What makes pumpkin apple bread so attractive?

As a parent and a mother, there is one thing that sweets are going to deliver and that is the issue of added pounds where you don’t want them. It’s not easy keeping in shape if you’re constantly concentrating on work or neglecting healthy lifestyle needs. This is why I’ve always been such a big fan of natural alternatives that are just as sweet when it comes to serving treats.

And believe me when I tell you that many people aren’t interested in bread that doesn’t look the part if you want to serve anything sweet and tasty. Honestly, I’ve never seen my friend’s children gobble down this bread recipe so quickly. Luckily, I’m also glad to share this recipe that combines just the right amount of green apple tart with pumpkin pie-like flavor. It doesn’t need to be seasonal ether, since you can find these ingredients year-round.

Pumpkin is not only a delicious addition to bread but it’s also a nutritious one! Pumpkins are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being low in calories. They boast high levels of vitamin A, C, and E, and antioxidants which can boost your immune system — especially beneficial as we head into the colder months.

But what about carbs? Pumpkins contain healthy carbohydrates that can be part of a balanced diet. The type of carbs found in pumpkin can help control blood sugar levels, making it an excellent choice for a healthy lifestyle.

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Pumpkin Apple Bread

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Calories 178kcal

Author Chow

Equipment

• Oven
• Baking pan
• Baking tray
• Medium-sized bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Toothpick
• Breadknife

Ingredients

For The Topping

• 4 Tablespoons Granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon Whole butter (unsalted/room temperature)

For The Dough

• 3 Cups All-purpose flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking soda
• ¾ Teaspoon Salt
• 1 ½ Teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Ground nutmeg
• ¼ Teaspoon Ground cloves
• 1 Can Pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
• ¾ Cup Vegetable oil
• 2 ¼ Cup Granulated sugar
• 4 Large eggs
• 2 Granny Smith green apples (peeled/cored/chopped into 2 cups)

Instructions

• The topping is the first that you want to mix together using a small bowl blending the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter. This can be mixed using a fork (or your fingers) until it resembles cornmeal.
• Starting on the bread dough, begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grab a bread loaf baking pan. This pan should be the standard 9 x 5-inch baking tray which you should have two of these to make 2 separate loaves. Pre-grease them with butter.
• With a medium-sized bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt so it has no lumps. Into a large mixing bowl, you will add the pumpkin puree along with sugar, eggs, and oil using a whisk to mix everything until it’s somewhat smooth.
• Now, you can add the flour mixture until you have a very thick batter-like dough. After this, carefully add your chopped apples and mix them using a wooden spoon. If you need to use your hands at this point, it won’t hurt to fold the apples throughout the dough easier.
• Divide this dough into two parts and place each half of the dough into each baking tray. The last step is to add the topping using a spoon to cover the entire top of each dough loaf. Place these into your oven on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes.
• You’ll know the bread is done using the toothpick trick. Poke the very center of each loaf to see if the toothpick comes out nice and clean or let them bake for some additional minutes. After the bread is done, take out the baking trays and place them onto a cooling rack for 45 minutes.
• Let the finished bread completely cool for another 45 minutes up to an hour before slicing and serving. Use a breadknife to make 1 inch slices and place them on a dessert serving tray.

The post Pumpkin Apple Bread appeared first on A Chow's Life.

How do I make my BBQ taste indoors?

With a few clever tricks, you can replicate the tastes of outdoor grilling from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Here’s how to infuse your indoor BBQ with the authentic, smoldering taste we all love:

Cast Iron Grilling: Use a cast iron grill pan. It’s excellent for searing meats and giving those coveted grill marks. Preheat the pan on high heat to get that sizzle going.

Liquid Smoke: A dash of liquid smoke can bring a subtle outdoor grill flavor to your dishes. It’s potent, so a little goes a long way!

Smoking Spices: Incorporate spices like smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or cumin to your rubs and marinades for an extra smoky kick.

Broiler Magic: Your broiler is the indoor equivalent of a grill’s direct flame. Use it to create a charred, crispy exterior on meats and veggies.

Wood Chips in Stovetop Smoker: If you’re up for a gadget, a stovetop smoker with wood chips can achieve a surprisingly authentic BBQ taste.

Let there be smoke

No matter if it’s from the warmth and glow of a good fireplace hearth or from the campfire that everyone huddles around while camping, there’s something to be said about creature comfort. And I’m not talking about all the little buzzing creatures that come out at night. For as long as there’s been fire, there has been a natural quest to cook on a fire.

You might just figure this is how cooking started, but actually, this is where the art of barbecue became popular. The combination of slow-cooking meat over a BBQ mixed with the rising smoke adds something extra to the meat giving it a smoky flavor while the inside remained tender and soft.

