Okara Mountain • Okara recipes, vegetarian recipes

tomato-basil bread •

2010-03-06T14:32:00.014-06:00

This bread came about by trying to replicate the Panera Bread® Mediterranean Veggie sandwich. I will need to do some experimenting next time around, (more herbs!) but for the first attempt it is certainly passable. Especially if you use it as a vehicle for the rest of the sandwich components: hummus, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, red onion, cucumber and lettuce. I even roasted my own red bell peppers for the first time!

Tomato-Basil Bread •

2-1/4 teaspoons yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups tomato juice

1/4 cup ketchup

1 cup wet okara

3 tablespoons Sucanat (natural cane sugar)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cups white whole wheat flour

5-7 cups unbleached white flour

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water. In a medium saucepan, heat tomato juice, ketchup, and okara until just warm. Stir in Sucanat and olive oil, and yeast mixture. Pour into a large mixing bowl and add cheese, salt, herbs and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Gradually add in as much flour as needed to make a soft dough. Depending on how much moisture is in your okara and flour, this could be anywhere from five to seven additional cups of flour. Knead for ten minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Let the dough rise until doubled, approximately 1-1/2 hours. Punch down, divide dough in half, and shape into loaves. Place in two greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

back to school muffins •

2009-09-02T08:06:00.008-05:00

I was roused from my bed this morning with the sweet sounds of intense bickering emerging from the main bath. Yes, it’s that wonderful time of year. The days become cooler, the notebooks are new, the backpack is packed, sitting at attention by the front door. The mornings become...well, hell. One of my indulgences of motherhood is to let my girls have a pretty laid back summer holiday. This tends to come back and bite me when school starts. I cringe listening to the shrieks of indignation coming from one daughter about the wearing of her clothes without permission. The other brings up the usage of her personal hair gel or mascara. My husband sheepishly ducks and quickly scoots out the house, avoiding the whole scene. The last thing I want to hear from them in the morning is the lack of food for breakfast. I spent last weekend filling the freezer with waffles and other quick-to-grab goodies. If you, unlike me, are feeling energetic at that time of day, a little icing made with cream cheese would be a perfect topping for these muffins. Or you can just do what I do, put out a plate of cream cheese with a knife.

Back to School Muffins •

Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl:

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okarastraight from your machine, not drained or dried)

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1-1/2 cup grated carrots

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

1-1/4 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Toss in:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped raisins

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fill your muffin tins with enough paper liners for 16 muffins, or generously grease and flour your tins. Spoon the batter into the liners about two-thirds full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly brown. You can test them with a wooden toothpick; if it comes out clean take them out. Depending on the wetness of your okara, the baking times might be slightly different. Cool for 10 minutes, take muffins out of tins and place on wire racks to cool completely. If you use paper liners, you must cool the muffins completely or the muffins will stick to the liner. Makes one and a half dozen.

english muffin bread •

2009-08-26T17:57:00.004-05:00

I really should call this “It Makes Great Toast” bread, because that remark is what I hear the most when I make this for the family. Besides that great feature, it goes together quickly, making it possible to have bread on the table in a little over an hour.

English Muffin Bread •

2 cups milk (dairy or soy, or a combination)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup wet okara (straight from your machine)

4 cups unbleached white flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

4-1/2 teaspoons yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Yellow cornmeal for dusting pans and bread

In a small saucepan:

Combine milk, water and okara. Heat until very warm (120 - 130 degrees).

In a large mixing bowl:

Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add warmed liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, beat well. Stir in rest of flour to make a stiff batter. Dust two (8-1/2 x 4-1/2) loaf pans with yellow cornmeal. Spoon in batter, and sprinkle tops with cornmeal. Cover with a lightweight towel and let rise in a warm area for 45 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

chocolate banana muffins •

2009-08-23T18:32:00.008-05:00

I’m tired, I’m lazy...so here’s the recipe.

Okara Chocolate Banana Muffins •

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together in a large mixing bowl:

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

1/4 cup vanilla soy milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 small bananas (peeled, of course)

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup chocolate chips

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fold in one cup of chocolate chips. Line your muffin tins with paper liners. Fill the liners 2/3 of the way with batter. Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes. Makes approximately 18 muffins.

Daring Bakers - April •

2009-04-26T17:33:00.020-05:00

Abbey‘s Infamous Cheesecake •

I was very pleased to see what the Daring Baker’s challenge was this month, something I have always wanted to bake and have never attempted, for one reason or another. This is just one of the many wonderful perks by being a member of the Daring Bakers. It gives me the incentive I need to push past my insecurities, excuses and laziness. If I have any difficulties, there is always a member willing to help with advice or encouragement. Now if I can only manage to stop procrastinating until the day before the challenge is due!

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge. It is a versatile recipe, allowing for many tasty and creative ideas. The recipe itself is very easy to follow and execute. Even though I wrapped my pan with foil, the water seeped in anyway. And I should have listened to that little voice inside my head nudging me to add cornstarch to the syrup on top. Shall we just say that the cheesecake was nice and moist after everything was said and done? It might not look so pretty - but it made up for it in taste. It is a recipe that I will try again (and listen to that pesky voice this time).

Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake: (My additions and/or substitutions are highlighted in red)

crust:
2 cups / 180 g graham cracker crumbs
1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted

2 tbsp. / 24 g sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

cheesecake:
3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature
1 cup / 210 g sugar (I added the zest of one orange with the sugar)
3 large eggs
1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream (Heat the heavy cream in the microwave, then add 3 bags of Celestial Seasonings Tangerine Orange Zinger Herbal Tea. Let steep for 10-15 minutes.) Drain and discard teabags.)
1 tbsp. lemon juice (I used 1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract (or the innards of a vanilla bean) (I used 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 tablespoon orange extract)
1 tbsp liqueur, optional, but choose what will work well with your cheesecake (I added 1 tablespoon of light rum)

My topping:

1 (15 oz.) can of mandarin oranges in light syrup. Drain oranges and reserve syrup. Place oranges on the plate lined with paper toweling and let set while your cheesecake is cooling. In a small saucepan, heat reserved syrup until very hot. Add 2 bags of the Tangerine Orange Zinger tea. Let steep for five minutes. Squeeze excess liquid out of tea bags and discard. Add 1 tablespoon of frozen orange concentrate, and stir until thawed. Pour into a measuring cup and add enough water to make one cup. Boil over low heat until mixture is reduced by half and is thickened. Cool completely, and spoon over cooled cheesecake.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Gas Mark 4 = 180C = Moderate heat). Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.

3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and alcohol and blend until smooth and creamy.

4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.

5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Pan note: The creator of this recipe used to use a springform pan, but no matter how well she wrapped the thing in tin foil, water would always seep in and make the crust soggy. Now she uses one of those 1-use foil "casserole" shaped pans from the grocery store. They're 8 or 9 inches wide and really deep, and best of all, water-tight. When it comes time to serve, just cut the foil away.

Prep notes: While the actual making of this cheesecake is a minimal time commitment, it does need to bake for almost an hour, cool in the oven for an hour, and chill overnight before it is served. Please plan accordingly!

Some variations from the recipe creator:

** Lavender-scented cheesecake w/ blueberries - heat the cup of heavy cream in the microwave or a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Add 2 tbsp of lavender flowers and stir. Let lavender steep in the cream for about 10-15 minutes, then strain the flowers out. Add strained cream to cheesecake batter as normal. Top with fresh blueberries, or make a quick stovetop blueberry sauce (splash of orange juice, blueberries, a little bit of sugar, and a dash of cinnamon - cook until berries burst, then cool)

** Cafe au lait cheesecake with caramel - take 1/4 cup of the heavy cream and heat it in the microwave for a short amount of time until very hot. Add 1-2 tbsp. instant espresso or instant coffee; stir to dissolve. Add this to the remainder of cream and use as normal. Top cheesecake with homemade caramel sauce (I usually find one on the food network website - just make sure it has heavy cream in it. You can use store-bought in a pinch, but the flavor is just not the same since its usually just sugar and corn syrup with no dairy).

** Tropical – add about a half cup of chopped macadamias to the crust, then top the cake with a mango-raspberry-mandarin orange puree.

** Mexican Turtle - add a bar of melted dark chocolate (between 3 and 5 oz., to taste) to the batter, along with a teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash of cayenne pepper (about 1/8 tsp.). Top it with pecan halves and a homemade caramel sauce.

** Honey-cinnamon with port-pomegranate poached pears – replace 1/2 cup of the sugar with 1/2 cup of honey, add about a teaspoon or more (to taste) of cinnamon. Take 2 pears (any variety you like or whatever is in season), peeled and cored, and poach them in a boiling poaching liquid of port wine, pomegranate juice/seeds, a couple of "coins" of fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, and about a 1/4 cup of sugar. Poach them until tender, then let cool. Strain the poaching liquid and simmer until reduced to a syrupy-glaze consistency, then cool. Thinly slice the cooled pears and fan them out atop the cooled cheesecake. Pour the cooled poaching syrup over the pears, then sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts and fresh pomegranate seeds.

Some variations from Jenny (from JennyBakes):

**Key lime - add zest from one lime to sugar before mixing with cream cheese. Substitute lemon juice, alcohol, and vanilla with key lime juice.

**Cheesecakelets - put in muffin tins, ramekins, or custard cups. Try baking 20-35 minutes, or until still a little jiggly, and cool as before.

Daring Bakers - February •

2009-02-28T19:29:00.013-06:00

I am right under the wire this month with the Daring Bakers challenge. If one of your resolutions this year was to diet - stop reading right now! This challenge would definitely break that resolution. The flourless cake is very manageable and delicious. I made cherry vanilla ice cream with cherry sauce to accompany my very rich chocolate cake.

Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Valentino •

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.

