tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27930195139652608032024-03-07T19:53:42.652-08:00The Way to My Family's HeartReneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.comBlogger258125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-9391110928417329032017-02-16T23:38:00.003-08:002017-07-12T06:54:18.675-07:00Gin Zinger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I once read an article written by a fellow military spouse that described the process of frequently moving and making new friends and how it effected her. The thing that stuck me the most was when she described how for her trying to make new friends was like dating. How the first few times getting together with potential new friends is like going on a first date. The awkwardness, wondering whether the other person likes you as much as you like her, trying to figure out if you have enough in common to have a "second date". Doesn't that sound like fun? Especially for a woman who has been married for 17 years and had hoped that her dating years were long over.<br />
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She hit the nail on the head with this characterization. The whole things is exhausting and emotionally draining, fraught with anxiety. Especially when you need to repeat the whole scene every two to three years. It's so hard to keep putting yourself out there like that, risking rejection. For myself and many spouses that I know it makes you want to cocoon yourself in your home with your family and not bother to put yourself out there and try to make friends that you'll just have to say goodbye to in a few years anyway.<br />
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Here's the thing, though. In order to make this life work you really need support and people nearby who you can count on and talk to. It's just too hard otherwise. And it's made even harder by being in a foreign country and isolated by language and culture. The opportunities for finding friends are fewer and the options more limited. Cocooning just isn't possible if you want to escape with your sanity. So I extend my comfort zone and let people know me and decide if they like me enough to include me in their circles. I hope others do the same for me as well.<br />
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After 5 months here in Athens, I think I'm moving past the first date stage. At least I hope I am. I've found a few ladies who I feel like I connect with. I'm not the kind of person who makes a zillion friends, usually just two or three. So after some family get-togethers, books club gatherings and ladies' nights things are settling into the realm of comfortable and happy. The gals I'm surrounding myself with are kind, funny, strong, supportive and thoughtful. So hopefully the first dates have been good ones and I can relax. I'm crossing my fingers that my instincts are right and the second and third date stage goes just as well. Cheers to that!<br />
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<u>Gin Zinger</u><br />
<i>Makes one drink. Simple Syrup recipe makes enough to share with six or more friends.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/gin-zinger" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>I had this drink at a restaurant with some of the new friends I'm making here in Athens. The night was great and the cocktail memorable. The ingredients and method are simple so it's an easy drink to whip up for a bunch of friends for a girls' night. The only time consuming portion is making and cooling the simple syrup. But once it's made it keeps well in the refrigerator. Per the restaurant's description it's a cardamom flavored syrup which just takes a few whole cardamom pods and a few minutes of steeping. If you can't find the pods or don't care for cardamom, the syrup will be just as good without them. But I suggest trying, it's not a strong flavor mixed with the others but the cardamom stands out just a bit in the finish. One final note, I highly recommend Hendricks gin for this drink. The cucumber and spices are a perfect match for the lemon and ginger in the drink.</i><br />
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Fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into quarter sized pieces<i> </i><br />
1 ounce fresh lemon juice<br />
2 ounces gin<br />
1 ounce cardamom simple syrup (see recipe below)<br />
ice<br />
optional garnishes include cucumber slices and a splash of tonic/sparkling water<br />
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Place a slice of ginger in the bottom of a rocks glass. Crush it gently with a muddler or the end or a wooden spoon to release some of the juices. Top the ginger with the remaining ingredients and give the drink a gentle stir. Garnish and serve.<br />
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For the cardamom simple syrup-<br />
5 cardamom pods<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
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Gently crush the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon. Place the cardamom pods, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool completely Remove the cardamon pods before using.Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-66399035916166719962017-02-07T05:26:00.000-08:002017-07-12T05:02:00.531-07:00Roasted Carrot and Onion Quinoa Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"We don't make mistakes, just happy accidents." - Bob Ross<br />
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I love the idea of a happy accident. Something that happens or comes together unintentionally but ends up being so much more than ever expected.<br />
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My third child is a happy accident and she turned out pretty great (insert proud mom smile here).<br />
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My husband, who has been struggling to find a way to pass his free time in our new home, found some beautiful slabs of marble in an old quarry on a motorcycle ride a few weeks back. This was most definitely a happy accident. He has since discovered that if he polishes and cleans them up they are quite beautiful and make great cheese boards. It's pretty cool to watch him get inspired and get to work with his tools. I picked out a stunningly white one for myself that I'm sure will show up from time to time in my photos here.<br />
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This salad is one of those happy accidents. I haven't been doing a very good job planning my meals lately and, honestly, traffic and the crazy drivers and the tiny one way streets around my house are less than motivating when it comes to getting out and going grocery shopping. One recent night I realized that I had nothing to serve as a side to the chicken I planned to grill. We've all had nights like that, I know. So I dug around in my cabinets and fridge and was able to scrounge up a few basics that I thought maybe I could do something with. Carrots, some lemons, a box of quinoa from that was hiding behind the pasta. I wasn't super hopeful, but knew at the very least that I'd have some roasted carrots to serve.<br />
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Imagine my surprise when I ended up with a salad that even my 12 year old son loved. There are earthy and herby notes balanced out by the bright citrussy dressing. A happy accident indeed.<br />
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<u>Roasted Carrot and Onion Quinoa Salad</u><br />
<i>Makes 4 servings.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/roasted-carrot-and-onion-quinoa-salad" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>I don't have too many recipe notes for this salad. It's pretty easy, it just requires a bit of thinking ahead to roast the carrots and onions. This salad would be gorgeous with rainbow carrots but the plain old orange ones are perfectly at home here. Sadly, we can only get the orange carrots here in Athens so that's what I rolled with. Had I had cilantro that's probably what I would have used, but parsley works very nicely with the lemon in the dressing. Use either or both, if you wish. Next time I may try the salad with red onions instead of the white. Both roast beautifully but there's something about the sweetness of a roasted red onion that I can't resist.</i><br />
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3 medium carrots (about 1/2 lb), peeled and sliced into 1 inch coins<br />
1 large sweet onion<br />
1 sprig thyme, thyme leaves stripped from the stem<br />
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tbs <br />
1 cup raw quinoa, rinsed <br />
1 tbs apple cider vinegar<br />
2 tbs honey<br />
zest of 1 lemon<br />
1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
kosher salt and black pepper to taste<br />
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley <br />
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br />
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Trim the stem end from and peel the onion. Leave the root end in tact. Cut the onion into 8 wedges through the root end so that the wedges stay held together. Toss the onion wedges, carrots, thyme and 1 tbs olive oil together on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.<br />
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In the meantime cook the quinoa according to package directions. <br />
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In a serving bowl whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, honey, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper. Stir in the quinoa, roasted vegetable and chopped parsley Toss to coat in the dressing. Serve immediately.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-11487943636907173752017-01-11T02:48:00.002-08:002017-09-26T04:19:44.822-07:00Lemon Pudding Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Christmas season was a pretty quiet one for my family, very different from how things have been recently. The past few years it's been jam packed with German Christmas markets, Swiss mountains, sledding, gluwein, fireworks and cozy winter nights with friends. I loved every minute of it and lately have found myself feeling very nostalgic for the days of Christmases past in Germany. It truly was a special and precious time in our lives. But of course, we had a big move between then and now and are still adjusting to the new reality of things here in Athens. I think we're all feeling a bit constrained living in the city and uninspired by the drab winter here. Moods have definitely been effected. If I had to choose a color to describe us these days it would be grey.<br />
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Serious procrastination, indecision and last minute decisions this year led us to spending a few days on one of the nearby islands for Christmas because we couldn't think of something else to do. It's the off season for Greek islands and there are more goats than people climbing the rocky hills. It was a huge departure from the crowds and lively places we visited wile in Germany. Not my first choice, but I decided to look at the trip as a quiet getaway and a chance to spend some really good family time and to be near my beloved seashore. A trip that was good for the spirit and soul. Well, that was sort of how it worked out and it sort of wasn't. The hubs ended up sick in bed all day long Christmas day. So the kids and I spent a windy and chilly day on the beach by ourselves. It was actually pretty nice. The boys got along without arguing, we combed the sand for sea glass and interesting shells, skipped stones on the water and Lorelei played in the sand without a care in the world. It was nice. Uncomplicated. But again, I noticed the quiet that has been plaguing us recently.<br />
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Mostly I noticed the quiet in my oldest. He just turned 12 and for maybe a year now I've been noticing a change in him. Sometimes it's subtle and sometimes it glaringly obvious. Mood swings that come out of the blue have become frequent (complete with tears!), my once dependable early riser has started sleeping until late morning, his bedroom door has been closed more often than open when he's inside. More subtly, I've noticed him pulling away from the family some. It became more noticeable on our Christmas trip. After a whole day of easy togetherness Christmas day, the following one saw my sweet boy wanting to sit by himself on the beach. No playing, no skipping stones. Instead, he wanted space. I my head I realize why he wants to have some time to himself, but my heart is saddened by the understanding that my little boy is becoming his own man. He's no longer just mine.<br />
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Of course, I am still his mom. And whether he wants to be or not (this changes daily if not hourly), he's still my son. It's just that the relationship is shifting. My goal is to find ways to relate to him as the new young man he wants to be. We've always had reading in common- he's almost as voracious as I am in that regard and I love that about him. We have the same taste, for better or for worse, in music and it has been fun over the past few years to introduce him to favorites like U2 and the Eagles. He's begun asking to cook with me, which I should love, right?. Sometimes I get exasperated with the requests- I'm making dinner and just want to get finished without the slow down of explaining things to him or his excruciatingly slow chopping and slicing. But I'm trying to let that go. It's almost the same as slowing down to let my toddler daughter struggle with putting on her own pants when I'm trying to rush out the door in the morning. They're both trying to be independent in their own way. I just have to slow down and let it happen.<br />
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One day while cooking with my son I had the Great British Bake Off playing on my laptop. The challenge was for the bakers to make "self-saucing puddings", something like a molten chocolate cake. He was totally enthralled by the idea of little cakes that makes their own sauce and for days went around in a silly British voice saying "Self-saucing puddings!". He cracked me up. So these little cakes are for my oldest. My way of connecting with him and finding something for us to talk about. I'll take whatever I can get. And if it comes with a silly accent, all the better in my opinion.<br />
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<u>Lemon Pudding Cake</u><br />
<i>Makes 6 individual cakes or 1 2-quart cake</i><br />
<i>For the recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/lemon-pudding-cake" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>These little cakes are one of my favorite desserts for company. They're so surprising- the light, almost souffle like cake rests atop a silky smooth sauce at the bottom like a layer of pudding or curd. They are bright and tart, a perfect use for the winter citrus and just the right sort of pick me up on grey days. The cakes can be made in ramekins for individual servings or in a single baking dish to serve family style. One tip: don't skip the step where you rub the lemon zest into the sugar. It really is the key to getting as much lemon flavor as possible into the cake.</i><br />
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3/4 cup sugar<br />
1 tbs lemon zest<br />
3 eggs, separated<br />
2 tbs butter, room temperature<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
1/3 cup all purpose flour<br />
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Also needed: several cups of hot water and a roasting pan.<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter 6 6-ounce ramekins or a 2 quart baking dish.<br />
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Mix together the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl. With the tips of your fingers gently rub the zest into the sugar to release all of the oils in the zest. Set aside.<br />
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In the bowl of a stand mixer (this can also be done by hand) whisk together the egg yolks and butter until the butter is well blended. Add the sugar mixture to the bowl and continue whisking until the mixture lightens in color and becomes thick. Mix in the milk and lemon juice just until incorporated and then stir in the flour.<br />
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In a clean, separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter being careful not to deflate the air in the egg whites. Pour the batter into the ramekins or baking dish.<br />
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Set the ramekins or baking dish into the roasting pan and pour the hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of your baking dish/ramekins. Carefully so as not to get water in the batter, place the roasting pan in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The tops will be golden and puffed and feel just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack. Serve warm.Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-59271495272031366612016-12-19T02:25:00.002-08:002016-12-19T02:25:21.452-08:00Lemon Cardamom Palmiers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2016 has been a rough year for this little ol' blog. With all of the moving, displacement and life happening, postings have been a bit sparse. And the tone has been a bit darker than usual. Posts that I worked on for weeks got set aside because I just wasn't happy with how the recipes or photos worked out. I've even considered just taking a break altogether. It just hasn't been clicking for me.<br />
