat
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar (I used loose packed brown sugar and only 1/12 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten
1 cup milk (1 cup organic canned coconut milk)
2 Tbsp. melted butter (2 tablespoons cream off the top of the can of coconut milk, no melting.
Added 1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. Jack Daniels

Put all of your dry ingredients in a bowl, mix them up really good. Mix in egg, milk, butter, & Jack Daniels or any other flavoring you have handy and mix them in with the dry ingredients. If the mixture is too thick add a little water or more milk. You can use a whisk or a fork to stir things up. Don't over mix. Just make sure everything is blended.

Heat griddle until bubbles form when water is sprinkled on the surface. A med. slightly high heat. Pour the batter in the pan. I keep my pancakes kind of small. It makes it easier to flip the. Watch for the edges to look cooked and there are bubbles all over the top of the pancake.  Cook them for another minute or so on the flip side.

The Puppygirls!!

Quote of the day:
"Just play, have fun, enjoy the game." Michael Jordan

I think this quote definitely applies to the kitchen.

Bacon's on my mind...

again.....

Yes, that meat candy wonder of the world is still a favorite. And even more so now that I have learned a new way of cooking it. It is so easy, I wonder how I missed doing it before.

It requires an oven, parchment paper, a pan with some sort of raised edge and bacon, of course.

This is a before and after shot of the pan.

My new best friend.

This is my new favorite find. HEB's Jalapeno Bacon. It adds a bit of a kick to your day.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay parchment paper in a pan with a raised edge. It can be a baking sheet or a pan. I guess it depends on how much bacon you want to cook. Put the bacon in the pan. The pieces can be close, but not touching. Set the pan on the middle rack and let it cook for 15 to 18 minutes. The bacon doesn't curl up. It remains flat. Take it out when it is too your liking of doneness.

The bacon remains flat. No curling.

I still lay it on a paper towel to sop up any residual greasiness. Of course, there is always going to be some. 

It looks beautiful plated.

The next great thing about this whole process is the lack of a greasy splattered mess on your stove top. And clean up is snap.

Snap!

Quote of the Day: "In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present."

Francis Bacon

It seems I like all things Bacon!!!

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake a borrowed recipe....

from Sally's Baking Addiction. I am so glad Sally has a baking addiction, because I sure do like this cake!!!!

My friend Flora recently had an August birthday and I wanted to make a cake with her in mind. She is a chocolate fan, but she also likes tart lemon flavors and she loves blueberries and it is summer and lemon and blueberries seemed like a refreshing choice.  I did some online searching and came across this delightful, moist pucker-up lemon blueberry cake. I made a few modifications, but very slight. Flora had a gathering of friends at a great little dim sum place called Yum Yum Cha Cafe, which I need to write about, soon. It is an excellent place for brunch, lunch and dinner. Fresh well prepared dim sum, with daily specials that delight the palette. I took the cake along to share, the restaurant was very gracious and supplied plates and forks.

Here is the cake recipe taken from Sally's blog with modifications in bold.

Ingredients:

CAKE

• 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar (not packed)
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature*
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk* (I used low-fat buttermilk, because it came in a smaller container, less waste on my part.)
• zest + juice of 3 medium lemons* (I had to use five small lemons)
• 1 and 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh (258g) or non-thawed frozen (275g) (I used fresh organic blueberries)
  
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 8 ounces (224g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners' sugar
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons (15-30ml) heavy cream* (I used coconut milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt (I did not use salt)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray three 9x2 inch cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside. (I did the old method of buttering the pan and dusting with flour.  The cakes came out of the pan perfectly intact.)

Make the cake. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy - about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside. (My mixer does not have a paddle attachment, so I used beaters and it worked fine.)

In a large sized bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed for 5 seconds, then add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Remove from the mixer and stir lightly until everything is just combined. Toss the blueberries in 1 Tablespoon of flour and fold into the batter. Batter is extremely thick. Do not overmix at any point. Overmixing will lend a tough, dense textured crumb.

Spoon batter evenly into 3 prepared cake pans. If only using 2 cake pans, your bake time will be longer. Bake the three layers for about 21-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Mine took 21 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. (I used two cake pans and the bake time was 35 minutes)

Make the frosting. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of cream to thin out, if desired.

Assemble and frost. First, using a large serrated knife, trim the tops off the cake layers to create a flat surface. (I did not trim the top of the cake layers. I kind of like leaving things as they are, flaws and all.) Place 1 layer on your cake stand. Evenly cover the top with cream cheese frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, then the third layer. Top with frosting and spread around the sides. The recipe doesn't make a ton of frosting, just enough for a light frost. Top with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut.

Make 1 day in advance if you'd like. Extras keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3days.

Helpful notes:

*This batter will fit into a 9×13 pan. Fill 2/3 full. If there’s extra batter, you can make a few cupcakes. I’m unsure of the baking time since I only typically make it as a layer cake.