We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream •

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

2/3 cup sugar

Dash of salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 - 3 drops almond extract

1/4 cup tart cherry juice

1/4 cup apple juice

1/3 cup chopped tart cherries

Mix all ingredients except cherries together. Make ice-cream following instructions of your ice-cream maker. In the last minute of churning, add cherries. Place in freezer until solid.

Tart Cherry Sauce •

1/2 cup tart cherry juice

1/2 cup apple juice

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 -3 drops almond extract

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook slowly with low heat until thick and sauce is clear. Serve warm over ice cream and cake.

Bread Book Giveaway •

2009-02-25T15:38:00.006-06:00

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day Giveaway •

Head on over to Jo’s blog to register to win this fantastic book! You all know you want one, now’s your chance to get an autographed copy.

okara olympics •

2009-02-17T17:04:00.009-06:00

Today I ran out of soy milk, and realized that I had a container of okara still in the refrigerator from my last batch of soy milk. Rather than chuck another container of okara in there, I took a deep breath and started a baking marathon. I put my KitchenAid mixer, my waffle iron, and bread maker in service all at the same time. After making a big batch of Buttermilk Waffles, I left them to cool. I wrapped them individually in foil packages, and placed the waffles in freezer bags. The little darlings can now pull them out of the freezer and toast them up in a hurry. I used my KitchenAid to mix and knead dough for Quick Dinner Rolls. I had delicious, warm rolls to accompany our supper that evening, with leftovers for this week’s sandwiches. The bread maker was doing it’s thing with all the ingredients for Multigrain Bread, which we can use for sandwiches or toast. Now all I have left to do is figure out what to do with my new batch of okara. Definitely something chocolate.

Buttermilk Waffles •

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

4 eggs

2-1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup oil

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained)

In another mixing bowl sift together:

2 cups white unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Make waffles according to your waffle iron’s manual. I use a well-rounded 1/2 cup of batter. Bake until golden brown, about three to three and a half minutes. Makes approximately 14 (7") waffles.

Multigrain Bread for your Bread Maker •

Find Recipe Here.

Quick Dinner Rolls •

1 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained)

1/2 cup safflower oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 to 2-1/2 cups white unbleached flour

2 tablespoons yeast

In a large mixing bowl (your KitchenAid bowl if you are using it), stir together 2 cups of flour and the yeast. In a small saucepan, heat soy milk, okara, oil, honey and salt until very warm (125 degrees). Pour into flour/yeast mixture. Beat approximately 2 - 3 minutes with your KitchenAid (or by hand 300 strokes). Switch to the dough hook and add the rest of the flour to make a soft dough. Knead well for 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Pinch off dough into golf-ball sized balls. Place on greased baking sheets and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until lightly browned. Makes approximately 12 - 15 rolls.

a tuile i can live with •

2009-01-28T17:41:00.033-06:00

They call it The Daring Bakers. Maybe they should have come up with different monikers. Number One: the Daring Baker, where the ingredients and photos seduce you, tempting your baking expertise. Second comes the Desperate Baker, when those same ingredients taunt you, and your photos don’t look like the cookbook’s. Next, comes the Dizzy Baker, when you are running out of time and that recipe maliciously giggles at you. Last: the Determined Baker — where you give that recipe one last try, I mean it! *Update - Four more; the Depressed Baker (courtesy of Aparna) and the Drained Baker (suggested by Jenny) the Demented Baker (by Esther) and the Dreamer (Alana)!

Having made tuiles before and having no problems, I became the Determined Baker with this recipe. It was not a pretty sight. The first attempt there was a typo on the original recipe. The second attempt I made the tuiles bigger and did not bake them long enough. My husband told me to “Give it up!” “Excuse, me?” Them’s fightin’ words, bub! I persevered and finally got a tuile that I could live with. My husband is another matter. He looked at them and suggested I keep my day job. Not really...he knows that complimenting the cook is the way to keep getting fed around this house.

The Daring Bakers January Challenge •

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. We were to pair them with something light; fruit, sorbet, mousse, etc. I decided to mix 4 ounces of cream cheese (softened) with 1/2 cup of lemon curd for a dip/spread. It was delicious!

Yields: 20 small butterflies/6 large (butterflies are just an example)
Preparation time batter 10 minutes, waiting time 30 minutes, baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch

65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)
60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract) I used orange extract
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.1/4 ounces sifted all purpose flour
1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice
Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

Oven: 180C / 350F

Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored. Use this colored batter in a paper piping bag and proceed to pipe decorations on the wings and body of the butterfly.

Bake butterflies in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from bakingsheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. (Haven’t tried that). Or: place a bakingsheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.