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But I can't seem to stop myself from pulling out my recipe testing journal and my camera and plugging along. I keep trying. So I figure there must be something left here that I love. I think it's using my voice in a way that I don't get to in my everyday life. My goal is to recommit to posting and sharing my stories and my recipes. Because I do miss it. I do love it. Without coming here every once in a while I find myself drifting a bit. <br />
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I had planned on starting with a recipe for palmiers with a bit of a twist. My book club had met at a French cafe the week before and at one point we discussed how easy the palmier a friend ordered is to make at home. The idea stuck in my head but, ever the food blogger, my mind immediately started thinking of ways to shake the traditional recipe up a bit. I settled on cocoa and orange zest- a classic pairing of flavors and not one I had been able to find in any recipe. A challenge!<br />
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2 year old settled in bed for an afternoon nap, I set out to make my first batch of palmiers. Notes made, camera at the ready. Things were going swimmingly at first. The smell of the cocoa and orange was wonderful, the light was perfect and photos tuning out just as I had imagined. I made one batch to start as cocoa is a precious commodity here in Greece. The second sheet of puff pastry from the package was set aside to make a plain batch of palmiers to nibble on. Long story short, by the time I was finished I had inedible puddles of puff pastry and cocoa that hardened into the least appetizing cookies that I had ever made. Total disaster. <br />
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Gosh, aren't those before shots pretty? Couldn't have asked for better. But then there was this.<br />
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Once I got over the disappointment, I could only laugh. It just seemed a fitting way to end this less than stellar blogging year. These sad cookies were perfect in their imperfection. Of course, there is no way that I can share the recipe for these palmiers (can I call them that?). But the "before" pictures were so nice, I couldn't help myself. And then there was that second sheet of puff pastry that didn't get the cocoa-orange treatment. Honestly, the quick, thoughtless and unplanned way that I threw those palmiers together worked out perfectly. So I do have a recipe, just not the one that I had intended. It's quick, easy and no-stress. Just the way I hope 2017 goes for me.<br />
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<u>Lemon Cardamom Palmiers</u><br />
<i>Makes about 2 dozen cookies.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/lemon-cardamom-palmiers" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>This is a simple recipe that can be a starting point for a host of flavors. I really like the subtle lemon and spice but if you're not a fan of cardamom you could omit it or swap it out with ginger for an equally lovely cookie. You could also use orange zest in place of the lemon and change the spice to cinnamon. Or leave out the zest altogether. It's one of those back pocket recipes that you can use in so many ways and still impress with a delicate and delicious cookie.</i><br />
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1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (preferably all butter), thawed<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
zest of 1/2 lemon<br />
1/2 tsp ground cardamon<br />
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.<br />
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Measure the sugar into a small bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and then give the sugar and zest a bit of a massage with your fingertips, releasing the oils of the zest into the sugar. Stir in the cardamom.<br />
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Spread 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture on a clean work surface. Lay the puff pastry over the sugar and give it a bit of a roll with a rolling pin to adhere the sugar to the bottom of the pastry. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar mixture over the surface of the puff pastry so that it covers evenly and completely. Roll each of the long sides tightly towards the middle so that they meet in the center. Slice the roll into 1/2 inch slices and lay the slices at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.<br />
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Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, then flip them over and continue to bake for another 4-5 minutes until the sugar has caramelized. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack.<br />
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The cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-67577024809294049082016-11-07T02:14:00.002-08:002017-07-12T04:10:58.611-07:00Apple Pie Quick Cinnamon Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Piles of orange and red leaves. Beautiful, moody light. Scarves, jackets and boots. Sipping hot, mulled wine on a German sidewalk. The scent of wood-burning fireplaces in the air. <br />
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Sigh.<br />
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I'm totally missing the change of the seasons. Not that I don't appreciate the warmth that comes with living in a Mediterranean country, I'm SO not complaining about that. But after spending the past three years where the fall was practically perfect I find myself longing for quiet Sunday afternoons kicking my way through the red and orange leaves around the lake in town. There's not much visible change marking the seasons here except the ripening of the oranges and lemons in my yard. Beautiful and tasty in it's own right, but not quite what I picture fall to look like.<br />
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But I'm making up for the lack of fall in my life by baking up all of the apples. Like all of them in all of Athens. Every single time I pass the fruit and veggie stand I stop and pick up a half dozen. It's helping a little. This particular recipe definitely makes things feel a bit more autumnal. It's apple pie without all of the fuss of making a pie crust. Oh, and no yeast! This is not a two day, overnight sort of cinnamon roll. But don't let that fool you into thinking that these are inferior in any way. because they're so totally not. They're soft and tender, with a sweet buttery center full of all things fall. The scent will make all your troubles float away on warm spiced cloud. It's really the best.<br />
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<u>Apple Pie Quick Cinnamon Rolls</u><br />
<i>Makes 16 rolls. Recipe only slightly adapted from <a href="http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2010/12/no-yeast-cinnamon-buns-recipe/" target="_blank">In Jennie's Kitchen</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/apple-pie-quick-cinnamon-rolls" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<b>Filling</b><br />
<b> </b>3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar<i> </i><br />
1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp kosher salt<br />
2 tbs butter, melted<br />
2 medium apples, cut into eighths and sliced thinly <br />
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<b>Dough</b><br />
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour<b> </b><br />
1/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp kosher salt<br />
1 cup buttermilk<br />
7 tbs butter, melted and cooled, divided<br />
<br />
<b>Glaze</b><br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
2 tbs milk<br />
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees.<br />
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Mix the filling ingredients, except the apples, in a small bowl and set aside.<br />
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Make the dough by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir the buttermilk and 4 tablespoons of the butter together. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until it forms a shaggy dough. Knead the dough with your hands a few times and then divide the dough into two equal portions.<br />
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On a lightly floured surface roll or gently press each ball of dough into a rectangle measuring rough 12 x 8 inches. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the two rectangles leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edges. Gently press the filling mixture into the dough. Spread the apple slices over the filling mixture. Roll up each rectangle of dough into a log starting from the 12 inch sides. Pinch the ends closed. Cut each log into 8 equal pieces.<br />
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Brush 1 tablespoon of the remaining melted butter on the insides of an 11 x 8 inch baking dish. Place the cinnamon rolls cut side up into the baking dish. Brush the rest of the butter over the rolls and then bake for 20 minutes. The tops will be golden and the filling bubbling up from the insides. Let the cinnamon rolls cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.<br />
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In the meantime, stir together the icing ingredients in a small bowl.<br />
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Drizzle the tops of the cinnamon rolls with the icing. Serve the rolls warm. They will keep for up to three days covered with foil on the counter.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-28801152327294505982016-09-23T00:08:00.000-07:002016-09-23T00:08:28.439-07:00Walnut Orange Olive Oil Cake with Greek Yogurt Buttercream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Normal. It's funny word, I think. So are the words routine and comfortable. Not funny like make-you-laugh funny, obviously, but I think you know what I mean. When you give it some time to really mull those words over you realize that you probably don't actually know what they mean. And that your definitions is definitely not the same as the ones of the person right next to you.<br />
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When I was younger comfort and routine meant having lots of friends and
family around. Knowing all the places and faces around me. Knowing
exactly what was expected of me and how I was to behave, think, act. It
was simple. And for most people that doesn't change. They stay close
to home and family. They find a life they love and not much changes
from day to day. That's what normal means.<br />
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These days my life feels anything but that. No normal. No routine. No constants except for the friends afar. It will eventually settle and my surroundings will feel more like home. But right now it's the complete opposite. And here's the thing- I'm the kind of person who's first instinct is to crave the comfortable. I could easily cocoon myself in my house with my familiar belongings and routines and be perfectly okay with that.<br />
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Mostly. There's still always a little nagging voice in the back of my head that tries to push me out of this comfort zone. I just had a milestone birthday. You know that big one every girl in the first half of her life dreads. But I'm coming to realize that maybe it's not such a bad thing after all. I might have learned a thing or two over the last 40 years (oops, let that one slip, didn't I?). And with that smidge of wisdom comes that knowledge that I need to listen to that little nagging voice. Because if I stretch a bit beyond what I feel comfortable with, I usually find out something new about myself. And then my comfort zone gets just a little bit wider. Which is pretty awesome. All those new experiences make for a life that is so much richer.<br />
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So maybe normal for me ought to mean that there is no normal. My life is certainly trying to tell me something along those lines. Maybe in the next 40 years I'll learn how to embrace and enjoy the chaos. Or perhaps it won't take quite that long.<br />
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<u>Walnut Orange Olive Oil Cake with Greek Yogurt Buttercream</u><br />
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<i>Makes one 9-inch cake, 8-10 servings. Recipes adapted from <a href="http://www.potsandpans.com/uncategorized/almond-and-olive-oil-cake/#" target="_blank">Pots & Pans</a> and <a href="https://thepotlicker.com/2011/04/17/greek-yogurt-buttercream/" target="_blank">Potlicker.</a></i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/walnut-orange-olive-oil-cake-with-greek-yogurt-buttercream" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i><br />
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<i>This is not a formal, layered birthday cake. It's more simple but definitely more sophisticated. I decided that I would treat myself and make this my first baking project in my new Greek kitchen. And since I'm in Greece, what better way to celebrate than with some distinctly Greek flavors? The cake is a light olive oil and walnut based sponge with the added addition of orange zest and some white wine (fancy!). It's not at all heavy or weighed down by the addition of the nuts. Whipping the egg whites to make a sponge makes all the difference. And the frosting is not all that different from a cream cheese frosting, I simply used Greek yogurt and honey to add a bit of tart and sweet ultra creaminess. I really, really love the frosting. Oh and you must use full fat yogurt for this recipe. Lowfat just will not work or have the same flavor or feel as the full fat version.</i><br />
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For the cake:<br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts<br />
4 large eggs, separated<br />
3/4 cup sugar, separated<br />
zest of 1 medium orange<br />
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
2 tbs dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc<br />
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figs and an orange for garnish <br />
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.<br />
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In a food processor, blend the flour and walnuts until the walnuts are finely ground into the flour. Set aside.<br />
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar on medium until the mixture has thickened and the color has paled. Add in the orange zest and beat for just a moment. Slowly add the olive oil while the machine is on and beat until the mixture thickens. Stir in the wine. Beat in the flour mixture on low just until incorporated.<br />
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In a separate very clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk until the reach soft peaks. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and whip until the peaks are stiff and glossy.<br />
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Using a spatula, scoop about 1/3 of the egg whites into the rest of the cake batter. Gently stir until the egg whites are just mixed into the batter (your goal is to lighten the cake batter so that the rest of the egg whites are easier to incorporate). Add the rest of the whites to the bowl and fold in with the spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.<br />
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Bake for 40-45 minutes. The cake will be golden and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean (you can also check that the center of the cake is springy when lightly pressed with your finger). Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Then loosen the edges with a knife and turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.<br />
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While the cake is cooling, make the buttercream.<br />
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For the buttercream:<br />
1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)<br />
1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt<br />
2 tsp honey<br />
2 cups powdered sugar<br />
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment place the butter, yogurt and honey. Beat on medium speed until they are light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar in batches, beating on low between each addition. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the buttercream for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.<br />