I started to look at how this could be done indoors and must have looked at dozens of electric grills. I was ultimately frustrated until I found that no electric grill gives you that outdoor flavor with the kind of smoke I wanted to add to my recipes. That is until I recently went to a BBQ festival and learned some tricks from some very helpful grill masters.

What they told me gave me hope that I could get great results in my kitchen without smoking up the entire room. I could also smoke other things once they were grilled including meats, fish, veggies, and my favorite- cheese! All I needed was a smoking gun that sort of looks like a cross between a hair dryer and a smoking pipe.

All you do is add some wood chips to the top chamber and light it up. The gun supplies enough suction to draw the smoke through a long tube so you can capture it under a large bowl of some kind. I chose an old glass cake dome that I wasn’t using which was just the right size for putting a dinner plate amount of grilled goodies inside.

After this, the smoke filled the dome and it was ready to let smoke nearly anything I wanted. My first recipe experiment was grilled steak which was super easy to make using an electric grill I found at my local Target. It’s important to let you know that- for the best results, you want a model that has a cover so the heat cooks food fast.

I smoked my steaks before they were grilled and made sure to add all of the rub and spices so these also had time to marinate. Each side of the steak was smoked for 10 minutes, so you do need to flip your ingredients so you get the best results. I’m also proud to say that indoor cold smoking and electric grilling have become a household name for me.

The results

I have to admit, I was worried that this was cheating in some strange way, but my BBQ friend assured me this was a fool-proof method. My little George Foreman grill was giving me an intimidating stink-eye as well. But I have to say I was wrong! After 6 minutes I started to notice that my kitchen was filling with a very traditional smoky steak flavor.

I was shooting for a medium rare steak and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the steak cooked to perfection after just 6 minutes on my dual electric cooker grill. Since then, I’ve been making all sorts of experiments that have all become my new hobby for making smoky barbecue indoors.

The post Getting My BBQ — Indoors appeared first on A Chow's Life.

Practice Tips for Amazing Focaccia Bread

Before we leap into the baking process, there are several “bread jewels” of advice that can take your focaccia from good to great:

• Use Quality Ingredients: Select high-quality flour, fresh yeast or active dry yeast, and a top-notch extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
• Hydration Matters: Focaccia dough should be slightly sticky and more hydrated than typical bread doughs; this is key for a light and airy bread.
• Temperature Control: Yeast thrives at warm temperatures. Ensure your water is lukewarm to activate the yeast properly, and consider the ambient temperature while your dough is rising.
• Patience with Proofing: Resist the temptation to rush the proofing stage. A slow rise, particularly for the second proofing, can enhance flavor and texture.
• Artful Dimpling: Don’t be shy with your fingertips when creating those characteristic dimples on the bread surface. This isn’t just for aesthetics; it also helps in creating pockets to trap moisture and olive oil.
• Infused Oils: Elevate your focaccia by infusing the olive oil with herbs, garlic, or chili flakes, which will imbue the bread with aromatic subtleness.
• Generous Salt: After dimpling, be generous with sprinkling coarse sea salt; it’s not just seasoning, it’s a crusty, flavorful feature of the focaccia.
• Hot Oven: A high oven temperature results in a better rise and the much-desired golden-brown crust.

What is Focaccia Bread?

If we look closely at the ingredients of focaccia bread they are similar to making pizza dough. The basics include water, sugar, yeast, flour, olive oil, and salt. After that whatever happens, to go into the final bread depends on regional taste. It’s baked in a flat rectangular pan that is known in Italy as a ‘lama’ or blade. Because it doesn’t rise so much, the bread itself is flat and crispy while the inside is softer.

Popular tradition has made focaccia bread perfect before a meal but long ago it was also a source of breakfast. It’s a cheap bread to make and added ingredients help make it tastier and enjoyable. Italians are famous for their exact rituals making pizza and focaccia bread, so the line between them is often blurred. One thing for sure is that Focaccia bread has grown into a name that is bigger than the bread itself.

Many people will remark that the distinct flavor is from the olive oil that’s used. Others are drawn in by the crunch crust and texture. Most people might not know that the older recipes used cooked potato in the dough to make the bread softer. This was evident since bread ovens were extremely hot places that could dry-out water and oil very fast. The potato helped preserve the softness and added to the overall taste and texture.

What focaccia has become is a readily made bread snack that appeals to everyone for several reasons. Depending on what toppings are mixed in or put on top, it has a whole other appeal to even more bread fans.

History of Focaccia Bread

Ask anyone about Focaccia bread and they’ll tell you its distinctly Italian. The history behind this simple bread happens to go back much further as most history stories usually do. The origin began in Greece as most of our ancient civilizations had. This type of bread is also very closely related to what would become modern pizza. It is also an invention of the ancient Greeks that have been proven through the buried remains of Pompey.