If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones….

cinnamon raisin bread •

2009-01-20T16:38:00.013-06:00

Vegan Cinnamon Raisin Bread •

After my success with Multigrain Bread for my bread machine, I wanted to come up with a recipe utilizing soy milk and keep it vegan. This cinnamon raisin bread is not too sweet, is healthy, and toasts up beautifully. Follow your machine’s instructions for layering wet and dry ingredients. All ingredients should be at room temperature or warm. I usually pour hot water into my bread pan first to warm it, assemble my ingredients, then empty the water. I layer my ingredients in this order:

1 cup warm vanilla soy milk

1 cup warm wet okara (this is referring to the okara right from your machine, not drained) or tofu

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons canola oil

2-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour

2/3 cup rolled oats

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2-1/4 teaspoons yeast

1 to 1-1/2 cups raisins (set aside)

Use the setting on your bread machine for a large rapid rise whole wheat loaf. When the bread machine starts the kneading cycle, add the raisins a 1/4 cup at a time, until incorporated. After your machine kneads the dough, open the lid and check that it is coming together into a ball. If not, add warm water, a little at a time, waiting a few minutes in between. If the ball looks too sticky in the beginning of kneading, add some flour a little at a time.

goodness in a glass •

2009-01-12T16:17:00.012-06:00

Soy milk—My Favorite Recipe •

I have been making my own soy milk for over a year now. After several batches of (almost) undrinkable soy milk, I settled on this recipe. But I wonder...how do others make their soy milk? Do you have a recipe to share here? After soaking the required soybeans overnight, I drain and add 3 tablespoons of rolled oats before processing. When the cycle is complete, I pour the milk through a gold mesh coffee filter.

To two batches of soy milk (which yields 1/2 gallon of milk) I add the following:

1/2 cup sucanat (natural cane sugar)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

The end result is smooth, sweet and creamy. Do you make yours differently? Do you add brown rice or nuts? I would love to know!

*Note: I use this machine Sanlinx Inc.—the SoyaPower™

Susan, from the wonderful blog Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, uses this.

Lolo, from Vegan Yum-Yum was adventurous one day and made it by hand.

puffed apple pancake •

2009-01-07T21:29:00.011-06:00

I know from reading food blogs and conversing on Twitter that a lot of you put a mighty fine dinner on the table every night. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. You will find me, more often than not, parked in front of the refrigerator or pantry at 6:00 p.m. staring blankly at what is inside. I have great intentions, of course. I read cooking blogs, bookmarking tons of recipes. I gather my cookbooks and read them for entertainment. I love to thumb through magazines drooling over photos, and conjuring up fabulous meals. In my dreams. The reality is that usually I am missing a vital ingredient, or I forgot to defrost, or I am just too tired to face that elaborate recipe. Yesterday evening was just that sort of evening. I came home from work tired, hungry and cold. The little darlings were circling the kitchen, stressing me out. I eyed the bright green apples on the counter in the stages of getting mushy. “Who wants a pancake?”

Puffed Apple Pancake •

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup unbleached white flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon coriander (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small mixing bowl whisk:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained)

2/3 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until mixed. Set aside.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups sliced Granny Smith apples

1/4 cup brown sugar

Melt the butter in an iron skillet. Cook the apples and brown sugar (over medium heat) for approximately ten minutes. Pour the batter entirely over all the apples in the skillet. Place in hot oven and reduce temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until browned, about 15 to 18 minutes. Run a knife around edges of skillet, and flip over onto a plate or platter. Dust with Confectioners' sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup.

multigrain bread for bread machine •

2009-01-07T12:20:00.014-06:00

I have been trying to come up with an okara recipe that I could use in my bread machine for quite some time. I have been making bread since I was in art school many (many) years ago. It was a wonderful stress releaser, spending all afternoon tending to that dough. Kneading and punching my way through my (as it turns out now) very small problems, which seemed catastrophic at that time. How I wish that my problems were that small and that I had all afternoon to tend to bread dough. Responsibilities change, and life throws you a curve ball (or two or three). One of your children is diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease, your talented and creative husband is unemployed, your two used cars need major work, no health insurance. So you take on as much extra work as you can, your blog gets pushed to the back burner, and you start cutting deep corners on the grocery bill. Starting with a loaf of bread. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time paying $4.00 on a loaf of healthy bread when I can make it myself for so much less (and it tastes so much better)! Since time is at a premium, I find myself in the kitchen every evening using my bread machine to bake those healthy loaves. One drawback - it is hard to resist that aroma rising out into the atmosphere. We have been known to tear into that steamy goodness right out of the machine, leaving us with a mangled mess. Over the past year, I have tried to increase both the whole wheat flour and okara with less than stellar results. However, this recipe will yield a loaf that is not too dense or stunted. Follow your machine’s instructions for layering wet and dry ingredients. All ingredients should be at room temperature or warm. I usually pour hot water into my bread pan first to warm it, assemble my ingredients, then empty the water. I layer my ingredients in this order:

Multigrain Bread for your Bread Machine •

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara right from your machine, not drained)

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

2-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour

2/3 cup rolled oats

2-1/4 teaspoons yeast

Use the setting on your bread machine for a large whole wheat loaf. When the bread machine kneads the dough, open the lid and check that it is coming together into a ball. If not, add warm water, a little at a time, waiting a few minutes in between. If the ball looks too sticky in the beginning of kneading, add some flour a little at a time. Enjoy!