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When the cake is cool spread the buttercream over the top. Garnish with quartered figs and orange slices, if desired. The cake will keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-3306577009718572222016-07-12T07:27:00.001-07:002017-07-12T04:24:19.851-07:00Blueberry Peach Jam <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Standing in sandy soil with the baby asleep on my shoulder and alongside my boys and mom, I was faced with rows upon rows of bushes dripping with ripe blueberries. Not just any blueberries, but Jersey ones. The best kind, in my opinion. Huge, deep blue and just perfectly sweet. And the ones that I remember from my own childhood which tips the scale in their favor every time.<br />
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We're armed with baskets and containers, a refreshed knowledge of what a ripe blueberry looks like (don't pick the green or red ones, boys!) and an eye to the pending rain storm in the sky. Let the picking commence.<br />
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Berry picking is something we started doing as a family when we lived in Washington. The absolute best blackberries grow in the Pacific Northwest and every year the hubs and I would head down Whidbey Island to Greenbank Farm and pick as much as we could. There were always tons of people so you had to get a bit ruthless about your picking if you wanted the biggest and ripest berries. As we've added family members and moved on from Washington, the berries have changed (it was mostly strawberries in California and Germany) but it's still something I try to do at least once each summer.<br />
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We happy to be lucky enough to be staying with my parents for a while this summer while in between homes (and countries!). So there was really not even a second thought when it came to choosing the berry picking. Blueberries. And of course with a couple of enthusiastic kids and an almost as eager mom and grandmother "just a quick trip because we have a bigger one planned next weekend!" turns into more blueberries than anyone intended. That's always the way it works, isn't it?<br />
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Not a problem! I have big plans for them. It started with jam that I couldn't help but throw in a few perfectly ripe farmstand peaches into. Then there was a galette that didn't last 10 minutes out of the oven. I think next up I'm going to take a page from Marissa McLellan's new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Naturally-Sweet-Food-Jars-Preserves/dp/0762457783/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468262232&sr=8-2&keywords=food+in+jars" target="_blank"><u>Naturally Sweet Food in Jars</u></a>, and jar a whole bunch in a fragrant honey syrup.<br />
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But first, the jam that almost started a fight between my sister and her husband over licking the spoon. That's how good it is!<br />
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<span id="goog_929845439"></span><span id="goog_929845440"></span><u>Blueberry Peach Jam</u><br />
<i>Makes 3 pints or 5-6 half pints. Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2014/08/blueberry-peach-jam.html" target="_blank">Love and Olive Oil</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/blueberry-peach-jam" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>This a a jam that just screams summer to me. </i><i><i>Yes, of course, you could use frozen fruit. </i>But blueberries and peaches at their best make it special. Their seasons overlap and if you time it just right you will have an amazing jam. I tend to favor looser jams that aren't set super tightly, so I leave out pectin or any other thickeners. Just watch the jam carefully as it cooks. A few minutes too long and you'll go from perfect to jam that tastes a bit like a bad cough drop- overly sweet and slightly burnt tasting. You're looking for the foam on top to subside and the bubbles to go from large ones just around the edge to small bubbles on the whole surface. I didn't bother doing the whole water bath canning operation for this jam because I gave half to my sister and the rest is almost already gone at our house. I could honestly just sit and eat it with a spoon right from the jar. But if you do decide you'd like to keep some for the winter, simply process your jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Oh, and if you follow the link for Love and Olive Oil above, Lindsay has made some really awesome printable labels for your jars.</i><br />
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2 lbs peaches, about 5 large<i> </i><br />
3 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and any stems removed<br />
1 cup cane sugar<br />
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice<br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)<br />
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Peel, pit and chop the peaches finely. Place the peaches and blueberries into a large, wide bottomed sauce pan. If you'd prefer your jam to have a smoother consistency, use a potato masher to lightly mash the fruit. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice.<br />
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Place the saucepan over a medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the blueberries have burst and the peaches are soft. The bubbles on the surface of the jam will go from large and only around the edges to small, tight bubbles all over. Ladle the jam into jars and let cool. Refrigerate. The refrigerated jars will last for several weeks.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-81822904754460821582016-06-09T01:35:00.001-07:002017-07-12T04:37:25.981-07:00Easiest, No-Bowl Banana Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The list of to-do's is more than 10 deep and I keep finding things that need doing that haven't even made the posted list. Moving is never easy, but moving from one foreign country to another with a month long stop back home is an especially daunting task. It's one of those days when there are so many things that need my attention it's paralyzing. I don't know where to start and therefore haven't started at all. I think by the end of the day I will have just closed my eyes, pointed at my list and tried to accomplish whatever my finger lands on. That's as good a method as anything else. My goal? Get just one thing crossed off the list, no matter how small.<br />
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When you have a day ahead like the one that I have, it never hurts to start out with something to eat that is simple and delicious. This muffin recipe is my families absolute favorite. I get it asked for it all the time so I thought it was about time to share it in this space. The best part of the recipe? It requires only two measuring items- one measuring cup and one measuring spoon- and absolutely no bowl. Part of what makes this a fave with my kids is that it is squished and mixed in a big zip-top bag. They just love doing the "hard work" that it takes to mix the batter. I kind of love that part too. Then I simply snip off a corner of the bag, squeeze into the muffin cups and toss the empty bag. Easy. Brilliant, in fact (it's not my idea so I can call it that without bragging). You can thank me later.<br />
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<u>Easiest, No-Bowl Banana Muffins</u><br />
<i>Makes 12 standard muffins. Adapted, only slightly, from <a href="http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2013/10/the-best-banana-bread-muffins-ever.html" target="_blank">Yammie's Noshery</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable,<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/easiest-no-bowl-banana-muffins" target="_blank"> click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>You really can't go wrong with these muffins. It's a simple as squish, squish, squeeze and you're eating warm muffins for breakfast. I like to keep them simple with just a sprinkling of sugar on top but I have tossed mini chocolate chips into the batter or made a quick struesel top at the request of my kids. I'm sharing the recipe for my simplest version here, but feel free to play with it to your heart's delight. The important thing is to follow the order given for adding the ingredients or you will end up with a wet measuring cup to scoop dry ingredients. It just won't work. So while it goes a bit against the "rules" of baking I promise it works. Oh, and the only two measuring tools that you'll need are a 1/4 cup measuring cup and a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon.</i><br />
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3 bananas (the spottier, the better), 1 cup mashed<i> </i><br />
2 large eggs<br />
3/4 cup cane sugar<br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
pinch of sea salt<br />
3/4 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (sometimes I use nutmeg instead, especially if I am adding chocolate chips)<br />
1/2 cup neutral flavored oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
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Line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with muffin liners. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.<br />
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In a large zip-top bag, mash the bananas. Add the eggs and sugar to the bag, zip up and squish until completely mixed. Open the top and add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon to the bag. Close and mix until there are no more dry spots of flour. Finally, add the oil and vanilla to the batter and give it a final squish to blend all the ingredients.<br />
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Snip a corner off the zip-top bag and squeeze the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with a bit of sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.<br />
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Cool the muffins in the pan for a few minutes and then remove from the pan and continue to cool on a wire rack. The muffins will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-12219294496779173442016-05-12T01:42:00.002-07:002017-07-12T04:53:51.599-07:00Cold Brewed Tea with Rhubarb Simple Syrup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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“When you have a watch, time is like a swimming pool. There are edges
and sides. Without a watch, time is like the ocean. Sloppy and vast.”<br />
-Carol Rifka Brunt, <u>Tell the Wolves I'm Home</u><br />
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It's a funny thing, time. Right now I feel as if I don't have nearly enough of it but at the same time I have no idea how I am filling all of it. Case in point- I just logged onto my blog hosting site and read that I hadn't posted anything in a month. A month! How on Earth did that happen? Has time really passed so quickly to me that those 4 weeks can seem like the blink of an eye? I know that I've been busy with pulling together a move of my household to yet another country and keeping my kids healthy and happy and saying goodbye to friends who are moving on and...well, you know the drill. Life.<br />
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And in the meantime, time keeps marching on. Did you know that this is my 250th post?! Oh, and that I've been blogging for 5 years now. That's an average of 1 post a week for the past 5 years. Mind blowing. Don't even get me started on the fact that my husband's 40th birthday is in less than a week. That means that mine is just a few short months away.<br />
<br />
Stop. Right. There.<br />
<br />
I can't even wrap my mind around that one. I was just sitting in the optometrist's chair (remarking on how blind I am, a sure sign that the crest of the hill is right in front of me) talking with him about how no matter how old you are, in your mind you're still a perfect age. For him, 22 years old and for me it's always 23. Funny isn't it? That was nearly half my life ago and I still can't quite comprehend that I'm really any older than that.<br />
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</span><br />
So here I am giving you a recipe that requires very little of your time so that you can enjoy the passage and not wonder where it all went. Put some loose tea in some water, set it in your fridge or a cool spot and walk away. Take your kids for a bike ride. Go see a movie with your fellow. Take a nap. Do something that makes you happy and when you return, magic will have happened and you will have a pitcher of tea ready to sweeten as you wish (but I humbly suggest the rhubarb syrup I'm sharing today too).<br />
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<br />
<u>Cold Brewed Tea with Rhubarb Simple Syrup</u><br />
<i>Makes 1 quart of tea and 2 cups simple syrup</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/cold-brewed-tea-with-rhubarb-simple-syrup" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<i>This tea is good with just about any loose tea you enjoy. I like a good strong black tea like English Breakfast or even Earl Grey (which is the pretty tea that I used for this batch), but a green or even white tea would do just as well. You may need to adjust steep times for a stronger flavor. The simple syrup is easy to make and you can really flavor it any way you wish. Rhubarb was in season and my youngest loves it any way he can get it. This was the perfect way to make the season last just a little bit longer. Any berry you like would be a great alternative to the rhubarb.</i><br />
<br />
<i>For the tea: </i><br />
5 tbs loose tea of your choice<i> </i><br />
1 quart (about 4 cups) of cold water<br />
<br />
Scoop the tea leaves into a 1liter container. Add the cold water and cover the container. Give the container a few shakes to distribute and bruise the tea leaves a bit. Place in the refrigerator or a cool spot for 5 hours or until tea has reached desired strength.<br />
<br />
Remove the container from the refrigerator. Set cheesecloth in a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour the tea through the strainer to remove the tea leaves. Bundle tea leaves into the cheesecloth and give it a bit of a squeeze to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the used leaves. Pour the tea into a jar or bottle and refrigerate until ready to use.<br />
<br />
<i>For the simple syrup:</i><br />
2 cups water<i> </i><br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup thinly sliced rhubarb<br />
<br />
Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar then turn off the heat and let the rhubarb steep in the sugar syrup for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the rhubarb solids. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Syrup will keep for up to two weeks.<br />
<br />
<i>To make a glass of iced tea:</i><br />
Add 8 oz of the cold tea and a handful of ice to a glass.<i> </i>Sweeten to taste with the rhubarb simple syrup (try 2 tbs to start) and stir.<br />
<br />
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</span>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-86944202819270838242016-04-09T04:08:00.002-07:002016-04-09T04:08:41.843-07:00Buttermilk Cupcakes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm going to exercise all of my patience, good nature and positivity today. It's imperative. Because if I give in to the "dark side" of my mood things can go very bad, very quickly. (Can you tell I just watched the newest Star Wars?)<br />
<br />
There are some big wheels turning right now that determine the future of my family and they are just turning WAY TOO SLOW for my liking. It's time for the next big move thanks to the Navy and we know <i>where</i> we are going but the when, how and how frustrated we will be along the way is still up in the air. The simple act of moving is difficult as it is but throw in three kids, an international move, moving our furnishings into storage, passports, visas and a month in the States in between and you can see how I might be just the tiniest bit stressed.<br />
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So instead over obsessing over things that are completely out of my control, I'm making cupcakes. Simple, light, vanilla scented ones. I've made these a few times recently and I'm happy to say that they always turn out just right and are easy to play with if you want to go beyond basic. The first time I baked them I made these sweet little butterfly cupcakes like my Nana used to make. You just cut a cone-shaped piece of cake from the top, fill the hole with something delicious (I used jam and lemon curd this time, but Nana used to use pastry cream), slice the cake cone in half and nestle it in the filling to look like butterfly wings. My kids loved them and I was reminded of hanging out in Nana's kitchen as a little girl. If anything was going to make me forget a mountain of stress, that was it. <br />
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Thanks, Nana.<br />
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<u>Buttermilk Cupcakes</u><br />
<i>Makes 1 dozen standard cupcakes. Adapted from <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/346088/boston-cream-pie-cupcakes" target="_blank">this recipe by Martha Stewart</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/buttermilk-cupcakes" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
<br />