The exact origin is said to have developed along the Northern Mediterranean coast, spreading into the heart of Greek culture. From there it was welcomed into the Roman Empire. The culinary culture of the Etruscans and ancient Greeks was shared as this simple recipe passed through time. But as most history lessons go, the most recent places where Focaccia bread became famous in the 15^th century.

Focaccia contains the Latin words ‘Focus’ and ‘Cooked on Fire’ that was around since the 2^nd century BC. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Greeks were making this recipe from rye, barley, and millet grain. Often this simple bread was offered to the Greek gods as a simple offering. It later became a food that was consumed at weddings in the Renaissance. Once it became the traditional bread in Genova, many additions started to be added for flavor.

These include olives and nuts, onions, and bacon, and many kinds of herbs were added. Much like Pizza, both of these types of bread morphed into their specific class based on rules how it was made. The proof borders with Apulian focaccia that’s made with various types of olive oil and cherry tomatoes. It’s the bread that shares similarities to pizza for so many reasons. No matter what goes into focaccia to make it taste special, the recipe hasn’t changed much since the old days.

Final Tips for Authentic Focaccia Bread

Every cooking tip is going to vary from the next but I assure you these are worth every penny. When making any kind of authentic recipe the secret isn’t what goes into the focaccia bread but how it’s made! Now if you have noticed earlier that the Italians in Genova are using a rectangular shallow pan. They use shallow pizza pans too, as it makes sense; since this changes the texture slightly.

The bottom of the pan is coated with a generous amount of olive oil. If you’re into this oil you know that extra virgin olive oil is the way to go. At least ¼ inch to be fair for the amount you put in that pizza pan. After mixing and proofing your dough you then cut it up to place in each pan intended for cooking. The dough itself will form into this pan and start to do its second rise while absorbing the oil for 20 minutes.

At that time you add your toppings such as cherry tomato halves. Don’t just leave them on top, set them into the dough like sunken footprints. Add some basil or rosemary or olives, whatever you like, and pop it into the oven for 20 minutes at 425 degrees. The result will be incredible with a crispy bottom crust and soft bread-like dough on top. Because you didn’t mash it into a rectangle pan, the air inside the dough wasn’t lost.

This gives you a rather authentic Italian focaccia that isn’t hard to chew but still has plenty of taste. You’ll have to try it for yourself to believe how fool-proof this is.

The post Basics of Focaccia Bread appeared first on A Chow's Life.

Feeding 101

We all have our favorite dishes, and many come with recipes that can be complex and convoluted. For those of us that are self-declared foodies, this is just fine. Some days nothing is more fun than decoding a complex recipe in a style of cooking that is less familiar to you. Other days, however, the KISS rule rules. There’s an entire lexicon of great simple recipes out there. And another layer that adds interest is getting a sense of how things differ in a professional environment compared to home cooking. Certainly, a large amount of how a restaurant produces complex food in mere moments comes down to detailed preparation. Add repetition to that and you actually have a large portion of the restaurant formula for success.

Broaden your own horizon

On those occasions that I want to explore a different cooking style or dish, the internet certainly doesn’t disappoint. For example, I just discovered Notakeout.com. In this case I had heard that there were ways to imitate those grocer’s abundant rotisserie chickens at home, without an actual rotisserie. Lo and behold, they offered exactly such a recipe. It delivered the tasty fall off the bone moist chicken meat that you want. Specifically, I was seeking this because it may make a great meal the first time that you serve it, but the leftovers are the core to an almost endless string of recipes. This one source is a quality ingredient for everything from a quick chicken soup to lo mien, from chili to enchiladas, or from chicken alfredo to cannelloni. Or just a simple chicken sandwich. Plus, you can cook the bones into stock. It’s like a cookbook waiting to be written, which is the idea of broadening your horizons.

From little comes plenty

There’s a lot of dishes that you can make that just keep on giving. Ham is a great example, there are always outlets to use up those leftovers. In fact, there are so many that I have at times bought a cheap ham, that I might not serve as a meal, that I will cook up specifically to integrate into a bunch of meal planning. Sure, save a great looking chunk to slice for sammies. You can coarsely cube the rest and have it fit every meal category. In scrambled eggs or an omelet or keep some of those slices to grill or for a breakfast muffin because ham is a natural part of that first meal. Sliced in a ham sandwich or grilled cheese or making leftover mac and cheese into a full meal, lunch is a no brainer with ham. For dinner it’s a classic scalloped potatoes with ham, more soups than I can mention here, or tossed in pasta. And the ham bone makes stock, the base for ham and beans or split pea soup too.