Harvest Spice Muffins •

2008-11-09T19:19:00.005-06:00

I viewed the butternut and acorn squash with dismay; Not already! You cannot have spots on your beautiful skin! I just placed you in my pantry not a week...umm, two...was it three weeks ago? Well, time to get busy and bake them up—hopefully using that okara in the process.

Harvest Spice Muffins •

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together in a large mixing bowl:

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

1 cup cooked and pureéd squash (I used a combination of acorn and butternut squash)

1/2 cup buttermilk (I had some that I had to use up, use soy milk if avoiding dairy altogether)

1/4 cup safflower oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 ground flaxseed meal

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Set aside:

3 tablespoons cinnamon/sugar optional for topping

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Line your muffin tins with paper liners. Fill the liners 2/3 of the way with batter. Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar on top if desired. Bake muffins 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

daring bakers challenge • lavash crackers

2008-09-27T18:05:00.000-05:00

This month’s challenge was hosted by Natalie (Gluten A Go Go) and Shel (Musings from the Fishbowl). We were allowed to use any topping for our crackers. We also were allowed our choice of dip, salsa or spreads as long as it was vegan and gluten free. I really loved this recipe. It was manageable and the end result was delicious. I made four batches in total, deciding on a sweet version on the last batch. My topping of choice on this batch was a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. The dip was a tasty blend of tofu, applesauce and spices. I ate my savory crackers in one day—for shame!

Lavash •

Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers

1-1/2 cups (6.75 oz) unbleached bread flour or gluten free flour blend (If you use a blend without xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan or guar gum to the recipe)
1/2 teaspoon (.13 oz) salt
1/2 teaspoon (.055 oz) instant yeast
1 tablespoon (.75 oz) agave syrup or sugar
1 tablespoon (.5 oz) vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (3 to 4 oz) water, at room temperature
Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, agave, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (see http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-if-Bre … ong-Enough for a discription of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

or

For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), and slightly tacky. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

or

For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Lay out two sheets of parchment paper. Divide the cracker dough in half and then sandwich the dough between the two sheets of parchment. Roll out the dough until it is a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. Slowly peel away the top layer of parchment paper. Then set the bottom layer of parchment paper with the cracker dough on it onto a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

Vegan Harvest Dip •

12 ounces Soft Tofu

1 cup homemade applesauce (the chunkier the better)

3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon

dash nutmeg

dash cloves

dash salt

triple dog dare • august

2008-08-12T20:37:00.000-05:00

O.k., I know. I have a big “L” on my forehead right now. Loser, Lazy, Lightweight...

Pick one, pick them all. Who knew my summer would turn out to be so busy?! I know I could set aside my Leisure time, what Little there is of it. I could be working on my blog, instead of wandering around in my yard, admiring my flowers and cherry tomatoes. But memories of swirling snow and frigid air invade my thoughts and make me extremely reluctant to sit in front of a computer on such beautiful days. So I hope you all will forgive me and stick by me. I will return to more frequent posting soon...very soon. I have decided to post all three Triple Dog Dare Challenges together, a summer collection of sorts.

The Triple Dog Dare for August is Herbs. And don’t worry, there will be a winner for every month!

triple dog dare—july •

2008-07-11T14:51:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note. I should have known better than to start this Dare right before my annual Independence Day party. I simply had too much to do in too little time. Thank you all for your submissions. At any rate, when I get back from my mini-vacation, I will post the submissions from the June Triple Dog Dare and the winner of the Major Award! Thank you all for your patience. In the meantime, the Triple Dog Dare for July is vegetables.

2nd daring bakers challenge • danish braid

2008-06-29T16:59:00.000-05:00

This month’s Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Kelly of Sass & Veracity, and Ben of What’s Cookin’?.

How did I feel about this chalenge? I loved it! Other than being a little time consuming, it was very easy to do. My only problem was getting it to rise. It seemed rather flat to me. We had the choice of using a different filling than the recipe stated. I had some sour cherries in the freezer from last summer that had to be used—so I placed a layer a homemade marzipan on the bottom and a layer of sweetened cherries flavored with almond extract on top. I made it on Father’s Day as a treat for my husband. He thought it was delicious. Instead of making another braid with the remaining dough, I opted to make individual twists with apple butter. We actually preferred the twists.

Danish Braid •

DANISH DOUGH

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH
Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

BUTTER BLOCK
1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.
2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

APPLE FILLING
Makes enough for two braids

Ingredients
4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.