<i>This is a simple, basic cupcake that you can do in one bowl by hand without having to pull out (or clean!) a big mixer if you don't want to. It just takes a little elbow grease to whisk the eggs and sugar but it's totally do-able. That kinda makes it perfect in my book. The other bonus with this cupcake is that you really can leave it simple or jazz it up any way you want. I've made them with mini chocolate chips for a birthday topped with buttercream and left them plain for a quick treat. Add some lemon zest and blueberries, warm spices like cinnamon or cardamom or even bits of toffee or nuts to make them completely special and different. What you do with the cupcakes is up to you but they are bound to become one of those recipes you keep coming back to time and again.</i><br />
<br />
2 large eggs, room temperature<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
1 cup all purpose flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1/3 cup buttermilk<br />
4 tbs butter<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the cups of a standard cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.<br />
<br />
Place the eggs and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk on medium high until the mixture has thickened, lightened in color and forms ribbons on the surface that hold for a few seconds before disappearing. (Alternately, you can do this by hand with a whisk and a large bowl). Reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the flour and baking powder. Mix just until incorporated.<br />
<br />
In a small saucepan, warm the buttermilk and butter just until the butter melts. With the mixer on low, slowly add the buttermilk/butter mixture to the batter until it is smooth. Add in the vanilla and mix until just incorporated (if you want to add anything to the batter such as chocolate chips or berries, add them now).<br />
<br />
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake cups. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cupcakes are lightly golden on top and the tops spring back when pressed gently and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove from the tin and cool completely on the rack. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days at room temperature.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-54717923814025091662016-03-18T01:44:00.002-07:002016-03-18T01:45:14.203-07:00Saint Joseph's Cakes {Nana's Recipe}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few years ago my mom sent my sister and I a message asking us what recipes we'd really love to have from when we were kids that she and our grandmother had made for us. We sent back a whole list of recipes, things that we rarely make ourselves and some that have become staples, that were the day to day must haves from our childhoods. There were pasta and bread recipe requests as well as the cakes and cookies that were the highlights of family meals and celebrations. Clearly, Mom had a plan to do something with this list of favorites. But I think life got in the way and she was never able to do what she had hoped to.<br />
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Fast forward a year and I was growing weary of asking Mom for the same recipes over and over again (Why did I not write that down? Where did that one go in the latest move?). Plus, I was pregnant with my third baby and eager to get family recipes all in one place so that I could pass them on to my children. So I made a determined effort to get all of the important baking recipes from my Mom and she and I collaborated in putting together a collection of recipes and stories in one book. When we made our list of recipes to include, there were some that were absolutely non-negotiable. Mostly these were the recipes from my Nana that came from Italy and would be completely lost of we didn't make the effort to write them down now. This "cake" was one of them.<br />
<br />
Nana made these cakes every year for St. Joseph's Day, a holiday that is celebrated in her Italian home region on March 19 every year. They were one of my absolute favorites growing up- a sort of doughnut/French cruller stuffed full with sweet ricotta and chocolate chips. It was one of the first that I made on my own for my college roommates and even for my students every year when I was teaching. Now my own children love them and ask for them from time to time. There was no way that I was going to leave this treat out of our collection. I did a bit of streamlining of the ricotta filling recipe, but other than that this recipe is all Nana. I wouldn't have it any other way.<br />
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<br />
<u>Saint Joseph's Cakes</u><br />
<i>Makes at least one dozen 3 inch cakes.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe,<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/saint-joseph-s-cakes" target="_blank"> click here</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<i>These pretty little cakes are very much like a fried cream puff. Keeping that in mind, they don't do too well after about a day. So plan to eat them or share them all the day they are made. Don't fill them until you are ready to serve or they will become too soggy. The filling is the same as you would use to fill a cannoli so any leftover can be used to fill bought cannoli shells or even baked cream puffs (or if you are like me, straight off the spoon standing in front of the fridge).</i><br />
<br />
½ cup neutral-flavored oil <br />
1 cup water <br />
Salt<br />
1 cup pastry (or all-purpose) flour<br />
1 tbs sugar <br />
4 large eggs <br />
½ tsp each grated lemon and orange rind<br />
<br />
Also: Neutral-flavored oil for frying<br />
Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cream (recipe follows)<br />
Powdered sugar for dusting the tops<br />
<br />
Cut several squares of parchment paper into 4 inch squares.<br />
<br />
Combine oil, salt, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add flour all at once and mix well with a wooden spoon until the dough leaves the side of pan. Remove from the stove and let it cool off a little. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sugar, grated peels and mix well again.<br />
<br />
Heat oil in a large pan that’s about 4 or 5 inches deep. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with the mixture. On each square of parchment paper, pipe out a 3” circle of dough. When the oil starts to shimmer on the surface drop the parchment with the dough circles into the oil. The paper will come off in a few seconds and you can remove it. Fry until golden brown, flip, and fry until the other side is golden. Let cool completely.<br />
<br />
Slice in half and fill with chocolate chip ricotta cream. Dust with powdered sugar.<br />
<br />
<u>Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cream</u><br />
2 3/4 cup ricotta<br />
3/4 cup powdered sugar<br />
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 tsp finely grated orange zest<br />
1/2 tsp fresh orange juice<br />
<br />
Line a fine mesh sieve with a layer of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Put the ricotta into the sieve and place the whole thing into the refrigerator to drain overnight (covered with plastic wrap).<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, whip the drained ricotta and powdered sugar with a wooden spoon or spatula until fluffy. Beat in the chocolate chips, vanilla, orange zest and juice. Refrigerate, covered, at least one hour or until ready to use.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-90285399526122791132016-03-04T02:05:00.001-08:002016-03-04T02:05:11.677-08:00Orange Olive Oil Polenta Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm trying to shake off the gloomy mood around here. Reading back over my posts as of late, I feel like I've been in a kind of funk and it shows. So I'm purposefully taking on a decidedly more positive tone today. Let's see how it fits, shall we?<br />
<br />
I reconnected with an old high school friend not too long ago. She's been through some rough stuff in her life, including some very devastating losses. But she's the most positive person and I'm always looking forward to reading the things she posts on Facebook and scrolling past the inspirational quotes she finds on Instagram. Yup, she's one of THOSE people. Perpetually happy and trying to make the world a better place, one inspirational quote at a time. We all know someone like that, don't we? On our worst days we roll our eyes and scroll quickly past. On our best we think, "Yes! That's exactly how I feel!". <br />
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A few days ago my friend posted this little gem,<br />
<br />
"'It's impossible,' said pride.<br />
'It's risky,' said experience.<br />
'It's pointless,' said reason.<br />
'Give it a try,' whispered the heart."<br />
<br />
It's
the kind of thing that's layered on top of a photo of a mountain
climber or amazing landscape that I usually don't even bother looking
at. But that day I did. I suppose I was feeling optimistic and it struck a chord with me. You see, I had done just the thing about a
week earlier. I had put myself out there to be scrutinized and
(hopefully) accepted in a role that would take my work to another
level. It was a move very far outside my comfort zone and had required
an almost "close your eyes and go for it without thinking too much" sort
of move to make it happen.<br />
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<br />The same day that quote rolled across my screen I got the email saying that although they had enjoyed working with me in the past, there was no room at the moment for me to contribute. Included in the email was an offer for me to do a bit of behind the scenes work in lieu of the position I was hoping for. Which is sweet and I'm happy to do anything that will get my foot in the door, but at it's heart it was still what I had dreaded most- rejection. It's the greatest leap of faith in yourself and your abilities to risk rejection in that way. My leap, it seems, fell just that short of making it to the other side.<br />
<br />
The funny thing is, I'm okay with that. It was risky, but not impossible or pointless. I listened to the whispers of my heart and tried. I think that's win. Maybe not the win that I was hoping for, but better than giving in to fear and not having tried at all. It's what I try to teach my kids and what I aimed to instill in my students when I was still in the classroom- getting something wrong or failing is not the worst thing that can happen. In fact, those moments teach us the best lessons about ourselves and about how to improve for the next time. Because there will be a next time, you can be sure of it. So this time, my aim was off a bit. Next time? Who knows?<br />
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<u>Orange Olive Oil Polenta Cake</u><br />
<i>Makes one 9 x 5 inch loaf. Adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2011/02/blood-orange-olive-oil-cake/" target="_blank">smitten kitchen</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/orange-olive-oil-polenta-cake" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<i>I love this sort of one bowl, quick and easy cake to have around for an afternoon snack or if a friend drops by. Wrap a sheet of parchment and pretty ribbon around one and you've got a wonderful hostess gift. The orange (I used sweet cara cara oranges, but blood oranges or valencias would be just as at home here) gives a bright, citrus-y sweetness, the olive oil a bit of depth and the polenta adds just a hint of crunch to the bite that I find irresistible. The polenta or corn meal that you choose will change the texture depending on how finely ground it is. The one that I used is a nice happy medium and it suits this cake just fine. This is a chance to break out that good olive oil you've been saving- with as much as is in the cake you will taste the difference.</i><br />
<br />
<i>1 cup (200g) cane sugar </i><br />
<i>3 oranges </i><br />
<i>1/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt </i><br />
<i>3 large eggs </i><br />
<i>2/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil </i><br />
<i>1 cup all purpose flour </i><br />
<i>3/4 cup ground polenta or corn meal </i><br />
<i>1 1/2 tsp baking powder</i><br />
<i>1/4 tsp baking soda </i><br />
<i>1/2 tsp fine sea salt</i><br />
<br />
Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. <br />
<br />
Place the sugar in a large bowl. Zest one of the oranges over the bowl directly into the sugar (the orange flavor in this cake is subtle, if you'd like to make it more pronounced grate the zest of a second orange into the bowl). Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips to release the oils.<br />
<br />
Remove the peel and pith of one orange (supreme the orange) by cutting off the top and bottom to reveal the fruit inside. Then, run your knife along the curve of the orange to remove the remaining skin and pith. Holding the orange in your hand, cut away the wedges of orange between the membranes. Drop the orange pieces into the bowl with the sugar and zest. Break up the segments into 1/4 inch pieces with your fingers.<br />
<br />
Juice the remaining two oranges into a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. You should have about 1/2 cup of juice. Stir the buttermilk into the juice then pour it into the bowl with the sugar mixture. Stir the mixture together with a whisk. Add the eggs and olive oil to the bowl and whisk until fully combined. <br />
<br />
Carefully whisk in the flour, polenta, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the wet ingredients just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven. <br />
<br />
Bake for 50-55 minutes. The cake will be golden and a knife or toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a palette or butter knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto the rack. Cool completely (right side up). Wrapped airtight the cake will keep for three days.<br />
<br />
<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-55845400688662375442016-02-19T02:45:00.002-08:002016-02-19T02:45:28.731-08:00Whole Wheat Granola Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Sometimes I just stand quietly in the doorway and watch my kids. When the days seem filled with rushing around and it seems like the people in my family barely notice each other, I try to purposely stop and simply take notice. <br />
<br />
My baby girl is at the age where she is beginning to understand how to play by herself so she'll wander around with her stuffed animals or books talking her secret little language to herself. She pretends to read the books and she gives her animals huge hugs and kisses complete with a loud and thrilled "MWAH!" with each kiss. It's the sweetest thing to watch, truly, and it makes me thankful that she came along when she did to remind us all how happy we can be. She is so blissful and genuine and full of unconditional love. It's pretty amazing.<br />
<br />
Then I watch my boys standing still, running, being big brothers and I am amazed all over again. My middle guy is still so adorably snuggly in one moment and thoughtful and grown up sounding in the next. He struggles sometimes like when he's trying to learn to read (in two languages at once but he's doing great) and I love that he still needs and wants my help. But then he blows me away with what he knows and how fast he can do math. He's at this perfect age and I just don't want him to get any older. Is that possible?<br />
<br />
Of course, if I could stop my kids aging I probably wouldn't. Because it's so cool to get to watch them grow into real people with thoughts and feeling all their own. My oldest son is a, gasp and moan, tween. Did you know boys do the tween thing too? And that they are just as moody and unpredictable as girls? I. Had. No. Idea. He's also hit the age where I'm not allowed to hug him anymore or tell him that I love him. Or so he thinks- it hasn't stopped me yet. Despite being stuck in this horrible hormonal no-man's-land, every once in a while a take a quick look at him and I can see this almost adult-ness about him. The little boy roundness is all gone and there's the shadow of the man he'll grow to be. Sort of the opposite of Peter pan, you know? I can rely on him and have thoughtful conversations with him. Why on Earth would I want to stop that from happening?<br />
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I've found myself doing this a lot lately. Just watching. It makes me so grateful for the gift of these people in my life. I think I will do it more often. I take a lot (an understatement) of pictures of my kids. We get to have so many adventures here that I want to capture. But watching is different. Instead of just taking pictures of my kids I'm actually seeing them. And that's really all any of us want, right? To be truly seen by the people that we love.<br />
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<u>Whole Wheat Granola Muffins </u><br />