The big bird

A turkey is where many folks learn this whole idea of filtering one food down into a variety of dishes. There may even have been times when you were on the edge of never wanting to see turkey again, usually when it is made into Turkey Tetrazzini. Don’t misunderstand, done properly tetrazzini is a tasty dish, it just has become the end game for those in the know who utilize every part of a special dish like turkey. Thanksgiving leftovers have become standard fair for TV humor for years. The thing is though, they are great. It is also the best example of getting every bang for your buck out of the big bird. For most households it ends with the bones being cooked down into golden stock and delicious soup or stew.

More pork

Cooking a pork shoulder down to pulled pork is another world class meal starting point. It also freezes really well, making it easy to project down the road into future meals. Straight up for a classic pulled pork sandwich is outstanding. But it morphs into all kinds of Latin cuisine, a Cubano sandwich, Colorado chili, and more. And bacon. These days if you can catch a brand of bacon that you like on sale, buy it. Lots. You can bake it to about 60% doneness and freeze it for lots of future use. Breakfast doesn’t even need to be mentioned, the uses are almost infinite. Lunch time for a BLT, thrown on top of your cheeseburger for dinner, or chopped into a multitude of dishes from quiche to chowder, it will get used up handily.

Wrap and freeze

Virtually any of these items will freeze just fine if properly handled and wrapped. You probably have your own tricks from prepping burger patties to mincing garlic and saving it in an ice cube tray. My point is that there is a lot of value in prepping ahead, not just for a restaurant kitchen. Some things in the store don’t scale to just a single meal for you and your fellow diners. Don’t be afraid to buy the bulk and prep it forward to enjoy.

The post Cooking Basics appeared first on A Chow's Life.

Gingerbread cookies warm the heart and soul

When I think of gingerbread cookies and chocolate truffles, I instantly think of those merry little houses around Christmas time. The spicy aroma that fills the air throughout my kitchen has always been a welcome scent. But then again, there are times when I like to be more than unconventional about what gingerbread reminds me of, and it’s not just good holiday feelings. I simply love how the mixture of spices and flavors can perk up any hum-drum day.

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Gingerbread Sugar Shingles

Course Snack

Cuisine Germany

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Calories 263kcal

Author Chow

Equipment

• Small bowl
• Stand mixer
• Spatula
• Plastic cling wrap
• Silicone baking paper
• Silicone pastry matt
• Butter knife
• Flat ruler
• Cookie tray
• Rectangle cookie stamp cutter
• Stamping cookie cutter
• Cooling rack
• Kitchen brush

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 Cups All-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon Cocoa powder
• 4 Teaspoons Ground ginger
• 1 Teaspoons Ground cloves
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon Black pepper (fresh ground)
• 1 Cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
• ½ + 2 Cup + Tablespoons Granulated sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• ½ Cup Dark Molasses
• 2 Tablespoon Corn syrup (light)

For the icing glaze

• 1 Cup Confectioner’s sugar
• 2 Tablespoon Water

Instructions

• Start with your dough in a small bowl and add your cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking soda, pepper, and salt. The next step will require a stand mixer to which you add your butter use the paddle attachment for this. You want to beat the butter on medium-high until it becomes light and creamy. Now you switch to medium speed and slowly add the dry ingredients until everything is looking nice and blended.
• Use a spatula as needed to scrape down the sides and add your single egg into this mix. Following this, you add the molasses and corn syrup to get a thick and syrupy mixture. Don’t forget to scrape the sides of the mixer with a spatula. This is when you can slowly start to add the flour using the slowest speed on your mixer. Once the dough forms, it’s time to remove it from the mixing bowl onto some plastic cling wrap.
• Flatten the dough to make a 1-inch thick rectangle all around and fold this over the remaining dough. This dough goes into your fridge to chill overnight.
• The next day will be a baking day so preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You should grab a cookie sheet and add some silicone baking paper to place into that sheet and set it aside. Now you need a silicone pastry matt sprinkled with a little bit of flour on top. You can now unwrap your gingerbread dough and place this onto the pastry mat. This should be rolled out so the dough is about 1/3-inches thick.
• Use the dull side of a butter knife and slice strips about 1-inch wide across each side. Use a flat ruler to get an even distance between each cut. Now you can slice individual pieces that are 2-inches long and transfer them to the cookie tray. Give them a distance of 1-inch in between so they have room to rise and bake. Another idea is to use a rectangle cookie stamp cutter that includes a stamped image if you decide to be very nostalgic.
• You may need to repeat the rolling process again if you use a stamping cookie cutter while you’ve placed your first batch into the oven for 7 to 15 minutes. They should be golden brown along the sides and soft in the center. You can finish off the remaining dough and begin your icing glaze. Use a small bowl to mix your glaze until it gets nice and smooth.
• Remove your first batch of cookies and place them onto a cooling rack for no more than 10 minutes. Add a single glaze of icing onto the cookies while they are still warm. It’s best to use a kitchen brush to apply the icing so it’s evenly coated and allows them to cool. As the glaze dried, this will turn into a shiny glaze that gives your cookies an appealing shine. These can be placed into an airtight Tupperware that will last at least 2-weeks so they remain fresh.