DANISH BRAID
Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients
1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)
2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see below)

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash
Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking
1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

okara egg bake •

2008-06-23T15:41:00.000-05:00

I tend to make this dish when I can’t bear to hear any more complaints in my day. Any one of my readers with children old enough to speak will know where I am coming from. Now, I know they are darlings. Of course you love them. Unconditionally. But after one of those days where you bounce from one crabby darling to the next, and your patience was left down in the laundry room where you picked up another hamper full of supposedly dirty clothes, the last thing you want to hear out of their mouths is how much they really don’t like the dinner that you just spent two hours on. Now, this doesn’t happen very often in my house. Because frankly, if it did, they would be cooking their own dinners. But it does happen, usually when we are all too hungry, too tired (nap times were abandoned long ago) and too hormonal to show each other some common courtesy. The darlings love this recipe; it is not too spicy, it is full of their favorite vegetable and cheese. Their only complaint (you knew there had to be one) is that there isn’t more to enjoy the next day. I think I can live with that one.

Okara Egg Bake •

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons unbleached white flour

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained or dried)

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry

3 cups chopped broccoli, cooked and drained

1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

3 green onions, sliced thinly

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt, and quickly whisk in milk. Stir constantly until thickened. Add cheddar cheese to white sauce and stir until melted. Add okara, and mix well. Add egg yolks slowly, whisking well. Add nutmeg, parsley and black pepper, broccoli, red pepper and onions. Fold in beaten egg whites. Butter a casserole dish (approximately one and a half quart), sides and bottom. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, pressing it up on the sides of casserole. Set the casserole dish inside a 13" x 9" baking pan that has water in it one inch deep. Pour in egg mixture. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until puffy, golden brown and center is set.

okara lasagna •

2008-06-17T18:55:00.000-05:00

This is a cheesy, vegetarian version of lasagna using Okara Pasta. I am very fortunate to get pint jars of my mother’s home canned spaghetti sauce. The recipe for her sauce (what information I pulled out of her—she doesn’t follow a true recipe)follows.

Okara Lasagna •

1 recipe Okara Pasta, made into lasagna noodles.

1 pint spaghetti sauce

1 (10 ounce)package of frozen chopped spinach-defrosted and drained throughly.

12 to 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not dried)

1 large egg

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix above ingredients throughly, set aside. Spray a 13" x 9" pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer lasagna noodles, one-half of ricotta mixture, one-half of spinach, one-third of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, spinach, and mozzarella. End with a layer of noodles and mozzarella cheese. Spray a large sheet of foil with vegetable spray and cover pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Gma’s Spaghetti Sauce •

In a large skillet sauté:

2 green peppers, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

Add:

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 (8 ounce) cans tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

Water as needed

*Sometimes, mom tells me, she adds paprika, brown sugar, and ground carrots to her sauce.

coconut-ginger scones/lime-ginger curd •

2008-06-02T14:25:00.000-05:00

I love my little darlings. I am sure you all know that. But let’s face it—they cost. A lot. Even if you are conservative with the frivolous funds you throw their way, they will drain every cent from you. And they are worth every cent. Where am I going with this rambling? Diva from The Sugar Bar is hosting an event called Beauty and the Feast. The challenge is to pick a cosmetic/beauty/body etc. product that has either a name that is food-related or has food-related ingredients. You are to create a dish inspired by your product, then post about it. Back to the children. You see, if I have any frivolous funds left over from the children picking me bare, I do not buy beauty products. I would rather spend it on something special to cook with (vanilla beans, spices, or even alcohol) instead of beauty products or cosmetics. So I pick up generic products that do the job. And you know what? Generics are boring. My darlings, though, think nothing of taking my money and buying beauty products with it. So I raided their products for this challenge. In my rummaging, I ran across a small bottle of Burt’s Bees Citrus and Ginger Root Body Wash. It smells divine. Hmm, maybe they are on to something here. Listed in the ingredients (a moment, please, while I find my reading glasses)is coconut oil, ginger root oil, lemon oil, lime oil, and honey among many other items. The following is my inspiration. The scones baked up moist, flaky and delectable with the hint of ginger. The curd has a very zesty zing. Both recipes are definitely keepers!

Coconut-Ginger Scones •

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Stir this with a fork to mix well. Then add:

3/4 cup golden raisins

In a small mixing bowl combine:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not dried or drained)

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon grated ginger root

Set aside for top of dough:

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. The dough will be quite sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured board. Knead 8 or 9 times, then pat into a 8 inch circle. Spread 3 tablespoons melted butter on top and sides of dough circle; and sprinkle sugar, chopped almonds and coconut mixture on tops. Cut circle into 8 wedges; put them on an ungreased cookie sheet roughly 1 inch apart. Bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown around edges. Serve with Lime-ginger curd.

Lime-Ginger Curd •

3/4 cup butter

1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon ginger liquid (liquid obtained from grated ginger root that has been pressed in a sieve)

6 eggs

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, lime juice, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger liquid. Stir constantly (do NOT boil) until very hot and thickened slightly. Remove from heat and cool for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat eggs until thick and creamy. Add the juice mixture to the eggs, beating until combined. Put mixture back into saucepan and stir (over low heat) until very hot and thickened. Do NOT boil. Remove from heat and pour into jars (strain if you want). Keep refrigerated. Makes approximately 4 to 4-1/2 cups.