<i>Makes 12 muffins. </i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/whole-wheat-granola-muffins" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>This is a very comforting muffin. Great for the quiet moments at the start of a day. But it has the added bonus of actually being healthy too. Yippee! I make my own granola and keep it in a jar on the counter, so that's what I use for my muffins. It's a pretty simple granola- a little maple syrup, pecans and pumpkin seeds, oats and dried cherries. It's based on a basic outline in Maggie Batista's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Gift-Love-Recipes-Share/dp/0544387678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455878683&sr=8-1&keywords=food+gift+love" target="_blank"><u>Food Gift Love</u></a>. You can use your favorite granola but this muffin works better with a simple granola rather than one filled with a ton of mix-ins. In the recipe for the muffins I give a range for the milk measurement. Every yogurt is different and you don't want one that is too runny. But if the batter is too stiff after mixing in the lesser amount go ahead and add in the last two tablespoons. I like to finish the muffins with a sprinkle of granola before tucking them in the oven.</i><br />
<br />
1 cup whole wheat flour<i> </i><br />
1 cup all purpose flour<br />
1 cup light brown sugar<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 cup granola<br />
1 1/3 cups Greek-style yogurt<br />
6- 8 tbs whole milk<br />
1/3 cup neutral flavored oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line standard muffin pan with muffin cups or lightly butter. Set aside.<br />
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In a large bowl whisk together the flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the granola.<br />
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In a separate bowl mix together the yogurt, oil, vanilla and 6 tbs milk. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry. If the batter is very stiff or dry stir in the remaining two tablespoons of milk. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle with a bit of granola or raw sugar if desired. <br />
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Bake for 16-18 minutes. Muffins are down when the tops are gently browned and spring back to the touch. Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack. Muffins will keep for up to three days in an airtight container but are best eaten within 24 hours.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-86364640580596514802016-01-28T07:30:00.001-08:002016-01-28T07:32:47.803-08:00Apple Galette des Rois<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You know, it's funny. Life, that is. Sometimes you cruise right through it barely noticing the change in time and day. Just one moment into the next with your head down missing the details, the ups, the downs. And then something unexpected stops you in your tracks and forces you to look around.<br />
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This is the story of my life as of late. Just kind of going through the motions, each day passing pretty much the same as the rest. Not in a bad way, but in a less-than-present sort of way. And then two little things that don't amount to much in the grand scheme of life nearly took my breath away. Those two little things, really not much more than a few sentences spoken both by people who know me and by those that don't, made me look deep inside and as a result of that introspection to see the world around me in a much different way. I'm grateful. It feels good to appreciate the people around me more fully and perhaps even take care of myself with more purpose.<br />
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Am I being a bit too cryptic for you? If I am, you have my deepest apologies. It's simply that I'm not quite sure what the end result of those few sentences swirling around in my mind will be. I need a bit more time for that. But in the meantime, I'll share a few of those words with you. Because they made me stop and catch my breath and it's my hope that they might just do the same for someone else.<br />
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"You are brave enough. Don't ever think otherwise."<br />
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<u>Apple Galette des Rois</u><br />
<i>Makes 1 9-inch galette which will serve 4-6 people. Rough puff pastry recipe from <a href="http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2016/01/light-rough-puff-pastry/" target="_blank">in jennie's kitchen</a>.</i><br />
<i>For a printable version of the recipe,<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/apple-galette-des-rois" target="_blank"> click here</a>.</i><br />
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<i>Not too long ago my sister and I were standing at the counter of a French patisserie ordering pan au chocolat (chocolate croissants) and eclairs when I noticed this beautifully bronzed pastry that I had no name for. The two of us wondered aloud at what it could be, but were happy to buy our croissants and eclairs and be on our way without too much thought. A couple of weeks later that same pastry appeared in my Instagram feed (from Jennifer Perillo of <a href="http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2016/01/galette-des-rois/" target="_blank">in jennie's kitchen</a>) and I learned that what we had seen was called a galette des rois and it is a pastry made in France only once a year for the celebration of Epiphany. I was intrigued by the pastry and even more so when I read through Jennifer's post and saw that she had made her own puff pastry for the galette. My visions of puff pastry were of huge blocks of butter and a long, tedious process. Jennifer's recipe was a revelation to me. So simple- 4 ingredients, a bit of rolling and chilling and I had puff pastry better than any I could buy in a store. It's a game changer. The rest of the galette process was just as simple having decided on making an apple filling instead of the usual almond one since my people aren't nut people. In my house, this galette will be a year-round treat instead of being reserved to once a year, that's how much we love it.</i><br />
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<b>Rough Puff Pastry</b><br />
1 2/3 cup (<b> </b>250 g) all purpose flour<i> </i><br />
1 tsp fine sea salt<br />
12 tbs (125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes<br />
2/3 cup (150 mL) cold water<br />
<br />
Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and give them a quick mix. Toss the butter pieces into the flour and, using your finger tips, blend the butter and flour together until you have a crumbly mixture with some marble-sized pieces of butter remaining.<br />
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Stir the water into the flour-butter mixture with a wooden spoon until it just comes together into a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently form it into a rectangle. Working in one direction (left to right or top to bottom, for example) roll the dough into a long rectangle that is roughly 3 times longer than what you started with. Fold the dough in thirds (fold one end towards the center and then fold the remaining third over the top) so that it resembles a folded letter.<br />
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Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the process, rolling out the dough into a long rectangle and then folding it like a letter. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.<br />
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<b>Apple Filling and Finishing the Galette</b><br />
1.5 lbs apples<b> </b>(3 medium apples), your favorite cooking apple<br />
3 tbs light brown sugar<br />
1/3 cup water<br />
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out (optional)<br />
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1 recipe rough puff pastry from above<br />
1 egg yolk, beaten with a splash of milk <br />
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While the dough is chilling, make the filling.<br />
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Peel, core and chop the apples into 1 inch chunks. Place the apples, brown sugar, water and vanilla bean (if using) into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until the apples are soft but haven't completely broken down (you want some texture in the filling, not applesauce). Give the apples a light mash with a fork and set aside to cool.<br />
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Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
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Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Cut it in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Place the other half on a lightly floured work surface. Rolling in one direction again, roll from one edge to the opposite edge. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the process of rolling in one direction edge to edge. Continue giving the dough a quarter turn and rolling until the dough is just larger than an 8 inch plate or round baking pan. Using a sharp knife, cut around the edge of the plate or pan and place the circle of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.<br />
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Spread the cooled apple filling over the dough, leaving a one inch border clear of filling all around the edge. Remove the second half of dough from the refrigerator and roll and cut it in the same fashion as the first half. Place the second circle of dough over the filling and gently but firmly press the edge down so that it adheres to the bottom circle. With the tip of a sharp knife you can score a design across the top (but don't cut all the way through the dough!). Pierce a few holes for steam to escape. Brush the top of the dough with the egg yolk.<br />
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Bake the galette for 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Let the galette cool and serve warm or at room, temperature.Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-40294587650128333792016-01-08T04:46:00.001-08:002016-01-08T04:46:05.921-08:00Kinderpunsch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The very happiest of New Years to you friends! Welcome to 2016.<br />
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Unlike many of my fellow bloggers, you won't find me making resolutions or reflecting back on the year that has passed in this first post of 2016. That's never really been my thing. And to be honest, I'm not really all that keen on jumping feet first into a new start. I find myself, instead, slowly easing my way into the new year. The Christmas season was such a whirlwind in our house- the holiday sort of came at us hard and fast and then, POOF!, just as quickly as it had started it ended. <br />
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Part of this feeling of let down that I'm experiencing is because of the immense quiet that has settled over my house. My sister and her fab family spent a bit over a week here visiting us over the holidays. My house has never felt so small or so wonderfully full of life. We spent our time making the best of what was left of Christmas in Germany- finding small markets still open, watching skaters slip over the ice at rinks set up in the city center, wandering medieval towns and castles and watching the fireworks displays that marked the end of the year. The kids were constantly playing and enjoying the company of their cousins. And of course there was food. What is Germany at Christmas-time, after all, if there aren't bratwursts, beers, potato pancakes (kartoffelpuffer), <a href="http://thewaytomyfamilysheart.blogspot.de/2013/11/spiced-apple-gluhwein.html" target="_blank">gluwein</a> or its non-alcoholic counterpart kinderpunsch?<br />
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So as part of my ease into the new year, I decided to hang on to a bit of the past season and make my own kinderpunsch. You can find it at any Christmas market right next to the spiced wine for the adults, but I often find the gluwein a bit too strong for my taste so I go for the kids' drink instead. I'm never disappointed. Finding a recipe was a bit of a task, however. It's one of those things that there area million recipes for because everyone has their own special or favorite way of mixing it up. So I found myself imagining my favorite kinderpunsch drinks instead, and then doing a bit of kitchen alchemy until I found just the right combination. My kids gave it two thumbs up, so I know I've gotten it right as they are the experts.<br />
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Friends, raise a glass (or Christmas market mug, in my case) with me to 2016!<br />
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<u>Kinderpunsch</u><br />
<i>Makes 4-6 servings depending on the size and thirst of the drinker.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/kinderpunsch" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>There are just as many recipes for kinderpunsch as there are for Mom's chicken soup or Nana's marinara sauce. Everyone's Oma does it her own way. This just happens to be our favorite. We think there is just enough fruit, sweetness and winter spice to warm us through the gloomy and cold winter in this punsch. I think you will too. And it's incredibly easy to throw together. So you can make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for warming up after school or playtime in the park.</i><br />
<br />
3 cups water<br />
4 bags of fruit infused tea, such as berry or raspberry (I like Lipton's Bavarian Wild Berry, ironically)<br />
2 cups apple juice<br />
1 cup cherry juice (a sour cherry juice is very nice in this punsch, but sweet cherry or even grape will work)<br />
2 tbs honey<br />
2 sticks cinnamon<br />
2 pinches (about 1/4 tsp) ground cloves<br />
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Place the water in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Bring the water just to a simmer and then remove from the heat. Place the tea bags in the water and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags.<br />
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Stir the apple and cherry juice, honey, cinnamon sticks and cloves into the tea. Return the saucepan to the heat and let the punsch warm over medium heat for 5 minutes. Bo not boil or even simmer the punsch, you're not looking to reduce the liquid just warm and infuse the spices into it. Remove from the heat and serve.<br />
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The punsch will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-58799167407653494802015-12-23T07:05:00.001-08:002015-12-23T07:41:01.282-08:00Gingerbread Meringues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had plans of ending my posts for 2015 with a meaningful quote about the spirit of Christmas and the meaning of family. I had two lovely quotes all picked out. Then, while scanning through ones of those websites that is full of quotes, I found this one and all thoughts of being deep, and truthful went out the window.<br />
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"<i>The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live."</i><br />
<i> -George Carlin</i><br />
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So while I do believe in sharing the true spirit of the holiday with my family through, I realize laughter is just as important. Laughter bring us all together. So, thank you George for the joke that I will be telling tonight as my friends gather to toast each other over glasses of egg nog. It will surely go a long way to lifting our spirits and making yet another holiday away from our families<i> </i>just a little more merry.<br />
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And a very merry Christmas, friends.<br />
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<u>Gingerbread Meringues</u><br />
<i>Makes about 50 2 inch cookies. Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.laraferroni.com/2012/12/07/gingerbread-meringues/" target="_blank">Lara Ferroni</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/gingerbread-meringues" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>These little cookies are a fun mash up of two classic cookies- the crisp airy meringue and the spicy gingerbread. And I have to admit that I might like them better than the originals. What takes them a little over the top is the chopped dark chocolate hiding inside. Matched with the molasses and wintery spices, the chocolate is right at home. It's not essential, I've made them without the chocolate and they are just as wonderful, but the flecks of deep flavor make the cookies just a little bit more special.</i><br />
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1 tsp lemon juice<i> </i><br />
5 egg whites, room temperature<br />
250 g (1 1/4 cups) cane sugar<br />
3 tbs molasses<br />
1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp ground cloves<br />
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
4 oz (about 5 tbs) finely chopped dark chocolate, at least 65% cocoa<br />
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Preheat the oven to 250F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.<br />
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Stir together the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside. <br />
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Pour the lemon juice into the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using a hand mixer). Wipe the juice around the bowl with a paper towel. This will eliminate any oils that may be bowl and possibly keep the egg whites from whipping up. Add the egg whites the egg whites to the bowl and whip on medium high speed. After about a minute of whipping slowly stream in the sugar as the mixer is running. When the egg whites are at soft peaks, pour in the molasses. Continue beating the eggs until they are stiff and glossy. Sprinkle over the spices and beat a few more revolutions. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate by hand just until incorporated.<br />