The post Gingerbread Cookies for Holidays appeared first on A Chow's Life.

Childhood Memories for Life

It seems like ages ago when I still had time for reading books, but one book that always comes to mind is The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. This opened my mind to fantasy worlds and adventures into parts of my imagination that I had never experienced before. When I think of baklava, I always get reminded of Turkish Delight, which isn’t exactly the same as baklava- I know…

Yet those who have tried super-tasty baklava, are typically willing to give up nearly anything to get their hands on some. And though, I’m not saying that you have to betray close friends (or allies for that matter), when you get the taste for a treat that is bewitchingly delicious, then it’s even harder to resist. There is something so seductive about baklava with all of those gooey layers of phyllo pastry, chopped nuts, butter, and honey!

Here is my favorite recipe for baklava that surely will find a treasured spot in your recipe book soon enough.

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Homemade Baklava

Course Dessert

Cuisine Turkish

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Calories 306kcal

Author Chow

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Digital thermometer
• Medium-sized bowl
• Dry mixture
• Pan
• Tray
• Sharp knife
• Oven

Ingredients

For The Syrup

• 3 Cups Sugar (or 2 cups sugar w/ 1 cup honey)
• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup (optional)
• 2 Cinnamon sticks (3-5 inch variety)
• 4-6 Whole cloves (or teaspoon cardamom)

For The Filling

• 1 Pound Roasted almonds, pistachios, or walnuts (4 cups crushed or chopped nuts)
• ¼ Cup Granulated sugar
• 1-2 Teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• ¼ Teaspoon Ground cloves (or cardamom)
• 1 Pound Phyllo pastry dough (24 sheets)
• 1 Cup Melted butter (2 sticks)

Instructions

• Starting on the syrup, you take a saucepan and use low heat. Add the water, sugar, lemon juice, corn syrup, cinnamon, and cloves into the saucepan and allow it to dissolve for at least 5 minutes. Stir this to increase the solution to dissolve faster.
• When this is dissolved, increase the heat to medium and allow this syrup to become thicker while boiling out the water content. If you have a candy thermometer or digital thermometer, the temperature should be no more than 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
• When the syrup is thick enough, remove the cinnamon sticks and the whole cloves and allow this to cool. This is when you can start the filling that will go into your baklava. Do this by combining all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and blending these together
• It’s easier to work with a dry mixture that will be sprinkled in between the Phyllo layers using butter to act as a temporary adhesive on the phyllo pastry. This is when you can preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• You’ll need a baking pan no larger than 12 x 9 inches or any baking pan within these parameters that is at least 2 to 3 inches deep. This needs to be pre-greased with vegetable shortening or rub the sides of the pan with your sticks of butter.
• Now you can start to add a sheet of phyllo pastry at the bottom and brush this with a light layer of butter. Sprinkle the filling onto this surface giving at least ¼ inch thickness. Each layer that is complete has another layer of phyllo pastry placed on top and repeated.
• In the end, you should have at least 7 sheets (or layers of pastry) before adding another layer of filling. Be sure to cover the very top of this pastry with 8 overlapped edges that fold down into the tray.
• You will have 3 or more layers of filling between the buttery sheets of phyllo. The final step is to use a sharp knife to score the surface that measures 1-inch lines apart from each other with lengthwise strip cuts along the top. This is then followed by diagonal cuts that create a diamond pattern.
• These cuts will allow the heat to melt the sugar and secure the crushed nuts within. Before putting this into the oven, spray the top of the phyllo pastry with a little bit of cold water. This will keep the top layer from curling while it bakes.
• Place this baking tray into the oven for 20 minutes and then immediately reduce the heat to just 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 additional minutes. This allows the top of the baklava to become golden brown.
• Take a sharp knife and slice through the scribed lines down to the very bottom of the baklava. Your syrup should still be warm at this point so it can be drizzling into each of the sliced lines. Allow the syrup to completely absorb into the layers and let this cool for 4 hours.
• Your baklava can be stored at room temperature for at least one week (if it lasts that long).. If you don’t want to use all of your syrup, don’t go overboard with soaking the layers of phyllo too much. It might end up being too gooey or sticky to enjoy. (or not)… Enjoy!

The post Making Homemade Baklava appeared first on A Chow's Life.

Proletariat Pizza – Rat City

For some of my closest friends from Eastern Europe, I know that many who lived through the Iron Curtain years will have mixed feelings about anything called Proletariat. I only know this word all too well from reading George Orwell’s 1984 and his dystopian view of what the world would be like in 1984. Then again, I can tell you that this pizza joint has had its ups and downs over the years.