See here for original recipe without okara.

Coconut-Ginger Scones with Lime-Ginger Curd

Moist, delicious scones with a hint of ginger. Serve them ...

See Coconut-Ginger Scones with Lime-Ginger Curd on Key Ingredient.

okara apricot scones with pecans •

2008-05-31T10:06:00.000-05:00

I took the original recipe for my favorite scones from the community cookbook Creekside Two. The recipe was submitted by a good friend, Deb, who is an excellent cook. I have wanted to experiment with okara in it for a long time, and yet I hesitated. This is a great recipe just as it is, always getting such good results, and frankly I didn’t want to mess up a good thing. But I do have this mountain of okara to constantly deal with. And then I came across another fun event: Waiter, there’s something in my...which is hosted by Andrew from Spittoon Extra. This month featured dried fruit and nuts. Finally, a great excuse to adapt my favorite scone recipe. I am happy to report that the scones baked up just beautifully!

Okara Apricot Scones with Pecans •

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

Stir this with a fork to mix well. Then add:

1/2 cup dried chopped apricots

1/4 cup golden raisins

In a small mixing bowl combine:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not dried or drained)

Set aside for top of dough:

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. The dough will be quite sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured board. Knead 8 or 9 times, then pat into a 8 inch circle. Spread 3 tablespoons melted butter on top and sides of dough circle; and sprinkle sugar and chopped pecans on top. Cut circle into 8 wedges; put them on an ungreased cookie sheet roughly 1 inch apart. Bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown around edges.

Original Scone Recipe •

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup dried fruit

1/4 cup golden raisins

1-1/4 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

Follow mixing directions above.

1st daring bakers challenge-opéra cake •

2008-05-28T02:00:00.000-05:00

My first Daring Bakers challenge, and what a challenge it was! I wanted to join this fantastic group for that reason. To challenge myself, and stretch myself creatively in the kitchen. Ever since I gave birth to the little darlings, I have been baking-impaired, hardly having enough time and patience to get dinner on the table, let alone an elaborate dessert. They are old enough now to entertain themselves (and help with dishes afterwards), and I find myself itching to be more creative and adventurous with recipes.

Now, would I have made an Opéra Cake, ever? Absolutely not. I would have seen the number of steps, and would have been sufficiently intimidated. But I was pleasantly surprised how manageable it really was. The hosts (Lis, Ivonne, Shea, and Fran) changed the recipe up a bit, in honor of Barbara over at Winos and Foodies, creator of Taste of Yellow for LiveStrong Day. Instead of using dark ingredients (chocolate, cocoa or coffee) we were instructed to use only light colors and ingredients.

I flavored the cake with orange extract and vanilla extract. I did the same for the buttercream, adding orange zest. I placed drained mandarin oranges on top of the buttercream when I assembled the cake. The syrup was also flavored with orange and vanilla extracts. The garnish was candied orange slices (another first for me). My first impression was mixed. I was proud of the fact that I persevered and made this cake, but I was disappointed with the taste. It was just too sweet! My family had no difficulty taking it out of my hands and gobbling it down, however. My Opéra Cake would not have won any awards for beauty; I know this. But I am very happy I made the effort. Thank you, Daring Bakers!

Opéra Cake •

The elements of an Opéra Cake are as follows:

Joconde: A thin sponge cake that is made using nut meal, traditionally almond meal.

Syrup: The joconde is flavored with a sugar syrup.

Buttercream: The first two layers of the joconde are covered in buttercream.

Ganache/Mousse (optional): In some recipes, the final layer of joconde is covered in a ganache or mousse. (I did not do this layer)

Glaze: The final step is a glaze that gives the cake a very finished and elegant appearance (unless it is too hot and runs off your cake, like mine did).

This recipe is based on Opéra Cake recipes in Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets and Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty’s Chocolate Passion.

Joconde

(Note: The joconde can be made up to 1 day in advance and kept wrapped at room temperate)

6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 cups ground blanched almonds
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Divide the oven into thirds by positioning a rack in the upper third of the oven and the lower third of the oven.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two 12-1/2" x 15-1/2" jelly-roll pans with parchment paper and brush with melted butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. If you do not have another mixer bowl, gently scrape the meringue into another bowl and set aside. If you only have one bowl, wash it after removing the egg whites or if you have a second bowl, use that one. Attach the paddle attachment to the stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer again) and beat the almonds, icing sugar and eggs on medium speed until light and voluminous, about 3 minutes. I added 1 teaspoon of orange extract and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract at this point. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the flour is just combined (be very careful not to overmix here). Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture and then fold in the melted butter. Divide the batter between the pans and spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of each pan. Bake the cake layers until they are lightly browned and just springy to the touch. This could take anywhere from 5 to 9 minutes depending on your oven. Place one jelly-roll pan in the middle of the oven and the second jelly-roll pan in the bottom third of the oven. Put the pans on a heatproof counter and run a sharp knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Cover each with a sheet of parchment or wax paper, turn the pans over, and unmold. Carefully peel away the parchment, then turn the parchment over and use it to cover the cakes. Let the cakes cool to room temperature.