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Using a pastry bag or tablespoon, mound the meringue batter onto the prepared cookie sheets in two inch dollops. Space the cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake for about an hour until the cookies are dry to the touch. Turn off the heat and leave the cookie sheets in the oven for a further 2 hours until the cookies are fully dried out and cool. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-70698708494206672082015-12-11T01:14:00.002-08:002015-12-11T01:14:41.693-08:00Sweet Potato Cranberry Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A sick kiddo, internet issues, a cold and frosty morning. It's not the greatest blogging environment in my house this morning. So I'm doing something a bit different. I'm not going to try to tap away at a story that will probably be rambling and meaningless. I'm going quiet. So just enjoy the photos. And, please, please make these muffins. They're simply awesome and quickly becoming a staple in my mornings.<br />
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<u>Sweet Potato Cranberry Muffins</u><br />
<i>Makes 12 muffins. Recipe adapted just slightly from <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/cinnamon-sweet-potato-muffins.html" target="_blank">this one on the Williams-Sonoma website</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/sweet-potato-cranberry-muffins" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>This is a great way to use up leftover sweet potatoes. Mash them and toss them into the mix. The cranberries are fresh and world away from the dried cranberries you might be used to in a muffin. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. The tart sharpness of the cranberries is the perfect foil to the earthy sweetness of the sweet potato. Set off by some warm spices, the flavors in the light, springy muffins just sing.</i><br />
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<i>1 3/4 cup all purpose flour</i><br />
<i>1/2 tsp ground cinnamon </i><br />
<i>1/2 tsp ground nutmeg </i><br />
<i>2 tsp baking powder </i><br />
<i>1/4 tsp fine sea salt </i><br />
<i>2 large eggs </i><br />
<i>1/2 cup cane sugar </i><br />
<i>1/2 cup canola oil </i><br />
<i>1/2 cup milk</i><br />
<i>grated zest of 1 orange</i><br />
<i>1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (from about 1 large baked or steamed sweet potato or leftover mashed sweet potatoes)</i><br />
<i>3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries</i><br />
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<i>cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on top </i><br />
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Butter a standard muffin pan or line the cups with paper liners.<br />
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In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl stir together the eggs, sugar, oil, milk, orange zest and sweet potatoes. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Gently stir in the chopped cranberries. Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar.<br />
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Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the muffins are risen and springy to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin will come out clean. Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack.<br />
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Muffins will keep for a day or two in an airtight container on the counter, but are best when eaten straight away.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-22502472517199988572015-11-30T02:53:00.002-08:002015-11-30T02:53:26.236-08:00Pear and Cranberry Hand Pies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Are you over pie yet? Have you had your fill over the Thanksgiving weekend? Gosh I hope not because I've got just one more pie recipe for you. This one makes a bunch of little pies that can satisfy any afternoon sweet tooth craving. And maybe help you use up some of those lingering leftovers at the same time. But first, the story of our unorthodox Thanksgiving....<br />
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For the third year in a row we spent our Thanksgiving somewhere other than our home. We take advantage of the opportunity to travel as often as possible. It's the best part of living in Europe, I think. So you can imagine that our Thanksgiving dinners are anything but traditional. Our first was a so-called "traditional American Thanksgiving" dinner in an Irish pub in Rome. Just let that irony sink in for a moment.....<br />
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It was an experience, let me tell you. Those Irish folks tried, but it wasn't exactly what we had been hoping for. So that first Thanksgiving abroad we didn't quite have the most authentic dinner, <i>but</i> we were with friends and the company completely made up for the quality of the food. Last year we had a quiet dinner (ha!) in one of the busiest brew halls in Munich. Pretzels, schnitzel, beer, the works. <br />
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For our third Thanksgiving in Europe we went a little further afield. This year we ate outdoors on a warm evening in the heart of Lisbon. A very different experience from our first two Thanksgivings, to say the least. Our table had grilled tri tip and seafood paella on it and we ate to the music of street performers on the mosaic covered sidewalk. It was one of our best trips so far. That's not to say that I don't miss the American standards. I do. I even picked up a small turkey to roast for us later on this week with maybe one of two of our most favorite sides. And pie. There should always be pie.<br />
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In the meantime, I'll be dreaming up a new adventure for us next year. Maybe seafood on Santorini or gyros in the shadow of the Acropolis. Can you guess where the Navy is sending us next?<br />
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<u>Pear and Cranberry Hand Pies</u><br />
<i>Makes about 15 little pies. Crust recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Gift-Love-Recipes-Share/dp/0544387678" target="_blank"><u>Food Gift Love</u> by Maggie Batista</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/pear-and-cranberry-hand-pies" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>These are wonderful little pies for an afternoon snack (or, shhh don't tell, breakfast). They're a great post-Thanksgiving treat to make because they're just a bit different from all the apple and pumpkin and you can use leftover whole berry cranberry sauce you have lingering in the fridge. The crust is lovely and flaky and just the tiniest bit nutty. It's my go-to crust and it even gets my non-crust eating hubby to grab a pie of two. It's easy to whip up in a food processor but you can also just as quickly mix it by hand. I didn't add any spices to the pears because I like a nicely spiced cranberry sauce and don't think it needs any more. But if your cranberries are light on the spice you can add a teaspoon or two of mixed spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or cardamom.</i><br />
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<i> </i>Crust:<br />
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup almond flour<br />
1 tbs granulated sugar<br />
1 tsp fine sea salt <br />
1 cup (2 sticks or 16 tbs) cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces<br />
3-5 tbs cold water<br />
3-5 tbs vodka<br />
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Filling:<br />
3/4 lb (about 3 medium) pears, peeled, cored and diced<br />
1/3 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 tbs lemon juice<br />
1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (try to leave as much juice out of the measuring cup as you can), like <a href="http://thewaytomyfamilysheart.blogspot.de/2012/11/spiced-cider-cranberry-sauce.html" target="_blank">this recipe </a>or your own favorite<br />
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For finishing:<br />
1 egg<br />
coarse sugar for sprinkling on top<br />
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Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.<br />
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In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flours, sugar and salt. Add the butter to the bowl and pulse until the butter is in pea size pieces. Add 3 tbs of water and 3 tbs of vodka and pulse a few times until the dough begins to clump. To test if it is ready, pinch a bit between your fingers. If it holds together it is ready. If it does not, add another tbs of water and/or vodka (up to 4 tbs) until the dough holds together. Try not to add too much liquid because it will make the dough tough so only add 1 tbs at a time and no more than 10 tbs total.<br />
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Turn the dough onto a clean surface and gently press it into 2 equal sized discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.<br />
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In the meantime, make the filling. Add the pears, sugar and lemon juice to a medium saucepan. Over medium heat cook until the sugar has dissolved and the pears have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Once cool stir in the cranberry sauce.<br />
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Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4 inch diameter round cutter, cut out as many circles of dough as possible. Dollop 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle. Carefully fold one side of the circle over the other and crimp the edge with your fingers or the tines of a fork. Transfer to the lined baking sheet, placing each pie about and inch from the next. Re-roll any scraps of dough and continue cutting and filling the pies. Repeat with the second disc of dough.<br />
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Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill the pies for 30 minutes. While chilling, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.<br />
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Whip up the egg with a splash of water to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the chilled pies and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and flaky. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack. <br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-75369634734313829492015-11-06T02:56:00.000-08:002015-11-10T23:31:08.537-08:00Cider-Chai Syrup {From Food Gift Love} + A Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes things just come together in the most meant-to-be ways. This is one of those times for me, a confluence of several things that I love all wrapped up in one beautiful book-shaped package.<br />
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As someone who imagines herself a food writer, I enjoy reading other blogs, magazines and books dedicated to the same. I read cookbooks cover to cover like I'm reading a great novel. I borrow stacks of them from the library only to be sad when its time to return them. I've been guilty of hoarding stacks and stacks of food magazines because there's just one recipe in each of them that I might use sometimes. Then there's the ever expanding list of food blogs that I love. And it's not necessarily the recipes that draw me in, it's the voice of the writer. The way that you can get a sense of the person in the stories they tell and the food that they share. It's partly why I do what I do- that sense of the person and history I could always feel in the generation of women before me and that was itching to find a home on a page, screen and photograph.<br />
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One serendipitous day about a year and half ago I was reading one of the blogs that was delivered to me via email. This lovely woman with a talent for giving was writing a book and would anyone care to be a part of a community of recipe testers? I had a moment of pause, thinking about all the reasons that I shouldn't or couldn't- the fact that I was pregnant and exhausted, living outside the US where some ingredients might not be available and just not knowledgeable enough to give feedback on someone else's recipes. Then realized that this would be an opportunity to have a little fun, maybe use my brain for something other than remembering my kids' schedules and just maybe learn a thing or two about recipe writing and the process of book development. And the theme of the book interested me- recipes for food gifting- a thing that I happen to enjoy doing with a passion. So I signed up and was selected.<br />
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I was right. It was all of those things and more. Because as I tested I learned how to make my own recipes better while helping Maggie perfect hers. I found recipes that have actually become part of my regular repertoire (batch after batch of the granola that I tested has been in a jar on my counter since the day I first made it) and I became invested in the project. It became a little bit mine. So now that the book has become a reality and I have it in my hands, I can't put it down. Nearly every page is tagged with a reminder that I want to make that recipe, like now.<br />
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I started with the one that might just be the most "me". It's no secret that I am a bit obsessed with tea and have at least a half dozen recipes dedicated to my favorite drink on this page already. Chai being my favorite way to shake up my tea, I knew that this Cider-Chai Syrup was right up my alley. <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Gift-Love-Recipes-Share/dp/0544387678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446805127&sr=8-1&keywords=food+gift+love" target="_blank">Food Gift Love</a> </i>might be a book about gifting, but I'm not sure that I'm going to share this with anyone. At least not this first batch. It's all mine.<br />
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But I am sharing something besides the recipe today. I pulled together a few little bits and baubles from my favorite stores here in Germany. Some pretty little Weck jars, stickers, gift tags and decorations that will give one lucky reader's holiday food gifts a little German flair. <strike>All you have to do is leave a comment telling me about your favorite food gifts to give (or receive!) by Tuesday, November 10. I'll pick a winner at random and send my gift to you on its way. Please only US addresses, sending from my military post office is limited! </strike>The contest is now closed. Congratulations to Monique P for winning.<br />
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<u>Cider-Chai Syrup</u><br />
<i>Makes about 3 cups. Recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Gift-Love-Recipes-Share/dp/0544387678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446805127&sr=8-1&keywords=food+gift+love" target="_blank">Food Gift Love</a>, by Maggie Batista</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/cider-chai-syrup" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>This is a lovely little gift to give the tea lover in your life. Find a pretty jar, a bit of old ribbon and a fun tag to present the syrup in. Maggie suggests adding 2 tablespoons of the syrup to a cup of hot water for a delicious warm drink. A splash of whiskey makes it into a hot toddy. I didn't happen to have loose chai tea in my cupboard so I used my favorite loose leaf black tea (assam) and added in ground spices typical of chai. I've added my variation to the recipe for those of you who can't find loose chai tea.</i><br />
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4 cups (32 ounces) apple cider<i> </i><br />
4 tbs loose chai tea*<br />
1 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed<br />
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*If loose chai tea isn't available, you can substitute 4 tbs loose black tea, such as assam, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, 1/8 tsp ground cloves and few grinds of black pepper.<br />
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Place the apple cider and chai tea in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and let boil until the liquid is concentrated and reduced by half, about 30 minutes.<br />
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Strain out the chai tea through cheesecloth and return the cider to a cleaned saucepan. Add the sugar to the cider and boil over medium-high heat until dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.<br />
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Let the syrup cool at room temperature before bottling. Strain it through a coffee filter 1 or 2 times to remove any extra tea or spice bits for the cleanest presentation.<br />