It’s actually located in White Center, which is slightly a hop, skip, and jump southbound from downtown Seattle. Locals know this area as Rat City. Now if you have parents who are in the military, you know that rats are another word for the military’s family of kids. So don’t let the name fool you. They have great service these days with a whole new management team but still, run from the same 9622 16^th Avenue SW location.

If you’re hungry for pizza, it’s well worth the drive south to grab a pie and dine in at Proletariat Pizza sometime soon.

Pike Market Place

I know you’ll already visit the obvious places like the Space Needle and giant Ferris wheel, but if you’re going to do the tourist tour, you might as well take a deep breath (or at least a whiff). The Pike Market Place is also one of the few places where you can get the catch of the day- literally! The fish market features real fishmongers who are physically throwing fish at each other. It’s also a great place to find some of the freshest seafood in all of Seattle.

There are more than a few eateries, specialty food shops, crafts, and retail shops, in addition to outstanding restaurants located within Pike Market. As if that wasn’t enough, they now feature a Pike Market Day Planner app that helps you plan your visit according to your immediate needs.

Seattle Barista Academy

Why settle for paying a visit to the original Starbucks Coffee and Tea when Seattle was the big birthplace to this alternative hippy culture. Why not see where the real coffee baristas gain their chops at the Seattle Barista Academy. You can also sign up for one or two-day courses that provide you with crash course on making endless styles of coffee and training on their professional equipment and learn barista secrets you won’t learn anywhere else!

Seattle Japanese Garden

If you’re looking for a bit of peace and calm, you can wind your way through 3.5 acres of winding pathways across bridges, streams, and natural plants and trees that invoke a genuine Japanese Tea Garden experience. If you love big Koi fish, this is one place to enjoy their docile and dog-like friendliness. There are also special social distance tours that are always seasonally changing and provide a totally different look anytime you visit.

Real Life UP House

If you’ve ever seen that great animated adventure “Up” from that Pixar film company, you probably have heard of a little tiny house in Seattle that looks very similar to that house in the movie. The interesting story about the Edith Macefield house is that the owner was a feisty little woman who refused to sell her tiny house when a commercial developer started buying property all around her neighborhood.

She resisted selling her home for years and even turned down one million dollars to move out so they could destroy the tiny home but she stood her ground and became a national folk hero. Well, they built around her home and remain one of the more quirky sights in Seattle that you can miss seeing.

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop

Not just a sight for sore eyes, Ye Olde Curiosity Shop has some very strange items that you might like to see for yourself. It’s been a part of Seattle for more than 100 years and features some items that you won’t see anywhere else including one of the few remaining Fiji Mermaids that are made from a real monkey and fish were sewn together. That’s just a taste of what you’ll find at this museum of the weird which also sells oddly themed taxidermy items.

Sure, it’s filled with grotesque curiosities, but often- life is stranger than you think. It’s a lot better than getting suckered into those Ripley’s Believe It or Not tourist traps, and you can even buy funny and weird items including jewelry, t-shirts, and gifts for that friend you know who is naturally strange.

Beacon Food Forest

I’m guilty of being a forager that is haunting local Farmer’s Markets, but I know plenty of people who are really into community foraging groups. The Beacon Food Forest program is essentially living off the land with a structured system that allows volunteers to harvest and work the land. It’s also one of the lucky locations where you’re allowed to forage for yourself and take home what you’ve picked and foraged.

It’s great for those who also like to give something back to the community, so even being from out of town, an afternoon helping to do some cleanup duties is well worth a helping hand.

The house that Nirvana built

Being a local to Seattle more than likely includes being a big fan of Kurt Cobain’s house that’s become a Mecca stop for anyone who loves the band Nirvana. It’s not exactly a heritage site, but it’s historic for anyone who wants to pay their respect to a singing legend. One thing that you should know is that the house isn’t open for going inside but you can sit outside and take pictures as you like.

Seattle Pinball Museum

I’m not exactly a pinball wizard except for having a fascination for Pachinko machines. There is one place in Seattle that features over 50 pinball machines that range from classic to modern versions. One thing you might want to bring is a steady roll of quarters or just pay the entry fee at the door which allows you to try your hand at some of the vintage machines you might remember from your youth.

Seattle Underground Tour

There’s a whole city that’s actually buried underneath Seattle which is leftover from the Great Fire of 1889. It’s an insightful look at what might otherwise be overlooked above ground and shows you how these underground remains are part of history that is lesser-known to most locals. There is also an opportunity to visit Doc Maynard’s House which is the perfect place to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner that comes as part of your underground tour tickets.