Syrup

(Note: The syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.)

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. of the flavoring of your choice (i.e., vanilla extract, almond extract, cognac, limoncello, coconut cream, honey etc.)

Stir all the syrup ingredients together in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Buttercream (I used the recipe from the Daring Bakers March Challenge Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake)

1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat.
Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
On medium speed, gradually beat in more lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

Glaze

(Note: It’s best to make the glaze right when you’re ready to finish the cake.)

14 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream (35% cream)

Melt the white chocolate with the heavy cream. Whisk the mixture gently until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes and then pour over the chilled cake. Using a long metal cake spatula, smooth out into an even layer. Place the cake into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.

Assembling the Opéra Cake

(Note: The finished cake should be served slightly chilled. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day).

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Working with one sheet of cake at a time, cut and trim each sheet so that you have two pieces (from each cake so you’ll have four pieces in total): one 10" square and one 10" x 5" rectangle.

Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.

Spread about one-third of the buttercream over this layer.

Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.

Spread another third of the buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde. Spread the remaining buttercream on top of the final layer of joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).

Make the glaze and after it has cooled, pour/spread it over the top of the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake again to set the glaze.

Serve the cake slightly chilled. This recipe will yield approximately 20 servings.

okara thumbelinas/tangerine-ginger curd

2008-05-26T15:05:00.000-05:00

Ever since Pixie and Rosie’s Putting Up event, I have wanted to try my hand at making curd. I have never eaten curd. I didn’t even know if I liked it. But one thing is true, I love anything citrus. So reading through those posts in which the authors raved about their curd creations made me drool. When Tartelette decided to host Sugar High Friday #43: Citrus (the monthly event created by The Domestic Goddess), I knew it was the perfect opportunity. That and the fact that I had a bag of tangerines that the darlings were ignoring languishing on the counter. The cookie recipe is adapted from one my mother always made during the Christmas holiday. She rolls the cookies in walnuts and puts her homemade jam in the middle.

Okara Thumbelinas •

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2/3 cup butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup wet okara (okara that has been taken right from your machine, not dried)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-3/4 unbleached white flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

1 to 1-1/2 cups finely chopped almonds

1/3 cup tangerine-ginger curd

In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the yolks, okara and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing well. Shape into 3/4" balls; dip in egg whites, then roll in almonds. Place on greased cookie sheets approximately 1" apart. Press down center of cookie with your thumb. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Cool slightly, then move to wire racks to cool completely. Just before serving, fill centers with curd. Makes approximately 3 dozen.

Tangerine-Ginger Curd •

3/4 cup butter

1 cup fresh squeezed tangerine juice

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon ginger liquid (liquid obtained from grated ginger root that has been pressed in a sieve)

6 eggs

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, tangerine juice, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger liquid. Stir constantly (do NOT boil) until very hot and thickened slightly. Remove from heat and cool for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat eggs until thick and creamy. Add the juice mixture to the eggs, beating until combined. Put mixture back into saucepan and stir (over low heat) until very hot and thickened. Do NOT boil. Remove from heat and pour into jars (strain if you want). Keep refrigerated. Makes approximately 4-1/2 to 5 cups.

tastes to remember • apple bars

2008-05-20T15:42:00.000-05:00

Sarah over at Homemade: Experiences in the Kitchen has started a new event called Tastes to Remember. I have so many tastes to remember (most of them fondly, except for the occasional “wild game” that my father brought home) as my mother was/is a great cook. Not only did she cook, she baked AND preserved food. AND she did all this with six monsters under her feet. AND her house was cleaner than mine will ever be. *Sigh* These bars were one of our favorites growing up. My mother always had a plate of these goodies ready with a big glass of cold milk when we arrived home from school. She knew that all that learnin’ gave us an appetite. A great recipe to have at hand, because it has NO DAIRY ingredients. So when you run out of eggs, milk, and butter and are craving something sweet—reach for this recipe...it will not let you down. Of course, I added okara (the whole point of my blog) but the original recipe follows my altered one.

Apple Bars •

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together:

1-1/2 cups applesauce (homemade if you have it!)

1 cup safflower oil

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not dried)

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla

In another large mixing bowl combine:

4 cups unbleached white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup nuts (I usually use pecans or English walnuts)

1 cup raisins

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons liquid (milk, cream, soy milk or water)

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry; mixing until dry ingredients are incorporated. Grease a 10-1/2" x 15-1/2" jelly roll pan. Spread the batter (it will be thick) evenly in the pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and center tests done. Let cool in pan for approximately one hour, and frost with powdered sugar glaze. Cut into bars.

Original Apple Bar Recipe •

2 cups applesauce

1-1/2 cup oil

2 cups granulated sugar (you can cut back on this)

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup nuts

1 cup raisins

Follow directions above for baking and Powdered Sugar Glaze.