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The syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-28432897818102383062015-10-27T05:14:00.002-07:002015-10-27T23:24:58.789-07:00Mom's Chocolate Pear Upside Down Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Tradition [tr<i>uh</i>-<b>dish</b>-<i>uh</i> n] noun : 1. <span class="ssens">the handing down of information, beliefs, and
customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another
without written instruction 2. </span><span class="ssens">characteristic manner, method, or style</span><br />
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<br />
<span class="ssens"></span><span class="ssens">I've been struggling with this post, which is why it
has taken so long to arrive in this space. I keep sitting down to
write and coming up blank. I love this recipe, I love its origins and
what it has become. So what's the problem? And what does that have to
do with the definition of tradition that I wrote above? Both valid
questions.</span><br />
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<span class="ssens"><br /></span>
<span class="ssens">The thing is, I really don't know. I can guess, sure, but it's not clear to me yet what the block is about. Too many things to list here, I suppose- maybe in a future post. Probably all boiling down to life, kids, responsibilities. You know, the stuff that distracts from really living fully. Buuuuut...... I try not to make this blog a personal diary so much as an exploration of the thoughts that run though my day with enough frequency to make them relevant. It's not a true confessions page though. So lets keep it lighter, shall we? </span><br />
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<span class="ssens">In the meantime I'm trying to overcome my blogging block by going back to my roots. Which always leads me to my Mom. Hence the nod to tradition referenced earlier. The cake I'm offering up today is one of those cakes that I can remember her making since I was a small child. She grabbed the recipe from a magazine long ago and it was one of those total 70s recipes. Canned fruit, maraschino cherries, you know the kind. She did away with the cherries from the start but pretty much stuck to the recipe otherwise. I thought I might take it a step further (and kick tradition to the curb, if you will) and modernize it just a bit more. So gone is the can of sugar-laden fruit; replaced instead by gently poached pears who's poaching liquid is also used to make the caramel-ly goodness that is characteristic of an upside down cake. It's a nod to tradition without being strictly traditional. And maybe just the thing to kick my blogging butt out of its funk.</span><br />
<span class="ssens"><br /></span>
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<span class="ssens"><br /></span>
<span class="ssens"><u>Chocolate Pear Upside Down Cake</u></span><br />
<span class="ssens"><i>Makes 1 8x8 inch square or 9 inch round cake</i>.</span><br />
<span class="ssens"><i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/chocolate-pear-upside-down-cake" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i></span><br />
<span class="ssens"><br /></span>
<span class="ssens"><i>This update of my Mom's classic is enhanced with poached pears but its still a simple cake at heart. If you don't have time to poach your own pears, by all means use pears canned in their juices (not in syrup!). The recipe has pecans in the ingredient list but you won't see them in my photos because my little family doesn't appreciate them. So I guess they're optional but really great if you have them.</i></span><br />
<span class="ssens"><br /></span>
<span class="ssens">For the pear topping: <br />1/4 cup (4 tbs) unsalted butter <br />1/2 cup packed brown sugar <br />2 tbs pear poaching liquid </span><br />
<span class="ssens">4 poached pear halves (recipe to follow) <br />1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans <br /> </span><br />
<span class="ssens"></span><span class="ssens">For the cake:</span><br />
<span class="ssens">1 1/4 cup sugar </span><br />
<span class="ssens"></span><br />
<span class="ssens"></span><br />
<span class="ssens"></span><br />
<span class="ssens"></span><br />
<span class="ssens"><span class="ssens">1 1/2 cups all purpose flour</span> </span><br />
<span class="ssens"><span class="ssens">1/4 cup cocoa powder</span></span><br />
<span class="ssens"><span class="ssens"></span></span><span class="ssens"><span class="ssens"><span class="ssens">1/2 tsp baking soda</span></span></span><br />
<span class="ssens"><span class="ssens"><span class="ssens"><span class="ssens">1/2 tsp salt</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="ssens"><span class="ssens"><span class="ssens"><span class="ssens"></span></span></span></span><span class="ssens">10 tbs softened butter</span><br />
<span class="ssens">1 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span class="ssens">2 eggs</span><br />
<span class="ssens">1/2 cup buttermilk</span><br />
<span class="ssens"><br /></span>
<span class="ssens">Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br /><br />Melt the 1/4 cup of butter and pour it into a 9 inch square cake pan. Drizzle the corn syrup over the butter and then sprinkle the brown sugar in the pan. <br /><br />Cut the pear halves into 4 equal portion lengthwise and arrange the pieces in a sunburst pattern over the mixture in the baking pan. Sprinkle the chopped pecans around the pears.<br /><br />Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.<br /><br />In a large mixing bowl (fitted to a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer with beaters attached), beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating fully between additions. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk in three additions. Mix until thoroughly combined.<br /><br />Pour the batter into the pan gently so as to disturb the pattern of the pears as little as possible. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean of batter or very wet crumbs. Cool the cake for about 5 minutes and then run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Invert the cake onto a serving platter. Cut into squares.</span><br />
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<br />
<span class="ssens"><u>Poached Pears</u> </span><br />
<span class="ssens">2 ripe but still firm pears<br />1 quart water<br />1/2 cup honey<br /><br />Stir the water and honey together in a 2 quart pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium heat. In the meantime, peel, quarter and core the pears.<br /><br />When the water/honey mixture comes to a boil add the pears. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer the pears for 20-25 minutes or until the tip of a sharp knife easily pierces the pears. Remove the pears from the poaching liquid and cool making sure to reserve 2 tablespoons of the poaching liquid.<br /><br />Pears can be stored in the cooled poaching liquid in the refrigerator until use.</span><br />
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<span class="ssens"><br /></span>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-5918455570924347372015-10-09T02:04:00.002-07:002015-10-09T02:04:30.932-07:00Our Favorite Apple Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The day started out with an entirely different plan. We were to meet up with friends on the grounds of a lovely Baroque castle for one of our favorite fall festivals. Beautifully carved pumpkins, amazing statues and scenes created out of stacking all sorts of gourds and squash, pumpkin-centered food and record breaking giant pumpkins all in an idyllic setting. Sounds perfect, doesn't it? Well it would have been if not for the German national holiday and the hordes of people trying to do the very same thing we were. As we sat in traffic and drove in circles trying to find parking I could feel my husband's frustration level rising (and kid-friendly language beginning to fail him), so I turned to him and said, "Let's get out of here".<br />
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It was such a good call. <br />
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We ended up doing not much of anything, really. But had a great day doing it. Pointing the car in a direction where no other people were going we ended up driving through (and stopping to meander in) no fewer than three towns each with its own castle or medieval wall. And each was prettier than the previous one. In between was some beautiful countryside with fall colors all around. At the end, we settled on a beautiful town square to have dinner in. The evening was warm so we ate our dinner of wild game and traditional German sides out on the square watching children play and night watchmen lead tours through town to the tune of church bells. This is German living at its best, my friends.<br />
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But my favorite part of the day wasn't the castles or the dinner. It was the 20 minutes that we spent stopped on the side of the road picking apples from some old, forgotten trees. The boys and their dad having fun and daring each other to go higher and get bigger apples. The oldest climbing up on his dad's shoulders balancing just enough to reach the really big ones. His little brother finding apples on the ground that were still worthy of picking (and eating as many of them as he could). Their baby sister just napped and played happily as I took it all in. Because as the boys get older I know these simple and blissful afternoons will be fewer and farther between. Sure, I'm thrilled to have the bowls full of apples to cook and bake with but it was the experience that was more fulfilling. No TV or video games, no forced fun. Just two boys and their dad, laughing, climbing and enjoying each others' company. To me, that was the true beauty of the day.<br />
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<u>Our Favorite Apple Cake</u><br />
<i>Makes one cake. Adapted slightly from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-Holiday-Baking-Beatrice-Ojakangas/dp/0816638683/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1444379869&sr=8-3&keywords=the+great+holiday+baking+book" target="_blank"><u>The Great Holiday Baking Book</u> by Beatrice Ojakangas</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/our-favorite-apple-cake" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>I have been making this cake for years. The original is from a book I was gifted one Christmas from a co-worker and I've made it every fall since. It reminds my husband of a cake that his mother used to make as a child and I think it might just be his favorite cake ever. We have always called it Jewish Apple Cake, though I really don't know why. I suppose growing up in a very mixed religious area of South Jersey we simply always associated the cake with our Jewish friends and the fall holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Though it needn't be limited to just one season. This is one of those homey, year round cakes that just makes you feel good.</i><br />
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3 cups all purpose flour<i> </i><br />
3 tsp baking powder<br />
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided<br />
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1 cup neutral flavored oil<br />
4 large eggs<br />
3/4 cup fresh orange juice<br />
2 tsp pure vanilla extract<br />
6 medium apples (sweet, firm apples are best), peeled, cored and sliced thinly (about 4 cups finished)<br />
1 tbs ground cinnamon<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 or 10 inch tube pan (or 9x13 inch rectangular pan).<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Stir to distribute the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together the oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. With an electric mixer or by hand beat the mixture until light and fluffy.<br />
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In another large bowl stir the apples together with the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and the cinnamon until the apples are well coated. Place half of the apples at the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the batter over the apples and even it out with a spatula if necessary. Arrange the rest of the apples over the top.<br />
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Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will be golden on top and the apples will be tender. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan onto a serving dish. If using a tube pan, loosen the cake from the pan and invert it onto a plate. The invert the cake again onto a serving platter. Replace any apples that might have remained in the pan and let cool completely before serving.<br />
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The cake will keep for 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-4731553471540528912015-09-21T02:37:00.002-07:002015-09-21T04:49:14.308-07:00The Only Chocolate Chip Cookie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been thinking about the meaning of the word "home" a lot lately. For so many reasons, I suppose. But there are two that really seem to standout in my mind.<br />
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A recent trip to Budapest, one of the most surprisingly beautiful cities I have visited in Europe, brought my family face to face with hundreds of refugees fleeing the war torn Middle East for a better life. These people were walking from Budapest with the hopes of finding a safe and secure new home in Germany. Families, young men, and small children carrying their lives on their backs and leaving they only home they have ever known. You can watch the stories on the news and read about the crisis that is facing Europe right now, but to actually watch the people walking past you is something altogether different. Clarifying. And you wonder if these people will ever again feel at "home". Surely refugee camps, abandoned warehouses and halfway houses can't be the image of the new life they are desperately trying to find. But all of these places are light years from the hell that was their home. So maybe, just maybe, there's a glimmer of hope there. <br />
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I have a bit of experience with temporary homes myself. We live a version of a migratory life because of the Navy. I don't mean to compare myself to a war refugee, not directly anyway. There is no comparison. But it's already time to consider the next big move and I feel like we just got here yesterday. But in many ways it is home. Driving back from Hungary after the weekend in Budapest where the language is so different from any that I know and then crossing back into Germany I felt an actual sigh of relief and sense of familiarity that comes with being where you belong. But this place is only temporary. Just a stop along the way.<br />
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I asked my oldest what he thought of if I said the word home to him. Being only 10 his feeling of what makes home is different from mine. He said that he thinks of Germany because that is where we live. Asking myself the same question I get a totally different answer. My immediate impulse is to think of New Jersey where I grew up, but that doesn't quite feel right. The picture that lodges itself in my mind is warm sunshine, palm trees, gardens overflowing with tomatoes and lemons and the smell of strawberries in the air as you pass through the fields on a warm day. And I realize that home for me is not where I grew up but the place where I felt the most myself. The place where I was the most comfortable with who I am and where I really began to discover who that person is. My "home" is California. And while I may never return to live there it will always hold that special place in my heart.<br />
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<u>Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies</u><br />
<i>Makes 18-24 cookies. Adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/04/salted-chocolate-chunk-cookies/" target="_blank">smitten kitchen</a> (originally from Not Without Salt).</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/salted-chocolate-chip-cookies" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>I have made this cookie several times lately. It is probably the only chocolate chip cookie I will make for now on. Yup, it's just that good. And I've tried a lot of cookies trying to find one that fit my version of perfect. Soft and chewy in the middle, crisp at the edge and full of flavor (and chocolate!). The original versions call for chopped chocolate chunks which I actually like just a bit better than chips. But good dark chocolate chips work just fine and happen to be what I have on hand most of the time so these are chocolate chip cookies. I played around with the sugars a bit and have even whipped them up by hand instead of using a mixer. What I don't do is omit the salt. I usually use salted butter so I don't add any to the batter itself but a sprinkling of flaky salt on top is a must. Because I don't have an oven with a digital thermometer, the 360 degree temperature from the original recipe isn't practical to bake the cookies at, so I go for 350 degrees and don't bake the cookies for quite as long as called for. The end result is a cookie that I have no trouble called "the only one I'll ever bake again".</i><br />