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A new way to enjoy bread pudding

I started to do some digging about the history of bread pudding and found out it’s been around for a lot longer than I imagined. Bread pudding is actually a celebrated dish that appears all over the world within many countries that have mastered making bread. It’s not only popular in England, it can be found as far as India, Egypt, and the Middle East. Of course, there is a version from Mexico, yet most of us know the popular version from New Orleans.

What all of these versions of bread pudding often include is the addition of sugar and syrup, some handy cream, and sometimes bits of nuts. What they all include is universal and such a great way to make the most of old bits of bread that just aren’t good for anything else besides breadcrumbs or croutons. Somehow, adding a few sweet spices with nutty goodness and creamy sauce transforms bland bread into a flavor bonanza.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of bread pudding even though I love raisins and nuts… But adding a generous amount of fresh fruit seems to take the edge off of the mushy custard-like texture that most bread pudding recipes all seem to offer. Here’s one of my favorites that is perfect anytime you’re looking for a sweet bread pudding to snack on.

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Strawberry Brioche Bread Pudding

Course Dessert

Cuisine Europe

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Calories 433kcal

Author Chow

Equipment

• Glass baking dish
• large bowl
• Mesh strainer
• Roasting pan
• Toothpick
• Oven

Ingredients

• ¼ Cup Dark brown sugar (packed)
• 4 Cup Brioche bread/egg bread (-inch cubes)
• 7 Large eggs
• 2 Cups Half and Half (creamer)
• 1 Cup Whole milk
• 2 Tablespoons Granulated sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla extract
• ¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon (ground)
• 2 Pinches of salt
• 2 Fresh strawberries (sliced/hulled)

Instructions

• The first thing you’ll want to do is have a glass baking dish that1s at least 8-inches by 8-inches and is 2-inches deep. This dish should be able to hold 9-10 cups and is usually used for casseroles. Start with adding the brown sugar along the bottom of the dish and then add the bread cubes scattered over the top of the brown sugar.
• Into a large bowl, combine all of the milk, eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract, and whisk this mixture until it’s nice and blended. This mixture is now essentially your custard mixture and should be poured over an open mesh strainer so it drizzles onto the bread cubes slowly and evenly.
• When this is complete, layer your strawberries over the top of the soaking bread in a decorative pattern. You might need to push the bread cubes down if they float up, but sooner or later they will absorb the custard. All this to stand for 30 minutes until nothing is rising up and has settled more to the bottom of the casserole dish.
• You will need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place the casserole dish into the center rack. It’s better if you put the glass dish into a roasting pan that’s slightly larger than the casserole dish and fill this halfway with warm water. This will help reduce the heat from the oven from totally melting the brown sugar on the bottom.
• Allow the bread pudding to brown on top and help set the entire mixture of bread and custard. You’ll know it’s completely baked by placing a toothpick into the center and it can be removed with nothing sticking on the toothpick. Let the bread pudding cool for 1 to 1 hours inside the water pan before removing it from the oven.
• Use a spoon to scoop out the finished bread pudding onto a serving plate while it’s still warm. Enjoy!

The post Strawberry Brioche Bread Pudding appeared first on A Chow's Life.

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Chicken and White Bean Chili (with Peanut Butter)

One of the more satisfying recipes I want to mention here is for my chicken and white bean chili that I recently modified with adding peanut butter. You can adjust the amount as you like, but I think this amount works perfectly as you’ll find. You’ll want to make this before the ‘Breakfast for Dinner’ recipe, so it doubles both ways in my opinion.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Calories 239kcal

Author Chow

Equipment

• Saucepan or skillet

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
• 1 White onion (chopped)
• 2 Garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 Can Chicken broth (14.5 ounces)
• 1 Can Tomatillos (drained and chopped – about 18.65 ounces)
• 1 Can Diced tomatoes (16 ounces)
• 1 Can Dice green chile (7 ounces)
• ½ Teaspoon Dried oregano
• ½ Teaspoon Coriander (ground)
• ¼ Teaspoon Cumin (ground)
• 2 Ears Fresh corn (kernels removed)
• 1 Pound Chicken breast (diced)
• 1 Can White beans (15 ounces)
• 3 Tablespoons Peanut butter (creamy)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

• Into a saucepan or skillet, heat your oil and start cooking the onion and garlic until it becomes soft on medium-low heat. Take your chopped chicken breast and peanut butter and add this into the pan to cook for 5-7 minutes on the same heat.
• After this, add the broth, tomatoes, chiles, tomatillos, and spices bringing the entire mixture to a boil for a total of 10 minutes. After this, you then add the corn and beans and reduce this to a slow simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
• Season the entire mixture with salt and pepper as you like. The chicken will not be overcooked and will be very tender from the addition of broth and tomatoes. You can add more peanut butter if you like at this point.
• Add a touch of flour to thicken if you like. If you eat this as a stand-alone meal, be sure to add a couple of tablespoons of sharp white cheddar cheese for extra taste!