*VERY careful not to overmeasure your flour. This will result in a heavy, dense crumb. You want a precise 375g.

*Please use buttermilk in this recipe. See note in post about how to make your own at home. 

*1 medium-size lemon = approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon zest = 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice

*Room temperature eggs preferred for even distribution among batter. Simply set into a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before using or set out when you set out your cream cheese/butter for the recipe. 

*Heavy cream with 30% or more milk fat preferred in frosting for creamiest texture. For a less creamy texture, milk would be fine.

The recipe called for 3 med. lemons, the store only had small, so I used 5 lemons. 

With two layers, the cake takes approximately 35 minutes to bake.

Cooling before frosting.

Quote of the day: "Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are true super foods. Naturally sweet and juicy, berries are low in sugar and high in nutrients - they are among the best foods you can eat." Joel Fuhrman

Sally's Baking Addiction link

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/02/09/lemon-blueberry-layer-cake/

Yum Yum Cha Cafe

2435 Times Blvd.

Houston, TX 77005

www.yumyumchacafe.com

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/berries.html#CvbxFYFehAdqGoOe.99

Luna Pizzeria and a dog named Barnaby, what do they have in common...

... an owner.

Mushroom pizza sans cheese

Jeff Gale, owner of Barnaby’s Cafe and Brown Bag Deli, has opened a pizzeria in a strip mall on Richmond at Kirby.  

I have eaten there twice. The first time, I went there, I met my two favorite tasty lunching pals, Lisa and Chibi. Lisa recommended the place. She and her husband, Chris discovered it a few weeks ago and they have made several visits since. On my first visit I had a salad. Excellent. Their salads are generous. They come in two sizes small and large. $5 & $7 respectively.  I had the small Chopped Salad which is ample for a fair sized appetite with grilled chicken added.  It is a nice combination of iceberg and romain lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, artichoke, Kalmata olives, provolone (I nixed the cheese, lactose intolerant dag nabbit) sopressata, grape tomatoes, cucumber all tossed in a very fresh zingy house vinaigrette. I think Lisa had the Italian sausage, roasted pepper sandwich served in a toasted hoagie bun. It looked delicious, she said it was. Chibi had the pepperoni sausage pizza, irresistibly tempting.  I am a huge bread fan, but it doesn’t always set well with me. No, I’m not a celiac, (TMI), but wheat does seem to be a bit bothersome to my system.  That being said, the pizza crust looked so good. Golden, bubbled appropriately, I begged Chibi for a taste. He relented. My, my, my it was good. Which brings me to my second trip to Luna Pizzeria. I just had to have a pizza.

Chibi's favorite, pepperoni and sweet Italian sausage 

I settled on the Mushroom pizza with baby portabellas, shitake, oyster and button mushrooms combined with spinach, rosemary topped of with whipped ricotta (nixed the ricotta and mozzarella-lactose intolerant, oh my). I was very pleased with my choice. Nicely seasoned  tomato sauce that has a great flavor but doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients.  The veggies were baked with the dough, so they are not over done or dried out, allowing the freshness to speak in loud whispers. 

But, it is the crust that is the thing that holds all the tastes together. It is the best dang crust I think I’ve had in Houston and I’ve had some good crust. I asked the manager about it. He said that it comes from a family owned bakery in the Heights called Angela’s Oven. This is what their Web site says about their bake goods.

“All of our bread and pastries and are handcrafted without the use of  preservatives or dough conditioners. We use only unbleached, unbromated bread flours.” Angela’s Oven

No wonder this crust is so good. I also noticed the pizzas are baked in an electric oven. Of course, the big thing is to boast that you are baking the pizza in wood burning or gas ovens and trust me that is a most wonderful way to bake your pizza, but I was trying to get a handle on why this crust was so great without that, so I asked why they didn’t use gas or wood ovens.  The manager told me that the building management does not allow gas or wood burning ovens, only electric. Angela’s Oven has made allowances in the dough to accommodate the electric oven. Impressive. It is great crust. I think, I have said that a couple of times. I like the fact that the dough/electric oven problem worked out so great, because it is a collaborative effort between an artisan bread maker and an artisan restaurateur. Problem solving at its best.

The other thing I noticed today was a gorgeous turquoise Le Creuset Dutch Oven on the counter where the orders are taken. It was sitting on an electric (of course) hot plate. It was warm to the touch. I asked the manager about it (he was very patient with me, I do ask a lot of questions). He told me it was full of individually wrapped made-fresh-daily chocolate chip cookies. I just about swooned, but passed on trying one, because I had had my quota of wheat for the week.