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1/2 cup (8 tbs) salted butter, at room temperature<br />
2 tbs granulated sugar<br />
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
3/4 tsp baking soda<br />
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour<br />
8 oz semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips<br />
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling <br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lina a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.<br />
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In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars (either with an electric mixer or by hand) until the sugars dissolve a bit and the butter is light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl and beat just to mix. Beat in the baking soda. Adding the flour slowly, beat until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.<br />
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Scoop the cookies into heaping tablespoon mounds (I use a small cookie scoop) and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each with a few flakes of salt. Bake one sheet at a time for 9-10 minutes. The cookies will have become golden but the centers will remain just a bit gooey and soft. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Remove the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely. Cool the baking sheet before scooping and baking the next set of cookies.<br />
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The cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3 days though they are at their best if eaten right away.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-60282461897551024472015-09-03T00:54:00.000-07:002015-09-21T04:45:48.334-07:00Italian Plum Jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I seem to always have plums on my mind this time of year. Last year I made a traditional German confection with them, <a href="http://thewaytomyfamilysheart.blogspot.de/2014/08/zwetschgenkuchen-german-plum-cake.html" target="_blank">Zwetschgenkuchen</a>. The year before I started off my blogging adventure in my new home with a <a href="http://thewaytomyfamilysheart.blogspot.de/2013/09/mirabelle-plum-ginger-preserves.html" target="_blank">simple jam</a> made from the tiniest of plums, mirabelles. It's so easy to fall into a plum state of mind with the markets literally crowded with crates of the purple, red and golden beauties.<br />
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You don't find the traditional round, red plums here too much. And I absolutely miss the gorgeous plums and their cousins the pluots and plumcots that I used to find in my CSA boxes back in California. But the abundance of the slightly unusual Italian plums (called Zwetschgen here in Germany) and the tiny golden mirabelles that are more typical in France is hard to ignore.<br />
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I suppose I could just do as my one year old daughter does and shove the whole plum in my mouth at once (in fact, it's what she's doing right now as I sit and type this). That's a perfectly legitimate way to enjoy the bounty of the season. Plus seriously darn cute and I can't resist sharing just one little photo of her.<br />
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But
I'm in a giving mood these days. So the plums that didn't make it into Little Miss's mouth went into jars. What better gift that a beautifully
ruby-hued jar of jam to mark the season? I took my inspiration from the
markets and piled my basket high with purple Italian plums. There were
plums for days in the kitchen. But with a simple, streamlined jam
making process I made quick work of them. I kept a few jars for us and
the rest went to friends to mark the start of school and to neighbors as
a thank you for having the most enjoyable brunch with us this past
weekend.<br />
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I suppose I really have no problems with the fact that I seem to always come back to the plum this time of year. Because if you can't enjoy something that you love, what's the point? So I'm sharing a little love with you, just as I did with my friends and neighbors. And maybe you'll pass it along too. There's no better reason to than "Just because...".<br />
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<u>Italian Plum Jam</u><br />
<i>Makes 4 half pint jars.</i><u> </u><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="http://jam/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i><br />
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<i>Italian plums (sometimes called prune plums) are a wonderful balance of tart and sweet. They are my plum of choice for jamming for several reasons. First (and not to be overlooked) is that they are easy to prep as they only require a couple of cuts and the pits pull out with little effort. Secondly, their bright flavor is incredibly delicious and the color of the finished jam is so ruby red that the jam is as beautiful to look at as it is to taste. If I haven't sold you on the virtues of the Italian plum or if you can't find them in your nearby markets any plum will do in its place. Just make sure that you chop them into pieces that are about an inch to an inch and a half cubed.</i><br />
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1 kg (about 2.25 lbs) Italian plums<i> </i><br />
350 g (1 3/4 cup) sugar<br />
zest and juice of 1 lime<br />
juice of 1/2 lemon<br />
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Wash, pit and quarter the plums. Toss the plums with the rest of the ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours.<br />
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In the meantime, wash and dry 4 half pint jars and lids. Set aside.<br />
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After two hours have passed prepare the jars for canning by placing the empty jars and lids in a canning pot and
covering them with water by at least an inch. Bring the water to a boil and let
the jars heat in the water for 10 minutes. Pull the jars carefully from the water with tongs, empty and remaining water and set onto a clean kitchen towel. Remove the lids and set them on the towel. Keep the temperature under the canning pot at medium.<br />
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While the jars are heating up, make the jam. Bring the fruit and its juices to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Cook, stirring often. A foam will appear on the surface of the jam after a few minutes. When that foam starts to dissipate and the jam has a slightly lava-like boil, it is ready to pour into the prepared jars. It will have reached a temperature of 220 degrees if you check with an instant read thermometer. Cooking the jam should take a total of about 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat to prevent overcooking.<br />
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Ladle the hot jam into the jars leaving a quarter inch of space at the top. Wipe any jam off the rim of the jar using a damp paper towel carefully as both the jam and the jars are hot. Place the lids on the jars and tighten until they are just tight (this is called finger tight- not so tight that you have to really work to tighten it, but not loose either). Using canning tongs place the jars into the canning pot.<br />
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Bring the water in the canning pot up to a rolling boil. When the boil is reached set a timer for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes remove the jars from the water and set back on the kitchen towel. Let the jars cool completely. If a seal has been correctly made the center of the lid will be sucked down and you will not be able to push it in and out. Jars will keep in a cool dry area for about 6 months if unopened. Opened jars will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-50206363731756696632015-08-20T02:28:00.002-07:002015-09-21T04:46:02.210-07:00Lemon Zucchini Bread {Revisited}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A dear friend of mine recently sent me a text asking for a recipe I shared a few years ago in the early days of this page. Someone had gifted her some zucchini and having tasted my version of zucchini bread once-upon-a-time she was looking to make it for herself. The only problem was that she couldn't find the recipe anywhere on my page. Not a trace of the <a href="http://thewaytomyfamilysheart.blogspot.de/2011/06/lemony-yogurt-zucchini-bread.html" target="_blank">delicious lemony zucchini bread</a> popped up in any of her searches. Curious, I did a bit of digging myself (it's my blog so of course I can find it right?)<br />
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Not so much. I tried sticking every key word I could think of in my little search box and found every recipe using lemon I had ever posted (a lot, BTW, I really love lemon) but no zucchini bread. I finally found it after doing a bit of googling- is that a word?- and sent the link back to my friend. Not without a bit of embarrassment, however. The original was one of my first posts. Dark point and click camera photos and some crazy, "artsy" I thought, formatting really showed how much I had to learn back then and just how far I've come. I made her promise to overlook the pictures and go straight to the recipe.<br />
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Looking at that old recipe with it's imperfections and the details that betray all of my inexperience at the time, I couldn't help but feel a bit of nostalgia tangled up with a burning desire to delete that post from the internet immediately. I held back. Didn't tap the button. After all, it is me and it is where I came from. It was the best I could do at that moment (though that didn't stop me from cleaning up the formatting issues). But I thought I would see what I could do with the zucchini bread now. So I lightened it of a bit of its sugar and oil, cut it down to make only one loaf and re-shot the photos so that they reflect the light, summery feel of one of my favorite quick breads. This is me now. Proud of who I am and how far I've come. It's such a satisfying feeling.<br />
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<u>Lemon Zucchini Bread</u><br />
<i>Makes 1 loaf.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/lemon-zucchini-bread" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i><br />
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<i>This is a revision of an oldie-but-goodie from the early days of the blog. It was good as it was so I only gave it a few small tweaks that I think make the texture and flavor just a bit better. The key to working with fresh zucchini is to squeeze out as much of the water as you can. If not your bread will be dense and soggy. Neither of those are very appealing. The other essential to this bread is the pan prep. You can go traditional with butter and flour, but I really like the way swapping the flour for sugar gives the bread a bit of a sweet crust.</i><br />
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1 small to medium zucchini<br />
1 cup flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
3/4 cup sugar plus 1 tbs<br />
zest of 1 lemon (preferably organic and unwaxed)<br />
1/3 cup neutral flavored oil<br />
1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt (any fat content you like)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice<br />
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Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a 10 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the insides with sugar. Set the pan aside.<br />
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Shred the zucchini with the large holes of a box grater or using the shred blade on a food processor. Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze as much of the water out as you can. Leave the zucchini to drain further as you make the bread batter.<br />
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Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the lemon zest to the bowl and work it through the dry ingredients with your fingertips. This will release some of the oils in the zest and give the bread more lemon flavor. Set aside.<br />
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In another bowl stir together the oil, yogurt, eggs and lemon juice. Pour into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Stir in the shredded zucchini.<br />
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Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread with a spatula to even it out. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. The top with be a nice golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread will come out clean. If the top begins to brown too much before the center is cooked cover the loaf with aluminum foil and continue to bake. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack completely before removing from the pan.<br />
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The bread will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days if well wrapped.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793019513965260803.post-68312096163836809002015-07-30T02:55:00.001-07:002015-09-21T04:46:17.390-07:00Oatmeal Cookie Dough No-Churn Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You guys. I can't even. No words.<br />
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I'm all tongue twisted today. I tried to come up with a clever story or anecdote to accompany this ice cream recipe.<br />
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It's so darn hot everywhere, maybe a story about how Europeans seem to hate air conditioning? Nah. Too whiny.<br />
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Today is the first day of summer break for my kiddos. Summer, ice cream, perfect partners, right? Meh. It's been done.<br />
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Nothing is ringing true with me today. So let's just get on with it, okay? Because who doesn't love maximum awesomeness with minimum input? And that's just what I have for you today. Chewy oatmeal cookie dough bits studded with chocolate chips- check. Sweet cinnamon ice cream that can be whipped up (literally) in minutes- double check. The hardest part is waiting the four hours for the freezer to work its magic. But I won't tell anyone if you decide you just can't wait that long.<br />
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<u>Oatmeal Cookie Dough No-Churn Ice Cream</u><br />
<i>Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts. Ice cream base very slightly adapted from <a href="http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r567/ReneeZublic/Blog%20photos/IMG_0066_zpsfhhp7muq.jpg" target="_blank">Half Baked Harvest</a>.</i><br />
<i>For the printable recipe, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/thewaytomyfamilysheart/oatmeal-cookie-dough-no-churn-ice-cream" target="_blank">click here</a>. </i><br />
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<i>You can really play with this recipe a lot. Love chunks and bits in your ice cream? Go for it. Peanut butter cups? Yes, please! I'm dreaming of salty toffee bits swirled with caramel in vanilla. Or you can be simple and traditional with a very vanilla base and lightly sweetened strawberries. And no ice cream maker is needed. I think that's the best part. This recipe really is genius.</i><br />
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<i>For the oatmeal cookie dough:</i><br />
3 tbs butter, softened<i> </i><br />
1/4 cup plus 1 tbs packed brown sugar<br />
2 tbs cane sugar<br />
1 tbs heavy cream<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp nutmeg<br />
3/4 cup all purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)<br />
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips<br />
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<i>For the cinnamon ice cream base:</i><br />
2 cups heavy whipping cream<i> </i><br />
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk<br />
1 tbs vanilla extract<br />
3/4 tsp cinnamon<br />
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To make the cookie dough, beat the butter, brown sugar and cane sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and flour to the bowl and stir to fully incorporated. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Place the cookie dough in a refrigerator safe container with a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.<br />
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In the meantime, place all of the ingredients for the ice cream base into the bowl of a mixer. Whip on medium high speed until stiff.<br />
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Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Break it into random sized pieces 1/2 inch to 1 inch in diameter. Gently stir the cookie dough bits into the ice cream base. Transfer the ice cream into a freezer safe container. Freeze until solid, about 4 hours. To serve, leave the ice cream out for a few minutes to soften before scooping.<br />
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<br />Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11248036025738530124noreply@blogger.com0