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Cornmeal Waffle Breakfast for Dinner

You will need a waffle maker for this to work best, so the batter will cook into a waffle shape. This is especially good if you add the chicken and white bean chili on top. All of the nooks and crannies will hold the chili sauce while the chicken and beans remain on top.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greeks

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Calories 242kcal

Author Chow

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• large bowl
• Waffle machine
• Cookie tray
• Toaster oven

Ingredients

• 1 Cup All-purpose flour (sifted before measuring)
• ½ Cup Yellow cornmeal
• 2 Teaspoons Baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon Baking soda
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Cup Wheat germ
• 3 Large Eggs
• 2 Cup Buttermilk (shaken well)
• 6 Tablespoons Vegetable oil (extra is also needed for waffle machine)

Instructions

• Take a large mixing bowl and add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornmeal and sift these ingredients with a sifter a couple of times. Now add the wheat germ and mix this into the dry ingredient mixture.
• Using a second large bowl, add the buttermilk, oil, and eggs and whisk these together until smooth. Now you can add the dry mixture and whisk this until you have a fully blended batter.
• This is when you preheat your waffle machine and add just enough vegetable oil so the batter won’t stick. Using a soup ladle, add the batter into the waffle machine and close it so both sides of your waffle bake evenly.
• Make as many of these waffles as you need for your meal for you and your family. You can store baked waffles on a cookie tray in your oven set to warm. These can always be warmed up in a toaster oven later if you have any leftovers.
• Warm-up your chicken and white bean chili as you like, and add this on top of your waffles. Add white cheddar cheese on the very top. If you like, section the waffles into quarters so they’re bite-size pieces. This makes them easier for kids and attractive for grownups.

The post Breakfast for Dinner – Waffles w/ Chili appeared first on A Chow's Life.

Peanut butter is healthy in every dish

If there is one thing that peanut butter is best-known for -is not always slathered onto bread with a generous spread of jelly. I love how I can make tasty Thai chicken pasta or a spicy peanut butter pork sandwich that both feature different signature flavors. If not for the versatility of stir fry and African dishes, peanut butter might not add such depth in taste. Then again, adding a dollop to my butternut squash soup isn’t out of the question either.

I’ve found that my chili recipe always becomes a real treat with a bit of peanut butter or with my African chicken and sweet potatoes. It just seems fitting that it goes so well with Thai veggie dip all the way through peanut butter and cream cheese fruit dip! I really like how peanut butter brightens the flavor of meats such as pork while giving a smooth and pleasant taste to stronger meats like lamb. Peanut butter is among the most versatile healthy ingredient you can work into endless dishes.

If I had to choose which recipe that peanut butter works best in is certainly baked sweets and cookies. This is one of my biggest guilty pleasures that brings out memories of my childhood helping my mother in the kitchen, making it one of my favorite recipes. And if you love peanut butter cookies too, then you’ll want to try this classic old-fashioned recipe that always brings me back every time I make it at home.

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Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Calories 180kcal

Author Chow

Equipment

• Cookie tray
• Silicone-coated baking paper
• Medium-sized bowl
• Baking paper
• Baking sheet
• Cooling rack

Ingredients

• 2 Cups All-purpose flour
• 1 Cup Unsalted butter (2 sticks- room temperature)
• 1 Cup Peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
• 1 Cup Brown sugar (packed)
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla extract

Instructions

• To prepare for making these cookies, you start with taking a cookie tray and lining it with silicone-coated baking paper. You can preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit because this mixture is very simple to prepare.
• Take a medium-sized bowl and add your flour, baking powder, salt and blend these together on medium-high. Into a standard bowl mixer, you want to beat the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until everything is blended well.
• Now you can add the brown sugar and mix this further with the butter mixture. Use a spatula to scrape the side of your mixing bowl and then add one egg at a time. After this, you can add the dry mixture reducing the speed to low.
• When the dough mixture has thickened enough, it’s time to start rolling dough balls. Take a tablespoon and scoop this into your dough mixture. This can be rolled into a ball with your hands no bigger than 1-inches in diameter.
• Place each ball onto the baking paper and space them 2-inches apart from each other. Then the best part of this recipe is to make the chicken scratches. Using a standard dinner fork, the edges of each side of a dough ball are pressed down.
• The dough will look similar to a chicken scratching at each corner of your dough, which is why they’re called chicken scratches’. Now place the cookie tray into the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes.
• When the cookies are golden brown along the bottom and appear dry on top, they are fully baked. This baking sheet needs to be removed and allowed to sit for 5 minutes. Each cookie can be transferred to a cooling rack so they will cool sooner to eat them right away.

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