Hiding inside are warm chocolate chip cookies. OMG

(Blog Update: Here is the good news, I went back to Luna Pizzeria today for a birthday lunch and I was treated to one of the cookies hiding inside that beautiful pot. Excellent. The dark chocolate chips where already melting, blending inside the cookie, making it extra moist. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Make note this is a goodly sized cookie and could easily be shared, but I ate the whole thing. It's my birthday after all.  I found out the cookies are made by The Dessert Gallery. There is one catty-corner across the street from Luna Pizzeria. Thank you David and Emily.) 

There was one other sweet detail about how things are served. The pizza condiments of parmesan cheese, chopped dried hot pepper and spice are served on a saucer. The cheese is sliced and the spice is a fresh sprig of oregano. It’s a nice touch.

Condiments

The menu is small in items, but huge on flavor.

The menu in its entirety.

Quote of the Day: “This is extremely tasty pizza.” Chibi Yaqi

Luna Pizzeria

3435 Kirby

Houston, TX 77098

832-767-6338

www.lunapizzeria.com

Angela's Oven

204 Aurora St.

Houston, TX 77008

832-239-0437

www.angelasoven.com

The Dessert Gallery
3600 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-9999
dessertgallery.com

Meat Candy aka Bacon....In search of my cooking MOJO....

...and a sandwich!!! or What you do when your cooking MOJO goes south.

I like frying bacon in cast iron.

There is nothing better than a BLT or as the new term for bacon, meat candy, an MCLT. I got a hankering for the sandwich, because I saw a post on a friend's FB page for bacon banana pancakes. The bacon cooked into the pancake. It looked so so good. And during a posting exchange about how wonderful her breakfast looked, another person joined in the fun and made the comment that bacon is now called Meat Candy. This was news to me, but I can understand why it is called that. It is a delightful food akin to bonbons and salted carmel and it is so versatile, too. It can be served at any of the three main meals as well as for snacks or on salads, in salads, as pork belly, with chocolate, in beans, on burgers, wrapped around just about anything, shrimp, filets, peppers, asparagus and so on and so forth, oh and eggs, of course.

My MCLT today was a little different, because instead of sour dough bread or rye or whole wheat, I used toasted cinnamon/raisin sprouted grain bread. It added a touch of sweetness to the saltiness of the bacon (meat candy). The bacon sizzled and popped to a perfect balance of crispness and chewiness, which was good because lately, making the simplest of things has been difficult. It seems that my cooking mojo is in hiding somewhere. It certainly has vanished out of my kitchen.  I made the MCLT in hopes of enticing it to come back.

To be honest, I don't know if my mojo is back, but this sandwich was sure good. Maybe, I will try cooking something tomorrow that requires a little more finesse.

Some assembly required.

Bacon Quotes: "Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." Doug Larson

"Bacon is so good by itself that to put it in any other food is an admission of failure. You're basically saying, 'I can't make this other food taste good, so I'll throw in bacon.'" Penn Jillette

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies...

... a dandy treat after a relaxing day in the spring air.

 These cookies are really light and crunchy. A nice alternative to wheat flour based oatmeal cookies that are more on the chewy side.

I used the recipe on Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats bag, however, I made some modifications.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 cup brown sugar (loose)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 Tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 cup unsweetened finely shredded organic coconut
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups Bob's Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Add some nuts, too if you feel adventurous

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, coconut oil, vanilla, sugar, coconut milk. Add flour, oats, coconut, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the chocolate chips and nuts last. Mix altogether. Form dough into balls and place about 3" apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Quote for the Day: To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.---Joseph Chilton Pearce

Ruthie and Rosarita's Crunchy Chicken, Modified and it is ...

...still crunchy and rather tasty and it's gluten free.

This recipe is all over the internet, but I first had it 20 some years ago, prepared by the Hesse family. I marveled at how simple it was. I still do.

Ruthie and Rosarita's Crunchy Chicken

1 box of Blue Diamond Almond Nut-Thins (Hint of Sea Salt)
(The original recipe calls for 3 cups of corn flakes)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
10 pieces of chicken, thighs and legs work great!!!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, put the crackers in the food processor or put them in a plastic bag and roll over it with a rolling pin. Melt the butter. Put the cracker crumbs in a sack or a bowl, pierce the chicken with a fork, roll the chicken in the butter, cover the it with the cracker crumbs and put it in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Make sure the pieces do not touch. You may need a larger pan, a glass pyrex oblong one works fine, too.  Bake for 45-55 minutes, turning the chicken about 35 minutes into the cooking. You really don't need to turn it, but I think it browns it better.  Also, the original recipe recommends skinning the chicken pieces before coating them. I did not do that.

This chicken is easy to make and true to it's title, crunchy. It takes a lot of the mess out of regular fried chicken. I love it.

After coating with butter and crackers, put in cast iron skillet and bake at 400 degrees.

This isn't the best picture of the chicken after baking, but trust me it is so good.

Quote of the Day: "I make a good fried chicken."

Norah Jones